Blessings

I have been away at Saint Meinrad for Gradual School since Friday, returning home this afternoon(Sunday). I leave tomorrow afternoon for an overnight conference for work again. I will be home just long enough to appreciate seeing mrangelmeg and the kids and to unpack and re-pack my suitcase.

It was so nice to drive into the driveway this evening, even though I knew I would only be here overnight. Last year on this same weekend I just stayed down at Saint Meinrad and drove straight to the Administrator's Conference from there, without even coming home. I did that once last spring as well for NCCL in Louisville.

I don't know how people who have to travel a lot for their jobs keep their sanity, especially if they have a family. I have to sleep in my own bed in order to get productive sleep. I have to have my family about me in order to feel secure enough to function.

I am truly blessed. After I get home on Tuesday I will be able to stay put for close to a month before I have to go back to Saint Meinrad for my last weekend of this class. After that I get nearly six weeks off before the next class begins. Only I will be going on retreat the weekend before my class starts.

Saturday evening in our spiritual formation group we were talking about consolation and desolation and how the cyclical nature of our lives helps us to appreciate the consolations all the more. I think I am beginning to learn how to appreciate being at home all the more now that I am being called away. All those years when I was a stay at home mom I would get so frustrated and feel all cooped up about being at home. Now I can't imagine anything nicer than being able to spend a weekend puttering around the house. I guess back then I didn't have any frame of reference from which to compare.

Now I understand the blessings that hearth and home provide. I appreciate the stability of a place where I know where everything is, and I feel comfortable in the bed. I am blessed beyond words. It is so interesting to me that my being physically removed from my home by my work and other pursuits has done more to make me appreciate being at home than my being at home. God is so funny that way.

Pax

the Cutting Edge (56% dark, 43% spontaneous, 22% vulgar)

your humor style: CLEAN | SPONTANEOUS | DARK Your humor's mostly innocent and off-the-cuff, but somehow there's something slightly menacing about you. Part of your humor is making people a little uncomfortable, even if the things you say aren't in and of themselves confrontational. You probably have a very dry delivery, or are seriously over-the-top. Your type is the most likely to appreciate a good insult and/or broken bone and/or very very fat person dancing. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: David Letterman - John Belushi

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 50% on dark You scored higher than 50% on spontaneous You scored higher than 75% on vulgar

Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on Ok Cupid

Too Mystical? Not Possible

I think that is the bias of the creator of the survey. How can the church ever be too mystical?

You scored as Mystical Communion Model. Your model of the church is Mystical Communion, which includes both People of God and Body of Christ. The church is essentially people in union with Christ and the Father through the Holy Spirit. Both lay people and clergy are drawn together in a family of faith. This model can exalt the church beyond what is appropriate, but can be supplemented with other models. Mystical Communion Model 100% Servant Model 83% Sacrament model 83% Herald Model 61% Institutional Model 22% What is your model of the church? [Dulles] created with QuizFarm.com

Happy Birthday Dear Friend

Today I want to tell you all about a dear friend of mine. His name is John and he is as close to me as a member of my own family even though we have no familial connection.

We met almost two years ago on a cold December night. I was beginning my studies at Saint Meinrad School of Theology with a Workshop on Theological Reflection. I was absolutely terrified. I was still so stunned that they had actually accepted my application for admissions that I was sure that at any moment they were going to see through my facade and find out the fraud that I was and kick me out on my ear. I knew absolutely no one.

I walked into a room with fifteen other souls, most of whom had already taken at least one class. We were a very diverse group of people, and as the introductions began to happen I realized that everyone in the room, more or less, was about as scared and nervous as I was about being there.

There was one man in particular, an older gentleman, that caught my attention. When it came his turn to introduce himself he spoke with such eloquence about his retired military background (gunnery sergeant) and other jobs he had pursued. He spoke about his wife and daughter, and about his faith. What really caught my attention was when he answered the question "Why am I here?", his answer was "I am pursuing a train of thought". I was mesmerized. From that moment, I knew that this was a man I wanted to get to know.

Since that day I have come to know John as a friend, confidant, and even more. He and his wife Pat have come to mean so much more to me than words can ever express. They have become surrogate parents (much to young really to be my parents especially Pat). They keep me sane, and give me hope on the days when I feel as though I can't go on. They encourage me to be the best version of me that I am capable of being. And John is one of the best story tellers I know. If only I could convince him to join the blogging world.

Well, today is John's Birthday. So wherever you are, lift a glass of whatever spirit you happen to have on hand and wish all the best to my Pops: John Cornwell, humble scholar, philosopher, farmer, B.S. Artist extraordinaire.

Apologia Abouta Timea

Reuters has finally stepped up and admitted their mistake. Well good for them. Being the fair and ubiased news source that they claim to want to be, we can only assume that they will try much harder to get thier facts correct the first time around from now on.

What? It could happen!

Pax

Papa Ratzi's a Blogger?

You have to check out the well crafted parody blog that someone has invented for our beloved B16. I love it

Papablog



It is well written. The sumissions are timely and funny. This one is going on my sidebar.


Pax

TAG: a MEMEory Exercise

What were you doing 10 years ago? Around ten years ago I was pregnant with the Angelbaby. After the initial shock wore off (it had been six years since the last pregnancy after all) the pregnancy and everything about our youngest child's life has been nothing but a blessing for our family. No one can ever tell us that God doesn't know better than we do exactly what we need.

I was studying to be a Youth Minister and beginning to enter into a very active study of my Catholic Faith with an eye toward apologetics. I was still a full time stay at home mom and not very happy at it but at least by this point I was driving again. (Long story, I didn't drive for 12 years because of panic attacks from high school until well into married life)

What were you doing five years ago? In the year 2000 I first ventured into the workforce after being a stay at home mom for 17 years. I worked for the Census Bureau for a few months, and then in an amazing set of God-incidences I was led to apply for and be hired as a Director of Religious Education at a Catholic Church about 25 miles south of the city in which we live. I have been there ever since. I have been a volunteer Catechist since I was in high school, and my Youth Ministry and Apologetics training have helped so very much in my work.

What were you doing one year ago? I was probably studying, since I was in Grad School last summer. I also went on that amazing Ignatian Silent Retreat at Jesuit Retreat House in Cleveland Ohio. We were getting ready to send our oldest daughter away to College. I had had my first real submission accepted for publication.

What were you doing yesterday? My son drove us to his work, he is just about ready to take his driver's test. I am so proud of how carefully he drives. I spent an hour in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the best hour of my week. I blogged for a bit. I picked up my son from work. I talked to my mom's Lawyers about her legal affairs, now that I am her designated power of attorney I have that responsibility. I went to the Dr with Mrangelmeg, to find out about his ear, not good news but we will get through this. I took the angelbaby to VBS, then led Adult Bible Study on the Book of Acts at the parish where I work. The Angelbaby and I stopped in the chapel to pray for daddy, then I came home, read for a while (thanks Mark for the beautiful article, it made me cry). Then I read a few blogs and went to sleep.


Who can I tag? I think I would like to tag Suzanne

Worth the Price of a Ticket

We went to the movies this weekend. The entire angelfamily went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I loved it. It was very loyal to the book, which I loved as a child, and it was very family friendly.

Tim Burton knows how to do kooky very well. The oompa loompa were very wonderful, and I must say that Johnny Depp outdid himself this time as the slightly neurotic genius Willy Wonka.

I loved the Buckett Family. And that Freddie Highmore is a wonderful actor. He was so good as Charlie.

I don't ususaly recommend movies, because I usually don't stay awake to watch them, and I have to admit that mrangelmeg did have to wake me up at least once, but I thought this one was worth the price of admission.

Pax

An Open Message To Reuters New Service:

Just because a group of Radical Feminists decide to go out for an afternoon pleasure cruise and do whatever it is those wacky women do when they get away from dry land, it DOESN'T MAKE THEM CATHOLIC PRIESTS.

I think your fact checker and your caption writer should be fired for this error in judgment. I can pretty confidently state that , it is not possible for women to be validly ordained priests in the Catholic Church, so no matter how earnestly these women tried to do whatever it was they were doing the fact remains THEY ARE NOT PRIESTS.

The best comment I have seen so far on this whole thing has to have been posted Maria Horvath on Amy Welborn's Open Book, and then copied by Tony at Catholic Pillow Fight

She deserves a check just for coming up with that quote!

Pax

A Morning of Unvarnished Truth . . .

brought to me by my autistic son and a mirror.

This hot muggy central Indiana summer weather has really gotten to me. Add to that no air conditioning in my present mode of transportation, and you get one really miserable pre-menopausal woman these days. Trust me when I tell you no amount of offering it up has helped me through this last couple of weeks around here.

Yesterday was really nasty. I had to return to work around 4 pm. My commute to work is a nice little 30 minute commute, and any other time of the year I can hardly believe how quickly the time goes. Yesterday when I was trying to drive in the heat of the afternoon in a non-air-conditioned car with black interior it felt as though it was about 600 degrees inside my car. I was so worried that I was going to fall asleep, midafternoon being my lowest biorhythm time of day anyway. I was never so happy to see the turnoff into the town where I work.

When I finally got home last night it wasn't much better. At least work and home are air conditioned. But the changing from no air to air to no air to air does something else to me and I had a miserable night of sleep. I tossed and turned all night and had really bad dreams. When I woke up this mornings I felt horrible and had intended to sleep in until I realized that my son would need a ride to work.

So, I got out of bed thinking I would just throw on some clothes and let him drive to work and then just drive myself home and get back into bed. The problem is just at the top of the stairs as you go down to the door out of our house there are accent mirrors. I got a glimpse of myself in one of them and made a comment that went something like "O Lord is that what I look like?"

My dear loving, Autistic son, who rarely ever speaks said: "That's the problem with having mirrors right before you leave the house, they never lie to you about how you look."

Oh well, I did my best to mash down my hair and hoped we wouldn't run into anyone we knew or have an accident, and we left. Praise God, neither happened and I am home safe. I can shower and make myself look presentable before I have to leave again to pick him up from work in a few hours since I am working from home this morning.

And, the weather report is predicting a rain storm this afternoon so just maybe it will be cooler and less humid for the rest of the week. They say the Lord takes care of fools like me. Thank God for that.

Pax

The Angelbaby and Adoration

I took my 9 year old daughter to adoration this evening after VBS at the Parish where I work. We stopped in to say a quick prayer for mrangelmeg who had some disappointing news from his Dr. Appointment this afternoon.

We have known for about a month that the tumor on his ear was growing again. Mrangelmeg was hoping they would just cut it off again like they did last time, but the Dr. says we will have better luck with a micrographic surgical technique this time around, which should afford us a better shot at a higher rate of cure.

So the angelbaby and I went in and wrote out a prayer for Jesus, asking that Mrangelmeg gain peace and healing as we move forward with this new treatment for his skin cancer.

We realize that as cancer's go the kind he has is very mild and he really isn't in much danger, except for having and ear that will really rival Evander Holyfield after that unfortunate fight with Mike Tyson.

Anyway, the Angelbaby said a quick prayer for her dad, and then sat quietly reading a book about the Our Father while I finished my prayers. It had been a long time since we had made a visit to the Blessed Sacrament together. We both thought it was really nice. And we got to leave a prayer in the basket for dad.

Pax

6 Odd Things about The Unitarian Universalist Wedding We Attended

1) Not one picture in the entire sanctuary, but a very odd statue of a naked mother and child at the back of the "worship space" that had it not been naked might have been reminiscent of a Madonna.

2) The female minister who wore a green "dress" that Mrangelmeg thought were robes and a stole of many colors with clown tassels on the bottom.

3) The reading which equated marriage to a "journey" in which the couple will learn some of the unfathomable truths about each other, or something like that I had a hard time following it.

4) The Homily, in which the Minister expounded on how if they worked together they would grow in love and their marriage would be strong in the hard times

5) The minister encouraged us to pray for the couple in whatever way our faith tradition would allow us to pray for them

6) Not once in the entire service did the minister or the prayers specifically mention God in any way shaper or form.

This reinforces why I am so glad that I am Catholic. Mrangelmeg and I discussed the discrepancy with our children as we were driving from the Church to the Reception. As Catholics we believe that God is at the Center of a marriage, and everything flows from that.

Pax

Stage Fright? Who Me?

In just a few short hours I will be giving a talk to a room full of women. It is a talk on a subject that I hold close to my heart: the mystical pathway to God. I am well prepared, and don't really have any trepidation about giving this particular talk, and yet I am sitting here fervently hoping no one shows up to hear me!

The first time anyone asked me to talk in front of a group I was stunned that anyone felt I had anything of value to share. Since then I know with no uncerntainty that I do have nothing of value of my own to share, but when I can become an empty vessel, that the Holy Spirit can use to get across some information or other, I have become a willing speaker on topics that I have discerned are ones God would like for me to be a mouthpiece.

So, In just a minute or two I will close my office and go to spend some quiet time in the adoration chapel emptying the last bit of ego I might have that this talk has anything to do with my intellect or my knowledge of the subject matter. Then I will pray that God will fill my mind and heart with the words that this group of women need to hear to bring them closer to His loving heart in their journey of discovery.

After that I will go to Mass and receive the Eucharist: Body Blood Soul and Divinity of My Lord who sustains and strengthens me. So that I can truly become one in body with the women to whom I will be speaking this evening. And then I will pray with the team of women who have worked for months preparing every aspect of this night, from the food to the table discussion to my little section of the entertainment.

And then, if anyone has decided to come and hear what God has decided to allow me to say, I will give a talk.

Gee, when I write it all out like that, it doesn't sound the least bit intimidating. Why then do I feel as though my knees have turned to jelly?

Pax

Can I Like Rap?

I may have to after this.

At least Nick Cannon.

His new song, Can I Live? is based on the true story of his birth. It appears his mother was a 17 year old young woman who contemplated abortion but ultimately chose life. In the video Nick goes back in time to plead with her at the abortion clinic saying "If I had a voice I would say can I live". The video brought tears to my eyes.

At the end of the video he appears with his mother and you can see that there is real love there, and a deep thankfulness that she chose life, and hardship over the quick fix that abortion would have given her at the age of 17. I hope this video, which is getting air play on MTV and the song on mainstream radio will have the effect of bringing the message of life in a very powerful way to a population that only hears that the quick fix is the way to go.

So, I may never like rap, but I do love this Nick Cannon song. And I will recommend this one to everyone I know. Please go check it out.

Pax

Way to Win a Bet!!

HERE

is a link to an amazing article which again goes to show why I love our new Pope so much. Anyone who would remember an offhanded bet from 1997 and pay up - with Bushmills no less - deserves my undying devotion.

The article is a little long but worth the read.

Pax

I'm Anselm-like, woo hoo!

Anselm 80% Friedrich Schleiermacher 80% John Calvin 60% Charles Finney 53% Paul Tillich 47% Augustine 47% Karl Barth 33% J?Moltmann 33% Jonathan Edwards 27% Martin Luther 20% Which theologian are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Home is Where the Heart is . . .

and my pillow, and our puppies.

I love taking vacations, but I was so happy to walk into my house and be home again. The first thing the angelbaby did was go back to check on her puppies (our four month old beagle puppies, that grandma has been watching for us all week). The first thing I did was check through the mail.

It was so nice to be standing in my own kitchen, talking on my own phone. Sitting at my own computer. What will be really nice will be sleeping in my own bed, with my own pillow.

I was reflecting on the ride home how nice this vacation was. There seemed to be, at least for me less tension than on other vacations. I think because I chose to let fewer things make me upset than I have in the past. I wasn't so strung out about having things go exactly the way I wanted them to this year. I really tried to make sure that everyone had a good time. I think Mrangelmeg did a lot of that too.

Overall we did have a wonderful time. The kids brought back some really great memories this trip. But to an angelperson, I think we would all agree that as fun as the week was, it sure is nice to be back home again in Indiana.

Now, who's going to make dinner? My vacation ends tomorrow.

Pax

I Will Be a Fool For You: More Vacation Reflections

Have you ever done anything foolish because someone you loved asked you to? I did today. We went to the Comedy Barn in Pigeon Forge TN today. This is a fun-filled family show where they ask for audience participation. My youngest daughter felt that it was really important that someone from our family should participate. Since you have to be over 18, that meant either her brother, her dad or me. The men in the family are very shy, and not the participation type. So I stepped up and decided that I would make her dream come true and be the one to participate.

So, I got to be a part of the show today. I was one of six men and women who were a part of the show called "Hillbilly Survivor". I don't want to give anything away, just in case you decide to come down here and enjoy the show. But if you ever get to the Angelmeg household I am sure my kids will gladly show you the commemorative DVD of the show that they bought. I am sure they will be showing it at every family get together from now until long after I am dead.

It was a small price to pay to see the happy look on my daughter's face as I returned to my seat after my stellar "performance". And while I have no problem getting up in front of a group of people to give a talk on Catholicism, or Grace, or The Mystics, or any other topic under the sun. I don't think I want to make a career of being in the spotlight. I love the anonymity of my little corner of the blogosphere where those who know me, know me and those who don't, don't.

But it was nice being a star, in my daughter's eyes, even if it meant having to be a fool on digital video for eternity.

Pax

Vacation Musings

One of our favorite things about vacations is attending Mass with another worshiping community. When we get settled into our destination, the first thing we do is locate the nearest Catholic Parish and determine when Mass will be for Sunday and make sure we know exactly how to get there. We have been blessed in our travels with some amazing worship services and worship spaces over the years. Don't get me wrong, we have also seen some that the best that could be said was that we never ever had to go back.

This Sunday we were blessed to be the guests of the Community of faith at Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. We have been here before when we have vacationed in the Smoky's. The Pastor here is Fr. Jay Flaherty, one of the good guys. He had the audacity to preach about morality and sin during his homily on the parable of the sower and the seeds. He is a wonderful homilist, who captures the attention of the congregation and helps to make the Gospel message become living and active in everyone who hears it.

The music was also wonderful. The Choir was very small, but their sound was awesome. The selection of songs was very charismatic, and the choice of Mass music was deeply moving.

All in all we really felt very welcome in this little parish. Especially at the end of Mass when Fr. Jay had all the visitors stand up and gave us a special blessing for our presence and our travels. It really helped to reinforce what I have been trying to teach my children about the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. No matter where you go, you are Catholic, and any Catholic church should welcome you as this one did.

On Monday, the resort where we are staying had a program to let everyone know what amenities and activities are available in the area, and more than once there was mention of non-denominational worship services available on Sunday for those who are away from their worshiping community. I just smiled, because we know that wherever there is a Catholic Church we are never away from our worshiping community.

Thanks be to God.

Pax

Angelmeg's Catechism for the Week

I want you all to meditate on the Seven Deadly Sins.


Thanks to a new blog I just discovered called The Angry Twins. I love this. I can't wait for their Gummie Bears Ten Commandments.


I will be on vacation for the next week, so I may not be posting much, because I am either going to be having too much fun, or going insane from too much time with the angelfamily. Either way say a prayer for our safe travel and I will see you in a week.

Pax

That's Me Baby!

You are a Black Coffee

At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Snarkaholics of the World Unite

Karen Hall has done it again. In her wonderfully self deprecating way she has shown me something about myself that I don't want to see.

It really helps to watch someone you admire take the plank out of their own eye. Then you know how to do it when it comes your turn to do the same.


and I love Mark Mossa's comment:

Onions have layers.

Ogres have layers.

Karen has layers.

We all have layers.

Isn't that why charity is one of the theological virtues?



The way to perfection isn't easy, but at least God gives us companions for the journey.

Pax

My Husband Helped Me Grow Up Yesterday

It isn't like he hasn't done it a million times in the last twenty-two years, but yesterday he did it again. Mrangelmeg and I went to a Lawyer's office with my mom and started the paperwork to become her legal representatives in all matters pertaining to her decisionmaking as she enters this final scary journey and descent into Alzhiemer's disease. When she asked us if we would be willing to do this for her, my first thought, of course, was how much inconvenience it was going to add to my already overburdened life. It was Mrangelmeg who brought me up short and reminded me that just last week I was totally upset that mom had no idea who I was, and now she was asking me to be the one that she was going to depend on for the rest of her life.

She told him that she chose us because, like her, we are Catholic, and that means a lot to her. She knows that when the time comes we will make decisions about her health and the end of her life based upon our Catholic faith and moral underpinnings. This was something she couldn't be sure would be true for some of my brothers and sisters. Mrangelmeg helped me to realize that it really was me, that she was asking, and not someone she had confused with someone else in her mind.

So, we have begun this final journey with my mother. I know that it won't be an easy one. It may be a very long one. But I know that with God's loving providence we will do what God wants to be done every step of the way when it comes to mom's care, so long as we trust in Him and listen to His voice.

Oh, and by the way, having a Catholic Lawyer to handle the paperwork was really a great idea. He really understood what it meant to mom, and we didn't have to explain a lot of things to him that we might have had to to someone else.

Pax

When Obligation becomes Privilege

This morning I went into our little Perpetual Adoration chapel to read my morning prayer and office of readings sometimes called Liturgy of the Hours. It occurred to me this morning that what once was a real struggle, has become such a part of my morning that I can't imagine not doing it. When did the struggle to remember recite these prayers become such a graced moment in my day?


For Priests and vowed religious this is an obligation. Each day they say the hours as generations of priests and religious have done so for a millennium. In fact my first exposure to them was in Thomas Merton's autobiography Seven Storey Mountain when he bought a set of breviary(priests prayer books) for himself before he became Catholic. This had always fascinated me. Why would anyone WANT to say the prayers that a priest HAD to say.

Then, several years ago my spiritual director had me begin to recite the Liturgy of the Hours, especially the Office of reading, as a practice of obedience. It was the one year anniversary of September 11th, and I had come to my direction appointment from a class where we used a modified form of morning prayer as our opening prayer every Wednesday. Since for that particular Wednesday the reading happened to be from Job: Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return. The Lord gives the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." and then we recited the Canticle of Zechariah. Which all seemed so appropriate for the anniversary of 9/11 I asked Fr. Dan, my director if that was the real reading for the day or if the Priest who was teaching the class had fudged to make the readings fit the occasion.

Fr. decided that I should see for myself how awesomely the Liturgical cycle sometimes matched up with what was happening in the world and in our personal lives. He also wanted me to experience the rhythm of the daily recitation of the psalms and scripture readings and other holy readings that are built into the Liturgy of the Hours.

I wish I could say that from that moment until now I have been totally enamored of the obligation to say the daily office. I haven't. I have been very hit-and-miss at it. Lately though I have found myself craving morning prayer and the office of reading each day. It is as if I need that jump start to get my day going. And most days I find that something in the readings speaks to what is going on in my life that day. Eventually maybe I will be able to add evening prayer to that as well. Who knows.

Pax

Recognizable Signs That it is Independence Day in Indiana

1) Way too hot for a midday parade, and yet they still have one.

2) Overweight men riding very small minibikes in formation.

3) Every Police and Fire Department Vehicle in the County in the Parade.

4) Beanpole, the god of pointless behavior. Each year we are treated to a wonderful display of well pointless behavior in the name of pointless behavior I guess.

5) Politicians interspersed in the parade between Dump Trucks and other Large Construction Vehicles.

6 Very drunk people using very powerful pyrotechnics devices that they bought "legally" here promising they wouldn't shoot them off in this "state" Mistaking "sober" for "Indiana" on the form.

7) Veterans from every War riding in the parade. This year we even had Veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq along with all the other wars. This was the one point in the parade that had me all choked up. I was so proud of all the people on the sidelines for unanimously supporting our troops no matter their feelings about the current situation. Freedom isn't free, and these men and women paid with part of their lives. No matter how we feel about the war they fought in, we honor their commitment to our country.

Pax

Independence

Mrangelmeg and I spent most of yesterday hauling our oldest daughter's belongings to her new home. She has declared her independence from us. She has chosen to live in an apartment in the city where she attends College.

While we don't agree with either her choice of roommates or her choice of apartment, we love our daughter, and we want her to be independent of us. So, so long as she pays her own rent, we have allowed that she can take this step. She is working and paying her own rent.

This was the hardest day of our lives with her. We have tried to shake some sense into her, but to no avail. We can't live her life for her, we can't keep her from making mistakes. We have decided that we gave her strong roots, and a level head, and we have to hope for the best.

So, we left her there, with roommates who didn't even help her to move in. I keep in touch with her by cell phone and email and every time I pray I ask God to protect her. I don't know what more I can do.

Pax

If You Were Wondering if War of The Worlds Was Worth Your Time or Money . . .

Save Both!!

Or so says Barb Nicolosi at Church of the Masses, another of my Holy Blog's of Obligation.

I am really going to have to get it together and post a list of my Holy Blog's of Obligation (a term I borrowed from Amy Welborn's Open Book)on my sidebar. I am just too embarrassed to let you all know that I haven't figured out how to do that yet. And I haven't had the time to find out how.

Pax

Why I Didn't Write My Essay Last Night: High Tech Excuse # 1

You see Professor, I have a good excuse why my paper isn't written yet. There was a storm last night. It was a really really bad storm. There was lightning and thunder and it would have been very dangerous to have used my computer which is hooked up to the internet in such a dangerous storm to write an essay.

Then I guess I could have used another non-internet connected computer to write my essay. But you see Professor, we live way out in the country. The electricity kept flickering on and off, and I was really concerned about using any computer plugged into an outlet to write my essay. What if my hard drive crashed because of a power surge. I just couldn't take a chance on that happening.

I could, I suppose, have used my laptop on battery power to write my essay. Except the last time I used my laptop I ran the battery down pretty low and I forgot to recharge the battery. I was pretty sure that I wouldn't have enough power to write my essay. So you see I just couldn't do it.

What's that you say? I could have written my essay with a pen and paper? You mean actually write it out long hand, without benefit of spell check and auto format? What are you nuts? Then I would have had to retype the entire essay all over again today. Last night it just didn't seem like it was worth the mental effort.
Pax