Today we are heading to the Little Sisters of the Poor for the May Crowning. The First Communicants are all dressing up in their finery and the rest of the kids, like mine, get to bring a flower up to Our Lady. My hubby, mother-in-law and aunt-in-law are all going too. I wonder how this is going to go.
I've never done this before. I'm a public school kid and didn't even think they did this in Catholic school any more (this is with our homeschool group). I know when my mom was a kid, this was the penultimate event of the school year, especially since all my aunts/uncles got this honor (I forget what the boys got if they were top in their class). When I wrote the family history for St. Pat's 150 anniversary, I HAD to include this tidbit, since it held more weight than if you had achieved the presidency. Rightly so, I guess.
But, before all that fun, I am going with my MIL and AIL to the Friends School Plant Sale at the State Fair Grandstand. If you haven't ever gone before, it is huge. Gigantic. Ginormous. We are leaving in a few minutes to get in line to get our wrist bands (at 9am) so we can get into the sale right as it opens at 11am. We race home from this event to get the kids spit polished for the Crowning.
Needless to say, I will be busy this weekend tearing out the garden on the west side of the house and replanting a brand spankin' new one. It used to be so shady on that side of the house (because our neighbors had a deck with a fence) that no grass grew. Then they remodeled and tore the monstrosity down and now the west side of the house is very sunny. Out go the zillion hostas and other shade plants (taking them to the cabin) and in go some happy sun plants. Funny, my husband said he hated the hostas, just hates hostas, until I said that I was going to rip 'em all out and then suddenly he came to their defense and said they weren't so bad.
I think he knows who will be doing all the plant removal. Wise man.
2 comments:
A wristband for a PLANT sale?!?!?! WOW, that's serious business!
And I like hostas because they're basically idiot-proof (I've killed many a fancy plant in my time.)
I also wanted to ask (unrelated) if you know of any good prayers to Saint Monica for intercession for the conversion of "lapsed Catholics". Being this is the "kneeler", I thought you might know of some. :)
I survived the plant sale with two newbies in tow. They were shocked to find out how large the sale was! We got there early and were in group 4 (each group was a group of 50). The entire Grandstand is FULL of plants, even some outside. When we left an hour later, they were on group 27-29 and the line was still winding around by the DNR building for people in line just for their wrist bands. Moral of the story is get there early!
I typically don't do well with prayers I have to read...most of the prayers I say are just spontaneous or things like the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet. However, there are some good prayers you can say for this intention. I think you can google the prayer of St. Monica, but here is the novena for "lapsed Catholics" (will keep your lapsed Catholic in my prayers...my brother is about as lapsed as you can get so I can relate):
Novena to St. Monica
Exemplary Mother of the Great Augustine,
You perseveringly pursued your wayward son
Not with wild threats
But with prayerful cries to heaven.
Intercede for all mothers in our day
So that they may learn
To draw their children to God.
Teach them how to remain
Close to their children,
Even the prodigal sons and daughters
Who have sadly gone astray.
Dear St Monica, troubled wife and mother,
Many sorrows pierced your heart
During your lifetime.
Yet you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence and profound faith,
You prayed daily for the conversion
Of your beloved husband, Patricius
And your beloved son, Augustine.
Grant me that same fortitude,
Patience and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for me, dear St. Monica,
That God may favorably hear my plea
For
(mention your petition here)
And grant me the grace
To accept his will in all things,
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever. Amen.
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