Modern "Feminism"

My dear friend Malori has authored a splendid article on The Negative Effects of Modern Feminism, and I was honored to be the editor. Do head over to her blog and check it out. Let us know what you think!

Weekend Recap...

Thursday: Lively bus ride to D.C. with prayers, songs, hair braiding...all the usual Claire stuff. :)

Friday: Went up 13 floors at the Old Post Office Building in D.C., Marched for Life with 200,000+, interviewed live by EWTN along with my sister, prayed and sang at the Supreme Court steps, enjoyed time with my sister Sarah and my dear friend Malori!

Saturday: Attended Students for Life Conference and had wonderful surprise reunions with friends, went to a packed-full Mass at the crypt church of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, rode the Metro train (first time!) and spread smiles to whomever I could, visited the Servants of the Lord Convent, had precious time with my sister back at Christendom College, and then went to the black-and-white "Oreo" Dance

Sunday: Awesome Christendom Liturgy, afternoon socializing/open house, evening debate society gathering, swing dance practice!

Monday: Sat in on Theology, Astronomy, and Philosophy (where discussion included differing natures of men and woman AND the four temperaments...totally my element), said goodbye to Sarah (love you, sis!), flew to Atlanta for my connecting flight to Chicago, then find out the lovely lady sitting next to me lives a few blocks away (Erika, thanks so much for the ride!)

...just a slightly full and blessed few days. My heart is overflowingly grateful.

Prayers For My Friends

The father of some friends of mine (and volunteer catechists for the RE program that I coordinate) was found dead in his bed this morning. He was a devout Catholic husband, father of four (ages 24-4) and history teacher at the local Catholic high school. Please keep his soul and his family in your prayers in their time of grief!

Quality Time

Today I enjoyed an afternoon/evening spent with my goddaughter... drinking in the simple pleasure of each other's company and conversation interspersed with lunch, prayer, adoration of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, a few walks, ice cream, and flowers. :) A lovely and memorable afternoon filled with one of the five love languages: quality time. For someone as continually busy as I am, finding quality time with those I love can be difficult. But still very rewarding...not only for their spirit (hopefully), but for mine!

Excellent

Lady Clare from Romance and the Roses very sweetly awarded me with this a few weeks ago. Thank you, Clare!

I'm supposed to award it to ten others, but I think I will just keep it simple and say that if you're on my sidebar, you are one of my favorites and I hereby award it to you!

The occasion calls for a quote :)...

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

-Aristotle

Thanks

Well, it seems that all I need do is have a birthday and leave the blog for a few days, and two of my goddaughters will take it over with posts that make me blush, and cry, and laugh!

Jesting aside, I was (and am) most honored and humbled by their words of kindness. I was blessed with a quiet, though lovely, 20th Birthday...

Thank you, everyone, for your kind well wishes and comments! And thank you, Veronica and Amanda for your wonderful "surprises". I love you both!

I have to point you

to my goddaughter Amanda's Mom's (new) blog: Homeschooling with Joy. Her reflections are lovely! I especially love today's on The Heroic Minute... so very relevant for me. :)

Tagged

Deb kindly tagged me, so I am supposed to (1) Link to the person that tagged you. (2) Post the rules on your blog. (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Six random things about me? Hmmm...

1. I was born nine days early. And I daresay it's about the only time I've been early in my life. (I'm working on it, though!).

2. My mom tells me I sat at our kitchen table at 12 months and said distinctly, "Cheese, please, mom!" Her follow-up comment is always that I started talking at a year, and never stopped. (A funny aside is that I still love cheese, but am sensitive to dairy!).

3. My mom tells me that I sang "Jesus Loves Me" from memory at 18 months. :)

4. The first time someone told me I was "charming", I was eight years old and didn't know what they meant. I had heard of (never tasted) "Lucky Charms", and so thought they were somehow talking about that!

5. I have a great weakness for garlic bread.

6. I rolled off the top of a bunk bed once during the middle of the night, was found by Dad and put back, and never woke up!

I'll admit that was a little fun. :) Okay, so now I'll tag...

Lady Rose, my goddaughter
Malori, my bosom friend
Lisa, a pen pal (even though I've not written you in a long while!)
Both Anna and Miriam from Maidens of Worth
Either Leah or Therese from the Miller family :)

If you were tagged, follow the instructions 1-5 above!

My new profile picture

was taken after our concert with the Joliet Symphony Orchestra on the first of the month. Since it's rather small in the profile, and I'm not sure how to change the size, here's a little larger view... actually, the whole thing.

Appassionata: Musicians to the King

Claire H., Violin
Sarah H., Violin
Veronica H., Violin
Mary K., Harp
Laura K., Harp

(Appassionata is the name of our small chamber group when we play weddings and other special events. Incidentally, we are also all members of our town's Symphony/Community Orchestra. Well, Veronica is not quite, but probably soon...)

By the way, "appassionata" is an (Italian) musical term meaning "with passion".

Enter a Rose

A sweet friend and dear goddaughter has just made her "grand entrance" into the blogsphere! (I am privileged to be her Confirmation sponsor.) She is a gifted writer, and I look forward to plenty of beauty and inspiration from her blog. Please take a minute to drop by and give a warm welcome to Lady of the Rose!

And because I just love the quote she shared today, I have to share it here too. (Hope you don't mind, Amanda!). It is a real gem, from none other than J.R.R. Tolkien.

"Out of the darkness of my life,

so much frustrated,

I place before you

the one great thing to love on earth:

The Blessed Sacrament...

There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity

and the true way of all your loves upon earth,

and more than that: Death:

by the divine paradox, that which ends life,

and demands the complete surrender of all,

and yet by the taste of which alone

can what you seek

in your earthly relationships be maintained,

or take on the complexity of reality,

or eternal endurance,

which every man's heart desires."

~ Tolkien in a letter to his son

With Gratitude to Sylvia

Several months back, sweet Sylvia was gracious enough to give me The Blogger Reflection Award. And though she kindly left a comment and let me know, it took me until now to take the few minutes to actually get the image on my sidebar!

But even more touching than the award was the reflection she offered...

Ever since I first met Claire and found out about her ministry with the Rosa Mystica Modesty Movement, I have been astounded by her servant’s heart for God. She has such a beautiful outlook on life, and her speaking and writing on femininity has encouraged me over and over again. She has truly been using the gifts that God has given her to the best of her ability and He has touched many people through her.

Sylvia, though I may be a few months behind -- thank you! I am both honored and humbled!

As Jocelyn, the founder of the award, explained:

The reason for the title is because this award should make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy... of knowing them and being blessed by them. This award is for the best-of-the-best so consider who you pick, carefully. This award should not be given to just anyone. If you're going to do the award don't just write a few words and slap it on your blog. Write real thoughts about these bloggers and what they've been to you, and if the bloggers you pick have already been given the award, don't be afraid to give to them again. They deserve it as many times as it's given.

All I can say is, what a neat idea and a neat award. And my five recipients are...

- My bosom friend and sister-in-Christ, Malori! It's fitting that I can offer my dear, longtime penpal and long-distance friend -- whose blog is titled "Ramblings and Reflections" -- the Blogger Reflection Award. Malori, I thank God for you and for the beautiful friendship we share. You have a heart of gold, and I'll be praising Him till the end of my days for the car trouble that brought us together back in '96! I love you! Kindred spirits forever...


- Mrs. Danielle Bean, who is one of my "everyday heroines". And whose blog is one of my daily (or near-daily) visits, even when I'm rushed. :) Happy, sad, touching, awkward, humorous moments of family life... she writes about with all, and with a candor and artistry that I know brings a lot of us back to her corner of the web again and again! A real-life Mom, with a real Mommy-heart, and who is benevolent enough to share it with us.


- One of my all-time favorite authors, Regina Doman. Though she hasn't had a blog for long, she's moved me powerfully through her outstanding fairy tale novels (by the way, a review of her latest will be up-and-coming!). Mrs. Doman, thank you for using your incredible gift to offer us a glimpse of reality permeated by living Faith. Your books have the potential to impact my generation -- and I hope they do.


- Alice at Cottage Blessings! I have yet to meet a more gracious lady... though I've never met this one in person, she's the picture of a selfless, smiling, creative mother who extends the same warmth to all who encounter her. Such mothers are the St. Gianna's of today...so, Mrs. Gunther, thanks for welcoming me to your virtual "cottage", and for sharing so many blessings!


- Bethany, a young woman whom I know I'd love to meet, and who has my favorite Scripture verse (Phil 4:8) in her blog header! Her stunning photographs, often shared with just the right verse or quote, always inspire me -- as does her radiant joy as the fourth in a singing family of 13 children. Bethany, you may not know me, but you've blessed me. Thank you!


To read more about the Blogger Reflection Award or for instructions for the recipients, visit the founder's blog here.

May your day reflect the image of God that you are!

Good enough to be from Chesterton

or from one of those other great philosophers. Actually, it's a bit from an email from a friend of mine (a philosopher-theologian in the making -- those are his majors). It was so profound, I asked for permission to share it...

So don't be frightened by the long task ahead of us. Don't be scared away by the fear that you might not be strong enough yet. You are only called to live one day at a time. God will never let the cards be stacked against us too hard. He will never let it be harder than we can handle. And the amazing thing is, in this war, our Commander already won, all we have to do is stay on His side.

The first time I read that, I thought Wow. And I went back, and read it again. And an amazing peace settled over me as I let it sink in. Our Commander has already won. If only we would remember that more often. Our task, really, is simple: All we have to do is stay on His side.

Amen! Deo Gratias.