First Reading: Wisdom 8:9-16 Therefore I determined to take her to live with me, knowing that she would give me good counsel and encouragement in cares and grief. Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young. I shall be found keen in judgment, and in the sight of rulers I shall be admired. When I am silent they will wait for me, and when I speak they will give heed; and when I speak at greater length they will put their hands on their mouths. Because of her I shall have immortality, and leave an everlasting remembrance to those who come after me. I shall govern peoples, and nations will be subject to me; dread monarchs will be afraid of me when they hear of me; among the people I shall show myself capable, and courageous in war. When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her, for companionship with her has no bitterness, and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 67:2-5, 7-8 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, [Selah] that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for thou dost judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. [Selah] The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. God has blessed us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! Gospel: Luke 9:1-6 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. ESV As I dig into the reading for today, I find myself once more marveling at how the Old and New Testament are interwoven to inform one another. Alone, the Gospel reading from Saint Luke paints a pretty stark picture. Here, these men, Christ’s disciples, are given the power of the Holy Spirit (which is of course awesome), and then they are basically cast into life as nomads. They are instructed to take the minimum—less than that of a refugee—and to forth to preach and heal in Christ’s name. What a heavy charge! I love Jesus, but I am not sure I would be able to walk out my door with nothing but the sandals on my feet. No bag, no bread, no money? I can’t even leave to run the kids to school in the morning without bringing my cuppa joe. I would find myself thinking, Well what about that bread I have on the counter? Surely I am going to get hungry . . . and it is just sitting there . . . I wouldn’t want to waste it . . . . When this Gospel is paired with the scriptures of Wisdom and the Psalm, we see a much more complete picture. It is one of rejoicing, and praise, and living a life for the glory of God. They don’t walk alone and empty handed. They have the Holy Spirit providing all that they need, and this means wisdom too. They walk filled with the Gifts of the Spirit and they bring Wisdom with them. “I determined to take her to live with me, knowing that she would give me good counsel and encouragement in cares and grief . . . .”(Wisdom 8:9) The road on which they travel was not an easy road, yet they travel with joyful hearts, that all may come to know our God. It is a beautiful adventure, not a lonely journey. We get to choose our travel companions, but too often I forget to invite Wisdom on my travels. I leave love behind as search for my key and phone and I watch the clock and push to get things on my agenda accomplished so that I can feed my own pride. Today I choose to instead invite Wisdom with me, and perhaps I will bring others to Christ as I journey along my path. Who are you taking with you today? [bctt tweet="This is a beautiful adventure, not a lonely journey."] Where are you on your walk with God and who is going with you? Bitterness or Wisdom? Jealousy or Kindness? Resentment or Love? photo by Madi Myers Cook MaryRuth Hackett is a full-time wife and mother doing her best to teach her four children to love God and country. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 14:5-18 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?" So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him, and took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the people of Israel as they went forth defiantly. The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-ha-hi'roth, in front of Ba'al-ze'phon. When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were in great fear. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD; and they said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, `Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still." The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go on dry ground through the sea. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen." Responsorial Psalm: Exodus 15:1-6 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. "Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea; and his picked officers are sunk in the Red Sea. The floods cover them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Thy right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, thy right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. Gospel: Matthew 12:38-42 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. ESV As I was meditating on today’s Scripture, one line in the first reading stood out like a neon light. “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still." Just what does that mean? Obviously the Israelites couldn’t literally sit down and be still. There they were being chased by Pharaoh and his angry mob of Egyptians. Understandably, they were filled with fear and cried out to God and to Moses. Moses encouraged (or reprimanded) them saying, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.” God had a plan. A plan that was above and beyond their imagination. When Moses commanded them to be still, he was telling them to hold their tongues and let go of the anguish. They needed to quiet their hearts and trust that God would save them. There was still work to be done. They had to gather their belongings, lift the children onto their shoulders, hold up their elders and get across the parted sea as quickly and calmly as humanly possible. They still had to fight and work. There are times when we all have felt like the Israelites. We look at a situation and think, there is no possible way this will work. Or we feel so overcome with physical and mental exhaustion that we just fall to our knees and cry out. God’s words are the same. “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD . . . . The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” When I try to take these words to heart, my situation does not magically change. My cross does not immediately disappear. There is still much work to be done. The change comes in my heart. Being still and quieting the anguish allows God's grace, strength and peace to wash over me. I am in a better state of mind to carry on the fight because I know the Lord has my back. He will not leave my side. [bctt tweet="I am in a better state of mind to carry on the fight because I know the Lord has my back."] Today when you feel overwhelmed by your duties or a cross you are carrying, stop for a few moments and remember God’s words to the Israelites. Take them to heart and trust that the Lord will fight for you. photo by Corynne Olivia Bobbi Rol is a wife, mom and blogger with a teen daughter, three rambunctious little boys, and two babies in heaven. She lives in California with her husband, Brian. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6 "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.4I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, says the LORD. "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: `The LORD is our righteousness.' Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23:1-6 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Second Reading: Ephesians 2:13-18 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Gospel: Mark 6:30-34 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves. Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. As he went ashore he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. ESV I found myself alone in the car after a busy morning and an afternoon soccer game. I’d kissed my husband goodbye on the sideline and headed to Charlottesville to visit my parents. It’s a two-hour drive. My son is in college in the same town and he is recovering from a sports injury. The season has been a busy one: needs of children at home, needs of children away at school, needs of a traveling husband. I was about a half-hour into the drive when I was overcome by hunger. It was 4:30 PM and I startled to realize I’d forgotten to eat. All day. Do you ever have a day when all you’ve done and taught has kept you from meeting the basic need to eat? Those are the days when I know I’ve been caught in a snare, tricked into thinking that I am worth what I do. That’s a lie. My worth is not measured by the things I do, or even the things I write or teach. Instead, I have value because of who I am. I am His. Sometimes—many times—I need to go away by myself in order to become who He created me to be. Often, in my household, where many are coming and going every day, I am overwhelmed with the feeling that I am not enough, that I can’t possibly adequately meet the needs of so many people. That’s when I need to pause in the midst of too much to do and just be still. I need to rest in Him. He assures me that, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” When I still myself and rest in that truth, I see my weaknesses and my shortcomings differently. Those are places where grace can be poured. “I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses . . . for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) The disciples had time to eat. I had time to eat. We were just tricked into thinking that we didn’t. We have time to rest, too. Taking the time to go away to a lonely place (a chair in the living room before anyone awakens is mine) is essential to living in Christ. Give yourself at least five minutes today alone and still with Christ. Bible on your lap, stop talking. And just rest in the sound of His voice. photo by Corynne Olivia Elizabeth Foss is a wife, the mother of nine, and a grandmother. She finds the cacophony of big family imperfection to be the perfect place to learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace. You can learn more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 12:37-42 And the people of Israel journeyed from Ram'eses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very many cattle, both flocks and herds. And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any provisions. The time that the people of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 136:1, 23-24, 10-15 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever. To him who smote the first-born of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures for ever; 11and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures for ever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures for ever; to him who divided the Red Sea in sunder, for his steadfast love endures for ever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures for ever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures for ever; It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures for ever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures for ever. Gospel: Matthew 12:14-21 But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him, how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all, and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will any one hear his voice in the streets; he will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick, till he brings justice to victory; and in his name will the Gentiles hope." ESV There have been a few times that, quite memorably, I was so horribly distressed by a situation that I was unable to say anything beyond the name of Jesus. I remember being so terrified yet so utterly grateful that His name came to my lips, as I truly believe His name alone is an extraordinarily powerful prayer. In the early days of the Church, the Apostles were flogged and ordered by the Jewish authorities not to speak in the name of Jesus. Those same men left the Sanhedrin, according to the Book of Acts, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” Why were the authorities so afraid of Jesus’s name, and why did the Apostles rejoice? Later in Acts, Saint Paul says he is willing to be imprisoned and to die for the name. As recently as this past winter, twenty one men proclaimed, “Ya Rabbi Yasou (My Lord Jesus),” before they were brutally slaughtered for their Christian faith. Why? Why would someone die for a name? Because, my friends. The name of Jesus is not just any name. It is THE NAME above all names. As Saint Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians: Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (2:9-11) That passage gives me chills. Every time. Because there is no name greater than the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. His name causes demons to flee. His name casts out all fear. His name heals all our infirmities. His name frees us and sanctifies us and makes us holy. And, my sisters, His name saves. As today’s Gospel tells us, there is unparalleled hope in His name—hope that we may be forgiven, righteous, and redeemed. Do we live in the reality of this hope? Do we believe that, one day, we, too may be with Him in Paradise? [bctt tweet="His name frees us and sanctifies us and makes us holy. And, my sisters, His name saves."] My dear sister in Christ, what is keeping you from calling upon His name today? Do not despair, and do not be afraid. Mercy, healing, and salvation are waiting for you—if only you call upon the precious and powerful Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. photo by Corynne Olivia Heather Renshaw is a writer, speaker, and uplifter on a mission to love and serve God with her husband and five children in the Pacific NW. You can learn more abut her here.

First Reading: Exodus 11:10-12:14 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,"This month shall be for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household; and if the household is too small for a lamb, then a man and his neighbor next to his house shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old; you shall take it from the sheep or from the goats; and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs in the evening. Then they shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat them. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled with water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning, anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you, upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for ever. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 116:12-13, 15-18 What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, I am thy servant; I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Gospel: Matthew 12:1-8 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath." ESV I’ve tried to write this devotional multiple times. I think I’ve finished three entirely different drafts. As I wrote and rewrote this devotional, I was getting frustrated that it wasn’t “good enough.” I don’t hold myself to stupidly high standards in my life. My kids have screen time; my floors don’t get vacuumed enough; I routinely blow my budget. But when I write, I have standards. I don’t cut myself any slack: I’m supposed to be good at writing. As I tried to write this journal, I realized I was just gonna have to be happy with good enough. I was gonna have to show myself some mercy. And a light went on: I was being my own Pharisee. The Pharisees were so wrapped up in following God’s laws that they didn’t recognize God’s son. These were “holy men” who spurned the incarnation of holiness. How does this happen? If ANYONE recognized Jesus for who He was, shouldn’t it have been the keepers of the faith? Why were they blind precisely where they should see? I desire mercy not sacrifice. Writing is something I’m SUPPOSED to be good at. I will suffer through rewrite after rewrite and sacrifice sentence after sentence before I show myself any mercy in this place. In this case my lack of mercy was keeping me from being a tool in God’s hands. I desire mercy not sacrifice. [bctt tweet="I desire mercy not sacrifice."] Look at your life. Look specifically at your strengths. Where are your gifts? Are you using those gifts for God’s glory or have you crippled yourself because your expectations are too high? The evil one wants to weaken you where you are strong. And it’s not too hard, because often where you are strong, you have no mercy for yourself. photo by Corynne Olivia   Kate Rhodes is the wife of a lanky carpenter and mother to two littles. She used to teach English, but then she joined the ranks of SAHMs. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 3:13-20 Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, `What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, `I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, `The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, `The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, "I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt; and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Per'izzites, the Hivites, and the Jeb'usites, a land flowing with milk and honey."' And they will hearken to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, we pray you, let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.' I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and smite Egypt with all the wonders which I will do in it; after that he will let you go. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105:1, 5, 8-9, 24-27 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! Remember the wonderful works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, He is mindful of his covenant for ever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant which he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, And the Lord made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes. He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants. He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen. They wrought his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham. Gospel: Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." ESV Do you know those days when you wake up, fully intending to begin your day with prayer, and find a toddler at the foot of your bed covered in toothpaste, or a baby whose diaper has leaked all over your sheets, or a child chasing another down the hall with a pointed stick pretending it's a light saber? On those days, my prayer is often more like, “Oh, God, help!” as I run to deal with whatever is happening. I always intend to get back to prayer later . . . when things are calm and quiet, when I have a moment of peace to pause. And then, the day gets going, and that moment of peace rarely comes. There is breakfast, and dishes, and cleaning hands and faces and getting everyone dressed. There’s combing hair and making ponytails and French braids and taking them down again when the person has changed her mind and wants a headband instead. There’s packing lunch for the picnic at the library park after story time and searching the house for lost shoes. There’s play dough, and paint on the easel, and sidewalk chalk to wash off everyone before snack. There’s cleanup before Daddy gets home and dinner and clean up again and baths and more stories and bed. When things finally settle, when I put on my own pajamas and crawl into bed after the baby is finally asleep, I mean to pray. I really, truly do. I start so often . . . a decade of the rosary, or just talking with Jesus for a few minutes about the day and my worries and the things on my heart . . . but more often than not, I fall asleep. I used to feel so guilty about this. Prayer is important! How could I be falling asleep during prayer? God must be so frustrated with me. But then, I read today’s Gospel passage in a new light. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. He wants to give us rest. Isn't that exactly what we need most? He sees our tiredness, our fatigue, our exhaustion from a long day serving small ones. He knows our weariness. He speaks to us: Come to me. Lie down. Put your head on my lap and let me rest my hand on your hair. You have worked so hard. You need rest. Rest with me. Rest in me. Let me help you. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. So now, on nights when my eyes are too heavy to stay open for prayer time, I just ask Jesus to come sit with me or lie down with me. He knew what it was like to need rest. He invites me to come, and I do—it's that simple. I believe that talking with Him as I fall asleep is a faithful response to His invitation . . . and what could be better than fixing our minds on Jesus as we drift off into rest? Even if my sentences are unfinished, my heart is with Him. [bctt tweet="Even if my sentences are unfinished, my heart is with Him."] Today, instead of feeling frustrated about the things you can't cross off your spiritual to-do list, try resting in Jesus. Try inviting Him to be with you in whatever you are doing . . . chopping vegetables, typing minutes, running laps, taking a nap. photo by Corynne Olivia   Abbey Dupuy is a homeschooling mama to three-year-old twins, a first grader and a new baby. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12 Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb,the mountain of God. There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. So Moses decided, “I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Here I am.” God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father,” he continued, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. The cry of the children of Israel has reached me, and I have truly noted that the Egyptians are oppressing them. Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He answered, “I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain.” Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 103:1B-2, 3-4, 6-7 The Lord is kind and merciful. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name.Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion. The Lord secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel. Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27 At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” ESV Have you ever noticed how easy it is to fall in love with an idea? Or create perfect, idealized, dreamy visions of how things should be in your mind only to have the reality be completely different? This has happened to me time and time again. Somewhere along the line I make judgements, create a vision of how things could be "perfect," then I elaborate these dreams further by adding on all the great and wonderful things that will happen in addition to the perfect scenario. I have dreams for the perfect life "in the future," a future where I'll have time for all the things, money for all the things, and a miraculous ability to solve the problems of all those around me. But then I stop and think about how I've done in the past when I've had dreams about ideas but with no practical experience; like parenting. Following the certain parenting method of "attachment parenting" will be a cinch, pregnancy will be easy, toddlers will obey my every word because they'll be adorable all the time—all things that are extremely difficult in actual reality! I've been knocked down time and time again by the fact that I've been too pregnant to get off the couch and make dinner, the perfect ideal of attachment parenting I had in my mind before having children was changed by the fact I was losing my mind by never sleeping, and my toddlers are energetic and willful people who challenge me on every level. These examples somehow remind me of today's Gospel. Sometimes it's easier to think of God as something far away or above us, as the "I Am" because it allows us to project a lot of what we want into our understanding of God and what He may want of us. But along comes Jesus who tells us that the Father is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and in relationship with His Son and with all of us. Relationships are much more demanding of us than ideals. Ideals don't talk back, or ask things from us, or need us. Ideals exist in a vacuum while relationships exist all around us in varying degrees of imperfection and obligation and dependence. If God is our Father, that implies that we must have a childlike relationship with Him, but what if our own reality tells us that the fatherly experience is a painful and harmful one? Relationships get so messy so fast. On the flip side, it is so much more beautiful that God the Father and God the Son are in relationship and want that relationship with us. How much more tangible, rewarding, unexpected, and personal is our love for our husband, children, parents, siblings than the love we have for our ideals and dreams? We love the people in our lives for themselves; for their own beauty, their own quirks, their own unique ways of being. And that is the love of the Father for us; He loves us deeply through all our issues and wounds to our own unique hearts. And how marvelous that the Lord of Heaven and Earth wants us to love Him with that same personal love. [bctt tweet="He loves us deeply through all our issues and wounds to our own unique hearts."] How incredible is it that the Lord of Heaven and Earth is my heavenly Father? God wants a real relationship with me. photo by Corynne Olivia Christy Isinger is the mom to five lovely, loud children living in the Canadian wilds. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 2:1-15 Now a man from the house of Levi went and took to wife a daughter of Levi. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could hide him no longer she took for him a basket made of bulrushes, and daubed it with bitumen and pitch; and she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds at the river's brink. And his sister stood at a distance, to know what would be done to him. Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, and her maidens walked beside the river; she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to fetch it. When she opened it she saw the child; and lo, the babe was crying. She took pity on him and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children." Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the girl went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away, and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son; and she named him Moses, for she said, "Because I drew him out of the water." One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together; and he said to the man that did the wrong, "Why do you strike your fellow?" He answered, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid, and thought, "Surely the thing is known." When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of Mid'ian; and he sat down by a well. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of thy steadfast love answer me. With thy faithful help but I am afflicted and in pain; let thy salvation, O God, set me on high! I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds. Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you." ESV Do you know those days when one of your children has a friend over at your house and you suddenly get exalted to superstar status? They love your cooking, they think you’re kind of cool, and they are grateful for everything you offer them? Isn’t that such a nice feeling? It’s not that our own people don’t love and appreciate us. It’s just that they are used to us, and they expect us to feed them and serve them, so they forget to show their gratitude at times. And often, we can be the same way with God. Sometimes I think the nearer we draw to God, the more accustomed we become to being His beloved children, the easier it is for us to fall into the habit of acting like spoiled children. We expect much, demand that He meet our needs and give us our desires, and pout when His plan is different from our own. We become so used to His presence that we fail to look upon what He is doing with eyes filled with glory and wonder. We become jaded, skeptical. We want bigger and better assurances that we are His and He is on our side. And we don’t get them, we stomp our feet and act out. In today’s Gospel, God firmly reminds us where this kind of attitude will land us. And it is not a pretty picture. If Heaven is our goal, than we must daily cultivate the humility and gratitude that allow to recognize every good gift the Father gives us and give thanks to Him all the ways He loves. Because, believe it, sister. Right here in the middle of your ordinary life, God is doing mighty things. He is acting on your behalf and breathing glimpses of glory into your day right where you are, in the middle of all your ordinary chaos. If we are so busy looking for the thing we want, we can often miss the gift He is offering. And missing the gift often enough can turn us away from Him and in upon ourselves. [bctt tweet="Right here in the middle of your ordinary life, God is doing mighty things."] Today, let us be children who see our Father’s loving care through new eyes, attentive eyes, awake eyes. Let us look for the ways He is loving and serving us today and in humility and gratitude lift up our hands in praise and thanksgiving. Open your eyes, and watch for His glory to shine. [bctt tweet="Open your eyes, and watch for His glory to shine."] When you find yourself stressed, flustered or frustrated today, stop and take the time to recognize one good gift God is giving you right now. Remember it or write it down and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for that gift. Ask God to give you eyes to see the ways He is loving you at all times. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Colleen Mitchell is wife to Greg and mother to five amazing sons here on earth. They serve in Costa Rica where they run the St. Francis Emmaus Center, a ministry that welcomes indigenous mothers into their home to provide them access to medical care, support and education in the weeks before and after the birth of a child. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: Exodus 1:8-14, 22 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war befall us, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land." Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens; and they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Ra-am'ses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they made the people of Israel serve with rigor, and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field; in all their work they made them serve with rigor. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live." Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 124:1-8 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say -- if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters. Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! We have escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." And when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. ESV When I was young, my family used to go on vacations to Oregon. We would make the long drive from Los Angeles to just north of the California-Oregon border. My mom’s longtime friend owned a small but beautiful farm on the bank of a river. My sister and I volunteered to feed the goats, we walked to the local soda shop for candy and soda phosphates, we woke to the sounds of birds chirping and the smell of the dew across the fields of grass. Those were some of my favorite family vacations—family-centered and simple. In the summers, we were able to swim in the river. The current just behind their home was smooth and the waters calm. My sister and I could skip rocks, collect beautiful flowers, and find families of frogs soaking in the afternoon sun. But a few feet to either side of our calm oasis was rapidly moving water. The water downstream quickly changed from calm to rushing white water rapid. My mom and her friend only felt comfortable with us playing in the river if they knew we could not venture farther than the calm waters. And I was stubborn. I was convinced that I would be safe. I insisted that I could remain in the calm waters while we played and I thought I would be smart enough not to get swept up in the rushing waters. My mother insisted that my sister and I tether ourselves to her and her friend so that we would not accidentally get further that anticipated. “What if we slipped and floated downstream?” she would wonder. I was mortified. I was thirteen and thought it was stupid to have a rope tied around my waist with the other end tied to my mother’s waist while she sat on the bank. Among many other life lessons my mother has taught me over the years (which I did not appreciate at the time), she taught me something very important that day. She wanted to remain by my side so that I would be safe, so that I would not fall, so that I would remain with her. Jesus shed His blood for us. He has tethered Himself to all of us. We continue to multiply and every son and daughter of Christ continues to be tethered to him. We are standing in the cleansing waters of the river with our bodies and souls attached to Him. He would not want us to succumb to the raging waters. We are able to sever the rope and face the waters alone, but His promises and His rope are enduring. He does not let go. He does not untie the rope. He holds on tighter, even when the current quickens and we are tugged in other directions. We are in the river, but He is our tether. [bctt tweet="Jesus shed His blood for us. He has tethered Himself to all of us."] Where have you severed your ties with Christ? Talk to Him in your heart of hearts. He longs for that connection. God loves His daughters. Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife, mom, and soon-to-be-dentist currently living in San Francisco, California. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Amos 7:12-15 And Amazi'ah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom." Then Amos answered Amazi'ah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 85:9-14 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. Yea, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and make his footsteps a way. Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-10 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us. For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Gospel: Mark 6:7-13 And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, "Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them." So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them. ESV I'm sure I don't ponder enough that He called me. I think of my conversion and my journey of faith as totally something of my own doing—for the most part, at least. I think of myself as "chooser" and of Christ as "receiver" in terms of my love and of my belief and those things are still right, they are still true, but they aren't wholly true. I'm sure my kids feel similarly. I'm sure they know me as someone who welcomes their love and loves them deeply in return, but they don't know the hidden mystery of the world before they came. They can't comprehend the longing and the anticipation and the excitement and the joy I experienced as I waited for them. Even before I was even pregnant I longed for them. I imagined who they would be and I dreamed of our life together. But I realize that they probably will never think of our relationship along those lines. At least not while they are still children themselves. Their knowledge of my love for them will be true, but not wholly true. I am so grateful for the image of God's love for us that is painted over the image of family, coloring it and making it beautiful. You can be mother, father, daughter or son—which we all are—and see it. We all know our deep human intimacies can feel almost indescribable in their power, yet they will always be human. We might long for one another with a true, Holy longing, but it will always be just an imprint of the Father's longing for us. "He destined us in love . . ." to be His. When I look at the ones I love today I'm going to try and picture that, even just once. How much more does He love me? How long did He wait for me? How long will His love endure for me? Forever, forever, forever. [bctt tweet="How long will His love endure for me? Forever, forever, forever."] Where is the longing in your heart for God? Do you need to ignite it? Take a small moment and ask Him to bring that love to life again. Blythe Fike is the wife of Kirby and mother of 5 smallish kids. She homeschools and loves the quiet life in small town SoCal. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26 Then he charged them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field at Mach-pe'lah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah -- the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites." When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil which we did to him." So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died, `Say to Joseph, Forgive, I pray you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.' And now, we pray you, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him, and said, "Behold, we are your servants." But Joseph said to them, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he reassured them and comforted them. So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw E'phraim's children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manas'seh were born upon Joseph's knees. And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die; but God will visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Then Joseph took an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, "God will visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105:1-4, 6-7 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually! O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. ESV God's love is infinite. Our brains will never fully fathom how great God's love is for us, but we try. In fact, God even throws us a bone sometimes in Scripture, and offers us little examples of how much He loves us. Today is one of those lucky days, we have a double whammy: a 2-for-1. We are so valued that we are worth far more than sparrows AND we are so doted on and looked after that even all the hairs on our head are numbered and accounted for. Nothing gets past God. He knows us, every inch of us. For me, the sparrow analogy isn't that fabulous (Sorry, Big Guy!). I am sure I am missing some context from that era. Of course I am worth more than black ugly birds! I am very thankful and relieved He agrees. But the hair? Now that gets my attention. I am an observant person and I notice the details in everything. I like to put effort in the small details because in my mind, it shows a depth of love, care, and concern that even the smallest of acts was thought about and delicately handled. Therefore, to hear that my loving Lord has numbered every single hair on my head: WOW! That gets me. That shows an incredibly watchful eye that I could never deserve and really drives home His message that I am valued; I am worthy; I am loved; most importantly, I am SEEN. He sees me! It's unfortunate, but it's often the case that we know someone, or have been that someone, that has walked around in this world full of people and have never felt more lonely. You could be in a room full people who love you, but still feel isolated, alone, not seen. I have a voice, I have a face, I have an opinion that should be respected, valued, loved, but can so easily get lost in shuffle. I don't want to be passed by. I want to be seen. I want to be noticed. I want to be valued. If you have ever felt this way at any point in your life, or even now, you know the depth of sadness it can bring. But, God is speaking to YOU, right now in this Gospel, shouting out hope over you. God is shaking you by the shoulders to snap you out of the haze, He is looking deeply into your eyes and He is saying in a strong loving voice: Daughter, I SEE You. [bctt tweet="God is speaking to YOU, right now in this Gospel, shouting out hope over you."] Who is invisible in your life today? How can you share God's love with them? Cassie Kent is a wife, mom to two kiddos, loves to get a little crafty and even throws a monthly party celebrating the beauty of creativity. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:6-11, 16, 17 For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 59:2, 10, 17-18 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, protect me from those who rise up against me, O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee; for thou, O God, art my fortress. But I will sing of thy might; I will sing aloud of thy steadfast love in the morning. For thou hast been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee, for thou, O God, art my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. Gospel: Matthew 16:24-27 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. ESV One morning at my small group we were discussing the stumbling blocks we often put in our own way as we pursue Christ. One of my friends shared with us, “I just want to be comfortable and I make a lot of decisions in my life based on that: Will this make me comfy?” I was impressed with her self-knowledge and I began to think about myself in that same context. How many choices do I make throughout the day not because I’m doing what is right or good but because it will end in my comfort? Turns out, a lot of the things I do are done for the very same reason as my friend. In the past, when I read or heard Saint Paul's words to the Corinthians I was always moved by the faithfulness and love of God. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." We are not crushed; we will not despair; we are not forsaken; we will not be destroyed. When I read his words today, though, all I saw was the other half of it. "We are afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down." Shoot, Paul, that's not the warm fuzzy I was wanting right now. The Truth, though, is that when we follow Christ we follow Christ. He picked up His cross and told us to do the same, so we do. There is no warm fuzzy in the cross. Don't get me wrong, it is love—true, passionate, life-giving love—but it is not gentle, easy, or about me being happy and fulfilled. [bctt tweet="There is no warm fuzzy in the cross."] I can seek all the pleasures in the world to make me comfortable and content but Jesus has asked me, "What do you gain when you have the whole world but not your soul?" The answer: I have nothing; I have Hell. The important thing to remember, though, is that while we will suffer and struggle we are not crushed; we will not despair; we are not forsaken; we will not be destroyed. Our Almighty God is faithful and generous, and even in the midst of our discomfort He will provide for us. [bctt tweet="While we will suffer + struggle, we are not crushed; we will not despair; we are not forsaken."] Are you choosing comfort as a way to ignore a cross Christ is asking you to carry? photo by Madi Myers-Cook Bonnie Engstrom is a writer, baker, speaker and homemaker. She lives with her husband and five children in central Illinois. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5 Then Judah went up to him and said, "O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. My lord asked his servants, saying, `Have you a father, or a brother?' And we said to my lord, `We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother's children; and his father loves him.' Then you said to your servants, `Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.' Then you said to your servants, `Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.' When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. And when our father said, `Go again, buy us a little food,' we said, `We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.' Then your servant my father said to us, `You know that my wife bore me two sons; one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol.' Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, "Make every one go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, I pray you." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105:16-21 When he summoned a famine on the land, and broke every staff of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass the word of the LORD tested him. The king sent and released him, the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15 And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town. ESV Today's Gospel has a wonderful zen ring to it. We are to go out into the world without a backup plan, and be at peace if we are not listened to, carrying the word of the Lord and being ready to assist in miracles. I'd love to assist in miracles! But I do not want to venture out there without my iPhone, GPS, and a first-aid kit. And when someone doesn't heed my evangelization, I'd like to give them a piece of my mind. In essence, what I take from this reading for my own life, is to live a life of evangelizing, trust that God will provide, and not to fret about what others choose. Ultimately, we all will choose our own closeness or distance from God. God is the judge and the arbitrator. I'm a messenger. That role is hefty enough. I am responsible for me and mine, not what everybody else and their mother does with the message I'm trying to live out. Evangelizing will look as differently played out in our lives as our lives are different. My husband at the law firm, my brother in the army, my sister at the nursing home, all are living out the Truth and showing God's love and preaching the Gospel through their actions: their kindnesses and charities, their patience and their tolerance, their swallowing of frustrations and acceptances of incompetence. God's provision in our lives is frightening for me, a big-time planner. To truly not pack emotional extra, to truly be open to being shaped by grace, to truly accept that I'm not in control as fully as I dream I can be, all serve to break down my veneer of planning ahead. Lastly, I struggle with letting God's message come through me without clutching on to those around me and wanting to will them into following His word. To trust that people will choose love and light or not, according to where they are on their journey: yikes! Can't I make them believe and make them come along on my journey? Simply put, no. If your peace is returned, accept it, say a prayer, and let it go. [bctt tweet="Evangelizing will look as differently played out in our lives as our lives are different."] The original shake-it-off? Christ's instructions on being an evangelizer are doable for us today. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Nell O'Leary is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom to three lovelies. She and her husband live in the great city of Saint Paul. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7, 17-24 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do." So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was governor over the land; he it was who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came, and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers, and knew them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food." And he put them all together in prison for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined in your prison, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so. Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us and we would not listen; therefore is this distress come upon us." And Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against the lad? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood." They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept; and he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19 Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song, play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nought; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine. Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb'edee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' ESV "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." These words of Christ in today's Gospel truly resonate within. They are some of so many of Christ's words that almost send a chill up my spine because they contain such power. The power of Christ that He is giving to these twelve. Just twelve men charged with going out into the world and bringing home the lost children of Israel. No big deal at all. And yet these twelve were not exceptional. They didn't graduate from fancy schools, come from rich and well-known families, they were definitely far from perfect, they exhibited pride and fear and insecurity and even deception. And yet they're the ones that Christ gave this powerful charge to. I'm saying this to remind myself. Because I easily fall into the trap of thinking only saints can be true apostles for Christ, and only apostles for Christ can be saints. I've always got this little nagging voice in the back of my mind hinting that I can't do anything important because I'm still carrying around all this sin. I'm terrible at things that true apostles of Christ should be good at: I trip on my words, I run out of patience, I'm a hypocrite. I can also come up with these excuses when thinking about why I can't be an apostle: I don't know enough, I don't have enough time, I have nowhere to spread the Word of God. But "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Those words ring with the truth. The kingdom of heaven truly is at hand because Christ has won the battle over sin and death. Heaven is so close because Christ is still at work on earth today in His Church and physically present in the Eucharist. I may have a lot of weaknesses. I may have so many weaknesses that I think myself unworthy of bringing Christ's message to others in my life. But I know for certain that Christ called and used the Apostles in spite of their weaknesses and transformed them through their work for Him. He can't transform me or use me to bring back lost sheep if I am too self-focused on my unworthiness. I've got to remind myself that there is no time to be wasted holding tightly to my sins. I need to take that one step by allowing Christ to use me in my weakness to spread the Gospel today, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [bctt tweet="The kingdom of heaven truly is at hand because Christ has won the battle over sin and death."] What is one small step we can take today to become an apostle for Christ? Let's live like the kingdom of heaven is at hand. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Christy Isinger is the mom to five lovely, loud children living in the Canadian wilds. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Genesis 32:23-33 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then he said, "Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Tell me, I pray, your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peni'el, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved." The sun rose upon him as he passed Penu'el, limping because of his thigh. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh on the sinew of the hip. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 17:1-3, 6-7, 8, 15 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! From thee let my vindication come! Let thy eyes see the right! If thou triest my heart, if thou visitest me by night, if thou testest me, thou wilt find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God; incline thy ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show thy steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at thy right hand. Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of thy wings, As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form. Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38 As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons." And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." ESV When I was awakened that morning by the cries of a child having a nightmare, I knew it was going to be one of those days. Exhausted from the life that was growing inside of me, and feeling the pounding of a migraine coming on, it was a day I was just going to have to get through. Admittedly my patience was wearing thin before my feet even hit the ground . . . a day when if I had learned from past experience, I should have set out to let more go. Instead, it was a day we would spend a grandma’s house (one where I always want to be at my best in terms of parenting), and letting things go was not in the plan. Fast forward to naptime and a four-year-old whose nap was cut short by about two hours. In an attempt to relax and try to enjoy the time alone with just this child, I allowed him to watch a short video on my computer. Just as the second (or third) one finished, a list of videos popped up for another viewing, and I noticed a few questionable clips. I immediately shut the screen and declared we were done with videos. Just as abruptly as I overreacted, my little boy, who had no clue why I just put an end to everything, not-so-calmly told me he wasn’t finished. What followed was a moment of discipline that I didn’t have the gumption for that particular day. It ended with tears from one, and a cry for help from the other. The cry was from me, much like the psalmist “I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God; incline thy ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show thy steadfast love . . . .” I questioned my motherhood, my discipline decisions, even wondering if I was already too late to correct the behavior of my little one. Then, I felt bad, and as I often do, I internally questioned if that four-year-old knew of the depth of my love for him. God answered me: in the form of that same little boy coming to my bed that evening, laying his little head next to mine and saying, “Mommy, I love you, and I always will, with the whole of my heart . . . even when you make mistakes.” Hugging him, I asked him who would love him even when he made mistakes. He responded, “God!” and then followed quickly with, “and my Mommy.” I will. I always, always will . . . just as God will us. [bctt tweet="Call out to God, and let Him show you His love."] Is it one of “those days” for you today? Call out to God, and let Him show you His love. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Britt Fisk is the wife of Jeremy and mother of four young kids. She spends her days living simply in the-middle-of-nowhere-New Mexico helping with the family beef cattle operation. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Genesis 28:10-22 Jacob left Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place, and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I did not know it." And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone which he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou givest me I will give the tenth to thee." Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 91:1-4, 14-15 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him. Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26 While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went through all that district. ESV I don’t want to scandalize you, but today’s Gospel? It has to do with that time of the month. (Trust me for a moment.) We’re all women here. So since we were teenagers—or even earlier, whenever we first got “the talk”—we’ve known that periods are part of being a woman. Part of God’s plan for our bodies (easier to remember when we’re not crying from cramps) and part of the natural rhythm of our lives. But here’s what we might forget as 21st-century women. Back in Jesus’ time, women were considered ritually unclean when they were bleeding. They had to stay away, apart, on the margins. So when we hear about a woman who was hemorrhaging for 12 years? It means this poor woman would have been a complete outcast. Shunned by family and friends, cast to the edges of society in shame, basically left for dead because something must have been wrong with her. Yet here she is at the heart of today’s Gospel: daring to draw near to Jesus, reaching out to touch Him, asking Him for healing. This woman is transgressing every single social rule—rejoining society when she is unclean, touching a man who is not her husband, speaking boldly to a stranger. She is risking her entire life on this moment. And Jesus turns to her. He sees her, speaks to her, blesses her, and heals her. If we miss this story between scenes in the drama of the dead daughter raised from the dead, we miss the whole point. Saint Matthew’s Gospel weaves these two stories of women together—one younger, one older; one dead, one as good-as-dead—to teach us that resurrection is for all of us. Jesus does not shy away from anyone who is in need of His healing love. This story is about all of us. [bctt tweet="This story is about all of us."] I have not known a lifetime of ostracism like this woman did. But I have had doctors tell me my body didn’t work the way that “normal” women’s cycles did. I have felt shut out from the world I yearned to join as a woman going through infertility. I have wept as my body bled after miscarriage. Maybe you have felt powerless from the limits of your body, too. Maybe you have bowed your head and prayed for healing. Maybe you have wanted nothing more to reach out your hand to Christ and beg Him to see you in your suffering. He does. He will. Take heart, daughter. This is His promise. Trust His word. [bctt tweet="Take heart, daughter. This is His promise. Trust His word."] photo by Madi Myers-Cook Laura Kelly Fanucci is a mother, writer, and theological researcher. She and her husband are raising three little boys in the suburban wilds of Minnesota. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 58:6-11 "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. "If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 107:2-9 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he led them by a straight way, till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to the sons of men! For he satisfies him who is thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things. Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46 "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,3and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?' Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." ESV There are people who die at a young age that accomplish more in their lifetime than I ever hope to achieve in mine. One such young man is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati whose feast is celebrated today. He took deeply to heart the words of Christ: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me." Although he came from a wealthy family, he himself was poor as nearly everything he had was given over to those in need for their well-being. He would even sacrifice his summer vacations so that he could be that someone at home to take care of the poor throughout the whole year. He was politically and socially active, calling to task through words and actions those of his time who touted communist and fascist principles. He inspired others, especially his peers, in living out the faith and encouraged them through their daily struggles. He was always thinking of and putting others before himself. And with a great joy in his heart. He contracted poliomyelitis, likely from one of the sick he cared for. Just days before his death, his grandmother passed away. He spoke to no one of his illness and suffering during that time so that the family could focus on her. No one even knew he was sick until he was dying. This heroic love that Bl. Pier Giorgio lived is one we are all called to. It would be difficult to call his life extraordinary, EXCEPT for the heroic love for God and neighbor he lived out. And isn’t that what really matters? The ordinary is made extraordinary in the love of Christ. “If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” [bctt tweet="The ordinary is made extraordinary in the love of Christ."] Let us seek to see in our neighbor the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, and care for them as we would care for Christ. To live a life of ordinary love extraordinarily. photo by Madi Myers-Cook Laurel Muff is a creator and appreciator of beautiful things. She resides with her husband and daughters in Northern California. You can find more about her here.