How would you like to win $250 to be given to your favorite charity?
It’s as simple as naming a fish!
Good friend, author and Catholicmom.com founder Lisa Hendey wants you to name the goldfish gracing the cover of her soon-to-be-released book, The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living. Just for entering, you will receive a thank-you gift of a 20% discount on the purchase of her book!
You will have to work fast!
You only have today and tomorrow to submit your name and favorite charity.
Round 1 takes place October 20, 21, and 22 – Submit your name and nominate your favorite charity.
Round 2 will take place October 23, 24, and 25 – Vote on the final 3, as selected at midnight, PST, by Lisa Hendey.
Prizes include:
First Prize: $250 to your favorite charity and a signed copy of The Grace of Yes
Second Prize: $50 to your favorite charity and a signed copy of The Grace of Yes
Third Prize: A signed copy of The Grace of Yes
I will be posting a review of The Grace of Yes on November 3, the date of the book’s release. This book embodies all that Lisa Hendey is and has been to so many Catholics. Her generosity knows no bounds. She is everyone’s cheerleader and prayer warrior; her wisdom is simple and yet profound.
Can’t wait? You can pre-order The Grace of Yes on Amazon. Remember to use your 20% off link from entering the contest.
Jesus gives explicit instructions to the apostles as they go forth as evangelists for the first time:
Carry nothing with you and greet no one along the way (in other words, remain unattached to people and possessions and do not be distracted; remain focused on the task at hand)
Grant peace to the household where you choose to stay; if your greeting is accepted, peace will remain and if not, it will return to you (in other words, show graciousness to your host and bring your best self into their dwelling)
Stay in the same house and eat and drink whatever they give you for the laborer deserves his wages (in other words, accept whatever hospitality the household offers even if the food isn’t necessarily what you want; accept the payment that is given without complaint)
Do not move from house to house (in other words, plant yourself in the community)
To the towns that welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure in the sick and say to them that the Kingdom of God is at hand (in other words, accept their hospitality without question and offer healing in body, heart and mind to everyone you meet)
Sounds like we have our marching orders. Ready to go?
How do you approach sharing the Good News? What special directions is the Lord giving you?
Prayer
Lord, clear my mind and heart of my own ideas and fill them with your own. Help me to be loving and gracious to everyone I meet, letting your love shine through me, accompanied by a few choice words. Amen.
Words have power. Through prayer, guidance and meditation, the Bible can change lives. While God speaks most directly through his Word, he can also speak to you through the books you have in your home or that you find at your local library. It’s all a matter of being aware of how and when he is speaking to you.
I developed a passion for reading four years ago after my mother had died. She had been ill for many years and all I could remember about her was her suffering. Reading acted as a balm upon numbing grief; it was an unexpected gift of grace from God. While cleaning out the family home I came up on my mother’s collection of books by Louisa May Alcott, each volume marked with her personal name plate. As I thumbed through the pages and enjoyed the familiar stories, I imagined my mother as a girl reading them along with me. I found myself wrapped in warm and happy memories of the woman I had called my very best friend.
Books soon became a means of spiritual growth. Reading exercised a lazy mind and challenged my heart to open and grow. A novel of historical fiction was my first “breakthrough” book, one that shone a glaring spotlight on my soul and moved me to repent and change. Titled Mr. Emerson’s Wife by Amy Belding Brown it told the story of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s wife Lidian. a highly intelligent and accomplished woman who, although married to an “enlightened man,” suffered the plight of all married women of her era. Just a scant one hundred and fifty years ago women were the property of their husbands; they had no legal rights. Women could not own land or a house, they could not vote and they had no lawful custody of their children. There were few options for gainful employment if a woman became widowed. Women in the nineteenth century were in essence invisible and powerless, unable to chart the course of their own lives.
While wholeheartedly agreeing that all people are equal despite gender and race, I have never embraced modern feminism. This, however, did not give me the right to judge others who did embrace it. My judgment was harsh, secretly leveled at dear friends whom I otherwise loved and respected. After reading Mr. Emerson’s Wife, my heart began to open for these women with whom I had disagreed as I came to an understanding of their passion and point of view. I prayed to God for forgiveness and asked him to stretch my small heart, replacing judgment with love. He wasted no time in showing me how to love better and to leave all judgment to him.
Other books challenged me spiritually. A series of novels by Chaim Potok explored the lives of people of great faith whose heritage clashed with their enormous gifts of intellect (The Chosen) and artistry (My Name is Asher Lev, The Gift of Asher Lev). Danny Saunders of The Chosen was a brilliant young man who was the rightful heir to his father, an Hasidic rebbe. Reb Isaac Saunders meant for his son to devote his vast intellect to study of the Torah while Danny hungered to be a scholar, feasting on the knowledge of the world outside of his Jewish community. Asher Lev was an artistic genius, compelled to create provocative paintings and drawings even if it put him at odds with his family and his own Hasidic community.
Danny and Asher were young men of great courage who pursued their callings while remaining faithful to their Jewish faith. Their stories challenged me to dig deeper to find my own calling while at the same time, reminding me that such digging must be done in complete partnership with God, allowing him to lead me to self-knowledge.
Think about the book you are reading now: how does it speak to you? Can you read between the lines and sense God touching your heart, moving you to change? Does your mind open up to seeing the world around you in a different way? Do you derive comfort from the book? Or does it challenge you and motivate you to repent of some sin? Does it inspire you to step out into the world and serve God’s people?
Consider these possibilities the next time you visit the library. The next book you read could transform your life.
You can subscribe to receive the posts in your email by clicking here. Each day you will receive writing exercises and teaching from Vinita; you can choose when and where you “attend” this retreat thanks to the flexibility of the online experience.
This year’s theme is “Writing for the Soul.” Vinita offers details here:
I also highly recommend Vinita’s book, The Soul Tells a Story: Engaging Creativity with Spirituality in the Writing Life; this book changed my life. This book is not just for writers but for anyone engaged in creativity. Vinita shares her own experiences along with sage advice, leading you on a journey within that will reveal an unexpected treasure trove within yourself.
Besides adding a tremendous dimension to my writing, I found myself coming to understand the creative within me and how to deal with it. This is a gritty read; the exploration and authentic living of the creative life is necessarily risky. It also is a life brimming over with exhilaration and joy, opening your eyes and your heart to a whole new world.
She might have seen him preaching on the mount when He told the crowd that the poor in spirit were blessed. Blessed. No one had ever said that to her before.This vibrant preacher drew her to Him like a magnet. His words shone a bright spotlight on her soul where she saw the reality of her life for the first time. She knew she was poor. Somehow she must meet this prophet and find out how she could be blessed.
She would do anything to get near Him. She could not get Him out of her mind after seeing Him that day on the mount.
Several days later she saw Him entering a house nearby her own. She burst into the house uninvited, paying no mind to the other men in the room who were whispering about her: “Sinner!” “Prostitute!” She ignored their murmurs and their stares. She only saw Jesus.
She had one thing on her mind: “I love Him.” She cried copious tears at the sight of the object of her desire but this time her intentions were pure. She lavished her love upon Him, covering His feet with kisses, washing them with her tears, and drying them with her hair.
His eyes met hers and in that moment she knew she was blessed. Her unbridled love for the Son of Man saved her that day.
Ponder
How can I show my love for Jesus? Whom can I lavish my love upon?
Prayer
I love you Lord but sometimes my love is reserved. How I wish I could see you face to face but I cannot until the day I die. Oh Lord, send me those people that You wish me to love just as that woman loved You. Amen.
There has never been a doubt in my mind that Barbra Streisand is the greatest singer of our time. Now 72, she no longer has that incredible power in her voice but all the control and subtlety remains. Plus the heart. This woman never fails to tell a story when she sings.
She has been known to dominate her duet partners but I think Jimmy Fallon, imitating some of the great singers that she duets with on her latest album, Partners (including the King himself, Elvis!) holds up quite well. Check out this video:
Babs still reigns supreme (and looks terrific to boot!).
I just wanted to let you know that I received my book today. All I can say is….. MARVELOUS!!! This book is a wonderful reminder of all the work and effort John puts into all his fosters. I laughed, I cried. I remembered. The only John left out in his interview is how Dorian flirts with each Momcat. LOL This is great fundraiser for Purrfect Pals. I can’t wait for the next volume. Well done to everyone who was a big part of the creation of this book.
Received my book yesterday and had to look it over on the spot. In a word: PAWSOME! Even if you are not a follower of The Critter Room, the stories about these kitty families, coupled with the tireless efforts Foster Dad John and Purrfect Pals, is absolutely heart warming. I love the fact that you have their early days chronicled in front of you and can the follow them on Facebook to see where they are today. Can’t wait for Volume 2!
What a wonderful book. Foster Dad John and Purrfect Pals will touch your heart.
Double the Donation!
How about buying two or three extra books to send directly to Purrfect Pals so they can sell them in the store? That doubles the donation and exposes more people to the book. Contact Connie Gabelein on the Purrfect Pals website to let her know of your intention and to find out the shelter’s address.
What inspired me to make the book
1. Two kittens – Ray and Arthur (now Ace) – I wanted high quality prints of these two adorable guys:
2. All the wonder fan art:
L- Honey welcome Peter by Cazul R; R – Sheba reads to Honey and Peter by Sandra Sarah Bjødstrup Andreasen
3. The fan fiction by Jill Pickford and Annie Staats which includes “Over the Bridge” and Ray’s letter to Trillian.
Now I have my scrapbook of memories and many of you do as well. Grab your copy of The Critter Room Memory Book Volume One if you don’t have one yet, donate copies to Purrfect Pals or give some as gifts – Christmas is coming … 🙂
My thanks to Father Steven Labaire from Holy Family Parish in Worcester, MA for passing along this prayer for our brothers and sisters around the world facing persecution. Please join us in praying for them daily.
Father in Heaven, you make your sun shine on the good and bad alike. Your Son Jesus Christ died for us all and in his glorious resurrection he still retains the five wounds of his Passion. With his divine power he now sustains all those facing persecution and martydom for the sake of their fidelity to the faith of the Church. Merciful and mighty Father, do not allow Cain to return again to murder helpless Abel, innocent Abel. May persecuted Christians around the world remain, like Mary, their Mother, together at the foot of Christ the Martyr. Comfort those menaced by violence and those oppressed by uncertainty. May your Holy Spirit of love make fruitful the witness and blood of those who die forgiving.
Unsaid was recommended to me by a friend whom I know to be thoughtful. We are both animal lovers and she warned me to “have the tissues ready.” While the idea of reading about animals drew me in, I was also curious about the lead character’s grief journey since I have journaled extensively about my own since my mother died four years ago. My reflections have been from the point of view of faith in heaven; Unsaid told the story of grief from a purely human angle. And yet I found the same spiritual truth: if we allow our grief to carry us, it will take our loss and help to shape a new life.
The premise of the book
The story is told from the point of view of the beloved dead wife, Helena, pondering the meaning of her life as she observes her husband David trying to carry on without her. She, a dedicated veterinarian, had died of breast cancer at the age of thirty-seven. Her husband, a high-powered Manhattan lawyer cannot deal with his loss.
Author Neil Abramson
Life regrets
Helena and David met attempting to rescue a deer one night that had been struck by a car. In the ensuing years they bought a farm an hour out from the city which housed two horses, a pig and several dogs and cats. Upon reflection the now dead Helena feels she may have imposed too much of her life upon her husband. She sees how he struggles to maintain the routine of caring for the animals each day. It eventually becomes too much and he hires some help: a nurse from a competing vet and her autistic son Clifford who has extraordinary drawing ability and insight into the mind and heart of animals.
Defending the life of a chimpanzee
Coming into contact with a former colleague of Helena’s, Jaycee, David learns of their work with chimpanzees. Jaycee has developed a strong parental relationship with a four-year-old female, Cindy, who can communicate on the level of a four-year-old child. David finds himself going to trial defending Jaycee who tried to take Cindy from the lab when she found out the chimp was scheduled for medical experiments.
Exploration of the characters
Unsaid builds slowly but I didn’t mind; I was interested in David’s grief process. The book probed the mind of a man who had to come to grips with his loss, not only of his wife, but of his very self. At the same time Helena needed to make peace with her own life, seeing that it did, in fact have value. It is how the value of her life and its impact on David unfolded throughout the book.
Grief is a mysterious and creative process whether we believe in an omnipotent God or not. Unsaid does a wonderful job of pointing out the value of grief and its transforming power so long as we are able to go along for the ride. David is eventually able to move on and as a result, discovers a new and deeper way of living.
paperback version
Two sides to the story
Unsaid is provocative in what it says about the value of animals and animal lovers will rejoice in this. While the arguments during the trial certainly favored the chimpanzee, I felt that Abramson tried to be fair in presenting the other side of medical experimentation: the need to find cures for human diseases.
Satisfying conclusion
There are subplots including a sickly dog and his touching relationship with Clifford (and yes, tissues were needed for that subplot) and how his mother, scarred by her own losses, came to embrace the goodness of life again.
The slow boil of this story explodes near the end of the book; one chapter left me positively breathless. The way Abramson resolved the many issues in the story through a series of twists and turns, was very well done. This is not just a feel-good story about animals; it is a gritty and realistic exploration of human love and loss.
Abramson has an interesting background combining his love, respect and knowledge of animals with a thorough knowledge of the law. His understanding of human nature isn’t too shabby either. Unsaid is his first novel; I hope there are many more.
I wrote back to my friend and told her that I loved Unsaid. I hope that you will too.
Good friend, author and Catholicmom.com founder Lisa Hendey wants you to name the goldfish gracing the cover of her soon-to-be-released book, The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living. Just for entering, you will receive a thank-you gift of a 20% discount on the purchase of her book!
I will be posting a review of The Grace of Yes on November 3, the date of the book’s release. This book embodies all that Lisa Hendey is and has been to so many Catholics. Her generosity knows no bounds. She is everyone’s cheerleader and prayer warrior; her wisdom is simple and yet profound.
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