Top Ten Reasons I Haven't Been Blogging About Papal Predictions, the Conclave, or Pope Francis

10. I'm terrible at predictions.

9. Gambling has never been one of my temptations.

8. There are loads of other Catholic bloggers who specialize in things like predictions.

7. Anything I had to say about the conclave would have been a reposting of someone else's idea about conclaves. I have no original ideas about conclaves (see #8.)

6. I didn't have time to blog about the conclave -- the minute it started, it was over. So. Fast.

5. I felt no sense of urgency, anxiety, or worry. I felt calm. ("Calm" = "boring blogging.")

4. I trusted that the process would work. (We humans do mess up a lot, but God has proven capable of putting some things into motion that we can't seem to derail.)

3. I got a new vacuum cleaner last week. I've been busy cleaning.

2. Atticus and I discussed the following: as people who already strive to live the teachings of the Church, a changing-of-the-pope doesn't actually affect our day-to-day lives in a substantial way. That's the beauty of ancient, unchanging Sacred Tradition (see #4.)

1. Pope Francis appears to be awesome. He doesn't need me to tell you that.

ETA:

All of the above said, I have to add that when Ramona and I returned home early Wednesday after an activity of hers that was unexpectedly shortened, we tuned in to see what was going on with the announcement of a new pope. She and I sat together, and watched Pope Francis appear for the first time. I was immensely moved by his manner, his words, his request for prayer, the sudden silence of the crowd. I was moved by this enormous work of the Holy Spirit, the way he continues to, despite all of our efforts to undo goodness, put holy men at the forefront. It is God's huge work that allows me to get on with my small work. (See #2.)