Coffee Moments with Sam

“I’m participating in the Keeping LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013, hosted by Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints ,  Truly Rich Mom   and  Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families . We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of link-up entries." It’s simply amazing how much I can learn from someone so young.  A child can definitely teach us - older ones - a lot about love…  Out of nowhere, my son told me, “ Faith is my life ”.   He was actually referring to his playmate, a girl about his age named, Faith.   I honestly didn't know where he learned to say those words, but in the pureness and innocence of his heart he was happy and proud to express it.   There was another time he came up to...

Image Source: MomCenter Philippines Home is not just a place where the seed of love is planted.  It is where love should be nourished. It is where love should be free to grow, and bear fruit which can fill up the hearts of everyone who lives in it.      It's not easy to build a home fit to harvest pure, unconditional love.    Blessed Pope John Paul II once said that, "to maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children.   Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others".  Our homes are often a reflection of the state of our hearts.  And for love to grow, it entails humility and sacrifice to nurture pure, unconditional love within our hearts.    So how can we best fill our homes with love? Begin by establishing a healthy SOIL of relationship, bond and friend...

LOVE Now imagine this:  You meet someone you believe to be your destiny.  Your eyes sparkle with joy.  Your heart pounding uncontollably at the sight of this person.  You feel that love is definitely all around.  But after a while... you lose the spark ... the magic disappears... and the love is gone.  Then you begin to say things you wish you could take back.  You regret ever meeting this person.  You blame yourself for falling for the wrong one.  You have this undeniable feeling that the relationship is going nowhere.  You vow never to trust anyone ever again.      It is every person's dream to "live happily ever after" with their one true love.  And in as much as we all dream of a "fairy tale-like" happy ending, this is not always the case in real life.  photo credits: breaking up photo - huffingtonpost.com HURT First,...

BLESSING FOR A COUPLE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED: Heavenly Father, Bless this couple who have manifested their intention to unite in marriage in the future. Keep them close to You and to one another, deepen their spirit of prayer and love, and lead them to receive the Sacrament of Marriage with joy and happiness. We ask this in the Name of Jesus the Lord. Amen. photo credits: wedding rings - wikipedia A COUPLE'S PRAYER (About to Get Married): O Lord, we thank you for this wonderful gift of our love which You have generously granted us and which allows us to build a true communion of persons between us ---provided we remain ever open to You, the Source of all love. Help us to continue to love each other and accept each other unconditionally, as we get to know each other better. Make us generous in giving and humble in receiving. Enable us to communicate to one another all our joys, sufferings, and desires and all our hopes, sorrows, and difficulties. Give us the pow...

Instant coffee moment based on the Gospel according to Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23: "Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that comeout from within are what defile.  From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts..." - Mk7:21 - 22 photo credits: withagratefulheart.com Christian living is the unity of the heart, mind, soul and body.  In simple words, it is the oneness of our entire being.  The Christian life is a tough one to pursue.  It should be our goal to live a life that is pleasing to God... to walk the path to righteousness.  It is to follow in Christ's steps. But this is not the easiest road to take...  There is no perfect life... There can never be a person untainted with sin... but we can strive to live free.   Set our hearts free from worldly desires and ill feelings. Set our minds free from evil thoughts. Set our souls free from the co...