January 2007 Archives

meme ing around

|

moved to the next page to clear the formatting

As it is written, or Me and Books

| | Comments (4)

I am an admitted bibliophile - mayhap more of an addict. When I was young, if my parents needed to leave me unattended but safe, they would leave me at the library and know that I would not stray. Books R us, yet lately I have had a really rough time reading. It has been humbling to me. I used to be able to read 1000 words a minute with 95% comprehension but lately I think that I am down to closer to 700 WPM. And I have less 'free' time to read now than I have in a long while.

Still, I am dangerous in a bookstore with a gift card or credit card. For example, I had a $100 gift card for Barnes and Noble and it was gone within a 20 minute shopping trip. Borders keeps sending me emails with coupons and reminding me that I have a personal shopping day. Amazon.com sends me teasers, and I have the occasional publisher who has found me via the blog, asking me to read and review something. I'm not getting the level of "read me"s that Julie D does, but there are a few here and there.

Listening to Relevant Radio (another plus of moving here, Catholic radio in the car!), I learned that there is a fairly new Catholic bookstore in the area - well more or less in the area. We take a trip every few weeks to the nearest CostCo and Trader Joes, which happen to be a mile from each other in Algonquin/Crystal Lake. The bookstore mentioned happens to be just between the two of them, so of course we had to check it out.

The store, As It Is Written is tucked away in a strip mall. Both google and mapquest gave wrong directions to find it! But we did the homework to find their under construction website, which at least had accurate directions. If you live in the area, you might want to check it out. Faithful to the Magisterium, with a limited selection of very good books, CDs, DVDs, and devotional items. Also good for adding to the pile of books. I did mention the pile of books?

Since we moved to a place with a very small master bedroom, the computers are no longer in the bedroom. We converted what is probably meant to be a formal dining room into our office, and put bookshelves on 3 walls. We don't have bookshelves in our bedroom at all - a first in our nearly 33 years of married life. But that doesn't mean that there aren't books in the bedroom. For one thing, the headboard is technically a bookshelf. And of course, there is the dressertop next to each side of the bed. I just inventoried the pile on my side.

Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace by Scott Hahn

More Than a Hobby by David Green
The Thrill of the Chaste by Dawn Eden
Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich
Variable Star by Robert Heinlein/Spider Robinson
Why is that in Tradition? by Patrick Madrid
The Kinsey Corruption by Susan Brinkman
How to do Everything with your Palm Powered Device
Curious Notions by Harry Turtledove
Catholicism: Now I get it by Claire Smith
JP II for Dummies by Fr.John Trigilio
Don't know much about Catholic History by Diane Moczar
Catholic Matters by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus
and floating around the house and in my purse
The Apostle of Common Sense by Dale Ahlquist
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
And on my desk, a review copy of Confessions of an Amateur Believer by Patty Kirk I've been told that, as I like Kathleen Norris, I would also like Patty Kirk's writing. But I admit that, on first glance, her faith journey still seems terribly incomplete, and I haven't been able to get very far in her book either.

I've dipped into a few of the books on the pile. I'm actually making the effort to read Ordinary Work, The Apostle of Common Sense, and Thud!. But what books have I actually finished since the first of the year? Do you really want to know? I'm almost ashamed to admit that here is it the 26nd and I have only read 2 books - and I don't think that they really count. And the main reason that they have both been read is so that I could send them on to the children who would like them.
I confess - the two books were
The Machine's Child by Kage Baker
The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lilian Jackson Braun

So what does that say about me?
I guess it's that I'm only human, and that I make choices. Some days, I am so tired that I would rather just play Scrabble online or on my Palm, and not exercise my brain cells to read anything of depth and substance. Somedays, I choose to read blogs rather than print.

I chose to move here to a job that takes almost twice as much time in the office and hospital (but 5 % of the time on the road!) as my previous jobs. And to be someplace where my faith is respected rather than rejected, where I am valued not just for what I do but for who I am. I've caught, so far, 23 babies since I came here. Not bad for just a few months. And I've taught more than a few patients the basics of NFP in the office. I've been able to challenge some teens about their choices - while they can choose to ignore my advice at least they can hear the other side of the story from what the popular culture tells them. So I guess it isn't all bad that I haven't been reading all that much.

And of course, I have been able to listen to my dear husband reading to me from what he has been going through - a wonderful book that is chock full of nuggets of wisdom and insight.
Moral Darwinism by Benjamin Wiker. He has really been working through the books, as well as reading from the liturgy of the hours on a daily basis. I love it that he reads to me even when I am not paying real close attention.

I have coworkers who swear by books on CD - but I find that the ones I want to listen to don't exist! And with a 5 minute commute.......

Kliban Cat--Love Them Mousies T-shirt

"Love to eat them mousies,
Mousies what I love to eat.
Bite they tiny heads off,
Nibble on they tiny feet."

wonderful hymn for the day!

| | Comments (1)

Holy God We praise thy name
I just spent a few minutes copying some of my music to the laptop. Right now I'm listening to Leonard Cohen singing "By the Waters Dark" from the compilation of songs inspired by The Passion of the Christ
Music can be so powerful a tool, for good or for evil.

never, Lord, abandon me

|

Holy God We praise thy name
Holy God, we praise Thy Name;
Lord of all, we bow before Thee!
All on earth Thy scepter claim,
All in Heaven above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain,
Everlasting is Thy reign.

Hark! the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising,
Cherubim and seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising;
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord.

Lo! the apostolic train
Join the sacred Name to hallow;
Prophets swell the loud refrain,
And the white robed martyrs follow;
And from morn to set of sun,
Through the Church the song goes on.

Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim Thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.

Thou art King of glory, Christ:
Son of God, yet born of Mary;
For us sinners sacrificed,
And to death a tributary:
First to break the bars of death,
Thou has opened Heaven to faith.

From Thy high celestial home,
Judge of all, again returning,
We believe that Thou shalt come
In the dreaded doomsday morning;
When Thy voice shall shake the earth,
And the startled dead come forth.

Therefore do we pray Thee, Lord:
Help Thy servants whom, redeeming
By Thy precious blood out-poured,
Thou hast saved from Satan’s scheming.
Give to them eternal rest
In the glory of the blest.

Spare Thy people, Lord, we pray,
By a thousand snares surrounded:
Keep us without sin today,
Never let us be confounded.
Lo, I put my trust in Thee;
Never, Lord, abandon me.

god's sense of humour

|

John here popping in - After mass this afternoon we attended a baptism for the young son of a couple who are parishoners in the same parish. The woman was also a client at the practice where Alicia works. Alicia did not attend the birth but has seen her regularly. We had been invited to the reception afterwards at a local restaurant. Most of the people there were either the couple's immediate family or fellow parishoners. During dinner a woman at the table with us mentioned a problem of a radio station getting into her telephone. I had to say "Changes / repairs that I had made to the station caused the problem to crop up AND 'you left me a message and I'm sorry that I haven't called you back about it'". God-incidence! you bet. What are the chances that we would both be in the same parish and at the same table at the same post baptism reception!

Needless to say, the problem will be resolved.

15 minutes after the first posting of this story and comments, while reading the liturgy of the hours I read:

"Our hearts are filled with wonder as we contemplate your works, O Lord"

To which all I could say through my laughter was: AMEN!

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2007

|

President Bush Proclaims National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2007

Full text of proclamation follows:

America was founded on the principle that we are all endowed by our Creator with the right to life and that every individual has dignity and worth. National Sanctity of Human Life Day helps foster a culture of life and reinforces our commitment to building a compassionate society that respects the value of every human being.

Among the most basic duties of Government is to defend the unalienable right to life, and my Administration is committed to protecting our society's most vulnerable members. We are vigorously promoting parental notification laws, adoption, abstinence education, crisis pregnancy programs, and the vital work of faith-based groups. Through the "Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002," the "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003," and the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004," we are helping to make our country a more hopeful place.

One of our society's challenges today is to harness the power of science to ease human suffering without sanctioning practices that violate the dignity of human life. With the right policies, we can continue to achieve scientific progress while living up to our ethical and moral responsibilities.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day serves as a reminder that we must value human life in all forms, not just those considered healthy, wanted, or convenient. Together, we can work toward a day when the dignity and humanity of every person is respected.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 21, 2007, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.


GEORGE W. BUSH


tony, tony come around

| | Comments (1)

something's lost and must be found.
My Palm Pilot went missing Monday afternoon. I have NO clue as to where I might have left it. Sleep deprivation does weird things to brain cells.

life

| | Comments (2)

has been hectic, stressful, and scary. prayers appreciated.

midwifery in Iraq

|

War zone midwives deliver
Right after the fall of Bagdad, a midwife of my aquaintance went to try to get health services up and running. It was hoped that bringing midwifery services would improve an already abysmal infant and maternal mortality rate. Instead, as is sadly typical, the health ministry decided to force women into hospitals without being sure that there were either enough hospitals or enough trained birth attendants for those hospitals. so very very sad, and history if studied would have shown the futility of that approach.

news from great britain

|

basic electricity

|

What she said

|

Angela Messenger: The good old days...or were they?
When I went to Mass in 1963 with a Catholic friend, I was disappointed that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hear the priest or know what was going on up at the altar. You have to realize that I knew what was supposed to be going on because of having daily experience with the High Church Anglican liturgy. Furthermore, I knew much of the Latin for the parts of the Mass. And I did have a Missal with me. But when the mass is whispered or mumbled, who could hear enough to know what was happening when? I felt cheated. Almost as cheated as I feel now when the priest makes up the words as he goes along.

vbac

|

The Epiphany of the Lord

| | Comments (5)

We didn't sing my favorite Epiphany hymns, but as the choir director said "It's our last chance to sing Christmas Carols". Listening to Benediction on EWTN, I was struck by the fact that the nuns chose for Benediction many of the same hymns we sang for Mass. The First Nowell, What Child is This, We Three Kings, (And we sang one that I am not sure really qualifies as a hymn, lovely though it is - Go, Tell it on the Mountains)

However, something that struck me at Christmas hit me even harder at mass today - where are the missing lyrics to "What Child is This?"
I just KNEW that there are different refrains for each verse. But my usually reliable Oremus Hymnal let me down, and even my Anglican hymnal simply repeats the usual:
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Enter the Internet. What Child Is This? has them all.
Source: Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer, Christmas Carols New and Old, First Series (London: Novello, Ewer & Co., 1871), Carol #14

1. What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

2. Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

3. So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

My favorite Epiphany hymns are rarely heard.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, for example. See here the penultimate verse:
Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favor secure,
richer by far is the heart's adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Of course, this was another hymn written by Reginald Heber. Anglican Bishop Heber seemed to have a profound understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation, and I think that he would have made an excellent Catholic of the Roman sort, if only he had been born in another time and place.

From the Knights of Columbus

|

warning - pdf formatCatholic Sexual Ethics
The January 2007 edition of Columbia, the magazine of the KofC, is full of excellent articles on pro-life issues.

on my wish list

|

The New Yorker: 2006-10-09

|

josephine reflects on 2006

|

OK so no resolution
she's a frequent commenter on Dawn Patrol

midwifery in the phillipines

|

I find this distressing

| | Comments (2)

Down screening urged for all pregnant women
Explaining this and other genetic testing is a lot more difficult than this article makes it seem. And I worry that this feeds into the eugenics movement.

One of the big problems with being an OB care provider is the cultural expectation that I will be able to promise or guarantee perfection. Not possible. Not at all.

interested?

| | Comments (1)

hormone heresy

|

February 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
          1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28    
The WeatherPixie
CURRENT MOON

About this Archive

This page is an archive of entries from January 2007 listed from newest to oldest.

December 2006 is the previous archive.

February 2007 is the next archive.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.