And yet again, a month has passed without a single update to this humble blog. If only I was able to be consistent! Regarding the internet and social media in general, there's a lot swirling in my head right now, and I'm sure that's part of the reason I've been away from this little cyberhome for awhile.
Anyway, here's five quick goings-on in our lives right now (too tired to crank out ten):
1. The full-time job has started! It's beautiful and wonderful, albeit a little bit slow-going right now. I know for certain that the pace is only slower because we're in the summer recess. Give it about three weeks, and the pace will be picking up - and won't relent until about mid-December. In the words of my mother, "Enjoy the slower pace now, because when you're cranking out those sixty-hour workweeks, you'll miss it!" I'm not sure I'll miss the slow pace like she says, but I am grateful for this slow pace now, to be able to get my bearings before the academic year and really hash out what needs to happen to begin the year successfully and on the right foot. I really, truly love being back on campus. God is so good - I'm so humbled to be back, working for the Catholic campus center to which I owe so much of my own spiritual growth.
2. Our beautiful godson will be baptized this weekend! About two months ago, we were asked to be the godparents to a sweet little boy who was then born in mid-June. It was, yet again, another moment to be completely humbled before the goodness of God. Right before Christmas last year, it was our dear friends' announcement of the expecting of this precious boy that was the catalyst in allowing for me a moment of deep personal suffering to unite with Jesus. The sorrow I experienced had absolutely nothing to do with our dear friends - I believe it was simply the timing of their announcement that served as a sort of "breaking point" for me, and my heart very much needed to be pierced at that moment. As with any suffering, it was a painful moment for me, but it is now, half a year and a beautiful six-week-old godson later, that I have begun to understand God's work in all of this. He's good, He's really good. :)
3. We're moving! Same complex, but a different - and bigger - apartment. As excited as I am to move to a bigger space (for the fifth time in as many years, dating back to my college apartments), I am not looking forward to the inevitable packing and unpacking that will have to occur, especially as the move will coincide with my work at the Catholic campus center picking up for the academic year. Yet I know that it will all happen - it always does, everything happens as it needs to, and while it seems daunting in the moment, when I have an opportunity to look back on the craziness, I realize that we accomplished all that we needed to in order to have a successful move. We'll move four weeks from this weekend - it is coming up much too fast! :)
4. I've purchased more bottles of wine in the last two weeks than I have probably in the last year. No idea why - I think maybe deep down I desire to be a wine connoisseur and/or collector, but I know that will absolutely, positively, never happen. :) I just stopped by Trader Joe's this evening and made my most recent purchases, a California Chardonnay and an Argentinean Carmenere (my most recent favorite) - two wines for under ten bucks! Looking forward to building up our wine collection, and, obviously, tasting the wines we purchase!
5. I'm home alone tonight - I sent B off to have fun with some friends. They're grabbing a beer and taking in "Captain America" at the cinema. I know he'll enjoy the "comic book" movies more with the guys than he will with me! I am happy to have this time at home, to (hopefully) restore a bit of order to our apartment. Our little living space always seems to be thrown into a tizzy during the workweek. We currently have piles of laundry, dishes, and paper strewn about in multiple locations. Time to tackle the crazy!
a presto, tutti! a presto!!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
a full heart
It has been much too long since I've returned to this humble cyberhome to share my incessant thoughts and endless ramblings with whoever it may be that stumbles onto this tiny blog. Quite frankly, our life has been fairly regular and ordinary in these past weeks - days and weeks go by, we have our ups and downs in the spiritual life, we have our little joys and our little struggles in our married vocation, and life continues. I'll admit, the "ordinary-ness" of married life used to slightly scare me, but now, it really is a tremendous gift for which I remain abundantly grateful. So, long story short, there hasn't been much to write about in these past weeks.
Until today. :-)
We traveled this weekend, to the Kansas City metro area, about 500 miles southwest of where we live. We piled into the car with two friends early on Friday morning and headed out shortly after eight; arriving in KC, KS (or at least a suburb of it) right around 5:00 in the afternoon, after a good eight hours of driving. It was there, in the heart of the Great Plains, that we witnessed the ordination of a dear, dear friend to the sacred order of deacons.
The ordination itself - held on Saturday morning in a local parish church - was nothing short of completely beautiful. We arrived about an hour before the Mass to pray and prepare; yet, I found it impossible to pray coherently in that time, as the choir was rehearsing and it was entirely heavenly. The choir eventually began to rehearse "Lift High the Cross" - one of my most favorite hymns - and the beauty of that moment, of what was about to happen to five men (four to be ordained priests, our friend to be ordained deacon), was all too much and tears stung my eyes. All I could do was smile at B as I tried to choke down what almost became a sob. The occasion of this ordination was truly providential -the four men ordained to the priesthood are the first priests of the male branch of a relatively new religious order; and our friend, ordained to the diaconate, would then be just a step away from joining his brothers in God's holy priesthood. The process to ordain these men has been very long - many different steps needed to happen, all in God's time, in order for this blessed day to come. As I wiped away my tears - the first of many that day - I think I realized the magnitude of the ceremony about to happen, and the gratitude owed to our good God for truly blessing this work done for His Kingdom.
There really are no adequate words to describe what then transpired - an almost transcendent ordination Mass, where the joy felt among the faithful was palpable. We smiled proudly as we watched our dear friend join his fellow brothers in the community, to make promises of obedience and respect to the ordaining bishop and to, more importantly, make eternal promises to God as His ordained ministers. Next to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Rite of Ordination may have been the most beautiful part of the day - watching these five young men literally lay down their lives in service to God's holy people and make solemn promises to both Christ Jesus and a successor to Christ's apostles. Another moment where the tears flowed freely was watching our friend - now a deacon - be welcomed by his fellow deacons into this sacred, beautiful order. My heart was full of joy at that moment - a joy that could only be expressed by a shower of happy tears.
Two hours and 45 minutes later, Mass concluded - really, it felt like just minutes had passed. We attended a lovely luncheon and caught up with many old friends - sisters from the female branch of the order that we knew from our time in college, other college friends, even some priests from back home who had made the trip for the ordination. A priest friend summed it up well - "It's a small world when it comes to our family in the Church." Really, it couldn't have been said better. While we didn't know many people at the ordination, by day's end we had gotten to know many more, and it was that much closer to feeling like a family.
In the evening we attended a lovely dinner reception - not unlike a wedding celebration. We ate delicious food, indulged in an open bar, and even took to the dance floor at one point and spun around to a merengue. Many members of the order are from Italy (our friend included), so the reception offered me a truly precious moment to practice la bella lingua, which I haven't spoken consistently in what seems like years! The most special moment of the evening was by far our little private moment with our friend when he was able to offer us his blessing. In heavily accented Italian, he prayed with us and over us, and it was a great gift to us, so special, in fact, that I can't possibly attempt to describe how wonderful it was. Following his blessing, we were able to share a few more words, where we again reiterated our great joy at his "yes" to God and humbly asked for his prayers for us. And, before long, sadly, it was time to depart, and bid our goodbyes - as the gears in our heads began to crank along as we started to brainstorm ways of, God willing, getting to Rome for his presbyteral ordination (the likely location in about a year).
The prevailing sentiments we took away from his weekend was a sense of great joy as we watched these five men resoundingly answer "yes" to God's call. I shared with our friend how happy it made us to watch him say "yes" to God, and how beautiful it was to pray with him as he discovered his vocation and committed to it. There is something uniquely special in witnessing a resounding "yes" to God's call to His holy priesthood, and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to witness these fine young men make these solemn promises to God this weekend.
We also remain sincerely grateful to God for our friendship with "Don Ale" (that's what we'll call him now) and his prayers for us. He blessed us with his presence at our wedding almost two years ago, and it was an honor and a privilege to return the favor. (And we only hope that it might be God's will that at least one, if not both, of us somehow make it to Rome to see him ordained a priest!) God willing, he'll be the godfather to our firstborn daughter (or second-born son) someday. We remain convinced that it is truly this friendship with God's chosen priests that will encourage and inspire us in our own pursuit of holiness for years to come.
Thank you, Father God, for the gift of these priests (and deacon) to us! May you bless and sustain them all the years of their faithful service to you.
a presto.
Until today. :-)
We traveled this weekend, to the Kansas City metro area, about 500 miles southwest of where we live. We piled into the car with two friends early on Friday morning and headed out shortly after eight; arriving in KC, KS (or at least a suburb of it) right around 5:00 in the afternoon, after a good eight hours of driving. It was there, in the heart of the Great Plains, that we witnessed the ordination of a dear, dear friend to the sacred order of deacons.
The ordination itself - held on Saturday morning in a local parish church - was nothing short of completely beautiful. We arrived about an hour before the Mass to pray and prepare; yet, I found it impossible to pray coherently in that time, as the choir was rehearsing and it was entirely heavenly. The choir eventually began to rehearse "Lift High the Cross" - one of my most favorite hymns - and the beauty of that moment, of what was about to happen to five men (four to be ordained priests, our friend to be ordained deacon), was all too much and tears stung my eyes. All I could do was smile at B as I tried to choke down what almost became a sob. The occasion of this ordination was truly providential -the four men ordained to the priesthood are the first priests of the male branch of a relatively new religious order; and our friend, ordained to the diaconate, would then be just a step away from joining his brothers in God's holy priesthood. The process to ordain these men has been very long - many different steps needed to happen, all in God's time, in order for this blessed day to come. As I wiped away my tears - the first of many that day - I think I realized the magnitude of the ceremony about to happen, and the gratitude owed to our good God for truly blessing this work done for His Kingdom.
There really are no adequate words to describe what then transpired - an almost transcendent ordination Mass, where the joy felt among the faithful was palpable. We smiled proudly as we watched our dear friend join his fellow brothers in the community, to make promises of obedience and respect to the ordaining bishop and to, more importantly, make eternal promises to God as His ordained ministers. Next to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Rite of Ordination may have been the most beautiful part of the day - watching these five young men literally lay down their lives in service to God's holy people and make solemn promises to both Christ Jesus and a successor to Christ's apostles. Another moment where the tears flowed freely was watching our friend - now a deacon - be welcomed by his fellow deacons into this sacred, beautiful order. My heart was full of joy at that moment - a joy that could only be expressed by a shower of happy tears.
Two hours and 45 minutes later, Mass concluded - really, it felt like just minutes had passed. We attended a lovely luncheon and caught up with many old friends - sisters from the female branch of the order that we knew from our time in college, other college friends, even some priests from back home who had made the trip for the ordination. A priest friend summed it up well - "It's a small world when it comes to our family in the Church." Really, it couldn't have been said better. While we didn't know many people at the ordination, by day's end we had gotten to know many more, and it was that much closer to feeling like a family.
In the evening we attended a lovely dinner reception - not unlike a wedding celebration. We ate delicious food, indulged in an open bar, and even took to the dance floor at one point and spun around to a merengue. Many members of the order are from Italy (our friend included), so the reception offered me a truly precious moment to practice la bella lingua, which I haven't spoken consistently in what seems like years! The most special moment of the evening was by far our little private moment with our friend when he was able to offer us his blessing. In heavily accented Italian, he prayed with us and over us, and it was a great gift to us, so special, in fact, that I can't possibly attempt to describe how wonderful it was. Following his blessing, we were able to share a few more words, where we again reiterated our great joy at his "yes" to God and humbly asked for his prayers for us. And, before long, sadly, it was time to depart, and bid our goodbyes - as the gears in our heads began to crank along as we started to brainstorm ways of, God willing, getting to Rome for his presbyteral ordination (the likely location in about a year).
The prevailing sentiments we took away from his weekend was a sense of great joy as we watched these five men resoundingly answer "yes" to God's call. I shared with our friend how happy it made us to watch him say "yes" to God, and how beautiful it was to pray with him as he discovered his vocation and committed to it. There is something uniquely special in witnessing a resounding "yes" to God's call to His holy priesthood, and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to witness these fine young men make these solemn promises to God this weekend.
We also remain sincerely grateful to God for our friendship with "Don Ale" (that's what we'll call him now) and his prayers for us. He blessed us with his presence at our wedding almost two years ago, and it was an honor and a privilege to return the favor. (And we only hope that it might be God's will that at least one, if not both, of us somehow make it to Rome to see him ordained a priest!) God willing, he'll be the godfather to our firstborn daughter (or second-born son) someday. We remain convinced that it is truly this friendship with God's chosen priests that will encourage and inspire us in our own pursuit of holiness for years to come.
Thank you, Father God, for the gift of these priests (and deacon) to us! May you bless and sustain them all the years of their faithful service to you.
a presto.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
too long
So many different topics to consider on this blog, but the past month has certainly gotten away from me. How is it May 22nd tomorrow?!
The Cliffs Notes version is that much is going on in our lives - very good, very exciting things. Many new goals have sprung forth from these developments. There's so much to document and to post here, but I don't even know where to begin.
As far as short-term future blogging goals, I'm hoping to revive "New Meal Monday" this week with a new chili recipe. Here's hoping I remember to get out my camera when the time comes to make the meal!
In the meantime, here are 10 extra-short snippets of the goings-on in life right now:
1. I have a job! Starting July 1st, I'll be diving back into campus ministry full-time after a two-year hiatus. It is humbling, exhilarating, and exciting to think about being back on campus (my alma mater!) with students, attempting (albeit weakly) to love them like Jesus.
2. My little sister is engaged! She'll be married next October, 2012. It is terribly exciting - and I get to be maid of honor! (Or, as my husband informed me, matron of honor - it sounds so much older than just maid!)
3. B and I have resolved to begin (slowly) making our way through the seasons of The West Wing. Considering we just watched the pilot episode this evening, I'd say we have quite a ways to go. :-)
4. I bought a cilantro plant a week and a half ago, and while I haven't used any of it yet, I am so looking forward to being able to just snip the leaves I need in any given week, instead of buying an entire bunch of cilantro and having about 85% of that bunch go to waste because we just can't use that much cilantro before it spoils. Hooray for herbs! I have a small pot of basil and another of chives that have just started sprouting, too. I am hoping to maintain this trend of keeping our most often used herbs in pots during the summer - it is convenient, low-maintenance, and inexpensive, a great thing!
5. I am a convert to the FranklinCovey daily system of planning. (www.franklincovey.com) I sat in on meetings all week at my new job and after a quick introduction to the daily system, I have resolved to integrate that method of planning into my work next year. I am hoping it can provide a balance to my work/vocation/homekeeping and increase my effectiveness in each of these areas.
6. I witnessed a beautiful Nuptial Mass today of two former students with whom I worked during my first stint in campus ministry. They are a beautiful example of faithful love - I am honored to have known them during their college careers and to have watched from afar their journey to this momentous day.
7. "Sway" by Dean Martin might be one of the greatest songs ever. I'm listening to the Glee cover of this song right now, and it just makes me want to get up and dance! (Dean's version is best, however!)
8. B is making pulled pork for Sunday Dinner tomorrow! EXCITED!!!!!!! (pulled pork is one of my very favorite meals, and we've never made it before) :-)
9. Making plans to visit Washington, DC this summer to visit my old roommates at the end of June. They have lived out there for 2+ years, but this is the first time I will visit them there. I haven't been to the District in ten years, so I am more than looking forward to my return. It promises to be quite the trip!
10. No matter how many times I fall, fail, or make a mistake, I am a beloved child of God. All of us are. How mind-boggling is this?!
a presto.
The Cliffs Notes version is that much is going on in our lives - very good, very exciting things. Many new goals have sprung forth from these developments. There's so much to document and to post here, but I don't even know where to begin.
As far as short-term future blogging goals, I'm hoping to revive "New Meal Monday" this week with a new chili recipe. Here's hoping I remember to get out my camera when the time comes to make the meal!
In the meantime, here are 10 extra-short snippets of the goings-on in life right now:
1. I have a job! Starting July 1st, I'll be diving back into campus ministry full-time after a two-year hiatus. It is humbling, exhilarating, and exciting to think about being back on campus (my alma mater!) with students, attempting (albeit weakly) to love them like Jesus.
2. My little sister is engaged! She'll be married next October, 2012. It is terribly exciting - and I get to be maid of honor! (Or, as my husband informed me, matron of honor - it sounds so much older than just maid!)
3. B and I have resolved to begin (slowly) making our way through the seasons of The West Wing. Considering we just watched the pilot episode this evening, I'd say we have quite a ways to go. :-)
4. I bought a cilantro plant a week and a half ago, and while I haven't used any of it yet, I am so looking forward to being able to just snip the leaves I need in any given week, instead of buying an entire bunch of cilantro and having about 85% of that bunch go to waste because we just can't use that much cilantro before it spoils. Hooray for herbs! I have a small pot of basil and another of chives that have just started sprouting, too. I am hoping to maintain this trend of keeping our most often used herbs in pots during the summer - it is convenient, low-maintenance, and inexpensive, a great thing!
5. I am a convert to the FranklinCovey daily system of planning. (www.franklincovey.com) I sat in on meetings all week at my new job and after a quick introduction to the daily system, I have resolved to integrate that method of planning into my work next year. I am hoping it can provide a balance to my work/vocation/homekeeping and increase my effectiveness in each of these areas.
6. I witnessed a beautiful Nuptial Mass today of two former students with whom I worked during my first stint in campus ministry. They are a beautiful example of faithful love - I am honored to have known them during their college careers and to have watched from afar their journey to this momentous day.
7. "Sway" by Dean Martin might be one of the greatest songs ever. I'm listening to the Glee cover of this song right now, and it just makes me want to get up and dance! (Dean's version is best, however!)
8. B is making pulled pork for Sunday Dinner tomorrow! EXCITED!!!!!!! (pulled pork is one of my very favorite meals, and we've never made it before) :-)
9. Making plans to visit Washington, DC this summer to visit my old roommates at the end of June. They have lived out there for 2+ years, but this is the first time I will visit them there. I haven't been to the District in ten years, so I am more than looking forward to my return. It promises to be quite the trip!
10. No matter how many times I fall, fail, or make a mistake, I am a beloved child of God. All of us are. How mind-boggling is this?!
a presto.
Monday, May 2, 2011
on death, judgment, and difficulties
I understand this is a massively depressing title for this post. It's a work in progress - thanks for bearing with me.
Last night was strange in a variety of ways. Firstly, B and I were completely exhausted - Friday and Saturday nights were late nights (in bed no earlier than midnight) and we were certainly feeling the brunt of the ensuing exhaustion. I was also coming down with something resembling a cold (dangit!) for the second time in three months - I am still on the couch and not 100% as of today. We were supposed to attend a cookout, to meet the university students with whom I will work closely next year in my new position; however, after attending an evening Mass and not feeling any better (if not worse), we elected to go home, order a pizza, and rent a movie (which happened to be The King's Speech!).
About three-quarters of the way through the movie (His Majesty King George VI and Lionel Logue were about to rehearse for the coronation in Westminster Abbey), I, without any particular reason, decided to log onto Facebook. It was there on the social networking site that I saw a flurry of status updates about someone not often thought about in my mind these days. These statuses were reporting a massively historical bit of news:
Last night was strange in a variety of ways. Firstly, B and I were completely exhausted - Friday and Saturday nights were late nights (in bed no earlier than midnight) and we were certainly feeling the brunt of the ensuing exhaustion. I was also coming down with something resembling a cold (dangit!) for the second time in three months - I am still on the couch and not 100% as of today. We were supposed to attend a cookout, to meet the university students with whom I will work closely next year in my new position; however, after attending an evening Mass and not feeling any better (if not worse), we elected to go home, order a pizza, and rent a movie (which happened to be The King's Speech!).
About three-quarters of the way through the movie (His Majesty King George VI and Lionel Logue were about to rehearse for the coronation in Westminster Abbey), I, without any particular reason, decided to log onto Facebook. It was there on the social networking site that I saw a flurry of status updates about someone not often thought about in my mind these days. These statuses were reporting a massively historical bit of news:
The United States had eliminated Osama bin Laden.
Immediately I relayed the news to B - who, understandably, was shocked. After all, it isn't every day that the major news networks are reporting that the United States has eliminated the most wanted terrorist in the world. We fumbled around with our remote controls (we have way too many!) and finally was able to reach a news station to see what exactly was going on. The coverage confirmed the flurry of Facebook statuses - the United States had raided the world's most wanted terrorist's luxury compound in a city north of the Pakistani capital city, and in a firefight, the man wanted for orchestrating the 9/11 attacks had been killed.
I didn't know what to think. At first, deep down, there was almost an excitement to the news, similar to when the United States had captured Saddam Hussein many years ago, thoughts of "we finally got him" and "it's about time" that swirled in my mind. Then, as we started to digest and process the news, calling our parents to make sure they had heard, I found myself trying to pray for the repose of his soul. I remember a particular moment of solitude before the President's address to the nation where I finally realized that bin Laden, like all of us someday, came face-to-face with God, the Just Judge, and needed to answer for the doings of his life. And in that moment, I feared for his soul and tried, albeit poorly, to ask God's mercy through a series of silent Hail Mary's.
Let me tell you - it was difficult. The memories of September 11th remain palpable to me - I recall watching the news footage of the anniversary of the attacks last fall and my heart still aching for those who perished in a fiery grave on that clear September day. I remember sobbing into my mother's shoulder the night after the attacks, as the news coverage continued incessantly and as lower Manhattan continued to smolder. I remember writing busily in my journal in the following days, and I know that in my fifteen-year-old immaturity, I had a few choice words for Osama bin Laden as I tried to process my thoughts. So, last night, to attempt to pray and ask God's mercy on this man was a difficult task.
And then I watched the ensuing celebrations around the United States - places like the White House, Ground Zero, and Times Square, where hundreds gathered to celebrate the death of this man. And I know that my fifteen-year-old self from September of 2001 would have joined in the revelry and celebrated robustly what the media and politicians have dubbed "a decisive victory in the War on Terror." To be honest, as I watched the celebrations ensue, my stomach was uneasy. It is one thing to celebrate patriotism and be proud of our America, it is quite another to celebrate that patriotism in the wake of a man's death. I agree wholeheartedly that Osama bin Laden has caused devastating agony to the citizens of the United States. The actions of al-Qaeda and its influence on America will be written about for ages to come. Yet, as Americans, we should not be treating this moment in history as if we won the big game. Our lack of decorum in recognizing bin Laden's death was difficult for me to watch - and B and I agreed that the footage of the celebrations could ultimately be damaging for the United States in the wider Arab world community. Indeed, this is a defining moment in American history - but to rejoice in this man's death is not, in my humble estimation, the way to go about these things.
This is truly one of those moments where the teachings of our Lord are so very difficult. Jesus knew what he was saying when he instructed the disciples (and us) to "love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." It is something that I - and the rest of the United States - very much need to take to heart.
a presto
Sunday, May 1, 2011
BEATO! BEATO!
Santo Padre, some days you are but a distant memory to me, yet deep in my heart I know how influential you were to my following Christ. Your love for the youth of the Church inspired and encouraged me, and continues to do so. I remain so very grateful to your yes to God in all things - your vocation, your episcopal appointment, your election to the papacy, and especially your yes to the corporal suffering you endured on earth, to show the world how to unite our pain to His on the cross. Holy Father, you are my hero!
My spiritual grandfather will be beatified in a few short hours by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI! I will attempt to watch a bit of the beatification coverage (beginning at 1:30AM our time, about an hour from now), but I am so exhausted that I am not sure I will make it very long. In any event, I rejoice with the rest of the world and look forward to many celebrations in the days, weeks, and months to come to honor and remember the heroic life of Father Karol.
"Remember, Christ is calling you; the Church needs you; the Pope believes in you and he expects great things of you!"
Beato Giovanni Paolo, prega per noi!
Blessed John Paul, pray for us!
a presto :)
picture source
UPDATE: Regrettably, I fell asleep with EWTN on before the coverage even began, rats! Thankfully it is on tape-delay later today. :)
Friday, April 29, 2011
bellssime nozze
While our wedding was certainly not a grand affair like William and Catherine's, there were so many small moments that I watched today where I thought back to our wedding day, and it was almost as if the feelings and butterflies of each particular moment came whooshing back into my memory. For instance, Catherine and her father paused for only a moment before beginning their walk down the aisle to William. My walk down the aisle with my father was somewhat similar, as I asked him just to straighten my train before we walked down the aisle (unlike Catherine, I didn't have the luxury of my sister behind me to do the straightening once it was time to walk!). I remember so vividly that moment - Dad had just quoted one of my favorite lines from my favorite movie, Field of Dreams. Then, he announced, "Let's go." With that, I walked out from behind the partition, faced the doors to the church, Dad straightened my train, and we walked to B. I honestly had about a million butterflies in my stomach at that very moment (I imagine the Duchess of Cambridge probably felt similarly at some point today), yet when we walked down the aisle, it was almost as if my peripheral vision blurred completely and the only person I could see was B, waiting for me. Catherine's walk was undoubtedly longer (some have said it took nine minutes!), but the emotions and feelings of that walk down the aisle were, I'm certain, similar to the ones I felt but 20 month ago.
In a word? The royal nuptials were gorgeous, and no doubt history in the making. And while I am still tired from having woken up so early, it was certainly interesting and exciting to watch something so foreign to Americans - a monarchy - celebrate something so beautiful.
a presto. :)
picture of William & Catherine source
Monday, April 25, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
six years ago!
April 19, 2005 fell on a Tuesday, just as it does this year. The conclave had begun on April 18, with black smoke after each of the votes. I only had one class in the morning on Tuesday - a Religious Studies class with a emphasis on Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We had a guest lecturer that morning who discussed different texts of the Torah (if I remember correctly). A freshman in my second semester at the university, I took the class with two or three other friends from St. Paul's, the Catholic student center on campus.
Probably about halfway through class, one of my friends received a text message from his brother: Habemus Papam! White smoke! Suddenly, none of us could concentrate and I was convinced that if we stayed any longer in class, we were going to miss the announcement from Rome, which was truly history in the making.
Finally, on the count of three, we decided that we'd all get up and leave together. As we walked out of class, my professor's mouth agape, we just about ran across campus to St. Paul's, where we arrived just as Cardinal Medina began the announcement from a streaming computer - ironically, where my office as an intern at St. Paul's would be just three and a half years later. Once we heard the last name, I just about cheered as though my favorite team had scored a touchdown. I had watched Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger preside and preach at John Paul's funeral Mass about ten days before, and his words had, without a doubt, comforted the Catholic faithful at a time of immense sorrow. When I heard his name announced that day in Rome, I was nothing short of thrilled - in my humble estimation, Cardinal Ratzinger was the perfect successor to John Paul II - and truly perfect, as the Holy Spirit had truly chosen him to lead the Church.
Happy Election Anniversary, Holy Father!
Ad multos annos!
Ad multos annos!
a presto :-)
Monday, April 18, 2011
New Meal Monday: Sausage with Peppers and Pasta
Enter this week's new meal: Sausage with Peppers and Pasta from the Kraft website. We had about half a pound of kielbasa sausage just sitting in the fridge, waiting to be eaten (and likely to be tossed once it was too old to use). We also had a few halves of red and green peppers to be used, so this recipe was perfect and allowed us to clear out a bit of our fridge. The prep for this meal was exceedingly fast and super easy - and I'm happy to report that it has made our permanent dinner rotation because of its quickness!
Without further ado, behold the finished product:
Sausage with peppers and pasta
(Original recipe from Kraft foods, with a couple of additions by me)
What you'll need:
(Original recipe from Kraft foods, with a couple of additions by me)
What you'll need:
.5 pound of kielbasa sausage (or Italian sausage), cut into medallions
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups rigatoni pasta
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
Crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside into a bowl or pot. Drizzle with oil (I use grapeseed) to keep them from sticking.
2. Cook the kielbasa in a large frying pan with a drizzle of oil until slightly browned. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic and stir until slightly tender, about 5-6 minutes.
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups rigatoni pasta
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
Crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside into a bowl or pot. Drizzle with oil (I use grapeseed) to keep them from sticking.
2. Cook the kielbasa in a large frying pan with a drizzle of oil until slightly browned. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic and stir until slightly tender, about 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the can of diced tomatoes and heat thoroughly, about 2 minutes.
4. Add to the drained pasta; then add the mozzarella cheese and stir. Season with crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings to taste.
4. Add to the drained pasta; then add the mozzarella cheese and stir. Season with crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings to taste.
Enjoy! It would be great with garlic bread, or a salad, or both.
Yield: about 4-6 servings
Prep time: ~10 minutes
Total time: ~25-30 minutes
Estimated price per serving (4): $1.83
Yield: about 4-6 servings
Prep time: ~10 minutes
Total time: ~25-30 minutes
Estimated price per serving (4): $1.83
And thus starts a (hopeful) new trend for this blog: New Meal Monday!
(I'll document new meals mostly for my own benefit, but hopefully for the benefit of some of those anonymous readers out there!)
(I'll document new meals mostly for my own benefit, but hopefully for the benefit of some of those anonymous readers out there!)
a presto :)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
tantissimi auguri!
Happy Birthday, Holy Father!
Here's a fun fact: Joseph Ratzinger was born on April 16, 1927, which was, in 1927, Holy Saturday. He was born in the morning and taken to the local church in the evening, and baptized during the Easter Vigil!
The picture above was taken in 2008, during the Holy Father's visit to the United States. And, if it weren't the day before Palm Sunday this year, we'd also be indulging in cake, to celebrate and thank God for the life of Pope Benedict! (Instead, I'll bake a cake during the first week of Easter and we'll enjoy some birthday cake in ten days.)
The picture above was taken in 2008, during the Holy Father's visit to the United States. And, if it weren't the day before Palm Sunday this year, we'd also be indulging in cake, to celebrate and thank God for the life of Pope Benedict! (Instead, I'll bake a cake during the first week of Easter and we'll enjoy some birthday cake in ten days.)
Ad multos annos, Santo Padre!
Picture source
Update: We just returned from a late-night frozen custard run to honor our beloved Pontiff's birthday (and if you asked my husband, to counter the extra spicy chili I made for dinner tonight). Seeing as it's the day before Palm Sunday - major discipline fail.
Picture source
Update: We just returned from a late-night frozen custard run to honor our beloved Pontiff's birthday (and if you asked my husband, to counter the extra spicy chili I made for dinner tonight). Seeing as it's the day before Palm Sunday - major discipline fail.
why do we live here again?
And three days later, we had all kinds of precipitation fall from the sky, all of the winter variety: rain, sleet, hail, freezing rain, and probably a bit of snow thrown in there too.
We had just returned from PR a week earlier than these pictures were taken, and I told B that if we told his Puerto Rican family what the weather was doing here, they would never have believed it. What's all the more bizarre is that six days before these pictures, the previous Sunday, B and I got off the tarmac in Chicago, at 9:00 in the morning, to 70-degree temperatures. If would eventually get to 85 degrees in our fair city that day.
I don't ask myself this very much - more often than not I completely and utterly love the upper Midwest and our beautiful state. But seriously, after Mother Nature's shenanigans in mid-April.......why do we live here?!
a presto :)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Giovanni Paolo
In the midst of all of the joy surrounding my sister-in-law's wedding on April 2nd, there was but a brief moment where I was able to recall the events of the same day six years earlier, when, as an 18-year-old freshman in college, I kept vigil for 36 hours, waiting on word about my ailing spiritual grandfather, His Holiness John Paul II. The time I spent on April 2, 2011 reflecting on the events of April 2, 2005 was but a sliver in the 24-hour day. There was, after all, a most joyous occasion to celebrate that day - the marriage of B's sister!
Yet in the back of my mind, I remembered John Paul, and the feelings and emotions and sentiments of that day six years ago. I recall clearly the feeling of abandonment, that our grandfather had gone before us, and I remember vividly the palpable grief that followed his passing from this life into the next, which eventually changed to immense joy at the thought that he, John Paul would now, by the mercies and grace of God, spend eternity with the Lover of his soul. It was a painful, grief-filled, yet joyous week between John Paul's passing and his funeral Mass.
And in the midst of the grief and the sorrow that accompanied the passing of John Paul, God was there, truly present to Holy Mother Church. While the faithful waited anxiously for a new shepherd to be elected, God knew exactly what His Church needed - and gave us a tremendous gift in the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to the papacy. It is a gift for which we could never be adequately thankful.
To say that I look forward to John Paul's imminent beatification is most likely an understatement. For awhile, B and I joked about throwing a "beatification party," and if our finances weren't so tight, we would be considering it more seriously. I could not ever thank John Paul enough for his influence on my young life - for assuring me of his love for and hope in the youth of the Church, for encouraging me in my own personal sufferings by his example, and by his countless prayers from Heaven since his passing. To honor John Paul's memory in our own small way, should God grant us the gift of sons, our second boy will be named John Paul, and I trust that he will have a loving patron, his namesake, offering many prayers on his behalf.
Holy Father, thank you for your witness of Christ's love to all of us, and for your yes to God's desire that you guide His holy Church. Pray for us as we strive to follow your example!
Monday, April 11, 2011
ten days in an island paradise
We are freshly back (as in, we returned home about 27 hours ago) from 10 amazing days in La Isla del Encanto, also known as B's mom's beautiful island paradise of Puerto Rico. It was at times a very jam-packed ten days - full of family visits, my sister-in-law's wedding, our nephew's baptism, plenty of sightseeing and lots of eating. It is always a joy to be with my in-laws, and this trip was no exception. I am especially grateful for the ability to have been able to travel to the island to be with our family, due much in part to their abundant generosity, particularly because our own finances are so tight.
After ten days with what seemed like dozens of in-laws, I remain supremely convinced that my husband owes much of who he is today to his beautiful family. He is a man fiercely loyal, tremendously giving, (at times) ridiculously stubborn, and intensely loving. He has inherited all of these traits from this amazing family of which I am now also a part, thanks to our beautiful vocation.
Regular posting to resume (hopefully) now that we are back home.
a presto :-)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
San Giuseppe
"St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things.
He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do,
in each and every event that went to make up his life."
He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do,
in each and every event that went to make up his life."
~ St. Josemaria Escriva, Christ is Passing By
Dear St. Joseph, we love you (albeit weakly), and we beg your prayers!
This certainly should have been posted on St. Joseph's Solemnity (last Saturday) - I am posting it on Friday (3/25), but will post-date it so it reflects his glorious feast. :)
Picture source
Friday, March 18, 2011
what a week!
B and I have had quite the week! The first half of the week was spent with a two-year-old; she is the daughter of our dear friends who traveled to Florida for a family celebration. There were plenty of hilarious times and just a few challenging moments. In all, we had a blast with her - albeit an exhausted blast. I think B and I are still wiped out, two days after we dropped her with her parents!
I'm pretty sure B is feeling the brunt of his exhaustion today - he came home from work running a fever, about 100 degrees - not necessarily the classic medical definition of a serious fever, but enough to have him considerably uncomfortable. He's been asleep since 8:30 and will stay asleep until he wakes up tomorrow morning - I am thinking he needs a really good night's sleep and that will hopefully toss the fever out of his system.
In all, the time we had with our little friend was exhausting, challenging, wonderful, and, in its own small way, pretty magical. It was such a blessing to have a little girl to snuggle, to make laugh, to enjoy as a married couple for a few days. Don't get me wrong, we were completely exhausted most of the time - I remember silently begging to myself that she would fall back asleep when she roused at quarter to six one morning - but it was still magical, and certainly a glimpse into what our family life might look like someday, should God choose to bless us with children. It will always warm my heart to remember some of the littlest moments of our days with her. For example, one evening she and I spent a good 25 minutes picking out B's work clothes for the next day - every bit of clothing, even down to the skivvies! As B washed the dinner dishes, she and I would be in the bedroom, and she would take a piece of clothing, run it out to the kitchen, and say to B, "You wear this to work?" And B, saintly B, would always say "Yes, that is great!" And we would proceed to hang up or fold the clothing somewhere either in the bathroom or living room - a methodical, meticulous, hilarious process. While fairly ordinary, it was priceless, and one of the fondest memories of our time with her.
Especially, after our three days with the little one, I know definitively that motherhood will be the greatest challenge of my life. There are times that realization exhilarates me, and at the same time terrifies me. I remain convinced that, should God choose to bless us with children, I will need to cling to Him in my motherhood to a new and even more intense degree.
St. Joseph, pray for me!
Mother Mary, pray for me!
I'm pretty sure B is feeling the brunt of his exhaustion today - he came home from work running a fever, about 100 degrees - not necessarily the classic medical definition of a serious fever, but enough to have him considerably uncomfortable. He's been asleep since 8:30 and will stay asleep until he wakes up tomorrow morning - I am thinking he needs a really good night's sleep and that will hopefully toss the fever out of his system.
In all, the time we had with our little friend was exhausting, challenging, wonderful, and, in its own small way, pretty magical. It was such a blessing to have a little girl to snuggle, to make laugh, to enjoy as a married couple for a few days. Don't get me wrong, we were completely exhausted most of the time - I remember silently begging to myself that she would fall back asleep when she roused at quarter to six one morning - but it was still magical, and certainly a glimpse into what our family life might look like someday, should God choose to bless us with children. It will always warm my heart to remember some of the littlest moments of our days with her. For example, one evening she and I spent a good 25 minutes picking out B's work clothes for the next day - every bit of clothing, even down to the skivvies! As B washed the dinner dishes, she and I would be in the bedroom, and she would take a piece of clothing, run it out to the kitchen, and say to B, "You wear this to work?" And B, saintly B, would always say "Yes, that is great!" And we would proceed to hang up or fold the clothing somewhere either in the bathroom or living room - a methodical, meticulous, hilarious process. While fairly ordinary, it was priceless, and one of the fondest memories of our time with her.
Especially, after our three days with the little one, I know definitively that motherhood will be the greatest challenge of my life. There are times that realization exhilarates me, and at the same time terrifies me. I remain convinced that, should God choose to bless us with children, I will need to cling to Him in my motherhood to a new and even more intense degree.
St. Joseph, pray for me!
Mother Mary, pray for me!
Friday, March 11, 2011
perspective
"Does your soul not burn with the desire to make
your Father God happy when he has to judge you?"
your Father God happy when he has to judge you?"
~ St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, #746
I'm realizing more and more that I need to have this mindset
every day of my life.
Waking up to news about our friends across the Pacific Ocean certainly
should give us a significant (and welcome) amount
of perspective on the current debate in our state.
People of Japan, you are close to my heart in prayer this day!
should give us a significant (and welcome) amount
of perspective on the current debate in our state.
People of Japan, you are close to my heart in prayer this day!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
sleeping beauty
My husband set out to read a section of a book we're discussing for a small group at our parish right now about fifteen minutes ago. I proceeded to wait him out, listening to Grooveshark and reading up on the recent happenings in our fair state, to see if there have been any further developments following the vote this afternoon.
Twenty minutes later, I turn my head to see how he's doing.......and he is fast asleep, book still open, and probably out for the night.
The glories of marriage! :-)
On another note, I'm going to try and convince B to head downtown to the isthmus tomorrow, just to get a glimpse of what is happening down there right now. Hopefully I'll remember my camera and will be able to upload some photos here, for posterity's sake.
The whole saga remains completely intriguing. History in the making!
a presto
Twenty minutes later, I turn my head to see how he's doing.......and he is fast asleep, book still open, and probably out for the night.
The glories of marriage! :-)
On another note, I'm going to try and convince B to head downtown to the isthmus tomorrow, just to get a glimpse of what is happening down there right now. Hopefully I'll remember my camera and will be able to upload some photos here, for posterity's sake.
The whole saga remains completely intriguing. History in the making!
a presto
civility - pretty please?
A couple of procedural moves later, and the Senate of my fair state passed the budget repair bill that has been at the forefront of state politics (and of the national media) for the better part of a month. It happened last night around 6:30 - B and I were completely (and thankfully) oblivious, as we were out the door headed to Ash Wednesday Mass at our parish. As of this morning, it is scheduled for a vote in the State Assembly.
As expected, the fallout - and the vitriol - continues just 20 minutes from where B and I live. The word this morning is that the state Department of Justice is investigating various death threats against Republican Senators who voted for the bill. My Facebook news feed has been riddled with insults and name-calling towards our Republican lawmakers - the names are not ones I would like to repeat, not ever. Governor Walker, who did not finish classes at Marquette University when an undergraduate, has been called an uneducated idiot more than once. As the sister of a remarkable young woman who will probably never receive a college degree because of various circumstances, this smear is one that I tend to get riled up about.
It is name calling and character attacks like these that make me wonder, have we - on both sides of the political spectrum - forgotten our ability to be civil? In times like these I'm absolutely certain that we have. It's time to grow up - on both sides of the issue - and discuss, with a reasonable degree of civility, the issues at hand. I understand that this is a particularly hot-button issue, an extremely controversial piece of legislation that has the capacity to shape definitively the future of this state in more than one sphere - fiscally, educationally, politically, you name it. I understand that many public servants feel especially wronged by this political process. But enough with the character attacks, and, I implore you, stop threatening our lawmakers! We're not going to get anywhere in this current political stalemate if we continue to act like hyperbolic and hysterical five-year-olds.
Thus endeth the rant....
UPDATE: Around quarter to four this afternoon, after considerable debate, the bill passed through the Assembly with a vote of 53-42. Shouts of "Shame! Shame!" filled the chamber following the vote. The Republicans were taken out of the Capitol with a security escort, and the Assembly has adjourned until next week. Governor Walker claims he will sign the bill as soon as he is legally able - that is anybody's guess at this point.
It looks like this is going to get even more interesting as the news spreads and people begin to organize. I expect that the isthmus will be buzzing with people for several days to come.
History in the making, folks. This is really remarkable stuff, no matter what side of the issue you support.
As expected, the fallout - and the vitriol - continues just 20 minutes from where B and I live. The word this morning is that the state Department of Justice is investigating various death threats against Republican Senators who voted for the bill. My Facebook news feed has been riddled with insults and name-calling towards our Republican lawmakers - the names are not ones I would like to repeat, not ever. Governor Walker, who did not finish classes at Marquette University when an undergraduate, has been called an uneducated idiot more than once. As the sister of a remarkable young woman who will probably never receive a college degree because of various circumstances, this smear is one that I tend to get riled up about.
It is name calling and character attacks like these that make me wonder, have we - on both sides of the political spectrum - forgotten our ability to be civil? In times like these I'm absolutely certain that we have. It's time to grow up - on both sides of the issue - and discuss, with a reasonable degree of civility, the issues at hand. I understand that this is a particularly hot-button issue, an extremely controversial piece of legislation that has the capacity to shape definitively the future of this state in more than one sphere - fiscally, educationally, politically, you name it. I understand that many public servants feel especially wronged by this political process. But enough with the character attacks, and, I implore you, stop threatening our lawmakers! We're not going to get anywhere in this current political stalemate if we continue to act like hyperbolic and hysterical five-year-olds.
Thus endeth the rant....
UPDATE: Around quarter to four this afternoon, after considerable debate, the bill passed through the Assembly with a vote of 53-42. Shouts of "Shame! Shame!" filled the chamber following the vote. The Republicans were taken out of the Capitol with a security escort, and the Assembly has adjourned until next week. Governor Walker claims he will sign the bill as soon as he is legally able - that is anybody's guess at this point.
It looks like this is going to get even more interesting as the news spreads and people begin to organize. I expect that the isthmus will be buzzing with people for several days to come.
History in the making, folks. This is really remarkable stuff, no matter what side of the issue you support.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
culinary revelations
We have had a particularly delicious week as far as our dinners go! Between the porkchop recipe for Sunday Dinner and a navy bean and bacon chowder this evening, we've been on a roll as we try some new recipes for our "wheelhouse" - basically our term for our collection of recipes that have been successful and can continue in our dinner rotation.
Along the way, we've had just a few revelations:
1. Sage is wonderful. We have used sage in just a few recipes, and this weekend we needed to add it to a cornbread that we were using as the stuffing for the porkchops Sunday Dinner recipe. We made the cornbread late at night after dinner with my cousins, and we were both exhausted, but we couldn't help but marvel, even in the late hour, about the amazing smell as the bread cooked in the oven. It was the sage! It was a smell that seemed so familiar to me, but I just couldn't place it. We went to bed that evening with the aroma of the cornbread throughout the apartment. It was awesome!
2. A turnip, when cooked for an extended time in a soup recipe, tastes almost exactly like a soft, cooked potato. The chowder for today's dinner called for a chopped turnip (found at our local cooperative), and I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant about using it - particularly about its texture and taste in the chowder. However, after a bowl of chowder tonight, I can safely say that it tastes just like a cooked chopped potato would in a soup recipe. Seriously, if I wanted to make this recipe again and didn't want to go to the co-op for a turnip, I would use a chopped baking potato. It was really neat to use a vegetable I have never encountered before, and even more neat that it was a successful addition to our dinner!
3. Turkey bacon, lower in fat and calories than pork bacon, will (hopefully) be a welcome addition to our kitchen for future meals. I am really trying to adhere to eating well with the hope that I can consistently maintain a healthy weight. It isn't a stretch to say that we've both put on a little bit of weight in these eighteen months of marriage! I saw turkey bacon for sale at the store today and gave it a shot in the soup tonight - and really liked it. B is definitely going to be a hard sell - I am sure he was slightly aghast tonight when I told him that there was turkey bacon in the chowder instead of pork. When I asked if he liked the turkey bacon, he said, "Well, I don't want to say that I like it!" I took that to mean that he feels he will have betrayed his longtime favorite, bacon of the pork variety, if he admits to liking the turkey bacon. I am hoping he'll learn to love it - we still have about ten slices to use, I only needed six for the soup!
To think that I didn't know how to cook more than pasta, Tuna Helper, and Macaroni and Cheese when we were married eighteen months ago. My, how times have changed!
a presto.
Along the way, we've had just a few revelations:
1. Sage is wonderful. We have used sage in just a few recipes, and this weekend we needed to add it to a cornbread that we were using as the stuffing for the porkchops Sunday Dinner recipe. We made the cornbread late at night after dinner with my cousins, and we were both exhausted, but we couldn't help but marvel, even in the late hour, about the amazing smell as the bread cooked in the oven. It was the sage! It was a smell that seemed so familiar to me, but I just couldn't place it. We went to bed that evening with the aroma of the cornbread throughout the apartment. It was awesome!
2. A turnip, when cooked for an extended time in a soup recipe, tastes almost exactly like a soft, cooked potato. The chowder for today's dinner called for a chopped turnip (found at our local cooperative), and I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant about using it - particularly about its texture and taste in the chowder. However, after a bowl of chowder tonight, I can safely say that it tastes just like a cooked chopped potato would in a soup recipe. Seriously, if I wanted to make this recipe again and didn't want to go to the co-op for a turnip, I would use a chopped baking potato. It was really neat to use a vegetable I have never encountered before, and even more neat that it was a successful addition to our dinner!
3. Turkey bacon, lower in fat and calories than pork bacon, will (hopefully) be a welcome addition to our kitchen for future meals. I am really trying to adhere to eating well with the hope that I can consistently maintain a healthy weight. It isn't a stretch to say that we've both put on a little bit of weight in these eighteen months of marriage! I saw turkey bacon for sale at the store today and gave it a shot in the soup tonight - and really liked it. B is definitely going to be a hard sell - I am sure he was slightly aghast tonight when I told him that there was turkey bacon in the chowder instead of pork. When I asked if he liked the turkey bacon, he said, "Well, I don't want to say that I like it!" I took that to mean that he feels he will have betrayed his longtime favorite, bacon of the pork variety, if he admits to liking the turkey bacon. I am hoping he'll learn to love it - we still have about ten slices to use, I only needed six for the soup!
To think that I didn't know how to cook more than pasta, Tuna Helper, and Macaroni and Cheese when we were married eighteen months ago. My, how times have changed!
a presto.
Monday, March 7, 2011
ten quick things! i am....
1. breaking up - temporarily - with John Adams. I have been attempting to read John Adams, David McCullough's masterpiece about the second president of our nation, for about three or four months. I swear they have been signing the Declaration of Independence for about six weeks now! It didn't help matters when we watched the HBO Miniseries based on the book right after Christmas - I think that has definitely contributed to this stagnant feeling. I know what's coming, so I am reluctant to read it, because I know the written account will be hundreds of pages longer than a few minutes of the miniseries! Instead, I've started Decision Points, the memoir of George W. Bush. I am about 20 pages in right now and I have the feeling it will be a much quicker read. While John Adams is a thorough, scholarly work, perhaps the magnum opus of David McCullough, I am really indifferent to it right now. I have a list of about 25 titles that I want to read, so I think it's just time to table John Adams and start anew. We'll see how well that goes!
2. TWENTY FIVE DAYS from our trip to Puerto Rico! That in itself seems completely ridiculous - how did the wedding sneak up so fast?! I am still waiting to hear on a potential job offer, so am still unsure about how the time-off situation will occur. In any event, it will just be a matter of changing my reservation for a fee and coming back a few days early, if necessary. If the weather in PR right now is any indication of how the weather will be when we're there, it's going to be nothing short of heavenly, especially after having endured a prolonged winter here in the heart of the Midwest. We're approaching this wedding with a tentative excitement - we still have plenty of loose ends to tie up for the wedding, such as figuring out B's apparel (he and his brothers are walking their sister down the aisle, so the hope is that there could be some cohesion among them regarding their suits). All will happen as it needs to - it's just a matter of figuring out these last few things and helping in any way we can to ensure that this is the most memorable weekend of my sister-in-law's life.
3. LOVING our Sunday Dinners. This is a new routine that we've only recently started. B was quite taken with a weekend trip we made to my aunt and uncle's home last spring, during which we all sat down at the table on Sunday afternoon and ate a wonderful, home-cooked meal. The spread was amazing - barbecued pork, chicken, vegetables, bread, the works. B really wanted to implement this in our home, with the hope that this could continue for months, if not years, or, ideally, become a permanent staple in our household. We've only had three so far (one in January, one in February, one in March), but each has been delicious and, ultimately, has been wonderful for B. With his new job, he hasn't been able to cook dinner during the weeknights very often, so Sunday Dinner is a perfect time for B to try a new recipe and go to town in the kitchen. Last night, we made bone-in porkchops with stuffing and roasted asparagus, and it was awesome! Yesterday was also our first Sunday Dinner with company - some friends who joined us for the meal, complete with great conversation and a rocking game of Trivial Pursuit - 90's Edition. It was a blessing - to show that hospitality to our friends and to be enriched in our conversation and our time together.
4. SICK. B and I had just remarked this weekend that we hadn't really fallen "down for the count" this winter as far as debilitating head colds plaguing our household. As of this morning, that conversation is a bit null and void. My morning started with a scratchy throat and a ever-so-slightly runny nose; I just knew it was going to rear its ugly head and morph into a nasty congested nightmare by the day's end. My prediction was regrettably and unfortunately true, and the full-fledged congestion began about six hours ago and hasn't let up. This is a great lesson in "offering it up" - I am a born complainer and it is easy to wallow in my own self-pity, particularly when it comes to illness. I'm hoping to use this illness and the discomforts involved as a prayer - to lift up my own lack of comfort for a variety of intentions to unite to His Cross. I am sure that by later this evening, when I'm in bed and can't breathe through my nose, I'll be thinking otherwise, but my hope is to turn this discomfort into a prayer.....we'll see how it goes!
5. gearing up for our Lenten journey. While I'm pretty sure that this year Ash Wednesday is the very latest it can possibly be, it still seemed to sneak up on B and me. And, as always, I find myself giving very little thought to my plan for Lent until the very last minute. We definitely have particular plans - little sacrifices we plan to implement around our household. Now, it is just a matter of refining all of those plans into one concrete gameplan for our penitential season. The time for refining is now - Mardi Gras is tomorrow!
6. preparing for a two-year-old to descend upon our lives in a few short days. Some of our very dearest friends are going to Florida for a few days next week; initially, it was thought that only one of them would be able to go, but they have since secured childcare for three of their children and both are able to travel! (They have a very little one who will travel with them as well.) They have asked us to watch over their youngest daughter - one of the most adorable children perhaps on the planet. Each week since last spring, I have tried to go out to their home once a week for a few hours, just to lend a hand here and there, wherever I might be helpful. In that time, this littlest daughter and I have formed a special friendship - our friends and I often joke that she and I are "best friends." I'm honored, humbled, and I'll admit, a bit nervous, to have her in our home next week. Honored and humbled to be trusted to care for their daughter, and a bit nervous about her transition into our home will go. I have no doubt that her mom and I will do our very best to make the transition as smooth as possible - there's just a bit in me that is a bit nervous about her being away from Mom for that long. In spite of my nervousness, I am really excited to spend this extended time with her! It will certainly rock our worlds for a few days, to have a little one around - in a completely wonderful way. Good practice for the real thing, too!
7. exceedingly grateful for the Rosary. Not much more to say about this - something that I once thought was a burden has become a blessing, even on days when it seems anything but that. I remain convinced that our Mother Mary, despite our human frailties and weaknesses, is keeping us close to her heart in prayer. For that, I am abundantly thankful.
8. using a turnip in tomorrow's dinner. I am making a crockpot chowder tomorrow that requires this root vegetable. I am hoping to find one at our neighborhood grocery store and if not, I know the local cooperative will have one for sale, too. I am more than curious to see how the turnip is first prepared for the dish and then, how it tastes in the soup! I also need to soak a cup and a half of navy beans - something that I need to stop and do right now!
9. ready for Spring. Following morning Mass and breakfast, Saturday quickly morphed into Spring Cleaning day at our apartment. We tackled all of the basics and then some - cleaned the shower, the bathroom and kitchen tile (hands-and-knees type stuff), the toilet, the bedroom, the countertops, and - thankfully - my husband tackled the fridge and our seemingly endless collection of leftovers in it. It was a disgusting, albeit necessary, process, and I am still grateful that my husband tackled that nasty chore in my stead. It was a glorious day - some of our favorite movies on as background noise, heavy cleaning going on around our living space, and, perhaps the best part, an open window to air the place out. It was a great way to spend the day!
10. going to soak the navy beans and then going to bed! As my cold crept up on me this afternoon I found myself asleep for about an hour and I am paying for it now, as it's almost midnight and I am still awake. Time to soak the beans for tomorrow and attempt to rest - these cold germs aren't going to be squashed unless I get some shuteye!
to those few souls who might check in here every once in awhile, whether for the first, second, umpteenth, or last time......welcome. it's good to have you here. :)
a presto.
2. TWENTY FIVE DAYS from our trip to Puerto Rico! That in itself seems completely ridiculous - how did the wedding sneak up so fast?! I am still waiting to hear on a potential job offer, so am still unsure about how the time-off situation will occur. In any event, it will just be a matter of changing my reservation for a fee and coming back a few days early, if necessary. If the weather in PR right now is any indication of how the weather will be when we're there, it's going to be nothing short of heavenly, especially after having endured a prolonged winter here in the heart of the Midwest. We're approaching this wedding with a tentative excitement - we still have plenty of loose ends to tie up for the wedding, such as figuring out B's apparel (he and his brothers are walking their sister down the aisle, so the hope is that there could be some cohesion among them regarding their suits). All will happen as it needs to - it's just a matter of figuring out these last few things and helping in any way we can to ensure that this is the most memorable weekend of my sister-in-law's life.
3. LOVING our Sunday Dinners. This is a new routine that we've only recently started. B was quite taken with a weekend trip we made to my aunt and uncle's home last spring, during which we all sat down at the table on Sunday afternoon and ate a wonderful, home-cooked meal. The spread was amazing - barbecued pork, chicken, vegetables, bread, the works. B really wanted to implement this in our home, with the hope that this could continue for months, if not years, or, ideally, become a permanent staple in our household. We've only had three so far (one in January, one in February, one in March), but each has been delicious and, ultimately, has been wonderful for B. With his new job, he hasn't been able to cook dinner during the weeknights very often, so Sunday Dinner is a perfect time for B to try a new recipe and go to town in the kitchen. Last night, we made bone-in porkchops with stuffing and roasted asparagus, and it was awesome! Yesterday was also our first Sunday Dinner with company - some friends who joined us for the meal, complete with great conversation and a rocking game of Trivial Pursuit - 90's Edition. It was a blessing - to show that hospitality to our friends and to be enriched in our conversation and our time together.
4. SICK. B and I had just remarked this weekend that we hadn't really fallen "down for the count" this winter as far as debilitating head colds plaguing our household. As of this morning, that conversation is a bit null and void. My morning started with a scratchy throat and a ever-so-slightly runny nose; I just knew it was going to rear its ugly head and morph into a nasty congested nightmare by the day's end. My prediction was regrettably and unfortunately true, and the full-fledged congestion began about six hours ago and hasn't let up. This is a great lesson in "offering it up" - I am a born complainer and it is easy to wallow in my own self-pity, particularly when it comes to illness. I'm hoping to use this illness and the discomforts involved as a prayer - to lift up my own lack of comfort for a variety of intentions to unite to His Cross. I am sure that by later this evening, when I'm in bed and can't breathe through my nose, I'll be thinking otherwise, but my hope is to turn this discomfort into a prayer.....we'll see how it goes!
5. gearing up for our Lenten journey. While I'm pretty sure that this year Ash Wednesday is the very latest it can possibly be, it still seemed to sneak up on B and me. And, as always, I find myself giving very little thought to my plan for Lent until the very last minute. We definitely have particular plans - little sacrifices we plan to implement around our household. Now, it is just a matter of refining all of those plans into one concrete gameplan for our penitential season. The time for refining is now - Mardi Gras is tomorrow!
6. preparing for a two-year-old to descend upon our lives in a few short days. Some of our very dearest friends are going to Florida for a few days next week; initially, it was thought that only one of them would be able to go, but they have since secured childcare for three of their children and both are able to travel! (They have a very little one who will travel with them as well.) They have asked us to watch over their youngest daughter - one of the most adorable children perhaps on the planet. Each week since last spring, I have tried to go out to their home once a week for a few hours, just to lend a hand here and there, wherever I might be helpful. In that time, this littlest daughter and I have formed a special friendship - our friends and I often joke that she and I are "best friends." I'm honored, humbled, and I'll admit, a bit nervous, to have her in our home next week. Honored and humbled to be trusted to care for their daughter, and a bit nervous about her transition into our home will go. I have no doubt that her mom and I will do our very best to make the transition as smooth as possible - there's just a bit in me that is a bit nervous about her being away from Mom for that long. In spite of my nervousness, I am really excited to spend this extended time with her! It will certainly rock our worlds for a few days, to have a little one around - in a completely wonderful way. Good practice for the real thing, too!
7. exceedingly grateful for the Rosary. Not much more to say about this - something that I once thought was a burden has become a blessing, even on days when it seems anything but that. I remain convinced that our Mother Mary, despite our human frailties and weaknesses, is keeping us close to her heart in prayer. For that, I am abundantly thankful.
8. using a turnip in tomorrow's dinner. I am making a crockpot chowder tomorrow that requires this root vegetable. I am hoping to find one at our neighborhood grocery store and if not, I know the local cooperative will have one for sale, too. I am more than curious to see how the turnip is first prepared for the dish and then, how it tastes in the soup! I also need to soak a cup and a half of navy beans - something that I need to stop and do right now!
9. ready for Spring. Following morning Mass and breakfast, Saturday quickly morphed into Spring Cleaning day at our apartment. We tackled all of the basics and then some - cleaned the shower, the bathroom and kitchen tile (hands-and-knees type stuff), the toilet, the bedroom, the countertops, and - thankfully - my husband tackled the fridge and our seemingly endless collection of leftovers in it. It was a disgusting, albeit necessary, process, and I am still grateful that my husband tackled that nasty chore in my stead. It was a glorious day - some of our favorite movies on as background noise, heavy cleaning going on around our living space, and, perhaps the best part, an open window to air the place out. It was a great way to spend the day!
10. going to soak the navy beans and then going to bed! As my cold crept up on me this afternoon I found myself asleep for about an hour and I am paying for it now, as it's almost midnight and I am still awake. Time to soak the beans for tomorrow and attempt to rest - these cold germs aren't going to be squashed unless I get some shuteye!
to those few souls who might check in here every once in awhile, whether for the first, second, umpteenth, or last time......welcome. it's good to have you here. :)
a presto.
and my hopes to see the Supreme Court in action are dashed once again....
because the Badger Catholic lawsuit has definitively ended!
I had the unique opportunity to be involved, in a small way, in these lawsuits with my alma mater during my college career. It was a special, albeit somewhat crazy, glimpse into the constitutional law process and one that I would not trade. I am grateful that the law has prevailed and that our First Amendment rights have been upheld, although I would be lying if I didn't say I am somewhat disappointed to not have an opportunity to travel to DC to see the Supreme Court in oral argument!
When we discussed this tonight, B and I decided to travel there soon regardless, to watch an argument and to see the Justices in action (probably in the fall). Hopefully we follow through on our plans!
a presto
I had the unique opportunity to be involved, in a small way, in these lawsuits with my alma mater during my college career. It was a special, albeit somewhat crazy, glimpse into the constitutional law process and one that I would not trade. I am grateful that the law has prevailed and that our First Amendment rights have been upheld, although I would be lying if I didn't say I am somewhat disappointed to not have an opportunity to travel to DC to see the Supreme Court in oral argument!
When we discussed this tonight, B and I decided to travel there soon regardless, to watch an argument and to see the Justices in action (probably in the fall). Hopefully we follow through on our plans!
a presto
Saturday, February 26, 2011
ten quick things! i am....
1. happily resuming these silly little interlude posts that I used to do last spring. It's fun to go back and look at those and see what little things we were up to - a new recipe we were trying, what music we listened to, what twists and turns life took, that kind of thing. Call it my measly attempt at starting a type of weekly journal.
2. Dogsitting for my aunt and uncle this weekend. They are in La Isla del Encanto for a friend's daughter's wedding and we are here watching their two cocker spaniels (and serving as a bit of an adult presence for their teenagers - who don't really need us here, but we're happy to be here regardless!). It's been really fun - I'm pretty sure we're a bit uncool to my teenage cousins, but it's still be enjoyable to see what their everyday life is like (at least to an extent). And might I add that the dogs are hilarious? Cheap entertainment at its best. :-)
3. Celebrating my sister's birthday tomorrow. My sister doesn't like to drive in "the big city" where we live (although my Texan husband would argue that our city is more like a town, compared to where he grew up), so when she comes to visit we either meet her halfway and drive her car the rest of the way, or my mom brings her halfway. This time, it didn't work out to do either, so B graciously offered to drive there and back (total travel time: 4 hours) to go get her so we could celebrate her birthday here tomorrow. (Rumor is that all she wants to do to ring in the birthday is eat appetizers and watch the Academy Awards.) They are on their way back now, hopefully back by 6:30 so we can all head to Cheeseburger in Paradise for dinner. :-) On the docket for tomorrow: Mass, Banana Cream Pie (her request), a dog birthday party (my cousin's Labrador Retriever is turning one tomorrow too), and the big awards show. It should be quite the day. :)
4. anxiously awaiting word on a potential job offer. Not much I want to say here, in case it wouldn't work out, but I am extremely excited at the possibility. Word is that they were checking in with my references this past week. It is a particularly unique opportunity with a non-profit organization here in town. At this point, I just want to hear back - it has become a month-long application and interview process and, if I'm the right candidate for them, I can't wait to get started! :)
5. scouring the internet for reasonable airline fare. We are due to travel ourselves to La Isla del Encanto in just under five weeks, for B's sister's wedding. We are (hopefully) going to stay for ten days - that is, if this job works out and I am able to secure that amount of time off. (In any event, B would stay for ten days and I would potentially come home early.) Our nephew will be baptized the following weekend, so staying through the first two weekends in April would be wonderful, but I am more than content with having to come home in the event that the organization would need me to be back earlier. This has been a particular challenge for us - money is still extremely tight as our payday schedule has adjusted with B's new job (and our savings has been significantly depleted during B's month of unemployment in December), so we are definitely going to have to rely on assistance from our parents to secure the airfare. And if the airfare was cheaper, it would be that much easier to pay for! Right now, tickets for that window are about $500 apiece. Repeatedly in this process of looking for airfare, we have laughed and thought to ourselves, "this wedding just had to be in Puerto Rico" - meaning, it just had to be in a location where the airfare was going to be particularly expensive. Despite our own selfish ideas about where the location of the wedding should have been, we will do our best to be there, to be supportive, and to do whatever we can to make the day go smoothly and wonderfully for B's sister.
6. rejoicing in the births of new babies, and the anticipated arrivals of many others. I would probably need three hands to be able to count the amount of couples we know who are expecting children between now and September.
......and Blogger had an error while saving (probably because of my temperamental internet connection) and I basically lost 6-10. RATS! To be continued tomorrow, because I am not particularly wanting to re-type everything.
For my own reference, 7-10 is:
7. already planning out our summer.
8. anxiously awaiting the return of baseball.
9. continuing to follow the political heatedness that has taken over our fair city.
10. watching Taken!
a presto, tutti, a presto :)
2. Dogsitting for my aunt and uncle this weekend. They are in La Isla del Encanto for a friend's daughter's wedding and we are here watching their two cocker spaniels (and serving as a bit of an adult presence for their teenagers - who don't really need us here, but we're happy to be here regardless!). It's been really fun - I'm pretty sure we're a bit uncool to my teenage cousins, but it's still be enjoyable to see what their everyday life is like (at least to an extent). And might I add that the dogs are hilarious? Cheap entertainment at its best. :-)
3. Celebrating my sister's birthday tomorrow. My sister doesn't like to drive in "the big city" where we live (although my Texan husband would argue that our city is more like a town, compared to where he grew up), so when she comes to visit we either meet her halfway and drive her car the rest of the way, or my mom brings her halfway. This time, it didn't work out to do either, so B graciously offered to drive there and back (total travel time: 4 hours) to go get her so we could celebrate her birthday here tomorrow. (Rumor is that all she wants to do to ring in the birthday is eat appetizers and watch the Academy Awards.) They are on their way back now, hopefully back by 6:30 so we can all head to Cheeseburger in Paradise for dinner. :-) On the docket for tomorrow: Mass, Banana Cream Pie (her request), a dog birthday party (my cousin's Labrador Retriever is turning one tomorrow too), and the big awards show. It should be quite the day. :)
4. anxiously awaiting word on a potential job offer. Not much I want to say here, in case it wouldn't work out, but I am extremely excited at the possibility. Word is that they were checking in with my references this past week. It is a particularly unique opportunity with a non-profit organization here in town. At this point, I just want to hear back - it has become a month-long application and interview process and, if I'm the right candidate for them, I can't wait to get started! :)
5. scouring the internet for reasonable airline fare. We are due to travel ourselves to La Isla del Encanto in just under five weeks, for B's sister's wedding. We are (hopefully) going to stay for ten days - that is, if this job works out and I am able to secure that amount of time off. (In any event, B would stay for ten days and I would potentially come home early.) Our nephew will be baptized the following weekend, so staying through the first two weekends in April would be wonderful, but I am more than content with having to come home in the event that the organization would need me to be back earlier. This has been a particular challenge for us - money is still extremely tight as our payday schedule has adjusted with B's new job (and our savings has been significantly depleted during B's month of unemployment in December), so we are definitely going to have to rely on assistance from our parents to secure the airfare. And if the airfare was cheaper, it would be that much easier to pay for! Right now, tickets for that window are about $500 apiece. Repeatedly in this process of looking for airfare, we have laughed and thought to ourselves, "this wedding just had to be in Puerto Rico" - meaning, it just had to be in a location where the airfare was going to be particularly expensive. Despite our own selfish ideas about where the location of the wedding should have been, we will do our best to be there, to be supportive, and to do whatever we can to make the day go smoothly and wonderfully for B's sister.
6. rejoicing in the births of new babies, and the anticipated arrivals of many others. I would probably need three hands to be able to count the amount of couples we know who are expecting children between now and September.
......and Blogger had an error while saving (probably because of my temperamental internet connection) and I basically lost 6-10. RATS! To be continued tomorrow, because I am not particularly wanting to re-type everything.
For my own reference, 7-10 is:
7. already planning out our summer.
8. anxiously awaiting the return of baseball.
9. continuing to follow the political heatedness that has taken over our fair city.
10. watching Taken!
a presto, tutti, a presto :)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
humility
It is no surprise that there are disagreements among the faithful of the Catholic Church. Day in and day out there appear to be dozens of teachings, doctrines, and precepts of the Catholic faith that are controversial and difficult for her members. (For example: the Church's teachings on homosexuality, the Church's teachings on birth control, the Church's understanding of faithful citizenship, etc. The list really could go on and on and on.) A particularly difficult teaching for some of the faithful is the Church's traditional teaching that She is only able to ordain men to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The Holy Father, Venerable (but soon to be Blessed!) John Paul II, went so far as to promulgate an Apostolic Letter concerning this very topic.
In the 1994 Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, John Paul writes (emphasis my own):
Despite this Apostolic Letter, there has been dissent - sometimes particularly vocal dissent at that. There is even an organization brazenly referring to itself as "Roman Catholic Womenpriests." On its website (the link I will not provide, for fear of potentially causing my small readership to be scandalized), there are, in living color, photos of "ordinations," female "bishops," and female "priests". There are even photographs of "Masses" and "liturgies" which these "priests" purport to have celebrated! Needless to say, the Church does not recognize these "priests," these "Masses," or these "ordinations." And sadly, these "ceremonies" still occur, and cause scandal for more and more of the faithful.
Yet today, I read a beautiful story of humility regarding Norma Jean Coon, one of the purported "Womenpriests." Her humility is completely inspiring.
What a blessed example, that those souls who appear to be the most lost, can still find their way back to our good God. And what's more, no matter how lost a soul may be, our Lord, in His infinite mercy, will forgive the repentant sinner. How often do I need these reminders! However cloudy my own conscience might be and however sinful I (and humanity) may be, our Lord is always waiting, with open arms, to welcome back the repentant sinner. He is always ready to bestow His mercy - it is our weakness, our pride, and sometimes our fear that keep us from asking for that mercy, particularly in the Sacrament of Confession. What love! What mercy! And.....what strength of will it takes us to return to receive His open invitation to sanctifying grace.
a presto
In the 1994 Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, John Paul writes (emphasis my own):
Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful.John Paul makes it perfectly clear: there is no ability whatsoever for the Catholic Church to ordain women to the priesthood. Period.
Despite this Apostolic Letter, there has been dissent - sometimes particularly vocal dissent at that. There is even an organization brazenly referring to itself as "Roman Catholic Womenpriests." On its website (the link I will not provide, for fear of potentially causing my small readership to be scandalized), there are, in living color, photos of "ordinations," female "bishops," and female "priests". There are even photographs of "Masses" and "liturgies" which these "priests" purport to have celebrated! Needless to say, the Church does not recognize these "priests," these "Masses," or these "ordinations." And sadly, these "ceremonies" still occur, and cause scandal for more and more of the faithful.
Yet today, I read a beautiful story of humility regarding Norma Jean Coon, one of the purported "Womenpriests." Her humility is completely inspiring.
She proceeds to close her remarks with a beautiful, humble prayer to our Lord. Read her remarks in their entirety here.I wish to renounce the alleged ordination and publicly state that I did not act as a deacon as a part of this group except on two occasions, when I read the gospel once at mass and distributed communion once at this same mass. I withdrew from the program within two weeks of the ceremony because I realized that I had made a mistake in studying for the priesthood. I confess to the truth of Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis . I confess the authority of the Holy Father on these issues of ordination and recognize that Christ founded the ordination only for men.
Formally, I relinquish all connection to the program of Roman Catholic Women Priests and I disclaim the alleged ordination publicly with apologies to those whose lives I have offended or scandalized by my actions. I ask God's blessings upon each of these folks and their families.
What a blessed example, that those souls who appear to be the most lost, can still find their way back to our good God. And what's more, no matter how lost a soul may be, our Lord, in His infinite mercy, will forgive the repentant sinner. How often do I need these reminders! However cloudy my own conscience might be and however sinful I (and humanity) may be, our Lord is always waiting, with open arms, to welcome back the repentant sinner. He is always ready to bestow His mercy - it is our weakness, our pride, and sometimes our fear that keep us from asking for that mercy, particularly in the Sacrament of Confession. What love! What mercy! And.....what strength of will it takes us to return to receive His open invitation to sanctifying grace.
a presto
Friday, February 18, 2011
surreal
The last few days in my fair state have been completely surreal. Thousands at the capitol, the whole world watching this saga, and no end in sight, at least for now. It is just incredible! I've spent the last few days just marveling at what is transpiring just minutes from where I reside.
In other news....the Litany of Humility. It is awesome, and I need to remember it. So often I'm caught up in a social scene and wondering and worrying about making a good impression when really, the goal of my life is anything but impressing those around me. I'll leave you with it tonight.....I'm pretty sure it's going one of my regular prayers for the next few days.
The Litany of Humility
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val
a presto.
In other news....the Litany of Humility. It is awesome, and I need to remember it. So often I'm caught up in a social scene and wondering and worrying about making a good impression when really, the goal of my life is anything but impressing those around me. I'll leave you with it tonight.....I'm pretty sure it's going one of my regular prayers for the next few days.
The Litany of Humility
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val
O Jesus! meek and humble of
heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should....
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should....
a presto.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)