Sport, properly directed, develops character, makes a man courageous, a generous loser, and a gracious victor; it refines the senses, give intellectual penetration, and steals the will to endurance. It is not merely a physical development then. Sport, rightly understood, is an occupation of the whole man, and while perfecting the body as an instrument of the mind, it also makes the mind itself a more refined instrument for the search and communication of truth and helps man to achieve that end to which all others must be subservient, the service and praise of his Creator. (Pope Pius XII)
Tonight, of my favorite kids around, Malcolm Houze, had one of those glorious nights all athletes hope for when playing sports! Malcolm, who is a 6th grader at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School in Fishers, won the 100m event at the CYO City Championships! Not only that, but then, as part of the 4×100 event, he and his teammates were crowned CYO City Champs in that event as well! Here’s a photo of the sweet teammates below (including Dylan James, Cameron Parker, Malcolm Houze and Alex Myers).
Malcolm is the son of Tim and Lisa Houze, my dear friends, and the younger brother of Christian Daniels (also a very fine human)! He is pretty solid at every sport he tries, and I am fairly sure he’s tried almost ALL OF THEM! He’s fierce and competitive like his mother and incredibly handsome like his dad.
When I was diagnosed with cancer this winter, I got a nice note from Malc. He’s a faith-filled and all around solid young man. Today, I just wanted to take a moment to celebrate today’s sports success with a kid whose smile definitely lights up the room, and whose sense of humor and silliness spreads the smiles to others!
CONGRATULATIONS, MALC! You’re speedy AND you can hit dingers out of the ballpark? You’re having a good month of May, kiddo! The entire Thieme family is happy for you and we’ll be cheering you on now and in the future…whatever sport or academic successes are sure to come!
The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the love of a mother. St. Therese of Lisieux
She’s selfless, generous, creative, witty– and wicked smart. Also, she was always the “young” mom. It was a pretty cool feature of her during my childhood and once I had my own children it was even more fantastic. In her role as “Grandma Kate”, she’s beyond phenomenal and supportive. My boys ADORE her.
Mom is energetic, up for adventure, she makes me laugh, and she’s always there for me. Always. If I say, “please help” she’s going to be at my side post haste.
This year, we took a trip to Italy together. It was #1 on my bucket list and she made it happen. I’m still without words to express how meaningful that trip was for me.
Kathy Dykhuizen a blessing to so many people, but to me she’s MOM, and a hero in my life. She was younger than my oldest son is now when I was born! That fact is mind blowing to me. She managed to finish college and get her master’s degree while NEVER missing any significant event in my life. And while I am among the most stubborn and impatient humans alive, as far as I know she never left me in a shopping cart and ran for the exit at Payless. It had to be tempting, because I only got worse as I aged. I remember yelling at her as a teenager, “You’re driving me crazy!!” She would always smile and reply, “You don’t have far to be driven.” Geez…I was a pain in the rear. Sorry about that, Mom. You were right, it was a short ride.
She’s an expert on Motown music, key lime pie, and hand dancing. She’s mischievous and laugh out loud funny. She insists on celebrating all the birthdays in a BIG way, and simply MUST BE ON THE WATER on her own special day (August 10th) each year. I adore that she values herself enough to ask for what she wants on the day that her life should be celebrated by us all. She also loves books, movies, bike rides and sitting on the beach during that magic hour before sunset. What’s more important though is that she understands that when you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that really is what it’s all about, ha?
I have never wondered if I am loved by this woman. She’s not a big sloppy hugger like I am, but I knew she treasured me then, and I know it now. I admire many things about her too numerous to work through in this little blog entry but I’ll share this one because it’s a game changer. Mom returns evil with kindness. Not sometimes. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. She’s got a beautiful, forgiving heart. She’s selflessness personified. The Lord blessed me and my sister Robin beyond measure to give us such a stunning mom. She’s beautiful in every way.
Good sense of humor, dirty mind and beautiful heart…deadly combination.
A Roncalli grad who grew up in Indy, my entertaining friend, Jim Mullin is celebrating his birthday today! Jim’s married to a beautiful little spitfire named Jane and together they have two incredibly bright and talented children, Conner and Katie! As you can see from the photo, Conner is a football player and DePauw. Katie, their gorgeous daughter, is also a DePauw Tiger. We got to know this terrific family through our years at St. Louis de Montfort!
I don’t know who wrote the quote above, but I ran into it and started laughing and then noticed today was the birthday of the friend whose face pops up in my mind when I read it. Coincidence? I think not! People with a sense of humor are always the easiest people to talk to, which is probably why I was initially drawn to Jim. I love him for that ability he has to make me laugh, and for his generous heart. He makes every encounter an adventure and chances are good he’s going to have a cooler full of beer in his car that he wants to share if you happen upon him.
There’s nothing self-important about this birthday boy. He’s genuine, authentic and utterly down to earth. He calls it as he sees it. When you add those things up with the fact that he knows how to smile and have a good time, you can see why I think the guy has a pretty firm grasp of life. He’s got a joy in his heart and a smile on his lips. He loves sports, and especially games his kids are involved in!
For most the time our sons were playing sports as young guys, they were on the same team. This fact DEFINITELY made those CYO sports years much more bearable. I knew I didn’t really need to chide the sketchy and more than slightly inebriated (and late arriving) official down at St. Andrew’s when my Nick and Conner Mullin were in 8th grade, because Mullin had it under control. I also knew when he said we all needed to make a hasty exit from that gym to avoid trouble that we should take his sage advice and hustle our buns back to Fishers…ha?!
The birthday boy today is not a friend I get to see often anymore, but it’s as if no time at all has passed between us when we do get a chance to connect. Jim Mullin, you are a friend Tom and I both treasure! We are thankful for the countless laughs and are particularly fond of the hilarious tales you’ve shared about your “favorite” Catholic school teachers over the years. We’re still a little worried we might be struck down by lightening or something for standing too close to you and laughing so hard we had tears running down our cheeks. We hope Janie and the kids shower you with lots of love on your special day today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her son and the son of God. –St. (Pope) John Paul II
If ever you feel worried about the next generation of children and parents, I’ve got someone I need to introduce to you. Meet Katie (Zimmerman) Wilson. Katie and her husband Bryan have two sweet little guys…and one more on the way! Katie is a joyful and prayerful soul who loves Our Blessed Mother, so I’ve decided today is a great day to celebrate a just a few of the things that make her awesome!
Motherhood is definitely a vocation that can help to purify the soul, but I’ll be honest, I think this young mom already has a glorious soul. I’ve known her since she was a very young woman. A few times she even babysat my little guys many years back, and I remember her with her books in her lap when we got home. She was trying to learn Portuguese for her mission trip(s) to Brazil. This is a woman filled with grace who has always had the joyful heart of a servant-leader. I suspect that the little people in her life now who undoubtedly wreck a path through her house leaving dirt and smashed goldfish crackers in their wake don’t rattle her much. Katie is a holy woman of God who knows she’s beloved. She’s a calm, cool and collected version of fantastic! That’s about the best news possible for her children, because a momma who smiles through life, loves Jesus and has a devotion to the gal with the bat phone— His Most Holy Mother— well that’s about the best kind of mom I can imagine.
This past winter when I was initially diagnosed with lung cancer, I had a long talk with Katie’s mom, Tina. Tina and I are longtime friends and she was eager to assure me of her prayers and those being offered by Katie too. Each time we chatted during those weeks, Tina would make sure to share with me that those prayers were continuing to be offered up. How humbling and beautiful those prayers felt to me, I can’t even express adequately. Thank you for the kindness, Katie.
Katie is deeply involved in her parish where she has served on the parish council and helped to organize the “Mary’s Way” dinner, among other things. She’s served countless young people of limited resources over the years with the after school program she started in Brazil. I’ve lost track of how many trips she spent down there doing the Lord’s work.
We all have different paths to holiness in life, and hopefully Katie knows the truth and beauty of motherhood is a pretty fantastic way to spend her time and energy. It’s an awesome thing we’ve got Mary on our side, huh, Katie? Sometimes being a mom is exhausting and aggravating….but we always have recourse to Our Blessed Mother. This is a truth of our shared faith that I feel confident Katie Wilson knows all about. You see, she’s got one of the the best moms on the planet herself who showed her the ropes and showers her still with love.
Katie, I admire your smile, your joyfulness and your obvious devotion to the Lord. You are a stunningly terrific human being. Seeing a young family as vibrant and amazing as yours gives me so much hope for the future! Its my turn to pray for you, your health, a safe delivery and a beautiful new baby Wilson. God Bless You, Katie!!
“A holy priest is a savior and another Christ, taking the Master’s place on earth, representing Him, clothed with His authority, acting in his name, adorned with His qualifications, exercising His judgment on earth in the tribunal of penance. He is consecrated to exercise the highest functions Christ ever performed on earth, to continue the work of salvation. In imitation of His Redeemer he gives himself, mind, heart, affections, strength, time all for God. He is ever ready to sacrifice his very blood and even life itself to procure the salvation of souls, particularly those of his own flock.” -St. John Eudes
Fr. Travis Stephens, pictured above in his office, is the associate pastor at St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church in Fishers and he hails from Yorktown, Indiana. Today is his birthday, so I wanted to take a moment to just thank him for everything he does each day for the people I love at SLDM.
To be a priest, as St. John Eudes says very concisely in the above quote, is a truly selfless and incredible way to live one’s life. Fr. Travis, as he lives his life in service to others, is remarkably bright, so smart in fact that I think he could have made a life as a college professor had the seminary not worked out! He’s also a cat lover, and a well-traveled man who loves to smile and laugh. He’s kind and patient with the students at the parish school, who all respect him for the same.
The priesthood can be a lonely place, as folks sometimes expect these men we call “Father” to be superhuman. They are mere mortals, however. Fr. Travis has been mourning the tragic and unexpected loss of his Dad. All the while, his incredible daily responsibilities remain. I so admire him for his positivity and his perseverance through the past several months. His faithfulness and his holy and prayerful witness during his personal storm are more powerful than he can imagine.
Today, as you celebrate your birthday, Fr. Travis, it’s my hope that you will know how deeply you are cared about by those around you. Your life is one we should all be celebrating alongside you today! I will be offering my rosary today for you and for your intentions. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
We live our lives for an audience of one: God. If you are doing what you believe God is calling you to do deep in your soul, walk on. -Matthew Kelly
Day 115 of 365: Lisa Finn
April 25, 2019– She’s a mother of three who lives in Fishers, but she hails from Huntington, Indiana. I’m told she was named Indiana’s “Miss Basketball” for her hoops prowess while representing Huntington North back in the day. This surprised me not at all when I learned it– because she’s very competitive– but also because she communicates with confidence, honestly and clearly. Those are the qualities that make the very best team members. She’s the wife of a handsome fella named Billy, a pretty fantastic human, and TODAY is her birthday!
When I first met Lisa, she was a teacher at St. Louis de Montfort grade school. She’s moved on with her life and I think now she keeps busy at Resmer Orthodontics when she’s not chasing her three adorable athletes all over the place! She’s straight-forward and refreshingly unemotional. She’s tough, ambitious, compassionate and matter-of-fact.
What I love about Lisa is that she is very clear on many things. She believes in personal responsibility, hard work, the importance of family and the value of living a life of faith. She likes to laugh and she’s a genuine person. Her energy is infectious and her heart is honest. I just plain like her.
If I am completely honest myself, its authenticity and faithfulness that typically draws me to others. She’s both of those phenomenal things in one stunningly beautiful package. Lisa is one of those people who understands perfectly that she isn’t, in fact, perfect…and the fact that she isn’t even pretending to be…well it makes her just a giant scoop of awesome sauce!
Thank you, Lisa, for always reminding me how spectacular it is to simply be who you are, and to do so with integrity. Those are things that I find incredibly inspiring. There is just so much to love about you! I hope Billy, Mia, Max and Luke spoil you rotten today, because your life is SO worth celebrating! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not. –C.S. Lewis
Day 113 of 365: Andy Durnell
My friend, Andy, is a charismatic dreamer. Madly in love with his two daughters and with his hand in ten different things all at the same time, this is a former Wabash College “Little Giant” who is gifted at encouraging others. He is pictured below with his talented daughter, Sam, who is a high school senior.
I came to know Andy Durnell through a mutual friend. I had been hobbling around for some time with a bum knee, and that had me grumpy and discouraged. Andy trains all sorts of folks, and I hear he has a special gift with Parkinson’s patients. I have no doubt that he makes a big difference for them all, just as he has for me. Despite my physical limitations, Andy was able to help me build up enough of the muscles around the offending knee that I was able to get moving and live my life much more normally. He’s a great story teller and he distracted me at just the right moments to get me through some of the more challenging sessions. He did such a good job on that bad knee that I actually think it’s now the good knee! HA!
Articulate, funny and a lover of our good and gracious God, Andy does a lot of smiling, even when his own life has moments of struggle. He chooses affirming words, little golden nuggets of encouragements, words of life. If even on our worst days, those moments when we fail or feel blue, we can use our giftedness to breathe life into the day of another, I believe that is what the face of Jesus looks like. I’ve been the lucky recipient of some of that generously offered sunshine, and I am truly grateful to the Lord for giving me such a friend.
I’m not sure exactly what Andy’s plan for his own life might look like today, but I do know that whatever his dream is, God’s got an even bigger one. That’s the way the Lord works, after all. He shapes our tiny plans and makes them something much more, and when we keep talking things out with Him, the Lord makes our dreams one with His own for us.
Andy, God loves your tender, encouraging heart and the beautiful smile you share with those around you!
“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person a beautiful thing.” — St. (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes I him might not perish but might have eternal life. (John 3:16)
On this Good Friday 2019, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Rosie Zatkulak. She’s the beautiful brunette on the right in this photo. She’s pictured here with her handsome husband and her five terrific children.
Rosie’s defining quality is her incredible faith. If I know any woman who understands what it means to love and serve the Lord, this is her. In all she does, she exudes warmth and gratitude. It’s clearly born of the understanding that Jesus laid down His life for her. The beauty of her authentic faith is STUNNING. I simply cannot do it justice here. I have never once had a chat with Rosie which did not start or end with a prayer. Her relationship with the Lord is one that inspires me to continue to work on my own. She is a fierce woman of God and a prayer warrior that I am incredibly blessed to call friend!
She’s fun-loving, humorous, and madly in love with her gorgeous family. She’ll be just the most terrific grandmother! She’s as generous and thoughtful as she is completely silly. We got to know each other better several years ago when I noticed her hobbling around. I can’t recall if she was on crutches or in a wheelchair, but her movement was seriously impaired. I approached her after daily mass and asked her if I could help her get groceries or run errands. She looked at me like I was her guardian angel and immediately said, “Yes!” We promptly went to Kroger together. If you know me, you realize this was truly a work of mercy on my part…because I really, truly LOATHE the Kroger experience.
God knows what He’s doing though, because I needed the wisdom of a faithful woman, and she apparently needed someone to reach the high shelf at Kroger and to help her dye her hair! HA!!
Over the years we have shared our joys and our sorrows over many cups of coffee. We’ve laughed and we’ve cried together, but this woman is my sister in Christ, a friend handed to me by the Lord. So, today, on Good Friday when I am overflowing with gratefulness for so much, I just wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU, ROSIE for being a faith-filled treasure in my life! I love you!
“Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything, tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” (Phililppians 4:6)
What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family. –St. (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta
Apparently, for Day 100 of 365, it’s National Siblings Day! So, for those of you who have been following along my little “Mad for 2019” adventure, today is your lucky day! Today, you get to meet my sister! Above left, there I am, and on the right is my little sister, Robin, aka “Fav Sis”, “Great Robino” or “Robbi Jo” among other monikers. She’s my one and only sibling, which is why we often jokingly refer to each other as “Fav Sis.” Get it? Ha?
The Great Robino and I are alike in virtually no ways whatsoever. She’s a brilliant science mind, while I am better with adjectives. She’s quiet, while I have volume control issues. She’s exacting and careful with her words and I am….hmmm….more likely to call on colorful language? I’m obnoxiously prompt, and let’s just say Robin is on a more relaxed time frame. In high school, Rob was literally the queen of everything. If they placed a crown on the head of the pretty girl for an occasion, she was the one selected. I was more the class officer type. She’s still as gorgeous as ever, by the way but her hair isn’t as big! The funny thing about Robin was that she never seemed to see it coming. She’s always been very unassuming, kind, and sunny.
Robin lives in Chicagoland (Naperville, IL actually) and is the mother of two girls, Maddie and Ellie. She’s also the wife of my pretty fantastic brother-in-law, Chris Beck. My incredibly gifted nieces are truly spectacular young ladies in large part because of the thoughtful and loving way they have been raised by my sister and Chris. Maddie is now a high school freshman at nearby St. Francis and Ellie is a 6th grader at All Saint’s. They share the kind and compassionate heart of their mom for sure! I am so incredibly proud of my sis for the way she has conducted her life and how she is raising her girls to be integrity-filled, hard-working and so full of love for others. They are a reflection of her in 1000 ways.
We don’t often get extended time together, but it doesn’t take long for the laughter to ensue when we are in one place. Few people can draw out the giggles in me like Robin can. I have a “next level” of laughter where I am unable to breathe because I am laughing so hard and I begin to fan myself thinking that will help. Usually, when it happens, that fit of cackling has been brought on by my sister. By virtue of the childhood we shared, we are deadly if teamed together in games like “Catch Phrase”. We seem to be able to read each other’s minds. It creepy. I treasure those silly sister moments.
Robin is a soft-hearted, intelligent, capable, faithful and thoughtful woman. She was my first friend. We spent endless hours when we were little playing with dolls on a blanket in the yard, and we would sit up staring at the Christmas tree together at 5am hoping Mom and Dad would wake up, so eager were we to tear into our presents. Collectively, I am pretty sure we know all the lyrics to every Christmas song ever, and we do a mean impression of the Lennon Sisters. We helped each other blow out the candles on a lot of birthday cakes over the years and we spent many summers cheering each other on softball diamonds.
I wish I could say I treated her like she deserved when we were younger, but the truth is, I was a stinker sometimes as older siblings can be. I definitely didn’t always want her at my slumber parties. Later as teenagers, I used to constantly threaten to leave for school without her. I may or may not have made her chase me down the driveway a few times out of frustration. I’m “Type A” a little more than a little and in a totally unattractive way from time to time. Of course now, I realize how short-sighted and selfish that thinking was. You see, Robin, no matter how many miles separate us, is a treasure in my life. She’s a genuine and positive person, a friend for life. I love her without condition and utterly to the center of myself. I am incredibly proud to be her sister! HAPPY SIBLINGS DAY, FAV SIS! I LOVE YOU EVEN MORE THAN I LOVE THE MOVIE “WHITE CHRISTMAS.” 🙂
We become what we love. Who we love shapes what we become. –St. Clare of Assisi
Observers of people such as myself often find ourselves “spying” on the same subjects. Over time, certain people intrigue us by their personal habits, charming dispositions and winning smiles. Today, I have chosen one of those folks to affirm. While we have crossed paths a little, Denise Lunsford and I are not friends. Nevertheless, her loveliness has drawn me in for a number of years, and this week as she celebrates her birthday, I wanted to share with the world what I’ve observed about Denise.
By way of a confession, (in a rather Kevin Bacon degrees of separation) kind of fashion, I do know a little more about Denise than a stranger might. We share a mutual friend from whom I have soaked in a touch more knowledge through my queries over the years. That said, the faithfulness and compassionate heart I first noticed in Denise are observations all my own.
Denise is a loving, loyal wife, as well as a devoted mother and grandmother. Her husband, Paul, is a Deacon for the Catholic Church and he serves at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel where both he and Denise are active members. This commitment on his part is also a very large sacrifice for the Lord that has been undertaken joyfully by Denise. That, folks, is an impressive and lovely gift she has given to Jesus. I quite often spot her at 8am daily masses. She exudes a certain gentleness and peace. I’m sure its that same part of her temperament which suits her well as she serves others by her involvement at the Children’s TherAplay Foundation. A woman who spends her energy for other people’s children is always going to grab my heartstrings.
When Denise was fighting health issues some time back, many of us were praying for her. Since I strongly believe in the power of prayer, I’m certain they provided her exactly what she needed as she fought her personal health challenges. However, what was so impressive to me as an outsider was how she prayerfully and confidently leaned on the Lord during that time. Perhaps interiorly, she didn’t feel as peaceful as she looked, but the witness that made it to my heart was this one. As I watched and prayed from a distance, I thought to myself…that is a woman who has chosen to take a deep breath and trust in God. Whatever is worrying her right now, she’s choosing to let the Lord have it. Though she must have on some level been stressed out, it’s not what she projected at all. HOW BEAUTIFUL!
Denise, I am a big believer in the “birthday festival” so I’ve decided to stretch the event out a few days. I hope that your family celebrated you in a BIG way, because your life is absolutely a lovely witness to others in so many ways you can never know. Just by doing you, others are touched by the Holy Spirit. Thanks for breathing a little Jesus in my direction over time! I think you are both inspiring and a phenomenal woman of God!
He Never Misses 