Seven Quickes

(Updated to include link to Jeanne's blog!)

Stop by Jen's blog to find other Quick Takes!

1. I know my personality is addictive.  Trust me, my family can tell you how I can latch onto something and not be able to let go.  I'd like to break away from that and get more addicted to God, hence my Lenten resolution to begin each day with a Morning Offering and not listen to the radio in the car.  Or the iPod.  Just the kids.  But Jeanne has a great post up that just really inspires me to look at Mass differently.  Here's a snippet for you, but please go read the whole thing.  
   
   

   That host that I receive every Sunday, is the only physical form of food for my soul that I receive. It doesn't matter if the priest gives a good homily, or if I have to roll my eyes a bit, or more likely in my case, that I don't even get to listen to the homily because I am busy shushing the kids. It doesn't matter if the priest is a hypocrite who says one thing but does another, or if he is a saint, hiding behind a meek manner. It doesn't matter if the people around me frown at my kids or smile indulgantly. It doesn't matter where the tabernacle is placed, to the side, to the middle, or if there are kneelers or not.
   
   What matters in the end is that little round host. That is what I am there for. That is what I need to make it through my week. That is what I need to not break down and give up or melt down or go nuts or just do it my way or no way. The rest is secondary. I can read the readings and the gospel at home.

2. I am finding that it's not difficult at all to just start the day with the Offering, and that I'm even starting to remember much more of it.  And it makes me WANT to pray more, and it really smooths out my day.  It's surprising how, even on a subconscious level, I live my day better when I've told God that I'll be doing it all for Him.  When I am tempted to act badly (and I sure-as-heck can have a tendency towards that when I'm tired or stressed out), somewhere inside, my guardian angel prompts me: You told God all was for Him today - all for His glory, remember?  Is that really a way to honor Him?  And if it's not, I stop and back up and try again.
3. The weather here is totally insane.  March 1, we had four inches of snow.  A week later, the girls were in shorts because it was in the mid-80's.  Today, I look outside and see snow flurries.  I kid you not, this is SO strange.  I'll bet it's all my fault, too, for not switching all my light bulbs to those annoying florescent ones that don't turn on as soon as I hit the switch.  And I'm sure that the polar bears and kangaroos will all commit suicide because of me, too.  (In case you don't get that kind of humor, I am being more than a bit sarcastic here.)
4. We joined Netflix again.  Our library has a decent selection of movies, but I am forever forgetting to return them on time, and often need to wait until something appears on the day I'm there, especially with newer movies.  Plus, some older movies (think the original Star Trek movie, for example) are only on video tape.  I have to say that I'd forgotten how hard it is to watch a video when you're used to just zipping all over the DVD.  And how yucky videotapes can get after a gazillion views.  Plus, Netflix also has a better selection and variety of the movies we want for school projects.  For example, there are about two versions of Romeo and Juliet at our library, and one is the Leonardo DiCaprio one.  The other is with Olivia whatsherface (you know...she played the Blessed Virgin in Jesus of Nazareth), and from what I recall from my freshman year, that balcony scene was FILLED with necking and passionate neck and bosom-kissing.  Um, not appropriate for my ten and seven year olds.  So I found a different version on Netflix.  When Hamlet time comes, we'll have another gazillion versions of that, though I doubt we'll get it told with monkeys or seals.  (But we can have it told with lions.)
5. Speaking of The Bard, our homeschool co-op started up, and we're reading The Comedy of Errors with the middle schoolers.  They all seemed skeptical, but I think they're going to start enjoying themselves before the end.  I've started going ahead in the text, and I'm having a hard time not just sharing with Big Girl, who is in the class.  I'm glad that the boys in the class are being introduced to Shakespeare via a comedy.  Can you think of a less appealing way to do so than with some sappy love story where the main characters kill themselves because of broken hearts?  Sheesh.  If all goes well, maybe we'll read MacBeth next year and get some blood, murder, and betrayal going.  
6. I just peeked outside again...still snowing.  My flowers are probably completely confused.  Even the crocus flowers look a bit shriveled, though that could be because of the stupid squirrels, who keep trying to dig up my bulbs.
7. I'm still working, but I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Despite the expenses we've planned on this year (First Communion celebrations being one of the biggest), we just might pay off our last debt that isn't the house.  I know I've talked about that before, but it's so exciting! If you'd have told me it was possible to get rid of it all in two years, I would've laughed my butt off at you.  But knowing we're so close is motivating me to keep on and work hard while I have to.  It's temporary, God willing.