Friendship Friday - HP Printing Mailbox

To send this card: Saint Thomas More & John Fisher

Quote for the Day: “The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.” -- St. Thomas More

Friendship Friday

Well, I went to visit my mom today to see how she was doing with her new little printer. It's the neatest thing. My brother John heard about it on the radio and what it does is it prints out emails for people who don't want or can't use a computer. So cool. Made I think especially for parents whose kids want to send them emails I think. Anyway it works absolutely fantastic. And so now everyday my mom can receive a few emails on her printer. Even prints out the pictures in color ... so everything but video and audio.. it is really great for our family because our mom is so deaf that this makes a way that we can communicate with her when we are not right there!

If you are interested - the one we got was a HP Printing Mailbox. John got this one from Amazon. I will share the link just for your information.. I don't get anything from it.. but it just seems like a cool, cool idea if anyone has a hearing disabled parent or friend. Costs $99.00 for the printer and $10.00 a month for the service. Oh and another neat thing is that it only accepts email from people you include on the mailing list.. so they won't get spam. And another neat thing... you would think I am a salesman for this product but its really neat .. is that it tells you online if they are out of paper or ink! HP has really thought this through.

Oh before I forget... the Link to HP Mailbox Printer

http://www.amazon.com/Printing-Mailbox-use-Presto-Service/dp/B000JERC8A/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3110848-2907803?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1182487955&sr=8-1

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Walking with Jesus in the Ordinary Quote: Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Today might be a nice day to sit in your garden for a few minutes and think of all the ways that you have been blessed with kindness by people doing "little" things for you. I remember my mom used to get us drinks of water when we were sitting watching television or reading a book. I remember my sister, Euli sewed me a Paddington bear for Christmas one year... all by hand! And my sister Barb made me a set of little wooden boxes once... that fit inside each other. I still have the littlest one! Had little leather hinges and I store a few feathers in it from each of the birds I've been blessed to have. Memories are kind of like patchwork quilts.... no two alike and yet together they make a very warm and protective comforter! Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, thank you for friends who bless us in so many ways. Truly friendship is a golden treasure. Amen.

Thankful Thursday - Be Bold for Jesus

To send this card: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

Quote for the Day: Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly. -- St. Ignatius Loyola

Thankful Thursday

Today I have been thinking about some of the things I do. How much I asked myself is for God's glory and how much for my own? It occurred to me that there was probably a whole lot more self glory than Jesus glory wrapped up in things. Because, now I could be wrong but this is what it seemed like the message I was getting.

If I was totally doing things for Jesus than I wouldn't be so worried about people's reactions. And if I was totally doing things for Jesus Glory I would probably be a whole lot bolder and powerful in attempting things.

I don't know exactly how one acts with greater boldness or greater zeal except I guess by just plunging in. If I wasn't so "worried" about results in things but just went ahead and moved - would that be zeal or stupid? After all, even Jesus told the parable about the commander first looking to see if he could win the battle or else settle peacefully?

I think though.... from my former small experience. If one thinks boldly and acts boldly than either the situation will work out or else God will put up a big sign in front of your face that says something like. THINK AGAIN.

So, I think I am going to move ahead with some new ways to promote my book on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.. because I truly believe that it is a powerful book. I think God allowed me to work on it for HIS glory and now He wants me to Promote it for his glory too. So all those little niggling, naggling voices that say, "shhh, keep still" are the ones that need to KEEP STILL!.

I read a line in a book today that said, "What would you do if you were ten times bolder?" Isn't that something? The book was "Jesus, CEO" by Laurie Beth Jones. I just looked at in the store, I didn't buy it - and probably won't but those lines really grabbed me. Amazing huh? What if we were ten times bolder in serving Jesus than we are?

Hmmmm... so I am thinking, thinking... thinking... Stay tuned.

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Walking with Jesus in the Ordinary Quote: Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Here's the question for you. What if you only had one year of life on your calendar? What could you do to make a Jesus difference? Walk into your special garden spot or take a walk down your favorite road with Jesus. Talk it out, Ask Jesus to show you what could be your first step. Imagine that Jesus is inviting you personally to go out and spread his good news. Maybe in a letter, maybe in a few extra moments of prayer, maybe? Be bold.... and put all your heart and soul into asking Jesus ..."What coud I do to make a difference for you?" Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, help me to be bold, for you. Give me the courage to get out of my own personal little boat and start walking a few steps on the water. Amen.

Tasty Tuesday - Little chicks and Sr. Janet's Link!

To send this card: Eucharist Card

Quote for the Day: In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't. Blaise Pascal

Tasty Tuesday

I can't talk about food. Mainly because I think I have eaten too much of it today and my stomach is now telling me to find a new course for conversation. So even though this is tasty Tuesday I will move on to something else.

No idea what of course. Pia has a beautiful little white egg that she is carefully nurturing. This one came out nice and round like it should. I think giving her the egg shells helped. See growing up with chickens turned out to be helpful. We used to often get new baby chicks in the mail. Was fun to go to the Post Office for our special arrival. The whole place would be cheeping with our boxes of baby chicks.

The Post Office would always call immediately when they came in and we would zip down - pick up the boxes of several hundred chickens and then rush home to get them their first meal.

The baby chicks are placed in the box as soon as they are born ... and shipped by one day to service. The chicks do not know how to eat or drink... so you have to pick each little fluff ball up in your hand, dip its beak in a bit of baby chicken mash and then dip it into a drink of water. One time does it. They catch on fast!

Was always so much fun getting them all eating and scratching around. I loved the smell of the new sawdust on their floor which smelled extra sweet and pungent because of the heat light under their brooder hood to keep the babies warm.

Well, must be getting older - having more memories of them there 'good old days."

For heaven's sake be sure to read Sr. Janet's article today and be sure ... sure... sure to watch the first YouTube link she offers. You will love it.

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Walking with Jesus in the Ordinary Quote: Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) One of the best ways I find to grow in my spiritual vision is to ask a question. I may not get an answer but I find just the fact of questioning opens up new thinking. Today imagine that Jesus is your spiritual coach. He is ready to counsel, encourage and help you to find greater spiritual wholeness. Here is a spiritual question you might ask. "Jesus, what is one thing I could do tomorrow to make myself more aware of your presence in my life?" Feel free of course to ask any question - that was just a starter. Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, in this over laden information age there are so many sources to find answers. Help me to remember to start with you! Amen.

Miracle Monday - June 18, 2007

To send this card: Eucharist Card

Quote for the Day: I have found in life that if you want a miracle you first need to do whatever it is you can do - if that's to plant, then plant; if it is to read, then read; if it is to change, then change; if it is to study, then study; if it is to work, then work; whatever you have to do. And then you will be well on your way of doing the labor that works miracles. Jim Rohn

Miracle Monday

Sometimes miracles happen so slowly that we don't see them happening until they are completely finished. Its nice that they happen but I have to admit I like my miracles to happen with a little more speed and pizazz.... you know the kind you read about in the saints books. In the Scriptures Jesus healed a lot - and performed a great many miracles....I wonder if some of them happened slowly as well?

In the story about the man that was blind but needed a second miracle treatment before he could see perfectly.... I wonder if there was a few days between when he said he could see trees walking about and Jesus laid hands on him again? I don't know. But I guess that is kind of an interesting thought - even when Jesus was there in person, body mind and spirit it took two tries.... hmmmm... guess I shouldn't get discouraged in praying for miracles.

Last night before bed I read the story in the National Geographic about the Ice Man that they found in a glacier. Turns out he was murdered. With all the modern scientific equipment not only could they pinpoint that he was shot with an arrow and died of massive bleeding but they also could tell what he had been eating.. that he had a serious stomach ailment and that he had apparently been running from his attackers for several days. They even, this is hard to believe, but amazing what science can do.. could track where he had come from and the route he had taken by the pollen in his stomach and other things.

Just too totally bizarre. I knew that in heaven everything we have done will be revealed to all, (not to happy a thought for us on the sinning side of life) but gosh now looks like they can give a complete play by play breakdown in the science lab.

I rather expect in time they will even be able to take a person's brain (hopefully after they are dead) and tell every thought they had, and every picture implanted there. Like reading a hard drive in a computer. Who knows maybe they are already doing this..I usually think of things after scientists have been working on stuff for decades. At least I'm thinking.. should give myself credit for that.

Weird thoughts I'm having, huh? It's all from the National Geographic thing...even dreamed about it. Happy Monday! Ha. Ha. Ha.


Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Walking with Jesus in the Ordinary Quote: Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes)Many times when I think of Jesus I can only envision him as a young Jewish man 2000 years ago. It is difficult for me to allow that long ago Jesus to be present in my modern world. For instance I just cannot even fathom Jesus in jeans and a shirt or even a business suit. I have a great imagination but it just doesn't seem to stretch that far. Anyway - this week. Let us invite Jesus into our day - where we are. For instance can I imagine Jesus sitting in front of a computer screen typing out JoyNotes? A bit of a stretch - but I think maybe I need to do that. Still in his long white robe of course - but today I am going to imagine Jesus doing ordinary things along side of me. A silent, loving Jesus. Not encouraging me to be any different than who I am - or doing work different than I am doing.. but joining with me all day long as my friend. Laughing, loving and just being present in my world. Today. Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, so much of the time I feel I need to go where I feel you must be. In a church, during prayers or meditations. Today - I thank you for showing me that I need to let you be with me where I am at Amen.

Sacred Heart of Jesus -

To send this card: Feast of Sacred Heart of Jesus

Quote for the Day: If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. Mother Teresa

Friendship Friday

Today is the beautiful feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Many Catholics make the Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on this day. I would like to invite you to make or renew this consecration with me at

2:00 Pacific Time
3:00 Mountain Time
4:00 Central Time
5:00 Eastern time

Here is how it will work... click on the link below and you can join with me in praying this beautiful consecration. I will be praying it live on the web (free) and by phone (cost of phone call). You pick how you want to participate.

EVENT: Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
DATE & TIME: Friday, June 15th at 2:00pm Pacific
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast -- it's your choice)
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW...

Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=261921


This is a new service that I am trying out and it seemed to me, that to pray the Consecration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with you would be a wonderful way to test drive!

I hope if you are able you will join with me. I don't think it will be longer than five minutes. You can read the prayer ahead of time on the page when you visit.

We will return with the Mini Retreat on Monday!

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Thankful Thursday - Mini Retreat - Mini Healing

To send this card: Feast of Saint Anthony

Quote for the Day: "Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak...It is useless for a person to flaunt the law if their actions undermine it." Saint Anthony of Padua

Thankful Thursday.

I was thinking a little bit ago that one of the great things I am thankful for is the gift of being able to read and having so many wonderful books, articles and everything else under the sun to read. Reading has to be my number one favorite pasttime.

So many of the new ideas I come up with are of course not new at all. Just something I read here and there and put together. Kind of like a patchwork quilt. Oftentimes I can't even remember where I got an idea from. In those cases I remember that all gifts of thought, space and matter are really given to us from God. I usually can remember that source!

I just got back from putting Pi or Pia to bed. I've started a new little habit (a good one actually) of taking five minutes every night to scrub away at some part of her cage to get it a bit more respectable. I truly am a terrible housekeeper. Anyway tonight I moved down to one of the wheels that was not moving right because it was clogged up with someone's cat hair. Jeremiah is not owning up to it but since I roll Pia's cage over the dining room carpet where Jeremiah spends most of his day its not surprising that it gets picked up. Anyway, I'm down there on the floor with my needle nose pliers working away and Pia decides I definitely need supervision. I didn't really but some things you can't convince a bird of. So it made the job a bit more delicate as I had to be careful not to poke a little foot in the process. Eventually Pia decided the best place to oversee the job was to sit on top of my hand. That made the job even more fun. But eventually we did get the job done - at least on one wheel. Three more to go.

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Making more Room for Jesus in my Life Quote: This is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Today we are going to ask Jesus for a spiritual healing. May not be huge but even a small window opening into an area of our life that we have been spiritually closed to can make a big difference. Take a moment to visit your beautiful garden. Look at the flowers - are there any new ones blooming today? Can you hear the waterfall over to your left? How about the birds singing in the tree next to you. Don't hurry or worry just spend some time thinking what a beautiful and restful place this is. Now think of someone that you have difficulty with. Perhaps now or in your past. When you have the person in mind notice that Jesus is walking towards you and he is talking to that difficult person in your life! It actually looks like He is enjoying being with your problematic person! Oh my goodness how could that be? Now the difficult person is walking away and out the garden. Jesus continues to walk towards you. He is smiling at you and you know he is glad to see you and wants to spend time with you. Did you stop breathing for a few seconds when you saw Jesus with this difficult person? Let your breath out now...slowly and easily. Its okay that Jesus loves you and the difficult person in your life as well. You don't have to say or do or be any different but you will notice a difference in how you feel. Talk with Jesus about this if you want to or simply let it be and just sit in the garden quietly. Healing comes when we see someone in a new light. Even those we have difficulty with. Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, thank you for opening my heart to see others as you see them. Thank you for loving all people, even those I find difficulty in loving. Amen.

Wednesday Web Link - Mini Retreat

To send this card: Feast of Saint Anthony

Quote for the Day: "Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak...It is useless for a person to flaunt the law if their actions undermine it." Saint Anthony of Padua

Wednesday Web Link

That Catholic Show http://thatcatholicshow.com

Today's link is one that I have shared before but since there are now four videos for viewing instead of one I want to share it again. This is really a super site and one you will want to check out every week to see what Greg and Jennifer Willits are up to next!

In our dining room lately we have had tablecloths on the table because of having company. Nice white tablecloths that look very fresh and clean. As I was walking through the dining room yesterday I noticed that one end of the tablecloth was draped over the dining room chair instead of hanging down properly as it should. Looked rather odd. I had my suspicions so I carefully picked up the edge to see if I was right.

I was. There was a cat under there. The tablecloth was draped so it made a little tent over him. Hmmmm.... did I tell you this is a Franciscan house?

Today as we celebrate the great and glorious and wonderful day of Saint Anthony of Padua I hope that a bit of Franciscan Joy will come your way. Maybe in the way of one of God's little creatures.

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Making more Room for Jesus in my Life Quote: This is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Many times I think we don't quite believe that Jesus is really interested in our own personal happiness. Somehow we let little creepy feelings in that tell us following Jesus is hard and lonely and full of suffering. I think the truth is that life without Jesus is all those things and its the trick of the Devil to try and get us mixed up! The truth is - with Jesus even the worst hardship can become Joy and without Jesus all the money, fame and fortune in the world becomes blah! So... today... go to your special place in your garden and talk to Jesus about some negative thoughts you have about your Christian walk. Bring them out in the open. Let Jesus know your fears, doubts and questions - I bet you will be surprised at the answer you get. Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, thank you for letting me discuss everything and anything with you. I know you are Love and that you desire only Love and goodness for me, help me to accept your love more completely in my life. Amen.

Tasty Tuesday - Mini Retreat - A Visit to my House

To send this card: Totally Love Him

Quote for the Day: What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as a work of art in progress? Imagine that you are a masterpiece unfolding, every second of every day, a work of art taking form with every breath. Thomas Crum

Tasty Tuesday

Today Shelley has been very happy. Sister Colleen's parents have been here all week working and working in our garden and Shelley loves to help them. Also we had a lovely visit with some sisters in our diocese and Shelley just knew they had each come to visit her alone. Why else would anyone visit?

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Making more Room for Jesus in my Life Quote: This is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Today you are going to visit your house. Your spiritual house. What is it like? Is it big or small? Does it have many doors, many windows? Is it light or dark? Invite Jesus to walk with you into your house. Explore it together. Are there rooms you do not want to enter? That's okay. Today just go where you want to go and do what you want in your house. What are you feeling? Happy or sad? Excited or apprehensive? Whatever you feel is fine - but share your house with Jesus. Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, thank you for coming to my house. Thank you for spending time with me, without words, or thought or judgement of any kind. Thank you Jesus for coming to my house just as it is. Amen.

Tasty Tip of the Week

from Barbara George

Tuesday’s Tasty Tip: June 12, 2007

Here I am on the vegetable kick. It is spring and since we are all thinking we need to go on a diet, vegetables are the perfect place to start. Here’s something to consider if you’re hungry, and can’t get enough to eat:

1 slice of bread = 75 calories

1 medium orange = 60 calories

1 ½ cups of cooked vegetables = 75 calories

2 Tblspns Ranch = 130 calories (watch the dips)
Make a lowfat healthy dip with plain yogurt and your favorite seasonings.

8 peanut M&M’s = 80 calories


Ok, had to throw the M&M’s in there because they are my favorite food. Except the blue ones. That is just not natural.

Miracle Monday - Mini Retreat - Jesus is waiting for You

To send this card: May Your Day be Blessed

Quote for the Day: Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing. Abraham Lincoln

Miracle Monday

I'm writing this on Sunday evening. We just finished watching our movie of the week - our pick? A movie on Pope John Paull II. It was very good, one we had seen before but always get more the second time around. Amazing when you look at his life - of where he started and where he ended up. A normal young man in Poland ends up as Pope. Okay, maybe not normal... but you get the idea.

Life is so much like that. I think all of us have experienced days in which everything starts out like every other day and then something happens that totally changes our life forever. Perhaps someone we love gets sick or dies or perhaps something changes in our life causing us to totally change the direction we are going.

One of the old Christian songs I like to sing a line or two of (the only lines I know of it) are "When you are walking with the Lord, you don't get bored."

Thats what this day is. A day not to get bored. A day in which God has gifted us with something new. Hmmmmm, what will it be?


Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Making more Room for Jesus in my Life Quote: Encourage one another daily, while it is still today. Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Imagine that it is early morning. The sun is just starting to come up over the horizon. A bird starts to sing. You go to your special place in your garden and you have a surprise. There is already someone sitting on the chair waiting for you. It is Jesus. He is smiling and he wants to tell you how much you mean to him. He wants to tell you of some of the special hopes and dreams he has for you. It doesn't matter how far away you have been from him. It doesn't matter that you don't know how to talk to him or how to be in his presence. Jesus is not concerned with that. He just wants to tell you some beautiful things about how special you are to him. He wants to share how he created you to be just who you are. How totally you are in the Father's hands - that you are loved and very special. This is a beautiful day for you. Take ten minutes to let Jesus smile at you. Prayer when time is completed: Jesus, I hardly can believe that you love me, I thank you. I want to accept your love, show me how to be at peace in the thought and knowledge of your love for me. Everything will be okay. Amen.

Friendship Friday - Mini Retreat

To send this card: God Opens a door

Quote for the Day: If I had to sum up in a word what makes a good manager, It's decisiveness. You can use the fanciest computers to gather the numbers, but in the end you have to set a timetable and act. Lee Iacocca

Friendship Friday

This morning I had this thought about God and the Sacrament of Confession. This is a weird thought and I don't know if I can get it across but it made quite an impression on me. The thought came to me that sometimes I think of God as a banker in a big bank. I have two ways that my thinking sometimes goes.

One way is if I owe money to the bank. Then I look at the bank with fear and dread. How will I come up with my next payment?
What if something happens and I can't make it? Will the bank foreclose on my house? On everything I own?

The other way I look at God's bank is as a place where I can get money. Money that can start a new business or build a new house or go on a wonderful trip.

It occurred to me to spend some time thinking of how I relate to God. Is it with fear that I can never repay? That I'm not quite measuring up and going to fall short for the next payment?

I actually think I go both ways at times in my thinking. I think I need to drop that first line of thought if I can. Maybe just recognizing it will help.

Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

Mini Retreat Theme: Making more Room for Jesus in my Life Quote: Fear not, I am with you. Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Imagine that you are in a beautiful garden on a warm, sunny day. The birds are singing, a bee is buzzing from flower to flower, a small stream nearby is bubbling a gurgling melody. In this garden are two chairs, both empty. You walk over and sit in one. In a little while you know that Jesus will be coming and sitting in the next one. Today you are going to let Jesus speak first. You don't know what he will say perhaps he will say nothing and just be content to sit quietly next to you. You sit quietly waiting. Prayer when time is completed: Thank you Jesus for coming to share with me. I look forward to spending more mini minutes with you. Amen

Thankful Thursday - Mini Retreat

To send this card: Blessed Anne of Bartholomew

Quote for the Day: If you're going through hell, keep going. Winston Churchill

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for Sr. Colleen's paents! Tom and Lillian come every Spring about this time to help us plant our garden. Their reward in heaven shall be very great! As I look out my office window where I am lazily typing away as they work so hard I see that they are joined by a special golden force with wagging tail. Shelley is sure that she is being a big help. I'm not sure they agree with her but since she is getting patted every so often who knows maybe she is!

Anyway... let's start a mini-retreat! It really is very simple. - A theme for the week.
A quote for today - a question for reflection - and set your timer for ten minutes some time today to think about it.

Mini Retreat Theme: Making more Room for Jesus in my Life Quote: Know that I am with you always, even until the end of time. Meditation: (set your timer for ten minutes) Imagine that you are in a beautiful garden on a warm, sunny day. The birds are singing, a bee is buzzing from flower to flower, a small stream nearby is bubbling a gurgling melody. In this garden are two chairs, both empty. You walk over and sit in one. In a little while you know that Jesus will be coming and sitting in the next one. You have never met Jesus in this garden before. This is your Prayer Garden - a place just for you and Jesus to meet and spend time together. You don't know exactly what this first meeting will be like. While you are waiting think about what questions you might have for him. After a few minutes when Jesus comes and sits in the chair next to you... ask him your questions. Prayer when time is completed: Thank you Jesus for coming to share with me. I look forward to spending more mini minutes with you. Amen

Tasty Tuesday - Pi is Pia and Upcoming Changes

To send this card: Saint Boniface

Quote for the Day: People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering. Saint Augustine

Tasty Tuesday

I am in a heavy procrastination mood. I can't seem to do anything but waste time today. Part of it may be the weather we are having. Hot and humid. Whatever, I have a whole bundle of excuses to explain it but they don't get me moving any.

But Guess What! Breaking News. Today I received valid, one hundred per cent confirmation that Pi (as in my parrot) is definitely a girl. She laid an egg! Sr. Marcia Kay says we should call her Pia! Right now I am still calling her Pi because I was already about 99.8 percent sure Pi was a girl because she was just acting too girly to be anything else but the egg certainly filled in the .02 per cent doubt remaining.

I am in process of thinking of making some adjustments with the JoyNotes for the Summer. Not sure exactly what. One thing I would like to feature some of the stories and features from my books. Perhaps come up with a Monthly or Weekly Spiritual theme and provide mini 5 day virtual retreats. Just think I would like to be a bit more creative for these lazy days of summer!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Tasty Tip of the Week

from Barbara George

Tasty Tip for Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Berrie Smoothie

Delicious breakfast replacement you can take on the run or sip at your desk on a busy morning. Simple substitutions can change the flavor and consistency of this drink but I tried to make a recipe that was low calorie and healthy.

½ cup plain low-fat or fat free yogurt (or Banilla yogurt-will be sweeter and creamier-yummm-but increases the calories).
½ cup 1% milk
1 medium banana
1 cup frozen berries (or fresh)
2 ice cubes
2 teaspoons honey
(optional- 1-2 tablespoons wheat bran)

Blend on high til smooth. This is not a really sweet drink. If you like it sweeter, add more honey or use the sweetened yogurt. My son added a tablespoon of strawberry jam to make his sweeter. Lots of options. If you make ahead, shake well before serving. Makes 3 cups. Serving size is 1 cup.

6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 180 calories. More fiber if you add the bran but don’t make ahead of time that way.

Miracle Monday - New Book Coming Soon!

To send this card: Saint Joseph

Quote for the Day: The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. Mark Twain

Miracle Monday

Guess what! I'm going to get started on a new book .... and guess what again? It's not going to be about the sacraments this time. I'm not giving up on working my way through the sacraments... but I am going to take a break and do a book called.... are you ready?......

101 Inspirational Answers to Prayer

I have been thinking about this for awhile and on the last day of the book exhibit that I was at in Chicago, I was praying my rosary in my room and pacing up and down (because I like to move when I pray the rosary) and it just seemed like that was the direction to move toward.

So I will be asking for stories soon. Not quite yet because I don't have all the pieces in place yet - maybe even by the end of the week. I am just starting to get the wheels into motion. The stories I will be looking for are stories on prayer in which you felt God answered them in an especially powerful or significant way.

I invite anyone with a Christian experience of prayer to share. The prayer might include asking a particular saint such as with a novena or favorite saints prayer. It might be just a, "Help me God!" in a moment of danger. It might be asking an angel to step in or a personal saint such as a beloved family member that you know is watching and helping from Heaven.

No, they don't have to be about stupendous miracles, and they might not even be answered in the way that you were praying... but answers in which you felt beyond the shadow of a doubt - God answered your prayer. True stories that you feel would be encouraging to someone else who is perhaps struggling with God in their life and prayer and needs a spiritual boost!

This book I think will be really, really fun to do and really, really inspiring and I am really, really excited about getting started.

I am planning for the publication date to be March 19th... the Feast of Saint Joseph. I am putting the book completely into the hands of Saint Joseph.

So I don't know if starting this book qualifies for a Monday miracle story yet... but I feel sure it is certainly the start of one!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Thankful Thursday and Plumbing Issues

To send this card: Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

Quote for the Day: Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. Mother Teresa

Thankful Thursday

Okay, I am thankful that I didn't drown the Sacristy more than I did.

You see it started last evening. I was working in the Sacristy when I noticed the sink was clogging up. I came up with the brilliant solution of taking a hanger (untwisting it to make it a single rod) and then shove it down the drain to see if I could sort of unsnag whatever was clogging it up.

Well, it was just the most amazing thing! I wiggled and jiggled that hanger wire a bit and then all of a sudden whatever was clogging it was free! Really free. Free like it has not been for a long time. I was so proud of myself. Sr. Patricia the plumber was in business!

This morning when Sr. Rita Louise went to empty the trash from under my sink she came to inform me that there was a flood in the sacristy. The sink is leaking she said.

Hmmmm? How could that be? I went up to investigate. It seems that Sr. Patricia the plumber had sent the little innocent wire all the way through the rusted pipe. Yes, indeedy it unclogged everything. Never before had it been so unclogged. Sr. Patricia the plumber has been let go and the real plumber will show up on Friday.

Sister Colleen said, "Yeah, pipes do eventually rust like that, not much you can do but replace them." That was a very friendly thing to say. So I am thankful for Sisters who see practicality in situations and I am also thankful that we have a friend who is a plumber. A real plumber. The kind who knows what they are doing and has tools more sophiscated than straightened out hangers. Sigh.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Web Link for Wednesday -

To send this card: Come Holy Spirit

Quote for the Day: Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things. Henry Ward Beecher

Wednesday's Web Link

Today's link happened without even searching for it. It is a wonderful, wonderful (add a few more wonderful's to that) wonderful video. It is fifteen minutes long and can really be life changing if you take the time to watch and listen and then think and ponder.

I got the link by visiting a friends website daily blog. My friend Philippa had loaded up this YouTube video of the 2005 commencement speech at Standford University. It is really good or at least I shall say I found it really good and I think you will too.

Steve Job

Oh and guess what? My radio interview on KBVM - the Catholic radio station in Portland, Oregon with Dina Marie went really well. At least I had lots of fun doing it which for me means it went well. No idea what the listeners thought of it. When I get the CD of it I will share it with you.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Tasty Tuesday - Saint Rita of Cascia

To send this card: Saint Rita of Cascia

Quote for the Day: Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things. Henry Ward Beecher

Tasty Tuesday

Today I went to the dentist... was a pain free experience but still numbing. So my sister's Barb's tasty treat below sounds especially good. And she didn't even know about the dentist... amazing how God works all these things out!

I am getting very excited about going to the RBTE (Religious Trade Book Exhibit) in Chicago next week. I think it will be lots of fun. Not sure what it will be like but I'm sure it will be fun. At least that is what I am telling myself.

Today is one of those cold, gray days that should be in March not May. Maybe its one of those inbetween rainy days to bring out the May flowers.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Tasty Tip of the Week

from Barbara George

Tasty Tip for Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Berrie Smoothie

Delicious breakfast replacement you can take on the run or sip at your desk on a busy morning. Simple substitutions can change the flavor and consistency of this drink but I tried to make a recipe that was low calorie and healthy.

½ cup plain low-fat or fat free yogurt (or Banilla yogurt-will be sweeter and creamier-yummm-but increases the calories).
½ cup 1% milk
1 medium banana
1 cup frozen berries (or fresh)
2 ice cubes
2 teaspoons honey
(optional- 1-2 tablespoons wheat bran)

Blend on high til smooth. This is not a really sweet drink. If you like it sweeter, add more honey or use the sweetened yogurt. My son added a tablespoon of strawberry jam to make his sweeter. Lots of options. If you make ahead, shake well before serving. Makes 3 cups. Serving size is 1 cup.

6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 180 calories. More fiber if you add the bran but don’t make ahead of time that way.



Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Thankful Thursday - Dog, Cat and Bird Updates

To send this card: Saint Paschal Baylon

Quote for the Day: Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God. Robert Schuller

Thankful Thursday

Before I forget, after sending out yesterday's link to the Amazing Grace page I actually got an email from Sonny Melendrez the one who does the Sonny Radio. He said several hundred people visited the page from this link and he was very pleased. So much so that he actually made up a page just for the JoyNotes crowd. http://www.SonnyRadio.com/SonnyJoyBlog.html . So if you want you can take a look! Some very inspirational things to read, short and up, up uplifting.

Today was a nice day. Shelley went to doggy day care because the lawn and trees were being sprayed and fertilized. She came home exhausted so she must have had a good time. Pi is deep into nest building. About once a week I supply him (her?) with new nesting material and she is as happy as a clam.Jeremiah has decided he is definitely a sun cat. He lies in the window for hours... ahhh such a life.

Tomrrow we are all excited because Sr. Colleen will be coming back home. She has been gone for about ten days, first to a federation meeting and then as the official delegate for our federation to celebrate the consecration of the new Poor Clare Chapel in Montana. Shelley will be sooooo glad to see her come home too, because Sr. Colleen is the one who takes care of her the most.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Wonderful Wednesday Changes to Wednesday's Web Link

To send this card: Saint Margaret of Cortona

Quote for the Day: A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow. George S. Patton

Wonderful Wednesday

Sorry but Tasty Tuesday bit the dust before it ever got off the ground. It was one of those nights where one little delay went into another one and soon it was so late, I once again said, "What the heck, I'm going to bed!" And that was the end of Tasty Tuesday.

Hopefully Wonderful Wednesday will get further down the road. Not sure how much further though. Maybe I need to change the focus of Wednesday from Wonderful to something more specific. Something that I can use as a jumping off point for what to write about as "wonderful" is a bit too huge!

How about Wednesday's Web Link! Think I will try that for a few times and see if it helps. Hmmm.. now to come up with a web link for you. oh hum de dum...

Amazing Grace http://www.sonnyradio.com/amazinggrace.html

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Miracle Monday - Radio, Forgivness Channel

To send this card: Saint Matthais

Quote for the Day: We must be ever thankful for small miracles, and ever hopeful for receiving greater ones. Elmer A. Shultz

Miracle Monday

Sometimes what I think is a miracle... is how Ijust go along and then all of a sudden realize that my prayers got answered for one thing or another and I never really noticed it happening. It's like one little thing builds on another and something comes in from this way and that way and pretty soon the thing you were hoping would change or happen did and you didn't even notice.

I'm thinking in particular how my work with radio is developing. First with a fifteen minute radio program on Radio Maria than a 30 minute program.. then doing an hour a week on a secular station here in Spokane, then four hours, then we have a whole station! Now I am starting to do more radio in other directions. Very amazing and pretty miraculous if you ask me!

This one book I am reading about Forgiveness -['Forgiveness for Good' by Dr. Fred Luskin] talks about having mental channels in our head. If we are mad at someone we spend a lot of time watching the grievance channel - if we are happy all our thoughts are focused on the happy channel. Whatever we choose to tune into - is what carries us through the day. Happiness or Anger, Sadness or Hope.

Kind of a neat thought. In a lot of ways its kind of like all the new mental imaging stuff that is everywhere except that I think the roots of it are described very clearly in the Old and New Testament and several other major religions as well. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he." I've always loved that quote since I was in high school. It gives me a sense of control and decision as to how to move through my life.

I also love the quote from Scripture "Surrender to God and He will do everything for you." Somehow I do think they both work together. Not sure exactly how.. but they seem to.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Mother's Day and Radio Interview

To send this card: Mother's Day Card

More Cards for Mother's Day

Quote for the Day: I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. Abraham Lincoln

Friendship Friday

Many, many blessings, prayers and good wishes for all Mothers! You are saints and blesseds! Your reward in heaven will be great!

Okay here it is. My true measure of friendship for you. I am going to share the recording of my interview on the Florida Country radio station. Other than the fact that my voice sounds a bit thin because I was like uh.. you know, nervous... it's not too bad.

Of course it didn't hurt that Roger and Tom edited it pretty nicely! http://confession101.com/radio/flradio.mp3

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Thankful Thursday - Heaven Kodak Moments

To send this card: Saint Catherine of Bologna

Cards for the Feast of the Ascension Thursday or Sunday

Quote for the Day: Holy Communion keeps me full of joy. Without the presence of our divine Master in my humble chapel, I should never have been able to continue to link my life with the lepers of Moloka'i. Blessed Damien Joseph De Veuster of Moloka'i

Thankful Thursday

Today is the feast of Saint Damien of Molokai. I tried to make a card but time didn't work out. Also I couldn't find a good picture. I wonder if he would mind sending me a picture from heaven?

Wouldn't that be nice if every once in a while the saints and those we love would just send us a few kodak shots? You know, "Here I am talking to Saint Peter on my first day in Heaven." and "Oh, these are some new friends I met today over lunch." (They have to have lunch.. I love lunch...Heaven surely must have a lunch place and a breakfast place and a dinner place and all the chocolate you can eat place.") don't you think?

Okay, I'm sure the joys of heaven would make eating seem terribly paltry but it is one of the things I am thankful for. A good apetite and food to eat. Thank you God!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Eat, Sleep and Laugh

To send this card: Saint Catherine of Bologna

Cards for the Feast of the Ascension Thursday or Sunday

Quote for the Day: The next best thing to winning is losing! At least you've been in the race. Nellie Hershey Tullis

Wonderful Wednesday

Thank you for your prayers for my radio interview. I think it went very well. I hope to get an mp3 of it soon and then I will share it with you.. warts and all. I do believe it shows the power of prayer!

Today was a beautiful warm sunny day and I had my mom over for dinner. She is just the most loveliest mom in the world and also the funniest. I don't know exactly what she said or did today that was so funny.. she was just being herself and that is a warm, funny, loving person. I do remember her once saying about my dad something to the effect that he might have a lot of faults but she didn't know how she could live with anyone who didn't have a sense of humor. In that they made a perfect pair.

I think I tend to agree with her. Lucky for me, all the sisters here have a good sense of humor. I used to have this quotation on our vocation page from Saint Theresa of Avila. I love it.

She who laughs, lasts." At least that was Saint Theresa's philosophy. Theresa, a Spanish nun who founded the reformed order of the Carmelites in 1562 used to look for novices who knew how to laugh, eat and sleep. She believed that.

if they ate heartily - they were healthy,

if they slept well - they were more than likely free of serious sin,

and if they laughed - they had the necessary disposition to survive a difficult life.

Sounds like good, solid advice to me!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Miracle Monday - Radio - Steve Pomper Is There Anything Wrong Officer?

To send this card: Joy to My Heart

Quote for the Day: Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish. Ovid

Miracle Monday

Well Tuesday is my last day of the Radio Publicity Class. Boo hoo, boo hoo. It has been so much fun. I am hoping and praying I can continue on my own and actually get on some other radio stations. I've made the Blessed Mother my Publicity Agent so will see how much she is into this!

Today a class mate shared the results of his first interview! I thought it was really great. He is a Seattle Police Officer and he wrote a book called, 'Is There a Problem Officer?' . I thought he did really well on the interview and it was really interesting what he was talking about. Giving tickets from the Officer's point of view. One of the things that struck me was that an officer who has just pulled you over for a traffic violiation may have just come off minutes before from the emotional trauma of investigating a homicide - so comments like, "Gosh Officer, don't you have anything better to do than dish out tickets" really isn't the best way to make his day!

If you would like to listen to his interview, Steve Pomper The Beat not only will you like it but you will learn some very important things about how to react when you get a traffic ticket or more to the point.. how to react so you don't get one!

I think my miracle for Miracle Monday is just what a transforming wonder this radio class was. From thinking I absolutely could not do this.. (but why not try).... to actually already getting booked on two radio stations and eager to find more!

If anyone knows anyone who is in radio and might be open to a radio interview... My focus is, Finding Freedom through Forgiveness - in the home, office, world.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Back Online and News about Jasper (the fish)

To send this card: Saints Philip and James

Quote for the Day: Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence. Helen Keller

Thankful Thursday

Well, I'm thankful that the site is back up. Guess the powers at be were changing and moving things. All is well for now. Life always has its little surprises.

Last night I did another great interview with Fr. Jim Van Vurst, OFM and put it on the air tonight. I will try and get it online for tomorrow.

Today I had a wonderful interview with Jenifer and Greg Willits - the couple who are doing the "That Catholic Show." It was a very fun interview they are quite a dynamic couple - it will be fun to see where God takes them with their latest adventure of stepping out in faith. I think very far!

Greg knows all about putting up RSS feeds and stuff like that and he is going to tutor me through the maze of understanding. Soon I will be able to post some of our weekly radio shows on itunes! That will be neat. Our bishop also has been doing a biweekly radio program that I've wanted to get as a easy download - so will be glad to start climbing this new IPOD Mountain.

Oh and guess what. I thought I had lost my little koi fish, Jasper, because we all kept looking and looking in our pond and there was no sign of him but after a week of cleaning out algae (thanks Barb - see I told you she helps me with everything!) Jasper showed up! Whew!

Sister Rita Louise was the first to see him when she was out with Shelley. I was sitting here at my desk and I wondered why she came running back to the monastery so fast. "I've found Jasper," she exclaimed excitedly, "And he's alive!"

We held our own little Resurrection Party. He was lost but has been found!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

St Joseph the Worker, Enchiladas & new Catholic PodCast

To send this card: Saint Joseph the Worker

More Saint Joseph Cards

Quote for the Day: What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a "just man" because he totally "lives by faith." He is holy because his faith is truly heroic. Pope John Paul II

Today is Saint Joseph Day! Hurray! Wonder of Wonders. Expect good things and big miracles and be filled with Joy!

It's also Tasty Tuesday!

But before I share my friend Barb's "tasty" recipe I want to tell you about a wonderful mini video that I was sent. It is funny but also informative in a very Catholic way. It's the first in a series of a new Catholic podcast called, "That Catholic Show."

Here is the information that was sent to me so I could share it with you. I can pretty much 99.9 percent guarantee you will like it.

--------------------------
Here's the direct link to the YouTube version:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8NFuu6W392k

Here's a link to a much better looking (but bigger) version:
http://cache.libsyn.com/rosaryarmy/TCS001.mp4

Here's the link if people want to subscribe to the show:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThatCatholicShow

---------------------------

Barb Ries was over to help me today - so I got her Enchilda recipe! She said, "How I can write it down, I don't measure anything! I just make it."

I told her, "Just write it down how you do it. There are still lots of folks out there who cook that way! They will understand and the rest of us will just worry a little more but about our amounts but manage as well." I know we're a very resourceful bunch.

Barb's Turkey Enchilada

2 cups Turkey or chicken chunked (whatever you have on hand).
3 Boiled eggs chopped
green olives - as many as you like sliced– if you don’t like green make them black (sometimes I use both)
chopped Onions
1 cup cheese- mix cheddar and monetary jack
garlic powder
pepper
Flour Tortilla shells

1 8 oz can Enchilada sauce - this is where we went wrong and got the brand of Enchilada sauce that was only Mild if you like eating chili peppers like popcorn.

Mix all ingredients except shells and sauce. Pour some sauce in your pan and lay a shell in it and turn over- put mixture in side shell and roll up. Repeat until your pan is full. Then pour the remaining sauce over the top of rolled enchiladas and cover with cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 for about ½ hour.

Very, very good. Yum, yum, yum. The only thing Barb says is that the boiled eggs don't freeze well.. so omit the eggs if you want to freeze them.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Miracle Monday - Memories of Saving Love

To send this card: Easter Alleluia

Quote for the Day: I have found in life that if you want a miracle you first need to do whatever it is you can do - if that's to plant, then plant; if it is to read, then read; if it is to change, then change; if it is to study, then study; if it is to work, then work; whatever you have to do. And then you will be well on your way of doing the labor that works miracles. Jim Rohn

Miracle Monday

Sometimes miracles happen through others. I don't expect this would really classify as a miracle but I remember when I was in about the third grade we lived in a big house with a big yard. At one corner of the house we kept three ducks and we had a bathtub sunk into the ground so they could swim. My little brother Tony was about three years od and was not talking very good. He was a bit behind most kids his age. Anyway it was a nice summer day and everyone was enjoying themselves doing summer kid things. When all of a sudden my little brother comes screaming around the house, just screeching his head off, his eyes wild with fright.

This was so unusual for Tony that naturally we all ran to see what was the matter. He just kept screaming and screaming and pointing to the duck bath. We ran and there my little sister had fallen in the tub. She was only a year old and would surely have drowned if Tony had not screamed so loud and come running for help.

I will always remember that. How close we came to losing our little baby sister. Tony was too little to pull her out himself, and so frightened he could not talk and tell us what was wrong... but he still managed to get the help needed to save the day!

Sometimes we think we don't do much - we don't accomplish much, but if every once in a while we just do what we can with what we have. We do a whole lot.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Friendship Friday - Shelley and Tobasco

To send this card: 3rd Friday in Easter

Quote for the Day: Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can. Willis Whitney:

Friendship Friday

This is late.... because .... this really is a very good reason. I decided to be a friend to myself and go to bed so I would not be cranky with everyone else today. It worked. So far I've been good. Can't guarantee it will last the whole day but at least I gave myself a fighting chance.

I have to tell you something about Shelley our dog. She naturally thinks she owns the place around here and especially when she is outside she thinks the nebulous concept of obedience to anyone but herself a pretty paltry thing. So here is the situation. We have these nice plastic tree guards around the bottom of all our fruit trees so when the lawn mowers go into action the cut grass is the only victim.

Unfortunately Shelley dear thinks she should remove each and everyone of them and chew them. Not good for the trees, not good for her digestion and not good for our temper when we try to stop her. Sooooo, Sister Colleen remembering an ancient practice from her childhood decided to douse each tree guard with Tobasco sauce.

The results are now in. Shelley does not like tobasco....she grabbed one, hauled it off and then just when she was getting in for a nice munching session decided, "Hmmm, this does not taste the same." She looked very disgustedly at Sr. Colleen because being a smart dog (or somewhat) she knew the source. She then came back in the house and pouted. Yes, dogs can pout.

Last night on my walk she tried again.... new tree guard but same flavor. I pretended not to notice what she was doing. She grabbed the guard protector off the tree, trotted away a few yards, grumbled and then pretended she really didn't want the stupid old tree guard anyway.

Life continues in the monastery.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Thankful Thursday - Radio Interview

To send this card: 3rd Thursday in Easter

Quote for the Day: Asking is the beginning of receiving. Make sure you don't go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won't laugh at you. Jim Rohn

Thankful Thursday

Hey, guess what I am thankful for today? I am thankful that I am taking the radio publicity course! Yes, yes, yes, because today I got my first request for a radio interview on a regular station! Its on a large country station in central Florida. Please pray that it goes through and that the Holy Spirit speaks and that I have a fun time and help people appreciate the value of forgiveness a little bit more.

This is the station that requested an interview.... http://www.wpcv.com/index.htm Please pray a Hail Mary that the staion will be blessed in having me and not lose their ratings too badly. Course it will only be about a 3 - 5 minute interview so I shouldn't harm them too much!

I have been reading a very good book on Forgiveness - not sure if I told you before. Probably... anyway it is called, "Forgive for Good" by Dr. Fred Luskin. It is not a religious book - but so powerful in convincing me a thousand times more how much we need to forgive for our own sake as well as everyone else.

The health benefits of forgiving are huge - especially with heart. Which is amazing don't you think? Because we always think of the heart as love and when we are not loving our heart suffers. Pretty straight forward don't you think?

Now, don't think I'm putting anyone down with heart trouble - cause there are lots of other factors as well. For instance our Sister Mary Rita was the most loving person I have known and she had congestive heart failure so its not one of those across the board things.. but still a factor to look at I think. Sure made me think!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Tasty Tuesday - Enchiladas and Bean Dip

To send this card: Third Tuesday in Easter

Quote for the Day: The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. Robert Flatt

Tasty Tuesday -

Last week Barb came over to help us work with our roses. Then after she had done that she made us supper! Turkey Enchiladas. They were sooo good. The only little problem was that when she went to the store to get the enchilada sauce they were out of the brand she normally gets.... and so she got a new brand.... it said MILD on the can but it was HOT! Like really, really hot. The kind where your face turns red, your eyes tear up and you can't talk kind of hot.

So guess what? She made enough for us to each have two but they were big so we only had one for supper that night and the next night we had much fewer diners for the enchilada menu. So lucky me and Sr. Colleen and Sr. Rita Louise had Enchiladas for the rest of the week!

Now I have to get Barb to teach me how to make her recipe because it was sooo goood even hot. I will share it with you. What was different about her recipe was that they have boiled eggs in them! Which sounds sort of weird, or at least it did to me..but they were really great.

The boiled egg part was really how Barb got roped into making supper. I asked her if she had any suggestions on how to use boiled easter eggs in a dish for supper! Her suggestion was followed up by actually cooking it.

So now does anyone want to share their great recipe or suggestions for boiled eggs? Of course our easter eggs are gone now but its fun to get new ideas and try new dishes.

Peace and Joy!
Sr. Patricia and all the Sisters


P.S. The Barb above is my best friend Barb who helps me out big time all the time! The Barb below is my blood sister who is also my best friend but she lives in Corvallis, Oregon. Both Barbs like to cook and I like to eat so you can see I pick my friends well.

Tasty Tip of the Week

from Barbara George
Tuesdays’ Tasty Treat

Tasty Tip #3 April 23, 2007

This quick and easy dip will be a crowd favorite. Easily adapted to low-fat tastes if you prefer.

Recipe:
1 15 ounce can refried Black Beans
4 small sweet peppers, diced
½ c Monterey Jack and Colby cheese, shredded (or low-fat shredded cheese)
½ c Salsa (mild to hot)

½ cup lite (or low-fat) sour cream
½ cup salsa (mild to hot)
(additional garnishes: chopped black olives, chopped sweet onion)

Tortilla chips for dipping (or low-fat baked tortilla chip)..

Combine black beans, salsa and shredded cheese in microwave safe dish suitable for party service.. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stir, heat again for 2-3 more minutes until bubbly. Make sure to cover dish when heating.

Remove and while hot, sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheese, put whipped sour cream in center, decorate edge of dish with salsa, and sprinkle garnishes as desired. Garnish sour cream with parsley flakes for color.

This dip should be heated right before serving. Enjoy!
Black beans are an excellent source of fiber, tortilla chips are lower in fat than potato chips, and salsa is a fat free vegetable. Using the above cheeses decreases the fat in this dip.

This dip may be a little high in sodium (salt) for those with salt sensitivity.



Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Miracle Monday - Today's Gifts for Tomorrow Use

To send this card: 3rd Monday in Easter

Quote for the Day: There are no miracles for those that have no faith in them. French Proverb

Miracle Monday

Father Jim Van Vurst, OFM (the priest who gave us our retreat and did the radio program with me on Death and Dying) reccommended a great book to me when I told him I was into miracles. He said I should read the introduction from this book called, "Small Miracles" by Jitta Halberstam and Judith Leventhal. So I went to the bookstore and they didn't have their original book on hand but they had a couple of others that these two authors had done. Boy are they wonderful!

I am still going to get the original book but I think any of their books are really great to read if you like miracle stories. Really, really neat ones. And one thing I particularly like about these books is that because the two authors are Jewish many of the stories are about Jewish people. I love that, because I don't really know too many Jewish people and so it is also a beautiful way to learn some of their culture and beliefs. They have miracle stories from other religions too.

As for a personal miracle I think what is neat is how God somehow always has the next step planned for us to take. If we ever think we are on our own all we have to do is look back and see how this happened which led to that happenening which meant we did this and got that! Amazing.

I think my prayer today shall be, "God, help me to accept and use fully the gifts you give me today, whether it is a new thought, a new understanding, or new opportunity so that I may be ready to use them for others tomorrow."

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Friendship Friday

To send this card: 2nd Friday in Easter

Quote for the Day: Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday Don Marquis

Friendship Friday

Friends are people who like us and we like back. It occurred to me today that sometimes we find wonderful friendship in those whom we also go to for certain services and things like that. Maybe not close friends but still friends. You know like your favorite clerk in the grocery store, or your doctor, or all sorts of people like that whom we develop friendships with after we go to them for a specific need.

Isn't that kind of neat. So when you think about it.... we shouldn't put ourselves down for discovering God when we are in need and then finding out he becomes our best friend. When I think about it - a lot of friendships start that way.

It works the other way as well. Sometimes those who come to us for help in some way... may become our next best friend. God works in surprising ways.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

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Friendship Friday

To send this card: 2nd Friday in Easter

Quote for the Day: Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday Don Marquis

Friendship Friday

Friends are people who like us and we like back. It occurred to me today that sometimes we find wonderful friendship in those whom we also go to for certain services and things like that. Maybe not close friends but still friends. You know like your favorite clerk in the grocery store, or your doctor, or all sorts of people like that whom we develop friendships with after we go to them for a specific need.

Isn't that kind of neat. So when you think about it.... we shouldn't put ourselves down for discovering God when we are in need and then finding out he becomes our best friend. When I think about it - a lot of friendships start that way.

It works the other way as well. Sometimes those who come to us for help in some way... may become our next best friend. God works in surprising ways.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

Today's JoyNotes

Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Virginia Tech Tragedy and Eternity

To send this card: 2nd Thursday in Easter

Quote for the Day: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Thankful Thursday

It is hard at first to think thoughts of thankfulness after such a tragedy with the Virginia Tech massacre and yet somehow in time I know God will bring something good. The young people and all who died - may have died very suddenly and violently but God was there for each of them. I do believe their Guardian Angel was at their side - guiding them to a beautiful eternity that we cannot comprehend.

Last week I did a beautiful interview with Sr. Marianne Van Vurst who is the director for a home that cares for severely disabled children. Children who at the most will never grow mentally beyond 18 months and physically often can't move but maybe their head a little or an arm. Beautiful children of God who die young and yet I truly believe only in heaven will we know what mission they accomplished in the world. What lives were saved by their struggles and suffering and those of their wonderful parents and all those who so lovingly care for them.

Death comes for each of us - sometimes soon - sometimes late. But always and everywhere our loving God who gave us this life has a beautiful eternal life for us that is beyond our biggest dreams and expectations.

If this life indeed was all that there was - than our tears and despair would never end... but life is forever with God and perhaps we can be thankful that this happened in the beautiful season of Easter when God's own son arose from the dead so that we might do so as well.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


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Miracle Monday - Part One

To send this card: 2nd Monday in Easter

Quote for the Day: “The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.” Pablo Casals

Miracle Monday (part one)

I am having the most exciting time. I told you a while back about this radio publicity course I was taking. Absolutely fantastic. Truthfully, I feel it is a miracle that I found this course and that I have been given permission to take it. Because it has been so huge in developing a new part of me.

This is what is happening. In the course we have to talk about what we are an expert on.... so that we can go on the radio and talk about this subject as an expert. Well as you can imagine, this has put me into a tailspin trying to figure out what in heaven's name I was an expert on! I mean come on... what could it possibly be? Sister Colleen said Wayne (the guy that gives the course) was going to have to pay for my mental stress breakdown over this!

The reason I started in the course in the first place was that I wanted to promote "confession" but I knew I wasn't an expert on the subject. I knew it was powerful and valuable - to some extent - but I didn't even feel totally convinced of it to the point where I could go on a secular radio station and tell people, "Yep, if you would just go to confession, you would be in a whole lot better place."

I mean I knew they would get value from it .... and I knew it was important but I didn't have the "umption and gumption" to actually tell people that! My shrinking violet complex was very healthy and strong.

So guess what I did? I waffled. I thought hmmm, people don't really want to hear about confession, that will make them uneasy and uncomfortable, and nobody, absolutely nobody will ask me to come on their radio program to have a nun tell them "get with it and go to confession!"

I put on my thinking cap, and I thunk and thunk and thunk. Finally I decided. MIRACLES! I would talk about miracles. Everybody loves a miracle story, and I am a huge lover of miracle stories and what could be nicer than to get on the radio and tell everyone to "step right up and get your miracle!" That, they would probably take from a nun right? No pain, no stress, just put in your quarter and get a miracle. What could be easier.

Only thing is I knew that miracles don't work that way. They come from God and HE is the one who determines when you are going to get one and what shape it's going to come in (probably not in the shape and size you ordered) and hardly ever in the time limit you want them!

So of course that put me back into the valley on undecision. What to do ... what to do.....

(this is going to be way too long so I will share part two with you tomorrow on Tasty Tuesday!)


Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


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Friendship Friday and Cartoons

To send this card: Easter Friday

Quote for the Day: "May there always be work for your hands to do, may your purse always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine on your windowpane, may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you, may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you." - Irish Blessing

Friendship Friday

There are many ways of being a friend. Sometimes I think God gives us friends that we will never meet and yet they touch our lives in a very friendly and important way. Do you know who I am thinking of? Charles Schulz!

I have so often been picked up from the doldrums by looking at cartoon books. There is something warm and comforting about cartoons. Everyone has their own likes but I have a whole set of Charlie Brown books and I never tire of reading them.

I also like Calvin and Hobbes and For Better or Worse and Zits! I don't really read cartoons much from the paper (although we do get a daily newspaper) mostly I just read a few pages at nights sometimes from my old books when I feel a need to just be.

Wonder if reading cartoons can be a prayer? I'm sure they must be. Anything that is good and makes one happy in a warm friendship sort of way... must be from God.

Of course some cartoons are definitely not from God and we're not going down that road!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Thankful Thursday and Radio Fun

To send this card: Easter Thursday

Quote for the Day: Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently. Henry Ford

Thankful Thursday

Today was a really nice day for which I am very thankful. It started out with the usual round of prayer, adoration, Mass and then the Bishop came over to record his piece for the radio and then somehow after that the day just seemed to go into overdrive. I actually got things done - its that they were things that don't really give one a sense of making headway sort of things.

But then again in reflection some of those things are the ones that often have greater results in the Kingdom than other things. So hard to judge even oneself when you think about it.

I sort of feel snowballed by all the things that shoulda been done! But one thing I did today that was totally, totally fun and actually has been worthwhile was that I did some radio practice for being interviewed. First I taped a whole half hour of myself interviewing my self about forgiveness. It was kind of silly but fun and then when Barb came over to help me out with different things, I made her interview me for five minutes with any questions she could think up about forgiveness.

I was amazed I actually could come up with some answers! What do you know? Sometimes we know more than we think. Than I interviewed her and it was just a blast! We had so much fun and what was great about it was that we both learned to be up and relaxed about being interviewed. Which just goes to show - if you can make something that could be work into fun you make more progress than if you make it just work!

Isn't it just amazing what wonderful revelations I get? Think I first heard about that from Mary Poppins when I was six years old,,, but hey it's still just sinking in at fifty!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters


Our book on Reconciliation     Our Workbook for Confession

Wonderful Wednesday - and Wonderful Shelley

To send this card: Easter Wednesday

Quote for the Day: Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen. Mother Teresa

Wonderful Wednesday

As I look out my office window, I should be seeing the nice rush of water cascading over the rocks into the koi pond. It's been off since November becuase of the weather but it was finally close to being turned on today except for one small problem.

The problem is yellow, has four legs and loves to chew anything it can find to chew. What it found to chew was a little plastic screw that fits on top of the pump lid so it could be fastened down tight and not let any air into it.

Leon the guy who came to start the pond said, "Unfortunately it does not hold so well when the little plastic screw has been chewed."

I say what my dad would have said on such occasions. "Well, bless her little heart."

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Tasty Tuesday

To send this card: Easter Tuesday

Quote for the Day: The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. Robert Flatt

Easter Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday - Do you think a bowl of dry cereal with milk counts as a tasty dish? I hope so because as a matter of fact this is what I am having right now.

There are some definite pluses to a dry cereal snack.

One: Very little preparation
Two: Very little clean-up and
Three: I like it!

What more could you ask for?

Peace and Joy!
Sr. Patricia and all the Sisters

Tasty Tip of the Week

from Barbara George
Chocolate lover? If chocolate is your downfall, a better way to limit yourself is to buy good dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate is harder and melts slower therefore taking you longer to eat.

The richness is more satisfying so a little bit goes a long way.

Of course, you still need to limit yourself. One ounce of dark chocolate has about 150 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrate. This compares to 1/2 cup of ice cream or a large apple. Take a piece, enjoy it, don't go back for more.


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