Best Christmas Books, Traditions, & Fave Posts

Triage for Christmas Correspondence is my solution to sending everyone we know or have ever known a Christmas card with our names signed at the bottom.

We don't have kids, and neither of us really want photos of us circulating around the country via snail mail.  We are grateful for any cards and/or photos we receive.

Please try not to be offended if you don't fit the qualifications to be on our short list.  Once you read them, you'll be relieved you didn't make the list!

I had fun writing this series, a stroll down memory lane, and one that I could add a lot more to (and probably will, eventually).  

Our Family's Christmas Traditions

It's beginning to look a lot like... 

Niermeyer Noel Niceties 

Other Cherished Traditions

Don't worry, yours isn't the only family who doesn't have anything close to a Hallmark holiday: Christmas Merry-Making Mishaps Series #1 Caroling, #2 Decorating Cookies,  #3 Trees,  #4 Nativity Set, #5 Giving Gifts. 

Something to think about as you're moving the elf from shelf to shelf and trying to get your kids to behave better while hopped up on lots of extra sugar. Santa Claus is Coming?
That Elf Upon the Shelf, I Will Talk to Him Myself

Making the Best of Where You Are and What You Have Now:

Going With or Without at Christmas 

Fall Asleep Counting Your Blessings

Humorous Merrymaking Mishaps, Memories, and Traditions 

Christmas Plays

Christmas Play Spectacular at Little Sisters of the Poor

Rejoice and Be Glad

5 Great Nonfiction Books about the True Meaning and Significance of Christmas:

Joy to the World
Go to Joseph

A Catholic Christmas 

A Mary Christmas
Walking with Mary

Self-Portrait of a Cute Carmelite Postulant

 
     Michele Morris actually drew the self-portrait on the right with brown marker and sent it to Kevin and me in a package with some fun surprises I'll share about in another post.
     The note on the top left of the drawing is how she and I would say goodbye to each other in person, letters, phone calls, e-mails or text messages: Love, hugs, and glory bees (a variation of the love, hugs, and prayers I often sign in letters to loved ones).  "Juice" is printed on the top right because one of the many times when Michele appeared at our door it was the first word out of her mouth.  Normally, I'd offer her something to drink upon her arrival, and she often asked for juice and a little snack to go with it.
     One fine day after chatting with Kevin outside for a bit while he was working on his motorcycle, she became particularly parched.  When Michele finally made it upstairs, she knocked, I opened the door, and without so much as a "hi" she said: "Juice!" with the innocence and insistence characteristic of a toddler.  I was completely amused and acquiesced immediately.  
     Michele really cracks me up. Even though she's in a cloistered monastery across the country and I haven't heard her voice or seen her in close to a year now, I can still picture her laughing and smiling, being silly and bringing great joy to The Carmelite Sisters by the Sea in Carmel, California.
     Lord, help us to be open to Your will in all areas of our lives.  Make us mindful of the promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that we are sensitive to how, with whom, when, and where You want us to serve.  Amen.
      

Our Night in a Penitential Suite

     When we arrived Sunday afternoon, John greeted his parents, Kevin, and me outside St. Mary’s Seminary, then he jokingly told us that he’d reserved “penitential suites” for us.  He had no idea how true that would be, at least for Kevin and me. 

     Our room was freezing cold when we got there at a little after 8pm Sunday March 9, 2014.  We couldn’t get the heat to stay on for more than maybe five minutes, tops.  I was sitting in the armchair in our room reading while Kevin lay on the bed listening to music on his MP3 player.  I wrapped up in my big white scarf and draped my winter coat over my legs. 

     Kevin would get up, turn the heat on at the control panel for the heating/cooling unit in our room, then sit back down for a whole two to five minutes before it would cut off, again.  I’d have to tell him it had clicked off because he couldn’t hear it with his earbuds in.  He’d get back up and try a few of the other buttons, turned the temperature up to 80 then 90 to see if that did anything.  Usually the heat would come on for a few more minutes, but that was it.

     When he wasn’t fiddling with the thermostat, Kevin tried to set the big radio alarm clock on the nightstand by the bed.  Apparently, you could only go forwards to set the time, and for some bizarre reason, it skipped over the eight o’clock hour completely.  This prevented Kevin from setting the clock to the correct time, according to his atomic watch, which read 8:17. 

     A few minutes later Kevin realized, no doubt from his excellent vantage point from the thermostat, that the digital alarm clock had actually gone backwards two minutes.  The two of us were laughing so hard we were both doubled over.  Every time the heat kicked off, we started a new round of LOL. 

     At one point, Kevin said: “It feels like it’s getting a bit warmer.”

     “No,” I told him.  “You just feel a little warmer because you’re up every couple minutes to try and get the heat to work.”

     I took the bag with our toiletries into the bathroom and discovered yet another peculiar feature of the penitential suite.  The water when on full-force was not coming out enough that I could rinse the soap off of my hands.  Our prospects for showering weren’t looking good, but at least there was enough water pressure coming out of the bathtub spigot that I could get the soap off of my hands, and for that I was truly grateful. 

     There was an ice bucket in our room, so Kevin went to find the ice machine.  He returned with an empty bucket, having searched our floor and not found any ice.  It was probably just as well since we were already feeling pretty cold.  

     Kevin propped up the three inch panel blind that had fallen on the floor at such an angle that we didn’t have quite so much light coming in from the parking lot below.

     It wasn’t long after that when John texted us to ask if everything was okay with our room and if we wanted him to bring us anything from the lounge. 

     I texted back: “We’d both like something hot to drink.  Can we meet you there?  There’s heat in the lounge, right?”

     Yes, the lounge had heat and hot tea.  John made us each a nice hot cup of Sleepytime tea, and the three of us sat and talked for a bit.  One of his seminarian friends overheard us mention about the lack of heat in the room where we were staying and offered us a small space heater he had.  He went to get it for us before we went back up to the penitential suite. 

     Fortunately, we turned on the little portable unit for more than half an hour during which time the Kevin finally figured out how to reset the thermostat.  During the half an hour or so that we had both the portable heater and the heat in the room working, it warmed up nicely.  We gave the small unit back to John to return to his friend.  I consider it a major plus that we didn’t need to keep it on all night since with the luck we were having it probably would have caught on fire or at least set off the smoke alarm and sprinklers. 

     We insisted John take a look at the water coming out of the bathroom faucet.  He was totally baffled by the ridiculous trickle.  I was satisfied I’d proved my point.  After we talked a little more, John bid us goodnight, telling us to let him know if we weren’t able to take a shower in the morning due to a serious lack of water pressure. 

     The next day, we met the friar who was staying in the room next to us when we met John for breakfast in the refectory.  We asked the gentleman if his room had heat.  He said that it had been very cold.  We inquired about the water pressure in his bathroom, and he said it was great and that the water came out hot right away. 

    Apparently, they have some adjustments to make in some of the rooms in the Center for Continuing Formation wing of St. Mary’s Seminary and University.  Either that or they should let people know that part of their stay will include putting up with a number of standard issue things not working correctly in their rooms.  If the latter is indeed the intention, a little support group held at a certain time on each floor might help create community and greater camaraderie.  I’m just sayin’

LOL at the Olympics

Here is one of our all-time favorite comedy bits on the Olympics.  Watch the first 4 minutes and 24 seconds of this clip from Jerry Seinfeld's "I’m Telling You for the Last Time," and I'm pretty sure you will be cracking up.  My personal Seinfeld favorites from this bit are his description of the biathlon and his suggestions for a new Olympic event: the Involuntary Luge.

I couldn't help but be amused by some of the profound comments announcers have made during the Winter Games:

Announcer for Men’s Moguls event: “He had kind of a rough ride.”

My response: “The whole slope is full of moguls!”

Announcer for Women’s Luge: “Look at that toe point…she’s going for it!” 

“Those white walls come up fast.”

Announcers for Women’s Curling: “The US is only one and two.  They’re only one game out.”

“It curled a little bit more than she anticipated.” 

“Always thinking about the next shot.  Sort of like a game of pool.” 

“There’s a reason the scoreboard is what it is.” 

“I think she thought she had enough weight."  

“How do you handle and manage when conditions seemingly change?”

“It’s a little tough down the center.  It’s a little bit tricky.” 

“You can’t just leave the building and the clock won’t run.”

“They’re not positive if that rock is biting the house or not.”

My Husband on Curling: “Of all the sports this one takes the most skill to watch.”

“They know how to knock each other out.  I guess that’s good for something.”

“Shuffleboard heavyweights.”  “Just what in the world is the point?”

Stuff my husband says: while watching the Opening Olympic ceremonies and in regard to what the United States athletes come out wearing.  
I said: “The only people that should be wearing sweaters like that are the mothers of some of the athletes.”

Kevin said: “Did Grandma forget to take her meds?” and later on: “I think they’re psyching out the competition.  If you look at those sweaters long enough it may create convulsions, possible black-outs.”

Top 10 Mommy Blog Epic Fails

Here are the top 10 Mommy Blog Epic Fails or in other words ten legitimate reasons why my own blog is not a super-colossal mommy blog at the top of everyone’s blogroll and whose notification of new posts pop up in inboxes everywhere along with several suggestions of actual cool, very  successful mommy blogs:

10. Homeschooling

The only person I have tried to “homeschool” recently is my husband, and it’s going about as well as you’d imagine.  At least he’s finally using his dresser for its intended purpose most of the time.  We’ll try working on some other practical life skills (such as putting clean, folded laundry away where it belongs) once he seems to be showing further signs of aptitude in that area.  For cool posts by moms who do homeschool their kids, check out Blossoming Joy and Danielle Bean.

9. Not-so-Crunchy Kitchen


I’m not some amazing cook who makes mouth-watering dishes with all natural, fair trade, organic ingredients that I managed to find in my garden or on sale at a local family-owned grocery store.  We eat fairly healthy, but the peanut butter in our cupboard is Jif and the bread in our fridge isn’t homemade, and there aren’t enough grains on top of it to feed a colony of birds.  Not that I didn’t try to interest Kevin in that sort of bread, but it didn’t fly.  Therefore, I don’t have a stash of delectable looking dishes, desserts, and mixed drinks to entice my readers.
For delectable recipes and scrumptious-looking menu options, go visit Catholic Mom's Café and Danielle Bean.

8. Catchy, Cool Link-ups

I have not yet formulated a funky and fun link-up line-up that would bring people from far and wide to my site to read what I’ve written and check out what others have posted along the same lines.  The closest I’ve gotten is to participate for the past 139 weeks in Jennifer Fulwiler exceedingly popular link-up at Conversion Diary called 7 Quick Takes Friday.

7. Bugs & Buzzards

Our creepy, crawly infestations aren’t that big of a deal, especially when compared to ridiculously large and mean-looking scorpions lurking in couch cushions and bedroom slippers.  Again, Jennifer Fulwiler is the boss when it comes to this category!

6. No Whining

Kevin and I don’t drink alcohol.  Therefore, I haven’t got any pretty pictures or harrowing stories about the effects of alcohol consumption on our behavior or that of our guests.  I don’t have a single wine recommendation for you.  In fact, I’m not really a fan of whining (pun intended).

For adventures in raising young children, as well as LOL funny pics, stories, and further attempts at non-whining, see Camp Patton.

5. Faith Formation

I must admit that I often forget to say grace with kids before meals when I am juggling, assembling, cutting, cooking, and serving little ones their four to six mini-meals a day all while they are acting as if they are starving and haven’t seen food in a week.  In my defense, when I realize my mistake, either because the oldest has told me I forgot or because the chaos of mealtimes has subsided momentarily, we pray a slightly edited version: “Bless us, oh Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are already receiving from Thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.  And may the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

For faith formation and other helpful tips and tricks for guiding future saints, visit Kate Wicker or Lisa Hendey.

4. Exercise? Please!


The only time I think I actually enjoyed running was when my family would play tag around the arch at Valley Forge Park when we lived in Pennsylvania…when I was still in third and fourth grade.  I have considered it exercise when I have been the sole adult responsible for two or more young children for periods of nine hours or longer at a time.  If you see me running down the sidewalk, it’s probably because someone scary is chasing me.  The only gym I’ve frequented pretty much daily for months on end has been the jungle gym where I take the kids to play.  I honestly don't know who to recommend for this category as it's not one I read a whole lot about or do much with.

3. High Book Deal Drama


Several popular bloggers have published a book or two, contributed to some anthologies, have a slew of articles that have appeared in National Catholic Register and other such online and in print publications, and/or they are in the process of polishing their manuscript with the help of an interested press who’s offered them a contract.  Though I’m a voracious reader and an avid writer, I have not landed a book deal or made it big in the world of publishing, yet.
   
I’m a cradle Catholic who has never really fallen away from the faith, so I don’t have a conversion story to tell that begins with me as a fiercely independent atheist who one day meets prince charming, who happens to be a devout Catholic, adventurous enough to have more children than I can count on one hand, and still have time to carve high-quality wooden toys of Montessori quality and appeal that will help form their brood into the saints of tomorrow…

To read a great conversion story and hilarious book about a family with many kids, check out Clan Donaldson or for a slightly more serious smattering of stories from a number of great Catholic authors visit Moxie Wife.

2. Precious Pics & Not-so-precious Moments


I do have a bazillion precious pictures I’ve taken of babies, toddlers, young children, elementary school kids, family events, art projects, mysterious messes (like Grace over at Camp Patton)…but I have to be even more careful and diplomatic about what I post than most others because of reason #1.

1. Kids & Clan Members

My husband and I don’t have a house full of kids.  Let me be more specific.  We don’t have a house, and we don’t have any children for whom we are biologically or legally responsible.  As you can imagine, this makes it basically impossible for me to have anything close to a successful mommy blog.

I have been taking care of children, teaching them, nannying for them, babysitting, tutoring, helping to homeschool for the past 22 years, so there are a good number of children who have brightened my life and a select group of them who have a very special place in my heart.  I recently received a clear answer from the Lord that it's time to move on from nannying, though my husband and I aren't sure of what's next.  Please keep us in prayer as we discern the Lord's will for our lives and our family.  We're doing our best trusting God when unsure of what's next.

God bless you and all of your loved ones young and old!

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 137) The End of an Era, the Joy of a New Day

-1-

Grace is…a husband who goes to defrost, scrape, and brush off your car on a morning when he doesn’t have to be up and out early, the unmistakable joy of being in the presence of someone you love, big fat snowflakes, the awe of children at nature’s beauty and complexity, a community of Christian women that praises God with its faith, friendship, love, and laughter, reading favorite children’s picture books repeatedly to little ones inclined to curl up on your lap, listening intently and attentively, enjoying the irony of it all, treasured memories…         

-2-

A Beautiful Song My youngest sister posted this uplifting song on her Facebook wall this morning and I must agree that this India Arie song does make for a nice start or finish: 

-3-

Riverdancing on the Roof This morning I awoke to what sounds for all intents and purposes as if there are people riverdancing on the roof of our building.  It’s sunny and cold without a cloud in the sky, so I knew it wasn’t rain or a storm.  The pounding and banging isn’t quite rhythmic enough or melodious enough to be pleasant or entertaining.  The cacophony is mostly making me want to flee the premises. 
     I usually do morning prayer and the daily readings from the Magnificat.  I was highly amused when I got to the Gospel according to Mark 2:1-12.  “They came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men.  Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him.  After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.”
     Kevin and I both have questioned the structural integrity of this building, so we’re only sort of joking when we had a discussion about someone falling through the roof into our apartment.    

-4-

Stuff my husband says: Not too long ago, after seeing a commercial in which a man is running on a treadmill in his front yard to create the power to light up all of the Christmas decorations on his house, Kevin suggested that it would be great if there was such a contraption as a treadmill that you could use to power the washer and dryer.  I shook my head sadly and reminded him that we live one the third floor of an apartment building with a laundry room in the basement.  If you take the four flights of stairs down and back up each time you put clothes in the washer, transfer them to the dryer, and retrieve them again, then it has pretty much the same effect.   

-5-

No Longer the Nanny Yesterday was my last day nannying for three silly sisters.  We had a fun day which included watching the snow fall in big flakes during the morning.  Kevin came to visit and got some pictures of me with the girls since all of us were looking pretty in pink.    

     Honestly, I haven’t cried at all, yet.  It hasn’t hit me.  I’m hoping that when it does it will be a gentler, softer grieving period this go-round, made even lighter because we’re still close friends/like family and are welcome to visit whenever.

-6-

Keepin’ It Real The only tried and true March for Babies and Mothers that actually respects life from the moment of conception:

-7-

Inspiring Words This is the most joy-filled, inspiring, faithful call to evangelization I’ve read recently.  Each time I sat down to read some more, I was blown away that it kept getting better and better.  Watch out for those who roll with the Holy Spirit!

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

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

-1-

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…  

-2-

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.

-3-

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! 

-4-

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.   

-5-

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.

-6-

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).

-7-

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

Triage for Christmas Correspondence

In 2011, I came up with the following solution to our holiday bulk mailing predicament: triage for our Christmas Card List In the event that you didn’t receive a Christmas card from Kevin and me this year, rejoice and be glad!  

No, really.  I’ve decided this year to concentrate my card writing/mailing efforts first and foremost on family and friends of ours who 1.) are currently in the hospital 2.) were just released from the hospital after major surgery 3.) are serving in the US military overseas, and/or 4.) have lost a loved one in the past six months. 

     
One reason for this was that I wrote a personal note on each card I sent, so it took much longer than the sign and stamp kind.  Since we had a number of loved ones who fit into one of the above categories, I concentrated my energy on prayers, phone calls, and notes of encouragement for them.  

   

Please don’t be offended.  I assure you we’re keeping all of our family, friends, and loved ones far and near in prayer.  Thanks to all of you who have filled our mailbox with love, adorable photos, and kind cards!      This year, we will still be praying for all of the friends and family who are currently in the hospital, are serving in the US military overseas, and/or have lost a loved one in the past six months, but due to a variety of circumstances we have had to do triage for our entire Christmas Correspondence this year so most of you won't be receiving snail mail letting you know in writing of our prayers and thoughts for you. 

If you’ve sent us a card wishing us a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, thanks, you rock!

If you haven’t, we totally and completely understand!

If you’re waiting for a card from us, please see the below qualifications for this year’s version of Triage for Christmas Correspondence.

7 Qualifications for Receiving Christmas Correspondence via Snail Mail in 2013 from the Potters’ (Let’s be realistic now: this means a card or letter from Trisha that Kevin has heard or read and signs, too)

If there was a period of thirty days or more over the past calendar year during which:

      1.      You and I talked to and/or texted each other daily.
2.      We hung out a few times a week.
3.      Regularly sat together at Mass together and other church-related activities.
4.      You have eaten several meals at our place.
5.      You have at any time received an actual text message from my husband.
6.      You have been in a cloistered convent.
7.      You are only allowed to receive mail at Christmas and Easter due to being a postulant in a cloistered convent.    

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 132) Humorous Merrymaking Mishaps, Memories, and Traditions over the Years

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Grace is…quality time with people who love you enough to unplug from everything to tune-in to you, seeing someone’s whole face light up when they see you, laughter, music, dancing, singing, being raised by parents who make prayer and faith a priority, being a prayer warrior near the top of people’s list to call in an emergency…

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Christmas Merrymaking Mishaps Series I’m not sure about you, but my family and friends have had some rather amusing and entertaining incidents that have occurred when engaging in some very popular holiday traditions such as: Christmas Caroling, Cookie Decorating, Christmas Tree selection, and Nativity set-up.  Those are the first four entries in the series I’ve been doing, but there are so many I’ve thought of, I might have to do some more.

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Fall Asleep Counting Your Blessings The following lyrics from one of the classic songs in "White Christmas," the musical/movie seem to sum up part of what has made this Advent somewhat like the one we had in 2009:
“When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings”
     The below is a prayer that I included in a reflective post back in December 2009:

     Lord, help all of us to count the presence of Your Son in the world as the greatest present ever given. Open our hearts and minds to the love inherent in You sending Jesus into the world as a vulnerable, helpless baby. Teach us to center on You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are the source of all love, joy, peace, and hope. Amen.

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Unexpected Christmas Bliss Ironically enough, one of the most fun Christmas light tours/photo shoots I’ve been on in Richmond was with my best friend from high school Holly, who’s a devout Jew.  At the time she was dating a Christian, so she wanted to put together a video montage of Christmas lights, sights, and carols.  She called me up and asked me if I would help her.  Kevin drove us around, and we traipsed through the snow and ice to snap some shots of various residential light displays on Monument Avenue and elsewhere.  We had a lot of fun doing it.  Normally, I’d look at Christmas lights, maybe even devote an evening to going around in the car and seeing different ones while listening to Christmas carols, but I never thought of asking Holly to join me. 

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Name that Christmas Song As part of the Christmas video project Holly undertook, she was picking my brain for different Christmas songs.  Sometimes she’d know a few lyrics of a song, but she didn’t know the name of it or anything.  That made for another fun afternoon of Holly singing or saying a few random lyrics and me doing my best to name that song and find a good version of it that she could use as part of the video.

     One of the most memorable requests she gave me was for “the Rum pumpum pum song” which I figured out must be “The Little Drummer Boy.”  So who is it that introduced me to one of the coolest versions of this song that I’ve heard by posting it on my Facebook wall?  It was Holly, of course, and during Hanukkah, no less.  My friends rock! 

     Here’s the super-cool video Holly shared with me of the Pentatonix, a five member a cappella group, singing Little Drummer Boy:

  

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Jesus is the Reason Flash Mob Check out this story and video.  It’s an awesome story and clip of 100 college students reminding people in the midst of holiday shopping that Jesus is the reason for the season on December 7 of this year.  

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Give the Gift of Quality Time I’ve been reminded again this Advent what a tremendous gift it is to offer someone your full and undivided attention.  It’s a gift I have come to appreciate far more than anything that can be purchased, especially in a day and time when it’s so tempting to be plugged in more and more of the time.  It’s all-too-common for people to be listening to music on their iPods, while texting on their phones, and surfing the net on their computers or iPads (sometimes all at the same time).  I would never do such a thing (mainly because I don’t an iPod or an iPad), but I’ve noticed how easy it is to get into the happen of spending downtime in front of the TV or computer.

     When it’s time to de-stress, unwind, have some downtime, or defrag we have been conditioned to flip on the TV, pull up Facebook, play a video game, watch a movie, put headphones on so you can’t hear anyone or anything going on around you, or as is often my go-to for dealing with stress—pick up a book and get completely absorbed.  (Yes, it’s true.  I’m a voracious reader without a Kindle or a Nook, so I do read hard copies of books which are still available at book stores and your local library.)

     Truthfully, I have to make a conscious effort to make sure my husband and I spend quality time together each day, because it’s so easy to be so plugged-in that you have turned out those closest to you, especially at the end of a long work day. 
     For me, two practices have helped me maintain and grow in my most important relationships:  1. Unplug from everything and 2. Be fully present.  In the morning, I have quiet prayer time using the morning prayer, daily readings and reflections from Magnificat and One Bread, One Body.     
     In order to connect with Kevin and loved ones, I will unplug from everything and be present in mind, body, and spirit to the person before me.  I don’t want to forget that’s what love and quality time really mean: no headphones, TV, computer, video games, cellphone, iPad, just a human being who wants and needs your time, attention, and affection. 
     Try it.  You’ll like it, and the people you care about most will absolutely love and cherish the gift of your undivided attention much more than anything you could ever buy or make for them.  That's 100% guaranteed and it's free!  
             

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