Beauty In The Home: Our February Nature Table

I know that we just entered the Lenten season, but I thought I would share this picture of our February nature table.
Obviously it has a Valentine's theme, but we have also included some sledding images and a cute little squirrel. We have a TON of squirrels around here....they race across our deck and constantly ambush the bird feeders. The little squirrel is from a woodland animal figurine set that I bought last year from a country store. He is perched upon a few of my childrens' tree blocks (a Christmas gift from my parents). You may also notice the lovely red rosehips (my mom gave them to me, from her garden).I love them...they are such a lovely shade of red.
The tissue paper heart was made by my 2 year old, Johnpaul, in his waldorf parent-toddler group last year. The heart beanbag is a toy that I sewed for my children to play with.
A nature table (if you're not familiar with them) is a little place you can create in your home to celebrate each season. You can make one anywhere...on a countertop, an occasional table, a nightstand. We used the top of our toy cubby.
By no means do I intend it to be an altar...but it is a great way to remind ourselves of the beauty that God blesses us within each passing month and season.
For me, part of building a culture of life includes creating beauty in our own homes. As a wife and mother, it is important for me to focus on beauty, and to teach my children to do so as well. I think it's important to remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder...I am certainly not the "authority" on beautiful things!
Beauty can be simple...a vase full of field flowers, empty baby food jars in a desk drawer to store things like paper clips, rubberbands, etc. Making things beautiful in our homes, from tabletops to the way we store things, can inspire us in our vocations to be more disciplined, even more focused. For example, it's hard for me to focus in the midst of clutter. Don't get me wrong, here. I have many areas of clutter in my home. We just bought our home a few months ago, and I still have lots of organizing to do. But sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed and exhausted, it's those little glimpses of beauty in my home that give me the strength and inspiration I need to complete the tasks that God has set before me.

The Yes That Blessed My Life

This is my oldest son, Joseph. We call him Joey. Fourteen years ago, he was called a fetus, an option, a choice.

I was only 17. Even though I knew abortion was bad, I was terrified. My boyfriend had left me and when a friend told me she'd had three abortions and knew where I could get one, we called and made an appointment.

I didn't really want an abortion. I was just scared out of my mind. I didn't have the love or support of the baby's father. I couldn't imagine telling my family.

It was honestly by the grace of God that a trusted aunt (a practicing Catholic) suspected I was pregnant. She confronted me lovingly, promising to help me, and I broke down sobbing. I never made it to that appointment...she saved my son's life.

Saying yes to life transformed MY life. When I had my son, it wasn't easy, but God is faithful, and He blessed me in ways I never would have imagined. He changed my heart,and helped me to be a good mother and to change my life. I came back to the Church, and went back to school and onto college, until I left to go into music ministry full-time. I met my husband while singing at a catholic conference (he was the drummer!), and we've been married for almost four years. He became the father Joey never had, and we have two more children now, too. Hopefully we will have more!

My son is funny and charming, creative and smart. He loves sports and reading and being with his friends and family. I cannot imagine what my life would be like now if I had gone to that clinic fourteen years ago. The beautiful kid that you see in this picture would only be a hole in my heart, in my life.

I mean it when I say that all the big blessings in my life began the moment I uttered that one little yes. Abortion is NEVER the answer, it never helps, it never makes things better. If you're pregnant, or you know someone who is, please say YES!

There has never been one day that I have regretted my decision to choose life for my son.