7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 135) Books and Mothers and Sisters, Oh My!

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Grace is…being around people with a great sense of humor and very active imaginations, a large cup of hot tea on a cold winter’s night, heading home when a neighbor calls and needs something though you aren’t sure what, because her phone cuts out after about ten seconds, the ability to appreciate and smile at children who are too clever and intelligent for their own good, Mom’s homemade family recipe chili with mashed potatoes, noticing the variety of crayon colors used on the wall and the bathroom door, having people be really excited and relieved to have you back…  

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Happy New Year Kevin and I want to start this year off right, so we went to the vigil Mass at St. Benedict's New Year’s Eve. I couldn't think of a better way to ring in the new year than to kick things off with a focus on Christ and a tribute to Theotokos, the God-bearer.  In the morning, we went to Mass at our usual parish for the Solemnity of the Blessed Mother.  It was great to see the church so packed for a middle of the week feast day Mass!  Click here to find out what's so special about Mary.

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Life Imitates Fiction Yesterday morning, as per the girls’ request, I read them the classic children’s picture book by Don Freeman Corduroy three times in a row.  Not too long after that, I tripped over the kid fence that keeps them out of the computer area in their family room.  I didn’t just catch my foot on it and fall.  I took the flipping thing down, along with a tall floor lamp, and a small child.  All of us were okay, mostly just stunned.  I’m told the floor lamp still works.  (I was not brave enough to try plugging it back in since the plug was strangely bent, and I was already having so many things go wrong that I feared electrocution would be the result.)
    It dawned on me a little later that perhaps reading a book in which the following phrases appear: “bang into a tall floor lamp.  Over it fell with a crash!” got stuck in my brain and played out in real life.  Just one more reason, you should be careful what you read.  Fox in Socks is not the only book that’s dangerous! 

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Keep Up the Good Fight! To be in solidarity with those who are fighting the HHS mandate, which infringes upon a number of religious freedoms, the USCCB is inviting people to join in prayer, fasting, and abstinence from meat on Fridays in January.   

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A Day in the Life of… Our dear friend and sister in Christ Michele Morris sent me a play to post as her update since entering a cloistered monastery August 6, 2013.  I’m grateful to know by reading and laughing a lot that Michele’s still just as silly, faith-filled, spunky, and endearing as she was before becoming a Carmelite postulant.  This short original play by a playwright/actress/director, rider of Harley Davidson’s turned cloistered postulant will have you in stitches!
Anyone who had the privilege of seeing her performance of the play she wrote and directed, Teresita in order to pay off her student debt from attending a Presbyterian seminary (though she's always been Catholic) will enjoy this piece.  The only thing that would make it better is if we could watch her perform it live.

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Fave Books of 2013 Here’s a quick reference list of some of the best spiritual nonfiction, parenting, and fiction books I’ve read and reviewed this past year.  I’ve read tons and tons more books than I’ve written reviews of in the past calendar year, but these are my favorites of those reviewed and in many cases the must-reads of each category (at least in the opinion of this voracious reader).

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Everyday Things That Affect Your Mood!

May your 2014 be filled with blessings, love, laughter, joy, health, and prosperity!

Lord, our future is in Your Hands; we pray for Your Will!

Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.

A Day in the Life of a Little Carmelite Postulant as experienced and written by Michele Morris

Lessons and Mishaps

OR

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Monastery

OR

A Day in the Life of a Little Carmelite Postulant

as experienced & written by:

God’s Little Goofball

aka: Michele Morris

            A Carmelite priest told me my first week in the Monastery: “To be a Carmelite, one must have three bones—the Wishbone, the Backbone, and the Funnybone.”  I can certainly attest that this is so very true.  I can also attest that any pre-conceived notions we have about living the cloistered life need to be stripped away.  What we think it is (or how we think it should be) and the reality of how it actually plays out is often quite different.  And, that, my friends, is the true transitional challenge.  The best advice I can give to those discerning the religious life: Let go of expectations!  Easier said than done, I know, I know.  And not just letting go of how monastic life “should” be, but more importantly, letting go of how you yourself, should be.  The Lord God wants, desires the real you—the you He made you to be.  The Lord God wants, desires, your whole, vulnerable, feeble, weak, little self.  There is no hiding from Him or the sisters (despite the fact that we are living a “hidden” life). Yes, it is hard—in very unexpected ways.  Yes, there are struggles.  However, the road to self-discovery and union with God is actually…well…quite funny!  Of the three bones the Carmelite priest mentioned, I would have to say that the Funnybone is the most important.  The gift of laughter and the ability to laugh at yourself is truly the strength behind wishes in the Wishbone and perseverance in the Backbone.

PLEASE NOTE:      Every community is different.  The experiences I share and my thoughts about them are strictly from one particular little postulant in one particular little community.

DISCLAIMER:        No nuns were injured during these “Lessons and Mishaps,” though one little postulant’s pride has been significantly diminished.

ACT I

scene i:            I did climb a tree (okay, 2).  Gathering all of you in my heart, I sang (quietly): “How do you solve a problem like Michele.”  That was my first prayer offering to God for all of your intentions. J

scene ii:           My dress does not have a tear (yet).   I did, though, get tree sap all over it.  Paint thinner gets out tree sap. 

scene iii:          I got tipsy.

                        I set off the fire alarm.

                        The 2 incidents are unrelated.

scene iv:          Twice I discovered ashes on my veil.  Both times happened right after my personal prayers.  Before jumping to the conclusion I was having some sort of bizarre mystical experience, I asked the sisters: “How did I get ashes on my veil?” Ah.  Apparently, I was standing too close to the incinerator* upon lighting it.  Real—non-mystical—ashes alighted my head.

*Garbage is either composted, recycled, trashed, or burned in the incinerator.  Either I burned something I thought was burnable but wasn’t or I didn’t check the ventilation or both.  Intense smoke filled the basement and first floor setting off the fire alarm.  No fire.  Building still standing.  Nuns okay.

scene v:           I taught the sisters the chicken dance.

scene vi:          The sisters have worms for compost.  They are fed veggies and fruit (no citrus).  Their favorite food is bananas (the worms’ not the sisters’).  I got to play with them and feed them (the worms.  Though I do play with the sisters, too.  I haven’t fed them, yet.)  I also rescued a salamander.  Actually I rescued a sister from the salamander. The gardens have a variety of frogs and on multiple occasions I’ve tried catching them—to no avail.  The little kid in me is quite chuffed!

                        Chuffed: Scottish term meaning “pleased.”

scene vii          I crashed into a Crucifix nearly knocking myself out.

INTERMISSION

LADIES and gentlemen!!! BOYS and girls!!  Children of AAAAAALLL Ages!!!!

WELCOME to Modern Technology of the 1980s

This letter is being typed on the one…the only…

 BROTHER EM-411!!!

            “The outstanding features of the EM-411 will take away all the chores of typing that seem to come with other typewriters, thus making your life at work that much happier!” –instruction manual

            Yes, folks.  I am typing this on an electric typewriter purchased in 1986.  Typing on this treasured artifact is not half as funny as reading the instruction manual.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!  I am in stitches reading through this booklet!  I so wish I could type up the many hysterical comments and instructions, but then this letter would turn into a novel.  If you can find it online (if it exists) oh take the time to read through it!  Just TOO FUNNY!

So, I humbly beg you to forgive any typing/formatting mistakes. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to retype this letter.  This has to be my final “printing” if I want to get this out in time for Christmas!  I must say, however, that after a few days of refusing to either pull my hair out or throwing this thing into the sea, Brother EM-411 and I have become fast friends.

Stubbornness prevails!  Perseverance wins!

(Think of this letter as one huge text)

ACT II

scene i

or

Lessons in Teresian Spirituality:

            There is a Crucifix hanging on the wall of each stairwell.  Whenever we pass by one, we’re to kiss the feet of Jesus.  Now, this was the end of my first week and I had not yet mastered the art of taking my time.  Not wanting to be late for Choir (Office of Hours), I flew down the stairs.  As I reached the bottom step, I gasped: “OH NO!!! I forgot to kiss Jesus’ feet!”  So I rushed back up the stairs, gaining so much momentum I couldn’t stop—

CRASH!         BANG!           CLANK!

oomph.

            After a moment, my eyes fluttered open and I found myself in the following position: arms and hands spread-eagle against the wall, brow banged up and pressed into Jesus’ knees, nose smooshed between His legs, teeth clanked up against His feet (I think I drooled on Him).  I began giggling.  I couldn’t help it!  I couldn’t move!  I’m plastered up against the wall and Crucifix giggling!  I finally managed to regain some composure and peeled myself away from the wall and Crucifix.  With a sheepish grin, I gave Jesus a slight nod and SLOWLY descended the stairs.  I made it to Choir unscathed.  I was the first one there. 

            Now, yes, indeed God does desire to draw us closer to Him, and St. Teresa of Avila shares marvelous insights on how this might be achieved.  Somehow I don’t think crashing into His crucified Son is what either of them had in mind.

scene ii

or

Lessons in Fasting and Feasting and Sacrifice—Oh My!!:

Carmelites know how to fast.  They also know how to feast!  Between Sundays, Feasts and Solemnities (days on which fasting is broken) I am struggling a bit with knowing when exactly we are fasting.  In addition to scrumptious food and delectable dessert options, we are served wine and beer (at dinner on Sundays, Feasts and Solemnities).  And that, my friends, is how I got tipsy my first Sunday here.  I only had 1/2 a bottle of beer.  sigh.

Anyhoo…within a couple weeks, I began worrying about the “table of plenty” I’ve been blessed with.  Not just with all the glorious food, but the beauty and grandness of Carmel.  I’m a little pauper living in a palace.  God is showering me with all sorts of goodies and it’s just like me to muck it up with thoughts of how undeserving I am, but also how to fast more.  Or rather, what sacrifices should I be…well…sacrificing.  My mind took off racing.  What could I do?”  What can a little pauper do for Him? ...

AH-HA!!  I know!!  I would deny myself Oreo cookies!  I had been delighting in them all week.  I decided I wouldn’t have any at dinner (our midday meal).  But then I thought: “WAIT! If God wants to shower me with Love, Grace, Mercy, and Blessings—am I hurting Him?  He, after all, is the Perfect Gentleman—the Great Romancer—and I am rejecting His courtship!  Well, the thought of hurting Him hurt me so by-gosh-darnit I was NOT going to have just ONE Oreo cookie, I was going to have FIVE!  Yes, five!  An overabundance of gratitude for an overabundance of grace and blessings.  I proceeded to pour my signature drink: milk with ice.  Then, I picked up the Oreo cookie bag…and…woah…empty?  No! Wait!  I looked again.  Ha-ha!  There was ONE Oreo cookie left in the bag.  God, in a single moment, allowed me both to fast and feast!  I looked out the window, smirked at God and enjoyed my 1 Oreo cookie. J

---God cannot be outdone in gift-giving

---God not only loves us, but is in love with us.  He wants to love on us.  He desires to court each and every one of us. 

---The best sacrifice we can give God is our 100% best, especially in our praise and thanksgiving.  And, quite frankly, the best place to give our 100% best in praise and thanksgiving is Mass.  Get thee to a church! J

---As for other sacrifices and penances, well there is only 1 Cross and that belongs to Our Lord Jesus Christ.  So, let Him, He who knows our hearts and our desires, who knows what we need to grow in faith, trust and virtue, who knows what each individual can handle, let HIM dole out our burdens—our individual crosses—we don’t need to make more for ourselves.  AND!!  Whatever He gives us, He’ll provide the means for perseverance and dependence on Him.  He’s resourceful that way.

scene iii

or

Lessons in Humility

            ---Voice lessons and singing practices.

-          apparently I can hit most of the notes.

-          I’m told I have potential.

            ---Anything related to domesticity lessons.

-          I know how to knit.  Sort of.

-          I know how to thread a needle.

What to do with the threaded needle? …well…

-          I’m getting the hang of ironing.

But then, I’ve only been assigned to napkins. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

FINALE

            You can take Michele away from the theatre, but you can’t take the theatre away from Michele.  By the time you read this, I’ll have performed my play “Teresita” twice—once for visiting Carmelite nuns and once for the sisters in my community.  I’ve also performed for the sisters some of the stories I wrote and performed at the Science Museum of Virginia.  I also came up with a “Cast List” to help me figure out and understand the roles of each sister.  I chuckled quite a bit when putting this list together and I do continue to chuckle.  J  I do hope this helps you as much as it has helped me.  At least it might for those with some theatre knowledge.  I think I might develop this list for a more in-depth insight. 

            I dedicate this “Cast List” to all my theatre family…

“Here’s prayin’ for you kid”

ENCORE!!!

            ***      Rejoice in hope, patient in trials, persevere in prayer!

Romans 12:12

***      Rejecting God or running away from Him because we are wallowing in our past sins and miseries thereby convincing ourselves we can not only do things on our own, but we can do things better.  God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness are bigger and better than we can possible imagine.  God delights in us and is by far the Greatest Playmate ever!  He can’t play with us if our ego keeps getting in the way.

***      The Lord Jesus is TRULY and Uniquely present in the Eucharist and is ALWAYS hiding in the same place—the Tabernacle.  This makes playing hide-and-seek with Him no fun. 

***      The following question came up during recreation:  “What would you do if you were on the boat with Jesus when the storm hit?”

            Me?  I would rush to where He was sleeping, jump in beside Him, wrap His arms around me good and tight and stay snuggled close to Him safe and secure until the storm passed.

            That or tell Him: “We’re going to need a bigger boat.”

***      The greatest temptation I’m fighting against:

            poking my head out through the Oratory grille and exclaiming, “BOO!” at the parishioners. 

Lights Out

CURTAIN

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Playwright……………………………………………………………………………………God

           

Artistic Producing Director………………………………………………………………….Jesus

Dramaturge…………………………………………………………………………….Holy Spirit

Director…………………………………………………………………………....Mother Prioress

Stage Manager………………………………………………………………………...Sub Prioress

Assistant Director…………………………………………………………………Novice Mistress

Assistant Stage Manager/s…………………………………………………………...Extern Nun/s

Tech Design/Construction…………………………………………………….Lay and Choir Nuns

Running Crew……………………………………………………………………………...Novices

Auditionees………………………………………………………………………………Postulants

Best Supporting, Nurturing, Loving, Encouraging Stage Parents:

Mary and Joseph

Extra Assistance and Support:

Angels, Saints and Martyrs

Come on People, Really? The Sound of Music LIVE

     Unreasonable expectations abound when it comes to the groundbreaking three hour performance of The Sound of Music LIVE on NBC December 5, 2013.  I grew up watching The Sound of Music, and of course Carrie Underwood isn't Julie Andrews, but she and that cast did a decent made-for-TV LIVE version of a classic Broadway musical made movie that can't be matched.  There are a number of reviews floating around, but this is the article that seems most accurate of the ones I’ve read.

     Not even Carrie Underwood thought she could be a modern day Julie Andrews.  One of the qualities of classic, famous films is that the parts are played so well by those chosen for those roles that you can’t imagine anyone else doing it better.  If you tuned in last night to see if Carrie Underwood would put in a performance as perfectly fitting, amazing, and endearing as Julie Andrews did, then in my opinion, you just don’t get it.

     It didn’t look like there was anything alive on that hill, except for people.  Costumes weren’t always fitted properly.  The sound mix left something to be desired.  All true.  The scenery wasn’t perfect or as breathtaking as filming on location, nor were the costumes as impressive or the lighting as spot-on as it could be, but again, what do you expect for a soundscape where you must perform and get the audio and video as perfect as possible because you’re broadcasting live to millions? 

     I think it was incredibly gutsy of Carrie Underwood to accept this challenge.  No one with any sense, understanding of musical theater, of acting, filmmaking, or Broadway actually expected last night’s performance to make people jump up and rejoice that a moving rendition of the story had finally been done right.  They did it right with the original film that came out in 1965, which is the only reason this whole scenario has caused such an uproar.  People respect and appreciate the quality of the original film and its actors.  The Sound of Music is a classic that continues to be unparalleled. 

     Last night’s performance was never intended to rival that of the movie.  It was done more to inspire others to have a love and appreciation for Broadway classics, LIVE performances, and adaptations of plays meant to be judged in their own light and merit rather than compared to something else.  The adaptations made for shooting this on a soundscape live were quite clever.  The primary songs for which the musical is known and loved were fit in, even if they didn’t appear in the order or circumstances in which they were in the movie.  The choreography was commendable, the singing mostly beautiful, and the acting, by and large, was good.

     My favorite quote about last night came from my husband: “They did a great job.  It’s just the audio that bothers me.”  Trust my dear spouse to come up with such an assessment of a Broadway musical.  To his credit, I knew that as someone who used to be a musician, own a recording studio, and be the soundman for different bands Kevin was talking about his dissatisfaction with the audio mix produced by the person(s) at the controls of the soundboard.  Often the instruments overpowered the singing, which they wouldn’t have and shouldn’t have if done correctly.

     My mom’s biggest pet peeve was that they didn’t use true edelweiss flowers.  When my mom was fourteen, she went with her father to Austria, and they brought home some edelweiss seeds wrapped up in newspaper.  My mother has fond memories of planting them and watching them bloom in her grandmother’s garden.     

     I grew up watching The Sound of Music as did my mother.  The two of us know every word of the original script and songs by heart, yet we really enjoyed the creativity used for this production, because we didn’t go into it thinking or expecting Carrie Underwood or anyone else to upstage the original film version.  We hoped to be entertained and reminded of our favorite scenes from the movie, which we were.  In our minds that was the intention in the first place; therefore, mission accomplished.      

Children Shouldn’t Be Crash Test Dummies (My Nanny Diary)

Children by their very nature will manage to get themselves into a dizzying number of dangerous situations of their own concocting, so it’s best not to give them an easy way into trouble and becoming another statistic or sad story in a “What to Expect When You Don’t Childproof Your House” type series of books—as it will take several volumes to document and describe all of the illnesses, injuries, accidents, including but not limited to: gaping head wounds, cuts requiring stitches, burns, poisoning, a sudden supposedly accidental loss of limb, and/or other households little shop of horrors tales from beyond the crib and the crypt. 

Childproofing 101: The Rule of Thumbs

For the safety and well-being of children, it’s absolutely necessary to be proactive about childproofing and safety concerns.  The worst way to find out something should have been done is after someone is seriously injured because it wasn’t.  There are so many different basic childproofing things that need to be done, and they vary from one house to the next.  What's more, the basic baby and childproofing needs for your little one can be much more extensive than the lists of some other mothers.  This is by no means a complete or exhaustive list.  It's merely a jumping off point (pun intended) like everything that's in your house will become if it hasn't already.    

Before your child can roll over, install plug covers on any outlets at floor level in rooms where you will let them play.  You will be amazed at how quickly they can get from one part of the room to another when they get on a roll (literally).

Put gates at the top and bottom of staircases once your child can roll, but way before he or she is crawling.  It will help you preserve whatever sanity you have left when they become more mobile and will boldly explore in all directions. 

Any heavy furniture, shelves, etc. that may tip over should be tethered to the wall.  You can be certain that when climbing capable your child will try to get something out of reach by scaling whatever they need to in order to reach new heights. 

If there are more children than there are adults the majority of the time, then there needs to be two to three times more childproofing done, and/or your place will need to be up to Department of Social Services Standards for Child Care Centers if you intend to make it through the baby and preschool years with a below-average number of trips to the pediatrician's office and/or emergency room.

If an older sibling does it, their younger siblings will learn from them possibly/probably sooner than the first child learned it and do it as often as they can if they receive a high level of alarm from parents or caregivers.  This factor is multiplied with twins and multiples.  What was okay when you just had one little one running around is NOT necessarily safe when you have two or three young ones.

A funny-in-retrospect true story to prove toddlers are smarter than you think, so watch out!

When one of “my little guys,” who resembled a little old man when he was using his walker/push toy, shuffled up to the huge wooden door and pushed on it with his toy, presumably to see if he could get it to open.  I laughed and jokingly said to him that, “maybe if you got a running start…”  That was my first mistake.  I underestimated the kid, who I knew could understand what I was saying.

He was young enough I didn’t think he’d take what I said to heart and have the reasoning power to execute it, especially on a huge, heavy nine feet tall door built in the 1800s.  Wrong again.  He looked right up at me when I said that, then looked over at the closed door.  I always kept this particular door closed once the boys were mobile if I was the only adult present.  This was my sturdiest back-up so as to keep the two toddlers from gallivanting about the dining room, living room, front entryway, and downstairs bathroom, as well as the really big main staircase, none of which were fully childproof.  

 
This cutie backed up from the door a bit further than he had been before, and the little skunk moved as quickly as he could in jeans that were a tad big for him and a somewhat unwieldy walker back over to the door and rammed it even harder this time.  I was initially amused at his cleverness and persistence until the huge, heavy door opened. 

     
The important lesson learned here is that if you’re going to give a kid some pointers, even jokingly, thinking he won’t listen or use them, that’s when he’s most likely to awe and distress you with his cleverness and comprehension.

Climbing to New Heights (My Nanny Diary)

I knew the time would come and probably sooner than later for these two, but oh-my-goodness, watch the heck out, the twins are climbing and scaling stuff!  By the time I’ve taken one of their trays into the kitchen, someone’s usually standing up on the sofa or the recliner trying to launch herself over the top of it.  The other day, one little livewire had climbed up into one highchair and had one foot in her seat and her other in her sister’s highchair, and she was looking upward likely wondering the best way to scale the wall.  Fortunately, her mom and I were both in the room watching her while we were talking, so we took turns pulling her down from her new favorite perch.   

    
Every stool, chair, sofa, shelf, toy of a certain height is an irresistible temptation for this dynamic duo.  With Sunshine using the potty and, at times, staying in the bathroom forever and a day “dawdling” (at least she knows a sophisticated word for what she’s doing), I often worry about making sure she closes the door while she’s in there and once she’s finished.  Her sisters make a beeline for that mostly off-limits room whenever they get a chance.  The step stool Sunshine uses would only give them extra help in falling headfirst into the toilet.  Since we have a little one using the potty somewhat frequently a child safety lock on the toilet would probably cause more accidents than it would be worth, so hyper-vigilance is definitely in order.   

   
They already trip, fall, roll over toys, run into furniture often enough that I can’t always pinpoint which particular incident it was that resulted in the bump on their head, the latest bruise on their arm, or scratch on their legs.  Heck, most of the time, I can’t even pinpoint exactly when I got most of my bumps, scratches, and bruises after a day with them. 

    
I never realized that I’d ever recall a little wistfully the days when I took care of two infant boys for several hours at a time predominantly in the kitchen and the bar room/area next to it when we were at one of the boys’ homes.  There wasn’t a whole heck of a lot for them to climb on.  They got to do most of their climbing at the nearby playgrounds in the neighborhood. 

    
Only in retrospect am I able to appreciate how convenient it was that the furniture in that section of the one house where I took care of them was so very sparse.  Two very tall chairs and a tall end table in between them (all too difficult for them to scale, thank goodness) were the only pieces in there when I started.  Eventually, a big leather bench and two highchairs were added along with a chair brought in for me from another room.  (Spending most of the eleven hours I took care of them sitting on the floor did not bode well for my back even when I was still in my twenties). 

    
When the boys got old enough to walk, everything (except for the bench that weighed probably over a 100 lbs) they regularly moved around both rooms.  The toy box they could climb up on and jump off of without getting hurt, and though they’d deposit lots of toys into the silver trash can where the dog food was kept, they weren’t able to scale it (or at least they refrained from doing so in my presence).  The safety issue there was the interesting allure of partaking in the dog’s sustenance, which was just big enough that it was a significant choking hazard. 

    
My toddler tagteam rearranged what little furniture they had access to more times than Martha Stewart probably does for a photo shoot.  I figured it was all good since they were building their muscles, keeping active without being violent or causing harm to anything, and their escapades weren’t leaving any marks on the tiled floor.  There was a time when I amused myself with the thought of hiring them out as moving guys because they became so efficient at it.  It got to a point when I’d be sitting in a chair reading to them one minute, then I’d get something from the kitchen and return to find my chair on the opposite side of the room.  Come to think of it, they couldn’t have been hired out as movers because they were actually efficient and didn’t break anything.  (Truth be told, my family has moved a ton of times, and we’ve had some incredibly hard-working, very careful movers over the years which mostly balance out those who have been a bit more lackadaisical when it comes to working and breakable items.) 

This week the twins have become proficient in climbing up into their high chairs, the recliner, the sofa, chairs, and if given the chance will begin to scale them.  It’s time to batten down that hatches, put plug covers in every plug that isn’t being used, lock-up the poisonous substances, latch the heavy furniture to the walls, and thank the Lord for guardian angels.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 117)

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Flashback Fridays Kevin and I have made a point of going to the traditional Friday night Fish Fry.  The Long Pond Family Restaurant has been our Fish Fry place of choice.  They have a yummy beer-battered fish fry on Fridays that comes with soup, salad, French fries, and the proper fixings (which I practically never use).  The broiled fish with a baked potato is also available and was much to my liking.

 

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Are You New Here? Kevin and I have made a habit of going to daily Mass at Holy Cross, a church near Charlotte Beach, on many weekdays.  We’ve made a friend or two there over the years.  It was hilarious to see the look on one woman’s face who was setting up the altar and happened to glance in our direction.  She was positively shocked and utterly delighted to see us.  She thought maybe that she’d missed our visit since she hadn’t yet seen us this summer.  The gentleman who has been sitting behind us pretty much every day we’ve gone to Mass there introduced himself to us yesterday and asked if we are new at the parish.  We explained we come up here every year on vacation, but that we don’t live here.  He seemed a bit disappointed we weren’t here to stay.  It’s so nice to feel wanted and welcomed!

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Grandfathers in the Faith One of the many reasons Kevin and I look forward to going to Mass at Holy Cross is that they have a couple elderly priests who are really remarkable men of faith.  They are both very friendly, genuinely enthusiastic about their love for Christ and dedication to inspire others to live the Gospel.  I wonder if these two men know how dear they are to our Lord and their faith community.  How could you not love such endearing, devout elderly priests who are giving their all at the altar well into their 70s and 80s?!  Wow!

 

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Flea Market Finds So perhaps a two week car trip when we don’t pack light isn’t exactly the best time for me to come across some inexpensive breakable items to put on the display shelf on the half wall of our apartment, but I did, so we will find a way to pack them so they make it back to Richmond in their purchased-forms.  (I’d like to experiment doing some art projects with broken glass, but these aren’t the pieces I plan to use). 

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Can I go, yet? It is really quite entertaining to play Mexican Train Dominoes with Kevin’s family.  Our after-dinner game last Sunday was no exception.  There were a number of times that we were absolutely in hysterics between Kevin, his sisters, and brothers-in-law it is hard to keep a straight face even if you end up coming in dead last (that would be me).   

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Must Have Chocolate My sisters-in-law are women after my own heart when it comes to chocolate.  All of them love it!  Kevin’s sister Chari made a beeline for the chocolate candy bag in the kitchen cupboard the second she and her husband arrived at the cottage though there were a number of things they had to bring in from their vehicle.  Throughout the evening, she would reach in her pocket and pull-out yet another Tootsie Roll.  It was quite amusing.  Glad I’m not the only one who’s serious about wanting chocolate.
    

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The Badminton Debacle I can’t really think of any other way to describe it.  Kevin and I have been using badminton rackets and birdies, but I don’t think anyone would deign to refer to what we do as actually “playing badminton.”  Suffice it to say that we have fun using badminton equipment (minus the net) to get exercise, and we inadvertently end up entertaining the neighbors and anyone else who happens by while we’re out on the lawn.

     
Don’t tell my mom this, but we actually have had more fun doing our version of badminton than we have in spending time splashing around in the lake.  My mother spends every minute she can in the lake when she’s here.  Kevin and I have been in swimming all of two times while we’ve been here, and that doesn’t really bother us.  There's more than one way to enjoy Rochester, and this is how we roll! :)

                  

     Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pray for Us

     It’s hard to believe that one year ago today, on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, my dear sister in Christ, Michele Morris held the début of Teresita, the one woman, one act play she wrote based on the life and vocational discernment of St. Teresa of Avila.  Michele’s academic and professional background is in theater, acting, and directing, as well as evangelizing through plays and skits.   

In Search of the Right Saint

     For a while, Michele had considered writing a play about another saint, someone far more obscure that she’d have to dig hard to find out about, but when she spoke with Fr. Dan Brady, a local priest who has performed the one-man play Damien written by Aldyth Morris a number of times in our area, he suggested she write her play about St. Teresa of Avila.  With that suggestion and inspiration, she gathered a variety of resources about the saint’s life, including information about her personality, family relationships, vocational discernment, faith, education, and perseverance in entering a religious community as soon as possible.  She researched St. Teresa of Avila’s life through books, letters, poems, biographies, and historical information in preparation for writing her original play named Teresita. 

Asking the Tough Questions

     As Michele Morris has been discerning her own lifelong vocation, she has asked the Lord many times
throughout her life a question that appears over and over in her play: “What do You want of me?”  This question is the refrain directly from a poem written by St. Teresa of Avila called “In the Hands of God.”

     The poignant poem and pertinent refrain are ones I’ve returned to often over the past year as I spend time in prayer discerning what the Lord wants of me in my life, where He is leading me and my husband in our vocation of marriage, and how that changes what we do now and how we prepare for the future.  

     In response to the tough questions Michele has asked the Lord and the answers she's received from Him, she left Richmond, Virginia, for good on Sunday, July 14, 2013 after living here for eighteen years.  After signing over her car and visiting some friends, she'll be heading down to her hometown of Deland, Florida.  From there, she and her mom will fly out to the West Coast.
     On August 6, 2013, Michele will officially enter the Carmelite Sisters by the Sea cloistered monastery and become a postulant.  I plan to publish some more posts regarding her faith journey, the play she wrote, and the many ways she has touched people's lives in profound ways, so please check back for more.

The Pirates Who Get into Everything (My Nanny Diary)

Sometimes Vivi calls me Captain Trisha, and I’m fine with that.  “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” is a wonderful Veggie Tales song and hilarious full-length movie which Kevin and I have counted among our favorites for quite some time.  I’ve made up a dance to the song that I do with the five and under crowd at school, particularly on rainy days when we can’t go out on the playground.  It’s one of the classic Veggie Tales songs on the CD Vivi requests we listen to daily, sometimes multiple times a day. 

    
The three girls have had a blast playing with their new water table, which is a pirate ship complete with a mast.  (Hopefully, it won’t confuse them later on that it’s best not to let your boat fill up with water).  I’ve decided that the girls are the pirates who get into everything, but who act as if they haven’t done anything.  It is amazing all of the things they manage to get into while inside, outside, even upside down.  For further details about our pirate-y adventures, check out Treasure Chest Surprises (My Nanny Diary).

Yesterday, when there were a plethora of water toys available, Livie decided to pull the pinwheel out of the planter.  I let her carry it around.  She even tried to blow on it to get it to spin.  As soon as she put the dirty wooden part in her mouth, I took it and showed her how to blow the pinwheel.  She took it back and was walking around the deck trying at random to get it to spin around. 

   
 At one point, Sophie got the pinwheel.  She was playing with it for less than 60 seconds before she put the dirt-covered wooden part in her mouth.  This occurred after she disassembled the pinwheel and tossed part of it into the garden.  I took the pinwheel and the dirt-encrusted stick to the trash only to turn around, and find Sophie sucking on the wooden pin that had been holding the toy together.  I thought it was lost forever in the garden, but apparently not.  In her defense, it looked a lot like a lollipop made of wood.    

    
I find it amusing that Vivi and the girls are so into Jake and the Never Land Pirates.  Her grandma got her purple sweatpants, a pink shirt, a little pouch, a pink bandanna, and brown boots so she can dress up as Izzy.  I lost count how many times we read the book The Croc Takes the Cake today.   

    
I can still vividly remember the two children (a 5-year-old girl and her 3-year-old brother) I babysat regularly when I was in high school.  The two of them absolutely loved Disney’s animated Peter Pan.  They were thrilled dressing up and pretending they were the characters, reading the books, watching the movie, and singing the songs. 

    
When I nannied for “my two little guys,” both of their parents got some books in French for me to read to the boys.  I was quite tickled that the two French books the boys requested that I read the most often both involved pirates.  In one, a grandmother is kidnapped by pirates, and her grandchildren have to go rescue her.  In the other, the main character of the book is the daughter of the most famous pirate in the world; she has to travel with a crew of pirates to different places around the globe on a scavenger hunt that leads her to the best treasure of all.  

    
Both books are actually pretty hilarious, so I was happy to read them over and over and over again.  I had to change the words at the end of one book after the first time I shouted them out before realizing exactly what was being said.  When we reached the end of Grandmère et Les Pirates which said “Mon dieu, ou est passé le bateau?!” I replaced it with a new beginning of oh  là  là! followed by the French equivalent of (where’s the ship gone?!).

I was given most of the books in French after taking care of the boys since neither set of parents spoke the language, but they hung onto the favorite ones.  I’d like to get those two books again to have as part of the collection I have at home to bring to work and/or school to share with kids.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 105)

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Thank You, God! I'm very grateful to the Lord for getting my sister Theresa safely to Burkina Faso, and for the really amazing, uplifting, wonderful people He's used to show me His love this week. Thanks Laura, Kevin, and Gwen for being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and willing to share your gifts and just be who you are!

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Fun with French I couldn’t resist the opportunity to have some fun with French.  Since I took French from fifth grade through college, and I spent an academic school year my junior year at Hollins studying in Paris, France, I offered to have some conversations in French with my sister before she went back to Burkina Faso (where she’s studying West African dance this month).  She wanted to brush up on the basics and learn some key phrases that wouldn’t likely be in a textbook.

     I began with one of the few things Kevin learned to say in French before he came over to visit me:

Est-ce que tu m’épouseras?   Will you marry me?

This was not my response when he asked, but is one I suggested for my sister to use if it turns out to be a more appropriate answer in her circumstances.

Non, ma mѐre va me tuer.    No, my mother will kill me.

     Actually, when Kevin said, “Je t’taime du fond de mon coeur Patricia Niermeyer.  Est-ce que tu m épouseras?”  To read the whole story and the entire French phrase post, click here.

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Heartbreaking News One of our recently ordained permanent deacons, Joe Marotta, died suddenly and unexpectedly this week. He was married and the father of five young children.

     Another gentleman who went to be with the Lord this week was in his thirties, had cancer, and has left his wife and two young children behind.

     Please keep of these gentleman, their families, and friends in prayer. 

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Tuesdays with Memories I watched my nephew Ezra for a bit Tuesday morning, went to Mass at St.Peter's, and got some organizational things done at home, along with some writing, and work on the YA novel that's next in the John Paul II High Series. I've gone through scores of pictures this week.  As anyone who knows me, knows I have a bazillion, especially from high school on. Kevin and I are thinking of doing a wall of photos of the two of us throughout our relationship, our favorite places, and such. I'm putting the mass quantity of pics into categories and in photo boxes. The next photo phase will likely involve mailing people prints of themselves and friends that I have that would make them smile, laugh, and remember when...

   

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Daily Prayer Lately, I have had pretty much the same prayer routine in terms of what I read/do in the morning and evening.  I usually do the morning prayer included in the Magnificat, the daily readings and reflection before I leave for work, the evening prayer once I get home, and sometimes also do the night time prayer, but not always.  Of course, I pray spontaneously throughout the day, too.  I've found it helps me to have some regular things I do or I am not as grounded in prayer as is wise and helpful in getting through the day with the right focus.

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Home Tonight I finished reading Home Tonight: Further Reflections on theParable of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen on Pentecost Sunday.  It gave me a great deal to think, pray, and write about as well as meditate on. 

     As is often the case with Nouwen’s books, I am again very aware that I’m being challenged through these heartfelt personal reflections to accept the love, forgiveness, and mercy of the Lord on a deeper level than I ever have before.  This task is rather daunting because it’s really difficult for me to accept love, especially unconditional love and forgiveness when I know (to some extent) how little I deserve it… To read the full review, click here.
     

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Push It Real Good! This week the girls were extremely excited about having the opportunity to play in a laundry basket big enough for them to fit inside of.  It was funny watching them climb in and out, as the twins are not quite tall enough to step over the sides and get in without stumbling.  Vivi, who is quite a fan of pillows and blankets, snuggled up in the laundry basket as well.

                  

Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.

Treasure Chest Surprises (My Nanny Diary)

A few weeks ago, Sophie began pulling up on the treasure chest, then perching on top of it for a bit.  Over the past week, Sophie and Livie have been very interested in climbing into the Minnie Mouse treasure chest Vivi received as one of her turning 3 birthday gifts. 

At first, Sophie would approach the open treasure chest filled with wooden blocks and Duplos and gingerly sit on it with one leg hanging off the side.  Mastering this trick, she decided to climb in, make herself as comfy as possible while sitting on blocks and even cross her ankles. 

    
Today Livie is sitting in the treasure chest facing backward, trying to pull the lid down on herself which goes about as well as you can imagine it would.  Earlier both of the twins managed to wedge themselves in there with the colorful assortment of blocks. 

    
Vivi is a big fan of Jake and the Never Land Pirates, which I’ve never watched on TV, though I’ve read some of the board books about them.  This fascination with the Peter Pan spin-off is why she refers to the treasure chest as the “team treasure chest.”  Her mom has let me know that on the show and movies they call it a team treasure chest, because they all put their gold doubloons in there once they’ve done a good deed.

    

Salty, Yet Satisfying

Honestly, I don’t really know what my shoelaces taste like, but the twins do.  I’m fairly certain the only day in a month or so that I didn’t find one or the other of the girls sucking on my shoelaces was this past Monday evening when I came over after their parents put them to bed (or were about to) for the night, so mom and dad could go out for a nice dinner.  I’m not quite certain what the draw is to my shoes, other than that I put them on before I go outside. 

    
They seem to take an interest in their parents’ sneakers, but they usually aren’t quite as determined to munch on their treads or chew on their laces when mine are available. Vivi’s shoes are also particularly tasty, because they’re easily the second favorite choice if they’re within reach.   

   
As a mentioned not too long ago, Vivi loves to wind my shoelaces around and loop them over and under until it takes me as long as it takes her to put her shoes on (that includes the persuasive arguments as to why she needs footwear if we're going outside along with a refresher on how I know it's best not to help her put her shoes, clothes, sunglasses, hat, underwear...on when she can do it herself).

Does the Shoe Fit? (My Nanny Diary)

Apparently not, and I have the blisters to prove it.  I bought a pair of shoes a while ago, and I haven’t worn them but maybe once or twice.  They’re simple, rather plain flats.  Nothing exciting, flashy, or high-heeled.  I put them on last Sunday to wear to Mass and ended up regretting that decision even before we made it to church. 

    
We stopped by the grocery store to pick up some fruit on our way, and my right foot was really hurting me.  I took my shoe off and got out what I thought was a piece of rice, something white, but my foot hurt just as badly, if not more, after I did that.  I got to the car and discovered I had not one but two blisters on my right foot.  The skin had come off leaving really sore reddish spots. 

    
It had been so long since I’d even put those shoes on that it’s quite possible I wore them once and thought that I needed to break them in at some point.  Now, I’m sure that someone else needs to break them in, once they buy them from Goodwill where I dropped them off today. 

    
I try to keep these incidents in mind when kids clothing or shoes are too small or too big for them.  It can make me uncomfortable and even irritable to have ill-fitting footwear or apparel, and I am able to tell pretty quickly what it is that’s causing a problem.  Kids just get frustrated, and think something’s not working right, but they don’t really know what’s wrong. 

    
I don’t quite understand the reasoning behind purchasing footwear that’s four sizes or more too big for a kid and having them wear the far-too-roomy shoes every day.  Yes, they’ll grow into them, but first they’ll trip and fall a million times on the playground.

   
Some of the most amusing incidents have occurred with young children who have particularly small waists.  I can remember one adorable toddler in particular whose pants would often slip down below his diaper at which point, he’d step right out of them and run off when we were at home.  I’m not sure how much of his “loathing for clothing” (as I call the attitude many infants and toddlers have about getting dressed) had to do with the size of his clothes, whether too big or too small, but I do remember he was diligent about removing whatever he could as quickly as possible.    

    
This has been a common occurrence for the little ones in my care.  While out on walks, I’ve most often seen the little ones remove and toss to the sidewalk their hats, socks, and shoes.  Only once did I have to park the double stroller on the sidewalk and dodge traffic at a busy crosswalk where there’s no traffic light to retrieve a shoe. 

    
Another time when I was taking a little one for a stroll in the warmer months, she removed one of her sandals and tossed it over the side of her stroller without me noticing.  We got home before I realized she was missing a shoe.  I could not for the life of me locate the little girl’s white sandal when I retraced our steps, so I offered to go to the mall and buy a new pair since the family was leaving on a trip to London in the next couple days and wouldn’t likely have time to replace them beforehand.

    
Just keep it in mind the next time you put on something that’s a bit too snug or try and make something much too big work and are really uncomfortable.  It’ll help you be more empathetic and sensitive to the wardrobe choices for little ones in your care, especially when you’re the one who chooses what they wear.  After all, grumpy is a pretty normal reaction to clothes or shoes that don’t fit right (at least in my opinion).