a while ago I wrote a post about my cousin Jenny dying at the young age of 23. This is her singing in high school. She already had an amzing voice!! I play this cd of her and I really feel like the world lost a beautiful soul!! love you Jenny!
Friday, February 8, 2008
TOB Anthem?
I love this song first of all. But as I lstened to it again today I thought to myself it would make a great "theme song" or "anthem" for Theology of the Body. If I had the time and the talents I would LOVE to assemble a video clip/picture montage to accompany this song to introduce people to the TOB concepts - what a great "pump you up" intro it would make!
Why Buy the Cow When...?
It seems that young women are annoyed with their prospects - men who behave like boys instead of men. I found two articles on this topic of today's men failing to be REAL men and how they seem to be indefinitely stuck in perpetual adolescence. I found these articles from Dennis Prager's blog and looked over there because I often check his podcas radio show for interesting topics. I miss hearing his radio show daily - he ALWAYS covered interesting and important topics that other talk radio guys fail to cover.
Anyhow the jist of the articles goes like this - men in their 20's and 30's are failing to GROW UP and become real men. They are NOT marrying material and young women are very frustrated with this phenomena. The articles seek to discover the causes of this and they do a good job actually. Of course when I read anything I'm always reading it with a Catholic theological perspective with a definite bent on TOB. So these paragraphs jumped out at me...(SYM=single young males)
Child-Man in the Promised Land by Kay S. Hymowitz, City Journal Winter 2008:
"Like Hornby, Kunkel sees the easy availability of sex as a source of slacker apathy. In a world of serial relationships, SYMs “fail to sublimate their libidinal energies in the way that actually makes men attractive,” Kunkel told a dismayed female interviewer in Salon. With no one to challenge them to deeper connections, they swim across life’s surfaces.
The superficiality, indolence, and passionlessness evoked in Hornby’s and Kunkel’s novels haven’t triggered any kind of cultural transformation. .. The SYM doesn’t read much, remember, and he certainly doesn’t read anything prescribing personal transformation. The child-man may be into self-mockery; self-reflection is something else entirely.
That’s too bad. Men are “more unfinished as people,” Kunkel has neatly observed. Young men especially need a culture that can help them define worthy aspirations. Adults don’t emerge. They’re made."
WOW!! Although the author of this article is female she fails to connect the dots completely. We - WOMEN are to blame for these men failing to GROW UP!!! How? it's right there in the article..."With no one to challenge them to deeper connections, they swim across life's surfaces." The no one challenging them is US - WOMEN!!! We are not challenging them because we've bought into the lie that preserving our virginity untiol marriage is antiquated, old-fashioned and stifling. We are "liberated" women!! We fail to see how much men really NEED us! We are so busy trying to be like men to prove our strength that we completely miss the power we've been given and choose to throw away. We want men to be caring, responsible, protective, honorable, and self-sacrificing. That's a MAN - the kind we wan to marry and have children with. We may be demanding this with our words, as these writers do so well in their articles, but we demand nothing with our actions. We speak one thing - but our bodies are telling another story.
Pre-marital sex and the contraceptive culture have created a message that men are getting loud and clear and this childishness is simply the result of years of "hearing" this message we've spoken with our bodies. Bishop Sheen tells us that the measure of any culture is found in its women. This is because, he says, women are the leading influence on men's behavior. It is through the "demands" women make through their bodies that men "fall in line" so to speak. Why do we find men more and more immature, running from any and all responsibilities of true manhood today? Because women have failed to realize their true power. Their true power lies in embracing their weaknesses and vulnerabilities as transfoming powers over the opposite sex. True power lies in their ability to carry new life within and to support and nurture that life in a way only a woman can. "Hearing" this men will oncle again aspire to "deserve" and "earn" the love of their beloved. They will prove themselves capable and ready to protect, defend and honor this woman they seek. Then, they truly can be MAN and wife.
Sadly, sometimes I think even those men who do "settle down" and marry remain boys as well. Because their wives buy into the lie about contraception they just perpetuate the same thing they may have experienced in single life. These men seem to be grown ups because they have a job, a mortgage and a mini-van. Yet they too have failed to become the total man God wants them to be. They want the pleasure without the pain. They can't see that this last hurdle must be overcome in order that they can be a real leader of their family. Smehow even these men like the SYM of the articles (which I encourage you all to read in full), seem to demonstrate the truth found in a very old saying "Why by the cow when you get the milk for free"
Anyhow the jist of the articles goes like this - men in their 20's and 30's are failing to GROW UP and become real men. They are NOT marrying material and young women are very frustrated with this phenomena. The articles seek to discover the causes of this and they do a good job actually. Of course when I read anything I'm always reading it with a Catholic theological perspective with a definite bent on TOB. So these paragraphs jumped out at me...(SYM=single young males)
Child-Man in the Promised Land by Kay S. Hymowitz, City Journal Winter 2008:
"Like Hornby, Kunkel sees the easy availability of sex as a source of slacker apathy. In a world of serial relationships, SYMs “fail to sublimate their libidinal energies in the way that actually makes men attractive,” Kunkel told a dismayed female interviewer in Salon. With no one to challenge them to deeper connections, they swim across life’s surfaces.
The superficiality, indolence, and passionlessness evoked in Hornby’s and Kunkel’s novels haven’t triggered any kind of cultural transformation. .. The SYM doesn’t read much, remember, and he certainly doesn’t read anything prescribing personal transformation. The child-man may be into self-mockery; self-reflection is something else entirely.
That’s too bad. Men are “more unfinished as people,” Kunkel has neatly observed. Young men especially need a culture that can help them define worthy aspirations. Adults don’t emerge. They’re made."
WOW!! Although the author of this article is female she fails to connect the dots completely. We - WOMEN are to blame for these men failing to GROW UP!!! How? it's right there in the article..."With no one to challenge them to deeper connections, they swim across life's surfaces." The no one challenging them is US - WOMEN!!! We are not challenging them because we've bought into the lie that preserving our virginity untiol marriage is antiquated, old-fashioned and stifling. We are "liberated" women!! We fail to see how much men really NEED us! We are so busy trying to be like men to prove our strength that we completely miss the power we've been given and choose to throw away. We want men to be caring, responsible, protective, honorable, and self-sacrificing. That's a MAN - the kind we wan to marry and have children with. We may be demanding this with our words, as these writers do so well in their articles, but we demand nothing with our actions. We speak one thing - but our bodies are telling another story.
Pre-marital sex and the contraceptive culture have created a message that men are getting loud and clear and this childishness is simply the result of years of "hearing" this message we've spoken with our bodies. Bishop Sheen tells us that the measure of any culture is found in its women. This is because, he says, women are the leading influence on men's behavior. It is through the "demands" women make through their bodies that men "fall in line" so to speak. Why do we find men more and more immature, running from any and all responsibilities of true manhood today? Because women have failed to realize their true power. Their true power lies in embracing their weaknesses and vulnerabilities as transfoming powers over the opposite sex. True power lies in their ability to carry new life within and to support and nurture that life in a way only a woman can. "Hearing" this men will oncle again aspire to "deserve" and "earn" the love of their beloved. They will prove themselves capable and ready to protect, defend and honor this woman they seek. Then, they truly can be MAN and wife.
Sadly, sometimes I think even those men who do "settle down" and marry remain boys as well. Because their wives buy into the lie about contraception they just perpetuate the same thing they may have experienced in single life. These men seem to be grown ups because they have a job, a mortgage and a mini-van. Yet they too have failed to become the total man God wants them to be. They want the pleasure without the pain. They can't see that this last hurdle must be overcome in order that they can be a real leader of their family. Smehow even these men like the SYM of the articles (which I encourage you all to read in full), seem to demonstrate the truth found in a very old saying "Why by the cow when you get the milk for free"
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Happy Birthday to Daddy - Tim
hey I just tried for the very first time to upload video to a youtube account and then paste it here on my blog!! It worked!! Hooray!! I think I might try to do more of this from now on... Oh and for those of you who have never heard my voice before - my deepest apologies for making you suffer through a really bad off key rendition of "Happy Birthday" plus "verse two"!! I STINK at singing!!
LIVE! - Talking with "Kel" - Cheap version of a web-cam
This me talking to Kelly while holding baby and also typing on keyboard with one finger. Kelly needed cheering up...
Cheering Kelly Up
Kelly's house was a mess. Kelly had to clean up and lacked motivation. Kelly felt BAD. I assured her MY house was messy too!! Cheer up Kel, your little sister is way behind in her "to do' list too
It's the Culture Stupid
Well Mitt is out of the race. I just watched his address at CPAC. As I listened to Mr. Romney I felt like asking "Why weren't you talking like this all along Mitt?" i think he'd have fared better if he'd given this type of address from the get go.
If you watched this speech as I did you heard Mr. Romney talk about the culture. He emphasized the transforming power of culture and how everything else are just ripples left by its impact. THIS is the message America needs to hear and understand.
The economy, the healthcare system, the minimum wage, the schools, the social security system, taxes, gov't programs, are all meaningless if our culture's in the toilet!! Americans must be inspired to aspire to greatness through sacrifice not coddled like children waiting to be spoonfed by the gov't.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul?
Sad to say Mc Cain doesn't get it and he'll continue to belittle and disregard true conservatives because he fails to see - it's the culture stupid!
If you watched this speech as I did you heard Mr. Romney talk about the culture. He emphasized the transforming power of culture and how everything else are just ripples left by its impact. THIS is the message America needs to hear and understand.
The economy, the healthcare system, the minimum wage, the schools, the social security system, taxes, gov't programs, are all meaningless if our culture's in the toilet!! Americans must be inspired to aspire to greatness through sacrifice not coddled like children waiting to be spoonfed by the gov't.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul?
Sad to say Mc Cain doesn't get it and he'll continue to belittle and disregard true conservatives because he fails to see - it's the culture stupid!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Well Fed
Over at "Et tu?": Jennifer writes - "The fun wasn't fun enough, the luxuries weren't luxurious enough, the excitement wasn't exciting enough to completely smother out that part of my soul that begged for something more. It wasn't that I wasn't grateful -- to the contrary, I regularly felt overwhelmed with gratitude for all the wonderful things in my life -- it's that there was a subtle but present sense of despair that these things weren't doing what they were supposed to do. I was kind of happy. But why wasn't I fully happy, why wasn't I completely at peace, why was I still a little bit restless, even when I technically had it all?"
She describes the dilema I see most of America in today, so clearly. Most of us "have it all". we live nice lives. We have lots of "stuff" and there's plenty of "fun" to be had. Yet, people walk around with smilig faces that seem so empty to me when I look into their eyes. They may experience pleasure but they lack JOY! This joy is the joy only knowing Jesus can bring. So they stuff themselves with pleasure after pleasure. They're like gluttoness feeders who feast on all the goodies at a holiday dinner and then head for the couch, unzip their pants, and feel full yet empty and disgusted at the same time.
We must stop snacking on pleasure thinking we'll eventually be filled, satisfied and we must feast on living bread instead! He is the real food that satifies and leaves us JOY-filled despite living lives which otherwise seem to the world to be mundane and boring. I am one of those who lives a life of mediocrity according to the world's biggest feeders. How is it then that I am filled with joyfullness? I must be a simpleton and a fool right? Nope. I'm just well-fed!
She describes the dilema I see most of America in today, so clearly. Most of us "have it all". we live nice lives. We have lots of "stuff" and there's plenty of "fun" to be had. Yet, people walk around with smilig faces that seem so empty to me when I look into their eyes. They may experience pleasure but they lack JOY! This joy is the joy only knowing Jesus can bring. So they stuff themselves with pleasure after pleasure. They're like gluttoness feeders who feast on all the goodies at a holiday dinner and then head for the couch, unzip their pants, and feel full yet empty and disgusted at the same time.
We must stop snacking on pleasure thinking we'll eventually be filled, satisfied and we must feast on living bread instead! He is the real food that satifies and leaves us JOY-filled despite living lives which otherwise seem to the world to be mundane and boring. I am one of those who lives a life of mediocrity according to the world's biggest feeders. How is it then that I am filled with joyfullness? I must be a simpleton and a fool right? Nope. I'm just well-fed!
Monday, February 4, 2008
We Love Our Baby
We love this little guy. When a new baby comes into this family he or she always becomes the center of attention. Christopher is no different. The kids love to hold, talk to and play with him. They love having another little baby in the family. I have never had to deal with jealousy or resentment in my home due to a new baby. I feel like that is in large part because Tim and I both always emphasize two things with our kids. 1. Babies are a great and wonderful gift from God to us. 2. You are not the center of the universe therefore sacrifice is mandatory, not optional
.I think this combo must be working. Even in those moments when my kids are leaning heavily towards the selfishness and self-centeredness that is naturally in us all from birth, if I remind them of how ugly or hurtful it is to be selfish they generally "wake up" and change their tune. Example: "Morgan hold the baby for me while I make dinner ok?" "mom (in an extremely whiney voice) I don't want to he wiggles too much and he pulls my hair...(the reality is she wants to watch Cyberchase on PBS and doesn't want to be bothered) "Morgan - your brother needs you and so do I now stop it and hold him 'cause he loves you so much just look at him!" Christopher with perfect timing looks at his big sis and gives her a drooly wet grin. "Ok mom - come here Chris you wittle cutie - I love you too I love you too..."Morgan walks off with him and continues her baby talk to him happily.
Last night Tim and I were watching Nancy Grace and she was discussing a case of a 3 mth old baby found on the side of the road. They played the 911 call from the man who found the baby while he and his wife were walking together. He was weeping on the line. Tim and I both listened and I cried too of course. We were so caught up in the story and the details of this horrible case we failed to notice that it had caught the attention of Morgan and Mary Grace who had come into the room to say goodnight to us. They started asking a lot of questions. I always tell them these kinds of truths very gently. But I always tell the truth. I never lie to them about the evil in the world but I always gives them a sense of HOPE that this is not how the world will always be. I use these moments to teach them that God wants them to grow and learn so that they can make this world a better place. Their lives make a difference and their prayers are powerful. We all prayed together...Morgan reminded me "Mom he's a saint now." "Yes I know Morgan I just wish this world would be a better place" "It will be mom"
This morning as we prayed the rosary in the car as I drove the girls to school Mary interrupted "Mom I'm thinking of that baby." "Me too Mary." We finished the rosary. I looked back over my shoulder to see the faces of my kids. They love their baby. They love that baby. They love ALL babies. I felt proud. I must be doing something right.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Womanhood
There is far too much "loving yourself" and far too little knowing yourself going on today. There are thousands of books that tell us the benefits of self-love - especially for women who are portrayed as the helpless victims of a male dominated world.
"We women must learn to love ourselves." "I am woman, hear me roar." "Empower women!" etc. are modern mantras. But what are we loving? Why are we roaring? What are we doing with this "empowerment"? Those who subscribe to these mantras fail to tell us what the ultimate model of womanhood is, so that we can best exemplify that model in our lives. Why is there no model?
Another modern distortion is to blame for this void. "To each his own" or in this case "her own" We mustn't have a standard defintion of womanhood because standard definitions or requirements are by their very nature oppressive and discriminitory. To lay down a model of womanhood would be seen as stiffling individuality and that is a cardinal sin today.
Yet, the very opposite is true. An entire generation of young women has lost their sense of identity as woman. A basic standard for defining authentic womanhood liberates, uplifts, and inspires creativity and individuality. There is a desperate need today for my generation and the young girls we are attempting to raise, to have a very clear idea of the authentic womanhood to which they are called.
Baby boomer mothers seeking to protect their own daughters from the hurts they experienced chose to blame womanhood itself for their suffering. Any abuse or injustice or oppression was the result of living out an old model of womanhood. They would not pass that on to their own daughters - and here we are today. We have no idea who we are, what our purpose is in life, and we're floundering.
Womanhood got left behind in the rubble of the 60's and 70's. The failure of men to honor and appreciate the beauty of woman, and the failure of women to persevere despite this, has left us with the false notion that happiness for women can be found by seeking power, authority, and control. Essentially we've abandoned womanhood to become instead, men.
Are we happy? No. Use of anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs are at an all time high among women. Divorce, single motherhood, and out-of-wedlock births are rampant. We drink, eat, and shop to fill the void. We climb social ladders, and corporate ladders to satisfy the internal ache. No, we are far from happy.
We do it all and have it all. We treat the men in our lives as useful idiots. This portrayal is quite common on tv and other media. Women are the self-sufficient pants wearers. Men are sperm donors who should do what their wives want, contribute financially, and please sexually. Children are more a right of passage than a mystery and gift. They're a necessary burden we take on and then desperately wait to be rid of so that we can get back to "really living".
We see our bodies as tools to gain power and at the same time obstacles to power. The sexual, seductive aspects of the female body are used to gain power. The procreative nurturing aspects of the female body are seen as a hinderance and at times a curse.
We relate to men with these two twisted ideas always influencing us. We want to be loved but fail to love. Rather we tempt and seduce and then wonder why love fades away or turns cold. We failed to illicit love from men in the first place. We have an obligation to teach men how to love. We teach them how to desire, but not how to love. When they fail to love us we scream of betrayal and seeth with rage over the failings of the opposite sex. We can't see a failure (our failure) in the beginning is a failure indeed.
All this mess separates us from God. We move futher and further away from authentic womanhood and as a result move further away from God. We feel empty, betrayed and abandoned. We swear we won't let this happen to our daughters. We teach them to reject their womanhood and embrace the modern lies. The pattern continues.
Young girls today have no idea what it means to be a woman. They see their breasts as sexual assets, not miraculous baby feeders. They see their womb as a dangerous necessity to be guarded not out of a sense of honor but fear. They see their cycles as a nuisance, not a reminder of their creative power. They say they love themselves. They say they are in control of their bodies and their lives. Yet they seem so unhappy and they are. There is an emptiness they try to fill with the world and all it offers. That emptiness can only be remedied by living out a life as an auhentic woman. Not a cookie cutter woman. Not an old-fashioned apron wearing woman. We simply need to embrace the gifts we've been given along with the sacrifices that are asked of us - happiness lies there.
"We women must learn to love ourselves." "I am woman, hear me roar." "Empower women!" etc. are modern mantras. But what are we loving? Why are we roaring? What are we doing with this "empowerment"? Those who subscribe to these mantras fail to tell us what the ultimate model of womanhood is, so that we can best exemplify that model in our lives. Why is there no model?
Another modern distortion is to blame for this void. "To each his own" or in this case "her own" We mustn't have a standard defintion of womanhood because standard definitions or requirements are by their very nature oppressive and discriminitory. To lay down a model of womanhood would be seen as stiffling individuality and that is a cardinal sin today.
Yet, the very opposite is true. An entire generation of young women has lost their sense of identity as woman. A basic standard for defining authentic womanhood liberates, uplifts, and inspires creativity and individuality. There is a desperate need today for my generation and the young girls we are attempting to raise, to have a very clear idea of the authentic womanhood to which they are called.
Baby boomer mothers seeking to protect their own daughters from the hurts they experienced chose to blame womanhood itself for their suffering. Any abuse or injustice or oppression was the result of living out an old model of womanhood. They would not pass that on to their own daughters - and here we are today. We have no idea who we are, what our purpose is in life, and we're floundering.
Womanhood got left behind in the rubble of the 60's and 70's. The failure of men to honor and appreciate the beauty of woman, and the failure of women to persevere despite this, has left us with the false notion that happiness for women can be found by seeking power, authority, and control. Essentially we've abandoned womanhood to become instead, men.
Are we happy? No. Use of anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs are at an all time high among women. Divorce, single motherhood, and out-of-wedlock births are rampant. We drink, eat, and shop to fill the void. We climb social ladders, and corporate ladders to satisfy the internal ache. No, we are far from happy.
We do it all and have it all. We treat the men in our lives as useful idiots. This portrayal is quite common on tv and other media. Women are the self-sufficient pants wearers. Men are sperm donors who should do what their wives want, contribute financially, and please sexually. Children are more a right of passage than a mystery and gift. They're a necessary burden we take on and then desperately wait to be rid of so that we can get back to "really living".
We see our bodies as tools to gain power and at the same time obstacles to power. The sexual, seductive aspects of the female body are used to gain power. The procreative nurturing aspects of the female body are seen as a hinderance and at times a curse.
We relate to men with these two twisted ideas always influencing us. We want to be loved but fail to love. Rather we tempt and seduce and then wonder why love fades away or turns cold. We failed to illicit love from men in the first place. We have an obligation to teach men how to love. We teach them how to desire, but not how to love. When they fail to love us we scream of betrayal and seeth with rage over the failings of the opposite sex. We can't see a failure (our failure) in the beginning is a failure indeed.
All this mess separates us from God. We move futher and further away from authentic womanhood and as a result move further away from God. We feel empty, betrayed and abandoned. We swear we won't let this happen to our daughters. We teach them to reject their womanhood and embrace the modern lies. The pattern continues.
Young girls today have no idea what it means to be a woman. They see their breasts as sexual assets, not miraculous baby feeders. They see their womb as a dangerous necessity to be guarded not out of a sense of honor but fear. They see their cycles as a nuisance, not a reminder of their creative power. They say they love themselves. They say they are in control of their bodies and their lives. Yet they seem so unhappy and they are. There is an emptiness they try to fill with the world and all it offers. That emptiness can only be remedied by living out a life as an auhentic woman. Not a cookie cutter woman. Not an old-fashioned apron wearing woman. We simply need to embrace the gifts we've been given along with the sacrifices that are asked of us - happiness lies there.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Tears of Blood
This is why the Blessed Mother has been seen weeping tears of blood. This why Our Lord's flesh was torn from his body...New Britain men charged in assaults of infant, teenager -- Newsday.com: "Once the process was stopped, authorities said they found icons consistent with child pornography and a video of Brisson sexually assaulting the infant. Police said they also learned that the boy had been sexually assaulted by both suspects.
The suspects knew the parents of the victims, police said. The infant girl was examined at a local hospital and returned to her mother, whom police say was likely unaware of the assaults."
------------------------------------------------------------
What I cannot understand is why Our Lord is so PATIENT and MERCIFUL!!! I know that I too am a sinner and that I too am in need of His mercy. He has been very patient with me. But this is the kind of thing that makes me cry out "Lord Jesus Come! - Just Come Already!!"
The sad truth of the matter is this kind of thing is happening all over the world. Most cases are not known. There is so much suffering we cannot even begin to comprehend it! There is torture, starvation, poverty, sickness, slavery, abuse, ugliness, evil, vile vile vile selfishness of the most horrible kinds. But worst of all there are many who have been given His grace, His protection, His love and mercy and they live their lives daily with indifference to the eveils I listed prior.
Indifference - a chosen blindness. Those lukewarm the bible speaks of, are the gatekeepers who swing the door wide open to these abuses. They shut their eyes and say I cannot see it so it does not exist. Off the hook and on to the distractions the world provides...
I sometimes read the Google headlines like this just to see what's going on in the world. I am not posting them here to be morbid or negative. I read crap like this and realize what a loving God we must have to put up with all this garbage. He wants us to change. He wants us to turn to Him. He wants me to pray pray pray and make my little place in this world better, holier, more true. I'm trying...
The suspects knew the parents of the victims, police said. The infant girl was examined at a local hospital and returned to her mother, whom police say was likely unaware of the assaults."
------------------------------------------------------------
What I cannot understand is why Our Lord is so PATIENT and MERCIFUL!!! I know that I too am a sinner and that I too am in need of His mercy. He has been very patient with me. But this is the kind of thing that makes me cry out "Lord Jesus Come! - Just Come Already!!"
The sad truth of the matter is this kind of thing is happening all over the world. Most cases are not known. There is so much suffering we cannot even begin to comprehend it! There is torture, starvation, poverty, sickness, slavery, abuse, ugliness, evil, vile vile vile selfishness of the most horrible kinds. But worst of all there are many who have been given His grace, His protection, His love and mercy and they live their lives daily with indifference to the eveils I listed prior.
Indifference - a chosen blindness. Those lukewarm the bible speaks of, are the gatekeepers who swing the door wide open to these abuses. They shut their eyes and say I cannot see it so it does not exist. Off the hook and on to the distractions the world provides...
I sometimes read the Google headlines like this just to see what's going on in the world. I am not posting them here to be morbid or negative. I read crap like this and realize what a loving God we must have to put up with all this garbage. He wants us to change. He wants us to turn to Him. He wants me to pray pray pray and make my little place in this world better, holier, more true. I'm trying...
Why Are They EVER Set Free????
I came across this horrible story while scanning the Google news...Mass. sex offender charged with raping boy at public library - On Deadline - USATODAY.com: "Corey Saunders, 26, spent four years in prison after being convicted in 2001 of raping a child. Upon his release, the Associated Press says prosecutors urged Bristol Superior Court Judge Richard Moses to order him committed indefinitely because of concerns that he posed a continuing threat to local children.
The Boston Herald says three psychologists agreed, telling the court that Saunders was 'extremely sexually dangerous.'
The judge denied the motion, and Saunders was registered with the state as a Level 3 sex offender -- the highest classification -- when he was charged yesterday with rape and indecent assault."
Why would a person like this only get 4 years in jail to begin with???? Shouldn't the harming of a child, specifically in a sexual or violent way be automatic LIFE in Prison!!!! What's wrong with this world?? I pray for that little sweetie and his family. Yet I also ask how could he get so out of his mom's sight that he was taken off somewhere and raped without her knowing he went astray for a while????? This kind of story just makes me realize how diligent I must be at keeping my kiddos near me when I'm out and about!!
The Boston Herald says three psychologists agreed, telling the court that Saunders was 'extremely sexually dangerous.'
The judge denied the motion, and Saunders was registered with the state as a Level 3 sex offender -- the highest classification -- when he was charged yesterday with rape and indecent assault."
Why would a person like this only get 4 years in jail to begin with???? Shouldn't the harming of a child, specifically in a sexual or violent way be automatic LIFE in Prison!!!! What's wrong with this world?? I pray for that little sweetie and his family. Yet I also ask how could he get so out of his mom's sight that he was taken off somewhere and raped without her knowing he went astray for a while????? This kind of story just makes me realize how diligent I must be at keeping my kiddos near me when I'm out and about!!
I've Been Tagged
Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex: "So who do we meme? Jackie, Tara, Dim, Kris, and of course, Jeff (Our apologies if any of y’all have already been tagged and/or don’t cotton to the meme thing)."
I found this one interesting since I love to recommend books and quote from them...although it's difficult to hold the attention of my most available targets - a sports minded hubby and five kiddos all under the age of 11.
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages)
2.open book to page 123
3.find the fifth sentence
4.post the next three sentences
5.tag five people
The real problem is how to make humans realize the sacredness of love-how to induce mothers to see a Messiah-ship in the begetting of children. The best way to achieve this would surely be to bring forward the example of a woman who would accept the responsibilities of love without the prepayment of pleasure-one would say: "I will do it all for nothing! I will accept the bearing of a child, the responsibility of his education, a share in His world mission," without even asking for the ecstacies of the flesh. Such is the role of the Blessed Mother.
The World's First Love
Fulton J. Sheen
www.ryanmillerfam.blogspot.com
www.mikeandkristine.blogspot.com
www.tolovemercy.blogspot.com
www.snoringscholar.blogspot.com
I couldn't come up with a fifth...sorry I look forward to seeing the results!!!
I found this one interesting since I love to recommend books and quote from them...although it's difficult to hold the attention of my most available targets - a sports minded hubby and five kiddos all under the age of 11.
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages)
2.open book to page 123
3.find the fifth sentence
4.post the next three sentences
5.tag five people
The real problem is how to make humans realize the sacredness of love-how to induce mothers to see a Messiah-ship in the begetting of children. The best way to achieve this would surely be to bring forward the example of a woman who would accept the responsibilities of love without the prepayment of pleasure-one would say: "I will do it all for nothing! I will accept the bearing of a child, the responsibility of his education, a share in His world mission," without even asking for the ecstacies of the flesh. Such is the role of the Blessed Mother.
The World's First Love
Fulton J. Sheen
www.ryanmillerfam.blogspot.com
www.mikeandkristine.blogspot.com
www.tolovemercy.blogspot.com
www.snoringscholar.blogspot.com
I couldn't come up with a fifth...sorry I look forward to seeing the results!!!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Kids by the Dozen - Must See TV!!!
I recently started watching Kids by the Dozen : TLC Family Guide : TLC: with the kiddos. we also like John and Kate Plus Eight... But this show is more interesting because it focuses on many different large families. All of the families are treated in a very positive light. They all are unique and live their lives very differently yet they all are genuine and LIKEABLE people!! I went to the TLC site and saw that the families have short video snippits on different parenting/family issus. The advice and insight they provide is definitely worth checking out!! Now I only wish the mainstream networks would pick up on the fact that a large rowdy family with strong values and "kids by the dozen" can also make for good entertainment!! I'm so tired of seeing the same old Sex and the City-type crap rehashed over and over again!! - There is SOOOOO much humor potential in the life of a good family with a large crew...
Tune-in to Kids by the Dozen on Mondays at 10/9c beginning October 15."
Tune-in to Kids by the Dozen on Mondays at 10/9c beginning October 15."
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Dictionary Game - Any Takers?
My dad invented this game thirty years ago. Many a night I remember being kept awake by the grown ups laughter as they played this game together. I envied their fun and vowed someday when I was big I'd have lots of grown up friends and I'd play the dictionary game too! Not so.
I would LOVE to play the game. Tim loves it too now that he's officially caught the "nerd bug" from my side of the family. We are a family of Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and this, dad's game. We want to use our minds and we play for blood!! It's a riot!!
Usually our only time to enjoy this type of "play" is when Kelly and Martin are in town. They are kindred spirits in this respect. I'd really like to indoctrinate-rather invite others to play the dictionary game. Tim always stops me saying "Kris, they're not gonna like that." to which I respond "how do you know - they might like it if they tried it" - Tim continues his pessimism "NO, they're not like us..." Translation: they're not dorky like us...
The game plays like this:
In order for the game to be any fun you've got to have a minimum of 6 players - the more the better!
Everyone is issued uniform notebook paper and pencil.
You must have a very large very extensive dictionary.
One person chooses a word from the dictionary that they do not know and suspect that everyone else does not know the meaning of.
They pronounce that word. Spell it. and give the part of speech.
Everybody writes this down on their paper.
The leader (one who chose the word) writes the definition from the dictionary down on their paper next to the word. They can choose ANY of the given definitions (as there are often more than one) and they may shorten it if it seems lengthy. They may NOT however alter the definition at all.
The others all write down either what they believe may be the definition of the word or make up a definition out of whole cloth as they say. This is where it gets funny (as far as this dork is concerned anyway)
Everyone turns in their definitions face down to the leader.
When all the papers have been turned in the leader "shuffles" the papers to disguise whose is whose.
The leader then very carefully and very seriously must read all the definitions including his or her own (the real one). (this part is hilarious! Trying to keep a straight face while doing this can often be very difficult. It can be especially hard at 2am when you've begun to get slap happy and are high on caffeine and snack foods)
Each person in turn then must choose what he or she believes is the correct (true) definition.
The real definition is revealed.
The ultimate goal of the leader is to choose a word that stumps everyone - no one picks his true definition.
If one or some have chosen the true definition then the leader gains no points!
If the leader stumps everyone then he gets as many points as there are players in the game.
If you choose the RIGHT definition you get a point.
If one or some of the players pick a fake definition then those points go to the author of the fake.
Points are written down under each player's name on a score sheet.
You play a set number of rounds - meaning how many times round the table giving each person a chance to be the leader. One round with a large number of players may take a while.
It's a long game but it's well worth it.
The player with the most points after 3 or 4 rounds (or however many are played) WINS
Tricks to playing well: When choosing a word look for words that don't seem to correspond well with their true definition. Or choose a bizarre word with a very bland or plain definition making others look over your definition because it is so bland.
When writing definitions use your knowledge of language (Latin) if possible. Make your definitions sound "dictionary-like". For goodness sakes make the definitions MATCH the part of speech (some members of my family I won't name names have a hard time with this one)
After playing a while and with the same people you start to see patterns in peoples' thinking. THIS IS THE FUN PART!!! People have an extremely difficult breaking out of their patterns of thinking. There are those who make everything into some king of ethnic pottery "a Peruvian clay pot used for spices" There are those who constantly describe birds "a small yellow Bird part of the finch family" There are those who always say "small..." and those who always say "large..." You need to LISTEN carefully and look for word clues left in the definitions people try to create. This way you can rule out the fakes and shoot for picking the real one.
Well, so that's the dictionary game. I love it. So does Tim. Sure wish we had some fellow dorky couples, a plentiful supply of snacks and wine, and Friday nights or Saturdays would be so much fun! Maybe you all can try this yourself with friends and let me know how it goes.
I would LOVE to play the game. Tim loves it too now that he's officially caught the "nerd bug" from my side of the family. We are a family of Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and this, dad's game. We want to use our minds and we play for blood!! It's a riot!!
Usually our only time to enjoy this type of "play" is when Kelly and Martin are in town. They are kindred spirits in this respect. I'd really like to indoctrinate-rather invite others to play the dictionary game. Tim always stops me saying "Kris, they're not gonna like that." to which I respond "how do you know - they might like it if they tried it" - Tim continues his pessimism "NO, they're not like us..." Translation: they're not dorky like us...
The game plays like this:
In order for the game to be any fun you've got to have a minimum of 6 players - the more the better!
Everyone is issued uniform notebook paper and pencil.
You must have a very large very extensive dictionary.
One person chooses a word from the dictionary that they do not know and suspect that everyone else does not know the meaning of.
They pronounce that word. Spell it. and give the part of speech.
Everybody writes this down on their paper.
The leader (one who chose the word) writes the definition from the dictionary down on their paper next to the word. They can choose ANY of the given definitions (as there are often more than one) and they may shorten it if it seems lengthy. They may NOT however alter the definition at all.
The others all write down either what they believe may be the definition of the word or make up a definition out of whole cloth as they say. This is where it gets funny (as far as this dork is concerned anyway)
Everyone turns in their definitions face down to the leader.
When all the papers have been turned in the leader "shuffles" the papers to disguise whose is whose.
The leader then very carefully and very seriously must read all the definitions including his or her own (the real one). (this part is hilarious! Trying to keep a straight face while doing this can often be very difficult. It can be especially hard at 2am when you've begun to get slap happy and are high on caffeine and snack foods)
Each person in turn then must choose what he or she believes is the correct (true) definition.
The real definition is revealed.
The ultimate goal of the leader is to choose a word that stumps everyone - no one picks his true definition.
If one or some have chosen the true definition then the leader gains no points!
If the leader stumps everyone then he gets as many points as there are players in the game.
If you choose the RIGHT definition you get a point.
If one or some of the players pick a fake definition then those points go to the author of the fake.
Points are written down under each player's name on a score sheet.
You play a set number of rounds - meaning how many times round the table giving each person a chance to be the leader. One round with a large number of players may take a while.
It's a long game but it's well worth it.
The player with the most points after 3 or 4 rounds (or however many are played) WINS
Tricks to playing well: When choosing a word look for words that don't seem to correspond well with their true definition. Or choose a bizarre word with a very bland or plain definition making others look over your definition because it is so bland.
When writing definitions use your knowledge of language (Latin) if possible. Make your definitions sound "dictionary-like". For goodness sakes make the definitions MATCH the part of speech (some members of my family I won't name names have a hard time with this one)
After playing a while and with the same people you start to see patterns in peoples' thinking. THIS IS THE FUN PART!!! People have an extremely difficult breaking out of their patterns of thinking. There are those who make everything into some king of ethnic pottery "a Peruvian clay pot used for spices" There are those who constantly describe birds "a small yellow Bird part of the finch family" There are those who always say "small..." and those who always say "large..." You need to LISTEN carefully and look for word clues left in the definitions people try to create. This way you can rule out the fakes and shoot for picking the real one.
Well, so that's the dictionary game. I love it. So does Tim. Sure wish we had some fellow dorky couples, a plentiful supply of snacks and wine, and Friday nights or Saturdays would be so much fun! Maybe you all can try this yourself with friends and let me know how it goes.
I Hate Winter!
I hate winter, well winter in Illinois anyway. It is COLD! and gray and ugly outside. The neighborhood is almost dead with its silence and lack of movement. When we see each other outside running to get the mail from our frozen shut boxes we often say "hey! you're home?? we thought you were out of town"
I hate the 5-10 lbs of extra weight I seem to hang onto. Maybe that's due to the kinds of foods we eat in order to warm us up on cold night. As I type this there are brownies baking in the oven. Gotta let the kiddos eat brownies and drink hot cocoa. Mom might have some too of course.
I hate the bigger bulkier clothes and the keeping track of boots and mittens and hats times 5. This "bulk" creates more laundry which is the one thing I hate more than winter. Oh how the laundry multiplies in the winter. I long for the days when wardrobes consist of a swimsuit and beach towel.
I'd so much rather be gardening, growing my veggies, planting flowers, chasing Collin down the sidewalk as he speeds off on his bike. I'd rather be standing in the shallow end of our city pool catching Monica as she leaps off the edge towards me for the hundredth time. I'd rather be sitting at my patio table talking with Tim or Dawn or mom...
I'm counting down the days until spring and ultimately summer - I only hope I don't drown in laundry weighed down by beef roasts and pies all eaten to comfort my winter blues!!
I hate the 5-10 lbs of extra weight I seem to hang onto. Maybe that's due to the kinds of foods we eat in order to warm us up on cold night. As I type this there are brownies baking in the oven. Gotta let the kiddos eat brownies and drink hot cocoa. Mom might have some too of course.
I hate the bigger bulkier clothes and the keeping track of boots and mittens and hats times 5. This "bulk" creates more laundry which is the one thing I hate more than winter. Oh how the laundry multiplies in the winter. I long for the days when wardrobes consist of a swimsuit and beach towel.
I'd so much rather be gardening, growing my veggies, planting flowers, chasing Collin down the sidewalk as he speeds off on his bike. I'd rather be standing in the shallow end of our city pool catching Monica as she leaps off the edge towards me for the hundredth time. I'd rather be sitting at my patio table talking with Tim or Dawn or mom...
I'm counting down the days until spring and ultimately summer - I only hope I don't drown in laundry weighed down by beef roasts and pies all eaten to comfort my winter blues!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
You Live and You Learn
I could relate to this essay from Brian Pessaro. At first my zeal for my Catholic faith and all the TRUTH it provides me with was like a cocktail which made me feel drunk with power!!! I felt so excited and privileged to know the Truth and to finally see the goodness my Church affords me that I perched myself atop that high place and looked at those below with contempt. Life teaches you differently. You begin to see the gift you've been given as an opportunity to SHARE the Truth not HOARD it for yourself!! We are all searching and seeking God, whether we know it or admit to it or not. Some of us are closer some of us are further away but we are all headed in the same direction...The best way to bring other who are far away from the Truth, the Church, God, is to love them and welcome them, with strong witness and good example. This approach needn't make us "squishy" on those "hot topics" like NFP, abortion, or sex, but rather more effective evangelists!! Thanks to Brian for the great article...
The Deadliest Sin, by Brian Pessaro: "We’re all working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). My spiritual director has helped me realize that the future of the Catholic Church doesn’t depend on me being its self-appointed bouncer. He’s also taught me to hate my own sins more than I hate the sins of others. Lust may be one of the seven deadly sins, but so is pride and wrath. Woe to me if I stood before God at my judgment thinking He owed me something because I used NFP only to be shown my place in hell because of my lack of humility and meekness."
The Deadliest Sin, by Brian Pessaro: "We’re all working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). My spiritual director has helped me realize that the future of the Catholic Church doesn’t depend on me being its self-appointed bouncer. He’s also taught me to hate my own sins more than I hate the sins of others. Lust may be one of the seven deadly sins, but so is pride and wrath. Woe to me if I stood before God at my judgment thinking He owed me something because I used NFP only to be shown my place in hell because of my lack of humility and meekness."
Monday, January 14, 2008
The Blessings and Sacrifices of a Large Family
Found this great article...
FamilyLife: Articles - The Blessings and Sacrifices of a Large Family: "The major lesson that Barbara and I have learned is to submit ourselves to the Lord and die to our own personal agendas. We had to die to some of our own dreams and desires. However, when I look back on what we’ve had to sacrifice compared to what we’ve experienced, what we gave up was petty and worthless.
I think our culture has its course set on the wrong star. We try to find life in fulfilling our desires, but Jesus said that whoever saves his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for Christ’s sake will find it. If you die to self you will live. What we have experienced in having six kids is, admittedly, a lot of death to self. But in the process of dying to self, we have found Jesus Christ to be sufficient."
FamilyLife: Articles - The Blessings and Sacrifices of a Large Family: "The major lesson that Barbara and I have learned is to submit ourselves to the Lord and die to our own personal agendas. We had to die to some of our own dreams and desires. However, when I look back on what we’ve had to sacrifice compared to what we’ve experienced, what we gave up was petty and worthless.
I think our culture has its course set on the wrong star. We try to find life in fulfilling our desires, but Jesus said that whoever saves his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life for Christ’s sake will find it. If you die to self you will live. What we have experienced in having six kids is, admittedly, a lot of death to self. But in the process of dying to self, we have found Jesus Christ to be sufficient."
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