The F.U.N. Quotient... babies and giggles and Moms edition

Happy Mother's Day Weekend to all the Moms out there!

Among Women Podcast #123 - Practice, Practice

Among Women 123 features ideas about being a practicing Catholic... and to get that done I "interview" St. Margaret Mary, and converse with The Practicing Catholic blogger herself, Lisa Schmidt. Together we talk about the joys of living in sync with the Universal Church and the graces God brings to us through his Word and his healing touch in our lives. You'll benefit about Lisa's stories about faith, marriage, John Paul II, healing from miscarriage, Mary's house, and more!

Join us for the coffee and conversation! Oh, did I mention I'm also talking about coffee on this episode?

One more thing: think about how you might contribute to an upcoming Special Edition of Among Women. Send me your favorite and most meaningful Lenten practices at amongwomenpodcast@me.com! Or call your ideas in to our voice mail: 206-203-2024.

Among Women Podcast #120 News of a Baby at Christmas

Among Women 120 is one part Christmas story, one part love story, and one part a single adoption story shared by two families.

Download this week's episode and listen to Pat recite O. Henry's famous story, The Gift of the Magi. Plus, listen in to a remarkable conversation between two women who've experienced an "open" adoption, whereby both the birth mother and the adoptive mother not only knew each other from the early days of the child's life, but have become very good friends in the process! It's an amazing story of courage, openness, intergenerational understanding, and love --with a few Christmas "God-incidences" thrown in for good measure!

Don't miss this extra-long, jammed-packed edition of Among Women. And find out how you might win an Among Women coffee mug!

Get involved in SQPN's giving program, and don't miss the SQPN Marathon on Dec. 27th from 9am-9pm. Join Pat at 12 noon EST for the Angelus and the recitation of the Scriptural Rosary. Plus talk and giveaways too! (Find it through the SQPN live show site.)

UPDATE: The SQPN Marathon, originally slated for Dec 27th has been postponed. Stay tuned! We'll announce the new date here when we know it!.

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On Launching Ships and Sons... (yup, we sent our "baby" to college)

I'm over at CatholicMom.com today, waxing nostalgic. Well, actually the column is more about my hopes for my youngest son being on his own in college than my transition to the part-time semesters-only "empty nest."

Here's a taste of it:

“Look at the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs (James 3:4 RSV-CE).” 

I have kissed my son and waved goodbye. The day finally came for him, the youngest of the brood, to pull up anchor and sail off for college. As I’ve come to assess the condition of my mother’s heart, I find a contented peace, like a sunset after a long working day. My years of sailing a thousand smaller voyages with this young man now bring me here, standing on the shore of blessing. 

The giant ship -- that is, an adult child’s college career or work life -- and the sails that are made to harness the winds of successful living, are, in the end, steered by the smallest rudder… for the conscience is hidden deep. It invisibly navigates every journey, guiding the course. 

Such are the paradoxes of the Catholic faith. We can easily recall how the smallest Host of bread contains the greatest mystery and the holiest power. To consume it – to let it transform us – is to yield the tiller to Another’s gentle hand and influence. It never fails to reveal True North to the sailor.  

Read the whole thing. And check out the great line up over at CatholicMom! There's always something good cookin' over there!

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Among Women ReadHER 9.17.11 ... babies, beauty, burnout, single life, romance -- not necessarily in that order!

Among Women ReadHer

9.17.11

Is It OK to Be Single?
--Beth Knobbe, at Catholic Chicago Blog
The ever-pressing question. I like how Beth handles this. You may recall Beth as a guest on AW 68.

Fighting Burnout
--Arwen Mosher over at Faith and Family Live
After having twins, Arwen shares about dealing with stressors. Lotsa comments on this one too.


13 Things I've Learned in 17 Years of Marriage
--Karen Edmisten at Faith and Family Live
Thoughtful, practical, and always hopeful, Karen is one wise woman. Karen has been on AW twice before, hear her life story from atheism to faith to Marian devotion on AW 20 , and more about Mary on AW 82.


Good Girls Beware
--Elizabeth Foss at the Arlington Catholic
Sound daughter-raising tips!


Pulchritude in Women
--Kevin Lowry at The Grateful Convert

NOTE: pul·chri·tude 

[puhl-kri-tood, -tyood], noun. Defined: physical beauty; comeliness.
God Needs You
--Julie Robinson, at Virtuous Planet
I thought this little post about prayer was a good companion piece to this week's AW 109 - Metanoia. Looking forward to Julie being a future guest on AW!

Lovely Lady
--Lisa Schmidt of Practicing Catholic
A wonderful (and short!) re-posting from Radiant Magazine -- remember we profiled that magazine on AW 73?


The Triumph of the Cross - 2011
--Sr. Catherine, the Digital Nun
Even though the feast is passed (9/14) I thought this missive was simple yet deep.


Mary Sees Us
--Simcha Fisher in the National Catholic Register
Simcha, nice one!


I Was Going to Ridicule This

--Maria Johnson, from Another Cup of Coffee, and the Catholic Weekend podcast.

A good take on being an encourager of others. Plus Maria follows it up with this short 16-minute film... that packs its own good-for-you punch...

The F.U.N Quotient... I dare ya NOT to laugh!

In case you could not get enough...