Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Catholic Mom's Cafe review: "The author's way of writing is delicate, practical and to the point."



"I love this book. I received it on Nov. 11th and read the "ponder, offer, pray, & savor" for that day and was hooked. I look forward to this every day and it is inspiring to say the least. The "savor" is helpful because it really does stay with you through the day. It helps you know what you will be spiritually conscious of as you go about the day. The author's way of writing is delicate, practical and to the point. It's wonderful to know there are women like this still out there. A joy to read and very relatable for anyone. I like how the prayers are in the front of the book to reference back to. I feel I'm actually doing something structured and purposeful for the Lord when I'm short on time. This would make a GREAT gift for anyone." [Review as seen on Amazon]

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Update on Catholic Mom's Cafe shows and contest winners!

Hello!

On the set of Catholic Mom's Cafe with Karen Edmisten


Did you see any of the shows last week in my new series Catholic Mom's Cafe? Please share your thoughts in the comments below on this blog. Also, please tell EWTN by "liking," "sharing," and leaving a comment on their posts on their Face book page. here is one here but if you go to the page and scroll through, you'll see others as well pertaining to the other shows. You can simply leave a comment on this link and mention any of the shows you saw or simply refer to the series: https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline/photos/a.157114462581.116591.34701792581/10152515290767582/?type=1&pnref=story

You can also send EWTN an email to "viewer services" and type "Catholic Mom's Cafe" in the subject line since they receive a lot of emails. :) You can send your comment about the show to: viewer@ewtn.com EWTN will ultimately decide about continuing the Catholic Mom's Cafe series based on the favorable responses to the show. Thank you in advance for expressing your thoughts to them. It truly helps.

I hope you will take a moment to let EWTN know that you have enjoyed the shows. You can see more about the contests by scrolling through the previous posts. It's fine to enter even now. :)

I will be picking winners for the contests soon!

God bless you and keep you!

Donna-Marie

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Thursday's show and contests!

Hello!

Did you see yesterday's show: Going it Alone"? Did you like it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Also, please tell EWTN by "liking," "sharing," and leaving a comment on their post on their Face book page: https://www.facebook.com/ewtnonline/photos/a.157114462581.116591.34701792581/10152512078662582/?type=1&pnref=story

You can also send EWTN an email to "viewer services" and type "Catholic Mom's Cafe" in the subject line since they receive a lot of emails. :) You can send your comment about the show to: viewer@ewtn.com EWTN will ultimately decide about continuing the Catholic Mom's Cafe series based on the favorable responses to the show. Thank you in advance for expressing your thoughts to them.

So, there's lots of buzz going on with the launch of my new TV series on EWTN Catholic Mom's Cafe. I am running contests all week during the launch week (after running them all month too). Here's a blog post from yesterday about the contests. Check it out to see the prizes, etc.

To be entered into the contests to win, chocolate, coffee, pampering, lots of books, a cool Williams Sonoma gift card, and more (which are shown in the link above), watch the shows this week. Here's a description of the shows and guests:



What's on the menu today? 

Today's guest is Lisa Hendey. We discuss "Upholding Dignity Through Contradictions". The first show aired this morning at 3:00 AM ET and will air again at 6:30 PM ET tonight.


Here's a short video of today's show: 




Here's what you need to do to be entered into the cool drawings this week:

1) Watch the shows so you can answer a question from me and be entered.

2) To be entered into the contests, please "like" my face book pages: Catholic Mom's Cafe: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomsCafe


3) To be entered into the  GRAND PRIZE contests, please write a review (can be very short if need be) for Amazon for any of my "Mom" books you have read or are reading, which are listed right below the next sentence. This also helps a great deal to let potential readers of the book to know what others have thought about them.

4) Create a short video of your children doing a good deed (yes, it can be staged to illustrate your point).


  • Catholic Mom's Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year 
  • Embracing Motherhood 
  • The Domestic Church: Room By Room: A Mother's Study Guide 
  • Catholic Prayer Book for Mothers  
  • A Catholic Woman's Book of Prayers  
  • The Heart of Motherhood: Finding Holiness in the Catholic Home 
  • Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine Month Novena for Mothers to Be 
  • Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women
  • Grace Cafe: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering


  • After leaving a review today or sometime this week, or after "liking" my Facebook pages, or after answering the question about the show each day, LEAVE a comment on this blog post or any of the posts this week telling me what you have done. THEN, please email me (DMCOBoyle@aol.com) the answer to the question, or the review, or telling me that you "liked" the pages.

    You may enter more than once all throughout this week!

    THE QUESTION ABOUT TODAY'S SHOW IS: What is one of the suggestions given on today's show "Upholding Dignity Through Contrsdiction"?  PLEASE DO NOT answer in the comment section of this blog. Rather, leave a comment on this blog to tell me that you are emailing me with the answer. So, I'd like to hear from you in two places--this blog (telling me what you are doing to enter), and in an email (DMCOBoyle@aol.com) please, to give me your answer or other. The subject line should be "Catholic Mom's Cafe contest." Then, you will be entered into these contests!

    TO BE ENTERED INTO THE CONTEST FOR THE GRAND PRIZE: Write a review for my books (described above) and/or create a short 3 to 5 minute video of your children doing a good deed. You can easily do it with your Smart phone. It doesn't need to look professional! :) Let me know in the comments on this blog that you have done so or will do so by week's end and then send the video to me by email: DMCOBoyle@aol.com. The subject line should be, "Catholic Mom's Cafe video contest."

    Please consider subscribing to my email newsletter(s) which is easily done through my website: www.donnacooperoboyle.com

    Enjoy the shows...God bless you!

    Donna-Marie

    Tuesday, July 1, 2014

    "Mom-ism Monday # 3: Thrift shop stop, DIY projects, Making laundry soap, and Garlic!


    It's been a week end of special very beautiful feast days! I love the feasts of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Sunday we celebrated the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul.
         I hope that you are well and happy and enjoying the summer thus far. Prayers for the folks in tornado areas.

    1) In case you haven't seen my recent post about my newest television series on EWTN called "Catholic Mom's Cafe" premiering this fall, you can see it here. I am excited to report that we finally have dates for the series. It was filmed about a year ago. I hope and pray that the new series for Catholic Moms (and GrandMoms) will serve countless people. I'll keep you posted about fun contests and prizes as we get closer.

    2) What are the nine things in your refrigerator that you need to throw out? Check out this article. You might be surprised.
         It's a good time to think about food safety now that summer is here. I am especially careful when grilling at barbecues. I am always cautioning my husband or oldest son (I know, I can be a pain about it!) not to use utensils on cooked foods that might have raw meat juice on them. I wash the utensils a few times during the grilling.  
         Also, please don't ever place grilled cooked food on plates that had contained the raw burgers or other raw meats, fish, or poultry prior to grilling. Not to put a damper on this post, but sadly, people have died of various food poisonings (e-coli, salmonella, etc) because of carelessness and accidentally contaminating foods with raw foods (meats, poultry, etc). We need to be mindful of food safety especially in hot temperatures.

    3) On a happier note, my daughter came home for a visit again! She'll be home longer this time. Part of the reason I am late in posting my "Mom-ism Mondays" is because I had to get her from the train from NYC and then we got busy with doing a few errands.

    We made a stop at the local thrift store and I bought three sweet glasses for fifty cents each!


    Here in my china cabinet--the green one on the left.
    The light blue "hour glass" shaped one to
    the right of the green one, and the cool shaped light
    green one on the right--50 cents each!


    My daughter Jessica was in the Do It Yourself mood when she got home so our kitchen smelled of pretty scented candles as she busily melted and poured hot wax and mixed lovely scents into unique glass containers she bought at the local thrift shop on our way home from the train. It looked and smelled like a candle factory!






    Bowl of shaved wax, candle scents, various candle containers
    bought at the thrift shop, and wicks



    Finished candle in Jessica's bedroom



    Another finished candle in Jessica's bedroom. Isn't it pretty?
    (Don't worry, she's in her late twenties and can handle candles and matches!)


    We were getting low on our liquid laundry detergent which we had made some months ago so Jessica decided to make some of that too! We made six gallons of laundry detergent!

    Our ingredients minus the large bar of laundry soap.
    I forgot to take a photo of it before
    it was used up in our laundry detergent making!


    Mixing the ingredients



    Working on breaking down the soap




    Hot steamy beginnings of laundry detergent



    3 gallons so far in this pic. It gels overnight and is
    then diluted with water to double the recipe

    Here's the laundry detergent recipe we use:


    4  Cups - hot tap water
    1  Fels-Naptha soap bar*
    ½ Cup Borax

    Directions: 

    -Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
    -Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
    -Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
    -Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
    -Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
    -Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

    -Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

    You can see more here.


    And on the outside of the house...

    About 260 organic garlic plants!


    My scapes on my organic garlic plants are ready to harvest. Taking the scapes off the garlic plants allow the energy of the plant to go to the garlic bulb rather than the flower that is trying to bloom on the top of the plant. Without the scapes, the garlic will then grow another month or more under the ground for harvesting late summer.

    Scapes are really good in pesto sauce. So, I know what my daughter and I will be making tonight for dinner. I'll post a recipe of our pesto sauce soon.

    On another note, I'll be WAY down at the bottom of Texas in August participating in a "Marian Summer in South Texas" and again in October. Here's news about the August event.

    IT'S YOUR TURN!

    Check out the link-up link below to add your link.

    Share your three "Mommy Moments" (photos and/or text) from the past week (or from any time). Add its URL by clicking the "Add your link" (above). Include the "Mom-ism Mondays" image from the top of this post in your post.
    1) Please submit the blog POST URL and not your main blog URL.
    2) Include a link back to www.catholicmomscafe.blogspot.com (in your post).
    3) I'll use #MomismMonday on social media. You can follow there if you'd like.
    4) HAVE FUN and celebrate your MOTHERHOOD all the time (especially on Mondays)!


    Wednesday, July 10, 2013

    Wonderful endorsement from Fr. Mitch Pacwa S. J.

    So many people are so busy.
    Moms find it difficult to structure a time for personal prayer, especially stay at home Moms. So many variables are beyond her control feeding and its concomitant processes in infants, illnesses, emergencies, etc. Finding time for prayer is a luxury in a world determined by the demands of others, particularly loved ones, particularly when they are little ones. This book is a handy tool to bring relief by setting aside a short time with profound and relevant meditations for Moms by a Mom. When a few quiet minutes appear, this is a great spiritual help with the cup of coffee and some time with our Lord.
    Certain great saints are gourmands of the spiritual life. Doctors of the Church, such as St. Catherine of Sienna, O.P., St. Theresa of Avila, O.C.D., and many others were able to savor spiritual delights over many hours of deep and mystical prayer. The vocations opened these opportunities to them.
    The vocation of motherhood opens eternal opportunities that most religious sisters miss sharing life's adventures with a man [her husband] whose love can open up a life of whole new adventures, some of whom enter the world crying, hungry, needing special consolations, including dry diapers and nursing through illnesses. 
    The adventures of husbands and children generally place limits on the amount of time available for savoring spiritual nourishment. However, the quality of spiritual food need not be compromised just because the time for savoring is short. Of course, a person might snack on spiritual junk food that gives a sugary high, or a saccharine substitute for authentic spiritual sweetness, a fried potato or corn chip that fills the hunger with empty spiritual calories all of which can be found in New Age falsehoods or superficial Christianity.
    On the other hand, an appetizer that tides one over until there is time for a meal can be truly healthy, delicious and full of spiritual nutrition. These short daily meditations in Catholic Mom s Café are a long table full of tasty, spiritually nutritious appetizers for the soul of a busy Mom. One can snack on them in a short period of time each day and savor the tastes in those moments that pop up between busyness. The quotes in the "Ponder" sections of this book are full of wisdom, and they have been chosen wisely. Each time one returns to those quotes, one can learn still more. The "Offer" reflections both draw out good ideas from the "Ponder" quotes and suggest things to do within family life. Enjoy, grow and find some refreshment in your busy schedule. --Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S. J.

    [as seen on Amazon.com]

    Thursday, May 16, 2013

    How observant are we?

    How much do we take in? Are we watching everything? Our kids are, that's for sure. They are very observant and they should be. That's how they learn. And, because they are in tune to so much around them, it's a very important reason for parents to shield their children from the harmful parts of our culture.

    Angie's beautiful children

         Angie, a mom I know shared with me recently that she came down with a virus and ended up with laryngitis. She said, "I have to whisper in order to let my vocal cords heal, so all the kids are whispering back to me. It’s very quiet. The Lord is showing me just how much my children mimic me! What a task He has trusted me with, to raise these children!"

         Did you catch your kids mimicking you recently? Would you like to share about it in the comment box and receive an instant discount on Catholic Mom's Cafe book? It's easy. Just leave your comment and then email me at: DMCOBoyle[at]aol[dot]com and I will email you the code to get the book.

    I pray your day is filled with joy as you observe all of God's wonderful blessings around you!

    God bless you and yours!
    Donna-Marie

    Friday, May 10, 2013

    Exclusive offer for Catholic Mom's Cafe followers!

    Catholic Mom's Cafe is for EVERY day of the year - not just for Mother's Day!

    I have exciting news to share with you! If you leave a simple short comment on this blog post about what the beautiful vocation of motherhood means to you (you don't have to be a mother), AND if you subscribe to this blog (in the left hand column) I will email you a special link to receive $3.00 off every copy of Catholic Mom's Cafe book you order through the link! The offer is for a limited time though.

    So, if you'd like to take advantage of this amazing discount, please act soon. After you leave your comment, then you can email me at: DMCOBoyle[AT]aol[DOT]com to let me know and I will email you the exclusive code!

    I'm looking forward to your comments and for you to join this blog so I can offer you a great discount on my book!

    God bless you and yours!

    Donna-Marie

    Thursday, January 24, 2013

    Comforting a sick friend or relative

    So many of us have someone in our life who is very sick or maybe even dealing with a terminal illness. I came across this great list of ways to comfort a sick friend (or family member). Perhaps some of the ideas may be helpful to you.


    27 ways to comfort a sick friend

    We all want to be there when a friend or loved one needs us most. Why not step outside the box and use these creative ways to offer help, a boost or just some much-needed distractions?

    Provide a dose of delight. Take a sick friend on an excursion to a “delightful place,” such as a botanical garden, nature trail, beach or forest preserve. It can be a soul-soothing experience. 

    For a friend who is seriously ill and housebound, drop off some food, books or videos, but keep your visit short so as not to tire them out.

    Burn a CD of your friend’s favorite songs or a selection of soothing, tranquil music.
     
    Organize a group care network for a sick loved one. Email a group of close friends and set up a rotating system for coming over and helping with household chores or caregiving.  

    Offer to help with the day-to-day stuff that needs to be done, such as a grocery trip, a Target run, doing a load of laundry, bringing home cooked food or walking the dog.

    When you’re at the grocery store call your sick friend and say “I'm here what do you need?”  Or, “I have the kids after school... don't worry.”

    Be a stable, reliable presence in your friend's life. Speaking calmly and checking in regularly can be a huge comfort to someone whose life has been turned upside down by a health challenge.

    Keep in touch through regular emails or CarePages website postings. Say something.  Say anything. Let him or her know they are not alone.  

    Send a weekly care package to a sick co-worker. Set up a drop box on your desk and ask co-workers to “lend” their favorite magazines, DVDs, and/or CDs to help your colleague pass the time.

    A plant or a small bouquet of flowers is always appreciated--even after the healing process of surgery, chemo or other illnesses has begun.

    Offer to arrange child care at no cost to the family when an illness happens that involves small children.

    A health crisis can create chaos in so many ways. Send over a cleaning service to clean the house and restore a sense of serenity and order. 

    Create a gift basket with fruits, granola bars, magazines, a deck of cards, candies, a package of thank you cards, stamps, a notebook and a pen. 

    Donate your frequent flyer miles or give an airline gift certificate to a family member of a sick friend who lives far away.

    Send books, DVDs or CDs through Amazon to help a sick friend pass the time. 

    Send a box of seasonal fresh fruit through Harry and David to a friend who is recovering from illness or surgery.

    Hire a manicurist/pedicurist to do a house call for a sick friend. 

    Buy a gift membership to an online DVD rental service so your recovering friend can receive movies through the mail. Gift memberships can be purchased for one month up to a year.

    If your friend is bed-bound or in the hospital 
    for a while, send or drop off some soft, fluffy slippers, a soft bed pillow, lavender scented linen spray, wonderful pajamas, comfy socks, or foot massage cream to make them feel pampered.

    Throw a feel-good get-together. Shower a friend with practical and meaningful gifts to help him or her get through a tough time, such as surgery or chemo. 
      
    Provide food for the soul. Organize a pool of cooks to whip up comfort food to give and share, and make sure you've got a team in place to create your own meals-on-wheels network.

    Become the wheels. Offer to accompany your friend to his or her medical appointment.

    Put together a get-well kit. Include bottled water, green tea, Kleenex, fruits, vitamin C, and a bundle of healthy remedies. 

    Provide healing hands. Massage can be a powerful tool for calming our psyches. Get your friend a gift certificate for a massage that can be redeemed when he or she feels up to it.

    Empower your friend or loved one by providing them with a box filled with inspirational books, inspiring quotes and music.

    Provide entertainment. Offer to take a sick friend to the movies. Or bring over a DVD, make some popcorn and watch a funny movie together. 

    Laugh, chat, and share as you normally would. Remember that a person is not defined by illness. They are still the same friend to you and want to continue to do their 

    part in the give and take of friendship.

    You can see this list here: http://cms.carepages.com/CarePages/en/ArticlesTips/HelpfulTips/BetterYou/comfort_sick_friend.html?xid=nl_EverydayCaringFromCarePages_20130124