CATHOLICSM: with Fr. Robert Barron

As Fr. Barron states "...the story of Catholicism has been told by many."  Mostly by people that don't like it to much.  Here the CHURCH tells it's own story on it's own terms.  This spectatular sereies will be the treasure of the Church ... at least for the first half... if not all of the 21st. Century.  If you are a Catholic who loves the chruch you will love this sereies.  IF you are a Catholic who has fallen away, this series will inspire you to once again take a look at your faith.  IF you are against the Catholic Church at least be objective enough to watch and so that we may tell you our story from our own perspective.  Like Fr. Barron said... so many have told the story and NOW we would like the opportunity to tell it ourselves.

This 10 Epeside Serries is coming to DVD and 4 of the Epesides will be on TV.  EWTN will be showing them on the Following Dates and Times.


11/16/11 U.S./Canada/Europe 8:00 PM EST EWTN

11/17/11 U.S./Canada/Europe 11:00 PM EST EWTN

11/18/11 U.S./Canada/Europe 10:00 PM EST EWTN

11/19/11 U.S./Canada/Europe 1:00 PM EST EWTN






Until next time,
God Bless and Keep You.
BloggerBill

NEVER DISCUSS RELIGION, POLITICS, OR MONEY! REALLY?

I went to the Yearly “Gatherin’ at the River” this past week and I had a great time seeing my extended family and so many friends.  I saw a cousin that I have not seen in almost 25 years.  IT is WONDERFUL to be able to get together with so many of my family members.  At the Gatherin’, there were more than 75 people for dinner.  MOREOVER, there were 20 to 30 there for several days afterwards.  I thank God for my sister Mary who hosts this yearly gatherin’ with the warmest and most welcoming smile.  She truly has the gift of hospitality!  Thank you too, for all the ‘helpers’: cooks, bakers, kettle washers, and cleanup crew.   “Many Hands Make Light Work!” WE are truly a FAMILY BLESSED!

Getting together with so many people can be very interesting sometimes.  There may be a spat or brief argument, but it is quickly squashed.  In addition, sometimes there is some LIVELY discussion going on that NOT everyone is excited about.  You know what I mean… when people start talking politics, investments, and the most TABOO subject of all… RELIGON.  MANY of MY generation feel that you should NEVER talk about these subjects, because we need to be tolerant and accepting of other opinions.  However, in the process my generation has also lost the ART of CONVERSATION… REAL CONVERSATION.  You see, because we have been taught that; we no longer practice it and as a result do not keep up to date on issues of politics, history and most important our faith or religion.  We have a tendency to leave that to the Politicians, (yeah… like they are doing a great job with that in Washington?!) priest, and financial planners.  WE no longer do our own homework … but rely on these people to do ALL our ‘thinking’ for us.  IN the process… we become uninformed, we are unable to THINK critically, forget history, forget what it means to be a Democrat or Republican, and we forget the important tenants of our FAITH.  There is REAL TRUTH in… “You don’t use it? YOU LOSE IT!”

Last year in 2010, I don’t remember exactly; I was having a discussion with one of my relatives about religion.  THERE WERE SEVERAL people SQUIRMING in their seats… or shall I say CRINGING!  I was debating religion with a young man who didn’t agree with me.  YES, we both were a little heated… but stopped and said… WAIT a MINUTE… let us listen one at a time.  However, before we said that… one of my older relatives told me to stop talking about this “… you don’t talk about Politics and Religion, because we don’t want any arguments!”  He was emphatic.  I immediately said… “WAIT a minute… if we don’t ‘TALK’ about this stuff HOW are we going to LEARN (especially the younger people)?”

The problem with this mentality of NOT talking about these… the most important subjects of the human experience… we SHIRK our responsibilities as parents by not PASSING on our ‘life experience’.  Our kids learn from TEACHERS, and FRIENDS, and “ACTIVISTS”, at the bar, the street, school, and ESPECIALLY on COLLEGE CAMPUSES!  WHEN do they hear about REAL LIFE APPLICATION from US?  I am not saying that as adults we are always right.  In fact, when I talk and debate with the younger generation, I find some VERY interesting OBSERVATIONS.  THEY ARE NOT STUPID!  Misguided… maybe. J  THEY have a lot to SAY… but have only heard it from the sources I have mentioned.  THEY NEED TO HEAR it from US as well.  THEY need to know why we as adults think the way we do and they need to hear about history and life from the source itself… not from some history or sociology professor who has a liberal agenda and wants to teach their own version of HISTORY, philosophy, religion, and political agendas.

As Parents, we often have been so busy at work and making money so that we can send our kids to college to get the best education and opportunities, so that they have the tools they need to live a full and productive life.  We send them there, often with our money, to have them 'BRAINWASHED' into thinking like a 'progressive adult' and then when they get out of college we wonder WHO THE HECK IS THIS KID?   WE forget about the simple things.  EVEN I AM guilty of not giving my kids what they needed the most.  MY TIME, MY PHILOSOPHY, my LIFE experience, MY HISTORY.  THESE are the things that books can’t teach.  It is our UNWRITTEN WORDS… the SPOKEN word…that we need to give more of.  LIFE in RELATIONSHIPS… communications on the more than 'normal' or ‘surface level.'  IT’s NOT easy, it can get hot at times and IT takes a lot of work.  Maybe that is why we don’t want to talk about politics and religion…because we either don’t remember, don’t stay current, or are just plain to busy or TIRED to try.  As a result, we are NOT TALKING to our kids about what is REALLY important and IMPORTANT to US.  FOLKS… this is the ONLY way we can hand down the important things in life… the OBJECTIVE TRUTHS that we all hold dear.  WE must start anew, before it gets any later.  IF we do not build these relationships and foster them, sharpen our debating skills by studying and keeping current… they will find the information they need to go forward from someone else.  Who will that someone be?    IF your kids are saying like mine have…  “DAD, you don’t have a clue, I’m not going to listen to you.”; “YOU just are too old fashioned and you are not ‘relative’ or ‘relevant’ anymore.”; “I learned it at college and I’m out in the world every day, why do I need to listen to you anymore.  I have my own opinions” And, they will finish by saying, “You aren’t saying anything that makes sense (cause you haven’t kept up) and I know better than you now.”  Folks, this happens every day and everywhere… somewhere.

Therefore, my friends the next time you are talking with your children and they reveal that they no longer believe in God.  BEFORE you fall over from those words, because you just do not understand where your kids were in Church every week… SHARPEN UP your skills.  PRAY for the Holy Spirit to help you. In addition, TALK, NO DEBATE your (adult) children … treating them as the equals that they are.  GUIDE them.  IF YOU DO NOT… CNN, ABC, FOX, MSNBC, and CBS with all their TV PERSONALITIES will all be there, along with the Teachers and College Professors doing the job for YOU.

Until Next time, May God Bless and Keep you.

Bill

Where do you get your NEWS from?

It has been awhile since I have blogged.  I have been busy and outside as much as I can, now that winter and our rainy Spring is over.  It is now one of the first days of summer and like everyone else I am looking forward getting together with Family and Friends.  In my family each year we look forward to the "Gatherin' at the River"... the St. Lawrence River that is.  Each year on, or very close to July Fourth, my Mom, my 7 brothers and sisters, their Families, and their families, Friends and others get together at my sister's summer Home on the St. Lawrence River near Clayton, NY.  For those of you not familiar with that area; it is the Thousand Islands Region and only about 8 miles from the 'Thousand Islands Bridge'.  In early June my sister Mary usually asks me to send out the yearly NEWS BULLETIN about the 'Gatherin'  Most people get it by email, others by snail mail, and yet others by the good old fashioned 'word of mouth' ... I like the personal touch myself.  Unfortunately many people are not real good about returning RSVPs, so i wonder... did they get the news?  I KNOW i sent it to them!  I know Ido my best to make sure to TELL them what's happening! Did they think it was junk mail?  Did they just not want to bother?  HOW do they get their other news?  DO they expect me to call their local TV and radio stations to send them a personal LIVE invitation?  Oh well... hopefully the 'word of mouth' thing still works well enough.  They all know that I send these 'invites' out!  Its been happenin' for YEARS! Are they just taking it for granted and not listening or reading my 'bulletins' any longer?

I'm beginning to feel like the Catholic Church.  No one is listening to me any more.  For so long, for CENTURIES, the Church has been the voice for Human Rights, social justice, Faith , and morality.  Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case any more.  NOW we let CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, and ABC and the rest of our politically charged MEDIA to be the 'go to guys' for ALL of our Information.  No longer do we look to the Church for direction or context ... we look to the pundants, Politicians, and OUR FAVORITE TV NEWs 'PERSONALITIES' for what ever we think is relative.  The key word there, is RELATIVE.  WHERE do you get your news from?  DO you watch only a certain Channel for ALL your news,  Do you ever watch or read opposing Views or Networks?  Most of us TRY to do that -ocassionally.  We read and watch the 'republican slanted', or the liberal slanted, or the Democratic slanted, or the Conservative slanted, papers, magazines, and news shows.  BUT, do you every look to news sources with the view from YOUR 'Church's Slant'?  IF NOT, WHY NOT?  I would say 95% or more do not- EVER! Do you think I'm right?  Do you as a Catholic know what 'Zenit' is?  How about CNS? How about 'The World Over Live'?  Do you know what your own Diocesan Newspaper is called?  The Diocese of Ogdensburg's paper is called 'The North Country Catholic'.

Right now in NY State our Legislature is debating, scheming, discussing, lobbying, and ordering it's members to consider legalizing Same Sex Marriage as a Gay Right or Human Rights Issue.  I just heard it WILL be coming up for a Vote, probably tomorrow.  I am sure you have heard.... it's been on EVERY NEWS channel!  MOST, if not ALL those channels, except ETWN, not only support Legalizing Gay Marriage... they are SILENCING anyone who might oppose it!  What these Network Media stations are not telling you is the slurs, the insults, the lies and yes... even the Death threats that Senators opposing this legislation are receiving right along with any MINISTER, Priest, Bishop, or Cardinal that might also speak out against it.  They are told that they as 'Chruch' should not FORCE their VIEWS on the rest of society.  YET, they do not recognize that 75 to 80% of New Yorkers do NOT support this legislation AT ALL!  They don't tell us this for one reason only.  They want to JAM their views down the throats of every New Yorker that holds the same definition of Marriage as all of humanity has for the past 6 thousand years or more.  Even the Natural laws of our great universe defines, supports and AFFIRMS that male and female are the building block of society.  Male and Female coming together as one to create a FAMILY.  NOT a man and man, not a woman and woman.  The Church has taught ONLY what has been known in the hearts and minds of EVERY HUMAN that ever Lived.  Marriage is between one man and one woman. ONLY with this combination can we build the BEST home for the CHILDREN of society. IT is this ONE COMBINATION of  HUMANs and ONLY this combination that is capable of creating a FAMILY which is the first, and most basic unit of our Society! If you believe in God... our FIRST CHURCH.

Tell me, have you every heard words like this on ANY one of the Network TV Channels? (other than EWTN's "World Over Live" news program?)  This explanation or Blog that i have written here, about Same Sex Marriage is VERY basic.  THERE will be COUNTLESS RAMIFICATIONS should this legislation be enacted.  Have you REALLY done your homework on this SUBJECT?  OR have you just been listening to what your FRIENDS say, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR FAVORITE NEWS ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITY, or Network has told you.  WHAT are your sources?  WHO is behind them?  WHO are their SPONSORS?  WHY do they sponsor them?  WHAT other programing does that Network have?  What do they 'preach' on their stations.  EVERYONE has an ANGLE... EVERYONE!  EVEN the CHURCH!  UNFORTUNATELY... they, the CHURCH, doesn't have the best connections in the MEDIA here in the USA.  And EWTN... well, lets face it.  Only People like me, that are labeled 'holy rollers' watch shows like 'The World Over Live', because I WANT TO KNOW ALL POINTS OF VIEW.  And guess what... EWTN and the COUNTLESS... CATHOLIC NEWS OUTLETS On the INTERNET and in PRINT are MUCH MORE OBJECTIVE and FACTUAL than FOX, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, and NBC will ever be!  IF you have never looked at the World, the US, your State, or you City through the lens of a Christian news source... you are NOT WELL INFORMED.  IF you CLAIM to be a CHRISTIAN... then you need to BE one!  EVERY network and media station knows all the important 'CHRUCH NEWS' websites and they watch them closely!  DO YOU?!  They watch them so they can counter them and marginalize them, or just plain lie to you about them, so they can convince you of their veiw on subject to meet their own politically charged agendas.  IF you have never looked at 'Zenit' or CNS (Catholic News Service) or the countless other CHRISTIAN NEWS sites... you are NOT well informed.  I CHALLENGE you to take the time... FREQUENTLY... to look at your Church's newspapers and Media Outlets.  YOU WILL see a different twist on almost EVERY GIVEN SUBJECT... but it will be the MOST PLAIN, OBJECTIVE, and SENSIBLE news you'll ever read. PLEASE give it some thought won't you?  Pray about it as well?

I would be AMISS, if I did not caution you about SOME of the Christian Websites out there.  Some are "a little TOO out there"...even for me.  :-)  So, please check out your own Church's websites... IF you are NY Catholic... that would be Zenit, the USCCB, NYSCC, CNS, EWTN, Catholic Online, ...  ALL the big ones.  Go to your church's website and read around to see who they use as news sources.  Check out their 'Links Page'.  Chances are... you will find the better ones referenced.  FINALLY... SUBSCRIBE to your own Diocese's NEWSPAPER... IF you are a NORTHERN NY CATHOLIC... that would be the North Country Catholic at: http://northcountrycatholic.org/  Don't just visit and use their website! SUBSCRIBE AND SUPPORT YOUR Church's PAPER.

Till Next time, May God Bless you and Keep you,
Blogger Bill.

SUPPORT MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY

I believe that genuine marriage matters, and that my elected representatives should be working to strengthen marriage for the well-being of children and society. Authentic marriage and the nuclear family are the fundamental building blocks of our civilization.

Instead of Legislating the natural law that affirms and confirms that marriage is between a man and a woman, I would rather elected officials put our money and efforts and TIME into supporting and legislating to encourage men and woman to be married and to discourage them from just living together. The FAMILY in this country is in trouble! HISTORY has demonstrated repeatedly that when the family in a society is not supported and upheld... that civilization dies!

Additionally, I know that the State and the Federal Government have always supported marriage, because it is the building block of society. HOWEVER, neither the state nor the federal government INVENTED or LEGISLATED "Marriage” into existence! MARRAIGE and FAMILY cannot and should not be REDEFINED BY ANY BODY OF LAW OR COURT! IT IS NOT within the rights or JURISDICTION of any STATE or ANY NATION to do so! IN short ... you MUST NOT, SHOULD NOT, MAY NOT redefine marriage for all of humanity!

IF laws need to be changed so that people living together extended periods and wish to have legal permission to insure, visit in the hospital, etc… then change those laws. DO NOT Redefine the oldest institution known to man! If same sex marriage is legalized, where will it stop? I recently read that a man wanted to marry his DOG! WILL we next grant marriage to the likes of that too!

Why Do I Need GOD?

There is some truth to the ole' saying, “…When the going gets tough … the tough get going.”  Well, in these United States, there are not too many of us that have it very “TOUGH” when we look at other places like Africa, Haiti, China, India, and some of the other developing and under-developed countries around the globe. In the US, I am confident in saying that maybe… 90% or more of the homes have running water.  The ones that do not, probably don’t have to go very far to get it. (example: Our local Amish folk.) In MANY areas of the world, there are people who have to walk miles to get drinking water every single day. Here in the US, we don’t even walk to get our groceries, unless by choice.  We are very blessed in this country.  “In just one day, more than 200 million hours of women’s time is consumed for the most basic of human needs — collecting water for domestic use. (www.water.org )  In addition, MUCH of that water is not sanitary.  … However, I digress. 

Yes, we are a truly a blessed people here in the US.  When we look at the rest of the world MOST of  us here have it DARN good!  In there I think, lies our problem.  Because we are so content with our double incomes, 2 cars, and all the comforts of home we are very self-sufficient. Apparently our self confidence makes us think we don't need God.  Whether we intentionally feel that way or like me, we just seem to SLIP into that mindset over time;  so many of us live our lives this way.  I have had this mind-set during several extended periods of time in my life.  I seldom gave God much thought.  I  had everything I needed so I wasn't 'forced' to give it much thought. There was nothing that I had to “WANT” for.  LIFE IS GOOD!  Sound familiar?  Heck, I was so busy with my life I didn’t even take time to make friends when I first moved into this area, much less spend time with God.  I really had it all!  Or, so I thought.

Then comes those ‘valleys’… OH, how things can be different.  It may be a health crisis, a marriage crisis, job crisis, or God forbid -the death of a loved one that KNOCKS us off our “independently high horse.”  These are the times  when we truly need other people, relationships, and times that we especially need God.  I know I did.  I hit rock bottom several years back, with a health crisis, job crisis, and marriage crisis, all at once.  I was devastated and in deep depression.  Even worse, I felt very much alone.  The ‘poor me, self-pity party’ was long and drawn out.  Whom do you think I finally turned to?  You guessed it, God!  It took awhile, but HE was the only one that could help me.  I did attend a church some 10 years before in another city, but I did not have any church, family, or friends in this area here for support.  It was just God and me for about 2 years, although I did have some valuable counseling.  I am not looking for pity because although I was not being faithful to God, HE was most certainly faithful to me.  Many, many years ago, He had adopted me as one of His own.  I may have forgotten, but He didn’t and He was there waiting for me to make myself present to him once again.  He was there, again as my Savior ... there to rescue me from the depths of despair.  As I recovered my senses, I realized that in my past the happiest times were always when I was in right relationship with God.  The low times and/or even the times of my “artificial” security of self-sufficiency were NOT truly happy times.  It is a lesson well learned and one I am determined by the grace of God Himself, to never let happen again.

Today, I do not have the security of a double income. I live on less than half of what I did before.  Yet somehow, it seems that I have so much more!  God has allowed me the grace to be happy with my lot.  He has been so good to me in ways I never thought possible.  Yes, I still struggle financially, but I always have enough to keep food on the table, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and water in my glass.  There is that old adage… Is the glass half empty? Or, is the glass half full?  It’s a good question.  Because I truly want to serve the Lord in my life  my glass ... OVERFLOWETH with His gifts of Faith, Grace, Mercy, Hope, and especially His LOVE.  Thank you Lord! What more could I want?

I ask you the question ...  Are you truly happy?  What is real happiness?  How do you know when you are “really” happy?  Don’t wait for those deep valleys and TOUGH TIMES to come before you find out.  HE is there waiting, even now.

God Bless and Keep You, until next time ... Peace.

What Is It, To Spend 'Real' Time Together?

Currently it seems we are forever on the go.  We have all the appliances and gadgets to save us time, keep us organized, and ‘make life easier’.   There are computers, pagers, IPods, Iphone, laptops, desktops, tablets, and kindles, all of which, in and of themselves take up more time.  I am mindful of the time I called my daughter to tell her that I had not seen her in awhile and that I wanted her to come over so we could catch up.  She was still in high school at the time and she lived with her mother.  As a student, she had homework, a boyfriend, many friends, dances to go to and all those other activities teenagers have.   Honestly, I was missing her and wanted an evening with just the two of us.  She agreed and we planned to get together on a weeknight.  I thought we would have a meal together, watch a movie form Netflix, and spend a little time enjoying one another’s  ompany.

The evening came and she came right after school.  She did not have any homework to do other  an a short English paper.  She came in the house sat on the couch and fell asleep.  She hadn’t slept well the night before because she was up late doing other homework.  I made one of her favorite dishes and when dinner was ready, I went in to wake her.  A half hour after I finished my dinner she awoke and apologized for falling asleep.  She ate and went into the computer to do her paper while I did the dishes.  All the time she was working, I heard the cell phone beeping and clicking and beeping. Between the texting and the Instant messenger on the computer, it took her much longer than usual to complete her English homework.  Unlike her father, she is very good in English, typing, writing and reading. 

Finally, we met in the living room to watch the news and planned to watch the movie in an hour or so.   While we listened to the news, we started talking and no less than 5 times during our conversation, she picked up her cell phone to respond to text messages.  I paused and kindly asked her to turn the phone off.  She was not very happy, protested, and asked why.  I said to her, “Megh, I asked you to come so we could spend some time together and thought maybe we could catch up with one another.” Immediately she interjected, “I’m here dad. I came to see you. I'm here aren’t I? ” and her phone chimed in again.  We both rather chuckled.  It was funny.  As I looked at her and as she was intently texting a message I interjected and said, “MEGH, you are here and I know it’s difficult with school and all the activities and homework you have to do, but at this moment, YES, you are here, but you are NOT PRESENT”.  She stopped and looked at me and cracked a little smile.  She put the cell down and after a short conversation; we began to watch our movie and ate our dessert.  She had already seen the movie and an hour or so into the move her boyfriend called and was on his way over.  He is a wonderful young man and I really like him.  After he arrived she got up, gathered her homework and they were off and running after we exchanged “I love yous” and the evening ended.  Even though I was disappointed that she left earlier than I had hoped, I was glad to see her.  That evening didn’t go as we planned but we did end up spending the next Saturday together and had a wonderful day.  Yes, she had her cell phone, but it did not seem to go off as much.  I think she told her friends she was busy. 

I share this story about my day, as it quite possibly could be a day in any home, any day of the week, at any hour of the day.  With all the computers and toys, and the constant bombardment of text messages, emails, pagers, Instant messages, 24 hour TV, and even the ole radio, it seems there is never a moment of peace. Our minds are so busy and always jumping from one thing to next. We have become so accustomed to the buzz and the background noise that if we do not hear it we think  something is wrong or missing.   There are some of us who even have several things going all at  once… one has the computer on, surfing and Facebook, IMs, Text and TV. A parent or sibling  may be in a chair across the room with his or her laptop, Instant messaging,  and even texting while they to, try to catch the sitcom on TV.  Maybe there are two, three, or four people in the same room each evening at your house?  They are all in their own little ‘bubbles’ where the only link between them is the TV that they try to watch in-between IMs and texts.  We are all becoming slaves to our toys and gadgets.  Four people sitting together in the same room and not one person is 'present' to the other. It is not an uncommon sight. 

The next time you are in a room and this is what is happening I challenge you to, STOP!  Turn off your cell, stop watching the TV, sign off of Facebook, shut down your laptop, set it aside and sit quietly and stare, looking at each one in the room with a smile and see how long it takes before someone  notices your stare.  Sit there and be quiet.  I know it will be hard to sit so long and do nothing, but just try and if it goes on for more than 15 min. then and only then may you say something or move out of your place.  NOW,.... now you know just how God has felt every day, since the days of Adam and Eve.  He makes Himself present to us every moment of our lives.  He is always there waiting. Patiently waiting.  Wondering when we will make ourselves ‘present’ to him.

What are we doing!?  It is no wonder we have trouble getting along with one another, siblings with siblings, children with parents, Spouses with spouses, you and God.  If we are not spending the time with those we can see and touch and share the same room with, and yet NOT be present to them; how are we going to make ourselves present to the most important One that we cannot see? 

Folks, one day I went around the house and unplugged the TV, vcr, cell phone, the computer, the printer, the laptop, the radio, and every gadget in the house except for one.  I then went and sat in chair, in the middle of the house.  THE SILENCE WAS DEAFANING!  All the way from the living room, I could hear the water - two rooms away - dripping in the bathroom sink!  I was startled when I heard the refrigerator kick on, as it was the only thing I hadn't unplugged.  I don’t remember the last time I noticed it running so loud.  I sat there in amazement because it was soooooo quiet.  I didn’t hear the hum of any of the appliance, in quiet mode.  The whirl of the fan in my computer was still.  The sound of standing appliances… with that low soft 'noise of electricity' running, that ..."hummmm", was still.  I sat there in silence, took a few deep breaths and they were the longest 10 min.s I've  had in a long time.  By the time 15 min.s had passed, I had to keep myself from drifting off to sleep.  I tried to clear my mind, stay alert, and listen for God.  After 20 min. I had finaly heard him, I chated a bit with him and ended with a prayer. Then I went on with the rest of my day.  What did God say deep in my heart?   He said, “Bill, WE need to do this more often, I miss you. How about doing this together a couple times a week for 30 min. and we’ll take it from there.”  I said, “Ok Lord, I’ll try my best.”  Spending those 30 minutes of time in any  given week, has become something that I truly look forward too.

Well, I think by now you get my point.  WE just do not know how to make 'quiet', much less what to do with it!  It takes PRACTICE, like anything else.  So then, may I suggest that you try a novel idea?  Sit in the quite of the house, in some corner of a room, or better yet invite the entire family to join you and just sit quiet. Make yourself(s) present to God.  Say a little prayer, then sit quiet for a while, and savor the moment, as you savor his presence.  I assure you, He will savor it too!  After you finish with God, get up and play old maid, go fish, Uno, Phase 10, or something with the rest of the family and try to do that at least once a week.  Make yourselves present to one another without distraction.  I suggest a card game at a table or on the floor so that you are all facing one another.  That way you will have a setting that makes for good conversation.  Over time, and later in memory, it will become a favorite time together, especially if you do this while the kids are all still young. 

Until next time,

May God bless and keep you …. Each and everyone in your home.