Ellen Gable's Blog, page 104

Sunday Snippets – June 10

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets, where Catholic bloggers share posts from the previous week.

Here are my posts:

Teaching NFP Has Enriched Our Marriage

Tight Budget, Tiny Kitchen Book Review

7 Quick Takes Friday

Photo and text copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

7 Quick Takes Friday

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

1. Birthday Milestone

This past week my middle son (Tim) turned 20. He holds the distinction of being the tallest in our family (nearly six feet tall), the earliest toilet trainer (two years, one month), learned how to play piano like a pro in only six months, and the only child who has gone skydiving (at 17…I aged ten years just waiting for him to jump out of the plane, but I later wrote an article that was published in Family Foundations Magazine – below).

2. Fiddler on the Roof

This evening my husband and 22-year-old son will be performing in a local community theatre production of Fiddler on the Roof (my husband is “Tevye” and my son, Ben, is “Motel.”) Last night’s performance was amazing (although admittedly, I’m biased). Ben, who minored in theatre at university, was called in as a last minute replacement and had to learn his song and his lines quickly. If you live in the Ottawa Valley, please consider coming by and watching. (Location: ADHS, Arnprior, ON 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., tickets $15).

3. Retirement Activities

This month is full of retirement festivities for my husband, who is taking an early retirement after 26 years of teaching the arts at the local high school. He isn’t retiring from work, however. He has a list of nearly 100 creative projects he’s wanted to work on, not the least of which will be his own artwork. His paintings and prints will be showcased at an upcoming solo show at the Cornwall Regional Art Gallery. (Photo below is entitled “Burgundy Self-Portrait” 2011, o/c)

4. Pinterest

I’m having a great time using Pinterest, pinning all sorts of interesting pictures, videos and websites. Strangely enough, my pin of Caspar David Friedrich’s “Woman at the Window” has the most repins of any of the content in my boards. If you’re on Pinterest, please consider following me. I usually follow back.

5. First Royalty Check from Britain’s Amazon Digital

A few days ago, I received my first royalty check from Britain’s Amazon Digital. It was the first time I’ve ever received a check in “British Pounds Sterling.”

6. Self-Publishing Guru?

Yesterday, a friend of mine forwarded me an email in which someone called me a “self-publishing guru.” My first reaction was “Me? A self-publishing guru?” My second reaction was “Cool.”

7. Independent Author Network

I’m now a member of the Independent Author Network. This is a great organization that assists independent authors in marketing and promoting themselves. My profile page includes links to all my books and social networking sites.

Fiddler on the Roof photo credit: Josh Hrkach

Other photos and text copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Tight Budget, Tiny Kitchen, and No Time: How to Eat Well in Your First Apartment

From the product description: “This e-book has a little something for everyone – whether you’re just starting out, starting fresh after a big life change, downsizing, or just trying to simplify your life and be more frugal. All of these scenarios can be stressful, and the last thing you need to be expending your valuable time, money, and mental energy on is cooking. Your food needs to nourish you, make you happy, and give you a sense of accomplishment – a feeling of “’’ve got this under control.’ These tips, checklists, tutorials, and recipes will help you get there.”

Tight Budget, Tiny Kitchen, and No Time: How to Eat Well in Your First Apartment by Angie Ballard is a long title, but quite appropriate for this book. This is a great resource, not only for students or young married couples just starting out, but also for anyone who appreciates frugality, timely advice and great-tasting, money-saving recipes. It is practical and timely. I especially like her advice that “not a single one of these things need to match” (referring to dishes, glasses and silverware) and that most of the appliances don’t “need to be new.” There are sections for Freezer Cooking and Shopping Techniques (I even learned a few things despite the fact that I’ve been married and living on my own for 30 years!)

My favorite part of this book is the section with all the wonderful recipes (including vegetarian) for main dishes, side dishes, salads and desserts.

The author also includes a section with a Master List for groceries, which is perfect for the newly married couple (or college students) to print out and take to the grocery store.

An index at the back of the book makes it easy to find any topic or recipe in the book.

Thank you, Angie, for creating this wonderful book with great recipes and timely advice!

Highly recommend!

To download this e-book, go to Amazon, Smashwords or Barnes & Noble.

In Name Only FREE Today and Tomorrow on Kindle

My second novel, In Name Only, is . In Name Only won a gold medal in Religious Fiction in the 2010 IPPY Awards. As well, it has been in the top five of the Religious and Liturgical Drama category on Amazon Kindle since January (spending most of that time in the #1 position!)

Reviews:

“If you love romance but hate smut, pick up this beautiful story and let it carry you away. The characters are believable, layered, human and humorous even in the midst of tragedy…” Lisa Mladinich, author

“There are so many things I love about this book. The book is a very enjoyable read, neither predictable nor formulaic.” Elizabeth Kathryn Gerold-Miller, writer

“Searching for a page-turning historical Catholic novel? ‘In Name Only’ by Ellen Gable is one book you won’t want to put down until you finally reach its satisfying conclusion.”

Anne Faye, author, “Through the Open Window”

“There aren’t too many historical romance novels that appeal equally to men and women, but Ellen Gable pulls it off admirably with IN NAME ONLY. My wife read the novel first–and kept telling me “You HAVE TO read this book!”–while at the same time not allowing me to pry it from her fingers until after she finished it. Highly recommend!” Gerard Webster, award-winning author

To download your free book, click on the following link:

Teaching NFP Has Enriched Our Marriage

My latest post at Amazing Catechists:

We have been teaching Natural Family Planning (or NFP) for nearly 28 years. We have volunteered much of our time preparing and teaching classes over the past 28 years, as well as lecturing to marriage preparation courses and youth groups. However, I’d like to share what we have gotten out of it.

Admittedly, when we first decided many years ago to become NFP teachers after only two years of marriage, we thought about what we would give, not what we would receive. We had no idea of the abundant fruit it would bear.

First, we have made so many wonderful friends through teaching NFP. Most of our close friends are couples we have taught over the years.

One particular couple was considering sterilization when they met us 20 years ago. Having four children born one right after the other, they were being pressured by friends and relatives into having a permanent procedure done. We taught them NFP and they used it for many years. Eight years ago, they welcomed another child into their family.

Second, we have been able to evangelize in a way that has allowed friends and relatives to take a second look at NFP. Our many contracepting friends and relatives have seen what NFP has done for our marriage. They see a couple with a loving, sacramental relationship, with God as the third partner. And while they may not ever use NFP, they cannot argue with the success of our marriage.

As well, we have convinced some of these friends and relatives that contraception is not only physically unhealthy, but also spiritually unhealthy. One day we were at a friend’s anniversary party and a woman asked how we knew the couple celebrating their anniversary. “We taught them NFP.”

“What’s NFP,” asked the woman. This started a 45-minute conversation on the benefits and morality of NFP. At the end of the conversation, the woman told us to sign her up for our next class.

Third, teaching NFP is a good example to our children because they are seeing us give our time freely to other couples. They see us doing something to try to “change the world.” When our oldest son was a teenager, he came with us to a pro-life conference. We were speaking on the “Joys of NFP.” Later, he asked us, “What can I do to change the world? What can I do to help make the world a better place?’

“What brought this on? Why do you ask?”

“Because you and Dad teach NFP, do chastity talks, go on pro-life marches, help out with marriage preparation. I mean, you do so much. I’d like to do something like that.”

I was shocked that he had even noticed.

The rewards we have received through friendships, evangelization and example to our children are priceless.

Teaching NFP is one of the most time-consuming things we have ever set out to do. And although there are frustrating times, it is definitely one of the most satisfying decisions we have ever made.

We now teach NFP online (photo above). If you’re interested in learning NFP or in teaching it, email us at info(at)fullquiverpublishing.com

Photo and text copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Sunday Snippets – June 3

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets, where Catholic bloggers share their posts from the previous week.

Here are my posts:

Marital Texting



Growing Up in God’s Image – Excerpt Full Quiver Publishing’s newest book will be released soon. Growing Up in God’s Image by Carolyn Smith is a book on how to talk to your kids about sex.

7 Quick Takes Friday- Favorite Gifts During this post, I shared seven of my favorite wedding and anniversary gifts.

Copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

7 Quick Takes Friday – Favorite Gifts

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at Jen’s Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes Friday.

We’re technically in June now (and no longer in our anniversary month) but I figure we’re close enough, so I’d like to share seven of my favorite wedding and anniversary gifts over the years (in no particular order).

1. Embroidered “Life is Fragile: Handle with Prayer” Picture

We received this beautiful framed embroidered picture as a wedding gift. James’ cousin spent hours working on this awesome gift for us. It has remained in our living room in a prominent place for the past 30 years.

2. Roomba

For our 25th anniversary, my mother and mother-in-law bought a robotic vacuum cleaner for us (knowing that I didn’t often vacuum). In the beginning, it was more valuable to us as entertainment for the kids and somehow or other, I lost track of it. Last year, I saw a commercial on TV for it and wondered where it had ended up. I found it a short while later when I was cleaning out the storage area. I began using it and have come to really appreciate it. I mainly use it for the kitchen floor and I must admit that it does an amazing job. It only takes a few minutes of preparing to make sure the chairs, cat bowls etc are brought up off the floor. It takes about an hour to vacuum our large kitchen, but I can accomplish other tasks while it’s vacuuming.

3. Prayer Card

In a previous post, I mentioned the prayer card that my sister and the other Dominican sisters sent for our anniversary. It continues to hold a special place in our home and in our hearts.

4. Papal Blessing

Also for our 25th wedding anniversary, our friends, Chris and Brenda, enlisted the help of a mutual friend (a priest we both know) to get us a papal blessing. This also has a prominent place in our living room.

5. 25th Anniversary Homily

When we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, a close priest friend of ours con-celebrated the Mass with our parish priest. In his homily, he said, “I note especially five wonderful persons who were not present on May 22, 1982: Josh, Ben, Tim, Adam and Paul. I don’t need to tell you too much about that evening when your mom and dad publicly vowed their love. You are the first witnesses of that love. It bought you to life and it continues to nurture you to maturity. Through the years, you have seen your parents day by day striving (and I like to add “struggling”) to be true to each other and to love and honor each other in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health...”

6. Wedding Song

For our wedding, James wrote a song called “Forever Amen.” The lyrics are included in my novel, Emily’s Hope. Below is a photo of James and our friend, Pat, singing: first at our wedding, then at our 25th anniversary celebration.

7. The Last Supper (Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy)

Five years ago, when we were in Europe chaperoning 40 students, our fellow chaperones, Chris and Belinda, took us on a surprise trip to Milan to see Leonardo’s The Last Supper. This was not on the agenda for our trip, so we took a cab to Santa Maria delle Grazie. Upon arriving, we discovered that the tickets needed to be purchased three weeks in advance. Chris tried (and even begged) but the man behind the counter would not acquiesce. “Sorry,” he said (in Italian), “No tickets for today.” We stood outside the church trying to decide what to do. Our friend made one more attempt, with no luck. Disappointed, we asked the cab to wait for us while we took a few photos outside of the church. As we were getting into the cab, a man came running up to us and said, “Professori?”

“Yes, yes!” Chris said, now looking hopeful, “We’re teachers!”

“Come with me,” the man said in a thick Italian accent.

The man proceeded to take us to the ticket counter. We gave him our money and he purchased our tickets, then he accompanied us to wait with a group of Japanese tourists. As he walked with us, we kept thanking him for getting us into the chapel.

When we arrived in the room with the Last Supper, I could hardly catch my breath, it was so breathtaking. The chapel was darkened and quiet, the beautiful painting by Leonardo illuminated by soft lighting.

Seeing The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci was a moment I’ll treasure and I’m happy that James and I were able to experience it together during the year of our 25th anniversary.

For more Quick Takes, head over to Conversion Diary.

Photos and text copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Growing Up In God’s Image – Excerpt

The following is an excerpt from Full Quiver’s upcoming publication on how to talk to your kids about sex, “Growing Up in God’s Image,” by Carolyn Smith. This is the author’s introduction at the beginning:

“To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.”(1 Corinthians 12:7)

It’s been many years since that first talk with my oldest daughter about the facts of life, but I remember it very well. Like most moms, I was a bit nervous and consternated over what to say. Actually, I remember resenting that I had to talk with her so soon. I felt pressured because many of the children at school were already “knowledgeable.” Hearing something from a classmate was the last thing I wanted to happen. I didn’t want her to hear about “sex.” I wanted her to hear about the beauty of God’s gift of love. I was getting ready to tell her about a very special and holy love, the love that existed between her father and me. My husband, Jim, is truly God’s gift to me. So I went to the Source of the gift and asked Him, “Lord, what do you want me to say to her?”

I felt certain God wanted me to start at the beginning with Him. After all, He is Love itself. All love, especially this love, comes from Him. God created us to love Him and to love each other; therefore we should talk about His creation of Adam and Eve and His plan for marriage from the very beginning. What we have today is nothing new. It has existed since the beginning of time. And, in the One that we image, it has always existed! Thus, this theme became the beginning of the “facts of life” talk.

The second theme came to me many years later while away with my husband for a weekend. The gift came during Mass between the consecration and the communion. After Mass, I couldn’t wait to tell Jim! It left me absolutely in awe that God has given to married people a love that resembles His own in the Eucharist!

I was then able to share this with my fifth daughter, (and the sixth, seventh, and eighth) when I talked to her about the “facts of life.” Her reaction was everything a mom could hope for. She looked up at me and said in wonder, “Wow, THAT is really neat!”

The third theme talks about marriage as a sacrament. What God intended from the very beginning of creation was elevated to a new level of sanctity by His Son. God is intimately present to every couple through the sacrament. He is the very Center of their life and love.

Advanced Review Copies available upon request. Email me: info(at)fullquiverpublishing.com

Copyright 2012 Carolyn J. Smith and Full Quiver Publishing

Marital Texting

copyright 2012 Full Quiver Publishing/James & Ellen Hrkach

Sunday Snippets – May 27

Please join me and other Catholic Bloggers at RAnn’s Place for Sunday Snippets where we share posts from the previous week.

Here are my posts:

Game Over

7 Quick Takes Friday – Writing News

Photo and text copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach