tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47781161336297235962024-03-05T02:28:04.685-06:00The Patient WandererTo wander aimlessly is child's play but to wander with a purpose is a skill unto itself.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-10734106153593674752014-06-20T08:21:00.001-05:002014-06-20T08:21:38.827-05:00Wandering BackIt has been quite a while since I've had a chance to come back to the blog.<br />
<br />
I could write an epic post about how I haven't had any great motivation to come back to the blog but that would be utter garbage and a jaunt into fiction that I'm not willing to "wander" into.<br />
<br />
J.R.R. Tolkien has been quoted as penning "Not all those who wander are lost." I will be the first to admit that I have been lost for the past few months.<br />
<br />
I've been dealing with upcoming unemployment, working with my family, trying to stay on our feet and now facing a lot more questions that we never thought we'd be faced with. My writing timeline will likely still be varied. There are too many variables in our lives and the library will be my primary source of computer usage.<br />
<br />
Take care and it's time to start wandering with a purpose again.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-45865892310667213532014-03-20T16:05:00.000-05:002014-03-20T16:05:00.466-05:00Questioning Woman's Healthcare<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Matt Walsh Blog is something that I read in passing. Usually my friends will post something on their feed and it pops up in mine and if the title is catchy enough, I read it. It’s not that fancy. His latest article, <a href="http://themattwalshblog.com/2014/03/20/i-paid-to-have-babies-murdered-and-all-i-got-was-this-coat-hanger-necklace/" target="_blank">“I paid to have babies murdered and all I got was this coat hanger necklace?”</a> is prompting this article based one Twitter comment posted.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's crazy that a woman’s right to healthcare depends on her wallet. Give to <a href="https://twitter.com/DCAbortionFund" target="_blank">@DCAbortionFund</a>. Make choice a reality: <a href="http://bit.ly/1d4i2Lt">bit.ly/1d4i2Lt</a>— </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Michelle Chronister (@mchronister) <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/mchronister/status/445216392275820545" target="_blank">March 16, 2014</a></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The reason it sticks with me is something I haven’t known how to voice, Michelle Chronister is right, a woman’s right to health care should not depend on her wallet.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let me take a pause for a moment, I am not agreeing that abortion should be considered “healthcare”, but I want to talk about other facets of healthcare for women. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why do I have to pay high premiums to find out why I can’t achieve a healthy and normal pregnancy. If it is an equal right for a woman to terminate a healthy, or even an unhealthy pregnancy (for her or the baby), paid for by taxpayers or her insurance, why do I have to pay all costs trying to find out what is wrong with my body?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know I am not in a unique situation. I have a high deductible. I have to use up my deductible in order to have any insurance coverage. Any health care I have up to that deductible comes out of my pocket, unless it’s part of a preventative exam. Any blood tests, any diagnostic tools, any medication, anything that could help figure out if there is something wrong with my body is my responsibility. Women seeking birth control, Plan B, or abortions, receive grants, financial aid, and in some cases full coverage for these procedures.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Am I the only person who sees a precarious double standard?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A woman is pregnant, sure, society will help you terminate. A woman can not get pregnant, tough luck, she is dodging a bullet.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am not an advocate for abortion in any case. I am truly curious how we can say we have a balanced healthcare system for women if there is such a biased slant against achieving and maintaining healthy pregnancies.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The current United States Birth Rate is 1.89 live births per woman as of 2011 according to the World Bank. Last I checked, it takes 2 people to reproduce, which in an ideal society, takes two children to take the place of their parents. This is also a trend for many other leading countries including China (1.66), Canada (1.63), Germany (1.36), Russia (1.54) and Japan (1.39). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But, 1.89 is almost 2 right? True, but in the reason that the population of the United States is still growing is because of strong emigration to the United States. Countries like Germany, Russia, and Japan, their birth rates coupled with weak emigration into their countries, statisticians are predicting as much as a 20% population decline in these countries.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then it is fine that you can not get pregnant, right?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
No. If pro-choice advocates can say that women have a choice for an abortion, I should be able to have the choice to become pregnant. If healthcare now dictates that it is a woman’s “universal right” for an abortion, it should be my right and the right of women like me, to achieve a healthy pregnancy. So, why does my healthcare depend on what I can afford, and abortions and birth control don’t?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-3250747742979126152014-03-07T21:01:00.000-06:002014-03-07T21:31:01.940-06:00International Women's Day<b id="docs-internal-guid-d348256f-9f8b-83de-9cf1-d0f2a9b5758f" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div 0.0001pt="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" class="MsoNormal" initial="" justify="" margin-bottom:="" text-align:="">
“Equality
for women is progress for all.” Is the theme for this year’s International
Women’s Day. From the brief recap of International Women’s Day (IWD) on the
United Nation’s Website, IWD is supposed to coincide with the Millennium
Development Goals for 2015.</div>
<div 0.0001pt="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" class="MsoNormal" initial="" justify="" margin-bottom:="" text-align:="">
<!--[endif]--></div>
<span style="color: #ffeedd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div .0001pt="" 0in="" 15.0pt="" class="MsoNormal" justify="" line-height:="" margin-bottom:="" text-align:="">
"The
eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) - which range from halving extreme
poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary
education, all by the target date of 2015 - form a blueprint agreed to by all
the world's countries and all the world's leading development institutions.
They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world's
poorest."</div>
<span style="color: #ffeedd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bkgd.shtml</span></a><o:p></o:p></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">On
this International Women’s Day, I am empowered by knowing that I have value in
myself because I am who God created me to be. I know what my body is capable
of, and am awed and inspired by what I can do intellectually and physically. I
don’t want to have anything mucking it up now that I’ve finally gotten “right”.
There are those who would say that trying to eliminate the pill and abortion is
asinine. To them I would remind that women voting, having a fair paying job,
being able to raise a family as a single parent would have been asinine too,
all it took was support, empowerment and education to see us through.</color:></div>
<div .0001pt="" 0in="" 15.0pt="" class="MsoNormal" justify="" line-height:="" margin-bottom:="" text-align:="">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></color:></div>
<span style="color: #ffeedd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">These
goals are as follows:</color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Eradicate
Extreme Poverty and Hunger<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Achieve
Universal Primary Education<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Promote
Gender Equality and Empower Women<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Reduce
Child Mortality<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Improve
Maternal Health<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Combat
HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Ensure
Environmental Stability<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt 0.5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #ffe599; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Global
Partnership Development<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">While
these are all great goals, I want to look at four of them in a different light.
I want to look at numbers three through six in the light of birth control and
abortion.<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><br />
<!--[endif]--></color:></b></div>
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><o:p></o:p></color:>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Promote
Gender Equality and Empower Women</color:></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">In
my opinion there is nothing that has ripped gender equality away from women
than the over prescription of artificial birth control to women. From the
lightest case of acne, to menstrual cramps, to just a girl being a girl I have
heard too many reasons for women to be prescribed the pill. It is true that
there are legitimate reasons for prescribing it such as Polycystic Ovary
Syndrome and Endometriosis, there are many other medicines or holistic
treatments that can be used before going on the pill. <o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Women
should be empowered to know what they are capable of and what their body is
capable of doing if we just leave it alone. 60 years of “casual” use has left
women ingesting a Class 1 Carcinogen. A Class 1 Carcinogen as defined by the <a href="http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogens" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff8866; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">American Cancer Society </span></a>is a substance “known to cause cancer
in humans.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Lower
on the page you can find a list of what those substances are. Included as a
Class 1 are alcoholic beverages, asbestos, benzene, coal, Coke production, (I
am looking at my empty bottle of Diet Coke a little afraid)
estrogen-progesterone oral contraception and menopausal therapies, hematite
mining, and tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure. I have been exposed to
many of these in my life, including hematite mining, but the exposure to those
I have control over, I make as minimal as possible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div .0001pt="" 0in="" 15.0pt="" class="MsoNormal" justify="" line-height:="" margin-bottom:="" text-align:="">
<br /></div>
<div .0001pt="" 0in="" 15.0pt="" class="MsoNormal" justify="" line-height:="" margin-bottom:="" text-align:="">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Being
an equal to a man does not mean that women should strip away their fertility.
In fact, you would never think to ask the same of a man. The only form of true
male sterilization is a vasectomy, which leads to impotence and a weakened
prostate, not to mention it is permanent.</color:></div>
<span style="color: #ffeedd; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><br />
<!--[endif]--></color:></b></div>
<o:p></o:p>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Reduce
Child Mortality</color:></b></div>
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><o:p></o:p></color:>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The
inconvenient truth about abortion is that it kills children. A wise pregnant
friend when asked by my husband if she knew what she was having replied
“eventually, contractions.” She knew we meant boy or girl but it was a clever
way to tell us no, she did not know the gender of her child. The same goes for
another mother when asked the same questions replied “I’m hoping for a healthy
baby, my two year old is hoping for a puppy.”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
You
may find the above funny but the truth is, a pregnant woman will give birth to
a human child. As a woman, I could not give birth to puppies, kittens, or any
other form of mammal, the result will always be human.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Abortion
advocates have included clever forms of hiding this inconvenient truth by
calling these children, zygotes, embryos, fetuses, and a clump of cells. You
could call me a clump of cells and I could call a dog a shedding, drool
factory.<o:p></o:p></color:></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Endangered
species across the world have more rights and protections than a child in the
womb of it’s mother. If the UN is truly committed to reducing child mortality
rates, they also must call for the end of abortion across the world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><br />
<!--[endif]--></color:></b></div>
<o:p></o:p>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><color: ffe599="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif="">Improve
Maternal Health</color:></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Access
to abortion and birth control is currently touted as a fundamental right for
women’s health. Many friends who have recently given birth have often been
asked by their discharging physician what their plans for birth control are
after leaving the hospital.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Unfortunately,
I don’t have the ability to be an authority on Maternal Health, I have never
been pregnant long enough to “need” Maternal Health Care. On the flip side of
Women’s Health, why then is access to birth control and abortion a woman’s
right, but trying to check for reproductive problems and repair them is not a
right. I would love to be able to check if my husband and I have fertility
issues, but they are not covered by my insurance until we have hit our $2600
deductible. It isn’t worth it to go further in debt to try and become
healthier.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b>Combat
HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases</b></div>
<o:p></o:p>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
This
past fall I had the awesome opportunity to witness Pam Stenzel speak to a
packed house of nearly 750 youth and parents. A few alarming statistics I
picked up from her presentation. 1 in 3 people under the age of 25 are infected
with a Sexually Transmitted Disease. Sexually active teens and young adults are
at a 50% risk of contracting an STD each time they have sex. Most STD’s are not
treatable with antibiotics. Most of our parents and grandparents only knew of 5
STD’s there are 30 in existence today. Some STD’s are not detectable through
normal means of screening and some are not detectable until a person has been
infected for five years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
While
Malaria is a serious problem, there are ways to keep it contained through
preventative medication, mosquito nets and reducing standing water. Looking at
the above statistics, condoms, pills and abortions are not doing anything to
lower these numbers. HIV/AIDS and STD’s can be prevented through education and
abstinence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
By
education I don’t mean telling girls to use the pill, patch or ring, and
teaching teens how to put a condom on a banana. Sharing the above statistics
would have been enough to teach me not to have sex with multiple partners.
Handing out condoms like collector cards and pills like candy won’t prevent
anything, it will just continue to create a generation who will not be able to
have children when they choose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<!--[endif]--></div>
<span color:="" ffeedd="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><o:p></o:p></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The
sexual liberation of the 1960’s to the present haven’t done anything to
liberate women. We have seen the normalization of sexual deviant behavior.
Women rather than choosing to be independent have become reliant on their
sexualities not as something beautiful and empowering, but as a currency that
has increased the amount of pornography, human trafficking, and the spread of
countless disease. Children are seen as a commodity rather than a precious gift
and a burden if not “chosen”.</div>
<span color:="" ffeedd="" font-family:="" imes="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new="" quot="" rial="" roman="" sans-serif=""><o:p></o:p></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
On this International
Women’s Day, I am empowered by knowing that I have value in myself because I am
who God created me to be. I know what my body is capable of, and am awed and
inspired by what I can do intellectually and physically. I don’t want to have
anything mucking it up now that I’ve finally gotten “right”. There are those
who would say that trying to eliminate the pill and abortion is asinine. To
them I would remind that women voting, having a fair paying job, being able to
raise a family as a single parent would have been asinine too, all it took was
support, empowerment and education to see us through.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-8033123121949946862014-03-05T21:33:00.000-06:002014-03-05T21:35:35.391-06:00Repent!<b id="docs-internal-guid-38808e50-956c-e235-7f87-6f159ba9d57a" style="background-color: #b45f06; font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-38808e50-956c-e235-7f87-6f159ba9d57a" style="background-color: #b45f06; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the past few days I’ve heard many of the plans my friends have for this Lent. Some are giving up social media, sweets and soda, others are adding things into their repertoire such as Adoration, intentional prayer, and reading Scripture. Just because habits are hard for me to start and keep going a few weeks ago I started using Loyola Press’ </span><a href="http://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“3 Minute Retreats”</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It’s a chance for me to stop working and refocus on the task at hand. Today’s retreat was called “The Consequences of Not Repenting.” The title alone was enough to make me shutter.</span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-38808e50-956c-e235-7f87-6f159ba9d57a" style="background-color: #b45f06; font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-38808e50-956c-e235-7f87-6f159ba9d57a" style="background-color: #b45f06; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the beginning of these Retreats there is always a focusing Scripture passage. Today was from Luke 13:5 “</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!”. Yikes! Nothing like fire and brimstone first thing in the morning.</span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-38808e50-956c-e235-7f87-6f159ba9d57a" style="background-color: #b45f06; font-weight: normal;">
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When talking about repentance and Jesus’ teachings, many people look towards the rich young man (Luke 10: 17-23). The man hearing that he needs to give his possessions away to the poor leaves saddened. It is left to our imaginations what happens to this man and what he does. The common expectation is that this man does nothing. Recently reflecting on this Scripture I want to offer another idea.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All through the Gospels we have countless illustrations of people encountering Christ completely. Many are healed, several “converted” and some simply fed. Regardless Jesus was a beacon of change, it was up to people how they responded. We see examples of those who have bad reactions too. The Sanhedrin (on several occasions), demons cast into pigs, and those who do not show gratitude for what they’ve received from Christ.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This rich, young, man is different. He just leaves. Yes, he’s sad because of his riches but that’s all we know. The difference is that he has encountered Christ and that encounter will have an effect. We just never see it. Just as we should be radically transformed by our encounters with Christ through prayer, the Sacraments, and through others. Because we are all human, that transformation may take a while.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, it’s Ash Wednesday. The start of what should be 47 days of transformation. P90x can guarantee body change in 90 days, depending on what we do, we should see some change spiritually, in 40. How we achieve that change is up to us. So put down that piece of chocolate, log off Twitter and let’s make a change for this Lent. </span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-70235718078881270812014-02-28T06:00:00.000-06:002014-02-28T06:00:00.911-06:007 Quick Takes - Wandering Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In an effort to start posting more content more frequently I want to attempt the 7 Quick Takes from the Conversion Diary. So, let's begin!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2C29bby6DkKZ9Aj58ZCWjixUjsQGpdaqHstm2TVU6nm2pMV0RrHLQXorYVukPi3KlEK1DHpd-zhRkqZG_TLEvTulK1LKod7VAMwpwNqaSYFeZXXR2H9xJKlOO4HGpS4Blixp8e1xd8c/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2C29bby6DkKZ9Aj58ZCWjixUjsQGpdaqHstm2TVU6nm2pMV0RrHLQXorYVukPi3KlEK1DHpd-zhRkqZG_TLEvTulK1LKod7VAMwpwNqaSYFeZXXR2H9xJKlOO4HGpS4Blixp8e1xd8c/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" height="313" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As my name suggests, I try to be a patient wanderer. I do feel that God has been putting my husband and I to the test in this regard. We are trying to be both patient and willing to where our discernment has been taking us. With a lot of twists, turns, dead ends and lack of a road map, it's been an interesting journey.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhxyVy8UF8-V001u4nIHsOgjQ5DVClpGcGplt62ppEE45bOpuGVKqWaUfFM3x6oO6Egcgdi-AYBnOpJTgt1LYnzA8LlSYZjtdo6uUArPfkv9KBrUvdgVuu0NYARO0fdayUQxyw5PYPe0/s1600/IMG_0287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhxyVy8UF8-V001u4nIHsOgjQ5DVClpGcGplt62ppEE45bOpuGVKqWaUfFM3x6oO6Egcgdi-AYBnOpJTgt1LYnzA8LlSYZjtdo6uUArPfkv9KBrUvdgVuu0NYARO0fdayUQxyw5PYPe0/s1600/IMG_0287.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Please, please, please, pray for the youth of my parish and the three other parishes who are joining us for the Sacrament of Confirmation this Sunday. Mass will begin at 10:00 AM CST and prayers for these students, sponsors and their families are greatly appreciated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C6Ubz6tdHG7Qu9acTtFnxKo6VbYSmbyYwnwRzUCgx92diS3BId5wUxBX75pXEN3A7ZOSGhovh0aAfsyn9vTbth9lDbjgtWqU_jW7lpAh8CBW2K8ydipyfZyR7XeVOqaGbjFAXTHL1xA/s1600/IMG_0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C6Ubz6tdHG7Qu9acTtFnxKo6VbYSmbyYwnwRzUCgx92diS3BId5wUxBX75pXEN3A7ZOSGhovh0aAfsyn9vTbth9lDbjgtWqU_jW7lpAh8CBW2K8ydipyfZyR7XeVOqaGbjFAXTHL1xA/s1600/IMG_0288.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have an unhappy car. Lately with strange noises, difficulties with the power steering and a few other hiccups are making having only one vehicle a struggle. It's just been hard.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyBRY1XwTJpn0gsodLV6a_KhDBeZG4ntJAq20EZvIFYybihvMxJQTZcx1ch7G-TZ5F2LayevJoxfKCyJ3vHU_UjE5QyUxQxNMNojFSu6cuCMF29ZS5eCI346CPJlf32Iv2hoRYIFwt4g/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyBRY1XwTJpn0gsodLV6a_KhDBeZG4ntJAq20EZvIFYybihvMxJQTZcx1ch7G-TZ5F2LayevJoxfKCyJ3vHU_UjE5QyUxQxNMNojFSu6cuCMF29ZS5eCI346CPJlf32Iv2hoRYIFwt4g/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For those of you who are my Catholic readers, next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. Although not a Holy Day of Obligation, it is a great way to remember that Lent is a time to be penitential, give alms, and dive deeper into prayer. Ash Wednesday is also a day of Fasting (one full meal and two smaller meals not containing a full meal) and Abstinence from meat. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk3M_osIp6Zke2VoEU76CQpO0YB2eHB2fx-Hwktoz0L9ExrjEcpmG7ix1W1Se_-Efi8O5wxaPqht7X1fHxYt0gfDGrFoDrK0h6dQlHsK9zdw3kYg9zRZ_FTXQgrfe5OYHDWkKw8m-eF0/s1600/IMG_0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk3M_osIp6Zke2VoEU76CQpO0YB2eHB2fx-Hwktoz0L9ExrjEcpmG7ix1W1Se_-Efi8O5wxaPqht7X1fHxYt0gfDGrFoDrK0h6dQlHsK9zdw3kYg9zRZ_FTXQgrfe5OYHDWkKw8m-eF0/s1600/IMG_0290.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was double checking the rules for Fasting and Abstinence with my friends who are wiser than I. When my non-Catholic friends started asking questions a friend of mine who teaches Theology and blogs over at <a href="http://truthandcharity.net/" target="_blank">Truth and Charity</a> sent me this amazing article on the reason that we abstain from meat. <a href="http://newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-do-catholics-abstain-from-meat.html" target="_blank">Why do Catholics Abstain from Meat?</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_lpVV1whi5IgWUdMnUAhZPrqqtXXJt69o0qw143SU9IIHohQntHgLPBGKZVTDi5LuC2V1WdBDF9DoMy6GACdHo8LXXkQXpaNRaYyD2n5Eer6ikGDzIMxFJ8GiZgR2w2OqhfuDTXlttc/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_lpVV1whi5IgWUdMnUAhZPrqqtXXJt69o0qw143SU9IIHohQntHgLPBGKZVTDi5LuC2V1WdBDF9DoMy6GACdHo8LXXkQXpaNRaYyD2n5Eer6ikGDzIMxFJ8GiZgR2w2OqhfuDTXlttc/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's still cold...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know I grew up in northern Minnesota where negative 50 below days (prior to wind chill) were common, and I still walked to school! My husband's employer has a tally on the white board in the break room counting the number of days this winter we have been below zero. The regional record is 54, we currently sit at 51. Winter is still "here" for another month. I have no doubt that we will hit this record. :(</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOkvqYDBqbtjWaFzoG-y9ymJqc1dZU8IPFbHUFS7seZnFK3XD_lD0ggCuJVO0a5Le8KNo8xXJNIRzU4nAxsFqzSKXjMsoZYHmz-xMgHX1qqPETuyQN6F6srnwRS0TlLkvJou_mz0mj7M/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWOkvqYDBqbtjWaFzoG-y9ymJqc1dZU8IPFbHUFS7seZnFK3XD_lD0ggCuJVO0a5Le8KNo8xXJNIRzU4nAxsFqzSKXjMsoZYHmz-xMgHX1qqPETuyQN6F6srnwRS0TlLkvJou_mz0mj7M/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am branching out into the unknown territories of hobbies. I have always been an amateur photographer and writer. I want to branch out. I am starting to draw and paint a bit but I want to be able to share that with you. Along with my Catholic commentary please look for more of my passions and hobbies to come out too. Just looks like my wandering is taking me more places and I will be documenting it all here.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-22147882757379914042014-02-18T14:28:00.000-06:002014-02-18T14:28:14.348-06:00On Love and Despair<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last night I had the amazing opportunity to celebrate mass with our priest and our Junior and Senior High Faith Formation classes. We had what is often called a "card table Mass" since we celebrated Mass in our Gymnasium. It was really everything I could have asked for. The students were mostly polite and engaged, good music, awesome message, great student involvement in ministries and of course Jesus was present! At the end of mass where "announcements" would usually go we had a prepared reflection about the wisdom of Solomon.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
One of the most famous stories of Solomon's wisdom comes from first Kings Chapter 3 in the Bible, and tells of two women who came to Solomon asking him to solve their problem. The two women lived in the same house, both had given birth to babies within days of each other, and now one of the babies had died. Now both women were claiming that the baby that was still alive was their child. King Solomon asked one of his servants to bring him a sword. When the sword was brought to him he said, "Now, cut the live baby into two pieces and give each woman half."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
One woman said, "No, please, my master, do not kill the baby. Give it to this woman." The other woman said, "Yes, cut the baby in two. Then neither of us will have him." King Solomon said, "Give the baby to the first woman because she is the real mother."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
God gave wisdom to Solomon to make right decisions. God will give us wisdom and many other gifts if we only ask Him to.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a child, hearing this story of Solomon always made me think "Wow, what a clever way to solve a problem." I never really had a reason to go back and look at the passage as an adult. (I will admit my Bible reading has been lax lately) As an adult my interpretation of this story is vastly different, rather than Solomon, I focus on the women.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Their babies we know were about the same age, must have been the same gender and still very young. If they were still very young and the one baby had recently died, both mothers still had the opportunity to nurse and care for the baby as if it were their own. Both women love their children but are going through a very traumatic time in their lives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The first woman is clearly the voice of love. Love is self sacrificial in nature and would rather see the best of the other over fulfilling their needs. She would love her own child to the point of giving him up to see him live. She would also have the opportunity to still watch him grow and celebrate his milestones with him since they would live in the same home.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The second woman shows us the dangers of despair. Under the supposition we made above, their children are still relatively young. She has had the opportunity to see her child alive, hold him, nurse him and love him. Her response of "Yes, cut the baby in two. Then neither of us will have him." is not a response of hate but extreme loss and pain. Pain causes us to do uncharacteristic things. If they have both have been caring for the child as their own, she clearly cares for the child, but pain has blinded her saying, "If I can't have something, neither should anyone else."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The second woman's response is something I fight with often. It could be when a friend announces they are expecting, "Well why haven't we gotten pregnant yet?", when plans seem to always fall through, "It wasn't going to be that fun anyway", or when I'm just in a big blue funk, "If I can't enjoy this, no one can." I hope I'm not the only one who has battled with these thoughts. The important thing is that I don't get bogged down by them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-71154322824235775422014-02-18T12:10:00.001-06:002014-02-18T12:23:05.077-06:00On Heaven and Earth - Book Review<a href="http://shop.catholic.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/o/n/on-heaven-and-earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://shop.catholic.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/o/n/on-heaven-and-earth.jpg" height="320" width="296" /></a><i></i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><i>On Heaven and Earth</i> </i>is a wonderful and enlightening look at what brings people together despite their differences. Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio and Rabbi Abraham Skorka bring to light what cam be accomplished through well thought out discussion and difference of opinion.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The future Pontiff has through his friendship and obvious respect for Rabbi Skorka brings</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
about an enlightening inter-religious dialogue which is vastly different than what is seen in mainstream media and religions today.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Each chapter is its own unique conversation between Bergoglio and Skorka, allowing readers to take each chapter at a time or to bounce between topics that interest them. While not usually one to read introductions to books, the independent introductions by Bergoglio and Skorka allow us to know the authors independent of each other and know their individual voices when they are having their conversations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a Youth Minister and lay woman, this book first interested me as a chance to learn more on hot topic issues such as Religion, Euthanasia, Same Sex Marriage and Education. This book became more than just a resource but an opportunity to purposefully engage in these topics in my own life.<br />
<br />
I received this book for free from <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> for review.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-15475168149984882932014-01-23T10:49:00.000-06:002014-01-30T23:15:29.165-06:00Right Prayer for the Wrong Reasons<div style="text-align: justify;">
I logged back into my blog for the first time in, "forever" and realized it had been three months since I had posted anything. At least for me, it was for good reason.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After my last post in October, I had a chance to go on retreat with a group of awesome women from my parish. It was nice to be away with women I knew in passing and getting back in touch with an old friend from the past. That weekend was also the birthday of our second child to eternal life. For me to even type that shows how profound this retreat was and how much healing I received.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Within 2 weeks of that my mother-in-law's health decreased horribly. My husband and I were able to go home and help take care of her and my father-in-law. She passed away early in December and we stayed for a while to help take care of affairs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then came the evil sinus infection which took me out for two weeks, Christmas and New Years.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Since the new year my husband and I have been busy catching up with work and settling back down into a normal routine. Needless to say, over the past few months I have been in a great position to care for myself and family and I was happy to take that on. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Especially as I was away I had a chance to truly have a chance to pray with those I love for others intentions. Friends, loved ones and local news stories became reasons to pray, even for a brief moment. I have close friends who contact me for different prayer requests. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a recent one that really stuck in my mind. A friend asked for prayers for her sister and brother in law to have a successful implantation of a fetus through IVF. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I looked at my phone dumbfounded, I didn't know how I could pray for this intentention. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I knew there wasn't any great risk to the mother or father but there was a new life in the balance, conceived in a manner outside of the teachings of the church. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Sure, I understand the desire to desperately want a child, but I can't pass judgement on their decision. I just didn't know how to pray for them. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">I am ashamed of myself that the thought of not praying for them crossed my mind. It was the fact that the need to be loving outweighed my desire to be righteous. I looked and looked for some way I could pray for them and it took me putting myself in their position the find it. </font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">If my husband and I were in the position they were in, there would be some major wounds that would need to be healed, a few financial burdens would need to be lifted and mostly a new soul needs to be protected and guarded. </font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Life, precious and fragile, at all stages needs to be hides and protected. This new soul conceived outside of its parents , has no home and no protection. It was truly at the mercy of its elements. Life also begins at conception, regardless of how conception happened. </font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">This became my prayer, that this little, precious life, conceived in less than perfect circumstances would be healthy and loved all the days of its life.</font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">There are many circumstances and situations in life that are less than ideal. We make mistakes and aren't perfect. God can take our imperfections and do great things with them, if only we let him. </font></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-18007962939821707752013-10-15T11:51:00.000-05:002013-10-15T11:51:43.406-05:00Being Sensitive to Those With Infertility (Part 3)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the past two posts, I have shared the need for awareness among families who are struggling with primary or secondary infertility and my own struggle with infertility. In this one of the graces that I've received is strength and support from my sister in laws. Honestly I'm still getting used to having "siblings" but it's a great blessing. One thing that my sister in law told me was that she was there for me. Although she has great fertility and the sweetest nephews and niece I could ask for, she told me she was glad to know what we were going through. She didn't try to offer advice, she didn't didn't try to tell me "it's God's will" she just let me talk. Below are things that can help those who are dealing with infertility.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. <i>Know that we are grieving.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
Grief is often known as huge or mounting sadness caused by loss. While for those with infertility, they may not have suffered a miscarriage, though many have, they are grieving the loss of their dreams for the "perfect" family. Also just like grieving a loved one there will be strange triggers that may bring back deep feelings of grief.</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. <i>Don't belittle our losses.</i></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the hardest things I've ever heard was someone telling me I could always get pregnant again after I had lost my child. While a child who is miscarried may not be "real" to you, that child is very real to a parent who lost them. There are always outside influences that you may not know of that caused this loss and the parents are trying to deal with them.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
3. <i>Please listen to what we are saying...</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
I know for me, talking about infertility can be really hard. When I come to my friends and just need to talk, thes best thing is to know that we are being listened too. We may stumble, cry and laugh in one sentence, but feel comfortable and safe talking to you.</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
4. <i>... and don't offer solutions.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Many people know of the options that are open to them being infertile. Adoption may not always be the best option for those who are infertile. The same would be for being foster families or other medical options. It is in the best interest of a couple to find the best option for them rather than finding that an option will not be fruitful if pursued. Also, everyone knows someone who got pregnant after doing (insert topic here). Just because it worked for one person doesn't mean it will happen for the person you are talking to.</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
5<i>. Don't be afraid to share your joy.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Pregnancy and birth announcements can be understandably hard. Don't be afraid to share your joy. It may be easier to let those who are experiencing infertility know before you make a big public announcement. This will give those dealing with infertility a chance to process their emotions before being present at a large family function or seeing major announcements on </div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
6. <i>Find community.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
For those who are dealing with infertility a welcoming community can help to sort out emotions and feelings regarding infertility. For those readers who are practicing Natural Family Planning there is a Christian forum over at www.livingthesacrament.com with separate boards for men and women. This is a forum for those who use Natural Family Planning or are curious about it. They have great resources for those on any step of the journey: those trying to conceive, avoid pregnancy, work through infertility or miscarriage, during pregnancy and after.</div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
7. <i>Don't think of our friendship as "weird".</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
It can be difficult to maintain a friendship with those who do not have children after you have given birth. Truly, continue and maintain your friendship. A good friend will realize that though things have changed, a good friendship is worth maintaining.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While this is only a short list of ideas, what would you add to this list?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-21228785924441346452013-10-15T11:41:00.000-05:002013-10-15T11:41:12.523-05:00Dear Mr. Barnes - A photographer's perspective<span style="color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Mr. Barnes,</span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your recent use of cameras and death in your post </span><i><a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2013/10/a-possible-anthropological-origin-of-the-duck-face.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Possible Anthropological Origin of the Duckface</span></a></i><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was quite a stretch for me to read today as a person who also takes joy in photography.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me start with my beginnings with a camera and move forward. I caught my first shutterbug when I was 6 and my mom let me take photos during the dolphin show at the Brookfield Zoo on my first family vacation. My mom showed me how to hold the little point and click 35mm film camera and aim it at my unsuspecting swimming mammalian targets. Some how I knew the patience of waiting for the right moment to try to capture the moment of the dolphins flying in mid air, because that’s what subjectively we see.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5055/5641011909_643deb2a96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5055/5641011909_643deb2a96.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moving forward into high school I was the lead photographer and “Senior Editor” of our small school yearbook. I would capture candids of my peers, the thrill of games and the action behind the scenes. I learned what photoshop was, how to manipulate, cut and frame. Photos became more than a snapshot of time but a story unto themselves.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fast forward to today. I take photos to capture the dichotomy between light and dark, the contrast of colors, joy in my day, and memories I am proud of and choose to share. I never ask my subjects to pose or be different of who they are, generally I’m happy if I can catch them still enough to snap a quick one before running away. I play with sliders to balance and shade. To match the lens of the artificial to my eye and memory. Just with any story passed down from relative to relative, there may be an occasional embellishment but the essence is the same.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5108/5641033279_a512f09707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5108/5641033279_a512f09707.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A photo is nothing more than a reflection of the captured and the intent that a person chooses to see. I capture photos because there is a stirring in my heart or something I deem to be precious. Sure, their worth is not necessarily known to those that I share my photos with. To share my photos, regardless of the content, is an objective act of myself showing my subjective feelings towards myself and those people and places I’ve encountered</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Certainly we have all posed for cameras in our lives. It may be that we want to have more of our subjectivity shown to others or that we are making a choice for our behavior. Anyone who is the subject of a photo should remember that they will be viewed objectively by another person and be reacted to by their subjectivity. </span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5466/9248785515_13709a81fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5466/9248785515_13709a81fd.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Not posing, finally standing still :)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The duckface is not only an action or pose by the person doing it, but reaction created by the person viewing it. The old adage of “A photo is worth a thousand words” is not the words of the subject but those of the viewer. Even in the most basic of stories, a picture or illustration proves to guide our hearts and minds toward the author’s intent.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lastly for the topic of death. We as Catholics still treat a person’s corpse with every respect that we should have treated them in life. The reason that the Church still prefers the body present during the funeral rites is that it recalls our loved one’s life and death. If a body is so easily discarded and has no worth after we have died, the Catholic Church would not teach so strongly on the Resurrection of the body and soul.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is hard to react to death because our selfish tendency wants those we hold closest to never permanently leave us. Our repulsion to corpses is that we have so many human memories wrapped up in the objectivity that this person had. We long for the goodness that was brought into our lives by their objective presence and miss that it will no longer be a constant presence in our lives.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have watched as my loved ones have planned funerals and find myself in that same boat now. As I am taking care of loved ones and learning their final wishes, I am blessed to have the opportunities to know how lives will be celebrated.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8306/7989167307_2bfb8c7969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8306/7989167307_2bfb8c7969.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those who I love who are terminally ill, there is a very thin line between objectivity and subjectivity because we can visibly see the struggle they have in communicating and that struggle shows me more of their spirit and who they are.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When their time has come and I know that they have seen God for who He truly is; back here there will be tears and pictures. These pictures will show us glimpses of who they were and keep their memories alive in our hearts.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fff2cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your perspective and I hope you appreciate mine.</span></div>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amanda Castro</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/8857116483_3a5b048c3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/8857116483_3a5b048c3c.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-10063332770896391042013-09-27T11:30:00.000-05:002013-09-27T11:30:54.632-05:00My Family and Fertility (Part 2)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Through the responses I have received from my initial post <a href="http://thepatientwanderer.blogspot.com/2013/09/families-and-infertility.html" target="_blank">"Families and Infertility"</a>, I have decided that this should become a series of posts covering the topic of infertility from my point of view. I cannot write from the point of view of people who have adopted or are currently seeking to adopt. I also cannot write from the perspective of those who have been able to have advanced fertility treatment. However, below is my story.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My name is Amanda, and my husband and I have been married nearly 3 years. We have never used contraception or chosen to use Natural Family Planning as a means to abstain from having children.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My story actually begins when I was a sophomore in college. Our local Catholic student organization had brought in our local Natural Family Planning coordinator to give us the basic information on Natural Family Planning. I knew her outside of NFP because her eldest daughter was 3 years younger and we had attended Diocesan youth functions together. She gave us facts about the process of NFP, the rates of effectiveness, and why the Creighton model worked scientifically. It was funny to watch the guys squirm but it made a lot of sense. It also clarified questions I had about my own body that had never been answered by my mom.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was in a serious relationship with a guy that I was discerning marriage about so I decided to sign up for the next one on one starter class. That class was great but also made me think about why I was choosing NFP. At that time, it was for my health and I wanted to get off hormonal birth control for my periods for good.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had been on HBC for a year to "control" my cycles. I was seeing many of the symptoms of a normal cycle before HBC but not during. Something stirred inside my thoughts saying, "that isn't right." So with guidance from my doctor, I stopped taking HBC and tried Creighton. Using Creighton was amazing and I learned so much. I also learned that once you have information, you can't let go of it. Many of the NFP habits I developed then I still maintain now.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, I kept loosing my stickers my charts, having issues with what I should be marking things as and waiting on others. My charts were a mess, I was a mess, and I was having trouble at school. Since I wasn't engaged yet, I thought it would be prudent to wait to start again until I was engaged.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My reproductive health became a bit scattered again and when I went for my check up the doctor asked for my family history. It wasn't the greatest but I also mentioned everything from my grandmother, paternal aunt and mom. The doctor looked at me like I was broken. He prescribed me HBC again with the warning that if I ever wanted to think about having kids I needed to know two things, one I needed to take HBC until I was ready to get pregnant to save my fertility and I needed to get pregnant by the time I was 28 if I was ever going to have kids. I gave the prescription to my mom and started taking it as recommended.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Going into my Senior year I became very sick. My cycles would shut down, I'd start to get weak and I even passed out in the chapel for no apparent reason. The only thing I could put my finger on was the HBC. This time I didn't even consult a doctor about my medication, I threw out the HBC. I started charting again and meeting with my Creighton mentor. I made another appointment and told a new doctor what had happened and she agreed I shouldn't take HBC but agreed, 28 was the magic deadline for kids.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fast forward to two years out of college. I had grown lax in my charting but I always knew where I was in my cycle what was going on and things were relatively healthy. I had dumped my long time boyfriend and started dating my now husband. We are both Catholic and wanted to start charting together. This didn't work out, my previous mentor was a mom from the homeschool group he belonged to and the only other teaching couple in the area was one of his professors. Thankfully there are many new smartphone apps and charting programs online to learn and implement. That's what we use still today.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We were married and decided not to abstain but not actively try to conceive either. We had moved for work to an area where there weren't many teaching couples and even fewer NFP friendly doctors. I had been in recently for a large anovulatory cycle and the doctor brushed me off because I wasn't pregnant and I was fat. That's the only reason my body was acting out. No tests, no checking, just get used to it. Somehow the same magic statement of "If you want kids, you better be pregnant by 28" was still there.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Since our marriage we've had two miscarriages. The first we were shocked and excited at the "pregnant" sign on the view window but as I kept testing lines got lighter and lighter. When I called into my doctor, she didn't want to see me but because I was early, I'd be fine passing "it" at home. I was told to treat it like a heavy period. So I did. I was only about 6-8 weeks along but I knew when I had passed her. I was in shock and didn't know what to do. In a blind panic I ended up flushing my little girl down the toilet. It wasn't until a few days later it had sunk in what I had done. I still pray for forgiveness for that every day. Our second is still fresh and I'm not comfortable sharing that story.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Currently I have a wonderful doctor who is willing to work with me and order needed tests for my husband and I. However, right now with our current insurance, we are not able to get the tests we want done. Although this doctor doesn't buy into the magic 'pregnant by 28" it is still a fear that looms on the horizon and that horizon is getting closer. We wait patiently and continue charting. We've placed our children and any others God may give us into his hands because as parents, it's the least we can do.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-40459141261606282392013-09-24T12:41:00.002-05:002013-09-27T09:58:12.539-05:00Families and Infertility (Part 1)<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">I know I haven't been posting lately for one reason primarily, I knew I couldn’t be charitable. This comes about because of a topic that has been nagging me a lot in the back of my mind, married infertility.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-2986888e-510b-f565-d2d1-403ddad1d6ea" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are two articles which finally spurred me into reflectively writing about this. The first is an article by Fr. Robert Barron, </span><a href="http://www.strangenotions.com/very-sad-childfree-life/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Very Sad Childfree Life”</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which I first encountered at strangenotions.com, and </span><a href="http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2013/09/katie-warner-ten-reasons-to-have-children-early-in-your-marriage/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Of Wedding Bells and Baby Booties: 10 Reasons to Have Kids Early in Your Marriage”</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Katie Peterson Warner at The Integrated Catholic Life.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Both of these articles are very good reads and provided a lot for me to think about as a young married woman. The reason that these articles stirred so much in me is, I am a late 20’s married Catholic, who practices NFP with my husband of almost 3 years. We desire to have children and cannot. Our lack of children is not by choice and if we had a choice we would have a little one preparing for at most their second birthday and a newborn in our arms. Instead we have our little apartment with only 7 fish and each other to take care of.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">If you have read the above articles you can figure that my husband and I are not the 20 something couple who has chosen to not have children, but how would you recognize us in a restaurant, grocery shopping, or speaking to us in church? We do go on dates, we try our best to take care of each other, we enjoy the company of each other and our friends. We try to take trips and visit family. We wouldn’t look any different than those who have chosen to not have children. Fr. Barron is spot on in his title, “The Very Sad Childfree Life”, except we realize what we are missing and cannot bring it into our lives.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Katie Peterson Warner is also spot on in her article. I have watched these characteristics shine through many of my friends and in-laws who are recently married and having children. It’s amazing to watch them grow and strengthen their marriages and realizing at the same time that my husband and I are more like our unmarried friends than them.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">I know at surface value these may seem like selfish and superficial reasons to desire children. At least for my husband and I, these aren't our only reasons.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">Most married couples can attest to the two functions of sex in marriage, to be unitive and reproductive. It is also common scientific knowledge that there is only a small window that a woman can conceive a child in. It is a true miracle for any child to be conceived in any act of intercourse. One of the blessings of any form of Natural Family Planning is that I could tell you on any given day, my cycle date, which “phase” of my cycle I'm in, whether I’m waiting or not to see if I'm pregnant and a whole other plethora of “too much information”.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">It’s a battle of potential doctor’s appointments, progesterone, blood draws, vitamins, and personal health issues to see a test with only one line on it. A struggle to keep yourself positive when you are overthinking every symptom that your body has to say of whether is it pregnancy or is it PMS. The courage to look at every period as a chance to start fresh rather than what did we do wrong. A challenge to not cry a little bit for every pregnancy announcement, story of a family member who had infertility and got pregnant naturally, or stick to your beliefs and not cave to medical treatments like IVF.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will fully acknowledge the good work that institutes like the Pope Paul VI Institute has done for Natural Reproduction to enhance a couple’s chance to have a natural conception. I am thankful Church documents like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Familiaris Consortio</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Donum Vitae</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dignitas Personae</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for at least acknowledging that infertility is a struggle, even for a brief moment.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">This is the cross my husband and I carry. It is often heavier than I can imagine and barely noticed by those we haven’t told. I know that those who share stories of those who have suffered infertility and had children are only sharing their joy. The truth is, it doesn't always turn out that way. Rather let me tell you this story.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">My husband and I are happy to say that we are performers. We love being involved in concerts, plays, musicals and anything that lets our love of the performing arts be shared with others. On our wedding day, we stood in a large Cathedral, without microphones, and stating our consent to marriage and vows publicly. We wanted to be heard and would have screamed it from the rooftops if we could have.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">We had stated our intent twice, we had come together freely and with the intent to honor each other for the rest of our lives. The priest asked us if we were willing to accept children lovingly as a gift from God. Our “yes” resounded even louder. Our two year old nephew who was just learning to speak his mind chimed even louder, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” to the laughter of us and our guests. As the laughter died down, my husband and I looked back at each other and in hushed voices said yes, smiled and continued through the mass.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">I still look back on that and laugh today, but now I have a little whispering voice wondering if it wasn't at least a little prophetic of the struggle that my husband and I have today.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #fff2cc;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #fff2cc;">In writing this, I’m not saying that these other articles have said something wrong. I just find it painful that people who I love and trust have thought this is our choice or that we could wish or pray a child into being. I am writing this to show others that this is a struggle that many couples are facing and that I can’t be the only woman who is looking to guidance from our clergy others who are facing this struggle as well.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-77879580815382916962013-08-22T11:02:00.000-05:002013-08-22T11:25:47.512-05:00Bibles and Cell Phones<a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/34/87/1b/34871b2a2163eacfdcda659b75983086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/34/87/1b/34871b2a2163eacfdcda659b75983086.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't know about you, but I've seen this image popping up on Facebook and Twitter lately. Does it look familiar? If you haven't looked at any of the pictures that I've posted, I highly encourage to the point of pleading please look at this one.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't know about you, but I am usually lost without my cell phone. I check my mail, my bank balance, play games, Facebook, this blog, communicate, and even pray with it in my hands. I'm bored waiting for an appointment, let's play Temple Run <b>2. </b>Trying to better plan out my day, lets look at Evernote or my calendars. Trying to get some deeper level of prayer in adoration, try Laudate or iBreviary. (Yes I have used my cell phone as a prayer book in Adoration. Yes I've had to explain it to little old ladies. It is embarrassing.) But I am completely and thoroughly attached to this electronic leash that I can't get rid of.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then I look at my Bible. I have two which are mine and a couple dozen floating around my office that occasionally make their way home too. But of the two that are my own I have one that is a paperback, slightly dog eared at the corners and never written in. The other has been graffitied, decorated, highlighted, has a broken spine, pages falling out, duct tape and smoke damaged. I shouldn't use it as a reading Bible but it serves a much deeper reminder.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap7008qaOy8d-lf7By-y9wZTv2HQjsQQmj0OxmwpjSYYTKMw0lQAg7YVMmMPq7xnKvqXj4whyB5ykQB8lAKg6Hlu-WlOVTjI52qg2omihFN3CTQoDM1JC5x6v0SUSyBAYOqPP-N4z89g/s1600/IMG_0128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap7008qaOy8d-lf7By-y9wZTv2HQjsQQmj0OxmwpjSYYTKMw0lQAg7YVMmMPq7xnKvqXj4whyB5ykQB8lAKg6Hlu-WlOVTjI52qg2omihFN3CTQoDM1JC5x6v0SUSyBAYOqPP-N4z89g/s200/IMG_0128.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My very worn Bible. Can you see where the cracked spine is?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I look at the above image and acknowledge, that even though I access prayer apps and occasionally the daily readings on my phone, my Bible lays stagnant. I can't help but get mentally caught on the "... turned back to get it if we forgot it?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpPDt3dgXdpyrVIviwU3ldKJdVxUSJAvcJXXDaCZOLKi5wOp3kz40t6KQ2mCrKHHShbkqdE6eORuMuzLnWulGZLEz63segYBrEwcGoYTQucnh74TUi28PX2BHM5DgXDJkvMHvP_j0Suo/s1600/IMG_0129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpPDt3dgXdpyrVIviwU3ldKJdVxUSJAvcJXXDaCZOLKi5wOp3kz40t6KQ2mCrKHHShbkqdE6eORuMuzLnWulGZLEz63segYBrEwcGoYTQucnh74TUi28PX2BHM5DgXDJkvMHvP_j0Suo/s200/IMG_0129.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The spine has broken here completely in half. The two halves are held with duct tape.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I was 22, I was student teaching, preparing for end of year finals which I was writing the finals for students. I was living with my extended family when their home was caught in a house fire. It was a huge fire that impacted two other houses that were nearby. When I was trying to get my composure and get out I grabbed my Bible, cell phone and other necessities. I couldn't think clearly until I heard in my head "drop everything and get out" in my father's voice. My father was a firefighter and always stressed the need to get out when a fire struck. I thought I had dropped everything when I ran downstairs and saw my cousin, (who's about 65) on the phone in his kitchen calling 911 as I'm watching the sliding glass door 10 feet behind him melting in an oozy pile of orange glass. I yelled at him to get out scooped up my shoes and ran outside.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the few moments after I hit the fresh air I looked and saw that I was wearing shoes with my pajamas and holding my cell phone. I used my phone to call my family and try to find a place to stay but my beloved Bible was dropped from my hands and was sitting on the floor of the bedroom where I had been staying. Once the fire was completely put out, I was able to go back in and I got my Bible.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwzmNnYZtTJ80zX0YQGLy46Vj9TbDi2jkxDxzppKo2wtOF4xJjD2sfgJyPIWZOgWc8FTJlJpIMIHldsHchv38LPy8nsHd9OG0BsykVQoNBnKMEKt_r-_mxGsagQd9UifP6OLE4OejaoU/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwzmNnYZtTJ80zX0YQGLy46Vj9TbDi2jkxDxzppKo2wtOF4xJjD2sfgJyPIWZOgWc8FTJlJpIMIHldsHchv38LPy8nsHd9OG0BsykVQoNBnKMEKt_r-_mxGsagQd9UifP6OLE4OejaoU/s200/IMG_0130.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence of smoke damage in the front cover</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was at a crisis of faith. I had chosen to leave an object significant of my faith behind when I had the chance. I wasn't proud of that and I wanted to leave the church behind. I was simply going through the motions of faith because I knew it would make my family happy. After brooding and being bitter about it, I worked my way back to going to Confession. The priest that heard me had only been ordained the day before. He was new, I was in pain and he truly had the graces from God I needed to come back fully to church, even though I never fully left.<br />
<br />
As Catholics we declare that the Bible in its entirety is the Divinely inspired Word of God. It is a true gift of faith to be utilized, studied and prayed with. I wasn't proud that I left my Bible in such a hurried disordered way. Living a life, regardless of how short it was without the word of God was painful. The very top image illustrates quite poignantly why the Bible is important in our lives and what would the impact be if we had the same need for the Word of God as we did Facebook or Twitter.<br />
<br />
This Bible in particular I received while on retreat and in the front cover was a message which I am glad to share with you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeI8lytAQURxttuFUCsioPsiPsdGFQEp38j5SRpBbH9tEqrDGj6G0DDc2TVmfmI2tx80VJ3hzsItqv0CHtJysNz2uW57zCAUUh02w8EymU7hvrmtK2MEsbxpHr47YY364X48gQzs2H78/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeI8lytAQURxttuFUCsioPsiPsdGFQEp38j5SRpBbH9tEqrDGj6G0DDc2TVmfmI2tx80VJ3hzsItqv0CHtJysNz2uW57zCAUUh02w8EymU7hvrmtK2MEsbxpHr47YY364X48gQzs2H78/s200/IMG_0131.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-73518563949143074112013-07-25T14:18:00.002-05:002013-07-25T14:18:15.569-05:00The Royal Baby and my Niece<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's not new news that the Duchess of Cambridge and her husband, Prince William, are new proud parents of Prince George. What may be news is the news that Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge is receiving over the showing of her postpartum baby bump. While many are cheering her dress choices or crying foul at the media I think that there is something in all this royal baby buzz we are missing. The world waited with baited breath the whole 9 months to welcome her <i>baby.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The whole world and all of the media outlets were happy to divulge the nitty gritty details of Kate's health and the status of her baby. Whether we'd find out the gender, when she left and was admitted into the Lido Wing and how awful her pregnancy symptoms were, especially when hospitalized for dehydration. The one thing that the world seemed to agree on though was that she was carrying a human baby. One that not only had rights to live but had a wonderful chance at destiny being the third in line for the British Monarchy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNXJ5YOF1LGbCJE4Vvydvl57Qq93AUm2CG2YbG8v0dxLDm9vPFGLhyphenhyphenLsnGWY2DEAfirzRCzVkT92VFnpbm9eR5LsIGGjJEisgZ9FEjtaRWxSq4FOUwNpxDnflh83idFczfgggHGn-NWM/s1600/IMG_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNXJ5YOF1LGbCJE4Vvydvl57Qq93AUm2CG2YbG8v0dxLDm9vPFGLhyphenhyphenLsnGWY2DEAfirzRCzVkT92VFnpbm9eR5LsIGGjJEisgZ9FEjtaRWxSq4FOUwNpxDnflh83idFczfgggHGn-NWM/s200/IMG_0048.JPG" width="149" /></a>This former clump of cells has dignity and a chance to be born. There was also no doubt that Prince George would either be a boy or a girl or at the very least human. In one swoop The world simultaneously acknowledged the humanity of one fetus. They welcomed Prince George in the matter of a moment once the royal pregnancy announcement was made.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I collectively wonder what would happen in the world if we were to acknowledge that level of dignity in every person we meet regardless of child, middle aged, elderly or in utero. Sure the circumstances of each birth may not be as privileged as that of Prince George but it doesn't mean that their life has any less dignity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I look at pictures of my youngest niece. In the picture above, she's nearly 2 months old. It didn't take a couple good pushes and a deep breath to affirm her dignity as a human being. That red headed princess captured all our hearts the moment we heard her mother was pregnant. Why then can't we support all mothers with love and care and let these children be born?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-65080634023913945252013-07-17T12:30:00.000-05:002013-07-17T12:30:01.887-05:00Unplanned Does Not Equal Unwanted<div style="text-align: justify;">
With the recent triumph in the Texas Legislature returning abortion to the "safe, legal and rare" precedent for their state my Facebook feed has been filled with emotions of why abortion is not practical as a form of birth control. In the debate on whether abortion is safe, we are often so focused on the health of the mother that we forget that in nearly 100% of all abortions, it is fatal to the life of the unborn child. Even if we don't forget, abortion is a safe word that lets those who are pro-choice and pro-life skim over that fact "comfortably."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My husband and I practice Natural Family Planning. Most days I can tell you where I am in cycle without batting an eye, my husband has a bit more of a hazy understanding. However after 2.5 years of marriage, any pregnancy we would have would be definitely "unplanned". We want a child, but have been unsuccessful in growing our family. When we say that a child would be unplanned we don't mean that we don't want a child, just that the positive result would be truly a surprise.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At the same time there are women everyday who find out they are pregnant and it is as the worst possible time in their lives or under the worst circumstances. Our contemporary society tells us that abortion is the best option for the living <strike>mother</strike>, excuse me, woman. Not only is it encouraged, it's expected. The same is the result of those child who unexpectedly have a physical or cognitive defect while in the womb. The parents may love that child, but in the child's best interests are told to abort. It is a courageous and noble or even stupid choice should parents choose to keep the child.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In these "unplanned" circumstances, why do we show that disposal is a better choice than love. There is a deep societal stigma regarding pregnant women. Unless the child being born is being brought into this world in the best situation, why even have the child?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Love. Love requires self sacrifice and self giving. Society is so wrapped up in convenience and living the easy life that anything truly sacrificial is seen as an undue burden. Only give while it feels good and then call yourself good.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9224613757_214fb6f7ea_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9224613757_214fb6f7ea_m.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've used this picture before. I absolutely adore my nephews and the eldest from this family is on the left. I will call him Batman. Batman's mom had a completely unplanned pregnancy. She had been with her boyfriend for about a month and Batman had found his Batcave. She never hesitated once and decided to keep him. After Batman had been born his parents decided to get married. While it hasn't been easy for their family, they make due on work when they can find it, and live comfortably cramped in their small apartment. And Batman in the lead watching over his two younger brothers and baby sister. My sister in law is a great model of faith, hope, and love while doing their best in life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is another story which can probably do more to illustrate that not all unplanned pregnancies are unwanted.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://marshmk.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/holy_family_icon11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://marshmk.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/holy_family_icon11.jpg" width="128" /></a>We all know the story of a very young teen who finds herself unmarried and pregnant in ancient Israel. The Blessed Virgin Mary found herself accepting the promise of God through his angel that she would be carrying the Son of God. Saint Joseph even found himself wanting to not marry her because she was pregnant. He wouldn't have been out of line to think it was with someone elses child. Leaving her side would have meant almost certain death for Mary and her child. Their society wouldn't have batted an eye at that. Even at that time when it was only Mary who wanted to keep the child, Jesus was definitely unplanned in her life but he was even greatly loved and wanted. Love and self-sacrifice won out. Joseph through the instruction of an angel was told that Jesus would be the savior. Mary had a healthy baby boy and the rest they say is Salvation History.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Children who are unplanned and for mothers' and fathers' who are thinking that abortion is the only way out, please consider adoption for your child. Please consider calling your local adoption agency or speaking with someone at <a href="http://birthright.org/en/" target="_blank">Birthright</a>. There are agencies who will support your choice and help you find the best choice for you.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-38085398355208575672013-07-15T10:53:00.001-05:002013-07-15T10:53:27.162-05:00Praying in RomeI don't often get excited by giveaways that are on the internet. This is one that you my readers may be interested in. I think this book will be well worth the read and something that you may want to check our for yourself. <a href="http://brandonvogt.com/dolan-giveaway/">http://brandonvogt.com/dolan-giveaway/</a><br />
<br />
The giveaway lasts through the rest of the week so act fast!<br />
<br />
Other than that, I will be posting later this week but the wonderful wall of writer's block is back so, we'll see what we get!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-41612238095680649272013-07-09T12:37:00.002-05:002013-07-09T12:37:56.110-05:00I Can Understand the Allure of In Vitro Fertilization <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">This past week I was on a blessed and relaxing vacation with friends and family. Part of the holiday weekend was spent with my husband's family for a family get together. Over the past few years the family joke was that someone was always pregnant. This was apparent by the 6 children present under the age of 5.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">My younger sister-in-law had just given birth 2 months ago and no one else was pregnant. My in laws looked to my husband and I for a surprise announcement but we didn't have any news to share. The secret we had only shared with our respective parents was that we had suffered a miscarriage in November, I would have been about 7.5 months along this past weekend.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Over this past weekend I met my newest niece and the child of my best friend, both these beautiful bundles are less than 4 months old. I have never seen their mothers happier than I did seeing them holding their children, at the same time I have never been more ashamed of how much I wished to have a child.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/in-vitro-fertilization-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/in-vitro-fertilization-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">In vitro fertilization is the combining of a sperm and egg outside of the act of sex and replacing that egg back within the mother. Extra eggs and sperm are combined and saved in order for a higher rate of pregnancy or to try again for additional children. This practice is condemned by the Catholic Church because of the undertaking of playing God by all parties involved. It is also condemned because of the reckless wasting of life through the mingling of sperm and egg. Each of these zygotes also contains a human soul which regardless of implantation or not, means they are still humans. There is a waste of life because of the low implantation rate and that many of these children will not be "utilized" for a pregnancy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">However even with the cost I can see the allure, the desire and craving that parents seeking IVF as an option see. The chance of having a beautiful, biological, child of your own out weighs a lot for many parents. If I did not have the beliefs I did, IVF would be a very tempting option indeed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">However I look inside myself and know IVF is never an option for my husband and me. Let's go through a couple reasons here.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1. I am not God.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Sex as a marital act requires both husband and wife and including God as the author of life. It is because of this relationship that heterosexual marriage mirrors both the relationship of Christ and his Church as well as the Trinity. By removing God as the author of life we are attempting to play God. Medical science would simply say that they are working to overcome a natural deficiency of the body, we are eliminating the need for faith and trust. We are coping the choice of Adam and Eve's first sin, trying to be as God.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">Secondly, I don't always know what's best for me. Just as the parable of the parent who always gives good gifts, I may be asking for the wrong gift to fulfill what is best for me. So as my spiritual father, God will not give me a gift at just because I asked for it. There may be a greater wisdom in asking us to wait.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2. Delayed gratification over instant.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">There is no doubt that our modern society places an emphasis on what I can receive now without waiting. Once a woman finds out she's pregnant, she still has to wait 9 months to meet her child but, it doesn't make her any less of a mother. Because my husband and I are still waiting for a child to be born from us, doesn't make us any less of parents, but how joyful will we be when we are finally able to hold our child and have them safe in our arms.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3. I have other places to put my time.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9224613757_214fb6f7ea_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9224613757_214fb6f7ea_m.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Nephews</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">There are mother's who can do it all. They work full time, take care of their children, volunteer, keep their home running smoothly and more that I cannot imagine. I have met these women and stand in awe of them. At this time in my life, I don't know if I can ever be one of them. As it stands, I have other children that are in need of my time, they are the students working to grasp and take ownership of their faith, my nephews learning to save the world and friends who are beginning their lives with their children. I am allowed to work crazy hours and take time to delve into other passions. While I still crave and long to be a full time parent, I understand that there are other needs that I can devote myself too in the meantime.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span 13px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: inherit;">With these reasons, it is still hard to wait. I have prayed very choice words in frustration, heartache, and humility trying to find answers. The biggest answer I have received through prayer is "wait and see." I fully acknowledge the desire to want a child, but are incapable of having one, yet. However, until the answer I have received changes, I will wait and see what the Lord has planned for me.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-52053068047436934052013-06-27T14:07:00.000-05:002013-06-27T14:07:34.424-05:00 We Need to Pray for Our Clergy<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the past few months I have read many posts regarding the state of the Catholic Church in America and the priests, bishops, and cardinals who lead her. Whether it has been the Archdiocese of New York and the handling of union health insurance contracts, DOMA, Proposition 8, calling for Nancy Pelosi to no longer call herself Catholic, or even the resounding fallouts from the new healthcare laws that will be going into full effect on August 1. The abundance of comments that are seen scream for our bishops to do something. I agree more should be done, but right now, we are waiting in anticipation to see what will happen.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In four years I have been a parishioner of four different Catholic Dioceses in the United States. There have been great moments and some not so great. But all the bishops I have met are amazing men who are trying to lead their respective diocese with great passion and fervor. We as the laity may not always see or recognize their efforts but they are outstanding men of prayer, discipleship, council, and usually a good sense of humor.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I understand that we are in a highly chaotic time within the Catholic Church in the United States. The secular media seems like it is waiting for any Catholic official to slip up publicly to turn into huge news. Then I call for this, pray for our clergy. It is increasingly easy for us to dwell on the negatives and wonder why these "super men" of the Church aren't doing more. They are taking care of the administrative needs of their dioceses, making hard decisions regarding the future of their parishes, priests, religious, seminarians and laity. They pray, work unusual hours and maybe find a brief moment of peace to themselves. The spiritual battle they face would make any of us pale, and for their efforts, I cannot thank them enough.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Please, with all the negativity pointed against us, let us strive to work together and pray for our clergy.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Heavenly Father, in these trying times when the spirit of the age threaten Christian values, give our bishop, holiness of life and wisdom to guide our (arch)diocesan family, so that we may grow in your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen. </blockquote>
-Prayer for the Bishop, <a href="http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=885" target="_blank">Catholic Online </a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-43246907739390578062013-06-25T15:16:00.000-05:002013-06-25T17:57:44.779-05:00American Sign Language and Abortion<div style="text-align: justify;">
Since it's the summer, I have a unusual office schedule. I try to maintain regular office hours and a routine, but because of the lack of students around, my cell phone can be somewhat distracting. I took a small break and checked my phone to see that a friend of mine had posted this short post from <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thecrescat/2013/06/abortion-in-sign-language.html" target="_blank">The Crescat</a>. All it showed was a simple GIF of "abortion" translated in American Sign Language.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/thecrescat/files/2013/06/83379759.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/thecrescat/files/2013/06/83379759.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"<a href="http://www.handspeak.com/word/index.php?dict=aa&signID=4374" target="_blank">Abortion</a>" in American Sign Language</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am not fluent in American Sign Language but I remember my college classes in ASL quite clearly. We had a young adjunct professor who was deaf and didn't always use her cochlear implants. She chose not to use them, not because she was being rude, but to help correct our movements and rid us from our bad signing habits. As young signers, we slurred, spoke with a drawl and learned that what one movement says does not mean the same when quickly repeated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had American Sign Language as a block class for two and a half hours every Tuesday and Thursday. We would have a portion of the class that was book review and exercise, then the second portion was always conducted in sign to the best of our ability but in complete silence. If we didn't know a word and it wasn't in our glossary, finger spelling became our best friend. We were also required to have so many lab hours per chapter. Lastly we were required to attend events within the Deaf Community.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We were asked to keep signing as much as possible and mention that we were students just learning to sign. I have never been introduced to a more welcoming group of individuals in my life. It was through these immersion events over pizza and awareness that we learned how key facial expressions and eye contact truly were. Nothing was more annoying to them than a person who was to distracted by others. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The other important thing I learned about the Deaf Community was how personal everything was. Each person has a unique name given to them by someone else within the community. Sure there can be multiple Amandas but there is only one you. Secondly, every sign is truly different but is meant to invoke a particular point of knowledge. For instance the sign for milk mimics the action of squeezing an udder to receive milk. A student is the personification of someone pulling knowledge from a book. Abortion, as we see above, is the intentional discarding of a baby.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
American Sign Language is meant to show the exact meaning of words. Words are chosen because of their precise meanings. If you need another meaning, you choose another sign. Even as a hearing people we use signing far more often than we realize. We use body language and gestures to emphasize what we say. As I look at the sign for abortion and look back on the experiences that I had as a student, it breaks my heart to see abortion like this. It hurts so much because there is a community of Americans who are stating what abortion truly is, whether they agree with it or not.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-69229149661281286812013-06-24T13:36:00.001-05:002013-06-24T13:36:44.002-05:00Evangelizing Parents<div style="text-align: justify;">
I love my job. I love the students I work with. I even like the parents of the students I work with. There is a big reason that I say I like them and not that I love them. The most common critique I receive from my co-workers is that I use too much "churchy" language and turn people off. It's a comment, that I really don't know how to take.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am more available and ready to talk to teens. Sure I use a smattering of higher language to use it as a tool to have them ask questions, but parents, parents can be downright scary when it comes to using the right language. The reason I find parents more intimidating than students, I am closer to the age of their students than I am to them. I try to bridge this gap by trying to show my competence and show my intelligence. The truth is, parents have much more varied and just more life experience than I do. They know their student better than I do. how to talk to them and teach them individually.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then I am stuck. If I can reach the student but not the parent, what use am I to those I encounter. As a Youth Minister, I am both teacher and advocate, resource and guide, but all the knowledge in the world won't help me if I don't have the experience to use it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For example, I am already intimidated by a talk I will have this fall on the topic of homosexuality. Although I have loved ones who are same-sex attracted, I can handle talking to them individually, we can see eye to eye. It happens to be the large topic that throws me for a curve. Parents could have siblings, cousins, children who are experiencing this now and they don't know how to react. My loved ones and I have at least come to an understanding with each other.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To parents, I can state Church teachings from the Catechism, I can explain things from biology, I can state facts and my personal experiences, but if I "do not have love, I am a gong or clashing cymbal." (1Cor. 13:1) The biggest trap I fall in is that when I get nervous, I feel like I have to rely on what I've learned and simply regurgitate information. The truth is, information alone will not be enough to soften hearts. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have found this, parents who are willing to talk about hard topics of their faith are willing to show that they've been hurt in the past. It could have been hurt from family, friends, parishioners, clergy, staff or even myself. I can't always undo the hurt that I've caused but I can help parents come to a middle ground. Through coming to a common understanding, I can hopefully get them willing to talk about other issues that they have with the Church.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lastly, the parents that I've worked with are all Catholics of the "lost generation." The "lost generation" often refers to Catholics who were poorly taught their faith during the 60's through the late 80's after the reforms of Vatican II were put into place. The average knowledge of Catholic adults about their faith is that of a 4th grade level. There are many people who live their faith out of a sense of family tradition rather than understanding what the church teaches. I believe Venerable Fulton Sheen said it best, "There are not 100 people in the world who truly hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they perceive the Catholic Church to be."</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-41209781539063007982013-06-20T11:28:00.000-05:002013-06-20T11:28:58.335-05:00Campaign Empowering Generation of Artists who Believe in Beauty Launches with Tour, Album, & Groundbreaking Concept<div style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you ask my husband or my friends, they will tell you that I am always looking for great music. If you are like me check out this new campaign. Thanks to Ryan Eggenberger at </span><a href="http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/06/17/campaign-empowering-generation-of-artists-who-believe-in-beauty-launches-with-tour-album-groundbreaking-concept/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ignitum Today</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for getting this word out.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2272727272727273; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Music fans everywhere now invited to become patrons of ‘good music’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-75752666-6269-6186-1012-9183256d5e87" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NASHVILLE, TN – The </span><a href="http://www.lovegoodmusic.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #910000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love Good Music campaign</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> officially launched today with a web-based advertising campaign, national summer tour, and a groundbreaking twist on how the music industry develops and distributes emerging talent: turning ordinary fans into influential patrons and replacing high-level recording industry executives with everyday lovers of Truth, Beauty, & Goodness. The idea is rooted in the Church’s history of patronage and builds on the empowerment created by digital distribution and modern-day crowd funding.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2272727272727273; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4-JCKudTkmV_geJ5LOLwnGpghe-TytGeNd8DEmTtAqGnt-Ahn694be3z-fMjAEHWUjirNhCkuRltScUq1QeVgynFnk2Ng_-Jye_Ngh4ZysH89XPsKUBR1NOf4A" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4-JCKudTkmV_geJ5LOLwnGpghe-TytGeNd8DEmTtAqGnt-Ahn694be3z-fMjAEHWUjirNhCkuRltScUq1QeVgynFnk2Ng_-Jye_Ngh4ZysH89XPsKUBR1NOf4A" width="300px;" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“In centuries past, Church leaders and wealthy individuals have always been the great patrons of artistic genius,” noted Mysterium Records President Jimmy Mitchell, the campaign’s architect. “More recently, record labels could make or break an artist. Now, it’s ordinary music fans who can discover new talent through social media and support artists they can believe in through Kickstarter and other crowd-funding models. Because of our partnership with incredibly talented artists who are also faithfully Catholic, this campaign is a huge stride for the New Evangelization.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2272727272727273; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Love Good Music Campaign is a major innovation on the increasingly popular crowd-funding system of raising capital for projects. The campaign seeks sustaining members for as low as $10 per month to invest in exclusive projects from emerging artists before they ever hit iTunes, Spotify or other traditional distribution services. The real perks, however, are in the power to transform the musical landscape. These patrons will then be able to provide feedback at the ground level – essentially becoming high-level influencers for new talent before the rest of the world would ever know the music exists.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2272727272727273; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’ve worked closely with some amazing artists and we haven’t even scratched the surface of talent that’s out there,” said Mr. Mitchell. “The Love Good Music Campaign—together with our patrons’ direct input—could produce a whole new generation of recording artists whose work focuses on Truth, Beauty, and Goodness rather than marketability and profit. It’s an amazing way to transform culture with our faith, and as far as I can see it, it’s never been done before.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2272727272727273; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Love Good Music campaign website offers highlights of an impressive resume for Mr. Mitchell, whose “musical curriculum vitae” includes tour management with Matt Maher, friendships with L’Angelus, Audrey Assad, and Eric Genuis, and many special projects and events with Colleen Nixon, Kevin Heider, and Chris Cole through Mysterium Records, which has distributed nearly 30,000 copies of several albums across the world.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2272727272727273; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To promote the campaign, </span><a href="http://www.lovegoodmusic.com/collections/friends-of-mysterium" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #910000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all albums available</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #242424; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the Love Good Music campaign have been discounted throughout the summer. Mr. Mitchell has also set out on an ambitious 40-city tour throughout the U.S. bringing together artists to raise awareness of the campaign. The tour dates this summer will run the full gamut of intimate house parties to public venues, spotlighting the campaign and building support for the Church’s new generation of artists.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To learn more, visit www.LoveGoodMusic.com.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-42250412818506133132013-06-18T13:46:00.000-05:002013-06-18T13:56:23.894-05:00Recalling Life's Pilgrimages<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's not often that I find myself reading Marc Barnes at <i>Bad Catholic</i> and agreeing with how he presents topics to his readers. A recent post he made titled <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2013/06/the-difference-between-a-pilgrim-and-a-tourist.html" target="_blank">"The Difference Between a Pilgrim and a Tourist"</a> really caught me off guard.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have had many chances to play both the tourist and the pilgrim in my life and occasionally I've left as the tourist and returned as the pilgrim and visa versa. For example on a music "ambassadorship" I attended across Europe our group was often asked to sing in various churches and historical sites. One of which was St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy. It was a beautiful experience. I entered the church, finding the tabernacle and genuflecting per all Catholic churches we entered and we were ushered off by someone behind the Communion Rail to perform. Our first piece was a double choir piece called "Music Be Praised" the acoustics were wonderful and the tones we hit just lingered in the air. The next piece we sang was "O Magnum Mysterium" or "Great Mystery". In a Cathedral of that magnitude, there was no doubt for me, that my voice was lifted in prayer and hopefully also being echoed by St. Mark, whose relics are interred there. I entered in a tourist amongst those paying patrons seeking the frescos and ornately decorated facades and left a pilgrim honored to sing before Christ, his martyrs and saints.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In his post Marc has this to say.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The pilgrim does not walk into a cathedral because it is "a sight," but because he believes God allows himself to be present between the pillars. The tourist walks into the same cathedral because he believes culture is there, but what he does not recognize - drifting past the statues, tombs, and ribbon-rising incense - is that the culture is there <i>because</i> of the God and cannot be "experienced" in it's fullness without this <i>raison d'etre</i> [purpose], this thing, this fact that has basilicas, chapels and shrines roaring out of otherwise dignified villages in a constant fire-alarm of clanging bells, streaming people, drifting smoke, sprinkled water, and pitiful pleas for salvation. The second-hand experience is not the experience. To see something because it is a "sight" is not to see it for precisely what it is.</blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This reminds me of one "accidental" pilgrimage I found in my own life.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Living where I did after college, I found myself in a unique predicament. I lived in a town with around 20 Catholic Churches within a 25 mile radius. Two of these Churches were actually Cathedrals. The Twin Ports area of Minnesota and Wisconsin are both blessed enough to have their own Cathedral and they couldn't be more different from each other. During college I bounced between the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, and two other parishes for Mass, Confession, and volunteering in youth ministry. I knew I wanted to find a place where I could engage with all these aspects in one location.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It wasn't until I had completed school and was working full time my boyfriend pitched me an idea, why not start attending masses and the sacraments with him. It wasn't a bad idea and although "across the bridge" into Wisconsin, it was a trip over that I was making frequently. That summer I fell in love with the people, what they did and how they served. It also happened that the rector of the Cathedral also served the small, local Newman Center which my boyfriend had gotten me involved in. Soon I had registered with the parish and was becoming a part of the community.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/165236_538955318508_6297596_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/165236_538955318508_6297596_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engagement Spot<br />
Copyright 2011 <a href="http://www.derekmontgomery.com/" target="_blank">Derek Montgomery</a>Used With Permission</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When my boyfriend asked me to marry him we both knew we wanted to be married at the Cathedral of Christ the King. This put us in a strange predicament when reading the bulletin, it stated that in order to be married at the Cathedral, you needed to be a member for a minimum of 6 months. I did the math and I had only been a member for four months. My fiance told me not to worry and scheduled a meeting with the Rector and it turned out he had been a member since he began school there 2 years ago.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We eagerly began planning the "rest of our lives" when I accepted a job in Iowa. If you've been keeping track of the states, I lived in MN, he lived in WI and now I'm moving to IA. We sped up our wedding classes and "completed" them, on the stipulation that we would have a meeting every time I came home for a visit. We completed 6 meetings and the FOCUS test and results in 3 weeks. Along with me getting everything together for our wedding.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I moved and was quite lonely. The job wasn't anything like they promised and I was looking forward to any chance I had to go home. Especially the big, comfy Cathedral that we were going to be married in. The priest I worked for gave me extended time off for the wedding which was much longer than I was supposed to receive over the following three years. Greatful I soaked up the winter and spent time with my friends and family, working when I could and attending to last minute details.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I could, I would "run away" to the Cathedral in order to find peace, quiet and a shred of sanity. I couldn't wait to embark on our new life and every time I was there I couldn't help but imagine the love and grace we would share there in a very short time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/181714_541483646718_3253759_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/181714_541483646718_3253759_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duluth + January = Brrr<br />
Copyright 2011 <a href="http://www.derekmontgomery.com/" target="_blank">Derek Montgomery</a>Used With Permission</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When the wedding day came, it was a slightly blizzardy January morning and we wouldn't have it any other way. We were going to be married. Most of my fondest memories of that day were contained in that Cathedral before God and with our families because we were standing there faithfully before each other and God.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Since then we have moved back to Minnesota and are quite a distance away from the Cathedral of Christ the King. We still go there whenever we are in the area which is about 2 or 3 times a year. We see people who remember us, but the most important is the presence of God that resides there. I am always moved to my knees in awe and wonder and I pray that I never lose that and only seek to gain that where ever I attend mass.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I found purpose there, my feelings and experiences are different because I can see the threads that God has woven together in my life surrounding this one place. Even today as we belong to a wonderful community that we hope we never have to leave, our deepest prayer is always to return there to be in union with that community as best we can.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In two weeks, we will be able to seek another pilgrimage there. I will see if there are times that we can receive Reconciliation and attend more than a weekend mass. I will gladly pray and rejoice in the Cathedral and know that God walks amid the pillars and is present all through that sacred place.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/182662_541484240528_1994161_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/182662_541484240528_1994161_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copyright 2011 <a href="http://www.derekmontgomery.com/" target="_blank">Derek Montgomery</a>Used With Permission</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Until then I will prepare for that pilgrimage by always entering into my home church with the same devotion and respect that the Cathedral of Christ the King evokes in me as well.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-66356589735218710832013-05-31T14:07:00.001-05:002013-05-31T14:07:57.716-05:00It's SummerGreetings all,<br />
<br />
I want to apologize for my lack of content lately. Between Vacation Bible School, an intense leg injury and other work and personal related instances with the winding down of the school year, I haven't been able to get anything written. I am still here and wanting to post, I just haven't been able. I will have something new up for you next week.<br />
<br />
Thank you for your support.<br />
<br />
AmandaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-24550497651777670882013-05-08T11:21:00.000-05:002013-05-08T11:21:52.220-05:00Of Math and Truth<div style="text-align: justify;">
For my college education, I chose a small, local, Benedictine school. The school still had Sisters active in the lives of students but there were only a handful of Sisters who taught any classes. The campus had two primary buildings for classes, the Science Building (which was appropriately named) and Tower Hall which was home to the Humanities and Technology Labs. There were more buildings on campus to house students then to have our classes.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There was great glee for professors who would have a student from the other building taking a required class in "their" building. When I would take philosophy, english or theology classes for fun the teachers would smile extra broad when I mentioned that I was a Math Major, because they knew they could try and pin "lofty" concepts on me and watch me squirm. Then after a few weeks, these professors would quickly learn that I was as sharp if not sharper than some of their routine students who had built relationships with them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had an English Professor who for the first three weeks would ask me the questions that would tip the balance of the class or start their lecture points. One day he didn't and instead stopped me after class and asked, "Why do you care about these classes?" I had already explained that I was taking them for fun, I didn't need the credit to graduate, I just needed the credit to maintain financial aid. All I could reply to him was that there was more to life than equations could answer. Satisfied, he smiled and we enjoyed the conversations that would start in class.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7858UwxYno_Q-uuXIRLb2D7jcklsJ-NrNGqFFlgHxIClM-rFJzyKcKdh-y5LkGBc1oYpo3BRGG10uLOckPOFzdzN-lq5ZTx-3S4cLEZ_CeXCUfa7DlXxaqHrm37ENBnNxb59RRksKdZM/s1600/762885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7858UwxYno_Q-uuXIRLb2D7jcklsJ-NrNGqFFlgHxIClM-rFJzyKcKdh-y5LkGBc1oYpo3BRGG10uLOckPOFzdzN-lq5ZTx-3S4cLEZ_CeXCUfa7DlXxaqHrm37ENBnNxb59RRksKdZM/s200/762885.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Novels - Proof that readers need punctuation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Conversely, I would walk through the halls between math lectures and feel like I was the only person who held my beliefs as true despite my company. We would occasionally have discussions about what we "personally" believed when it came to God, faith and hot topic issues. Many of them had their own beliefs, Christian or other, but would never press them on someone else or inquire as to why they hold certain beliefs. This struck me strangely, if there was anything we could agree about it was the truth that we had too much homework and our collaborative efforts helped to make sense of the work we had. Above all, the biggest thing that I learned in my Math classes and from my peers was, that there is such a thing as absolute truth.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I always chuckle when I see one of the "math tests" pop up in my Facebook feed. It looks similar to this 1+2-1+1*0=? or a long string of adding and subtracting ones and then multiplied by zero. Many people will look at it and say that anything multiplied by zero is zero. This is true, when used in proper context. If we back up to 7th grade we remember a handy trick called the Order of Operations. It shows us how to take a problem like above and solve it in the right order. Working from left to right complete the parenthesis, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction. 1+2-1+1*0 = 2.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCipmVsdXdywStt1J9mKdTgY7rU9tq8bYNkxkjIoXRS0gHAhIxPQtbHiGc22zRbrzE-BkVkw1xllZjFNM369v-q3A_HQhFLHrDYUjORMx5MLG7nmKtqNI8uVjCupLdhf147M0EahNSFI/w326-h543-no/2013-05-08" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCipmVsdXdywStt1J9mKdTgY7rU9tq8bYNkxkjIoXRS0gHAhIxPQtbHiGc22zRbrzE-BkVkw1xllZjFNM369v-q3A_HQhFLHrDYUjORMx5MLG7nmKtqNI8uVjCupLdhf147M0EahNSFI/w326-h543-no/2013-05-08" width="120" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Equation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One day my aunt and I were both working on one of these problems and she told me I was wrong. My aunt is a wise woman but my math knowledge was greater than hers. I tried to explain my work and the order of operations but she told me "Put in a calculator, but we will have to agree to disagree." I knew that if I pressed any further that I would hurt my aunt so I stopped discussing the matter.<br />
<br />
She was right in one regard, if you put that above equation in a simple calculator (think solar powered non scientific) the answer will be zero. A calculator like that is more of an adding machine and will go in the order that you input numbers. However check it on a scientific calculator or even your cell phone, (which I just did) it will give you 2. The reason is, these devices have been programed to overcome simple human error.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuYeXryOA2uT8N7O9Hw1RGkIM9jOjseH1-jJWWzaJKVKTfj4L4PJHeCui-qz7orrmof4wm9yluFPflDEXzQS0qViIQvr_yrpHVpYRNJ_S-yEbn4RglnE1HLSxy9kIp9BIQ-hqjGCg0Wk/w326-h543-no/2013-05-08" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuYeXryOA2uT8N7O9Hw1RGkIM9jOjseH1-jJWWzaJKVKTfj4L4PJHeCui-qz7orrmof4wm9yluFPflDEXzQS0qViIQvr_yrpHVpYRNJ_S-yEbn4RglnE1HLSxy9kIp9BIQ-hqjGCg0Wk/w326-h543-no/2013-05-08" width="120" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Result</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mathematical principles are important, especially if you are an accountant, engineer, physicist or someone who needs to work with numbers on a daily basis. However, most people don't have a need for mathematical theorems in their daily life. I let the discussion with my aunt slide because she didn't have the same need for math in her life as I did. Math will not have a lasting effect in her life.<br />
<br />
Then we look at matters of morality and faith. We see the Gosnell Trial where murder charges are dropped because they couldn't prove that a baby was "alive", in Minnesota the State House is voting on an amendment to redefine marriage tomorrow, and taking a stand that universal truth exists proves that you do not believe in "tolerance". So if exposing pure sodium to air results in unsafe combustion of the element but taking a class one carcinogen for a women's sexual health is perfectly ok. Calling the unborn offspring of a dog, puppies, before they are born but an unborn offspring of a human a lump of tissue until they viably leave the vaginal canal, there is something wrong with holding onto relativistic faith.<br />
<br />
Relativism in the United States has created a society of "anything goes so long as I believe it's right." If someone shows opposition to widely held beliefs they are shamed and labeled bigots and intolerant until they change their beliefs. Religious denominations are shrunk to buildings of people who conveniently share the same beliefs who believe in a God that is convenient for them.<br />
<br />
The truth that I experienced is that there is a hard and tough road out there. Science proves that life begins at conception, faith confirms that within a mother who feels her child moving within her. Science proves that there was a big bang, faith says God put it into action since science also says that there was nothing prior to the big bang happening. Faith gives us eyes to see when science cannot prove why <a href="http://www.catholicsistas.com/2012/07/03/meet-james-fulton-the-alleged-miracle-for-the-beatification-of-fulton-sheen/" target="_blank">miracle cures</a> happen.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/purity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/purity.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">xkcd.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All sciences have to rely on absolutes. Whether its a number line to show that two is less than three and together they make five or the ability to map DNA markers, there are absolutes in every science. Today there are many loud voices which drown out truth in our lives. It's time to let our voices be heard and to show that we aren't afraid and will not be silenced. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4778116133629723596.post-87000314577755580502013-05-06T13:39:00.001-05:002013-05-06T13:39:48.612-05:00Funhouse Mirrors<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sorry for my break in blogging, trying to get more content ready to go so I can post more successfully. However onward to today's post.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid--77dd2f3-7b1b-d756-48cb-f784764e3fa7"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s unravel a story shall we?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A young girl around 5 years of age and her mother were going through a funhouse and the young girl was able to see a reflection of herself for the first time in one of the warped mirrors. It took her a moment to recognize that the distorted reflection that she saw was her own. After spending time with her mother making faces and having fun, her mother began to move on without the girl noticing. She was having too much fun playing with her reflection. By the time she noticed she was alone, her mother had already passed out of sight. Suddenly the new reflections weren’t funny but rather scary. The girl ran through the corridors of the funhouse to catch up to her mom.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This could have been me, I know that my mom and I went through a few funhouses as a kid, but I don’t remember if I was ever lost in one.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I was talking with a few people I found ourselves talking about the effects of sin on our relationship with God. One of my friends mentioned they felt like a funhouse mirror. My friend didn’t like that he felt that way, but in truth, he was right. We are all like funhouse mirrors.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Genesis when man is created, God, in the form of the Trinity says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...” (Genesis 1:26) we were intended to be creatures with great knowledge, free will and immortal souls. Then when sin entered the world, that nature was forever blemished.The same is true of mirrors or metal that has been warped. The reflective quality is still there but the image is warped. We are not able to see a true and authentic image of the original image.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then there exists the grace that God gives us. If grace is like a light beam, an unblemished mirror would reflect and refract the light back at an angle perpendicular to the source. The effect of sin would be twofold, the change in shape, (as stated above) and the grime and gunk build up.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://howstuffworks.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/funhouse-mirror.jpg?w=200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://howstuffworks.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/funhouse-mirror.jpg?w=200" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Children are inquisitive and often leave smudges and fingerprints on everything. Venial sins would be your average child with dirty hands, light can still somewhat pass through but the reflection isn’t as bright. Mortal sin would be like letting a hoard of toddlers with opaque finger paint at the mirror. There isn’t any light that could get through there and it’s a mess that we don’t want to necessarily deal with.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><div dir="ltr" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since it is Spring and a time to make things clean and fresh, there is a way to deal with this. Going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation will give us all the boost that we need to get rid of the toddler prints on our souls. We have the choice and free will to turn back to God and let him at us with spiritual windex and a squeegee, or a power washer, whatever our case might be.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">If you are looking for an Examination of Conscience to start out with, check out this link from the </span><a href="http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments/penance/examinations-of-conscience.cfm" style="font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">United States Council of Catholic Bishops</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"> for adults, children and based on the Ten Commandments. As for me it’s time to find my way to the Confessional as well. </span></div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14475083179730519554noreply@blogger.com0