Reading Caryll Houselander...

...and loving it. Here is a "freebie" from the Catholic Culture website. And, over here is one of the books that I am reading whose editor did a fine job.

I am amazed at how she, by her passionate adherence to the sacramental life of the Church and committment to daily prayer, maintained a sound mind and joyful, productive spirit during some very dark times. Our times of the "culture wars" are dark in a more interior way, and we have much to learn from her life. While we do not have to run with all of our might in to our air raid shelter, we must be so very vigilant about the "bombs" dropped on us by the three enemies of our soul.

The Pot Calling the Kettle Black...

I agree whole-heartedly with this essay....

Soloman, David, truth and religion

My son and I have been discusssing some of the daily Mass readings from the Old Testament, concerning the reigns of King David and King Soloman. The general conclusion was that man, poor sinner that he is (and we all are, to varying degrees), can know the truth of right religion and still, in his sinful humanity, manage to do many things contrary to this truth. We marvelled at King David's heartfelt desire, at the end of his life, to exhort his son, Soloman, to goodness. We were astonished, like the Queen of Sheba, at Soloman's Kingdom, his wisdom and his justice. Since we now live in the full knowledge of God's Revealation to man through His Son, Christ Jesus, this -- often maddening -- reality still fills the pages of history.

In an interesting parallel, this afternoon, JB, J and I were talking about various English and U.S. histories and again this topic comes up. How so? First, I was trying to sort out for Jay why the father and the mother of the "Pilgrim boy" in his ABEKA (a Protestant educational company)reader had left Stuart England, as "Separatists," to journey to Holland then to what would become the American colonies. Later, in our school day, we were discussing the heresy of Islam and the unification of Europe under Charlesmagne.

Let's take the Tudor and Stuart Kings and Queens and make some sweeping generalizations. Everyone, in the main, is trying really hard to be good. But, what a bloody mess! To this day, Americans (of the US of A) and people, in general, are very confused about which history of England speaks the "...truth, the whole truth, so help me God..." It is hard to navigate through these people and events and really know, without a shadow of doubt, the deeper, and absolute, truth that shines beyond the events. I am speaking of Mother Church as the star of history, if I may. She is eternally resplendant, perfect and pure, no matter what her adherents think, speak or do. It confuses the Catholic student of history when persons and events outside of our holy religion appear concurrently to Catholic persons and events who are, in some way, less than noble, right and beautiful. At the same time, the history of humanity from the beginning to the present, is filled with the lives of Catholic saints. (Just because there were those outside Mother Church who did -- and still do -- live saintly lives, we must not assume the Catholic Church to be untrue.) As we research and study, we must work hard to look at what was going on in the world from the eyes of faith. Some would murmur that faith is always subjective -- for example, I am a Catholic, so I will look to rationalize ("ration-a-lies") my version of persons and events in a way that makes my religion the one, true religion. This is often the human view and, in my opinion, why we are bogged down in the relativistic, "multicultural" cultural quagmire of today.

Well, I have bitten off more than I can chew, so here is my imperfect wrap up: we came to the conclusion that just because people are not true to their religion does not mean that their religion is not true. We think this phrase is a bit catchy and worthy of our attention. We, as Catholic evangelists, must work harder, especially with all the blessings given to the citizens of the US of A, to prove the authenticity of the authority of the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic church. Or, and I do fear this....or, we will end up throwing our inheritance in the garbage. I know God wants us all to clean up our acts, study harder, invite each other to meaningful dialogues and live as free and worthy subjects of Christ the King. God made his creation to be good, to think good thoughts and to be eternally inspired to actions that give glory to the one Son who was begotten and born of the Virgin Mother of God, she who is Queen of the Universe. God is one, but in His infinite mystery, God is three persons. In my opinion, there is no way to even come close to understanding the mystery of the Blessed Trinity without all seven Sacraments of holy Mother Church, as instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Cardinal Avery Dulles

I am making a note of this link for future research.

Purgatory

Click here to learn more about Purgatory.

I'll take Shakespeare over Freud any day!

A couple of years ago, I watched the wonderful video series by Michael Wood called "In Search of Shakespeare." While some of the commentary reflects a very heterodox approach to Christianity, there is a pursuit of truth that is quite refreshing. So, anyway, I had watched this on the small screen of my laptop tucked away in the corner of our kitchen in Roswell. At the time, I had ordered, and was impatiently awaiting Joseph Pearce's book on Shakespeare. Back to the PBS series -- I was amazed to see a secular production also making the case for Shakespeare being not just an "ethnic Catholic" but one who was actively, if not secretly, involved in the "old faith". Last night, I watched the series again on our large-screen television. It was very moving.

This morning I have had some quiet time to pause and reflect on what it is to be a parent in these crazy times...what it is to be a crazy homeschooling parent in these lazy times....what it is for me to be such a "lazy daisy" in these hardworking times....

I love the LovetoLearn website and read this review with much interest. Turns out Freud was wrong about siblings! Big surprise!!! I need to drink some more coffee before I try to write more, or maybe I'll just throw all this out there as a challenge to myself and others to live a life full of common sense and right religion. It is not about being "right" the way moderns tend to think of it. It is about being right in the sense of being as good as we possibly can be. It is hard to be as good as we possibly can be without the priesthood and all seven sacraments of Mother Church. There is no getting around this. I am not "right" because I adhere to Mother Church. I adhere to the Magisterial teachings of the Church because I am acutely aware of how weak I am as a human being, and how generous God is in His Love for me. There are many errors of modernism, but the one that I have seen and experienced, time and time again in my own life, is the error that we humans are in charge of our destinies. The result of this error is always the worship of the State.

I could really go off on a tangent about modernism and think it a topic that is really brewing in this great country. If we --including me-- would stop watching and listening so much, and really engage our fellow man, then we would shake the trappings of modernism off and move forward as a truly courageous America, washed of its errors and tempatations. I do not think America has a chance as long as her Christians are divided.

Back down to earth, I am working on re-integrating art and music back into our curriculum. The hybrid school overall is just what the doctor ordered for this family. The competition is healthy and the schedule leaves lots of time for us to be together and learn together. I want to go over here to one of Elizabeth Foss's beautiful unit studies on music.

To close on a musical and hopeful note, one lesson I worked on with our young son this past Friday was a lovely story in his Abeka reader about the story behind the writing of "America the Beautiful," which as corn-ball as it sounds, is one of my favorite songs (If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, please play this at my funeral.). So, in the spirit of this song, may God truly mend our every flaw!

Important Book!

I have been reading this blog for a long time; and hope later to order this book, The Restoration of Christian Culture, which I have been wanting to read for a long time now. I have to put off finishing the Twilight series as HRM and I lent volumes 3 and 4 to our cousin Jessica. Even though lots of folks think these books are probably some kind of girl candy, which in some ways they are, I think there is something very hopeful there, and very evangelical.

Michael Davies and the gift of the Mass

My in-laws have quite alot of books. There are some shelves I have perused for years, and, as if they were just placed there (which they had not), were two tomes of the work of Michael Davies, British convert to Catholicism and such a lover of Christ and His Church. Well, speaking of converts, Alan Hunt, a once Presbyterian pastor, is speaking at St. Peter Chanel next week here in Roswell, and I'd like to go hear him.

When I have time, I'm going to try to download these MP3 talks of Davies.

Some inspiring links....

I just read this wonderful reflection aptly titled, "On Keeping Hope and Joy While Suffering."

Yesterday I was on Elizabeth Foss's blog and hyperlinked to the website of The Teaching Company, and considered buying some DVD's of lectures of Vanderbilt's Professor of History, Marshall Eakin. Professor Eakin was my professor from 1990-92 and was such a kind, warm and intelligent man. I did not buy the DVD's because I am going to give a series of talks to my kids based on Anne Carroll's book, Christ and the Americas.

We are really in the thick of summer here in north Georgia. We have been reading and watching t.v. shows about the Civil War. I want to learn more about Robert E. Lee.

My husband bought me Joseph Pearce's latest book on the Catholicism of William Shakespeare, which is such a good read.

Our Lady of La Leche, pray for us!

I was back on the Around the World with Mary, and found a virtual tour of the shrine to Our Lady of La Leche, in St. Augustine, Florida, which is great because I'd really like to take the family to St. Augustine sometime this summer. (click here for the virtual tour).

J and I are getting ready to walk down to the pool with JB as she is our only swimmer on our neighborhood swim team this year. It has been all about the pool since it opened on Saturday.

We are also gearing up for a trip to a South Carolina beach with another family who have been our dear friends for over 15 years. Preparing to leave for the beach has motivated me to get everyone doing extra house and yard work lately. I have, at times, felt the assistance of the Blessed Mother this month in a special way. I thank her for hearing a petition I made on Wednesday the 21st, as I helped organize a small dinner at our local Greenwood's restaurant that was such a good time. Hail Mary, full of grace!

Praise His Holy Name!

I love to put the Holy Name of Jesus in front of my own, or anyone else to whom I wish to offer to God, in prayer. It has been so hectic around here, with lots going on. I am happy to report that all are happy and well, just lots of activities and parties and meetings. This morning, when JB, J and I read the story of St. Bernardine (I got this picture from the Catholic Culture website.), my heart was filled with gratitude for the smallest things that please our Lord. He is so glad for us to utter His Holy Name in petition of our needs and wants.

The desires of our soul are so often His Holy Desires, too. Spring is in full bloom. May we all stay blessed!

Our Lady of China, pray for us!

Through one of my internet support groups, I found this rich "Around the World with Mary" study. Click here for the link for the whole study and here for more information about Our Lady of China. Bon Voyage!

And, yes, a few more highlights from a grace-filled weekend: We were able to celebrate First Holy Communion with 3 other families this weekend. We have been praying for all first communicants during our evening family prayer. I found this wonderful quote by Tolkien.

Wrapping and unwrapping gifts...

I love history and stayed up late last night reading The Old World's Gifts to the New, a concise, moving romp through history from primitive man to the early colonial period in America. What sets this book apart is the author's love of mankind, warts, wars and all. While we have inherited original sin and all that it entails, we are also heirs to all the good, true and beautiful ideas and inventions mankind offers over the ages. I love this book (click here for a link from Neumann Press)! We are celebrating life this weekend with one birthday party, a baby shower (for three expecting moms) and our TORCH father/daughter dance. Life is a gift! We have been down with varying levels of flu this week. There is nothing quite like feeling well again after being extremely fatigued.

Our third child turns 7 this coming Wednesday, and I can hardly believe it.

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and American History

Many weeks ago, my friend Rachel and I decided to encourage each other to a more prayerful life by becoming "scapular sisters". We chose the blue scapular, and, well, these scapulars lay dormant for a while. Yesterday, we met at St. Andrews and, since Fr. Mike was in and available, we finally had our scapulars blessed and are wearing them. Click here to see what's behind this gentle-yet-firm devotion.

My JB is very sick with the flu. Please say a prayer for her. Little man and I read lots of American history this morning. The history of the American Revolution is fascinating. We read about Captain John Barry and John Paul Jones, about General Washington and the perserverant General Cornwallis (We all know about Washington's valor, but his contemporaries were of such mettle as we do not see among leaders these days). We often call those men of our great-grandpa's generation the "great generation". I'd nominate these late 18th century leaders as the "fearless generation". If there was a risk to take, they took it.

I think many men these days have lost faith in themselves and their endeavors because they have no faith in their Creator. There has been alot written lately about men and boys. Take the historical angle. What did the French Enlightenment do to men? When reason supposedly triumphed over faith, the hearts of men shrunk and their minds became soft and calculating. A warm heart, full of faith and love, always accompanies a clear conscience and a decisive, risk-taking mind. Purity of heart is the basis of all good decisions and strategem.

a time to be silent and a time to speak

Around 4pm, I curled up on the couch in our family room with one of my favorite books on the liturgical year, A Continual Feast. We are all thinking about feasting and fasting and the value of fasting as a means to repent, a turning back to God. Below is the famous Scripture from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV). It is on page 89 of A Continual Feast. After fasting yesterday for Ash Wednesday, the children and I enjoyed a "mini-feast" at luncheon with my dear, dear sister in Christ, Rachel and her daughter, Autumn. We feasted on discussion and play, built a Lego battlefield, cleaned rooms and painted hooks. Both of us moms are very fond of the widely known quote of Cardinal John Henry Newman, "To know history is to cease to be Protestant." We often discuss history and the lives of the saints. Today we were talking about Hillaire Belloc's very important book, The Characters of the Reformation. Belloc's studies and ideas are a light to a confused and darkened cultural landscape. (Belloc was a contemporary and dear friend to the more famous writer, G.K. Chesterton.) We Catholics need to wake up and listen to inspired voices, like Belloc, so as to get our Lord's saving Word out into the world. The world, the flesh and the devil are to be conquered by full participation in the sacramental life of the Church. We should not be surprised when human beings fail, no matter how much grace they have received. We ought to be very surprised and impassioned that the truth is so hard come by these days.



Mother Church gave us the gift of the canon of Scripture so as to help us hear God's will for each and every person. The Eucharist came before the canon of Scripture; and, it is from this most Blessed Sacrament that we have what is today widely known as the Bible. Rachel and I are both converts and fervently believe that, one day, there will be a time for unity among Christians. We both try our best to feast on God's Word -- this is for you, Rach:



There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Spa Shopping

Yesterday afternoon, my new friend, Sandra, from our TORCH group, and lovely mother of six girls, took it upon herself to have my three children to her home for play. The kids had a great time, and I shopped for two hours by myself. I went to the Natural Foods Warehouse and Publix, and I could not have had a more mellow time if I'd spent $250.00 at a day spa. It is very pleasing to my hubby when when we eat homecooked meals. It is to me as well. It is one of my major weaknesses that I do not plan and shop as I should, thus leaving us ordering way too much pizza and buying drive-thru tacos.

Since my grandmother, Elsie, died the last Sunday in December, I have been talking to the children alot about my childhood. My grandmother had such an influence on me. For over forty years, she owned and operated. along with several other women who rented booths, Elsie's Beauty Shop. Down the street from her shop was a typical homestyle resaurant called Polson's Restaurant. In the south, we crave a good "meat and three" (1 meat and three vegetable, served with warm rolls and cornbread). served with a meringue topped pie of some sort. So, I got out one of my southern cookbooks, filled with Kentucky favorites.

I am going to try to adapt some of my southern "meat and three" meals to healthier ingredients. "Chicken-fried" steak, mashed potatoes and gravy. The famous Kentucky "Hot Brown." more later on yummy, tummy-warming southern food...

My daughter is gathering the family to the basement for a movie. Last night I read the "Ash Wednesday and Lent" chapter in this very inspiring book (click here for the link). If you look in the upper right corner of the cover, their is a photo of a lovely Madonna and child statue. Well, we just inherited this very statue from my husband's granparents' home last year.

Sorry if my prose is stilted this evening....I am so very tired (happy, good tired, that is...) from working the nursery this afternoon while all the big kids were in the coop.

Shooting the Moon

I am still thinking about the "leisure/'what is school?'" question that I posed in the last post...

I stole a moment, before I began writing, to look at some old photographs taken of Sarah Orne Jewett's Maine of the late 1800's. I bought a beautiful hardback edition of The Country of the Pointed Firs off the Internet (Half.com) for $1 plus shipping; and, it arrived a couple of hours ago! Joy-Beth, Jay and I are working our way through Seton's two clear and compelling history books on American history for children: How America Began and How America Grew.

Last night, I attended a most inspiring talk by one of our TORCH (go here for a link to this wonderful group) mothers, who has educated her eight children at home for the past 14 years. She and her husband draw on the sacramental grace of marriage to create the "domestic church" that all Catholic families are called to be. Since I was not raised in a Catholic home, it inspires awe in me to see what is possible when we participate in all seven sacraments. We can truly shoot the moon! We should always strive to be who God has created us to be, to be the best version of ourselves. We have no excuses to settle for less than the best, as our Lord has given us all of Himself. He has given us His Most Blessed Mother. He has given us the Vicar of Christ. He has given us our Guide and our Rule, the Church, which is Him alive in the world this minute.

I was particularly touched by some of Patty's exhortations as I have, on many occasions, received the grace necessary to be what I could never be "on my own steam." The gift of home education has only come to our family through God's steady and merciful grace. I have always been intrigued by philosophy, but it was not until I became a Catholic, at the ripe old age of 33, that I realized that a true love of learning can only be possessed when all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are present. What happens when the Holy Spirit is missing? Secular culture for one. People can be very intelligent, but we are a ship with neither rudder nor captain, without God as our Guide. We are adrift, ready (and often willing!) to be blown around by myriad temptations. It is my experience that the more intelligent the person, the more temptations abound. An intelligent person ought to be aware of his need for guidance and grace. So often, this is not the case.

My point is that learning is not just a gift we possess, but it must be accompanied by the grace that we receive from our Creator. Creatures these days are all too ready to worship themselves. Humans want to invent their own religions; they want God to belong to them. The opposite reality -- that we belong to God and His Divine Will -- involves humility. Last night, I saw and heard from a very beautiful, humble child of God. My heart is so full of gratitude and love for all that God has done for me and my family. He has brought the most amazing people into our lives.

Lord, make me an instrument of your Peace. Amen

God's Secret Agents

I was asked last night, at a Fourth of July gathering, in which period of history would I least like to have lived? Because I am reading this book, I answered, "Elizabethan England."

They lived well; they wrote well.

This has been a Tolkien/Lewis week. I am tired and on my way to bed, but I thought, after finishing our first "lunch and literature" on Prince Caspian and our rehearsal for The Hobbit at our homeschool coop meeting today (We are members of TORCH, which stands for "Traditions Of Roman Catholic Homes".), that these two good friends had it right. They wrote well because they lived well. Please see Joseph Pearce's book on C.S. Lewis.

Here is a description of this book from the Ignatius Press website:

C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church
ISBN 0898709792
Author:
Joseph Pearce
There are many Protestants and Catholics who have
been deeply affected and spirituality changed by the writings of C.S. Lewis,
including many converts to Catholicism who credit C.S. Lewis for playing a
significant role in their conversion. But the ironic and perplexing fact is that
Lewis himself, while “Catholic” in may aspects of his faith and devotion, never
became a Roman Catholic. Many have wondered why.Joseph Pearce, highly regarded
literary biographer and great admirer of Lewis, is the ideal writer to try to
answer that question. The relationship of Lewis to the Roman Catholic Church is
an important and intriguing topic of interest to both Catholics and Protestants.
Pearce delves into all the issues, questions, and factors regarding this
puzzling question. He gives a broad and detailed analysis of the historical,
biographical, theological, and literary pieces of this puzzle. His findings set
forth the objective shape of Lewis’s theological and spiritual works in their
relation to the Catholic Church. This well-written book brings new insights into
a great Christian writer, and it should spark lively discussion among Lewis
readers and bring about a better understanding of the spiritual beliefs of C.S.
Lewis. “Joseph Pearce has tackled the great Unasked Question and produced an
answer with both muscle and heart. How good an answer? Daring, authoritative,
discriminating; intellectually daunting and vastly suggestive. This book is a
banquet of argument so provocative, important and inviting that the master
himself would find it irresistible. What wouldn’t I give to watch Lewis dig
in!”—James Como, Author, Branches to Heaven: The Geniuses of C.S. Lewis Press
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