Planned Parenthood Clinic Update

All I can say is keep praying, fasting and making little sacrifices. Ask Our Lady to intercede for the many women and babies that this clinic will hurt if it ever opens, ask Her that it NEVER open.

Harry Potter, and A Bad Homeschool Mom

I guess I have to finally say something on this subject, because after some of what I've read this week, I'm embarrassed to be a Catholic Homeschool mother. Let me just preface all I say with many in my HS group consider me a heathen, Harry Potter is one of many reasons. It used to bother me, but I'm pretty sure that my confessor would disagree with them, so who cares.

I'm what many call a "Bad Catholic Homeschooler". I wear jeans, I run errands while listening to my Ipod, I watch TV, and enjoy some of it, I stay up some nights drinking a beer with my husband while playing our Wii, but none of that is as bad as some find Harry Potter. I too, used to be Anti-Harry, before I read the books. I had been lulled into the Michael O'Brien Way of thinking, after all he had some good things to say, and I, a former punk music loving young mother had been raised out of the church, what did I know. So I blindly followed, shame on me! I banned Dragon Tales, can't confuse the kiddies, I talked badly about Harry Potter, I just wanted to fit in with my homeschooling peers.

Then one day, I happened to be the day that the Sixth Book came out, something happened. Our town turned into Hogsmead. I had no idea what that was honestly, but we had some friends who walked through over, and they brought up the alleged comments by then Cardinal Ratzinger. These friends are Catholics, but "Sunday" Catholics. They were not interested in Harry Potter, frankly, but thought it was concerning that the Pope would speak on such a trivial thing. I tried to soften the blow a bit, but without having read the books, I pretty much looked dumb.I then decided to borrow the books from my niece and read them. At least I could tell everyone how bad they were.

I read them all in a matter of three weeks. They were great, nothing in there even hinted of "join the occult" . Wait, then, maybe I missed something. I had my husband listen to the audio books with me. Again, nothing illicit, certainly nothing as offensive as some Catholic children's books we have been given over the years.

For years I had tried to be a "Good Catholic Homeschool Mom", no pants, only good Catholic music and film, shun culture basically. I failed and was not happy. Thank goodness I have a few good priests to turn to for direction! We as Catholics are given FREEDOM. We can choose good. We can learn, through formation what is good. I am not to live a cloistered life, I am to live in the world, but not be of it. I have chosen to read the Harry Potter books, I have chosen to not let my children read some of the books, based upon age and maturity. I respect my many friends who do not allow many of the things I allow.

I guess the thing that has bugged me the most about the way Harry Potter, and many other issues related to culture are handled is the meanness with which those who have chosen to keep them out of their family act. There are teenagers in our HS group who are not allowed to talk to me, I am clearly a bad influence. My kids have been taught to be respectful, and if we are with friends who do not allow certain things, they go out of their way to not mention them. We have to ask ourselves if the energy being used to slander the name of many good people, like Nancy Brown, could be used to bring more people to heaven with us? Is the behavior causing other to be lead away from God or the Church? If it is, that is truly sinful. Oh, and By the way, I still ban Dragon tales, because it is just plain dumb, and that has nothing to do with Dragons.

Now I'm off to play Wii Sports while listening to rock music with my kids. and continue being an embarrassment to my homeschool group.

A Day of Prayer and fasting

September 7 has been declared by my Bishop as a day of prayer and fasting against abortion. It is only two weeks until Planned Parenthood is scheduled to open their new death and deception factory. Please join us in Prayer. I know that this might only seem to effect my "small" corner of the world, but it effects us all. Babies will die, women will be hurt, a communities will suffer. Those babies will not grow up to be YOUR doctor, teacher, Priest,where ever you live. Those women will suffer depression and regret, and be at greater risk for breast cancer. I've known many women who have had abortions, they suffer, in ways you would never think. Men suffer from abortion, too. The CFR's have done a good deal of work to bring this to people's attention. How many families suffer because of abortion? How many living siblings suffer from the joy of a sister or brother never known? Please join my family, friends and community in praying to end this suffering, pray to end abortion, even if it is just in my "small" corner of the world.

Off Babysittin'

One of my dear friends, a mother of nine, has gone to Seattle for a much needed, much deserved second/ didn't really get a first honeymoon. I am at her house enjoying the last days of summer in her pool, with 7 of 9 (I hate Star Trek, so don't ask) of her kids and my 3, making me the mother of 10 and a very old dog this week. I'll be back next week with our summer memories. It was a great summer, sad to see it fade away. Hopefully I'll *finally* finish The Man who was Thursday this week, I've had too many interruptions for such a good book.

Super Funny Ebay auction

I'll sum it up, mom took all six kids shopping with her, and needs to sell off the items the kids grabbed without her noticing. Too Funny, though.

My writing gig

I thought I got fired from my part time super low key high stress volunteer writing gig. (enough adjectives?) BUT, they asked me back, much to my dismay! AND the first deadline is TODAY. So anyone have suggestions for a children's book I can review that meets the following goals and objectives, that is not The Weight of a Mass? Did I mention this is for my Parish's award winning RE program?
Goal: To determine that God is worthy of our devotion and wants a relationship with us
Objectives:
1) To determine that God exists and has certain distinguishable traits
2) To establish the relationship that exists between the persons of the Blessed Trinity and the correlation to our relationship with God
3) To realize that through prayer, we come to know God and his will for us and learn that living according to God’s will brings happiness.
4) To learn the forms of prayer found in our Catholic toolbox (ACTS: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication (petition))

I better get reading and writing!

The Future of the Church

My Hubby and I teach NFP, and we have for 7 years. We sometimes run into difficulties when couples tell us that their Priest told them contraception was okay. This video is made by a group of seminarians, I'm so excited about our future priests!

New Blog!

Families against Planned Parenthood has launched a blog in order to keep people up to date on our efforts to prevent PP from opening on September. Please visit, and continue to pray.

Please Pray for my Friend

A friend of mine is having some emotional difficulties, enough so that she needs to be away from her family for a while. She has 5 kids, and recently stopped homeschooling. I've known her since I was 13, she supported me through my very emotional teen years. Ask St. Dymphna to intercede for her. Ask for God's grace to fill her. Her life has been rough, her dad died when she was very young, she's lost 6 babies, and has a child with severe heart defects, enough to cause anyone to have a hard time with life.

The Bishop Joins the Fight

Please read Bishop Sartain's letter on the day of prayer against abortion. We are so blessed to have him as our Shepherd.