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How are you incorporating Pray, Work, Rest & Play into your daily routine this week? Here at Das Schmidt Haus we are blessing the Advent wreath and praying with the hope candle, thinking up grand St. Nicholas surprises, savoring quiet afternoons, and having one last Autumn hurrah with dad and leaves. . . . → Read More: Pray, Work, Rest & Play: Advent, Week 1 
Once upon a time in colonial America there was something called a “lying in” period. This was the time, typically a month or so, following childbirth when a community would rally in support of a new mother. She would rest, regain her strength, and bond with her baby while the community kept up the household. Many of her attendants would be relatives, none of whom were paid, and the favor was returned following their own deliveries. My how times have changed! Maybe we are just a wee bit sensitive given that Lisa is just four weeks postpartum and what she wouldn’t give for a couple of extra hands just a few hours per week. Even so, we have reflected on how this postpartum experience, Lisa’s third, is significantly different from the first two. . . . → Read More: The Churching of Women: Postpartum Support, Catholic Style 
Welcome back to our weekly series — Pray, Work, Rest & Play — where we share a bit about how we’re striving to incorporate an order, a rule of sorts, to our daily routine here at Das Schmidt Haus. A routine that organically involves prayer, work, rest, and play. Up this week: Responding to the homeless, stepping away from mindless mobile web surfing, keeping occupied with Busy Bags, and having fun with books and bread. . . . → Read More: Pray, Work, Rest and Play (Vol. 2) 
Sister Maria Assumpta walked up to the board and put up a basic compass shape. Rather than north, south, east, and west, she replaced them with Work, Rest, Play, and Pray. Very simply, she told us, “Your lives should always live in a balance with these four things. Welcome to my new series, “Pray, Work, Rest & Play,” where I share a bit about how we’re striving to incorporate an order, a “rule” of sorts, to our daily routine here at Das Schmidt Haus. A routine that organically involves prayer, work, rest, and play. . . . → Read More: Pray, Work, Rest & Play: The Inaugural Edition 
I originally set out for this post to be a birth story of sorts. But the would-be narrative about a most blessed and holy event is simply not going to happen here and now. I guess I’m running with C.S. Lewis’s advice here: “Life is too deep for words, so don’t try to describe it, just live it.” Right on, chief, right on. This little babe has brought new hope and true healing to our family — hope and healing I didn’t even know we (read, I) needed. So I’m not even attempting here and now to put words to all this spiritual goodness percolating within me. I’m simply trying to live, learn, soak it up, and hopefully continuing to grow into the mom God is calling me to become … the mom I want to become, too. So for now, enjoy some photos of Lydia’s first hours of life — {pretty, happy, funny, real} style. . . . → Read More: Welcome to the World, Lydia Ann! 
The Church fathers, St. Benedict in particular, wrote about the need for Otium Sanctum or Holy Leisure. It refers to an ability to rest and take time to enjoy beauty, to be at peace through the activities of the day, to pace ourselves. Or, as Pope Francis might say, simply wasting time with one another. Do you waste time with your children? What does that look like in your home? Do we, collectively, even know how to waste time with one another? . . . → Read More: Wasting Time and Holy Leisure 
A day of holy distractions for us here at Das Schmidt Haus! Meet the newest edition to our family, Lydia Ann, and head on over to CatholicStand.com to read our latest post titled Holy Distraction: The Case for Sacred Art & Architecture. . . . → Read More: A Day of Holy Distractions 
Several have stopped by our digital space looking for a labor and delivery progress update, and we apologize for going AWOL. For now, an update … sort of. God’s orchestra is still playing this concerto in a minor key. Stay tuned for the final resolution. . . . → Read More: An Anniversary, A Past Due Date, Decisions and a Plethora of Emotions 
“Open your hearts to life!” has become a recurring theme in Pope Francis’s pontificate. It’s also the theme for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 2013-14 Respect Life Campaign that kicked off in parishes across the nation on Respect Life Sunday. The phrase “Open your hearts to life” can be a difficult one for many couples who are quite open to life yet find their hearts overflowing with grief due to pregnancy/infant loss or infertility. This is one area that seems to be a bit off the radar screen and weighs heavily enough on our hearts to call us to action. . . . → Read More: Helping Heal Hearts Wounded by Miscarriage 
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux died on this day in 1897. So did my dad. Well, not in 1897, of course. Rather, on September 30, 2009. And it’s no small coincidence that his death occurred on the same day as the saint who is known for doing small things with great love also died. This one’s for you, dad! I pray one day my kids will proudly say the same of me as I do about you! . . . → Read More: Doing Small Things With Great Love. I Hope. |
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