5 Ways to Live out the Sorrows of Mary

Lis Luwia February 24, 2019
Sorrows of Mary Infographic

Lent is the perfect time to meet Our Lady of Sorrows and walk with her hand in hand, but she will meet you at any time of the year if you are willing. Here are some ideas on how you can live out the Sorrows of Mary in your daily life and grow closer to her!

This blog post may contain affiliate links, which are at no cost to you. Please see our Disclosure for more information.

the year if you are willing. Here are some ideas on how you can live out the Sorrows of Mary in your daily life and grow closer to her!

All of these ideas are sourced from Our Lady of Sorrows: A Catholic Novena & Meditation Prayer Journal (find even more ideas in the journal!)

If you want to walk closer to Christ this Lent, walk next to his Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows, with Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Novena & Meditation Prayer Journal!
Available on Amazon.com

5 Ways to Live out the Sorrows of Mary

If you want to walk closer to Christ during His Passion, walk with His Mother. With her as your guide, you will uncover the depths of her Sorrows and learn more about Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Make this Lent your best yet and depend your Catholic faith with the Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

More Ideas!!

1. The Prophecy of Simeon

Kneel down and thank God right after Mass ends, before leaving, as Jesus resides inside of you.

2. The Flight into Egypt

Offer your time and support (babysitting, write a note, etc) to single moms who don’t have a spouse or support system to walk with them through turbulent waters like Mary did.

3. The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple

Write a letter to or spend some time with someone who has lost a child or miscarried, especially on that child’s birthday, due date, or the day that they died.

4. The Meeting of Jesus & Mary on the Way to Calvary

Write down your worries, anxieties, and stressors. How can you offer these to God? Destroy the paper these are written on as you imagine Jesus carrying them for you.

5. The Crucifixion & Death of Jesus

Pray for those on their deathbed, especially those who need the extra push to accept Jesus before death.

For even more ideas, see Our Lady of Sorrows: A Catholic Novena & Meditation Prayer Journal on Amazon or the printable version (at a steep discount!) on CatholicMommyBlogs.com

God bless you! +JMJ+

post updated 2/29/20

Catholic Kid Activities for Each Day of Lent

Lis Luwia February 19, 2019
Catholic Kid Activities for Each Day of Lent brought to your from Diocese Events

What better way to go through Lent with your Catholic kids than to do crafts and activities with them? Hands on activities help to solidify learning for children and it’s the perfect creative outlet for the season!

This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclosure for more information.

Here are 40 Days Worth of Lenten Crafts:

Catholic Kid Activities for Each Day of Lent brought to your from Diocese Events

Recommended-> 50 Unique Ideas to Give Up for Lent

    1. Use chalk to promote a “dust” feeling with this Ash Wednesday craft
    2. Fill out a Lenten promises card
    3. Make a crown of thorns sacrifice wreath
    4. Create your own stations of the cross at home (or buy them here)
    5. Print out these free Catholic art bookmarks to walk through the week with you
    6. Get busy in the kitchen with easy Lenten pretzels!
    7. Make these awesome Palm Sunday branches
    8. Make this Jesus and donkey paper doll for Palm Sunday
    9. Make a coin-covered cross (Paid in Full)
    10. Paint your own crucifix
    11. Create a Lenten good deeds chart
    12. Make a Holy Week lapbook
    13. Make a resurrection garden (but roll a rock in front of the tomb until Easter!) (PSST! I bought wheatgrass and had the grass grow throughout Lent around the tomb. We trimmed the wheatgrass and planted flowers on Easter. The wheatgrass made a great addition to a Easter celebration smoothie!)
    14. Make a chalice and bread for Holy Thursday
    15. Recreate Calvary Hill with this easy printable
    16. Build a Lego Last Supper and/or Lego resurrection garden
    17. Make a Jesus felt finger puppet (good for older kids or a parent can make it for kids to play with)
    18. Create stepping stones as a visual of Jesus’ walk to the crucifix
    19. Fold this EASY stations of the cross prayers mini-book
    20. Paint wooden resurrection eggs (buy the wooden eggs here)
    21. Create an egg carton Holy Thursday Last Supper craft
    22. Color Stations of the Cross Brother Francis pages or watch a Brother Francis Stations of the Cross video (doesn’t get much easier!)
    23. Paint a watercolor crucifix
    24. Make an Agony in the Garden diorama
    25. Color the Sorrowful Mysteries
    26. Glue this Stations of the Cross lift flap notebook
    27. Draw a St Veronica ornament 
    28. Make an Easter Wreath for the door to your child’s room
    29. Color foil to make beautiful crosses
    30. Make a Stations of the Cross Carousel
    31. Make an empty tomb craft
    32. Help your kids create a Holy Week banner
    33. Make a Jesus peg doll with the 5 wounds of Christ
    34. Create a Jesus peg doll reenactment
    35. Make pray, fast, give magnets
    36. While you’re doing magnets, check out these Stations of the Cross magnets
    37. Make shadow Stations of the Cross
    38. Color a Lenten prayer stained glass coloring page
    39. Create this pray, fast, give placemat
    40. Make a “stained glass” cross
    41. Fold your palms branches into the shape of a cross

I hope these help you! Want more ideas? Check out SO many more ideas on our Lent Pinterest board. Follow it here!

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(This post was last updated March 9, 2020)

50 Unique Ideas to Give Up for Lent

Lis Luwia February 19, 2019

Lent is around the corner and you’re wondering what you’re going to give up. There’s only so many times you can give up chocolate and this year you want to do something different. Here are 50 unique things you can consider giving up for Lent!

Recommended: Catholic Kid Activities for Each Day of Lent

50 Unique Ideas to Give Up for Lent for Catholics and Catholic families

Pin this for later

Give up:
  1. Sleep: Get up earlier to read scripture and pray
  2. Negativity: Focus on the positive!
  3. Complaining: Bite your tongue and offer it up.
  4. Doing your hair before church: Consider veiling!
  5. Social Media: The modern day “chocolate” that Catholics give up for Lent
  6. Condiments: Think Mayo-less deviled eggs
  7. Enjoying nap time: when your kids go down for a snooze, keep moving and get stuff done!
  8. Sitting on sin: Go to weekly confession
  9. Phones: Put your phone on vibrate except for certain times of the day
  10. Drinks: Only drink water
  11. Sugar: Cut the sweets!
  12. Screens: Eliminate screen time one day per week
  13. Electricity: For one hour per day, turn off all the lights and screens (but maybe not the heater if it’s necessary!)
  14. Stuff: Go the minimalist route and purge something every day
  15. Swearing: Kick those nasty words to the door
  16. Saying the Lord’s name in vain (Oh my God/ gosh)
  17. Alcohol: Just consider first if no wine for 40 days would actually make you a better person! 😉
  18. Turning the other way: Go out of you way for your neighbors
  19. Selfishness: Do one nice thing for someone else every day
  20. Forgetfulness: Make a list of people to pray for daily and follow up with them to see how they’re doing
  21. Passing the basket: Make it a point to tithe more by saving up in a different area of your life
  22. Cooking only for your family: Bring a meal to a family going through a rough time or an elderly neighbor, etc
  23. Netflix: Watch Formed.org instead!
  24. Games: that small, sad violin for Candy Crush
  25. Busyness: Make time for the things that matter like prayer, rest, and quality family time
  26. Microwave: Get creative with reheating in pots and pans!
  27. Eating out: East in and make it count
  28. Meat: Become a vegetarian-friendly house for Lent
  29. Shopping: Only spend money on necessary groceries and toilet paper
  30. Spending money: Spend no money whatsoever during Lent! Stockpile groceries and get creative cooking from nothing as Lent goes on
  31. Comfort: give up sitting in your favorite spot on the couch or sleeping with a pillow
  32. Walking in comfort: Put a small pebble in your shoe daily that will bother you just enough to remind you to pray
  33. Warmth: Give up warm showers
  34. Laundry machines: Wash everything by hand
  35. Talking too fast: Think before speaking
  36. Sacrifice: Give up the best parking spot for someone else and save the last cookie for your kids
  37. Cards: Use only cash to make purchases
  38. Texting: Only call or use email
  39. Caffeine: This may or may not be the best Lent ever
  40. Closing your eyes to need: Help through a service project or shelter
  41. Praying in privacy: Pray in front of an abortion clinic once per week
  42. Paper plates and paper towels: go green!
  43. Blow drying your hair: Brr!
  44. Makeup: “You’re never fully dressed without a smile!” (Annie)
  45. Yelling: Change your parenting style
  46. Mirrors: Wipe your face really well after brushing your teeth!
  47. Hitting the snooze button: good luck!!
  48. Elevators: Take the stairs, friend!
  49. Talking first: Make it a point to listen better and ask questions
  50. Driving by the church: Stop in the church for Adoration for an hour every week

Do you like attending Catholic events? Check out what’s happening in your diocese!

I hope these help you! Want more ideas? Check out SO many more ideas on our Lent Pinterest board. Follow it here!

Also, if you’re looking for a Catholic prayer journal to help you through Lent, especially in growing closer to Our Lord in His Passion, you might like Our Lady of Sorrows: A Catholic Novena & Meditation Prayer Journal. (This is an Amazon affiliate link) I wrote this to help others grow closer to Our Lady of Sorrows and learn what it means to stand next to Jesus during His Passion and Crucifixion. I hope you like it!
If you want to walk closer to Christ this Lent, walk next to his Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows, with Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Novena & Meditation Prayer Journal!
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 (This post was last updated Jan. 19, 2020)

for holiday and Liturgical living advice

7 Ways to Decorate your Catholic Garden as a Prayer Space

Lis Luwia November 18, 2018
Make your garden a prayer and Catholic meditation space

You love gardening or you want to bring the beauty of your faith to your outdoor living areas but you’re not 100% sure how. You could easily add some statues of Catholic saints, but how can you make a meaningful prayer space in your backyard garden?

Hopefully, you find the solution to your Catholic prayer garden or are sparked with an idea while reading this. I’ve compiled several ways you can use your garden as a prayer space. This is a perfect way to enjoy prayer outdoors… and if you have these in the front yard you could be evangelizing to your neighbors without ever having to open your mouth!

Here are 7 Ways to Decorate Your Catholic Garden

1. Start with symbols

What are some things that are symbolic in our faith? Lilies are symbolic of purity, the Annunciation, and the Resurrection. You might also notice images of saints holding lilies too. St. Agatha and St. Thecla carry palm branches and if you have a special devotion to St. Therese of Lisieux, roses are the way to go since they are her signature flower! Check out our post on flowers to symbolize Mary in your garden.

Catholic prayer garden
Image sourced from Pinterest, stbridgeteastfalls.org
2. Make it Interactive

Make an interactive prayer space to walk the rosary through your garden. You can decorate the ground with stones to help you pray and meditate on the mysteries as you spend some peaceful time outside.

3. Have a Place to Sit

I know what you’re thinking… where are you going with this? Well, make or buy an outdoor pew bench! Here is an example of how to make a simple one, you hand person you! (Just make sure to use outdoor paint and outdoor fabric if you use/make cushions.) It actually doesn’t look all that hard, as long as you have all the right hardware and some time set aside!

Or purchase pews from an old parish when they replace them. I’ve seen this happen to a couple of parishes and it’s a great time to grab them! Keep an eye on parish bulletins or ask your parish secretary if he/she knows of any churches replacing their pews. You can also find some in secular stores sometimes, but they’re not often referred to as pews there.

4. Make a Shrine for Your Statues

It’s easy to put a simple statue in your garden and it’s set! But, why do that when you can create a full-on shrine for your favorite saint or create a mini-grotto for Mary in your own backyard? Use your imagination and check out these examples on my Pinterest board (Outdoor Catholic Decorating) to get your ideas flowing!

Stations of the cross outdoor decorations
5. Have Your Own Stations

Purchase your own outdoor stations of the cross and place them throughout your yard. Wouldn’t that be amazing to walk your own Stations of the Cross in your own garden at 3 p.m. throughout Lent? (Here’s the collection I found picture above.)

Resurrection Garden
Image sourced from and linked to CatholicIcing.com
6. Make a Resurrection Garden

Making a Resurrection Garden is an awesome project to do with kids. Check out this DIY Resurrection Garden to do with kids and here is a grown-up version for you to do on a bigger scale. Be sure to close the tomb on Good Friday and open it again with a celebration on Easter. That would be a great time to plant your flowers around the tomb to celebrate that He is Risen! (Pin this idea for later)

Prayer drop box
7. Offer a Prayer Box

Have you ever seen those personal lending library boxes in the front yards of your neighbors? I love the library, but what if you could take it one step forward and make a prayer box for your neighbors? Create a little slot, offer paper and a pen and you’re set to go! Don’t forget to check your box and pray for your neighbors! What an act of beautiful charity!

I hope your creative juices are flowing! Check out the rest of my ideas on Catholic Decorating (indoors & outdoors) and follow us over on Pinterest! >>HERE<<

Updated 3/9/20

7 Ways to Buy Catholic Christmas Gifts Cheap

Lis Luwia November 8, 2018

I love giving faithful Christmas gifts to my friends and family. I feel like anything that nourishes the soul and points back to Christ is a great gift for me to give. But, sometimes, it seems so difficult to find Catholic Christmas gifts that fit the budget! Here I’ve detailed 5 ways you can stretch your wallet and provide faithful Christmas gifts to your friends and family!

This post may contain affiliate links on stuff I support and love!

Let’s do this! Here are:

7 Ways to Buy Catholic Christmas Gifts Cheap

1. Check out thrift shops and bookstores

I recently walked out of a thrift shop with five Catholic books, including Theotokos, a Theological Encyclopedia of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I bought it for a mere 50 cents and it’s worth $40 on Amazon!

You can find C.S. Lewis books at almost any used bookstore, Christian ornaments, decorations, and crosses at thrift stores and in the clearance section of Catholic bookstores. Psst! Don’t forget yard sales too! Shop like this throughout the year and you’ll have great Catholic gifts for everyone on your list!

2. Buy it in online

When you try to buy something through Amazon, take a few extra clicks and go back to the seller’s personal website. Several authors sell their own books at a cheaper rate on their websites than on Amazon or offer them for a cheaper rate as an ebook version than can be found in other stores.

For example, Catholic Mommy Blogs sells the ebook version of Our Lady of Sorrows: A Catholic Meditation & Prayer Journal on their website for only $3.99. On Amazon, this same book as a hard copy costs $13.89. You could print and bind this book as a gift or send it directly to that person as an ebook gift.

(PRO TIP: Do you love books as much as I do? Check out iBooks (through Apple) and Hoopla (through many local libraries), where you can find many spiritual Catholic classics for free.)

3. Get Creative

This gift idea is great for kids! Run to your nearest craft store and grab your supplies, print off the materials, and create your own peg doll nativity set. This is kinda DIY, isn’t it? But Lacy at Catholic Icing makes it so easy that your ten-year-old could do it and gift it to her cousins. So then you’re not really doing it… are you? Plus, no glitter or children’s painted handprints required!!

4. Use Your Skills

If you know how to sew, crochet or embroider, your craftiness can make some seriously cool Catholic gifts for friends and family! Check out Jen’s blog Faith & Fabric for Catholic sewing and quilting designs and grab your faithful embroidery patterns from Happy Nest Home Goods.

5. Put it together for them

My kids have a cute little prayer table in their room. It has prayer cards on it, saint medals, and small saint statues. I would love to add to this table, and I’m sure you probably know someone who would love to have a prayer table… maybe even your own family! Why not make one for them? You could use:

  • a simple table runner (or place mats!) in different liturgical colors (green, white, purple),
  • some prayer cards,
  • a small statue of the child or family’s patron saint
  • a battery-operated candle
  • a crucifix
  • and a book on the saints or liturgical living

Put these in a pretty box and it will be such a delightful gift! Read more about family prayer tables.

6. Cook up something perfect

Do you prefer to make gifts in the kitchen? Check out these great ideas for Christmas gifts you can make in the kitchen at Catholic Cuisine like Cathedral Window Cookies and St. Nicholas Cheese. You could also make gingerbread nativity cookies!

7. Know how to save money online

Lastly, Make Ebates.com your friend whenever you shop online. This website rebates you money as you purchase from your favorite online retailers like Amazon, Etsy, Ebay, etc, for serious cash back on selected items! I don’t shop online without them.

——–

I hope these tips and tricks will help you find affordable Catholic gift ideas! God bless you and your family this season!

While you’re here, please check out Catholic events happening in your diocese!

Post updated November 8, 2019

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10 Flowers to Plant to Symbolize Mary in Your Garden

Lis Luwia July 6, 2018
10 10 Flowers to Use to Symbolize Mary in Your Catholic Garden

If you’ve ever considered planting a garden for Mary, you’ve probably looked at some pictures online and considered buying a statue of Mary, if you don’t already have one. But how do you decide which flowers to best decorate her garden with?

(Image courtesy of Fingalo, Wikipedia Commons. This post may contain affiliate links)

Here are 10 Flowers to Plant that Symbolize Mary that would be perfect in your garden!

Also Recommended >>> 7 Ways to Decorate your Catholic Garden as a Prayer Space

10 Flowers to Use to Symbolize Mary in Your Catholic Garden

1. The White Lily “Annunciation Lily” symbolizes Mary’s Immaculate Purity.

2. The Violet symbolizes Mary’s humility “regarded by the Lord”.

3. The Monkshood “Our Lady’s Slipper” symbolizes Mary’s graceful Visitation trip to visit Elizabeth in the hill country: “All her steps were most beauteous.”

4. The Thistle-Down is also a Visitation symbol due to its graceful movement in the air.

5. The Rose symbolizes the Blessed Virgin of prophecy, “the Rose wherein the Divine Word was made incarnate.

6. The Daisy symbolizes “Mary’s Flower of God” (Jesus)

7. The Periwinkle represents the “Virgin Flower” and the blue color recalls her fullness of grace.

8. The Columbine represents the dove of the Holy Spirit, Mary’s overshadowing, indwelling, divine Spouse.

9. The Pansy symbolizes the Trinity (first revealed to Mary) and is also called the “Trinity Flower.”

10. The Everlasting symbolizes Mary’s eternal loving mediation in heaven.

Plus, a bonus (which isn’t exactly a flower) is the Strawberry which symbolizes the “Fruitful Virgin”, in flower and fruit at the same time.

Enjoy your gardening and get creative with faithful symbols! These are also great flowers to leave at the foot of the statue of Mary at your church!

 

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Post last updated 3/9/20
 
 
Flowers for your Marian garden

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Lis Luwia April 8, 2018
Sacred Heart Cathedral Davenport, IA

Overlooking the Mississippi River, Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport, Iowa, this Gothic-style church was completed in 1891. The chapel is dedicated to St. Margaret and Eucharistic Adoration chapel hours are

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 6-10 pm

Wednesday & Friday, 5 am-10 pm

Sunday, 4-10 pm
There is a statue of Our Lady of LaVang and the church has a vibrant Vietnamese community.
Sacred Heart Cathedral Davenport, IA
Have you been here? What would you like others visiting to see here? Respond in comments!

St. Ambrose Cathedral

Lis Luwia April 8, 2018
St Ambrose Cathedral Des Moines, IA

If you are near or driving through Des Moines, Iowa, consider stopping at St. Ambrose Cathedral. It is the first Catholic church established in Des Moines (back when the capital of Iowa was changed from Iowa City to Des Moines) and technically started in 1851.

The Our Lady’s Chapel is peaceful and unique due to the ceiling. The ceiling has painted Mary’s prayer and the chapel is dedicated to Our Lady Statue of St. Anne.

See details on their website.

St Ambrose Cathedral Des Moines, IA

Have you been here? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Basilica of St. Francis Xavier

Lis Luwia April 7, 2018
Basilica of St. Francis Xavier Dyersville, IA

The Basilica of St. Francis Xavier is a beautiful basilica surrounded by cornfields in Dyersville, Iowa. Architecturally, the basilica is medieval Gothic-style with twin 212-foot spires. It has 64 stained glass windows, 10 of which contain pictures of Jesus and the saints.

If you are in the area or driving through, consider stopping at this beautiful location for contemplation and prayer.

The basilica is open daily from 7 am- 8 pm. More details here.

Basilica of St. Francis Xavier Dyersville, IA

Have you been here? Leave your thoughts in the comments!