Men Ask "What Did It Cost?"...Women Say "This Is What I Saved!"

“You saved $58.00,” the cashier said to me as she handed me the receipt for the cute summer dress.

“And that’s exactly what I tell my husband,” I replied.

She chuckled and we exchanged a knowing nod.

We each fully understood that this dress, marked down twice on clearance and then with a coupon tendered, was a total deal—it would almost be wrong not to have bought it.

Where men ask “What did it cost?” women say “This is what I saved…”

Somewhere into our second decade (yes, decade) of marriage my husband stopped trying to understand my logic when shopping. He stopped pointing out what I had to spend to save because he finally realized that my brain simply did not compute his logic.

Around the same time, I gave up trying to understand why he had 32 different kinds of string and dozens of power strips hanging on the pegboard in the basement. For me, what was most frustrating was that whenever we needed string—or a power strip—what we already owned “wasn’t the right kind.”

It made me crazy—and so for my own sanity’s sake, I had to finally stop staring at (and reminding him of) the numerous power strips and countless spools of string that we already owned but were never “right” for any job that needed a power strip or string.

Fortunately for our marriage, we each adopted a willingness to let go of that which seemed incomprehensible.

He no longer tries to understand why I have about 25 pairs of black leggings and I no longer try to understand why he has only one pair of lounge pants to wear on the weekend. (I can’t even tell you how many pairs of comfy pants I have purchased over the past 30 years that I’ve returned because he “doesn’t need them.”)

So next summer when I wear this adorable dress and he compliments me, I will tell him that I saved $58 and he will understand—not in a logical way of how I came up with that figure but in the way that makes our marriage work because he will know that saving all that money on the dress made me happy and, more importantly, that his power strips and string are safe on the pegboard in the basement.

Go-To Latin Phrases To Enrich Your Life

The Latin Mass is often called “the closest thing to heaven on earth.”

Rich in history with a language that most closely resembles the spirit of the Gospels, the Latin Mass is considered, by many, to most accurately reflect the mystery of the presence of Christ at the altar. After decades of Novus Ordo (Latin for “New Order” is the 1969 Mass of Pope Paul VI in which the Mass was offered in English with additional changes such as the priest facing the congregation instead of the altar), there is a renewed interest in the Latin Mass.

Indeed, with Benedict’s 2007 interest in revising the Latin Mass, many Catholics have been introduced to the beauty of the Latin language for the first time while others are recalling their great love for Latin.

Outside of the Latin Mass, additional Latin words and phrases are now proving invaluable in the spiritual life of a Catholic and can undoubtedly enrich the lives of other Christians as well.

Dominus is Latin for master or owner. Taken in context of the faith, it most perfectly reflects the beauty of being in a loving relationship in which Christ is the master. Unfettered by a secularist world view, dominus is the truest indicator of what it means to be a believer: we are “owned” by the one who loved us so deeply that he died for us and for our salvation.

Lectio Divina is Latin for Divine Reading. It is an invitation into the reading of Scripture wherein we enter the heart of God and he enters ours. It is a slow inhalation of as little as a word or as much as a paragraph that takes root in the soul of a reader. Lectio divina requires we let go of the world and let God, through the Holy Spirit, speak his sacred word divinely into our heart and soul.

Oratio Ignita is Latin for Fiery Prayer. No longer satisfied with a mundane prayer life, a believer who enters into a more intimate union with God often finds that his or her prayer takes on a “fiery” or even a somewhat heightened aspect of communing with God. Erupting from the depths of the heart, oratio ignita reflects a deeper understanding of God’s will and desire to be in obedience.

Bios Praktikos is Latin for Active Life. According to Aristotle, those who engage in bios praktikos are able to attain noble things. This is due to the fact that all things wind back to the Divine and this becomes more apparent the more a believer participates in the things of life, particularly bringing those experiences back into prayer.

Dei Gratia is Latin which means Grace of God. Grace being the favor—the gift—given to us by God; something unearned, undeserved. Exploring the true meaning of grace from the Latin perspective encourages us to think more clearly about this divine gift and possibly experience it in a new, appreciative way.

Beatus is blessed in Latin and easily brings to mind the Beatitudes—the roots of Christianity that cannot be divided.

Redemptor Hominus is Latin for The Redeemer of Man—Christ.

Exploring Latin words affords a unique opportunity to delve into the history of Christianity in a very unique way. These few words are just the beginning of a wealth of words and phrases which have the ability to speak to the heart and soul of a believer as they force a sense of concentration and seeking wherein God will be able to respond.

Do You Have the Gift of Writing?

I was recently asked to contact a young woman who was attempting to write a book. The request came from a friend whose life in the church has resulted in her path being crossed with a whole lot of people from all walks of life with all sorts of varying gifts, talents, and calls.

In particular, I was told that the young woman had an “emerging gift of writing” which is why I was asked to meet with her and help in her discernment process. This “emerging gift of writing” is something, according to the friend who made the request, which is happening more and more often in the lay populace.

I agree.

I’m always receiving requests from people—everyday people who live their lives as nurses, mothers, engineers, government employees, teachers and even priests—who feel they are being called to write and would like me to help assess if this is a real call or just a wild goose chase. Catholics are on-fire for their faith in a new way and with that fire comes a wish, desire and even a need to bear fruit for the kingdom.

If you have begun to wonder if you, too, have the emerging gift of writing, it might be time to examine that idea more in-depth.

Here are a couple of tips that I try to share with those who are discerning this possibility:

1. How long have you felt this “call?” If it is new, give it time to develop. See if God gives you “signs” to help you see that it is a gift. For example: someone might tell you that a thank you note you wrote really touched her heart. If you have the gift of writing, God will make sure you know you have it if you ask for his help in discerning it. 
2. Take on an attitude of “holy indifference.” This means that you don’t become emotionally invested in the possibility of having this gift. Either way, you are okay with the outcome. You leave it all to God to help show you if this is a gift he has given you. 
3. Spend ample time in Adoration and in prayer while you discern. This will keep you focus on serving God and knowing his will for you. 
4. A specific thought or idea continually comes into your heart. Maybe you are a health care worker and out of nowhere, at any time during the day or any day of the week, you will feel a nudge to write about something that you feel will bless others. It happens again and again. In those cases, quietly but boldly ask God if he is putting that idea in your heart. 
5. Don’t ask friends or family to help you discern—especially in the beginning. Sometimes even our best-intentioned friends and family can lead us astray. Maybe hoping to bolster our spirit or even willing to bend the truth so as not to offend us, our friends and family may not be able to offer objectivity so they shouldn’t be the first place we turn when we are seeking God’s counsel. God will provide what we need to know his will.

Like all gifts that are now emerging to serve God and the church, the emerging gift of writing can be fun and rewarding; but it can also be difficult and frustrating. Lots of people are doing their best to find God’s will in their lives but few are succeeding. This is because we tend to get emotionally invested in what we think must be what we are called to do (that’s why holy indifference is important). We even, incorrectly, assume that following God’s will has a particular “look and feel.” We falsely identify what is success and what is failure!

The peace that comes from knowing you have allowed God to reveal to you your own emerging gifts will be its own reward—even if a best-seller isn’t on the horizon.

Obedience is its own reward.

Bezalel Books Author Named Teacher of the Year!

Rosemary McDunn, author of the Catholic favorite, The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years has been named Teacher of the Year by the Archdiocese of Detroit!

We're so proud of Rosie--but not surprised!

As both her publisher and a former colleague, I personally know that she has a sincere love for her students and I feel honored to have her popular book as part of our Bezalel Books lineup of great fiction for Catholic families.

Rosie's heart for teaching is evident in this wonderful historical fiction story as well as in the thought-provoking questions and vocabulary section found in the back of the book making it a favorite for homeschoolers and parochial schools.

Congratulations Rosie!

Free Books for Catholic Families!

As part of our effort to introduce Catholic families to our work at Bezalel Books, we are now offering some of our titles for free on Kindle!

For girls we are offering All Things Girl: Truth for Teens for free! The second edition offers a great new section on health and fitness by best-selling author Peggy Bowes (The Rosary Workout) as well as new content on vocations and social media.

For boys our popular All Things Guy: A Guide to Becoming a Man that Matters is now free! Filled with stories, facts about being a young Catholic man, and lots of encouragement, All Things Guy is a book young men really enjoy.

For mom, grandma, aunt or godmother we are now offering Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage for free. Elizabeth is a fiction story about a woman’s trip to the Holy Land and God’s hand in the friendships she forges. For the Catholic woman looking for a non-fiction book, we are now offering Our JewishRoots: A Catholic Woman’s Guide to Fulfillment for free.

Lots of other great titles are now available at low prices as well.

For Catholic dads, grandpas, uncles and godfathers, The Ten Commandments of Lifting Weights is now just $2.99! You don’t have to be a weight lifter to enjoy Jared Zimmerer’s popular book that precedes his recently released Man Up!

And if your tween son is looking for great fiction, Hiding the Stranger: The Trilogy is now just $2.99!

Then there's Rosemary McDunn's classic The Green Coat: A Tale from the Dust Bowl Years. McDunn's work is a favorite for all ages--literally from 9 to 90!--and among all readers from homeschool groups to parochial school If you haven't yet read The Green Coat, now is the time for $2.99. McDunn was just named Teacher of the Year in the Archdiocese of Detroit!

We hope you enjoy our invitation to great Catholic books for the entire family—and may God bless you through these titles!

Becoming the Best Prayer Warrior You Can Be!

Without exception, God calls each believer to become a prayer warrior.

While some believers are uniquely gifted as intercessors and their prayers seem to flow right out of their spirit, all are nonetheless expected to intercede for others.

But how do we respond to that call to mediate for another person—especially if intercession is not one of our gifts and we stumble along in our attempts at intercession, feeling inadequate and even inept?

How can we answer God’s call upon us and become the best prayer warriors this side of heaven?

Abraham is the first example of intercession as he speaks to God about Sodom and Gomorrah and gives us a couple of excellent clues on how to be a prayer warrior.

First and foremost, Abraham models a personal relationship with his God.

Think about it: which of our personal relationships allow us to be most like our real selves? Which of our relationships encourage us to be open and honest? It is always those relationships that are the most open and honest themselves that give us the platform to speak freely and not worry about condemnation or recrimination.

So the first step in becoming the best prayer warrior we can be for others is to develop a rich, authentic relationship with God.

The next thing that Abraham models is a boldness that often startles us when we read his words in Genesis 18: What if there are …. ?

Abraham is questioning God with a boldness that arises from the personal relationship he is in with God. Almost as if wondering out loud (but knowing God is always right there), Abraham queries God with a successive set of bold questions.

In this way, Abraham’s example encourages us, too, to be bold in our stand before God.

But let us immediately notice that right along with boldness is humility.

After all, who is Abraham to implore God—and by association, who are we to do that same thing? And yet that is exactly what Abraham does! Abraham’s example is that while we boldly stand before God, we simultaneously recognize the absurdity of it all. Who are we to have this personal relationship with God and to stand boldly before him?

Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah is the perfect illustration of the paradox of our faith: to be able to boldly approach the Creator of the universe in a personal, genuine way.

The last piece of becoming the best prayer warrior we can be is to know some of the details of the situation for which we are storming heaven. Abraham shows us the need for a personal relationship and to boldly ask while remaining humble. Beyond what we learn from Abraham is the need to, whenever possible, have real specific particulars when we pray. This isn’t because God needs to know the details but because it will help keep us focused and alert. It will aid us as we approach God for the needs of another.

If we are praying for someone who is having surgery, knowing the date, time, and location of the surgery helps us pray more vigilantly, more successfully.

Oswald Chambers said it best when he said: As a saved soul, the real business of your life is intercessory prayer. Whatever circumstances God may place you in, always pray immediately that His atonement may be recognized and as fully understood in the lives of others as it has been in yours. Pray for your friends now, and pray for those with whom you come in contact now.

In other words, become the best prayer warrior you can be!

Man Up! now available at Catholic Answers

Man Up! Becoming the New Catholic Renaissance Man, the popular new book that covers a wide variety of topics for Catholic men is now available in the Catholic Answers catalog and in their online shop.

Jared Zimmerer (also the author of The Ten Commandments of Lifting Weights) has gathered the contributions of such men as Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and Kevin Lowry and has created a "retreat you will want to attend again and again!"

Endorsed by Fr. Robert Barron and with a foreword by Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Man Up! is sure to please every man looking for encouragement and confirmation.