Do we practice hospitality only with our friends and family members or do we practice hospitality on a daily basis? How many times have we opened our homes to complete strangers? Let me rephrase this question (I realize that safety concerns may have led you to answer my question with a resounding “Never”.)
Good day dear friends, The weather is getting colder and the days are getting grayer; nothing like pictures of sweet angels enjoying the SuperHolies at summer camp to add some warmth and light to my Monday! This summer, Saint Paul's Coptic Orthodox Mission Church of Chicago, leveraged the SuperHolies during their summer camp. I feel blessed and honored that the SuperHolies were deemed useful to teach children about the love of Christ. My dear friend Sandra sent me these beautiful pictures and the ingenuous way that the SuperHolies were incorporated into the material: ''the kids all had a chance to listen...
If one were to spend 24 hours a day, everyday of the year, thanking God, it would not be enough. Thanksgiving provides an official, nationwide day to thank God for His bounty, grace, mercy, love and care. One can easily find a thousand reasons to be grateful. Today, I would like to reflect on a sentence I heard during a thanksgiving exercise. As everyone took a turn to express their gratitude, the following words hit a cord: "Thank you, God, for not treating us like puppets." It was said by a second grader, in my Sunday School class....
War and peace: winning the homework battles The beginning of the end: A new school year has started. 6 words that strike a sense of panic in the hearts of the most hardened warriors (also known as parents). The carefree days of summer are gone, replaced by early morning skirmishes (why are children so opposed to waking up?), breakfast mission impossible (why must the last drop of milk spill all over the school bag like a water damn bursting) and the dreaded post school-day final battle: homework. To think that just a few weeks ago, we were happily eating...
Saturday Morning might mean driving one child to a soccer practice, another to a birthday party, dropping off the dry clean, picking up the first child from soccer and the second one from swimming or was the second one at a birthday party? This means that the closest you ever get to a leisurely breakfast is watching other families enjoying theirs as you wait for your latte in the drive-through lane.
One of her signature indulgences was what I affectionately called “sugar bread”. I was certain that only my grandmother served these heavenly treats until I watched David Rocco frying pizza dough and smothering it in honey
Vacation plans can present their own set of challenges. A consensus among family members has to be reached. Various alliances are formed, treacherous behavior is to be expected, “mom is right, we should go to Europe this year” says the conniving child while winking at his father. Bargains are negotiated, treaties are signed “You may have 3 consecutive Pizza nights preceding and following the vacation should we go to Cuba instead of Disney”.
Having had zero play writing experience, I was terrified of the responsibility but I was not about to turn down a request for a Saint on his Feast day!
My Family plan was traditional and fairy-tale friendly:
Fall in love : check
Get married to the man I love: check
Have my first child by my third wedding anniversary : FAIL
Have my first child by my fourth wedding anniversary: FAIL
Have my first child by my fifth wedding anniversary: FAIL
Have my first child by my sixth wedding anniversary: FAIL
Once upon a time, there was a mother who claimed to have faith in God, and in His will and mercy. And then, her only child started Summer Camp. For the first time. Ever. Subsequently, proverbial Hell broke loose.Faith was replaced by worries, doubt and flashbacks of every Criminal Minds episode her excellent memory could conjure up. Hours seemed longer than their supposed 60 minutes duration. The clock was consulted every minute and a half until pick up time rolled around. Then again, the pick up ritual started 45 minutes before its actual time as this “faithful” mother waited anxiously...
