Everyday Beauty II

People in our culture are starving for beauty.  I remember when Trudy Krise, a wonderful woman, would bring her deserts to class for the snack.  Those days we had standing room only! People stood around the table exclaiming over the beauty of her deserts. They were indeed a work of art, and what is more, they tasted BETTER than they looked! People are so starved for beauty that knowing her art would be at the next class was all it took to get standing room only. Why the popularity of the Extraordinary form of the Mass? We often call it … Continue reading

Beauty Of the Everyday Kind

Beauty is missing from our culture. Oh, there are still a few beautiful buildings put up, and you can buy pretty things, and you can find artists making art, but the everyday making of beauty is missing.  We have devalued it until it has almost completely vanished. The mentality that if your work is not producing a paycheck then your work has no value is killing off everyday beauty. Home making is both work and an art form that is almost dead from neglect because it does not bring in a paycheck. Few are those who knit or crochet beautiful … Continue reading

THE WAY a movie about living

THE WAY, “Written and directed by Emilio Estevez, THE WAY was filmed entirely in France and Spain along The Way of St. James, also known as “El Camino de Santiago.” ” [from the back of the DVD case], stars Martin Sheen, father of the director/writer Emelio Estevez.  Its a family affiar of a film including cameos of several members of Martin Sheen’s family. I LOVED this movie about a grieving father, a fallen away Catholic, who walks the Way for his son.  The movie included some interesting people, each struggling with their own pain, who join the main character along … Continue reading

Journey Notes: Evaluating Spaces

Compact efficient spaces are important because of the decreased cost needed to own and maintain them.  Important also because they challenge the idea that every home must be huge.  Today’s post is inspired by the Tiny House Talk Blog discussion about the tiny house movement (under 200 square feet) and why people have left it. These super tiny houses inspire me.  I’ve been a pack-rat and found I was not happy.  I owned all sorts of stuff, the sorts of things you are supposed to own but which I don’t use.  So during a particularly chaotic period of my life, … Continue reading

Reviews and Recommendations

Writing, recommendations, reviews, and reading books delight me.  I like to share with my friends those books I find particularly useful and helpful and today, I began reading a book sent to me for review by Aquinas & More Catholic Goods by Randy Hain titled, The Catholic Briefcase. This is a practical book is aimed at demonstrating how to integrate faith into a vocation regardless of what career or job you hold. I’m only through chapter 3 and so far all I can think is how wonderful this book would be for a small Bible Study group in a parish.  … Continue reading

Discovering Important Things About Yourself

All my life I thought if I could have an office space away from noise and distractions that my writing would take off. I had NO idea how wrong I was about myself! Hubby, God bless him, obligingly cleared a place upstairs over his workshop for a nice little office with a pretty view from the window. It took him a whole day to get that space cleared of his stuff and set up with my desk and book cases and other favorite things. I liked it up there. Quiet. Nice view. Rug I liked. Books. No distractions.  But I … Continue reading

Humans are created to do Honest Work…but not all honest work has a paycheck attached

All the quotes were borrowed from: Online Parallel Bible. Our lives are to be a balanced path called a vocation.  Our vocations include many elements, one of which is honest work.  It is the plan of God for every human being to seek and do honest work. From the beginning of human existence as recorded in Genesis, to the admonitions of the apostles in the New Testament, every able bodied person is to do some sort of honest work. Not all work worthy of doing has a paycheck attached.   Think about that.  It is a very important concept because in … Continue reading

Television and New Media

Years ago I had my first duplex alone.  I had no TV, no livingroom furniture, and I loved the quiet.  My mom purchased a TV for me and a couch made its way into the space.  I have NOT been overly happy with the intrusions since. When I returned to graduate school I cut off the cable and dish.  I had a TV with no ability to get programming of any sort.  It was a very GOOD thing.  We did not miss the garbage on the tube and with the internet there was no reason to miss the TV news … Continue reading

The Value of Routine

Summer days start out early, the sun shines brightly through the skylight and I wake with the dawn.  Today, I woke at 6:00. MORNING OFFERING I attempt to remember to greet the day with a brief prayer asking God to accept my efforts this day and asking for His aid in doing my work well.  This is the ideal, this sometimes even happens!  Other days, sadly all too often, my morning offering is made well after I begin my day.  Still, I keep reaching for that ideal I have of waking and dedicating every day to God even before my … Continue reading

Detachment in a Vocation

Detachment is a marvelous concept which is essential to the fulfillment of any vocation. Detachment is that inner disposition which clings to God and refuses to cling to anything or anyone else in that same way. Detachment is the inner freedom to use and enjoy the material goods of this world without becoming enslaved to them. Detachment does not mean giving up everything good and fun and living a miserable life but it can mean giving up something very good that in human weakness one would rather not let go. GOOD AND GREATER GOOD What is this talk of “good” … Continue reading