fastnachts!

 I have no time tonight for all the witty and scintillating thoughts rolling around in my head, so I'll just show the the finished product, and if that grabs you, come back tomorrow for the play by play.

Suffice it to say--they were good and I ate three.

Had to make Fat Tuesday the appropriate title.

picture album and prayer request-update

Here is my grandson, today. He has croup. Prayers would be appreciated, both for him AND his parents!                                                   

Here he is when he was feeling better and they were still buried in snow in MI.

             




      - and in his three year old head shot

      Now you know why I am in love.

 And here is what the rest of us are doing. You probably know what I am doing.

and

Ben and Malaika got their new glasses today.

and Bob did his usual Rhapsody-in-Blue-ing for the evening.

And THEN, kids,  just when you thought we were going to have a relatively run of the mill evening--


Bob came over to me and explained that suddenly we were missing a piece of the basket for the coffee maker. After casually looking around, we started having visions of a Coffee-less Tuesday Morning. Then it got serious.

When nothing turned up, we shifted our sights to survival mode. Here's what we came up with.

Remember, there's a little button on a spring that has to push against the opening, or the coffee won't drip-so leaving the piece off wasn't an option. We have a whole bunch, so if it's a one use solution, we're covered for at least two or three weeks.

Crisis averted!

On a slightly more serious note, I had my monthly spiritual direction today, and I am feeling hopeful  about a lot of the challenges we're facing as a family, and things we are concerned about. Looking forward to Lent in earnest now, and the Graces it may afford.

One thing Fr. McG. told me about today was that St. John Vianney had a gold heart fashioned, to represent the heart of the Blessed mother. It was made to open, sort of like a hinged box, and inside the heart of the Blessed Mother, he placed the names of his parishioners, entrusting them to her Immaculate Heart.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Update--

today he appears to be feeling better!

Fun on a Friday night and a Homey Sunday

Some people go out on Friday nights.  And then, some of us do laundry. And while we're at it, we notice a gas smell in or around our dryer, and call the gas emergency line. And the fellows who work for the gas company on Friday nights, come out and fix the leak. But then, find another spot in our basement, along the front wall, that detects another gas leak.

And then, they call their friends, who also work on Friday nights, and they all come, with trucks and flashing lights, and noisy appliances, to block all the traffic on our street (we live on a bus route) except the smaller cars, the brave, the stubborn, or some combination of those.

Next, they go door to door, until lots of neighbors are in the street, looking at the general hullabaloo parked in front of our house. They break out the jackhammers, let everyone know they will be there for as many hours as it may take, inform us nicely that they will be in and out of our basement.  And a regular party ensues. If you like that kind of thing. Which Malaika does, immensely, and sits on the porch (she took the pictures) until around 11:00, when I tell her to come in for bed.

Bob, who also works on Friday nights, (it has more to do with ballet dancers than jackhammers), came home and had a nice conversation with the men. The problem ends up lying with some work the city had done, I guess before we moved here, that left space around some water and gas pipes, and now threaten to sink in, taking whatever car is parked there (you can bet not ours!) with it. So now we have to call the city on Monday, and see what kind of fun and merriment THEY will bring out. All the while, the neighbors will be giving US the stink eye.

So for everybody else who spend their Friday nights like this, and I'm sure there is a multitude, I guess we should just stock up on popcorn, fabric softener, and settle in.

They came back out bright and early the next morning, much to the delight of Adam, Melissa's boyfriend, who was laying on the couch dreaming of World War Three. Here's what they left for posterity.











Today, we went to 7AM mass, (again, we have a favorite priest whose homilies make it worth getting up at 5:30) and then came home and I made this--

After consuming that (quiche; ham, mushroom, asparagus, in case there is a question) and having gotten up a wee bit earlier than I am used to, I am definitely thinking nap. Plus it's a rainy day. Bob is practicing Rhapsody in Blue--has been for some months now, he has gotten quite good. I can sleep to that, no problem. I hope he will You Tube it, and we can share it with you.


Lastly, here are a few of our religious pieces around the house.

Who says you can't mix and match spiritualities?















 I've had this since way back in my Protestant days, and I still love it.

 Bob gave me this on Christmas 2005, the day after he proposed to me.
I like a lot of this artists work.
William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Malaika gave me the angel for Christmas. It says Ave Maria on the scroll.

                   
              This is carved out of stone, I think it was meant to go outside, but, oh well.



                       Wishing everyone an enjoyable Sunday!  Jackhammer free.

Peace, 

 Kelly

7 quick takes Friday, #5

1.  You may have noticed the new playlist. Someone from an airplane may have spotted it too. But I like it. I've included some of my favorite music. It is not meant to make any particular statement, except to showcase what I like, and share it with you, and hope you like it too. As you will see, my taste is rather eclectic. You can listen to whatever selection you like by clicking on it, and skip over ones you don't. I will add to it over time. You can also just click pause to hush it up.


2. Here are a few of the books I am hoping to read over Lent:
The Bible (no not the whole thing)


The Faith of the Early Fathers, William Jurgens


Slouching Towards Gomorrah, Robert Bork

He Leadeth Me, Walter Ciczek


Journey to Easter-Pope Benedict

Finding God's Will for you-Francis De Sales. (also re-read Introduction to the Devout Life)


Something by Ranerio Cantalamessa, preacher to the Papal household, and who I had the blessing of hearing speak live several years ago.


Characters of the Passion-Fulton Sheen

Imitation of Christ-Thomas a Kempis


Confessions--St. Augustine ( I slog my way through this periodically, I find it hard going)


anybody have any suggestions? It doesn't have to be strictly religious...


3.  For those who may not be a facebook "friend" here is my testimony from the March for Life. I will refrain from self commenting, except to say, that was the day I felt myself getting  sick, and today, I am still fighting to get completely better. sheesh.  Remember to pause the exquisite music before watching.








4. Today I went to #7 of my First Fridays. I pray I will be able to attend nine with no interruption, and maybe break that pattern of mine that is the Anti-Novena. Another one starts today, the Novena of Grace, that I mentioned in my previous post. That one is every single day for nine days...

5. By the way, Dear Readers, do you see the hyperlinks I post? Are they a different color text before you hover over them? Or do you only stumble on them? Bob, at his computer at work, can't see them.  I have to tell him to look for them, but they still work. 

6. _Here_was supposed to be a little group of pictures that I  took of some religious art in our house. My camera declined, after taking the pictures , to turn on again. So--look for it in the near, (I hope) future!  Besides this little snafu, I found Malaika's project she needed to turn in to school today. With that, and something Rachael also forgot, I now have to go make the rounds of the kids schools.  And then to my friend, the Acme. My, how the term "friend" has evolved. Between a large building full of groceries and an entity floating around in the air, mysteriously controlled by my keyboard....

7. My Friday prayer:

Lord, thank you for helping me make it to mass this morning. Please help me be able to function past 4:00 this afternoon.

Thanks!

Kelly

A nice morning chat

I know this is not really a chat, but I like to think of it as such. I also chat with God throughout the day, even if that is sometimes more of a one sided plea for help! He sometimes gets a word in edgewise.

As I sit here with my animal crackers and coffee, (Breakfast of some kind of Champions, somewhere), I am contemplating-

1. The lifestyle changes I have to make, re: the results of my recent doctor visit, revealing that I do have the Epstein-Barr virus, but it is not present in my blood enough to really say I have it. So, I am sick, but not sick enough to be called sick, but sick enough to need to take steps to get better. Better from the not-sick.

2. The lifestyle changes I wanted to make for Lent. (Lent, translates in my mind as this-"the season in which I am going to whip myself into spiritual shape, by implementing disciplines of both body and mind, of military proportions; and therefore be freed from my miserable state and go forward in glory.)"  Only now I must think of everything in light of this pseudo sickness.

 "But", you say, (because we are after all, regarding this as a chat, so we must keep up your end), "it all sort of lines up, doesn't it? There will be loads of discipline in doing the things that will make you better, and the time in which you will have to slow down can be spent in prayer and reading. And instead of fasting in the strict sense, you could fast from unhealthy foods (what, like animal crackers and biscotti?) to promote your healing." My goodness, you're right! What incredible wisdom and insight you have! I am so glad we had this chat!

Of course I still am planning on striving to get to either daily mass and/or adoration. I gave myself this week "off," with the exception of tomorrow, which is First Friday, and I am NOT giving up my so far unbroken string of First Fridays! (tomorrow is 7!). It is hard to break patterns and habits, so I am pretty sure God sent this little arrangement to "help" me. 

Here are some of my plans for Lent. Mice and men, watch out.

1. Daily prayer, inculding my usuals; Rosary, Divine Mercy, 9 Memorares (known as the  911 for special serious intentions, of which I always have). Green scapular prayers , that I gave to all my kids and their sig. others. I want to add--the Chaplet of Saint Michael, and the  Chaplet to Saint Therese.
 Hopefully, all my sitting around will help me accomplish some of this. And my parish, St. Monica's, is holding the  Novena of Grace. I know, another novena may be pushing it! We'll see.

2. A few dietary and leisure sacrifices. Drinking only water, with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning and evening. No sweets. Maybe I will make something for after Sunday supper, mostly for the kids. Fruit would be okay, and in keeping with the general health thing. If you have any good meatless recipes, send one or two my way? 

No facebook and very little TV. 

3. Disciplines--planning and maintaining house cleaning, purging of crap,-uh, I mean extra stuff, and getting started on the repainting and floor refinishing of our first floor. I keep a fairly clean house, for all the traffic we have in here ( I spoke about that once, here ), but I am not too organized about it, and let some jobs go too long. Then, after inviting company over, I see the place with new eyes and have to go on a cleaning tear. 

4. Read! This one is not a sacrifice at all, but I have a suggested list I will be working from that is mostly spiritual. If you are interested to know about which ones, I will be blogging about them as I go along.

       hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. 

 The list includes......brrrrbrbrrrrrrr, TSH! The Bible. As an Evangelical, I read my Bible and went to Bible Studies galore, and I am grateful for that background. But last night I had to borrow my daughters Catholic Bible to use during Lent. On the rare occasion I read from it, I just use my old NASB. And I do still kind of love it. But I want to read Tobit and the other books not in that version. We do have the online Magnificat, but I like to read from real books  whenever possible. They are like old friends. Yes, all my friends are pretty old now, and we are all starting to smell like old books. Trip to Bath and Body Works, anyone?

Hopefully, this is not too much for my poor frail self to do. (for Meghann--a bit of jest. not license to refer to me as frail.:)

In closing here is a painting that inspires me for Lent:

It is   The Annunciation, by Henry O. Tanner. I love how he captures Mary at a moment when she is obviously taken by surprise, her bed and floor rug rumpled, perhaps still in her night clothes. She doesn't have a fearful expression, so maybe Gabriel has already said, "do not fear."  She might be just about to ask, ""How can this be?" And then say the most beautiful, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

Besides Gabriel's presence, it is such a familiar setting, one I can relate to. (Except my hair is standing generally on end upon arising). But I can see myself sitting on my bed, talking to God, having something of the same expression. It kind of embodies how I would like to experience Lent this year.

 And now, friend, thank you for sitting and chatting. In case I have hyperlinked you into a state of whiplash-like neck pain or carpal tunnel or something, I apologize. Well, look at it this way, now you have something to offer up!



whoops! okay just one more link. Today is the anniversary of Bob's audition. Happy six years of joining the circus, honey!

worried much? get hope

Really, who isn't? There are times when the more dire worries recede, and we are thankful for those. My family is presently not in one of those times. I am also aware of many other families that I have promised to keep in prayer for troubles of many stripes.

Thing is, have you ever noticed, (if you don't mind the Andy Rooney lead in)  that during the really turbulent times, God is so kind to us, and allows us to just dump everything in His lap? Who else really wants that? Of course our loved ones pitch in and suffer us when we are crying in our soup, but the Lord, our Blessed Mother, the angels and saints, and anyone else on the heavenly HR team actually ~love~ when we bring them our woes. And when we say, "I give up! I can't do this!"- Watch out!, heavenly par-tay!

Well, if you are anything like me, you will recognize that it is easy to forget God.  During times of trouble, He has my attention much more; and I need to keep talking to Him just to get through the day. (think He has some strategy there?)

Here is what we heard at mass yesterday.

The Greek word for worry or anxiety means "to have a divided mind."  When we are anxious, the hope in God that we store in our mind is shaken and results in divided thinking.

And-the ancient Christian symbol for hope is the anchor. Something that pulls us down to our foundation, to one fixed spot, preventing us from being washed away.

Here are Father's three things with which to fill our minds and anchor us back to Christ;

1. Reflect on Christs past. Meditate on His Passion, and His victory over the greatest suffering.

2. How Christ is present right now, as One who always shows up, and without Whom we can do nothing.

3. Place our hope in Christs promises about our future, knowing He is not out to get us, but wants us to spend eternity with Him.

Wow, God even designs homilies just for me! Well, okay, maybe for everybody else, too.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34

  I can vouch for that last sentence.

I must say, (Martin Short's weird character from SNL in the 70's) I am greatly looking forward to Lent; a time that is full of palpable Divine Grace!

Saint Raphael, the Archangel, pray for us!

Besides Raphael, Michael and Gabriel are the only Archangels mentioned by name in the bible. Saint Raphael Archangel is one of seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord.

Saint Raphael's name means "God has healed." The name of this archangel does not appear in the Hebrew Scriptures, and in the Septuagint only in the Book of Tobias. This identity came about because of the biblical story which claims that he "healed" the earth when it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels in the book of Enoch. Tobias said that Saint Raphael Archangel caused him to have his wife and that he gave joy to Sarah's parents for driving out the evil spirit in her. He also gave Saint Raphael Archangel credit for his father's seeing the light of heaven and for receiving all good things through his intercession.

 GLORIOUS Archangel Saint Raphael, 


Great prince
Of the heavenly court,
Illustrious for your gifts
Of wisdom and grace,
Guide of those
Who journey by land or sea,
Consoler of the afflicted,
And refuge of sinners.


I beg you to assist me
In all my needs
And in all the sufferings
Of this life,
As once you helped
The young Tobias
On his travels.


And because you are
The “Medicine of God”,
I humbly pray you
To heal the many infirmities
Of my soul
And all the ills
Which afflict my body,
If it be for my greater good.


I specially ask of you
The favor of


(name it …)


And the grace
Of angelic purity,
Which makes me fit
To be the temple
Of the Holy Spirit.


Amen.

 

7 quick takes Friday #4, minus three- update

one

This week was and is chock full of world news mayhem. Some of it, here. People of my generation are not accustomed to quite so much unrest. There are some that think I am a bit naive about it, especially about the priest scandals. Maybe so. When it all gets overwhelming, I think of my dad. He was a firefighter for the Navy during WWII, and the times that he and my mother lived through, right on the heels of the Great Depression.  I remember that there is nothing new under the sun, and that God is the same, looking at all of this, not disturbed in the least. Sad, maybe for how far his beloved people have fallen, if God can be sad in that way. I only can think of earthly parents and children, even adult children, and know the deep sadness we can feel when our own are having any kind of trouble. As much as I believe in getting out and doing what we can about the evil swirling around us, I just want to pray and, yes, even fast ( I am saying it that way to MYSELF), for the state of the world. 

two

Bob and I have been asked to provide the music for Helpers of Gods Precious Infants, Philadelphia, on an ongoing basis. For about three  or four years, we have been the pinch hitters, the seminarians being the primaries. We are excited to be given this honor, and ask for your prayers that we will be able to fulfill this for God's glory.

three

Hang onto your hats, kids! Here are a few snapshots from my daily life. Today, even. I go to my local Acme a lot. Nearly every day. The people that work there sometimes laugh and say, "see you tomorrow!" Only, it's true. They are all very nice to all of my family, the manager gave my MIL flowers for her birthday. Once, Justin went with me for a quick Acme run, and everybody was saying hello, how are ya, etc...and he said, "what are you, Acme royalty?" Pretty much, or at least a minor celebrity. It's not so bad!

My sun roof looks like this today.

This is where I spend a good deal of my time.

  

 These people are the salt of the earth. Please pray for this lovely woman, who is in tons of pain with a bad knee, and has been told she should get a replacement.

four

Well, as it sometimes happens, I just got a phone call informing me that one of my daughters has just had another seizure and is on her way to the ER. So I ask your prayers, and I hope to be back to add a few more quick takes that include some good news.

 

The power of the rosary.

A detail from the Sistine Chapel.

~update~

My daughter was admitted to the hospital last night for testing.  Last night when I left she was feeling okay, except for a headache, kind of common after a seizure. Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to offer them for her and her doctors.