Book Review - The Domestic Church: Room by Room

I was driving home one day and listening to Catholic radio. The host of the show was interviewing Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle about her new book - The Domestic Church:Room by Room. She was explaining how the book helps mothers create their domestic church in their homes despite the business of our lives as mothers. I thought it sounded really interesting and was so excited just a few days later when I saw it was available for review through the Catholic book Reviewer program that I participate in through the Catholic Company. I quickly chose it!

This book is a study guide and can be used independently or as part of a group. The author goes room by room through the house and gives practical ways to bring our faith to the family. Mary DeTurris Poust explained it beautifully in her forward.

Donna takes us through each "room" of our lives, guiding us deeper into the mystery of our faith that exists in every corner of our domestic church and then sharing with us the tools and insights needed to coax that mystery out into the light of day where it can blossom into the kind of transforming love that we are called to be to one another

One of the more meaningful rooms to me is the Basement - The Foot of the Cross. She states:

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta has told us, "A living love hurts. Jesus, to prove his love for us, died on the Cross. The mother, to give birth to her child, has to suffer. If you really love one another properly, there must be sacrifice."

The list of sacrifices and suffering is endless, as is a mother's love. If we really love our children properly, there must be sacrifice; otherwise, there is no real love.

I really connected with this. The Lord keeps putting this lesson in front of me over and over. I am to die to self. The world tells us that we deserve to have all of the pleasures we can get our hands on. People do anything they can to avoid suffering...at all costs. This is not the way that God calls us to live though. Not that he wants us to suffer constantly or be unhappy. No, we are to find our joy in and through the sacrifice that we are called to because we know that by giving of our whole selves for love, we are truly united with His cross.

I was thrilled to get to read this book and would recommend it for all mothers. It would be such a great book to use for a women's book club. It's also good to use just as a quiet daily or weekly reflection for a mom on her own as I did it. There are questions at the end of each section to help reinforce the material as well as to get you to think more about it. It is well worth the time and I know I will refer to it often!

Apron Wishes

I don't really cook often and often don't enjoy cooking when I do. However, I had some sort of out of body experience this Thanksgiving that I thought I might share! On Monday dad called to warn that mom was coming down with something. She was in that stage where you know you are just about to feel pretty awful. By Tuesday, she was feeling pretty awful. So I decided that I would cook the dinner this year. It's something I have always thought that I should do or would have to do one day but I have been always been too scared to try plus someone else was always doing it anyway! You know what...it wasn't that hard! It got a little crazy right towards the end when the turkey was ready and all of the sides needed to be in the oven. And...dinner was an hour late! But...it was worth it. Yummy - if I do say so myself!

And I'll fill you in on a little secret...but don't tell anyone. I actually really enjoyed cooking the dinner. I mean, I really enjoyed it. It was fun. The family was all around all day long. The kids were SO great. The girls didn't fight...much. Even Campo didn't fuss and took 2 good naps. I got to pick all of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes made the way I like. We had football on all day and everyone was dressed causally and comfortable. It was just a very relaxing, family day with very little stress.

I did have one unexpected surprise desire throughout the day though. I've often seen other mommy bloggers write about their aprons and their love of aprons. I remember not too long ago when someone was selling aprons and everyone was buying them up. They were beautiful but I just had no desire to have an apron! For some reason very early Thursday morning, I'm talking very early, I was thinking about the dinner and what I needed to get done and when etc., I suddenly wished that I had a beautiful apron to cook Thanksgiving dinner in. And all day I just kept thinking that it was the one thing missing...besides my mom of course! So, maybe one of these days I'll get an apron!

I think the apron wishes and the sense of enjoyment that I had making the meal on Thursday had a lot to do with the sense that I was going through some sort of rite of passage. When the meal was all ready, we made a plate for my mom and took it over to her. I felt this huge sense of anxiety that SHE was trying MY turkey and MY thanksgiving dinner. This woman who had done this magnificent feast for us (and many more people than I cooked for by the way) year after year was going to taste what I had worked so hard on and planned so much for all week. Luckily, I passed the mom test...and the dad test, sister test, husband test and the two kids who eat food besides rolls, chicken nuggets and pizza test.

So I guess, maybe, I am now apron worthy!!

Here's a picture of my dinner! Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture of the turkey before we carved it. And I don't have a lot of nice things for serving so ignore the tacky set up!

MomSense

This is too cute!!