John 3:16

Holy Week in 2 Minutes

Holy Week is wholly different

It is like a yearly retreat and it is like a heartache. 

We start out rejoicing on Palm Sunday, ringing out sweet "Hosannas!" and then abruptly crying out with the crowd, "Crucify him!"

We are overcome, sent to our knees in repentant silence.  It is so still you can almost hear the temple cloth tear in two.

But that was just yesterday, just Palm Sunday. We will be at Church almost daily this week. This is a week. The week. This is the time when Church Time and actual time, historical time march in step for a brief blip in the Liturgical Year. This week we follow His final week, from the washing of the disciples' feet to His fulfilling of the Passover Supper with the Lamb of God's flesh and blood. We suffer through the betrayal, arrest, and trial with the Sanhedrin. Pilate washes his hands, Barabbas walks amongst us again as our God takes His final tortured steps to Calvary. He breathes His last. His side is pierced. We are splashed in the flow of water and blood.

We don't understand. We weep or stand in dry eyed shock. He is taken from us into the tomb on Friday, and we wait.

Holy Saturday is such an empty day.

We contemplate a world where God is dead. Dead because of us. Because of me...

Personally.

Then, as it does every other Saturday, the sun goes down.

Alleluia.

After an empty Saturday, the empty tomb.

He is Risen. 

My Lord and my God!

7 Quick and Late Random Takes

--1--

When the telltale signs of immanent regurgitation briefly interrupted our bedtime bedside chat, my nine-year-old son and I resumed with a new topic.

"Hairballs," he reflected, "that's not one of His finer creations."

"No," I replied, "and I wasn't too appreciative of the cat's gift."

"Or God's!" he said giggling.

Catching his giggle, I opine in my best God voice, "'Oh, my child, this steamy hairball is for your greater good! That you may grow in holiness!'"

Mimicking me, mimicking God, he deadpans, "'And besides, it's Lent.'"

Catholic humor. You just have to love it.

--2--

Speaking of Kids

America has stopped having them. We slipped below the replacement rate and are holding at about 1.9 children per woman. There's not a peep about this out there? Really? I guess we can all go quietly off into a demographic winter.

Here's an article on it for further study...What to expect when nobody's expecting

A link to the documentary released in 2009 entitled Demographic Bomb.

--3--

Speaking of low birthrates

There are forced sterilizations all over the world. The most widely known program, which is still little known, was during the 1990s when the World Health Organization swept through Peru taking women's fertility by stealth or bribery, often without the woman's consent or full understanding. The public outcry over the lack of follow up care made a stir on the fringes of American media. The practice is continuing. I know of a woman in Zimbabwe who had a tubal ligation performed on her without her or her husband's knowledge or consent while undergoing an unrelated procedure. The evidence of it was discovered as they investigated the cause of repeated miscarriages. Women's rights, indeed.

--4--

What, me marry?

According to the stats in this article about this article, young men are giving up on the idea of marriage. Predictably, not only are women angry about that, feminists are angry about women reporting about women being angry about that.

--5--

Spring Snow

It's snowing. It's freezing. It's Spring.

--6--

It's getting cheesy!

I made my first mozzarella of the season this week. For the first time in several years we have reliable air conditioning so I shall dabble once more in aged cheeses as the season progresses. Whoot!

--7--

A recipe

My Momma's Cereal

5 cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup oil
1 cup honey
Add nuts and various dried fruits as desired, 1 cup each

Heat oil and honey in a good sized pot until warm. Add oats and extras. Stir until well mixed.

Place mixture in a greased 13x9x2" pan and bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Pour onto waxed paper and spread to cool. Break up and store in tightly lidded container.

Serve as a cereal or a yogurt or ice cream topping.

True Friendship Requires Truth

Friends are very much like gems, you must remove a lot of rubble to discover them. Like a gem, friends are precious because they are so very rare. The friend is the one who is left after all the others have left, so they are acquired by a process of attrition. A friend will be able to dislike or misunderstand your ideals and still value you. Never be afraid to look a friend in the eye and say, "I disagree. I love you anyway, but I disagree." Be polite, be clear, and be true. You have nothing to lose. If the friendship can't survive your differences, it won't survive anyway. Losing a real friend is actually hard to do and is as rare as friendship itself.

4 Quick and Weary Takes

--1--
What a week!

My mom had a cardiac emergency Tuesday morning and spent all day in the ER before they admitted her for an overnight stay. Her heart was beating too fast and out of rhythm. She responded really well to the medications, but they had to start her on a maintenance medicine and see how her heart responded to that. She's doing just fine, but you can just imagine what a scare that was.

--2--
We finished my kitchen floor!

I don't have a picture!

But that's the other reason things were so stressed. We stayed overnight at mom and dad's when some fumes from sealing the wood in the bathroom overwhelmed us. Mom had her emergency early that morning. Then dad was so scared that we decided another night's stay was in order. Then we stayed an extra night just because mom missed out on all the fun the night before. I am so happy to be home and I'm enjoying that floor. It was just underlayment ever since we ripped the carpet up six months ago.

--3--
Who sells kitchen carpet? Don't listen to those maniacs.
Please. Don't carpet your kitchen. High traffic over foods, water, oils. I've seen what lives under a kitchen carpet and you really don't want to know. I wish I didn't.

--4--
And a new Pope!

And what a Pope! He is already stirring things up and making his mark. From the moment of silence in Saint Peter's Square to riding the bus to pay his hotel bill, he's teaching us. He'll use words when necessary.

We have a Pope!

We have a Pope! He is Francis the First and a first in many respects: the first Jesuit, the first Argentinian, and the first Pope from the Americas.

Please tune in tonight for the Podcast at 9 p.m. Eastern as we talk all things papal! All of us writers at Deeper Truth are all a-Google and will have much to share about today's historic events.

Listen to internet radio with Deeper Truth on Blog Talk Radio

His bio taken from the Vatican Website

BERGOGLIO Card. Jorge Mario, S.I. © www.catholicpressphoto.com

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an Ordinary of their own rite, was born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires. He was ordained for the Jesuits on 13 December 1969 during his theological studies at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel. He was novice master in San Miguel, where he also taught theology. He was Provincial for Argentina (1973-1979) and rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel (1980-1986). After completing his doctoral dissertation in Germany, he served as a confessor and spiritual director in Córdoba. On 20 May 1992 he was appointed titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires, receiving episcopal consecration on 27 June. On 3 June 1997 was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on 28 February 1998. He is also Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an Ordinary of their own rite. Adjunct Relator General of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2001. He served as President of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina from 8 November 2005 until 8 November 2011. Created and proclaimed Cardinal by the Bl. John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, of the  Title of S. Roberto Bellarmino (St. Robert Bellarmine). Member of: Congregations: for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments; for the Clergy; for  Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life ; Pontifical Council for the Family; Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Because it is Monday

Coffee is a mere stopgap measure.

I was A.W.O.B. (Absent Without Blogging) last week because my family was sick with a nasty cold and ear infections. Happy Monday!

7 Quick Takes with Muffins

1

Goodbye Pope Benedict VIX. Thank you so much for everything. We will miss your guidance and pray for you as you pray for us.

2

A clap of thunder Monday morning announced the arrival of a blizzard that dumped 19 inches of snow for an equivalent of 1.48 inches of rain. It’s not a drought buster but it’s nothing to sneeze at. In fact, it just may be enough to save a whole lot of the winter wheat crop. In addition to that much needed moisture the storm kept my husband safe at home for an unexpected three day weekend. He took advantage of the day by finishing some painting.

3

We have whitewashed horizontal planks with a green wainscot.
The wood countertop is my husband's handiwork.
The whole thing looks like it was original to the farmhouse!

No news on the goat front (she's still pregnant) but the renovation is complete on the bathroom. Due to mold issues we had to take it down to studs and sub floor, so we practically had to rebuild the entire room. We kept the tub, the sink bowl, and the cabinet. Fixtures, flooring, wall material, plumbing, and toilet were all replaced. The total came to $1,000. Not too shabby. My husband does great work, don’t you think?

4

My oldest now has braces. He’s young for it, but two orthodontists recommended it now before the bad bite had a chance to damage two adult teeth. Even with the snow we managed to make it out of the driveway Wednesday to make the appointment. The roads were icy but passable. Afterwards I called for my neighbor’s and my parents’ shopping list and got into the stores to restock the larder a day ahead of the rest of Amarillo. That same neighbor went the next day for an item she’d forgotten to mention for my town run and she waited in line forever. "That was a dumb idea!" she announced in annoyance afterwards.

5

My younger son loves to help with the laundry. He also likes to have everything picked up. Did I mention the Autism? Because that factors in to what happened to my phone the day before yesterday. I’d left my phone lying around after having just filled the washer and was off on another mommy mission (mud containment) when I heard a kerploop from the laundry room. My mom instincts blared an immediate RED ALERT. I rushed to the washer to discover a dolly, some gloves, a hat, and the dog’s ball floating in with the laundry. None of those buoyant items would kerploop, so I dug through the clothes to the bottom and discovered my phone. I tore out the battery and shoved the separate pieces into rice. After drying out in the rice it was a bit quirky yesterday but today it is absolutely fine. In other news, Simon made his way out of Time-Out just fine, too.

6

Speaking of skirting disasters I am going to begin encasing my couch cushions in a durable fabric. I’m basically making fitted pillow cases for everything to try to keep the couches stain free and looking nice-ish with as little effort as possible. Slip covers and five children do not mix. “Slip” being a verb, my slipcovers continually slip off and slip around as I continually reposition them. I’m planning on a way to replace them permanently and that plan involves sewing. The plan also involves a lot of praying and resisting the urge to teach the children new and unique combinations of swear words. Sewing is not one of my talents. I'm actually better at the cursing.

What a misspent youth!

7

Strawberry Banana Muffins
(makes 4 dozen)

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs beaten
1 cup strawberries mashed (thaw if frozen)
1 1/2 cup mashed bananas
1 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 4 muffin tins. In a medium bowl mix dry ingredients, including spices. In mixer mix eggs, fruit, and oil for two minutes on medium speed. Add dry mixture and stir until moistened. Bake for 20 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick from the center muffins tests clean.