Two Fun New Advent Ideas, Neither of Them Mine

My friend, Johnna, is a Craft Queen.

Nay, not merely a queen, but the Queen of the Craft Universe. A crafty artist, an artistic craftswoman. A Seamstress. A Cake Decorator. A Gluer Extraordinaire. (Johnna was hot-gluing things together long before I even dreamed that glue could be heated.) She has the ability to inspire awe in my children. (This reminds me of the time when Ramona was about four years old and was admiring my sister's interior decorating skills. "Mommy!" she said breathlessly, "Aunt Kathy made this clock out of air!" My children have never thought me capable of conjuring something from air. But I digress.)

Johnna's latest creation is a beautiful fabric Advent calendar which serves as a home for her Jesse Tree ornaments: 

Each green pocket holds an index card with a note for a daily activity as well as one of these:

She made and painted the salt dough Jesse Tree ornaments, adapting ideas found in Celebrating the Faith in the Home: Advent and Christmas for the Christian Family by Teresa Zepeda and Laurie Navar Gill.

The red pockets at the bottom of the calendar will also hold an ornament and activity card for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Didn't she do a beautiful job?  She's so talented and yet so humble. (And organized! You should see her meal planning system ... but that's another post.)

~~~~~~~~~~

Johnna's other recent idea was an Advent-Saver for me this year. I searched all over town and couldn't find our usual "chocolate-a-day" calendars anywhere. Granted, we have plenty of other Advent activities and calendars, but the daily chocolate is a must. In true Karen-Shortcut style, I thought I'd just throw a bowl of chocolates on the dining room table and invite the kids to have one every day. (My other thought was to make a calendar on poster board using old Christmas cards as the pockets, but we all know I probably wouldn't have gotten it done in time for this Advent ....)

What I would have considered a major project (because it involved plugging in the glue gun), Johnna saw as a blip in her day. My kids were hanging out at her house anyway so she decided, "Why not take care of this little problem?" They made these:

A Hershey kiss for every day of Advent, glued to ribbons. Primo candy at the top, for the Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany:

The girls just pop one off each day, all the while thanking their lucky stars for Magical Mrs. M.

I'm pretty thankful for her, too.

(Cross-posted at O Night Divine.)

Recently I had a great interview with Judy Zarick, producer of "Living Faith" on American Catholic Radio. The interview can be found here, at their website, and is the first feature on the current program

The First Sunday of Advent

"Stay awake!"

Poetry Friday: Thankful Anyway

Ramona and I were sick yesterday and thus didn't make it to the family gathering for Thanksgiving. Atticus ran to the store before he, Anne and Betsy took off for the day. He wanted to be sure we had something in the house that resembled feasting, and he came home with a rotisserie chicken, dressing, pumpkin pie, whipped cream, cheese and crackers, tea, and Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk.  Anne-with-an-e said, "I hope someday I find a husband like Dad!"

I found myself feeling both miserably bluzzy and deeply happy at the same time. 


Coughing Our Thanks

No turkey for me.
I was sick yesterday.
So was Ramona.
Life's funny that way.

We'd looked forward to aunts
and a few cousins, too,
the turkey, of course,
And the post-dinner glue

Of family chatting
and napping and plotting
for Black Friday shopping
with lists we'd be jotting.

But we missed it all
thanks to some nasty old
virus that hit us but
truth to be told?

Still I was thankful
for blankets and tea,
my little girl's presence,
my husband, since he

Made sure we were cared for
before he departed
Rotisserie chicken
and chocolate. He carted

Stuff home for the sick girls,
made sure we'd be fed
Since I sure wouldn't cook
("Head's exploding," I'd said.)

Then off went my husband,
my Betsy, my Anne,
leaving me with the youngest,
thankful I can

Say that I am well loved
though I don't deserve any
of the gifts that are mine
the blessings so many.

On the couch then we snuggled,
Ramona and I,
feeling thankful for pillows,
store-bought pumpkin pie,

each other, our family,
the God we can praise
through the coughing and headaches
on Thanksgiving days.

~~~~~~~~~~

Check out the Poetry Friday round up at Check It Out.

Why I'm Never In Charge of the Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I'll be back tomorrow ....

Bits and Pieces of Our Days

Where did Saturday, Sunday, Monday and this morning go?

Hmmm. Over the weekend, we had an out-of-town guest (Hi, Anna!), saw the new Harry Potter movie (for fans of the books: we thought it was quite good, not perfect, but mostly true to the source),  Atticus and the kids helped with Mercy Meals (packaging food for the hungry), two of the girls sang with the choir at Holy Mass, we drove the out-of-town guest halfway home (Runza onion rings, yum), and yesterday I had the dog groomed (I dare not clip those nails myself. I'm still not entirely used to being a dog owner. One perfectly delightful thing about cats is their self-grooming. Now if I could just get Mr. Putter to be self-litterbox cleaning ....)

~~~~~

Today, my older girls are gone and Ramona still has friends here from a sleepover.  And, oh, yeah, I think Thanksgiving is on the way.

~~~~~

I was remiss in posting about our Thanksgiving Tree this year, but, it's not too late. There's still a week of November left and plenty to be thankful for.  More information is here.

No time for a tree? Try a simpler version, like a Thanksgiving Pumpkin Turkey -- just write your thanks and blessings on his feathers:

Or, maybe just a centerpiece of gratitude (click on the link for an explanation):

~~~~~

Speaking of things for which to be thankful, friend Beth, a teacher, sent me a fun link to Blogging to Learn. "Blogging Lessons" are here. They include lots of great ideas for kids and their blogs (including internet safety ideas, etc.)

~~~~~

It's a post-full-o-Beths: Beth at Endless Books is running a series of posts on Little Women. Check it out under her labels for Little Women and Alcott.

~~~~~

And now I'd better go check on Sydney. The little girls are playing Veterinarian, and I never know which part of the dog might end up wrapped in an Ace bandage.

More from Wendell Berry ...

... and this one is perfectly lovely.


To My Mother

by Wendell Berry

I was your rebellious son,
do you remember? Sometimes
I wonder if you do remember,
so complete has your forgiveness been.

So complete has your forgiveness been
I wonder sometimes if it did not
precede my wrong, and I erred,
safe found, within your love,

prepared ahead of me, the way home,
or my bed at night, so that almost

(Read the rest here, at The Poetry Foundation.)

~~~~~~~~~~

The Poetry Friday roundup is at Random Noodling today.

I Was Going to Post About This Sooner, But ...

... well, I've been putting it off.

Later   

by James Surowiecki
What does procrastination tell us about ourselves?

October 11, 2010

Some years ago, the economist George Akerlof found himself faced with a simple task: mailing a box of clothes from India, where he was living, to the United States ....

Read the article here, at The New Yorker.

Why I Love My Kids: Reason # Harry Potter

Recently, when we were making plans regarding the movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I asked the girls if they even wanted me to go with them to the movie at all.

I said, "Do you even want me there? Don't you just want to go with your friends?"

Anne-with-an-e replied, "Mom, we started this thing together and we're gonna finish it together."

(The final plan includes both me and one of their oldest and dearest friends. So. Fun.)

Advent is Less Than Two Weeks Away -- Plenty of Time to Not Panic

Advent is coming.

It should be a time we look forward to, not a time that reminds us of the theme from Jaws.

Do not panic.

Do not try to do everything. (Also known as, "Do not attempt to stalk a great white shark on your own.")  

There is nothing to dread when you approach Advent as a season of preparation. Preparations take time. And patience. They don't happen overnight.

We are preparing our hearts for the celebration of the coming of the Lord.

We are not preparing our homes for a photo shoot, our children for a guest spot on America's Best Catholic Kids, or our resumes for a job at Liturgical Superwoman.

Do whatever best helps you and your family to prepare your hearts. If you do that, I promise you -- instead of the dreaded Jaws music, you'll hear songs of angels.

Here is a link to my "No-Panic Advent series."

It's a horrendously long post that might initially hearken back to that Jaws theme I was just eschewing.  But don't be scared away. The point in pulling together all my past Advent posts is to make things easier, not more difficult or more intimidating.

Think of the post as a cozy shopping center, with plenty of parking space. Park, browse, and pluck choices at your leisure.

On the Radio Again

Last week I had the great pleasure of talking with Kris McGregor of KVSS Spirit Catholic Radio in Omaha.


Kris hosts Inside the Pages, where she chats with authors about their books. Our extended interview can be found here, on her Discerning Hearts website.  I had such a lovely time with Kris, whose warmth and love for the Blessed Mother shine through her every word.

~~~~~

Tomorrow (Tuesday, November 16th) at 3 p.m. (central time), I'll be talking with Leo Brown at Real Life Radio.  You can listen live from the site -- just click on their live stream link.

It Was a Good Morning to Cry

A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there was a lady. For a very long time, the lady, who did not believe in magic, did not want to have babies. But slowly, over many years, the lady witnessed strange things in her life. She came to see the strange things as threads in her existence, strands woven together by an unseen and powerful Magic. She became a believer in the Maker of such intricate, beautiful, and heartbreaking tapestries.

One day, a new magical thing happened. The lady and her husband suddenly wanted a family. Soon, the lady was expecting a baby. She was thankful that such Magical things had become a part of her life. She was very happy.

But then a sad thing happened. The baby left her mother and father and went to heaven far too soon. The lady and her husband were in mourning.

Eventually, they tried again, but their next baby left them too soon as well. The lady asked the Magic why It had offered her such gifts only to take them away.  There was silence for a very long time.

She was frightened and sad, but she knew she must trust the Magic. After all, had it not been that very Magic that had given her the desire for children in the first place?

When she found that she was expecting again, she dared to hope and her hope was rewarded. A beautiful daughter was born to the lady. And then another gift -- another daughter -- was given. There was great rejoicing.

The lady and her husband loved their two daughters so much that they hoped for a third child. But when they lost another baby ... and then another ... and then another ... the lady gave up all hope. The tapestry of her dream was in tatters.

But one day a miracle happened. The lady gave birth to one more beautiful baby.

Eight years later, with her husband and her three daughters at her side, the lady had the privilege of participating in a Holy Mass of Remembrance* for all lost children. There, she, her family, other parents, grandparents, and friends, remembered their beloved children. Tears were shed. Sublime music was played and sung. Holy priests presided, offering comfort and prayers to many. Together, all present gave thanks for the gift of life, in all its stages. They gave thanks to and for the life-giving Magic, whose name is Jesus Christ. They received His Body and Blood, and they rested in the knowledge that He is a good and merciful God. They entrusted the souls of their lost children to His divine care.

Then they had coffee, and juice, and cookies in the basement.

And the lady gave thanks one more time to the Magic for His many ineffable gifts, not the least of which are babies in Heaven and on earth, the awful beauty of shared grief, loving priests, and Altar Society ladies who provide cookies. 

~~~~~~~~~~

* Special thanks to my friend, R.  Sadly, she had a miscarriage last year. An initial conversation with Fr. S. led to more talks, then J. joined them, and then I did, too. And now we've begun "the Hannah Ministry" which we hope will offer comfort and care to grieving parents. Saturday morning was our first Holy Mass of Remembrance. 

"She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly." 

~~ 1 Samuel 1:10

(Photo credit: The Fairy Tale Door, by David Masters.) 

Poetry Friday: How to Be a Poet

I feel a wee bit bad posting this poem on a screen (you'll see why when you read it.) But I'm going to do it anyway because sometimes the first place you meet a poet is on a screen like this one. And I'd hate to think there's someone who hasn't met Wendell Berry's poetry, even on a screen.

Not to mention that there's no way I'll not post a poem with a line like this:

Accept what comes from silence.

And now, a quiet post:

How To Be a Poet
by Wendell Berry

(to remind myself)

i
Make a place to sit down.
Sit down. Be quiet.
You must depend upon
affection, reading, knowledge,
skill—more of each
than you have—inspiration,
work, growing older, patience,
for patience joins time
to eternity. Any readers
who like your poems,
doubt their judgment.

(Read the rest here, at the Poetry Foundation.)

The round-up today is at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub.

(Carney + Winona) + (Emily) X (Melissa + Mitali) = Infinite Bliss

                               +

_____________________________

Infinite Bliss

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Syllabus for Maud Hart Lovelace Teens, 101 (Emily of Deep Valley, Carney's House Party/Winona's Pony Cart)

Prerequisites: None
Co-requisites: Every other Betsy-Tacy book

Course Description:
Introduction to delight.
Emphasis on excellent writing and character development.

Term:
The rest of your reading life.

Course Objectives:

On completion of this course, the reader will be able to:

1. Revel in great writing.
2. Claim fictional characters as new best friends.
3. Thank the publisher for reissuing timeless treasures.
4. Express gratitude to contemporary authors for lending their time,
             memories and forewords.
5. Schedule annual re-reads.
6. With relish, read books to and with one's children, nieces, friends
           (anyone who will listen.)
7. Demonstrate increased understanding of the human heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting next to me are two books: Emily of Deep Valley, with a foreword by Mitali Perkins:

 and Carney's House Party/Winona's Pony Cart, with a foreword by Melissa Wiley:

Buy the books. Read them. Share them. With everyone you know. 

Now, I'm not trying to sell you on the forewords from these wonderful women. No one buys a book solely for its foreword, right?  On the other hand, these introductions are, in their own way, a vital part of what these books are all about.

Mitali Perkins and Melissa Wiley offer very different prefatory words, but what they share is the same: books have a lasting impact.  Beloved books create their own kind of legacy.

I'm reading the Betsy-Tacy books to my Ramona, age eight. So far, we've shared the lives of Betsy and Tacy at ages 5, 6, 8, 10 ... Tib is there, too (but Tib doesn't mind being an afterthought. She's sensible that way.) And, just as my "Anne-with-an-e" and my "Betsy Ray" did, my "Ramona" is adoring the girls, the books, the lives, the families, the friendships. The books we love, and their heroines, become a part of our family.

To learn more, listen to the Book Club Girl, who will be interviewing Melissa Wiley and Mitali Perkins on November 15, at 7 pm (Eastern Time).  Find the details here, at BlogTalkRadio. (You can also go to that link to set up a reminder, so you don't forget to tune in!)

I'll be listening, and you can bet that a few other girls at my house will be, too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Disclaimer: Yes, I am the godmother of Melissa Wiley's youngest son. But, I do not blog about her books because I'm a friend. Rather, we became friends because we both love to blog about books. And kids. And life. And learning ... you get the idea.)

Spreading the Word: Homeschool Literary Quarterly looking for Volunteer Art Director

from the Inbox:

The Homeschool Literary Quarterly is looking for an Art Director!


The Art Director’s primary job will be to track down images to post with each of the pieces published in the HLQ.  He or she will also be responsible for choosing  the cover for the magazine.   Like all the positions here at the HLQ, the position of Art Director is strictly voluntary.  The ideal candidate will (of course!) be a homeschool parent, or a homeschool graduate, or someone in some way (enough “somes” in this post?) connected to the homeschool community.

Interested parties should send us an e-mail at publisher@homeschoolliterary.com.   Please spread the word of this new vacancy to all your homeschooling friends!

25 Random Things

First, Betsy did this meme. A few random things from my middle daughter's list:

3. I am wearing a green t-shirt with The Beatles on it.
5. I am currently reading Jane of Lantern Hill, even though I'm only 4 or so pages in.
7. I love my dog Sydney!
10. I have writing group today with some friends.
12. My hair poofs when it's humid.
15. I LOVE The Hunger Games. The books, not the actual games.
17. I'm working on the sequel to my novella.
18. I play violin.
 24.I greatly dislike my retainers.
25.WHAT????? I'M ALREADY DONE???!?! Okay. Bye!

 This inspired Ramona (who was looking over my shoulder as I read Betsy's meme) to do her own 25 random things. Here are a few of them: 

i am not in my pajamas yet.

i love my dog sydney!

i love veggie tales.

i like pretending that i am a governess for a 10 year old girl.

i know how to knit.

tink backwards is knit.

i so so so love Scooby Doo!

i greatly dislike the hunger games

i have met jim arnosky.

i like jim arnosky.


And now, mine. But I won't bore you with 25. Here are 12 and a half random things:

1. I can't abide bread pudding.

2. Atticus loves bread pudding.

3. I was a theater major for awhile.

4. Yesterday, Ramona told me that a chameleon in a new movie was named Pascal. My response? I explained Pascal's Wager to her.

5. I've lived in Massachusetts, Washington, Alaska, Florida and Nebraska.

6. When I was in high school, a rumor circulated about me that I was engaged.

7. I had never met the boy I was rumored to be engaged to.

8. My daughters think I need those annoying people from What Not to Wear. 

9. I may need those people, but fortunately neither my husband nor I care about clothes.

10. Grilled chicken, garden tomatoes and sliced avocados may be the perfect meal.

 11. I was an English major for awhile.

12. I remember Romper Room and Captain Kangaroo.

12 1/2. If I could go back in time, I would choose to visit ....

Out of meme time!

"Don't worry. You just do it."

This post originally ran on March 24, 2007

Growing Into Grilled Peanut Butter 

A couple of days ago, as I was making grilled peanut butter sandwiches, I remembered the mom who first made such a sandwich for one of my children. My friend, Andrea, a mom of five, had taken care of Anne and Betsy all day while I was at the hospital following a miscarriage. I remember being in awe of her. Not only did she take care of seven children that day, but she allowed one of mine to deviate from the planned menu of grilled cheese, and choose peanut butter instead. Grilled peanut butter? Was there no end to this woman’s creativity?

I realize I was easily impressed in those days (no offense, dear Andrea.) At the time, I was still adjusting to the role of "mom of two." It still seemed tremendously hard to me, and I couldn't imagine what a household with five or six or seven children must be like (though I was willing to find out, if God allowed it for our family. ) So, although I offered to watch other people's kids, it was always "an event" to me -- more chaotic, louder, and busier than I was used to handling. And, it always seemed that I needed people like Andrea more than she needed me. I never seemed to be able to "pay her back" sufficiently.

But, I did it. And, I got better at it. I grew into my role of "mom of two" and added the prefix "homeschooling" to that. Then I became a "homeschooling mom of three" all the while growing into "the event" of helping other moms out with their kids. What had once seemed daunting and impossible was, suddenly and without my realizing it, just part of my everyday life.

Several things recently have brought those early days of motherhood to mind. A week or two ago, I exchanged emails with a young mom of one, and she expressed the general anxiety we all feel when we have "only one": How will I handle two? I encouraged her not to worry too much about it, because (although we all do worry) she'll grow into the role before she even realizes what's happening. I also told her that having only one was actually harder, in many ways, than having two or more because that one child is looking to mom for everything, including constant playtime. (Giving your child more siblings/playmates is a very good thing.)

Then, I read Danielle Bean's Mom to Mom, and she touches on the very same thing. She explains to mothers why it's harder to have only one, and reminds them that the older ones do grow up and become more independent.

Then, I was reminded of all of this again when I recently visited with a wonderful, young mother of two who is considering homeschooling. I never think I offer very articulate answers to the kinds of questions that people have about more babies and homeschooling. From my end, I feel as if I'm sputtering, and repeating myself, and saying, "Don't worry. You just do it."

Not an especially well-crafted defense of my position. But, it's so true. And, in its simple way, comforting. It's an assurance that God will lead and provide.

As Love2Learn mom quotes, from Francis of Assisi:

Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

I can't think of better advice for moms.

From "How will I handle another baby?" to "Can I really homeschool?" to babysitting a friend's seven children to making grilled peanut butter ....

Start by doing what is necessary.

God will lend a hand.

Why I Won't Bother to Write That Post About How I Always Leave the Voting Booth a Little Misty-eyed

... because Sherry Weddell said it all, and said it better than I would have, in this piece: 

Maybe it was the sheer dim, shabby, thread-bareness of it all.  Maybe it was the dusty church hall, the battered tables, or the elderly volunteers with their lists and stickers.  Or the cheap red paper signs reminding potential last minute campaigners (there were none) that they must stand 100 yards from the door to the polling place.

Go read the whole thing. It's short and perfect.

I told Atticus as we strolled home that evening that it happens every time: I am amazed, touched and incredulous that I can walk into an elementary school, stand in a rickety booth, darken a few oval spaces with a pencil, and it means something.

h/t: Mark Shea

Poetry Friday: In the Middle

Because I, too, am "in the middle of a life that's as complicated as everyone else's, struggling for balance, juggling time."

Because I love poems that hone in on the tensions of this life, the passing of time, the unsettling realizations of the temporal world, the uncanny way in which the mystery of love trumps everything else. Always.

Because it's Poetry Friday.

Because I love to share treasures.


In the Middle

by Barbara Crooker

of a life that's as complicated as everyone else's,
struggling for balance, juggling time.
The mantle clock that was my grandfather's
has stopped at 9:20; we haven't had time
to get it repaired. The brass pendulum is still,
the chimes don't ring. One day I look out the window,
green summer, the next, the leaves have already fallen,
and a grey sky lowers the horizon. Our children almost grown,
our parents gone, it happened so fast. Each day, we must learn
again how to love, between morning's quick coffee
and evening's slow return. Steam from a pot of soup rises,

(Read the rest here, at The Writer's Almanac.)

The round up is at Teaching Authors today.

Bits and Pieces of Our Days

I started this post yesterday, but new bits and pieces of life prevented me from finishing. Today, I'll plow forward:

On All Hallow's Eve, our family gathered in the kitchen as Atticus divided his attention between the beef stew on the stove and two jack-o-lanterns-in-progress on the table. I was washing dishes, and the conversation meandered this way: 

We talked about pumpkins: roasting the seeds, jack-o-lantern styles, how the carving session had gone at the parish youth group, the ickiness of pumpkin innards ... all the usual stuff. Once the carving ritual was done, so was Ramona. She wandered off.

I then told Atticus a great story from the Christopher Hitchens' memoir I'm reading.  In a footnote, Hitchens mentions having dinner at a greasy diner with William Styron (dinner with Styron is a footnote? Oh, what a quiet life I lead. My footnotes involve crock pots and dirty socks, though not in the same footnote.)  Hitchens was making a point about debilitating depression and suicide. The side story involved a young waiter who told the diner patron, upon seeing his credit card, that he had a name much like a famous writer named William Stryon. Both Hitchens and Styron remained silent until the waiter casually noted that Darkness Visible had saved his life, at which point he was invited to join them and tell his story. (Presumably he was also eventually corrected regarding his hero's name.)

This led Anne and Betsy to ask about what Styron has written. Atticus detailed some of his many works, and we talked Sophie's Choice a bit, though I told the girls I didn't really want to ruin their feast day vigil with a full explanation of the plot. Anne then threw in that J.K. Rowling had created the Dementors based on her own depression. Betsy then urged me to read The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which she just finished, and Anne reminisced that Yellow Star had been one of her favorites a few years ago. 

By then, Ramona was back and it was time to put our dinner-and-a-movie plans into action with It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  Of course, poor Chuck suffers from his own kind of depression, but we had a charming time -- snuggled up on the couch, savoring Atticus' warming stew, thankful there were no rocks in our candy bags.

~~~~~

A couple of theater experiences lately: The girls all thoroughly enjoyed a local high school production of Beauty and the Beast over the weekend. And on Monday, we watched a traveling troupe perform a version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Our review? Let's just say that if I were a snarkily hilarious blogger, I'd have three days' worth of material.

~~~~~

Speaking of theater, I'm co-directing our parish's youth choir musical again. The choir director is completely to blame gets all the credit for getting this thing going every year.  I'm just along for the ride and to show the kids how to overact learn their lines. I also get to panic at the last minute over sets, costumes, and props. When they hand out the Guffies,* I'll be the first in line to gush with a glowing acceptance speech and sputter my thanks to all the little people (literally little people -- like Ramona, who's in the show.)

~~~~~

Last night I told Atticus, "Y'know those little Butterfinger bars that were left over? They're almost gone."

He was stunned. "How is that possible?"

"It's possible," I replied, "because you live with me."  Sheesh. You'd think the man would know me better after 30 Halloweens.

~~~~~~~~~~~

* Thanks to my friend and fellow theater critic for reminding me recently about Waiting for Guffman. Need. To. Rent.

Feast of All Souls

It seems to me that the words of St. Francis de Sales apply also to those of us still slogging through in the Church Militant:

Souls who are in Purgatory are there because of their sins, sins that they now supremely detest. But as for abjection and pain at being detained in that place and at being temporarily deprived of enjoying the blessed love that is paradise, they suffer it lovingly and devoutly according to the canticle of divine justice, "Righteous and true are Your ways..." [Rv 15:3] Therefore, let us patiently wait for our spiritual growth, and instead of disturbing ourselves because we have made so little progress in the past, let us diligently strive to do better in the future.   ~~  St. Francis de Sales (T.L.G. Book 9, Ch. 7; O. V, p. 131)

from Daily de Sales.

Post-Candy Analysis

"Seriously?" said Betsy last night, "Pencils? Who would give out pencils? And this!" she scoffed, holding up something as though it were the carcass of a small rodent. "A granola bar?"

Clearly, though, she found some treasures among the pencils and granola bar because just before bedtime she said, "I think I'm slipping into a sugar coma."

Happy Solemnity of All Saints!

Rapunzel, Effie Trinket and a Crazed Yankees Fan