Family, Food, and Faith - Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

Hello out there!

  This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!

Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Mary and Martha. On their journey Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, "Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me."  The Lord in reply said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it."  Luke 10:38-42 (Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible)

I love this story! It always resonates with me. So many times I've been like Martha when I needed to be more like Mary. Through the years, as our family has grown, I've learned to serve joyfully and I've also humbled myself and learned when it's time to be served.

My husband and I have been married forty-one years. We make a great team! We try to keep meals simple when our adult children and grandchildren are with us. Thankfully, no one is picky! A big pot of freshly cooked pinto beans, ground meat, grated cheese, tortillas, fruit, chips, lemonade, tea, and we are good to go! A large roast with lots of veggies is popular as well! They all love the big breakfast meals their Pa cooks up! Jim and I have a certain rhythm as we work in the kitchen together to feed our hungry bunch. I peel and slice potatoes while he cooks chorizo and refries beans. Half of us like chorizo and beans and the other half like chorizo and scrambled eggs. Jim makes the best fried potatoes - the grandkids love them! I like it when he cuts up an onion and fries that with the potatoes. Grated cheese, hot sauce and sour cream are always on hand. Sometimes we have pico de gallo (chopped jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic) too! I'm a big fan of paper plates! 

The motto in our home is: If you leave here hungry - it's your own fault! Thank you Jesus!

This past week our home has been a revolving door of family and activities! Yesterday, after everyone had left and Jim and I had cleaned up the kitchen, we both took a much needed nap! 

We are thankful for our many blessings! 

Jim and I went to Mass last night. Our parish is the one thing that has not changed throughout our married life. Our faith in God is our family's foundation. Every time we step through the doors, it's always like coming home. I married a devout Catholic man and I'm so thankful that I converted over thirty-seven years ago. Faith is truly the fabric of our lives. 

The following story is one I shared last year on this date. Thanks for reading my stories - I pray that they bless your day!

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Be a Good Example for Your Family

 Good morning out there - almost afternoon! The temp at 11:58 am is 92 degrees with 35% humidity. I can always tell when it's humid outside because my hair poofs out like I'm back in the 80s. The expected high for today is 98 degrees. Yee haw! I watered all my outdoor plants and topped off my regular birdbath, my redneck birdbath, and my oblong goldfish pond/birdbath/water for all animals great and small! And...I was blessed to have an orange dragonfly swoop up and down around me as I filled up the assortment of birdbaths! 

Today's date is special to me - my mom's birthday. She passed away when I was twelve and I've been thinking about her a lot this week. Her name was Martha and everyone called her Marty. We were members of a Methodist Church and my mom was a very faithful woman. She was a wonderful example for me. She had cancer and died a little more than three and a half years after her initial diagnosis. I learned many life lessons from her: 

Our neighbor, who lived across the street died of a massive heart attack. Mom and I went to the store and she purchased a large can of coffee, a package of foam coffee cups, a canister of powdered creamer, and box of sugar cubes. We only knew these neighbors by sight and would wave when we saw them outside. My mom explained to me that it's important to reach out to those who have lost a loved one.  She and I walked across the street to pay our respects to his widow and the teenage children he left behind and we gave them the bag full of things needed to make coffee for all those who visited.         

  My mom taught me how to mourn with those who mourn. 

One of my friends had to have her appendix removed and was in the hospital. My mom and I went to the flower shop and she bought a pillow corsage. We went to the hospital to visit my friend and her mother. She loved the corsage and they pinned it on her pillowcase. My mom was battling cancer but she still thought of others and wanted me to understand the importance of friendship.                                                                               

  My mom took me to visit the sick. 

We hardly ever missed going to church on Sunday morning. There were times I know my mom didn't feel like getting ready but she did and we went to church. She always looked so pretty and we always dressed up. 

 My mom taught me to persevere even when things are tough.                         

 She was a beautiful woman and had a big heart - I miss her still.

After Jim and I were married I converted to Catholicism. I know my mom would have approved - she would have been glad that Jim and I were committed to raising our family in a faith filled home. I had been raised that way and understood the importance of our going to church together as a family. My dad enjoyed going to Mass with us when he would come and visit.

Today is the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. I love that my mother was born on this special day and that she was named Martha. The scriptures below are from my post last year on this date: 

Mary and Martha. On their journey Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, "Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me."  The Lord in reply said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it."       Luke 10:38-42 (Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible)

Back to today's date! July 29, 2023

In my Magnificat, today's Gospel is from John 11:19-27

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.  Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

When my mom died, our church family and friends reached out to my dad, my brother, and me and the rest of our family. Life is a journey. Let's walk with each other through the good times and the bad.

The following is one of my favorite hymns. I know it by heart and sing it often:

The Servant Song by Richard Gillard
The following is the refrain - look up this beautiful song to sing all the verses.
Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too.

Peace and blessings to you and yours,

Near and far, wherever you are!

Bye for now, Sharla