Matt Faley is an incredibly talented musician. A man who happens to be Catholic, his new EP The Only Light, contains five songs - all which have a Jason Mraz-like vibe and are in one way or anther about Mary, the Mother of our Lord.
I had a great time interviewing Matt about his new album and Christian music and I'm excited to share the video with you here. This one is a little lengthy, coming in over 31 minutes, so you may need to save it for when you're folding the laundry, washing the dishes, mopping the floor, or vegging out.
But be sure you listen! Matt is interesting, talented, and has a great sense of humor. I also include some samples of songs from The Only Light to give you a taste for how great the album really is.
I love this thumbnail. It's like we planned it all out:
St. John Paul the Great's feast day is coming up on October 22nd. Here's some fun ways to celebrate.
I don't know why the thumbnail isn't working but the video should...
For more ideas and resources you can:
Check out Melody's Pope Cake recipe. It was JPII's favorite dessert and all of Poland now affectionately calls them Pope Cakes. I had some while in Poland and they were super duper good.
Chris has a recipe for it, too, along with some other great links.
And Mary does, too!
Now if, unlike me, you want to make homemade, from scratch pierogies, here's a recipe.
And finally, let's dance!
PS - This song actually makes me cry.
"Perhaps I love you more."
If you're new here, stick around! You can follow A Knotted Life on Bloglovin' or Feedly.
Plus, I'd love to connect with you. You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I hope to "meet" you soon!
If you're like me, you're thinking, "What? The feast of what? Who? What's this? Why are there dragons?"
My friend Haley came to my rescue and did an interview, walking me through the pronunciation, background, and some ways to celebrate the feast.
Haley was a delight and I hope you enjoy the video! There's links below you'll want to check out too - follow up on some of the things we discussed during our conversation.
Haley's blog, Carrots for Michaelmas.
Haley's cookbook, Feast!
Kendra's devil pinata and more ideas: Fun, Feasting, and Beating the Devil with Swords: a Family Michaelmas
Molly's ideas: Preparing for the Feast
Menu:
Roasted chicken, not from Haley but it'll do until your cookbook arrives in the mail.
(Or you can get a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery story!) Whiskey glazed carrots from the Pioneer Woman.
Blackberry cobbler, also from the Pioneer Woman.
Angel food cake (if you don't want to use a mix) Blackberry compote for the cake.
And in case you don't know the prayer, here it is: +St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, cast into hell satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.+
So raise your hand if you're going to make whiskey glazed carrots and a roasted chicken this Monday, and finish dinner with (Arch)Angle Food Cake with a blackberry compote and the prayer to St. Michael.
(hand raised)
If you're new here, stick around! You can follow A Knotted Life on Bloglovin' or Feedly. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a Knot Bad Video. too!
Plus, I'd love to connect with you. You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I hope to "meet" you soon!
The whole reason I make my Knot Bad Videos is to help people live liturgically - to bring the seasons of the Church into their homes and the every day lives of their families. I especially want to help people who are are just starting out but don't know where to begin.
Maybe that's you.
Maybe you are beginning RCIA so you can join the Church this Easter Vigil (that is so cool!) and you feel like you have so much to learn. So, so much.
Maybe you are a cradle Catholic but you're just now beginning to take your faith seriously. You kinda sorta know what to do but you're not sure exactly what and you really don't know the why or how.
Maybe you're someone who is looking for ideas but has been overwhelmed by Pinterest and other websites. Well, look no further because I have some bare bones ideas here, folks!
In this video I cover some basics like how to make the sign of the cross and how to genuflect. I also share some ways that I work Eucharistic Adoration into my busy life with little kids. If you're not used to making a Holy Hour, well I've got some tricks to hopefully make it less intimidating for you too.
The liturgical season of Ordinary Time, which we are now in, is the time to grow. Here's hoping this video will help us all do just that.
Jennifer Fulwiler's long awaited memoir, Something Other Than God, is being released this Tuesday. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy a little bit early and today I vlogged my review of the book.
If you don't have time to watch the video right now I'll give you the Cliff's Notes version of it:
The book is excellent.
If you haven't yet, you can order Something Other Than God on Amazon. Those who pre-order can also download a free e-book by Jen called The Family First Creative. You can watch an interview on the e-book and learn how to download it by clicking here.
1 - I'm a Matt Maher fan. His Mass of St. Timothy was the Mass sung at our wedding, including the Litany of Saints which we filled with all our favorite saints.
2 - I'd like to get this Polish proverb made into some kind of sign to hang in my house. Maybe in the living room.
3 - This is what we look like when we go for a walk around the neighborhood.
Except it won't be our neighborhood for much longer.
That's right! We SOLD our house!!!! Thank you to everyone who prayed for us. If you could all now say a prayer that we quickly find a wonderful new home I would be ever so grateful.
4 - Earlier this week I was able to do a Skype interview with our lovely Seven Quick Takes hostess, Jennifer Fulwiler. If you haven't gotten a chance to watch it I encourage you to do so. Jen is a delight and I had a lot of fun chatting with her about her new ebook, The Family First Creative. You can see it here.
I'll be sharing some outtakes from the interview on the A Knotted Life Facebook page so be sure to Like it if you have't yet.
5 - I got a good chuckle out of this. I thought other John Wayne fans would appreciate it too.
6 - Ben, who will be 5 this September is already counting down to his next birthday party. There must be balloons, and plenty of them. His Grandma is supposed to take him somewhere special for lunch and then, I was told, then he would like a surprise birthday party waiting for him. Such high demands, but he's so adorable I think I'll give him what he wants.
7 - This week was supposed to be Book Week! on my blog but selling a house, celebrating Travis' birthday, and life all got in the way. Come back every day *next* week and I'll have a give away and some reviews of some books that I really loved.
Have a great weekend, everyone. God bless you all.
And thanks again, Jen!
I had the great privilege to interview future New York Times best selling author* Jennifer Fulwiler via Skype.
We chatted about her new ebook The Family First Creative, what her family does to make their home a domestic church, and the way her conversion has changed all her priorities.
Thank you so much, Jen, for the (two) interviews! You're a hoot!
Pre-order Jen's memoir, Something Other Than God, at Amazon and then pop over to Conversion Diary to get your free copy of The Family First Creative. Also, a couple of outtakes will be released in the coming days but only on the A Knotted Life Facebook fan page so make sure you've Liked it!
*We can make this happen! Wouldn't that be awesome if OUR FRIEND Jen made the NYT's Best Sellers List!!!!!?
In my newest Knot Bad Video I talk about how I get my home ready for Lent. There's two basic things I do to try to mark the Lenten season in my home. It's nothing too earth shattering, but it makes a big difference for us and hopefully my suggestions will inspire someone who is looking for a way to observe Lent.
Because people have asked, the image of Eve and Mary can be purchased here from the contemplative nuns at Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey. It's so beautiful!
For more resources on how to keep Lent and prepare you soul for Easter, check out these links:
Fantastic list of 66 things to give up or take up for Lent (in beginner, intermediate, and advanced) from Catholic All Year.
A round-up of links, recipes, and feast days that are coming up in March with Liturgical Living at a Glance at Carrots for Michaelmas.
Catholic Icing's fabulous printable Lenten Calendar for kids - it's the one we use every year and showed it in the video.
Sign up to get free daily Lenten reflections from Fr. Robert Barron.
First and foremost, I need to make something very, very clear. It is not my intention to anticipate the judgment of the Catholic Church in regards to the cause for canonization for Venerable Archbishop Fulton John Sheen. I submit wholeheartedly to the infallible wisdom and judgment of the Catholic Church in regards to the life and work of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen.
But let's hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will move the Church to declare him a saint, okay?!
Suggestions for your Sheen-azing menu:
Here's some good, ole Midwestern casseroles.
Soybeans or, as fancy people call them, edamame recipes.
Maybe with a side of cornbread.
With New York cheesecake for dessert.
For more info on Sheen or my son James you can click on my "Sheen" tab at the top of the blog.
More importantly, please continue to pray the Novena for the canonization of Venerable Sheen with me.
Novena Day 7
“Mary is not only mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but she is also our mother, and this is not by a title of courtesy, not by legal fiction, not by a mere figure of speech, but by the right of bringing us forth in sorrow at the foot of the cross….Mary, by sacrifice and obedience, regained for us the title, Mother of the living. What a destiny to have the Mother of God as my Mother and Jesus as my brother.” Archbishop Fulton J Sheen
Lord, Fulton Sheen learned obedience at the school of Mary. He had such a great relationship with her; he knew that when he went before the judgment seat of Christ You would say ‘I heard my Mother speak of you.’ Help us to better know Mary so we may gain insight into such great obedience, love, faith and hope.
Prayer of Canonization, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Prayer of Canonization
Father, source of all holiness, You raise up within the Church in every age men and women who serve with heroic love and dedication. You have blessed Your Church through the life and ministry of Your faithful servant, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. He has written and spoken well of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, and was a true instrument of the Holy Spirit in touching the hearts of countless people.
If it be according to your Will, for the honor and glory of the Most Holy Trinity and for the salvation of souls, we ask You to move the Church to proclaim him a saint. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
Here's the latest in my "Knot Bad Video" series*. And watch out, world! I'm getting pretty confident with my Windows Movie Maker skills.
This time around I talk about some really simple, easy ideas for keeping Advent in your home. Think of this as a tutorial for a bare minimum Advent with a couple of other super simple ideas thrown in, just in case you're looking for a couple of uncomplicated things to do. The summary is this: at least get an Advent wreath and if you want to celebrate any of the feast days just eat a cookie.
For more information, though, watch this.
(I love how I look in this thumbnail. Not really.)
Also, if you're looking for more Advent-y ideas please check out my Advent series page. There's lots of good stuff there, reflections on the season, recipes, book suggestions, music, and peeks into the homes of other Catholic women.
Finally, here's a little Advent playlist I like to listen to as I keep my Christmas music at bay for just a wee bit longer - it's like having my cake and eating it too!
*Shout out to Kelly who came up with the name "Knot Bad Video".
