by Mary | Dec 12, 2008 | Uncategorized
We woke up this morning to a world coated in ice — and no cable, telephone or internet service. It’s crazy how dependent we’ve become on those little wires that connect us to the world. It was a bad time to find out that our one radio didn’t work anymore, so we had to call a friend to find out if school was canceled. It was. By 7 a.m. Olivia was asking me to sew a doll with her. By 7:15 a.m. Noah was asking me to play chess. That was followed by requests for eggs, smoothies, video games, play dates with school friends who live on the other side of town, more sewing of the aforementioned doll, yoga, cocoa, popcorn. You get the idea. It’s only 1 p.m. The day is young. Who knows what they’ll come up with over the course of the next eight hours before bed time arrives.
Here are some quick shots of the ice-coated trees in our yard. (If you click on the photos, you’ll get the full-size version where the ice is more visible.) We were lucky not to lose any limbs or whole trees so far. Some neighbors and friends did not fare so well. Now, as things warm up, you can hear the sheets of ice sliding off the house and crashing to the ground and porch. It sounds like we’re under an attack of some sort.
by Mary | Dec 10, 2008 | Uncategorized
Today is the 40th anniversary of Thomas Merton’s tragic death by accidental electrocution while at a conference in Bangkok. I managed to forget the date (Dennis reminded me), despite the fact that I read at least a line or two of Merton almost every day. So much of what he wrote resonates with me. Sometimes I don’t even quite understand it on an intellectual level but on a spiritual level it makes complete sense to me.
I couldn’t possibly do justice to Merton by picking one quote that sums up the power of his gift, but I will quote the one passage that I have hanging next to my desk:
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually do so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.” — Thoughts in Solitude
by Mary | Dec 9, 2008 | Advent
I’m not feeling so great these days. Hence, the low level of activity on the blog. I hope to be back to my normal routine later today or tomorrow. In the meantime, here’s a little thought to ponder:
When I was reading my Magnificat reflections this Advent, I came across this one line that has stuck in my head for days on end.
“The Lord is not scandalized by our unworthiness; he waits for the faith that welcomes his Presence.”
Doesn’t that just make your shoulders relax? God knows we’re unworthy, but he loves us anyway. Yes, we should try to be more worthy, but with all our faults and all our weaknesses we are still beloved by the Beloved.
by Mary | Dec 4, 2008 | Uncategorized
We are cutting way back on Christmas shopping this year, and I have vowed that I will not set foot in a mall. I’m really not a mall person anyway. In fact, I am planning to do all my shopping within my town, which could be really challenging. I’ll get some stuff online, but beyond that we’re talking about our local bookstore and the odd little peace shop that seems to be able to stay in business. Cool store, but the choices are really limited to the few people I know who will put up with incense-scented gifts. Hey, I like it, so if you get a Buddhist prayer bell or some wacky peace pot, you know who to blame.
If you don’t want to spend your days fighting for parking spaces and traipsing around an overcrowded mall or hitting every Target and Pier One in sight, what can you do? Well, you can get creative. Now the ideas I’m going to suggest certainly aren’t for everyone, and I don’t know if any will suit children, but I’m just going to throw some suggestions out there and maybe one or two will stick.
For the coffee lover, check out Mystic Monk Coffee by clicking HERE. I have not yet tried this coffee, but I’ve heard good things and I’m all for supporting the Carmelite Monks of northern Wyoming. I’m hoping to try this coffee soon since I am, in fact, a coffee lover. Hint, hint.
For the cheese lover, visit the venerable Trappist monks of the Abbey of Gethsemani (of Thomas Merton fame) by clicking HERE. I recently received a lovely selection of Gethsemani cheeses from a good friend. The monks also make bourbon fudge and bourbon fruitcake. No bourbon in the cheese, as far as I can tell. I want to visit the real Gethsemani some day, not just the web site. It’s on my long-range “to do” list.
Speaking of Trappists, I can’t forget the monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Mass. They make 28 flavors of preserves without any artificial gunk or preservatives. You can check them out by clicking HERE. I have a Trappist friend who lived at Spencer for a while, so I have a soft spot for this abbey, which is also on my list of places to visit and is more likely to happen since it’s not that far away.
For the cheesecake lover on your list, visit the Orthodox Nuns of New Skete by clicking HERE and checking out the rather pricey but obviously delicious offerings. Amaretto and creme, chocolate amaretto, eggnog, Irish creme, Kahlua, pumpkin, and more. Yum.
And then there are the more eclectic offerings to be found at In-His-Steps by clicking HERE. I bought a beautiful and funky handbag from this group when our parish school held its annual craft fair. I bought it as a Christmas gift for someone, but I’m going to have a hard time parting with it. Perhaps I can get the intended a bourbon fruitcake instead? In all seriousness, this group does great work in Cambodia, helping orphans and widows, abused women, and victims of human trafficking to get their lives on track. They sell at craft fairs and other offbeat places, so check out the schedule on their web site.
Now, I’ve given you quite a few creative gift ideas, but equally important is to tell you what you should NOT buy. I’ll just offer one warning: Stay away from the “Nativity Rubber Duckies.” I’m not kidding. They actually make such a thing. Here’s a photo, in case you don’t believe me.
Why? Why, I ask you, would anyone need or want rubber duckies dressed as the Holy Family and assorted shepherds and magi? It’s beyond bizarre. Almost as strange as the Maximilian Kolbe doll for children. Some things just shouldn’t be toys. Enough said.
And this leads me to my next suggestion. Perhaps, if for any reason we feel compelled to buy something like a Nativity rubber duckie, we have simply purchased far too much. Perhaps we should reconsider Christmas and what our giving is all about. One organization, Redefine Christmas, is promoting that idea full force at its web site, which you can visit by clicking HERE. Redefine Christmas is all about giving gifts of charity. Maybe the person who already has everything doesn’t need another sweater or tie. Maybe he’d get more satisfaction out of knowing that his gift helped someone who doesn’t have enough money to buy food or who can’t afford to give their children books. Check it out, and if you don’t like any of their ideas, pick your favorite charity and strike out on your own.
Christmas gift giving has gotten out of hand. This year the economy is threatening to bring everyone back to their senses, but maybe, just maybe, we should be giving more thoughtfully and more simply regardless of the economic outlook. It’s not about the gifts; it’s about the Gift.
by Mary | Dec 3, 2008 | Uncategorized
You may have wondered why I’m posting elf videos and cat flicks instead of writing anything meaningful. Well, aside from the fact that the videos made me laugh, they also gave me a break from blogging during this unusual and difficult week.
Chiara has shingles and had to see four doctors in five days. Thankfully, it looks like it has peaked and is starting to fade. The stuff near her eye had us in a panic, but it seems like the worst is over now.
Just as Chiara fell into a deep sleep this afternoon — her first nap in days — I got a call from school saying that Noah was in the nurse’s office throwing up. Nice. So I woke Chiara, which was a bit like waking a bear in mid-hibernation, and we headed to school. Now Noah is in bed, and Chiara is dressed as a princess, barking orders at everyone — Princess Scarface.
Olivia just arrived home on the bus with her school portrait in her hands. Why do they give children expensive portraits to carry home in backpacks and on buses like a piece of scrap paper picked up off the floor? We had one minor bend in the photo, which I think I can cover with the frame, but, still, come on people. These photos cost a lot of money. It would be nice to get them without creases and crinkles.
I think you can tell that I’m feeling a little cranky today. OK, a lot cranky. Tune in tomorrow to see who’s home with what illness.
