Author Archives | Heidi Bratton

Heidi Bratton - who has written 48 posts on Catholic Exchange.


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Broadcasting Salt, Light, and Leaven

Posted on 07 October 2009

I live in the zone of overlapping radio waves for K-Love Christian radio station and a National Public Radio station that both broadcast at 91.1 FM. Because of my geographical location, these two stations from polar opposite ends of the…

How Serious is Your Marriage?

Posted on 28 August 2009

I heard a shocker the other day.  One evening, while out with a few girlfriends, a man approached my sister-in-law and started flirting.  It had only been a few months since she and her husband had exchanged wedding rings, so…

Reduce, Reuse, Refuse to Despair

Posted on 08 July 2009

My job in the economy of our family is to plug the holes of unnecessary spending in order to stretch my husband’s income as far as possible. It’s a challenging position, but one that has become a bit easier since the…

He is Still Here

Posted on 16 June 2009

A peculiar thing happened this past spring.  After dropping two of my children off for a monthly zoology class at a medium-size zoo in the middle of Massachusetts, I strolled to a nearby nature preserve with my toddler.  Moss-covered rock…

As You Leave the Nest

Posted on 23 May 2009

While waiting in the car for my 19-year-old daughter to get out of work, I was trying hard to entertain her 17-month-old brother. Not finding many toys in the car, I gave him my purse, which he dug into as if…

First Communion and Jesus, Man’s Best Friend

Posted on 19 May 2009

For most people, owning a dog is not simply a matter of having a pet, but of opening wide their hearts and homes, and totally embracing a new family member who just happens to be of the canine species. And why…

Faith in the Mist

Posted on 02 May 2009

A few years ago we took a family trip to the Grand Canyon during a winter vacation.  We spent six months preparing for the journey, studying the history and geography of the Southwest, and carefully making all the travel arrangements. …

Service as a Way of Life

Posted on 28 January 2009

I have to confess that I gave a little sigh when I saw that this year’s theme for Catholic Schools Week was “Celebrate Service.”  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I firmly believe that serving others is at the very heart…

All the Time in the World?

Posted on 09 January 2009

Few things in this world are as powerful as a deadline. I would even propose that a deadline is the most powerfully motivating construct of Western Civilization, although that would probably be taking things a little too far. Truthfully, no…

Embracing the Baby

Posted on 24 December 2008

I have spent the last 21 months becoming Jesse’s mom, and what a journey it has been.  Prior to receiving God’s invitation to welcome a sixth child into our family, I was happily engrossed in many good things and receiving…

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