Prayer Doodling

Every couple of months it seems, I am looking for a new way to refocus and re-commit to some serious prayertime.  Sometimes I have to resort to a ‘to do’ list /checklist to try to get back on track and return to the habit of real prayer…every day!

It has always helped me to write down prayer, because it’s deliberate, recorded and it feeds my need to feel productive.  It probably isn’t the best motivation, but I figure if it gets me praying consistently, it’s ok!

A few years ago, I picked up this book called Praying in Color
by Sybil MacBeth. 
You can find it in my Amazon carousel in the left margin of this blog. 
I’m curious to find out if anyone will really order through my blog…if so, thank-you!
I just recently discovered her website, where you can check out her book and her technique of Praying in Color.  I don’t think the author is Catholic, but she has a nice writing style, I can relate to her obstacles in prayer and I think it’s just the creative jumpstart I need to get refocused.

I have been praying this way consistently for a little while
and I plan to post some of my prayer doodles. 
I have also returned to writing my prayer in a separate notebook, and I think it’s helping me to refocus! 
I deliberately record people I am praying for, by one initial only, to protect privacy…both in my sketchbook and on this blog.

Sketchbooks and journals are somewhat sacred in our house…no one needs to snoop in someone else’s sketchbook!…It’s a good thing that Kelly doesn’t seem to mind sharing her sketchbooks (not notebooks) because Kelly’s Comics are awesome! 

Knowing that I may post some of my finished prayer doodles, I’m sure it’s making me edit them a little, but I think there might be others out there who might be inspired to do their own prayer doodles…so it’s worth it.

Let me know if you have a prayer doodle
you would like to scan and share! 
I will set up a linky…
Watch for a new prayer doodle button coming soon!

Prince of Peace and Heaven is for Real

I just read this book…Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo about his 4 year old son who visited heaven during an emergency appendectomy.
Within the book, I read about this young artist  Akiane Kramarik, who painted this portrait of Jesus when she was only 8 years old.  Wow.
Both Colton (the child in the book) and Akiane have received visions of Jesus…
and they agree that this is who they saw.

Doubting Thomas and the Divine Mercy!

“Peace be with you.”
… do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
I find it curious that we always hear about “Doubting Thomas”
on this Divine Mercy Sunday Gospel…
…the Apostle who was not at the right place at the right time.
Imagine being remembered as the Apostle who doubted Jesus’ Resurrection!
 
He required proof.  How human of Thomas…do we see ourselves in him?
With Mercy from Jesus, he is shown the proof of Jesus’ Wounds
and he exclaims for all of us…
“My Lord and my God!”
Blessed John Paul the Great, pray for us!

Beautiful Prayer

Lord, I offer you all of me, all that I am and all that I am not.
I offer you every good decision and every regrettable mistake,
every great accomplishment and every missed opportunity,
every divinely inspired gift and every unapplied talent,
every success and every miserable failure…
Check out the entire prayer at Family at the Foot of the Cross
I have also added the link to the Favorite Prayer Share


40 Words

from a Simple Twist of Faith40 Words: Let’s Lay Them Down

40 words, let’s lay them down.  
Frustration, anger, irritability, impatience
Fear, Hopelessness, Shame
Envy, Jealousy, Doubt
Overwhelmed, Distant, Detached…

and then…
also from a Simple Twist of Faith

40 Words:Let’s Pick Them Up

Here are the 40 Words, I will pick up.  How about you? 
   
Peaceful, calmness, happiness, patience
Trust, hope, joy
Generosity, Friendship, Security
Balanced,Approachable, Engaged
Selflessness, Community, Service…

Read the complete posts at A Simple Twist of Faith…
Thanks, Mary.

Ultimate Blog Party Introduction

if you are following from the Ultimate Blog Party
…let me introduce myself.
I’m a Mom of 5 (plus 3 in heaven)
and my husband and I founded a little Catholic apostolate called Arma Dei
We create and produce fun and solidly Catholic books,
paper craft kits and quizzing cards to help celebrate and teach the Catholic Faith.
I Blog Jesus is my attempt at Lectio Divina….entering into the Word of God and setting the stage for personal, private and meaningful prayer.
This is my first and favorite post so far from I Blog Jesus:
Maybe it gives you an idea of what I’m trying to do.
I also would like some guest bloggers…
to share prayerful insights that they receive from Scripture.
I have another blog called Equipping Catholic Families
where I like to post Catholic crafts and activities:
some from our products and others just test-piloted on my own family. 
I try to come up with crafts and activities that require easy-to-find materials…
preferably ones you have in your house already.
Come and follow me!

Twelve Steps to recommiting after falling off the Lenten wagon

This is a great post as we journey through Lent!

1. Admit we are powerless —that our lives have become unmanageable. – Act of Humility

2. Believe that the Holy Spirit can restore us to sanity. – Come Holy Spirit

3. Decide to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Jesus thru Mary – Daily Consecration/Morning Offering

Read more…at Totus Tuus Family