Listening
One of the hardest lessons that I am learning is also one of the greatest arts in this life especially when it comes to personal relationships - listening. I am going to guess that a characteristic of a great conversationalist is the ability to listen and really hear another person out. It is my desire to be a better listener and to continue to improve this skill throughout the rest of my days.
Yesterday, my daughter asked me, "Don't you want to always be growing?" and I said, "yes, to the end of my days."
Really, it is my prayer and my heart's desire to remain teachable. I believe a key element to being teachable is the ability to listen to others, to learn from them and hear what message is being communicated.
There is a second type of listening and that is listening to God. The most basic way to do that is through the Word of God - to read my bible. I believe there are other ways: through people, through nature and in the midst of our circumstances. It is my belief that God does want to reach us through these means as well. My job is to discern and to listen carefully. In John Jesus talks about being our shepherd and us being his sheep. The sheep know the voice of their Shepherd. So, I believe that Jesus can speak to me through any means and if it lines up with His Word then I can pretty much trust that the word is from Him. Sometimes I need to check it out with a brother or sister in Christ and I am not afraid to do so.
Closing my mouth is not only helpful but is essential in the pursuit of becoming an active listener. For most of my pilgrim journey this has been an ongoing lesson. Some of us need to learn to speak up and others of us need to learn to keep quiet. I am so grateful to be on this road knowing that there are bends and turns that will continue to shape my character.
Thanks for reading. CM

Young People
My children are no longer children, they are young people, teenagers. Growing up more quickly than I expected. We have had our share of struggles but all in all we are still enjoying and discipling our children. What I sometimes find hard is that I am still growing up as well. Yesterday in my spirit I felt like I was going to break but it is during those times that I think that I need to be still before our Father and remember that He is the Potter and that I am the clay, that my life is not my own that I was bought with a price, that I am to do His will and not my own.
I am so grateful for the relationships that I have with each of my children. Lately, I have been reading about and witnessing great struggles between young people and their parents. In my life, I have read many books (many more as an adult than when I was young) and some things really stick, "Rules without relationships equals rebellion" I read that in 1988 on my honeymoon (I could tell you book and the author too :-) It is not enough to lay down the law with our children, we must give them our time, attention and our hearts. It is the heart part that is the most challenging. It requires us to be vulnerable, open, honest and transparent but I am seeing how it is worth it, even when it is painful.
Today I am treasuring the time we have with our children as we can see the crossroads that are quickly approaching with our oldest - the others time is not far behind.

What direction?
I have these arrow stickies that I really like and right now I have 5 of them all pretty much pointing in the same direction. It is quite orderly in fact. Somedays do you feel like you have arrow stickies all pointing in different directions and you are not sure which way to go. I think I need to go to the Father as it feels like I have 5 stickies staring me in the face that requires me to go 5 different ways all at the same time. Augggh!
The new Switchfoot album has a song that states that we have one life to lead and at the same time asks the question, What direction? Going to the Father gave me the direction I needed and I was able to take the path that He led me down. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be must have been Him carrying me.

INBOX
Most mornings I check my email. What's in my inbox this morning? NYTimes: Scramble for the Primary Race, Truth for Life Daily: Recall God's mercies, Region 8 tournament dates, I'd like to get this (from one of my kids), Expedia, Off-topic SHFL list: Struggling with teens (shouldn't that be ON topic?), Feedblitz, among others. Checking your email is like checking the answering machine back in the days before email. We use it to communicate with one another.
Remember when it was a novelty and you would get a nice email from a friend. It is not that I still don't get those kinds of emails but more and more this is how I stay connected to the world. Recently, I was gone for 2 weeks and I didn't get to check my email. I think I have gotten through most of it, but I missed checking it. I am unashamedly technology dependent.
I'm a saver too. My husband can't stand to look at my inbox and now that I have gmail, I am even more unlikely to clean it out. On occasion I do clean it out even though gmail "says" you never have to delete any email you have 2809 MB.

On the other hand, I have friends from around the country and it is a great way to stay in touch. I also love getting pictures of the little nieces and nephews back home who we are missing growing up. So I love when I get those invites from my sister-in-law, Shosh to view her latest photos. If people are not blogging about their life then the next best thing is the pictures. Some say a picture says a thousand words.
Writing this reminds me that I still have a few new email addresses to put in my contact list. Don't stop communicating with one another, keep in touch.
Hopefully I am sitting in your inbox waiting to be read.

Catch the Vision
In 2002, Grace and I attended our first Communicators for Christ (CFC) conference in MA. It was here that I first heard about the vision of Communicators for Christ. The next one we made was in New Albany, IN when we were living in VA Beach in the October 04. It was there that I began to see the vision but it was not until the fall of 2005 in the city of Nashua, NH that Dan and I caught the vision the Lord had given to David & Teresa Moon for the up and coming generation, to coach cultural communicators for Christ.

Communicators are being trained. Some of the most godless young people are being trained to lead our country and some of them will be leading flock astray as well (yes, I do mean from the pulpit). CFC says we can and must train our young people for Christ. It is not about the awards and accolades. It is about communicating the truth. We are indeed swimming upstream but in God's strength and not our own, there is great hope for this generation of young people.

It is our first priority to make sure our children know the truth and are walking in it. Of course, we realize that our children can not give away what they themselves do not possess. It is however, not enough for us to simply leave them there, knowing and walking in the truth. They need to be able to communicate the truth effectively, winsomely and intelligently. CFC is helping my husband and I to do that, as well as, giving our children opportunities to help others.

Now, I can't wait to get back to the club here in Gainesville and continue to encourage and exhort others to press on and continue to sharpen those skills to make a difference now as well as in the future.
PAX,
CM

War of Words
This is the title of the book I am now using for my daily devotional. It is recommended by my friend Teresa Moon and written by Paul David Tripp. Yesterday, I did say there was hope in winning the war of words and the words from this book are not new, however they are important. C.S. Lewis said, "we do not so much need to be taught as to be reminded."

"we must learn to think before we speak" that is something I read this morning. How many times have I said this to my own children? or to myself after the "toothpaste is out of the tube"? Mr. Tripp refers us to Proverbs 15 verse 28, "The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil." This is not a new lesson but sometimes it is forgotten. There are moments like the one in the van where I wish I had just paused for a moment and sought the Lord before I spoke. We can! but we must remember. My prayer is that I would take enough time to stop in my tracks and turn to the Lord and ask, will these words bring glory to YOU, Lord? and will these words be beneficial to my hearers?

Looking to be bold by the Might of the Lion of Judah,
Catherine

Seventy times Seven
As some of you know, we (the Mullaney Pilgrims) are involved with public speaking and debating. The ministry of Communicators for Christ (CFC) helps us to prepare our young people for these activities and for the past 2 weeks we have been challenged, stretched and equipped to become better communicators at the 10th CFC Masters conference.
We heard from polished instructors and teachers who communicate in a professional and gracious manner and the following story from the road reminds us that the tongue is one of the most difficult things in this world to tame. However, there is hope in winning the war of words.
It's the 11th hour on the road and someone needs to go to the bathroom. Oh yes, there have been quite a few stops before this one, but like I said, it's the ELEVENTH hour and we are close to home. On this particle part of the journey I am riding in my friend's van (without her ;-( and 8 young people, three of whom are mine. Truth be told I lost my temper and not really sure now if I apologized or not, I think I did but if I didn't, I ask those of you who were with me, will you forgive me?
Why am I highlighting one of "my moments," the ones that we all hope and pray that everyone will forgive and forget about? Well it has to do with love - not the selfish love of I will love you as long as you give me what I want but the deep and true love that the Lover of our souls calls us to extend to one another. This is the love that includes forgiveness. It wasn't enough for Jesus to just love us, He could have done that from above, however in Romans Paul says, "but God demonstrates his own love to us in this, that while we were still sinners He died for us" and the death, the shedding of his blood was for the forgiveness of sins.
I sinned and I am truly sorry. The Lord granted us traveling mercies and for that I am grateful. It was a van full of firstborns, 6 including myself and it is amazing that the clashes were few and far in between. As we continue to debrief from our trip these things come up and I desire to be washed in the blood of the lamb and know that God's graces and mercies far outweigh my blunders.
Riding 800 miles with 8 young people was an adventure and I would do it again in a heartbeat. We road without a stereo or DVD player - IMAGINE, just with one another and a number of cell phones. Everyone took care of one another and stuck together; no one was left behind at McDonald's or anywhere else for that matter. There was an issue with the number 7 but all in all it was a good ride home and I look forward to more journeys in the coming year.
PAX,
CM

The Body of Christ
Today I wrote emails to Mississippi, California and Washington. Just following up with some friends from the Masters conference. Our world has gotten so much bigger not just because we move often but also because of our involvement with competitive speech and debate. Our children are now also speaking out in the community and helping others to develop their communication skills while continuing to work on their own skills. It is an exciting and fast pace part of raising a family and I would not miss it for the world.
Thanks to everyone especially the Moon family for contributing to the lives of our three children. We are so grateful to God for you being a part of our lives.

To Serve the Master

Dan finally caught his breath and said, "Grace is in the finals for the oratorical contest and it is about to start any minute." I was just finishing ballots for another activity that I was judging. I thought, I don't want to miss this, so I packed up my things and made it into the room, just in time.

We have just returned from the Communicators for Christ Masters Conference. Each year they have an oratorical contest based on the theme for the upcoming year and the speech the students have to write is based on that theme. This year's is "One Life Whose Legacy?" All three of my children wrote a speech for the contest - three very different speeches. The final round was a great group of very different speeches based on this one theme.

Grace's speeches starts, "What shall I say?" quoting Sarah Edwards the wife of Jonathan Edwards and the legacy of this man is what Grace would be sharing about in this speech. The powerful legacy left by this one man is inspirational but so is my daughter who is growing into not just an outstanding orator but also a beautiful hand-maiden of her Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace quietly and joyfully served faithfully in several areas during this Masters Conference and several of the local team expressed their gratitude for my daughter. As a mom it was humbling and heartwarming. I am grateful for all three of my children and our oldest child is completing the shortest season of life: childhood. Words cannot express the gratitude I have in my heart for being there in each stage of development.

Catherine
The results of the oratorical will soon be posted at the CFC website
Check it out soon.

Not all commodes are equal

I plunged again this morning. The first day we were in this apartment we arrived without a plunger and we were almost immediately in trouble. One of the interesting things in moving often is learning to adjust to very simple things like the toilets. We have two in this place.
Life lesson for a pilgrim if I ever settle down: No two commodes are alike. I would want a permanent residence with a good powerful flush. (does that mean I am easy to please or just full of . . .? ;-)

Pax and Elimination,
CM

Heuristic Home Education


The world of forensics is consuming us, all for the glory of God. Now when I speak of forensics I don't mean we are examining cadavers. However, there are people who would rather be a cadaver then take the public platform to speak. It is just amazing that I even have access to this computer at this time since my children each need to Preparing speeches writing, practicing, delivering and debates, researching, writing cases, researching, debating, writing briefs, etc.
and "does this outfit look professional enough Mom?"
"Can we go to Wal-mart?"
"We are almost out of black ink mom....(we need to go to Wal-Mart)"
"When are we leaving (translates to: how much time do I have left to memorize these speeches?)

The three young people that live and travel with us are constantly learning new things.

Discovery, questions, findings

Creativity

struggling

growing up

living at the same address (for more than six months) perhaps by the next time we move they will all know our zip code.

Time

is

getting

short

Caitriona
I realized today that the url for my blog was not the same as the title for my blog. If I were to change the name I go by again which I did in 1991, it would be "Caitriona." It was while reading a Stephen Lawhead book out loud to my kids that I first came across the name. Immediately I liked it. So perhaps when I turn 50 or get published hoping that the latter will come before the former I will take on a new name again. Caitriona Pellegrino or maybe Caitriona Palmer, both surnames mean pilgrim. It really would not be new just a different form of the same name which is what I did in '91.
Of course, there are a number of people who still call me by the name my parents gave me. I don't think Dan would appreciate my changing my surname, but if it was just a pen name I don't think he'd mind.

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. " Proverbs 22;1

The meaning of my name is purity which was a complete joke to me before I was a Christian. Being bad was good. Growing up, I thought it was cool to be bad. Then I found out that everyone is bad and in need of forgiveness, redemption and restoration. Now I see that the Lord speaking my full name over me through my husband that He is in the business of making his children pure through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.


Here we are into the new year. It is a strange new year because we are not in a new place. Believe it or not, it has been a real adjustment for me. Something inside is longing to go. We really are creatures of habit. Soon enough I will be on the road with my children, heading to KY for a couple of weeks. It is however not the same as moving to a new city and state. Pray that the Lord give me peace and joy in being right where I am and doing exactly what he intends for me to do.
Pax,
Caitriona

The END of 2006
and

the beginning of 2007
.....ring in the new year with glad anticipation.

Full Throttle
Clean thoughts from a caffeine junkie

Standing in line at Wal-Mart, I noted that at every register there are a wide selection of energy drinks. Full Throttle is one of just a slew of energy drinks on the market - Full Throttle from Coca-Cola Company, Adrenaline Rush, Amp Energy drink, Double Shot from Starbucks, No Fear from SoBe and of course, RedBull which is the one first introduced in the US. European and Asia countries have been consuming these energy drinks longer than we have. ("who's this 'we' Tonto? Americans) On occasion I have had an energy drink but I considered RedBull, well, high test and not sure how I would react.
It made me question, why do we need energy? a pick me up? coffee in the morning? In three words, "we never stop" I totally agree with the "I would rather burn out than fade away" but if God rested on the 7th day who are we to think that we don't need rest?
Rest - It is a biblical principle that I think is being overlooked these days. We need down time and we need it regularly. There are so many principles to put into practice. Often we translate that into being active. That reminds me of a bumper sticker, "Look busy, Jesus is coming back." You have to stay busy even if you are not accomplishing anything. At least you look the part. It is hard in our society to just be, after all, we are human beings but we act like human doings. Physical rest, mental and spiritual rest are all necessary. It would do us good to learn from orthodox Jews about the sabbath rest. I do realize that they take it to the extreme but if we find a way to implement it into our lives I believe we will burn brightly for years to come, eventually coming to the burn out, not fading away or rusting out.

As I sit here, drinking my morning jump juice, I am realizing that this is what I am missing in my staying in one place longer than usual. When we move to a new place, all we have is each other. There is time to relax after the unpacking is done. We go exploring and each of us has time to spend alone and with each other. It is up to us to get to know other folks and we have in every place we have lived. The rest of my time here in G'ville will be more productive, if I make rest a regular part of my week. For today, there are routes to be routed, lists to be made, speeches to be polished and debates to be had in preparation for the Masters conference that we leave for in just 9 short days.
I hope each of you find some time to rest this weekend.
Pax,
Catherine

6 Months in Gainesville and starting our 13th month in the Sunshine State. Sure there are other states to see but staying for a while longer than we are use to is an adventure too. Imagine, cooking a turkey without having boxes to pack in between basting the bird. Christmas with a real tree, of course, we still have our travel size "you can't have Christmas, GML tree" and it has taken a beating but still looks marvelous.
I am ready to go when the time comes but for now I am content to stay. It is wonderful getting to work and serve along side my husband and children. For all of those who have welcomed us we can not thank you enough for your Gracious Gator Hospitality.
PS
If anyone up North reads this say Happy Birthday to our nephew Nicky who turns 17 today.

Pilgrim latest read, The Highlander's Last Song by George MacDonald
Originally titled What's Mine's Mine
I just wanted to post a few quotes before I return the book to the shelf.

One of them I am currently using in my email signature,
"A love can never be lost; it is a true possession."

For those of us who are on the pilgrim highway,
"God did not make the world to be dwelt in but to be journeyed through."

Those who long for abundant living,
"...think she(Mercy) must, for she found herself in a region of human life drastically different from any she had ever experienced. Everything said or done seemed to acknowledge something understood. Life went on with a continuous lean toward something rarely mentioned, plainly uppermost. The mother and her two sons appeared to know things which her own people did not even suspect."

Fragile
I have been to the post office a few times in the past 2 weeks. The second time I was in line with a few things to mail. Some of them needed to be weight and mailed off with the proper postage. Of course the clerk asks the usual "anything fragile, hazzardous, liquid or perishable?" I don't think I said anything and the clerk stamped on the front of a certain envelop "fragile," as if she could see on my face that part of my heart was in the 6x9 envelop.
I walked out in a sort of dream like state. Am I that transparent? Then I remembered a little section from the latest George MacDonald novel that I just finished reading:
"It is the desire to call things ours - the desire of company which is not of our kind. We call the holding in the hand, or house, or pocket, or purse, or the power, having. But things so held cannot really be had. Having is but an illusion with regard to things. It is only what we can be with that we really possess. A love can never be lost; it is a true possession. But who can take his diamond ring, or his piece of land, in to the life beyond? These are not possessions. Thus, only love, and only God can be ours perfectly. Nothing called property can be ours at all."
Although, the card and the words that were written are an expression of my love they were not fragile in the world's definition however in the spiritual world the contents were indeed precious and would be handled with much care.

Holiday Cheer
Please visit my daughter Grace's blog
where I have a guest post named "Hap-happiest Season of all." It is the second to last current post.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Let the stories be told
For those of you who I write a letter to on a semi regular basis, you know the kind that comes via the US Postal Service, well I wrote most of it in October and then my computer got sick. It is still in the computer shop waiting for a transplant. The machine is ancient (nearly 4 years old) so you have to wait for parts longer when they are that old.
At present each person in our family is writing their own novel. We are doing NanoWrimo which is writing a novel in the month of November 50,000 words is the goal. You read that right FIFTY THOUSAND. Each of us has over 25,000 words that is well over 125,000 (I think each of the children have over 30K each). WOW. This is my time on the computer to get some writing do but instead I am posting here. Perhaps I will go put the coffee on and then get into my book. The Title is Identity Theft (subtitle) It is not your number they want but the name that they refuse to give you. A futuristic story of the US being in the midst of civil war, families are becoming a thing of the past, all children are wards of the state and some refuse to let the government tare their families apart.
Recently, Michael got to meet one of his favorite author's Lemony Snicket aka Daniel Handler on a surprise trip to Atlanta with me. The girls went to St. Pete's (St. Petersburg, FL) to meet one of their favorite authors (most of Grace's favorites are dead and Angie is fully alive) Angela Hunt. Katie is the one who really introduced us to her writing.
The written word in both the reading and the writing of has always been important to our family but now for the month of November anyway, it has taken first place. Time to brew in more way than one.
Pax Vobiscum,
Catherine

Time to start writing a little more regularly. I have haphazardly been posting on my other blog www.xanga.com/macgrill but I think that I probably won't be posting there anymore since xanga has the rights to whatever you write – hence here I am.
Since my last posting we have had many life-giving experiences which I will not go into right now. The day before yesterday I opened a box marked "after G'ville" which to me meant after we left G'ville in late September which obviously did not happen. (We are on “assignment” in G’ville for now, possibly staying through May.) The box had books in it and they are treasures to us. Since hitting the road we do not own a lot of things but we do love books and when we pull them out, it feels like pulling out a little piece of home. Our family has thoroughly enjoyed reading together. Currently we are reading Brother Andrew’s “Light Force” which is about his experiences in the Middle East where he has met with Jihad and Hezbollah leaders, among others in order to dialogue with those in the Muslim world.
I opened the box and immediately came upon 3 books, one by Francis Shaeffer, one by Edith (his wife) and one by Susan (his daughter). Grace is almost finished reading The Tapestry, a book about the Shaeffer family. So we were blessed. The book I started to read is For the Children’s Sake by Susan Shaeffer Macaulay. It was a book I had read years ago when our children were small and that book made Susan an encouraging friend. I am sure I have a copy back in MA somewhere (since we have books in about 4 different places thanks to my book keepers :-) but seeing it on the bookshelf for sale at McKay’s used bookstore for 2 dollars I bought it just to have on my shelf. I started to read it again. Mind you it is not for those faint of heart. It is meaty, right and true but it can be a challenge to those who have not changed their philosophy of education since being “a typical student” themselves. We continue to meet homeschooling moms who are burnt out on doing “school at home” and attempting to fill their children’s minds with facts instead of training them to become life long learners.
So as I started to reread this book, I thought about my most recent encounter with those who actually work in the government schools.
Santa Fe Community College, here in Gainesville offered a free workshop to any educator interested in the ACT testing available to all juniors and seniors across the country. Since, Grace will be taking the SAT’s, I thought why not check it out. I exchanged pleasantries with the woman beside me and then the woman in front of us turned around to join in. This “lady” was obviously strongly opposed to those of us that educate our children at home. As soon as I said that I educated my children at home she started raising her voice, pointing her finger at me and using “you” statements, I finally found something to help us laugh which put an end to what felt like 20 minutes but was most likely about 2. She then turned to the other gov’t. worker and started in on some shop talk, by and large a list of complaints. I found myself thanking God silently that we as a family have not had to deal with all that endless red tape. At first, I felt assaulted but soon I realized that it had nothing to with me personally. Her whole line of “shoulds” implied that I was depriving my children from all that government schools have to offer as if Dan and I do not have sole authority over the direction of our children’s education.
To many in the government schools, we are the enemy. I don’t see them as my enemy, in fact, as I sat there listening to these two women who are constantly swimming up stream, lacking creativity because the bureaucracy has tied their hands and I felt sad for them. As much as some public educators’ love children they can not and must not treat children as individual persons with different learning styles, strengths and weaknesses. They can not truly love them because they are forbidden to honor these dear precious lives.