My Latest Spero News Article

Quick! What's For Dinner? ... a couple of cookbook recommendations for getting dinner on the table with a minimum of effort ... and recipe samples.

Leave Her at the Altar

CORPSE BRIDE
Tim Burton is one of our favorite directors. The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of our favorite movies. However, Corpse Bride left us cold.

The animation was good. The voice talent was great. However, the story was extremely simple. Also, the look of the entire movie, both in the land of the living and the land of the dead was so dreary and sepia-toned that I almost fell asleep a few times. Tom said he had the same problem. As an additional irritation, the intended comic relief of a maggot (that lives inside the corpse bride's head) sounded a strident and obnoxious note that belonged in a different movie altogether.

It was not a bad movie and not a bad way to pass the afternoon. However with matinee tickets for four costing $22 my advice is to rent it later. Save your money for Serenity next weekend ... or for Wallace and Grommit the weekend after that (for more first rate animation).

HC rating: *** Good despite lack of flubber

Question The Second

As a follow-up, is there an Old Testament person who you particularly identify with? We're not picky about this ... "person" is either a character or an author. just any old person that resonates with you...

My answer is in the comments box.

Mass Thought - The Funny One

Phil 2:1-11

Brothers and sisters:

If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also for those of others.

Have in you the same attitude
that is also in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Kneeling at the altar rail, waiting for the priest to move down the line to me, I was looking at Jesus on the crucifix, pondering the second Mass reading. I thought of all the ways that Jesus showed us how to live in humility and, once again, was struck by the fact that he had covered every circumstance I'd find myself in.

"Wow, you were so perfect at being humble," I thought.

"Well, I am God," flashed the thought into my head.

Touche! Which pretty much explains why I was kind of giggling when the priest moved over and stood in front of me.

Update: Sharon's Baby

Y'all may remember this couple's choice of life for their unborn baby, despite the fact that she may only live an hour or two. I found out today that the situation has changed. The baby actually has a different genetic problem than the one originally diagnosed. She will live but will be severely retarded, maybe being able to progress only as much as being able to feed herself.

That doesn't change a thing for this couple's decision. They are firmly on the side of life. In fact, when I asked how Sharon was feeling right now, Joanette told me that one of Sharon's gifts is to have a hugely positive outlook no matter what the circumstances. And that is just what she and her husband need right now.

So let's continue to storm heaven for God to give this couple the graces they will need with their baby. And, I'm not at all shy about asking also for the miracle of perfect physical and mental health for this baby either. Let's go for the whole enchilada!

Further reading on the subject:
Power of the Powerless by Christopher De Vinck is the book that made me really, truly understand the sanctity of life even when it is under circumstances that common sense might dictate as providing no "qualify of life."

Also, ukok has a very powerful post prompted by the situation with Sharon's baby.

How to Unite a Divided Country

The Anchoress has the answer and I think it just might work. Go check it out. This is too, too funny.

Except that I demand bipartisan sexiness. The Dems are gonna have all the fun. Come to think of it, the Republican guys are gonna have the best time of all. And what are we conservative women left with? John Kerry? I think not!

Resource Spotlight

MYCATHOLIC.COM

Check it out. This is a page that would be very cool to have as your home page. It is already set up with daily Mass readings, a saint of the day complete with quote, headlines from both Yahoo and Catholic news sources, weather, a Catechism reading and more. It even has a link to a podcast so you can listen to the Mass readings.

You also can personalize it with sites that you like to check a lot. Some blogs are already listed to make it easy to add their headlines to your home page (such as The Curt Jester, Kathy Shaidle, Bettnet, and more) but it is easy to add whatever links you please.

I definitely am going to be playing around with this in the days to come to get it just right.

Messing Around With God's Word

25 The Sermon on the Mount

Much of Jesus’ teaching was brought together when, seated on a hillside, he spoke to his disciples about life in the kingdom of God. He taught that true happiness comes from having the right attitudes. Those who are humble, concerned about the world’s sinfulness, gentle, devoted to goodness, merciful, single-minded in God’s service, and peace-lovers will be blessed by God. Those of his followers who are persecuted in this world should rejoice, because they will have a rich reward in the next.

Jesus emphasised that he had not come to destroy the moral demands of the Jewish Law but to fulfil them. He taught that it is not enough not to commit murder; the anger which can lead to murder must be set aside too. It is not enough not to commit adultery; lustful thoughts must be set aside too. It is not enough to keep only our solemn promises; we should always mean what we say.

The Jewish Law taught that retaliation should be proportionate to the harm done - an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth - but Jesus taught that we should love our enemies and that we should return good for evil, turning the other cheek when others attack us.

He went on to say that ostentatious piety and charitable giving are wrong; both piety and giving should be between ourselves and God. No-one can serve two masters; it is impossible to serve both God and money. God knows what people’s needs are and will supply them, in the same way as he provides food for birds and glorious clothing for flowers; we should not be anxious but should trust him. We should not judge others; for we shall be judged to the degree we judge. It is difficult to find the way to the kingdom of heaven and there will be those who will try to mislead us. We should assess others by the moral and spiritual quality of their lives.

He summarised the whole moral teaching of the Old Testament in the command to treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Jesus said that anyone who acts on his words is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. When storms came the house stood firm. But anyone who does not act on his words is like a man who built his house on sand. When storms came the house fell, and the ensuing devastation was great.

Matthew 5 - 7

That's a sample of the new 100 Minute Bible. UK publishers have managed to get the entire Bible down to 57 pages and say it can be read in 100 minutes.

They admit that they have sacrificed poetry for clarity. Well, isn't that so very modern of them. Who needs all those extra words and verbal images that the Holy Spirit inspired men to write over thousands of years? Pffft. We don't have time for that stuff any more.

Personally, I notice that this sample serves to remove me from Jesus' presence. No more is he speaking directly to me as he has done throughout the Gospels ("but I say to you..."). I have enough trouble getting the path clear to be in Jesus' presence already. I don't need this stripped-down, economy version of the Bible to get in my way too. No thanks.

Via LAMland and People of the Book.

Hurricane Rita Blogging

My prime two sources are:

• Minivan Mom: also has a list of other Houston area bloggers who are on-line for the storm.


• What Is and Never Should Be (aka Minivan Dad) who has been taking photos to record the desertion of Houston.

Gen X Revert also has a list of Texas bloggers up.

To My Fellow Dallasites ... GET A GRIP!

Reminder to all those living in our fair city: the hurricane is not coming here. There is no need to run to the gas station, wait in line for an hour to fill your tank, and then go on to strip the local grocery stores clean of water, batteries, and bread. (Did y'all hear the news anchors laughing at you? And deservedly so I might add...I saw those interviews where you were musing about laying in "emergency supplies.")

The most it is going to do is rain (and rain and rain) ... well, maybe some wind also.

So the next time you want to panic, resist. Then I will not have to go to three fuel-less gas stations in order to fill my tank with super premium at the fourth one (which is all that you greedy-guts left them).

Because, I actually was out of gas and envisioning being stranded by the side of the road because y'all are such idiots! (Lord have mercy on me and bless them...)

We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.

St. Pio

Today is St. Pio's feast day. I just love this guy, an Italian priest who knew how to throw his head back and laugh, who would scold a famous actress for being shallow, who suffered the stigmata for over 50 years, who knew (and could see) his guardian angel from the time he was a tiny child, who could bilocate and read souls, who was one of the greatest saints in living memory ... and who I share a birthday with (although his was 70 years earlier - May 25).

I haven't had time to prepare a post about him but luckily TSO and Jean have done a splendid job, complete with links for further information. Be sure to drop by their blogs and see the take that each of them has on this great saint.

Houston Is Proving Why the New Orleans Levees Were So Important

You just can't evacuate a huge city in a short time. Tom's mother and his brother were in the car for 6 hours. They left at 4:00 a.m. to try to avoid any traffic possible. They finally gave up as traffic was at a dead stop.

It took them 10 minutes to drive home.

10 minutes.

Granted there was no traffic on the way back but still ... that is ridiculous.

Her house is not in a bad spot and hopefully it won't flood. We are more worried about an 80 year old lady with a history of heart problems possibly being without electricity for an extended period of time. (On the other hand, she might finally get warm enough as no one can sneak behind her back to turn the air conditioner down to ... oh ... 85).

UPDATE: Tom found traffic camera sites for Houston and also the state highway conditions. It isn't as if the state of Texas isn't trying to help people get out.

• Interstate 45 has all lanes going north (maybe one frontage on one side is going south) from Houston almost to Corsicana (one hour south of Dallas). It is still packed.
• Interstate 10 has all lanes going one way from Houston towards San Antonio until just outside of SA.
  

This kind of evacuation just isn't feasible in a short time. Period.

Here are the links he used:

• Houston TranStar Freeway Cameras.
• Texas Dept. of Transportation (note the press release for the largest reversal of traffic in Texas history.)

Hurricane Rita Tracker

The WSJ Storm Tracker is being updated continually. Via The Anchoress.

Big Bang or Big Bloom?

The Meaning-Full Universe by Benjamin Wiker is one of the best articles I've ever read arguing that the universe is not meaningless as many scientists claim. Don't miss it if you are at all interested in this subject (just to give you an idea ... Tom is not at all interested in this whole idea but when I told him some of Wiker's analogies he asked me to print it out for him to read). Via Antioch Abouna, which is a pretty interesting place to look around also.

Finding the Sacred in the Secular

Just can't get enough of the wood song by Indigo Girls. Playing it over and over and over ... except occasionally alternating with Jeremiah (lyrics for that will be coming later). (heads up to Dan M., I think you'd like this one)

the wood song Lyrics

the thin horizon of a plan is almost clear
my friends and i have had a tough time
bruising our brains hard up against change
all the old dogs and the magician

now i see we're in the boat in two by twos
only the heart that we have for a tool we could use
and the very close quarters are hard to get used to
love weighs the hull down with its weight

Chorus:
but the wood is tired and the wood is old
and we'll make it fine if the weather holds
but if the weather holds we'll have missed the point
that's where i need to go

no way construction of this tricky plan
was built by other than a greater hand
with a love that passes all out understanding
watching closely over the journey

yeah but what it takes to cross the great divide
seems more than all the courage i can muster up inside
although we get to have some answers when we reach the other side
the prize is always worth the rocky ride

Chorus:
but the wood is tired and the wood is old
and we'll make it fine if the weather holds
but if the weather holds we'll have missed the point
that's where i need to go

sometimes i ask to sneak a closer look
skip to the final chapter of the book
and then maybe steer us clear from some of the pain it took
to get us where we are this far yeah

but the question drowns in its futility
and even i have got to laugh at me
no one gets to miss the storm of what will be
just holding on for the ride

Chorus:
the wood is tired and the wood is old
we'll make it fine if the weather holds
but if the weather holds we'll have missed the point
that's where i need to go

Light Blogging Forecast

For the immediate future anyway. I'm way behind schedule because on the way to school the car started overheating so we pulled up with windows open and the heater on full blast. Called the tow truck. Waited for Tom. Got to gab for half an hour while waiting with a friend I've been neglecting ... so YAY, it is an ill wind that blows no good.

Currently: MOANING (big time) over messing up the lesser used second VCR and not getting "My Name is Earl" on tape. Thank goodness that Chris (works with us) got it on tape and will let us borrow it). Whew! I have always depended on the kindness of other VCR users!

Later ...

• Some book reviews
• Mrs. Darwin's FABULOUS Sausage Jambalaya (I'll steal hers and post on GG for my own reference)

Question, The First

Is there a New Testament person who you particularly identify with? I think about this a lot ... maybe because there are a couple of folks who I just "feel" when I am reading about them. My answer is in the comments box.

CLARIFICATION ... "person" is either a character or an author. just any old person that resonates with you...

Meanwhile in the Kitchen

A fantastic recipe for Classic Lasagna and some hot links to stories about things like UK doctors calling for a ban on kitchen knives. All over at Glad Gastronome.

Going Nowhere ... Very ... Very ... Slowly ...

THE STATION AGENT

These are my "My Dinner with Andre" action figures and what you can do is re-enact that whole scene with the two guys having dinner. I've been waiting for-they're really rare- for the set from Das Boot.

Corky St. Claire (Waiting for Guffman)

I know what Corky really needs to round out his collection ... The Station Agent action figures. They can sit in chairs and on benches, occasionally take a stroll on train tracks, and, even better than My Dinner With Andre ... they'll hardly talk at all.

This movie was such a wasted opportunity. Stand out acting, fabulous location, great premise ... it even had trainspotting which Tom has been a fan of since spending time in England. The only thing missing was much of a story. We didn't need a lot. After all, we loved Lost in Translation and, heaven only knows, you aren't given much to go on there. Sometimes these very slow movies all come together at the end so we waited and waited and ... fizzle.

HC rating: ** More boring than church.

Oh, the Movies We've Seen

BIGGER THAN THE SKY
This is definitely a little movie but quite an enjoyable bit of fluff for all that. After his girl friend breaks up with him, an ad man decides that he needs to break out of his mold. He tries out for the local community theater production of Cyrano de Bergerac and winds up getting cast as the lead. He becomes more and more absorbed by acting while simultaneously being attracted to the actress playing Roxanne. At times this is determinedly quirky but as this is a love letter to acting and the theater that is forgivable. Look for Patty Duke playing twins. (This will only make sense to anyone who ever saw The Patty Duke Show). We didn't discover it until the credits were running and it doubled our fun.

HC Rating: *** Good despite lack of flubber

EQUILIBRIUM
Hannah came home from a "shindig" raving about this movie, "It's so much better than The Matrix!" No one in our household is a huge fan of that movie so the bar for our expectations was not set all that high. This movie paid off in spades for style and, in our opinions, bettered The Matrix for plot.

Combining elements of Fahrenheit 451, THX-1138, 1984, and Brave New World, it is set in a post-WWIII world where humans dose themselves at regular intervals with drugs that repress emotions so no one will hate and, therefore, hurt others with war. However, naturally, the down side to this is that there are no positive emotions either. Christian Bale portrays Preston, a top-level "cleric" (a.k.a. fabulously trained killing machine) who finds and destroys "sense offenders" who have stopped taking their drugs and are indulging in books, art, music and the like. Preston accidentally misses a dose one day and finds out what he's been missing. His partner, Taye Diggs (yes, ladies, now the truth about why I raced to rent this movie is out!), is ambitious and on his trail as he tries to conceal his burgeoning emotions while still indulging in them. There is more to the plot (albeit not a lot more) but the overall message and ending was much more positive than in The Matrix and ... stylish fighting out the wazoo! 'Nuff said. Mind candy but quite a treat anyway.

HC Rating: **** Nine thumbs up!