Motherhood - more valuable than flying to the moon...Happy Mother's Day

: "Q: How can women's purported weakness be seen as a source of strength?

Alice Von Hildebrand:

"Granted that from a naturalistic point of view, men are stronger: not only because they are physically stronger, but also because they are more creative, more inventive and more productive -- most great works in theology, philosophy and fine arts have been made by men. They are the great engineers, the great architects.
But the Christian message is that, valuable as all these inventions are, they are dust and ashes compared to every act of virtue. Because a woman by her very nature is maternal -- for every woman, whether married or unmarried, is called upon to be a biological, psychological or spiritual mother -- she knows intuitively that to give, to nurture, to care for others, to suffer with and for them -- for maternity implies suffering -- is infinitely more valuable in God's sight than to conquer nations and fly to the moon. "

One more reason to READ Von Hildebrand!!

Dietrich Von Hildebrand Legacy Project: "Pope Benedict XVI once said of Dietrich von Hildebrand: “I am personally convinced that, when, at some time in the future, the intellectual history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is written, the name of Dietrich von Hildebrand will be most prominent among the figures of our time.” Besides distinguishing himself by his heroic Christian witness against Nazism, he also distinguished himself as one of the greatest and most original Catholic thinkers of the twentieth century. His profound philosophical work on love, man and woman, sexuality, the heart and the emotions, the foundations of the moral life, natural and Christian virtues, the place of beauty in the life of persons, person and community have inspired and influenced many. But these contributions are still not known as they deserve to be."

Celebration of Pope John Paul II--life, papacy, theology, Catholic, faith, culture

Another great mini-movie celebrating the life and words of JPII. Hearing his voice alone, makes me want to cry... Enjoy it here - Celebration of Pope John Paul II--life, papacy, theology, Catholic, faith, culture

Alice von Hildebrand - Words to consider

Love and Responsibility Discussion Group: "How are we to reconquer the supernatural? Through prayer, sacrifice and penance, Dr. von Hildebrand explained. Being supernaturally motivated means we work for the greater glory of God, not for our own glory. With the rise of feminism, women realized that they were not appreciated, and they were quite right that they were not. 'But if you do it for God,' Dr. von Hildebrand asked, 'why does it matter? Don't concede that human recognition really has value.'"

Alice Von Hildebrand and her husband Dietrich (now deceased) are amazing people! I have read (not all of course) both of them and find what they have to say especially helpful for me a lay person, married and trying to raise children. Mrs. von Hildebrand's words have been especially helpful to me as a woman. Once again I found this discussion at Love and Responsibility. Love and Responsibility is another MUST READ for all!

Woman Is For Man - Man Is for Woman

Recently I've read a number of articles/posts
about contraception (the church's position on it),
male/female roles, and "gay marriage".
Many of the posts are written by
self-described Catholics.
Church loving, Jesus loving, Catholics.
But it seems to me that
there is a lot of confusion out there about two things.
1. Exactly WHAT the Church
really teaches about these matters.
2. How and Why the Church
reaches Her conclusions on these matters.

I believe The Theology of the Body
and subsequent internalizing of this type of thinking
would spark a radical transformation within every individual.
This would in turn spark
a profound revolution in how we see ourselves,
see those of the opposite sex,
and how we are called to relate to one another
as man and woman. This thinking, this vision
has the power to change the world!
Yes, I said change the world.

I'd like to start regularly posting
my thoughts on these topics.
I hope that I won't as my dad may say
(and has said already) seem "too radical".
But I believe we NEED to radically change
how we think about these things.
(Marriage, contraception, sex, homosexuality, male/female roles)
Our eternal lives depend upon it!

Kelly, Kelly With a Belly Full of Jelly...

Happy Birthday Sis!

I Love You!

Big Sisters Are the Best

"Help me Morgan"

"OK just reach up, I'll hold you up there"

"Morgan don't leave"

"I won't Mary Grace"

"Look! You're doin' it you're doin' it!"

"Thanks Morgan"

"No problem"

Tim and I have GOOD KIDS!!!

Trouble? No - Not This Angel Face!

Making Mom Proud

This may not seem

a big deal to others

but this moment

I captured

(pictured above)

makes me

dog gone proud!

Monica's shoe came off.

Mary offers to help.

Mary helps.

Happily.

I believe this is

one more benefit

of homeschooling.

Look! No tooth!

Best Friends

Say "CHEESE"

Gee Mom could you have perhaps cleaned up my face a bit after dinner?

Nah! "Just get out there and play play play" (and sleep good tonight)

Politics

I'm a combination of these political/radio personalities...
Dennis Prager being my favorite








It seems the political season is just beginning...things I'm sure will get pretty interesting in the next 18 months. In many ways I am a political "junkie" as is Tim. I used to subscribe to The Weekly Standard and read it cover to cover in a day. I followed all things political very closely.


Now? Not so much. I found it wasn't good for my health. I told Tim that as I was likely the impetus for him converting to Catholicism that he has made a convert out of me as well. He converted me to political cynicism. Tim lights up when the intro music for Meet the Press comes on...he makes sure he's home in time to watch all the debates (we watched the republican candidates recently). But, ultimately he doesn't trust ANY of them "as far as he could throw them" as they say. I used to be a believer. I voted for Alan Keyes here in Illinois. I had yard signs and bumper stickers...Now I feel that I put to much hope in men and I lean much more heavily on my faith for the answers.


Still, I do love a good debate/argument. I'd describe myself as a Catholic first, an American second. I guess I'd fail the "allegiance test". Oh well! I believe that people are ignorant and apathetic for the most part. Unless that changes the status quo remains. I don't see it changing either. As long as people can go to the store and buy buy buy and drive around their cars and "have fun" when they want to, they don't see a need to make any radical changes. Politicians go on blabbing about the same crap - "a shining city on a hill" "the children are our future" "fix social security" "every child needs to be insured" "we need more educational/school funding" "I'm personally opposed but..." blah blah blah...


Tim's convinced that a Hillary/Obama ticket will run away with the 2008 election. I hate to say it but I think he might be right. It doesn't look good for conservatives. It especially doesn't look good for the unborn, traditional marriage, or a strong defense. But, maybe a real mess, a whole lot of suffering, PAIN is what's needed to wake up a sleeping nation. Just maybe things have got to get a whole lot worse before the masses come home from the malls and start paying attention to what REALLY matters! Didn't JPII say something like "as the family goes, so goes the nation, and the whole world in which we live"? Enough said!

Moms who Hate Motherhood

Occassionaly I get discouraged and burned out and I've been known to say I hate my "job". I feel over worked and under appreciated but I have to say I've NEVER said anything close to this next line...

Danielle Bean: "“I have two kids,” she said. “And I will not be having another. I’d rather eat glass.” "

That quote is not from Danielle but rather a co-worker of her husband's. She writes a great post on those moms who feel the need to publicly proclaim their utter disdain for motherhood and their very own children too it seems!

What Love IS and What it Is NOT

My friend Shelray over at Cosmos Liturgy Sex always has posts that make me think! I am grateful for all that I have learned from regularly reading this blog!

Today I read this over at COSMOS~LITURGY~SEX: "Love is always true. Never a lie. Love is always the glory of God. Never the glorification of man. Love always carries us to goodness. Never to evil. Love always binds us in obedience. Love never frees us to be disobedient. Love always heals, always cleans, sometimes hurts, sometimes casts out. Love never winks at sin, shrugs at injustice, or ignores the poor. Love always looks to Christ, his church, and his Mother."

I just HAD to go to the link and listen to the podcast of the rest of this very powerful homily!
It is this past Sunday's homily given by Fr. Philip N. Powell, OP.
WOW! These were words I'd been longing to hear for far too long! A better understanding of what love IS and what love is NOT is so needed today.
Everyone wants it. Few know where to find it. Love is Truth. Sometimes the Truth hurts. And so we may tell ourselves (with the help of that guy with the horns) that this can't be Love then....wrong!

Love does demand sacrifice - just look at the cross. Go! listen to Fr. Philip! he has now been officially listed on my sites I recommend!

Purpose and Passion

Had a great weekend. Friday night I met a bunch of women who home school.
Not all were Catholic. Not all were white. Not all were Amish-like.
It was nice! We discussed curriculum.
I didn't have much to offer considering
I haven't been very happy with my curriculum.
I got a LOT of helpful advice/tips.
Most of all I gained something I've been lacking of late. Hope.


Lately, I've been feeling like there's no place I "fit in" in this world.
I'm too "wacky" for the strictest conservative Catholic moms,
and too "weird" for the mainstream
American moms here in suburbia.





Where exactly does a Jesus adoring, JPII loving,
homeschooling, open to life NFP practicing,
jean wearing, formerly smoking, Nickleback listening,
Seinfeld watching, pro-life, scapular wearing,
loud mouthed, middle class suburbanite belong?
It seems I might have just found my niche!


The ladies I met on Friday weren't "just like me"
but they did have a very necessary ingredient
- they didn't take themselves so seriously!
That, and many of my comments, stories
produced laughter not strange looks or mild condemnation
which have been known to occur in the past.
Ah, to be able to let your hair down a little
in the company of others....what a blessing!





Mom and dad spent the night on Friday to babysit.
Saturday Tim and I went to a matinee to see Spiderman 3!
It was great. Sunday we went to mom and dad's to pick up
the rest of our gang who had spent the night over at their house.
All in all it was a nice weekend. Most importantly,
for me at least, was meeting those women on Friday.





If nothing else I learned that there ARE other people out there
with purpose and passion (and humor). Far too many
good people lack purpose and passion in their lives.
They work hard, cut their grass, go to little league games,
pay their bills, help their neighbors out, and may even attend
some kind of church service now and then.
But without purpose and passion life is not complete.


You may live a "full life" by the world's standards but
all the while be feeling kind of empty deep inside.
Some may say that they have purpose in their life.
I believe them. But both purpose AND passion are required.
I know many who go beyond the normal "good citizen" requirements
and go to mass and pray for their families. They sacrifice worldly
comforts for higher purposes. But that's only half the story.


Passion! Passion is what is so lacking today.
This world needs it desperately.
We have far too many people living their lives
filled with passion without PURPOSE!
Liberals are for the most part all passion and no purpose.
Secular humanists are all passion no purpose.
Hedonists and pleasure gluttons are prime examples too.
Many in the "purpose driven life" camp may
look over at the passion without purpose camp and say
Hey! they're havin' a hell of a lot more fun over there...





This is why those with purpose MUST have PASSION!
If Jesus truly is the center of our lives then we must live it! Shout it!
If we have purpose in our lives then live it out with passion.
If we have the Truth. If Jesus is real and all that
stuff the priest tells us at mass on Sunday matters - really matters.
Then be joyful! Laugh. Smile. Take a stand. State your positions.
Be bold. Be on fire. Be a light! Don't just go through the motions.
To those who much is given, much is expected.
We are called to be great.
Not average.





And so, it fortified me to meet a group of women
with purpose and passion on Friday. They are not the first group
of people I have met who live life with both but
I have found that lightheartedness and humor can
often get lost in the mix. I have been victim to this myself.


Sometimes our passion for our purpose leads us into battles.
This is good. We are His soldiers of course!
But all that fighting, constant swimming upstream,
"going against the grain" can leave you humorless.
This is the one danger of a life lived with purpose and passion.
I must remember to always take my purpose, my calling
seriously. I must take seriously my obligation to maintain passion
- to keep that fire burning. But never, in the process,
take MYSELF too seriously. Life is such a blessing.
Life is far too important to be spent scowling at the world
and brooding over injuries. So I try to fight the good fight
and then laugh at all my awkward moves.





Friday night I met some fellow battle scarred warriors who
could sit around our encampment and tell
funny stories and laugh at all their missteps from the battles
they've been in.


Purpose, Passion, (and Humor too!)
Thank God!