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.

Let's Talk Turkey

I am glowing with anticipation! This is one of my favorite times of the whole year! I love autumn, when the leaves change and the air grows crisp and one is drawn to the hearth, the crockpot and the down comforter. I love fall because my birthday is in the fall and I love to celebrate another year of staying alive and well. I love fall because of  our family tradition of making chili and snickerdoodles and going trick or treating together with my six foot four inch cousin dressed up in his gorilla costume and the kids laughing with sugar coated glee. And, I ADORE Thanksgiving! It is hands down my favorite holiday. I love to watch all the great cooking shows and get tips and recipes and ideas for Thanksgiving meals. I love to get in the kitchen and make good stuff, I love to eat brunch with my husband and kids and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on television. (I dream of someday being there in person for the parade!) I like seeing happy stories on the news about people helping folks who don't have as much as they do and who enjoy sharing what they can to make sure everyone has something to be thankful for. I love getting together with my family and eating great food and giving thanks for my many, many blessings. I love the idea that on this one day, regardless of faith or creed, all Americans stop and consider how much they have to be thankful for. Oh, the joy of counting your blessings!
Now, let me tell you what I don't love. In fact, what I loathe. I ABSOLUTELY HATE that this wonderful, beautiful holiday gets overlooked and lost in the black hole of "retail hell." I detest seeing the Christmas ads come out and the stores putting Christmas merchandise out the minute Halloween passes. Throw out a few token turkey plates and napkins and call it a day. I hate that my kids haven't even eaten all their Halloween candy when the toy catalogs start flooding the mailbox. I despise when people are already putting their trees up and doing their Christmas shopping when November has barely been ushered in. Is it really necessary to drag folks away from their families on Thanksgiving night so that some people can hit the stores foaming at the mouth like rabid wolves looking for the "best deals of the season?" Don't even get me started on that one...mall marauders exemplify the worst aspects of humanity.Some stores are even staying open on Thanksgiving day now. It's criminal!  Really, what is so awful about waiting a few more days?! We're not talking about a huge chunk of time here people! Let the turkey have his day! Santa will get his time! Can't we just calm down and wait until after Thanksgiving?! I was thrilled to hear Nordstrom come out and say that this year, as in recent years, they will not be decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. HALLELUJAH! One retailer who is willing to give the turkey his due! How about you? Do you love Thanksgiving and see it as a valuable and venerable tradition? If you feel like I do, send retailers a message. Save your Christmas shopping for the Christmas season, and let everyone enjoy turkey day at home with their families being thankful for all their blessings. I, for one, will be thanking God for autumn leaves, fall breezes, warm fires, cozy beds, hot chocolate with marshmallows, fuzzy slippers and folks to enjoy them with.

THANKSGIVING FOREVER, RETAIL DOMINATION NEVER!!!!

Making Do With Less

Ever been in the bathroom, "doing your business" only to discover that there are exactly 12 squares of toilet paper left on the roll and no access to another roll? Amazing what you can do with those 12 squares isn't it? Sure, you usually use at least double that, but man, how resourceful you can be when absolutely necessary. I think that kind of represents what a lot of us have been having to do for the last couple of years. With the down turn in the economy, we all have been forced to cut back or at least examine and reorder our priorities in one way or another. My husband works in a business that is very subject to the up and downs of the economy. We always have "fat" years and "lean" years. Man were the fat years fun! Indulging all your whims-dinner out at least 3 nights a week, clubs every weekend, biweekly shopping excursions at the mall, weekly salon appointments, fancy foreign vacations...what a blast! But, all good things must come to an end, right? The last couple of years we have had to cut back in different areas. Don't worry, we're not suffering- in fact, we have discovered that some of the things we used to spend our money on are not that hard to live without. Dinners at upscale restaurants, movies in the theater, fancy vacations...those things are definitely fun, but they aren't necessary. If you work at it, you can find plenty of inexpensive or even free fun stuff to do. In fact, we've discovered new happiness in the simple things in life. It's like the kid that gets a fancy toy only to play with the box. My son has made houses, cars, submarines, trains and more out of a plain cardboard box. All he did was engage his imagination. As adults, sometimes we forget to use our imagination, or we use up so much of our energy on the "daily grind" that we are simply to tired to think creatively. However, there are those that when given lemons, know how to make lemonade. The media is full of stories of folks forced into thinking outside the box to cope with the economy- 50 year olds changing careers, moms "extreme couponing," businesses cutting expenses without having to cut employees by doing away with frivolous perks and out of control expense accounts, people carpooling, folks taking "staycations." It's a matter of being resourceful and making the most of limited resources...like that last 12 squares of toilet paper. Amazing what you can do when you have to isn't it?

RESOURCEFULNESS FOREVER, GIVING UP THE GOOD STUFF NEVER!