Costume Fun

P1000426, a photo by Chez VH on Flickr.

Bernie decorated this knight-costume shirt (from a rummage sale) with stickers to make a White Tree of Gondor for Frank's "Pippin" costume. She later ended up tracing the tree and painting it on with white puffy paint.

Another Lovely Photo from TAC

P1000165, a photo by Chez VH on Flickr.

I think this is taken in Dr. Dillon's Memorial Garden.

Romans 8:31

Are there some Bible verses that really jump out at you and make you want to read them again and again and chew on them for awhile? I fell in love with the book of Romans in college, but in the last year or so, Romans 8:31 really jumped out at me. This week it came up twice at church AND I happened to be the one reading both times. On Wednesday morning, it was the reading at Morning Prayer which I sometimes pray with a group at church. Yesterday, it was the first reading at Mass, and I was lectoring. I don't fully understand it, but I find it so beautiful and moving... gotta love St. Paul!

Here's the quote. The Morning Prayer reading included just the second half or so...

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Saint as Antidote

I came across an interesting quote from G.K. Chesterton's Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox that I'd like to share here, but first I had to tell the funny little story about why I picked up the book today. It seems like I often end up reading long-neglected books because of odd coincidences.

I was picking up vitamins at Walmart today (and I almost never shop at Walmart - just happened to be more convenient today than other options). I was wearing a Thomas Aquinas College sweatshirt and the cashier asked me about Thomas Aquinas (the saint, not the college). Although I was able to tell him some basic facts, like where he lived, it sparked an interest today in wanting to read more - and I've had this book on my to-read list for many years.

Here's the quote...

The saint is a medicine because he is an antidote. Indeed that is why the saint is often a martyr; he is mistaken for a poison because he is an antidote.He will generally be found restoring the world to sanity by exaggerating whatever the world neglects, which is by no means always the same element in every age. Yet each generation seeks its saint by instinct; and he is not what the people want, but rather what the people need.

Rejoice in the Good!

The Holy Father said this today:

The Pontiff noted how "we are always attentive to problems and to difficulties," but there is almost an unwillingness "to perceive that there are beautiful things that come from the Lord."

Attention to the good, "which becomes gratitude," he said, "is very important for us; it creates in us a memory for the good and it helps us also in times of darkness."

"God accomplishes great things, and whoever experiences this -- attentive to the Lord's goodness with an attentiveness of heart -- is filled with joy," the Pontiff affirmed.

This is something I often bring up in my talks on culture - to rejoice in the good. I bring this up not because I'm good at it, but because I know it's important, yet often struggle with it myself.

You can read the rest of his talk here: Don't Get Lost in Problems, says Pope.

And speaking of being grateful for the good, 35 men from the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican were ordained deacons last week. You can see a photo here: (the settings won't let me share it). The deacon on the far left was stationed at our parish for the last three summers. We are so happy for him!

I have yet to type up my notes from my conference talk in Napa last summer. Maybe this will remind me to get to it soon. Have a beautiful day!

Fall Tree

P1000385, a photo by Chez VH on Flickr.

Lion Cub!

P1000337, a photo by Chez VH on Flickr.

Bernie caught this great shot at the zoo yesterday.

What We've Been Enjoying This Week..

The 39 Clues Series - I'm on book 8, the kids are all over. It's been tough covering an 11 book series from the library with 6 different readers/listeners with a crazy combo of audio and print!

Watching YouTube videos related to topics that came up in the 39 Clues, like Terra Cotta Army, Amber Room and Catacombs of Paris.

Discovering Music DVD series by Dr. Carol Reynolds (I love how she incorporates art, architecture, history, culture, politics, science, etc. along with LOTS of stories and excellent recordings). Already touched on a few topics from  The 39 Clues here too. :)

Good stuff! 

P.S. An extra motivation for me to finish the series is that the 1st book in the second series, (Cahills vs. Vespers: The Medusa Plot) is waiting for me to read from the Amazon Vine program. Terri's already cruised through that and eager for the next volume (which comes out in December!)

New Digs Again

I am really liking the improvements to Blogger, though there are still some ups and downs to both Blogger and WordPress. In the end, having all of my archives and such in one place and a MUCH better tag-labeling system pushed Blogger ahead. I've already moved all of my favorite posts from the new blog over here, just have to tag a few of the untagged posts at some point.

Test Post

Blogger has made a lot of improvements, so I'm toying with the idea of moving my blogging operations back here.

Here's a test quote (partly testing the editor here) that I stumbled on today in YouCat:

My past no longer concerns me. It belongs to divine mercy. My future does not yet concern me. It belongs to divine providence. What concerns me and what challenges me is today, which belongs to God's grace and to the devotion of my heart and my good will. - St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622)