Dec. 27, 2007
Washington Post editorial writer Ruth Marcus has written a column that says so much about what is wrong with today's parenting, that it is hard to believe. Of course, she doesn't intend to say it. But her response to her daughters' telling her that actress Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant is, well, priceless. Jamie Lynn Spears is the 16-year-old sister of Britney. I only know this because my local newspaper has an article on Britney every single day, for some reason.
So anyway, Marcus' daughters, 10 and 12, tell her the latest news and Mom asks, "So what do you think the lesson is here?"
Her 10-year-old says it must be not to have sex until you get married. Oh, but no, that could not possibly be the lesson. Marcus even goes so far as to say - in her column - that abstinence before marriage would be a mistake. But she's not comfortable saying that to her children "because that conversation gets so complicated so quickly."
The reason for that is, she's wrong, of course. Historically, people have believed in abstinence before marriage. There are all kinds of practical reasons -- health, stability of family, importance of child-rearing.
Marcus says the Spears news is actually a welcome development because it reinforces to teen-agers the need to use birth control.
Gee, I'm sure that Jamie Lynn could've gotten access to birth control. But, as others have pointed out, teen-agers are about as good at remembering to take their birth control pills as they are at picking up their socks and doing all their chores.
Birth control hasn't done much to control unplanned pregnancy. In fact, out-of-wedlock births have increased dramatically since the U.S. Supreme Court in 1965 struck down state laws that made use of birth control by married couples illegal. The court made it legal for unmarried people to use contraception in 1972. In 1970, 10.7 percent of live births occurred to unmarried mothers; in 2001 33.5 percent of live births occurred to unmarried women, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Simply put, The Pill has given the illusion of removing the consequences of sex. And that leads to a statistic cited by Ms. Marcus: more than 60 percent of high school seniors report having had sex at least once.
Ms. Marcus thinks she'll take her older daughter to an edgy movie about a teen-ager getting pregnant in high school to teach her that "it can happen to you."
It certainly can, as long as parents are afraid to tell kids the truth. Sex should be reserved for marriage for your own physical and emotional health, and that of your children.
When my kids ask me, I'll tell them the truth. My husband and I lived together before we were married, and it's not the best way to start a marriage. We are fortunate that our marriage has lasted, and it has benefited a great deal from our conversion to Catholicism nine years ago. I will encourage my kids to take things in the right order and to make sure they know their own minds and hearts before they make such a commitment, because that is what sex is whether we acknowledge it or not.
A better take on the whole issue of sexual activity and teens can be found in an interview with Dr. Meg Meeker, who has written the books: "Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know" and "Epidemic: How Teen Sex is Killing our Kids." That interview can be found at zenit.org.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
School's Out!
Dec. 20, 2007
School's out, school's out, teacher let the monkeys out. My monkeys went out and played in the mud when the bell of freedom rang.
I paid bills and wrote out Christmas cards. I'm glad for a break, I have to admit. Homeschooling is great, but sometimes you just need a break.
We learned about constellations this week, thanks to Prima Latina. It is really interesting. I find that I learn a lot along with the kids. I never knew the zodiac was in Latin, or even how to define the zodiac -- the constellations through which the sun passes.
I read an article this week that said only 47.8% of parents read to their children, ages 0-5, daily. What a shame.
I remember going out to buy some of my favorite children's books to read to Olivia when I was just pregnant with her. And then reading one to her when I was on maternity leave, so I'm sure she did not get the gist of it. But she listened as I rocked and read.
Although my kids read really well for their age, I do read to them for at least 30 minutes each day - usually on a topic we are studying. Maybe it is a Greek Myth or Story of the World.
Our latest is The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean. I can't say enough positive things about this book. It presents the major Bible stories in an engaging and extremely well-written way. My kids always want two chapters, if not three, when we sit down to read it.
And I learn. I never knew much about the prophet Elijah, but we read about him today. And his great faith really captivated me. Knowing you are but a tool in the hands of God, and that with God anything can be done.
Good to know.. if only we can believe that when the rubber hits the road.
Well, the rubber is hitting the road. My sister does have cancer -- papillary carcinoma. It apparently is very treatable with a radioactive iodine that you drink. But it's just a terribly hard time for her with a new baby and her husband in a new job and in one of those very Northern states where it snows all winter.
I'll be flying up sometime in January, whenever she says she needs me to come. I'm glad I get to go, but I pray that this road to recovery is not too trying for her, because she has hit a lot of rough spots in the past few years. None of them of her own making. That is where faith comes in. We never know why difficulty comes to certain people, but we know always that God is with us in our trials and in our triumphs.
School's out, school's out, teacher let the monkeys out. My monkeys went out and played in the mud when the bell of freedom rang.
I paid bills and wrote out Christmas cards. I'm glad for a break, I have to admit. Homeschooling is great, but sometimes you just need a break.
We learned about constellations this week, thanks to Prima Latina. It is really interesting. I find that I learn a lot along with the kids. I never knew the zodiac was in Latin, or even how to define the zodiac -- the constellations through which the sun passes.
I read an article this week that said only 47.8% of parents read to their children, ages 0-5, daily. What a shame.
I remember going out to buy some of my favorite children's books to read to Olivia when I was just pregnant with her. And then reading one to her when I was on maternity leave, so I'm sure she did not get the gist of it. But she listened as I rocked and read.
Although my kids read really well for their age, I do read to them for at least 30 minutes each day - usually on a topic we are studying. Maybe it is a Greek Myth or Story of the World.
Our latest is The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean. I can't say enough positive things about this book. It presents the major Bible stories in an engaging and extremely well-written way. My kids always want two chapters, if not three, when we sit down to read it.
And I learn. I never knew much about the prophet Elijah, but we read about him today. And his great faith really captivated me. Knowing you are but a tool in the hands of God, and that with God anything can be done.
Good to know.. if only we can believe that when the rubber hits the road.
Well, the rubber is hitting the road. My sister does have cancer -- papillary carcinoma. It apparently is very treatable with a radioactive iodine that you drink. But it's just a terribly hard time for her with a new baby and her husband in a new job and in one of those very Northern states where it snows all winter.
I'll be flying up sometime in January, whenever she says she needs me to come. I'm glad I get to go, but I pray that this road to recovery is not too trying for her, because she has hit a lot of rough spots in the past few years. None of them of her own making. That is where faith comes in. We never know why difficulty comes to certain people, but we know always that God is with us in our trials and in our triumphs.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Dec. 12, 2007
Today is one of those good days of homeschooling - so far. To finish Latin, math, religion and history before lunch is always good. But to enjoy doing it is even better. I am reading to the kids This Country of Ours by H.E. Marshall, an older history of the United States that is written in an adventurous and articulate style. They enjoy the wild stories of early colonists and learn words like fetters and gibbet.
With the freedom of schooling at home, I am able to teach them the story of Our Lady of Gu adalupe and then give them a picture of her, free from chcweb.com, to color. They are practicing saying the Act of Contrition and Joey is learning many verses in his copybook, where he also draws illustrations.
We are 3/5 of the way through Prima Latina and are reviewing for the unit 3 test. I am so proud of their progress in learning all of the vocabulary and three whole Latin prayers. Better still, the lessons in Prima Latina support what they are learning in First Language Lessons -- all those parts of speech.
During free time, Joey made about 20 paper "bullets" for his homemade slingshot and Olivia drew a complete picture of Santa's Workshop, even though she has learned the truth about Santa this year.
So now we have some reading aloud to do and our grammer lesson. I hope to take them to Tinker Creek so that we can do more observation of our water environment. We are making a little scrapbook about it as we learn about water. They also have piano lessons today.
All of this sounds great, yet I still worry they are missing things like being in the school Christmas play and meeting lots and lots of friends. We have friends here but don't see them every day because that isn't how it works when you homeschool. Ah, well, to enjoy the beauty of the day you have - that is one of the keys to a happy life, I'm sure.
What follows is a prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe, which I pray for the special intention of my sister who is awaiting a pathology report following thyroid surgery. My prayer is that she is cancer-free.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, we find you among the poor, the small, those the world counts for nothing. You remind us of how precious each of us is to you and to your Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. You comfort us in our suffering. You challenge us to use our strengths. You call us to do whatever He tells us (John 2:5).
May we heed your message given us at Guadalupe: to acknowledge God's love, to protect the innocent, to replace our fear with trust, to keep our priorities in order. We ask this through the mercy and grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today is one of those good days of homeschooling - so far. To finish Latin, math, religion and history before lunch is always good. But to enjoy doing it is even better. I am reading to the kids This Country of Ours by H.E. Marshall, an older history of the United States that is written in an adventurous and articulate style. They enjoy the wild stories of early colonists and learn words like fetters and gibbet.
With the freedom of schooling at home, I am able to teach them the story of Our Lady of Gu adalupe and then give them a picture of her, free from chcweb.com, to color. They are practicing saying the Act of Contrition and Joey is learning many verses in his copybook, where he also draws illustrations.
We are 3/5 of the way through Prima Latina and are reviewing for the unit 3 test. I am so proud of their progress in learning all of the vocabulary and three whole Latin prayers. Better still, the lessons in Prima Latina support what they are learning in First Language Lessons -- all those parts of speech.
During free time, Joey made about 20 paper "bullets" for his homemade slingshot and Olivia drew a complete picture of Santa's Workshop, even though she has learned the truth about Santa this year.
So now we have some reading aloud to do and our grammer lesson. I hope to take them to Tinker Creek so that we can do more observation of our water environment. We are making a little scrapbook about it as we learn about water. They also have piano lessons today.
All of this sounds great, yet I still worry they are missing things like being in the school Christmas play and meeting lots and lots of friends. We have friends here but don't see them every day because that isn't how it works when you homeschool. Ah, well, to enjoy the beauty of the day you have - that is one of the keys to a happy life, I'm sure.
What follows is a prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe, which I pray for the special intention of my sister who is awaiting a pathology report following thyroid surgery. My prayer is that she is cancer-free.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, we find you among the poor, the small, those the world counts for nothing. You remind us of how precious each of us is to you and to your Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. You comfort us in our suffering. You challenge us to use our strengths. You call us to do whatever He tells us (John 2:5).
May we heed your message given us at Guadalupe: to acknowledge God's love, to protect the innocent, to replace our fear with trust, to keep our priorities in order. We ask this through the mercy and grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
The Children's Saint
Dec. 5, 2007
St. Nicholas Verse
Upon his snow white steed
With wind and lightning speed
St. Nicholas leaves the sky
And comes a-riding by
The little hare hops nigh
And lifts his nose up high
The stag with pointing horn
Leaps over bush and thorn
And all the creatures dear
Are drawing quickly near
Before St. Nicholas bow
Their little heads so low
And we will learn a tune
Of sun and star and moon
And sing our happy lay
Sing on St. Nicholas Day
--Traditional German
Aah, we are truly counting down now! The feast of St. Nicholas, that generous bishop, is tomorrow. We are celebrating that for the first time this year. That verse and many other stories, coloring pages and games can be found at htt://www.stnicholascenter.org.
This is the year that my oldest, 8, discovered the truth about Santa Claus, that Santa's helpers do more than help. So I am emphasizing the origin of Santa's story and the real saint for her sake.
We are putting the kids' shoes by the hearth (with carrots for the saint's donkey) waiting to be filled with candy canes and tangerines (left over from Thanksgiving). And our assignment is to think of something kind to do for someone else but it must be done in secret. That is the hard part.
It snowed here for the first time today - big, fluffy flurries that thrilled the kids and the dog. But Joey is still recovering from his stomach bug so he was not allowed to play out.
My sister has a foot of snow in Wisconsin and is preparing for thyroid surgery on Friday. I'm praying with St. Blase for her complete recovery.
Thank goodness for the communion of saints, and for the quiet beauty of Advent.
St. Nicholas Verse
Upon his snow white steed
With wind and lightning speed
St. Nicholas leaves the sky
And comes a-riding by
The little hare hops nigh
And lifts his nose up high
The stag with pointing horn
Leaps over bush and thorn
And all the creatures dear
Are drawing quickly near
Before St. Nicholas bow
Their little heads so low
And we will learn a tune
Of sun and star and moon
And sing our happy lay
Sing on St. Nicholas Day
--Traditional German
Aah, we are truly counting down now! The feast of St. Nicholas, that generous bishop, is tomorrow. We are celebrating that for the first time this year. That verse and many other stories, coloring pages and games can be found at htt://www.stnicholascenter.org.
This is the year that my oldest, 8, discovered the truth about Santa Claus, that Santa's helpers do more than help. So I am emphasizing the origin of Santa's story and the real saint for her sake.
We are putting the kids' shoes by the hearth (with carrots for the saint's donkey) waiting to be filled with candy canes and tangerines (left over from Thanksgiving). And our assignment is to think of something kind to do for someone else but it must be done in secret. That is the hard part.
It snowed here for the first time today - big, fluffy flurries that thrilled the kids and the dog. But Joey is still recovering from his stomach bug so he was not allowed to play out.
My sister has a foot of snow in Wisconsin and is preparing for thyroid surgery on Friday. I'm praying with St. Blase for her complete recovery.
Thank goodness for the communion of saints, and for the quiet beauty of Advent.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Time to Slow Down
Dec. 3, 2007
Here we are in Advent and it is time to slow down even as the commercial Christmas season urges us to speed up. Nothing like a little stomach virus to slow you down, and that is what we have here at Mrs. R's house today.
Joey was miserable but is now basically asleep. He so rarely is quiet and still during the day; it is very unusual. Olivia is lonely without him.
Luckily, we have a doctor appointment tomorrow. It has been like pulling teeth to get in to a doctor in our lovely new town. If you are a new patient, you sometimes have to wait weeks - even if you are sick. I was sick all of last week and was told that I could wait until January for a doctor or go to Urgent Care. I finally went to Urgent Care and got my bottle of stomach-ripping antibiotics to cure my respiratory infection. Inspired by my own experience, I went ahead and made a check-up appointment for a pediatrician for my kids - and none too soon. The two largest pediatric practices on our insurance plan had closed to new patients - leaving me a choice of about four doctors in town for the kids. I dutifully made the appointment, hoping at least to get their flu shots taken care of. I'm just thankful that we found a pediatrician on our plan. Of course Joey will have to wait on his flu shot until he is over the virus.
Yesterday after Mass we enjoyed a nice presentation in adult education about the Immaculate Conception. I really enjoyed it and was glad my husband went because he learned a lot and enjoyed it, too. The presenter talked about Saints Bernadette, Catharine Leboure and Maximilian Kolbe, in addition to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Both my daughter and I wear miraculous medals blessed in Lourdes, thanks to my friend, Mig, whose sister brings them back after each visit.
Well, must be off. One of our Advent devotions will be to say the Angelus at noon, starting today and that is almost now.
Here we are in Advent and it is time to slow down even as the commercial Christmas season urges us to speed up. Nothing like a little stomach virus to slow you down, and that is what we have here at Mrs. R's house today.
Joey was miserable but is now basically asleep. He so rarely is quiet and still during the day; it is very unusual. Olivia is lonely without him.
Luckily, we have a doctor appointment tomorrow. It has been like pulling teeth to get in to a doctor in our lovely new town. If you are a new patient, you sometimes have to wait weeks - even if you are sick. I was sick all of last week and was told that I could wait until January for a doctor or go to Urgent Care. I finally went to Urgent Care and got my bottle of stomach-ripping antibiotics to cure my respiratory infection. Inspired by my own experience, I went ahead and made a check-up appointment for a pediatrician for my kids - and none too soon. The two largest pediatric practices on our insurance plan had closed to new patients - leaving me a choice of about four doctors in town for the kids. I dutifully made the appointment, hoping at least to get their flu shots taken care of. I'm just thankful that we found a pediatrician on our plan. Of course Joey will have to wait on his flu shot until he is over the virus.
Yesterday after Mass we enjoyed a nice presentation in adult education about the Immaculate Conception. I really enjoyed it and was glad my husband went because he learned a lot and enjoyed it, too. The presenter talked about Saints Bernadette, Catharine Leboure and Maximilian Kolbe, in addition to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Both my daughter and I wear miraculous medals blessed in Lourdes, thanks to my friend, Mig, whose sister brings them back after each visit.
Well, must be off. One of our Advent devotions will be to say the Angelus at noon, starting today and that is almost now.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
A Puzzling Christmas
Nov. 22, 2007
The kids and I were in one of those mega-bookstores the other day, the kind that offers coffee, games, and crafts in addition to books. And I got the bright idea that I would buy a puzzle because that is good for the brain, right? It was really for the kids so I let Olivia pick it.
She, of course, picked the 1,000-piece Christmas scene that has lots of snow (i.e. unindentifiable white pieces) in it. I said, "Why not?"
Well, now I have a goal. I want to have that puzzle worked by Christmas. There are only a few drawbacks. Besides the dog, I'm the only one currently showing interest in the puzzle. Kayla, the dog, showed so much interest that she ate at least one piece, causing Joey to break down in tears and ask to call 911. The only things that make him cry these days (he's 6) are when the dog is hurt or when he breaks a new toy.I assured him a puzzle piece wouldn't hurt Kayla. I ate plenty of paper when I was a kid and it didn't hurt me. Now I figure I will find him eating paper to see how that goes for him.
So, now that we are in the Christmas season, I took an informal family poll to see what our favorite Christmas carols are.
Me: What Child is This
Dad: Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire.....
Olivia: Away in a Manger
Joey: Silent Night
It's funny, I have always loved that song even before I was Catholic. Rather prophetic as it is the one that really highlights Mary, too.
Joey, on the other hand, absolutely loves Silent Night because it was his lullaby from the age of about 12 months. He was an absolutely terrible sleeper because of his health (allergy) problems, and I used to sing that song to him at night in great hope that it would be a silent night. Usually didn't work. But the first time we went caroling when he was a toddler and began singing Silent Night, he threw his Blanky Blue over his head and cried to go to bed.
We have been in our new home about two months and I am getting used to living in a smaller community that has fewer Catholic churches. So, today, if I wanted to go to mass I had one choice ( in English). And I went to the small parish around the corner from the local Cathedral.
I really liked it and had wanted to visit it before. It is called St. Gerard's and traditionally has served the non-Caucasian Catholics in the region. But it really reminded me of my old parish near Memphis because it is small and simple and has a variety of types of people in it. Our suburban parish in Tennessee was near a U.S. Naval base so we had a lot of military types there and more ethnic variety than I see at our current huge Downtown parish of 1,500 families. So, I hope to go to St. Gerard's again and even looked up that saint on the Internet. I learned a lot. What a wonderful story of that patron saint of motherhood. You can check it out at www.saintgerard.com
The kids and I were in one of those mega-bookstores the other day, the kind that offers coffee, games, and crafts in addition to books. And I got the bright idea that I would buy a puzzle because that is good for the brain, right? It was really for the kids so I let Olivia pick it.
She, of course, picked the 1,000-piece Christmas scene that has lots of snow (i.e. unindentifiable white pieces) in it. I said, "Why not?"
Well, now I have a goal. I want to have that puzzle worked by Christmas. There are only a few drawbacks. Besides the dog, I'm the only one currently showing interest in the puzzle. Kayla, the dog, showed so much interest that she ate at least one piece, causing Joey to break down in tears and ask to call 911. The only things that make him cry these days (he's 6) are when the dog is hurt or when he breaks a new toy.I assured him a puzzle piece wouldn't hurt Kayla. I ate plenty of paper when I was a kid and it didn't hurt me. Now I figure I will find him eating paper to see how that goes for him.
So, now that we are in the Christmas season, I took an informal family poll to see what our favorite Christmas carols are.
Me: What Child is This
Dad: Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire.....
Olivia: Away in a Manger
Joey: Silent Night
It's funny, I have always loved that song even before I was Catholic. Rather prophetic as it is the one that really highlights Mary, too.
Joey, on the other hand, absolutely loves Silent Night because it was his lullaby from the age of about 12 months. He was an absolutely terrible sleeper because of his health (allergy) problems, and I used to sing that song to him at night in great hope that it would be a silent night. Usually didn't work. But the first time we went caroling when he was a toddler and began singing Silent Night, he threw his Blanky Blue over his head and cried to go to bed.
We have been in our new home about two months and I am getting used to living in a smaller community that has fewer Catholic churches. So, today, if I wanted to go to mass I had one choice ( in English). And I went to the small parish around the corner from the local Cathedral.
I really liked it and had wanted to visit it before. It is called St. Gerard's and traditionally has served the non-Caucasian Catholics in the region. But it really reminded me of my old parish near Memphis because it is small and simple and has a variety of types of people in it. Our suburban parish in Tennessee was near a U.S. Naval base so we had a lot of military types there and more ethnic variety than I see at our current huge Downtown parish of 1,500 families. So, I hope to go to St. Gerard's again and even looked up that saint on the Internet. I learned a lot. What a wonderful story of that patron saint of motherhood. You can check it out at www.saintgerard.com
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
In Thanksgiving and Welcoming Advent
Nov. 21, 2007
So, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have much for which to be grateful. I hope that both Mrs. Asbury and Mrs. Klaiber (my 9th and 10th grade English teachers) will be happy that I did not leave that preposition at the end of the sentence.
I am first grateful that Olivia's stomach virus cleared up and that she will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving with us.
Second, I am very, very grateful that our home renovation is complete -- even the insulation in the basement. So we have a real home to live in with floors, no annoying floor staples and carpet and everything. Also, we got a dishwasher.
Third, I am grateful that my husband has the holiday off and I am hopeful that he will not be called in. He has been called in almost every day since we have moved here two months ago. So, again, I'm grateful and hopeful.
Fourth,I am grateful to homeschool as I am becoming more and more convinced that it is best for children during this current age. That sounds preachy. But that is where I am right now. I am a frequenter of the library and many times the kids I run into there are loud, ill-mannered and obviously suffering from their exposure to the media that is marketed to them these days.
Fifth, I am grateful that we do have everything we need.
Now, moving on to Advent, I am hopeful that we can make this a season of anticipation of Christ -- a truly beautiful season that does not get sucked into the vacuum of consumerism.
I hope to be attentive to the season, learn more about it and teach the children the true meaning of it. Note to self: Get copy of The Jesse Tree. Read more saint stories and perhaps incorporate the Angelus into our day. That last is something I have tried before and failed at. The kids just did not get with it.
I sincerely want to make the Life of Christ as important a part of their reality as the American Girl book series or the various presidents that so interest my son.
So, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have much for which to be grateful. I hope that both Mrs. Asbury and Mrs. Klaiber (my 9th and 10th grade English teachers) will be happy that I did not leave that preposition at the end of the sentence.
I am first grateful that Olivia's stomach virus cleared up and that she will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving with us.
Second, I am very, very grateful that our home renovation is complete -- even the insulation in the basement. So we have a real home to live in with floors, no annoying floor staples and carpet and everything. Also, we got a dishwasher.
Third, I am grateful that my husband has the holiday off and I am hopeful that he will not be called in. He has been called in almost every day since we have moved here two months ago. So, again, I'm grateful and hopeful.
Fourth,I am grateful to homeschool as I am becoming more and more convinced that it is best for children during this current age. That sounds preachy. But that is where I am right now. I am a frequenter of the library and many times the kids I run into there are loud, ill-mannered and obviously suffering from their exposure to the media that is marketed to them these days.
Fifth, I am grateful that we do have everything we need.
Now, moving on to Advent, I am hopeful that we can make this a season of anticipation of Christ -- a truly beautiful season that does not get sucked into the vacuum of consumerism.
I hope to be attentive to the season, learn more about it and teach the children the true meaning of it. Note to self: Get copy of The Jesse Tree. Read more saint stories and perhaps incorporate the Angelus into our day. That last is something I have tried before and failed at. The kids just did not get with it.
I sincerely want to make the Life of Christ as important a part of their reality as the American Girl book series or the various presidents that so interest my son.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Two and a Half Men?
Nov. 19, 2007
I wonder how many people read First Things and watch Two and a Half Men, an abysmal TV show that includes Charlie Sheen.
I read First Things and enjoy its take on religion and the public square. Until last night, I had never seen a full episode of TV show, which is about a recently divorced dad living with his chubby son and his ne'er-do-well brother (Sheen), who is also a womanizer and alcoholic.
But for some reason I sat through one-and-a-half episodes of Two and a Half Men, and it really made me wonder where all of the grown-ups have gone. I am incredibly out of touch, as this show is already in reruns. But the 12-year-old was delivering lines about the alcoholic uncle's girlfriend such as, "I'll bet she's dynamite in the sack" and "Lydia's a stone cold be-atch" to his father's dismay. The housekeeper's priceless line was "I'm glad I stopped coming to work high." I mean, come on.
And then I read in First Things a review of a book called Marriage and Caste in America: Separate and Unequal Families -- about how the escalation in divorce and out-of-wedlock births has affected the working class disproportionately, which I'm sure is true.
The statistics in the article and the TV show's inappropriate relationships between grown-ups and children just underscored for me how far from normal or healthy our culture has fallen.
In the book, author Kay S. Hymowitz says, "For the first time in history -- not just American history but the history of known human society -- people began to toy with the idea that children and marriage were really two discrete life phenomena."
A selfish idea indeed. We have already seen where it leads.
It seems to me that human beings, as creatures, become our worst selves when we refuse to relate to our Creator, who gave us life, the world and a few rules to follow in our own best interest. And in the cult of individuality that is America, it is a badge of honor for people to thumb their noses at any authority but their own. I really don't hold out a lot of hope that that state of affairs will change.
The only hope in Hymowitz' book is that she notes a small trend back to marriage-mindedness and state-at-home motherhood. But that is found only in the middle and upper classes. What about the rest of the children?
I wonder how many people read First Things and watch Two and a Half Men, an abysmal TV show that includes Charlie Sheen.
I read First Things and enjoy its take on religion and the public square. Until last night, I had never seen a full episode of TV show, which is about a recently divorced dad living with his chubby son and his ne'er-do-well brother (Sheen), who is also a womanizer and alcoholic.
But for some reason I sat through one-and-a-half episodes of Two and a Half Men, and it really made me wonder where all of the grown-ups have gone. I am incredibly out of touch, as this show is already in reruns. But the 12-year-old was delivering lines about the alcoholic uncle's girlfriend such as, "I'll bet she's dynamite in the sack" and "Lydia's a stone cold be-atch" to his father's dismay. The housekeeper's priceless line was "I'm glad I stopped coming to work high." I mean, come on.
And then I read in First Things a review of a book called Marriage and Caste in America: Separate and Unequal Families -- about how the escalation in divorce and out-of-wedlock births has affected the working class disproportionately, which I'm sure is true.
The statistics in the article and the TV show's inappropriate relationships between grown-ups and children just underscored for me how far from normal or healthy our culture has fallen.
In the book, author Kay S. Hymowitz says, "For the first time in history -- not just American history but the history of known human society -- people began to toy with the idea that children and marriage were really two discrete life phenomena."
A selfish idea indeed. We have already seen where it leads.
It seems to me that human beings, as creatures, become our worst selves when we refuse to relate to our Creator, who gave us life, the world and a few rules to follow in our own best interest. And in the cult of individuality that is America, it is a badge of honor for people to thumb their noses at any authority but their own. I really don't hold out a lot of hope that that state of affairs will change.
The only hope in Hymowitz' book is that she notes a small trend back to marriage-mindedness and state-at-home motherhood. But that is found only in the middle and upper classes. What about the rest of the children?
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Serenity
Nov. 4,
Today I am going to share a prayer that many people know:
Applying this prayer to my life every day is just about the only way I know to live well in this world. The prayer is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr.
God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonable happy in this life;
and supremely happy with Him in the next.
As I write, I can look out my window and see the absolute beauty of a Virginia fall. Gold, red, green-gold and orange dappled by the sun through the trees. And I know that is God. The silly daily trials and tribulations of life are my chance to apply this prayer and allow those hardships to be my path to peace.
So what if we have lived here six weeks -- and only one week with a floor. We'll get the floor and the accompanying chaos this week. And then we'll get the carpet and the accompanying chaos next week.
Life is too beautiful to be squandered staring at a 50-year-old sub-floor when you have 100-year-old trees in the backyard screaming for your attention.
So, out I go to do my lesson planning on the deck.
Have a blessed and serene week. I hope to do the same.
Today I am going to share a prayer that many people know:
Applying this prayer to my life every day is just about the only way I know to live well in this world. The prayer is attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr.
God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonable happy in this life;
and supremely happy with Him in the next.
As I write, I can look out my window and see the absolute beauty of a Virginia fall. Gold, red, green-gold and orange dappled by the sun through the trees. And I know that is God. The silly daily trials and tribulations of life are my chance to apply this prayer and allow those hardships to be my path to peace.
So what if we have lived here six weeks -- and only one week with a floor. We'll get the floor and the accompanying chaos this week. And then we'll get the carpet and the accompanying chaos next week.
Life is too beautiful to be squandered staring at a 50-year-old sub-floor when you have 100-year-old trees in the backyard screaming for your attention.
So, out I go to do my lesson planning on the deck.
Have a blessed and serene week. I hope to do the same.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Little Flowers
Oct. 26, 2007
Since re-reading "The Story of a Soul," I have been praying a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux for a special intention -- one that was very important to me. And, having read about St. Therese, I know that people who seek her intercession sometimes seek -- or find -- a sign that she is indeed praying with them by the unexpected appearance of a rose or roses.
Well, I was on the lookout here in Virginia in late October for some roses to show that St. Therese was hearing me. When I took the children to noon Mass on Tuesday, I looked hopefully in the chapel garden which has a large fish pond. I decided that the blooms on the lily pads could not count as roses. But then my eye alighted on a single rose on the hill above. When I walked up, I saw that blooming rose bushes surrounded the rectory, and I took heart.
I wonder why we humans need so much reassurance that God cares for us when he has already given the ultimate gift. Yet, we are human, and we need the constant encouragement of our community and the communion of saints in our establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth. So I thank God for the Church. Anyone who says they can do it on their own is fooling himself. I know that I cannot.
Since re-reading "The Story of a Soul," I have been praying a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux for a special intention -- one that was very important to me. And, having read about St. Therese, I know that people who seek her intercession sometimes seek -- or find -- a sign that she is indeed praying with them by the unexpected appearance of a rose or roses.
Well, I was on the lookout here in Virginia in late October for some roses to show that St. Therese was hearing me. When I took the children to noon Mass on Tuesday, I looked hopefully in the chapel garden which has a large fish pond. I decided that the blooms on the lily pads could not count as roses. But then my eye alighted on a single rose on the hill above. When I walked up, I saw that blooming rose bushes surrounded the rectory, and I took heart.
I wonder why we humans need so much reassurance that God cares for us when he has already given the ultimate gift. Yet, we are human, and we need the constant encouragement of our community and the communion of saints in our establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth. So I thank God for the Church. Anyone who says they can do it on their own is fooling himself. I know that I cannot.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Books, books, books
Oct. 23, 2007
You can tell I'm old-fashioned (or just old) by the fact that the media I read most consistently is still my morning newspaper. That may also reflect on my previous life as a newspaper reporter. I am a news junkie, although I do read features. A feature in my newspaper today was kind of depressing and kind of encouraging. Titled Reading Reality, the article was all about what teens are reading these days. The double point of the story is that we should be glad teens are reading, but young adult literature of today is a bit more adult than young.
Apparently, hot books these days include the Twilight series, about a teen who is in love with the undead. And then there is the "The Gossip Girls," which is a sort of "Sex and the City"-themed book about teens at a New York private school.
Themes like AIDS, violence and pregnancy are popular because they reflect the teens' real lives, according to this article.
Anyway, this inspired me to reminisce about my favorite books as a teen and a pre-teen. Plus, a yahoo group that I'm a member of has been discussing must-read books for middle school years.
So, here is what I read as a pre-teen and teen-ager:
My very favorite books when I was 12 were "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Little Women," both of which I had read at least 10 times. I read everything by Louisa May Alcott. I had also run through the "Anne of Green Gables" series and the "Little House" series a bit earlier. Now, that's all very typical, I know.
But as a teen-ager I got really into all of Leon Uris' books after reading "Exodus," his novel about the establishment of Israel after World War II. I was kind of a WWII history junkie and read all of his books that dealt with that era.
I also got way into Herman Wouk, best known for "The Winds of War. "But I have to say "The Caine Mutiny" is my favorite. And then I was off on a Jewish author phase which included Chaim Potok, Isaac Bashevis Singer and Bernard Malamud. This lasted into college.
As you can tell, I found an author I liked and stuck to him or her until I had read most everything by him. Mark Twain is another author I enjoyed early on - more in middle school. My particular favorite was "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." Twain's name has come up a lot on this yahoo group of classical home educators discussing good books for the middle school years.
I read a good bit of Judy Blume in my middle school years, although I wouldn't recommend it to my own kids in middle school. The books have an obvious agenda, and they are just not that great - in my opinion.
As a native of Eastern Kentucky, I wish I had been steered to some of the excellent Appalachian writers when I was in high school. But I never even heard of people like Lee Smith or James Still until I was in my 20s. When I first read Lee Smith, it was with a great sense of relief and discovery, "Oh, there are other people out there like us!" If you are from Appalachia, you know exactly what I mean. She is also a beautiful writer.
I was fortunate that I avoided "junk" reading in my teen years. But I always had an interest in history and in religion and that guided my reading choices.
My kids, who are 8 and 6, seem to like typical kid fiction -- although I happily admit to steering them away from things like Junie B. Jones and the Babysitters Club.
Olivia loves all the Beverly Cleary she has read so far: "The Mouse and the Motorcycle," "Ellen Tebbits," etc. Also she really likes the American Girl series of historical fiction books. Joey loves anything about science of history or the military.
For fun, though, nothing beats Calvin and Hobbes for them. Their dad is the same, but his serious fiction favorite is Daphne du Maurier.
Thus ends my rambling about books. No point really, not today.
You can tell I'm old-fashioned (or just old) by the fact that the media I read most consistently is still my morning newspaper. That may also reflect on my previous life as a newspaper reporter. I am a news junkie, although I do read features. A feature in my newspaper today was kind of depressing and kind of encouraging. Titled Reading Reality, the article was all about what teens are reading these days. The double point of the story is that we should be glad teens are reading, but young adult literature of today is a bit more adult than young.
Apparently, hot books these days include the Twilight series, about a teen who is in love with the undead. And then there is the "The Gossip Girls," which is a sort of "Sex and the City"-themed book about teens at a New York private school.
Themes like AIDS, violence and pregnancy are popular because they reflect the teens' real lives, according to this article.
Anyway, this inspired me to reminisce about my favorite books as a teen and a pre-teen. Plus, a yahoo group that I'm a member of has been discussing must-read books for middle school years.
So, here is what I read as a pre-teen and teen-ager:
My very favorite books when I was 12 were "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "Little Women," both of which I had read at least 10 times. I read everything by Louisa May Alcott. I had also run through the "Anne of Green Gables" series and the "Little House" series a bit earlier. Now, that's all very typical, I know.
But as a teen-ager I got really into all of Leon Uris' books after reading "Exodus," his novel about the establishment of Israel after World War II. I was kind of a WWII history junkie and read all of his books that dealt with that era.
I also got way into Herman Wouk, best known for "The Winds of War. "But I have to say "The Caine Mutiny" is my favorite. And then I was off on a Jewish author phase which included Chaim Potok, Isaac Bashevis Singer and Bernard Malamud. This lasted into college.
As you can tell, I found an author I liked and stuck to him or her until I had read most everything by him. Mark Twain is another author I enjoyed early on - more in middle school. My particular favorite was "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." Twain's name has come up a lot on this yahoo group of classical home educators discussing good books for the middle school years.
I read a good bit of Judy Blume in my middle school years, although I wouldn't recommend it to my own kids in middle school. The books have an obvious agenda, and they are just not that great - in my opinion.
As a native of Eastern Kentucky, I wish I had been steered to some of the excellent Appalachian writers when I was in high school. But I never even heard of people like Lee Smith or James Still until I was in my 20s. When I first read Lee Smith, it was with a great sense of relief and discovery, "Oh, there are other people out there like us!" If you are from Appalachia, you know exactly what I mean. She is also a beautiful writer.
I was fortunate that I avoided "junk" reading in my teen years. But I always had an interest in history and in religion and that guided my reading choices.
My kids, who are 8 and 6, seem to like typical kid fiction -- although I happily admit to steering them away from things like Junie B. Jones and the Babysitters Club.
Olivia loves all the Beverly Cleary she has read so far: "The Mouse and the Motorcycle," "Ellen Tebbits," etc. Also she really likes the American Girl series of historical fiction books. Joey loves anything about science of history or the military.
For fun, though, nothing beats Calvin and Hobbes for them. Their dad is the same, but his serious fiction favorite is Daphne du Maurier.
Thus ends my rambling about books. No point really, not today.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Gloria Patri
Oct. 18, 2007
As we are getting back to normal here at home, we are trying to resume some of our regular routine. Part of that routine is to say one decade of the Rosary every night as a family before bed. We talk about which mysteries we are to meditate on for the day and for which intentions we will pray.
Well, trying to reinstate this little routine for my kids has been like trying to drag a couple of cats into the bathtub -- especially for Joey, who is notoriously stubborn. But we have persisted. And tonight Joey, who is 6, offered to lead. So, off he went and was doing fine. When we came to the last Glory Be, Joey decided to deliver it in Latin -- which is one of the kids' subjects at homeschool. We just finished learning the Gloria Patri this week. He waded through it, and Olivia and I joined in. He looked pretty proud of himself, and I was proud of him. After the sometimes arduous days of school, it was encouraging to see that parental persistence -- or insistence -- can pay off.
As we are getting back to normal here at home, we are trying to resume some of our regular routine. Part of that routine is to say one decade of the Rosary every night as a family before bed. We talk about which mysteries we are to meditate on for the day and for which intentions we will pray.
Well, trying to reinstate this little routine for my kids has been like trying to drag a couple of cats into the bathtub -- especially for Joey, who is notoriously stubborn. But we have persisted. And tonight Joey, who is 6, offered to lead. So, off he went and was doing fine. When we came to the last Glory Be, Joey decided to deliver it in Latin -- which is one of the kids' subjects at homeschool. We just finished learning the Gloria Patri this week. He waded through it, and Olivia and I joined in. He looked pretty proud of himself, and I was proud of him. After the sometimes arduous days of school, it was encouraging to see that parental persistence -- or insistence -- can pay off.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
My biggest fan
Oct. 17, 2007
Well, the industrial fans are gone. Thank God. We had them going for 12 days to dry out the floor. Sunday was the last day of fans. It was the kind of day you have to look back on and laugh, but when you're in it, it's not funny.
It's the kind of day where you clean the bathtub grout with your own toothbrush and don't realize you've done it until it's too late.
It's the kind of day where only one of your three bathrooms is working.
It's the kind of day where you are 20 minutes late for Mass and you have to stand in the back the whole time.
It's the kind of day on which your kind husband takes the kids out for a hike while you take a much-needed nap.
And then the kids and I took two days off from school and just relaxed and got some things done for the house and unpacking and shopping. So now I'm feeling almost normal again.
I just re-read The Story of a Soul by St. Therese, the Little Flower. It made a greater impression this time -- her incredible faith and love for God and her total abandonment to Him.
And then yesterday I saw a quote from the saint whom I chose as a patron when I entered the Church -- another doctor of the church named Teresa -- at the end of an email. This quote should be my motto for life and so I'll post it here because it is a great reminder to us all:
"Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough." -- St. Teresa of Avila
Well, the industrial fans are gone. Thank God. We had them going for 12 days to dry out the floor. Sunday was the last day of fans. It was the kind of day you have to look back on and laugh, but when you're in it, it's not funny.
It's the kind of day where you clean the bathtub grout with your own toothbrush and don't realize you've done it until it's too late.
It's the kind of day where only one of your three bathrooms is working.
It's the kind of day where you are 20 minutes late for Mass and you have to stand in the back the whole time.
It's the kind of day on which your kind husband takes the kids out for a hike while you take a much-needed nap.
And then the kids and I took two days off from school and just relaxed and got some things done for the house and unpacking and shopping. So now I'm feeling almost normal again.
I just re-read The Story of a Soul by St. Therese, the Little Flower. It made a greater impression this time -- her incredible faith and love for God and her total abandonment to Him.
And then yesterday I saw a quote from the saint whom I chose as a patron when I entered the Church -- another doctor of the church named Teresa -- at the end of an email. This quote should be my motto for life and so I'll post it here because it is a great reminder to us all:
"Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough." -- St. Teresa of Avila
Friday, October 12, 2007
A Kid's Perspective
Oct. 12, 2007
As we continue to deal with this crazy house, I'm trying to remain optimistic by looking at the situation through the eyes of my children.
As an adult, I'm quite aware that I won't have a new kitchen floor for at least two weeks, I still have an industrial fan drying my kitchen and I will be without a dishwasher likely for a month.
That aside, my kids think this is a great place. It's the yard, of course. More than an acre of beautiful green space to run and bike and ride their wagon, "The Blur," down the slope from the front yard to the back.
And then there is the creek. Yes, a stream is the boundary of our property. The creek is a world of endless interest to my little guys. They have caught salamanders and crawdads and have seen fish and frogs. And they even have a sitting log. A tree that has fallen across the creek is the perfect place for them to sit and think and chat. "The Nature Show never ends, Mom," Joey told me last night.
They also have a clubhouse. (They started a Little Rascals Club after seeing the 15-year-old movie by that name). Their clubhouse is the potting shed beside the house. It has a light, a floor, shelves -- obviously pots. A door. It's their own little spot. And I think it's OK now that I have cleaned out more than 100 old plastic pots that I feared were harboring snakes or mice or worse.
Our yard is the most level of any I have seen in this Blue Ridge area. But, as we are from Memphis where it is flat, my kids still think it is hilly. And they have named the little slopes from the front to the back yards Mount Zogo and Mount Zagala.
For me, this house is turning out to be a real chore. For them, it is an adventure. So maybe, just for today, I will try to see it through their eyes.
As we continue to deal with this crazy house, I'm trying to remain optimistic by looking at the situation through the eyes of my children.
As an adult, I'm quite aware that I won't have a new kitchen floor for at least two weeks, I still have an industrial fan drying my kitchen and I will be without a dishwasher likely for a month.
That aside, my kids think this is a great place. It's the yard, of course. More than an acre of beautiful green space to run and bike and ride their wagon, "The Blur," down the slope from the front yard to the back.
And then there is the creek. Yes, a stream is the boundary of our property. The creek is a world of endless interest to my little guys. They have caught salamanders and crawdads and have seen fish and frogs. And they even have a sitting log. A tree that has fallen across the creek is the perfect place for them to sit and think and chat. "The Nature Show never ends, Mom," Joey told me last night.
They also have a clubhouse. (They started a Little Rascals Club after seeing the 15-year-old movie by that name). Their clubhouse is the potting shed beside the house. It has a light, a floor, shelves -- obviously pots. A door. It's their own little spot. And I think it's OK now that I have cleaned out more than 100 old plastic pots that I feared were harboring snakes or mice or worse.
Our yard is the most level of any I have seen in this Blue Ridge area. But, as we are from Memphis where it is flat, my kids still think it is hilly. And they have named the little slopes from the front to the back yards Mount Zogo and Mount Zagala.
For me, this house is turning out to be a real chore. For them, it is an adventure. So maybe, just for today, I will try to see it through their eyes.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Soggy Saga
Oct. 10, 2007
Joey’s memory verse this week is “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth” Genesis 9:13. That, of course, comes from the story of Noah and the flood.
We had a little flood of our own here last week – a very wet welcome to
I’ve been busy with plumbers, electricians, insurance adjustors, floor restoration specialists and water removal experts ever since. And, of course, I’ve been teaching the kids. They are still getting all of their subjects.
Much of our kitchen floor has been ripped out and we have had industrial fans and air scrubbers going for nearly a week. I have to say the most recent flooring in the kitchen was the best so far. And brand new. Too bad it didn’t last long. The kitchen has been stripped down to the original beige linoleum, flecked with black and white. And the staples are poking out of it so we have to keep shoes on all the time.
So, what can I learn from this? Well, old houses have plumbing problems (although our old house in
But here is something else I learned and it’s pretty basic:
I’m a worrier, a true-blue worrier. Anyone who knows me can vouch for that. I guess I think that if I worry about a potential bad consequence, I will be prepared for it. Well, I wasn’t worried the night of our flood. I was safe in my new home with only plans of unpacking on my mind.
And then – the water. So, I have been reminded that worry is futile. It prepares us for nothing except more worry. And worry separates us from God – because it is fear, of course. And fear is the opposite of faith.
If I had been worried about catastrophic problems in my new house, it wouldn’t have prepared me to deal with it. What enabled us to deal with it is our home insurance and a handy husband who knows how things work. And, of course, a willingness to deal with the problem as it unfolds. It is still unfolding.
I pray that soon we will begin to see some the problems resolved and our home restored.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Novel idea
Oct. 4, 2007
Novel idea
Sweet surprise.
Home early to find
the shape
my life has taken.
made of flour, eggs and sugar.
Stirred by little hands,
iced with caramel and care.
every sentence published somewhere.
Feel the heat of years,
then gather breath
to set free
the wish held within
unspoken.
I wrote that on my 35th birthday -- five years ago. But the more time I spend as a mother the more certain I am of the truth of those words, "Every day a composition. Every sentence published somewhere."
When it comes to kids, it seems that everything you do matters. And that is one reason we have chosen to homeschool our two.
We are a Catholic family who has just moved from Tennessee to VA. More on that later. I had an interesting experience a few days before the move, which I write about here:
Rosary-go-round
The saying, “what goes around comes around” is definitely true. And when it comes to rosaries, it can come around pretty fast.
My family and I are preparing for our first cross-country move since becoming a family. When my husband and I moved to
One old blue rosary figures largely in the turnaround made in my life. This macramé rosary was a gift to me from a wacky friend, who was a devout and good Catholic. Watching her life planted the seed of conversion and Catholicism in my mind. That seed was watered by some of life’s tribulations plus my decision to reach for the blue rosary one day. The daily habit of praying the Rosary changed my mind, changed my heart and changed my life. My husband and I converted to Catholicism about a year later when I was pregnant with our oldest child, now 8.
With two children under two, I have to admit I prayed the Rosary less conscientiously. But as the children and I have aged, my commitment to the prayer and the Blessed Mother has resurfaced and we make the effort to pray one decade of the Rosary daily as a family.
I had kept the old blue rosary for years and still used it for praying in the car, but as we prepared to move to
One day later, I was at an unlikely location for prayers and rosaries – a nail salon. It was my last chance to use a coupon given to me as a birthday gift. I noticed the large portrait of the Blessed Mother above the shelf of polish and the many religious medals worn by the elderly lady who was giving my manicure.
Because she didn’t want me to mar the polish, the lady insisted on getting my car keys out of my purse for me. My keychain – a Mother’s Day gift from my children -- is a disc with a picture of the late Pope John Paul II on one side and Pope Benedict XVI on the other. The manicurist, who was from
“Yes,” I said. “Turn it over.”
She beamed at the picture of Pope Benedict. What followed was a wonderful, unexpected sharing about our own faith lives between two people who might have otherwise never met. The lady, who was from
We talked a little more and then, as I was leaving, she placed the one-decade Rosary on the table in front of me. “If you don’t mind, have this please,” she said.
When I protested, she insisted that she has many other rosaries. So we ended our visit with a hug. I honestly think she was sent by God, as so many people are, to remind us that God is with us even when we can’t see him. And it was a comfort to me as I have been unsettled and anxious about this move – although I know it is good for the family.
I have heard it is a good idea to make gifts of your rosaries. But I have never heard of them coming back so quickly. I will keep this one as a reminder that God goes with me and my family on this latest installment of our journey.
And may God go with you and yours.
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