Bucket O'Glee

The Wall of Futility

2010-10-09T07:44:00.009-04:00

"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."
— M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled.

I think this is another way of explaining Gordon Neufeld's idea of the wall of futility in his book Hold on to Your Kids. He says,

"The key to adaptation is for futility to sink in whenever we are up
against something that won't work and we can't change. When the
adaptive process is unfolding as it should, the lessons are learned
spontaneously....The adaptive process accomplishes its task of "disciplining"
our children in a number of natural ways; by bringing to an end a course of
action that does not work, by enabling the child to accept limitations and
restrictions,. by facilitating the letting -go of futile demands.Only through
such adaptations can a child adjust to circumstances that cannot be changed.
Through this process a child also discovers that she can live with unfulfilled
desires. Adaptation enables the child to recover from trauma and transcend
loss. These lessons cannot be taught directly either through reason or
through consequences. They are truly teachings of the heart, learned only as
futility sinks in.
The parent needs to be both the agent of futility and the angel of comfort. It is human counterpoint at its finest and most challenging. To facilitate adaptation,
a parent must dance the child to his tears, to letting go, and to the sense of
rest that comes in the wake of letting go."
Clearly this process applies to adults as well. Sometimes we have to adapt to a lack of others' ability to adapt. "Letting go of what does not work, we are more likely to stumble upon what does." In the eternal perspective, helping a child reach the wall of futility can prime him for Trustful Surrender. The more we desire control over every aspect of our lives, the harder it is to let tears of futility sink in, resting in Christ and allowing him to fill the gaps.

Eamon contemplates Divine Intimacy

2010-09-11T07:46:00.013-04:00

One morning this summer after I had finished my morning reading, Eamon snuggled into my 'spot' and picked up

Divine Intimacy ,

which has become the focus of my personal spiritual journey and an essential component of what Robynn and I have come to understand as Catholic Contemplative Parenting. For the past two and a half years,we have been discussing our vocation in light of attachement principles, the writings of Saint John of the Cross, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many contemporary authors who address development and attachment.

This is one instance where "do as I do" might work out okay! :)

Today's Divine Intimacy

#299

Fear of the Lord

"To educate us in the Fear of the Lord, the Holy Spirit,
instead of placing before our eyes pictures of the punishmnet and pains due to
sin, instead of representing God as a stern judge, shows Him to us as a most
loving father............
What a difference there is between this filial
fear, which is the fruit of love, and servile fear,
which arises form the dread of punishment! It is true that the fear of judgement
and the divine punishment is salutary and in certain cases (in the case of affirmed
adults) can serve greatly to hold a soul back from sin; but if it does not change gradually into filial fear, it will never be sufficient
to impel the soul on to sanctity." (emphasis mine )

This is the basis of attachment parenting. Gregory Popcak refers to it as Self-Donative Parenting. Robynn and I have developed the idea of Catholic Contemplative parenting because we have experienced Contemplation of God's gifts to us (our children) and our parenting style to be intimately intertwined. Our faith in a loving, merciful God naturally leads to the understanding that we are to shepherd our children, to dis.c.i.pl.ine them in virtue, and to lead them to an ability to embrace the cross through meeting their needs in a way that brings them to rest.

"Servile fear contracts the soul and
makes it petty, whereas filial fear dilates it and spurs it on the way of
generosity and perfection."
Through the act of meeting the needs of our children with magnanimity ( as opposed to shame, fear of punishment, and withdrawal of love)
we spur them on toward perfection, even as we are working on it ourselves. :)

Whooping Alert: A person could develop a cough......

2010-06-25T14:36:00.004-04:00

The yahoo homepage echoes a concern that my neighbor and I have been discussing for weeks; the return of a scary childhood (well, now adult,too) disease that makes the patient sound like a barking seal. Yahoo speculates that the reason for the rise in cases and infant deaths is the group of folks who choose not to vaccinate. Perhaps the unvaccinated immigrant population is also a factor. At any rate, if your child develops a persistent cough following cold-like symptoms, consider having him/her tested for Pertussis. Pertussis, a disease many thought had been eradicated, is the T in Tdap immunizations. It is now believed that update vaccinations should be given at 11 years and then again at a later adult physical.

Here are some guidlines to follow from Pundit&Pundette:

To protect your children watch out for the symptoms, and hie thee to a doctor to get antibiotics for the whole family (vaccinated or not) if you suspect pertussis. If caught early enough, antibiotics may mitigate the coughing, which is typically extreme and long-lasting. Antibiotics will kill the bacteria and prevent spreading to your other family members. Be sure to tell the doc that you've been exposed to a confirmed case. There are different tests, but the one used by our doctor is a culture by nasal swab and can take as long as 14 days for a result.

Our daughter's culture was negative after 6 days but positive by day 14. The doctor started her on antibiotics the day she was tested. Our doctor said people are no longer contagious after 24 hours of antibiotics. When the test came back the doctor decided to give her another course of antibiotics. Probably not necessary but I didn't turn it down.

It seems to me that many doctors aren't very familiar with the symptoms, testing, or treatment. They're looking for asthma, allergies, bronchitis, croup, or pneumonia. My impression is that pertussis isn't on their radar. I suspect it's more common than they believe and often goes undiagnosed.

Symptoms:

Week one: A cough. May be very frequent. Cold symptoms may accompany it. From website linked below:

runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, or a mild, occasional cough, similar to the common cold.

After that: Paroxysmal stage, when cough develops into long, spasmodic coughing fits. The "whoop" occurs when the victim tries to inhale. (Whoop is not always present, and babies in particular may not whoop.) Coughing fits may feature choking and vomiting.

Read more here:
http://www.medicinenet.com/pertussis/article.htm

Forewarned is forearmed.

Curriculum Junkies and Pattern Blocks

2010-05-27T15:45:00.013-04:00

I wish I had taken a picture of the myriad of curricula spread out over the tables this morning in my home! We announced it on the Mary's House yahoo group as a book sale, but at times it was really more of a book swap:"I'll take your American Girl book and give you my Kindergarten Catechism book."

As entertaining as it is to see the collections displayed by my fellow curriculum junkies, I did take a few minutes to ponder our"text" anxiety when it comes to educating our children at home. And I don't mean the cell phone kind. We attend conferences and curriculum sales, peruse Cathy Duffy's favorite picks, compare textbooks to living books, buy,sell, and exchange programs as new ones are produced all the while wondering, "Is the THE ONE that will work with my dc in such and such a subject."

One seasoned mom said she wanders away from and always comes back to Laura Berquist's Mother opf Divine Grace program based on Design Your Own Classical Curriculum. I have only been doing this for three years now, but MODG will most likely always be the foundation of our BucketOGlee home learning. We adapt the basic plan to each child's needs and my own need for simplicity. In addition to the historical fiction books listed in MODG, I have collected a few writing,spelling, and math programs here and there trying to make a good fit for my learners. Right now I'm feeling pretty comfortable with my collection; ALEKS math online, A Beka Spanish supplemented by BYKI.com, Little Saints Preschool with some Before FIAR, Writing with Ease, and Wordly Wise.

So, my exciting purchases of the day include a plastic set of pattern blocks (put to use immediately by all ages and pictured here), Seton's Kindergarten Catechism, and Karen Andreola's book A Charlotte Mason Companion. The last one worries me a little. I am proud to have kept the curriculum purchases to a minimum this spring and I am hoping the Charlotte Mason Companion won't inspire me to hop too far off the path I have already created.....

We reap what we sow. Galatians

2010-05-23T16:11:00.008-04:00

An epistle from Saint Paul to the Galatians:

"For what things a man shall sow, those he also shall reap.........

And in doing good let us not fail. For IN DUE TIME we shall
reap."

We watched a few hours of old home videos taken when the older kids were very little. It was a terrific reminder to dh and I that we have sown plenty of tender loving care into our children, and that in God's time there will be good fruit. As we picked little red berries and cut lettuce (before the bunnies eat more than their share), I keep thinking about the similarities between gardening and child-rearing. I know this is nuthin' new to anyone here, but they are good parallels to ponder.

In our AP journey we have come to realize that part of the reason we resort to poor disciplinary tactics (ie, punishments and false rewards) is our own self-centered desire to see immediate results. Sometimes it is difficult to accept our own littleness or the littleness of our offspring, but this is exactly what God calls us to do. Even when we think we've made mistakes along the way, God will work it all out if we are trying to live according to his plan.

Home Learning WWI/American History

2010-05-19T13:06:00.007-04:00

We are doing a unit in American History this week on World War I. Although we use a "spine"text, Christ and the Americas,we always add in some historical fiction , movies, and whatever we can get our hands on. The local teacher's store had a little booklet on WWI that was a terrific supplement with lots of main ideas and basic facts. From there, we took off on a poetry tangent spurred by my own highschool memory of "Dulce Et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen. This rabbit trail led us back to Horatius, Jesse Pope"the poetess" to whom Owen's poem was written, and a handful of other WWI poetry.

We also have a new favorite movie to add to the list of Daniel Boone, Little House, and Princess Bride: Sergeant York. I had forgotten how dreamy Gary Cooper is! The oldest dd, home from college, started singing "Puttin' On the Ritz" (tryin' hard to look like Gary Cooper - super dooper!"). In the middle of all the war talk, ds1 remembered "O Captain, My Captain" from her dreaded English class and off we went on the poetic devices used in that poem.

Coincidentally, ds2 was looking at a Draw. Write. Now picture of Abe Lincoln as a boy. Usually I provide the lead with art practice. I follow the instructions in the text to create a picture and then someone sees it, likes it, and does their own picture. If it becomes popular, someone else might also try it. Then again, there are time that it falls flat. Mine is the only colored- pencil line drawing of the flag posted on the bulletin board! We haven't said the Pledge of Allegiance daily since year 1, so I really needed this reminder to teach it to the younger ones.

We may never do a WWI unit exactly like it, but it has been a good week so far.

Pondering Home Learning

2010-05-14T13:23:00.009-04:00

As I read the posts at UnschoolingCatholics yahoo group, I am pondering just exactly what KIND of homeschooling is it that we are practicing here at BucketOGlee. Do I need to define it in words? Perhaps pictures would be better? OR lists of books? Hmmm....I am learning to ponder and pray about these things in a way I could not have done before. Before what? Before my encounter with Hold On to Your Kids, Jill, Robynn, and Attachment Parenting.

adrienne young - plow to the end of the row.wmv

2010-04-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

Candlemas Day February 2, 2010

2010-02-02T11:20:00.006-05:00

Canticle of Simeon:
"Now thou dost dimiss thy servant, O Lord, according to they word in peace;Because my eyes have seen the salvation,which thou has prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of they people Isreal"

I learned for the first time this year that the Christmas season ( in the early Roman Calendar) is a forty day observance just like Lent. It begins with Christmas day, The Nativity of our Lord and continues until February 2nd, the Presentation of our Lord in the temple and the prophecy of Simeon.

Like so many others, we are swayed by pop culture into decorating and celebrating during the season of Advent, before Christmas ever really begins...when we should still be observing the calm and reservation of Advent. Then, when the rest of the world is undecking the halls on New Year's Day or Epiphany, we should be rejoicing in Christ's birth until today!

So, a new tradition is in the making at BucketOGlee in which we have gathered up the candles for Daddy to pray over tonight after Mass and we will then recite the Canticle of Simeon. Being a newbie mom to lots of these Catholic Culture opportunities, that's as far as my plan has gotten today. With a little more research, I hope this will become an remain as regular an observance in our home as Saint .Nick's feast day and Epiphany

Saint Peregrine, patron of cancer patients

2009-05-06T08:26:00.005-04:00

Saint Peregrine, whom Holy Mother Church has declared patron of those suffering from running sores and cancer, I confidently turn to you for aid in my present need - mention your request.

Lest I lose confidence, I beg your kind intercession. Plead with Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, whom you loved so tenderly and in union with whom you have suffered the pains of cancer, that she may help me with her all-powerful prayers and consolation.

Obtain for me the strength to accept my trials from the loving hand of God with patience and resignation. May suffering lead me to a better life and enable me to atone for my own sins and the sins of the world.

Saint Peregrine, help me to imitate you in bearing whatever cross God may permit to come to me, uniting myself with Jesus Crucified and the Mother of Sorrows. I offer my sufferings to God with all the love of my heart for His glory and the salvation of souls, especially my own. Amen

St. Peregrine....pray for us!
Our Lady of Sorrows....pray for us!

In the midst of whining and complaining about our muddy backyard, FIOS frustrations and moldy floorboards, I have come across heartwrenching requests for prayers for women suffering through breast cancer. In my weakness, I want to offer up these little splinters for the faithful women who are suffering far more than I am today. Please help me pray for them: Elizabeth De Hority , Rachel Higginbotham,
and others. I'd be happy to add to the list if you will leave names in the comments.

"Held" sung by Natalie Grant

2009-04-18T08:18:00.004-04:00

Karlyn has the song HELD sung by Natalie Grant on her ipod and I listened to it on the drive to Georgia last week.

At first the words were baffling and I listened three or four times before the message of hope struck me. I was intrigued by her use of the phrase "when the sacred is torn from your life" so I did a little research on lyrics by Christa Wells .
In light of Amy Wellborn's recent loss and my own secret fear of losing a child, this song grips me in a way that no other contemporary

Christian song can. It reminds me of the lyrics of the Old Rugged Cross that my grandmother used to sing; an unearthly mixture of suffering and joy that I hope to accomplish in my own life.The "sacred", Christa Wells explains, means

the idea of us "giving" everything over to God, except for some unspoken
"sacred" parts of our life. We mean to say: "Of course, you won't ask this
of me."

The Old Hay Barn in Georgia

2009-04-15T15:22:00.006-04:00

I said I wouldn't post unless it was earth-shattering. Well, in my book, this is: the dear old hay barn has been dismantled.

Home to many childhood memories......

My cousins and I used to haul the Christmas tree up there, real tinsel dragging behind, for a coke and cookies party after New Year's Eve.

Lots of hide and seek with siblings and cousins.

watching cattle being rounded up for sale from the open door,

cutting, raking, flailing, stacking square bales in the hot Georgia sun...

the time my brother bumped me lightly on the rear with a hay bale and I fell out on to the tailgate of my uncle's truck....

Carrying cold cokes from the outdoor fridge to the 'men' working in the field - I had to walk throught the barn lot to get there

More recently, Karlyn hitting the side of the barn with the four wheeler...yes, she CAN hit the broad side of a barn... :)

Well, it's not gone yet! And my kids are still making memories in the old hay barn.....a bit more dangerous than when it had all its floor boards!

Taking a Break

2009-03-26T13:06:00.003-04:00

Taking a break from BucketoGlee, probably until we are finished with our formal homeschool year. While I enjoy the creative outlet and keeping up with other blogs, I can see that other parts of my home organization are sagging. I plan to log in to keep up with other blogs and political topics, but I won't post anything unless it really is earth-shattering!
TTFN,
Momma Dunne

Red Envelope Day is March 31st

2009-03-23T11:23:00.004-04:00

Please join us in sending your Red Envelope to President Obama as a nation-wide visual aid. Our right-wing Prolife voices have not yet been heard, so perhaps an influx of red enelopes will get some attention in the White House.

The goal is to send 50,000,000 red envelopes (empty inside, but a message on the back) and send them to President Barack Obama on March 31st.

50,000,000 is the number of babies that abortion has claimed since Roe vs Wade.

On the front, address it to:

President Barack ObamaThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Ave.Washington , D.C. 20500On the back, write the following message on the outside of the envelope:

"This envelope represents one child who died through abortion in my lifetime.It
is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the
world.Responsibility begins with conception."

You can purchase 500 legal-sized red envelopes from http://www.actionenvelope.com/ for $50.00. There was a discount for purchasing larger quantities of envelopes at one time. I am still looking for smaller quantities locally.

I hope we reap what we sow!

2009-03-16T22:08:00.004-04:00

In an effort to save a few bucks, we are sowing lots of seeds this year in peat pellet flats. Our neighbor Jill has loaned us some space in her sunny window away from toddler hands! If all goes well, we should have a sweet crop of cherry tomatoes, zinnias, allyssum, basil,cilantro, blue lake beans,poppies, and cosmos. Later, when the ground is warm, we'll try nasturtium and a few others......

Thanks for the boost, Barbara Curtis!

2009-03-12T18:58:00.014-04:00

Barbara Curtis of http://www.mommyteachme.net/ presented Montessori methods for preschoolers on Tuesday . Eamon is currently the only preschooler in our house and he is almost seven years behind Liam. Having forgotten all the hands-on activities I did with the older kids, I had resorted to plugging Eamon in to Backyardigans and Blues Clues while we worked on school subjects at the dining room table. I kept wondering why he had turned into a whining, book-eating, house-wrecking monster. In my efforts to keep up with the older kids, I was trying to keep the toddler busy rather than engaged.

Barbara's book Mommy ,Teach Me! was just the refresher course I needed!

You can almost see the steam coming out of Eamon's ears as he works on these exercises! I was put off at first by the structure that Montessori imposes - left to right and a distinct start and finish to each exercise. But the concentration and focus that he learns while pinning beads to a pincushion will hopefully transfer to other things. Being the eclectic type, I skimmed through the book and found what I needed for the moment. As I learn more about Montessori and we try new things I will post successes!

Small Successes #8 - Where did the Week Go?

2009-03-12T15:54:00.008-04:00

1. I called Ron the Painter and he actually came to finish skimming and painting the ceiling...for nine months we have lived with holes in the ceiling where the old flourescent lights were taken out and the new pretty lights were put in! A few new lights really updated the kitchen - lot cheaper than a whole kitchen renovation!

2. I scheduled a "mommy morning" for myself and attended a presentation by Barbara Curtis on Montessori methods of teaching. I have even implemented two of her ideas for preschoolers! More here tomorrow when I post pictures!

3. I turned, edged, and planted veggies! Tomatoes, onions, beans, and lettuce! Yay spring! I am glad I took pictures last year so I can remember what will come up where in the flower gardens.

Small Successes

2009-03-05T07:30:00.004-05:00

1. I successfully changed my blog background to purple for Lent! Thanks Jill.

2. I have continued to pray the Rosary and the prayer of Saint Ephrem daily......much to the consternation of Little E (2 and 1/2) who insists that any prayer around the table be the Angelus! Little sponge.

3. I got up with my dh at 6:15 before Little E was awake and as soon as this is posted my morning quiet time will be up! All before 8 am! YAY me!

Grassroots Support for Ken Cucinelli

2009-03-03T07:51:00.010-05:00

Republican Attorney General Candidates Debate

March 10, 2009

7:00 p.m.

at Stone Bridge High School

Please come out and support Ken Cucinelli, Republican for Attorney General.

In addition to being a Catholic, homeschooling father of six,and hope for the future of Conservative Virginians, Ken is 100% Pro-life, Tough on Crime, Anti-tax, Defender of 2nd Amendment Rights, Guardian of Property Rights and Supporter of School Choice.

We can all sit around with our chins on the floor, aghast at the rapid change taking place, or we can actively pursue some changes of our own toward more conservative family values.

David Broder writes about Ronald Brownstein's term the blue wall. In order to take a few bricks from the wall we'll have to get out and vote for local and state representatives in 2009 and 2010 in record numbers.

"It will obviously take much more
than that to put the GOP into a position to challenge the blue
wall – and the hard fights all lie ahead, in the primaries for
candidates in 2010 and 2012, and in the policy debates within the Senate and
House GOP caucuses.
Clearly, Republicans have to change if they are going to
climb that wall"

Snow day in Ashburn

2009-03-02T10:34:00.003-05:00

Outside My Window ...lots of boys all shapes and sizes are out with snow shovels and sleds.

I am listening to...the sensible girls in the warm toasty kitchen making comfort food with neighbor hood friends.

To Live the Liturgy...we have added Saint Ephrem's prayer to remind of to embrace our Lenten promises daily with purity of heart.

To Breathe Deeply...my piriformis stretches and yoga poses for back health have not happened yet........We watched Joan of Arc with the whole crew til midnight and Daddy and I slept in while the wind whipped the snow onto the porch.

Towards rhythm and beauty ...we need to work harder at getting out of that warm toasty bed in the morning to be sure that first things come first.

I am thankful for ... SNOW!

From the kitchen ... Kraft mac n cheese. Unless it's Aunt Dorothy's homemade macncheese in Georgia, it gotta be Kraft. (shrug)

Towards a real education...I am hoping to start Lenten meditations from My Path to Heaven with the middle kids today, if they ever come in from the snow.

Bringing beauty to my home ....just keeping up with the snow gear....

I am reading...In Conversation with God, Daily Meditations for Lent.

Around the house ... yes, there will be lots of running in and our and around the house today!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: hijacked by 6 inches of snow, which, in Loudoun County, VA means two or three days off of school!

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS

2009-02-27T08:40:00.008-05:00

"He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry"
(Mt 4,1-2)

It's Friday ......and the kids are already digging through the fridge wondering "what will we eat for lunch?" Funny how talking about fasting and abstinence makes us hungry and craving.

I have heard people, some of them priests, remark that giving up is not so important as doing some extra good thing. If we had to make a choice between the two, I suppose more works of mercy would be the best choice. Why does it have to be either /or? Why has fasting become such a stretch in the minds of otherwise faithful Catholics? Isn't there time in this forty day journey for a little of each of the principal works of Lent?

After reading what Our Holy Father wrote, I am more inclined to keep Friday fast and abistinence with greater resolve as well as fasting from some small comfort every day.

"Denying material food, which nourishes our body, nurtures an
interior disposition to listen to Christ and be fed by His saving word. Through
fasting and praying, we allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we
experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God."

In our family, we have always given up sweets and desserts with the understanding that the little ones may have sweets that are offered at someone else's house. Our hope is to gently help them learn to delay gratification as well as to pause and reflect on the greater sacrifice that Christ made for us. More on the full program of Lenten offerings can be found at http://www.catholichomeandgarden.com/lent.htm. It is an excellent and comprehensive resource. * The program of fasting in the strict, forty-day sense described here is not for everyone. * But it offers some helpful guides for those who want to try a strict fast of any length.

Small Successes

2009-02-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

1. We attended Mass on Ash Wednesday as a whole family. Daddy had toddler duty and stood in the narthex for most of Mass, but we made it together!

2. I successfully fasted the entire day without mentioning hunger or nibbling before dinner! And we prayed the Prayer of Saint Ephrem with our grace before the meal.

3. I finished our parish book club book Pierced by a Sword. It should prove to be a very interesting discussion, as it is based on a Marian apparition that I do not believe has been authenticated by the Church yet. (Garabandal) It is no literary classic, but it had a postive effect on my prayer life.

Ash Wednesday

2009-02-25T07:12:00.005-05:00

What will you do to clean up your act during LENT?

1. Fasting and Mortification

2. Prayers

3. Almsgiving

4. Good Works

5. Education

6. Self Denial

Fat Tuesday

2009-02-23T16:26:00.004-05:00

Liam has been counting down the days to Fat Tuesday, partly because we all love a party, but mostly because our special guests Cheryl and John will be joining us for the sixth year in a row! We make sausage, bacon, pancakes, whipped cream, donuts and we do an activity called "What I Like About You." On Fat Tuesday, we put each person's name at the top of purple or green paper and pass the papers around till everyone has a list of kind comments to read out loud. I can't remember how this got started, but we've been doing it since 2002 and some of the older ones are quite amusing and very sweet.

Some favorites from past years:

What I like about Bridget is "she lets me have sleepovers with her." (from a little sister)

What I like about Karlyn is "she gives me candy and hugs." (from the sweet tooth in the family)

What I like about Bridget is "she is vare nise." ( a friend in 2002)

Clean Monday

2009-02-22T15:13:00.012-05:00

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Clean Monday is the Monday ~~before Ash Wednesday~~. Clean Monday is actually the Monday before Great Lent.(Apparently that was an adaptation that my research applied to the Roman Catholic Calendar.) It is a day of strict fasting from midnight til noon. The idea is to begin Lent with a clean heart and pure intentions. The following prayer is prayed on Clean Monday, as well as the 40 days of Lent.

The Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian

"O Lord and Master of my life, keep from me the spirit of indifference and discouragement, lust of power and idle chatter. [kneel/prostration]

"Instead, grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of wholeness of being, humble-mindedness, patience, and love. [kneel/prostration]

"O Lord and King, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge my brother; for You are blessed now and ever and forever. Amen. [kneel/prostration]"

Small Successes

2009-02-19T07:51:00.003-05:00

1. I took a nap yesterday when I really needed it.

2. I read aloud from Tim's history book "Old World and America" in the kitchen while he grabbed a snack. I haven't taken the time to read any of his history assignments with him in a very long time.

3. I prayed a full rosary every day for the last week, a goal that is frequently back-burnered by tantrums and smallish "emergencies".

How many RED flags do we need?

2009-02-18T07:47:00.008-05:00

Originally, I had intended to post happy moments and memories for my homeschool kids to peruse on this blog. However, with Obama's election, my awareness of world issues that affect my beloved country are pushing to the forefront. I'll get on my soapbox today and then leave the rest to Pundit and Pundette.

http://thehyacinthgirl.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/the-buried-life

These stories are just too grim and too close to ignore.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/02/losing-our-heads-.htmlMy point is, this (MUzzammil Hassan) was not some deranged lunatic. This was a"good" Muslim who followed the book. You think it's just Muslim girls who are at risk? We are all at risk."

a comment posted by 'ender' re: the recent New York beheading: "simple answer, he was getting funding for his TV channel from the saudi's. having his wife divorce him would have made him look weak. Now he has proven to his financial backers that he is a man. watch and see who is going to be paying for his lawyer and if saudi tries to give him back dated diplomatic immunity."

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/08/obamas_donor_contributions_sil.htm
"The jihad donations were hardly the only bloody red flags. The first in my series of posts ran July 19th. Obama's overseas (foreign) contributors are making multiple small donations, ostensibly in their own names, over a period of a few days, some under maximum donation allowances, but others are aggregating in excess of the maximums when all added up. Half a million dollars had been donated from overseas by unidentified people "not employed".

The more questions we answered the more questions we discovered.
Thousands of Obama's foreign donations ended in cents. The "cents" did not make sense. And we compared McCain donation documentss to Obama's. McCain's records are nothing like Obama's. McCain's are so clean. No cents, all even dollar amounts. But Obama's contained thousands of strange, odd amounts -- evidence of foreign contributors, since Americans living overseas would almost uniformly be able to contribute dollars. Still no media."

the least government is the best..........

2009-02-17T13:13:00.006-05:00

Even a simple rancher in 1906 knew that big government is not what America needs.

"Always remember son, the best boss is the one who bosses the least. Whether it's cattle, or horses, or men; the least government is the best government."

from Little Britches by Ralph Moody

Observing Presidents' Day - Pondering Lincoln

2009-02-13T12:19:00.004-05:00

From CERC's Mark Knoll

In September that year, the North had suffered another disastrous reversal, this time at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Lincoln was considering the radical step of proclaiming the emancipation of slaves in the South. In those circumstances, at one of the darkest moments of the war, he penned the following "Meditation on the Divine Will." It was written, as his secretaries, Nicolay and Hay, said, "while his mind was burdened with the weightiest questions of his life …. It was not written to be seen of men." Here is what Lincoln wrote about the religious meaning of the war.

"The will of God prevails. In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God can not be for and against the same thing at the same time. In the present civil war it is quite possible that God's purpose is something different from the purpose of either party -- and yet the human instrumentalities, working just as they do, are of the best adaptation to effect His purpose. I am almost ready to say this is probably true -- that God wills this contest, and wills that it shall not end yet. By his mere quiet power, on the minds of the now contestants, He could have either saved or destroyed the Union without a human contest. Yet the contest began. And having begun He could give the final victory to either side any day. Yet the contest proceeds. "

Small Successes

2009-02-12T10:29:00.003-05:00

1. I attended the healing Mass at Our Lady of Hope with my 11 year old daughter. We prayed five full rosaries and went to Confession. I learned about spiritual and physical healing and completely gave myself over to the Holy Spirit - yep, I "fell
over"! (rested in the Spirit)

2. I printed out the St. Augustine quote from Kimberlee's site to make Valentines with the kids tomorrow - maybe we'll even get them in the mail to their grandparents before noon.

3. I took time for spiritual reading, prayer, and quiet before breakfast!

Shhhh...be very very quiet, we're hunting wabbits.....

2009-02-09T11:29:00.006-05:00

I said to Liam and Eamon just this morning,"Please stop running and screaming during school time!" Now I am all for Boys Being Boys , but there is a time for peace and quiet in every day.

Barbara said it perfectly here

"Let's see how quietly we can shut the door." .........

"Would you like to try?" Before turning it over, show once again how the knob/handle relates to the movement of the bolt.

Once you've begun to draw your child's attention to the auditory impact he/she has on the environment, keep a high expectation. When something bangs, simply say, "Oh . . . let's see how quietly you can close that door."

When I say this will have a major impact, here is what I mean:
As you begin to draw the child's attention to the results of his actions, he will respond to the challenge. These are the very first steps toward self-control - and this is exactly how you begin laying the spiritual groundwork for self-control in the preschool years.
You will see the fruit of this kind of training as your child matures and begins to generalize self-control to even more challenging issues.
Can you see how this early training eventually results in a teen who is self-aware and capable of self-control? The ultimate goal is to raise an individual who is not controlled by outer forces but from within. This starts very, very small - and very, very young.

This is why I keep insisting that the work you moms do is SO important. Who would think that teaching a child to close a door quietly had such great implications for the future? But it does, especially for the child raised by a mom who understands where she and her child are headed and is learning each day how to get there.~~~~~~~~

For more, check out

Mommy, Teach Me!

Thank you, Barbara!

Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers

2009-02-08T09:14:00.005-05:00

Liam and I have been reading aloud from Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody. It is a terrific book for boys....or girls who want to know how real men behave in the face of adversity. In current society, where gender-confusion abounds and our lilly-livered president is more concerned about going green than red-white-and blue, we could all use a dose of the courage and character presented in the Little Britches series.

"We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and then bid the geldings to be fruitful." -- CS Lewis

a lifted quote from thehyacinthgirl.wordpress.com

What's in the " Stimulus" Pork BBQ

2009-02-05T10:41:00.006-05:00

STIMULUS
In the words of Inigo Montoya, "I do not thin that word means what you thin it means..."

VARIOUS LEFT-WINGERY:

1. $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts

2. $380 million in the Senate bill for the Women, Infants and Children program

3. $300 million for grants to combat violence against women

4. $2 billion for federal child care block grants

5. $6 billion for university building projects

6. $15 billion for boosting Pell Grant college scholarships

7. $4 billion for job-training programs, including $1.2 billion to provide “youth” summer jobs for people up to the age of 24

8. $1 billion for community development block grants

9. $4.2 billion for “neighborhood stabilization activities”

10. $650 million for digital TV coupons, including $90 million to educate “vulnerable populations”

POORLY DESIGNED TAX RELIEF:

11. $15 billion for business-loss carry-backs

12. $145 billion for “Making Work Pay” tax credits

13. $83 billion for the earned income credit

STIMULUS FOR THE GOVERNMENT:

14. $150 million for the Smithsonian

15. $34 million to renovate the Department of Commerce headquarters

16. $500 million for improvement projects for National Institutes of Health facilities

17. $44 million for repairs to Department of Agriculture headquarters

18. $350 million for Agriculture Department computers

19. $88 million to help move the Public Health Service into a new building next year

20. $448 million for constructing a new Homeland Security Department headquarters

21. $600 million to convert federal auto fleet to hybrids

22. $450 million for National Aeronautics and Space Administration

23. $600 million for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

24. $1 billion for the Census Bureau

INCOME TRANSFERS:

25. $89 billion for Medicaid

26. $30 billion for COBRA insurance extension

27. $36 billion for expanded unemployment benefits

28. $20 billion for food stamps

PURE PORK:

29. $4.5 billion for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

30. $850 million for Amtrak

31. $87 million for a polar icebreaking ship

32. $1.7 for the National Park System

33. $55 million for Historic Preservation Fund

34. $7.6 billion for “rural community advancement programs”

35. $150 million for agricultural commodity purchases

36. $150 million for “producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish”

RENEWABLE WASTE:

37. $2 billion for renewable energy research

38. $2 billion for a “clean-coal” power plant in Illinois

39. $6.2 billion shall be for the Weatherization Assistance Program

40. $3.5 billion shall be for energy efficiency and conservation block grants

41. $3.4 billion shall be for the State Energy Program

42. $200 million shall be for state and local electric-transport projects

43. $300 million shall be for energy-efficient appliance rebate programs

44. $400 million for hybrid cars for state and local governments

45. $1 billion for the manufacturing of advanced batteries

46. $1.5 billion for green technology loan guarantees

47. $8 billion for innovative technology loan guarantee program

48. $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects

49. $4.5 billion for electricity grid

REWARDING STATE IRRESPONSIBILITY:

50. $79 billion for State Fiscal Stabilization Fund

Celebrating Small Successes

2009-02-05T10:37:00.001-05:00

Three small successes this week:
1. I connected with an older cousin and discovered something about my paternal grandfather that I never knew: His favorite poem was The Duel by Eugene Field. Bonus: Liam memorized it last year in his MODG poetry curriculum!

2. All three kids completed their school work yesterday - happily and without any toddler disasters.

3. I posted a book to paperbackswap, got a request for said book and printed the label for shipping!

Flipsyde Prolife youtube- I never liked rap before this.........

2009-02-04T07:56:00.005-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qj3nWy7HMs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qj3nWy7HMs

I have never liked rap before this.......please click on the link and watch this powerful prolife message. The prolife movement seems to be getting an update.

BIG government

2009-01-29T12:53:00.005-05:00

Gerald Ford said , " A governement big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have. "

Mark Steyn add to that "starting with your sense of self reliance."

" The future , as Steyn shows, belongs to the fecund and the confident. And the Islamists are both, while the West -wedded to multiculturalism that undercuts its own confidence, a WELFARE STATE that nudges it toward sloth and self-indulgence, and a childlessness that consigns it to oblivion-is looking ever more like the ruins of a civilization." front flap

from Mark Steyn's book America Alone.

Strange places to power nap

2009-01-27T16:03:00.004-05:00

When you run full speed ahead all day, this is what "empty" can look like.

View Demographic Winter at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church on January 27th, 2009

2009-01-23T11:41:00.003-05:00

http://demographicwinter.com/

"Of all of the causes we have in the world today, many of which particularly capture the time and space of the media and academia, it is singularly peculiar that the disintegration of an institution as important as the human family should want for attention. Perhaps it is because the family is made up of individual people, and we have become a society obsessed with a focus on the self Be that as it may, we have ignored this institution to our great detriment. "

Pray for our President

2009-01-21T11:52:00.000-05:00

If you have any doubt that unrestricted abortion should not be a part of the Obamanation legacy, start your research here, where you will learn the truth about Norma (Jane) Roe. Then, take a look at the many organizations who are ready and willing to help anyone struggling when faced with an "unplanned" pregnancy. Christians know that all babies are "planned" - by GOD. Then find out who Margaret Sanger is. Will FOCA funding go to support her ideology? Does Obama understand the irony in that? Watch this compelling video.

monkey on a motorcycle

2009-01-18T14:14:00.000-05:00

"A monkey on a motorcycyle?! THAT's not true!" says Eamon. He's never seen an episode of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp!

Family Love Fest

2009-01-14T13:24:00.000-05:00

When the hugs started going around I had to get the camera to document...this might not happen again for a while! :)

Ordinary Time

2009-01-12T11:31:00.000-05:00

Now that we are back in Ordinary Time, I am posting a picture story of our Christmas Season. Despite our trials and losses during the Advent Season, this is one of the most Joyous Advent and Christmas seasons yet! I suppose it has something to do with Momma's decision to shrug off the Grinch and place myself in a position of Trustful Surrender.

ACL and Meniscus Repair Surgery

2008-12-09T13:19:00.000-05:00

WE have certainly had our fair share of hospital- arm -bands on around here in the past few weeks. So much so that when Eamon climbed into Daddy's bed yesterday and noticed his name band his eyes got wide and he exclaimed,"The doctor FIXED you!"

Michael is using this convenient machine to augment his recovery. He can't take Ibuprofin to keep swelling down, so the nurse suggested that he use Game Ready to consistently cool his knee for the next few weeks. CIGNA doesn't cover the cost of rental, but I believe it is well worth the $$.

O highly Favored Maid..........

2008-12-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.

The Feast of Saint Nicholas

2008-12-06T08:17:00.001-05:00

Tim came downstairs while Eamon was eating his still-warm bagel
(it's SAT day for Bridget and dearolddad went out to get bagels and put gas in her car)
and told Eamon it was time to check his shoes for chocolate coins. The Dunne eyebrows went ^^ and off they went to dump shoes! LAST year, once Eamon had dumped his own , he ran down the hall to raid the big kids' shoes while they were sleeping! That'll teach to rise and shine!

Ginny would really love just one lick. If I know Eamon, she'll get one before the festivities are over.

Mourning the loss of our Little One

2008-12-03T09:42:00.002-05:00

We seem to give them back to Thee, 0 God,
who gavest them to us.
Yet as Thou didst not lose them in giving,
so we do not lose them by their return.
Not as the world giveth, givest Thou, 0 Lover of souls.
What Thou givest, Thou takest not away,
for what is thine is ours also if we are Thine.

And life is eternal and love is immortal,
and death is only an horizon,
and an horizon is nothing, save the limit of our sight.

Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further;
cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly;
draw us closer to thyself so that we may know ourselves to be
nearer to our loved ones who are with Thee.
And while Thou dost prepare a place for us,
prepare us also for that happy place,
that where Thou art we may be also for evermore. Bede Jarrett

The sonogram on Monday revealed that our baby has no heart beat( her twin never did ) and probably stopped growing around eight weeks gestation. In just thirteen weeks, the whole family has grown very attached to this wee one and we have become accustomed to including her in our plans for the future. As we mourn this loss, I am reminded that all things come from God - even these difficult losses. Even in our grief, I can see that the whole experience of anticipating this baby with excitement will reinforce the sanctity of life for my older children. For me, it renews my gratitude for my six thriving blessings and refreshes my memory that they are not really mine, but His.

We are looking into the "what's next" for this baby and a friend forwarded a terrific website that I think will be very helpful: http://www.innocents.com/shrine.asp. and this one http://www.elizabethministry.com/index.html.

Mourning our loss

2008-12-02T08:38:00.001-05:00

In just thirteen weeks, this baby (her twin's heartbeat could never be found) has connected our family in ways that only a baby in utero can - excited expectation, choosing names, planning future events with a baby in mind.

Do you wanna make pie?

2008-11-29T06:58:00.001-05:00

Eamon and Liam made the pumpkin filling for Bridget and Karlyn's excellent crust! All

I had to do was put it in the oven. Oh, and wash the dishes.

A Redneck Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

This same spot in the neighborhood where I grew up in Vienna looked very different 30 years ago when my brothers, sister and I were riding our dirt bikes on the trails behind the house. My kids got a small taste of what that was like yesterday when their Uncle brought his son's dirt bike to Mam and Grandad's house.

Radial head subluxation

2008-11-14T07:56:00.000-05:00

In 17 and 1/2 years and 6 kids, we have never before suffered a fractured bone or dislocated anything....except for Michael, who is having surgery next month to correct a torn ACL..........

There's a time for everything, though, and this week was our time to learn how to fix a nursemaid's elbow.....twice. Both times, Eamon was rough-housing with a big brother.

Nursemaid's elbow is a partial dislocation of the elbow, which occurs when the lower part of the arm (forearm) slips out of its normal position at the elbow joint.
The injury is also called radial head dislocation.

Causes
Nursemaid's elbow is a common condition in young children and generally affects children under age 5. The injury occurs when a child is pulled up too hard by the hand or wrist. It is often seen after someone lifts a child up by one arm up. (For example, when trying to lift the child over a curb or high step.) Swinging a young child from the arms while playing can also cause this injury.
Once the elbow dislocates, it is likely to do so again, especially in the 3 or 4 weeks following the injury. THEY DIDN"T TELL US THAT IN THE ER!

Symptoms
Immediate crying - UNTIL HE GOT HIS ARM INTO A BEARABLE POSITION. AT THAT POINT,HE WANTED TO GO BACK TO PLAYING!
Refusing to use the arm that is injured
Holding elbow slightly bent at the elbow
Holding the lower part of the arm against the belly area (abdomen) AS EAMON DID!
Moving arm at shoulder but not elbow
If you think your child has nursemaid's elbow:
DO NOT move the child without first splinting the arm.
DO NOT try to straighten the arm or change its position.
Apply an ice pack to the elbow. Splint the injured arm in the position in which you found it. Keep the area both above and below the injured elbow from moving, including the shoulder and the wrist, if possible.
Take the child to the doctor's office or emergency room.
OR BOTH ON CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS!

Treatment
The doctor will fix the dislocation by gently flexing the elbow and rotating the forearm so that the palm is facing upward. DO NOT try to do this yourself as you may harm the child.
In some cases of frequently recurring nursemaid's elbow, your health care provider may teach you how to attempt to correct the problem yourself. See your health care provider for assistance.

Avoid lifting a child by one arm only, either from the wrist or hand. Lift from under the arms, from the upper arm, or from both arms. Do not swing children by the hand or forearm. To swing a young child in circles, provide support under the arms and hold the upper body next to yours.

Liam's Lincoln Log town

2008-11-10T12:10:00.001-05:00

Those Winter Sundays

2008-10-21T15:40:00.000-04:00

Those Winter Sundays Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,

then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather

made banked fires blaze.

No one ever thanked him.

I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.

When the rooms were warm, he'd call,

and slowly I would rise and dress,

fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him,

who had driven out the cold and polished my good shoes as well.

What did I know,

what did I knowof love's austere and lonely offices?

by Robert Hayden

Science with Plants

2008-10-15T07:21:00.000-04:00

Liam plants garlic bulbs passed on to us from Mammy's garden. He also has a pineapple top rooting qutie nicely in a pot. I hope it survives the winter on the porch!

I have been tagged by Robynn

2008-10-09T07:36:00.001-04:00

This my sixth picture from 2006, which is my sixth folder. All the Dunne kids are piled into a big armchair with Meghan and Shannon Bowe and their new boxer puppy. The Bowe's are part of our "attachment village". Mr and Mrs. B are Tim's godparents and Meghan is now Little E's GodMomma. Thanks Robynn, for taggin me and reminding me that it is time to squeeze in a Bowe Day.

Nucular pasgetti

2008-10-02T22:35:00.000-04:00

Don't get me wrong, I DO love Palin, but her pronunciation of the word "nuclear" makes me itch! At one point, she said "nucular" about ten times. As I writhed in pain on the couch, Tim (13) spouted:

Pistacular! Palin's gonna have nucular pasgetti for brefkast tomorrow!

Saint Therese Little Flower

2008-10-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

Our pretty rose-pink cupcakes ....before Ginny helped herself to two of them.......and AFTER Eamon dumped half of them upside down on the floor!

Family Bloopers

2008-09-19T15:39:00.003-04:00

My mother, Peg Bier, called to ask what Liam would like for his birthday. Being the younger brother of a Bionicle fanatic, Liam wants a "few pieces of plastic" ( Daddy's nicname for them) to call his own. Hoping to get him something more original, my mother stated,

"I am NOT going to buy those boys any more Botanicals!"
Spoken like a true horticulturalist.

Parroting before Understanding

2008-09-18T22:02:00.000-04:00

Miss Sayers, in her essay The Lost Tools of Learning, calls it the “Poll-Parrot, in which learning by heart is easy and , on the whole, pleasurable…”

With Eamon on my hip, a huge Ragweed sneeze snuck up on me and Eamon's bare belly caught the brunt of it. He looked at me indignantly and said,"You got Bless You all over my belly!"

O St.Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart..........

2008-09-17T18:25:00.001-04:00

I was so touched by the simple prayers on the front and back of Tom VanderWoude's funeral Mass booklet , that I thought I would post another one of my favorite prayers about the loss of a loved one.

We seem to give them back to Thee, 0 God,
who gavest them to us.
Yet as Thou didst not lose them in giving,
so we do not lose them by their return.
Not as the world giveth, givest Thou, 0 Lover of souls.
What Thou givest, Thou takest not away,
for what is thine is ours also if we are Thine.

And life is eternal and love is immortal,
and death is only an horizon,
and an horizon is nothing, save the limit of our sight.

Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further;
cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly;
draw us closer to thyself so that we may know ourselves to be
nearer to our loved ones who are with Thee.
And while Thou dost prepare a place for us,
prepare us also for that happy place,
that where Thou art we may be also for evermore. Bede Jarrett

Not to be morbid, but this is the one I'd like to have printed on my Mass booklet.

A Must Read for Parents of All ages

2008-09-17T18:25:00.000-04:00

Discipline Without Distress.

After flipping through most of this book in a cursory way, I think it is the most comprehensive resource on positive discipline that I have ever held in my hands. It seems to be a compilation of many books that I have read before - and a good explanation of why some of the ones I have read are less than stellar! " Counting " your kids is addressed and the issue of Time-out (versus Time-in on time off for an angry mommy).The great thing is, it has quick references and tables for those of us whocan only read in snippets.When I find something this good, I cannot help but share. Thanks to Robynnfor passing it on to me. This is the ultimate guide to attachmentparenting.

outside our window

2008-09-15T11:52:00.000-04:00

Our Lady of Sorrows

2008-09-15T08:13:00.000-04:00

1. The Prophecy of Simeon. Reading: Luke 2: 25-35.

2. The Flight into Egypt. Reading: Matthew 2: 13-15.

3. The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple. Reading: Luke 2: 41-50.

4. Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross. Reading: Luke 23: 27-29.

5. Mary at the foot of the cross. Reading: John 19: 25-30.

6. Mary receives the body of Jesus. Reading: Psalm 130.

7. Mary witnesses the burial of Jesus. Reading: Luke 23: 50-56.

Only For Today

2008-09-13T11:34:00.000-04:00

. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.
3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.
4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.
5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.
6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.
7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.
8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.
10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life. ~Bl. Pope John XXIII

Our Life, Our Sweetness, and Our Hope

2008-09-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

Freedom is Not Free

2008-09-11T08:27:00.001-04:00

Remembering 9.11

2008-09-11T08:23:00.000-04:00

Grieve not, nor think of me with tears

But laugh and talk to me as if I were beside you . . .I loved you so . . .

'Twas heaven here with you. - Isla Paschal Richardson

Forget Yourself and Get to Work

2008-09-11T07:09:00.000-04:00

There is saying in our church, one that goes restated with much frequency, "Forget yourself and get to work." Having heard it so many times, this repeated thought lost its punch with me a couple years ago, but perhaps that is because I didn't get it. cjane

I am not endorsing the Mormon church by quoting this blog, but I am encouraged by her virtuous example. This is one for the inside of the cupboard door - when I feel like I'm slogging through quicksand, I open the door and remember to forget what's bugging me and do God's work .

what I am pondering today

2008-09-10T09:26:00.000-04:00

Who is this guy....http://chesterton.org/discover/who.html and why haven't I heard of him ?

by Dale Ahlquist
President
American Chesterton Society

I’ve heard the question more than once. It is asked by people who have just started to discover G.K. Chesterton. They have begun reading a Chesterton book, or perhaps have seen an issue of Gilbert! Magazine, or maybe they’ve only encountered a series of pithy quotations that marvelously articulate some forgotten bit of common sense. They ask the question with a mixture of wonder, gratitude and . . . resentment. They are amazed by what they have discovered. They are thankful to have discovered it. And they are almost angry that it has taken so long for them to make the discovery.

"Who is this guy. . .?"

Please pray for the family of Father Thomas VanDerWoude

2008-09-09T08:59:00.000-04:00

Fr. VanDerWoude's father died yesterday in a tragic accident while saving his youngest son from drowning. Please pray for the repose of his soul. http://aleeinthewoudes.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/our-hearts-our-broken/

Eternal rest give unto him, O Lord,and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Let us pray.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through our pious supplication they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired; who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

Are Palin's Eyeglasses the New Pantsuit?

2008-09-08T07:06:00.000-04:00

Just when I was getting ready to commit to this "office" style, Palin has changed the fashion rules!

to go with Jill's Red Wheelbarrow

2008-09-07T19:18:00.000-04:00

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

-- William Carlos Williams

look what we picked today!

2008-09-07T19:15:00.000-04:00

http://www.nationalreview.com/

2008-09-05T11:05:00.000-04:00

hybrid of myth and deceit peddled by the chattering bandersnatches of the Democratic Party’s backup communications offices at MSNBC and other press-release transmission belts of the Obama campaign, the whole pseudo-story was surely the brightest flare in the bonfire of asininity in St. Paul this week.

Thanks to jill and Laura Berquist, we know this Jabberwocky word.

2008-09-05T09:43:00.001-04:00

http://shop.cafepress.com/design/29892010 My favorite tshirt design. I can't copy and paste, but it is worth looking at. WHAT WE WANT: a bear-huntin'...............MAMA

From the Hands of Thy Bounty

2008-09-04T18:40:00.000-04:00

From my Garden

2008-09-04T17:24:00.001-04:00