Moved By Grace

Impressions

2012-03-04T14:53:00.014-08:00

Reading~
I'm working on Moby Dick for Book Club. I was enjoying it and reading through it rather quickly, but then....the chapter on the MAST HEAD. I got a little hung up. Also, I'm still enjoying St. Augustine's Confessions in the mornings. I can only read a few sections at a time, but even a small amount of reading is packed with profound insight.

Schooling~
The girls and I made homemade laundry soap tonight. We got the recipe from the Duggars here. I picked up a glittery red cloak from the Goodwill today and it has served as the BEST Little Red Hiding cloak. Our house was filled with the sounds of Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf. I also found a book from 1953 of children's stories. I am excited to start reading it to the girls at night. I only spent $3! We have also pulled out the Animal Encyclopedia, and the girls have loved finding their favorite animals. Today, there was a tiny skiff of snow (a big deal for us here in the NW), so we bundled up, threw snow, ate snow, and made tracks in snow. We also had to make snowflakes for the window. I learned I need to give them more practice with scissors.

Seeing and Hearing~

My first and only daffodil has bloomed all it's lonesome self in the front barrels. I also finally have a vision for the decorating the kitchen. We'll see if it happens. I often have decorating ideas and then have a hard time following through because I change my mind so often. Nick and I have given up our nightly TV show for Lent. The silence truly is golden.

Reflecting~

The beauty of liturgy and the church calendar. As we kneel every night and say prayers with the girls, the suffering that Christ endured is at the forefront of our minds this Lenten season.

Thursday Thoughts from the Wise

2012-03-01T14:29:00.001-08:00

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

"Pooh!" he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you."

~A. A. Milne The House at Pooh Corner

Pin It

Life Abundant

2012-02-28T15:45:00.001-08:00

Browsing through a few posts on Facebook today, I saw a beautiful picture of a young friend of mine surrounded by her four young children. She just gave birth to her fourth child a week ago; it brought tears to my eyes to see this young family and the joy in their faces. The children obviously adore their mama, and she was beaming with the love of a proud mother. I thought, "now this is life, and life abundant." Beauty, joy, life. Children are life. What are we living our life for? Money? Pleasure? Leisure? Success? The wisdom of the age says children "get in the way" of most of these things. Yet take a cursory glance and see that we are a society that no longer has joy - we aren't happy even though we are one of the richest, most successful societies in all of history. We have time, money, leisure; our lives are based around pleasure. But why aren't we happy? Why do we have some of the highest rates of depression? Serving ourselves has gotten us nowhere; instead we, like the puppet Pinocchio, have gone down the enticing path to Funville where there is ample entertainment and you can do what ever you please. But let us not forget what happened to Pinocchio and all the boys in Funville....

Many people would look at this young family with disdain, thinking thoughts like "that poor mother, oppressed, just staying home and having babies," or "how are they going to provide for all of these children?" Yet, for all of the "wisdom" in these thoughts, they are the fools. This mother is the wise one. She knows that children bring joy, she knows that there is no greater way to give yourself up than to provide life to another soul, she knows that children are a gift from God, and that her calling as a married woman is to be open to life. She will have days where she wants to pull her hair out and wish for just a few seconds of peace and quiet, but Anna, you have life, and you have life abundant. Thank you for your example.

Crafts for Lent

2012-02-24T14:26:00.002-08:00

This has been the first year where I can really enjoy doing craft projects with the girls. They are old enough to do some things on their own, and they have so much joy and pleasure in being able to "help" me. We made a crown of thorns with floral styrofoam and toothpicks. Every time the girls do something kind for someone, they remove a toothpick and stick in a flower. The goal is by Easter Sunday to have a wreath of flowers for Jesus. It was wonderful to talk with the girls about sin, and what they do that makes Jesus sad, as well as the things that make him happy. We talked about Lent, and how it is the time to think about what we do, and how amend our lives. They understand a lot, even at this young age.

I also had them work on their first sewing machine project with me; we made a purple and gold runner for the top of the piano, where we have our prayer altar. They were so proud to be involved in the project, and I loved seeing those little hands hard at work pinning and sewing.

"Even now says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning, and return to the Lord your God. For gracious and merciful is he; slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment." Joel 2:12-13

Remember O Man....

2012-02-21T15:44:00.001-08:00

The season of Lent is upon us. Lent, something I had never heard of growing up, and now a central part of the Christian year and our life. It seems like more and more people are celebrating Lent by giving something up, which is an excellent practice, but Lent is so much more than giving up sweets or TV for 40 days.

I can remember being confused on Easter as a young girl. Was I supposed to feel sad that Jesus died on the cross, or joyful because he rose again?
The crucifixion and resurrection stories were told side by side on the little flannel graph in Sunday School, complete with the rock that we could pick up to find the empty tomb underneath. The central gospel story, neatly compacted in one Sunday lesson and church service, followed by a giant Easter egg hunt. It wasn't until Nick and I entered into the Anglican Church that I realized the importance of the church calendar and the centrality that Lent ought to have on our spiritual lives. I remember attending my first Ash Wednesday service where I received the cross of ashes on my forehead, while reflecting on the priest's words, "remember O man, from dust thou art, and from dust thou shall return." A solemn reflection on our mortality. The church isn't decorated, the crosses and art are sheathed in purple, the Alleluia is omitted from the liturgy. The church is in mourning, waiting for the resurrection of the Lord. At the Stations of the Cross every Friday, we process around the church reflecting on 14 events as Christ carried his cross to the crucifixion. The Via Dolorosa, remembered weekly during Lent. Christ's Passion enacted, as we reflect on our sinfulness.

Lent is a time of penance; the practice of giving something up is a way for us to have fewer distractions in order that we may take that time to pray, sacrifice ourselves for Christ, and unite our suffering to that of Christ. It is a way of practicing discipline. Christ prayed and fasted for 40 days in the desert, these 40 days of Lent should be a time for us to emulate our Savior. Lent is also a time to add additional devotional practices to our lives. These should be a solemn 40 days spent reflecting on our lives, our sin, and what Christ suffered for us. Catholics are encouraged to go Confession at least once during Lent. It is the time to clean our souls and prepare for the risen Christ. After spending 40 days in a solemn manner, when it gets to Easter Day, it truly is time for celebration. There is no confusion, it is a glorious event. I would urge you, if you haven't been to an Ash Wednesday service, or the Stations of the Cross, whether Catholic, Protestant, or something else, go. It is amazing and worth knowing about.

This Lent, I have a heavy heart, hurting for several people close to me - people who need Christ's healing, both physically and spiritually. My prayers this Lent will be for these people, for Christ to work in their lives. If you would like to add someone to this list, you can leave a comment below, or email me at kplato7(at)gmail(dot)com. I will publish an anonymous list here in the next few days of all the prayer requests, so you can all join with me in praying for those in need.

Please take this penitential season as a time to reflect on your life, and let Christ work in your heart. "Remember, O man, from dust you came, to dust you shall return."

Toys and Imagination

2012-02-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

“Alice had got so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.”

~Lewis Carroll

Potato Heads, Polly Pockets, My Little Ponies, Thomas Trains, blocks, dolls, doll clothes, puzzles, crayons, and on....and on.... this is the list of what clutters my floor on a daily basis. Or used to. A few months ago, I had one of those "mom" moments. You know, when you throw your hands up and declare "ENOUGH! I've had it!!" This is usually followed by some outrageous claim, "I'm throwing everything away!" or, "If this isn't picked up in two minutes, you'll never get another toy out again!" Rational, yes I know.

Although these moments cause brief outbursts of exaggerated threats, this particular moment got me thinking. I spend a lot of my day managing STUFF, picking it up, organizing it, and collecting more. I was tired of it. Living in a 1000 square foot house and having very limited income, I have always prided our family on not having many toys. But lately, some things have challenged me to evaluate our family. My parents have mentioned how many toys my children have compared to what I had when I was growing up, I have been reading the Saints, and admiring how many of them have chosen a life of simplicity and poverty, watching my kids play and realizing that they often dump out their bins of toys to use them as boats, beds, or something else, and then lastly, a conversation with a friend. This friend told me that she is a "minimalist." Her children have one box of toys, primarily wooden blocks, and that is it. She believes that when children have too many toys, they play with the toys and not each other. Wow! There's an idea I haven't thought about before.

All of these ideas, combined with me being tired of managing stuff, led to a purge. One huge purge. With the help of my very rational husband, we went through the girl's room and got rid of a lot of toys. I really needed his help, because I realized how much I was holding onto things for sentimental reasons. He was there to say "toss it" when I lamented the loss of the stuffed yellow, quacking, duck block (but I have a picture of Miriam playing with it when she was a baby...), and get rid of the plastic oven we don't room for, (Clara got this when she was born and has barely even played with it...). Four huge boxes of toys were taken out of their room that night, and they were left with a lot less stuff and a lot more room to play.

It has been two months, and the girl's haven't missed ANYTHING. I'm not kidding, they haven't missed a thing. I have seen a lot less fighting over possessions, and a lot more creative use of their imaginations. Instead of the plastic oven, they have to pretend the oven is on top of the chair, blocks have replaced the myriads of plastic food, and the stuffed animals haven't been missed. They play more WITH each other, and less time trying to claim possessions. I have been much happier because cleaning up is a lot easier. Our lives have become more simple.

I'm not saying children shouldn't have anything to play with, we still have quite a few toys floating around here, but as parents, we need to evaluate our ever-increasing toy supply. Due to our increasing wealth, smaller families, and the ability to get things cheaply, we are overwhelming and bombarding our children with stuff. Why is is that the average house size has doubled over the last 50 years, and the average family size has decreased? We need bigger houses to hold all of our obsolete possessions, and we are destroying our children's imaginations along the way. Children don't have room to think when they have everything they want. They need open spaces, open-ended toys, and time to build relationships with each other. Children need to play, not be entertained. There is a difference! They need to learn how to play on their own, and even be bored. It is in boredom that they begin to be creative. Too many toys and too much stuff will stifle our children and take away their sense of wonder, for what is there for them to wonder about when everything is handed to them in the form of plastic entertainment?

Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent, and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play. ~Henri Matisse

Facebook and Silence

2012-02-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

I have recently been thinking about Facebook and how I use FB. In my own life, FB has become my central hub, my source of news, the best daily deals, outstanding recipes, organizing ideas, cool blogs, and of course, my favorite, meeting the new babies my 250+ friends are bringing into this world. All of my information is in one place. For those of you out there who are one of the 250 millions FB users, I would guess this describes you. FB is the primary means of communication in our world today. I was reading one of those old, tired, nearly extinct methods of communication - the newspaper the other day, and found that in the news articles, even the reporters referred several times to information from FB. We are a plugged in society, where not only is our information centralized in one "newsfeed," but now people can access this news on their phones while standing in the grocery store line, at the park, and while driving. Within one minute of the Komen Foundation regressing on it's decision to not fund Planned Parenthood, hundreds of people had already commented on and "liked" the news article. We are an information age and have the most powerful communication tool in all of history at our disposal.

This has caused me to think a lot about how I should "use" FB. There are times when I just want to eliminate it from my life altogether. I get tired of all of the boring triviality. I wonder why I care about who checked in at Target today, and where so and so is having lunch. It is easy for me to waste time scrolling through the endless posts, following the rabbit trails of blogs and pictures, and find that I have spent an hour in a virtual world, all the while ignoring my own children, husband, and duties. One person told me they deleted their FB account because they were tired of people pushing their own agendas; with the election looming, there is an increase of antagonistic political posting going on.

At the same time, I enjoy FB. I love keeping up with friends that live far away and have found it to be an enjoyable outlet for stay-at-home moms. A few comments back and forth about my children's escapades during the day with another mother are just what I need to make my days bearable. TWO of my friends had babies yesterday, and I got to share their joy at new life and see pictures of those adorable little souls. There is also the "information" aspect of FB. I have found many inspiring blogs, songs, and thoughts posted on FB that truly inspire me; because there are a lot of controversial things posted on FB, FB is one of the last frontiers where people are still talking about things that matter. In a society where it is faux pas to discuss anything meaningful, and conversations must be kept to banal topics like movies, actors and actresses, and sports heroes, FB serves as a place where people can still air their opinions on important issues. I have seen many interesting and thoughtful discussions today on the whole Komen issue, and I applaud the people involved.

Now that opens up a whole other can of worms where FB etiquette needs to be discussed, because while there is meaningful conversation going on, there is a lot of irrational, insult-hurling, ugliness that also happens. I hope we can all learn how to have rational dialogue regarding the issues, minus the personal attacks and cheap shots. While it may not be the most ideal locale for dialogue, face-to-face discussion would be much better, it is the place where dialogue is occurring. I have always felt that as a Christian, I can't completely separate from the world, but need to find a way to thoughtfully engage in the modern dialectic. Whether it be politics, religion, abortion, or just some poor chap who releases a naive video on why he hates religion, we need Christians out there defending truth and asking tough questions. Fortunately or unfortunately, (I'm not sure which), FB is one of the primary sources of information.

So where does this leave us in regards to FB in our own personal lives? My first thought is to make sure that we are controlling our FB, and not letting our FB control us. Pope Benedict's theme for World Communications Day in May is "Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization," where he encourages all people to find the balance between using our efficient methods of communication in balance with silence. He says, "Amid the complexity and diversity of the world of communications, however, many people find themselves confronted with the ultimate questions of human existence: Who am I? What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope? It is important to affirm those who ask these questions, and to open up the possibility of a profound dialogue, by means of words and interchange, but also through the call to silent reflection, something that is often more eloquent than a hasty answer and permits seekers to reach into the depths of their being and open themselves to the path towards knowledge that God has inscribed in human hearts." Read his entire statement here, it is well-worth reading!

In answer to the question of how I will let FB touch my own life, I am continuing to work on finding the balance of engaging in the dialogue, while taking some much needed breaks for silence and reflection, recognizing that it is possible to have too much news, too many daily deals, and too much controversy. During Lent this year, I want to take the time to implement and reflect on Pope Benedict's words regarding silence, "It is hardly surprising that different religious traditions consider solitude and silence as privileged states which help people to rediscover themselves and that Truth which gives meaning to all things. The God of biblical revelation speaks also without words: “As the Cross of Christ demonstrates, God also speaks by his silence. The silence of God, the experience of the distance of the almighty Father, is a decisive stage in the earthly journey of the Son of God, the incarnate Word …. God’s silence prolongs his earlier words. In these moments of darkness, he speaks through the mystery of his silence” (Verbum Domini, 21). The eloquence of God’s love, lived to the point of the supreme gift, speaks in the silence of the Cross. After Christ’s death there is a great silence over the earth, and on Holy Saturday, when “the King sleeps and God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages” (cf. Office of Readings, Holy Saturday), God’s voice resounds, filled with love for humanity."

The Sights and Sounds of January

2012-01-31T15:18:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that January has already come and gone. It usually seems like the winter months go slowly, but not this time. This month, I made it my goal to focus on our homeschooling, and our school days have taken a different turn than I would have expected. Living the rainy Pacific Northwest, I was imagining us spending most of our days inside working on projects, but we have been blessed with sunshiny days, and the girls and I have spent our afternoons on meandering walks. We have discovered the beauty of leafless trees where they exclaim in wonder at all the bird nests that we can now see, they watch the squirrels flit from naked branch to branch, and we admire the gorgeous sunsets as we head home. I wasn't expecting this in January, but I have loved this turn of events. Our Nature Journals are being filled up with pictures of what we have seen, and the girls are getting better and better at identifying "Flower Fairies of the Winter," which has proven an excellent way for them to learn botany.

On some of the rainy days we have had, I finally gave in and brought out our dress-up clothes. I have a love/hate relationship with the dress-up things. I hate the mess, the ever changing outfits that I have to help put on and take off, and the squabbles over who wears what, but I love the hours of entertainment it provides. They are no longer little girls, but fairies casting spells all over the house, princesses in need of rescue, and wicked queens with magical powers. What better way for them to use their imaginations?

We of course have been fighting winter bugs. Our little Clara has always struggled with bronchitis, something she gets whenever she has a cold, and this time around, my wonderfully inventive husband came up with a way to keep moist air over her while she sleeps. It has worked wonders, and this is the first time she hasn't gotten bronchitis as a result of a cold. Check out our little oxygen tent!

Lastly, I turned 31 this January, and continually thank God for the life he has blessed me with. This last picture is of my kitchen window, where I spend much of my time and am reminded of the beauty and simple joys of housekeeping - my mixer that is used to a lot of baking these days, sourdough bread starter (we are looking forward to warm sour dough bread on a regular basis), compost for the chickens, piles of clean dishes, and birthday cards from loved ones. I can truly look around and call myself blessed.

Why I'm Catholic: Part II

2012-01-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

One of the first posts on this blog was a post where I shared my journey to the Catholic Church. I finally got up the nerve the share it with people I know via Facebook and email, as well as people over the internet. My story has recently been published on whyimcatholic.com , and I would like to write a follow up post on the reasons I am Catholic. My first post is more of a narrative story, this one will be some solid reasons in answer to some of the questions I have had from Protestant friends.

1. Sola Scriptura
Early on in my journey, I found that I could no longer rely on sola scriptura (Scripture alone). I had been taught my whole life that everything you need to live the faith could be found in the Bible (sufficiency of Scripture). Though this may work in theory, it doesn't work in practice. I relied on people's interpretation of Scripture, influenced by their own cultural assumptions, philosophical perspectives, and family upbringing. I spent much of my college Bible education learning the "right" way to interpret Scripture. If I just knew the Greek and Hebrew words, consulted enough concordances, and looked at the context of the verse, the correct interpretation could be found. Then why are there still disputes?
That question was always answered by saying that we may disagree with peripheral matters, but the core beliefs are the same. We all believe in a "Mere Christianity." I could live with that. Never mind that I was seeing my close friends and families' churches dividing over issues of doctrine, each thinking they had the truth. I couldn't help but think, if these were only peripheral matters, then why were whole churches dividing? But I still could remove myself and accept that this was how church was supposed to be, there were pastors and intellectuals who knew more than me who were working these issues out.

I reached a point where I could ignore these problems no longer when our first daughter was born. Nick and I were confronted with the issue of infant baptism vs. adult, and the necessity of baptism for salvation, both controversial and deep. I had been taught my whole life the concept of believer's baptism as a outward sign of faith and not necessary for salvation. But what if that was wrong? The church we were attending used the Bible to say something different than what I had been taught. I wanted to know what the Bible said, not any person's interpretation. I turned to the Bible and found it difficult to answer the questions I was seeking. The only clear thing I found after reading many passages about baptism was John 3:5, "Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.'" That seems to indicate that Baptism is necessary for salvation. This was no longer just a peripheral issue. I was dealing with the soul of my child. I looked into the arguments for and against, and found that they both had great biblical arguments. If the Bible alone is sufficient, why could I not find the answer - the answer to a vital and core issue? I realized that sola scriptura doesn't work in practice; yet, at the same time, I was not giving up in my search for answers.

2. History and Tradition
I had to look somewhere else, to what other Christians throughout time said; I had to look to history. What I found was fascinating and helpful. Christians have practiced infant baptism since the beginning. It wasn't until the turmoil of the Reformation that this core practice was disputed in a serious way! Even the Reformers fervently disagreed with one another, yet they were all appealing to sola scriptura. Could I really argue that all Christians were wrong prior to the 1500's? I started to see the tenuous, tumultuous, and dare I say, presumptuous nature of Protestantism as my eyes were opened to the wisdom of the Ancient Church. How could these Reformers and new groups of Christians claim truth over all of the Church Fathers and previous 1500 years of Church History? Through reading and research, I came to realize that many of the core beliefs that I held as a Protestant weren't actually found in the Bible, they were worked out during various Church Councils throughout history. The Canon of Scripture, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the Hypostatic Union (Jesus was fully man and fully God), were all issues of doctrine that I was taught, and they were formulated and given to us through the Church, using the Bible as a guide. As a Protestant, I was already relying on what I now call, as a Catholic, Sacred Tradition without even knowing it! It was a relief to know that God's revelation to us is not confined to the written page. Time and again I found the same pattern with core issues as I found with baptism, the Bible alone is not sufficient alone, but only with Sacred Tradition. Tradition is a beautiful gift given to us by God to help us live our lives. It is meant to work with the Bible, not in contradiction to the Bible, and it only works as the Spirit guides the Church as Christ intended it. The Church gives stability to our lives and authoritatively interprets the Bible. God in his infinite wisdom and love has given us a way to know what he's revealed, a living and active, dynamic and authoritative voice, the voice of the shepherd for His sheep.

3. The Catholic "Voice"
This last reason has to do with many theological ideas I haven't worked out yet, but begin and continue with this question: Where is Christ's "voice" in our world? I know Christ is always present and relevant despite all the changes the world goes through and of course He is in many Protestant Churches who are doing excellent work. Billy Graham and Focus on the Family have amazing ministries that touch millions of people. Many individual Protestant churches work extremely hard at various ministries, but the fact is, there isn't a unified, Protestant voice; there can't be as all of the churches aren't unified under one authority. As I looked into Catholicism, I found that the Catholic Church has taken a unified, moral, and authoritative voice against abortion, homosexual marriage, birth control, euthanasia, cloning, and worked for relief of the poor, widows, orphans, and for social and economic justice. The Catholic Church still has a voice in our world. When the Pope speaks, the world listens. They may not agree, but what he says is heard and respected by the world. Our world desperately needs a voice, and we all need guidance at an individual level. We need someone saying "Hey, this is wrong!" I believe Jesus came to this world to save sinners and establish his Church as a refuge and outpost for his kingdom of peace, healing, and justice. He still speaks to us today through His Holy Catholic Church, offering us guidance and speaking to the world. Christ's voice is not confined to a page, but is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword," (Heb. 4:12) and I am grateful that He still speaks to us authoritatively today.

Why I Hate Religion Video

2012-01-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

This video has popped up on my Facebook numerous times over the last 24 hours. "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus." He had me at the title. There it is again - Jesus OR religion. They aren't the same thing, you are either religious or you love Jesus. The video starts out by saying Jesus is greater than religion and Jesus came to abolish religion. Now I have to write my huge disclaimer: I think this guy had a lot of good things to say in this video and he identifies many very real and true problems. I just disagree with him that "religion" is the problem. People are the problem. Sinful, fallen people are the problem. Sinful, fallen people who are hypocritical, self-centered and lazy are the problem, not religion.

I have heard over and over again, "it's not a religion, it's a relationship." I have to ask, why are they separate? Doesn't our relationship with Jesus manifest itself through our religion, or religious behaviors? This way of thinking has led us to set up a false dichotomy of religion vs. relationship. Jesus did not come to abolish religion, he came to fulfill the Law. Jesus himself was very religious. Here is an excellent article regarding this issue. Since becoming Catholic, many people have feared that I have traded my relationship with Jesus for an empty set of religious rules. I have found religion in the Catholic Church, but not the kind of religion that is criticized in videos like this, I have found much-needed religion, religion that challenges my faith and helps grow my relationship with God. Religion and relationship should go hand-in-hand.

Let us consider some of the most "religious" people in our world today- monks and nuns. People who have forsaken the common life to live a religious life. Their entire lives are consumed with religious practices, they have dedicated themselves to God through religion. They are the ones who are fulfilling the pure religion this guy is talking about. They are the ones taking care of the sick, broken, and needy. Through their devotion to the religious life, they are the ones who are truly fulfilling the call of the gospel to live and love like Jesus. Perhaps we should all take a cue from them and get more religion, not less. Perhaps we should all take time to look at our own lives and find way to add the religious practices of prayer, fasting, confession, penance, sacrifice, and Sacraments to our own lives, then we would see true religion, and fulfill the call to love like Jesus.

A Look Back

2012-01-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy end of the year reviews. Top 10 songs, board games, TV commercials, viral videos, etc. I feel like I can zone out on culture all year long, and then see the best (or worst) at the end. These Top 10 lists have become less and less impressive, but educational to look at all the same. I thought I would do a review of this blog. I tried to think of some way to categorize my favorites, and came up with four groups of three each, making 12. I thought I was really smart until I realized that this was supposedly for 2011, not 2012. Oh well....here are my look-back-favorite categories.....

1. Top 3 Favorite Posts

The entire reason I started blogging, I wanted a place to share about Catholicism, mothering, and things that matter. Why I'm Catholic
Thoughts and reflections on raising children and how difficult it is. Our Family's Tapestry
A tribute to a wonderful friend and mother. The Hand that Rules the World

2. Top 3 Favorite Pictures (because I love pictures)

3. Top 3 Most Inspirational Prayers

4. Top 3 Most Delightful Blogs

There you have it - my list of 12 Favorites of 2011. That makes me smile. Thank you to those of you who have taken the time to read my blog. I enjoy sharing with you all, I enjoy reading your comments, and I enjoy knowing that there are other people in the world who care about the things nearest and dearest to me.

A Quiet Christmas

2012-01-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

This year, we didn't have family in town on Christmas day (we celebrated with them before and after), and while we missed our family, it was a quiet, intimate day where we just enjoyed our own little family. We took the girls to midnight Mass for the first time, and they did a great job. There was something profound about driving through the dark, cold night and arriving at the beautifully-lit church to celebrate the Savior's birth. It was the last symbol of Advent, traveling through the dark, only to be overwhelmed by the joy and beauty in the church. The bells were ringing, the organ was playing, and the people were singing to welcome the Savior into this world of darkness. Light entered into darkness, forever changing this world.

The next morning, we put Jesus in the manger, lit the Christ candle on the Advent wreath, and exchanged gifts. Little House in the Big Woods paper dolls were their favorite gifts, and we spent much of the afternoon cutting out and setting up their dolls. We set a special table for Christmas dinner, and Miriam and Aidah loved helping me decorate the table. They each had their own wine glass for sparkling cider (we only broke one), and we had a candle-lit dinner. After dinner, we roasted marshmallows around the firepit and sang Christmas carols. It was quiet, peaceful, and a wonderful way to start the Christmas season. Merry 9th day of Christmas!

Our mischievous little elf.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

This year, we have worked really hard to keep Advent and Christmas separate. We have spent the last four weeks preparing for Christmas, focusing on the coming of Christ. It has been simple and beautiful. It is the first year where I don't feel stressed out and where we haven't been super busy. We are trying to save the celebration for the 12 days of Christmas, and have tried to use these weeks as a time of reflection; of darkness awaiting the Light of the World. Confession, repentance, reflection, preparation - Advent.

My children have truly made this a beautiful, magical season. There is nothing like experiencing the joy of Christmas through a child's heart. Children don't need big, fancy, entertainment, their joy is sweet and simple. I have teared up many times during the last few weeks as I let their excitement and wonder touch me.
~I love sharing all of the Christmas cards with them, telling them about friends and family and how they have touched our life. The girls love each and every card.
~I love the care they have taken to think of the "perfect" gift for each other. I love the care they have taken to sew gifts for their grandparents, and string a button necklace for Clara.
~I love reading Christmas books to them. I tear up every time I read the words, "and every beast bowed low it's head for one small babe in a manger bed."
~I love listening to Miriam practicing "Away in the Manger" on the piano while Aidah dances.
~I love their wonder every time they see Christmas lights, every ornament on the tree, and how they are SO EXCITED to put Baby Jesus in the manger tomorrow.

These are the beautiful moments, this is the beauty of raising children. May you all experience your own beauty and joy during this blessed Christmas morn, where "the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

Merry Christmas from our family to yours,

The Plato's

Joy

2011-12-20T23:42:00.000-08:00

Now that the girls are getting older, we have been enjoying establishing our own family Christmas traditions. It has been a difficult transition to change from being a college student and young adult, still a part of our bigger family, to a little family unit all on our own. We were blessed to get to enjoy an early Christmas celebration with my family this last weekend, where the girls were bestowed with these beautiful nightgowns that my mom made for them. She also made their bears matching gowns. Yes, she is amazing. Nick and I got a little fire pit for our back yard which he didn't hesitate to get set up. There is something about men and fire that I will never understand!
Having celebrated an early family Christmas means that we have had this entire week on our own, and it has been a wonderful time with just our little immediate family. I smiled when I looked at the pictures from this week and noticed how much time the girls were getting to spend with daddy. They have been busy reading Christmas books, making Christmas crafts, and today they helped me decorate the envelopes for all of our Christmas cards. (they should have been sent out a week ago, but oh well.....) Tonight, we took the girls out to look at Christmas lights, then came back for a family slumber party under the Christmas tree. That means that I have to spend all night on the floor, when my warm bed is waiting empty in the next room! All for the kids...... We even let the girls watch Charlie Brown Christmas, a true treat, as we rarely watch TV around here. They were thrilled. Their joy is contagious, I wish I could take their love and simplicity and bottle it up.
Our sweet little Clara May broke her arm this weekend, and it has been absolutely precious to watch her older sisters care for her and love her.
Lastly, Nick and I have been enjoying reading the "O Antiphons" every night in preparation for Christmas. They are another reminder of the deep, ancient faith we celebrate.

O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel,
you open and no one can close,
you close and no one can open:
Come and rescue the prisoners
who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

I love....

2011-12-15T20:30:00.000-08:00

The things I love about today in black and white......

I love her look of concentration as she threads the needle while working on stitching Christmas gifts.

I love the last little toddler-chubbiness left in her hands.

I love that she told me she didn't want to get down because she couldn't stop looking at the Nativity.

I love that Clara was laying on her big sister because she didn't feel good.

I love the magic of the Advent candles before bed.

A Little Bit of This and That

2011-12-14T20:54:00.000-08:00

I have had many random ideas of things I want to blog about, but nothing that can be completely organized. It seems like life has happened fast, and I am just catching up. I am hosting Christmas for my side of the family this weekend, something I am excited about, yet it feels like it is coming fast. I am trying to figure out our new "Catholic" traditions and how to make them fit with our families or even what that looks like. I decided to rearrange furniture in almost every room and clean the house. I was just tired of the mess and needed some change. This has created more work, but I am enjoying the changes. Sometimes a change of scenery gives such a fresh outlook. I am trying to sit back and enjoy this season of Advent, enjoy it with my children, not let the hustle and bustle of the Christmas rush overwhelm us. I loved decorating the tree with the girls, they wanted to hear the story of each ornament - where they came from and why they were special.

We are adjusting to Nick being gone longer at night as he is now coaching basketball and doesn't get home until late. Tonight, I did something I almost never do, I watched some YouTube videos while making dinner with the kiddos; we watched different choirs performing Christmas songs. Here is our favorite, "O Holy Night" by Kings College in Cambridge.

We have been making Christmas cookies and sending them out to Nick's school, and eating them at tea time. It has been fun to make something for other people, and I discovered an unexpected blessing in sitting down and having tea with the girls. A little break in the late afternoon has been a wonderful time to sit, chat, and relax. I picked up a tea pot, cups, and saucers at the Goodwill, and they have been an absolute gem. The girls love pouring their tea and drinking from real cups; I don't have to worry about them getting broken. There is never a moment of boredom around here, and the three little hearts that God has entrusted to me are constantly needing my patience, guidance, and love. A beautiful challenge, but a very challenging challenge. I have been enjoying Amy Grant's Christmas album (sometimes played far too loudly), reflecting on the words in one of my favorite songs, "Love has come for the world to know, as the wise men knew such a long time ago. I believe that angels sang that hope had begun when the God of glory who is full of mercy sent his Son." Ahh, the beauty of simplicity.

The Making of the Advent Wreath

2011-12-04T17:18:00.000-08:00

We finally made our Advent wreath. I have been looking all over for purple and pink taper candles- they are hard to find! We finally decided to just make our own using white candles and wrapping ribbon around them. Imperfect, but they will get the job done. Maybe next Christmas, I will have found some early and have them waiting the first Sunday of Advent. Maybe, or maybe I will be scrambling around looking for them one week after the beginning of Advent again. I had a hard time getting started, due to a very messy house and feeling like there was just too much to do. It is so difficult for me to get working on fun projects when I have all of these chores hanging over my head. Thank goodness for Nick, the voice of rationality, who convinced me to lay aside the chores, and enjoy the afternoon with our family. The girls loved being a part of making the wreath, and even the candle-making became a special project to help with. We had a great time constructing our wreath, singing Advent hymns, lighting the candles, and getting the Christmas books out. A perfect afternoon, even with our imperfect wreath.

Our Advent wreath and Advent village.

It's the Beginning of Advent and I'm Just Raking Leaves

2011-12-01T14:27:00.000-08:00


Clara's first time playing in the leaves. Her sense of wonder at each individual leaf was beautiful.


Trying to shove as many leaves as possible in the yard bin.

Drinking her hot chocolate at the winter picnic.

December 1, 2011, and I just got outside to rake up the huge piles of leaves. We were out of town for the entire week of Thanksgiving, which has given me a late start on my Advent preparations, and now that I am back home, I felt that I couldn't start thinking about Advent and Christmas with the soaking wet remnants of fall outside. Living in the rainy Pacific Northwest, my procrastination in dealing with the leaves led to a very wet, very muddy, and -did I mention- very wet, pile of leaves. Today was quite possibly the sunniest December 1 we have ever seen up here, and the girls and I bundled up and headed out. Although I started out with a little grumbling (I wanted to be making Advent stars or something/anything else), it ended up being a glorious morning. The children were able to release all their pent up energy after long days spent indoors, and their pure joy at being outside was contagious. They greeted the chickens like old friends and wandered around the yard looking for old figs to feed them, they helped rake and destroy the piles of leaves, and then chased each other while playing Robin Hood. I was able to rake, and rake, and rake, and then mow and get the yard in top-notch shape. We ended the morning with a "winter picnic" complete with hot chocolate and marshmallows.

It is days like this where I am constantly reminded to let go of my notions of what I "should" be doing in my children's education. The perfectionist in me is driven to start decorating, start making our Jesse tree ornaments, and start the long list Advent books I have in mind for the girls. Advent is the beginning of the Christian year, and a penitential season, where we should be taking the time to reflect on our lives and increase our prayer and devotion as we await the coming King. Traditionally, it is also a time to clean house and prepare for the joyous Christmas celebration. As I was raking leaves, Miriam said, "I like summer better mommy, then we can be outside all the time." We talked about how the changing seasons are important, and that we were cleaning up the last bit of summer growth to make way for the new life that would start growing this spring. The clean, barren trees are an important part of life, and a good example of how we should treat our souls. Advent is a time to clean our souls through reflection, confession, and prayer at the beginning of the new year. Today, I am thankful for this brief window of sunshine where I was finally able to clean up that giant pile of leaves, reflect on the coming year, and share simple joys with my children.

Book Review: God is Near Us

2011-11-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

This morning, I finally finished "God Is Near Us, The Eucharist, The Heart of Life" by Pope Benedict XVI. What an amazing book by an amazing man! Although we have entered into this Catholic life with reason and arguments, there is so much that I don't have an understanding of. I don't understand what it means to be Catholic, right down to my very core. One of the things that I have been learning about is grace. Grace is a word that is used a lot in both Protestant and Catholic circles. I remember the acronym, God's Riches At Christ's Expense - GRACE. Even with the fancy mnemonic, grace seemed like this abstract concept that was difficult to understand. It still is. But, I am learning about grace in the tangible sense. Grace that can be given in tangible form, through the Sacraments, primarily through the Eucharist. The Eucharist, or Communion, is no longer just a symbolic practice with little crackers and grape juice once a month, but the Body of Christ being given to His followers as a means of transferring grace. It is a profound gift that makes going to church so much more than songs and sermon. It truly is a means of accepting God's grace. Pope Benedict says, "the Christian message is not a collection of abstract propositions about God, but is God's encounter with our world, with the reality of our homes and our lives." (p. 26)

The Eucharist ought to be at the heart of all we do. As we encounter Christ in such an intimate, tangible way, He will affect every aspect of our lives. We cannot consume the Body of Christ over and over again without it radically changing us. "The deeper we go down into the dark night of the uncomprehended God and trust in Him, the more we will discover Him and find the love and the freedom that will carry us through any and every night. God gives that we may give. This is the essence of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ." (p.47) The Eucharist is known as the central mystery of the church, celebrated across all cultures throughout history. "The Eucharist is the sacrament of those who have let themselves be reconciled to God, who have thus become members of his family and put themselves into his hands." (p. 60) As we regularly receive Christ, we move towards Him, we adore Him; God's presence is there waiting for us in the Blessed Sacrament.

We were never meant to find God solely through personal experience, which is at the core of the Protestant/Catholic debate. "For wherever anyone refers with emphasis to the gospel over against the Church, God is thereby being appropriated for one's own self; his word is being made someone's private property, and often, in the end, a defense against God's will....God's word can never be made private property, never my personal possession, but it lives always in the "we" of the Church, in the people of God built up apostolically. The word does not come to us privately; we receive it through the living tradition of the Church, by sharing her faith and life and that of her living community." (p. 123, 124)

I could continue to copy quote after quote from this book; all I can say is "read it!" It is life-changing and offers a beautiful, profound perspective on the Blessed Sacrament. I leave you with one last quote, "The Lord is near us in our conscience, in his word, in his personal presence in the Eucharist: this constitutes the dignity of the Christian and is the reason for his joy. We rejoice therefore, and this joy is expressed in praising God. Today we can see how the closeness of the Lord also brings people together and brings them close to each other: it is because we have the same Lord Jesus Christ in Munich and in Rome that we form one single people of God, across all frontiers, united in the call of conscience, unite by the word of God, united through communion with Jesus Christ, united in the praise of God, who is our joy and our redemption." (p. 106)

A Family Tradition

2011-11-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Apricot jam and apricot butter.

I can now breath a huge sigh of relief. I spend the summer and fall canning and freezing fresh fruits and veggies, so that all winter long, we will have fresh produce. This means that for at least three months, my canning pot is floating around the kitchen, and all the equipment is sitting on top of the counter. I don't mop the floor all that often because I know that when the next project comes along, it will be a sticky mess once again. This year, I was able to do more than any other year; I have a wonderful stash of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, plums, apricots, apples, peaches, corn, rhubarb, tomatoes, and cherries.

The older I get, the more satisfaction I derive from this tradition. The girls have helped contribute to my enjoyment as they excitedly help me "harvest" the various types of produce and watch in amazement as the produce is stored. They truly think that they are just like Laura and Mary helping Ma as she prepares for the winter. "Are we getting ready for winter mommy?" "We better save these for the winter time." "Are the winter storms going to destroy our crops this year?" Crops??? Well, not really. Storms?? Not really. But I have to smile at their questions as they are transported back into the mindset of those who lived 100 years before us. A good friend of mine, who is very practical, asked me "why do you spend so much time doing this when you can just get it at the store?" Good question, and as I thought about the answer, I wasn't exactly sure. I've thought about it more, and come up with a few reasons.

Preparing freezer corn.

Tradition. There is much to value in family traditions. Every time I prepare to can, as I don my apron, I think about my mother doing the same thing when we were little. I remember eating fresh canned peaches on cold winter nights, and thinking they were the best possible treat. I think about my Grandma Minnie who taught my mom how to can. The wife of a struggling dairy farmer, Grandma had to do a lot of canning just to feed her family. Supposedly, she canned 19 quarts of green beans the day before she gave birth to my dad. Quite an accomplishment for 5'2" lady 9 months pregnant with a 9lb+ baby! I look forward to passing this family tradition on to my girls one day.

Quality food. In general, our society doesn't know where their food comes from. We have lost this basic and profound aspect of living. We eat every day, and almost everything we eat comes directly from the store. I am thankful for stores, but at the same time, convenience has won out, and we no longer eat healthy, fresh, local food. I love that the "go local" idea is becoming more popular, and there is a pendulum swing back to eating what is fresh and local. When we pull out a bag of frozen blueberries, we know exactly where we picked them, as well as the people that grew them. When I make spaghetti, I have the satisfaction of knowing that we grew these tomatoes in our garden, and canned them for later use.

Work. There is something deep and profound in working for your food. It is hard to describe, but when you plant seeds, watch them grow, tend to the plants, harvest the produce, and then preserve it for later, it is fulfilling - much more fulfilling than just buying it at the store. Like I said, I am thankful for stores, and get most of our groceries there, but there is a great joy involved in pulling out a jar of home-canned applesauce for my family at dinner. This is what I want my children to see me doing and spending my time. It is a part of making a home. We teach our children what to value by who we are and what we spend our time doing. I want to teach my children about the gifts God has given us through enjoying the bounty of the earth and working for what is pure, simple, and rewarding.
Our family's favorite: canned peaches and peach jam.

A Little Perspective

2011-11-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Last week, it was one of those weeks. Two sick kids, not enough sleep, and too much going on. Messy house, unfinished yard work, it seems like my life is one long stream of unfinished projects. Homeschooling? Ha! When does that happen? It can't happen after I get everything done, because I never get anything completely done. Doubts start to creep in... homeschooling? What am I even doing? I don't have a curriculum I follow, I don't have a set time for school, I don't have a set place for school, what does school even look like around here?? I can't help but wonder if I'm doing them a disservice by keeping them here. But...things have started to settle down, kids are feeling better, I am getting a little more sleep, and here comes perspective. They're still so young, and learning comes in many forms. I sit back and listen to their joy as they're outside blowing bubbles, I smile at the refrigerator plastered with school stuff, and I am thankful that they are still home with me. These are the moments that I can cherish, knowing that tomorrow I can tackle that pile of laundry....or the next day...or the next...

3 Reasons Why We Celebrate Halloween

2011-11-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

My two Flower Fairies and a lady bug.

As we got closer to Halloween this year, like clockwork, I started to see articles appearing on why we shouldn't celebrate Halloween. Isn't it the devil's holiday? There's so much blood, death, and gore associated with it, shouldn't we not have anything to do with Halloween? I've had these thoughts, and now that I am in a place where I'm making decisions regarding my own children, I have gone back and forth on the issue of Halloween. Then last year, I read this great article by Taylor Marshall at Canterbury Tales, and I was sold out. Yes, our culture has taken Halloween and made it gruesome, but isn't our job as Catholics to help redeem culture? Shouldn't we show the rest of the world that we aren't scared; that Christ can take the ugly and make it beautiful? Here are the 3 reasons our family has decided to celebrate Halloween.

Children bring great joy to other people. I remember that growing up in a Christian home, we always celebrated Halloween, and I never remember it being scary or having some sudden urge to worship the devil. My parents did a great job in showing us how to celebrate Halloween. We didn't dress up like anything gory or scary, and we enjoyed being creative and making costumes with supplies from around our house. We didn't have a great neighborhood for trick-or-treating, so my parents drove us around to visit elderly people we knew. Back then, I saw it as I was going to these special houses where these people were waiting to give me giant candy bars, but now I see the beauty in the special relationship forged between young and old. These elderly friends waited with anticipation to see us and share a special night, filled with the joy of children. I have wonderful memories of Halloween as a child (except when I was in 2nd grade, and my mom made me dress up as Big Bird.)
Halloween has Christian origins. Well, yes a combination of Christianity and paganism, but the name come from "All Hallows Eve," or the day before All Saints Day (Hallowtide). This was my first year getting to celebrate All Saints Day as a Catholic, and I realized that it shouldn't be seen as a day to remember the "dead," but those saints who are in heaven worshipping God and praying for those of us down here on earth. It is a beautiful celebration, as we are reminded that we are not alone, there are many holy men and women who have gone before us, showing us that it is possible to live a holy life. November 2, All Souls Day, is a day where we are reminded to pray for the departed, that they may find rest in God's kingdom, which is another beautiful practice.
Trick-or-treating is an excellent time to meet your neighbors. There is no other time where we can walk around the neighborhood, knock on doors, and have most of your neighbors expecting you. Let's face it, most of us don't spend a lot of time with our neighbors, but they are the closest people to us, the people God has put in our path. Shouldn't we get to know them? This year, we were blessed to meet the older man down the street who we often see working out in his yard; the next time we walk by, we can greet him by name and chat a bit. We talked with our neighbors about their yards, Halloween plans, grandkids, and found out that Mike's wife, who we haven't seen for awhile, is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. We now know to pray for her and can bring her flowers and something yummy. We now have a much better idea of how to reach out to our neighbors and touch those around us with God's love. This is the redemptive part of Halloween and why we will continue to enjoy this tradition.

40 Martyrs of England and Wales

2011-10-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Today is the feast day of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales; my confirmation saint, St. Anne Line was one of them. I would love to write more about her, but due to being up much of the night with a sick child, and having way too much to do right now, I am not in a state to write anything wonderful or profound! I chose St. Anne Line because she was a married woman who converted from Calvinism to Catholicism, and her family struggled with her decision. She was martyred for harboring a priest, and before she was hung, she stated, "My Lords, I am accused of harbouring a Catholic priest. So far am I from repenting that I would I could have harboured a thousand." St. Anne Line, pray for us.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09270b.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Line

Also, I discovered someone else who shares St. Anne Line as a patron, Mac at http://mulier-fortis.blogspot.com/2007/08/happy-feast-day.html.

Take Three

2011-10-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

"No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty." ~C. S. Lewis "On Stories"

Truly one of the greatest joys thus far in my homeschooling journey - reading wonderful books with my children. This afternoon, we sit down to embark on "Charlotte's Web" for the third time, at their request. I had to repair the well-worn book before we could begin, brew some coffee, and prepare to be swept off to the Zuckerman Farm. (Again)

Our Family's Tapestry

2011-10-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

I am a black and white person. There is a right way to do things, and a wrong way... right? Yes, I know, I'm working on it. Of course, this tendency in myself is reflected in my parenting and how I think about raising children. I read, read, read; I devour books on discipline, behavior, family, and education just looking for the "right" formula, the "right" way to raise my children.
I was privileged to have taught first grade for several years before having my own children, and my husband has been a teacher for ten years. We have known hundreds of students and families, some we have been amazed with how wonderful they are, and some we have been appalled with how dysfunctional they are. The amount of information and ideas I have is quite overwhelming.

Before I became a parent, I had high expectations and a lot of answers. Now that I am a parent, I have more questions, and my expectations have changed. I have learned that there is not one "right" way to raise your children. But I'm still out there- analyzing, looking for the best formula for raising them. Maybe if I only let my kids listen to classical music, never watch TV, and keep them away from all bad influences, they will turn out virtuous....but then, they may rebel. Maybe if I homeschool them and have just the right book list, curriculum, and schedule, they will turn out intelligent...but then they may be arrogant and think they have all the answers. Maybe if I just send them to school and pray for some good friends, that will teach them how to deal with the world...but then, they may be poorly influenced and may never turn back. The list goes on and on... As I look at all of these families we have known over the years, I realize there isn't one right answer or method.

I have started to think of our family as a tapestry, and our job is to weave the tapestry for our children. Right now, keeping our kids home is one thread we are using. I desire that reading, art, and beautiful music be a large part of our tapestry, however, if a little TV watching and rock music slips in there, it's OK. We cannot make some sort of pure, sterile, environment, free from all influences. I am not advocating a subjective method to parenting; I will continue to read, analyze, and think about what we are allowing to be a part of our family's tapestry, but I need to stop looking for this perfect method that doesn't exist. Our children will learn to deal with the world through us- through what we love, what we don't love, what we value and what we fear. Our family tapestry will include literature, piano, art, and nature, but it will also include sports, a few movies, and even some Aerosmith on those long afternoons when I need a little pick-me-up.

But....I do have one right answer. I couldn't help myself. The largest part of a family's tapestry should be the Church. Our children should be immersed in prayer, holy days, feast days, saints, and especially Mass. The only "formula" we can truly rely on is God's grace given to our children through the Sacraments. We can do everything possible to make our children beautiful, virtuous people, but only God can truly work on their hearts. We must give our children's hearts to Him, and trust that His grace will always call our children back, regardless of what path they may take. Grace must be what holds our family tapestry together. It must be woven into every aspect of our lives.

Evelyn Waugh's book, Brideshead Revisited, is known as a Waugh's masterpiece on "the operation of Grace', - the unmerited and unilateral act of love by which God continually calls souls to Himself." It is a profound book about a dysfunctional Catholic family and all of their shortcomings, but it shows how they all have a conversion at some point in their lives. Four children and their dear friend Charles Ryder, each with their own problems, all come back the Church with what is known as "the twitch upon the thread." This was an expression Waugh borrowed from G.K. Chesterton to illustrate the relationship between free will and grace. A fallen away person, at some point, will feel the slight twitch on their thread of grace as God calls them back to Himself.

This is my only "right" answer. We must work to weave our family's tapestry into a beautiful picture, held together at it's core by God's grace, praying that if my children do have a time where they fall away, they too will feel "the twitch upon the thread" and return to their Father's loving arms.

Lovely Fall Days

2011-10-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

We have had an early rainy season around here, but have found a few moments where we can get outside and enjoy nature. Last week, we spent a beautiful family evening looking for the last few blackberries and skipping rocks in the creek. These are the greatest moments, watching our children enjoy God's creation and basking the beauty we are surrounded with.

The girls attended a birthday party where they had to dress up prairie outfits, and they were delighted to get to share their Laura and Mary outfits with everyone. (And yes, Aidah was not feeling well and went on to vomit at the party, but that is another story....)

Finally, there have been more and more rainy days upon us. As we fill our days with indoor activities, I have been trying to teach the girls to send mail, real mail, as a way to bless our friends and family. This week, Miriam was making a thank you card for her aunt and uncle, and Aidah was drawing a picture for her grandma and grandpa.

Why Don't Catholics Read the Bible?

2011-10-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

This month marks six months of our being Catholic. I am finally getting to the point where I can tell people that I'm Catholic without my insides churning I have been sharing my journey of faith more and more; it has been a beautiful healing process.

Last week, I met another young mother at the gym. Our children were gaily running around in PE class, while we were enjoying adult conversation on the sidelines. We inevitably reached the question of church attendance, and I found out she goes to a local non-denominational church. The question was reciprocated, and I took a deep breath and said "Actually, my husband and I recently became Catholic." (It really is getting easier and easier to say.) Silence. "Hmm, that's interesting." More silence. "Why??" I gave her a brief answer, it really is too big a topic to cover in 30 minutes in a gym.

After my brief answer, we sat in silence once again, until she turned to me and questioned,"So...how do you deal with Catholics not reading the Bible?"
It was my turn to say, "hmmm, that's interesting." I was again struck by how many things we assume about each other without basis in fact. Nick and I have noticed this on both the Catholic and Protestant side, they both assume they know what the other believes, but they don't really know, just as this lady truly thought that Catholics don't read the Bible. I answered her as best I could regarding my observations about the differences in the Protestant vs. Catholic way of approaching Scripture.
(**Please note that these are just my observations. I am not a theologian!)

In the Protestant world, Scripture is something to be studied and dissected in a scientific manner. I am thankful for my Protestant upbringing and training in a Baptist college; I was taught to value Scripture as the only authority, and therefore have spent much time reading, analyzing, and memorizing Scripture. I can recite all the books of the Bible in order, and cite many verses and where they are found. Name a Scripture reference, and I can find it in 20 seconds, thanks to Bible drills in Sunday School. Major emphasis is placed on knowing the Greek and Hebrew words, the context of the verses, and other references regarding the verses, so a true interpretation can be found. The more Greek and Hebrew words you know, the closer you are to the correct interpretation. Don't get me wrong, this is important, and I appreciate the emphasis on purity of interpretation, but there is the tendency to reduce Scripture to this scientific book, that needs to be perfectly dissected to truly gather meaning.

In the Catholic world, Scripture is more a way of life that is incorporated into your daily living through the liturgy and Church calendar. Scripture is read out loud at Mass every day (much to the surprise of my friend!). In fact, if you were to go to Mass every day for two years, you would hear most of the Bible read out loud. You can see the actual statistics on what is read at Mass here. The same Scripture readings are done at Mass all over the world. Every day, those in attendance at Mass are all contemplating the same passages of Holy Scripture. What a beautiful example of the unity in the Body of Christ! One of the greatest differences we have experienced, is the use of the Church calendar. The Catholic Church truly lives Scripture by cycling through the Salvation story every year. Young children who are faithfully brought up in the Catholic Church will start their Church year at Advent where there is a focus on awaiting the coming Messiah as they walk through Old Testament history. Christmas comes along, the birth of Jesus is celebrated, followed by 12 days of celebration. Epiphany marks the coming of the three kings, and shortly they enter into Lent, preparation for Easter. Much time is spent in reflection on the Passion of Christ until Resurrection (Easter) Sunday. Easter is followed by Ordinary Time where Catholics celebrate Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, and Christ the King Sunday. The Bible is taught through the Church calendar and this yearly cycle of acting out Salvation history.

There are definitely differences in how Catholics and Protestants view Scripture, but there are also many similarities and things we can learn from one another. Both sides value Scripture, it is just shown in different ways. We need to stop making assumptions about what the other side believes and spend some time looking into these issues. Catholics may not know the Bible as scientifically as Protestants, and Protestants may not have as deep of a grasp of Salvation History, but there is much to be learned and respected in each other as we all seek to glorify Christ.

Quiet Afternoons and Fall Projects

2011-10-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

There is something to be said about cozy fall afternoons. I have been enjoying Jane Austen and a cup of coffee as the girls rest. It's these quiet moments, although often short-lived, that are rest for the soul. They give me the much needed energy for some fall crafts, celebrating the changing of the seasons.

Life cycle of the apple tree, preparing for fall-time apple-pickin'.

Indian Summer and Charlotte Mason

2011-09-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

We are blessed beyond measure to live in the bountiful Willamette Valley, where we have an abundance of local produce to enjoy all summer long. The girls have loaded up on fresh fruits and vegetables from our own yard or the local farmer's markets. They are really into "harvesting."
This has coupled wonderfully with The Little House on the Prairie series we are currently reading. Charlotte Mason teaches us that "children are educated by their intimacies." How I desire for my children to be intimate with God's creation! "The natural world is the expression of God's personality in a form that is within the reach of all of us to comprehend...is not the natural world one of the greatest proofs that there is a God?" -Charlotte Mason

Aidah helping me plant our fall garden.

Charlotte Mason also teaches us that every day children need something or someone to love, something to do, and something to think about. As we give our children something to do, it should be a task that truly will contribute to the household, something meaningful. Children know when they are being given trivial chores, for the sake of keeping them busy. Teach them the every day tasks involved in running the household, even when they are small. They love the idea of being helpful! I have found that the more I include my children, the more joy, peace, and fulfillment we have in our house.


The girls helping me shuck corn. I stored bags of freezer corn this year, and the girls were involved in shucking the corn, gathering the husks into the compost pile, and feeding the chickens the cobs when we were done.


We also were able to make corn husk dolls, just like Laura and Mary!

"Let them once get in touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life. We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things." - Charlotte Mason

Yes, I was THAT Mother - Bringing Your Children to Mass

2011-09-22T14:42:00.000-07:00

As I thought about my daily schedule for this fall, I have become convinced that I need to get to Mass more regularly than just on Sunday. I would love for daily Mass to become a part of our homeschooling schedule, but for now, my goal is once a week. Yes, I can do that. So last week, I optimistically loaded the girls up and off we went. I thought that if I could just keep the older two girls quiet, and the baby in the stroller, I could make it through without any huge disruptions. Well, I wasn't wrong...if the older two would have been quiet and Clara would have stayed in the stroller, we would have made it through... but the girls had other ideas. Clara just wanted to be out and moving. What 15 month year old doesn't? I was standing on the side holding Clara, and Aidah (3 years old), decided to start being ornery. And so the battle began.
Sunday mornings, we can usually make it through church relatively well with Nick and I both working, the kids usually do pretty good. But here, they had me - outnumbered 3 to 1. It ended with me holding Clara with one arm and literally dragging Aidah out by the other as she was screaming. Yes, I was that mother. Shirt askew, a screaming kid in each arm, at her wits end. Humiliated, upset, and discouraged, I left Mass vowing not to try that again for a long time. My kids are too young, I'll try again in a few years.

But....God had other ideas and I felt the Real Presence of Christ calling me back. There is nothing more profound than being able to partake of the Eucharist; my appreciation for the Eucharist has only begun to grow. I need the grace offered through the Sacraments to be a better mom and wife. So today, I loaded up the kiddos again (no longer with optimism), and we headed to Mass. It was beautiful and blessed my soul. We took some saint books along for the kids to look at. Even though I ended up in the cry room, it was a great opportunity to read through the little book on the Mass with the girls and talk about what Father Todd was doing at the alter. Miriam and Aidah loved it! They learned about what was happening, and so did I. I will continue to have battles, and not every day will go as smoothly as it went today, but I know that God will grant me the grace I need to make it through. A few things I have learned on taking children to Mass:

1. Help your children understand what is going on at the alter. If they are interested, they are going to be more likely to pay attention.

2. Practice sitting still at home. Have a time where the children have to sit quietly on the couch. Set a timer for a couple of minutes and praise them when they have made it through. Gradually increase the time. This is training your children.

3. Don't expect to get a lot of time to yourself to pray and focus. When you have young children, your act of worship is receiving the Sacrament and working with your children. God doesn't expect us to be able to pray the entire rosary with multiple young ones wiggling about.

4. When you do have the opportunity to pray, involve your children. Have them say a Hail Mary with you. What a blessed time to teach little ones to pray!

5. Don't give up. There will be good days, and there will be bad days. Keep going back trusting in God's grace.

6. Pray, pray, pray. Pray for patience, pray for love for your children, pray that God will help your children have a docile spirit while in church.

Our Lady of Hope

2011-09-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to write this blog post for a long time, but have almost been afraid. This is something that struck so close to my heart, how do I properly put it into words?

The few months following our reception into the Church were very difficult for me. I felt very alone, more alone than I have ever been. I had a profound sense of loss; my relationship with my family will never be the same. (Unless they become Catholic one day. I keep praying...) Relationships with our old friends from the Protestant world were slowly dying out due to a difference in interests and beliefs, and new relationships are always hard at first. I felt as though I were in between these two worlds that are incompatible and don't understand one another. I assumed that after I became Catholic, I would have this overwhelming sense of joy, and I didn't.

One Sunday afternoon, I went to a Ladies Tea at Nick's school where all of the tables had a Marian theme. I was fascinated as I walked around and looked at the beautifully adorned tables, each with a different name for
Mary. Most of the names were foreign to me, and I made many mental notes to read more about what each name meant. This truly was a new world for this Protestant girl! As I slowly walked around, a framed picture
caught my eye. It showed Mary, regally crowned - the Queen of Heaven, but as I looked closer, she had tears coming down her cheeks. I looked at the name and it was "Our Lady of Hope." I teared up as I looked at Our Lady of Hope, and realized I can still have hope and not feel joyful all the time.

I came home and immediately found the picture on the internet and spent a lot of time looking at that picture and reflecting on hope. Dietrich von Hildebrand says, "every act of hope is primarily a response to God, to His infinite goodness, to His almightiness, and to the fact that God loves us infinitely." Romans 5:5 says, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." As long as I had hope in God, hope in Christ, it was alright that I didn't feel joy. Hope allows for sorrow, as depicted on Mary's face. I realized that I could mourn for those lost relationships, ones that may never be restored. I had hope in Christ and His Church, I had hope that I was following Him although the path may be hard at times. It made me thankful for Mother Mary who could relate with me and feel sorrow, and yet have hope at the same time. I have clung to these ideas of hope, and slowly have regained joy.

Do Butlers Burgle Banks?

2011-09-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

How does one begin to write about P. G. Wodehouse? A literary genius, having written over 90 books, each one overflowing with enough wit and humor to keep anyone laughing, Wodehouse truly stands out as one of the wittiest writers I have ever read. "Do Butlers Burgle Banks?" was a much needed "lighter" book for our Book Club this month, and led us into an enticing conversation as to the nature of humor. What do we laugh at? Why do we laugh? Should we laugh at some of things we find funny?

The primary type of humor found in this book involves laughing at things because they are absurd, or some sort of parody of the way things ought to be. America's Funniest Home Videos once so widely popular, was a show comprised mainly of people falling, tripping, animals running into doors, etc. Although the show was largely the same every week, I always found myself hysterically laughing. G. K. Chesterton says, "It is not funny that anything else should fall down; only that a man should fall down. Why do we laugh? Because it is a gravely religious matter: it is the Fall of Man. Only man can be absurd: for only man can be dignified." It is only because man is a truly dignified being, created in the image of God, that when something absurd happens to him, it is funny.

Wodehouse's entire premise in "Do Butlers Burgle Banks" involves a man who poses as a butler in order to gain access to the local bank. Throughout the entire story, you find yourself inwardly cheering for Horace Appleby and his gang to succeed in their mission. As all of the characters are masterfully woven together, they find themselves inextricably tied and the bank must be robbed for the good of them all. Where is the humor in robbing a bank? The humor is found in the absurdity of the entire plot. There is not the moral confusion that is so often found in modern day tales; the entire story is obviously absurd. Combine the absurd plot line with Wodehouse's clever wit and use of the English language, and you have a delightful work of literature, perfect for a summer afternoon.

“People wonder why the novel is the most popular form of literature; people wonder why it is read more than books of science or books of metaphysics. The reason is very simple; it is merely that the novel is more true than they are.” G. K. Chesterton

Please join in the discussion on humor! I love comments and thoughts. Here is a link to Wodehouse's book in my Amazon store:

http://mothermovedbygrace.blogspot.com/p/book-club.html

Classical Education on the Radio

2011-09-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

My husband was interviewed on KBVM Catholic Radio in Portland about St. John Bosco High School, the classical high school where he is teaching. They are doing an encore of the interview in honor of the first day back to school. Listen to it at KBVM, In Person Guests LIVE at 8 a.m. Even if you miss the live interview, you can listen from the archives.

http://kbvm.com/schedule/

My Homeschooling Philosophy - the Beginning

2011-09-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

This is an excerpt from an email to a dear friend with whom I have been dialoguing about homeschooling with. It contains some of my ideas as I try to put my thoughts into a collection so that I may form our educational philosophy. When I tell people that I am homeschooling, they inquire what curriculum I'm using. The real answer is "nothing and everything" all at the same time. I see God's world
as our curriculum. Please feel free to comment and join in the discussion. These ideas are truly in the beginning stages.

As I think and read about schooling, I am very interested in classical education using both Susan Wise Bauer and Charlotte Mason. It is interesting to think about how those two "ideas" go together, especially while our children are young, because I have found they conflict in their method of teaching the grammar stage. SWB likes children to memorize facts, collect facts, etc., (hence the binders all over the house) whereas CM doesn't feel that children are "memory machines." I don't think these two philosophies are incompatible, in fact, they go well together, it's just a question of how to incorporate them into our schooling. So.....as of right now, I don't think that I am going to go full-out in a Dorothy Sayers method of fact memorization. I am going to try more of a CM method, and follow our living books where they take us. Right now, we are reading the Little House series and the girls are fascinated with Indians, prairie life, and covered wagon travel. I have been using this as a spring board for our schooling, and our"facts" are coming from library books on Indians, maps of the Ingall's journey, and making things like they did. We are working on getting a covered wagon box in the backyard for the girls to pack up and travel in. They automatically collect facts and information just through these types of activities.

Our "covered wagon"

My goal right now for our school year is to work on phonics and math concepts, art, music, theology, poetry, and reading great books. I also want to establish a school schedule of just an hour or two a day of "lesson time." I think because I was a public school teacher and a driven person, I have the drive to push my children through workbooks and the like, but I am trying to resist that temptation during these early years and just enjoy learning with my children.

A few books that I have stumbled upon recently that have been very useful:

"Catholic Education: Homeward Bound" by Kimberly Hahn and Mary Hasson - this one has an excellent list of resources in the back as well as some great ideas for managing a large household (babies and toddlers) while homeschooling.

"Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum: A Guide to Catholic Home Education" by Laura Berquist - this one is really helpful to help you think of how to compile all of these ideas and make a curriculum that suits your family best.

Decalogue for Daily Living

2011-09-01T22:29:00.000-07:00

1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2. Only for today,
I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and it my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.

8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

Bl. Pope John XXIII

Grace Through Suffering

2011-08-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, may all the saints and angels pray for this family.

http://www.patheos.com/community/deaconsbench/2011/08/04/this-was-grace/

Emma Watson on Modesty

2011-08-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for awhile, as summer activities have prevented me from being on the computer, but I just loved this (love her!) and wanted to share!

http://pinterest.com/pin/61751345/

Catholic Vaccine Information

2011-05-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

When I share my conversion story, many people have asked what I found out about vaccines. It is such a *HOT* issue in today's world. I will soon post my overall thoughts and summary of what I have learned, but until that time, here is the link for the Children of God for Life page on vaccines,
which includes the PONTIFICIA ACADEMIA PRO VITA letter regarding vaccinations. This truly was the final straw in my conversion process. Here was practical, moral guidance for me as I was making decisions as a mother. Many articles that I had read about vaccines were for one side or the other, citing evidence of the positive or negative outcomes of vaccinations. This article was different. I learned about active and passive cooperation with evil. I learned to think about the good of others, not only myself and my children. I learned how to think about vaccinations in regards to their morality, not simply their outcomes. I hope this helps all of you who are looking into this issue.

http://cogforlife.org/vaccineinfo.htm

You're Catholic? Why?

2011-05-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Since becoming Catholic, I have been asked numerous times, WHY??? Why are you doing this? Many Catholics have asked with excitement in their voices, and my non-Catholic family and friends have asked with dismay.

Interestingly, no one asks void of emotion. I was talking with a friend who recently converted, and I was telling him about my mother's belief that the Catholic Church is Satan's greatest triumph in all of history. He replied, "It has to be either Satan's greatest triumph, or Christ's greatest triumph. There is no neutral ground when it comes to the Catholic Church." Truth. The same applies to people I talk to about my conversion; there is no neutral ground. They are either excited or dismayed.

So what led to this decision? Often, when I try to tell this story, it is too overwhelming. How do you describe eight years of reading, discussing, listening, and journeying? My worldview gradually shifted, and it is difficult to put into words what happened in my mind and my heart. There are a few landmark times in my journey that I will try to highlight.

I grew up Baptist - and all that encompasses: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, church on Sunday, devotions in the morning, prayer before bed, and memorizing Scripture. I grew up with my faith wavering at times, especially during the high school years, and went on to attend a small, Baptist college, where I had a moment where I "rededicated" my life to Christ. It was here that I started dating my husband, who is a passionate man with a love for theology and discussion. We were Calvinists and defended all the Baptist teachings. I will always be grateful for my upbringing; I was taught to value Scripture and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I was surrounded by people who loved the Lord and desired to share His love with others.

Once married, Nick and I attended the local Baptist Church for several years where we were involved in the AWANA program. It was here that our journey began. We started to be frustrated with church. It seemed that church was "good" if there was a sermon packed with knowledge and we learned a lot, and "fruitlesss" if the sermon wasn't very good. Looking back, I realize that when you attend a church without liturgy, everything focuses on the sermon, pastor, and how we feel during worship. We were frustrated with ourselves, we wanted to enjoy church and worship God; we didn't want to be critical. After much prayer, we decided to leave and find a church that better suited us.

This brings me to the second phase of our journey: searching. This was a very difficult year for us, as we attended a new church almost every weekend. Saturday night, we would get out the directory, and look for a church that we test out the next day. Although this was an emotionally draining time, as we both wanted to be settled in a church, it was a very important time in our lives. We were forced to ask questions: What is church? What is the purpose of church? What makes church "good" and "bad"? As we evaluated churches and ourselves, our answers to these questions gradually changed. We realized that church was not about what we intellectually learned during the sermon and what emotions we had during singing, but that we were going to ascribe worship to God through liturgy. We were to be giving ourselves to God in a way that is greater than what we learned or felt. We shouldn't sit back as a critical audience with our coffees and consume, we were to participate in something larger than us. It shouldn't matter if we didn't like the sermon or not. It wasn't about us; it was about worshipping Christ by participating in liturgy with a community of believers. It took a long time to come to this conclusion.

During this time, we were reading, studying, and discussing all of these issues with friends who were going through the same things we were. We had friends who entered into the Reformed world, Anglican world, and some converted to Catholicism. We settled at a very conservative Episcopal Church, which was run by a priest who had Anglo-Catholic inclinations. During the four years that we were here, our reading and studying continued. We were introduced to liturgy, prayers to the Saints and Mary, the Daily Office, the liturgical calendar, Church history that finally made sense through Apostolic Succession, and really a "Catholic" spirituality.

Our first two daughters were baptized at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, much to the dismay of our families. It was here that a large pillar from our Protestant upbringing was struck down. The doctrine of Sola Scriptura, Bible alone, is the key to Baptist theology. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a Church that believed in infant baptism and we had always been taught “believer’s baptism” once a person is old enough to make the decision on their own. This struck both Nick and I at a very personal level as we anxiously awaited the arrival of our first born. We turned to the Bible for answers, and the issue of baptism isn’t clear. Both sides have valid arguments using Scripture for why they are right. The Bible, standing alone, wasn’t sufficient. The pillar of Sola Scriptura had fallen, and we were left with relying on Tradition or our own individual interpretation of what we thought Scripture was trying to say.

As we attended St. Mary’s, Nick was devouring book after book on Church history, and the Catholic Church. He is a history, literature, philosophy, and theology teacher so these issues struck right at the heart of his daily work. Finally, my husband's twin brother and best friend became Catholic. We both had to answer the question of "why are you NOT Catholic?"

I think of this as the last "landmark" in our journey - answering that piercing question - why are you not Catholic? We were living a Catholic life, just void of the Papal Authority and the Eucharist. Due to a move, we were attending an Anglo-Catholic Church that believes in all the Church teaches except for the authority of the Pope. They believe in all seven sacraments and celebrate a beautiful and ancient liturgy. I had read through the catechism several times and didn't disagree with anything in there. All the dominoes of "Catholic problems" had fallen: Mary, prayers to the Saints, Eucharist, infant baptism, etc. The last and final question for us both was the question of authority. Does the Pope have authority? More importantly, do I have to submit to the authority of the Catholic Church? We were both coming to realize that we were still living in the Protestant world of picking and choosing what you want to believe and do with your life. The individual was still the authority.

I'll never forget the moment I decided to become Catholic. I was pregnant with my third child, and had recently moved, meaning a switch in pediatricians. As I was transferring all of our medical information to the new office, I was confronted with the controversial issue of immunizations. There sure are a lot of opinions and dogmatic people on both sides of the issue! My girls were both about half-immunized. I was doing quite a bit of research to decide what we were going to do, when I googled "Christian perspective on immunizations." Nothing good came up. Frustrated, I changed it to "Catholic perspective on immunizations." I was transferred to an article from the Pontifical Academy for Life that was extremely helpful in considering the morality of vaccinating your child. This was ten times more helpful than anything that I had found. It listed the vaccines that are made from aborted fetuses, and talked about the ethical decisions a parent must make, protecting the greater good of society, protecting our children, and protecting the unborn. It didn’t give an exact answer; it gave a framework with which to think about the issue. It was practical, nuanced, thoughtful, and right. I was driving to the YMCA, thinking about all of my research, and chuckled to myself, and literally thought, "Those Catholics, they got it right again. They're always right." Then, "Whoa! They're always right." Tears came to my eyes, and it was at that moment, I knew I had been moved by grace to come home to the Catholic Church.

I told my husband that night that I was ready to become Catholic. This was at an extremely hard time in our lives. We had just moved to a new town where he was starting a job at a Reformed school, teaching history and theology, and I was pregnant with our third child. We both knew that if we became Catholic, it would mean he would lose his job and we would have to move again. My husband wasn't quite ready, and for him as the provider our family, becoming Catholic meant a lot more than just joining the Church, it meant losing his livelihood with three young children. It wasn't long after I had made up my mind; he decided he was ready too. After resigning in the spring, we were jobless for a short time before God opened the doors to another teaching job at a little Catholic school where we used to live.

Looking back, I am amazed at the eight-year journey God took us on to find his Church. It has been painful, we have lost friends who no longer want anything to do with us because of our faith, and it is very difficult for our families who feel that we have betrayed them and the faith of our childhood. As we adjust to these new relationships, I am thankful that I have the wisdom and guidance of Mother Church, the prayers of the Saints and Mary, and the grace given by the Sacraments. Gloria in excelsis Deo

My Facebook Fast Inspiration

2011-05-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about taking a break from Facebook, but have continued to put it off. Why? I don't want to! I have an addiction, when I'm lonely, bored, or happy, I aimlessly drift to the computer to "check on" what's going on. I read this article this morning and it convinced me to take a week off. I'll check my email at night, but no Facebook for a week. Here's an excellent article, worth reading.

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-three-temptations-of-facebook?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+National+Catholic+Register#When:10:13:15Z

2011-05-11T07:57:00.001-07:00

Why We Should Always Value Life

Too Many Kids?

2011-05-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

Great article on having children.

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/its-never-a-good-time-to-have-kids?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+National+Catholic+Register#When:21:20:19Z

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

2011-05-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite poems of all time.....

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
...Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
~William Ross Wallace

The Hand That Rules the World

2011-05-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

"For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world."
~William Ross Wallace

This is a line from one of my favorite poems of all time. I have read it over and over again, clung to it during the most difficult times of my mothering, and I read it again on Mother's Day as I thought about what it means to be a mother.
The thought of being a mother is truly overwhelming. As the poet Wallace says, "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." How can that possibly apply to myself? I spent some time thinking about what kind of mother I want to be, and one person came to mind, my friend Martha.

Martha and I were only able to spend about eight months together before she had to move. Her family of five moved to Oregon so her husband could teach at a small, private Christian school. Our husbands were colleagues at the school, which is how we met. She had three children, and was a homeschool mom. As I watched her with her children (ages 3, 5, 8), there was something unique about Martha. She truly enjoyed being with her children. I never got the feeling of burnout, of that longing to escape, and "find time for herself" that I so often see in many moms, including myself. But she wasn't one to stay home all day, she was always on the move. I remember her telling me that she had an outing every day, because she didn't like staying cooped up in the house. Martha and her kids went for walks, hiked nature trails, made weekly trips to the library, and explored the city together. I'll never forget talking to her one evening on the phone. We were chatting about the day's activities, and she mentioned that she went to the beach with her kids. "The beach? You mean, the Oregon Coast?"

"Yes, the Oregon Coast. It was so much fun, the kids just played in the sand all day, we had a picnic, and collected shells."

"Who did you go with?"

"Just the kids and I. It looked like a great day for the beach."

"You mean you drove 2 hours by yourself? You didn't meet anyone there?"

"No, I wasn't by myself, I was with the kids."

I would have never thought about venturing the long drive and day at the beach without someone else. Yet, here was Martha, who had one more child than myself (at the time), who didn't think twice about it. She loved life, and she loved living it with her children.

As I thought about Martha, and her relationship with her children, I tried to figure out how she did it. How did she keep a tidy house, homeschool, cook, do projects with her kids, exercise, etc.? This is what I noticed:

1) She involved her kids in most things. They helped clean, cook, and run errands. The kids just expected to be a part of what she was doing. And they loved it!

2) But...she also found time for herself regularly. We were both members at the community center and went there several times a week, put our kids in the child care, and did an exercise class. It was refreshing. Martha took this regular time for herself so she wasn't stretched to the limit.

3) She had daily outings. I think there is something about being cooped up in a house that wears on any person. By going out daily, she also prevented a "build up." I admired her for going out with her little ones. She wasn't afraid to go walking on trails with her kids, her expectation was that she was going to go slower and enjoy nature. She loved what her kids loved - park, swimming pool, zoo, library.

4) Martha was up early in the morning. This is where I have a really hard time, I am not a morning person! By the time Martha's kids were up, she had been up for awhile, reading, praying, and preparing for the day. I have found when I am up before my kids, I am better prepared mentally to face the day.

Although Martha and her family were only here for a short time before the Lord called them elsewhere, I am thankful for the time we were able to spend together. She was an amazing mother, wise, and balanced. Thank you, Martha, for teaching me how to truly love and enjoy my children.

"Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world."

Pope Speaks on Scripture

2011-05-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

This is a great article on Catholic thought about Sacred Scripture.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/05/05/pope-insists-bibles-truth-is-found-in-its-totality/

Aerosmith Haunted by Abortion

2011-05-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

I grew up listening to Aerosmith, and I confess, although I rarely listen to it anymore, I like their music. This is a very insightful article on the consequences of abortion. God have mercy on him.

http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/04/rocker-steven-tyler-of-aerosmith-haunted-by-girlfriends-abortion/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lifenews%2Fnewsfeed+%28LifeNews.com%29

The Wisdom of Mother Church

2011-05-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we are officially Catholic. As of April 10, 2011, I am a member of the Roman Catholic Church. What a blessed and emotional day! I would like to write and reflect more on that day in a later post, but for today, I have some other thoughts I would like to share.

The biggest change I have found since living with this Catholic worldview is a shift in thinking from Protestant to Catholic.
My worldview has changed; I see this almost daily in different situations I come across. As of Tuesday, a friend from college lost his 21-year sister Sarah, after a two year long battle with cancer. As I prayed for this friend and his family, I found myself praying for Sarah, which was the first time that I had prayed for someone who had died. As a Protestant, there are no prayers for the dead, there is no "need" to, yet I found myself automatically praying for this girl. It made sense to pray for her soul as she entered into the afterlife. I prayed that she may find Christ and that Christ may have mercy on her soul. This was strange, foreign, yet it was right. We should pray for the souls of those who have departed. Once again, I was confronted by the wisdom of Mother Church. Again and again, I have been in practical situations where the Church, my Mother, has guided me and had a huge role in my day to day life.

This morning, I was reading in Galatians 6:4-9, "But let every one prove his own work, and so he shall have glory in himself only, and not in another. For every one shall bear his own burden. And let him that is instructed in the word, communicate to him that instructeth him, in all good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For waht things a man shall sown, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit, shall reap life everlasting. And in doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not failing." For the first time, these verses made sense to me! In my Baptist tradition, there is no place for faith and works, rendering verses like these confusing. The idea is that "true faith will express itself in works," but ultimately, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you've said the sinner's prayer and really meant it. Catholic teaching has helped me; it does matter what you do on this earth! Christ wants us to work out our salvation here and now. Of course, this is not apart from Christ, as Paul later says in verse 14, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world." It is not for our glory, but for the glory of Christ.

Thank you, Mother Church for leading me, guiding me, in my practical day to day life. Your grace is abundant.

Work for the Sake of Work....Advice from the Amish

2011-04-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

From Plain and Simple, by Sue Bender...

On the Amish people: "There was no rushing to finish to they could get on to the 'important things.' To them, it was all important. Their intention is to make things grow and do work that is useful. I couldn't say exactly what the difference is, but I felt the difference. They work to work. Their work time isn't spent 'in order to do something else'- to have free time on the weekends, go to a restaurant, or save for a vacation or retirement. They do not expect to find satisfaction in that vague 'something out there' but in the daily mastery of whatever they are doing."

How often I find myself thinking these types of thoughts: "I'll play with the kids once I get ____ done." or "Once I get ____ accomplished, then I can relax, read, think, enjoy." I have been on a quest to "spring clean" my house, room by room. I have been on this quest for almost a month now, due to sickness, company, and commitments. I keep telling myself, that I will sit down and do something with the kids when I am all done. Well, a month has gone by, and here I am...a project still not done. In the meantime, my baby only has one month left before she has her first birthday, my four year old is eager to read everything in sight, and my three year old is discovering the joys of spring time. Have I enjoyed these times with my children? Not as much as I would have liked, for I have been task-driven.

Let us take advice from the Amish people, and take joy in our work, for the sake of work, not so we can "get it accomplished." Enjoy life as it is happening around you, realize you'll never get everything done at once, and stop longing for something bigger, better, or more fantastic. The fantastic parts of life are in the mundane, everyday tasks....Enjoy them!

Planned Parenthood’s Pink in Hot Water - Kathryn Jean Lopez - National Review Online

2011-04-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Excellent article dealing with Planned Parenthood and the "services" they provide.

Planned Parenthood’s Pink in Hot Water - Kathryn Jean Lopez - National Review Online

Great Article on Homeschooling

2011-03-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

My first daughter will be entering into Kindergarten next year, and I am very excited to embark on the journey of homeschooling.

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/03/homeschooling-freedom

The Prayer of St. Patrick

2011-03-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite prayers, even back in my Protestant days! The doctrine of the Trinity has been useful in talking to my Protestant friends and family about the development of doctrine. One of the biggest problems many of them have with the Catholic Church is that they have doctrine "apart" from Scripture. Pointing out that you can't directly find the doctrine of the Trinity in Scripture helps them see that Sola Scriptura doesn't work. Thank you, Saint Patrick.

I bind to myself today

The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:

I believe the Trinity in the Unity

The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today

The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,

The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,

The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,

The virtue of His coming on the Judgment Day.

I bind to myself today

The virtue of the love of seraphim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the hope of resurrection unto reward,

In prayers of Patriarchs,

In predictions of Prophets,

In preaching of Apostles,

In faith of Confessors,

In purity of holy Virgins,

In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today

The power of Heaven,

The light of the sun,

The brightness of the moon,

The splendor of fire,

The flashing of lightning,

The swiftness of wind,

The depth of sea,

The stability of earth,

The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today

God’s Power to guide me,

God’s Might to uphold me,

God’s Wisdom to teach me,

God’s Eye to watch over me,

God’s Ear to hear me,

God’s Word to give me speech,

God’s Hand to guide me,

God’s Way to lie before me,

God’s Shield to shelter me,

God’s Host to secure me,

Against the snares of demons,

Against the seductions of vices,

Against the lusts of nature,

Against everyone who meditates injury to me,

Whether far or near,

Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues

Against every hostile merciless power

Which may assail my body and my soul,

Against the incantations of false prophets,

Against the black laws of heathenism,

Against the false laws of heresy,

Against the deceits of idolatry,

Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,

Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today

Against every poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against death-wound,

That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ within me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ at my right, Christ at my left,

Christ in the fort,

Christ in the chariot seat,

Christ on the deck,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today

The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,

I believe the Trinity in the Unity

The Creator of the Universe.

Lesson Seven: Cultivate Boredom

2011-03-15T09:40:00.000-07:00

A creative article on the very relevant issue of entertainment in our culture.

Lesson Seven: Cultivate Boredom

Eyes Turned Heavenward

2011-03-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

A few nights ago, I had the pleasure of attending Parent Night at my daughter's AWANA program. I was proudly led by the hand to all of the different stations, as my daughter beamed next to me. What can be better for a four-year-old than to show off her mommy? And I was right there with her, proud as can be of her beautiful blue eyes and shy smile. I sat down in the tiny chairs for their lesson of the day, and watched as the leader tried to have a discussion with a group of preschoolers about Heaven. I wish that I had a video camera! These little ones were full of "knowledge" about Heaven.

"You want to go to Heaven so you don't have to go to the place with the lava and the devil."

"People have to get really old before they go to Heaven."

"I don't want to go to Heaven, you can't sleep there and I'll get really tired."

As I bit my lip, holding back hysterical laughter, I couldn't help but think that something was wrong here. How can we possibly have an intellectual discussion about Heaven with preschoolers? The teacher did a wonderful job of trying to bring her pupils back to the point, the whole focus of my Protestant upbringing: "What do you have to do to get to Heaven?" The answer: "Ask Jesus into your heart." There it is, the beginning, middle, and end.

I thought back to a few weeks prior, when my husband and I traveled 45 minutes to take our children to Solemn High Mass with a professional choir singing Gregorian chant. The service, conducted in one of the most beautiful churches around left me speechless. During every part of the service, my senses were directed heavenward. I walked out, looked at my husband, and said, "that is the closest we will get to Heaven on Earth." I have never seen anything more beautiful, nor felt God's glory so close.

The day following my AWANA experience, I told my (very Protestant) sister about the amusing quotes I heard from my daughter's peers. She responded by saying, "I am glad you are taking her there, where she can experience God."

This had a huge impact on me. Where does my four-year-old experience God more? In an intellectual discussion about what Heaven is? Or in a beautiful cathedral watching the drama of the Mass being acted out to centuries-old liturgy?

The Catholic world has exposed my family to history, beauty, art, music, and the glory of God in a way that I never experienced growing up as a Baptist. It seems as though in the Protestant world, spirituality rests on an intellectual plane. Salvation is making an intellectual choice, saying the right prayer, and then studying the Bible in a scientific manner. There is something missing. They are forgetting the whole person, and only focusing on the intellectual. During Mass, every part of me is involved: my eyes looking at beautiful art, my ears listening to glorious music, my mind as I listen to Scripture and teaching, and my body as I kneel before our Lord. I am thankful, that having been moved by grace, my family found the Catholic church, where our eyes are turned to Heaven.