This That and the Other Thing: Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

This That and the Other Thing: Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Sunday Snippets - A Catholic Carnival

Today we read about the Transfigurtaion, so allow me to direct you to this post from the 2nd Sunday of Lent in '07.
Enjoy this song by Eli, King of the Hill.
And lastly, a post on God's Will.

For more Snippets, go on over to This That and The Other Thing.

King of the Hill - Eli

Good song for Lent.

7 Quick Takes

More Quick Takes, Click Above

1.  This has been a difficult week.  Monday our daughter called from school to tell us about her friend who was in a terrible accident and not expected to live.  She died on Wednesday, after the hospital let her friends go and say goodbye to her.  I was so proud of Elisa for being there, but at the same wishing she didn't have to do something so hard without me.  The memorial service is Sunday for this young woman who died so young.

2.  It's seminary weekend!  Sorry, is it wrong to be excited?  Last Friday we had an interview with a deacon couple.  We spent time all together and then separated.  The wife asked me some questions about ministry, the Church, if I was comfortable with priests, and so forth.  Then she asked me if how did I feel when John was away for the weekend at seminary.  I had to remind myself not to laugh.  I simply said it was not a problem and life always seemed to give me plenty to do so I didn't miss him too much.  This weekend I have a St. Joseph's dinner with all of our friends, then tomorrow I'll spend the day with a girlfriend who is visiting, Sunday morning Mass and work and then, he's back.  Piece of cake.

3.  Sunday afternoon we have a special lunch planned with four other families for our friend who is dying of cancer.  It promises to be a beautiful day and all the children will be there except two who are away at school.  My son and his girlfriend are even joining us.  We'll celebrate spring and life for as long as we can.
4.  Since it is Lent we are eating many more meatless meals than usual.  However, I prefer them much more to meat meals, so what is the sacrifice?  Today for lunch I had brown rice with green pea pesto, it was so much better than say, a turkey sandwich.
5.  I have a serious candle addiction. 

6.  My annual well visit was yesterday.  One hour and forty-five minutes is how long it took.  I will not explain why.  I will say it was not that I was kept waiting in the waiting room.  So, there was good news and okay new and not too bad news.  And, I have to have an ultrasound on my thyroid to check the growths on it, a bone density scan because I take thyroid medication, a chest x-ray because it's good to have a baseline and a mammogram because I had the last one when I was forty, which is seven years ago.  The truth is that if my friend did not have cancer, I would probably have none of this or at most the thyroid done.  But I feel as if I must do what I am told so I can monitor my health and be proactive.  Not that she wasn't, she was, but that story is not a quick take!

7.  My husband and I went to the Society of the Four Arts Garden yesterday.  These were my two favorite sculptures:

Surreal

Parts of my life have taken on a very surreal quality.  Namely, the heart wrenching, inexplicable, painful parts.  Some days all I hear is painful news about lives being torn apart.  I have had a few of those in a row and am feeling numb.  I keep praying for strength and perseverance for everyone involved, but I do not let myself get too close to my own pain.  It's like an accident on the side of the road, you don't want to look, but you take that quick glance and say "Dear God, let them be okay."  Only now, I am saying it about myself.  I see the pain sitting there, glance quickly and then move away. 
But this is not a dream, it is real.  This Lent I am journeying not only with Jesus as he makes his way to Calvary, but also with a friend who is dying of cancer.  Each day brings her closer to the end and though I think I am prepared for the markers she is passing, when it happens I continue to wonder how we got here.  I'm sure the apostles felt that way also as they journeyed to Jerusalem with Jesus. My prayer is to be like Mary and stay at the foot of the cross.

God's Will?

The last two days have been filled with news of dying. One is a young woman, 22 years old, lying brain dead in a hospital after an accident.  She is a friend of my daughter's and at any time they will decide to remove her respirator.  At Mass this morning I was praying for her and her sister and friends who are trying to make some sense of htis tragedy and support each other.  And of course, I kept asking "why does God allow this to happen?" 
And clear as a person's voice I heard, "He doesn't allow it, but is there with us and helps us heal."  As Mass began, I heard the Gospel, which is Jesus teaching the apostles to pray the "Our Father."  As I listened to the words, I realized that God is very near to us always and ready to give us what we need.  Suffering in this world occurs not because God allows it but rather, it is a part of the human condition.  We gain nothing by asking "why" but so much when we ask God to be with us and help us reach out to those in need.
I am not going to list the suffering I have witnessed this week, there is enough, I'm sure,  in your life and the world. 
God's will is not that we suffer or watch those we love suffer.  His will is to reach out, draw us close, and comfort us.  Sometimes he uses us to help those who are suffering; other times those who are suffering help us.  I am slowly learning to not ask "why" about suffering, but to pray and seek God's will for me in the suffering.

Catholic Media Day!

Welcome to the first official Catholic Media Promotion Day! Most are here because they are fans of Catholic media and it has had a positive influence in their lives. (Oh, and some others would like a shot at the free iPad… but you can help too.) This is your time to bring Catholic media to others, to evangelize through new media.

Here's what we're going to do today:

Everyone with a blog, podcast, or Facebook page should list their favorite 3 blogs, 3 podcasts, 3 other media, 3 random Catholic things online, and their own projects. After you've promoted them out there, post your list to our wall here.

Also, go to iTunes and leave at least 3 positive written reviews for various Catholic podcasts and 3 positive written reviews for Catholic mobile applications.

Be creative! It doesn't take a blog or even a Facebook page to participate. You could e-mail a couple of your favorites to ten friends. Or write reviews for some of your favorite Catholic books on Amazon. Or plug your diocesan newspaper on your local community web forum.

This is all about getting your favorite Catholic media out in front of more people so that it can do more good. The only way to get this wrong is to do nothing, so let's all get out there and promote. Happy Catholic Media Promotion Day! Or to borrow the words of dismissal from the end of Mass: Ite, missa est!

3 Blogs
A Catholic Mom Climbing the Pillars
Betty Duffy
A Priest's Wife
 
3 Podcasts
Divine Office
The Catholic Underground
American Catholic Radio
 
3 Other Media
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Catholic Music Express
Spirit & Song, Music on Demand
 
3 Random Catholic Things Online
Ignatian Spirituality
Creighton University Prayer Site
Integrated Catholic Life
 
My Own Projects
Examiner Religion Writer
St. Peter Catholic Church Website
My Blog
 
 

Social Media Revolution 2 (Refresh)

Amazing!

7 Quick Takes

1.  Ash Wednesday was so very busy here at church.  We began at 7 am with Mass and I got home 12 1/2 hours later.  I had to lector 3 times and distribute ashes twice.  When I distribute ashes, I say "Turn away form sin and be faithful to the Gospel."  I like that because it sums up what we are to, not just during Lent, but always.

2.  Speaking of ashes, I truly dislike putting them on babies' foreheads.  They don't sin. But I do it if the parent indicates I should. One mom came to me with a baby in her arms and I gave her ashes.  Moments later I looked up and saw her standing in front of the priest, having him put ashes on the baby.  He was confused because when he was done, he went to put them on her, but she already had them.  What do you think about ashes on babies?  What happens in your parish?

3.  Tonight we have a deacon couple coming over to interview us for the deaconate formation program.  I'm not nervous or anything, just very tired, so I hope it goes well. 

4.  I am struggling with finding positive ways to relieve stress and tension.  My usual way is to eat, but that is not happening.  It all comes down to taking care of myself, which is so difficult for me.  I'm trying to get extra sleep, I take my vitamins, go to daily Mass, but it's not enough. All of my tension is in my neck and shoulders, so I almost don't even want to be touched. I'm open to suggestions.

5.  Lent is very busy this year at the parish, which means at work for me.  I am working with the stewardship council to put on our parish mission this year.  Usually we have an outside speaker, but it didn't work out this year.  Our foucs is ministry and vision for the parish.  I hope it is well received.

6.  I put Goggle Analytics on our parish website to find out if people are using the site.  So far, I've been disappointed in our traffic.  Do you go to your parish website?  for what? how often? 

7.  40 days of Life has begun.  My husband and I signed up for 9 am Saturday mornings to pray at the abortion clinic.  We've gone before, but not on a consistent basis.  Reading UnPlanned really hit  home as to the power of prayer.

Read more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary!

Hampers

So this may seem an odd topic for a spiritual post, but here goes.  I needed to buy a new hamper since our current one was falling apart, literally, the wicker or whatever it is, was breaking up and then our clothes were catching on it.  So, I looked around in quite a few stores - no luck.  Moved to the Internet - possibilities, though my husband vetoed the $159.00 hamper.  Are you wondering what my problem is with hampers?  Okay, I wanted one with a lid, not wicker or plastic, would hold more than two shirts, and not cost more than $30.  It's a dirty clothes holder that two people see.  Finally, I find one on-line, but it and get it.  It's ripped.  Return it, get a new one, open it, and...it's ripped.  I really like this hamper, light colored, lid, $24.95, not wicker or plastic; but ripped!

Today I went to Target, my last hope, no exaggeration.  I found a very utilitarian, white plastic hamper with a lid and wheels, $17.99.  It's not what I really wanted,  but it will work.  In the store I was having a running internal dialogue with myself about a hamper, A HAMPER!  I eventually decided a few things:
1.  There are people in this world that had no place to live, let alone clothes to put in a hamper.
2.  It's Lent, and a good time to practice emptying oneself, so I should let go of my need to have a nice hamper.
3.  I could cover it in fabric to make it look pretty.  Bad idea, see #2.
4.  In the big picture, does it matter? No, it really is not important that I don;t 'like' the hamper.
5.  The real questions is, will this hamper do it's job?  Yes, it will.  The dirty clothes will be in one place and BONUS - we can wheel it to the laundry room.
6.  There's more, but i think you get the idea.

So, the spiritual part:  In my letting go of my perceived hamper needs I learned that I spend too much time thinking about what I deserve in life and not enough time being grateful for what I have.  I am in this negative mode of seeing what is missing, instead of seeing what is there.  Do I have every material thing I want?  No. Do I have every material thing I need?  Yes and more. 

Lent has just begun and it is already working.

Hosea (Come Back to Me)