Simple Pleasures

Last night was one of the best, most relaxing nights I have spent in a very long time. We invited our friends Suzanne and Danny and their children over to a late dinner (because our husbands both have late work schedules). I threw together a very simple meal, and we then sat around our newest innovation in our yard, the fire pit listening to music and talking and enjoying the beautiful evening. I can't imagine a better way to have spent a Friday evening.

I opened a bottle of wine for Suzanne and I to savor. It was a rather expensive bottle of wine that mrangelmeg had gotten me as a gift and it turned out to be quite good (By the way mrangelmeg, Suzanne and I approve of your skill at guessing quality wine selections.)

It was so great to spend time with friends. I am not sure what the kids did, I think they were playing pool or video games. They did wander out to the fire to make S'mores, but then left again pretty quickly, leaving the adults and Teresa, Suzanne's older daughter to chat in peace.

All in all it was a very nice night. I would love to have a repeat of it very soon. Especially while I am so burdened with studying. Last night the last thing on my mind was all the stinking philosophy reading I have to do, which felt really good for a change.

Pax

Study Break Fun: Wishful Thinking for the Future

This is me next May when I graduate. This is my Gruadual School Abbey Church (sort of) and me (sort of) doing a happy dance because I am done.


h/t to angela messenger


Pax

Spiritual Direction: the Not-so-Hidden Treasure of the Catholic Laity

At least I hope it isn't so hidden anymore.

about 10 years ago when I began my first Spiritual Direction relationship it wasn't all that common for lay-women or lay-men to seek spiritual direction on a regular basis. It might have been going on then, but it really was a hidden treasure back then. Religious sisters and brothers and the ordained clergy had been using direction as a spiritual tool for centuries (heck probably millennia) but lay people didn't know much about the necessity of it or how to go about getting a director.

I don't know what I would do without spiritual direction. My monthly appointment is just as important to me as visits to the doctor, or dentist, or my weekly attendance at mass or my daily prayer time. I have written about Direction a couple of times in the past:

here

here

and here and here too

I had a direction appointment today. As I was filling Fr. in on what my life has been like since the last time we met (before I started the two Philosophy Classes) and my frustrations at the studying and how most of my prayer time has been consumed by begging for help to get through, and my other frustration that I didn't seem to be capable of getting much of the other self-improvement issues I had decided I wanted to work on begun this summer, etc.

At this point he stopped me and gently reminded me that I needed to stop a moment and set some priorities. I am a wife/mother caregiver for my mom and student first, and maybe, just maybe for this summer those things need to take my full attention. Whatever I had decided I wanted to do or become could certainly wait a month or so when I don't find myself buried under a mountain of homework. Maybe those things are enough for now.

He sent me home thinking about that, and gave me something to meditate on between today and the next time we meet next month.

I am so blessed. We laugh, he listens to what I say and makes me listen to myself so that I don't stress out. He is a wonderful "soul friend" and companion on my spiritual journey.

I would suggest that if you don't have a spiritual director, and would like one seek one out. If you know a priest or religious in your area that you think would make a good fit for you, ask. If you haven't got a clue where to look, you might start by calling the Chancery at your Diocese, or the nearest Monastery or Convent.

I know that I will continue to seek direction. Without it my spirit is burdened and sometimes lost.

Pax

Close Moments in Cars?

It's a Cursillo thing . . . reminding one's-self to be aware of those times in the day when God is very close, so close that one recognizes that the intervention is happening right when it happens. At least I never used to think about them or be as aware of them before I went on Cursillo, but since then I am always aware of those "close moments" in my days.

Lately most of my very "close moments" have been connected with driving, or being in my car. None quite as big as this one, (thank God) but they have all been moments when I have realized that God is with me. I will list just a few to show you what I mean.

The place where the angelbaby and older sis have fencing is on a horrendously busy street and getting out of the parking lot is difficult at the best of times. Each time I leave the parking lot I am sure it is going to take me forever to get space enough in traffic to pull out, but each time I am blessed with a very large space in which to pull out. For this I am immediately thankful.

I have a very old Handspring Visor Palm OS (grey-scale)PDA that mrangelmeg got me about a year after I started working. I used it for everything back then, calendar, address book,prayerbook, brain, you name it. In fact, when I first started gradual school I even added a portable keyboard and typed my class notes into it and had a bible translation loaded onto it. Lately though I have only been using it as an e-reader with the addition of Plucker software. After the last weekend of Medieval Philosophy class it went missing and I thought I had left it at Gradual School because it wasn't in my suitcase or my book bag or my music bag. When the maintenance department at my Gradual School didn't find it I had pretty much decided that it was a write-off since I only use it as an e-reader and to buy a replacement just to do that would be way too expensive. Then just the other day the angelbaby and I were driving somewhere in the car and she was rummaging around in the junk bin in the front seat to see if she could find any candy and what should she find but my Visor!!!!! I have no clue at all how it got there. What a close moment, because I have loaded a lot of philosophy resources on it that are very handy to carry around for when I have a free moment to read (I am actually trying to understand this stuff).

The price of gas is so volatile around here that I hate to put gas in my car for fear that when I do the price will go up that afternoon. The price has gone up about thirty cents since the 4th of July. I was putting off getting gas hoping the price would go down a bit because it had actually gone over 3.00 a gallon on Friday. Yesterday I was doing laundry and watching videos all afternoon. I had to run to Walmart though in the evening and when I actually finally did get out to run my errands the price had gone down to 2.99 (mrangelmeg paid 3.01 earlier in the day). I call that a close moment. Even those few pennies saved will help.

I realize to a skeptic these will all seem like random moments of chance, or good fortune. To me though, especially since I have a very long history of having had to grow comfortable driving (I didn't drive much of anywhere until I was 31, and even then I used to get horribly ill every time I had to get behind the wheel of a car). I have always trusted God to be with me. Noticing God in these small moments of my everyday drivng experiecne are all a part of "finding God in all things.

God is good, all the time.

Pax

The Vatican Gets Misunderstood so Often . . .

you wonder why they keep trying to say things at all.

This time it is over a CDF document in Response to Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of Church Doctrine. What happens when the Vatican puts out one of these documents, do journalists put them through some sort of hot button filter and only read the reactionary words without really reading the whole document?

After having read the document myself, and then checking with a few of my blogosphere pals who also have read it I don't quite understand where they went off the rails. What I read was a document that restated exactly what the documents of Vatican II stated. At Vatican II it was heralded as a step forward in ecumenism, why now is the same statement seen as a step backward?

Pax

I Know I am in Bad Shape . . .

When I suggest a trip to the Mall as a way to avoid thinking about Philosophy homework!!!!!

1) I hate to shop

2) the last thing I want my daughters to become is mall rats

I am gladly suggesting it today

You read that right folks, the girls and I are off for an afternoon of abject consumerism. I am hoping watching them be girly girls shopping for jewelery and t-shirts and purses and all the other trappings will break me out of my philosofunk.

Then maybe, just maybe I can approach the subject matter with a renewed zeal, or at least less dread.

If this doesn't work I will have to go to Mass tomorrow morning and lay my troubles at the foot of the cross and throw myself upon the mercy of Christ. I am hoping that I won't reach the point of "agony in the garden" over this assignment, but at the rate I am coming up with answers that make any kind of sense, I am expecting to find hematidrosis and not be shocked.

So, we are off to the mall, for a few hours of retail therapy, only on a very limited budget.

Pax

Favorite Catholic Blogs Meme

The Ironic Catholic has honored me with a tag as one of her favorite Catholic Blogs. I am humbled. Especially because of the company in which I find myself.

I am now supposed to tag a few other people whose blogs I find inspire my Catholic faith.

I will do that by pointing you to a few friends you might not know. And one I am sure you do, but must not go unheralded.

God'sbody is one of my favorite places to find a literate take on what is going on in the world. Not to mention "Today in porn".

The Speakin' Deacon is the creation of my pal from Gradual School, Deacon John Simmons of the Diocese of Louisville. This is where he posts his homilies. The only thing more awesome than this would be if he were to make audio files of his homilies and create a podcast of them because they are great to read but I tell you, the man can preach!!!

God Spede ye Plough is the blog of another alum from my gradual school. He has an interesting view of the church. I may not always agree with his position, but it reminds me that our faith tradition is big enough for all of us.

Sincerely My Thoughts is the creation of one of my dearest soul friends. She is as close as a sister to me and in fact our sons are adopted brothers (it is a long story and involves the fact that neither of them has a natural living brother in a sea of seven girl siblings between them, so out of desperation they have chosen each other) Suzanne's blog is a mix of the simple joy of daily Catholic life and the beauty of being other centered. I don't miss a day of checking in to see what is going on in her world.

I think I will leave it at that. So to those I have tagged consider yourself part of my "daily devotion".

If you want to play, you just have to create a post and let the blogosphere know which blogs you find to be your Favorite Catholic Blogs.

Pax

I've Been Philosofried

So I have decided to start on my homework while the stuff I did get in class this weekend is still relatively fresh in my mind. in actuality I am terrified that if I sleep on it I will wake up tomorrow morning and remember nothing at all.

Just a quick prayer before I begin: (My deepest apologies to Thomas Merton)


My Lord, I have no idea what I am writing. I do not see the point ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am making a coherent point does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to do well in this course does in fact count for something. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing (or at least that I can fake it for another month). And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right path to my sought after degree, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of Plato's cave. I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face being philosofried alone.

Pax

I must be Filled with Socractic Wisdom . . .

because I am reasonably sure that I know nothing about philosophy.

My professor was nice enough to tell me that at least I am not (and I am not making this up) "stupid about my own stupidity." Which I suppose in philosophical terms means I have that going for me. Yeah me.

In stark reality after two weekends of Ancient Philosophy I have understood two concepts that the professor was discussing, over a total of 20 hours of lecture, one of which will actually be marginally helpful in answering his questions that were assigned for homework last month. He feels so sorry for me that he did assure me that if I at least attempt to do the work he will guarantee that I will get no grade lower than a C for the class (which is the minimum grade I need in order to graduate) so I suppose even if I tank the assignments I will be okay.

I do feel as though I am coming out of the darkness a little bit in some respects. I am beginning to understand some of the concepts he keeps using over and over, but I don't like the way that he defines terms by using the term he is defining in the definition. Is that a philosophical anomaly? Having been raised by an English teacher and an English major, I know that that is a big problem, but somehow he didn't see anything wrong with the circular reasoning involved in defining a term by using the same word as part of the definition. It really drove me nuts.

With my new insight, and the help of whichever of the communion of saints I can beg for assistance I have two weeks to complete the three questions that I couldn't answer on Friday. I think I may at least have a glimmer of understanding as to how to approach a coherent answer today.

Pray for me. I will do philosophy, or die in the attempt.

Pax

God is Good All the Time

and thanks to my Internet pal Jeff at Curt Jester who led me to this awesome link when I was closing down my web browser this morning to get started on my Philosophy homework.

Really, I was just about to start working on my essay on Posterior Analytics and was saying a quick prayer as I shut down my browsers and pulled up Word when I happened to see a post of Jeff's on the revamping of a site run by John Brown S.J. called CompanionsofJesus.com. I clicked on the link out of curiosity, ( and a little bit to postpone writing about Aristotle) to find an awesome site for those with an interest in Jesuit Spirituality.

He has compiled a veritable prayerbook of Jesuit prayers all in one place, the ones I pray often and a few I had never seen before.

Of particular interest to me especially this week was the Prayer in Desolation. In particular I found these phrases to be very helpful as I begin the task before me:

But what I do know is, that with Thy grace,

which Thou wilt never refuse me,

and of which wilt never deprive me

although I may not always be sensible or conscious of its presence.

I shall be able to resist and overcome all my enemies:

therefore, establishing my confidence on Thy divine strength,

I will not lose courage.

It only remains for me to humble myself,

to abase myself to the very dust at the sight of my nothingness,

and to persevere in my former resolutions made in the day of consolation, awaiting in patience and calm for,

and looking with hope and confidence to,

Thy next visit: for I know that the day of desolation will pass,

and that consolation will not be long in coming.

Give me patience and hope,

give me the courage to remain fixed in my resolutions,

to attack and fight with the enemy

without making any change in my former decisions;

but, in order to dissipate this desolation,

let me change myself, by being more recollected,

more attentive, more silent, more mortified;

above all, by applying myself more fervently to prayer and meditation.

These were words I really needed to read and pray and take to heart today, because I have been so beaten down by my inability to find a way to begin these essays. Today, after reading this prayer I am confident that if I place my trust where it belongs, not in my own intellect, but with He who brought me to this place, I will find a way to tackle this assignment and write something coherent, and passable.

Then, I decided to take the time to read through emails before I started my homework (maybe a little avoidance there, but who's psychoanalyzing at this point) and what do I find but an email from my professor with this message and I quote here:

Due to my getting the questions out late and some email difficulties, I am giving everyone an extension on completing the questions. We can talk about it more this weekend. See you all then.

All the time, God is good.

Especially when I have a community like St. Blog's on my side.

Pax

What Are You Reading? AKA Join the Fun

Don't waste your summer watching Soprano reruns or Reality Television. Pick up a good book and prove to the world that as a matter of fact, Catholics do read. Go to this website, choose one of the finalist books and join the Catholic Summer Reading Program.
The selection of books is amazing, and I want to extend a hearty congrats to Internet pal Matthew Lickona's wonderful Swimming with Scapulars for garnering the top spot with such huge competition.


After just a week ago bemoaning the fact that I didn't have time to read anything but Philosophy for the next two months I gave myself a break and picked up one of the finalist books Cosmas or the Love of God yesterday and read about a third of the way through. It is so beautifully written that I enjoyed every minute. My only problem was that I had to resist picking up my pencil to underline passages and take notes in the margin. Which I suppose isn't a bad thing and I may just do that the next time I read it. Yes folks you read that right, when I enjoy a book I actually read it more than once.

I am going to add the link to my sidebar to encourage all of my two loyal readers to read one of the books on the list. I haven't read all of them myself but I am familiar with most of the authors, and they all look very intriguing.

The website gives links to discussion questions and if you scroll to the bottom there is a link for a summer reading sheet for kids that they can use this summer to broaden their horizons and then get a prize.

Our prize at the end of the summer is having read great literature for and about our awesome faith tradition.

Pax

JUst in Case You Needed Them: More Reasons to be Catholic

Ironic Catholic has posted 10 more Ironic Reasons to be Catholic

20 to 11


This batch ranges from the timeless (14 ) to the timely (11 ).

Did you notice how many of these were about eating? She must have been hungry when she wrote them.

Pax

Philosophy is Making Me Sick!!!

At least that is what I have been telling myself and mrangelmeg.

Ever since Sunday evening I have been struggling with horrible nausea and the strangest sensation that is hard to describe. Things don't taste bad, it is as if my taste buds are very sensitive -- everything just tastes too much, if that makes any sense. It is as if my taste buds are on fire.

At first I thought I had gotten an infection in my mouth which can happen with the steroid inhaler I take every night. I have to be very careful to brush my teeth and rinse out my mouth every night because I am afraid of that, but that wouldn't explain the stomach ache that came before it.

Another thought is that it might be a reaction to a calcium supplement that I have been taking which I just started taking last week.

The problem is I just don't have time to feel sick. I still have essays to write for class this coming weekend and stuff to read for the class I took last weekend. Not to mention laundry to do and other housework to get done around here and wanting to spend time with the family. Mrangelmeg is actually taking two whole days off of work and I don't feel well enough to do much of anything but sit around.

So, even though I know that it is something else making me sick I am going to blame it on Philosophy. I know I would feel much better if I didn't have all of that hanging over my head like a piano on a fraying rope.

Please keep me in prayer as I attempt to make sense of Plato and Aristotle in essays while feeling like my insides are on fire. If anyone has an idea of something I can do to calm my burning taste buds I would love to hear it.

Pax

What Every Woman Needs

Widsom of Maya Angalou

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...enough money within her control to move outand rent a place of her own,

even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

..something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

..a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

...a past juicy enough that she's looking forward toretelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

....a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

..eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,

and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE

..a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...how to fall in love without losing herself.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend

without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...that she can't change the length of her calves,the width of her hips,

or the nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...that her childhood may not have been perfect... but it’s over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

..whom she can trust, whom she can't,and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...where to go...be it to her best friend's kitchen table

...or a charming inn in the woods...

when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW

...what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month... and a year...

Thanks to my sister Tina, who sent this to me this morning via email

Just Found a New Favorite Blog

Okay, I have posted before about Steven Colbert's unabashed Catholicism on the Colbert Report and how much I love it.

Now we Catholics who admire it so much have a place to point our web browsers toward to find and discuss the same Catholic content.

The Word: A Colbert Blog for Catholic It-Getters

is the invention of a blogger that I discovered through my dear blogging pal Ironic Catholic. I love this blog as should all other Catholics who see Steven Colbert as the champion of our faith that he really is in his personna as Steven Colbert the obnoxious host of the Colbert Report.

Check it out for youself. This link is going on my sidebar.

Pax

Prayerbook for This Self Obsessed World

Really want to work on your prayer life but just cant find the time?


Now Curt Jester has the answer for you


Liturgy of the Seconds


With this little volume you will be able to get through morning and evening prayer in a matter of seconds.

If I didn't know a few people who would look at this and take it seriously I would be laughing right now. Jeff should be finding somewhere to print this puppy and laughing all the way to the bank.

Pax

Scatergories Meme (aka homework dodge)

Rules: Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following...They MUST be real places, names, things...NOTHING made up! If you can't think of anything, skip it. Try to use different answers if the Person before you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question. Now Go!

Your Name: Maggie


1. Famous singer/band: Meatloaf
2. 4 letter word: milk
3. Street name: Morton
4. Color: Mauve
5. Gifts/presents: Money (the more the better)
6. Vehicle: Mini (Cooper)
7. Items on a menu: mu shu
8. Boy Name: Michael
9. Girl Name: Madeline
10. Movie Title: Midnight Express
11. Drink: Margarita
12. Occupation: Motivational Speaker
13. Flower: Mums
14. Magazine: Modern Bride
15. US City: Milwaukee
16. Pro Sports Team: Mets (the stinkin' which precedes it, is obviously implied)
17. Reason for Being Late for Work: Mugged
18. Something U Throw Away: milk cartons
19. Things you shout: Move you stupid driver (you have to be in my car to appreciate that one).
20. Cartoon Character: Mumbles the dog

Thanks to Confessions of a Hot Carmel Sundae for the Link. Without your help I would be writing essays on Aristotle and Plato, this was much more fun.

Tagged: whoever wants to, just mention it in the comments.

Documentarian or Liar

Apparently when you are Michael Moore it is a very fine line.

According to some filmmakers who started out to make an homage to their favorite documentairan but in the process unearthed huge gaps in the truth behind his first work "Roger and Me".

Read more here at Church of the Masses.

My question is Why hasn't Oprah had him on her show and given him her For shame speech like she gave James Frey, and why are the two any different?

Pax

I Meet the Nicest People In Gradual School

I have two young men in particular that I would love to tell you all about. They are both future seminarians and they are both in my philosophy classes.

One is named Tim and he is going to be a monk in a very small order dedicated to Our Lady, I wish I could remember the name of the order but I can't. He is so wonderfully excited about learning.

The other is Aaron. He has been living as a Glenmary Missionary and is in the process of preparing for the Seminary (he needs to get 30 hours of Philosophy Courses before he can enter Major Seminary somewhere, so he is taking courses not only at Saint Meinrad, but also will be taking courses at another school closer to his mission post in Kentucky in the fall, then he will be back at Saint Meinrad next Summer. Hopefully he will be ready to begin Seminary training in the Fall of 2008.

I am sure that both of these young men would appreciate your prayers as they follow God's call to the priesthood on the path He has chosen for them. Aaron in particular has been and will continue to work for most of his career in under served areas of the United States where he may be the only Catholic presence for miles. When he talks about the work he does it is very stirring and you can see the Spirit welling up inside him.

I know they will be in my prayers. Won't you join me in praying for them.

Pax

Some Sense of Humor: Personally I Don't Find it All That Funny

But God is up there in heaven laughing away.

So I made this agreement with His Almightyness that when I am at Gradual School I will go to morning prayer with the monks on Saturday mornings if He wakes me up at 5:30 in the morning. I don't set the alarm for that, in my humble estimation quite unholy hour, and if I don't wake up, no harm no foul, but if I do wake up I have to go to prayer with the monks.

I would say that in the four-plus years that I have been here I have missed morning prayer maybe three times. He is a pretty good alarm clock when He wants to get His way.

Well I am at Gradual School this weekend, but I drove down on Saturday morning instead of Friday night because mrangelmeg and I are taking a ballroom dancing class on Friday evenings. I wasn't even here for morning prayer, so I figured all bets were off for this weekend, but His Almightyness had other plans.

This morning, Sunday morning, I was brought to complete and utter awakeness (is that really a word?) at exactly 5:30. It was so light outside that I got scared and thought I had messed up the time on the clock when I set the alarm to go off at ten till seven, so I jumped out of bed to check the time on my cell-phone (I live in a different time zone than they are down here so I get messed up easily).

Nope, it was 5:30. With a sigh of relief I got back in bed, and was attempting to go back to sleep when I began this inner dialogue with His Almightyness:

Himself: Hey this is my time

me: Uhm no prayer this morning, it's Sunday

Himself: Do you really need the monks to pray? You can Find Me in All Things like a good student of Ignatius. Get up and come out for a walk.

me: you have to be kidding me.

Himself: Do I sound like I'm kidding, If you think you are going back to sleep, think again.


I went for a nice walk around the Abbey grounds for about a half hour.

Who says the spiteful Old Testament God no longer exists?

Pax