Bring: Electric/ orbital sander and extention cord if you have. We have 2.
Other dates: Contact Maureen (“Jill of all trades, master of none”) to arrange a date and time for your family to help.
The Details: The tables at our Varysburg pavilion belong to the Varysburg Fire Department and several of their members made them. They are on loan to us and we use them for parish picnics, outdoor masses, and last year we used them for Confirmation classes. We noticed they could use some finishing. Therefore this is truly a community service project. We are grateful for their use and glad to help take care of these tables we use on a regular basis in the summer months. We asked permission from the fire department, and they would like us to complete each of them in their original finish. There are 2 kinds – redwood stain which needs water clean-up and Thompson’s water seal which is cleaned up with mineral spirits.
There are 7 tables left to do. I’ve completed 2 tables in their original finishes to see how long they take and if there are any problems to address. We will have to do each table in 2 different sessions, in order for them to dry after sanding and spraying off with the hose. We are only finishing the flat top surfaces – the table top and seats. The underneath surfaces are still adequately protected. It takes about an hour for each table for each session. An hour to sand and spray off, then another hour after they are completely dry, to stain and clean up.
If you and your family would like to help, but cannot attend the morning of the 14th, just contact me, Maureen, and we can arrange a day and time that works for you!
Just think- after this your kids will be all tuned up to paint your own tables and swing sets and Adirondack chairs, and flower boxes, and decks….ooo your place will be lookin’ good!
This might be a good time to share with your children about the lives of some of the saints, in order to talk about how service to others is an essential part of our faith. We all received the book Do Something Beautiful for God, Essential Teachings of Mother Theresa at Easter. By doing some type of service, caring for others, we believe we are doing those things for God too, because each and every person is a child of God.
Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who is a saint, was inspired by St. Therese of Liseux and her “Little Way” of doing small things with great love. Click on their hyperlinked names to follow links to more info on them from catholic.org.
St. Therese of Lisieux, The Little Flower and her Little Way:
What is meant by her "little way"?
Therese saw herself as a child of God. She liked to keep things simple and focused as a child does. Trust, especially trust in God, is a childlike virtue. Some spiritualities have stressed complicated practices and extraordinary journeys of the soul as it responds to God's grace and love. Therese's spirituality is simple and she calls it her "little way." She believed and taught us that life presents enough challenges and opportunities for grace. She teaches us that God is everywhere - in every situation and person - and in the ordinary, simple details of life.
"Everything is grace" is probably the theme song of her spirituality. Her "little way" teaches us to do the ordinary things of life with extraordinary love. A smile, a note of encouragement, a phone call, suffering in silence, always having a positive word, a simple unnoticed task to brighten the life of another, and so many other simple deeds, done with love - these are the examples of her spirituality. The smallest action, done with love, is more important than great deeds done for personal glory, gratification or simply out of obedience. Therese teaches us that Jesus is everywhere and is the power for love and goodness operating within us. Such is the power and presence of grace. Therese's life was hidden. To many even in the convent, she seemed like such an average, ordinary person. Her greatness showed in the constancy of her love for others in the most simple ways.
Even in prayer, Therese teaches simplicity - talking to God and Jesus in direct, personal and heartfelt ways. She did not like long prayers. She fell asleep during community prayer. She disliked the rosary. She prayed from her heart as a child speaks honestly and trustingly to a parent they love. God calls us to respond to Divine Love in a childlike relationship of love, trust and bold confidence to "Abba" (which literally means 'Dad'), and by doing the simple things for others, well and with love.
Therese was faithful to the Gospel of Jesus and the core of his message. She invites us to join in her "spiritual childhood" or "little way." The power, appeal and simplicity of her message is why our Church declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.
Mother Theresa of Calcutta:
We all received the book Do Something Beautiful for God, Essential Teachings of Mother Theresa at Easter. I found some of her quotes appropriate to share and reflect upon as we promote and seek more opportunities for community service as a parish family. Please feel free to contact us with more ideas for community service:
The most famous quote is one inspired by the influence of St. Therese of Liseux:
“There are no great things, only small things with great love. But those small things done with great love become the source of great joy. I don’t do great things. I do small things with great love.”
“To do God’s work you need a few things. We need health of mind and body. We need the ability to learn. We need plenty of common sense and a cheerful disposition. I think common sense and cheerfulness are very necessary if we are to bring God’s love to as many people as possible.”
“We are commanded to love God and our neighbor equally, without difference. We don’t have to look for opportunities to fill this command, they’re all around us, twenty-four hours a day. You must open your eyes wide so that you can see the opportunities to give free service, wholehearted, right where you are, in your family. If you don’t give such service to your family, you will not be able to give it to those outside your home.”
“The most important part is that we keep the work as His work and that we do not spoil it with any claims.”
“It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.”
