Seven Quick Takes Friday (2)

My second quick takes to start off July.  Thank you to Jen at Conversion Diary for hosting and congratulations on your bundle of joy, Pamela.  Happy Fourth of July everyone!

-1-

Do you ever watch Maury Povich and think to yourself: "How could that poor girl not know who the father of her child is?"  OK, so I haven't really watched it, at least not in the past few years.  But while most people are quick to condemn and quite often find these ladies disgusting for having a lax moral code, I always have sympathy for these girls who are testing father #5, #8.  I mean, truly, what happened in this girl's life that led her to such behavior?  She probably thinks she is just having a good time with her sexuality and doesn't care, but anyone who has been there knows the truth.  Makes me sad.  I don't watch this show, partly because it is on when the girls are awake and I try not to watch a lot of TV, but mostly because it hurts my heart.

-2-



Praying the rosary is something that I don't think I ever got into saying when I was younger.  If I did, I know that I was not saying it paying attention to the mysteries and I would just say the Our Fathers and Hail Marys for each bead.  I think it may  be time to add this to my prayer life, just have to figure out WHERE to fit it in.  Would like to do this daily, but I think I will have to see where I can best find time for it.  During nap time for Hannah?  Maybe Alicia and I can start saying it together when I put Hannah down.  It might be nice or she'll drive me to distraction.  We'll see where that goes.   

picture of the rosary made with rose petals
from Memere B's memorial flowers

-3-

I have to wonder at people who go to church and think mass is too long, they don't say any of the words, sing or participate in any way.  It is really great that they are there, and I'm not supposed to judge, but sometimes I just get so annoyed.  Are you really there?  Why did you come?  Is it to fulfill an obligation?  Do you think your singing voice is horrible?  By the way, If God gave you a poor singing voice, He deserves to hear it back.  In my more generous moments, I wonder if they are going through a difficult time.  Do you have some hurt that renders you unable to get any words out?  Cannot sing because your voice will crack and bring tears to your eyes?  I've been in that last category - at church unable to speak or sing, lest I cry.  Which leads me to think, you know, sometimes a good cry at church might be a good thing. Haven't done that in a while.

-4-

Went to confession earlier this week.  I somehow came to the realization that I was firing on all cylinders.  I took a look at the seven deadly sins and figured I had at least one thing to confess in each category.  Envy, pride, wrath, sloth, gluttony, lust and greed.  I used to have my "usual" list that I would try to work on between confession sessions.  Luckily I seem to be doing better with MOST of those.  However, now I am adding to my shortcomings.  Great.  My last confession was a month and a half ago.  We'll see how long it takes me to go back;  my best bet - sometime in mid August.  Praise God that Jesus institued this sacrament before his ascension into heaven.  I left feeling SOOOO much better and am so grateful that God doesn't leave us to "sit in it."  We have the ability to put it all out there and let it go, and then start over with a clean slate.  This is ALMOST my favorite sacrament.  Almost. 

-5-

Saw another email in my inbox last week that didn't make my first Seven Quick Takes Friday (1), see #6 at the link for last week's email outrage.  Email #2:  Condoms were distributed in middle school to 7th and 8th graders by accident.  This by a school district that has an abstinence based health curriculum where "distribution of birth-control devices isn’t done at any grade level."  ODD!  There must be someone who knew what the topic of the assembly was going to be.  The health educator "maintains she didn’t deliberately distribute them, but that students might have picked them up."  Interesting...  I suppose at least we should be glad that the principal apologized for this action and that he called it highly inappropriate.  Not sure how I feel about sending my girls to public school these days.  The things I hear make me more and more nervous about what is going on in our schools.

-6-

I've been listening to the Station of the Cross on AM radio these days or online.  Can't stand it when it doesn't come in, or fades out just during what seems to be the main point of the topic the host is covering.  The SonRise morning show, Women of Grace, are top on my list, but my favorite has to be Mornings with Mother, even though they are all repeats of prior broadcasts.  The foundress of EWTN, Mother Angelica, is just too funny (I don't know she's doing any public speaking and I think that she is not in good health these days).  Every time I hear her speak she always has something she says that makes me chuckle right out loud and usually she is laughing herself.  I have various post it notes with little quips that may someday make it to a blog post.  She's pretty good for inspiration, I think.



-7-

Been really enjoying quite a few G.K. Chesterton quotes.  My favorite right now applies to so many different situations:  To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it. A Short History of England (1917). Really must find a book of his to read.  There would be plenty of options and I'm sure I'd be fascinated.  Need to renew my library membership...