Easter, the Annunciation, and the Solar Eclipse

What a wonderful Easter Octave it has been! So much to celebrate. First Friday Mass is in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus followed by Divine Mercy Sunday. Fr. Jeffrey Kirby had a lovely meditation on how the message of both is the same: God's love for each and every one of us. Divine Mercy and the Sacred Heart Share a Common Message| National Catholic Register (ncregister.com) And then came the solar eclipse on the Feast of the Annunciation! I was so grateful I received the grace to get up early to hear morning Mass at St. Clare of Assisi and renew my consecration to Jesus through Mary. After Mass, the priest invited us to take some of the flowers home as well as venerate the relics of several saints: two of St. Clare of Assisi, one each of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, St. Francis Xavier Seelos, and the True Cross. Oh, to have these powerful friends in heaven praying for us, interceding to our Lord! It is true what my kids say--I have more friends in heaven than on earth :) 

Catholicism is full of strange practices, but they all make sense because they are steeped in truth and point to Truth Himself. The Immaculate Conception, the Annunciation, the Incarnation, the Passion, the Resurrection, the Eucharist, the Redemption--you can't make this stuff up. Fr. Raymond de Souza had another beautiful meditation, how the moon is like Mary, the sun, her Son: The Eclipse and the Annunciation - The Catholic Thing. Yet, Mary never eclipses her Son, so there the analogy fails. My first thought was how Mary hid Christ within herself for nine months. The Holy Family led a hidden life in Nazareth until Jesus begins His public ministry and revelation. All I can say is the beginning of Psalm 19: The heavens declare the glory of God!!! And the firmament showeth His handiwork. Here I am, Lord; I come to do Your Will. 

Below some pictures from my family. My sister (in Texas) said it was a cloudy day but every so often the clouds would part and they could see with their naked eyes the moon shadowing the sun. I really loved the colors. My sister-in-law, also in Texas, sent us this picture of her red lily! So pretty! It reminded me of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! And His Sacred Blood! Oh how He lets me know how much He loves me.  

Max and Dagny sent these from Washington DC and N. Charleston respectively. It was sunny in Charleston so Michael got the colander out. I love seeing the crescent sun patterns. It was a warm day but I could feel the temperature drop during the eclipse. And there wasn't any discernable change in the behavior of the animals, like the last time: Vijaya Bodach: Solar Eclipse 2017  

Please do share your thoughts and pictures if you got to see the 2024 eclipse. 

Texas Trip

It's September and Dagny has returned for her last semester at Ave Maria but I'm still not in a writing routine. Ideas are stacking up and it's a wonder my head hasn't exploded yet. Choir practice is starting up, so there's that. Discipline in one area usually carries over into other areas of my life. 

As is my habit, the pictures will speak more eloquently than my words. And yes, I still call myself a writer :)

Pictures from my Texas trip to visit my brother and sister and their families. We're almost twinnies :) Everybody in the family is so artful, but those two darling grandbabies are the finest works of art.  

The motorcycle was made by an artist in India using only wires, twisted and folded just so. Texas has 254 counties and my BIL has visited each and every one. He made that topological map! I just loved that Jenni keeps some of her spices in test tubes! Her little girl is so lucky to get to play with real fairy houses. 

At my brother's place--we laughed and cried and ate so much wonderful food all prepared by my SIL. Their daughter is following in her father's footsteps studying geology. She'll finish up the same time as Dagny so I'm hoping those two will connect. They share so many interests. 

What a joy for me to share my stories with the kiddos, big and small, listen to theirs, pray and sing together with my sister in beautiful St. Williams.

Alas, I brought a bug home from Texas--not Covid, not flu, not Strep--and it lodged in my upper chest and ear and even after two rounds of antibiotics, it's hanging about, so I'm turning to more traditional remedies like colloidal silver and there's improvement. But it's taken its toll on me. All the plans I had for writing went out the window. I scribbled in my journal and it's amazing how long it's taken me to again realize that it's okay to just be and not do. I've had a lovely time remembering every detail of my visit with my sweet family, entrusting them over and over to our blessed Lord, and reading. Oh, yes, I've read some wonderful books! But I'll save them for another time. Tell me, how did you fare this summer? 

Writing (NOT) While Distracted

I've been horribly distracted for the past few weeks with preparations for the kids to begin school (and why schools not open until after Labor Day, I don't know), the endless shopping (even though I really love all new notebooks and pens and pencils but really, enough is enough), and then as soon as I thought we were getting settled into a new school routine (Dagny finally changed her work schedule so that she's not working school nights) Harvey arrived, and soon after, Irma. I have family and friends in both Texas and Florida, so it's been unsettling to say the least. And we also had to made some preparations in case Irma came up the FL/GA coastline as Matthew did last year. 

It used to be that I could put things in a box and get on with what I need to do but Harvey changed that. I checked the news incessantly as if I could change anything just by knowing how bad (or good) things were. I discovered that on the days when I didn't turn on the TV, I was much more at peace. I turned to God in my anxiety, placing the people I worried about in His care. I turned to the blessed Mother, trusting her to dispense the graces wherever they're needed. Watching TV made me very, very anxious. It's a good thing we're not in the habit. Until now, I didn't even turn on the TV.  

Today I'm finally returning to my usual routine and I've had to fight the urge to find more news than the updates given from the Ave Maria website. Honestly, reading the President's words have been a balm, contrary to the frenzy depicted in the secular media. All is going to be well. Americans are a hardy lot. God is with us and together we will rebuild our communities.   My trusty Mont Blanc of over 20 years is finally repaired and what a pleasure it is to sit out on the porch again and scribble. I no longer have to worry my inky fingers staining white shirts and blouses. The garden is finished for this year. I can't believe how many cucumbers we ate. My freezer is filled with hot chili peppers. We couldn't consume them as fast they grew. They're so good in the curries, though my last batch turned out extremely HOT. Whew! I had to slug a few sips of heavy cream to cool the fire in my mouth. The animals are relaxed and taking over the household. And thank God I'm writing again.

Things I've learned: Write even if the thoughts are jumbled. Go for a walk. Write crap. Pray the rosary. Read good books. Pray Divine Mercy. Write some more. Make a list. Go to confession. Trust in the Lord. He is the Lord of everything, including hurricanes. Let yourself be comforted like a little child. And don't turn on the TV.

Tell me, how do you write while distracted? Better yet, how do you get rid of the distractions?

Amazing how quickly the yard dried out. This is high tide + storm surge = 10 ft of water.