A Life-Size Catholic Blog

Hilarious Church Bulletin Bloopers

2012-03-12T21:39:00.005-06:00

Hilarious is an understatement! I was on the floor … literally! A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders. It even provides a good workout for the heart. I’m completely worn out from laughing my way through this post written by Mathew Archblod of the National Catholic Register.

OK. There’s a lot of serious stuff going on in the Church and in the world right now and I was prepared to write on them but then I received an email from a friend of mine about Church bulletin bloopers and I laughed so hard I nearly choked to death. (I’m actually not kidding. My wife came running into the room to see if I was OK.) I have no idea of the veracity of these or their original source but they struck me as funny so I’m thinking you’ll probably get a laugh or two out of it as well.

Here they are:

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals..

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The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water.

The sermon tonight: Searching for Jesus.

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Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say ‘Hell’ to someone who doesn’t care much about you .

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Don’t let worry kill you off - let the Church help .

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Miss Charlene Mason sang ‘I will not pass this way again,’ giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

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For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs .

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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow..

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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What Is Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice.

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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.

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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM . All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.

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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM . Please use the back door.

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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM . The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.

Please use large double door at the side entrance.

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The Associate Minister unveiled the church’s new campaign slogan last Sunday:

” I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

Source: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/hilarious-church-bulletin-bloopers/#ixzz1oxcptTHa

Linked up with:

God, give me tools … the right ones, please!

2012-03-11T20:54:00.011-06:00

Writing this blog has truly been a gift. I have learned so many things from my fellow bloggers from researching article topics, and because it’s raised my awareness in many faith-related ways.

However, my findings have not always panned out the way I have expected them to. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.

During the past 3 weeks, the subject of the Liturgy of the Hours has entered my realm. First, one of the new Parish bloggers has been blogging about it. Second, a committee I’m a part of at church discussed it. Lastly, a blogger I respect mentioned it in one of her posts. Well, being the curious person I am, I went on a quest, certain I had found a new avenue to increase my faith commitment. After checking out some online resources, I thought about purchasing the needed materials. However, this was no small investment. We’re talking about $150 of our hard-earned smackers—little did I know at the time this was the least of the investment involved. Ultimately, it worked out that I could borrow a set from my Religious Education director.

I spent a few hours last Friday pouring over the volumes, supplements and instructions with my girlfriend Rose. (I’m always roping her into things like this and she’s such a good sport.) After we figured out how the entire process works, we decided to do the Morning Prayers. An hour into it I looked up at her and said, “This is taking a really long time and there are four sections to do each day. There is no way I’d have time to do this every day. To which she responded, “Umm, hum.” Then I added, “Would I do one section a day?” She raised her eyebrows. Then I said, “Do you think I’d do it on my days off?” She smartly stayed silent, but I noticed she was chewing her bottom lip. I closed the volume we had been reading from, and I looked over at her. “I’m not going to do it, am I,” I lamented.

The fact is, I really want to be the kind of person who practices the Liturgy of the Hours. I admire those dedicated people. But me, I struggle to read my short devotional and pray the Rosary every day, and how long does that take? The truth is, we all have our own path. I spend a relatively significant amount of time working to grow my faith. What works for me, though, might not work for you, and what works for you may not work for me. For that reason, I ask, “God, give me the right tools!” I know he will because in the middle of the muddle, even my muddle, our holy Lord is calmly at work.

Linking up with:

Pay it Forward March 2012

2012-03-07T09:37:00.002-07:00

I've received a few requests to open up Pay It Forward to posts from a bloggers own blog. Being open minded ... I thought I'd give it a try. Although the original idea was to share what you've seen elsewhere on the internet, I fully recognize that each time we post something on our own blogs we are also sharing Good News, great tips, wonderful prayers, fabulous photos, scrumptious recipes, hilarious humor, unbelievable books, stories of goodwill, or good things that have knocked our socks off. So let's give it a try—shall we?

I'll leave the March linky open until March 14th. Enter your links below or on the original post. (Entered links will appear in both places.) I can't wait to see what gets posted!

Don't forget to link up so others can join the fun!

Going to The Religious Education Congress?

2012-03-05T19:40:00.002-07:00

My parish is sending me to the Religious Education Congress in Los Angeles. It’s the largest annual gathering of its kind in the world. Held over four days at the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center and sponsored by the Office of Religious Education, a department of the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The convention was started in 1968 for religious education purposes, but also to advance Catholics personal growth. Today the event is open to people of all vocations and different faiths.

The 2010 Congress hosted the first "live" webcast and this year the convention is being broadcast too! So, if you can’t make it to Anaheim, you can experience the outpouring of grace and enthusiasm through your computer via the "live" page link — www.RECongress.org/LIVE. Plus, check back here at A Life-Size Catholic Blog for posts about my RE Congress experience.

I am so excited about this opportunity. The hardest part was deciding what workshops to attend. There is a boatload of choices! Three hundred and seven to be exact and I could only pick 8. I had a little chat with God and said, "Put me in the right place, would you?" Although, honestly ... could there be a wrong place?

2012 DATES: March 22, 2012 (Youth Day) & March 23-25, 2012

Are you going to Congress? Let me know if you’ll be attending. I’d love to meet my online friends in person!

Congress Website

Pay it Forward: March 2012

2012-03-01T20:09:00.005-07:00

“Pay It Forward”: Sharing Good News, great tips, wonderful prayers, fabulous photos, scrumptious recipes, hilarious humor, unbelievable books, stories of goodwill, or whatever good knocks your socks off … with one another. Remember to link your posts or sidebars with the Pay it Forward logo so your visitors can checkout how they can participate too.The linky will be open until March 10th.

Click one of the buttons for detailed instructions if you need them.

This Month my Pay it Forward goes to this Life Vest video that reminds us once again of the extraordinary power of kindness; that it can start from the simplest act of the heart and grow ripple by ripple into a magnificent power capable of transforming the world. Lets start our own chain reaction.

"Life Vest" Kindness is a universal language that has tremendous uplifting power. Life Vest Inside is based on the philosophy that increasing kindness in society will lead to more connectedness and a better, happier world. In the stormy seas of life, we all could use a little support, perhaps a 'life vest,' to keep us afloat. That life vest is kindness."

Don’t be like Saint Ambrose.

2012-02-29T05:30:00.015-07:00

I came across the funniest post about St. Ambrose and St. Augustine —on of all things a site called Study Professor—and oddly just after I posted yesterday about an Augustine quote. I can't imagine anyone already knows this obscure fact and if you read on as a bonus you can boost your reading comprehension. (I'm sure you've all been fretting about that lately, haven't you!) Anyway, I've decided that the world is connected in more ways than ever imaginable. My internet surfing has proved this over and over again.

Anyone who has ever tried to bulldoze their way through a narcolepsy [I broke out the dictionary for that one, it means sleep attacks at inappropriate times, like work, school, or Mass ... maybe?] inducing SAT or GRE reading comprehension passage will know just how hard it is to maintain focus when reading. No matter how hard you try to feign interest in scintillating topics like “The History of Corn Prices in 19th Century Dubuque” or “An In-Depth Look at Catatonia in Clams” we just can’t seem to keep our gray matter engaged. We end up like that dog in the movie Up. “Squirrel!”I’ve got an easy fix to help keep your wayward brain on track and boost your comprehension.

Don’t be like Saint Ambrose.

Saint Augustine noted that when he went to visit Ambrose—then the bishop of a hoppin’ 4th Century Milan—he often found him reading silently. No lie. The guy read without saying the words out loud! I know. Weird, right? “When he read,” noted Augustine, “his eyes scanned the page and his heart sought out the meaning, but his voice was silent and his tongue was still. Anyone could approach him freely and guests were not commonly announced, so that often, when we came to visit him, we found him reading like this in silence, for he never read aloud.” Although there is some reason to believe that others had read silently before Ambrose, it was considered very out of the ordinary! Most people in the ancient world read out loud apparently, and in Europe this persisted up until the 10th Century (Alberto Manguel, A History of Reading. New York, Viking, 1996).

Apparently, ancient students knew something most of us don’t. It sometimes really helps to read out loud. In fact, reading aloud not only ratchets up your focus, it increases your comprehension. Apparently, St. Ambrose is not the example to follow when trying to remember what you've read. Who knew, right? I’m going to insist my daughter read this post. She recently commented about my muttering aloud when I was studying the other day declaring, “You can’t talk to yourself when you’re taking the test.” But, I think I will and I suggest she does too!

Source: Cody Blair has spent over a decade helping students and teachers discover the secrets that make learning simple! His ebook, Secrets Smart Students Know, reveals how the best students use powerful study skills, maximize their memory, avoid procrastination, and maximize their focus to achieve fantastic grades with much less work! Click now to find out more about simple methods to maximize your study skills.

A Private door to God

2012-02-28T11:02:00.005-07:00

I became acquainted with St. Augustine’s story through the blog of an online friend, Oh, Beauty Ever Ancient Ever New. (I can’t link you over to her because the blog doesn’t exist anymore, or at least that’s what the links says when you try to click to it. Where have you gone, Joan?) Anyway, ever since I read a quote on Joan's blog I’ve been thinking about it.

"Late have I loved You, oh beauty ever ancient, ever new. Late have I loved You, and behold, you were within, and I without, and without I sought You.... Things held me back from You, things whose only being was to be in You." –Confessions by Augustine

While out and about, I came across the video,” Standing at the Threshold,” set to music using the song, Oh Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New. The video displays a bunch of doorways, and every so often a quote to consider. “When a moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder then the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss."—Boris Pasternak. And as Ralph Emerson has been known to say, "God enters by a private door into every individual." I’ve watched this video a number of times now … it's been a source of inspiration and reflection for me heading into Lent.

Standing at the Threshold from Paula on Vimeo.

Saving Face wins Academy Award

2012-02-26T21:55:00.005-07:00

“Saving Face” was the competition I thought might eke out our Mother Dolores's "God is Bigger than Elvis".I listened to an NPR broadcast on this movie and was completely captivated by the plight of these women. "Saving Face" is a Pakistani film exploring the lives of women victims of acid attacks that has won the Documentary Short category at the Academy Awards. If you don’t know about the movie "Saving Face" take the time to view the short video below. I’m sure Mother Delores is thrilled that the film “Saving Face” is getting the recognition that it deserves.

Every year, thousands of women and girls are disfigured, maimed, or blinded in acid attacks. Cases of acid violence, a form of violence against women, occur all over the world and have been documented in South East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the West Indies, and the Middle East. These attacks are perpetrated by husbands, relatives, community members and strangers, and typically target the faces of victims. Many countries have enacted laws to prevent acid attacks, but victims still struggle to access justice and services that will help them rebuild their lives. Human Rights Watch has worked extensively on violence against women in all its forms and advocated for laws to protect women and their rights in numerous countries around the globe.

Congratulations to those involved in the film “Saving Face”.

Is God is the Bigger Elvis a winner?

2012-02-24T14:07:00.007-07:00

Update: Who won the short documentary category? Saving Face
Normally, I steer clear of the Academy Awards. Mainly because it’s a stark reminder that I never have the time to get to the movies. However, this year among the Hollywood stars walking the red carpet, will be this 73 year-old Benedictine nun. She now goes by the name Mother Dolores and she belongs to the Abbey of Regina Laudis. I blogged about her in my post “God is the Bigger Elvis” last week. Long ago she was known as Dolores Hart, a rising young actress.

I’ve become a titch obsessed with this cloistered nuns life. The documentary she's in focuses not only on her Hollywood career and life as a nun, but also the daily activities of her sisters, that work to keep a farm on their monastery.

There is some stiff competition in the short documentary category and I was sad to see that “God is the Bigger Elvis” was the only nominee without a trailer. Curious? Maybe they're cloistering the movie content too.

The nominees (linked to the Academy Awards info page) in the short documentary category are:

…and the winner is

Well, we’ll have to wait and see. Do you think it’s too much ask God for a wee bit of intervention on the good Mothers behalf? I think I just might slip that thought into a prayer or two for consideration.Why not?

The documentary “God is the Bigger Elvis” is set to premiere on HBO this April 5th.

Source: Rome Reports.com and Academy Awards.com

Catholic Cardinals

2012-02-22T14:16:00.001-07:00

The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have two key jobs, advising the current pope and electing a new pope. But I think the new Cardinal Dolan has a third job— keeping it real!

Pope Benedict received the cardinals-designate under the soaring dome designed by Michelangelo, as one by one they knelt before the 84-year-old pope and received the red silk square-ridged hats, called birettas.

"Cardinal Dolan, who always seems to be in the limelight, has a great sense of humor so it came as no surprise to see his talk to Pope Benedict and the College of Cardinals peppered with witticism and funny anecdotes. His charm was so contagious he even made Pope Benedict laugh".--Catholic News Service

And while others walked with folded hands up the 10 steps to the alter, he lifted the hem of his scarlet robes with one hand and bounded up to receive his hat and ring. Cardinal Dolan speaks frequently of the importance of joy and happiness as a form of evangelization, and that was evident on Saturday.

"You just gotta be yourself, right?" Cardinal Dolan said, of the tone he'd struck. "Why try to be somebody different if, as the Italians say, you make gnocchi with the dough you got?

Check out all the hats in this video! Do you know your Catholic hats?

Sources: New York Times and Catholic News Service

Poverty:No End In Sight?

2012-02-20T13:06:00.007-07:00

I read a Tweet posted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops about their program PovertyUSA that sent me on Curious George adventure on the internet. What are people saying about poverty out there in the blogosphere? Can we end it? Why is it still an issue in this day and age? Are we any closer to solving the problem? There are as many answers to these questions as clicks you could click on your keyboard.

After all my clicking, I came away with this—we have the resources to end poverty, unfortunately, we lack the motivation needed to actually get the job done. I want to say we can end it, because we can, it’s just that we won’t. Sad, but true. Nevertheless, many good people are working hard and doing their best, and who knows what might happen someday. One thing I am absolutely sure of is, if we all did something, anything to help the effort, poverty would decline. If we can't end it, we can at least take a big bite out of it, can't we? Let’s get started…

We Can End It. (Chin up attitude!)

Join us in breaking the cycle of poverty and helping people move themselves out of PovertyUSA. Learn more about community organizations that support self-sufficiency, improve communities and encourage independence.

"Catholicism does not call us to abandon the world but to help shape it. This does not mean leaving worldly tasks and responsibilities but transforming them...Social justice and the common good are built up or town down day by day in the countless decisions and choices we make." US Bishops, Everyday Christianity

Visit the Poverty USA facebook page.

facebook end poverty events

Poverty...what's life like at the poverty line? It's one impossible choice after another—between food and medicine, getting to work or paying the heating bill. But there are ways out.

Get involved: First Fridays for Food Security

The Versatile Blogger

2012-02-18T13:54:00.007-07:00

It’s always humbling to receive an award. It’s the idea that someone—anyone really—is paying attention, and paying attention to me, wow! Thank you Theresa@Chatter from Texas!! I’ve seen the Versatile Blogger award around on other peoples blogs, but other peoples blogs are, you know … other peoples—and my blog is just mine.So, again I thank Theresa for noticing me over here at A Life-Size Catholic Blog.

Receiving this award requires me to tell you 7 random facts about me, ugh! (Easier, I guess because pretty much everything about me falls into the category of random.) However, I love that I get to bestow this honor on 15 other bloggers, unfortunately, my list is in fact, much longer than the number of spots I’m allowed. Nevertheless, I’ll give it my best shot to stay within the required 15…here we go.

7 random facts about me:

1. I take exercise very seriously—sometimes!

2. I love a good laugh!

3. I love my Prince…

4. I’m a want-a-be gardener, but a city girl at heart

5. I pick a word to focus on throughout the year

6. I’m in a constant battle with time

7. I think we all need to smile!

8. My spiritual journey is like a labyrinth at times

For your reading pleasure, here are15 great bloggers/websites:

This first pick is nothing short of self-promotion, but with a twist. The twist being it's for a good cause! I was the chief website techie-gal on a school project that still chokes me up when I think about it! Working with a group of students, I helped create a website, Serve Those Who Have Served Us, to honor and promote support for our military veterans. The home page video (was created by an actual Marine veteran working on the project) is a must see, but grab the Kleenex box, you’ll need it. The Veterans Center of the college is taking over the site to keep it running—yippee!

The Priest’s Housekeeper: I can always count on The Priest’s Housekeeper to share some words of wisdom, beautiful poetry and wonderful photos and artwork. I loved her recent post Follow Your Own Path. Life can be difficult and we must all find our own way, in own time, by our own route.

Family At the Foot Of The Cross: I’m sure that Tiffany has been nominated for every award in the blogosphere. Her blog is real, comforting and supportive. She knows what’s important! Plus, she’s just plain nice. I find myself humming the tune At the Foot of the Cross whenever I've visited her. ;-D

I featured One Million Acts of Kindness in a Pay it Forward recently and kindness is still at the top of my priority list! Click around Bob’s site and you’ll find a kindness certificate, a parent vow certificate and ways to support bringing more kindness into the world. See if Bob, Bogart and the bus will be in your area, or better yet book them!

Day by Day in Our World: Laura is always focusing on the elevation of others. Not just because of her posts on memes like Pay it Forward, but throughout her blog generally. She’s got a lot going on at her place: homeschooling (for which she should get an award!), faith, giveaways, reviews, and more!

GraceLovesIggy: Grace and her family have captured my heart. I was Grace’s age when my own newborn daughter was in intensive care @ Primary Children’s hospital undergoing heart surgery; I know how difficult it is not to fall into despair. Being there for each other is so important. Even if it’s popping over to a blog to say hi, we’re thinking of you! I loved her post about the little prayer book of her grandmothers. God bless you, Grace!

Catholic Bloggers Network: Talk about a lot going on! I’m linking the take the tour page so you can see for yourself! I hardly knew where to start there were so many options on this new Catholic networking site. It’s a Catholic bloggers field day.

I have the pleasure of writing for a superb Catholic community site, Association of Catholic Women Bloggers. You can find a variety of Catholic interests posted there (here’s my latest) because they have plenty of authors, points of view, stories, and news hounds. Scattered among the women bloggers are a few priests too! Jackie Parkes is the founder and has her own great blog Heart Speaks unto Heart.

Daily Morning Coffee: There are times when I just have a moment to spare and not much more. So, I pop over to see what little thought the Daily Morning Coffee blog has posted. A few of my fav’s are Math Destruction, Soldiers in Heaven (apologies to my gentleman readers, but it made me laugh!) and Knitting and Driving.

Rambling Follower: Not only is Allison a wonderful writer, but she always has something fun or interesting to say! She made me laugh when she posted this, she made me cry when she posted this, she made me think when she posted this. So, if you want to laugh, cry and/or think or just visit, see Allison!

Community of Catholic Bloggers: Another Catholic Community Site that has remarkable authors and posts well worth your time. Some posts are Simple and some tug at your heart. Check them out when you have the Time.

Prayers for our Pets: Esther and her crew over at Prayers for our Pets are providing a great service. I featured these stewards on Pay it forward a while back, but this group deserves all the shout-outs it can get! Committed to praying for pets, their owners and/or caretakers, these folks have their hands full. Thanks to all those involved in this wonderful service! Esther is the founder of this blog and she a plethora of great blogs to visit.

A new Catholic Community site named Suscipio is up and running. The tag line on the site—to raise up, support, maintain & accept the Catholic Woman. This site is big on reader interaction and networking. Suscipo hosts a book club, a place to share stories, a blog and more .

My dear friend Carolyn who is one of the blog writers @St.Ambrose (my parish blog) is a great writer. She created our wonderful prayer request page and would love you to put them to work! She has recently written one of my favorite blog posts, God Should Advertise on the Super Bowl. She’s been contemplating starting two blogs of her own, and I’m waiting in anticipation. She makes the most amazing Christian sewing patterns you’ve ever seen. You’ll have to wait ‘till her new blogs are up and running, but until then you can read her clever writing among the authors @St.Ambrose.

@St.Ambrose has added a new blogger to the mix this past month—Mr. D. He recently moved to our area from Tenn. (lucky us!), and he’s been a welcome addition @St.Ambrose in many ways, including on the web. He writes his own blog, Maude’s Tavern with what I presume is a signature post written in the taverns honor. ;-D

There are some spectacular blogs and sites listed here for you to visit. And to think I could have gone on and on and on! (Like this isn't going on, right!) The rest of you are equally amazing and I enjoy visiting all of you when I can. The breadth and depth of writing available to us is amazing, isn't it? Many blessing to each of you!

Thanks again to Theresa@ChatterfromTexas!

God is Bigger than Elvis

2012-02-16T20:38:00.009-07:00

I stumbled across this fascinating story while surfing the USA Today website.

“If you spot a nun roaming the red carpet during the Oscar telecast February 26^th, don’t adjust your set.”

Mother Dolores is not flying or singing, but the real deal...

During her short-term career as a starlet in the 1950s and early 1960s, Dolores Hart won numerous awards and gave Elvis Presley his first on-screen kiss—in the 1957 film Loving You—when she was just 19 years old.

Now known as Mother Dolores, Prioress of the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut, she has a new claim to fame: Oscar nominee.

God is the Bigger Elvis, a short documentary film about her journey from Hollywood starlet to cloistered Catholic nun, received an Academy Award nomination for best short documentary film.

Mother Dolores also has a measure of influence on this year's Oscar nominees. She’s a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. She vows silence, however, on which films will get her votes. She has let on that she and her sisters enjoyed The Help a great deal; ditto Meryl Streep's performance in The Iron Lady and Brad Pitt's in Moneyball.

Watch Mother Dolores tell her story to 20/20 in the video below. (Grab the Kleenex box!) The video includes the last meeting between Mother Dolores and her ex-fiancé Don Robinson. The two never married, but he continued to visit and help the abbey until his death this past December.

Is "God is the Bigger Elvis" a Winner? Check out the competition.

Sources: Sojo.netblogs
and USA Today

Choices

2012-02-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

Another Devo for women on the go ... reminders that joy and hope in the Lord is the opening line to every story of redemption, provision, or happily-ever after.

Most adult women—like me—can’t remember any great stretch of time when they haven’t been on some kind of diet. My teen years were diet-free, but, mercy, that was some other gal—that size-four wonder who hadn’t a clue how fortunate she was,, with her ignorance of consequences yet to come.

In my whippersnapper years, I ate whatever I wanted and suffered absolutely no effects. Today I smell a chocolate éclair and not only do I gain weight, but something somewhere gets squishier. So now, I weight the consequences of my culinary choices more than I did in my carefree youth.

As a matter of fact, today I weigh the consequences of all my choices more readily than I did when I was younger. The Lord surely did look after this fine young idiot. Each day He set before me life and death, blessings and curses, and left choices open to me. So often, I chose poorly. He must have shaken his head and said, “Okay, let’s try this again tomorrow. I’ll give you another chance.”

Perhaps years from now I’ll look back on today and say the same thing: “Wow, I had no clue how poorly I chose on a day-to-day basis. And I thought I was doing so well!” The Lord seems to accept that I am doing the best I can, that I want very much to make decisions that will not only be good for me—for my heath, my long-term goals, my children, my sphere of influence—but will also fit within His will for me. How can I do better?

We need to consider that even God’s patience can be taxed. As he told Moses in Deuteronomy, He tells us: “This day … I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life.” He expects us to be active in how we live our lives and how we choose.

How do we know if we are truly “choosing life,” as he advised Moses to do? We need look only a few words further in Deuteronomy to get a clue. “Now choose life, so that your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life.”

For the Lord is your life. That’s what we’re to choose, daily: the Lord. Listen. Hold fast. He is your life.

My Prayer: Lord, yesterday I chose you. Today I choose you. Tomorrow if you give me another chance, I’ll choose you. Help me remember how important it is—to me and to my family—that I start each day proclaiming, I choose You.” Amen

Source: Delight yourself in the Lord... Even on Bad Hair Days

A Taste of Heaven

2012-02-01T19:46:00.003-07:00

Courtesy of Father Sean Coyle @ Bangor to Bibbio

You’ve got a map. You know where it leads: that amazing-beyond-words destination of life with God forever in heaven that will never, ever end.

Amazing too, is the fact that God’s given us a moment in time and space, right here, to be in his presence. It’s called Mass.

So … how do you get more out of Mass so that it makes a difference in your life? Pray it, that’s how.

Praying Through the Mass

Introductory Rite: We present sins of the past week to God and ask for his forgiveness. We praise him…. Think of all God’s done for us this week….Pray it!

Liturgy of the Word: God spoke to his people hundreds of years ago… and he speaks to us right now. Even if we can pick out just one line from one reading that speaks to us … Pray it!

The Creed, we affirm our faith…. Pray it! In the Prayers of the Faithful, we ask God to help those in need. We know people in need….. Pray it!

Liturgy of the Eucharist: Two thousand years ago, Jesus shared his Real Presence with his apostles. Right now, right here that moment lives again. Jesus’ sacrifice of his life touches us, right here, right now. Are we open to him? Pray it!

Have you ever wondered where God is and how we can speak to him? Here’s our chance … Jesus in Communion, joining us to himself and everyone around the world who’s sharing in his body. He’s here with us right now…. Pray it!

Dismissal: What does the priest say? Does he bless us so we can live for ourselves? Don’t think so. “Love and serve the Lord” is more like it. We’ve got the map. We’ve got Jesus…. Live it!

Photo source: http://bangortobobbio.blogspot.com/2012/01/spirited-young-massgoer.html
Article source: The Catholic Teen Bible, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division

Pay It Forward - Feb 2012

2012-01-30T18:20:00.008-07:00

Pay It Forward (Feb. 2012) – Caught you off guard, didn’t I … no worries, the Linkey will be open until February 10^th and you can link up anytime between now and then. Don’t forget to bookmark this post and keep popping back to see who’s posting what. I challenge everyone to start the year (okay, I know it’s February, but…) by paying tribute to one of the incredible bloggers, blogs, or blog posts you’ve enjoyed. Plus, after reading my Pay It Forward blog of the month—you’ll have all kinds of time on your hands!

A Pay It Forward recap for the newbies

Since I started a blog, I’ve learned a lot about people, as well as issues. I’ve come to realize there’s more to blogging and bloggers than meets the eye. And, I’ve made wonderful friendships and connections. Time and time again, I’ve wanted the blogging world to meet someone I’ve met, or read something I’ve read. That’s what this blog meme is all about, Pay It Forward. Encourage good information, good writing, good reporting, good humor, good books, good scripture, goodwill, good news or any other good you can think of. Detailed directions can be found here. Don't forget to link to A Life-Size Catholic Blog in your post. That way people who read your blog can pop over and see what's going on, visit a few other blogs ad maybe link up themselves.

This month I am paying it forward to Janet Bailey @ Mindful Time Management. She has marvelous advice and views about managing time. This gal had me hook, line and sinker when she wrote, “OK, let’s admit right off that ‘time management’ is a misnomer.”

About Janet and her blog~ Why Mindful Management?

Janet writes~

OK, let’s admit right off that “time management” is a misnomer. We human beings can’t get our arms around the concept of time, much less get it to do what we want! But “time management” is the term people use most often for ideas like finding focus, seeking balance, dealing with procrastination, choosing priorities, all that stuff that makes us feel good about how we’re spending the precious time we have. So I use it here.

For me, mindful time management is an alternative approach to the judgment and self-recrimination and linear focus that too often accompany discussions about “productivity” and “efficiency” and other well-meaning, but potentially soul-killing, terms. Read more about Janet here…

It’s hard for me to pick out what to highlight because I’ve found so many of her posts useful. One of my favorite’s however, is Going scorecard-free. I too wonder what score cards I could scrap.

Going Scorecard Free

I took my six-year-old niece miniature golfing during school break. My childhood memories of miniature golf are conflicted: It’s one of those activities that always looks like it will be fun (all those turrets and railroad cars and gnarled fake trees with moving trap doors in their trunks), but I’ve always been bad at it, and having the worst score in the group was painful for a high achiever like me. Read more

When I read Janet's “Is This You Page” I glanced around the house to see where her hidden cameras were stashed. She must be lurking close, because she wrote the entire page based on me!

Go for it ... no one's looking

2012-01-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

I like things I can get in small bites, which makes short daily devotionals and prayers particularly attractive to me. I’ve written about one of my favorite devotional books—Delight Yourself in the Lord ... Even on Bad Hair Days—a couple of times, but today’s devotional got me to thinking … I can be so easily deceived.

From the minute I wake up until I close my eyes at night, I find myself tempted by all kinds of things I shouldn’t have. Some of them are blatantly wrong for me, while others seem innocent. A convincing argument can be made for almost everything I want that I shouldn’t have, and there are probably a lot of things I probably shouldn’t have that I want.

I put myself in the place of Eve when Satan came to her in the form of a serpent. I can just imagine what that crafty little bugger would say to entice me. “Go for it … Who’ll know it if you have just one little taste? No one’s looking,” and “What’s God gonna do? Punish you for eating a little apple? ”.

Um … yeah. Satan was the first advertising exec in the world. He not only knew his market, but he was able to strip away objections before they were even raised. He took truth and turned it into a question, creating doubt about the status quo for his target audience. Now I’m not saying that advertising is evil, but the temptation to tell untruths is always there … just like with anything. It’s one thing to get the word out there about a product, but it’s another to present it falsely—which is exactly what Satan did. He created doubt in Eve’s mind about God’s authority.

Fortunately for all humanity, God had enough love for us to override the evil from Satan by sending his son to make us right in His eyes. How amazing is that! After Satan wreaked havoc with his false advertising campaign, he slithered away and left Adam and Eve to get themselves out of the mess he created. And what a mess! No way would these two mortals have been able to turn things around for the world if God haven’t fixed things.

Before my feet hit the floor in the morning, I need to immerse myself in prayer—because temptation will be all around every corner and in every situation I’ll face during the day. And they won’t all be “obviously evil” temptations; sometimes they’ll seem harmless or like the right thing to do. It’s not always easy to be discerning in a work environment or even on the commute to work when someone behind you is honking, gesturing obscenely, and getting all worked up because he left five minutes later than he should have. I just have to remember God’s Word and His promises to get me through.

My prayer~ Dear Lord, make me aware of temptation as it steps in front of me throughout the day. And give me the ability to discern by focusing on your Word. Amen.

Source: Debby~ Delight yourself in the Lord … Even on Bad Hair Days

Aha!

2012-01-27T08:46:00.002-07:00

App for iPhone, iPad, and Android

Don’t you love it when you wake up and within the first 15 minutes, something great happens? This morning I was perusing L’Osservatore Romano and came across an article—Listening to the New Testament through your headphones at all latitudes—about a new app for my iPhone. Aha! (click to find out the meaning of Aha!) If you’ve been reading my blog for very long, you know I’m a self-proclaimed techie-gadget-girl—sort of. This new app happens to help me fulfill a goal I’ve had for decades. I want to read the Bible. I’m not talking about higgledy-piggledy reading this scripture and that scripture. I want to read the entire bible, start to finish.

I’ve tried. I’ve failed.

I keep getting part of the way through and then something shiny, something new, something else, distracts me. This could be the answer for someone like me.

You can follow several programs depending on how you want to read, listen or view. Included are Jesus movies, and the ability to share your favorite sections with your friends and family via facebook and twitter. Plus, you can highlight and bookmark sections as you progress. Learn more at http.//bible.is

Other techie-gadget-type stuff you might like:

Electronic Devices: Coming to a Pew Near You

US Catholic Bishops: Go forth and blog, tweet and post!

Franciscan Friar—Tech-Geeks?

Prayer

iPads on the altar—you’re kidding, right?

Between Silence and Word

2012-01-25T09:01:00.001-07:00

Our Pope is speaking out on Internet communication again. He is promoting these communications for their obvious positive elements, at the same time, cautioning against their obvious hazards. He’s a wise man our Pope! It’s all about the proper balance. Taking the time to think before blurting out whatever comes to mind—my words, not his. This is sensible advice— whatever way you say it—considering what we communicate on these forums will potentially be here forever. I for one need the silence he speaks of and plan to do more listening in the future.

Poe Benedict XVI’s thoughts come as a message in preparation of the 46^th World Day of Social Communications that will be celebrated on May 20^th.

“When word and silence become mutually exclusive, communication breaks down, either because it gives rise to confusion or because, on the contrary, it creates an atmosphere of coldness; when they complement one another, however, communication acquires value and meaning.”

Benedict XVI's Message for the World Day of SocialCommunications

What Can One Do?

2012-01-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

The world needs more of you in it.

In her speeches, Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, reminds us that a lot of people these days are still waiting for Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi to come back—but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us now. It is up to you. More than ever before, our world needs more goodness, more kindness, more caring, more action, more “you” in it.

John F. Kennedy said that one person can make a difference, and every person must try. What if each of us spontaneously decided that, one by one, we really can be the better world we wished for?

This is our time,

Yours and mine.

You have important discoveries to make.

Now is the time to make them.

You have important talents to develop.

Now is the time to discover them.

You have important gifts to give the world.

Now is the time to give them.

Source: How many people does it take to make a difference?

Kings Cake Update

2012-01-09T18:38:00.002-07:00

The Kings Cake was delicious! The Cooks actually baked four cakes, yes four! One cake was shared with the religious education teachers at an Epiphany party at our church. One cake was shared with family and friends when we celebrated Epiphany here at our house (during the blessing of our home). The chefs anxious to see how it tasted ate one cake and one was thrown in the trash. Don’t ask. Culinary catastrophes happen to the best of us.

Overall, the consensus was that the more difficult recipe was worth the effort. The easy recipe was definitely easy, but it tasted like a cinnamon roll.

Meet the ambitious bakers...

TJ & Alec

This Year's Blessing

20+C+M+B+12

What does this strange equation mean? Simply that the three wise men — Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar — followed a special star to Jesus, the Son who became man 2012 years ago. The CMB conveniently also stands for the Latin prayer Christus mansionem benedicat, may Christ bless this house.

Front Door

Blessing Our Home Prayer

Bless this home. May its windows catch the sun and its doors open wide to friends and loved ones. May each room resound with laughter and may the walls shut out troubles and hold in warmth and cheer. May this home be filled with joy in the morning and sweet dreams in the night. May it be a home where love has come to live.

Bless this doorway. Bless and protect the goings and comings. May all who come to it be treated with respect and kindness.

Back Door

Bless all the rooms of this house. May each of them be holy and filled with the spirit of happiness. Protect us as we stay awake and watch over us as we sleep. May this home blossom with love, goodness and generosity.

Bless this living room. As we gather in this room to share friendship, may love and peace never be strangers within its walls. May the spirits of mirth and laughter, hope and faith, playfulness and prayer, compassion and love be perpetual guests in this home. May the spirit of pardon and forgiveness reside with us and be always ready to heal our divisions.

Creator God of Light and Love, be our shelter when we are at home, our companion when we are away, and our welcome guest when we return. Please send your abundant blessings upon this home.

Amen.

What's Your Gift?

2012-01-08T17:08:00.003-07:00

Epiphany, commonly known as Three Kings’ Day in the United States, is on January 6, but this year it's celebrated today. Epiphany is the day of the Three Wise Men's visit baby Jesus, and when they brought him their gifts. I love the last part of movie The Little Drummer Boy. He believes he has no gift to give to Jesus. How often do we feel the same way about our gifts and talents?

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.”
Erma Bombeck

Do you know that you have a gift?

I've also posted over at the Association of Catholic Women Bloggers today. Pope Benedict: Parents Educators of the Faith

Archbishop Dolan gets the Red Hat

2012-01-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hat fashion has come and gone, but the cardinals red hat is more than just a fashion statement.

Cardinals wear a red hat known as a biretta. The color indicates the hierarchal rank of the cleric. Priests wear a black biretta; monsignors wear a black one with a purple pom-pom; bishops wear a violet biretta. When a cardinal is elected, we say he received the red hat.

The Vatican has just announced Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, who has led the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York for nearly three years, will be named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinals are the pope's key advisers and are members of the group that will eventually elect Benedict's successor.

The newly named cardinal is my kind of guy! What did he do after receiving this important news? He called his mom, who said, “it’s about time.” The archbishop replied, laughing. “Only moms can say that.”

Shepard's Pie Recipe for Epiphany

2012-01-05T08:33:00.006-07:00

This year’s Epiphany celebration will feature my favorite Shepard’s Pie dish. Originally, this dish came about because poorer families could afford to prepare it. In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.

At our house, we have been eating vegetarian meals more and more. In fact, it’s a rare occasion that I ever cook meat. My husband, on the other hand, gets a hankering for meat more than I do and injects an occasional BBQ (real meat item as he calls it) into the menu. Even I will fall off the wagon for one of Snider’s bourbon marinated pork chops, well worth the carcinogens. The holidays, however, bring many guests, and we stray from our meatless menu more frequently during that time. It seems a tofu Shepard’s Pie has limited appeal.

I thought you might like to try one of the four remaining meat dishes I ever cook.Topped with creamy mashed potatoes and filled with chunks of (real) beef and vegetables, this shepherd’s pie is comfort food at its best. The dish is made using a slow cooker to streamline preparation.

By the way, my son is taking on the more difficult of the two Kings Cake recipes for our desert. Keep your fingers crossed!

Shepard's Pie

Ingredients:

5 Tbs. olive oil

5 lb. boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 lb. button mushrooms, quartered if large

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Guinness or other stout beer

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup mushroom demi-glace (*see note below)

1 bouquet garni(**see not below)

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 bag (14 oz.) frozen pearl onions, thawed

1 1/4 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas

6 cups mashed potatoes (see related recipe below)

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Working in batches, sear the beef until browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter.

Warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil in the insert. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the platter.

Warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil in the insert. Add the yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and flour and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the beer, broth and demi-glace and bring to a simmer. Add the bouquet garni, salt, pepper, beef, mushrooms and pearl onions.

Place the insert on the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Add the carrots, cover and cook for 2 hours more. Stir in the peas.

Preheat a broiler. Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef mixture, forming a 1-inch layer, and sprinkle with the cheese. Transfer the insert to the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 12. (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen recipe)

*Note - If you can't get the demi-glaze (or don't want to spend the money, (it's expensive ... $29.00 @Williams and Somoma) do the following instead: simmer dried porcini mushrooms in about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water and just let it reduce to about 1/4c. Also minced the mushrooms after straining (a must-do) and add to dish along with the mushroom stock. Works quite well, but the demi-glaze is my preference.

**Note - Bouquet garni is a classic herb mixture used in cooking meats and vegetables. Traditionally, this mixture is tied up in cheesecloth for easy removal after flavoring.

Bouquet garni
Ingredients:

1/4 cup dried parsley (classic ingredient)

2 Tablespoons dried thyme (classic ingredient)

2 Tablespoons dried bay leaf (classic ingredient)

2 Tablespoons dried rosemary (optional ingredient)

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

5 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch
pieces

2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small
pieces

1 1/4 cups half-and-half, heated

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put the potatoes and the 2 tsp. salt in a large pot, add water to cover the potatoes by 3 inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Set a potato ricer over the pot and pass the potatoes through in batches. Alternatively, return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher. Add the butter and gradually add the half-and-half, beating constantly with a large spoon, until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Season with salt and white pepper and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.

Enjoy!

One Little Word

2012-01-04T11:51:00.016-07:00

What's your word for 2012?

A friend of mine came across this idea on Ali Edwards’s scrap-booking blog and introduced the idea to me. Now, I want to introduce you to the idea that a single word can spur you to action in ways you never imagined. Let me know your word, and we can support each other throughout 2012.

Like Ali and many of my friends, I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January–a word that I can emphasize, meditate on and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. Last year my word was Brave. I think quitting two jobs and starting college might qualify as brave. Brave or insane, right? Thank God ... I have a magnificent husband, strong marriage and resilient family who support me.

Finding my word this year proved to be a struggle. Usually, my word jumps out and becomes implemented before my intention becomes entirely evident to me. This year was a bit different. I was trying out a few possibilities. Prayerful was one word I thought might work. Who could argue with the idea of being more prayerful, but it felt like I was trying to make it fit. I do want to be more prayerful, but then again, I’d be working on that even if it weren’t my word.

This morning I was catching up on some blog and facebook reading—while I’m still on my Christmas break I can indulge myself— and came across a post about a book about being an introvert in an extrovert world. It was quite interesting and I found myself checking out the full article and then the author’s website. This is how the Internet sucks me in. That’s enough! I needed to get my errands done. What’s wrong, however, with a little detour to my neighborhood Barnes and Noble store to see if they stocked the book I was ogling. I’ll just look it over and decide if it is worth reading. I stopped. They carried it. I bought it. This was when I realized what my word would be.

Aha!

Finding and cultivating “Aha!” That’s right, aha! You must realize there is more to the story than what I’ve revealed, and you’d be right—so let me tell you the rest.

At school, I’ve been taking a class on becoming a master student. One of the sections intrigued me more than the others did. It was about thinking. I’m quite fond of thinking, and I spend a lot of my time thinking, as I’m sure you do too. This, however, was thinking about thinking. How we do our thinking, i.e., convergent thinking and divergent thinking, etc., in other words critical thinking.

Central to critical thinking is something called the “aha!” experience. Nineteenth century poet Emily Dickenson described aha! this way: I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” Aha! is a burst of creative energy followed by the arrival of a new, original idea. It is the sudden emergence of an unfamiliar pattern, a previously undetected relationship or an unusual combination of familiar elements.

Aha! can be inspired by anything from playing a new riff on the guitar to figuring out why your cars fuel pump doesn’t work. A nurse might notice a patient’s symptom that everyone else missed. That’s an aha! An accountant might discover a tax break for a client. That’s an aha! A teacher might devise a way to reach a difficult student. Aha!

So how did I know that aha! is for me? Aside from my initial interest, I surveyed the past several months and I had included aha! in several of my school writings, and in a set of goals I wrote for myself. The spark, however, was the back jacket of the book I was buying. Written in big, bright, orange, letters at the top of the book jacket was this—“Filled with aha! moments.” Well, that’s it … 2012—the year of finding and cultivating aha!

The necessary skills for finding aha! include the ability to spot assumptions, weigh evidence, separate fact from opinion, organize thoughts, and avoid errors in logic. Sounds like both fun and work.

What’s your word for 2012?

King Cake Recipes

2012-01-03T10:32:00.008-07:00

Some areas of the United States celebrate Epiphany with a Great Fruitcake Toss. Participants who dress as kings and fools throw fruitcakes, and competitions commence for the farthest throw and the most creative projectile device. The fruitcake toss is a symbolic ending of the Christmas holidays until next year, but with a humorous twist. The fruitcake may be the traditional Christmas bread of America, England and other English speaking nations, but in the US, as you well know, it’s the source of many jokes. The recipes here do not fall into the throw-able category—I assure you!

In Louisiana, Epiphany is the beginning of the Carnival season, during which it is customary to bake King Cakes. It is round in shape, filled with cinnamon, glazed white, and coated in traditional carnival color sanding sugar. The person who finds the doll (or bean) inside must provide the next King Cake. For this reason, I’m including two recipes here. First, an easy recipe that uses premade biscuits for dough, also a more difficult recipe that uses yeast. Last year, my 14-year-old son, found the baby in his slice of cake, and as custom dictates, this year he is in charge of baking it. I’m not sure which of the recipes he’ll choose to bake, but I’m providing the easier option here too, just in case you run into the same situation.

Easy Recipe (Everything you need to know is in the video.)

More Difficult Recipe (Really ... it's not that difficult!)

Ingredients

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup butter, melted
5 egg yolks
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon multicolored candy sprinkles

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and white sugar in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Stir the egg yolks and melted butter into the milk mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and lemon zest. Beat the flour mixture into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Mix well. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix well and set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out into a 6x30 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling across the center of the dough. Bring the two long edges together and seal completely. Using your hands shape the dough into a long cylinder and place on a greased baking sheet, seam-side down. Shape the dough into a ring press the baby into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough. Place a well-greased 2 pound metal coffee can the center of the ring to maintain the shape during baking. Cover the ring with a towel and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the coffee can and allow the bread to cool. Drizzle cooled cake with lemon/sugar glaze and decorate with candy sprinkles.

Custom in some areas dictates that the youngest child present cut and serves the cake, and whoever found the bean or prize in the King Cake be crowned "King for the day”.

Enjoy!

Planned Procrastination Pay Off

2012-01-02T10:10:00.005-07:00

One of the great perks of waiting until Christmas Eve to put your holiday decorations up is you’re in no rush to take them all down, which means it still looks spiffy for your Epiphany celebrations. Traditionally folks didn’t take down their trees until January 7th, the day after Epiphany. The Twelve days of Christmas actually begin on Christmas day and end on Epiphany, the day the Three Wise Men came to pay homage to Baby Jesus.

Here in the United States we’re a bit out of whack. We treat Advent as if it’s the Christmas season. The real Christmas season gets lost. By the time Christmas day gets here, most households are packing up the tinsel and hauling the Christmas tree out to the curb.

Wait … stop!

Christmas has just begun. In our family, observing Advent as our preparation time and the Twelve Days as our celebration time makes the holiday much less stressful and more meaningful for us. This is the second year we’ve followed this schedule and I admit to some skepticism on the part of my family members—okay, and myself— the first year. However, it was an overwhelming success and this year is progressing without a hitch. I never thought we’d change the way we celebrated Christmas, but it seems we have successfully made the switch!

This year’s Christmas season includes blessing our home, eating a delicious Three Kings Cake, the traditional chalking above the door [20+G+M+B+12 this year] and a shared reading of the Blessing Our Home Prayer. (See explanations below.)

Blessing Our Home Prayer

Bless this doorway. Bless and protect the goings and comings. May all who come to it be treated with respect and kindness.

Bless the kitchen and the dining room. As you fill the hungry with good things, send your blessings on us as we worry about what we will eat and drink. Teach us to share with others what we receive through your generosity in the spirit of thankfulness.

Creator God of Light and Love, be our shelter when we are at home, our companion when we are away, and our welcome guest when we return. Please send your abundant blessings upon this home.

Amen.

Blessing and chalking above the doors

After the prayers of the blessing are recited, each room of the home is sprinkled with Epiphany water and incensed. The initials of the Magi are inscribed upon the doors with the blessed chalk. (The initials C, M and B, can also be interpreted as the Latin phrase "Christus mansionem benedicat," which means "Christ bless this house".) The numbers are the year in which the blessing is being performed.

Example: 20 + C + M + B + 12

Entire Blessing of the Home on Epiphany here.

Three Kings Cake recipes coming soon—check back in the next couple of days.

Fighting the Materialism Mentality

2012-01-01T12:29:00.002-07:00

I awoke on Christmas Eve feeling like a five-year old. Why? At our house, the blessing of our Christmas tree ceremony takes place on Christmas Eve. Our tradition—two years running now—is a reminder of what Christmas really means.

You might remember that last year Bishop Wester wrote a Pastoral letter to the church of Salt Lake City putting Christmas on hold. That’s right folks hold off. Capeesh? I admit to cringing at the thought—initially. Then … I read his article and got to thinking. This isn’t a bad idea, not a bad idea at all.

Family tradition: Year two

No lights, no decorations, no Christmas until Christmas. The tree is erected in the living room a week or so before and sits there without lights and embellishments until Christmas eve. Reminding us that this is Advent, you remember Advent.

This makes for a very busy Christmas eve, a glorious, wondrous, magnificent Christmas eve. Friends and family are invited to come by anytime during the day and participate in the festivities.

Drinking nog, spiced cider and eating goodies all day fueling decorators

Singing O Come Emmanuel, Hark the Herald Angels sing and Go Tell it on the Mountain

Celebrating with Christmas Eve Mass joined by family and friends

Blessing the tree and lighting it for the first time this season (I’m a little chocked up just thinking about it!)

Eating lots of great food

All the while enjoying the companionship of those we love and remembering why we celebrate Christmas. Last Year's Blessing Post.

Feeling like a five year old

Last year we shared this experience with our Texas relatives who spent the Christmas holidays with us—unfortunately, they were absent this year. They did visit us two weeks before Christmas, and my niece and I hatched a plan. Let’s Skype them in this year. If we do, she can read the Nativity story from her rhyme bible during the celebration, just like last year. (Skype is video conferencing over the Internet.) My sister and I set up the needed technology that morning. To say I was a little excited is an understatement. I truly felt like a five year-old.

We Skyped them in via the Internet and projected the image onto the wall, so everyone could easily see them. It gets even better because several families joined the Texas celebration, and we had a number of little readers traveling over the Internet into our living room reading the following story as part of the blessing. Watching these youngsters faces light up as they read to us was delightful!

The Special Baby

Clip, Clop,

Clip, Clop.

One little donkey,

So Fuzzy and Brown,

Is on his way

To Bethlehem town.

Clip, Clop,

Clip, Clop.

Mary will ride,

And Joseph will walk,

Both of the

Are to tired to talk,

For the road is long

And they cannot stop.

Clip, Clop,

Clip, Clop.

The fuzzy brown donkey

Perked up his ear

When Joseph cried,

“At last we are here!”

But, oh, what a crowd—

So noisy and loud!

And where would they stay

At the end of the day?

“Do you have a room?”

Poor Joseph said

“We’ve come so far,

And we need a bed.”

But the busy innkeeper

Shook his head.

Mary and Joseph

Turned away.

But then they heard

The innkeeper say,

“If you don’t mind

Some cows and sheep,

I have a place

Where you can sleep.”

The fuzzy brown donkey

Was glad to stay

Beside a manger

Filled with hay.

“Moo!” said the cow.

“Ba-a-a-a!” said the sheep.

Then everyone tried

To get some sleep.

And when the animals

Opened their eyes,

There in the manger,

To their surprise …

A baby lay!

It was Baby Jesus

Asleep on the hay,

A gift from God

On Christmas day!

A 30-Year Tradition

2011-12-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

St. Ambrose Christmas Pageant 2011

This is my favorite day of the entire year! Every December, the children who attend St. Ambrose religious education classes display their great talent by reenacting the real reason we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ.

I only cried once during the pageant this year. It happened during the dress rehearsal when I was taking photographs. As I looked through the lens of my camera—zooming in on the tiny faces—it struck me, the wonder, the innocence. The tears sprang up and as I lowered my Canon. I turned and caught the eye of my co-teacher, and dear friend Rose, who burst into tears when she saw me and so it went … down the aisle one adult after another. All of us were again realizing, knowing, just how magnificent this tradition is.

Christmas Pageant 2010 - If you're in need of a laugh click here!

Too Religious: Good Grief!

2011-12-15T16:32:00.005-07:00

I posted this last year, and after visiting JT's tree lot and picking out our tree this season, I felt a little nostalgic. I'm sure you all turn to Charlie Brown when you're feeling nostalgic, don't you?

The Christmas Classic that almost wasn’t. Whimsical, melancholy, and ultimately full of wonder, it’s a holiday favorite for countless families. But this cartoon classic almost didn’t make it on the air.

A Movie No One Wanted.

In 1963 producer Lee Mendelson made a short documentary about Charles Schulz called A Boy Named Charlie Brown. It included a few minutes of animated Peanuts scenes by Bill Melendez, who had animated the kids for a series of Ford Motor commercials, and music by jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. Sadly, no television network wanted to air it.

But in 1965, after the Peanuts made the cover of TIME magazine, an advertising agent for the Coca-Cola Company who had seen the Schulz documentary called Mendelson. The agent asked if Mendelson had thought about creating a Peanuts Christmas special. Mendelson fibbed that he had; the following day, he and Schulz came up with the story.

The Wise Men Meet.

The basics of the cartoon were laid out within a few hours. It would include ice-skating; a pageant (Mendelson and Schulz had both flubbed parts in school shows); a mix of Christmas carols and Guaraldi’s contemporary jazz; and the message that Christmas is really about the joyful miracle of Jesus’s birth.

“There will always be an audience for innocence in this country.” —Charles Schulz

Schulz wanted A Charlie Brown Christmas to have the religious meaning that was central to his own experience of Christmas.

Christmas Critics!

Even Schulz admitted that he was probably the only person who could have gotten A Charlie Brown Christmas made. Television executives hated it from the start. It was criticized as being too religious—Linus quotes straight from the King James Bible (Luke 2:8-14).

"And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid ... And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord."

Animators who worked on the project that were interviewed didn’t like it because of its religious ramifications. CBS reluctantly put it on the air, hoping no one would watch it.

But it was an instant hit with viewers and reviewers alike.

On Thursday, December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas was seen in more than 15.7 million homes. [Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: 14.9 million viewers. Frosty the Snowman: 10.1 Million viewers.] It won critical acclaim as well as an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program and a Peabody Award for excellence in programming.

Peter Robbins, the voice of Charlie Brown, said, "This show poses a question that I don't think had been asked before on television: Does anybody know the meaning of Christmas?"

The same question is still valid today, and not just for television viewers, but everyone: “Does anybody know [or remember] the meaning of Christmas?”

Source: Bill Nichols & Paul Smith Thanks Boys!

a Man• a Dog• a Bus• A Message

2011-10-29T13:37:00.004-06:00

Pay it Forward is back—enter your links this week.

This morning, as I pulled into a gas station I saw the most curious spectacle. I hope you are all reading this in a format that shows you the photo I posted; it's really quite a sight. Painted white, and covered with colorful handwritten notes, sayings, quotes and messages—all related to acts kindness—was a bus pulling away from the station. I wanted to chase it down and stop the driver to find out what this bus was all about. Unfortunately, it was turning onto a busy highway, and I foresaw acts of disaster tied to the idea. When I got home, I Googled some key words I had read—bus, man, dog and acts of kindness. Bingo, the power of the Internet is amazing. I met Bob and Bogart via their website and learned about their amazing journey, across the United States, to one million acts of kindness.

I’m Paying it Forward to Bob and Bogart. Their website, One Million Acts of Kindness, is a collection of incredible people, stories and projects Bob and Bogart have experienced, thus far, on their journey. There’s also a place where you can sign up to participate in Kindness Week, February 13-19, 2012. And as if that's not enough, there's a kindness certificate you can print and sign, pledging to take part in creating a kinder world.

Bob and Bogart's story:

"As a father of three college age kids I am concerned for the world in which all kids will live. A great way to create a safer, more caring world is for everyone to start their lifetime goal of One Million Acts Of Kindness. So I bought a bus, had about sixty family members, friends and neighbors help paint it and began a ten year journey with my Boston Terrier, Bogart, to college campuses across the country hoping to convince as many of you as possible about this much needed movement for this world. I love you guys too much to sit back and not do anything about this. Let's start a kindness movement in this country today to change the direction this world is headed!! You are the change that this world needs."

"Bogart is my travel companion on The Kindness Bus Tour for the next ten years. We will be on the road traveling to campuses across the country. Bogart is a three year old Boston Terrier. He is a great people dog... he loves meeting new people. I am Bogart's fourth owner in his short three years of life... Not because of him but because his three previous owner's lifestyles changed after they took him in... Lucky for me!! Bogart is the luckiest, most spoiled dog on the face of the earth. He loves the bus and he loves to travel. Please come and visit him when we are on your campus."

Life Interrupted

2011-10-22T11:36:00.005-06:00

Thank God for Bishop Wester and the Intermountain Catholic Newspaper. (*Remind me, I should pay back my parish for the twenty-five bucks they shelled out to safeguard that it’s delivered
to my home weekly.) What a blessing!

So, here’s the skivvy.

You may have noticed my recent absence from the Internet waves—at least I hope I was missed. I’ve been working through a transition to life as a full-time student. Yes, I spend my days tromping around campus, loaded down with textbooks and being mistaken for a professor. Really, I’m not joking. Every day, twice a day at a minimum, students approach me with the question, “Are you a teacher?” Before they launch into why they are asking, I shake my head, no, and generally disappoint. Drat, they’re thinking, I can see it in their eyes; they’ve lost the resource they thought they had stumbled upon. I’ve decided to view this occurrence as an indication that there’s a highly intelligent professorial look about me, and not because I look old enough I should be a professor.

My pursuit of a degree in Rhetoric and Writing seems to be quite fitting, don’t you think?

Back to the Intermountain Catholic and why I’m tapping away at the keyboard right now. In the October 21st edition of our local Catholic newspaper, Bishop Wester wrote an article about stewardship. More specifically, he wrote on the topic of time, and just when I’ve been embroiled in a crisis of time—or a lack of it, that is!

Bishop Wester's article, "Time is the first pillar of stewardship," has me thinking about my schedule. First, he suggested we take a reflective moment for the following exercise: take the word “time” and replace it with “life” in any expression. For example, “Oh, I’m just killing life.” Or, “I lost track of life.” Or, “Did you have a good life?” This exercise underscores the fact that life is precious. The second point that grabbed me was, “The way I spend my time is a great indicator of my priorities.” This second point is not a big new aha moment, but a much needed reminder of what I truly believe.

So, there you have it, why I’ve been absent and why I’m back. (It really has nothing to do with the fact that I’m pretty much done with my homework for the weekend, and it’s only Saturday afternoon.)

I’ll leave you today with one last thought from Bishop Wester. "It’s not how much I have but how I use what God has given me that makes all the difference."

Pay It Forward XIII

2011-08-23T08:45:00.001-06:00

This week, I'm posting the original "Pay It Forward" information for the many new followers who may not be familiar with the meme. The link form is included in this post, so go ahead and join in the fun!

Since I started a blog I’ve learned a lot about people, as well as issues. I’ve come to realize there’s more to blogging and bloggers than meets the eye. And, I’ve made wonderful friendships and connections. Time and time again, I’ve wanted the blogging world to meet someone I’ve met, or read something I’ve read. That’s what this blog meme is all about, “Pay It Forward.” Encourage good information, good writing, good reporting, good humor, good books, good scripture, goodwill, good news, or any other good you can think of. Here are the guidelines:

“Pay It Forward” in a nutshell:

You write a post about something good you see, you link (in your Monday night - Wednesday night posts) to the good thing, you fill out the form on A Life-Size Catholic Blog that contains a link to your post, and you look at three other blogs who participated.

Instructions for the more detail oriented blogger:

1. Write a post to “Pay It Forward” to another blogger’s great blog or post, and tell why it was highlighted by you. Be sure to grab the "Pay It Forward" meme button and include it in your post.

2. Link to the post you are writing about in your own post.

3. On Monday nights, I will post on my blog the form to enter your post link. You are allowed to enter the link to your post any time after it appears, sometime Monday night. The linky form will remain open through Wednesday night.

4. "Pay It Forward" is open to everyone with good information to share. Any inappropriate content will be deleted.

5. Link to your post via the "Simply Linked" form.

6. Connect with the best of the best by visiting at least THREE of the other links posted by other remarkable bloggers from the list.

7. You can watch the video (two and a half minutes long) to understand the Utopian idea behind this meme, and pay close attention to the comment about the “honor system”. The significance of the number three is explained here too. Have fun!

Pay It Forward was featured @ It's About Time Mamaw

Random Acts of Kindness

2011-08-21T09:27:00.000-06:00

~Place this button on the page with your post.~

I believe there’s a flawed perception in our society that in order to live a virtuous life, we have to do something really BIG. Something like solve world hunger, feed the homeless, move to Africa, or start a charity.

While these are all honorable, needed causes with many who are called to do these very things, for the rest of us, we can make a difference right here, right now, in our daily lives.

This morning, I was thinking about kind acts and about kind words, and how important it is that we do them, say them and hear them. It’s so easy to criticize. We have lots of words for that, and we all know how fast those words can fly off our tongues when we let them.

It’s scientifically proven that positive words have a positive effect on us. In fact, using negative words has been shown to lead to immediate negative effects on the body and our overall mood. If we continually use negative words, they can ZAP our spirit, our emotional strength, and our self-confidence.

Similarly, kindness can be contagious. The smallest and simplest of acts of kindness can make a difference in someone’s life in a very big way.

“Motivation and Inspiration” is a wonderful way to reach across the blogosphere to touch the life of another. Spreading the word and raising awareness of the significance of human kindness undoubtedly makes the world a better place. At every step along the way of increasing awareness, there is the opportunity to dig deeper, and to discover more of the potential of our divine humanness. So it is with kindness. Acts of kindness are really not difficult, and they make you feel good. Holding kindness and compassion in our hearts, and incorporating them into the hardships and stresses of daily life, every day—now that’s a challenge!

This is a place to link kindness stories. They can be very small, simple kind deeds. But even the smallest, most simple act of kindness can make a difference in someone's life in a very big way. Perhaps by reading about a kind idea that someone else has done, you will be inspired to do the same or come up with an entirely new idea of your own. I hope you will be truly motivated by these stories and that they will touch your heart.

“Motivation and Inspiration” reminds us of the extraordinary power of kind-heartedness; that can start from the simplest act of the heart and grow ripple-by-ripple into a magnificent power capable of transforming the world.

~This link will remain open for a really long time. So, come back often and add your stories whenever you can.~

*This is not my original idea but was adapted to fit this setting.

Pay It Forward XII

2011-08-16T07:38:00.000-06:00

This week my “Pay It Forward” goes to all the past “Pay It Forward” contributors. It takes some prior proper planning to be part of this meme. Those of you who have joined in to spotlight others deserve a pat on the back yourselves! You are all examples of the how the power and actions of kindness provide countless dividends.

These posts are scattered with nuggets of wisdom, inspiration, humor, courage, recipes, tips, joys, and sorrows. I’m posting all the past links here for everyone to click through—enjoy!

"Pay It Forward Posts:

Pay It Forward XI
Pay It Forward X
Pay It Forward IX
Pay It Forward VIII
Pay It Forward VII
Pay It Forward VI
Pay It Forward V
Pay It Forward IV
Pay It Forward III
Pay It Forward II
Pay It Forward I

Pay It Forward XI

2011-08-08T22:32:00.002-06:00

Staying with the week’s biking theme (sort of), I thought it fitting to “Pay It Forward” to Susan from THE TAO OF CYCLING, who is a blogger, cyclist, and friend of mine. Actually, it would be more accurate to say my friend, who happens also to be a cyclist and a blogger—and a writer, too, actually. Oh, and a mom, and the creator of her own business, Blessings Bowl. In reality, she has a million other wonderful and interesting, talents besides those I mentioned, and I could go on and on. I’m going to let her website and her writing speak for itself, though, because she will win your heart and soothe your soul whether you’re a biker, or writer, or neither. Here’s why:

Her business, Blessings Bowl, has a mission:

To take a thing and make it more, to invest it with joy and spirit and warmth, to wrap it in your hands and mold it with love, to turn it loose and watch it make its way, is to do God’s work here on earth.

I think Susan lives this mission, too!

You must spend some time clicking around the Blessings Bowl website and reading how Susan and her business partner are committed to running a company that reflects their love of life and of the world we all inhabit. They strive to hire artisans who love their craft, companies that support people with disabilities, and people who share the Blessings Bowl vision. They are also committed to sharing the company’s profits with people in situations of need, and endeavor to support other organizations that do the same.

Susan’s blog is equally creative and inspirational. Looking back over her initial writings, she had been riding for about two years at that point, and was a strong, committed rider. Now, however, she’s ridden in some of the toughest cycling events that exist. More than once, she’s taken on Lotoja, a one-day, 206-mile ride, and she has also ridden in Saints to Sinners, a 500-mile relay from Utah to Vegas, just to name a couple. Here are some excerpts of a few of my favorite posts at THE TAO OF CYCLING, but all her posts are well worth reading.

regret not

so much to say, so difficult to find the words to do so.

I've had a few people ask me why I started this web-log, and my answer is that it's all about discipline. I am a writer who writes in spurts, and it's time to change that. I made a commitment to myself, that I would begin writing on a regular basis, and this is my vehicle. my daily practice. my have-to.

like my daily bike ride, I love this and I don't. it is not always easy to choose a topic and try to make an interesting mini-essay out of it. sometimes I am more efficient and effective than others! sometimes I have a great morning ride ~ full of energy and purpose and joy ~ and sometimes I don't.

but the important piece is that I do it. I ride, and I write. I am committed to improving both of these skills, and the only way that will happen is if I practice them, over and over Read more…

to be one traveler

I believe in paths and journeys. that we each walk our own path through life, and that everyone's life is a unique journey. our paths may twist and weave and sometimes double-back on themselves, but they are always paths that move us forward on our journeys.

I believe one part of everyone's life journey is to develop compassion. compassion toward self, and compassion toward all others. yes, all others. and the simplest way to develop compassion is to realize that each of us has their own journey to experience, and that every journey includes challenges and obstacles. every one. whether we can see those obstacles or not, they are there. Read more…

not about cycling at all

coldplay in my cd player, me singing at the top of my lungs, fast little car motoring on the freeway, a double rainbow in the sky, rain sprinkling in through the open sunroof . . . I am so blessed. what an incredible world!

as I curve around the freeway exit I face west, and the sun is behind narrow dense clouds that let only silver show around their edges.

I do not want to be anywhere but here.

Read more… (Kidding, that’s the entire post.)

Please stop by Susan’s space and say howdy, let her know you’re visiting from “Pay It Forward.” I hope you will all post something you enjoy, or just a little something you’d like to share.

Happy Ever After With My Prince

2011-08-08T07:35:00.001-06:00

Biking in the area I live can be a bit difficult—we’ve got serious mountains here. Several years ago I thought I wanted to start biking a lot more. But I often think I want to do something, and after a while I decide to move on to something else. As a result, I’m experienced at many things, but master of none!

My old bike was one I’d had for about twenty years, an eighteen gear, enormously heavy, red Schwinn. I wanted a new road bike, but good road bikes are not cheap, and this could turn out to be another one of my fleeting passions. My plan: if I could ride my old bike enough to eventually be strong enough to ride to the top of Millcreek Canyon, I’d ask for a new bike for my birthday, or my anniversary, or whatever holiday coincided with the accomplishment. A deal my husband agreed to, and how I eventually got together with my Prince.

The Prince

I procrastinated a push to the top; Millcreek Canyon is a bugger of a ravine and sections of it feel like they are vertical! At this point, I had been riding A LOT, and I still hadn’t made the summit. One day, though, I was at our neighborhood bike repair shop, and I saw it—the Prince. The Prince is made by Pinarello, an Italian bike company that has been making bikes since WWII. The Prince at my local bike joint was used, which is the only way I could even begin to think we could afford it. But I knew if I had that bike, I would be a lifelong biker. I’m not sure if it was that day, or the next, but it was exactly the incentive I needed, and I peddled my way to the Prince of my dreams.

Don’t feel bad for my other honey (my darling husband), he’s the King! Plus, he has a thing for the woman whose voice is on our GPS device. Any woman who can give directions to the man behind the wheel, and keep her cool under all circumstances (including missed turn offs, wrong turns, and yielding at stop signs), has his undying love. He makes this very clear when we’re road tripping. I don’t mind, not really, I’m a little bit in awe of her myself.

Everywhere I ride, cyclists (who know bikes) comment—usually as they’re whizzing by—nice bike! Thanks, I smile through my huffing and puffing. Truth be told, the bike should belong to a much better rider than me. Too bad, I love my Prince.

The Ride

2011-08-07T10:54:00.000-06:00

Have you ever heard the song, "Bicycle Race" by Queen? Every bicycle video you ever see uses these lyrics.

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

The problem is, I don't want to ride my bicycle, and I haven't been. I did it yesterday, however. I rode the 15.6-mile-long Emigration Canyon Ride that begins where Sunnyside Avenue enters the Wasatch Mountains.

The road tops out at Little Mountain Pass, from where you can view the Mill Creek Ridge to the south, Lookout Peak to the north, and Upper Mountain Dell Reservoir below. It’s sensational.

Emigration Canyon is a major route through the Wasatch Mountains. It’s a popular route for Utah cyclists. I thoroughly enjoyed riding the canyon yesterday. Actually, I relished it—yahoo! It felt great, and I wasn’t expecting that. But like I said yesterday, sometimes you pick up what you’re missing along the way.

If you’re a cyclist, you might know the name Dave Zabriskie, the Utah native who is a three-time grand tour stage winner and who frequently rides Emigration Canyon. Of course, he might ride it over and over in the same day, while once a day is enough for me. Dave continues to call Utah his home, at least during the off-season, so it’s entirely possible he might whiz past me one of these days. Yesterday, it was just the year-round locals whooshing by. It didn’t matter to me—it felt good to be on my bike, even if I traveled at a laid-back pace. Bit by bit, little by little, I got my drive back, and by the time I got to the top … well, I'm no Dave Zabriskie, but I sure felt like the winner of a stage tour! Yup, me and my Prince. My Prince? Oh, that's another story, one I think I'll tell you tomorrow.

Butt in a rut!

2011-08-06T11:40:00.002-06:00

I’ve read great blog posts about people getting messages from signs they’ve seen in their daily travels, and they aptly apply them to their lives. I’ve never really been one to take note of that kind of thing. I guess the distractions of life overwhelm me, or I’m just not perceptive enough.

Recently, I’ve had a difficult time keeping up with my exercise routine. In the past, I’ve enjoyed my workouts. For some reason, though, I can’t muster up the enthusiasm, and the effects are starting become apparent. The problem with going on like this will become a real for me mid September when my sister is flies into town for a biking event down south in Moab. The infamous ride is called, “The Big Nasty”, and you better believe IT IS. Three thousand feet of elevation gain in seven miles—that’s crazy! Even crazier are the total 105 miles and overall 5,250 feet of elevation. I think my procrastination might have a purpose … like, bailout you idiot, before it’s too late!

Unfortunately, the only sign I’ve seen isn’t motivational, but confirms my situation. For days now, I keep noticing the same ad on the side of a UTA bus in my area, and the words aren’t moving me. The ad only confirms my lethargic attitude. The ad script?

Butt in a rut? ("No kidding", I say back!)

So, I’m done waiting for my own Burma Shave experience. Today, I’m going to ride my bicycle up Emigration Canyon—to the top—and tomorrow, I’m going to blog about it. (Hold me to it!)

No more butt in a rut for me! Today is the day. The dawn of a new beginning: I’m going to get out of my PJ’s now and get started. Yes, as soon as I finish this coffee, and put the laundry in the dryer, and water the garden, clean out the junk drawer, and…

No ... no ... no!

I’m going:

Peanut butter bagel eaten √

Tires pumped √

Water bottles √

Extra tire tube & pump √

Helmet √

Bike dusted off (sad, but true) √

iPod √

Ibuprofen √√√√

Attitude, well, you always leave something behind that you need to acquire along the way … see ya at the top.

Closet Envy—a Wardrobe of Love

2011-08-04T12:12:00.008-06:00

The best-dressed woman in Santa Fe is not a real person, but a 30-inch wooden statue first brought here [Santa Fe] in 1626 on an ox cart.

~A.Constable

This beautiful wooden statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary has her own wardrobe! Yes, she’s a little girl’s dream, having an outfit for any and every occasion. At first, I thought the original statue had been replaced or renovated when I saw her in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. I had done a little (very little) exploration of La Conquistadora (the statue) before our trip to Santa Fe, and the statue I found at the Cathedral Basilica did not look like the one I had seen in the photographs I’d located. I made an inquiry to the docent and got the full story.

Apparently, Our Lady has an enormous wardrobe, and her outfits are changed frequently. Her gowns are made from wedding dresses, robes and jewels, donated by the faithful. Some even have handwritten prayers and intentions sewn into the linings, and almost every gown has a story. Over 200 outfits (video) are kept under lock and key at the Cathedral Basilica. I understand there has been a public display of her wardrobe in the past, but unfortunately, not while I was visiting. The outfit she was dressed in when I saw her was chosen for the celebration of Spanish Festival week.

It was customary in both Spain and in the New World to dress statues of Mary in the style of Spanish queens. There were few statues of such beauty in New Mexico, and this one became known as the “Queen of the Kingdom of New Mexico and the villa of Santa Fe.” The custom of dressing the statue continues, with colors often coordinated to the liturgical seasons.

With the passing of time, devotion to the Queen and Patroness of the Royal City of Santa Fe has never ceased. Small groups of pilgrims filter in and out, to venerate the country’s oldest Madonna. In 1954, Our Lady was crowned by Cardinal Francis Spellman, and in 1960, she received a Papal Coronation during ceremonies honoring the 350th anniversary of the founding of Santa Fe. Her golden crown is studded with precious stones, and her wardrobe has become rich and extensive, with new items constantly being presented by faithful devotees.

There is much history surrounding this statue. Carved from a willow tree in Spain she was brought to New Mexico in 1625. She was rescued from a fire, kidnapped, whisked off to safety and hidden when the town was attacked and burned to the ground, and returned to Santa Fe over a decade later. The statue was returned in 1963 with Governor Don Diego de Vargas, who attributed Santa Fe’s successful “reconquest” to prayers made to Our Lady by the soldiers and colonists. Because of promises made to La Conquistodora at that time, a novena of masses and Fiestas de Santa Fe have been held each year for more than 300 years. Her shrine in La Conquistadora Chapel is the oldest Marian shrine in the United States.

Visiting La Conquistodora Chapel was mesmerizing. The air was thick with the prayers from generations of the many faithful who preceded me. I humbly paid homage with prayers of my own.

On a side note: I noticed that sometimes La Conquistodora is holding baby Jesus and sometimes she is not. I’ve made a query with the Cathedral as to why, and will update you when they respond. If you happen to know the answer—clue us in!

Sources: Visitors guide to Cathedral Basilica of Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Cathedral by Fray Angelico Chavez
The helpful Docent whose name I didn't get :-(
Photos: Some are my own, but most are from Google Images

It's my first!

2011-08-02T20:51:00.005-06:00

I've been intent on getting the hang of our new camera—a Cannon Rebel T2i—and I decided to post my first photo link-up snapshots.

Hopefully ... I'll get better over time!

and

Linking up with:

Pay It Forward X

2011-08-01T20:24:00.002-06:00

Well, now, isn’t that interesting! Each time I click though the links posted at the “Pay It Forward” blog meme, I find myself saying just that. Faith, food, fun … you never know what the next click will bring. Take this opportunity to showcase someone or something that caught your eye as you perused the Internet. If you enjoyed it, or learned from it, chances are we will, too. There is a lot of great stuff just a click away. Pay it forward to one of your favorites, and visit the picks of some of the other bloggers out there. Kindness inspires kindness! Let’s help scatter some good out there in the blogosphere, shall we?


My zucchini ~ click to enlarge

This week, my “Pay It Forward” came from—of all things—an Internet search for zucchini recipes. After our trip to Santa Fe, we arrived home to a plethora of zucchini in the garden. I’ve never actually been one of those gardeners who has a plethora of anything in her garden, except maybe dead plants and thriving weeds, so I’m thrilled to have plucked several large zucchinis from my thriving plot!

Hmm … what does one do with zucchini the size of a small watermelon (okay, they weren’t that big, but they were pretty darn big compared to the zucchinis I buy at the grocery store.) Of course, I fired up my trusty laptop and Googled zucchini recipes. Apparently, I’m in the minority of those never having too many zucchinis because there are over 13 million places you can find the answer to the question, “how to rid yourself of any overabundance zucchini?”

In my search, I stumbled upon, “The Finer Things in Life,” and the post, “Got zucchini?” was exactly what I needed! Amy writes:

My garden ~ click to enlarge

Zucchini is so abundant in my garden right now! I needed a place to go for inspiration, and thought some of you could use extra zucchini recipes, too. So… don’t run away the next time your neighbor knocks on the door with a bag full of zucchini. Accept it graciously and get to cookin’!

If you’re a gardener, Amy also has a linky to hookup your garden progress under her post “Run Away Garden: Fugal Gardening.”

If you happen to “Got apples?” you better zip over and see Amy, too! I’ve never seen so many apple recipes in one place.

Amy also hosts “Finer Things Friday,” which she describes as a fun weekly link up where we share all the best things in life … that aren’t actually things! What a delightful idea.

Hop on over to “The Finer Things in Life,” and let Amy know you’re visiting through the “Pay It Forward” blog meme hosted here. Don’t forget to visit some of the finer things others have posted up above, too. I’m always amazed at the diversity of interesting information you post each week!

Spiritual Paths

2011-07-31T20:13:00.001-06:00

click to enlarge

The Labyrinth’s path is like the path of life. There are twists and turns, feelings of being lost, encounters with others on your path, the thrill of accomplishment at the center, and sometimes a flash of insight before returning.

I walked the St. Francis of Assisi Labyrinth twice. The first time a group of children joined me, two girls and a boy. The girls were frolicking behind me, and the little boy alternated between running ahead and lagging behind. Listening to their discussion was quite interesting. “Are we there yet?,“ ” I think we’ve been on this path already,” and, “What’s at the end?” Unknown to them, their banter reflected the thoughts of many people of faith. It was a grand celebration when we all entered the center at the same time.

click to enlarge

The second walk, just before Mass, I traveled the labyrinth for myself. I was alone in my thoughts for some time before being joined by three other adults. These three companions were silent, each waited for some distance to pass before starting off behind the other. We all walked with quiet intent, absorbed in our meditations. Looking for … for what? Answers? I struggled in my labyrinth travels, my mind couldn’t settle on a single thought, but flitted from here to there and back again. In the end, I had one prevailing detail in my mind … I voyage with others, but this journey is mine alone. Be a light unto myself. The thought of an inward focus always seems so, well, selfish. I’ve been giving this much contemplation, however, and I’m beginning to see some merit in the notion. Perhaps my fragmented and disorderly thoughts during my labyrinth walk were more instructive then I had realized at the time!

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Labyrinth

click to enlarge

Labyrinths have been used around the world since at least 2000 B.C. Their patterns were built into floors of medieval Cathedrals and walked by pilgrims of that time. The labyrinth I walked here is built in the style of the one at the great cathedral in Chartres, France. Avant Gardens of Santa Fe constructed it during the remodeling of the cathedral landscaping in 2003. It’s a reminder of the French origins of Archbishop Lamy who was responsible for the construction of the present cathedral in its French Romanesque style.

The Chartres Labyrinth

The Middle Ages showed a renewed interest in labyrinths and a design more complex than the classical seven-circuit labyrinth subsequently became popular.

This was an eleven-circuit design divided into four quadrants. It was often found in Gothic Cathedrals but over time many of these eleven-circuit designs were destroyed or intentionally removed.

click to enlarge

The most famous of these remaining labyrinths is at Chartres Cathedral near Paris, France. The labyrinth at Chartres was built around the year 1200 and is laid into the floor in a style sometimes referred to as a pavement maze. The original center piece has been removed and other areas of the labyrinth have been restored.

This labyrinth was meant to be walked, but it is reported to be infrequently used. In the past, it could be walked as a pilgrimage and/or for repentance. As a pilgrimage, it was a quest, a searching journey with the hope of becoming closer to God. When used for repentance, the pilgrims would walk on their knees. Sometimes, this eleven-circuit labyrinth would serve as a substitute for an actual pilgrimage to Jerusalem and, as a result, it came to be called the "Chemin de Jerusalem" or Road of Jerusalem.

In walking the labyrinth, the walker meanders through each of the four quadrants several times before reaching the goal. Anticipation grows regarding when the center will be reached. At the center is a rosette design which has a rich symbolic value including that of enlightenment. The four arms of the cross are readily visible and provide significant Christian symbolism.

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

Isaiah 60:1

Source: Wikipedia Chartres Cathedral
Visitors guide to the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Fe, New Mexico

Pay It Forward IX

2011-07-25T18:33:00.010-06:00

Here at “Pay It Forward,” we are eager to show off talent in the blogosphere. If you’ve come across someone you would like to promote to fellow bloggers and blog readers, write up a little something giving us the nut and bolts, and enter your link promoting this person, post, or website, etc., below.

My "Pay It Forward" this week:

I have a friend who always delights me. She challenges my mind, enlightens my thinking, and amazes me with her ability to be honest and forthright in her discussions. I’ve never met this gal in person, but through her writing, I have grown in my faith, and in many, many other ways, too.

She has an inexhaustible thirst for knowledge, as is reflected in her writing and topics on her blog, and I always enjoy visiting her cyber-space home. When I stop over at her place, I find engaging conversation, vast resources, something to stimulate my brain, or my heart. Please visit my friend Joan @ Oh Beauty Ever Ancient Ever New, read the story of how she named her blog, find out about her history, check out the hundreds of resources on her sidebar (pace yourself), and enjoy getting to know her through her informative, engaging and honest commentary. Oh, she also posts over at the Catholic Association of Women Bloggers. So you can find her there, too!

I’m also posting a little slideshow today. We acquired a new camera this week. It’s going to be a peanut-butter-and-jelly month, but I think it’s well worth the sacrifice. So, since recently, I’ve been sharing all the challenges I encounter in my yard, I thought today I’d share some of the more inspiring points—as captured through the lens of our new camera.

Love Every Living Creature on Earth~ Or Not!

2011-07-22T22:19:00.002-06:00

The Bible gives us many examples of God’s love for all of his creations, including the animals that he created. God did not make anything that he does not love or care about.

Here’s the deal though: I am fed up with the varmints assaulting my gardens and my yard. I live on the edge of a national forest. Because of that, we deal with many issues regular city folks don’t think about.

Like the time the skunk accidentally fell into one of our window wells. Animal control wanted to come out and blast the little bugger. This was troubling to me on a couple of counts. First, it’s not nice to blast any of God’s creatures. Secondly, however, what does a blasted skunk smell like, and for how long?

I devised my own plan. I wrapped a 2x4 with rope and placed it in the window well while the critter was sleeping. During the night (skunks are nocturnal), he skedaddled up the ladder and out of there. I would say, “All’s well that ends well,” but this episode didn’t actually end well. Our dog was skunked a few days later. Ungrateful varmint!

After fifteen years in this home, I’m getting used to many of the trials and tribulations that come with the territory. However, the large rodent sliding down the very long pole that my bird feeder is attached to like he was an experienced firefighter—which led to my not feeding the birds any longer—did cause me a slight heart attack.

Then there’s the ground squirrels’ attack on the foundation of the house, the wasps that had a heyday in the cedar shake roof (now replaced), the voles that made our yard look like the set used for the movie “Ground Hog Day,” and the ants that keep marching home—to my home!

Currently, there’s an ongoing attack on my vegetable garden. I’ve barely even seen anything but a blossom because of a cooler-than-usual start to the growing season, but I have two green tomato plants that have some good-sized tomatoes. Every morning, I am greeted with tomatoes that have been pecked by the birds. I know who the culprits are, too. A family of magpies has moved into the area and I am not feeling the love, God’s creatures or not!

I’ve read up on the Internet to see what to do to keep these pests away, but they are immune to the normal scare tactics. I’ve hung CD’s and reflective tape on fish line above the plants, but the guys must be thinking that there’s some disco theme going on, and apparently, they’re fans.

Any ideas? I’m open to almost anything with the exception of poison, BB guns and sling shots.

I’d like to reap some of the harvest I’ve been so diligently nurturing all these months …

~God, help me always to be kind
to all creatures, great and small.~
(even magpies!)

Linking up with:

Shanda over at A Pause on the Path. She has a new blog hop: On My Heart Tuesday.

Church~Chapel~Cathedral~Basilica

2011-07-21T22:17:00.005-06:00

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

I’m going to a basilica! Say what?

Soon, I’ll be traveling to an area that has a basilica. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, commonly known as Saint Francis Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Because of this journey, I thought it might be a good time to figure out what a basilica really is. Who really knows the difference between what makes a church, a church, a chapel, a chapel, a cathedral, a cathedral, and a basilica, a basilica? I sure don’t, or at least, I didn’t.

In a nutshell:

Church— a church seems to be the general term encompassing the other terms and meaning a building for divine worship. It’s any building in which a priest or minister presides over services or mass.

Chapel—the generally accepted definition dates back to when St. Martin divided his military cloak (cappa) and gave half to the beggar at the gate of Amiens; he wrapped the other half around his shoulders, thus making it a cape (capella). This cape, or its representative, was afterwards preserved as a relic and accompanied the Frankish kings in their wars, and the tent which sheltered it became known also as cappella or capella. In this tent, Mass was celebrated by the military chaplains (capellani). When at rest in the palace, the relic likewise gave its name to the oratory where it was kept, and subsequently any oratory where Mass and Divine services were celebrated was called capella, chapelle, chapel. St. Martin’s story is a great one, and well worth reading.

In Roman Catholic Canon Law, a chapel, technically called an "oratory," is a building or part of a building dedicated to the celebration of services, particularly the Mass, that is not a parish church. This may be a private chapel for the use of one person or a select group, e.g., a bishop's private chapel, or the chapel of a convent. It could be a semi-public oratory, which is partially available to the general public, e.g., a seminary chapel that welcomes visitors to services, or a public oratory like a hospital or university chapel.

Cathedral of the Madeleine

Cathedral— A cathedral is a church with a chair. Yup! That chair is the seat of the bishop, who governs a diocese (a geographical area). In fact, the word cathedral comes from the word cathedra, which is the bishop's chair. It is where the bishop preaches and teaches, handing down the truths he and the community have received from the Twelve Apostles. Each bishop has received authority by the laying on of hands by someone who has had hands laid upon them, and so on back through the mists of history to apostolic times, and it is the cathedra that represents this authority, or apostolic succession. The cathedral is the Mother Church of a diocese. My cathedral is Cathedral of the Madeleine pictured on the left.

Basilica—a church designated as a basilica has been given special ceremonial rites by the Pope. In essence, this means that the procession that occurs at the beginning of important masses includes certain sacred objects (such as a unique bell) and clergy are permitted, under certain circumstances, to wear unique garments. Also, basilicas have a papal altar and throne that may not be used by anyone without the permission of the Pope.

Four Major Basilicas of Rome

Major basilica—The majors include the four great churches of Rome (St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul-without-the-Walls), which among other distinctions have a special "holy door" and to which a visit is always prescribed as one of the conditions for gaining the Roman Jubilee. A few other churches, notably that of St. Francis at Assisi and that of the Portiuncula, have also received the privilege of ranking as patriarchal basilicas. As such, they possess a papal throne and an altar at which none may say Mass except by the Pope's permission.

Minor basilica—the minors are much more numerous than the majors. This is how it works—the pope declares:

“We, by our apostolic authority ... erect (such and such a church) to the dignity of a lesser basilica and bestow upon it all the privileges which belong to the lesser basilicas of this our own cherished city.”

What are those privileges? The standard privileges which they grant are only three: the use of the basilican bell; the use of the basilican pavilion; and the right of the canons of the basilica—if it has a chapter of secular canons—to wear a cappa of purple wool and ermine. Since we have no canonical chapters in the United States, none of our basilicas have this last privilege.

The information about basilicas is vast. There are many details, and much history on the subject. Perhaps I’ll study up, and pass on the most interesting of information in future posts.

I’m spending a bit of time researching the basilica I’ll be visiting, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. I’m so excited to attend Mass there, and see how it compares to Mass at my parish. Someday, I’d like to go to Rome, but for now, I’ll happily be visiting Santa Fe and its glorious basilica.

Here is a list of all of the basilicas in the world.

Source: Wikipedia , Catholic Encyclopedia, Google photos

Pay It Forward VIII

2011-07-18T18:32:00.017-06:00

Be sure to take the opportunity to highlight another blog, blog post, or blogger. Paying it forward takes your random act of kindness (your attention and esteem), and multiplies it into other acts of kindness towards others. Basically, when someone goes out of the way to do something kind to you without expecting anything in return, you do the same to someone else. Go out of the way to offer some kind words this week. Enter your link. “Pay It Forward, and put a smile on somebody’s face!

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all that delight in them. ~ Psalm 111:2

Mustering up the courage to hike up

“Angel’s Landing.”

Having just returned from an amazing trip in the southern region of Utah, I am reminded of the importance of ~~Internet and mobile phone service~~ caring for God’s creations. This is the responsibility of each of us! You may have noticed my electronic silence, but I bet you heard my shrieks and my shouts of amazement, as I explored the splendor of God’s creations with people I love.

The current cycle of environmental abuses, however, are effecting our environment—the environment all living things have come to rely upon. What will WE do to protect the earth? How will WE cope with the changes we've already set into motion? While we struggle to figure it all out, the face of the Earth as we know it—coasts, forests, farms, and snowcapped mountains—hangs in the balance.

“Angel’s Landing” is at the
top of that peak between the
trees. Yup, we’re crazy!

I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to have the ability to enjoy the same wonders of the world as I am able to enjoy!

Our faith requires us to act. The U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops has issued many statements and documents pertaining to Catholic teaching on political life. In a series of statements issued by the bishops every four years, they focus on “political responsibility” or “faithful citizenship."

Crazy and determined—we made it!

I imagine the angels had
a hand in our safe arrival.

My "Pay It Forward" this week is to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for their service, and for their guidance on vital matters. More specifically, for the following document that focuses on these important issues in light of new challenges facing our nation and world. The entire document, “Forming Conscience for the Faithful Citizenship,” can be downloaded as a pdf. There is only ONE earth, so let's take care of it! The following excerpt highlights our environmental responsibilities as stated in the "Conscience for the Faithful Citizenship":

Caring for God’s Creation

54. We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of God’s creation. Care for the earth is a duty of our faith and a sign of our concern for all people. We should strive to live simply to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We have a moral obligation to protect the planet on which we live—to respect God’s creation and to ensure a safe and hospitable environment for human beings, especially children at their most vulnerable stages of development. As stewards called by God to share the responsibility for the future of the earth, we should work for a world in which people respect and protect all of creation and seek to live simply in harmony with it for the sake of future generations.

Applying Catholic Teaching to Major Issues: A Summary of Policy Positions of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

87. Care for the earth and for the environment is a moral issue. Protecting the land, water, and air we share is a religious duty of stewardship and reflects our responsibility to born and unborn children, who are most vulnerable to environmental assault. Effective initiatives are required for energy conservation and the development of alternate, renewable, and clean-energy resources. Our Conference offers a distinctive call to seriously address global climate change, focusing on the virtue of prudence, pursuit of the common good, and the impact on the poor, particularly on vulnerable workers and the poorest nations. The United States should lead in contributing to the sustainable development of poorer nations and promoting greater justice in sharing the burden of environmental blight, neglect, and recovery.

Our decisions, both personal and political, do not easily fit ideologies of “right” or “left,” “liberal” or “conservative,” or the platform of any political party. They are not partisan or sectarian, but reflect fundamental ethical principles that are common to all people. We must make a decision to ACT on behalf of this magnificent earth.

“Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do”

~ Wendell Berry~

This week I am linking up with "Finding Heaven ... one step at a time". Jen hosts a meme, "Soli Deo Gloiria". It's the perfect "Pay It Forward" link-up! Jen writes:

I am so excited to see what God does here on the pages of our computers, out in the wide expanses of the Internet, gathering sisters in Christ together to encourage and love one another, all the while bringing glory to the Savior.~Jen

Encourage and love one another—link up with Soli Doe Gloria too!
Also linking up with:

Pay It Forward VII

2011-07-11T22:33:00.015-06:00

“Pay It Forward” is an opportunity to connect with each other, find new friends, experience new things, learn, grow, and bond with each other. Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. So, be sure to write up a little tidbit about one of your favorite posts, or blogs—from another blogger—and post your blogs link on the “Pay It Forward” linky form below. Remember, “Pay It Forward” is now open until Wednesday night.

For more detailed instructions, click the "Pay It Forward" button:

“Determination is the wake-up call to the human will." ~Anthony Robbins

Catholicism does not call us to abandon the world but to help shape it. This does not mean saying goodbye to worldly tasks and responsibilities, but transforming them. Social justice and the common good will be built up, or torn down, day-by-day in the countless decisions and choices we make.

This week I am paying it forward to Charlie Douglas, a senior vice president with a leading global wealth management institution for his article, “Placing People Over Profits”. Charlie is a speaker on such topics as the pursuit of God and money and morality in the marketplace. Hats off to Charlie ... topics involving public policy and economics are difficult to tackle. Unfortunately, our attention span on this subject lasts about as long as our cup of coffee.

His article speaks to the fact that short-term profits and “pay for performance” carry far more weight in our capitalistic society than does “doing the right thing” and placing people over profits. Sighting capitalism as the way to make a profit, and more often than not, at the expense of ethical conduct.

He writes:

"To be sure, acting ethically oftentimes, helps ensure profitability over the long run, but there is little or no monetary reward under free market capitalism for acting ethically in the short-run. Being a saint in the marketplace carries little weight if that saint is unprofitable. In business you either make a profit by contributing to the bottom-line or you are eventually asked to go home. It’s that simple. Or is it?"

"Believing the world to be in a cultural and moral crisis, Pope Benedict viewed the failings of the marketplace as “a serious symptom that required intervention at its root.” In particular, the now-distant financial meltdown showed the need for greater solidarity with the poor."

"Under the Pope’s economic model, private profit and public virtue are by no means mutually exclusive. However, doing well for ourselves and doing good for others requires that our investments of time and economic resources be in those undertakings which foremost help promote life, human dignity and the common good. In the final analysis, profitable businesses should be structured to serve people and not the other way around."

This is a serious issue, not only because of its effects on people in general, but especially society’s most vulnerable members. Why is it that these issues pass by without a second thought? It’s unfortunate this subject doesn’t evoke a more fervent response.

Pope Benedict: "This crisis needs to be looked at in depth, as a grave symptom that requires intervention on its causes." Me: I believe we need to "wake up and smell the coffee" on this issue!

Photo source: Google Images

Followers and Friends~ Important Information!

2011-07-10T11:01:00.001-06:00

Some basic information for friends and followers of A Life-Size Catholic Blog...

Blog Buttons
Hops
Motivational & Inspirational Meme
Pay It Forward Meme

If you are following A Life-Size Catholic Blog and have a blog button, or host a hop please make sure I have added you to my "Friends" and "Hop" pages accessible from the links above or on my navigation bar overhead. Leave a comment below and I'll grab your buttons if they need to be added.

“Motivation and Inspiration” is a wonderful way to reach across the blogosphere to touch the life of another. This linky is open to link up to anytime.

"Motivation and Inspiration" is a place to link kindness stories. They can be very small, simple kind deeds. But even the smallest, most simple act of kindness can make a difference in someone's life in a very big way. Perhaps by reading about a kind idea that someone else has done, you will be inspired to do the same or come up with an entirely new idea of your own. I hope you will be truly motivated by these stories and that they will touch your heart.

“Pay It Forward” is an avenue to connect with each other, and reap the benefits from what that connecting can do: find new friends, laugh a little, cry a lot, and affect you in a way that keeps you thinking for days afterwards. So, be sure to write up a little tidbit about one of your favorite posts, or blogs—from another blogger—and post your blogs link on the “Pay It Forward” linky form posted Monday night and open through Wednesday. This will give you 48 hours instead of 24 hours to link up your posts. Go right ahead and add a paragraph to an already existing post if you'd like. If you link up the post and remember to place the "Pay It Forward" button on the page we'll figure it out. ;-D

Thanks to those who have linked up with "Pay It Forward", Motivational & Inspirational, and to all the followers of A Life-Size Catholic Blog!

Smooch...

Infect someone with kindness today!

2011-07-08T17:10:00.002-06:00

I thought this story would make a great entry for the Motivational & Inspirational Meme. It’s from my favorite Devo gals book ... "Be Still and let Your Nail Polish Dry."

Yesterday, as stood in the grocery store checkout line, I grew a little flustered while rummaging in my purse for money and my “reduce the price” card. (Maybe you have one of those bottomless pit satchels that allows you to carry everything but the kitchen sink, too…) In my overzealousness to dig for my wallet, my address book fell out and slid under the magazine rack.

Well, imagine my surprise when the gentleman behind me got onto his hands and knees on my behalf! He got up, dusted off his trousers and the mini phone book, and winked. “There you go little lady,” he said, smiling. My heartfelt” Thank you” hardly seemed sufficient, but what more could I do … or say?

The nice man and I chatted as my purchases rolled by on the black conveyor belt: The weatherman predicted rain tonight; weren’t those tabloid headline hilarious; he hoped the tickle in his throat wouldn’t become the full-blown flu that had laid his wife low for a week…

Something inching down the conveyor belt—a two for one package of an effervescent product that promised to nip germs in the bud—caught my eye. While he distractedly searched his pocket for a credit card, I paid for it, separated the two products, and handed one to him.

The poor guy looked as shocked as I felt when he hit the floor to retrieve my address book. Isn’t it a shame that small acts of kindness like that aren’t routine in everyone’s days!

Driving home, I remembered the story of the little girl who walked along the seashore after high tide and found a dozen starfish on the sand. Bending down, she picked up one as a man passing by said, You realize, don’t you, that it’s impossible to save them all.” The little girl tossed the starfish into the water. “Maybe,” she replied, but at least I saved that one.”

As I put away my groceries, I turned on the small black-and-white TV in my kitchen and saw what has become my all-time favorite commercials: A man picks up an empty soda bottle on the ground at a county fair and tosses it into a trash can; a woman on the Ferris wheel, who witnessed this good Samaritan behavior, later helps an elderly gentleman climb the stairs; a mom sees her act of kindness and returns photos forgotten by a young couple on a carnival ride … and on and on.

These seemingly insignificant displays of good citizenship, of human compassion, of Christianity, make us all feel a little better about ourselves, our lives, and the world at large. And isn’t it wonderful that those feelings are contagious!

Infect someone in your world with kindness today!

Linking up with:

Attitude is everything, is yours worth catching?

2011-07-07T09:04:00.001-06:00

Here are seven rules to help—

A pessimist, it's said, sees the difficulty in opportunity, while an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Oh, that we could all think like optimists all the time! Our thoughts, much too often, turn into words. And if we're thinking all that negative stuff, we're bound to say things that will turn others' smiles upside down, in addition to our own.

What we say and hear—and how we react to it—is directly connected to everything we are and do. For centuries, the sages have said that the tongue is the most difficult part of the body to control. The bible has a lot to say about this human peculiarity. It strongly urges believers to renew their minds and change their attitudes to ensure that their actions are as upbeat as the rest of their lives.

Seven rules:

Take 3 minutes of your day and watch this video.

The Swiss have a great attitude about attitude. "Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more, and good things will be yours. " Some might say that's a bit cheesy, but I say there are no "holes" in that quote! ~ Loree Lough

Sources: simple truths & Loree Lough (author of 75 books including "A Devotional for Women on the Go")