New distractions

Two small events in our home have caused major changed. The first is that our cable company upgraded to digital only, and we did not follow, therefore, we have no TV stations anymore. My kids will miss PBS and I will miss the mid-day news, other than that, it was just noise and time wasted. Without the "background" noise after dark, we have to find alternatives for entertainment, when mom is tired. 

The second is related to the first, indirectly. I got a new super cool Ipod for Christmas. I had a cute little nano for several years, but in an accident involving a dark snowy night and 3 kids, I dropped it in the street and it met it's death under a plow. I  missed having it, but life went on. My husband got tired of me taking his Ipod, so Santa brought me new one. This is the "big" one, 120GB, there is so much space, I can put dozens upon dozens of books on it. 

We now have our new "noise", audio books and podcasts. Today we are listening to Harry Potter and tomorrow we plan to listen to the Hobbit. While I do the dishes, I can listen to the Chesterton Podcast, among others. I have found a bunch of new podcasts related to art, music and history. Our new distraction is far more educational than the old one.

Merry Christmas!

A Child of the Snows

There is heard a hymn when the panes are dim, 

  And never heard before

When the nights are strong with darkness long, 

  And the dark is alive with rain.

Never we know but in sleet and in snow, 

  The place where the great fires are, 

That the midst of the earth is a raging mirth

  And the heart of the earth a star.

And at night we with to the ancient inn

  Where the child in the frost is furled, 

We follow the feet where all souls meet

  At the inn at the end of the world.

The gods lie dead where the leaves lie red, 

  For the flame of the sun is flown, 

The gods lie cold where the leaves lie gold, 

  And a child comes forth alone.

~G.K. Chesterton

Radiators are NOT funny

Especially at Mass. 

In my feeble efforts to pray the O, Antiphons, I've been dragging wee ones with me to daily mass this week. We go to a very old church for daily mass, and said church has beautifully covered radiators. You cannot see them, as they are hidden, so it is much harder for kiddies to get injured. This does not mean they are not there, as I found out today. During the Consecration, the silence of the church was slightly broken by the hissing of the radiator. Leave it to my middle guy to take notice. "Mom, is that a giant tea-kettle" he asks, "Shhh, later" mom responds. "No wait, it sounds like a plan crashing!" he adds louder, at this his sister bursts out laughing. So much for the silence. If it ended there, I would have been fine, but Noooo, of course it couldn't! We went to communion, and as we sat back down, the hissing had increased in volume, middle guy cracks up, loudly. I hid, and place his head into my shirt, to muffle the sound, but then, it gets worse. I cannot hold back the laughter myself. His laugh is magical, it makes me laugh, then his sister returns, laughing, of course. Ugh, no where to hide! It took all the lip biting in the world to not cause a major scene. Why, oh, why did the radiator have to make so much hysterical sound??? 

Ice Ice Baby

It is very cold and very icy here in beautiful Chicago-ish land. In a matter of 6 1/2 hours the temperature went from 47 degrees to a wind chill of -20 degrees. I cannot figure it out. I've lived here my whole life, yet, the weather still confuses me. Chicago weather is notorious for being unpredictable, to the point that my little son asked, "Mommy, why does the weather man always lie". Poor Tommy Skilling, our locally famous weather guy, accused of telling lies by a 4 year old. 

Ice has its beauty, as well. We have not had enough days of freezing temps for the rivers to ice over, but last year I snapped this. Even in the harsh cold, God gives us little gifts of beauty to be thankful for.

Sr. Mary Martha's Modesty Pyramid

Note to self: Post in pre-teen daughter's closet. Then she never has to ask.

Light 'em up

Why, can anyone explain, do the tree lights work when I put them away, and when I pull them out, nothing? This year more than half of my tree lights are dead. My tree looks pathetic with lights on only the lower half. I have to buy new lights every year! That is not very green, not to mention a giant pain in my backside. 

Another light related issue, I just asked a child why it was so dark at only 3:30, and the smart response, because the lights are not on. Ah, yes, and water is wet, thanks kiddo for letting mom rant.

The beauty of being Universal

Catholic means Universal, but how often I let that simple definition slip my mind. This weeks so far I have had two very beautiful reminders. Yesterday, my parish, celebrated its annual Lady of Guadalupe Mass. Yes, it was early, and yes, we used readings of the day, but we had a special focus on Our Lady. This Mass is one of the highlights of Advent for our family. The music is beautifully and reverently done by a Mariachi band, the readings are done in both Spanish and English, and the homily is given in both languages, with a slightly different message to each language's audience. We love the liveliness of the Kyrie, the joy of the joy of the Sanctus, and the devotion of those who come and bring their rich traditions to our little suburban church. The tamales afterwards only add to the already delightful morn. 

Today due to work schedules, the only Mass we could attend together was Latin Mass. It was a stark contrast to yesterday's, but no less beautiful. No music, no liveliness, but quiet, simple beauty. We got to see the young and old, veiled and not, all kneel and adore our Lord as they received the the Blessed Sacrament. The Priest, in his few moments of English, had a southern accent. 

This is our Faith, both loud and soft, both filled with excitement and filled with calm. It is the same mass, just two very different expressions of it, both licit. I can go anywhere in the world, and though I may not know the language or local customs, know the Mass. There may be small variances, but, in any setting, "This is my Body, and This is my Blood" still bring me my Lord. 

Feast Day Curry

Today is my youngest's Patron's feast day. We try to make a special meal for the kids on their patron's day. Today we had Simple Curry(we eat our main meal at noon, when my husband is home), it was so yummy, I thought I'd share it.

Brown 1/2 C. onion ( I used way more)

1 clove of garlic (I used 3)

3/4 t. ground ginger ( I used more, but not sure how much)

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1 lb Ground meat (we used beef, the recipe calls for stew meat, I was out)

Add:

3/4 t. tumeric

1T Water

1/2 ground cumin (again, I used more)

Stir uncovered until most of water evaporates

Add:

Salt to taste

3 C. tomatoes, chopped or 1 large can of diced tomatoes.

Simmer covered.

Add:

1/4 c Fresh Cilantro

Serve with Basmati Rice. Yum.

A child's laughter

You hear all sorts of anecdotes about a child's laughter, but some are just too cute for me. I'm not a big fan of cute. My son sits next to me as I type ROARING, folded over in laughter, his laugh is LOUD, and he extends the end quite a bit, but I am laughing at him laughing. His laugh is almost maniacal, it is not a giggle, but a full body laugh. His laugh has made the whole house brighter, we are all laughing, mostly at him, but it is a most amazing thing. A dull tired Saturday night has been transformed by the sound of his laugh, for nearly the last two hours we all have been much happier, no kids are fighting, no kids are complaining, but everyone is light, all because of my son's good sense of humor.

If you are curious about what he cannot resist laughing at, Snoopy. Yep, 40 year old Charlie Brown cartoons on ABC family have my son doubled over in tears of laughter. 

Photo Geography Quiz

I have heard most Americans cannot identify historic sites, states and natural features. I'm lucky enough to not be one of them, I got 100% on this quiz. I'll see how my kids do...

Tired.

I'm tired, just plain old tired. I get up to early, stay up to late and have way to much to do each day. Something has to give. But What? I stay up late, because my husband works late, I get up early because I work early. I do too much because I trying to offer my kids the chance to be with friends, and to participate in the arts once in a while. 

Sure, I volunteer where I can, I could cut that out, but then, I'd have no adult interaction to look forward to. I write, but that only takes a few hours each month, if even that much. I could go to bed earlier, but I'd never see my husband, and I still rather like the old chap. Napping is not an option, I have a 4 year old boy, and he has an imaginary civilization. 

What exhausts me the most is the petty little things that happen in life, getting stuck in the middle of an argument, trying to keep the peace, and dealing with drama on many fronts. That is what I need to get rid of!! That, too, can not be gotten rid of, not matter how hard I try. My only option is prayer. Not just the quick morning offering I remember mid-shower, but serious contemplative prayer. Adoration. 

This week my parish is opening a beautiful brand new perpetual adoration chapel, and I have signed up for what I consider to be an ungodly hour. Please pray for me. I need this, not for me, but for all those who have to deal with me. I am honestly terrified that I will quit going in about 3 weeks when I decide to stay in my nice warm soft bed. It seems like a paradox that I can get refreshed by getting less rest, but it is one I am depending upon. 

"Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake"

Psalm 23:1-2, Psalm for today.

Why is it okay to poke fun at Catholics?

Seriously! I was at a concert the other evening, and the band, who I  know to be Christians, playing in a "faith community" sponsored venue poked fun at the fact that a group of Fransiscan asked to use one of their songs. It wasn't so much what they said, but how they said it and the way the crowd responded that bugged me. It was all so funny to them, that they had a song that was "catholic". I really did not see what was so funny. I was with a group of Catholics, and we were all left looking at each other somewhat confused. 

If this was an isolated incident in my life, I think I would have more patience, but almost daily I hear small little jabs at the Church. Sure, many of the things come from lack of understanding, but if I made fun of Muslims, or Hindus, or even worse, Evangelicals, I'd be brandished intolerant or worse. I do not get it. Sure, our faith has "quirks", and plenty of history to look at for humor, but still, why is it okay? I think it is time for Catholics to stand up and stop being the butt of jokes, better off yet, let's not make fun of ourselves!

Assumptions people make who teach NFP

There is this assumption that because I teach NFP, I am less than trilled when people, particularly my former students, are expecting another baby. Nothing could be further from the truth! It actually upsets me quite a bit that people would think I would be disappointed they are expecting. Usually when a student tells me they are pregnant, I am delighted, to me, it means I did my job. 

What? You ask, doesn't NFP prevent pregnancies? Well, yes, it does, but it also, and more importantly teaches an openness and generosity to life. So when I hear a student is expecting again, I know they really get it. That does not mean those who do not have more kids do not get it, after all there are a number of just reasons that they may not be having more children, but it is so easy to rejoice that a little baby is going to be joining a loving family! 

Another assumption about NFP teachers is that if we have huge families, we mustn't know how to use NFP. See the above explanation to understand this one. The opposite is also assumed, that if we have smaller families, we are not open to life or must be infertile. Ouch, this one hurts the most. I have only 3 kids. Notice how I say only, because my realm is filled with super-sized families, so three kids is out of the norm. Please do not get me wrong, I love the huge families, but variety is the spice of life. Our small family is no less a blessing and we are not less open to life, God has a different plan for us. As for the status of a woman's fertility, I hate to sound like a Feminist, but a woman's fertility is between her and God, and her husband and maybe her Doctor, but not every member of her home school group or her parish. 

So Congrats to all my expecting students, and hang in there to those who are judged and criticised for not having more children. We are all serving God, in different ways.

Thanks Guys!

It's Veteran's Day. I'm truly not patriotic, or pro-war, but I am so thankful and appreciative to those who serve. This year especially I realize the sacrifices made, not just by the soldiers, but by their families. My Brother-in-Law is in Afghanistan until next August, his 4 children will not have a dad for Christmas, and all of their birthdays this year, and it hurts. That is the sacrifice. 

So thanks, Dad, who spent 10 years in Vietnam. To my brother Joe, who is in the Army and went to Iraq in 2002 for a year and had to bury his friends. And most of all to Tony, who, though his kids and wife are sad, are learning the meaning of dedication, service and sacrifice.

From the X-files

Here's a little conversation we had today.

Xai- Mom, can I have a skunk?

Big sis- A SKUNK??!!??

Xai- To eat, can I have a skunk to eat, those things you baked??

Mom-  Oooohhh, Do you want a scone?

Xai- I'm just a little kid, I can't be expected to say things right.

I love my sister!

My sister is a character. She is a military wife and mother of 3 all 1 year apart. She lives with my mom to help her, my mom is disabled, and Kate needs the help, too, her hubby is overseas freezing his butt off in Afghanistan. She wears a size 2, which disgusts me, and is just a good person. She, however, fell away from the faith before she got to know it, thanks to my parents, who left when she was little. She has no negative feelings towards God or the church, but like I said, was to young to know, and has not found her way back yet. That's Kate.

Today we were talking about my mother, and if she would speak to us tonight, or be glued to the TV watching election coverage, when I asked Kate if she voted, she did, then she told me who she voted for, freely. McCain. Why? I'll quote her, " I couldn't vote for a baby killer". I love my sister. 

Festival of Hope

With all the talk about hope from some political camps, you'd think they owned the market on it, BUT, we are celebrating the 1st anniversary of Salvi Spes, the encyclical on Hope by our dear Benedict XVI. His writing on hope is about true hope, the hope we find in our Lord, Jesus Christ. Visit the Festival of hope, there are a great number of people contributing, including my favorite dinner guest this year, Nancy Brown. Did I mention they have give-aways?

A little something for All Saints Day!

I've had it!

Fighting, Squabbling, and meanness. Not among, my kids, I was fed up with that long ago, but with my friends and fellow Homeschoolers. The reality is we will never ever see eye to eye, we have far too many differences to agree. BUT, and that is a BIG BUT, we are all children of God, we are all given the same dignity and freedom given by our Creator. 

He is a loving Father to us all, no matter what, really. Sure some of us know more about some things, and some of us do more in some areas, but these are ways WE show our love, not ways HE shoes his love. We should share that love, that mercy, that forgiveness, not hold our errors over each other. What if our Lord treated us that way? We are called to no less than Perfection, "You must be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect"- Matt 5:48

Tales from the X-files

Some readers may remember the Kasia's, my little X's imaginary, well, civilization. I've written about them before. The Kasia's are still living in our home, that is when they are not back at Chocolate Island on Mars, their native land.

Typical day around here involves at least 5 Kasia stories, like moms says, " Hey, Xai, Where are your shoes," hoping to get an answer like, under the couch, but instead gets, " Mom! Here's what happened. The Kasia's got mad and they took them to the back bathroom, and shoved them in the shower drain, they went down into the sewer and are gone forever." He says this in all seriousness and without even hesitating for a millisecond. Old sibling then chimes in, "Why does everything have to involve the Kasia's, I put the shoes away."

Well, the Kasia's have spread, now my Choir Director/Youth Minister asks about them, and she told our saint of a parish secretary about them, who jokingly said she would invoke the Kasia's next time Father walks into her office looking for something. Nice. No wonder Father has been looking at me funny for a few weeks now. He things my son needs an exorcism.

The Kasias are not just for trouble, though. Tuesday was Youngup's birthday, he is a Kasia that has been given a name, not sure why, but Youngup it is. I was coerced into baking a cake, not that me baking takes much coercion. It came time to serve the cake, and I asked if Youngup was here, I still cannot see them, only the mess they make. I was informed Youngup had to go and take some Kasias to Afghanistan to take care of Tony, my brother-in-law, who had just deployed there. Tony's kids are in a bad state, to the point that they youngest does not want to turn 4 without his dad. But no need to worry, the Kasias are taking care of him.

"When we step into the family, by the act of being born, we do step into a world which is incalculable, into a world which has its own strange laws, into a world which could do without us, into a world we have not made. In other words, when we step into the family we step into a fairy-tale." Chesterton -Heretics, CW, I, p.143

Beauty

I've seriously been meditating on this all week, and hoping to write my thoughts, but then I read this. It is like someone has been peering into my head.

Some books never go out of style

Recently my daughter started reading the Anne of Green Gables series. I'm trilled, these books were my favorites when I was her age. Not only were they favorites, but I got completely lost in them, they preserved my girlhood and gave me a great love of poetry. How can a few books, especially lite reading, have an impact? Simple, they were good, and held my interest.

We read plenty of newer book, some good, some not-so-great, but again and again, my daughter comes back to my childhood favorites, The Secret Garden, the Little House books, Heidi and now my beloved Anne. Anne was a springboard book for me, Anne read poetry, Tennyson, in particular, so I read Tennyson. In reading Tennyson, I moved onto Wittman, and far more poets. I read and read, I loved the romance of it all, I loved the art in the books, I loved the time period written about, I loved escaping from my dull suburban life.

 I see my daughter excited in the same ways. Good literature can lead to whole new worlds, both real and imaginary. I see her imagination growing, as her understanding of history and culture also grow. I see her laughing as Anne dyes her read hair, and she will cry when Matthew dies, just like I did. And I see her maturing, as she can experience though the books joy and sorrow, while she is in a safe, loving home, but at the same time is being prepared for her own sorrows and joys. 

Squeaky Clean

My son made his First confession this morning. Despite being nervous, and having a 4 year old brother who would not behave, he did great. I love being a mom just for moments like this. He came out, all smiles, and announced, "My  soul was so clean I could jump super high." He then announced he needed a shower, so his body was as clean as his soul. After a shower, he asked for the first time in months, if his siblings would play the "Jesus Game" with him. This game is where the 3 act act out different scenes from the Life of Christ. A little sacramental grace goes a long way, my boy is squeaky clean once more!

Saint Teresa Saves the Day!

Life has been rough here, long story short, I now have a little job, which is good, but the decision to find one took a lot out of me. Just when I thought I knew what was going on with life, plans changed a bit, as far as I can see for now. Every time I get used to an idea, or there seems to be a "plan" things change, and they keep changing, more on that another time.

What does that have to to with the esteemed Doctor of the Church you ask, she made me laugh and put it all in perspective. While I was sitting and pouting, repeating my favorite line from Jeremiah, "You duped me, Oh Lord, and I have allowed myself to be duped, you were too strong for me, and you triumphed" Now, I know my life is not the context of the twentieth book of Jeremiah, but, this is how I felt. Along comes St. Teresa to brighten the day. "(of God) If this is the way you treat your friends, it's no wonder you have so few" 

I have not laughed like I did in a while, I laughed till I cried, and they cried a bit too, just because I needed to. Again, I'm not a Saint, hopefully one day I will be, but let's all hope I have plenty of time to work on it. I feel so much better knowing the Saints were not always thrilled with the plan God set before them, or the constant change of plans, perhaps. 

But Teresa does not stop with this above mentioned moment of wit, or honesty as it may be, she silenced my blabbing heart.

Let nothing disturb you
Let nothing frighten you
Everything passes
God never changes
Patience obtains all
Whoever has God wants for nothing
God alone is enough.

~~ St. Teresa of Avila

Enough Said.

If ever in Wheaton....

Stop by the Wade Center. I stopped in after a performance my children attended at the Wheaton College.  I cannot say enough about how lovely the Wade center is. First of all it is a center dedicated to the study of Chesterton, Sayers, Tolkein, Lewis, Barfield, Williams and MacDonald. That alone is enough, but it is so much more than that. There is a library with an enormous collection of the author's books. But far from being a library, it is a charming English style cottage with plush furniture and artifacts from the the authors. 

My children were charmed with the wardrobe that belonged to CS Lewis that is housed in the main room, complete with furs, of course. The wardrobe is carved exactly in the same way as the one in the Narnia books. And speaking of those books, there is a collection of the Art of Narnia, although much of it is out on loan right now. 

In the middle of the main room there is a case dedicated to the centennial Chesterton works, Orthodoxy and The Man Who was Thursday. My kid loved the Chesterton Ornament, that they had admired in Gilbert. I loved reading the beautifully handwritten letter from Chesterton to Frances Blogg, his future wife. The handwriting alone struck me as loving and beautiful. 

I cannot wait to visit again, and maybe visit the research/reading room for some quiet mom time. Will you join me?

Things I have in Common with the new Japanese PM

He is Catholic and likes magna. 

I'm Catholic and have a small collection of magna. The story does not mention if he has a tendency to stay up waaaay to late on weekends trying to watch anime, though.

H/T: Mark Shea

I actually ( yes, I used the homeschool code word) find this very intriguing. We have been studying the reopening of Japan and Commodore Perry this month. To have a Catholic is office is remarkable, given how much Christian blood has been shed in Japan. St. Francis Xavier, missionary to the Samurai, pray for him.

HELP!!!

I am looking for a book, a classic novel, with the theme of forgiveness. I know should be able to come up with a few off the top of my head, but for some reason I cannot. Please give me suggestions, this is for a review I need to write for a parish newsletter, read by about 200 families and our Pastor. We are trying to not just discuss books that are exclusively religious, but classics that are good moral examples. I'll also take suggestions for book lists. 

New post over at L2L Movies

I review Nancy Drew, the movie.

Life's Chance Encounters

Recently I met a lovely older (to me at least) woman at my parish. She was serving soup at our Lenten Soup dinner. I was struck by her kindness and her perfectly manicured nails. Here she was serving soup, at a parish function, to mostly hyper children and their tired parents, and she looked so elegant. She smiled, and waited patiently on all of the children, happy to refill their bowls again and again. She served with joy. I did not know who she was, i had never seen her around before, but I remembered her.

A few months later she and I met at a committee meeting for Project Gabriel, a group that in parishes helps support women in crisis pregnancies. There she was, the head of the material goods committee. I was thrilled to finally meet her and more thrilled to work with her. 

I grew to know her a bit, she was witty and realistic, perfect for our work, which can be hard. She was full of great ideas and resources. Her husband was a Knight of Columbus and was very helpful in our work, rallying the older men to help our young, pregnant, homeless mother with her material needs, and gettting them to pray for her. Every time I saw her, she was joyful and greeted me with a warm smile. A good Catholic woman.

This morning I received a phone call to inform me she had suddenly died. I am deeply saddened. I am shocked, and I am better for this chance encounter with a wonderful woman who shared her time with so many, including me.

Our school year

We began a while ago, but this year, we have really hit a groove. So far, no crying, so thrown math books and no excuses. Everyone is happy, even the preschooler, who gets a bit ignored during the school day.

We have traveled to the Art Institute, The Museum of Science and Industry, and done a few hikes. Our study of history has given us the chance to read The Secret Garden, and use a companion cookbook. We have talked about our new favorite book, Around the World in 80 days and the Sepoy mutiny in India. The fiction gave the kids a better understanding of the history. Just today we talked about how Russia tried to gain power over a region near the Black Sea, in 1853, very near a region in the news, with Russia as part of the story. 

I think the biggest help this year is that daily Mass I like to go to is 15 minutes earlier, so the kids can come with, or I can at least get home early enough to eat and then start classes, rather than trying to do both at the same time. God is good, and I love homeschooling again.

This just makes me sad

Someone has vandalized the church we go to daily Mass at, again. My kids really love this statue. It is in a beautiful garden that an elderly priest tends. We have spent many afternoons there, in front of the statue, talking to friends, praying, enjoying the beauty of Fr. Gordan's garden. We just returned home from Mass, the head has been placed back on the Statue, but still the damage is done, please pray for those who hate the church and act on their hatred.

Teachings that never change

Part of what makes me love being Catholic is the 2000+ years of history, tradition and teaching. That fact that in 2000 years many of the teachings have never changed is very comforting.

With all the "Catholic" Politicians voicing their opinions on church teaching this week, I thought this picture from 1700 depicting an event from 390 is appropriate. More on the Refusal of St. Ambrose to allow Theodosius into the church and his repentance can be found at New Advent. It is a very interesting moment in Church History, a moment that should not be forgotten, especially by modern "Catholic" politicians.
I promise not to rant about politics too much this year, but it is sad history is being made by a man who chooses death for so many of his own people.

A Soldier's Story

Today, my Sister's Husband leaves for Afghanistan, and the local Chicago news talked to him this week. Please watch the video. My sister was not prepared to be on TV, she didn't sleep at all that night, so she looks a mess. Poor Kate. Her Step-daughter will not be able to see her until he comes back, in a year, just adding to the difficulties. As you can see, her kids are darling, please pray for them. John joined the National Guard last year, with the hopes that when he comes home, he can get out of construction, which is very slow right now.

Chesterton, Chesterton Everywhere!

Today has been very odd, everywhere I turn, Chesterton.

Here's a look at my Chesterton filled day. I'm at Barnes and Noble, looking for a copy of The Man Who Was Thursday rather quickly. I bought one there last year as a gift, so I know that recently they have had it. I searched and searched, no sign of anything Chesterton. I even ventured into the abyss know as "Christian Fiction" looking. I gave up after a latte found it's way into my hands, and decided I needed help. Enter "Customer Service" girl who informs me that "due to the nature of the book, it is pre-pay special order". Um, Okay, and what is that nature, I ask, "books no one wants". EXCUSE ME! I want it, and know for a fact that B&N has a edition of it they publish. I decide, rather insulted, I'll order it from The American Chesterton Society and forgo my husband's huge employee discount at the mega book retailer.

Shortly there after daughter and I race to church to be 6th and 7th line for confession, so we only have to wait 45 minutes. Father tells her to "read a book called Father Brown". I chuckle, she giggles, and refreshed with grace, we head home to find..

...A Letter from the ACS asking for donations, memberships and book orders. In all honestly, if I had any money I could give, I would, but we just do not this year. I'm happy I have 2 more years on my membership. I'll be ordering that book, and maybe another tonight.

After a brief visit with family for a party, I check my 104 awaiting emails, to find this:

Save the Dates for G.K. Chesterton Events: October 23 and 24, 2008

The Wade Center is pleased to present a lecture by Dale Ahlquist (President of the G.K. Chesterton Society) on Thursday, October 23, followed by a Wheaton College chapel talk on October 24 by Chris Mitchell. Chuck Chalberg presents his dramatic performance "G.K. Chesterton On Stage" on October 24. Continue to watch this web page for additional details.

I'm so excited! We love watching EWTN"s Apostle of Common Sense with Mr. Ahlquist. I think I'm going to get a nice date with my husband October 23 or 24, and an evening at the Irish pub down the block.

Now I'm off to play Chutes and Ladder with my boys and then read Chesterton, who seems to be calling me today.

Living Life and the Blog

I had a great conversation last night with a fellow blogger about the state of our sad little endeavors. We have come to the conclusion, that it is hard to blog about life, when you are too busy living it. Hence the lack of recent additions to Simple Joys. I love writing, but much prefer living.

School is starting soon, and life will slow down. I've got 2 writing gigs this year, so I'll need to practice a few stylistic changes here. I'll, in theory, have time to sit and recollect my thoughts on life, family and and the world, but of course theories have to be proven.

For now I'm off to live life some more, but I'll write about it some day.

Harry Potter News

SOOOOOO Excited!!!!! Two of my family's favorite genre's will meet, Harry Potter and Fairy Tales. We just started listening to the Harry Potter books again yesterday and today I see this. I know what I want for St. Nicholas day. I hope my shoes will be big enough.


Side Note: I've been looking into the Charity that will benefit from the sales of this book. I cannot find anything that would be questionable about them, but if someone else knows, please let me know. It looks like they do very good work, but many other groups look that way as well.

WYD From my diocese

Again, just like during Germany, Joliet Diocese is keeping those of us back home up to date on the kids from here that are in Australia. So far, I have not seen the group from my parish, but there is a mislabeled picture, that is supposed to be our group. Keep them in your prayers, the 7 kids from my parish are a remarkable group, super smart, super nice, and they all have so much potential. Pray God will use this time to guide them in discerning their vocations and future.

I'm not a sports person, but this made me smile, and cry

My daughter wants to be a Dominican. Perhaps this could be her future home.

Subway Revisited

They are now including homeschoolers in their contests, and purchased an ad in Homeschooling Today. It's nice to see the change. I have a special place in my heart for veggie subs.

My local paper has something to say about the Latin Mass

I tried to post yesterday, but Blogger was being stubborn and would not let me. Its a nice article, I only wish they talked to one of the many under 40 year old people that attend. Latin Mass is not just older people longing for the past.

The smartest kid I know

My nephew, world champion origami creator, talented pianist, Calvin and Hobbes reader, and now to add to his accolades, perfect score on the ACT. And he leaves Friday for World Youth Day. And he was reading Harry Potter before it was cool, when the first book came out. Did I mention he was homeschooled for 5 years, but went to a private high school? So much talent in one 17 year old body! My poor kids don't even have a chance!

Where Have I been?

Seeing bears, Benedictines, bread, birds and busy.

That pretty much sums up the past 3 weeks. Life just does not slow down anymore, and when it does, blogging usually takes a back burner to playing with the kids, cooking and cleaning. Someday, when I am old and my kids are older, I will be able to write more, I've been saying this for 10 years and will most likely for another 10, I'm sure. Until then, the occasional bit of dribble will have to do.

Who moved the Beer (brewery)

So the clan is all off to LaTrobe, PA this week for a gathering of my in-laws (insert joke here). If you are like me (Irish), you are thinking, LaTrobe, Hey, Rolling Rock! Yep, Rolling Rock, I was very much looking forward to a tour. This would join all of my childhood vacations to that of my children's.

I used to visit an uncle who lived in Chippawa Falls, WI, home of Leinenkugels Beer. The highlight of the trip was always the brewery, and for us kids, the orange pop that followed. Did I mention my mom was Irish? It was a nice family trip, and science is involved in beer brewing, so my parents took us, again and again. I have really found memories, and was hoping my kids could see the science involved in beer brewing.

I do not keep up on the world of beer, I have my favorites, and faithfully buy them. In planning for this trip I started looking into a trip to Rolling Rock. Well, guess what? They were bought by the evil corporate giant Anheuser-Busch and moved out of LaTrobe. Stupid big corporation ruining my fun. I guess we will be spending three days at the Grist mill of St. Vincent, being reminded of family history ( Husband's uncles were Archabbots).

Finally a quiet Weekend.

This has been a busy summer! But, this weekend, I get to relax and celebrate my 11th Wedding anniversary. June 14, 1997, Christopher and I were married. It was a great day, and the past 11 years are only the beginning of a great life together.

When we were married, I was kind of sad that there are no regular feast days on June 14 (sometimes the Feast of the Sacred Heart coincides). About three years ago, I found out it is the anniversary of Chesterton's death. He is not a saint yet, and may never be, but what a great person to share an anniversary with!

We have no grand plans, just quiet, the kiddies are off to the home a friend for a couple days. We need that time to just talk, without the interruption of a little person, who has something very important to say, once in a while. It sounds selfish when I say it, but it does not happen often enough. We are also getting ready for our trip to Latrobe, PA, for a family reunion of sorts at St. Vincent Archabbey, where Chris's great-grandparents were married by his Uncle the Archabbot.

I have hopes of hitting the farmer's market this weekend, but I've been reminded, that it is not a very "anniversary" type thing to do. I do need to get fresh veggies for a nice quiet (there is that word again) picnic. Please pray for us, we have a great marriage, but can always use all the blessings and grace God can give!

My Faith and the Three year old

I had a profound religious experience today. Cheesy as it may sound, it was one of those, Oh, I Get It moments. Our parish was all smells and bells, as it should be, for the feast of Corpus Christi. My kids were being good, as they waited for mass to begin, so I was able to to read the Magnificat meditation of the day. I came across a passage concerning St. Loenidas and his son St. Origen. It said that according to Eusebius, Leonidas used to kneel by the bedside of the sleeping Origen and deoutly and reverently kiss his son's breast as the Tabernacle wherein God dwelt. The child in his innocence and grace is the fittest home on Earth for God. The fact that I was sitting with my three beautiful children, in front of the Blessed Sacrament may have helped, but I was moved very deeply.

Fast forward about 5 minutes, Mass has begun, and Father is using the incense. My three year old had been quiet too long, and begins asking questions, what is that (It's incense, like in your little Mass kit), why is Father swinging it (he is blessing everything). Then I asked What does it smell like to you? And he gave me the most unexpected answer, Like my prayers are being carried to God. Yes, this is not a smell, but Gosh, this is the indwelling of the spirit, in my child. That pure innocence, that total unitedness with God. He is three, but his answer echos the psalms, which I'm not sure he would recognize. Throughout the rest of the mass, one thing after another made me realize, the meaning of being childlike.

I was never childlike, even as a child, and I have understood divine filiation on a very intellectual level, but, this moment, and moments like this, have opened my eyes to so much. I now wonder how I could ever grow in faith, without my kids. God has shown me Himself, though them. So many things my three year old has said, I do not remember telling him or teaching him, it is the naturalness that comes from innocence and grace.

They are my path to heaven, not just from the vocation to motherhood being my work, but through the many lessons I will learn from them. Rest assured, the three year old still had to be hauled out of the church in trouble at least once, for being, well, three, but that too is my path to heaven.

This weekend I saw people

Okay, dumb title, but true. I got to see, and spend time with some of the loveliest people around. The ILCHC was held this weekend, and it was the place to be, if you are a Catholic blogger, or related to one.

I saw the parents of Sean over at Blue Boar, who always used his middle name, which I found cute, but it made me wonder what kind of a child he was! Then I got to meet John at Lunch Break's very lovely wife and adorable baby. Next up was Maureen Wittmann and her beautiful daughters, who sold me a book I've been reading since I got home. Then of course, there was Regina Doman, of House Art Journal, whose books my daughter and I are fighting over, I want them first! I'm sure there are a few I've missed. It was great conference, one of the best I've been to locally.

I met SO many wonderful people, I forgot HOW MUCH I really thrive on being around lots of different people. I was so fortunate to be able to work for CHC this weekend and meet so many. I loved how many people I already knew, but hadn't seen in years. My husband, who helped me out, is convinced I either knew everyone there, or knew someone that they knew. He keep teasing me that that old Kevin Bacon game could be played with me. I beg to differ, but I can't help being social!

All in all it was a great weekend, oh, I got a ton of books, too, but stayed in my budget, which thankfully was pretty high this year. I'll post about some of the books I got later, quite a few are newer and look really interesting.

ILCHC

The ILCHC is 3 days away. If you are going, stop by and see me at the CHC table, I'll have chocolate :-) . If when you come I have a beard, that means you came when I was gone, and you got Chris, my husband, say hi to him, please, HS conferences are foreign land for him, he's a bit nervous about talking to HS moms, in his experience, we are all a bit mental. He likes Chesterton, and will happily talk about that though.

15 years

Today is a momentous day for my husband and I, we have "officially" been together for 15 years. I say officially, because my husband and I dated long before we officially dated. I remember the day very well, it was the last concert of the season I had to sing, and the first one he came to. The poor guy never liked madrigals. He asked me to "officially" be his girlfriend, in a 1957 Studebaker President, and sealed the deal with a kiss. After that, there was no turning back, we both already knew we would spend our lives together. I always suspected he did not make it official sooner because he wanted to be sure we would last forever, and at 17, he needed a few months, and an eighteenth birthday to decide.

We measure our lives, BC, before Chris, for me and AD, after Deb, for him.We've only been married almost 11 years,. but our life together began well before the rings were on our fingers. I cherish everyone of the days of the last 15 years. Some have been hard, like the days we spent apart when I was pregnant and hospitalized, but most have been fun, like our past weekend, camping. I look so forward to the next 50 years, I cannot imagine my life without Chris, my best friend, my true love, my husband.

The Simple Joy of Camping

I used to camp with my husband, before we were married and Br. Maximilian before he was a brother. So to put that in a time perspective 12 years ago. I was a young lass then, barely 20, camping was fun, I loved it, but I never thought it was kid friendly. This weekend, my stupid pre-kid myths were proved wrong, again. Camping with kids is a huge giagantic blast!

Yes, we packed up the Olds and headed to the great outdoors. The car was a bit like a cartoon, with so much stuff crammed in every possible place, one bump and it could explode, leaving unmentionales all over the Illinois highways! Luckily, the stuff was packed so tightly, it held in place.

We headed north, to Apple River Canyon, which is breathtakingly beautiful. The weather was not great, it rained, yet, I think we may forget that detail in the future as we recall the fun we had. There was no schedule, no worries, no places to be, it was simply great.

My 7 year old lost his first tooth, the tooth fairy still found us, and didn't even wake a soul in our over stuffed tent. The 7 year old was so different out in the woods, hammering sticks into the ground, just because, fetching water for the kettle, and just relaxing. It was so nice to see he can have fun without video games or TV. He brought with the Dangerous Book for Boys to keep himself busy, and gave all kinds of advice on how to make the fire, tie knots and set up the tent.

We will definitely be camping again, soon, it was the perfect get away. Where else can you scare a turkey at 6:30 am? I will post pictures very soon, the kids took a few hundred of the fire and every other object in the campsite. I look back and wonder how I possibly had fun camping without my kids, life without them seems so dull.

Nice story about a big homeschooling family

Truth be told, this is one of my best friends! I'm just so happy she was featured in the paper for Mother's Day. The article is way to short to say just how awesome this woman is. It does not mention that on any give day she has 10 kids at her house that are not hers, or that she will drop anything at a moment's notice to help a friend. It also couldn't mention that fact that she is so dedicated to others knowing the joy of being a mother that she gives a huge amount of time to the pro-life movement and that she "camped out" at the PP clinic prior to opening all night many many nights. I guess they couldn't cover everything! Happy Mother's Day to all the busy, under appreciated mama's out there.

Disapointment, Here we come!

I posted a while back at Love2Learn Movies about a new version of Brideshead Revisited coming out soon. The trailer is now available. As I had heard rumored, the film is completely different. It has lost it faith, one might say.

I went to public high school in the 90's, we never read quality literature, so the first time I was introduced to Brideshead, it was at a doctrine class I was attending. The woman giving the class was so moved by the book, she encouraged all of us to read it and see the BBC version. She labeled it as the best conversion story ever. I tend to agree. I read Brideshead a while later, and was pulled into the story, it was just beautifully written. The end, made me cry. I still analyze the meaning of it all.

I'll probably see the new film, but only after I re-read the book, and enjoy the beauty of the written word, and the beauty of the truth.

A book for Kids??

I friend send me this book link. I read what the site had, and um, I'm still not sure how disturbed to be. In college my husband and I , Art and Music majors respectively, lived in artsy digs, the Music/Art student dorm. It always had that funky smell, mostly the art side, the music people were too OCD to have anything possibly hurt their mouths or throats. We never partook, but if others wanted to waste brain cells, whatever, less competition in auditions and art shows. That said, I still have a issues with a kids book. Take a look, let me know what you think.

Co-ops

I like to think I am the queen of the co-op. I co-op more than half of my groceries, and all of my cleaning supplies and health and beauty products (hey, I found a wrinkle a few weeks ago, and it needs to be dealt with!). Co-oping and distributism are closely related. Almost every thing I can co-op is from a small independent company, and the co-op is a way to get it to me easily, at a good price.

So what is a co-op? Well, he simple answer is a group of people who come together to purchase bulk goods at a reduced price. It's kind of like Sam's or Costco, but really really really small. You have to join, and usually the group work is shared. Most co-ops specialize in Organic or natural foods and products. In other parts of the country, many co-ops have a "store" for members to go to, but those are a dying breed. They have been pushed out by the likes of Walmart.

Why co-op? To save cash. My husband debates this one monthly, when I write the big ol' co-op check. We do spend a bit more on some items, but they are items that are hard to compare to what I get at the grocery store. I mean, can you find mill ground organic white whole wheat pastry flour? I couldn't so I buy 10lbs a month and bake my little heart out. I find I save the most cash by not having to bring the 3 wee beasties with me shopping, or spending the gas to go to the store frequently. Another reason to co-op is to support smaller businesses. I have been a part of many orders for items from companies so small, they do not have a big distribution system in place yet, but they are happy to work with a co-op.

I could go on forever about my co-ops, the wonderful side benefit is I have met people who I would never have met other wise. My food co-op is a great look at ecumenism at its best, we are Byzantine, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Anglican and a Lutheran pastor. We all are very faithful, and have a good time gently poking fun at each other (mostly fasting jokes, we all have different fasts) and sharing our faith.

Flower with the fun name

Dutchman's Breeches. It makes my kids laugh, not sure why, but it is in bloom this week. Check it out in the midwestern forest near you!

So I got a bit carried away, is that a problem?

We have a half dozen friends' kids receiving Our Sweet Lord for the first time this weekend.Therefore we have about that many parties to attend and bring gifts to. Usually I buy books for kids for First communion gifts, but this year, I felt inspired. I made Rosary Bracelets for the girls. I've made rosaries for people in the past, and can churn out a bracelet in 30 minutes. It's not super labor intensive, but I usually end up wounded by the wire, so it is a labor of love.

This time, I got a bit carried away, and figure since I had the jewelry making box out, why stop. 4 pairs of earrings, 2 necklaces and a bracelet later, I stopped. I guess I was bored, or maybe it was me tapping into that artistic vibe of old that flairs up every once in a while. I did design my wedding band 11 years ago, and people still comment on how lovely it is. Anyone need earrings? I think I have a few too many now, and I have pearls I bought and will be making something with later this week.

Buying local

So for part two of my little series on distributism, I've decided to bore you with with one of my favorite topics, local buying. Why buy local, well for one, the community you are living in benefits from the business. Two, in the case of foods, they are fresher,and therefore last longer. This point especially is my favorite reason to buy local. I have no yard, I mean that, I have a porch, not grass, not trees, just a porch, a garden is impossible, but I love fresh veggies. Luckily, I can walk to the Farmer's market in my town and get lots of good yummy things.

Most of the farms who come are small farms, too small to supply a store, and the Farmer's Market is their main source of income. It is nice to talk to the person who grew the food and have them tell you about it. I've grown to really enjoy seeing "the bee guy" and "the potato lady" on Saturday Mornings. Yes, the prices are a bit higher, its true, but the quality is higher, too. We may not get as much for our money if we went to the big mega-chain store, but my food did not have to go through customs to get to me.

Buying local is not just for food. It is not hard to find a local shop that is unique for gifts of all sorts. Craft fairs are a bounty of local artisans. Sure, not everything can be made locally, but so many things can. Support your local industries.

Reason three, it is good for the environment, too, less travel=less emissions, less fuel burned. Not a biggie, but for some, rather important.

Enough of that soap box.

Distributism- part one

Its funny when you live a certain way for so long, and never know there is a formal theory to that ideal. My Hubby and I came up out of the punk music scene in Chicago in the early 90's. He sold records by bands he knew at shows. We made T-shirts that we silk screened, I made soap. We both free-lanced as writers and photographers for a few independent magazines. All along in the name of what was known as DIY. My Husband pretty much hates big corporations, and it sickens him that he currently works for one, but three kids eat an awful lot of food. We have continued to live this DIY lifestyle through our 11 years of marriage.

Only in reading Chesterton and Belloc did I come to realize DIY is not an idea made up by Bay Area Punks, but one that was well thought out by many brilliant men decades before my birth. So now we call it Distributism. I have to be honest, I can live it, but not explain it. I also like to live really crunchy, I blame my hippie mother, and that fits in with the DIY lifestyle super well.

I hope in the the coming days and weeks to start to share a bit more on ways you can save cash, support small business and live green, all at the same time. Many things will resemble the "Kitchen Distributist" column from Gilbert. Most of the things I have read in this little column are things I already do. Some will be ideas I picked up from my Polish relatives, who did them out of necessity. I hope you will enjoy this new feature, I'm very excited to share.

Taking it all in

Now that the Holy Father has left the States, I can sit back and read all of his speeches and homilies. While he was here, I was unable to clearly hear all he said, for many reasons. The first is the funniest. My kids watched everything with me. Here's a little glimpse into my living room during the papal visit.
Mom -Hey guys, the Pope is on EWTN, come and watch (not realizing she was not going to be able to watch by inviting them)
Kids- Do we know anyone there?
Mom - Yes, we do, look for Bryan, Br. Maximilian and Father Peter. ( This was my second mistake)
Kids - Is that Bryan?
Mom - I doubt it.
Kids - Is that Br. MM? That one is wearing grey.
Mom- No, Sshhh, Listen to what the Pope is saying.
Daughter - What kind of Sisters are those, they have pretty habits.
Mom- I don't know (mom turns up volume, a lot)
Kids - Is that one Br. MM
Mom - No.
Kids - Is that one?(this repeats about 50 more times)
Mom-Sshhh.
Dad- I need to see the weather, can you watch this later?
Mom- School time kids!
Kids- EWTN is school, dad, We NEED to watch the pope.

Get the idea? Chaos, loud squirrely chaos. The little I heard was inspiring and exciting. The fact that Pat Robertson said the Holy Father is a brilliant, holy man last night on the 700 Club (I was flipping channels) made me realize just how others have been inspired. Thank goodness for the Internet. I have reading to do for months, but at my slow mommy-brained pace. Just so I can take it all in, and make the visit last a little longer in my small world.

Something to think about

This weekend is Good Shepherd Sunday. Most likely we will hear many good Homilies, involving lost sheep and loving shepherds. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the Pontifical Household Preacher's homily is available on zenit. It is excellent, as usual, but this struck me,

When we speak about sects we must also say a “mea culpa.” People often end up in sects in search of the human warmth and support of a community that they did not find in their parish.

It is something to think about.

Finally a diagnosis

Some of you have met my youngest son, Xai. And if you have met him, then you have met the "Kasias". For those who have not, let me explain. The Kasias live with us, there are about a million of them, I think, they are ducks, inchworms, ghosts, pirates, lions who can throw spears, despite the fact that they do not have thumbs, really the list goes on. The kasias wake us up at all hours of the night, they spill milk, they "attack" us from behind, generally they wreak havoc. Nobody knows where the Kasias came from, oldest daughter says hell, but that is not polite, so we usually try to come up with other explanations.

The worst part is, I cannot see them, only Xai can, so I never know when, say, I'm cooking dinner, a kasia will come through extremely quickly and try to get into the food or need me to read a scroll (yes a scroll) that they are delivering, with urgency. It gets worse, I've recently been informed that the duck Kasias live in the toilet. So now, at 5am, as I'm staggering blindly to the loo, I need to make sure the 3 year old is not awake enough to yell at me that I cannot use this particular bathroom!

My husband and I have looked for answers, did we drop him as a baby and forget? Did he get into the Homeopathics and make a dangerous tonic? What would cause a small, cute child to behave this way, I mean the kasia parties are getting a bit wild, and the kasia knights are not chivalrous! Then, I came across this. What a relief! It is not our fault for letting him watch TV, or listen to books on CD, or even worse, eat non-healthy food, he has YTD, or Youthful Tendency disorder. At least now we can explain the sword fights with the Kasias to visitors without embarrassment.

H/T: Studeo

The reading gap

Livescience has an article about the gap in reading ability between boys and girls in schools. Very interesting. The most fascinating part of the article in at the bottom.


"Here's a fascinating fact," she said. "There is no literacy gap in home-schooled boys and girls."
"Why? In school, teachers emphasize reading literature and talking about character and feelings," she said. "This way of teaching reading does not turn boys on. Boys prefer reading nonfiction, such as history and adventure books. When they are taught at home, parents are more likely to let them follow their interests"


Fascinating indeed, letting our kids read what they are interested in, to encourage them to read. Home schooled kids are not immune from the gap, though in my opinion. My 7 year old is a bit "behind" in reading, so he is just learning how to read. ( I'm not concerned, if you cannot tell). I recently took him to the local bookshop to get some early readers, seeing the princess early readers his sister had were not to his liking. I would have to say 75% of the books in the early readers section were geared toward girls. No wonder boys do not read as much as girls, they do not have the selection of books to read. In addition to the lack of books for boys, many of the ones that were not girly, were twaddle. My son asked me how many times he would have to read a book about a cat on a mat or a lad with a cap. Point taken, he wants substance. Lucky boy, Mom found a new series of early readers based on the classics. We picked up The Treasure Map based on a chapter of Treasure Island. It is not dumbed down, just written in simplified language. My son loves it, we have four books to complete, and we move on to Tom Sawyer. I hope good literature will put him on the road to be a good reader, especially one who wants to continue to read good books.

Great new Blog

I recently came across First Heralds, a blog dedicated to helping toddler and pre-schoolers learn about their Catholic Faith. I am very impressed by what I have seen so far. This particular are of religious education is of great interest to me, not just because I have a 3 year old, but people too often assume that this age group needs no religious education. I beg to differ. These are the most tender years, the ground for planting seeds is so fertile.

We have been blessed to use Catechesis of the Good Shepherd off and on. We are even more blessed because my husband's Aunt Tina wrote many of the materials and is a great encouragement to us. We are very fortunate to have been put on a good path for our children's religious education early on, many others are not. I see sites like First Heralds helping with the situation. Best of luck to them in all of their efforts!

Earth Hour

Tonight my family will participate in the Earth Hour. Why, you may ask? Well, to remind the whole family we need to use our resources better. I'm crunchy, but most of that crunchiness results from not a belief in climate change and its consequences, but a belief that we have a responsibility to use resources wisely to better our fellow man.

John Paul II constantly reminded people that there are not too many people on the planet, just a mis-distrubution of goods. This is why I conserve. We are so blessed to have the ability to turn on 20 lights at a time, but should we do that? Probably not. So tonight, we will turn off the lights for one hour, and pray for those who need electricity, and do not have access to it.

The Simple Joys of Sound and Silence

How often I take for granted the gift of my hearing, and along with that, the gift of silence. Yesterday we had another "everyone needs to get out of the house" hikes. Usually we are alone, but yesterday, there were, gasp other children where we hike. These kids were loud. I had never noticed before, but my kids are quiet when we hike. I think it is because we have spent time, listening to the world around us. We listen to the snow crunching under our feet, to the dry leaves rattling in the wind and tapping against the otherwise bare trees, we listen to the water in the distance gently tinkling over the worn rocks. This is our music. It is the most glorious music we could find, because it is that given to us by our Creator.

In the silence we hear sounds that give us hope, the "Spring's here" call of the chickadee, the loud trill of the sandhill crane, a sound we heard yesterday after the other children moved on, and much more. The sound of the crane, in particular, brings such joy. One year, we saw them migrate, but at least two other years, we heard them, without seeing. A simple lesson on faith, we did not need to see to confirm the sound, we just knew. The year I saw them, my daughter did not, she simply had to believe without seeing.

Even though snow still forms muddy piles around our hiking paths, we have faith that spring is hear. The sweet song of the chorus frog could be hear in the silence gently carried by the wind yesterday. The hope that comes from knowing that soon the cold and bitterness are coming to an end,and new life is spring forth, warms us, even while the air is still chill. We could barely hear the frogs, and when you get near them, they stop singing, but even my three year old announced Spring's return upon hearing the frogs.

We are no better than the average family, I get in the car, and turn on the i-pod, we listen to music, or TV or chatter all the time, but sometimes, we are silent. I wish I could say it happened in Church or adoration, but that would be a lie. God has given us a different way to adore him, especially when energy abounds. He gives us his creation, his beauty, his sound and silence.

The Plague of Bad Behavior

I've been busy, but really wanted to comment on this. My poor husband had to hear me rant for almost an hour Easter night while watching the news. My first thought, Are these people idiots??? My second thought was one of pity, that one could be so uninformed, that they could not see the consistent church teaching and action on the War in Iraq.

Has our society completely lost a sense of respect for the sacred? I mean, it was Easter. It was the newly re-opened Cathedral. As one parishioner said, "there were children there". Obviously these "catholic school girls" need to go back for a better education. They clearly did not learn the meaning of charity, respect or reverence.

Good Friday

The cold dark bitterness is covering the earth. The Sun does not shine,the ice on the ground mimics the ice of our hearts. We wait, in silence, for the dawn of that great day, Easter. We wait, eagerly, for the warmth, for the Sun, for the Joy to fill us. We know we do not deserve the gift being given to us, the life of our sweet Lord, yet that gift is so precious it is all we desire. There is great sweetness in you, sweetness that can overcome our sour nature. Our hearts, cold as they may be, yearn for you, O, Lord.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my Bishop?

Bishop Peter Sartain has breathed a breath of fresh air into the Joliet Diocese since he arrived here two years ago. This month, he again, has made a change, a good one, to help the flock he shepherds. He got rid of our diocese newspaper.

Our paper was quite simply a waste of trees. I have nothing good to say about it, and that might explain why only 8% of registered parishioners of the diocese subscribed. It was dated, and did not reflect the people of the diocese well. My in-laws loved it, it was written for them, and their sixties "let's reform the church" friends.

When Bishop Sartain arrived, he came with a journalistic wealth. He had had his columns from the Little Rock Paper published in a book form, which became a best seller up here. He is concise, and wise. He is humble and brilliant. A few people started reading the paper just to read his column, but it also became available on-line.

So what are we getting? Well, every registered parishioner will receive a new magazine to help them grow in there faith, the Bishop has replaced the old staff, and will be overseeing this new effort. Not only those who attend mass regularly will benefit from the good Bishop's wisdom, but the sheep who may be wandering. I feel so blessed to live here right now.

If you're coming to Chicago...

The Chicago History Museum recently opened a special exhibit called Catholic Chicago. My brother-in-law, an artist and museum curator, helped to set up it up. It runs until next January, and look very impressive. The CHM Website has some of the videos that they are running along with the exhibit.It really should be quite good, and hopefully the verbage is not biased in a negative way.