I hope you and your family have happy plans for New Year’s Eve and the Solemnity of Mary this weekend.

I’m busy with cookie baking and rum cake making and family visiting, but I didn’t want to miss pointing out some end-of-year happenings at Faith & Family Live this week:

Lisa Hendey shares her picks for 10 Most Fascinating Catholics of 2009. Check out her list and add your own nominations!

Share your end of year accomplishments in our weekly Small Successes round-up.

Take Rachel Balducci’s advice for simplifying your New Year resolutions: One word to rule them all!

I share 10 questions to facilitate end-of-year reflections at all your New Year celebrations and gatherings this year.

Wishing you blessings in 2010!

I am happy to announce that Fr. John Bartunek, LC, will be joining our team of bloggers at Faith & Family Live as well as writing a regular column for Faith & Family magazine.

Please come over to welcome him and ask a question to get him started!

1. Drink a tall glass of water. You are dehydrated. Trust me.

2. Exercise. Free endorphins!

3. Scrub a floor. Not that they need it or anything. Not that I noticed or anything.

4. Read to your kids. (We love The Legend of the Poinsettia and other Tomie de Paola Christmas classics this time of year.)

5. Turn up some Christmas carols and dance. Teens might roll their eyes, but toddlers will love you.

6. Laugh a little. These guys might help.

The Nativity Prayer of St Bernard of Clairvaux

Let Your goodness Lord appear to us, that we
made in your image, conform ourselves to it.
In our own strength
we cannot imitate Your majesty, power, and wonder
nor is it fitting for us to try.
But Your mercy reaches from the heavens
through the clouds to the earth below.
You have come to us as a small child,
but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts,
the gift of eternal love
Caress us with Your tiny hands,
embrace us with Your tiny arms
and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries.

HT: Catholic Key Blog

Breathe.

Whether the cookies get baked or the laundry gets done, He will come.

Whether the wreath gets hung or the stockings get stuffed, He will come.

Whether the in-laws are late or show up way too early, He will come.



Whether we’re “ready” or not, He will come.

Because more than gifts and gadgets, more than candles and cookies, He knows that we need Him.

If you only prepare one thing, let it be your heart for Him, starting right now.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

(Harry Belafonte)



Blessed Christmas to you!

And we all know who ALWAYS wins.


HT: Creative Minority Report