von Balthasar on Marriage:
What could be stronger than marriage, or what shapes any particular life-form more profoundly than does marriage? ... Marriage is that indissoluble reality which confronts with an iron hand all existence's tendencies to disintegrate, and it compels the faltering person to grow, beyond himself, into real love by modeling his life on the form enjoined. [This form is the self-giving love of the communion of Divine Persons that is the Triune God. MG]
When they make their promises, the spouses are not relying on themselves-- the shifting songs of their own freedom-- but rather on the form that chooses them because they have chosen it .... As persons, the spouses entrust themselves not only to the beloved "thou" and to the biological laws of fertility and family; they entrust themselves foremost to a form with which they can wholly identify themselves even in the deepest aspects of their personality because this form extends through all the levels of life-- from its biological roots up to the very heights of grace and of life in the Holy Spirit. And now, suddenly, all fruitfulness, all freedom, is discovered within the form itself, and the life of the married person can henceforth be understood only in terms of this interior mystery....
~Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
January's Sad Anniversary
Before the month is completely over-
Every January 22 marks another anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. Here is a link to a great piece on a long-time friend's blog. They, too, are CCL NFP teachers.
NFP & adoption. There are alternatives. Question abortion. (As the Feminists For Life say.)
Every January 22 marks another anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision. Here is a link to a great piece on a long-time friend's blog. They, too, are CCL NFP teachers.
NFP & adoption. There are alternatives. Question abortion. (As the Feminists For Life say.)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Winter 2012-13 Daybook
Outside my window it is… beautiful today. Bright though cool.
I am thankful for #755 on my official, original list. "Jesse's love for me- flowers!" it reads, but I have also been jotting them on the notepad on my phone and in a paper journal more recently. In my paper journal, I haven't been numbering them consecutively, but grouping them instead. This month I took time to list "2013 Gratitude" and #20 reads "all the bedrooms worked on." Gotta love new year organizing, even a tiny bit of it!
I am hoping and praying for… my sister and some friends with health issues right now. Also for one friend who is fostering three siblings. And another who is nearing the end of her first! pregnancy- so exciting for her family.
On my mind… our new homeschool rhythm: M & M are no longer going to the pre-school at our parish a couple times a week. It was great while it lasted but I have felt God calling me to center us all at home together during our days, especially with the increased running to activities we do at night now. I'm giving this my all in hopes of discerning God's will for the long term for us more clearly.
Noticing that the kids… seem happy with our new rhythm here at home. Mary especially. And I am, too, though adjusting to less quiet.
A few plans for the month… Actually a re-cap now that the month is ending: Jesse & I will talked with our parish RCIA group about marriage as Sacrament. One older boy had a judo tournament out-of-town this month. We bought season tickets to our local theatre as a family Christmas gift and went to our first show of the year this month. We will continue to settle into our new rhythm of play and school work.
From the bookshelves… I finished March this month. So good. In a disturbing, haunting way. I find myself thinking about the Transcendentalists still. And abolitionists as a group, especially because I caught some of "The Abolitionists" documentary series on PBS. I would have been fascinated with them had I lived then. I am now. But back to March, I really enjoyed thinking about the family of Little Women from the adults' perspective. We have watched the movie (with Winona Ryder, well-done I think) since I read this. All my men (little & big) enjoyed it and one asked to read Little Men, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
In the kitchen… I have been baking a lot of our breads recently, super-breads made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and flax meal. But not since getting sick mid-month so I need to get back on that...
On the Church calendar… well, we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord so we are officially finished with the Christmas season and in Ordinary Time. I have not been good about sharing our holiday and holy day celebrations lately... I think because we were not home. We traveled for Thanksgiving and it was non-stop busy so I took almost no photos. Then, we traveled for Christmas, after Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at home, and I literally took no photos because we left in such a hurry in our attempt to beat the "blizzard" (This is a relative term.) that I left my camera at home (And we didn't beat it- we drove in it all the way!). But I did get some shots of our Feast of St. Nick table. This is when we do stockings and Santa, December 6.
The banner-looking things in the background were very fun Advent calendars, with a date-stamped envelope for each day that was filled with a treat, all made with love by a close family friend. Christmas came early.
Something new I did this year was celebrate the kids' Baptism Days all together on the Sunday that was the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. I used to be good about celebrating them throughout the year but since M & M, I have slacked off. This year I pulled out their Baptism candles and our Family Book of Life with the memories & photos of all our Sacraments on this Sunday. We reminisced about their Baptisms, ate white sugar cookies, and talked about the symbols of Baptism: light & the candles, water, the white garment. I used our Advent wreath to hold the candles. I think this is a fun way to teach kids about Baptism and is even more simple than doing individual Baptism Days. I think the Baptism of the Lord always falls on the third Sunday after Christmas (1st Sun: Feast of the Holy Family; 2nd: Epiphany). Correct me in the Comments if I am wrong!
Speaking of Epiphany, I also played catch-up that Sunday because I had not made a birthday cake for Baby Jesus yet. I like to do this (like lots of others do) for at least a couple years when we have a toddler(s) because they really love birthdays and seem to "get" that Christmas is Jesus' birthday when they sing "Happy Birthday" to Baby Jesus and eat his cake. This year we did that on Epiphany with our Epiphany "King Cake," where the cake has a tiny baby hidden & baked into it. No pic of that but it is an old (probably Eurpean?) Catholic tradition.
Pictures I’m sharing…both from a north Texas Christmas. :) (And when do I get to claim to be Texan- is 17 years long enough??? I've now lived here as long as I lived/grew up in Maryland. At least the kids can all legitimately claim to be Texans!)
I am thankful for #755 on my official, original list. "Jesse's love for me- flowers!" it reads, but I have also been jotting them on the notepad on my phone and in a paper journal more recently. In my paper journal, I haven't been numbering them consecutively, but grouping them instead. This month I took time to list "2013 Gratitude" and #20 reads "all the bedrooms worked on." Gotta love new year organizing, even a tiny bit of it!
I am hoping and praying for… my sister and some friends with health issues right now. Also for one friend who is fostering three siblings. And another who is nearing the end of her first! pregnancy- so exciting for her family.
On my mind… our new homeschool rhythm: M & M are no longer going to the pre-school at our parish a couple times a week. It was great while it lasted but I have felt God calling me to center us all at home together during our days, especially with the increased running to activities we do at night now. I'm giving this my all in hopes of discerning God's will for the long term for us more clearly.
Noticing that the kids… seem happy with our new rhythm here at home. Mary especially. And I am, too, though adjusting to less quiet.
A few plans for the month… Actually a re-cap now that the month is ending: Jesse & I will talked with our parish RCIA group about marriage as Sacrament. One older boy had a judo tournament out-of-town this month. We bought season tickets to our local theatre as a family Christmas gift and went to our first show of the year this month. We will continue to settle into our new rhythm of play and school work.
From the bookshelves… I finished March this month. So good. In a disturbing, haunting way. I find myself thinking about the Transcendentalists still. And abolitionists as a group, especially because I caught some of "The Abolitionists" documentary series on PBS. I would have been fascinated with them had I lived then. I am now. But back to March, I really enjoyed thinking about the family of Little Women from the adults' perspective. We have watched the movie (with Winona Ryder, well-done I think) since I read this. All my men (little & big) enjoyed it and one asked to read Little Men, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
In the kitchen… I have been baking a lot of our breads recently, super-breads made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and flax meal. But not since getting sick mid-month so I need to get back on that...
On the Church calendar… well, we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord so we are officially finished with the Christmas season and in Ordinary Time. I have not been good about sharing our holiday and holy day celebrations lately... I think because we were not home. We traveled for Thanksgiving and it was non-stop busy so I took almost no photos. Then, we traveled for Christmas, after Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at home, and I literally took no photos because we left in such a hurry in our attempt to beat the "blizzard" (This is a relative term.) that I left my camera at home (And we didn't beat it- we drove in it all the way!). But I did get some shots of our Feast of St. Nick table. This is when we do stockings and Santa, December 6.
The banner-looking things in the background were very fun Advent calendars, with a date-stamped envelope for each day that was filled with a treat, all made with love by a close family friend. Christmas came early.
Something new I did this year was celebrate the kids' Baptism Days all together on the Sunday that was the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. I used to be good about celebrating them throughout the year but since M & M, I have slacked off. This year I pulled out their Baptism candles and our Family Book of Life with the memories & photos of all our Sacraments on this Sunday. We reminisced about their Baptisms, ate white sugar cookies, and talked about the symbols of Baptism: light & the candles, water, the white garment. I used our Advent wreath to hold the candles. I think this is a fun way to teach kids about Baptism and is even more simple than doing individual Baptism Days. I think the Baptism of the Lord always falls on the third Sunday after Christmas (1st Sun: Feast of the Holy Family; 2nd: Epiphany). Correct me in the Comments if I am wrong!
Speaking of Epiphany, I also played catch-up that Sunday because I had not made a birthday cake for Baby Jesus yet. I like to do this (like lots of others do) for at least a couple years when we have a toddler(s) because they really love birthdays and seem to "get" that Christmas is Jesus' birthday when they sing "Happy Birthday" to Baby Jesus and eat his cake. This year we did that on Epiphany with our Epiphany "King Cake," where the cake has a tiny baby hidden & baked into it. No pic of that but it is an old (probably Eurpean?) Catholic tradition.
Pictures I’m sharing…both from a north Texas Christmas. :) (And when do I get to claim to be Texan- is 17 years long enough??? I've now lived here as long as I lived/grew up in Maryland. At least the kids can all legitimately claim to be Texans!)
This was still a leap for me to buy these but I have loved them! I also really like English riding boots. But one does not learn English riding from a New Mexican cowboy- husband.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
All Saints Day & Living the Church calendar in Oct., part 2
We will be celebrating the Feast of All Saints a day late, on the Feast of All Souls, with our Catholic homeschool group and a party. We are excited because it has been a couple years since we dressed up & really celebrated All Saints in style. All the kids intend to dress up as their patrons: St. Jude, Bl. Pope JPII, St. Mark, and the Blessed Mother Mary. (We decided for Mary, that is that she would follow the theme. :) ) This will be after they dress up for Halloween as a convict, an Indian, a lion, & a pumpkin princess, respectively. I'll try to post pics of both sets of costumes.
In the meantime, here's a sweet prayer our DRE used in the RCIC class for All Saints:
In the meantime, here's a sweet prayer our DRE used in the RCIC class for All Saints:
The saints were really amazing, God;
their love for you was great.
They prayed and preached and spread your word,
even when faced with hate.
Helping, sharing, spreading grace,
they'd give their last dime.
Now they're blessed with the joy of heaven
until the end of time.
But the saints were still just people, too;
they sometimes did things wrong.
They doubted, worried, and sinned at times,
and didn't always get along.
So maybe there's still hope for me,
to be a named saint, too.
Lord give me strength to try again,
so I can live with you.
Amen.
from Catholic Prayer Book for Children, edited by Julianne M. Will
Monday, October 29, 2012
Living the Church calendar: October, part 1
So, October started with a bang for us with the cold-from-hell-coupled-with-strep everyone being sick. I do intend to regularly post helpful links to the year-long family liturgical calendar post (from our Prayer Book in progress) that I wrote earlier this school year... New thoughts are in "October orange" along with my original post excerpted below.
October--
1. Feast of St. Therese
She is a special saint for me because she was introduced to me by two close friends in college who loved her and really lived/live her "Little Way." Both claim her as special patronness because their middle names are Therese. We all visited Lisieux together during our Rome semester and it was then that I learned there is so much more to this smart, strong, and holy woman than the sappy sweet ways we often refer to her. The book below is great for getting to know her in this way. And while the website I linked to below does not mention the rose St. Therese sends to those who ask fo rher intercession, I have always found her to be generous in fulfilling that promise.
Start or finish the unique and beautiful Rose Novena of St. Therese, a favorite among Catholic women for generations, found in this prayer book. An atypical treatment of this young & innocent saint whose "Little Way" of spirituality is anything but sappy sweet & weak can be found in the book Shirt of Flame: A Year with St. Therese of Lisieux, by Heather King.
2. Feast of the Guardian Angels
Another good day to bake an angel food cake to celebrate and give thanks for God's provision and protection for us in His angels.
I always buy boxed cake mixes- what can I say? They are good & cheap.
4. Feast of St. Francis Take your family pets to the "Blessing of the Animals" held at many parishes on this day, in honor of this saint of radical material & spiritual poverty who was so peaceful that it is said he could communicate with animals. Or bless your animals at home as a family with a simple spontaneous prayer.
We did bless our pets at home this year in three groups: inside pets: Jude's gerbil & mouse, outside pets (dog &cats), and farm animals: chickens & horses. We used this blessing that I found on a holy card in an on-line Catholic shop (author not credited):
October--
1. Feast of St. Therese
She is a special saint for me because she was introduced to me by two close friends in college who loved her and really lived/live her "Little Way." Both claim her as special patronness because their middle names are Therese. We all visited Lisieux together during our Rome semester and it was then that I learned there is so much more to this smart, strong, and holy woman than the sappy sweet ways we often refer to her. The book below is great for getting to know her in this way. And while the website I linked to below does not mention the rose St. Therese sends to those who ask fo rher intercession, I have always found her to be generous in fulfilling that promise.
Start or finish the unique and beautiful Rose Novena of St. Therese, a favorite among Catholic women for generations, found in this prayer book. An atypical treatment of this young & innocent saint whose "Little Way" of spirituality is anything but sappy sweet & weak can be found in the book Shirt of Flame: A Year with St. Therese of Lisieux, by Heather King.
2. Feast of the Guardian Angels
Another good day to bake an angel food cake to celebrate and give thanks for God's provision and protection for us in His angels.
I always buy boxed cake mixes- what can I say? They are good & cheap.
4. Feast of St. Francis Take your family pets to the "Blessing of the Animals" held at many parishes on this day, in honor of this saint of radical material & spiritual poverty who was so peaceful that it is said he could communicate with animals. Or bless your animals at home as a family with a simple spontaneous prayer.
We did bless our pets at home this year in three groups: inside pets: Jude's gerbil & mouse, outside pets (dog &cats), and farm animals: chickens & horses. We used this blessing that I found on a holy card in an on-line Catholic shop (author not credited):
In your infinite wisdom, Lord God, when You created the Universe You blessed us with living creatures. We especially thank You for giving us our pets who are our friends and who bring us so much joy in life. Their presence very often helps us get through trying times. Kindly bless my pet. May my pet continue giving me joy and remind me of Your power. May we realize that as our pets trust us to take care of them, so we should trust You to take care of us, and in taking care of them we share in Your love for all creatures. Enlighten our minds to preserve all endangered species so that we may continue to appreciate all of Your creations. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
St. Francis patron of those who study & care for the earth, ecologists, pray for us!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
There's a reason...
... I already had a tag for Caryll Houselander. The editors of Magnificat coupled this reflection of hers with a recent daily Gospel reading from Luke 12: 35-38. (I'm noticing a theme of anxiety/depression in my last couple posts. It is on my mind, not for myself right now although I have & can struggle with it, but because of a few loved ones who are suffering with it.)
Stop trying to think out a solution for the moment: there isn't one. One day there may be; God will then show it to you. In the meantime, accept it all as being the big thing for God and his Church that he asks of you- that, and the depression too. You will find the relief of merely accepting, instead of struggling, wonderful; and I include in this, accepting anything in yourself, during the crisis, which seems to you a failure or a fault. Don't exonerate yourself, but just say you are sorry, briefly, to God, and add that your name is dirt- that's what is to be expected from you- but you're sorry, you are forgiven, and it is over...
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Book notes: Edith Stein, A Biography:
Our MOMS ENDOW study on JPII's "Letter to Women" has been discussing the influence of Edith Stein, philospher, convert, teacher, Carmelite, mystic, & martyr on the development of the Catholic "New Feminism." She was my Confirmation saint and seems to be one of those saints who finds me when I need her to teach me something. Our ENDOW study sent me back to this biography that has been on our shelves here at home but that I hadn't ever read. Here's a collection of quotes from it so far that continue to make me think:
The one thing a person needs to keep doing is to try live out his chosen vocation with an ever-increasing honesty and purity, to make it an acceptable oblation for those with whom he is united.
If, up to now, a person has been more or less contented with himself, the time for that is over. He will do what he can to change the unpleasant things he finds in himself, but he will discover quite a bit that can't be called beautiful and yet will be nearly impossible to change. As a result he will slowly become small and humble, increasingly patient and tolerant toward specks in his brothers' eyes, now that he has so much trouble with the beam in his own. Eventually, he'll be able to look at himself in the unblinking light of the divine presence and learn to entrust himself to the power of the divine mercy.
It is faith in our hidden stories that ought to console us when what we see externally in ourselves and in others tends to depress us.
Friday, October 12, 2012
2012 Birthday Book pics
John Paul's 8th. He always requests a cookie cake.
Jesse requested Pioneer Woman's brownies w/ mocha icing this year.
Mary celebrated her 2nd early w/ me @ Mimi's in Ft. Worth.
On her real day, we did strawberry-pink cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting & pink sprinkles. This one looks more like the red ones Mark took to his class at nursery school on his real day.
Mimi bought my delicious cake. Double chocolate. :)
Mark's 4th- "red American-Spider-Man birthday." With beloved Anna over to play for the morning.
Only Jude's left to celebrate this year... he usually chooses fall-themed foods for his birthday, including pumpkin pie...
Still catching up: Later Spring & Summer 2012
Mark's trip to the WF Train Museum.
We love CSA- Asian greens were one of the best parts.
A couple of Lubbock pics for you, MJ. Beautiful Miriam. We were her Confirmation sponsors.
God-brothers. Little Man Cerda.
They were loving this year-of-Texas-history outing.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Fall Quick Takes
1.
I copied the "Daybook" post idea from better bloggers than myself before, now I'm swiping the "Quick Takes" idea. Short random thoughts are the best I can hope for these busy days. Just wanted to acknowledge my lack of original thought.
2.
Does "everyone" (as in the couple friends who occasionally check this!) know Jesse is home? For about 3 months now. His deployment was cancelled. (Too long of a story for Quick Takes.) Home but very busy at work, so busy he often cannot even talk for more than about 3 minutes a day. I'm not complaining, just observing. Really. :)
3.
The kids and I are enjoying the new school year: new "curriculum" for the big boys, fun new sports for them, too. Littles love their days at home & their days at our parish's nursery school. That's been a good rhythm for us...but also...
4.
Have you seen how much great stuff Elizabeth Foss has at the/her other blog Serendipity? Planning on doing her Catholic, Waldorf-inspired "Alphabet Path" at home with M & M. I'm slowly but surely including the Littles in more & more of our "official" homeschooling times & work ... instead of doing much of the learning separately except, of course, play & reading & outside time... I am not a natural with toddlers so things like Foss' Alphabet Path help capture my imagination & show me what's possible.
5.
We have a Catholic homeschool group this year! So fun for all the kids and momma. This group is helping me to include the Littles more because we all prepare for it together. (Maybe this should have been a Homeschooling Quick Takes! Sorry.)
6.
Big boys and I are part of the RCIC (RCIA adapted for children) class at our parish this year, in a role similar to that of sponsors in RCIA I guess, for lack of a better label, really just as journeying friends. I am learning so much from the moms involved & the power of their faith to meet life's challenges.
7.
Mary is trying to potty somewhat regularly. And talking constantly, including during Mass! She adores animals, especially our chickens & horses. I've got to get some photos posted soon.
8.
Mark loves his letter sounds and is often picking them out in conversation. He also loves to use his roller blades he got from Mimi for his "red birthday."
9.
JP is his usual hardworking, cheerful self- very dedicated to judo right now.
10.
Jude has a gerbil now & is very devoted to it, as well as his swimming. Out of the menagerie of animals we have, who'd have thought it would be a rodent that would capture his imagination?
11.
Since I started these, we/the kids have been home sick for a WEEK! A bad cold and strep has been working its way through everyone at different times and in different combinations. Please pray Jesse & I are healthy to teach our first NFP class this weekend. This is about par for the course of our NFP teaching journey! :)
12.
I'm feeling my usual pre-Halloween & All Saint's creative stress, as in I am NOT creative and rarely can make my kids' great ideas materialize into costumes for them... :(. Here's to store-bought.
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