Okay I thought American sports fans were all out crazy about their favorite sports and did some way out things like paint their entire bodies in team colors and go shirtless regardless of their body type, but we have absolutely nothing on the level of fanaticism in Spain.
My brother has moved to Spain and wrote a blog about a series of commercials for the upcoming Real Madrid -Barcelona match up that are absolutely unbelievable unless you actually see one for yourself. (scroll down to the bottom of the page)
The basic translation of the end of the video is "This isn't a good time to die!"
I wasn't sure if I was supposed to laugh or be totally creeped out.
Comments anyone?
Pax
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Lenten Meme
Favorite Sorrowful Mystery
I have always had the most revelations come from "The Agony in the Garden" I think because when one is in the worst painful moment in ones life it is easy to find comfort in knowing that Jesus spent time in pain and doubt as well.
In a totally not unrelated note when I am praying for seminarians I find there are times when their faces come to me during this decade of the rosary. ( as opposed to The Finding of the Christ child in the Temple --where He was about His Father's work) when that happens I pray all the more for them.
Station of the Cross
Jesus Dies This might seem macabre, but I read a meditation on this once that said " If my prayer could make you live one moment longer than God's plan for your life, please give me the strength to not pray." Ever since I read that I have been much more able to accept the fact that death is a natural part of life, and comes when God wills it. I neither fear death, nor do I wish to choose the time for it. I love life, but realize that every moment that we have on this earth is a precious gift.
Do I fast?
I try to fast from something during lent. I try to choose something I hate in myself, so that when I emerge from the 40 days I have cleansed myself of that thing that has made me weak. I also try to fast from food on Fridays, eating smaller meals. Unfortunately, I have blood sugar issues and fasting isn't the best thing for my overall disposition.
Resolutions
I have a post on them, so I won't restate them. I have been keeping them for the most part, except the 30 minutes of exercise, which seems to get lost in the shuffle. I will have to be a bit more intentional about that one.
Do I use Holy Water?
One parish in town has it available, the other doesn't, so it really depends upon where I am attending Mass if I use it or not. I like the idea of the absence helping to train our senses, but if it is available I will use it.
Do I attend Mass more often?
So far I haven't had much chance, but in the next couple of weeks that should change dramatically. I plan to try to attend Mass a lot more often as Lent progresses. I need the strength.
Pax
I have always had the most revelations come from "The Agony in the Garden" I think because when one is in the worst painful moment in ones life it is easy to find comfort in knowing that Jesus spent time in pain and doubt as well.
In a totally not unrelated note when I am praying for seminarians I find there are times when their faces come to me during this decade of the rosary. ( as opposed to The Finding of the Christ child in the Temple --where He was about His Father's work) when that happens I pray all the more for them.
Station of the Cross
Jesus Dies This might seem macabre, but I read a meditation on this once that said " If my prayer could make you live one moment longer than God's plan for your life, please give me the strength to not pray." Ever since I read that I have been much more able to accept the fact that death is a natural part of life, and comes when God wills it. I neither fear death, nor do I wish to choose the time for it. I love life, but realize that every moment that we have on this earth is a precious gift.
Do I fast?
I try to fast from something during lent. I try to choose something I hate in myself, so that when I emerge from the 40 days I have cleansed myself of that thing that has made me weak. I also try to fast from food on Fridays, eating smaller meals. Unfortunately, I have blood sugar issues and fasting isn't the best thing for my overall disposition.
Resolutions
I have a post on them, so I won't restate them. I have been keeping them for the most part, except the 30 minutes of exercise, which seems to get lost in the shuffle. I will have to be a bit more intentional about that one.
Do I use Holy Water?
One parish in town has it available, the other doesn't, so it really depends upon where I am attending Mass if I use it or not. I like the idea of the absence helping to train our senses, but if it is available I will use it.
Do I attend Mass more often?
So far I haven't had much chance, but in the next couple of weeks that should change dramatically. I plan to try to attend Mass a lot more often as Lent progresses. I need the strength.
Pax
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A Window into a World in Need of Prayers
One of my pals from Korrektiv Jonathan Potter is dealing with a family crisis that could use our prayers.
It seems his wife Ashley has been put on hospital bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy. She has begun the most interesting blog of her internment which gives a window into a world that some of us might never experience.
You can visit her here at Bedrest Boutique.
Stop by and offer her a prayer, and a message of support. I bet you will be inspired by the trip. I know I was.
Pax
It seems his wife Ashley has been put on hospital bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy. She has begun the most interesting blog of her internment which gives a window into a world that some of us might never experience.
You can visit her here at Bedrest Boutique.
Stop by and offer her a prayer, and a message of support. I bet you will be inspired by the trip. I know I was.
Pax
What did I tell you . . .
I want to be a perfectionist . . .
But I'm just not good enough!!!!!!!
Now I have proof!
Pax
| You Are 58% Perfectionist |
 No one would call you a perfectionist, but you definitely have a side of you that strives to be perfect. Try to see your mistakes as learning experiences, and don't be so hard on yourself when you screw up! |
But I'm just not good enough!!!!!!!
Now I have proof!
Pax
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Change my What? O' Lord!
So I was playing around with my mad biblical translation skills, this being Lent and all and I was trying to translate the passage from Ezekiel (18:31) but I think I may have gone slightly astray on my way to the proper English noun.
You see when I was all done with the verse this is what I was led to do.
I was sure that the phrase was properly rendered make for yourselves a new hair color.
Oh well, hearts. hair color, it is all part of the same body. And I still have 39 days left of Lent to work on the new heart too.
BTW, don't I look awesomely beautiful in the picture?
I hope you all have a joyful Lent.
Pax
You see when I was all done with the verse this is what I was led to do.
I was sure that the phrase was properly rendered make for yourselves a new hair color.
Oh well, hearts. hair color, it is all part of the same body. And I still have 39 days left of Lent to work on the new heart too.
BTW, don't I look awesomely beautiful in the picture?
I hope you all have a joyful Lent.
Pax
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
What Else . . .
So this being Fat Tuesday I thought I should lay out my entire plan for Lent. Accountability is everything.
Prayer
Since I have a growing fascination with the Philosophy of Cosmology (amazingly this has nothing to do with Makeup, click on the link and you can see what it really means.) I wanted to spend Lent reflecting on Creation and Grace. What better way to do that than with this book:
Quantum Grace by Judy Cannato
I have already read the introduction and can't wait for tomorrow morning so that I can begin to read the daily readings. I suppose that for all of my struggles against Philosophy, I just had to find a topic that interested me and I would discover that deep within there was a budding Philosopher waiting to be nurtured. Perhaps Cosmology is that topic for me.
Almsgiving
I am planning to give everything I find in my house that I really don't need to charitable organizations as I implement the organizational strategies that I will be using as I give up my life as a slob. The clutter will be eliminated as I pare down what I own to the minimum that I need (and I mean what I really need, not what I want to have, or what makes me have to do laundry less often).
Fasting
I have been thinking about this a lot. I have decided to fast from excuses for not getting exercise daily. I can come up with 101 reasons not to do 30 minutes of exercise every day. So I have decided that my fasting this Lent will be a fasting from excuses, I will do 30 minutes of some form of exercise every day. It may be walking on the treadmill, it may be ballroom dancing (which mrangelmeg and I are still doing every Friday, our new Swing class begins a week from Friday) it may be Yoga, or stretch bands or Pilates. Each day without excuse I will carve out 30 minutes sometime during my day to do some form of exercise.
I am also giving up being a slob, which will be very difficult for me because I have a definite tendency toward inertia. I think I may give up sitting down to watch television to keep myself motivated. In other words, if I want to watch any television this Lent I will have to be doing something else, such as folding laundry, walking on the treadmill. cleaning a room, or cooking a meal. If there isn't something constructive for me to do while I am watching I will have to turn off the television. I will not allow myself to sit in a chair and watch television this Lent, unless the family is watching a show together.
That sounds like a pretty good plan.
Happy Lent everyone. I hope you all grow in holiness and love these wonderful 40 days that God and the Church grant us.
Pax
Prayer
Since I have a growing fascination with the Philosophy of Cosmology (amazingly this has nothing to do with Makeup, click on the link and you can see what it really means.) I wanted to spend Lent reflecting on Creation and Grace. What better way to do that than with this book:
Quantum Grace by Judy Cannato
I have already read the introduction and can't wait for tomorrow morning so that I can begin to read the daily readings. I suppose that for all of my struggles against Philosophy, I just had to find a topic that interested me and I would discover that deep within there was a budding Philosopher waiting to be nurtured. Perhaps Cosmology is that topic for me.
Almsgiving
I am planning to give everything I find in my house that I really don't need to charitable organizations as I implement the organizational strategies that I will be using as I give up my life as a slob. The clutter will be eliminated as I pare down what I own to the minimum that I need (and I mean what I really need, not what I want to have, or what makes me have to do laundry less often).
Fasting
I have been thinking about this a lot. I have decided to fast from excuses for not getting exercise daily. I can come up with 101 reasons not to do 30 minutes of exercise every day. So I have decided that my fasting this Lent will be a fasting from excuses, I will do 30 minutes of some form of exercise every day. It may be walking on the treadmill, it may be ballroom dancing (which mrangelmeg and I are still doing every Friday, our new Swing class begins a week from Friday) it may be Yoga, or stretch bands or Pilates. Each day without excuse I will carve out 30 minutes sometime during my day to do some form of exercise.
I am also giving up being a slob, which will be very difficult for me because I have a definite tendency toward inertia. I think I may give up sitting down to watch television to keep myself motivated. In other words, if I want to watch any television this Lent I will have to be doing something else, such as folding laundry, walking on the treadmill. cleaning a room, or cooking a meal. If there isn't something constructive for me to do while I am watching I will have to turn off the television. I will not allow myself to sit in a chair and watch television this Lent, unless the family is watching a show together.
That sounds like a pretty good plan.
Happy Lent everyone. I hope you all grow in holiness and love these wonderful 40 days that God and the Church grant us.
Pax
Day for Direction
So today is my monthly visit with my Spiritual Director. I have ventured away from my kids leaving them to fend for themselves this morning so that I could have a more leisurely morning here at my mom's house (my Spiritual Director is the parish priest in my mom's parish coincidentally) and get to my morning appointment without rushing or getting caught in highway traffic.
I love spiritual direction. It is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made to seek it even though it does take quite a bit of effort on the part of not only me, but my family for me to be able to avail myself of the opportunity. I also have been blessed with very capable directors -- I have had four -- in the years since I began to seek direction.
My current director is a very busy priest who shepherds two parishes, but when I am with him for my monthly visit I am the center of his attention. He has helped me to look critically at where I am, where I want to be heading and how I intend to get there, both in my spiritual life and in my work and family life. He really helped me to regain a sense of self confidence when I was picking myself up after I left my job last spring. That was when I began to see him.
Now we are working through not only my decisions about where to go in my professional life, but how to handle the stresses of my mother's illness, and with my own illness as I am healing and learning to cope with the asthma and allergies that I was left with from the stress I was under last year.
He keeps me honest, and he helps me to examine new ways of seeking God's presence. He also affirms what I am doing that is on the right track.
I had better get moving, or I will be late. I don't want to miss a moment of our time together.
Addendum: I got to my appointment on time, but my wonderful Spiritual Director, who happens to be slightly overworked, had written the time down as one hour earlier in his calendar. His secretary didn't have my contact information so she had no way of contacting me to find out why I was late. We still met for a much shorter time and set up next months meeting for a time that both his secretary and I agreed upon and she has my numbers now so she will be able to contact me. I am sure this happened for a reason. As I have said my favorite beatitude is "Blessed are the flexible, they never get bent out of shape."
Pax
I love spiritual direction. It is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made to seek it even though it does take quite a bit of effort on the part of not only me, but my family for me to be able to avail myself of the opportunity. I also have been blessed with very capable directors -- I have had four -- in the years since I began to seek direction.
My current director is a very busy priest who shepherds two parishes, but when I am with him for my monthly visit I am the center of his attention. He has helped me to look critically at where I am, where I want to be heading and how I intend to get there, both in my spiritual life and in my work and family life. He really helped me to regain a sense of self confidence when I was picking myself up after I left my job last spring. That was when I began to see him.
Now we are working through not only my decisions about where to go in my professional life, but how to handle the stresses of my mother's illness, and with my own illness as I am healing and learning to cope with the asthma and allergies that I was left with from the stress I was under last year.
He keeps me honest, and he helps me to examine new ways of seeking God's presence. He also affirms what I am doing that is on the right track.
I had better get moving, or I will be late. I don't want to miss a moment of our time together.
Addendum: I got to my appointment on time, but my wonderful Spiritual Director, who happens to be slightly overworked, had written the time down as one hour earlier in his calendar. His secretary didn't have my contact information so she had no way of contacting me to find out why I was late. We still met for a much shorter time and set up next months meeting for a time that both his secretary and I agreed upon and she has my numbers now so she will be able to contact me. I am sure this happened for a reason. As I have said my favorite beatitude is "Blessed are the flexible, they never get bent out of shape."
Pax
Monday, February 19, 2007
My Lenten Sacrifice for 2007
I have prayed and meditated and examined my life over the last few weeks. I have discussed with mrangelmeg what would be good for me to offer up to God this lent. I have determined that there is something very big that I have been clinging to for a long time that I should give up.
It will take all of the will power and prayer support I can muster to give this thing up, but I honestly believe that if I can banish this from my life these 40 days of Lent, I will be a better person for it, and my husband and children will benefit as well.
What, you might ask is this thing that will create such an enormous change in my life?
I am going to give up being a SLOB!
I really mean it, I am going to get organized and stay organized. In fact I have already begun in little ways to accomplish this task. I started by organizing the kitchen junk drawer, and it wasn't even all that painful, unless you count the pin I got stuck in my finger. now when I open the drawer to get the tape I can actually find tape! What a concept!
Next I organized the silverware drawer by getting a larger holder for the silverware (one that actually fits the drawer and the set of silverware). I am telling you. If I stick with this and do one simple organizational job every day of Lent I will be in great shape by Holy Week.
And I will be able to find things, like the set of keys to the van I lost last week after using them only once.
So, goodbye to disorganized, slobby angelmeg you are gone with Fat Tuesday. Each day of Lent I will be working on those get organized strategies that I have been trying to put in place for years.
I can do this.
Help.
Pax
It will take all of the will power and prayer support I can muster to give this thing up, but I honestly believe that if I can banish this from my life these 40 days of Lent, I will be a better person for it, and my husband and children will benefit as well.
What, you might ask is this thing that will create such an enormous change in my life?
I am going to give up being a SLOB!
I really mean it, I am going to get organized and stay organized. In fact I have already begun in little ways to accomplish this task. I started by organizing the kitchen junk drawer, and it wasn't even all that painful, unless you count the pin I got stuck in my finger. now when I open the drawer to get the tape I can actually find tape! What a concept!
Next I organized the silverware drawer by getting a larger holder for the silverware (one that actually fits the drawer and the set of silverware). I am telling you. If I stick with this and do one simple organizational job every day of Lent I will be in great shape by Holy Week.
And I will be able to find things, like the set of keys to the van I lost last week after using them only once.
So, goodbye to disorganized, slobby angelmeg you are gone with Fat Tuesday. Each day of Lent I will be working on those get organized strategies that I have been trying to put in place for years.
I can do this.
Help.
Pax
Love Means So Much More
Okay being the world's pre-eminent Chocolatarian I was very happy to read this article .
How could any group besmirch the role of chocolate in relationship of love by pairing it with condoms. I was so happy to see the other campus group to have chosen to win back chocolate's proper primacy of place by offering an abundance of chocolate for not choosing the condom.
All I have to say to those college kids is, Way to think. Chocolatarians of the world salute you.
Pax
How could any group besmirch the role of chocolate in relationship of love by pairing it with condoms. I was so happy to see the other campus group to have chosen to win back chocolate's proper primacy of place by offering an abundance of chocolate for not choosing the condom.
All I have to say to those college kids is, Way to think. Chocolatarians of the world salute you.
Pax
Friday, February 16, 2007
Denied!
So I was thinking about my Lenten sacrifice for this year, and Sr. Mary Martha says she is going to give up Basketball. I thought (unfortunately, out loud) this is great, I will give up basketball too.
That was when mrangelmeg informed me that I had to, well, you know, actually watch basketball in order to give it up for lent. Since it has been probably 18 years at least since I actually tried to pretend that I was watching basketball with mrangelmeg I suppose that he is right.
Sigh
I suppose I will have to continue to think about my Lenten sacrifice.
Pax
That was when mrangelmeg informed me that I had to, well, you know, actually watch basketball in order to give it up for lent. Since it has been probably 18 years at least since I actually tried to pretend that I was watching basketball with mrangelmeg I suppose that he is right.
Sigh
I suppose I will have to continue to think about my Lenten sacrifice.
Pax
Too Open to Suggestion?
So mrangelmeg and I won't be going to see this movie any time soon.
He already is spooked after only seeing the trailer, and realizing that we have been married for 23 years (see the comment he made in a previous post).
Now he is finding 23's all over the place. I shudder to think what our lives would be like after we see the entire movie. Maybe someone else should see it and let me know if seeing it would make things worse or better.
Or maybe we are better of not knowing.
Pax
He already is spooked after only seeing the trailer, and realizing that we have been married for 23 years (see the comment he made in a previous post).
Now he is finding 23's all over the place. I shudder to think what our lives would be like after we see the entire movie. Maybe someone else should see it and let me know if seeing it would make things worse or better.
Or maybe we are better of not knowing.
Pax
We Remember We Celebrate, We Believe
This video comes from the wonderful people at Evangelical Catholicism
hat tip to Ironic Catholic for the link.
Pax
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Can't Help Lovin' That Man . . .
of mine.
So mrangelmeg went way above and beyond this Valentines day. He surprised me with some Ghirardelli Chocolates and a card this morning, but that wasn't all. Inside the card was a gift certificate to a local spa for a day of pampering. I mean the works; manicure, pedicure, and massage. I was totally blown away.
It was something I never would have imagined him getting me, and something I will really enjoy. The funny thing is, and I told him this, I was passing one of those nail places in the same strip mall near where I get my hair cut, (you know those places, where you can get the cheesy nails done by the people with the face masks.) and was considering getting my nails done just to see what it was like. Now I can get them done at a place that is a bit more up-scale.
Does this mean that after 23 years he has begun to read my mind? Now that is a scary thought.
In case you are wondering, my gift to him was a bag of Peanut M&M's (back in college when we met it was all we could afford, and until I became allergic to them was the traditional candy for giving at Valentines day. ) Besides that, he is going out of town next week on a golf outing with his dad for five days. That is a HUGE gift on my part!
Pax
So mrangelmeg went way above and beyond this Valentines day. He surprised me with some Ghirardelli Chocolates and a card this morning, but that wasn't all. Inside the card was a gift certificate to a local spa for a day of pampering. I mean the works; manicure, pedicure, and massage. I was totally blown away.
It was something I never would have imagined him getting me, and something I will really enjoy. The funny thing is, and I told him this, I was passing one of those nail places in the same strip mall near where I get my hair cut, (you know those places, where you can get the cheesy nails done by the people with the face masks.) and was considering getting my nails done just to see what it was like. Now I can get them done at a place that is a bit more up-scale.
Does this mean that after 23 years he has begun to read my mind? Now that is a scary thought.
In case you are wondering, my gift to him was a bag of Peanut M&M's (back in college when we met it was all we could afford, and until I became allergic to them was the traditional candy for giving at Valentines day. ) Besides that, he is going out of town next week on a golf outing with his dad for five days. That is a HUGE gift on my part!
Pax
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Dream Crusher
So I agonized for weeks about what to do with my hair. I absolutely hate (and this is a word I don't use casually) my natural hair color, which is something slightly less appealing than road dirt. Add to that the few gray wisps that I see every morning when I look in the mirror, which mrangelmeg swears that no one else can see. (I wonder how often he has to confess that bold faced sin).
I finally decided exactly what I was going to do. I was going to dye my hair red. It was going to be absolutely beautiful, just the right shade to complement my coloring and make me look younger. I was just about to purchase the coloring equipment the other day when I saw this.
I would hate for people to think that I decided to color my hair because she did hers first. Lord help me.
So, I am back where I started, looking at my reflection in the mirror and wondering what other hair color I should try, because it certainly isn't going to be red until Ms Simpson goes back to Blonde where she belongs.
Pax
I finally decided exactly what I was going to do. I was going to dye my hair red. It was going to be absolutely beautiful, just the right shade to complement my coloring and make me look younger. I was just about to purchase the coloring equipment the other day when I saw this.
I would hate for people to think that I decided to color my hair because she did hers first. Lord help me.
So, I am back where I started, looking at my reflection in the mirror and wondering what other hair color I should try, because it certainly isn't going to be red until Ms Simpson goes back to Blonde where she belongs.
Pax
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Last Word (for this season anyway)
This picture is one of the reasons that the Colts are the best team in the NFL. This is how they ended their season, after the game on their knees in prayer. It is also how they began their season interestingly enough according to an inside source.
hat tip to Suzanne for the awesome picture.
Pax
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Winning is Sweet!
Or was that wet?
Colts Win!!!!
Did you see that game?
The Colts played really well considering the conditions. I was sure that the continual downpour was going to favor the team that normally plays in an outdoor stadium in less than optimal conditions. And yet, the Colts outperformed the Bears in First Downs, rushing yards, passing yards and just about every other category.
It was really nice to hear not only Tony Dungy speak about how much the team owed to God for their victory, but even Jim Irsay mentioned that the Lord had been watching over the team this year.
I am totally exhausted, but so very happy. I am trying to convince mrangelmeg to make a little road trip up to Indy tomorrow to welcome the team home. I doubt that we will be able to do that, but it sure would be nice to get an autograph for my jersey.
I think under the circumstances I will have to content myself with watching the festivities on the television.
GO COLTS!!!!! Oh, and for six guys on the team have a great time in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.
Pax
Colts Win!!!!
Did you see that game?
The Colts played really well considering the conditions. I was sure that the continual downpour was going to favor the team that normally plays in an outdoor stadium in less than optimal conditions. And yet, the Colts outperformed the Bears in First Downs, rushing yards, passing yards and just about every other category.
It was really nice to hear not only Tony Dungy speak about how much the team owed to God for their victory, but even Jim Irsay mentioned that the Lord had been watching over the team this year.
I am totally exhausted, but so very happy. I am trying to convince mrangelmeg to make a little road trip up to Indy tomorrow to welcome the team home. I doubt that we will be able to do that, but it sure would be nice to get an autograph for my jersey.
I think under the circumstances I will have to content myself with watching the festivities on the television.
GO COLTS!!!!! Oh, and for six guys on the team have a great time in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.
Pax
I RULE!
You know the Bible 100%!
Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!
Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes
I GOT A HIGHER SCORE THAN THE CURT JESTER
If it weren't time for the start of the pregame festivities I would be doing a happy dance.
Pax
Do Not Disturb
I am a little busy this afternoon.
Watching the Superbowl.
Did I mention that the Colts are playing in the Superbowl this afternoon in Miami?
I think I may have mentioned it once or twice this week.
I will be watching the entire game, not just the commercials this year. That will be practically a first for me.
See you tomorrow.
Pax
Watching the Superbowl.
Did I mention that the Colts are playing in the Superbowl this afternoon in Miami?
I think I may have mentioned it once or twice this week.
I will be watching the entire game, not just the commercials this year. That will be practically a first for me.
See you tomorrow.
Pax
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