Summertime Book Contest!

It's not too late to enter my contest: "Grace Cafe: Take Me Away" to win a copy of my book Grace Cafe for your summer reading. Details are here:

From the back cover:

"Grace Cafe nourished this mother's hungry soul with heaping portions of tenderness, encouragement, and Christian sisterhood. If you have ever wondered how to fit prayer into your busy life, how to embrace the piles of dirty laundry, how to put aside chores and savor everyday moments, take a seat in Grace Cafe and order up exactly what your tired heart, body, and soul has been longing for."~Mary De Turris Poust, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Catholic Catechism

Grace Cafe!

Here's a new review of Grace Cafe. Thank you very much, Amy, for your beautiful words.
Not A Microwave Meal

"Grace Cafe," by Donna-Marie Cooper Boyle is not a cookbook of microwave dinners, but one of 5 course meals. This lovely little gem, was full of wonderful quotes and thoughts that required thought and reflection. The chapters include topics such as a call to holiness, a vocation of love, self giving, and raising saints. It is adorably written with little recipe summary snippets at the end of each chapter. While the theme is quaint, don't let that fool you. Ms. Cooper Boyle writes with such spiritual depth that each page could be studied in and of itself. I wish I had time to read and just sit and ponder each line, each quote, each reference to the Catechism. What a labor of love this work must have been. I finished the book, enjoyed it, and learned more about my faith, but honestly it took me quite some time.

To see the full blog post, visit Amy here.

A Casual Encounter with Grace

My book, Grace Cafe: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering was chosen as the "Book Pick" by the National Catholic Register this week...

A Casual Encounter With Grace

BY Father Walter Schu, LC

June 14-20, 2009 Issue | Posted 6/5/09 at 10:05 AM

"Grace Café is an aptly titled book. How does one discover grace — that sublime reality so distant from most people’s vocabulary today and, sadly, so often absent from their lives?

Within these pages, seasoned author Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle makes that elusive encounter with grace seem as casual and natural as a mid-morning rendezvous with an old friend at the local café.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky once said, “Beauty will save the world.” If that is true, then Grace Café — addressed specifically to mothers — could bring many mothers one step closer to salvation.

Even, and especially, in the midst of the daily trials of raising a family, such as being confronted with a steadily growing mountain of unfolded clothes, the beauty of motherhood alights from the page to capture hearts.

In response to the culture’s exalting of careerism for women, O’Boyle ponders the value of being a mother, the transcendent mission it entails. She says:

“Women have been put through the mill, so to speak. However, as Christian mothers, we can consider the fact that nothing can be more meaningful than to be part of the creation of a human being, to be able to nurture it within our bodies, and then raise our child within a loving home — preparing him or her for eternal life. In my opinion, nothing compares — nothing!”

The simple prose reveals a mother’s warm heart, as O’Boyle offers hints on how to carve out time for prayer and savor the grace of the present moment in a family where the young ones always seem to grow up just a bit too quickly.

Interspersed with personal anecdotes are succinct quotes from the wisdom of holy men and women — especially Pope John Paul II and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, whom the author was friends with.

All mothers know that their vocation entails its share of difficult moments, and O’Boyle tackles this aspect of motherhood head-on in the chapter “Discovering Grace Within Suffering.”

She reflects, “This whole concept of giving and hurting may seem absurd, especially in today’s culture. Why should we feel uncomfortable — God forbid — or selfless, when we can avoid it? It’s because the love in our motherly heart calls us to it; it beckons us to give of ourselves unreservedly. Real love demands blood, sweat and tears.”

She sums things up with these encouraging words from St. Ignatius of Loyola: “If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that he has great designs for you, and that he certainly intends to make you a saint.”

One slight disappointment may be the final chapter on evangelizing the household and the world. It contains several long Gospel passages, which perhaps could have been reduced to allow a more in-depth look at how the family stands at the very center of the New Evangelization.

All mothers who seek to glimpse with renewed spiritual vision the priceless value of their calling, all those who long to encounter grace amid the joys and trials, the dirty dishes and daily crises of family life will discover in O’Boyle’s book a grace-filled companion along the path to becoming a saint."

(Legionary Father Walter Schu is the author of The Splendor of Love)

(National Catholic Register)

A Word from Peace Garden Mama

From Peace Garden Mama:

"What a treat to find the latest book by my friend Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle in my mailbox last week. I’d won it through a giveaway on her blog, "Embracing Motherhood," and its arrival was perfectly timed with my Lenten mission of seeking spiritual food. Any mother needing a little injection of encouragement in facing the seemingly mundane tasks of motherhood will be refreshed by Donna’s latest, Grace Café: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothers. In the introduction, Donna alludes to the importance of mothers connecting with other mothers in today’s world: “Like-minded women are feeling a vital and even urgent need to communicate with one another, comparing notes to discover the best approaches to mothering with grace as is very apparent in the many Catholic mothers’ blogs that have been popping up all over the Internet...” (I would add that this applies to mothers of all faiths and types.) Regarding prayer, Donna says, “The busyness of our motherly vocation may cause us to fear that we cannot be as prayerful as we should. However, we need to remind ourselves that our Lord certainly knows about our lives. After all, isn’t he the one who has put us in this place, the heart of the home, as mother to our children?” In other words, we need not feel guilty if our prayer life is not as we wish it to be. As long as we are seeking and praising God in our everyday tasks, we are praying!"

You can visit Roxane's blog here.

***

Thanks, Roxane. I'm glad that you are enjoying Grace Café!

God bless your Lenten season!

Donna-Marie

Grace Cafe: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering Review

A review from Elena Maria:

"I started reading Grace Café by Donna-Marie Cooper-O'Boyle in Cool Beans Coffee Shop in Bellefonte on one frozen February morning. My husband and I can often be found there on Sundays while CCD classes are in progress. Cool Beans has comfortable arm chairs and a gas fireplace; it is the perfect place to curl up with a cup of coffee and read a wonderful book. It was especially suited for reading Grace Café, which further develops many of the themes put forth in The Domestic Church, but in a more personal and conversational style.

Once again, Donna-Marie shows us the meaning in the meaningless. That is, we have been convinced by the world that everything we women do in order to run a home is meaningless, since we are not bringing in a pay check to do what we do. Here are some lines that I highlighted in my copy of the book:

We live in a society where, sadly, a woman's value is most times measured by the size of her paycheck or lack of one. If a mom decides to devote her time to her family's care without pursuing outside employment, she may be considered to be less significant or inferior....

I have experienced jabs of jealousy and criticism from others at times because I was committed to raising my children full time....Others would say, 'Oh, it's nice you have the luxury to stay at home.'

Yet I believe that it is not a luxury~ it is a choice and a decision to do without some material things and comforts to be there for our little ones; it also requires putting aside our own aspirations for achievement in a particular field or direction. We have brought children into the world or accepted children through adoption, we should care for them assiduously. (pp.24-25)
While Grace Café is an immensely charming book, it takes a searing look at the attacks upon the family and upon women which masquerade as liberation.

A woman is given a role to care for others, specifically because she is a woman, because she is feminine. Femininity is a beautiful thing! Radical feminism is ugly. Woman have to realize that from their femininity will blossom many graces and blessings for society and for their families. Attempting to change a woman into a man does nothing but confuse matters and destroys families in the process....(p.96)
Since not all women are called to be mothers in the physical sense, Grace Café explores the different ways of "mothering:"

Obviously, not all women are mothers; however, they can be mothers to others in their midst because women are given motherly hearts. I know many women who are not mothers but who are mothers to so many around them. (pp.96-97)

Rich in quotations from Scripture, saints, and pontiffs, Grace Café combines simplicity and profundity in an amazing manner. With Our Lady and St. Joseph as companions, we can find holiness in the fulfillment of the everyday duties of our states of life. Even when Donna-Marie is pointing out the flaws in our society, her tone is always one of hope and encouragement; it is a book which uplifts and energizes, not just in a sentimental way, but in a manner that inspires transformation in behavior as well as in attitude."

(Visit Elena Maria's blog here)

*******

Thank you very much, Elena Maria for such a lovely review!

God bless you and your family!

Donna-Marie

Grace Cafe Review

RECIPES FOR FAITHFUL MOTHERING

"I chose to read and review Grace Café: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering based on this description: “Ever wish you had a cookbook for life as a Catholic wife and mother…. a step-by-step guide for various “domestic church” situations.” While there are no recipes for tasty dinners, the author does give ‘recipes’ for ways to incorporate our Faith more fully into our daily personal and family life.
From the beginning, O’Boyle acknowledges that a mother’s life is busy but still our Lord is calling us to holiness. She reminds readers that our Lord “placed mothers in the heart of the home” and that we can be sanctified in the everyday tasks of wife and mother.

We are reminded to find time for prayer, teach our children to pray and to remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. O’Boyle shares a long list of practical suggestions to make Sunday a more special day in our family while acknowledging that the world doesn’t share the same outlook.

I love the way the author inserted quotes from Scripture, the Catechism, saints, encyclicals, and even a Catholic dictionary. Each chapter begins with a quote and ended with a ‘recipe card’. The only thing missing from this book are discussion questions. I will be recommending this book to our parish's Moms’ Ministry for consideration for reading and discussion next year."

You may visit the reviewer's blog here.

*******

Thank you very much, Renee, for a lovely review. You can check out my book, The Domestic Church: Room by Room: A Mother's Study Guide for study questions. :)

Along with all of my books, it's at my website: http://www.donnacooperoboyle.com

God bless you and your family!

Donna-Marie

New Review of Grace Cafe

"It arrived at just the perfect time. On a bright Friday afternoon, coming home from the hospital with our newest baby, we stopped by the mailbox, and there it was, all wrapped in white: Grace Cafe by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, my newest review book from The Catholic Company. I was looking forward to it because I hadn't liked either of my other two review books and, well, I figured something had to give. I was delighted from the start. I loved this book for its conversational style, its short, easy to read chapters, its encouraging tone, and its very practical advice. In fact, I'll likely read it again before fall, just to make sure all that encouragement and good advice sinks in. :-) I loved it best of all for its clear portrayal faithful Catholic mothers as dignified, beautiful, and, yes, even heroic. Now when was the last time you thought of yourself as heroic?

Weaving into her own experiences advice from Mother Theresa and Pope John Paul II, Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle encourages us toward holiness with warmth and wisdom. She covers everything from finding time for prayer to self sacrifice to raising our children to be saints to keeping the Sabbath to living in the present moment. There is a lot to think on and glean here. Just to keep it real, though, I'll air my only complaint about this book. (Of course I have a complaint. I'm a picky reader.) There are way too many exclamation points. Those things should be used sparingly, in my opinion, and never twice in a row. Still, that's pretty minor, don't you think? You'll like this book. I think it would make lovely Lenten reading, if you haven't settled already on something else. As for me, I already have another of her books in my shopping cart. Even over-used exclamations can't keep me away."

Visit Jennie's blog here.

*******

Thank you very much, Jennie, for your lovely review. I'm glad that you enjoyed my book. Congratulations on your new baby!

God bless!

Donna-Marie

PS The exclamation points hopefully convey a much needed expression of joy in our lives. :)

Review for Grace Cafe

This review is from Barry Michaels:

"I came upon Grace Cafe before my wife did. It’s for mothers, but familiar with Donna Marie Cooper-O’Boyle’s work, I took a look and knew my wife would like it. I quickly found out I was right, because she made several comments to me as she read it about how good it was. When I picked up the book later, I noticed that she had highlighted several passages and even made notes to her self in the margins. Seems to have been worth her time! And it led me to spend even more time with the book, too. Much of her wisdom is just as relevant to being a good dad and husband as to being a good mom and wife.

Donna Marie eaily weaves practical, personal experience together with the wisdom of the saints and the teaching of the Church. I love that she can write about teaching a child to pray, doing laundry, and handling family dinners that are less than Norman Rockwell-perfect as comfortable and helpfully as she can draw out the teachings of Pope John Paul II and the Second Vatican Council.

This book is a sure recipe for a healthier, happier family life."

*******

Thank you very much, Barry for a very nice review. I'm glad that you and your wife enjoyed my book!

God bless!

Donna-Marie


Check out Barry's blog here.

"A Generous Serving of Love at Grace Cafe"

This review is from Dawn at A Helping Hand blog:

Donna Marie Cooper-O'Boyle has given us just that in her beautiful book Grace Cafe.

She fills you up with truths from Church documents, encyclicals and inspiring words from such saints as Therese of Lisieux and St. Joseph. She truly shines her light on Christian motherhood.

Donna Marie shows us mothers how to turn our everyday lives into one constant prayer and offering to the Lord. Beginning our day with prayer for our families. Asking Our Lord to bless our families and our husbands.

As wives and mothers we are placed by specially appointed keepers of our domestic churches. The opportunities to holiness are endless. Holiness is found in the teaching of prayers to your children, in fixing supper for your husband and even in the laundry piled high.

I highly recommend this book for those occasions when you feel overwhelmed by it all. This book ends with some beautiful prayers and poems that will renew and refresh you.

*******

Thank you very much, Dawn, for your lovely review!

God bless you!
hugs,

Donna-Marie

New Review for "The Domestic Church: Room by Room"

"One of the hardest tasks in the world is to stay home alone all day with small children, doing all the minuscule yet vital tasks which keep a family physically and spiritually healthy, but which the world no longer values. Work is measured in terms of how much money it makes. It is forgotten that children have only one childhood and the love they don't get from their parents they will never get at any other time. What greater success in life is there than the raising of happy, faith-filled children? To do that properly requires one's entire being.

There is a wisdom about life and people which can only be learned by being a mother. The Domestic Church: Room by Room by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle is redolent with such wisdom. We have forgotten the secret to sanctity that past generations possessed. Holiness is to be found in the present moment, in the humblest tasks which, when performed with love, are of greater merit in the eyes of God than works that are magnificent but loveless. Donna-Marie discusses the nature of a mother's sacrificial love, as follows:

The list of sacrifices and sufferings is endless, as is a mother's love. If we really love our children properly, there must be sacrifice; otherwise, there is no real love. A mother's connectedness to her child, which continues even after the umbilical cord has been severed, allows her to truly experience a sacrificial love- a love that puts her own interests and needs on hold, a love that continues to give even when it hurts. (pp. 156-157)

Donna-Marie explores many issues which at times beset mothers of families, saying:

Mothers, as we know, have a difficult job in the home coupled with the fact with the fact that society oftentimes demeans the role of a mother by 'measuring' her worth by the size of her paycheck. There are areas that a mother may try to 'escape' to in order to feel more accomplished while inadvertently neglecting her family....

Diapers, demands, laundry, and dishes are not the only activities filling a mother's time. However, a mother may begin to feel frustrated and dwell on what she feels is her lack of accomplishments. She may also fail to see Our Lord's hand in her housekeeping because of the mixed messages from our society aimed at mothers and also because she may be exhausted and in need of encouragement. Mothers should strive to help one another with Christian camaraderie and encouragement for the journey. (pp. 113-114)

The book integrates the basics of Christian spirituality with the practical side of running a home. Although the means of giving apostolic witness may seem limited for housewives, we are reminded about the power of the little things which are at our disposal. To quote:

While remembering that our example speaks louder than our words, we can feel confident that even out at the grocery store, the post office, the bank, and other places where we do our errands, God is sure to put people in our path. A simple smile, a door held open, a listening ear to someone we meet who has an immediate need, giving a hand to a mother with many children in tow- all kinds of situations arise in which we can lend a hand....Through little acts of kindness, miracles do happen. A simple smile and a kind word may have been just the little act of love that a lonely person absolutely needed so as not to fall into despair that particular day.... (p.213)

Donna-Marie is an excellent teacher; after reading The Domestic Church it came as no surprise to discover that the author is a lay Missionary of Charity, following the path of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. I am especially impressed by the order and clarity with which this book is written, complete with study guide that would make it perfect for a parish discussion group or a wonderful companion on a retreat. Quotes from Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI about the condition of marriage and family life in the modern world make the book particularly relevant to the present time. I am looking forward to next reading Donna-Marie's newest book, Grace Café."

************************

Thank you very much for your beautiful review, Mary-Eileen!

(To visit Mary-Eileen's blog, click here)

Review of Grace Cafe: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering

Book Review: Grace Cafe by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle

I’m so blessed to be a part of The Catholic Company’s blogger review program. I get little pieces like this book, the title in it’s entirety is Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering.

It is written very much like a letter that your good friend across country would write you. It was a very easy read (3 days with two preschoolers underfoot and a household to run, AND a 13 hour birth I doula-ed for). Each chapter has a Theme Ms. Cooper O’Boyle addresses. All of which are very applicable to every mother out there.

I took from this book many examples from my personal favorite holy person, Pope JPII the Great, as well as Blessed Mother Teresa and various other saints in our history… our current Pope, Benedict XVI is quoted with his feelings on motherhood, and parenting in general.

You might be surprised if you’re expecting an A, B, C “guide” per se to being a faithful mother. This is more a work of encouragement- that being a mother IS a true, valuable vocation- even if society devalues a woman that has the “luxury” of staying home. Truth be told, I work a business from home because we cannot afford, on two incomes, daycare for our children. So we budget and do without a lot of things my husband and I took for granted when we were a family of three. I came from reading this book refreshed that I am valued for what I’m doing, regardless of what our bank balance is.

This book also gave me a bit of encouragement that I can be a loving mother and a spiritual woman at the same time. God wants us to lift up the elevated blood pressure and dirty dishes. A “God please help me on this” is just as valuable in His eyes than the Litany of the Saints…at the same time, He wants the “Thank you Father” when your 3 year old FINALLY has an accident-free (toilet) day…

Another point that struck me is the emphasis on making Sunday a day for God and your family. While my husband works evenings on Sundays, we make sure to have breakfast and family time after mass, before he has to go to work. I’m sure it’ll pay off with interest when our children are grown and on their own, as well as when I’m watching my life with God in Heaven.

I really recommend this book if you’re feeling a little jaded or overwhelmed being a mom (and that goes for working moms too!).

Visit the reviewers blog here: Superdoulamom

Grace Cafe Retreat

I never had the chance to finish telling you about the retreat in Illinois recently. I started in a post below. I've been extremely busy writing my new book every waking moment! For now, I'll at least post some photos and I'll try to finish the story later on. :) Here's the beginning to the story here which is also below.





Taking a moment to pause with a new friend at "Grace Cafe!"




I was so excited when I found out that this was my view outside my bedroom door! I got to be so near Jesus for two nights!




One of the highlights for my daughter, Mary-Catherine was to hold this precious baby!


The women were all wonderful, as were the hosts who took very good care of my daughter and me. It was a pleasure to meet them all!

God bless!

Donna-Marie

PS Thank you so much everyone for all of your prayers for us for a safe flight home in the wintry weather. :)

Grace Cafe Review

Grace Cafe by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle - A Review

by Father Walter Schu, LC

Grace Café is an aptly titled book. How does one discover grace - that sublime reality so distant from most people's vocabulary today and, sadly, so often absent from their lives?

Within these pages, seasoned author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle makes that elusive encounter with grace seem as casual and natural as a mid-morning rendezvous with an old friend to share a cup of coffee at the local corner café.

Grace Café is addressed specifically to moms, "serving up recipes for faithful mothering," as the sub-title indicates. Fyodor Dostoyevsky once said, "Beauty will save the world." If that is true, then this simple book could bring many moms one step closer to salvation. Even and especially in the midst of the daily trials of raising a family, such as being confronted with a steadily growing mountain of unfolded clothes, the beauty of motherhood alights from the page to capture hearts.

In response to the culture's utilitarian exalting of careerism for women, O'Boyle ponders the value of being a mother, the transcendent mission it entails: "Women have been put through the mill, so to speak. However, as Christian mothers, we can consider the fact that nothing can be more meaningful than to be part of the creation of a human being, to be able to nurture it within our bodies, and then raise our child within a loving home - preparing him or her for eternal life. In my opinion, nothing compares - nothing!"

The simple prose reveals a warm mother's heart, as O'Boyle conveys hints on how to carve out time for prayer and savor the grace of the present moment in a family where the young ones always seem to grow up just a bit too quickly. Interspersed with personal anecdotes are succinct quotes from the wisdom of the saints - especially Pope John Paul II and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, with whom the author was a personal friend for ten years.

All mothers know that their vocation entails its share of difficult moments, and O'Boyle tackles this aspect of motherhood head on in the chapter "Discovering Grace within Suffering." She reflects, "This whole concept of giving and hurting may seem absurd, especially in today's culture. Why should we feel uncomfortable - God forbid - or selfless, when we can avoid it? It's because the love in our motherly heart calls us to it; it beckons us to give of ourselves unreservedly. Real love demands blood, sweat, and tears." She sums things up with these encouraging words from St. Ignatius of Loyola: "If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that he has great designs for you, and that he certainly intends to make you a saint."

The book concludes with poems and prayers that any mother will surely identify with. Particularly touching is one entitled "Seen by God Alone."

Her hands are red, wrinkled, and chapped from the bitter wind
As she pins the clothespins, one after another,
To the line of clothes, already stiffening in the freezing temperature.
The bitter wind mercilessly lifts at the hem of her coat,
Attempting to blow through her clothes and whip at her back.

She briskly continues her loving tasks,
Unnoticed by the speeding motorists passing by.
Only Our Lord sees her putting out her family's laundry to dry,
Stretching out her arms,
Hanging out one wet article of clothing after another,
As only a mother's love can.
Our Lord will never fail to notice all mothers'
Seemingly hidden loving acts of service to their families
All around the world.

__________________________________________________

Father Walter Schu, LC, is the author of Splendor of Love, also available through Circle Press. He grew up on a small farm in Minnesota, the second of seven children. He studied for the priesthood in Rome and has an STL in moral theology summa cum laude, specializing in marriage and family. He was ordained a priest in 1994 and currently teaches at the Legion of Christ Seminary in Cheshire, Connecticut.

My Grace Cafe week end...

A few highlights from my week end...I flew to Illinois to give a retreat to a group of over 100 lovely women. The theme of the retreat was Grace Cafe!

The travel was interesting! I traveled with my darling daughter, Mary-Catherine. On Friday morning we checked out the flights to see if there would be any delays. Even though it had been snowing in Chicago, the flights were running on schedule according to the Internet. We arrived at the airport and checked our baggage in and got our tickets. The woman then told us that there would be a three hour delay due to the snow and ice in Chicago! Darn! If only we had known, we wouldn't have hurried to the airport. Oh well, my daughter and I would spend the next four hours - yes, four, since we arrived an hour early, at that little airport. Oh, I forgot to mention that the woman also told us that there may be additional delays and that we should listen for announcements. I wondered if I would make it to the retreat on time.

So, after saying "good bye" to my husband and older daughter, Jess who was on her way to the train to go into NYC, we made our way upstairs to find a little coffee shop. We ordered a couple of sandwiches and as I took the first bite, we heard a garbled announcement that sounded as if our flight was going to board in ten minutes. I walked over to the next table to ask two gentlemen sitting there if they had heard the announcement. They confirmed that it was indeed our flight. They would be scrambling too. A few quick bites of my egg salad sandwich and we had to rush to the boarding gate. As we grabbed our gear and headed out of the coffee shop, another garbled announcement told us that we should board in four minutes!

We arrived to a person-less gate. What now? I asked someone passing by what we were supposed to do and were instructed to go outside. I asked why we were boarding so quickly after we were told about the three hour delay. The woman said, "If we don't get you there now, we're not going at all because there's another snow storm coming to Chicago later on."

I dragged my carry-on suitcase stuffed full with Grace Cafe books through a snowy runway with Mary-Catherine at my side. What? Where was our plane? The wind was blowing, my arms were full, and it was freezing cold out. I tried to grab the hood of my coat from behind me with one hand and throw it over my head to cut the wind. We walked and walked and approached a plane that someone had pointed to. We had to climb up the stairs with me dragging up the carry-on. Stepping into the plane, I banged my head and couldn't believe that the plane was so small. We found our seats and I took out my cell phone before we were told to turn them off, to call the woman at the retreat house. I asked that she please go back into the chapel and say a few prayers for us because of the rinky dink plane we had just boarded and the whole cartoon feel to the situation. Would this plane make it through the snowy weather?

Actually, although I welcomed as many prayers as we could get, I felt that God certainly had His hand in this because the three hour delay changed so dramatically and we were allowed to board much sooner than we had anticipated. I was glad about that since I knew there was another snowstorm coming later that evening. I wanted to get there in between storms so we would be safe. I don't really like traveling in the winter.

To be continued (Sorry, but I'm tired)...

Stay tuned for news about my trip to Illinois!

Stay tuned! I'll be posting about my retreat week end in Illinois which centered around my book Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering.

Reviews of my new books!

Karen Edmisten has posted reviews of my new books at her blog. I have printed them below...ENJOY!

Grace Cafe: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering

Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle is a prolific writer. Her latest books -- yes, plural! Two of them! -- are as lovely and inspirational as her other work, most of which is built on the conviction that mothers are living out an indispensable vocation.


Grace Cafe offers "recipes" that will nourish any mother, perhaps especially anyone struggling with her vocation as a stay-at-home mom. I readily identified with this passage:

"Others would say, 'Oh, it's nice that you have the luxury to stay home.'

Yet I believe that it is not a luxury. It is a choice and a decision to do without some material things and comforts ...."
This has certainly been true in our case. At times, it doesn't feel like a luxury at all to be at home, but rather like the sacrifice that it is. Don't get me wrong -- I love being an at-home mom, and it is a privilege. But a privilege is not the same as a luxury. Serving God is always a privilege, even when it's hard. Financially, emotionally, and in other ways, being a stay-at-home mom can be hard. But mothering has eternal value, and Donna-Marie knows this truth.

The truth is reinforced with quotes from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II, and various saints. And, don't all moms need such authoritative and powerful reinforcement? Particularly the kind that helps us to find holiness within our homes, rather than encouraging us to seek it elsewhere. Grace Cafe includes one of my favorite quotes on holiness for moms:

"It is most laudable in a married woman to be devout, but she must never forget that she is a housewife. And sometimes she must leave God at the altar to find him in her housekeeping."

The Domestic Church: Room by Room: A Mother's Study Guide

The Domestic Church: Room by Room covers much of the same territory, but Donna-Marie never seems to exhaust it. Though an individual would benefit from reading, this book is arranged as a study guide for a group, with discussion questions at the end of each section. (And, pssst ... don't worry, busy moms -- the answers are there, too! So don't worry about passing class.)


The Domestic Church, like all of Donna-Marie's books, backs up its exhortation with solid sources such as quotes from Scripture, encyclicals and saints.

I love Donna-Marie's realism, too. In this book, she includes a beautiful quote from Blessed Teresa of Calcutta:

"A living love hurts. Jesus, to prove His love for us, died on the Cross. The mother, to give birth to her child, has to suffer. If you really love one another properly, there must be sacrifice."
And she honestly addresses "temptations to abandon the heart of the home," noting that mothers can get discouraged, or feel unrecognized and unappreciated. She writes: "A mother who is fighting this interior battle may feel, or even state that she is 'just' a mother. I have heard this so often, and I will tell the mom that she is 'not just a mother!'"

This is the heart of Donna's message, and this is her mission: to help other moms realize that their work is a vital, vibrant, holy vocation.

I highly recommend Donna-Marie's books to newly married women and new mothers, and to moms of any age who seek encouragement and affirmation in their vocation.

And so, dear moms, if you have any doubts about the worth of your daily struggles, sacrifices and joys, dig into these books. When you've finished, you'll close them with a contented sigh, knowing that someone out there understands your worth and knows what you're going through ... that you are storing up treasures in heaven.

*******

Thanks so much, Karen! You can visit Karen's blog here.

I have extended my contest...

I have extended my contest until 9:00 PM Eastern time tonight (Tuesday, December 16th) to give people a chance to enter. See this link for details about the contest to win both of my two new books in time for Christmas!


I also am running a great sale on my two new books. Check the website by clicking here to see all of my books and the sale on the new ones, Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering and The Domestic Church: Room by Room: A Mother's Study Guide. You can't win if you don't enter. :)


God bless,

Donna-Marie

For Christmas gift-giving...

I have extended my launch sale for my two new books, Grace Cafe: Serving up Recipes for Faithful Mothering and The Domestic Church: Room by Room for Christmas gift buying. There's still time to get your autographed and inscribed books delivered by Priority Mail to you to arrive before Christmas.

Take a look at my website here and check out the book page to see all of the titles. The new books are displayed on the front web page as well.

Also, I will be running a contest today. I will be on Teresa Tomeo's show (click here) this morning at 9:15 AM Eastern time. For all of the listeners who visit any of my blogs today and leave a comment, you will be entered into a drawing to win BOTH copies of my new books! Just be sure to leave a comment at one of my three blogs by 8:00 PM Eastern time and say that you want to be entered into the contest to win the books. That's all you have to do! I will pick the winner tonight and announce it on my blogs.

I hope you get a chance to tune into the radio show this morning. Details are in a post below and right here with a link to listen LIVE from your computer.

May God bless your Advent season!

Donna-Marie

Lisa Hendey's video clip : First Week of Advent

Lisa Hendey has a new video clip for the first week of Advent. She also shares a bit about my two new books, The Domestic Church: Room By Room: A Mother's Study Guide and Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering. It's a short clip. Have a look by clicking here.

My interview on Catholic Spotlight about both my new books

When you have time to sit with a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, pull up your chair or rocker and click here to hear my recent interview with Chris Cash on the Catholic Spotlight talking about my two new books, Grace Cafe: Serving Up Recipes for Faithful Mothering and The Domestic Church: Room By Room