Hello, and happy Spring! Happy Easter! 
As the month April comes to a close, I can’t turn the calendar page without first sharing an update with you. It’s been one of those months that has been jam-packed with so many things that honestly, it’s a bit of a blur. But, since the Good Lord was especially good this month, I feel the need to stop. Reflect. Take it in, and do a little blog-dance of gratitude and share the latest news with you! First, was the unexpected news that we sold our home! I say unexpected because it wasn’t on the market, and not something we were actively pursuing. But when the Lord moves…He moves (and in this case…literally!) 🙂
Needless to say, it’s been a complete whirlwind and a ball of emotions as we searched for a new home, went through the loan process and packed up our home of 10 years. With seven people and nearly a decade of stuff, it’s been quite a fun (and lengthy!) walk down memory lane.
Don’t you just love it when kids explore “antiques” and laugh at how “old stuff” used to work?! Ha ha. YES KIDS, this is how we used to video tape, in the old days! 🙂 It’s so easy to get sidetracked and get lost in boxes of old memories (okay, I will admit it’s easier for me to do that, than my husband).:) Kudos to Jim for staying on task, while I procrastinate. But all in all, I think we are in good shape to move (tomorrow!) and begin a new chapter of our lives. As I write this, we are hours away from Closing! Thanks be to God!
I can’t wait to tell you all about the new house! If you listen to the Good Things Radio podcast, you will know all about it. And if you haven’t listened yet, I hope you will. You can find us in iTunes and also at GoodThingsRadio.com.
The new place is currently undergoing a bit of a paint transformation, and I’m excited to share some of the before/after pics, once it’s complete. Here’a a bit of sampling of some of the colors:
I never knew how many shades of neutral there are out there! I am awful at visualizing things, so I’m just hoping and praying this looks okay. I need to ask for the intercession of Michelangelo on this one I think! Lol.
Another big April blessing was Gabriel’s Confirmation.
I am so proud of this Godly young man! It was a happy day. We pray the full outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit on all those Confirmed!
Jim and I thought a long time about what gift we should give Gabe for his Confirmation. He already has so many rosaries, Bibles, holy medals, books and religious items (not that you can have too much), but we wanted it to be something unique and very significant. After much thought, we decided to get him a nice watch. I feel that a good watch is a kind of a “coming of age” gift for a man.
Initially I was going to have it engraved with Psalm 90: 12- “Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” But after brainstorming with my podcast partner Jennifer, she suggested “Be Not Afraid.” Gabe chose St. John Paul II as his Confirmation Saint, and “Be Not Afraid” became somewhat of a theme of JPII’s pontificate. In fact uttered the words three times on October 22, 1978, at the beginning of his pontificate. It is replete with meaning and power and I wrote Gabe a letter with some of the history behind that phrase, so he could better appreciate the significance. Not only is it a call to action in life, but in evangelization and faith as well!
For more ideas about how to make the sacraments special, check out my friend Becky’s article, posted over at Catholic-Link!
April has also been a busy month for our podcast, planning a possible retreat, and enjoying some speaking events here in Ohio.
I was blessed to emcee a “Hearts for Heaven” conference with my dear friend, Nora White, as the keynote. What a testimony she has! 
The speaking ministry has been a gift beyond measure since I left The Fish. It’s such a blessing to still be able to connect with beautiful hearts, even though I’m no longer on a daily radio program. Lord knows, I like to talk! Ha. So I’m grateful to God for allowing me to still serve Him in that way. If you would like to book me for an event, please head over to Saint Gabriel Media. I would love to visit your church or group!
And on just a little fun note, I wanted to share a neat lecture I recently heard. It’s from The Teaching Company (and if they don’t carry Great Courses at your local library, request it! They will). It’s been a wonderful bit of information and inspiration during the packing process:
Great for anyone who has kids, or works with kids of any age! Very interesting stuff. In fact, I need to check it out again, just to take notes!
I pray that your April was abundantly blessed, and your Easter was a beautiful celebration of LIFE! I’ve got so much more to share with you, and I hope you’ll check out the podcast, if you haven’t already! Blessings to you, and may you enjoy the richness of this Spring season with Easter-eyes…seeing all the life, colors, and beauty that God has made! xoxo
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