Family Bloopers

My mother, Peg Bier, called to ask what Liam would like for his birthday. Being the younger brother of a Bionicle fanatic, Liam wants a "few pieces of plastic" ( Daddy's nicname for them) to call his own. Hoping to get him something more original, my mother stated,

"I am NOT going to buy those boys any more Botanicals!"

Spoken like a true horticulturalist.

Parroting before Understanding

Miss Sayers, in her essay The Lost Tools of Learning, calls it the “Poll-Parrot, in which learning by heart is easy and , on the whole, pleasurable…”

With Eamon on my hip, a huge Ragweed sneeze snuck up on me and Eamon's bare belly caught the brunt of it. He looked at me indignantly and said,"You got Bless You all over my belly!"

O St.Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart..........

I was so touched by the simple prayers on the front and back of Tom VanderWoude's funeral Mass booklet , that I thought I would post another one of my favorite prayers about the loss of a loved one.


We seem to give them back to Thee, 0 God,
who gavest them to us.
Yet as Thou didst not lose them in giving,
so we do not lose them by their return.
Not as the world giveth, givest Thou, 0 Lover of souls.
What Thou givest, Thou takest not away,
for what is thine is ours also if we are Thine.

And life is eternal and love is immortal,
and death is only an horizon,
and an horizon is nothing, save the limit of our sight.

Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further;
cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly;
draw us closer to thyself so that we may know ourselves to be
nearer to our loved ones who are with Thee.
And while Thou dost prepare a place for us,
prepare us also for that happy place,
that where Thou art we may be also for evermore. Bede Jarrett


Not to be morbid, but this is the one I'd like to have printed on my Mass booklet.

A Must Read for Parents of All ages

Discipline Without Distress.



After flipping through most of this book in a cursory way, I think it is the most comprehensive resource on positive discipline that I have ever held in my hands. It seems to be a compilation of many books that I have read before - and a good explanation of why some of the ones I have read are less than stellar! " Counting " your kids is addressed and the issue of Time-out (versus Time-in on time off for an angry mommy).The great thing is, it has quick references and tables for those of us whocan only read in snippets.When I find something this good, I cannot help but share. Thanks to Robynnfor passing it on to me. This is the ultimate guide to attachmentparenting.

outside our window

Our Lady of Sorrows

1. The Prophecy of Simeon. Reading: Luke 2: 25-35.

2. The Flight into Egypt. Reading: Matthew 2: 13-15.

3. The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple. Reading: Luke 2: 41-50.

4. Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross. Reading: Luke 23: 27-29.

5. Mary at the foot of the cross. Reading: John 19: 25-30.

6. Mary receives the body of Jesus. Reading: Psalm 130.

7. Mary witnesses the burial of Jesus. Reading: Luke 23: 50-56.

Only For Today

. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.
3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.
4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.
5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.
6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.
7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.
8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.
10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life. ~Bl. Pope John XXIII

Our Life, Our Sweetness, and Our Hope

Freedom is Not Free

Remembering 9.11

Grieve not, nor think of me with tears

But laugh and talk to me as if I were beside you . . .I loved you so . . .

'Twas heaven here with you. - Isla Paschal Richardson

Forget Yourself and Get to Work

There is saying in our church, one that goes restated with much frequency, "Forget yourself and get to work." Having heard it so many times, this repeated thought lost its punch with me a couple years ago, but perhaps that is because I didn't get it. cjane

I am not endorsing the Mormon church by quoting this blog, but I am encouraged by her virtuous example. This is one for the inside of the cupboard door - when I feel like I'm slogging through quicksand, I open the door and remember to forget what's bugging me and do God's work .

what I am pondering today

Who is this guy....http://chesterton.org/discover/who.html and why haven't I heard of him ?

by Dale Ahlquist
President
American Chesterton Society

I’ve heard the question more than once. It is asked by people who have just started to discover G.K. Chesterton. They have begun reading a Chesterton book, or perhaps have seen an issue of Gilbert! Magazine, or maybe they’ve only encountered a series of pithy quotations that marvelously articulate some forgotten bit of common sense. They ask the question with a mixture of wonder, gratitude and . . . resentment. They are amazed by what they have discovered. They are thankful to have discovered it. And they are almost angry that it has taken so long for them to make the discovery.

"Who is this guy. . .?"

Please pray for the family of Father Thomas VanDerWoude

Fr. VanDerWoude's father died yesterday in a tragic accident while saving his youngest son from drowning. Please pray for the repose of his soul. http://aleeinthewoudes.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/our-hearts-our-broken/


Eternal rest give unto him, O Lord,and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Let us pray.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through our pious supplication they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired; who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

Are Palin's Eyeglasses the New Pantsuit?

Just when I was getting ready to commit to this "office" style, Palin has changed the fashion rules!

to go with Jill's Red Wheelbarrow

This Is Just To Say


I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

-- William Carlos Williams

look what we picked today!

http://www.nationalreview.com/

hybrid of myth and deceit peddled by the chattering bandersnatches of the Democratic Party’s backup communications offices at MSNBC and other press-release transmission belts of the Obama campaign, the whole pseudo-story was surely the brightest flare in the bonfire of asininity in St. Paul this week.

Thanks to jill and Laura Berquist, we know this Jabberwocky word.

http://shop.cafepress.com/design/29892010 My favorite tshirt design. I can't copy and paste, but it is worth looking at. WHAT WE WANT: a bear-huntin'...............MAMA

From the Hands of Thy Bounty

From my Garden