Thoughts on Miss Me Jeans and Modesty

 


This Spring the temperature has been running above normal,  about 10 degrees, hovering in the 90's  and with the warm temperatures I have been seeing hems rise. This is nothing like in my mother’s day where ladies wore skirts, though in the late 60’s and early 70’s mini skirts did get quite short.
Since I work in a high school I have the privileged of seeing teens in all their glory. Our school is a small one but it is public and uniforms are not required. l. We are a country school in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. But it is the heart of  Country here, and the girl see the Country stars and want to dress like them. A hot item these days are Miss Me Jeans. They run around $100 and the shorts run about $85. Yes $85 for a material that barely covers the bottom, and they like to pair these shorts with boots, a tank top and a button down shirt, reminiscent of Daisy Duke.

Just in case you don’t remember her, here she is in two different versions. Notice how the times have changed? Jessica Simpson is more blatantly out there so to speak.
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Now I love in  a part of the country where it is HOT more than it is NOT. I understand young people thinking that less clothing keeps you cooler. In fact it does not. . But who thought about the boots? Boots with shorty shorts?
As far as I am concerned there is never a reason to wear shorts that short in public. Both of my daughters dance and swim and have dance shorts and bathing suit bottoms that are longer than these without looking like this.


Now that interesting thing about Miss Me Jeans is that they do have Bermuda length shorts. So why have shorts that require special underwear to wear? (ordinary underwear would show)
Our school does have a dress code as do many, here is an excerpt of it.

Andy dress style that is provocative, disruptive disruptive, distracting or extreme is considered un acceptable. Skirts, dresses, shorts etc. must be no shorter than 4” above the middle of the knee.

I am pretty sure that these shorts violate all of the above elements of this dress code.

Typically we take that to mean that shorts and skirts length should be no shorter than the finger tips of the person wearing the garment, but either way these jean shorts miss the mark.
Now I am all one for understanding that kids want to wear what is “in style”. In my day I am sure that my mother got me some of the most have clothes, not all but some. However what is wrong with girls wearing this style, also by Miss Me?


Now interestingly enough the Miss Me Jeans retail from $65- $100 plus, and someone is buying for young teens and even younger girls. Yes you read that right, young girls. I thought it was bad enough to 14, 15 and 16 year old girls wearing the short shorts but to think that girls sizes 7-14 might be wearing them and that parents would buy them. I am not sure if this is true, but I was once told me that they were called ‘Miss Me’ because that was the impression you wanted to make when you were walking away, that people would miss you.

What are your thoughts on young girls dressing this way, and at school? Would you even let your daughter wear the longer versions, bermuda's and pants? Share your thoughts below.

Tenebrae–Entering the Shadows of Holy Week

With Holy Week upon us Catholic have many mass and services to attend. For some Palm Sunday is a favorite. I mean not only do you get something when you come to church, blessed palms but you get to recreate the triumphant entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. For many Easter is their favorite as we celebrate Jesus’s triumphant over death with his resurrection. For me one of my favorite services of Holy Week is Tenebrea. Tenebrae is the name given to the celebration, with special ceremonies, of Matins and Lauds, the first two hours of the Divine Office, of the last three days of Holy Week. We observe Tenebrea in our disease after Vespers of Palm Sunday. This allows for more people to come and participate.
Tenebrea starts as any other Reading of the Divine Office.  What sets Tenebrae apart is the gradual extinguishing of candles upon a stand in the sanctuary, gradually reducing the lighting throughout the service.. The last candle is taken out of the church representing the light of Christ leaving.us in death. Tenebrea ends in complete darkness. But the part that my kids love is the “Great Noise”.My kids, and everyone else in the church get to make noise and a LOT of  it. The ‘great noise” at the end of Tenebrea is made by banging hymnals or prayer books on the pews.
There is much symbolism in the Service of Tenebrea. In fact it’s name is a symbol in an of itself. Tenebrea means shadow and represents the shadows and darkness that the death of Jesus plunge us into. The great noise  of Tenebrea is symbolic of the Earth Quake that shook the sanctuary when Christ died. It is is symbolic of the chaos that we plunge into when Christ has left us.

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This post is linked up to Saints and Scriptures at Kennedy Adventures,  and Equipping Catholic Families

Praying for a Miracle

For those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook you know that our family suffered a setback. Back in December my mother in law was walking across the street when she was hit by a pick up truck. She has extensive injuries. Doctors and nurses are cautious in their prognosis.  At this point there is not much that can be done, she has made it through multiple surgeries and is recovering from them well, but there is still a long way to go.  My husband has found renewed hope in Blessed Fr. Francis Xavier Seelos.
We have decided to take some holy dirt from Chimayo New Mexico down to see if that helps. Chimayo is called the Lourdes of America, the dirt from the back room is said to cure physical and spiritual ailments. Deacon G and I traveled there some time ago, and stumbled upon the church, not realizing how special a place it was. We had been camping in New Mexico and were taking the scenic route to Santa Fe.  When we happened upon this old church we got out to explore. When we learned of the miracles and of the holy dirt we rushed back to our car to find a receptacle for the dirt. We have kept that same dirt in the original baggy in a vase we bought on that trip on a book shelf.  It is that same dirt that will be brought down to my mother in law.

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Teaching Our Children Patience

This post is part of an ongoing series on the Seven Virtues. Practicing the seven  virtues is considered to protect one against temptation from the seven deadly sins,
The seven virtues are Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility.

What is Patience?
Patience is a virtue.  I am sure you have heard this expression before. What does being patient mean? Being Patient means being willing to wait. To delay getting something small in order to get something bigger in the end.  So what does that have to do with virtues? As a virtue patience is the counterpoint to the sin of wrath.  Being patient means you resolve conflicts peacefully, without resorting to violence. It means showing mercy and forgiveness to sinners.  Patience means not killing or being violent in any way to any thinking creature; to practice moderation of meat consumption. A patient person creates a  sense of peaceful stability and community, rather than engendering suffering, hostility and antagonism.
We all know the joys of teaching a child how to wait for ice cream, or a birthday, or Christmas. But how do you teach them to resolve conflicts in a non-violent manner? Or to show forgiveness and mercy to sinners? How do we as adults create a sense of peaceful stability in our homes?
As a mother and someone who works with kids I go through these lessons every day. Kids get into squabbles every day.
We begin teaching our children as always, through how we act. When you are on the phone with someone, let’s say the electric company, do you talk to them like human beings and empathize with their situation or do lose your patience and dehumanize the person on the other end of the phone? After all, is it their fault the storm took out your power? No they are probably being swamped with calls right now. 
The Aspects of Patience
Resolve conflicts peacefully, without resorting to violence

When you teach your children to resolve conflicts peacefully you are teaching them to work through a problem in a way that does not hurt anyone involved. This means you teach children to resolve disagreements without hurting the other person. You are teaching your child compassion. To care for others, their feelings, to come to solution to a problem without hurting the other person. Think of the toddler that wants a toy and if he does not get it. What does he do? He hits the other kid, or worse yet bites them. How do we deal with a toddler that hits or bites? We teach them how to be gentle. Gentleness is part of patience.

Showing mercy and forgiveness to sinners

How do we teach our children to show mercy and forgiveness?
Remember that game when a kid when bend back another kid’s hand until that kid cried mercy? We are not talking about that sort of mercy here. I am talking about teaching our children to show mercy to others. But first of all what do we mean by mercy? When we are merciful to those who have sinned we forgive offenses willingly. What exactly does that mean? Well let me demonstrate. Let’s say Pumpkin went into PI’s (a teenage girl) room and took out her paints and sketch pads, and then used them. How do you think she should react when Pumpkin says sorry for making the mess and taking her stuff while she was at dance? First lets look at how she is likely to react

1. yelling and screaming that is my stuff, he has no right to it. He went in my room.
2. Telling him it was wrong for him to go into her room and take her expensive art supplies, even if it was to make a surprise painting for her.
3. Forgive him for not realizing that her room is private and that he should ask to use her special paints when we have plenty of paints in our craft closet

To tell the truth if Pi has had a good day I will get response number 2. Most likely Pumpkin had no malicious reason for going into Pi’s room to use her paint. Most likely her paints and paper where more accessible than getting them out of the paint closet, after all he did not want to bother mom to get them and he wanted to do something independently.
How often do we teach our children to say “sorry”? Do we teach them to say “I forgive you?” I have to admit I only do this about 50 % of the time.  Usually the hurt party is not ready to let go of the hurt or transgression.  Lucky for us, as Catholics, we have confession.
It takes time for our kids to learn to forgive trespasses and offenses willingly.  I know that sometimes it is hard for me to forgive people for what they do to me, but I have to remember what Christ said “forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Often people will hurt other people without even knowing what they do. Ask yourself when you mother in law hurts you with words, do you forgive her in your heart, knowing that she will probably hurt you again?

Patience is Non-violent

Whoa, this is a big one. Patience is non-violent and does no harm to any living sentient creature. What does that really mean? In a nutshell it means we do not perpetuate violence on man, woman, child, or animal. Think about it. If there was more patience in the world we would not being seeing those commercials for abused animals that make us all cry. I swear every time we see one of those commercials my 7 year old tears up. 
As parents, we have daily opportunities to teach our children that patience is non-violent. I mean how many times a day do your kids ask you the same question? Do you discipline them with a smack? Most likely if you are here, you do not. We are teaching our children the non-violent aspect of patience eve time we interact with our children.

Practice moderation of meat consumption

I find it interesting that patience includes the practice of moderate meat consumption. It seems that patience is the answer to our problem with gluttony also.  How do we teach our children to practice moderate meat consumption? As parents we are the ones who serve our children their food. As Americans, most of us over eat, and we overeat poor quality meat. Meat that is processed and full of hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives. Now I know not everyone can afford to eat grass fed beef, but have you considered how much meat you actually do eat? How much do you spend on meat a week? If you were to take that same amount of money and purchase meat that is humanely grown and processed you could then supplement your protein with other sources such as beans, bone broth, or cheese. 

Creates a  sense of peaceful stability and community

I just love that whole statement above, a sense of peaceful stability and community. Isn’t that what want in your house? I strive to have a peaceful house.  When we create a peaceful environment for our children, one that allows them to grow, they come to expect that as normal, they want to maintain that environment. They learn that it is normal to have a peaceful house. One where people do not yell at each other.  Speaking of yelling, are you a frequent yeller? If you are, what are you teaching your children? It is not peace and patience. Remember our children learn the most by watching how we behave. Children are perfect little mimics, they do and say what we do, not what we say.

 I will admit that this virtue is the one that I have the most trouble with. At times I am a very patient person. I forgive and understand a person’s background. I do not hold it against them when they harm me, but harm one of my children, then the mother bear in me comes out.  I wouldn't even say mother bear is an apt description, because the claws come out.  At times I lose my patience with myself, my children and the person at the store, the customer service rep on the phone. So how do I keep myself patient? I miss admit that for me it helps to eat good food, get plenty of rest and take care of myself. If I don’t find time to nourish myself, mind, body and soul I tend to be a cranky mama. Cranky mama’s don’t have a lot of patience. We are too tired and hungry to patient with anyone. If I make sure I have a good night’s sleep, get some time outside in nature and eat a good breakfast I am am able to weather what the day might bring.  Taking care of yourself and being patient with yourself if the best way to teach your child how to be patient.

this post is linked up with Women Living Well Wednesday

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Patron Saint of Messy Kitchens

(or if I was a patron Saint of something)


Paula at Home in Douglas tagged me to do a new meme. Now I don’t always do these but this time I thought it would be a little fun.
Assuming you are a saint, and your cause has been executed, your miracles confirmed, your date on the calendar established, all that is required is to select that of which Holy Mother Church will name you Patron (ess) of.


For this meme, you must name your patronage
and then tag 5 other people who would like to play along.


Linking your answer to your nominator's post would make it easier to get your answers."
This is a hard question for me. I don’t consider myself anywhere near saintly.  I enjoy my glass of wine or two, I swear, from time to time, and I lose my temper. My house is not is clean as I would like it and I have unfinished projects. These are not exactly saintly qualities.

However if I was to look at the little miracles that happen in my life one comes to mind very quickly. When I open my spice cupboard I always have what I want/need. Even if I swear it was not there yesterday. Since I like to cook and enjoy all sorts of spices and flavors this means a lot to me. I tend to thank my grandmother, God rest her soul when the spice I am looking for is in the cupboard. She was a well regarded cook in her day. My generation is still cooking her recipes.
Often as a home cook I start with just an idea and make it up as I go along. Surprisingly everything comes out tasting great, not saying I am a professional chef, but cooking is one of those things I do. I also am not a by the recipe sort of person To me, a recipe is just a suggestion, a starting off place not rules set in stone. so far, my family likes most of what I cook but not necessarily everyone likes everything.  Being able to put dinner on the table every night is a small miracle .
When I cook, I throw myself into it. I don’t just make dinner, I make 3-4 different things or meals at time. Because of this, my kitchen can get quite messy while I am cooking. Notice all the spices on the counter? Never had to go to the store to buy what I needed to make new recipes.
So after examining the evidence and the miracles presented I would have to say I am the patroness of Real Food, the Spice Cupboard, the Messy Kitchen, and Getting Dinner on the Table for the Family.
I am tagging
Working to be Worthy
Blueberries for Me
Mrs. 1st Lieutenant
Diwja at House Unseen
Artsy Nina
Have fun ladies. 

Does it matter how you dress for church?

(photo taken from my grandmother’s photos- Easter circa mid 1950's)
Not too long ago most people dressed up for church. They put on their Sunday Best. Ladies wore hats and gloves. Men wore jackets and ties. Children also dressed up.  Today many churches and parishes have adopted a more casual dress code for mass and church. But does it matter what you wear to church? Does it change your experience at mass? Does God care what you wear?
There are two main camps in this discussion one says to offer Christ our best. And the same is true of our dress. We should offer Christ our 'Sunday best", not our everyday or common wear. And we should dress modestly, not in a flashy way that would bring attention to ourselves. Our dress should always be becoming of a Christian - especially at church.
The other camp says that God is not concerned with our clothing that he is more concerned with our soul. Clothing is a worldly issue, not a Godly thing.
Today our clothes have become an expression of who we are. Yet culture customs and mores do exist. Where they do not man has made them. Most schools and work places have a dress code. Even places that do not have a dress code have implied ones. When you go to the symphony or an opera, one still does tend to dress up, not the the extent they used to but because it is fun to dress up.
In my house I always talk to my children about the appropriateness of dress for the occasion. If we are going to soccer practice we need to take cleats and shin guards they are customary and expected. If you are running errands or going to school you probably do no wear the same clothes you do for painting or playing in the creek.
So what is appropriate for church these days. We follow certain guidelines at our house with my family. Among those are the following. But it boils down to a basic question. Would I wear these clothes to work in the yard or to practice sports? You could also ask your self would you wear these clothes to the beach or lake? If the answer is yes, then perhaps I should consider something different for church.


(Easter 2011)
But if you would like some more specific guidelines, I am happy to share the ones we use at our house.

• Undergarments should remain undergarments. I don’t want to see any bras, or underwear slipping out of or showing through your clothes. Please no VPL (visible panty line).
• Please wear appropriate undergarments.
• Shorts may be fine but only dress shorts and worn with a shirt with a collar, or a nice blouse. for kids.  Adults at my house as a rule do not wear shorts to church.
• Jeans may be worn if the weather is inclement but they must be in good shape, and fit well. No tight jeans, no torn jeans , no s”skinny jeans”allowed.
• Keep shoes in good shape. We generally don’t wear our sneakers or tennis shoes as they call them here, to church.
• Take a jacket if it is summer time. My girls may wear a nice sundress, sometimes these are thin straps and with the air conditioning they may get cold. Depending on the church we attend on a given weekend, the Cathedral, the Monastery, a more respectful formal dress is expected than a country parish, and women are expected to cover their shoulders.
• Skirts and Dresses need to be a modest length. What does that mean? Generally if you bend over and I can see underwear it is too short. If the skirt or dress is still a favorite and too short there are options such as bloomers (for a toddler), bike shorts or leggings.
• Young ladies of all ages need to take care that tops do not reveal too much. Think about how you move. When you bend over, does your top show cleavage? Cleavage is not for church.  According to Deacon G, he does not like to see a belly button when a woman makes a bow of reverence receiving communion. I use a miracle tape that can be used to keep all sorts of tops closed, and it a pinch you can use it to hem pants.
• If you are visiting an unknown church, err on the side of caution, business casual won’t be wrong in most cases. If you would not wear an outfit to work don’t wear it to church.

Dressing up is not necessary to a better experience to church but dressing appropriately will certainly enhance it.

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Teaching our Children Kindness

This post is part of a series on the Seven Virtues.
Practicing the seven  virtues is considered to protect one against temptation from the seven deadly sins, with each one having its counterpart. . Each of the seven heavenly virtues matches a corresponding deadly sin.
The seven virtues are Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility.
What is Kindness ?
I am forever telling my kids to be kind to each other, show some compassion. If someone gets  hurt, I will tell them to have  compassion, to show concern.  I admit it, my kids are not perfect. If someone gets hurt they don’t necessarily laugh but they sometimes look like deer in headlights and are not sure what to say. More often or not they will say “I didn’t do it.”
So what is kindness? A key component of kindness is love.  St.  Paul said that "love is kind" (1Corinthians 13:4). Kindness is an expression of love. This is true true whether we speak of the kindness of God toward man (Titus 3:4) or that of man toward man (Romans 12:10)
So how do we demonstrate kindness. A kind person does not take advantage of others in their personal or business life. A kind person seeks only what is best for everyone involved. A kind person is compassionate. What does that mean? Compassion means “with passion” A compassionate person feels with the other person. They feel bad when others feel bad. A kind person helps others with their problems and woes. Even if that help consists in just listening.  A kind person is shows their gratitude toward others and is thankful. A kind person is quick to forgive. So forgive your child when he he breaks that plate. They most likely were scared when they dropped it and it hit the floor. So show them some compassion. When you do this you are modeling kindness for your children.

How do we teach our Children Kindness?
We can teach our children kindness from day one. We teach them kindness by how we interact with them. When you respond to them, even as a baby, do so with compassion. A newborn does not cry to manipulate you. They cry because they have unmet needs. As a child grows, you can continue to show them kindness by being quick to forgive them when they do something. When they drop your favorite mug and break it try to be kind and show compassion. Often it is our first reaction to yell at a child for breaking something. But really, think about it. Did they mean to break it? Probably not, and it most likely scared them when they dropped it. A mug can be replaced. A child’s s spirit can not. If you treat the child with kindness they are more likely to come to you when something does happen
You see, you are your child’s best teacher and children learn best through demonstration and action.  Treat everyone regardless of age, race and social background with respect.  Your children watch what you do. They are watching how you treat the cashier, the mailman, the homeless man on the street.  But before your child can show kindness they have to recognize how people feel. With young children it is best to teach them about feelings in general, and then teach them that everyone has feeling. Only after that can we teach them to understand when someone is sad and hurt.
There are plenty of books on kindness for you to read to or with your children. The Little Prince is one of my favorites, but there are many other childhood favorites that have at their core the value of kindness, the Velveteen Rabbit is family favorite, even if my children cry whenever I read it to them. Charlotte’s Web is a book that is a great story for teaching our children kindness. Can you think of any characters who show more kindness than Charlotte or Fern. Even the farmer’s heart softens. For older children, the Anne of Green Gables series is a great one.
Children have an innate sense of compassion and kindness. Ever watch them with their dolls and stuff animals?  The best way to reinforce kindness is to praise your child when they display kindness. Thank them for being compassionate. We get more bang for our buck in our children when we reinforce the positive behavior instead of focusing on the negative behavior.
How do you teach kindness to your children?

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Children in Church

When I was growing up I saw plenty of children in church, children of all ages.  There was no such thing as a cry room at our parish. If a kid acted up that badly, I suppose you just took them outside. But I can’t remember my mother or any of the other mothers I knew taking a kid outside. So when I moved to Oklahoma it seemed strange to me that in other churches children would be sent to the nursery. In my mind I did not understand it. How was a child to learn about God by going to the nursery? How was the child to learn how to behave in church  if they are not in church with the family?
A child learns mostly by doing. In going to church and attending mass with the family.  I always find it interesting that in some churches children are expected to go to the nursery and come out at age 5 or so knowing how to behave in church.  It is my belief that children belong in church with the family and will learn to behave through practice.
I am happy that we attend a church were children are the norm. We know and appreciate that they will have problems from time to time, we look out for each other’s kids and each other and are happy to support the other parents when there is a parent out of town. Since our kids were old enough to go to church, sometime after 6 weeks, we have always taken our kids to church with us, the only exception being when a kid  was sick.  Then one of us would stay home with the sick kiddo. Usually me. Because my husband is on the altar, the kids sit with me or now that they are a bit older sometimes with friends. Living out in the country, Church is the only place they see some of their friends.
Children can be noisy creatures. My oldest, even as a baby, often had the need to sing in church. Sometimes the song would be over but not her singing. It was on one of these occasions that a parishioner told me not to worry , because in the Lord’s Eyes “ the sound of children in church is second only to the angels..”
Our children need to go to church and been in church with us. They need to attend mass with us. If they are always sent to the nursery how can we expect them to know how to behave? If we do not take them to church, how do we expect them to go to church when we are not there to take them?
For without children in church, our church has no future. Did not Jesus himself ask us to come to him like the the little children? We all need to be more like them and trust that God knows what is best.
How do you deal with children in church? Do they attend with you or are they off in Sunday School, or Kids Church? What are some of your strategies for Surviving Church with kids? I would love to hear your comments on this topic.

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The importance of Going to Church as a Family

A child learns mostly by doing. They also learn by watching what the parents do. Be careful your children are paying attention to you. When you attend church as a family you are sending a very concrete and strong message to your child about who they are and who their family is. They know that they go to church, and that Mom and Dad do too.  Growing up it was firmly ingrained in me that we attended church together. If we were home, even when we were in college we all attended together, no teenager going to 5pm mass to be with their friends while the family went Sunday morning.

What does a child learn by going to church with his family?


Studies show that children who go to church learn many valuable life skills outside that translate outside of church. Children who attend church/mass with their families

• increase their  average life expectancy by 8 years
• significantly reduce their  use and risk from Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs
• dramatically lower their risk of suicide
• rebound from depression 70% faster
• dramatically reduce their risk for committing a crime
• improve their attitude at school and increase their school participation
• learn right from wrong
• find an extended family - this is especially important today where biological families can be spread out over continents 
• they statistically improve the odds that they will lead an active church life in their adults years

The Importance of Attending Church as a Family


Growing up Catholic, a generation or two ago it was not uncommon to see  Mom’s and kids only at church. In some parishes it was the norm.  Church was considered something women did.   Today, I still see moms alone with kids at church. I am in awe of them, the fact that they can get themselves and their kids out the door looking well presented. However, studies have shown that children who attend mass/church regularly with their fathers are the ones who are most likely to continue attending church on a regular basis.

A 1994 study in Switzerland  found the following results. Surprisingly, it is important for a father to attend church with his kids, more important than the mother.  According to the study if the father of a family does not go to church, only one child in 50 will become a regular church attendee. However if the father attends regularly then more than two-thirds of the children will become regular church goers.  When I first read these statistics I was blown away. Yes these statistics are from Switzerland but they do relate to those of us not in Europe.

What amazed me most at these statistics is that I come from a family where the mothers were the ones to take their kids to church. I know for a fact that my grandfather was not a regular attendee at mass, but he was often away working. My grandmother on the other hand went to mass daily when her schedule allowed.  My mother continued that tradition she not only attended mass solo with the kids, she was active as a  CCD Teacher. My father would join us on Holidays but my mother never made him come to church.  Some how my brothers and I beat those odds.  We all still attend regularly,  however my uncles, who did not see their father go to mass have fallen along the wayside.   Surprisingly the study found that it was more important for the children to go to church with dad than with mom. It did not seem to matter how devout the mother was, it was the church going habits of the father that set the child up for life.

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How do you teach your Children About Charity?

This post is part of a series on the Seven Virtues.
Practicing the seven  virtues is considered to protect one against temptation from the seven deadly sins, with each one having its counterpart. . Each of the seven heavenly virtues matches a corresponding deadly sin.
The seven virtues are Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility.




Let’s first answer the question “What is Charity?”
Webster’s Dictionary Defines Charity as benevolent goodwill toward or love of toward . It is generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; aid given to those in need. It is also the  lenient judgment of others.
How Do We Teach Charity?
We teach our children by our actions. They will learn just as much by watching us and what they do as they will by what we tell them.
You are your child’s primary teacher. So what is the best way to teach your child about Charity? Is it to show them the check book and how much you donate to causes each month? Is it to let them put the collection envelope in the basket at church? Do you let them help decide who to give money to?   All of these are great ideas.
For me however, actions speak volumes. How you live your life, every day tells your children volumes.
What do you do when you see a homeless man at the gas station asking for $1. what do you do when you see a mother at church struggling with her young kids? What do you do when you hear about a disaster such as the Joplin Tornado? How do you get your kids to be charitable?
The expression charity begins at home is so true. We demonstrate charity by inviting people into our homes. Wither we host them for one evening or one week.  Who do we give charity to? You are practicing being charitable.
When you see a homeless person how do you react, do you shun them or embrace them?  I know people who do both.  I have seen people avert their eyes at the homeless,or  look right through them. On the other hand, I know a young boy that encounters them almost daily and this 3 year old will talk to them, showing them a real depth of compassion that an adult can’t fathom. His mother has seen told stories of him not only talking to the homeless and listening to them with true compassion but of sharing a  hug with a  homeless man at the park too.
This week I encountered  a person down on his luck, he had shown up at church seeking help and was turned away because he happened to be there at the wrong time. Seeing this, bothered me deeply.   Latter that same week my children and I, very surprisingly. encountered a homeless man outside a local gas station.  He was asking for fifty cents. My daughter wanted to know if I was going to give him money.  I said no, I was going to give him a protein bar and a water bottle It was over 100 degrees that day and he was wearing long pants and had a sweatshirt around his shoulder standing outside the gas station.  While I was in the gas station many people walked by him averting eyes and  ignoring his pleas for help.  If charity is defined as benevolent goodwill toward humanity, how do you practice goodwill towards other?
Charity is defined as generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering –  Do you visit the sick? Do you pray for them, truly pray for them? Do you offer to take them to the doctor or stop at the store for them if they can’t get out of the house?  How do you practice this form of charity?  How do you show helpfulness?
Charity is defined as giving aid – How do you give aid to others? This is a great way to give of your money and time. Take the kids and work at day at your local food bank. Give freely of your talents. If you are a great organizer help organize the fundraiser. There are many ways we can share our talents. How do you share your talents? To you make your talents increase?
Charity is defined as lenient judgment of others.   Do you pre-judge others and suppose that if they are in a bad condition that they must deserve it? Somehow they did something that got them to that point? Or are you lenient and forgiving or people and their circumstances.

For I was hungry, and you gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink: I was a stranger, and you took Me in: Naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? or thirsty, and gave You a drink? When did we see You as a stranger, and took You in? or naked, and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? And the King shall answer and say to them, Verily I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it to Me. – Matthew 25:31-40

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Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, it is more than a place in Texas. A couple of years ago, my husband was asked when a particular picture was taken, he said Corpus Christi, the person on the other end of the phone looking at the picture text thought he said the picture was taken in  Corpus Christi, not on  Corpus Christi. So what is Corpus Christi, and why is a city in Texas named it?
Corpus Christi is a feast day  in the Catholic Church that got it’s start in primarily due to the petitions of the thirteenth-century Augustinian  nun Juliana of Liege. From her early youth Juliana had a veneration for the Blessed Sacrament, and always longed for a special feast in its honor.
This feast is perhaps better well known in other countries are they still carry on the outdoor processions with the Body of Christ in the Monstrance. I can remember being in Paris France and wishing to attend Mass at Notre Dame. My husband and I with our then three month old daughter happened upon the procession for Corpus Christi outside in the streets of Paris.  We were able to join in and attend the next mass. 
We are lucky here to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi at the Cathedral with a full procession and Benediction. This year we will all be attending the mass for this celebration. Because of the very HOT conditions we have here, it always seems to be 100 degrees on this feast day, our Bishop wisely says this mass at 5pm rather than at 11am, under the direct sun.
I don’t know if we will all get to process, but I am sure I will be saying a special prayer for the priests and deacons who will be fully vested in this unseasonably warm heat.

After reading this over I realized I did not answer the second question. Why is Corpus Christi  Texas named Corpus Christi? It is so named because it was name so by the Spanish who name it that in honor of the Blessed Sacrament.

Trinity Sunday–What is the Trinity?

What is Trinity Sunday?
When I sat down to write about Trinity Sunday I forgot what a HUGE topic this is. How can I explain Trinity Sunday without explaining the trinity? The Trinity is a basic tenant of the Catholic faith. We believe in ONE God but how is it THREE persons?
Theologians and philosophers have written volumes on this exact subject. What made me think that I could write something concise and easy to read on about the Trinity? I feel like the best place to turn to this answer is the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed was written by the first ecumenical council in the city of Nicaea in  the year 325. The Nicene Creed was originally written in response to the Arian controversy. Arius , a Libyan priest, had declared that although Jesus Christ was divine, God had actually created him, and "he was made out of nothing."This made Jesus less than the Father and contradicted the doctrine of the Trinity. 
Many Catholics pray this same prayer, some daily, most at least at Sunday Mass. But have you ever stopped to think about what it really means?


Nicene Creed

• We believe in one God,
• the Father, the Almighty,
• maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
• We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
•  the only Son of God,
•  eternally begotten of the Father,
• God from God,
• Light from Light,
• true God from true God,
• begotten, not made, one in being with the Father.
•  Through Him all things were made.
• For us men and our salvation He came down from heaven:
• by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary , and became man.
• For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures:
• He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
• He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
• We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
• who proceeds with the Father and the Son.
• With the Father and the Son, He is worshiped and glorified.
• He has spoken through the Prophets.
• We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

So next time you recite this prayer, stop and really listen to what you are saying. As Catholics this is our Profession of Faith, what we believe.

Technorati Tags: Catholic,Trinity,Profession of faith

Perfect Pairings

Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom - Acts 6 

Today, Pentecost Sunday,  my husband will join 12 men will be ordained to the permanent Deaconate. This will take place at 2pm, the time of this posting, oddly enough. Please keep these men and families in your prayers. 

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What is a Catholic Deacon?

A reader brought up this question and I thought this would be a good time to answer it. You see  G will be ordained a Deacon in the Catholic Church this Pentecost Sunday.

What is a Catholic Deacon? and What does it mean to be a Deacon in the Catholic Church?

The Catholic Deacon has its origins in the Bible. The ministry of the Deacon is traced back to Acts 6 :  The Apostles called the community of the faithful together and asked the community to select seven reputable men filled with the Spirit and wisdom. Today ,Catholic Deacons spend 4 or more years in formation. This formation includes college level courses in  areas including theology,  philosophy,  study of the Holy Scriptures (the Bible), counseling,  pastoral care and ministry before ordination. In addition to their studies many prospective Deacons work in the Parish or Diocese before ordination.

The Deacon has been called the link to the people in the church. He walks in both worlds. He is an ordained member of the clergy but continues his family and work life.

What does a Deacon do?


The primary duty of the Deacon is to proclaim and teach the Gospel. In fact a Deacon is obligated to do so. Deacons also assist with the liturgy of Eucharist. 
While some Deacons work in the parish  others work in ministries for the diocese at large. Deacons report directly to the bishop, much like a priest. 

A Deacon Can 


Once ordained a Deacon can

• Preach the Gospel
• Teach
• Bring Communion
  to others
• Assist at Mass
• Witness marriages in the Catholic Church the bride and groom marry each other, the priest or deacon is the witness before God.
• Baptize
• Officiate at wake
  and funeral services

This Pentecost Sunday (June 12th, 2011) my husband will be ordained a Deacon in The Catholic Church. We will be starting a new chapter of our life as a family.

Technorati Tags: Catholic Deacon,What does a Catholic Deacon do?

Confirmation

Today I will be sponsoring a young lady from the Parish as she is confirmed. Today my husband will be assisting the Bishop on the altar. Confirmation means a lot of things but to a Catholic it primarily means that you have received the gifts of the holy spirit
What is Confirmation?
When you  confirm something means it means you establish the truth or correctness of (something previously believed, suspected, or feared to be the case). It also means that you state  with assurance that a report or fact is true. So if that is what the word means in plain English what does that have to do with being Catholic?
For Catholics, Confirmation is one of the Seven Sacraments, and one of the Sacraments of Initiation. During Confirmation the candidates are confirming their belief in God and Jesus and reaffirming the baptism vows made on their behalf by their parents and Godparents.  During Confirmation the candidate receives the Holy Spirit and the gifts that it brings.
Why do Catholic Confirm?
Catholics find their foundation for Conformation in scripture  Acts of the Apostles 8:14-17:

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Confirmation is typically performed by the local Bishop. That is because the bishop through has received his authority from the Pope, who can trace his authority back to the first Bishop of Rome – Peter the Apostle. It is though the laying on of hands that have that Confirmation is passed on to the Candidate. No candidate stands alone however, since no of us are alone in Christ. Each candidate has a sponsor to help guide them on their way to the full richness that faith can deliver.

Technorati Tags: Faith and family,sacrements,confirmation,catholic

Perfect Pairings

 

 

 

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord …

(Psalm 37:23) 

 

I am pairing up with the Perfect Pairings

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Perfect Pairings

I have called you and you are mine. 

Isaiah 43 –1

Here it is the official letter confirming G’s call to ordination as a Catholic Deacon.


To see more Perfect Pairings go to That's Baloney

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He Has Been Called

The letter arrived today. The pictures are not the best I know but the seal is there, the Bishop’s signature and G’s name.
It is official.
My husband has been called. Well, we knew seven years ago. My husband and I were seated at a dinner with our Parish Priest, when my husband announced that he was thinking of becoming a deacon. It was the first time I had heard him say such a thing. I almost dropped Pumpkin. He was a newborn back then. About 9 months later our diocese started holding informational meetings. I think G went to all of them.  We both met with the formation committee. G entered into formation when our kids were 7 5 and 1. They are now 13, (almost)11 and 7. Along the way we have made great friends and seen families and kids grow.  Now we get to prepare for our next step.
Ordination to become a Catholic Deacon. Ordination will be Pentecost 2011.

<----- G is the one in white and black right here.










linking up with Say-hi-Sunday blog hop at Mommy Head Adventures

Mother’s Day

 

 

The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not, she has built something more magnificent than any cathedral-a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body. The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to heaven. Only a human mother can. Mother's are closest to God the Creator than any other human creature. God joins forces with mother's in performing this act of creation. What on God's earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother."

~Cardinal Mindszenty

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I Remember Mom - Mother’s Day 2011

 

 

(picture taken on my first camera 110 Kodak instamatic)

One day  a year that we set aside for our Mothers. To remember and appreciate them. They do soo much for us. My mother is the reason I am who I am today. She expected me to do my chores, do well in school and participate in at least one activity outside of school. She supported us in doing that too. She ran a business from her kitchen. Drove three kids to countless Scout meetings, went to our dance recitals and plays and music concerts and yes even soccer games. She still is an independent feisty grandma or as my kids call her Ommy.  that is Mommy without the “M” in case you are wondering.

She is a talented woman that can sew the most magnificent clothing. She has made the christening gowns of two of my children and the first communion dress of the other. She made both of these dresses here. I dabble in sewing compared to her. I learned all that I know about gardening from her. I still call her when I have a question even though she is in a different time zone.

I don’t get to see her as often as I want. I have to share her with so many others. (like my brothers) and all those other souls she is mother to. 

 

Mom this is for you.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

 

Technorati Tags: Mother's Day,Sunday