Take Back the Rainbow

I love color. All color, all shades. I am blessed to live in a part of the country where the lakes look like liquid sapphires in the summer, snow crystals form millions of prisms in the winter, leaves look like crisp fire in the autumn and every sunrise reveals colors only nature can produce. Its no wonder that I love the rainbow. I've seen beautiful rainbows in Rome, Venice, Ireland, and right over my own back yard. It irks me to no end that this has become a symbol to glorify sodomy and licentiousness.

You know those bumper stickers that people put on the back of their cars? I'm tempted to start putting them on my car simply because it's wrong that we allow a group of deviants to use it for their symbol. For them, it has nothing to do with the promise to Noah from God to never destroy the earth by flood again. For them, it has nothing of the hope and the promise of eternal salvation.
Why have we let others take our symbols like the rainbow, the name "Madonna", the unicorn, the peacock, the pelican and desecrate them at the worst, or completely secularize them at the least?

I don't care what people think, I'm heading out to my nearest 'peace and justice' store and taking back the rainbow.

Uh..., well, I would if I wasn't boycotting the 'peace and justice' store. *sigh*

Want Coffee - Will Travel

So, while most of America is up at 5am this morning rushing to buy cheap plastic Chinese-made gifts that will inevitably be returned, regifted, "lost" or broken - I got up intending to go to daily Mass. Denied. I snuck into the church through the basement where a nice lady was preparing for a Meals on Wheels Luncheon, went upstairs and read the bulletin announcing No Mass on Friday. Bummer.

As an aside, why would they be doing Meals on Wheels in a Church Basement? Where's the Wheels part? Anyway, I didn't ask.

So, knowing that our favorite cafe for muffins and Chai's was closed today I decided to head to the next town to try the Sunshine Cafe. Isn't that a lovely name? It gives you the impression that you can actually buy sunshine in a cup. While dreams of espresso beans danced in my head, I headed out. I rolled into town, where the early-risers were walking down the street with their papers tucked under their arms, hunters were coming in from the woods for a break, and policemen patrolled the quiet streets. I park on the street, look over my shoulder, and the sunshine cafe is not shining. Denied. Closed for Thanksgiving. Bummer.

So, then I had to settle. And settle I did for Dunkin Donuts. Ahh... cappucinno, two sugars and an old fashioned for man's best friend.

This is What Happens...

when a Church first defies the authority of Holy Mother Church. After that, nothing is sacred.

The Church of England has come out in favor of infanticide. We're not really surprised.

Accent - Thanks Mom - I Don't Have One!!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
Philadelphia
North Central
The Inland North
Boston
The Northeast
The West
The South
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Here's a fun quiz... and just goes to show that homeschoolers have good diction!

We Lost AND We're Losers

So, we lost the House and the Senate today. And yes, I do mean we.

This post is for thsoe who say that we cannot vote if someone, like President Bush, isn't conservative enough.

Remember this Bible Verse "Be wily as serpants and innocent as doves"? No one is saying that anyone on the Hill would ever be up for canonization, but lets look at one important fact.

Right now the Supreme Court, with two new justices on it, are deciding whether or not to uphold the Ban on the Partial-Birth Baby Killing method.

The truth is, that we never would have gotten this law passed without the likes of the not-conservative-enough Senate, House and President. Further, we would never have a chance in Hades of upholding it if Roberts and Alito were not on the bench, confirmed by the not-conservative-enough House and Senate. If this ban is upheld, and babies are saved because of it, then those votes "wasted" on lukewarm conservatives will have been well wasted.

Voice Crying Out

DEEP THOUGHTS

Sometimes when you hear a voice crying out in the wilderness, you think of John the Baptist. And you assume that they have something profound to say.



But most of the time, when men are crying out in the wilderness, they're saying "I'm LOST!!"

Ahhh... Sunday Mornings

So, I meant to go to 8am Mass this morning, but lost my keys, lost my purse, missed my not-being-late-window and now I'm waiting for 10am Mass to roll around.

So, time for a little blogging.

My day today will consist of Mass (of course) and then out to Starbucks and Borders to grade papers, prepare classes, and determine grades for report cards. The funny thing is, 20 or maybe even 10 years ago, the natural impulse would have been to head to the library. But instead, it seems that the coffee shop is the place to go for quiet concentration. At most coffee shops, people talk in hushed voices, students study diligently with their Venti Chai, or Grande Caramel Macchiato. In all appearances, the coffee shop is something akin to a temple for reflection, rather than the billion dollar money-maker that it is. The more serene and focused the setting, the longer people lounge buying coffee after sweet cake, after coffee, after sweetcake. People are willing to pay $5.00 for a $.75 cent coffee as long as it comes with the privilege of sitting in this hallowed space for just few hours, or even minutes.

With the rise of Starbucks, it seems that we have transferred our loyalties from the temple to reading & learning that the library once was, to the shrine of caffeinated drinks and little pastries.

I guess this signals another notch in the belt of consumerism... but I sure do like my Starbucks!

The First Romance

My religion students are reading the Old Testament this year, and they were very intrigued by the story of Isaac and Rebekah. It is as pure and beautiful as any love story, and the customs shown are truly remarkable.

As you may remember from reading the story, Isaac was coming of age to marry (about 4o) when Abraham decided to send his servant back to his kinsfolk to find a suitable wife for his son. The servant, after a long journey and much prayer, decides that he will wait by the well for the women to come and get water. The first with the generosity to give water to him and water his camels is the girl for his master's son, Isaac. So far, its interesting to note that the servant does not first seek out those with good connections, good families or with a hefty dowry. His first test is one of generosity, hospitality and - of course, beauty.

So, the servant waits and along comes Rebekah who readily offers to water the camels after serving the servant. The servant, in exchange, gives her a NOSE-RING (oh yes. Genesis 24:22 maybe he was worried that he couldn't get a ring size correct) and bangles and asks to stay with her family. When the family hears the tale, and the request for Rebekah to marry their kinsman's daughter (Rebekah was actually Sarah's niece) their response is: "This thing that comes from the Lord; we can say nothing to you either for or against it. Here is Rebekah, ready
for you."

This story gets even better. Of course, the servant gives abundant gifts of gold and silver to Rebekah, as well as to her mother and brother (interesting, no dowry from her side...) and they return to Abraham's house.

Here's the best part. Not only has God allowed the servant to find a generous woman for Isaac, but when the camel train approaches, Rebekah sees Isaac from afar - inquires about him, and immediately covers herself with her veil as a show of modesty. Isaac falls in love with her at first sight, and they live happily ever after. Someone pointed out to me once that this is the only marriage of the great patriarchs that is completely monogomous.

Strangely, Rebekah was working outside the home when she met with the servant. She needed to provide no dowry. And these two facts never detracted from her virtue.

Things that make you go "hmmm..."