THE LUSTIG FAMILY: CHRISTMAS COFFEE CAKE....ARE THOSE GUM BALLS?

BEING PRESENT

In the busyness of my life it is so hard to really be present in the moments that Our Lord has blessed me with. I take for granted the huge miracles that surround me because they are hidden in the simplest of places. Watching my children sleep peacefully. Scrubbing little feet and washing little heads of hair. Feeling a tiny hand inside of mine and knowing that I can protect them from everything....knowing that this will not always be the case. Just having little ears hang on my every word! The trust, the unconditional love, the innocents. This blog will help me to see and really appreciate all of those times that seem rather insignificant, but in reality are greatly profound.

OUR BEGINNING " And the two shall become one flesh" Mk 10:8

It was 1993. We were both freshmen in College. We were out dancing when our eyes met. I had no idea that I was going to meet my future husband that night! What an amazing thought! After 4 years of a long distant relationship, Jeremy at Baylor University in Waco, and me at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, we got married on July 19, 1997. Almost 21 years of marriage and 5 kids later, we are more in love now than ever before. We know the meaning of marriage and family and what our Lord has envisioned for us, and we will never give up on each other, even if times get hard! Love is a decision and commitment. It is being able to look your lover in their eyes before God and say "you will NEVER be alone" "I will NEVER leave you". Love is not easy, but when centered on Christ, love truly comes alive and it is this amazing and total Greatness.

MY JEREMY (Jerms)

What can I say about my wonderful and brilliant husband! His name is Jeremy and he is the love of my life. I cannot imagine being without him. He knows everything about me and still somehow finds the grace to keep on loving me. He takes care of us and wants nothing more than to be a best dad ever! He is very playful and giving! He is very much a mans man. He is a hunter and a fisherman! He loves to play and watch sports! He is very outdoorsy but allows me to be very indoorsy (is that a word?) He is such a great business man. He has big ideas and makes them happen! He is loved by so many. He is so good for me. He is laid back and fun and has shown me how to let go more and enjoy the journey! Most importantly, his heart is big and soft! He has a strong faith in our Lord and is a great evangelist for our Catholic faith. He would help anyone, and wants to help everyone! He does not see a limit to much of anything in life and strives to reach any goal that he sets.

MADISON

Madison was born on Feb. 6, 2000 She is the first born, made me into a mommy! She is an "old soul". Very sweet and worried about everything. She cares so much about other's feelings. She is very spiritual and loves to please Jesus. She is a wonderful friend to all, but gets her feelings hurt easily. Her sensitivity is a huge gift, but sometimes it does not feel like a gift to her. She always chooses the right path and teaches me so much about how to really love and come to our Lord as a little child. She is always exploring and inventing things. She is so creative and constantly amazes us!

SAVANNAH

Savannah was born on Sept. 29, 2002 Our Beautiful Little Peanut! She is just a natural saint! She is filled with love and is quite the peacemaker. She loves to please us and always tries to do the right thing. She is just naturally funny and full of life. She never gets frustrated while struggling with a hard task. She just gets back in a tries again! Her smile lights up a room and her laugh is contagious. Even strangers take note of her beautiful spirit and zeal She is warm and loving and has a VERY sensitive heart. She loves sports and is pretty good at every sport she tries. She is our little tomboy. I have no idea how that happened!

NICHOLAS "Nicky Noodles"

Nicholas was born on July 19, 2004 He is our little man! He is so darn cute!!! He is all boy and has a lot of spirit. He is very fun to be with and is very loving and snuggly with me. He loves to please others and has a very soft heart but gets frustrated easily. Nicholas is our "throw your hands in the air and give up" child! He can be so hard on himself when he cannot do something right. He loves to make us laugh and make people happy. He doesn't always understand why others make bad choices and that frustrates him at times. Nick wants to be just like daddy. He loves everything about him and daddy's approval is so important to him. He has the passion to change the world!

ISAAC

Isaac was born on March 29, 2014 Isaac is our little miracle baby!! Our family prayed 9 long years for Isaac. He has filled our house with a joy that only a new life can bring....he NEVER stops smiling!! Isaac is loved SO MUCH by Mommy, Daddy, and his 3 siblings. Madison, Savannah, and Nicholas are always eager to hold "little man"....in fact there is usually a line for snuggle time at any given moment. Little Isaac brings so much happiness to our home. He continues to make us laugh each day and we are so thankful for him. Isaac turned this happy family of 5, into....."Lustig Party of 6" Thank you Lord for all of our sweet children.....all 4!!

GRACIE ANN

Gracie Ann was born on Feb. 27, 2016 She is our little baby bunny....she is sweet and holds all of our hearts in her tiny little hands. She is an angel from Heaven and is truly Grace Personified. She reflects our Lord's Perfect Love to everyone who looks upon her and brings powerful healing to the hearts of those who hold her. She is our little miracle baby and we love her so much....also, she has the cutest baby sneeze ever heard on this earth! Little Miss Gracie has now turned our happy family of 6 into- "Lustig, Party of 7" Thank you Lord for all of our sweet children....all 5!

PRAYER FOR THE HOLINESS OF OUR FAMILY

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Teach me patience and wisdom. Show me how to train my children to be worthy children of God. Let me be kind and loving, but keep me from foolish indulgence. Pray to your Son for my children, dear Mother. Keep them from all danger, especially from spiritual danger. Help them to become virtuous adults, but let them not forget the Kingdom of God. Jesus of Bethlehem, make my children love each other and their home. Help them to work and pray together in holy peace. Holy Family of Nazareth, be with us all, father, mother and children, every day of our lives. I humbly greet thee, faithful Guardian Angels of my children. I give thee heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them. Someday I shall repay your care for them with thanks more worthy than I can now give, and before the whole heavenly court shall acknowledge their debt of gratitude to thy guidance and protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray also for me, for my husband, and for my whole family, that we may all one day rejoice in thy blessed company in Heaven. Amen.

MOTHER'S PRAYER FOR HER VOCATION

Dear God, give me the grace to appreciate the dignity of motherhood, which Thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me, and to fulfill its duties according to Thy Will. By my prayers and good example, may I lead my husband and my children closer to Thy Sacred Heart. Make me a devoted wife to my husband and a good mother to my children after the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Almighty God, I thank Thee for the blessed care and protection with which Thou hast embraced my family. I humbly submit to Thy decrees and resign myself to Thy Divine Providence. I grasp Thy guiding hand, and I shall never follow my own ways lest they lead me astray. Thy good pleasure shall be my happiness; Thy commandments shall be my only rule of conduct. Thy Will shall be my will, and Thy service shall be the object of all my desires. Lord, grant me peace of mind because of my trust in Thy Providence, an unwavering and cheerful courage founded on my faith in Thy tremendous love, faithfulness to duty resulting from a constant awareness of Thy presence, and a firm hope of eternal reward. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I implore Thy blessing upon my family that we all may serve Thee faithfully in this life and deserve to be reunited in the eternal happiness of Thy heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

THE BEAUTIFUL HANDS OF A PRIEST

"We need them in life's early morning, We need them again at its close; We feel their warm clasp of true friendship, We seek them when tasting life's woes. At the altar each day we behold them,And the hands of a king on his throne Are not equal to them in their greatness;Their dignity stands all alone; And when we are tempted and wander,To pathways of shame and of sin, It's the hand of a priest that will absolve us--Not once, but again and again. And when we are taking life's partner,Other hands may prepare us a feast, But the hand that will bless and unite us--Is the beautiful hand of a priest. God bless them and keep them all holy,For the Host which their fingers caress; When can a poor sinner do better,Than to ask Him to guide thee and bless? When the hour of death comes upon us,May our courage and strength be increased, By seeing raised over us in blessing--The beautiful hands of a priest." (Author unknown)

Here is a beautiful Examination from my Prayer Book

1. Does the awareness that I am a child of God and bear the seal of this reality on my soul, permeate my day? Do I behave like His good, faithful son or daughter? Is there anything in particular that satisfies or displeases God, my Father? Have I tried to do God's will in my various activities today? Have I performed them with this intention?

2. Have I tried hard, sincerely, and fervently, to fulfill my spiritual commitments well (i.e prayer time, reading scripture)

3. Have I fulfilled the duties in my state in life (as a son, daughter, parent, spouse, etc...) honestly and responsibly in the spirit of service? Have I sought God's glory and the good of others more than my own personal interests?

4. Have I lived out Christian charity in thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions? In other words, have I done good to others by helping to make them happy, especially those closest to me- being patient, not talking badly of them or holding grudges, forgiving, and helping out as much as I could whenever I had the opportunity?

5. How well have I carried out my mission as an apostle? Did I take the necessary steps and seize opportunities to win souls for Christ? Do I have clear apostolic goals and have I striven to meet them? Was I generous in giving my time and resources to further Christ's interests?

6. What omissions was I guilty of today? (the failure to do something I know that I should and ought to do)

7. Have I taken care to form a sensitive conscience (we cannot always trust our conscience if it is not well formed- we see plenty of people doing things that they feel are perfectly fine but we know, are not. In our humanness, we can justify many actions)

8. Do I know what my root defect is? (i.e Lack of devotion, pride, self-love, vanity, laziness, faultfinding, envy, gluttony, lack of charity, frivolity and superficiality, sensuality, neglectfulness, irresponsibility in my work, individualism, indifference to the common good....)

What have I done today to improve?

9. What was the most positive thing in my day?

10. What was the most negative thing in my day?