The Girl at the Well
In a hamlet, painted with Heaven’s glow, Lived a maiden, pure as untrodden snow, A damsel of virtue, young and bright, With heart as a dove, taking flight.
Her grace was a sonnet, in silence penned, In the book of life, an unwritten end, Every morning, by the well she’d dwell, As the sun yawned high, a tale to tell.
An angel, descended from realms unseen, Came to her one day, by the well so serene, His wings wide and radiant, in the morning mist, His message held, in his celestial fist.
“O fair one,” he echoed, in voice so divine, “Chosen by Heaven, in your heart stars align, A message I bring, from the throne so high, For in your humility, virtues lie.”
The maiden, startled yet filled with grace, Looked upon the angel’s luminous face, In her heart, fear took a humble bow, At the well of destiny, she stood now.
“Carry this message in your soul’s sheath, Like a blooming flower beneath a heath, Nourish it with love, grow it with care, Into a future, bright and fair.”
The angel then vanished, as a receding tide, Leaving the maiden at the wellside, Anointed with a purpose, pure and grand, A divine mystery, in her hand.
Through the pages of time, her tale we tell, Of the holy girl, by the enchanted well, Who met an angel at morning’s crest, And wore Heaven’s message on her chest.
Thus, in our hearts, her story fell, Of a girl, an … Read the rest
Rules for Homeschooling
From a friend:
Your homeschool day doesn’t have to begin at 8am.
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You can let your kids sleep in and you can drink an extra cup of coffee in the quiet.
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You can do morning time in the afternoon.
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You can do your read alouds in bed at night.
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You can homeschool in the evenings, on the weekends, or during baby’s naptime.
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You can get all your homeschooling done before 10am if you are early risers.
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You can homeschool in the pockets of your day – when you’re in the car, waiting for an appointment, while you’re cooking dinner, or on the sidelines of a sibling’s at soccer practice.
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Your homeschool rhythm doesn’t have to look anything like a traditional school day.
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The beauty of homeschooling is that you get to decide what works for your family. The where, when, and how is up to you – there is no wrong way to do it.
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If your family doesn’t like mornings, don’t pressure yourselves to begin your day early. This is the freedom of homeschooling.
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You can build your homeschool rhythms around your work schedule, farm chores, the seasons, or sleep schedules. This is the freedom of homeschooling.
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You can homeschool year-round, take a break every six weeks, or take an entire month off in the middle of the year because of illness, a new baby is born, you move across the country, or you need to care for
… Read the rest 
Outside the Box Ideas for Lent
- Pray and fast for someone every day of Lent.
- When you shop, only buy those things you really need.
- Pray a rosary every day for someone who has hurt you.
- Say something nice to someone each day.
- Write a short letter to someone each day of lent. Express thanks for their friendship.
- Call someone you having’t talked to in a long time.
- Raise money for a worthy Catholic charity.
- Pray for your priests and Bishop each day.
- Take flowers, a meal or dessert to a neighbor in your neighborhood.
- Make a bag of snacks to keep in your car and give them to people who are begging for help.
- Cut salt from your food.
- Cut cream or sugar from your coffee.
- Pray in front of an abortion clinic for an hour a week.
- Visit a cemetary once a week and pray a rosary.
- Find something in your house you do not need or use and donate it to charity.
Recommended Reading for Lent
- Searching for and Maintaining Peace, Phillipe
- This Tremendous Lover, Bouyer
- Preparing for Easter, howell
- The Ascent of Mount Carmel, by St. John of the Cross
- The Introduction to a Devout Life, by St. Francis de Sales
- The Story of a Soul, by St. Thérèse of Lisieux
- The Spiritual Castle, by St. Teresa of Avila
- The Soul of the Apostolate, by Abbot Chautard
- Christ: The Ideal of the Monk, by Abbot Marmion
- Preparation for Death, by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
- The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis
- Transformation in Christ by Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand
- The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist
- What Jesus Saw from the Cross by Fr. A.G. Sertillanges
- Meditations for Lent by St. Thomas Aquinas
- Lenten Sermons by Fr. Augustine Wirth
- A Lent in Earnest by Lucy Ellen Guernsey
- The Lenten Gospels for Daily Meditation During the Holy Season of Lent
- Pope St. Leo the Great’s Sermons on Lent