St. Joseph's Tool Box and Tiers of Prayers

For the past month (and especially the past nine days) I've been praying the St. Joseph Novena . It began with a prayer intention for my oldest son and his bride who are getting married next month. That's how it began but, much like a traditional St. Joseph Altar, my prayer requests started to fill every nook and cranny, every platter and bowl, every votive candle holder and flower vase; until my tiers of prayer threatened to topple over.

{St. Joseph Table 2012}

And still I prayed.

My youngest daughter crawled next to me in bed one morning and I coddled her with one arm while holding my prayer book in the other hand. I asked for her input. Had I forgotten anyone? Often a child will remind you of the smallest intentions which are like the fava bean sanctioned upon the most abundant altar. Their being is just as important as they rest of the feast. Perhaps more so. Without them the people in Sicily would have starved before the harvest.

Thursday night, I received a quiet text from my future daughter in law. Part of my prayer request for my son seemed to have gotten lost among the cakes and cookies, palms and candles.  St. Joseph must have missed that one.

Still, I continued to pray. I could not lose faith. There were too many important requests out there. Certainly St. Joseph would hear one request...even if just one. If his tool box was too full of the prayer requests of others, still, he would have room for at least one of mine and he would tuck that request into his tool box and bring it to his Son.

So I prayed into the night. My novena book never left my bedside.

And still we wait for prayers whispered, prayers prayed, prayers offered. Now it's between St. Joseph and his Son. I'm sure the conversation is intense. :-)

{St. Joseph Table @ our church 2012}

Dawn's boys spent the day with Fun Feast Day foods and new signs of spring

Here's some ready-to-go recipes for St. Joseph's Feast Day Fare

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates his feast day

Trinity Acres says they had a "modest" St. Joseph Altar but I think it looks perfectly beautiful.

A wonderful article showing how St. Joseph Sanctified his Work in the Crafting

Awesome Reflection of St. Joseph as The Good Father

One Last Tag...You can't go wrong when you visit Catholic Cuisine for all Feast Day Celebrations

{Table in Memory of Our Deceased Parishioners}

How did you celebrate the Feast Day of St. Joseph?