It's All Downhill from Here

A little midweek humor from Dr. Boli's Celebrated Magazine.

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"We are conceived to conceive again in an endless and infinite way ..."

When does the fetus become human?

[...]

That such a question is raised with any seriousness is evidence of a profound denial — the denial required to end an unborn child’s life in the womb. ... we call it a “potential human”, as if at some magic point a switch is thrown to turn on its humanity — while never stopping to define what that humanity is, or why there is no humanity in the split second before our chosen transition time. We draw false and foolish analogies: the fetus is no different than a skin cell, or a “sacred sperm”, or a tumor — thus denying the extraordinary creation which occurs when the genetic map of two parents fuses into a new life, with an infinite capacity for uniqueness, change, experience, and creativity of its own. For we are created to create; we are engendered to engender; we are conceived to conceive again in an endless and infinite way: to conceive new ideas, new works, new accomplishments, new relationships, new failures and successes, and new life itself, in the generation which we ourselves engender.

Dr. Bob hits one out of the park in when considering the redefinition of humanity. I think what hit me between the eyes on this one is his consideration of creativity and conception in every facet of our lives from the very moment we ourselves are conceived. In which case, why would we consider that everything we do, including sexual intercourse, would not also lead to creation and conception?

Just a bit more because I can't resist. Then go read it all.

From the moment of its conception, that which we so dismissively call a “fetus” begins a journey extraordinary beyond imagination. Using the inscrutable road map of its unique DNA, the developing human undergoes constant change and growth — a process which ends not at birth but some 25 years later when its full physical maturity is reached. Organs form; primitive cells differentiate into complex systems dedicated to tasks both present and future. Before its mother knows of the pregnancy, at 6 weeks, the heart and circulatory system is formed, and the heart is beating; the primitive cells forming the brain and spinal cord are in place and developing; facial features, including eyes, ears, mouth and nose are evident. By 8 weeks, fingers, toes and fingernails are present, as is the digestive system. By 12 weeks, virtually every organ system is formed and differentiated; the rest of the pregnancy is almost entirely about growth and the maturing of these intact systems. The information map for this extraordinary yet orderly complexity — and for far more, including intellect, personality, gifts and skills, — and yes, liabilities — is contained in the fertilized egg in its entirety. We are what we will be, from the the instant of our conception.

This 'N' That

To be added to throughout the day as I get time ...

• Extremely stressed right now. I don't know why I consistently forget that the week before a retreat is so busy, so active, so full of little things that have to be done. Perhaps for the same reason that we forget about childbirth pains after the baby is born. The actual retreat (or baby!) is so wonderful and such a gift that the hard work beforehand is not a factor in the overall equation.
  
  
• When stressed ... watch Firefly. Always sure to take my mind off my to-do list. Not sure why. But when you consider that Aliens is my other "go to" in times of stress then I guess Firefly is positively light weight!
  
  
• When watching Firefly it may take a while to notice that the tornado sirens are sounding. Of course, this also may stem from the fact that the Lakewood neighborhood tornado siren sounders are a bunch of wimps if you grew up in Kansas. Some rain and high winds do not a tornado make. They do not even an Official Tornado Warning make as I found out when I turned on the news. Although you know how you grab what matters most when it is an emergency? I would have been hiding from the tornado in a closet with ... wait for it ... my iPod and earbuds. I'd have been entertained to the end if nothing else!
  
  
• AND I'd have had a light source, as I discovered when I was going around turning off computers and the lights went out. My handy, dandy, all-purpose Nano has one heckuva powerful light. You can use it to walk by, thereby avoiding the cat and dog, who are huddling around your feet to tell you that they do not like this bad weather and would you please turn it off!
  
  
• Love this comment that Penni makes about what a difference blogging friends make in one's life:
  
  Blogging has had such an impact on my life these past 4 years that it is really a difficult task to describe how much these people (some of whom I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting in person) have meant to me during some very trying periods of my life. They reached out through cyberspace and helped to comfort me in my world and allowed me to enter into theirs. They have added an incredible life experience which is again, impossible to describe to those who don’t blog. But it is real and I would love to have an hour, at least, not simply five minutes.
  
  Absolutely. She has hit the nail on the head and she would be on my list without question.
  
  
• It warms a mother's heart to read #7 from Hannah's "25 Things About Me" list ...
  
  I love being with my family. They’re awesome. And that is not just me. My friends can attest to the fact that they rock. ...
  
  Whew! So far, so good ...
  
  
• It also warms my heart that my mother was annoyed that retreat prep kept us from going to Austin to join in with the bloggin' bunch hosted by Darwin Catholic. No matter how old you are it is wonderful to know that your mommy's still lookin' out for you. Even if it is simply in being annoyed.
  
  
• I can forgive Laura for not loving Nutella when she tells the story as entertainingly as this ... here's a little, go read it ...
  

  So after a long trip to the grocery store (I have a really hard time asking for help... and I had a hard time finding the stuff...), I returned home with my jar of Nutella. I quickly derobed and got into my best Nutella-eating outfit. I couldn't wait to have my first Nutella experience.
  
  Removing the lid and peeling back the seal, I dove in. "Oh my goodness," I thought to myself. "I am SO excited. This is going to be great! Oh, Nutella, my love! We meet at last!"



• The Kindle ... not having the space or travel situations which would make a Kindle attractive, I find the idea of spending $360 for a device that then requires $10 per book additionally ... to be more than a bit of a waste of money for me. I mean to say, I rarely even buy a book that costs as much as $10. And I don't have to recharge the battery on my regular books.

I love it that ...

... Hannah told me that reading Rose's 25 random things about herself on Facebook just makes her love Rose more because it is so funny and so true and ... so Rose. (Finally something compelling enough to make me go read something on Facebook ...)

Hannah's right. About all of it.

I also love this photo of Rose ... from the Christmas break camping trip. You can clearly see she is in "Red Baron" mode.

I equally like Hannah's 25 things about herself. AHA! Finally an admission that her skirts are too short! Not that she wears them for rock climbing ...



Update
I don't know who started the 25 Things About Me list. Apparently no one does. However, I'm glad that Hannah and Rose did them. But, then, I'm their mom.

On Getting Married in a Nightgown

Times may be trying our bindings
Hard days may steal half our smile
This world goes by in a hurry
Kind words are farther and few

Sometimes the going gets rocky
Somewhere in memories we share
There's still a sweet place I never will forget
I made a promise to you ...

All My Love, Tish Hinojosa

I made my promise to Tom wearing a nightgown (which came up in our discussion of

our society's ceaseless, unrealistic quest for perfection).

No one knew.

Except for Tom and my friend Michelle.

Here's how it happened.

I was 27. Tom was 30. We were both in advertising and had planned events. Therefore we planned our wedding ourselves which Tom paid for

• Checked out Lover's Lane Methodist Church and booked the chapel. (I was agnostic, Tom was a nonpracticing Catholic, and his devoutly Catholic mother didn't murmur a word ... which is how I figured out later that she liked me, after I became Catholic myself.)
  
• Tried the tasting menu at Mariano's (back when it was in Old Town), pronounced it excellent, and booked the back room for late Saturday morning. Seafood nachos and fajitas for all! Back then fajitas were an up and coming trendy item.
  
• Eschewed traditional wedding cake and ordered a delicious sponge cake from the Black Forest Bakery covered with whipped cream, featuring nuts on the sides and prettily arranged fruit on top. (Also got a birthday cake for my sis there, as she generously agreed to share her birthday by being my bridesmaid.)
  
• Tom planned and booked a honeymoon at Banff and Lake Louise in Canada (don't do it in May, everything is frozen, but being in Texas we didn't know that ...).
• Ordered flowers from the latest chic place that our marketing department used (I worked at The Dallas Market Center's advertising department at that time). As I didn't want a veil, they said they'd work out a nice headpiece ... and they did. I told them the colors, trusted them with the flower selection and they did a fantastic job.
• Tom took care of tux ordering although I think we both went to see what was there.
• My hair was permed by a friend who had been a hairdresser before her retirement.
  
• An artist friend designed our invitations and a printer friend threw them on the tail end of a print job (I bought all the DMC's promotional printing back then which was close to a million dollar budget ... handy, eh?)
  

And then the dress...
Not knowing a thing, I went to the neighborhood wedding dress store a couple of months before the wedding. I was literally laughed out of the store. Literally. Laughed. Out. Of. The. Store.

Not knowing what to do but knowing that I HAD TO HAVE A DRESS I went to my good friend Michelle. She said, "I'm going to tell you the secret of the women in my family. Whenever there is an event we have to buy a special dress for we go to Neiman Marcus's lingerie store."

This didn't sound right but I had nowhere else to turn so off we went. After perusing the nightgowns I was feeling desperate but Michelle chased down a sales woman. Upon hearing the problem the woman said delightedly, "You won't believe this but just yesterday a salesman was showing us a line of nightgowns designed to be worn for evening wear as well."

Well, bring it on!

It was an absolutely ugly nightgown.

However, with the thick ivory colored fabric draping down to midcalf, the sleeves pushed up to bell around the elbows, and the neckline worn around the shoulders ... it was simple and beautiful. The sales woman ran to the shoe department and brought back ivory lace high heels and sheer hosiery, both of which matched the gown fabric exactly. I stopped by a fabric store later and picked up some satiny ribbon which matched and wore it around my waist as a belt which tied in the back. I think the nightgown was $250 which was outrageous for a nightgown but unbelievable for a lovely wedding gown.

A miracle, had I believed in them. Never was I so relieved. Another friend talked the jewelry store owner where we bought our wedding rings into letting me borrow a twisted rope of pearls to wear. Tom bought me the matching earrings as a wedding gift.

The entire thing, including rings and honeymoon, was $5,000. Which bought more then than it does now, naturally, but which was still a complete bargain. We got by with a little help from our friends

Michelle and I lost touch when she and her husband moved back to New York but I still think of her fondly. In fact, here they are in this photo where you can see more of the flowers in my hair and the earrings Tom gave me. My mother said that I looked as if I stepped off a Greek urn and I think she was right. No one ever knew about the nightgown ... thank you Michelle, where ever you are!

Weekend Joke

From Coffee Klatch.

So this guy was crossing a road one day when a frog called out to him and said, “If you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.”

He bent over and picked up the frog, and put it in his pocket.

The frog spoke up again and said, “If you kiss me, I will turn back into a beautiful princess and then I will tell everyone how smart and brave you are and how you are my hero.”

The man took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it, and returned it to his pocket.

The frog piped up again and saying, “Hey, if you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will be your loving companion for an entire week.”

The man took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it, and returned it once again to his pocket.

The frog then cried out, “If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I’ll stay with you for a year and do ANYTHING you want.”

Again the man took the frog out, smiled at it, and put it back into his pocket.

Finally the frog asked, “What is the matter? I’ve told you I’m a beautiful princess, that I’ll stay with you for a year and do anything you want. Come on… Why won’t you kiss me?”

The man said, “Look, I work for a software company. I don’t really have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog is way cool.”

"Christian" Movie Makers Could Take a Lesson From "Henry Poole is Here"

"Do you ever feel like things happen for no reason?
Like you're just along for the ride?"

So speaks Henry Poole who is without hope or faith and is trying to avoid any and all human contact.

Henry has moved into a neighborhood where he is unknown only to find that his neighbor, Esperanza, sees the "face of Christ" in the new stucco on his house. Insisting that it is a water stain, unable to remove it with bleach, and equally unable to keep Esperanza away, he agrees to let the local priest bring in experts for evaluation.

Meanwhile, we discover why Henry is hiding from the world and see him pulled into interaction despite himself with his neighbors. Henry provides the skeptical, reasonable voice of the world, wanting rational explanations and refusing to believe in ... "don't say that word!" ... miracles because those just don't happen. This provides not only many humorous situations but poignant moments as well. As the movie progresses we are aching to know if the "face of Christ" is genuine or only a water stain. Equally, we are aching for Henry.

In the most basic sense, the overall message of this movie could be that no man is an island, as Henry is unable to avoid people constantly reaching out to him in friendly interest. Those people spark a transformation that Henry can not possibly imagine as he continually attempts to bat them away. We do not see every situation resolved but the sense that resolution lies in the future is clearly present by the end of the film. The story overall is a human, interesting look at hopelessness and faith, isolation and love, memories and future.

There are some script flaws. There could have been more plot lines and a bit less telegraphing of some of the story. The flashbacks are awkwardly jumps in time and some story points move unrealistically quickly. However, it does not make claims to be something it is not. This is a little, refreshing, quirky movie with heart. I have watched many simple movies such as The Castle and Eagle vs. Shark with exactly those same qualities that have stuck with me for a very long time. This movie is no less.

Here is a no-doubt-about-it faith message that was delivered interestingly, and with realistic characters, using subtle methods to enhance the story. Predictable in some ways, it made us think along the way, didn't spoon feed us everything, and was far superior to Fireproof in technique and delivery. It speaks about faith and prayer in the way that normal people do, without stopping to deliver speeches about "accepting the Lord." As Tom says, "You can lead a horse to water, but you probably can't beat it to water."

An indie-style movie with a simple but well delivered story, it is a lesson in how to deliver messages when you're not already preaching to the choir, as "Christian" movies are wont to do. Excellent acting enhanced the movie greatly. For example, I have never seen George Lopez in anything but broad comic roles, which were painful, to tell the truth. Here he does a subtle, low key delivery as the very real seeming neighborhood priest who is called in to give judgment on the "appearance."

We appreciated the acknowledgment that it is possible to have a woman look beautiful and modest while dressing like a normal person. (No stereotypical "sensible" pumps, no frumpy blouse and skirt sets that your mother might wear, and no ugly hair styles ... yes, "Fireproof," I'm lookin' at you all the way here.) Equally, there is no immodest behavior although everyone's behavior is entirely normal. I particularly enjoyed the device of using the tape recorder to both engage Henry with another person and remind him and the audience of key points. As well, we both appreciated the sequence informing of us Henry's past while he is at the river. Artfully and subtly done, especially in a movie with this overall message.

The symbolism likewise was there for us if we wanted it but didn't intrude on our viewing. Take note of characters' names, keeping in mind Esperanza is Spanish for "hope." Equally, remember that a cross never shows up in a movie, even as a shadow, without the filmmaker deliberately placing it there (kudos to Tom who caught this one in the movie). As a larger example: Henry's house is empty, barren, dark, and bleak. A neighbor's backyard, likewise, is in stages of raw disorder, although their house is warm and inviting. We were shocked every time Henry left his home and we saw the neighborhood full of lush, flourishing yards and homes. The contrast between Henry and other people is shown to us thus to make an overall impression that sinks in at a level we did not have to have a spoken declaration to understand. This is not all but we will let it unfold for you.

Well done and definitely recommended for those interested in what they would do if the "face of Christ" showed up on the wall of their house.

I suppose bilocation to gratify my own interests probably will not be granted

Jen at Conversion Diary tells us her fun weekend plans meeting up with some of my favorite bloggers.

This weekend I'm excited to be going to a blogger get-together that includes the Darwins, Melanie and Dom Bettinelli, Betty Beguiles and Literacy-Chic. I've met quite a few bloggers in person, and I never cease to be amazed at how much people's true personalities really do come across in their blog. So far I've never had a bad experience meeting someone whose blog I enjoy. I'm looking forward to getting together with everyone tomorrow.

Anyone else have any fun weekend plans?

AND Rick Lugari is going to be there.

Doesn't that sound fun?

You know, we coulda been there. We were invited.

*... just a sec while I muffle a tiny sob ... ok, I think I can go on now ...*

Except that the Beyond Cana retreat is over Valentine's Day weekend and this weekend is our walk through and other preparations. So we had to turn it down. I don't mind (much). I'm getting pretty excited about the Beyond Cana retreat which is always a huge buzz. So much so that I usually have a terrible time turning off my brain and sleeping during the two nights we are at the hotel.

It's just that ... well ... I wanna go to the blogger party too!

So, here's the deal. Everybody (and I 'm especially lookin' at you Rick Lugari) had better be at the Catholic New Media Celebration in San Antonio.

Because it's all about me.

But we knew that already didn't we? (ha!)

There was a considerable amount of conversation this morning ...

.... over this article from the Wall Street Journal. Ostensibly it is about lip syncing or quartet syncing. However, at the foundation it is about our age's need for perfection. Here's a bit and then do go read it all.

But far worse, the emphasis on technologically assisted perfection is at odds with a human conception of artistic beauty. "In all things that live there are certain irregularities and deficiencies which are not only signs of life, but sources of beauty," wrote the 19th-century British critic John Ruskin. "To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality."

Which is exactly what happened at the Capitol grandstand: An opportunity for glorious exertion and vitality was missed. Imagine the sight of some of the world's greatest musicians struggling against the arctic elements -- coaxing and cajoling sound out of their reluctant instruments, willing their numb fingers to be nimble. I suspect it all would have come together quite well, if a bit out of tune here and there.

But what if it hadn't? What if Mr. Ma had suffered one of the catastrophes of which he warned -- a broken string? Picture the heroic struggle as he switched his fingering on the fly to find the necessary notes on another string. Mr. Ma is among the rarefied artists who could have pulled something like that off (and probably pulled it off with none but his fellow musicians even noticing). How fantastic it would have been to see him do it. Instead we got play-acting.

Tom maintained that it was completely unrealistic to ask musicians with delicate instruments to be outside in that weather and that under those circumstances the syncing was allowable. My take was that if the musicians didn't fake it then it would be obvious that their performance should be held elsewhere. Or we would have had the heroic performance posited above.

At any rate, this made me think back to a chance encounter at my bank with a young man who, upon a previous visit, had told me all about his wedding plans. When I asked him a couple of weeks ago how he liked wedded bliss, he explained that they were putting off the wedding because in today's economy both sets of parents needed their children's help financially. They couldn't afford the sort of wedding he felt his fiancee deserved. I couldn't help thinking back to the stories of Depression Era weddings and then the later hippie weddings that now seem to be forgotten. Some of the strongest marriages I know were begun on a shoestring under daunting circumstances. Venturing to give an opinion, I brought up the fact that it is the love in the marriage that matters rather than the trappings. For example, even with a potluck reception, the guests could all bring the recipes they used and the couple could have a cookbook that would bring back many memories. In better economic times they could celebrate anniversaries on a more lavish basis. He listened attentively and when I apologized for butting in, he earnestly said, "No, no. I never thought of those ideas. I don't have anyone to tell me. My fiancee says she doesn't care but I don't want her to be disappointed. You don't think that she'd look back and think I let her down?"

This is not necessarily the same thing as the above standards of perfection, but it seems to me that we have learned too well that idea of "not settling" for anything less than the best. Certainly we must strive for excellence, but we also factor in circumstances and limitations while setting priorities. Sometimes compromise surprises us by showing us something better than we would have imagined.

For example, I got married in a nightgown. But that is a story for another day. For one thing, I have to scan in the photo ...

More Ways to Help Amy and the Children

In the wake of Michael Dubruiel's tragic death, come more ways to contribute to helping out his family. I liked the way that Deacon Greg put it. They are family. Maybe remote family. Maybe family we write to but don't see often if ever. But family. That is why we are all so shocked.

As most of us don't live close enough to provide that physical support of bringing a casserole and sitting to grieve together, we do what we can through our blogs.

Here are some ways that have emerged:

• Danielle Bean is collecting donations for Amy and the family. Here is the link (I can't get it to open right at this moment, but that might be my browser). You can also go here.

• Ambrose-a-rama points out that "OSV, publisher of several of Michael's books, is doubling what would be his normal proceeds on all of his OSV-published books. You can order them here." Good on 'em!
  
  I'd like to mention that I enjoyed Questions and Answers by Pope Benedict which was edited by Michael. I can also recommend Praying the Rosary, which Michael and Amy wrote together. It resides on our "rosary table" ready to be picked up for meditative inspiration whenever needed. And finally, I really liked How to Get the Most Out of the Eucharist which Michael wrote. I never formally reviewed it but, as I am wont to do, posted copious excerpts which will give you a good feel for the book if you read them. You can find them by scrolling through the posts here.
  
  
• Father Z is collecting prayers and messages as a spiritual bouquet.
  
  
• Amy has requested that those who would like to help should buy Michael's books because the proceeds go directly to their kids college fund. Lisa Hendey at Catholic Mom is helping with that request in her February book club.

Amy has posted Michael's last column. The message is one that we can all take to heart. The post also contains details about the funeral arrangements for those that are close enough to attend.

Get Religion ... Lookin' Out for Media Reporters Everywhere

And we're glad they do. If you care about bad reporting or a lack of reporting about religion, you should be reading Get Religion. We can be thankful that whether a large issue or a small story detail, nothing gets by the bloggers and their readers. For example, in a story about the Chicago cathedral burning ...

But there’s a whopper of a problem with one line in the story:

One of the church officials said the blessed sacrament or Eucharist, which symbolizes the body of Christ, was removed.

It is wonderful to see a reported detail on the sacrament but Catholics do not believe that the Eucharist symbolizes the body of Christ. They believe that the bread and wine become — are — the body and blood of Christ. This isn’t really an unknown teaching of the church, having been featured in popular culture, literature and general discourse for hundreds of years.

As the reader who sent it in noted:

Perhaps most readers wouldn’t have noticed this, but I think this is something that an editor, at the very least, should have picked up and changed.

Yes, it’s a rookie mistake in an otherwise solid story.

Michael Dubruiel - Rest In Peace

Terrible and shocking news comes from Amy Welborn.

November 16, 1958-February 3, 2009

Michael collapsed this morning at the gym and was not able to be revived despite the efforts of EMTs and hospital personnel.

We are devastated and beg your prayers.

Many thanks for all of the prayers and notes. It is overwhelming. Many have asked what they can do. All I can say is to simply buy his books. Not from me, because I am in no position to fill orders, but from anywhere. He long ago promised God that he would give all the royalties of The How To Book of the Mass to the children’s college funds, which he did faithfully. Buy them, read them, and give them away to others. Spread the Word. That is what he was all about.

I am stunned and my heart goes out to Amy and their children at this terrible time. Please pray for them all.

Update

Danielle Bean is collecting donations for Amy and the family. Here is the link (I can't get it to open right at this moment, but that might be my browser). You can also go here.

My Stimulus Package

I realize this isn't original and you didn't hear it here first (you might have heard it here first) but I actually did think it up anyway (is anyone else flashing on Michael Keaton in Night Shift talking about bumper stickers?).

Just give us each our own share of the stimulus money. No middle men.

With several billions or trillions or however much it is up to by now, I bet we can get the economy rolling just fine. If spending money is what you want to do, that is.

I'm not really a New Deal kind of gal so I tend to look at the stimulus as a bad idea in general. (Unless you're determined to do it and then ... uh huh ... give it to us.)

If you also aren't into the stimulus package, you can go here to register your discontent.

Call for Pope to step down? What are these people, crazy?

Heaven help me. A couple of my brothers-in-law, not to mention my father, are going to have a field day with this one. I do not look forward to the next family get-together.

Ok, I tried to rise above by largely ignoring this whole broohaha over the Pope, the SSPX and Bishop Williamson's ignorant views. However, I have been stirred to action by The Deeps of Time who points out that Catholics should be stepping up to Pope Benedict's defense.

Good point.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I am going to take his excellent defense and reproduce it here. I urge you to go to his blog for several pertinent links within the article ... and also because that blog is just generally excellent anyway.

It's Not a Sin to Be Stupid

I don’t like to take this blog off-topic often, but when one sees the Pope being unjustly attacked in the press, as he is now, I think all Catholics ought to step up to his defense. The issue, of course, is the recent lifting of the excommunication of the bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X, and the outcry over Bishop Williamson’s doubts about the historicity of the Holocaust.

(To begin with a disclaimer, I find Bishop Williamson’s historical position to be ignorant, and the position of the Society of Pius X to be hypocritical, prideful, and disobedient. This post’s defense of the Pope’s decision to lift the excommunication should not be construed as a defense of the Bishop’s opinions.)

What the media and the Pope’s critics can’t seem to understand is that the two issues are entirely unrelated. Bishop Williamson’s comments are surely stupid, but it’s not a sin to be stupid. Catholics are not excommunicated for holding questionable historical views on issues unrelated to doctrine — and therefore excommunications are not maintained simply because such questionable views continue to be held.

Here’s an analogy: imagine that you were accused of a crime, and as a punishment had your driver’s license revoked. When you have completed your sentence, you go back to the DMV to get your license back, and are told that’s not possible. When you ask if that’s part of the sentence, you’re told no, you were just overheard voicing some batty historical theories, so you can’t get your license back. Bad P.R., you see. Obviously, your rights as a citizen have been violated. The issue of your historical opinion is unrelated to your standing with respect to your civic rights.

Likewise with Bishop Williamson — his views on the Holocaust, however offensive, have no bearing whatsoever on his canonical standing as a Catholic. The Pope has determined that the conditions for lifting the excommunication have been met. (Look for Ed Peters’ analysis of the issue when he gets it posted.) The media criticism betrays a complete lack of understanding as to what an excommunication is. It is a canonical penalty for very specific sins, not a censure of stupid opinions. This campaign against the Pope is nothing more than an attempt to smear and undermine his image in the public mind, which Catholics should stoutly resist.

High School and Hooking Up

Will at The View from the Foothills brings up some worries that also bothered me before my own children got to high school and then beyond that to college.

If there were one thing that I could tell people with younger children, it is not to worry about high school so much. Having been there, I can tell you that it is fruitless to worry. Your family sets the groundwork for them so much more than you realize.

I would say more but I urge you to check Will's comments box if this subject interests or worries you. I said more than enough there!

Win Professional Cutlery

It looks like a great deal ... find out about it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

I Knew It Was Something Satan Said ...

Got this from LOL Saints ... and it's not just another funny place. Be sure to click through and read more. The serious stuff is in the writing.

In My Mind's Eye ... Again

I got a wonderful email from a friend this morning in which she said that I had been in her thoughts and prayers lately. Perfect timing ... the Holy Spirit's looking out for us all the time and sometimes a wonderful friend reminds us of it.

She liked my response and asked if I was blogging it. So I will ... it is a little more detailed than y'all usually get but there is a nice kicker if you stick it out to the end, which was what she liked.

I so appreciate your thoughts and prayers because Tom has a kidney stone which is now becoming complicated with various other things like side effects to pain meds, etc. So I come to work, get what I can done, go home and push water on him, cook so as to not further impede an upset digestion, answer questions and make arrangements for the upcoming Beyond Cana retreat (thank heavens it is not THIS weekend). And pray. Surprisingly I do not worry too much because every time I start then I remember that no matter what earthly details we are going through God is there. In fact this morning on my prayer walk thinking about my father (whose increasingly failing health was described by his doctor as "on the edge") and his orneriness in ignoring God ... I suddenly had this "mind's eye" of Jesus putting his forehead against mine, looking into my eyes and saying softly, "I've got him Jules ... you just pray. He's mine." At the same time it was as if my guardian angel had his head down and wings out in a sort of walking prostration. (Hey, my imagination is nothing if not practical and YES Jesus was walking backwards with his sandals on over athletic socks ... it was COLD!). Comfort and laughter ... God's got it all ya know. :-)

I am not really overwhelmed although I know it sounds like it....

And I am not overwhelmed in large part because God has given us so much, beginning with Himself. (Not that I might not get kinda snippy sometimes, but that's a whole other issue. And anyway Lent is coming to help me focus on that sort of thing a bit more intensively...)

A Modern Day Parable

From my friend Maryann. As with all good stories there is more here than meets the eye if we think about it.

Louise, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.

The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?"

Louise replied, "Yes sir."

"O.K.," he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said grudgingly, "I can't believe it."

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; "It was worth every penny of it. Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs."

Top 10 Reasons to Celebrate Groundhog's Day

From Coffee Klatch.

... Besides watching the movie with Bill Murray.

• 10. It’s on nearly every calendar.
• 09. Helps relieve cabin fever.
• 08. Spring or not, it’s six weeks till St. Urho’s Day.
• 07. Forecast is no less reliable than the National Weather Service.
• 06. At least one of them critters is bound to see things your way.
• 05. Valentine’s Day is too depressing for nerds.
• 04. Unlike the Easter bunny, he keeps his dirty paws outside.
• 03. As they used to say on radio: “The Shadow knows“.
• 02. It’s fun to say “Punxsutawney”.
• 01. If a rodent can bring us an early spring, more power to him.