He's my Brother

Who's your hero?

Mine, for the most part are like the stars- too numerous to count.
Of late, I have to say, it's my "baby brother", Jim.

Through hard work in his career Jim has provided his wife, Eileen, and their four children with a comfortable home and lifestyle. Recently, the fruits of his labor have provided critical healthcare for his 12 year old son, Andy. In November 2007, Andy was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Andy is receiving his treatment from an institution that is roughly two and a half hours away from his home. His regimen has required travel and intermittent stays nearer to the treatment facility. Jim for the most part has stayed at home maintaining his work commitments and helping grandparents with the other three children. His wife mostly stays with Andy. In the middle of each weekly stay, Jim would leave work at the end of the day and head to Andy and Eileen, spend the night, and travel back home late the next evening. I was visiting on one such evening while Jim was preparing to depart for home at 9pm. He mentioned that he was going to do some final preparations for a presentation for work in the morning. It was cold, dark, and late, and I wanted to cry for him. But he wasn't complaining at all, in fact he seemed happy. He was full of gratitude for for the enjoyable time he had at Red Lobster with his wife and son. That special time made all of his sufferings worth it. As he embraced Andy he gently lifted him saying "I love you Andy, you're the best!" And off he went into the hostile night. But something in his mood and spirit was almost reminiscent of the joy of Singin' in the Rain

A seriously ill child is difficult for any parent. You want never to leave their side and it's painful when you must be apart. Jim says over and over that Andy is his hero.

Of course Eileen, Andy's mother is wonderful too. She holds a special place of nurture in my heart. She is very special to a lot of people. I think that we naturally run to the side of the mother in times such as these and the father maintains a quieter, behind the scenes role of strength, comfort, providence and assurance. St. Joseph modeled this role for us as parent and provider for Jesus. Hence he is the patron saint of fathers and workers.

Over the last three months my baby brother has journeyed through terror, tears, searches for treatment, anguish and more prayer. He has lifted himself to the heights of hope. Through his love for his family he lives in the moment with joy.
I fix my eyes upon him and I see
a hero.

May your love grace your moments as well.
Peace and All Good!
Lynn



The Litany of St. Joseph

The Litany of Saint Joseph is a traditional, indulgenced prayer, often recited in public with one person introducing each invocation, and everyone responding with the conclusion ("have mercy on us," "pray for us"). For a wallet-sized copy of the litany, click here, print, clip, and fold.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.

Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.

Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V. He made him the lord of his household.
R. And prince over all his possessions.


Let us pray.
O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever and ever.
R. Amen

Singn' in the Rain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkEvy-9yVyQ

To Be or not To Be- Catholic

I have been asked to sponsor a young man for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
"I am ready and really want to go through with this, But I'll always have questions," he says.

"Me too," I assert.

"But isn't that the point?"I ask. "Isn't the paradox of faith that there is no physical, rational proof?"

Yet if we choose to seek with eyes of faith, the proof is there for peace of heart that surpasses all human understanding.

And that peace is good, it is very good, indeed.

May you know the peace of God through His Son, Our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, through the power of His Holy Spirit. Amen.

"I'll fly Away"

A happy death!

St. Joseph is the patron saint of a happy death. http://www.scborromeo.org/index2.htm
"What's that about?"you ask.
Well, I'm no expert, but the only 2 things that I am certain of are this very moment and that one day you and I will die.
We are all sent here as pilgrims by our Heavenly Father.

As a Eucharistic people we are given a road map:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth 5 and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6


We are given sustenance :

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread,
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and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
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In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
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For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

We are given a mission:

Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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Go, therefore, 12 and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,
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teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 13 And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Matthew 28:11-13

And we are given guidance.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
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the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.
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I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18

I recently was listening to a program on NPR that told of Civil war "death bed letters". One of the soldiers in a letter to his father expresses his gratitude that " you will be DELIGHTED to know that I have had a good death." It seems that somewhere in our modern world we have forgotten the importance of preparing for our departure. I am not talking of financial affairs and funeral planning, I am talking of spiritual preparation for ever after.

Is is denial? Is it too scary to face the inevitable?

As a mother I pray for the faith of my children every day. I pray that they see the gift of their Catholic faith and baptism and I pray that they RUN to grace with gratitude to the Holy Eucharist. I pray that they live their earthly lives in preparation for eternity in Heaven at the foot of Our Heavenly Father.

My first model mother is Mary the Mother of God, how agonizing it must have been for her to see her beloved child be rejected, persecuted and killed for obedience to Almighty God.

My second model mother is my own mother who taught me to ask Mary for prayer. She once told me that she prayed the Memorare every day.

My third model mother is the patron of our site St. Monica. By his own account, as a youth Augustine was quite a delinquent. Patricius his father was a pagan. Monica's life's work was a prayer for her loved ones. Shortly after their conversions, she died a happy, joyful death.
http://www.scborromeo.org/index2.htm

As for me, I'm a work in progress. I wrestle in daily prayer for the faith of all of my loved ones.

Our Father in Heaven
May your Holy Spirit guide our footsteps on our Earthly Pilgrimage,
That by following the Way of your beloved son, Jesus Christ,
Through a happy death we find our life at home with you forever.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us.
Holy Angels, Pray for us.
St. Joseph, Pray for Us.
St. Monica, Pray for Us.
AMEN.

May you revel in the grace of the Holy Eucharist today.

Peace and all Good!

Lynn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjgYsHt71XE

Back Online

The holidays and a seriously ill family member have kept me away. 12 year old Andy is wrestling with an inoperable brain tumor. I am trying so hard to minister to him and his parents. I feel like I'm perpetually falling short. Our new version of grace before meals includes the words:

Dear Jesus,
Bless our food and our family
especially Andy.
http://caringbridge.org/visit/andykosmala

Advent 2007 Letter

Dear friends and family and strangers,

I bid you tidings of peace and all good!

2007 unrolled with some big changes for our family
On Jan 4th Grandpa Ben departed Earth for eternity at the throne of Grace. He was 95.

In March Mike and I sold our north Raleigh home of 23 years and moved to North Durham. Our new home is encircled by a river and a golf course, so hopefully the car dealerships will not find us this time. Mike spent six weeks on his back in the early part of the year with a back injury. He is better now(except for his blood pressure and cholesterol). These are the adventures of being almost 50.

We enjoy taking long starlight walks on the golf course with our dog, Cabo.
In June ours sons joined us for a Disneyworld vacation with extended family.
September brought us the birth of our grandson, Joseph Patrick aka Joepa who has added to our joy wrought by 17 month old Shelby.
Kristen and Jeff are parents to Shelby and Joey and live and work near Wilmington,NC.
Mike the son lives in Raleigh and works at NC State.
Matt graduated from NC State this spring. He lives in Raleigh and works at NC State.
Mike and Matt are good sons loyal to their parents’ needs.
Ben is a sophomore at Belmont Abbey. His wrestling season was cut short by a knee injury that required surgery. He is currently “rehabbing”. He has of late been attending to the bedside of his sick cousin and his cousins siblings who live in Denver, NC near Charlotte and Belmont Abbey.

Thanksgiving was at my house this year but not by my design. The plan had been for Mike and I to travel to NY. We were to spend the first part of the week in Cherry valley with Mike’s family and the later part of the week with my family in Allegany. We had a party planned for my parents’ 50th Anniversary on 11/23. Just prior to the week of Thanksgiving we received word that my brother Jim’s son, our godson, Andy was diagnosed with a malignant inoperable brain tumor. Within hours the decision was made to cancel the party and move Thanksgiving to my house. Andy’s care is being provided by Duke, so he was in town. Over the four day weekend 27 people slept in my house. we fried 3 Turkeys for thanksgiving. The 50th Anniversary dinner was at Golden Corral, the cake was yellow with chocolate frosting(really good), and the finale was a stroll through the Walmart down the streetJ We joked about being Jeff Foxworthy material. It was a peaceful time of grace and thanksgiving for one another.

Circumstances such as these illuminate the priorities in life. None of us really knows what the morrow will bring. Now is the only time that we are assured of. Now is the time to live, to love, to laugh, to cry, and most of all- to pray. God willing our prayer for a miracle in steadfast faith be granted.

In this season of grace, may the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding guard over your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. Phil4

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Lynn

Andy’s website: caringbridge.org site name: andykosmala

The Santa Wars

It seems that, unfortunately, we mothers feel the need to fight amongst ourselves and align ourselves with one part or another over the tradition of Santa at this most exciting time of year as we prepare for Christ's birth.

Don't think you'll find a rant here one way or another, there are other sites for that, instead, let us teach our children to be respectful of others beliefs. Isn't that what Jesus would do?

Please, God....

Dear God,
All I want for Christmas is healing and recovery for my Godson, Andy.
http://caringbridge.org/visit/andykosmala
Lynn

A Miracle This Thanksgiving

As I stated in an earlier post, a member of our family is ill.

My cousin, and Lynn (my mom)'s nephew and Godson Andy was diagnosed with an inoperable, malignant tumor on his brain earlier this month. To read more about his illness and Andy you can go here.

Despite all that has happened, Andy is one of the most amazing, positive kids. He is only 12, but he if you read his journal entries on the website, you see there is a much older soul present. Although we live just a few hours apart, Andy and I see little of each other. Through his illness, God has given us the miracle of being reconnected.

This morning, on the Today show, they were profiling St Jude's Children's Hospital. There is a possibility that Andy may get some treatment at St Jude's and it has always been a favorite charity of mine. One segment was of a little girl who is receiving a bone marrow transplant. As her mother fought back tears, she explained the surgery, while miraculous, was also scary and she was afraid that all would not go according to plan. At this point the little girl interrupted her mother to tell her not to be scared because, "St Jude will take care of me."

Yes the wonderful doctors and nurses at St Judes will care for her, as will St Jude in heaven. The miracle is not only a surgery that could cure this little girl, but of her faith that no matter what, she will be taken care of. And that is Andy's miracle this Thanksgiving as well.

Hallelujah!

As if we didn't already know many of its benefits, now we know this about breastfeeding. It is always reaffirming for a mother to know she's doing her best for her kids.

Thanksgiving

This year, our family has much to be thankful for.

Our little girl turned one.

Our son was born.

My husband found a good job and is making great progress in school.

We have family that loves and cares about us.

Thanksgiving is a great time to remember all the blessings God has given us. It is also a time to realize that sometimes, God's direction seems contrary to us.

Our cousin (Lynn's nephew and godson) has been ill recently. His illness is fairly extreme, but I will limit the description to that at this point to protect his privacy. He is only twelve-years-old. Of course, when we hear of a child having an illness, we all think, "Why would God do this?" Who could be thankful for this?

A co-worker of mine's son was gunned down a month ago in town. His mother is a woman I adore who is friendly, sweet and a wonderful mother. Why did God allow this to happen to her?

This Thanksgiving, I am not only thankful for the obvious blessings, but for the blessings of all the people in my life, because God can call them home all too soon.

Can You Believe My Mom Did This To Me?

Sometimes as mothers, we have to embrace change. Everyday we raise our children we do that as everyday we watch them grow older, smarter, braver, you know. Today, Joey tried the Bumbo for the first time (on the floor, not on the counter or table top!). And he really seemed to enjoy himself.

He is almost six weeks old.

Building Our Cathedrals

I awoke to find this in my inbox, for all mothers in the world:

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?"I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?"I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going ... she's going ... she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean.

My unwashed hair was pulled up in a clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devoured - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

(1) No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.

(2) These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.

(3) They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

(4) The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees." I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

God Bless You as you build your Cathedrals!

Happy Birthday KrisTaBelle!!!

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...."
Always!
The post may be a day late, but the wish and prayer made it inperfect time.
Love,Mom

Happy 21st Ben

May God's blessings be yours all the days of your life.
Hang tough, be good, do well.
I love you.
Mom

Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. 26 When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.
27 The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me." 28 "What is your name?" the man asked. He answered, "Jacob." 29 Then the man said, "You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed." 30 Jacob then asked him, "Do tell me your name, please." He answered, "Why should you want to know my name?" With that, he bade him farewell.
31 Jacob named the place Peniel, "Because I have seen God face to face," he said, "yet my life has been spared." Genesis 32:25-31.

Praise Sister Death, Later if you please, My Lord.

On Wednesday, October 4, on the feast of St Francis, cartoonist Tom Batuik put character Lisa Moore to rest . Lisa succumbed to breast cancer. As I mentioned in my 8/5 entry(http://stmonicasbridge.blogspot.com/2007/08/prepare-for-landing.html), the storyline has captured my heart because Lisa Moore is someone that we all know. She is a mother.

As a Lover of God, a wife, a mother, friend and a nurse I have come to a peace and understanding with Sister Death. I have grown into that peace over 49 years of talking to God about it. Just when I think I’m pretty cool about it, I run into a few kinks. Kristen is the mother of two beautiful babies. Babies need their mothers and fathers for shelter, nurture and most importantly to show them the face of God. I’m not so cool about young mothers like Kristen leaving children behind. If the truth be told, I’m not cool about my mom leaving me, but it’s a reality that I accept knowing that full communion with Our Creator is our ultimate joyful homecoming

As a result of Mr Batuik’s storytelling he notes in his blog that awareness has been raised and a national fund raising venture for research will bear Lisa’s name: “The Lisa’s Legacy Fund for Cancer Research and Education”. Mr Batuik and King Features will contribute the royalties from the publication of Lisa’s Story: The Other Shoe to cancer research. Mr. Batuik enjoys the fruit of joy by virtue of the fact that he took a risk in using his God given talent in the funny pages. Well done Mr Batuik.

Our patron St. Monica and Our Blessed Mother lead us as mothers of prayer for our children Let us together pray for our own children and the children left by the untimely departure of their mothers. Let us pray for ethical research. Please prayerfully consider financial contributions and when the occasion arises, care for the sick.

Rest in Peace all faithful departed mothers.

May Thou be praised, my Lord, for our sister, bodily death,
whom no man living can escape. -Francis of Assisi