Ash Wednesday

Remember that you are dust and unto dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19

Pope Benedict XVI said, "... the words of Genesis are reflected in the Ash Wednesday liturgy: as an invitation to penance, humility, and an awareness of our mortal state. We are not to despair, but to welcome in this mortal state of ours the unthinkable nearness of God who opens the way to Resurrection, to paradise regained, beyond death."

My dear readers, I will be focusing on doing the duties of my station, and less of the diversions. By the grace of God, and your prayers, I hope to be less distracted, and more mindful. Know that I am praying for all of us to grow closer to our Savior. Have a beautiful and blessed Lent.



Just came back from Mass.
The cat was very curious about the ashes.
So it was picture time.
Ouch!
It's claw-clipping time.

Ciao meow.

TO KEEP A TRUE LENT by Robert Herrick

Is this a fast, to keep
The larder lean?
                         And clean
From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish
Of flesh, yet still
                        To fill
The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg’d to go,
                        Or show
A downcast look and sour?

No ; ‘tis a fast to dole
Thy sheaf of wheat,
                         And meat,
Unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from strife,
From old debate
                       And hate;
To circumcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent;
To starve thy sin,
                      Not bin;
And that’s to keep thy Lent.

+

Beloved Pope Benedict to Resign

This morning, I was so very disappointed to learn that our beloved Pope is going to resign due to failing health at the end of this month. No matter how irrational the thought, I have wanted him to live forever. He is such a holy man of God, and it is during his pontificate that we converted and I have grown to love him so much, for his leadership and his gift to speak and write with clarity. He is one of my best teachers, my Papa.

Last Christmas, I came upon his letter to the Baby Jesus when he was just seven years old.

Dear Baby Jesus,


Quickly come down to earth. You will bring joy to children. Also bring me joy. I would like a Volks-Schott, green clothing for Mass, and a heart of Jesus. I will always be good.

Greetings from Joseph Ratzinger

This photo swiped from First Things

And so our Papa will retire, spending his days in prayer and contemplation. He will again be Joseph. May God bless him and continue to guide Holy Mother Church.

The Gators are Back!

My blog has been missing the gators so today I brought my camera with me on my walk. I saw a couple of ducks in a different pond, and seen Mr. and Mrs. Mallard romancing. Hope they can keep their eggs safe. I really don't want to have to write a picture book about Ten Disappearing Ducks. Turtles are out basking as well, but they're too skittish for me to take a close-up picture.

Since some of you are in the NE and experiencing some wicked cold weather, I give you some Carolina blue and sunshine.  And I just happen to like this piece of driftwood in my neighbor's yard. I hope you can feel the warmth from my home to yours. Have a great weekend, all.

 

Reading

I’ve been silent on the subject of books, but with Christmas booty, I’ve had my nose in a book plenty, though not enough. Here are some noteworthy books. I have a set of daily devotionals – A Year with Church Fathers, Laudamus Te, Word Among Us, Magnificat – which are ongoing.
Other books:

Be a Man! Becoming the Man God Created You to Be by Fr. Larry Richards. What a find! We had one of his CDs from Lighthouse but his book is wonderful. My son read it – I should say ate it – but I hope he will go back and re-read it slowly. There is so much wisdom here, on how to stay focused on the final goal (heaven), being a man who lives as a beloved son, a man who repents, who is strong, who is loving, wise and above all strives to be holy. Buy this book for the man or boy in your life. Read it with him and discuss it.

Medjugorje: The Message by Wayne Weible. This is a fascinating account of a Lutheran journalist who investigates the Marian apparitions taking place in a little-known place in Yugoslavia, and who is transformed by the messages he receives from our Holy Mother, and his total dedication to bringing the message of Medjugorje to the world. What is the message? A call to conversion – through prayer, fasting, confession, studying the Word, and receiving the Eucharist. Here is the Vatican's position on Medjugorje. It is still under investigation ... many believe it is the continuation of the Marian apparitions at Fatima.

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. I came across this book on Kristi Holl’s blog and had to read it for myself. When I became a mother, I instinctively rejected the electronic medium for our children. They grew up much as I did, engaged in the physical world, but as I became more engaged in the digital world, so did they, and I see how we’re all changing, and not necessarily for the better. I love the ease and access of information, but I also suffer from information overload. I love that I am *connected* and but also dislike the distractions of being so connected. A few years ago, I realized that I need to have the Internet off while I'm working so that I'm not compelled to look up a fact. As a nonfiction writer, I tend to assemble all my research and absorb it before I even begin writing, but there are always holes and the Internet makes it easy. However, the flow of words becomes stilted if I'm constantly looking things up as I write. So now, I write LOOK UP X and keep on writing. I started taking breaks from the net during Advent and Lent, and it was freeing.

Carr’s book is a history of technology and how it changes us. Always there are consequences. The ubiquitous use of it by children is especially frightening – they think they know things, but their knowledge is superficial. And they are losing the ability to concentrate and contemplate because reading on the net is inherently interrupted. Hyperlinks to other books, songs, and videos distract from deep reading. How many of you read this post first in its entirety, and then clicked on the book links above? Good for you! How many of you got to the end? Don't answer. More and more, people cannot seem to read more than a paragraph at a time without their attention flitting elsewhere. This is an entertaining yet sobering book. And I realize that as we hurtle into the digital world, we must try to be intentional, and not let it rule us. This is a must read.

We've been reading Veronica Roth’s books (Divergent, Insurgent) and impatiently waiting for the next in the series, and LOTR. The kids are re-reading White Fang, When You Reach Me, and Marie Lu’s Legend. They are choosing these books for their book reports. We all read Sharon Flake's Pinned. My kids complained that it took time to understand the girl because she struggles with reading, so her voice reflects her disability. But it was an enjoyable read about two very different people, what they value, what holds them back, and how they fall in love. I will spare you the hyperlinks :) You can look these up if you so wish.

I have some money on a gift card left and am debating what to buy – I have some ideas. Anyone care to recommend a must-have book? I’m thinking about a writing book and perhaps a spiritual memoir.

Raising Moral Teens

Last night we had the opportunity to hear a talk about raising moral teens by Chris Stefanick. If he's anywhere near your area, don't miss out. We already have one of his CDs and I'm looking forward to his new one on moral relativism, which is really what we're fighting in our culture, as though there are no absolute truths.

But I digress. I want to give you some of the same hope that Chris gave us. As parents we do worry about the opposing influences of the very loud culture we live in, but Chris said a brook can also be very noisy. But the Mississippi runs deep and quiet, so trust that what you teach your children will run deeply in their hearts and resonate.

And what resonates with teens is authentic love. Love that doesn't say, "I want you," but love that says, "I want what is best for you." This is the heart of chastity. It's not just saying no to premarital sex and surging hormones, but chastity and purity is about controlling desire and putting it in its proper context (marriage) and saying yes to their dignity and the love they were made for.

All the statistics (I'm sorry I didn't take notes, but I only grabbed my jacket on my way out) show that kids who engage premarital sex are more depressed, earn consistently less money (the number 15% sticks out), get sexually transmitted diseases that have a whole host of other side-effects including infertility, and if they do get married, end up divorced (50% higher rate). This one choice can affect so many areas in their lives, it is madness not to teach our children to wait to have sex until they marry.

So what can we do?

Love unconditionally (love them always, no matter what they do, even if they hurt you).
Model authentic love ourselves (we are our children's first teachers and from the moment they are born, they are watching us).
Protect our children (the biggest threat is not from people on the street, but what comes into your home via television and the Internet).
Expect greatness (some of the most courageous and passionate saints were teens).
Talk to them (sex-education is one area where everybody ought to home school).
And never give up hope (because Truth, Goodness, & Beauty is on our side).

Do you have some tips to share? Please do.


This is a picture taken after receiving our Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, fifteen years after we took our wedding vows. We didn't do things in the right order, and I'm always thankful God doesn't give us what we deserve, rather pours out His love and grace and mercy upon us.

Don't Give Up

So, a big storm blew through yesterday ... from the south because it was warm. An alligator (five-footer) was basking, looking awfully hungry. I wish I'd taken my camera along but I've gotten out of the habit. I usually pray the rosary on my walks. A couple of little dogs came running out of the apartment building, and I'm glad the owners leashed them promptly. These gators can move fast, even when they lay quiet as statues. They don't even register on my dog's radar ...

I finished my Highlights story and put it in the mailbox. Last year, I was deep in revisions (YA contemp.), and did not enter the annual fiction contest. This year, I cut it close. I was so discouraged yesterday as I kept reworking the ending -- flat, flat, flat. But inspiration hit during a basketball game and I knew just how to fix it. So writers, if you are close, don't give up. Think outside the box. Let your imagination take you places. Be preposterous! What I struggle with most is making the ending both inevitable and surprising. I hope I nailed it.

And just so you know, if you put your manuscript in the mailbox, it will be postmarked today, which is acceptable as per the guidelines.

I have a couple of other shorts to work on, but they will go as regular submissions. My procrastination level is quite high right now because I recognize the mountain of work  my historical YA requires to get it submission-worthy. What I need is a real deadline, some discipline, some courage ...

Or perhaps Kristi's FREE e-book! She's giving it away tomorrow ... so be sure to check it out.

Have a great weekend, y'all. Enjoy the weather, whatever it may be. Can you believe how quickly this month has gone by? If you have not started on the writing life you dream of, it is not too late. Begin ... breathe, pray, write!

*

On Catholic Schools

The New Year's champagne (homemade gift) has been consumed, Christmas is put away. This little house, lovingly painted, was a gift from my son to his little sister ... and I've been itching to put the dwarf hamster in it, but my daughter said NO ... and with good reason, since I've lost the little guy. It's always funny when the roles are reversed. But I digress. I'm so excited about the ALA awards -- very, very pleased with the choices. We're back into the regular school/sports routine, and I finished Emergency! I'm giving it a rest until next week, when I go back to do a final polish.

Eighth graders get to be teachers for a day as a way of giving their wonderful teachers a break in honor of Catholic schools week. My son is taking over reading and writing for the middle school. Although he's a voracious reader, he dislikes parsing sentences and analyzing them, nor does he enjoy dissecting books. He prefers to devour them. I tell him over and over that analysis can help him to better appreciate the stories as well as help him to become a better writer, but my words fall on deaf ears. But teaching reading and writing analytically will do the trick. I know from experience that any time I teach, I finally learn the subject! He is a good teacher -- I've seen him in action helping my daughter as well as other children in math or reading. Though he has also promised to send his sister to stand in a corner. Thud!

I've been thinking about the state of our Catholic schools, because although I'm a big fan of them (and a product of a Convent-based education), I realize that more and more Catholics choose to homeschool. Why is that? Is it the expense? Is it the intrusion of secular culture within the Catholic schools? And what can we do about it?

Certainly we would benefit from having more priests, nuns, and brothers. Our only Catholic high school in the diocese has a priest who can only be there part-time because he has so many other responsibilities. Although he offers daily Mass in the little chapel twice a week, unless there's a big sporting event, very few students attend. Somehow we have failed to teach our children that Mass is the most important thing in the world. If they haven't grasped it by high school, I doubt they will get it when they're out in the world where they are bombarded with the lure of power, money, sex, and prestige. First things first.

We are so very pleased with the small parish school our children attend. It is truly a model of a successful Catholic school. By many standards, it is old fashioned and decidely untrendy. You won't see kids here with iPads or cell phones. But what you will see is excellent instruction in all areas -- reading, writing, arithmetic, religion, science, history, geography, physical education. The teachers are dedicated and devoted. The children get plenty of face-time with them, which is the best way to learn. And the school, being small, is intimate, an extension of the family. Many parents volunteer -- again it is required. Even grown-ups don't always choose the best part, and we have to be coerced into helping, only to discover what a great joy it is. Most of the families know each other and the needs of other families. Best of all, the priest offers twice weekly mandatory Mass for all the students. We all know that left to their own devices, children do not always choose the best part, so developing this habit is essential. On any given daily Mass, you'll see several families in attendance. This is the life of the church. What makes a wonderful Catholic school.

Please pray for our Catholic schools, our homeschooling families, and for more vocations!

+

On the Anniversary of My Mother's Death

Today is the 26th anniversary of my mother's death. Oh, how much grief I gave her -- she attributed all her gray hair to me, but I argued that she already had them before I was born and I reminded her the story of her hair going white with the death of her first-born near his fifth birthday, and she said, "Oh, don't give me your logic. You know you given me countless gray hairs."

Why, yes, I admit. It's hard to raise a willful child, and for my devout mother, her biggest grief was that I lost my faith. Her answers were never sufficient for me when I asked her about the problem of evil and suffering and why God allowed it. Just have faith, she said. But I didn't. And she couldn't magically transfer hers to me. No, it is something that grieved her until her death. She knew I only went to church to sing the beautiful music, and I liked the Bible stories because some of them were good.

I am grateful to my uncle who scanned and sent this to me a few years before his death.
My aunt (his wife) is on the left and my mother (his sister) is on the right. 

So I like to think that today she is wearing a crown of glory in heaven, in the company of Jesus, Mary and her little boy, her parents, her brothers and sisters, and all the saints and angels in heaven. Of course, I do not *know* she's in heaven, so I do pray for her soul, but my gut feeling is that she is. How else can I explain our miraculous conversion? It is not as dramatic as St. Paul's on the road to Damascus, but the miracle is still present. Truth reveals Himself and you cannot do anything else but fall on your face and declare in the words of St. Thomas (the doubter), "My Lord and my God!"

And so, on this Feast of St. Paul's conversion and my mother's heavenly birthday, I do not have a hard time imagining the two of them praying for all the necessary graces we need to come join them. And perhaps her salt-and-pepper hair is now black as night again.

Pax Christi.

*I wrote more about why one ought to pray for the dead here.

A Great Speech from our President

The words of Mr. Obama, the most pro-abortion president ever, are surprisingly pro-life in the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook, CT. Our children must come first. It follows that we ought not to kill them in the womb, before they even have a chance to take their first breaths. They have a right to a mother and a father, to growing up in a stable family. They are not a commodity. Yes, let's think of the children and do right by them. Our society is only as good as how we treat its most vulnerable members.

Please do not let these be empty words, Mr. Obama. Our children's lives depend on it.

My readers, make a difference and pray to end abortion.
Mgsr. Charles Pope has written a powerful reflection comparing the events of 1865 (second inaugural address of Lincoln) to that of 2013 (second inaugural address of Obama).

O Mary, Protectress of the Americas, pray for us!

On Dystopian Books

I've been reading a lot of good books, mostly biographies, memoirs, and reflections of the Church Fathers. But I want to write about a dystopian book. I don’t read much in this genre, but some are too beautiful to ignore. Isn't the cover gorgeous? Light and airy with silky threads. I was so intrigued by the idea of weaving time and realities that I picked up Crewel by Jennifer Albin. I thought it could be like the Matrix, reality upon reality, or Ember, and it does have elements of both. I have not been disappointed. Albin has woven an interesting tale and world. I especially loved the idea of weaving a moment, a bubble of time.

I think the first dystopian I ever read was The Giver. And of course, in all these books, it is presented first as a utopia. People don’t get sick. There is no suffering. Everything is carefully controlled, etc. Then the layers are peeled back to show what a façade all of it is. I suppose as humans we have always struggled between security and risk, and most of these stories show what happens when we love our comforts a bit too much, when we’d rather be taken care of, than take risks. Young people need to read these books to make them think. We are getting dangerously close to socialist Europe, where the government takes care of everything. Personal charity has gone out the window, because after all, the state redistributes wealth. I am not against a central government but the proper use of it. For infrastructure, for protection of the most vulnerable, but unfortunately, our government is not looking out for the welfare of its most vulnerable -- children, unborn, and old and infirm.

The common thread in all these dystopian novels is an absence of God, even if words like “blessings” are used. Blessed by whom? In a society devoid of God, humans play at being gods, and it’s been shown over and over again, that we are not good at it. It's the hubris of man to think he can be like God. We should all try abandoning ourselves to God's will. Thy kingdom come!