Blessed Feast of St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe

Today we celebrate a favorite saint in our home. We celebrate with Joy and sorrow. The Joy that comes from the Saints in heaven, and the sorrow of the lives lost in the past 100 years by religious. St.Maximilian holds a very dear place in my heart, because my dad first told me about him.

My father is not a religious man, but he heard the story of St. Maximilian at the time of his canonization and was touched. You see, my father is Polish. When he was growing up, Polish jokes ran rampant, Poles were not looked upon kindly, even in very Polish Chicago. When he heard about St. Maximilian, he said, "People just do not know how we suffered." He was almost in tears telling me the story of Maximilian's death. I've never forgotten that. So many Polish people died in WWII, not just Jews, but all Poles, and many, many were Priests and Sisters.

St. Maximilian is also the patron Saint of those with addictions. Both my husband's family and mine have a history of addiction. It is something I worry about with my children, especially one child who has a very difficult time with self-control. We ask St. Maximilian often to help this child, who just happens to share his name. We visit his shrine annually for our Marian Pilgrimage.

So today, think of the words of our Lord, "There is no greater love, than to lay down you life for a friend" and remember St. Maximilian Kolbe

Perfectionism and the Work of God

Recently, I was told I was a perfectionist. I had to laugh, first thought was"Well how come my laundry never gets finished!" I've had time to think about it. It might be true, and a perfectionist WOULD notice the laundry NEVER is done. As soon as everything is washed the kiddies give me a few more items fresh off their backs.

Laundry was not the context of the conversation, though. It was in spiritual direction, the context was fear of failure. How often do I, or many other people for that matter, do nothing, because maybe there is someone who could do a better job? I know there are several things I could have done, or said, but I didn't, because I wasn't sure I could do it well. So it never got done, most likely. God gives us certain moments to act, and in that moment perfection needs to be cast aside. My best effort would probably be more than sufficient. To explain many things, I do not need to be a scholar, but sincere. To teach, often could get by with being very passionate about the subject, not needing to know everything there is to know.

As I've been thinking about this, the parable of the talents from Matthew's Gospel comes to mind. The first two servants in the story made an effort, and the talents were multiplied. The third servant did nothing. NOTHING, and he was punished. He feared what MIGHT happen, and made not effort at all to do what he should have done. For years I have had a hard time understanding this parable. (Sometimes I'm a wee bit slow). I wasn't raised in a Christian home, It just didn't make since, but now, to me it seems clear. Our very best efforts, if they really are our best, are far surpassing no efforts at all. How many souls could I bring to heaven with me, just by making an effort, rather than hoping someone else will do a better job?

Friday Book!

Cautionary Tales for Children. This week we visit the book I checked out of the library so much my Husband asked me to buy it. I remember the stories from this from my childhood. I did not have a good Catholic upbringing, so the fact that it ended up in my house is pretty amazing.

The Edward Gorey illustrated edition is so much better than the edition I had. The drawings are perfect for the stories, but I love Gorey's work in any form.

Our favorite story is Matilda who told lies and was burned to death. It is basically a retelling for the Little Boy who cried wolf, but in a far funnier form. I've heard J.K Rowling has said her favorite poem is Jim who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion. We're happy to be in her leagues as fans for Belloc.

Here's the last bit about this book, I was recently assigned to read it by a priest in confession. His logic, so I stop taking myself so seriously. That was the day I bought it. If Father said to, I had to. It really is a good way to learn a lesson, not just for children, but adults, and to have a good laugh, to remember not everything has to be serious.

More on Planned Parenthood clinic

The Daily Herald wrote an article on the Vigil. I have rarely gone to pray at abortion clinics, but I guess this is the time to begin. I went at 7am today, earlier than I would have liked, but then it was more of a sacrifice. Please pray for those out praying. Most people are nice, but the few that are not are really ugly in their choice of words.

Cop writes a ticket for giant sausage

I have to say the best line EVER is now ...

"We have access to tow trucks that could have handled a Polish sausage, not just
a hot dog,"

But They say they're "helping" Women!

Ah, Yes, helping must include physical, psychological and emotional trauma and abuse. The thing that gets me the most is not in the story. Aurora is a nice town, I live really near by, in its much wealthier cousin. What is not being said, is that Aurora has a large Spanish speaking population, many of whom may not be legal citizens. Citizen status is not the issue, but what is, is the fact that these women may not have options for health care. Here comes PP, to "help", to remind them they do not have options, to remind them they should not have a baby, and to take advantage of their situation. Many of these women are married, not the teens we often think of. Even if they are teens, everyone has error in judgement sometimes. Some of the nicest kids I know are children of unmarried women. Then some of those women made a brave noble choice, Adoption. Ah, but PP will tell you Adoption is hard, it hurts, women suffer. Abortion is quick and easy. Lies Lies and more Lies! PP was founded on lies and the desire of a truly evil woman to kill off the poor, uneducated and not European (she also counted the Irish as not European).

This same woman advocated "free love". Those of us who are in love can attest to the fact that true love is never, and should not be free. It is very pricey, the cost of sacrifice goes unmeasured. To think that the part of marriage that unites a man and woman should be free is disgusting. To say it is free makes seem worthless, and to view the result of sharing in the work of creation as an object to be destroyed is to view oneself as greater than God. Ah, but PP makes lots of money this way....

Chesterton was a contemporary of Margaret Sanger, and had more than a few things to say.

"For the next great heresy is going to be simply an attack on morality; and especially on sexual morality. And it it is coming not from a few Socialists surviving from the Fabian Society, but from the living exultant energy of the rich resolved to enjoy themselves at last, with neither Popery nor Puritanism nor Socialism to hold them back...The madness of tomorrow is not in Moscow, but much more in Manhattan."

-The Next Heresy, June 19, 1926

or Chicago.

New Blog I like

I am a Chesterton Novice. I have only begun to read a few books and commentaries, but there are people out there in the blogosphere who know far more than I. Sean P. Dailey is one of them, and he now has a blog. I figured a fellow Illinois-ian deserved a plug. Best wishes, Sean!

Humility Versus Self-Doubt

I've been thinking about this a lot today. Recently I was asked to consider a job outside of the home teaching. I have not worked a "real" job for 10 years. I did some grant writing, I've volunteered the equivelent of a full time job, but other than that, nothing.

I studied the field that the job is in, I teach it to my children at home, I remain active in other ways in this field, but I do not feel qualified to teach at a school. Why? Because I think there are many more out there who could do the job better.

The funny thing is that this offer to teach is running parallel with the discernment of a vocation, I am having the same issues with. Again, I think that there must be a mistake, I've mislead people, someone else would do a much better job. I've been on the fence for nearly 6 months trying to figure out what I am supposed to do.

Am I truly aware of the fact that I am not qualified for either? If that is the case, it could it be called humility? I see my flaws, I realize that the school/world would be better served by another. If it is self- doubt, Then it is the opposite of Humility influencing my decisions, Pride. Pride would have me fear failure and my embarrassment more than the good that could come from my service.

"All the time it is you , you , you. And you will never be effective until it is him, him, him, so that you act in nomine Domini --in the name and the strength of God" - The Furrow 699

Where DOES it all come from?!

Clutter, that is. I hate clutter, but I seems to love my house. We simply have too much stuff in a small space. I know, get rid of stuff. I do, I really do, but what do you do when you've outgrown your space, and are stuck in it?

If I asked my DH, and he would say we have too many books. Ask my kids and they say we do not have enough of anything, they want MORE, much MORE. I think we all are just to attached to things that do not last. But we are not Franciscans, we are suburbanites, we need a certain amount of stuff. Where does one draw the line? How does one keep the house clutter-free and happy? I really do not have a solution. I've tried many things over the years, and it all comes back to too small of a space, too many people living in it with too much stuff. Someday, I'll have a bigger space, and I'm sure I'll still have clutter, it just loves me!

Friday Book!

I've decided to review or just talk about a favorite book each week. This week I happily present: The Dangerous Book For Boys. This has very quickly become a favorite with my boys. I love this book, I love how it encourages my sons to think, to be creative and to get dirty.

I have long been concerned about the feminization of boys through our culture. Think about it, most educators are female and boys are not allowed to, well, be boys. There is a lack of appreciation for the wildness that should be a young boy. Does this mean they are uncivilized, no, quite the contrary. The book not only shows how to make a bow and arrow, it give grammar lessons. It represents the balance boys need.

I love the fact that is tells the stories of explorers, and the seven wonders of the ancient world. I hope that is fuels the desire to explore the world around them for many boys, not just the world that is given in the X-box. It fuels the imagination with tales of adventure and gives the tools to have adventures of their own.

The book is beautifully bound in red cloth with gold writing, it looks like something special, something old, something to be treasured. It has already found a special home with Pooh Bear, Peter Rabbit and Thomas the Train on our "special" book shelf.