Saved by the Blog Meme

Well, just when I thought I couldn't think of a single thing to post, I remembered that I had not yet participated in this Blog Awards by Lily Thorn.

Lily is a talented writer, good mother and has the distinction of having re-connected me with a dear college friend. (I am in her debt). And then, she awarded me the Excellent Blog Award, undeserving as I am. But I am appreciative. So I will duly post my most favorite blogs, you may be surprised and you may be horrified but I attempt honesty at this late stage in my life.

1. Steve Skojec- he has taken on the responsibilities of family life imbued with Catholicism. He struggles, he sweats, he bleeds, he is human but without all the self pitying blogging that I abhor. (and yes I have been banned from that blog)

2. Brocante Home- a transcendant writer who has struggled and continues to make life beautiful for her own family and those of us enraptured with her writing. She writes for the "Traditional Housewife who keeps a perfect home." As if.

3. The Crescat- in spite of an earlier disagreement, I have come to expect the highest level quality of images of the saints, religious life, and you know all that good Catholic stuff).

4. Maryskeys- uncompromising and "take no prisoners" in her theology and Catholicism. What more is there to say?

5. Orwell's Picnic- ah Hilary, this reminds me of the song in "The Sound of Music" How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? Well, Hilary is a writer for Lifesite, brutally honest (and there is no exaggeration in this statement!). She is "Liveblogging the Apocalypse". And why not?
She is "English, Catholic, Conservative and not at all sorry". N.B. I am not currently banned from this blog.

I'll do the other 5 tomorrow.

Lucinda Williams: Change the Locks

That's country music y'all.

Count on me to belabor the point

Amma Bernhoft with her husband and 15 children.

From the Bernhoft Family Ancestry page.

Someone was batting this photo around on facebook and when I saw it you can imagine my reaction.

Another irresponsible providentialist.

God bless her!

You might wonder how Amma fared after raising 15 children.



Here is a picture of the poor,broken down woman. Mrs. Bernhoft was born November 14, 1874 and died October 31, 1968. That would be a mere 94 years.

Only imagine how much longer she might have lived had she not ruined her health, tempted God's providence, and exhibited such a shocking lack of self control.

One other small point on the issue of large, generous families (or so some call them). Take the analogy of a philanthropist who donates a million dollars to build a hospital. Generally speaking there is a press conference, gratitude is shown for the donation. People at this event are smiling and congratulating the donor and the recipients of donation. There are stories lauding the event. And never in such a scenario have I seen the following angle explored,

"Well not everyone can make such a large donation. Indeed for some people only a dollar or fifty cents is all they can manage to give. And we should think no more of someone who gives a million dollars than someone who puts a penny in the donation box."

Now obviously it is correct that not everyone can give a million dollars. You can only give what is in your capacity to give. But that sentiment never obscures the greatness of the gift at hand. The person making the gift is never admonished for arrogance or corrected in their generosity. That sentiment is one of defensiveness and often defensive is the result of guilt.

My Thoughts Exactly

This article is about Home Repair- the joys and challenges and accepting reality. And keep in mind her house is ONLY 102 years old. In my present domicile we're talking about 137 years,baby.

The author writes:

I had moved from Brooklyn to Philadelphia for many reasons, but mainly to reduce expenses so that I could write more of what I wanted, less of what would pay the rent.

Before the ink on the mortgage papers had a chance to dry, however, I discovered that this house offered incontestable proof that the universe has a sense of humor.

All the details that drew me to the property in the first place hung to their functionality by a thread. The wood-sash storm windows fell apart if I thought about repainting them, the tiles of the master bath floor had come so loose I could vacuum them up, and that sunny little mudroom off the kitchen sucked in frigid winter air like a sponge.

In my Pandora's Box, something fell apart every week and at every turn. The water line leaked when I tried to shut off its valve for winter, and the basement wall crumbled when I accidentally bumped into it with a laundry basket. One day, the dryer drum just refused to turn altogether.

But the whole thing is worth reading and as I type these words a wall in the living room has been torn down leaving part of the ceiling exposed (and without those cute little beams), a chasm between 2 wood floors that are naturally of two different types of wood and the hallway going up the stairs has had some of the wallpaper removed. The banister has been painted brown and streaked to "look like wood" but my husband thoughtfully bought me a can of stripper. What a guy.

And all that remains is to sheet rock the ceiling and wall, strip the rest of the wallpaper, paint the stairs and stain the to-be-stripped banister, paint the wood trim, sew curtains and find slipcovers, a rug, stair treads and a tv stand. It will done any year now. Inshallah.

Let the Pandering Continue: Obama make sure your children can speak spanish

I guess I should take some small comfort in the fact that Obama is not calling for our children to learn Arabic. (probably thinks it's too hard for Americans)

A change I don't believe in.

Free Early Christian Music from Amazon

Free from Amazon

Funny aside was this review I read:

By D. Acosta "desertdancer" (Las Vegas, NV United States)

As a Christian and a belly dancer/instructor, what a surprise and delight it was to find a baladi-based version of "Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy)" -- for free, even! Rest assured I'll be belly dancing to *this* song. I've already checked out iTunes for more from Oni Wytars, and bought another song, LOL. The rest of the album is well done and worth a listen, even if it's not quite as danceable.

I'm all for the arts even folk art but there is something very very wrong when you are belly dancing to "Kyrie Eleison".

Lord have mercy indeed.

Objections to Serial Motherhood

I know that's a weird headline, but hey that's me.

What are some of the objections to serial motherhood?

And by that I mean having more than 2 children. Specifically having more children than a boy and a girl (mini-mes of Mom and Dad) spaced exactly 3 years apart.

Poverty.

I give you the Holy Family.

Insanity.

Sanity is overrated and largely arbitrary.

Poor health of the mother.

Well, I admit I have led you into a trap. A friend of mine has just borne her 13th child. Now when I think of the mother of 13 children I think, medieval Europe, a woman scuffling along with a cane and a cape of rough wool clad about her shoulders. She does not make eye contact because she is too impoverished, dejected, despondent.

But just look at this amazing photograph!



Now you may be thinking to yourself, well NFP has saved us from THAT. (the folly of having 13 children!). Think again my friend and reconsider who is engaging in folly.

Someone better inform Mrs. Karen Kasprzak and Mrs. Duggar because I guess they didn't get the memo. The one that says "having a lot children is for those who want to be unhappy and in ill health and ignorant and depressed." Don't be like St. Catherine of Siena's mother who bore 23 children.

That is not allowed anymore.

I look at that picture and I do not see despondence. Depression. I see triumph!

Oh no! Now we are going to be accused of "Triumphalism". Well, I don't think I have ever defended myself against that charge as much as gloried in it.

So there you are.

Well, I just couldn't help myself and I hope that you draw the same conclusion that I have. You can have 13 children. Or 23. Or 18 and be healthy, happy, unimpoverished and photogenic. (because that is what is REALLY important).