Struggling with the logic

I am no political expert, but I know what I believe.  There are some things that are greatly puzzling to me.

On Friday, the president stated that there will be no way around the mandate that contraception and abortion must be in insurance policies regardless of what an organization’s beliefs may be.  For Catholic entities, this is a serious matter.  Catholic dioceses, parishes, schools, hospitals, charities, are all going to have to provide for contraception and abortion and it doesn’t matter what our faith says.  What happened to freedom of religion?  We have freedom of religion, and not just freedom of worship.  There is a vast difference.  Worshiping at a Catholic church and being a Catholic are two completely different things.

Yesterday, the president was proclaiming “choice.”  Evidently, that is only for those who are on the pro-abortion side of things.

Tonight, during the State of the Union address, he stated the principle of subsidarity.  “That Government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more.”

(Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/24/transcript-obamas-2012-state-union/#ixzz1kRylTTGE)

I don’t think that the president really understands this.  In the next breath he goes on to talk about education.  Frankly, education should be left up to a more local control.  By treating every school in the nation the same (standardized testing) you are taking away the individuality of the student. Not every student can learn the same way.  Yet, every child is expected to learn and perform the same way.

 

Healthcare has been taken from the hands of the doctors and their patients, and turned over to a government agency, who really has no interest except the bottom line.  I know we all know horror stories.  There are exceptions to the rules.  But, if you think that we are all going to be better off because of a nationwide system, I think you have another thing coming.

 

There are other things that are puzzling to me as well…but those will have to wait for another day.

Too Late for New Years

I usually don’t make New Years resolutions.  I just am happy to see the new year.  I do, however, take my Lent very seriously. 

I have been thinking about things that I like to do but don’t really have time in my schedule to do.  As a mom, there are things that I need to do for my children.  As a mom, there are things I need to do things for myself, for my own sanity. 

So, I am going to be planning a way to squeeze in more prayer time and to make the time to do the things that I find enjoyable and that would be good for me.

She is coming home tomorrow

This applies to my daughters, Theresa and Jessica. Theresa is coming home because of a jury summons and because Jessica will be coming home after being in Spain for the last two weeks.

Jessica was in Toledo and Madrid, Spain for World Youth Day 2011. She worked so hard to earn the money to get there. She has been able to post little things on facebook here and there and the last one had some disappointing news. It seemed to be more disappointing for me than for her. I can’t wait to hear her stories.

Theresa is looking forward to comparing notes. She went to World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia.

It will be fabulous to have all six kids home, even if it is just for a couple of days. I am so happy that Theresa and Jessica are on their way to the rest of their lives.

More for the new to homeschooling set

I want to mention The Old School House as a resource. They have so much fabulous info to share. I attended their virtual conference a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome.

I received this today and they encouraged me to share, and so I am. http://theoldschoolhousestore.com/thanks/index.html There are some wonderful reads in there. I hope you take the chance to go see what they are offering.

Raising Homemakers giveaway

I found this delightful blog back near the beginning of the year. I am always seeking out ways to help me with my homemaking. I love that Sarah Mae ins’t Martha Stewart. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for Martha Stewart. However, it doesn’t happen too often in my home.

Sarah is celebrating her anniversary and there is a lovely giveaway, a collection of books by Clay and Sally Clarkson. You should check out the giveaway and stay to read what Sarah Mae has to share with you.

http://raisinghomemakers.com/2011/the-eternal-perspective-of-the-home-anniversary-day-1-plus-sally-clarkson-book-collection-giveaway/

Discerning homeschooling.

I have been asked by a couple of family members what info I can share with them as they start the discernment process of homeschooling.

First, I want to share with you some of the best advise I ever received. Every day pray for yourself, that you be open to the graces that God has to pour out upon you. That is something that we as Christian mothers should be doing, whether our children are babies, toddlers, pre-school, elementary, middle school, high school and beyond.

Second, there is no ideal time to start homeschooling. When I started my third daughter in kindergarten, I had a two month old, a two year old, one a year younger than the kindergartener who wanted to do what her sister was doing, a 7th grader, a sophomore in high school and a husband home on disability. Plus, I was using a charter school program that required a lot of paperwork and time on the computer every day. That year nearly did me in.

Third, I want to remind you that home school is not school at home. You may set it up like that, but it is not going to be like that. There are days that are going to be complete pandemonium and you are going to wonder if that day was worth it. There are going to be days that are so idyllic, you can’t even imagine them. Most are days that are inbetween those two extremes. There are always chores to be done (that laundry monster isn’t going to go away by itself as much as you would like it to). There are going to be toys underfoot (sometimes they hurt your feet). But, every day, I am glad that I am home with my children.

It is not anything I ever imagined for myself or for my children. Now, I can’t imagine doing anything different.

Confirmation

I knew that our parish’s celebration of Confirmation was coming up. I don’t have any children being Confirmed this year. None of the students that I have helped instruct are being Confirmed this year.

We had a call from the Confirmation Coordinator today. She was wondering if a couple of our girls could serve for the Confirmation Mass tomorrow. Before I could finish asking, the two that serve said “yes.” I was so happy that they were so willing to serve.

Four of my daughters have been altar servers. Two of them currently are. None of them have aspirations of being priests. They have a desire to serve. I have given them the example of St. Margaret Clitherow to follow. I want them to adore our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. I want them to realize what a special gift that we have in the Eucharist…Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. I want them to be able to stand up for this Truth. St. Maraget Clitherow was an excellent example.

Please won’t you say a prayer for the Confirmandi at my parish? May they always be soldiers for Christ, to stand up for the Truth. That they be willing to accept white martyrdom, or martyrdom, as God wills. May they always heed the leading of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Quiet Sunday

The recent winds have caught up with me and my sinuses are suffering. I have been having a very lazy Sunday.

I picked up two of my younger daughters from Crusaders, Sunday school. They made “living water” banners today. It made me think of the readings that we are going to hear at Mass tonight. We will hear the story of the Woman at the Well.

Jesus answered and said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

I am so thankful to have baptism and to have a share in the living water from Christ. Unfortunately, the days to by without me thinking much about my baptism, and the call that it places on my life, at least in a conscious way. In an unconscious way, it comes out in my vocation of wife and mother.

Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan

I had a hard time taking myself away from the coverage on TV last night. The images were horribly awesome. My husband and I watched the tsunami rush into Iwanuma, Miyagi Prefecture.

My thoughts went to the families of the exchange student, Airi, we hosted a couple of years ago, and the friends who came with her. My Tomooka and Yamamoto family came from Kumamotoken Prefecture near Nagasaki. My thoughts went to family members I don’t know there. I was thankful that my brother wasn’t there on his business trip yet. I was thankful that my auntie doesn’t teach there anymore.

I have family in Hawaii. My first concern was for my cousin in Hilo. Thankfully, she didn’t waste any time and got to higher ground quickly. I was thankful that my aunt wasn’t on Maui visiting her family anymore.

My heart breaks for the nation of Japan. There is so much damage, untold loss of life.

What astounds me though, is that with the news coverage that we have had on the West Coast, and the warnings about tsunamis, there has been a man who was swept out to sea in Crescent City, CA. He was out taking photos of the shoreline while the water was receded. I don’t understand why people do those sorts of things.

February 19, 1990

On this day 21 years ago, I became a mom. Yes, my oldest child is 21 today. It wasn’t the day that she turned 16, 18 or 20. It wasn’t the day she became engaged 14 months ago.
Maybe it is because I was 21 when I became pregnant for the first time. Maybe because, legally, she is an adult. I don’t know. She will always be my sweet little girl with the hair that we came to call the “rooster ‘do.” She would play with blocks for hours on end. She loved to draw. It was funny to see how the shells on her mermaids grew. I remember her climbing up onto the bed in the hospital, when her little sister came to join us. She sang “A Whole New World.” It was marvelous to see her grow and develop as a dancer. She is a wonderful artist. She is a beautiful, talented, caring, faithful, delightful gift from God to my life, to her father’s life, our family’s life and to countless friends.
It makes my heart swell when I think of her. I am proud of her. I love her.