Sursum Corda: Here, here!

Original image from Pixabay.

I don't know if you saw Bishop James Conley's article, Sursum Corda in the National Catholic Register a few months ago, but I've been dying to write a followup on it ever since I first saw it.

The overall thrust of the the 4-page spread was this:
Reading is a lost art in our culture, and reading is necessary to reclaim our cultural identity.

I have two words to say in response:

Laws Given in Love

22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Original Image from Pixabay.

This Sunday, the second reading will be from James 1:17-18,21-22,27, but go ahead and read the intervening verses - you’ll lose nothing by it. Also, check out the other readings - it’s Lectionary # 125, if you’re reading from a hard copy.

I’m glad the Church doesn’t ask of us a lot of ritual religious customs in our regular everyday comings and goings. I mean, as customs go, abstaining from meat on Fridays and fasting two days a year really is not that bad! Not when you consider all the religious customs the Jews were required to observe every single day.

{7 QT 18} - Glove Boxes, Duggars, House, and Kids

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So, we bought a new-to-us used car last week, and it wasn't until we were leaving for our road trip on Friday that we discovered that one thing that we missed when we were looking at the car.

The handle on the glove box is completely unusable. We can't open it, but we're hoping that our car guy can rig something up.

As undiscovered problems with cars go... it's not so bad. It jut means we don't have a good place to put all of the napkins we get from fast food places!

The Church: The Bride of Christ

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Image from Pixabay.

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 5:21-32. I’d strongly encourage you to also read the other readings, if you can - it’s Lectionary #122, if you’re reading from a hard copy.

Ephesians 5 is one of the chapters of the bible that has been rendered most uncomfortable for our modern ears by the sexual revolution. The idea that a woman owes her husband obedience, simply because she is female, grates on our ears like nails on a chalk board. And that's all we hear. We shut down. Nothing else gets through after that.

Certainly there is something to God's design for the human family - and it is here in this chapter, but there is more to this section than that.

Never Underestimate the Power of Your Village

Never underestimate the power of your village.

At our annual Mother's Day gathering this past year, my Mom was playing with Pitter Patter (as per usual), and I was not about to stop her.

When her mom, my Grammy, arrived with my godmother (Nanny), Mom immediately started to show Grammy all of the cool stuff that Pitter Patter knows.

She first started out with the things that I had worked on with her, The ABC's, "what's that letter for", counting, "what sound that animal makes", and then she started into the prayers Pitter Patter knows.

Choosing God's Will

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 5:15-20, but I’d strongly suggest reading the other readings. It’s lectionary # 119, if you’re reading from a hard copy.

In this section of the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul exhorts members of the church in Ephesus to live wisely, to  make the most of opportunities, to refrain from drunkenness, and to address one another with spiritual language, and give thanks in all things.

Perhaps it is the fact that we were recently in a car accident and had a lot of things to sort out in the aftermath, but I’ve seen these very verses in my life lately.

{7 QT 17} - Used Car Shopping...

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So, I think we'll lead off with the good news:

We found a new-to-us car! Yay!

And it's not beige - YAY!

And now... the long, drawn out story, of how we got this car.

Announcement: Post to be Delayed

I mentioned in a previous post that my family was involved in a car accident a little over a week ago. We're okay, but our car was totaled.

We're actually very blessed that we are all okay - Daniel observed that we were about a foot removed from having a leg get crushed. (Ain't God good!) I will be following up with my OBGYN at my regular appointment on Friday, where I expect it to be verified that she agrees that everything is okay.

Because of the accident, a lot of the time I would ordinarily spend blogging has been spent talking with adjusters (who were all very helpful!) and shopping for a new-to-us used car. (Which we found late Wednesday afternoon, so no more delays from that.)


I want to post good-quality reflections, so I'm going to delay the one for this week. It will not be up tomorrow morning, but I'm not sure exactly when it will be up. It may be up as early as tomorrow afternoon, or as late as Saturday.

I meant to try to write it last night, but I was so tired after traipsing around in the blistering heat on a car lot yesterday that I turned back into a pumpkin last night at like 8:30. (That's over an hour earlier than usual!)

I realize that delay is becoming more of the norm than the exception lately! Lesigh. I hope that the drama comes to an end soon!

I do have a long car ride in my future, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to use that time to get a little ahead.

What to do When They're Not Sorry

Image from Pixabay.

So, you’ve had people hurt you accidentally, right?

They say they’re sorry and really mean it, make amends, and everybody goes their way. I’ve done that recently. It’s not too hard, even when the damage done is pretty serious.

Have you ever had somebody hurt you on purpose?

Harder, right? Harder, even, to think of a personal example, for most people.

{7 QT 16} - What's up in Life

So, it's been a little while since I've posted a quick takes - since early July. Largely because I've been crazy busy lately. So, here's a little of what I've been up to since then.

Kids: A Great Example

19th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This Sunday, the second reading will be from Ephesians 4:30-5:2, but I’d also strongly encourage you to read the other readings.

We’re enjoined several times in scripture to be like little children. In terms of openness to the truth, in terms of radical trust, in terms of respect for our elders. This is one of few parts of scripture in which the this call is juxtaposed with a call to the imitation of God.

Remember all those places in scripture where we are told to do things like “be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect”? This is a call to imitate the father in his attributes, and also in his actions.

Children - especially small children - are a perfect example of how to do imitation right.

How am I feeling? I'm Fine... Just Pregnant!

When I was pregnant with Pitter Patter, I got asked how I was feeling a LOT, and I didn't like it. It took a long time before I could really articulate what it was that bothered me about it, but I finally got it all written down. I've had this post written for a long time, but I was waiting to be asked the question a few times before I published this.

My dear friend - My dear, sweet, beautiful friend:

Before I say anything else, let me just say this. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. You are so kind to be concerned about me and the baby. Pregnancy can be an uncomfortable thing, so thank you. Thank you so much for asking how I’m doing. I want you to know how much I appreciate your concern.

You may not know this, but I have gotten that very same question "how am I feeling"' from more people than I want to count. Some of them I knew. Some I didn’t, and I didn’t quite know how to respond. (Answering the question for strangers is super-awkward, by the way!)

What I am about to say is an awful lot to say all at once, on the spot, so I thought it’d be best to write it out, so I can say everything I mean. There is an awful lot, so please bear with me.