Happy Thanksgiving!

In case you haven't yet picked up on it, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love it because it is strictly American, and it is about thanking God for our blessings, slowing down and taking time to be with family and friends. No retail frenzy, no gift selection stress, no debt accumulation or any of those other things that have commercialized Christmas and taken the attention off of Jesus where it should be. Thanksgiving is also about food, which is definitely a favorite subject of mine!
This year, I would like to list some of the things I am grateful for aside from the obvious health, home, family, and friends. So, here goes: I am thankful for a fire in the fire place on a cold snowy day, hot tea with honey, chocolate chip cookies, purring kitties, a hot bubble bath, a new pair of shoes that are hot looking AND comfortable, a pair of jeans that make your butt look great, a soft bath towel, the smell of fabric softener, clean cool sheets, a beautiful sunset, a new recipe that isn't too hard and tastes wonderful and becomes a standby, coffee in the morning, your kids telling you they love you, your parents telling you they're proud of you, your husband bringing you a present for no special reason, fuzzy slippers, lightening bugs, beautiful sunsets, butterflies, comfy couches, the smell of a roasting chicken, the smell of a sizzling steak, a great hair cut, just been to the dentist clean teeth, a good book, a new cookbook full of great recipes and beautiful pictures, movie popcorn, fall leaves, spring tulips, summer thunderstorms, and fresh winter snow, an ice cold Coca Cola, Christmas cookies, a good soap opera plot, the ocean,decorating the house for each season, fresh country air, the fact that LaRosa's, Skyline, Graeter's and Montgomery Inn are all here in Cincinnati (YES!) a trip to the zoo, a trip all on my own to the art museum, an evening walk, a fun fast car to drive, snuggling in bed with the hubby and kids and last but not least, a good nights' sleep that lasts well into the morning! Thank you Lord, for the big stuff and the small stuff too! What are the little things that you are thankful for?

If only I am so lucky...

So, my 80 something parents were coming to my area today to run a couple of errands. They don't come my way too often, so I invited them to lunch. My mother informed me that they had a full agenda for the day, and did not have time to have lunch today. What a hoot! I laughed to my husband that I thought it was hysterical that my "elderly" parents didn't have time to stop for lunch! Now, if you were to meet my parents, you would never guess that they're in their 80's. They look great, and despite some of the usual health issues one faces with age, they get around great, still live on their own, drive, keep a full schedule of activities, including babysitting my young children etc. They are pretty damned impressive. I always tease my mom when she complains of being too busy that many people her age are drooling on themselves somewhere with no clue who or where they are, so she should be glad that she's so busy, and still capable of doing so much. She replies with the inquiry "Isn't there any happy medium? It's either running around like crazy or drooling on myself?!" To which I respond "Yes. Those are your choices, so be happy your busy!" In truth, there are many stages in between. We all know people who are old beyond their years- those who seem "old and crotchety" way before their time. We also all know people who are "young at heart" and seem not to act anywhere near their age. I am happy to say my parents fall into the latter category. It's ironic, actually, because my parents had me later in life, so growing up, my friends parents were all quite a bit younger than mine, and I remember thinking that it wasn't fair, because they would have a lot more time with their parents than I would with mine. The reality is that some of those "young" parents have been gone for years now, due to cancer, car accidents, or other accidents or illnesses, and my parents are both still here with me, thank God. It just goes to show that one never knows. None of us know how long we have to enjoy earthly pleasures with our family and friends, so we must make the most of all of the opportunities that come our way. And I don't mean just fabulous opportunities for world travel, fame and fortune, but every day opportunities like watching a beautiful sunset with your spouse or cheering your child on as they accomplish a goal or having dinner with a good friend or collecting leaves on a gorgeous fall day or eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream or having lunch with your busy parents...it doesn't have to be unusual or expensive or important to anyone else, it just needs to be a moment noticed by you, where you take a deep breath and live in the moment and thank God for your blessings. I hope, that if I get to live as long as my parents have, that I can be young at heart like they are, sucking every bit of life out of this world like they do, and telling MY children that I am just too busy, we will have to do lunch another day!

Olympic Fever

What is it about the Olympics that fascinates the world? People suddenly perch on the edge of their seats cheering for someone they never heard of, from a country they never heard of, participating in a sport that they probably rarely, if ever, watch. Is it the chance to see a city in another place? Seeing the years of training that go into an Olympic athlete? The amazing physiques honed by hours of practice? Just having something different to watch on late night t.v.? I believe that the number one draw of the Olympics is watching the triumph of the human spirit. Seeing someone push past the limitations of their body and travel to another plane of reality where they seemingly don't feel the sweat and blood and pain but only focus on the reward. And by reward I don't necessarily mean a medal. An athlete may come in in 8th place but achieve a personal best. It's also not just about personal triumph, but the honor of representing your country, your home, your "people" in a positive light to the rest of the world. When we see someone pushing, and sweating and struggling, are we thinking about the fact that they are from a country whose policies we don't agree with, or a religion we don't understand? No. The idea of hard work and excellence in what you do is a universally admired virtue. Let us all learn a lesson from the athletes and strive to excel in whatever we do.

KEEP THE FLAME BURNING!

What's old is new again...

Going green. Organic produce. Locally sourced meat. Is it a new fad? A lasting trend? My Dad laughs at the whole notion. The idea that this is something new and hip is laughable to him because he has been living this way his whole life. You see, my father grew up on the land where I now live, and has been a farmer all of his life. This land has been in my family for 108 years, most of them as a fully functional self-sustaining farm. My great-Grandfather and Grandfather had orchards, hay fields, crops, gardens, dairy cattle, pigs, chickens, sheep, goats...everything they needed to put food on the table. My Dad has always said that they didn't know when the Great Depression hit because, for one, they never had much, and secondly, they were always very self-sufficient, fulfilling their own needs through their own hard work. They had meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, milk and all manner of farm fresh vittles to fill their bellies. I have seen pictures of the autumn hog butchering which was done each year to provide meat for the coming winter- pictures of my great-Grandmother stuffing sausages right in the front yard only moments after the hog made the ultimate sacrifice. It doesn't get fresher than that! Local, organic, and farm fresh weren't buzzwords, it was simply the way things were done. Equipment was reused and re-purposed, crops were rotated, animals were respected and every part of every plant and animal was used for something. Nothing was wasted. So, you see, while this idea is very hip right now, it is by no means new. I for one hope that it is also not a "fad" but rather a trend towards more thoughtful living. Being aware of what we eat and where it comes from. Mindful consumption, not mass consumption of mass produced foodstuffs full of ingredients we can't even pronounce and which are likely not good for our bodies. Whether it means that you plant a garden or pot a few herbs in a window sill planter; visit the local farmers market or buy locally sourced produce at your supermarket; buy a few chickens or ask your butcher where his meat comes from, the point is to be invested in your food as my ancestors were. They did it not because it was popular, but because it was the way things were done. It can be the way things are done in your house too.

Sweet sweet freedom!

Today we celebrated the Fourth of July. We celebrated in the usual fashion- stop by the fireworks store and go WAY over budget buying fun explosive things, go to my Mom and Dad's and grill out, make homemade ice cream (my favorite part!!!) and set off some fireworks. Then, bellies full and kids thrilled with the results of the explosions, we head home. We talked about our country and how hard folks have fought both here and abroad to make it strong and free, we asked for a special blessing for those in our military and then we went on our merry way, to not think about it as often as we should. While I was getting ready to go today my husband, in his usual fashion, was channel surfing. I noticed he was watching "Glory" which is a really great movie about a black regiment serving in the Civil War and some piece of idiocy called "Kendra on Top," about a former Playboy Playmate and her husband.  I was ready to ask him what on earth he was watching some stupid reality show about some stupid people I couldn't care less about when it hit me: that's what makes this country great! That there is some stupid marathon of some ridiculous reality show on on the 4th of July is a perfect example of why America is great! No one is going to tell the station they can't broadcast such crap, and no one is going to tell you that you can't watch that crap all day if you want to. (Well except maybe your wife!) I hate reality shows. I find them to be pointless, mindless and a complete waste of time. Frankly, who cares what these morons are doing with their time?! But there are those who don't agree with me and who become addicted to this show or that. They can have at it! More power to them! (As long as they don't expect me to watch!) But, that's just what is so great about America- if people want to be idiots, they are free to do so! So, march on you morons! You keep watching your Kendra on Top and your Jersey Shores and those Kardashians! I personally will be watching cooking shows and history specials. Ain't diversity grand?!

PBS FOREVER,  REALITY T.V. NEVER!

SAVOR THE SMALL STUFF

My Dad, not the world's biggest optimist, has a response he sometimes uses when someone asks him how he is doing. It is "well, I'm still above grass, so I guess I'm doing pretty good." My Dad is soon to be 88 and by all accounts pretty darn healthy, still working outside, still driving, still doing various social activities and making sure he keeps one eye on my Mom at all times to be sure she stays out of trouble. Trouble, I might add, which I am the one likely to get her into, at least in his opinion. As my parents get older, I think about the fact that no one lives forever, and while I don't want to even think about it, my parents won't live forever either. I honestly don't think a whole lot about my own mortality. I consider myself to be still young and healthy and I have a whole lot of things I want to accomplish before I take off to parts unknown, if you know what I mean. I also have a husband and two small children who need me. The thought of leaving my pristine house and impressionable young babes in the sole care of my husband is too scary! I just know he wouldn't make them make their beds and I am POSITIVE he would never clean the inside of the microwave! Remembering to sign all that paperwork from school? Forget about it! Daily Swiffering? Not gonna happen! But, I digress. The subject here is my mortality. I really thought about my mortality a lot this week. You see, a woman from our parish- not someone I knew well, but someone I did know- well, it's like this: she was diagnosed with cancer and given six months to live. This was around the 20th of February. She died 10 days later, on the 2nd of March. WOW! How the heck do you deal with THAT?! I sat there in church after the announcement of her funeral with my head swimming. How do you face imminent death? How do you prepare your loved ones? How do you attend to all the practical details of wrapping up your life here on earth? How in the world do you say goodbye to your husband, your kids, your parents? How do you prioritize your last 10 days of life? I mean, this is heavy stuff. Now, I am a woman of faith, and I have no doubt of the existence of a loving God and an afterlife of unending joy. I am no saint, but I have no fear of burning in Hell either. So, it's not that I fear death. Death is not an end, it is a "transition" into another kind of life. A better kind promised to me by my loving Father in heaven. So, it's not a fear of death that has me wanting to stick around here for awhile. And, though it does factor in, it's not even the thought of my un-Swiffered house or splattered microwave that gives me pause. It's the little things: kissing my husband. Hugging my kids. Talking to my Mom every day. Celebrating my birthday. Cooking a great meal. Drinking a great glass of wine. Laughing with my girlfriends. Driving a fast car. Hearing my 4 year old sing the whole Little Einsteins theme. Snuggling with my son. Seeing my Dad's face light up when he sees his grandchildren. Talking recipes and politics with my brothers. Listening to a favorite song cranked up loud. Seeing the beautiful sunset from my back porch. The smell of hyacinths. The sound of the ocean. Thunderstorms. And definitely chocolate! I can't imagine having to say good bye to all these things! Is it possible to not fear death, but to fear the absence of seemingly small, silly things like chocolate chip cookies? I would have to say yes. I would hope that I have a long life ahead of me, and that by the time it is time for me to say goodbye I will be so old and worn out that I will be ready to give up chocolate for heaven. I sincerely hope that I will just fall asleep in my favorite chair when I'm 101 or so and simply never wake up. Just peacefully go home to God without a great deal of fuss. I honestly don't know how I would "wrap it up" and get ready to go in just 10 short days. I cannot even fathom what it would be like to try to do that and for my family to face that. But I'll tell you one thing- this ladies' story has made me think long and hard about what is and isn't important. After all, none of us know how long we have. Whether we are young or old, healthy or not, no one knows exactly how much time they have. So we have to make each day count! People say "don't sweat the small stuff." I say it's the small stuff that matters most! It's the little every day things, all piled up on top of one another, that make up a life. Chances are, if you reflect on what's important to you, it won't be lofty goals or spectacular plans that come to the forefront. It will be little things like tucking your kids in at night or having a date night with your husband. These things we can do! We can plan and we can accomplish! For the next 10 days, pick one thing to do, or one place to go, or one thing to eat and SAVOR it! Don't sweat the big stuff! SAVOR THE LITTLE THINGS! In the end, you see, when a life is lived, it's the little things that people remember. You don't hear people say in a eulogy "She had a diversified retirement account"  or "she had a Master's degree in chemical engineering." Or "she paid her mortgage on time every month." You hear people say "She was a great Mom." Or "she always had a kind word and a hug for anyone who needed it." "She loved to laugh." "She knew a good bottle of wine when she saw one and she loved to share it with her friends." "She knew more jokes than anybody else I know." "She made the best pumpkin pie ever." "Her smile could light up a room."  It's the every day things that matter most. So don't sit around and wait for something fabulous to happen. See the fabulous in today!

SMELL THE ROSES FOREVER, TAKE IT FOR GRANTED NEVER!

Seeing the forest for the trees

The last Friday of every month our parish does Eucharistic Adoration. For you non-Catholics, that means that the consecrated host, which we believe to be the true body of Jesus,  is exposed in a monstrance, which is a special, fancy holder so that folks may come and pray before Jesus, whom we believe is present in the Host. It is a solemn and holy observance. Since we believe in the real presence of Jesus, someone must be in the church the entire time the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, which is 24 hours in our case. So, we have a sign-up sheet, and people sign up for one hour time periods. Some ambitious folks even sign up for more than one time slot. I used to do Eucharistic Adoration every month before I had my daughter, but lately I haven't done it as much. So, when they made the announcement at Christmas mass for Eucharistic Adoration on the 30th, I thought it would be a great time to start up again, and a wonderful way to start the new year. Just me and Jesus, talking and planning and praying about the coming year. So, I left my kids home with Dad and off I went. It is awe inspiring to be the only one in the whole church, sitting there before Jesus. It's quiet, it's peaceful- it's a special time. As I was sitting there praying and reading scripture and thinking, I was admiring the beautiful nativity scene. Trying to imagine what was going through the minds of Mary and Joseph and the shepherds as they gazed upon this little tiny baby who was somehow special, though they did not know just how yet. That's when it occurred to me- the crib and surrounding trees sit in front of where the statue of the Sacred Heart usually is. So, I had to get up and check it out. Was the statue there or did they put it away somewhere? I got up, peeked behind the crib and guess what? The Sacred Heart was there. He was covered up with a cloth, but He was there, hidden behind the tall trees. That was when it hit me...Jesus the Sacred Heart, shrouded in black cloth but ever shining in our hearts. Hidden, but ever-present in our lives. Always there if we only just pull aside the branches and SEE HIM. I decided there was a lesson there. Let 2012 be the year you remember to ask Jesus to be there for you. Ask Him into your life. Let 2012 be the year you "see the forest for the trees."

GOD BLESS US EVERY ONE!

The Prayer of St. Anselm
I seek not to understand in order that I may believe; rather I believe in order that I may understand.