Another cartoon reminding me of my teaching days. Yeah, this is funny, but it could really happen. And the cute thing is, they look at me funny when I laugh!
Reminds me of ...
George: Say goodnight, Gracie.
Gracie: Goodnight, Gracie.

Welcome to Candada

Yeah. I have messed up the obvious sometimes. Like Drabble, I have been caught saying good morning instead of good afternoon. I have also let water boil dry, and forgotten to put the milk away.
My favorite goof up? When my supervising professor was visiting on the day I was teaching about Canada, and I was so nervous, I wrote "Candada" on the board. Luckily for me, she saw how drawn in the kids were once they were able to correct me, and thought the mistake was a tool for getting their attention. Yeah. Far be it from me to correct my superiors. How about you? Do you have a favorite mistake?

Prayer Reminders: A "Walk" Through My Home

Okay, friends. You all know this is Lent. The pastor on the blog "Without Wax" has posted his sermon explaining how he remembers to pray throughout the day, which of course is the most important thing we can do during Lent. Here it is.


Pete Says Hell_3.29.09 from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.

Now, what is a conservative Catholic girl like me doing posting noncatholic minister's sermons on her blog? Well, believe it or not, it makes a great intro (in my opinion) as to why Catholics use icons and religious pictures and statues and other sacramentals. I am going to take you on a walk through my house to talk about some of mine. Unfortunately, there will be no pictures, because I don't know how to upload, download, whatever. Maybe I can get Bob to help me sometime and then I'll repost this later, but for now, I will describe them.

Crucifix in bedroom---reminds me of Christ's sacrifice, so that I can thank him in the morning, and ask Him to help me remember His sacrifice throughout the day when I am dealing with other people. I offer him my morning, and ask Him to make it worthy.
Divine Mercy Picture (The one here is from internet, but mine is smaller, and in a green frame)

Notice that it says "Jesus, I Trust in You" at the bottom. This picture reminds me to trust Jesus during the day, and to ask for his mercy. Sometimes I will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. at 2:00 pm, but not as often as I ought. The repetitious "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world" is a prayer near and dear to my heart.

Also in the living room, I have a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus. Sometimes this statue makes me sad, because I can't have children and always wanted them, but most of the time, it reminds me that saying yes to God brings peace. Take a look at her face. Such bliss......because she followed God's plan for her. No doubt it wasn't easy being the mother of God made flesh, but peace doesn't come from easy, but from obedience to the Lord. (I figured out that can use photobooth on the mac to take a picture, but leaving me out of it was near impossible)
Also cool is that this statue was given to me by a dear friend in college after we had a great big argument. Now I normally don't need peace offerings, but I was touched that my friend, who isn't Catholic, respected my beliefs enough to give me this. I think our big argument was theological, but I am not sure of the fine points anymore. Now the only point is that we can disagree, and it doesn't mean we are questioning the other's worth or salvation....it just means we disagree.


I never met my mother-in-law, but in her cedar chest, I found a statue of Saint Therese the Little Flower of Jesus.. Her name wasn't Therese (Catholics can be real fond of the Saint they were named after), but it is a beautiful statue made of some material that doesn't break. I know this because I dropped it when moving, and it didn't break. I keep this statue in my mom's room. She is famous in Catholic circles for "the little way". In other words, I can glorify God in the little things I do everyday to take care of my mom. This is how God wants me to glorify him right now. St. Therese reminds me of that.


In the kitchen I have a picture of Jesus praying in the garden. This picture is dear to me on so many levels. In the garden, Jesus was praying for me. And you. Before dying, His concern was that we would remain in Him. How awesome is that! He was going to suffer a horrible death, and still He prayed for us!
My parents had a different picture of Jesus in the Garden in their dining room. I kept it, but it is a little large for our walls. Still, I get the same feeling from this picture, though it is artistically much different.


There are others I could show you, but I think this post has gotten long enough. I think you have figured out that these pictures and statues are my reminders, and that is why they are so dear to me. They remind me to pray and to serve, and of the loving God I am subject to.

And Yet, He Was

I actually left this as a rather long comment for someone who was feeling bad about some misspoken words at a wake. I shared this to comfort him, and kind of give him the idea that we all do that at some time. I think. As I was typing the comment, I started laughing, and then I knew this comment would work as a post for the life is funny carnival.

Of course, I began with what was meant ot be a joke. I stole it from the Gaithers, more or less.
A minister well known for his beautiful singing voice came home visibly upset after consulting with a new widow about funeral plans for her recently deceased husband. His wife asked him what was wrong, and he revealed that the wife had asked him to sing her husband's favorite song, "Jingle Bells," at the funeral.
He was troubled that it wasn't appropriate to the solemn occasion. He struggled and prayed about it, and finally decided to honor the grieving widow's wishes.
At the funeral, still sensitive about how some of the mourners might react to hearing "Jingle Bells" at a funeral, he carefully introduced the song with words about appreciating the sense of humor and lightheartedness of the deceased.
The widow had been very tearful during the service. Hearing the introduction to her late husband's "favorite song" she sat up and began to appear quite interested. As the preacher began the song, the widow began to smile, and her tears dried up.
She was actually giggling as he concluded, and he felt glad he'd decided to honor her request since it obviously had been so comforting.
After the service she thanked the pastor for sharing his music ministry, and with a big grin she added, "By the way, the favorite song I requested was 'When They Ring Those Golden Bells!'"
I continued with my own terrible faux pas.
My Uncle Ray died many years ago. He used to wear his hair in a comb over, and wore a black t-shirt and black jeans everywhere, including weddings, but we (his nieces and nephews, as he had no wife or children) loved him very much.
At his wake, his nephews and nieces were lamenting that the funeral home gave him a haircut instead of allowing him to keep the comb over, as we remember him. Then I added "Yeah, and everyone knows he wouldn't be caught dead in a suit!" And yet, there he was, dead, and in a suit. I think I was more horrified than anyone else. My family recognized the truth in my statement, while I only saw the inappropriateness of the macabre humour that came out.

Oh, and Wendy, speaking of faux pas, if you decided to finish reading this, please accept my condolensces on the death of your Father -in -law.