2024-01-15 20:24
One evening a squall on an ocean left the beach scattered with starfish. A child walking along noticed and tried to return the starfish into the waves. A passerby remarked to the c… Read More
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Writing With Your Heart Blog
writingwithyourheart.com
A website dedicated to sharing inspirational, practical, and enjoyable posts, as well as updates on the author's books.
2023-06-11 19:14
Have you ever been in the midst of your spiritual life where the tension was so much that you felt paralyzed with indecision? It is easy to see this in ourselves or others when trying… Read More
2023-06-11 18:28
Life takes us on a variety of roads, and more often than not, when we respond to one grace it opens up the possibility for more to enter in our hearts. We only have to be open and willing an… Read More
2023-05-29 02:06
It's been one of those weeks readers where you hear of a lot of people in your life that are suffering. A member of my extended family was diagnosed with cancer and a friend of a relative ju… Read More
2023-05-22 02:05
Running around like a chicken with its head cut off? This seems to be a perennial disposition of many people today. Time goes faster and faster, the world is busier and busier, and before yo… Read More
2023-05-21 20:15
When we think of detachment we immediately think coldness, loss, or indifference. It often seems to carry a negative connotation to it, that we will be without something that we had before… Read More
2023-05-07 11:30
We are given choices. So many moments of our day we can make decisions that lead us toward or away from our goals. Perhaps they are simple goals like getting things done for the day, or bigg… Read More
2023-04-30 20:48
Have you ever thought about what the rich young man was lacking in the Gospels? He was filled with so much enthusiasm that he ran up to Jesus to ask Him one question, "what shall I do that I… Read More
2023-04-30 20:09
"For what have I in heaven? and besides Thee what do I desire upon earth?" (Psalm 72:25)One of the lines from Scripture that is very fitting for the Easter season we are liturgically living… Read More
2023-04-30 19:30
2023-04-09 10:30
Happy Easter, readers! I hope everyone out there had a very blessed Triduum, the most sacred time of the entire year. A reflection that may be worth pondering this Easter season are th… Read More
2023-04-02 10:30
It's that last week, readers . . . the holiest week of the year. We have journeyed and traveled and persevered through the ups and downs of Lent, whether it met our expectations or not . . … Read More
2023-03-27 00:38
Letting go is hard. It just is. Plain and simple. What we hold onto, more or less gives us a sense of security, or perhaps purpose. We all need something (or rather Someone) to hold onto, ev… Read More
2023-03-27 00:12
Financially we are encouraged to do this. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket," they say. I find that pretty much every post I write these days is about the spiritual life...but it seems… Read More
2023-03-26 22:34
Lent can be intense, but there is a reason for that. This most sacred season draws us out of ourselves. It is comfortable to remain in mediocrity. Nothing challenging. Nothing calling us to… Read More
2023-03-05 15:00
Sometimes we come to a point in our lives where we think about the definition of insanity, which more or less goes along the lines of doing the same thing over and over again expecting a dif… Read More
2023-02-28 03:14
"Nobody escapes their shadow by running faster. To run faster is one more exercise of our own expertise; but where even our expertise is infected, healing has to come from elsewhere. It has… Read More
2023-02-19 13:00
Brace yourself for metaphors. I like this story.Fun fact: in rowing there is a position known as the coxswain. Those who are rowing are going backwards--the only sport in which you race with… Read More
2023-02-12 12:30
Those of us who tend to be somewhat driven in life find acceptance challenging. If something isn't working, there's always the possibility of trying something new, improving the situation, o… Read More
2023-02-05 14:00
I have tried out the Chosen series, which although unconventional has some wonderful messages. It definitely thinks outside the box. One part of the new season that I was particularly struck… Read More
2023-01-29 15:30
In honor of the 300th post!!"Waiting Is"Waiting is a plant that growsFrom bud to petals to rose;Seeing snowflakes falling brightBecome landscapes wrapped in white.Waiting is a setting sunThe… Read More
2023-01-22 13:00
I've got one for you. It's January and it feels like spring when normally we should be getting freezing temperatures. My friends, there was a daffodil blooming in the pathway. Kinda a… Read More
2023-01-19 23:35
~ a short story ~She stood looking at all three of them. One was twisted and she couldn't see beyond the hanging trees where it would lead. The one in front of her was wide and and flat and… Read More
2023-01-08 12:30
We have learned the many reasons (and all hopefully benefited from) making use of frequent confession in our lives, but have we heard that it can be for healing? A good resolution for the st… Read More
2023-01-06 20:47
All right, readers, it's 2023 . . . a blessed and happy new year to all of you! We can set out on new adventures, possibilities, and plans for what this year will hold, but not without pausi… Read More
2022-12-25 12:00
Merry Christmas everyone! What a glorious and joyous feast this day is! Even if today may bring some struggles, be it from memories with those who are no longer with us, craziness at f… Read More
2022-12-20 21:29
Hey readers! This might be a tad late in recommending, but truly this book would be awesome for any time of year as a means of preparation and understanding how sanctifying waiting can be. I… Read More
2022-12-20 03:31
I had an interesting conversation recently about our life mirroring a funnel. There are times when we have a lot of options and choices and directions in our life which make it hard to narro… Read More
2022-12-04 12:30
There are so many beautiful Advent hymns, Christmas carols, and even some secular songs that classically make up what we listen to during these seasons. My favorite Christmas carol is "O Hol… Read More
2022-11-27 12:30
Archbishop Martinez says in his book, The Sanctifier, "is not sanctity the supreme art?"Somewhere along the line of our spiritual lives, we fall into the trap of looking at holiness in a cal… Read More
2022-11-21 16:17
Hey readers! I hope that you are all stoked for the Thanksgiving holiday! It is such a great time of year as we approach the Advent season next weekend and prepare for Our Lord's birth.I hav… Read More
2022-11-13 15:00
One of the quickest ways to hinder a relationship is to see people as "stock images." On the flip side, a truly meaningful and deep connection is based upon the essential truth that people a… Read More
2022-11-06 12:30
I used this quote for another post a few months back but it's worth repeating. Jack Dawson, "I figure life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it. You don’t know wh… Read More
2022-10-31 23:47
Do you ever think back to when you were little and loved to read story books? There was always some kind of adventure that you just wanted to keep coming back to. Those "once upon a times" w… Read More
2022-10-23 15:19
Hi readers, I am excited to share with you a beautiful Shrine to Our Lady. How I never heard of this holy place until recently, I cannot understand! I want to encourage you all to take a pil… Read More
2022-10-16 11:30
I was drawing a blank on this particular post and so I saved it as a draft with nothing in it. Blogger of course in its google-like fashion saved the draft as "untitled." I don't know why, b… Read More
2022-10-09 12:00
A couple years ago, I discovered a practice in the Church that I was completely unaware. Most of us when we think of praying the rosary, we are referring to the five decade rosary. At least… Read More
2022-10-02 15:13
I finally discovered something about discernment, readers. There are some of us who do not take the straight shot in life. Although very beautiful, I have a hard time relating to those… Read More
2022-09-27 19:03
When can I find time to read in a busy day? Let's look at some numbers. There are 1440 minutes in one single day. It's hard to make the argument that there is no time in that chun… Read More
2022-09-18 11:00
"We weren't supposed to be there, but we were." Sounds like a chapter title. I wonder how often our misdirected plans turn out to be the means for God guiding us toward a better path. It may… Read More
2022-09-13 03:00
~ a short story ~It wasn't doing anything--just standing there. The word that came to mind was "majestic," as it rose to the heights, tall and strong. It wasn't moving--could that be when it… Read More
2022-09-13 02:38
What we wear on the exterior often reflects who we are in the interior. Our clothes show forth our personality, at least in some ways. We often wear our favorite colors, or create a particul… Read More
2022-09-12 02:28
Some things in life we just cannot plan. These are our rainbows--the unexpected. A rainbow is caused by sunlight hitting individual water drops. It is actually a complete circle when viewed… Read More
2022-09-12 02:01
One of the best pieces of advice I recently received was, "when God closes a door, praise Him in the hallway." As we go through life, there will be many closed doors that are actually d… Read More
2022-09-11 16:01
“Don’t give up your prayer life for anything,” a religious Sister told me as a pearl of wisdom on my recent cross-country trip. What is a prayer life? Well, what… Read More
2022-09-04 21:47
He gives us Glimpses. We see Him in the beautiful places He made.We see Him in the wonderful people we know.We see Him in the gift of Himself in the Blessed Sacrament. We see Him i… Read More
2022-09-04 21:41
“Want to take a road trip pilgrimage?” my friend asked me.“Where?” I said to her.“Cross-country,” she answered.“I’m game!”That was the s… Read More
2022-08-21 22:42
Maybe this is a common phrase to most people, but it was the first time I ever heard it. “Stop trying to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic’s of your life.&rdquo&hell…Read More
2022-08-16 14:15
We cannot underestimate the importance of a guide in the spiritual life. We aren't meant to go through life by ourselves. Guides, or people that accompany us along the way, serve not to tell… Read More
2022-08-16 13:50
~ a short story ~ Hold onto it and don't let go. It's sturdy and firm in the midst of mighty waves. The storms may try to break the mast - but they won't, not this one - the mast… Read More
2022-08-16 13:32
"Some see weeds, others see wishes."~ a short story ~I saw the wishes, as the seeds were blown off the stem by the wind, scattering about the world - there was a mystery about it. Where did… Read More
2022-08-16 13:13
~ a short story ~The Painter was perched on a hill, overlooking the countryside. I say perched because he sat just like a bird watching whatever passed by him with an interest that sho… Read More
2022-08-16 12:53
"His Gaze"He casts His gaze upon a soul Her heart awakens to His pullShe's found the One Who makes her wholeThe void she felt with Him is full.His very Life she seeks all dayHer heart i… Read More
2022-08-07 19:54
In my travels over the last couple of years searching for God's plan for my own life, I have come across a consistent theme from those who are trying to respond to His call.Trust in God.This… Read More
2022-08-07 19:23
I have a sign hanging in my house that reads, "when life gives you lemons, make something sweet." So often in our lives, things don't go the way we planned or we get thrown a curveball that… Read More
2022-07-24 16:14
"The heart that is watered by the tears of the Heart of Jesus will by its sweet fragrance enrapture the Church on earth and in heaven. The Divine Master gathers the flowers of His garden res… Read More
2022-07-20 01:23
It doesn't take much in life to give us perspective. Sometimes it's a simple encounter with someone that causes us to pause, or a tragic event we hear about, or a light we receive in p… Read More
2022-05-15 13:50
In this month of May dedicated to Our Lady, I wanted to share a special devotion to honor her with. I had only been familiar with the chaplet to the Seven Sorrows of Mary, but a friend… Read More
2022-05-08 21:32
To be in the presence of those we love are the best moments of our lives. We never want them to end and the time always seems to pass so quickly. We try to hold on but we can't. We never see… Read More
2022-05-01 21:13
~ a short story on the temperaments ~As I walked through the path, I noticed there was one particular tree that was different from the rest of the forest. So many brightly colored leaves wer… Read More
2022-05-01 15:39
Looking for a great new read? I wanted to take the opportunity to share a book with you that has been an inspiration for my life called To Raise the Fallen on the writings of Fr. Doyle… Read More
2022-04-16 21:02
Easter is about so many things. Triumph, glory, freedom from sin and death, sharing in the divine life of Christ, understanding what is on the other side of suffering . . . of all these and… Read More
2022-04-10 10:30
"You cannot go on "explaining away" forever: you will find that you have explained explanation itself away. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is… Read More
2022-04-03 10:00
~ a short story ~Do you ever think about how when you are riding on a train, you can only see what is passing by? The conductor is the only one who has a clear vision of where the trai… Read More
2022-03-27 11:00
We often think we don't have enough of this. Time. It's such a precious word. It's how we spend our life. Our life on this earth exists in time, but the value of it is when it's connected ou… Read More
2022-03-19 11:22
On the feast of St. Joseph, who is called the Guardian of Virgins, I thought I would take the opportunity to write about a little known vocation in the Church, which is the call to con… Read More
2022-03-16 15:02
Have you ever stopped to consider all that a priest does? I think we slip into the mentality that they are just "always there"...that what they provide is just "always there"...al… Read More
2022-03-13 09:00
Oftentimes we have trouble getting perspective when we are in the thick of it. We can only see the immediate. As spring is approaching all the little birds are coming out and making th… Read More
2022-03-06 11:30
~ a short story ~It never knew what it was missing until it was lit.The first burst of flame was a sensation it had never known. Finally it could give itself - let itself be consumed b… Read More
2022-02-27 13:00
Lent is upon us and there are always so many possibilities of what we could use the time for. The important thing to remember is that these liturgical seasons are about growth and unio… Read More
2022-02-20 10:00
How many churches are empty so often during the day and night? How many perpetual Adoration chapels do you know of? How many times have you visited Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and s… Read More
2022-02-13 10:30
Do you ever feel like you have absolutely no idea how to discern God's will...especially when it comes to the bigger questions like a vocation? You're not alone. Discernment can be hard, but… Read More
2022-02-07 01:38
A priest recently sent me this beautiful reflection about creating your "painting of life" for God. It was given by a Swiss guard about his son's drawings. He said he gave his son a box… Read More
2022-01-30 17:30
Are we willing to wait for things? Do we get frustrated when we cannot have something instantly...so much so that we are willing to give up the pursuit? The best things are those which… Read More
2022-01-24 16:18
Many readers are probably aware of the beautiful ejaculation, "Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls!" You may not know of it's origin, however, as I certainly didn't until I read the bo… Read More
2022-01-16 12:25
For all you planners out there, this one is for you. We like calendars and lists and knowing what we're doing in advance. We like things going the way we wanted and not having to wait… Read More
2022-01-09 17:39
A little late in coming, but here is a post to update you about my most recent novel published last year, The Amanda Case Files No. 4: Lake House Mystery! It may be the last in the series, a… Read More
2022-01-09 11:30
T oO fferD ailyA notherY esI thought of this acronym driving home from church one day and it kinda stuck in my mind, so much that I wanted to share it this week. Sometimes the hardest… Read More
2022-01-01 12:00
Fun fact: light travels nearly 6 trillion miles in one year - the definition of a "light year"Ever consider the impact of light? How much light there is in this world? How far-reaching light… Read More
2021-12-26 15:52
As we enter into the Christmas season, which can be a hectic time of year for a lot of folks, it is important to remember what silence is. It is not the absence of noise. It is the Pre… Read More
2021-12-21 03:30
Life is a journey with its twists and turns. I didn't quite expect to return to this blog . . . and yet . . . it doesn't surprise me either. For just like Bilbo who carried an acorn around t… Read More
2020-09-07 00:57
Life is so much about seasons. St Bernadette wrote, "If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces...never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. That's… Read More
2020-08-30 16:23
I absolutely hate "good-byes." There is a finality to them that doesn't ring true. Because we have immortal souls, we have the hope that partings are not forever, be it the loss of a l… Read More
2020-08-23 12:30
Some people love them and some people hate them. There doesn't seem to be an in between opinion on rainy days. I wonder why that is particular to that kind of weather. I'm on the side of lov… Read More
2020-08-16 15:30
"The more I contemplate God, the more God looks on me. The more I pray to Him, the more He thinks of me too." ~ St Bernard of ClairvauxThis quote really struck me because the saints often ta… Read More
2020-08-09 19:20
We all have them. Ideas about how situations are going to go. When they don’t go our way then we are put out. Why do we expect things to happen according to our plans? It’s… Read More
2020-08-07 20:09
Have you ever had it happened when you are going through life minding your own business and all of a sudden your plans take an about face? Unexpected turns come up all the time and it can th… Read More
2020-07-26 19:29
I think 2020 has easily seen the most screen time this world has ever known. With the quarantines and work from home requirements, technology has stepped in to save the day...but has it real… Read More
2020-07-19 14:00
Last year I got all of 6 peaches from my peach tree...but this year it was easily over 200! So...besides randomly sharing bags of peaches with friends and family, I attempted peach cobbler… Read More
2020-07-12 18:05
Life is full of them. They stare you down, challenging you to choose. Giving you two perfectly good options to start at, but not telling you where they end up. There are infinite possibiliti… Read More
2020-07-12 17:49
Mark Twain said, "The secret to getting ahead is getting started." I think what sometimes prevents us from accomplishing things is that we focus too much on the end result or the long road t… Read More
2020-06-28 13:32
One of the great devotions of the Church is the observance of nine 1st Friday's. This request was asked of Our Lord to St Margaret Mary with the promise: "I promise you in the excessive merc… Read More
2020-06-21 16:00
We just hit the first day of summer and it's hot...but reasons to be excited are swimming, barbecues, fireworks, and picking veggies and fruits from the garden. Now...who doesn't eat ice cre… Read More
2020-06-14 14:00
This weekend I had the privilege of being in a dear friend's wedding party. I wanted to write about the beauty of a traditional wedding ceremony and the Nuptial Mass. I have been to a few, b… Read More
2020-06-07 14:30
1. Walk the BeachHands down the best part about a trip to the coast is walking along the water. Our time at Orange Beach found us collecting tons of seashells, watching sunsets, and listenin… Read More
2020-05-31 16:30
If you're like me, you look to change as a way of moving forward. A new job, a new place to live, a new stage of life...as if always looking to the next thing brings happiness and contentmen… Read More
2020-05-24 14:30
On thinking back the last couple years, I moved in both 2018 and 2019 to two different towns. They weren't as challenging as a move out-of-state, but they were places I hadn't lived before a… Read More
2020-05-17 11:00
You recall back in November a post where I interviewed Lena Donellan about being an author! Well, it is only fitting to write a book review of her novel that I was privileged to read! "… Read More
2020-05-10 13:30
On reflecting on Mother's Day, I think there are a lot of ways to look at motherhood. There are many who desire to be natural mothers, but perhaps are not able to have children, have not met… Read More
2020-05-03 10:30
I never imagined that making a few scapulars and listing them on Etsy would lead to a business of four years and 150 items. I have so many favorite moments from being a part of your lives, b… Read More
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