See, this is what I am talking about

The small details of the Catholic world, like forgiveness of even the most horrible sins, gives me great hope. Take that creepy goth kids!

Pilgrimage anyone?

 

Now there is notneed to go to Mexico, Europe, but you do have to suffer through potentially getting stuck behind a deer carcass this time of year. The first approved U.S. Marian Apparition is in Green Bay!

Mom ate her Wheaties, you kids better watch out!

My kids knew there would be trouble today. They had clues when I decided that amidst their complaints about history, I was reading it aloud, dramatically. When they complained, I did my best Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller reading of it, and then, when they couldn’t take that, Professor Umbridge.

That’s right wee ones, complain as much as you can, I had copious amounts of coffee and you can’t beat me down today. As if the middle kingdom of Egypt ala Dolores Umbridge wasn’t enough, I had a video, about the subject. Oh, the torture, mom using their entertainment device for school. How dare I!?!

Then, I went on to make honey cake, for the Feast of St. Ambrose, and read them works of St. Ambrose, they didn’t think his tongue was honey after 20 minutes of his writing, brought down to kiddie level.

Once mom is in the kitchen, she might as well make peanut butter balls, and chimichurri and chocolate syrup, right? That is normal for a Tuesday. But poor little lambs, mom made them do the math for the triple recipe. Again, something they like almost ruined by school. For shame!

I can’t promise this will ever happen again, but with a lack of sleep and a programmable coffee maker, it is entirely possible.

And the Heavens Shall Proclaim His Glory…

For your advent pleasure and devotion, an Advent calendar using images from the Hubble Telescope. And just think, He made the heavens and the earth, and we are still, millions of years later, only now discovering their majesty.

This is Why I Love Being Catholic!

I’m spending my day cramming as much about different methods of childbirth into my little brain as possible, and I have a moral question. it is regarding hypnosis. I email a few people and then hit Google. Lo and behold, Pope Pius XII has an answer! I would not have expected a brilliant answer on pain in childbirth from the Pope, yet, I am not surprised. I love being Catholic, my life is so much easier and my brain is so much happier!

Is it wrong?

It has been a busy weekend, good, but busy. I got to chaperone a Youth 2000, pick up a quarter of grass-fed beef, chaperone again, and see the new Harry Potter movie with two of my kids. This week will be busy, too, but still good.

This week is what I commonly refer to as hell week. My husband is a retail manager, and after today, I will not see much of him, except Christmas day, until Mid-January. I’m used to it, but it stinks. I look so forward to a peaceful Christmas, but we rarely get one, and this year looks worse than normal.

I love our families, but for Holidays, they make me insane. Despite the fact that I have sung 11:30 Mass every week, and feast day for 6+ years, they seem to forget this fact and plan Christmas ( and Easter!) for 10am. Fun times. We get there after the food is gone, very hungry, tired (we leave our house for Mass at 10am, and begin our fast at 9) and desiring to relax. Keep in mind, my husband has worked 30 days of insanity by Christmas.

I’m considering ditching them. yep, skipping the big family celebration in lieu of just the 5 of us. Last year, it was the same scenario, and everyone in our house was upset. Before the kids could eat, they had to have pictures, and then open presents, which they got yelled at for doing the “wrong way”. We got home and had to scrounge to find food to eat on Christmas day, it as not dreamy or relaxing, it was stressful and upsetting. As a family we made a pact to not do the same thing again.

Fast forward to this year, where it is looking like it will be even worse. The family is ending the festivities at 3. Meaning we will only have 1 hour, if even. That brings me to the question above, is it wring to ditch the larger family for a day of peace and joy with the smaller one. Talk amongst yourselves….

Adventures in Worm Herding

Yes, Worm herding. I, being the tree hugging eco geek I am, have a worm bin for compost. We’ve had it for almost 4 months, and until tonight, it was a happy worming experience.

Tonight, worms escaped. And, all of this happened of course, while my eldest was babysitting. There are casualties, which someday, I will scrape off the bottom of the kitchen cabinet, bit right now, it is 11pm, and I have a glass of wine in hand, so dead wormies can wait until tomorrow.

Why worms? Well, being a homeschooling family, we cannot do anything like normal people, almost rotten pears cannot simply go in a trash bag. banish the thought! They need to be fed to 800+ red wigglers to become fertilizer for my plants.

Our “first family” of worms was happy, they never got into trouble, they were just picky. We cared for them and even upgraded their ugly plastic tub to a different larger plastic tub. But they seemed lonely in there, so we bought them friends. These friends were a bit bigger and clearly liked to party. There is a good chance the “first family” is no longer, but I haven’t dug through the worm poop to see. The new worms decided they wanted to venture out, out from the yellow tub, and explore under the sink. Not so nice there, was it guys, several of you keeled over!

There is a lesson in all of this for the kids, of course. No, not that worms cannot be trusted, but that you need to be careful when you venture out that you have a plan to get back. Without a plan, you may never find your way, just like slimy and his buddies.

Planning for the Future

I was raised by a working mom, she always worked and was never home. It was hard for us, but it did instill in my the idea that women cannot sit and be still. I have a different take, My kids need me, but I have a little job, 8-12 hours per week, when my husband is home. Honestly, it is very fulfilling.

I can’t see myself at this job forever, though. I’m getting old(er). In ten years, I’ll be in my mid-forties, and my youngest will be in his late teens. As of now, there are no babies to need me. So, I’m trying to think of what I will do with the second half of my life. I gave my twenties and thirties to babies and raising children, but, they will leave me and I don’t handle idleness well.

What to do? I’m looking at what I can do in the near future, that will can become a career in ten years. I can’t fall back on what I did pre-kids. I was 23 when I left a computer company, they have since folded, and all I learned is out of date. I’m thinking of doing something that I can tie into my pro-life work. Anything I can do to help the moms at the pregnancy center will make my work even more enjoyable.

Pray for me, I know what I want to do, but I’m scared, I don’t handle change well, and the way things are unfolding, I know God’s hand is on all of this.

Belloc on November

[Month of] November

November is that historied Emperor,
Conquered in age, but foot to foot with fate,
Who from his refuge high has heard the roar
Of squadrons in pursuit, and now, too late,
Stirrups the storm and calls the winds to war,
And arms the garrison of his last heirloom,
And shakes the sky to its extremest shore
With battle against irrevocable doom.
Till, driven and hurled from his strong citadels,
He flies in hurrying cloud and spurs him on,
Empty of lingerings, empty of farewells
And final benedictions, and is gone.
But in my garden all the trees have shed
Their legacies of the light, and all the flowers are dead.

Hilaire Belloc

The Prayer Whisperer

I will admit to never having read or seen the Horse Whisperer, the Dog Whisperer or the Baby Whisperer, but I have seen and encountered the Prayer Whisperer. You know the prayer whisperer, she’s the older woman who whispers her Rosary REALLY loudly in adoration, at 5 am.

I really don’t care how one prays, whatever draws you nearer to God is perfect, unless of course, you decide to to do it during MY holy hour. Yep, mine, and normally mine alone. I treasure my 60 minutes on Saturday morning at an hour I’ve been told is not officially recognized by the Vatican. I do not get out of bed at 4:00 am for anything else, even sick kids might have to tend themselves that hour.

Since our Chapel opened two years ago, I’ve been sitting in a cold, dark chapel almost every Saturday, sometimes with my partner, sometimes by myself. He and I have an agreement, to not make a sound, but to stay awake. I adore this time (ooohh, bad pun, sorry). So when someone comes in and makes sound, it ruffles my cold feathers.

Why? I am a very jealous woman. I do NOT want to share my love. When I am alone, sitting and gazing at Him, there is nothing else I can think of, I can talk to Him about all of my woes, but more importantly, I can just sit there, with Him. I’m sure that the loud whisper lady needed Him that morning, why else would she be there at 5:00 am. But to sit and be alone with Him, gives me a taste of heaven.

More on Halloween

Did I mention I love Halloween? It is not just that I used to wear black lipstick, and have a really pale face, but that it is a celebration of all things Catholic. More here

I love Halloween, there I said it.

For some reason every year well meaning people try to tell me Halloween is so pagan that Good Catholics cannot celebrate it. I'm not a good Catholic, I'm a faithful one. BUT, I'm not alone, for your enjoyment...

InsideCatholic.com, My High Holy Day

Feel free to email me to tell me how evil I am, I can take it.

Belloc has something to say about today

Belloc on September 11

Via Fr. Schall.

The Perfect Homeschool Day

We have had one of those rare homeschooling dream days. Everyone got up, got ready and did school. Sure, at least this much happens daily, but today, they did so happily, and more importantly well. Even the little feisty one did both of his subjects, and again, well.

The day finished early, so we got to do fun things, like baking, and knitting. The child who does not enjoy reading, sat and listened to an audio book and followed along in the actual book. It was picture perfect.  I only wish every day could be like this, maybe it can, maybe after 8 years, we finally have gotten the hang of school!

Why I need my husband

It may seem obvious, but given the number of single mothers I know, I wonder if husbands are out of vogue. Mine is gone for the week, and I feel like my right arm is missing. He only travels once a year, maybe twice, thankfully.

Why do I need him? First of all, he is there to help me find, oh, I don’t know, everything. I’ve sent him probably 12 text messages looking for stuff today alone. Not even half the time does he know where the item is or even what the item is, but just having him to ask is helpful. Another reason is the kids. This is a big one. They have too much energy for me, I’m more the “let’s sit and read quietly” kind of mom. They are more the “let’s run around screaming and kicking like a bunch of lunatics” kind of kids. My husband must have been that kind of kid, and he can deal with them around 5 pm much better than I can. Another kid related thing, I cannot fix playmobils, legos or Star Wars figures. If they break this week, look out garbage bag! he has the ability to fix toys, I have the ability to throw away toys. The kids things can go on forever, but lastly, he can tell a 12 year old girl that she cannot wear high heels and a short skirt with authority, I just turn a funny color and freak out. He freaks out in a different, powerful over my dead body sort of way that makes the 12 year old sulk off and never wear said heels again.

Just another thing I need him for, he listens. The little boarders here need to be told 900 times just about everything. he listens to me even when I am talking to the television, and he warns the kids to not join in those conversations. He never complains about the way I look, which honestly, he could. If I look like a bum, which I always do on days I work, he doesn’t notice, if I look nice, he doesn’t ask why I’m dressed up, like a certain 12 year old. I could look like death, and he would still think I’m beautiful. God Love him.

I could go on forever, and ever, and ever ( he puts up with that, too!). I love my husband, and cannot imagine life without him, especially after the 18 years we have been together. I hope someday my kids find a spouse as faithful and loving as mine.

Rejoicing with others

This is one of the little life lessons I’ve actually managed to learn and then live. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. Sometimes, it is almost painful to rejoice with others, they are happy, and should be, but I would give anything to be in their shoes. But still, I’ve learned to at the very least smile and be silent.

This aspect was easy to learn, at least for me. When I was newly married, 4 whole months, we announced that my husband and I were expecting our first child. I was expecting a cool reception, but I wasn’t excepting downright icy responses. I knew that my husband’s sister longed for a baby, that she had been trying to conceive, I didn’t know that my getting pregnant would hurt her so much. One sister outright told me it wasn’t my turn, how could I? Ouch. To this day, there is a part of me that though I understand and forgive, is still hurt by this.

So many times, we see what others have, or are doing and are envious. It is human nature, our fallen nature. When we put ourselves aside, even when that longing is almost painful, God blesses us. He gives us the grace to rejoice and support, if necessary, our friends.

Party Pooper

I am officially a party pooper. A party I helped plan, I decided not to attend. The reality is I am freaking tired.

I’m tired because I work, and I plan and I drive my kids all over the earth. Up till this point, I’ve attempted to make time for everyone and everything, however, that is not working very well any more. Tonight, I said no. I need to stay in, and I might do so again tomorrow, even though friends are trying to guilt me to go out. I can’t. Heck, I’m not sure it is even safe for me to drive, my eyes are heavy, my reflexes are slow.

School begins in a few days, this year we have decided as a family to say no, to not over commit. The summer was insane, and honestly, we do not want to live like this. I hope we can. Pressure from out side of the house is tremendous. I long for a simpler life, with more focus, but know people will be hurt along the way to that. How is it possible in thsi age to say no, and not to offend? That, I will have to figure out.

Why Our Family Celebrates Feast Days

Recently the woman I work for asked me what we were doing, and I without thinking responded,”Today is the Feast of St. Thomas so we are having a party.” About a week later, again, same questions, and I responded with a similar answer. She made a face, and told me I was too religious. I disagree.

I do take our faith seriously, but only in that it is a serious matter, but it is a cause for jollity, too! I love that every week, I can find an excuse for a party. We Catholics know how to party, it’s true, we take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Each day is a cause for celebration, and each soul that is in heaven as a saint gives us cause to party. Why? Because it gives us hope, something to look forward to and a reason to rejoice, the race has been run and completed.

I have a great deal of fun coming up with a creative way to celebrate. This week was St. Lawrence, grilled food, for the feast of St. Maximilian, two crown cake, and for St. Francis Xavier, curry. So far, it all involves food, but that is what I do. I also do it so my kids will have memories. I want them to be out of my house thinking of an excuse for a party and turn to the Saints. Or better, remember that their name day, or that of a friend is coming up. These little things help keep us connected to the faith in moments we might normally forget. I always remembered to put my shoes out for St. Nick, even when my family left the church, and St. Nick very well may have helped me come back.

Celebrate! Cook! And spend time as a family with our family who have finished the race.

Economy and Birth Rates

Here is a very interesting article!

Feast of St. Clare of Assisi

Today is my eldest's name day. As any name day, it is the cause for celebration and reflection. Here is a really good Homily for the feast of St. Clare

Enjoy!

A Moral Test in the Darkest Times

Another article for NFP week, as it closes.

A Moral Test in the Darkest Times

TOP 10 Reasons to Use NFP | Theology of the Body Channel

It's NFP awareness week!

TOP 10 Reasons to Use NFP | Theology of the Body Channel

Reconciling who I am.

When I was a 22 year old newly married woman, my husband bought me a book on Dorothy Day. I loved it! She embodied so much of who I was and who I wanted to be. I met people from the Catholic Worker Movement in my time working at The Port, on the Westside of Chicago, run by a few dedicated Franciscans. At the Port, we fed the poor, but didn't stop there, we taught classes on computers and tended their children while they learned. It wasn't so much a hand out as a hand holding. Flash forward a few years, as a young mother trying to find my place in the world of Catholic motherhood, I was told by a friend that Dorothy day was a Communist, and good Catholics shouldn't read her. I listened. I was having an identity crisis, I was 25 mother of 1 with another on the way, I was trying very hard to be "good" and fit in. It wasn't working, I was miserable. I wasn't true to myself or to my somewhat wild self. Reading many great books helped me resolve who I was, so did giving up on impressing others and making them happy. Now, Dorothy Day is back in my life, with a better understanding of her and her ideas, which are without a doubt Catholic.


The Distributist Review » Blog Archive » Where Are the Poor?

Hope and Disappointment

I like to think I'm pretty hopeful in general. I've evolved from a dark pessimistic teen and young adult to what I am today, cynical at times, but in general hopeful. At times it is hard, like right now.

I've been really hoping for something, I can't give details, but that don't matter that much anyway, it is a good think, at least I think it is, and I keep getting no for an answer. It is one of those things that other people are telling me I should do, and I agree, and yet, no. No hurts, it is painful, it is frustrating, it is maddening, yet, I have no choice in the matter but to accept, hopefully with joy, the no God is giving me.

My kids hate me saying no, and I am just about as thrilled as they are to hear it, but I know as a parent, I say it for their good, and God, my loving Father is doing the same for me. I can stomp my feet, like my 5 year old would, but that won't really help. I can cry and complain, but again, what good is that? Or, I can say "Thank you for knowing what is good for me right now" and accept His will. Option 3 sounds the best, even if it hurts. Or better still, I can take option 3, and offer that hurt for a soul in purgatory, who had the same hurt in life, and in return beg their prayers for me.

Finding Help: You Care About Me, Right?

All I can say is Wow.

Does NFP Really Work? | Fathers for Good

Does NFP Really Work? | Fathers for Good

Another really good article from the Knights of Columbus. God Bless them and their consistent pro-life efforts.

Litany for America

LITANY FOR THE CONVERSION OF AMERICA
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Our Lady of America, pray for us.
Immaculate Conception, pray for us, sinners.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, deliver us from all infanticide.
Our Lady of Fatima, deliver us from the errors of Russia.
Our Lady, Queen of Martyrs, deliver us from spiritual sloth, undue curiosity and unease of mind.
Our Lady, Help of Christians, deliver us from apostasy.
Our Lady of Refuge, deliver us from Sodom.
Our Lady, Comfortress of the Afflicted, deliver us from moral complacency.
Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners, deliver us from a lack of shamefulness.
Our Lady, Health of the Weak, deliver us from vain perceptions.
Our Lady, Morning Star, deliver us from envy and avarice.
Our Lady, Gate of Heaven, deliver us from impenitence.
Our Lady, Ark of the Covenant, deliver us from constitutional manipulation.
Our Lady, House of Gold, deliver us from unjust taxation.
Our Lady, Tower of Ivory, deliver us from incompetent and corrupt leaders.
Our Lady, Tower of David, deliver us from political scandals and malice.
Our Lady, Mystical Rose, deliver us from all scandal and gossip.
Our Lady, Vessel of Singular Devotion, deliver us from mindless entertainment.
Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy, deliver us from needless self-pity and sadness.
Our Lady, Virgin Most Faithful, deliver us from national dissolution and a loss of sovereignty.
Our Lady, Virgin Most Merciful, deliver us from our own worst inclinations in compromise.
Our Lady, Virgin Most Renowned, deliver us from the culture of celebrity.
Our Lady, Virgin Most Venerable, deliver us from cultural depravity and perversion.
Our Lady, Mother of Our Redeemer, deliver us from heresy and persecution.
Our Lady, Most Amiable, deliver us from rudeness and incivility.
Our Lady, Mother Undefiled, deliver us from the all social turpitude.
Our Lady, Mother Most Pure, deliver us from immodesty in daily life.
Our Lady, Mother of Divine Grace, deliver us from contraception, sterilization and experimentation.
Our Lady, Holy Mother of God, deliver us from the rejection of fathers as just heads of families.
Our Lady, O Holy Mary, deliver us from all blasphemy.
Our Lady of Prosperity, deliver us from unjust wages and money speculation.
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, deliver us from socialist tendencies.
Our Lady of Consolation, deliver us from fear and a lack of courage.
Our Lady of Good Counsel, deliver us from the deceit of pride.
Our Lady of Good Succor, deliver us from a lack of due vigilance.
Our Lady of the Dove, deliver us from the schemes of rash and perilous dreamers.
Our Lady of Lourdes, deliver us from medically induced suicide.
Our Lady of the Thorn, deliver us from petty quarrels.
Our Lady of Victory, deliver us from all lying and dissimulation.
Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Graces, deliver us from lip service.
Our Lady of Tears, deliver us from the removal of Christ the King in society.
Our Lady of Divine Providence, deliver us from ego and false optimism.
Our Lady of Consolation, deliver us from despair.
Our Lady of Good Remedy, deliver us from the tyranny of the self-anointed and their ambitious.
Our Lady of Deliverance, deliver us from broken families.
Our Lady of Confidence, deliver us from imperial courts of sanctimony.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, deliver us from perjurious leaders.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, deliver us from the rejection of the natural law.
Our Lady of the Poor, deliver us from perduring usury and national debt.
Our Lady of Fire, deliver us from God's chastisement, although thoroughly merited.
Our Lady of the Bells, deliver us from silence in the face of evil.
Our Lady of Good Tidings, deliver us from deception in and disinformation by the media.
Our Lady of Great Power, deliver us from foreign entanglements.
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, deliver us from unexpected storms and disasters.
Our Lady of Safety, deliver us from onerous bureaucracies.
Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, deliver us from faithless priests and prelates.
Our Lady of Ransom, deliver us from legal inequity.
Our Lady, Immaculate Heart, us from unclean hearts and lassitude of mind.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, deliver us from a reliance on sentimentality.
Our Lady of the Assumption, deliver us from the culture of the body.
Our Lady of the Holy Cross, deliver us from the love of ease and luxury.
Our Lady of Sorrows, deliver us from deadness of soul.
Our Lady of Miracles, deliver us from the conceit of technology.
Our Lady of the Star, deliver us from infidels.
Our Lady of Good Help, deliver us from dependence on false saviors.
Our Lady of Angels, deliver us from paganism, witchcraft and superstition.
Our Lady of Light, deliver us from our self-induced blindness.
Our Lady of the Rosary, deliver us from the neglect of piety.
Our Lady of Life, deliver us from the culture of death.
Our Lady of Peace, deliver us from unjust and meddlesome wars.
Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Earth, deliver us from the four sins that cry out to Heaven for vengeance.
Our Lady of America, deliver us from all enemies.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R. And obtain for us our own conversion and that of our country.

It has been forever!

I took a hiatus to devote my time to Facebook. Joking of course, but life has been very, very busy. I had been thinking of abandoning this endeavor, but I still have more to say than 240 characters allow.

I've always been someone who puts her thoughts down, sometimes in a notebook, or in a file on my computer, or in this case a self-indulgent blog. Sometimes, I just need to write out my thoughts so that I can get them out of my head.

I spend all day thinking, sometimes I have great thoughts, often, just random nonsense. Paper is great, and I love the stuff, but it is a challenge with kids to sit and write on paper, after all, finding a pen can take hours any given day! So here I am, until I get bored again, if you'll have me.

Vatican will finance adult stem cell research - Yahoo! News

And people think the Church is anti-science!


Vatican will finance adult stem cell research - Yahoo! News

Novena for Pope Benedict XVI

Novena for Pope Benedict XVI

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You might be a crazy Home schooling mother if...

The day your new science Curricula comes, you are giddy to the point of not being able to speak. Or you decide even though just last night you were talking about burn out, you decide to school through summer for the sheer joy of using said books.
Did I mention these science book are set to music. I have died and gone to former choir director heaven! Finally all of those years of Music theory, private (expensive) voice lessons and late nights in practice rooms pay off! I can now sing about the Scientific Method! But I still might giggle singing about the Reproductive system. So what I teach NFP to adults, I don't sing it, but now that that tune is in my mind, I can only imagine, what will my husband will think!

Farming it out

I seriously love the Onion!

Last in this World, First in the next.

I heard about this from a Facebook friend, and was moved to tears by the beauty of it.

Two Scenarios

Two Scenarios

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My goal is to get them to Heaven, not Harvard

This should be my mantra. I need to constantly remind myself that just because I home school and overall my kids are smart, they can be average, and there is nothing wrong with that. I've been stressing myself out that I am not teaching them a thing. This has been a rough year, we haven't been as diligent in getting all of our school done. I've been beating myself up, my kids will be failures because in third grade I spent too much time teaching the 20th century, and not enough on handwriting.

My oldest is in Jr. High, which is more stressful. People expect her to go to school in 2 years. She is not going. She wants to stay home. I'm happy to oblige. I'm feeling pressure to make sure she can get into the best High School, even if she will not attend. She, like me, stinks at math. Obviously, I taught her her wrong, right?

It is so easy as mom to blame myself, but the reality is God will work in spite of me.

Could it be?

Snowdrops! It's almost spring!! Amid the dead and decay new life gives hints that the darkness has almost ended.

Today's Feast Day Quote

Today is the feast of St. Frances of Rome.

"A married woman must often leave God at the altar to find Him in her household care."

In other words, it's nice to go to adoration, but the dishes won't wash themselves, He is there, amid the yucky milk cup, too.

We need to pray for them

It has been a rather depressing week in my diocese for young, excited priests. First, my dear friend, a seminarian was asked to take leave. He has done nothing wrong, other than to love as Christ loves, and not had a healthy enough distain for children. He doesn't run the other way when he sees them, and actually will talk to them, must be up to no good. We seem to have forgotten the words from the Gospel of Mark (chapter 10):

"And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.

When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them."

Embracing them is forbidden in this day and age, and I suspect very soon, Blessing them will be too. Please don't think I do not understand recent scandals. I was raised in a Parish that was front and center of them in my diocese, the priest who first gave me Our Lord in communion was a pedophile and is rotting in jail. My family left the church, and part of the reason was him. I get it, but I also think we cannot knee jerk respond to the point that innocent men are being pushed out of their vocation.

Later this week, a recently ordained announced he is leaving the priesthood. I've heard mutterings, don't know what is true, but he leaves in good standing, pressure from self-righteous holier than the Pope types have made him leave. It is sickening. I really really liked this guy. He was fun, and very wise and holy. My kids loved him, he laughed at their bad jokes. He made the priesthood look cool. That's just what little boys need, not getting yelled at for making a mistake as a server, or being ignored when they ask Father a silly question, that seems important to them. That does not make them want to be a priest.

A third young priest is on sabbatical to see if he is staying. Nice. I don't know him, but at present we have lost 75% of the priests ordained in the last 3 years. This has to stop. We as people of faith need to pray and support our priests, even the ones that yell at kids, but even more the ones who don't, because according to the world, there is something wrong with them.

Sorry for my rant. I'm just hoping that before my sons are old enough to be serious about a vocation, they would find a mentor, a priest to not only bring them Jesus, but be Jesus to them.

St. John Vianney, Patron of Priests, Pray for them!

Torture

There has been a growing movement in the Catholic Blog-o-sphere concerning torture. I've always known it was wrong, but I usually blamed my liberal tenancies, especially since I never win the argument when I'm surrounded by other Catholics. Thankfully, as I usually do, I can rely on the Church to set me straight.

Torture is happening far more than we, as a country, would like to acknowledge. How do I know? After all, suburban mom, home-schooler, and otherwise boring person does not qualify me to speak on much. I know because I have heard first hand stories from my family, my brother serves in Kuwait and Iraq, my brother-in-law recently returned from Afghanistan and my dad, a veteran of the Marines were sharing stories at our late Christmas dinner. I was shocked, appalled and left speechless. I love these guys, especially my brother-in-law, he is well read, and a smart guy, yet, he tortured. Everyone did from what he was saying. It wasn't as extreme as water-boarding, but there were many little things that were unnecessary for the questioning of other human beings. Honestly, they treated the dog that wandered in from the desert better than the locals. I was sickened.

The simple lesson, just because we can, and everyone else does, doesn't mean we should. This week I'm teaching the kids about the Holocaust. How can I tell them all that happened to rob people of their dignity and eventually their lives is wrong if I think it is okay to do the same today? I'm not the best spokeswoman for this cause, admittedly, I'm not the best at expressing the truth with clarity, but hopefully, I can convince my family, and friends.

Know your farmer, Know your food

I know my farmer, his name is Jamie, and Karen, his mom, delivers my eggs, cheese and veggies in the summer. I've known Eric, and Paul, the people at Plow Creek and Donna, they are my farmers, or have been in the past 7 years. The USDA is launching a program so that more of you can know your farmer too. Nothing compares to being able to ask how to get rid of squirrels from the guy who battles them all week, or to ask if beets ever go out of season, after the 12th week of them straight from the person who is mulling tilling them over.

Eating Local is not just about food, it's about people. My farmer needs to farm to pay the bills, and has decided not to take the "easy way" by planting cash crops (corn, soy). By buying local, I am helping a family keep a farm out of debt that has been in the family for generations. Corn looks like quick cash, but costs them the farm. Buying local helps my farmer live here, where I live, though it is mostly urban. Knowing my farmer means knowing a person, and their joys and struggles to provide food, it means asking how they are doing, it means rejoicing with them that it has been a good season. You cannot eat the food without offering a prayer for the person, whose face you know, that grew it. I know my food is truly the work of a person hands, because I shake those worn hands each week.

So that's why it's PG

I'm all about the new Alice and Wonderland movie. I've secretly had a crush on Johnny Depp ever since his first Tim Burton Film. He does nothing for me in his other films, though. As I was looking up the midnight showings, I noticed the rating PG, but the kicker is why.

(PG), for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar?

A smoking caterpillar?! Who knew?

I knew it wasn't in my head!

Lately, I have felt like my days are not long enough. I do not accomplish nearly enough in one day. I thought I was was wasting time somewhere, but it turns out Since the earthquake in Chile, the days may be shorter. Well, at least it's not me.

Cardinal Ennio Antonelli is my Hero!

From Zenit today..

Cardinal: Stay-at-Home Moms Need to Be Paid

Pontifical Council President Urges Family-Friendly Economics

ROME, MARCH 1, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The president of the Pontifical Council for the Family is stressing the importance of work done by those in the home and suggesting economic compensation for it.

Cardinal Ennio Antonelli called for financial and professional perks to encourage families when he spoke on "Family and Business, Vital Cells of Society," at a meeting of the Catholic Union of Businessmen and Executives (UCID) in Rome.

His proposals were reported last Friday in the Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano.

During his address the Italian cardinal stressed that "domestic work deserves economic recognition."

He also said that "numerous families deserve special reductions and financial facilities," pointing to the examples of France and Germany where "families with three children pay €2,000 [$2,720] or €3,000 [$4,080] less."

The Vatican official noted that raising a family and seeking a career outside the home are compatible for women, but he urged support services: day care centers in businesses and neighborhoods, and for the elderly and handicapped, other social services.

He also pointed out the importance of offering women a "variety of opportunities in professional work: part-time work, telework, flexibility of hours and vacations."

Cardinal Antonelli cautioned against the price paid by marriage and family when women see careers and social success as the path to self-fulfillment. And he pointed out the negative effects when dads are absent from families.

For my two readers

Did you ever have an evening, in which you received bad news, went to bed thinking about it, woke up, again, it was the first thought in your head, but were sure it must have been a bad dream, then realized it wasn't. That was my night. I'm fine, before you ask, but a friend received bad news, and I feel terribly for him.

I can't go into details, but please pray for my friend, and that he may be submissive and patient with God's will for him. When we are in the midst of trial, it is so difficult to see what God could possibly be preparing us for, or teaching us. It takes tremendous amounts of faith and obedience to see the potential good. I know this friend has both, but that does not make it any less difficult to understand why.

I love it when they get it!

It seems like a rare occasion that my children make a connection between historical events, but when they do, Ahh! I'm sure they get it more than they let me know, after all, mom might get a big ego or get prideful if she knew she was a decent teacher.

Today we studied Hitler's rise to power. I asked the question, "Who did Hitler Blame?" and got a good response, " The Jews, just like in the Story of Ester". We studied Ester yesterday. They saw the connection, they got it.

My greatest hope in spending far too much time dwelling on history has been that my children will see how it does repeat itself. My greater hope, is that they will become active citizens to prevent some of that repetition in their lifetime. One connection down, a million more to go.

I love homeschooling!

In defense of Teletubbies

I'm not sure how the subject came up, but yesterday I ended up arguing in defense of Teletubbies. Let me start by saying I hate children's programming. It is dribble and visual twaddle at best. That said, I have realized in the 11 years that I have been at times forced to watch PBS kids, it has gotten drastically worse.

I was raised on a healthy diet of Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street, both my Parents worked, and while my dad, who worked nights, napped, I got to watch TV. It was not much, but the poor guy needed an hour in the morning to rest while my mom was at work. I was not watching endless hours a day, and he felt like he could trust Mr. Rogers to keep me out of trouble.

Fast Forward 30 years. I try to monitor TV, PBS is generally allowed when there is TV viewing allowed. However, the quality is awful. Back to Teletubbies, sure it was bad, but at least they didn't try to indoctrinate, to promote a certain agenda. It was like a bad fairy tale. Cute, distracting, showing kids playing nicely and at best teaching a few good character traits.

The "new" shows all have something to push. Take for example a newer show, Sid the Science Kid( my eldest calls it Sid the stupid kid, but that is not polite!). Hmm, Science is good, right? Sure, if that is what the show was about. Science is the package for a few other views. The school class is full of racial stereotypes, and one big cliche. The show has promoted the H1N1 vaccinate, CFL light-bulbs and hybrid cars. Okay, why does my 5 year old need to know about these other than to yell at me that our Honda is not a hybrid?!

I'll take silly colored aliens over preachy issue-laden science any day!

Another Unlikely Good Word on Religious Life

By this point, most people are aware that Oprah had the Sister of Mary Mother of the Eucharist on her show. All reviews I have heard are that it was good and made the life of the sister look wonderful. This week, on Chicago Public radio's Eight Forty Eight show, writer Judy Valente talked about life in the Benedictine Monastery. She ended her story with

"With a dwindling number of men and women willing to enter monastic life, it’s easy to dismiss monasteries as hopeless throwbacks to the past. But for me, monasteries offer a window to the future …a future our world so desperately needs. One that stresses community over competition, service over self-aggrandizement, quietude over chatter, and simplicity over constant consumption. It’s what keeps me coming back again and again to these incredible Benedictine women, and to this monastery tucked away on a hill."

Not a bad way to say it, "a future our world so desperately needs"

I'm back!

I finally got a new computer with a letter "t", thus making it easier to write. I hope to make Lent a good time to do this, how are you preparing for Lent, I'd love to hear ideas.

More on Change

I, like many Americans, am a New Year resolution failure most years. Not this one, I swear. I vowed I would get fit. I know, and so do millions of other Americans, but for some reason this year it is different, at least for me.

I'm going to be 35 in a month, so my time to get serious about weight and exercise is running out, 35 seems to be the age doctors start lecturing more, and health heads south. I think that is motivating me, or may be it is the fact that I have an 11 year old daughter. I was thin until about her age, and it worries me to think she will not always be thin. I want her to see my better example.

So far, in the week we've been in this year, I've been able to lose 5 lbs and exercise 5/7 days. I know most people give up by the end of January, but I'm hoping that by posting here, I'll not be one of them. My goal is irrelevant, I'm rather hoping for a lifestyle change, to actually like sweat, to not be embarrassed to have my kids seem me workout and not find it easy. I've already seen a bit of an attitude change, I want to work out, even though I'll still admit to hating it, with a passion.

I'll keep posting, and please pray for me, I'm never going to run a marathon, I have not an ounce of desire to do so, but I'd love to know I could if I wanted to.