Ellen Gable's Blog, page 113

NFP Goes High Tech

My latest column at Amazing Catechists is about Online NFP Classes:

A few weeks ago, we taught an NFP (Natural Family Planning) class. Earlier in the day, we looked over the notes. That evening, we logged onto the teaching website. We tested the audio and video. We uploaded the slides and videos to the whiteboard, then waited for class to begin and for the eight registered couples to log on and join the "virtual classroom."

Welcome to NFP in the 21st century! We don't have to leave our home to teach NFP and student couples can learn NFP in the comfort of their own homes. They can see and hear us on the audio and video. If students have questions, they use the chat function.

For us, it's been the answer to a prayer. Three years ago, after teaching NFP for 24 years, we were frustrated at the lack of interest in couples wanting to learn NFP. We felt fortunate to be teaching one or two couples a year. We had this enthusiasm to share our knowledge of NFP with others and wished there were more interested couples.

In the past 27 years, we have traveled all over Ontario to teach NFP classes. The most recent was three years ago when three different couples all inquired about the possibility of learning the sympto-thermal method of NFP in the Greater Toronto area. For the first two classes, we agreed to meet at the halfway point (each of us traveling two and a half hours) and for the last class, James and I traveled down to Toronto to teach Class III. It was an expensive venture, but we didn't want to miss the opportunity to teach NFP to enthusiastic and interested couples. However, I told James that I wish that we could teach NFP online.

I didn't have to wait long for my wish to come true.

A few months later, we discovered that our NFP organization, the Couple to Couple League, was looking for teaching couples to pilot a new online NFP teaching course. We immediately said yes and have never looked back. Since then, we have taught more couples in the past two years than in the previous 15 years.

The obvious advantage of online NFP classes is convenience. Most of the couples we've taught enjoy the convenience of not having to leave their homes and get a babysitter, although a few couples have missed the fellowship with other student couples.

One obvious disadvantage is when the internet isn't working properly. It's also hard for us as NFP teachers to judge whether a particular student is grasping a certain point because we can't see facial expressions. In a large group, it's necessary to test the couples frequently to make sure they're understanding. And…it's not unusual at least once during each class for some sort of technical malfunction to happen.

For the most part, however, it's been a joy to teach NFP to so many couples, couples who may not have been able to learn otherwise.

Natural Family Planning is safe, effective and morally acceptable. Learning NFP has never been easier or more convenient. Materials and course fee are required to take the class.

If you're interested in registering for an upcoming virtual online course: http://register.ccli.org/virtual

If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to email us at info@fullquiverpublishing.com or leave a comment below.

Photo and text copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Informative NFP Video

Sunday Snippets – January 29

Join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn's Place for Sunday Snippets where we share posts from the previous week.

If The Morning I shared the lyrics of a pro-life song my husband wrote when he was a teenager. The words are incredibly beautiful and it's hard to believe he had this sort of wisdom at such a young age. The lyrics are included in my book Emily's Hope.

God Messaging: Will You Accept the Friend Request Book Review My friend, Dana, who blogs at Catholic Working Mom, has written a beautiful series of essays in this newly-published book. You can buy her book at Amazon.com in paperback and on Kindle.

Wordless Wednesday – Venice For Wordless Wednesday, I posted a few photos from our trip to Europe in 2007. One of my favorite places in Europe was Venice. I especially enjoyed the beautiful outdoor art treasures.

7 Quick Takes Friday For 7 Quick Takes Friday, I shared a post about my son turning 16, my late grandmother's birthday, a moment that God allowed me to stop and watch the sky, a cartoon, a Skype book club appearance and the CWG Blog sharing my recent bestseller news.

More NFP Humor Another NFP-themed cartoon.

For more Sunday Snippets, please visit RAnn's Blog.

Copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

More NFP Humor

Cartoon copyright 2010 Full Quiver Publishing/James and Ellen Hrkach

7 Quick Takes Friday

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

1. My fourth son turned 16 this week. To me, it is always a joy to watch my sons grow older. But my two youngest sons (photo above) have a special place in my heart. When my third son was 10 months old, I nearly died from complications of an ectopic pregnancy. We were told not to have any more children. Through prayer and discernment (Responsible Parenthood blog post), we chose to be open to more children and I'm so thankful we were.2. Yesterday was my maternal grandmother's birthday. Bessie May passed away in July of 1967, but every year on her birthday, I remember her in a special way. If you look at both the photo of my fourth son as a toddler and my grandmother's photo above, you'll probably see some resemblance.3. In honor of the March for Life earlier this week, I posted the lyrics of the pro-life song that my husband wrote when he was a teenager.4. One of our most popular cartoons (above). 5. A few mornings ago, I woke up to find the internet not working. I was annoyed, to say the least. We've been having a lot of difficulties recently with our internet. In fact, I couldn't even check my email on my Kindle because the 3G wasn't working. I sighed, frustrated, then turned around and noticed the sky exploding in beautiful color as the sun was about to rise. This isn't the exact picture, but similar to the photo above. As I stood, mesmerized by the colors, I realized that if my internet had just worked properly, I probably wouldn't have noticed (and enjoyed) the beautiful sky. 6. Wednesday evening of this week, I appeared by Skype to members of a Catholic book club in Missouri. Their selection this month was
7. Last, but certainly not least, the Catholic Writers Guild Blog featured news of my Kindle success on their blog this week, Gable Triples the Top Ten List! Thanks, Larissa, and everyone at the Catholic Writers Guild! My books are available on Kindle and in paperback by clicking on the links at the side bar.

For more quick takes, visit Conversion Diary.

Photographs of books and people copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Text copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

Sky photographs copyright 2012 Josh Hrkach

Wordless Wednesday – Venice 2007

Photos copyright 2007 Ellen Gable Hrkach

God Messaging: Will You Accept the Friend Request Book Review

"God Messaging: Will You Accept the Friend Request" by Dana Doyle is a beautifully written and inspiring collection of essays in which the author shares reflections and personal experiences. Each chapter begins with a Scriptural quote and a personal experience and reflection.

The author is a Catholic school teacher and she blogs at "Catholic Working Mom."

In Chapter One, she talks about how angels appear sometimes as a disabled child or a burly man with tattoos or a long-haired teen. In successive chapters, we hear about the author's aunt, how the power of prayer is underestimated and why it shouldn't be, how having a child-like faith is an asset. We also hear about sexual abuse, pregnancy complications, the importance of the Eucharist (and all sacraments) and she shares how she and her husband came to embrace NFP and the teachings of the Church on marriage.

I highly recommend this wonderful book!

"God Messaging" is available on Kindle or in print.

Copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach

If The Morning

Since the March for Life is being held today, I wanted to share the words of the pro-life song my husband wrote as a teenager. It's called "If the Morning," and these lyrics are also included in my novel, Emily's Hope:

If in the morning the Savior didn't rise

Would there be sunshine in your eyes

And in the springtime if the world wasn't new

Would love still see its way through

And do we stand only to lose it all

By standing just a little too tall

Save the baby, save the baby

Because I know he's got the right

I know he's got that right

Save the baby, save the baby

Because I know He's got it right

And I know that we have got it wrong

And if the dreamer never woke to tell his tale

Would hope be born still by our hands

And if the baby never sees the light of day

Will nightmares conquer all man

And do we stand only to lose it all

By standing just a little too tall.

Save the baby, save the baby

Because I know he's got the right

I know he's got that right

Save the baby, save the baby

Because I know He's got it right

And I know that we have got it wrong.

And if the baby never saw the light of day, of day, of day…

Lyrics copyright 1978 James Hrkach

Photo copyright 2011 Josh Hrkach

Emily's Hope Kindle Edition On Sale

If you're heading out to the March for Life and looking for something to read on your Kindle, the Kindle edition of my first novel, Emily's Hope, is currently on sale at only .99! Great bargain! That's a 15.00 savings over the print book! But you'll need to act fast because the sale will be over tomorrow evening at 9:00 p.m.

You can read an excerpt and reviews, watch a Catholic TV interview and listen to a Sacred Heart Radio interview at www.emilyshope.com

Sunday Snippets – January 22

Join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn's Place for Sunday Snippets where we share posts from the previous week.

I had a quiet week trying to recuperate from a cracked rib…although I did get 3000 words written on my new novel, tentatively entitled "A Subtle Grace."

Virtual Humor: Our latest cartoon from Family Foundations Magazine.

7 Quick Takes Friday – Pro-Life Edition In this 7 Quick Takes, I share two stories that will be published in an upcoming pro-life book this year.

Text and images copyright 2012 Ellen Gable Hrkach