Independence Day!

Today is the great feast of our nation's Independence, and what a feast it is! In true fashion, Americans everywhere celebrate this day by grilling or roasting on a spit in the back yard anything we can get our hands on: ribs, chicken, steak, pork chops, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers,huge portobella mushrooms, eggplant...and then this is followed by slathering on any kind of available sauce, ranging from barbecue, to tangy Carolina mustard, to marinades of various types.

Here, amidst our flag-decorated patios and yards and parks, we Americans...we would roast or grill anything we could get our hands on, right down to the cereal in our cupboard to the celery in the crisper.

And then we top our celebrations by blowing things up in the sky to shower our cities with all sort of pretty colors and shapes.

Seriously - who doesn't love good food and great explosives?

Happy 4th of July to all my American readers. 

May your feasting be fruitful and your explosions be sound!

"Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith."

~ Alexis de Tocqueville

Christmas Eve 2007

The sky is blue, the sun is shining brightly upon the newly-fallen snow, and the icy streets gleam wickedly under the coating of salt and sand. The bitter temperature is rising as the winds shift from north to south, and the friendly neighborhood squirrels are alternately chattering and running along the old wooden fence that borders the property.

My German Shepherd is curled up on the couch as I write these words, her long nose tucked softly under her bushy tail. My Christmas lights shine brightly and especially highlight the picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Help that graces the wall in the corner next to the tree.

The gifts are wrapped and await only bows and ribbons. My food contributions are in the refrigerator, and the wine for tonight and tomorrow is cooling in the garage. I have yet to wrap the two special bottles of red wine for my brother and his girlfriend, who will be joining my family for tomorrow's feast.

I had to run out this morning to complete just a couple simple errands, and let me tell you, the roads are still just awful. However, with the warming temperatures today, by the time I must journey down to the home of my dear brother, the main highways should be fine. Just the same, I will be taking extra care.

Mass this afternoon begins at 4 pm; I plan to arrive a little early so as to spend extra time in prayer and preparation to receive my Savior. Last year, unfortunately, this Mass was a Life Teen Mass, and it was so disruptive to any attempt at contemplation that I left completely rattled; yet grateful to be able to celebrate the birth of Christ.

This year, while I pray the Mass doesn't involve drums and other inappropriate non-liturgical instruments, nothing will disrupt my joy. For just a few weeks ago, I thought I was going to lose my Mom, and this very night I will see her and rejoice not only at the birth of Christ, but her own continuing presence in our lives. And people, this world is a better place because my Mom is in it. This docile yet fiery matriarch of our tiny family is teaching me more about living sacrificially than I'll ever be able to read in the lives of the Saints. It will take me the rest of my life to unpack what she has taught me and continues to teach. And so the greatest gift this Christmas is my mother.

Thank you, God, for another Christmas with Mom. I couldn't ask for anything more.

And so today's Mass will be offered in thanksgiving for her life and her sacrifices. After Mass I'll head home, pack up the car, feed the dog, and we'll journey south, mouth watering for the old family tradition of oyster stew and various treats, and the newer tradition of wine and cheese, great conversation and relaxation in front of a good movie.

Mom has already told me she got gifts for my dog...three squeaky toys to drive us all crazy, likely accompanied by treats that I won't give her at any other time of the year. But we've discovered that her presence in the home, curled up on the rug in front of the fireplace, completes the scene of family contentment making us rather resemble a painting from the Saturday Evening Post. Especially considering that my brother's and my own antics juxtaposed against the peacefulness of the dog and the Christmas tree and the serene mother is reflective of Christmases past, and hopefully, future.

It has been a difficult Advent, a true period of waiting. I did not succeed in my Advent promises, but at the same time, the sacrifices that were made were some I could not have planned and did not understand until it was complete. So as we began Advent with a certain hope, travelled through that dark valley and came out the other side, always our companion has been hope. Even admist the darkest trials, because the Savior of the World has come, we are not alone. We come to realize that even when we feel most abandoned, that is when we must behold the face of Christ, for it is only in our suffering and patience that we are able to most resemble Him. And even when we can't understand it, we learn that just as the Blessed Mother cradled her Son in that cave so long ago, so she now cradles us and directs our own gaze to the Star of Bethlehem.


Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Mishaps!

This time of year, given all the time with family, all the people, all the cooks, all the guests, and all the little "extras" that accompany celebrations, create a serious recipe for disaster. And so it is that often the most memorable holidays involve not the good times, but the comedy of errors that tends to start conversations.

And so, I thought that as we all sit back from the computers with our extra pounds, we might as well laugh and burn some of it off. Please post your disasters, and here are some of mine:

1. When I was a little girl, of course I was not allowed to play with matches, and I didn't want to. Nor was my brother allowed. But, during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, when we got the china out accompanied by the candles, well, we were allowed a very special honor; lighting the candles. I remember watching my brother complete this honor for a couple years, and finally, it was my turn, and I took my responsibility very seriously! Matches were no toy!

So I leaned over the table and lit the first candle, then carefully moved the lit match to the second candle, and lit it just before the match burned down to my fingertips.

And that's when I realized that sulpher wasn't the only smell in the air...for in lighting the second candle, I'd leaned over the first...and lit my hair! Yes, I was fine, but it could have been worse...

2. When I was in sixth grade, we spent Thanksgiving in Michigan with Dad and our Grandparents. While we were there, the upper midwest was hit with a HUGE snowstorm. So my brother and I spent the weekend of Thanksgiving shoveling just to try to keep up. Because the storm didn't end until sometime on Sunday. Thus, we weren't able to head back home until we were shoveled out. So my brother and I didn't make it back to school until Tuesday or Wednesday that year. Grandma and Grandpa were really happy to have a clear driveway and sidewalks, though.

3. A few years ago, I brought my boyfriend home for Christmas. (The one I thought I would marry. Thankful now that didn't happen.) At the time, I was working for the Fire Dept., was through training although on light duty. My boyfriend, who had gotten me into that particular mess, was a firefighter as well.

That day, my brother made what was destined to become his specialty; Green Bean casserole. Well, while it was ready to go, he'd forgotten to put it in the oven on time, so even though the Turkey and everything else was done, the hot dish was still cooking. That's when he got the bright idea to turn up the oven...to BROIL. You know where I'm going with this...

Yup. That's what happened. As my boyfriend and I sat at the kitchen table sipping wine and chatting with my brother and Mom, my brother went to check on the hotdish.

He stood up quickly, eyes wide, clearly startled.

"We have a fire."

My boyfriend and I looked over at him, and even from where we were, we could see that my brother was serving his veggies flambe'. There was only ONE thing to do, and we both swung into action.

"Close the oven door." We intoned. "Turn off the oven."

Then we went back to sipping our wine.

My brother did as directed. He opened the door, and stood up again.

"It's still burning."

"Close the door." We sipped wine again. "Turn on the fan. Open the windows." Sip wine again.

Well, the casserole was ruined, but all was well.

3. Last year, I invited a friend to my Mom's house with me. When we arrived, I stepped in, hugged Mom, hugged my brother, and turned to introduce my friend.

The door was swinging shut...my friend was in the hallyway! I yelled my brother's name, glaring at him accusingly and quickly opened the door. There stood my friend, smiling as I profusely apologized. He forgave all immediately, no offense. My brother had heard that I was bringing a friend, but apparently hadn't seen him there so assumed he hadn't come along...so let the door close. He was terribly embarassed.

And my friend, God bless him, was completely unconcerned by the door slamming in his face.

Great, guys...I invite a friend and you close the door on him.....

Don't you all just LOVE family gatherings?