I am disgusted by the relatively new concept “relationship”. This is, apparently, a condition or state one chooses, and then defines the terms for, and then searches for someone who fulfills the terms… If the other person can’t be physically present as much as required (or whatever) one simply switches from “I love you” to “This just isn’t working out right now.”
I realize that in more sane times people married based on a criteria more often than they did based upon love, but it was a criteria of character and Faith, not of convenience. One had standards for one’s spouse. Even love didn’t over-ride those standards. One didn’t love someone whom one could not in good conscience marry. And one didn’t always expect to be “in love”.
But the new “relationship” thing has completely redefined love. Love used to mean an emotion that transcended time and space. You might be frantic to get back to your loved one, but it was because you missed them---because being with them was your whole earthly desire---not because you feared they might throw you over for someone who was “there”. Oh, the days before “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”
Love used to be taken seriously. To find someone worthy to love and actually fall in love with them was the stuff of fairy tales---but fairy tales are the truest stories. One would undergo any task, any hardship, because there was only one object of one’s affection. There was no question of “love the one you’re with” because no other face, no other heart, mind, or soul would do. There was one and only one true love and all others were repulsive by comparison.
I want that kind of love for all my children, and for all the children I love. I don’t mind if they “settle” for someone whom they admire and can be friends with, because I know that God and biology will take care of the rest when they marry. But when they say they are “in love”—I want them to mean REAL love, not some trendy “relationship” thing. Some of them will be blessed with a vocation, and Christ will be the Beloved. But for the others, I want REAL love---not a convenient companionship.
That’s what I pray for. For all the dear young ones I love, from baby to 40, I hold out that hope. Keep yourself chaste for the sake of your beloved. Do not choose to love one whom a natural sense of shame forbids you to marry.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
My favorite painting...
George Frederick Cotman's "One of the Family"
...and look at the dog...
What more could anyone want for happiness?
Thursday, March 5, 2009
The Jews and Me and The Jews
So I really got off on a tear today. And of course, the reason is the screaming injustice inherent in the whole question of those humble devout families and communities scraping by on the fringes of European society during the first half of the last century and ultimately suffering for the bullying excesses of those who owned most of Europe and happened to be likewise called Jews...and then after being immolated on the Holocaust pyre they are still being exploited to the detriment of their own memories and the freedom and sanity of the rest of us...I really love the Jews...I really hate the Jews...
Odds and Ends...
The Bishop Williamson thing has been an eye-opener… Do we ever stop to look at any situation objectively anymore? Or is everything governed by a knee jerk reaction… I’d say the latter. I’ve been thinking a lot about the Jews. Specifically, the Wealthy Ruling Class as opposed to the everyday run-of-the-mill good citizen, good neighbor, expendable, religious, “superstitious” Jews—-not the atheist intellectuals like Ayn Rand who came and went with impunity throughout Europe in the first half of the last century, but--you know, the kind they kill in gas chambers or sacrifice on the altar of Zionism—-innocent girls in battle dress uniforms, modest young mothers separated from their frantic husbands and stripped naked for “de-lousing”-—the kind murdered by twisted little Austrian upstarts and then exploited by—who else? The Wealthy Ruling Class—who purchased England during the Battle of Waterloo and financed all the participants in World War II pretty much everything since.
The Wealthy Ruling Class—“The Jews”. “The Jews” who carefully and craftily confuse themselves with the poor martyrs of Auschwitz because it buys them complete carte blanche politically and socially---complete immunity from any sort of accountability for ANYTHING they wish to say or demand. “The Jews” who by virtue of their shared genes with the victims of the Third Reich are not even challenged when they dare attempt to dictate the policies of the Holy Catholic Church.
“The Jews” --and WHY “The Jews”? What have they done to deserve the title “Jew”? Nothing apart from despising their faith and exploiting those who believe, and if “Jew” became a liability they would cast it aside. But it is not a liability. It is a title which allows them a privileged position ironically shared only with their ancient nemesis, Islam. Islam, the carefully deferred to so-called “Religion of Peace.” Has anybody ever picked up a damned HISTORY BOOK?
John Paul II kissed the Koran. It appears that Benedict may allow the Jews to dictate who he chooses to be his Bishops.
Williamson is accused of Holocaust Denial. What exactly does that mean? Certainly not what it says. For all practical purposes, Holocaust Denial means whatever “The Jews” say it means. In this case, it apparently means that Williamson, a man who doesn’t keep up with politically correct sensitivities, suggested that there may be a disagreement amoung scholars regarding the exact number of Holocaust victims and how they died. For this, he is accused of “Holocaust Denial”, which has come to mean that the perpetrator denies that the Nazis killed Jews and that he obviously does so because he hates Jews and wants more of them to die, and that any deviation from what “The Jews” dictate will lead to Jewish deaths.
In other words, if I am an socially oblivious accuracy freak history scholar who truly believes that 5,749,211 Jews died in the Holocaust and that two thirds of that number were buried alive rather than being gassed, I had better not say so. If I do, I will be a Holocaust Denier.
Do Catholics actually believe anything that they profess? I read an opinion recently that “Jesus Christ would not have allowed a Holocaust Denier amoung his apostles.” Really? He allowed a Roman collaborator who had fiscally raped his people not only to be his apostle but to write his biography… Then there was that anti-semite, John… Try reading John’s gospel, without any preconceived notions and tell me what John thought of the Jews. Of course, we know what John meant--we know that John didn't hate the children of Israel but was referring to the Pharisees and Saduccees who called the shots in Our Lord's trial, but somehow we are unable to extend that courtesy to anyone else. We can’t even contemplate the Jewish people with any kind of objectivity. We jump on the bandwagon when anyone yells “Holocaust Denier”. Does any of us ever turn and reply, “Christ Denier”? If we believe what Jesus said, then the First Great Commandment deals with loving GOD. The Jewish people deny the divinity of our GOD. The Talmudic Jews blaspheme and revile Our Lord and Our lady in the most heinous fashion, and instead of taking them to task, we fall all over ourselves kissing up to them and backing up their demands of retribution upon anyone who questions the details of their horrible national tragedy, which ought to be a matter for history and academic debate as much as any other national tragedy. Does ANYONE else enjoy this kind of privilege? Well, of course they do. The Muhammedans do. Anyone else?
What is wrong with our priorities, as Christians, when we take more offense at a historical inquiry than we do at having our GOD reviled? Does anyone get upset about the Armenians? The Sioux? The Cherokee? All those poor Russians starved by Stalin? Do any of those people command automatic immunity for EVERYTHING? Well, of course not.
“The Jews” control all the money in the world, and the Muhammedans are blood-thirsty barbarians who think they will gain virgins in heaven for every non-muhammedan they murder. We are justly afraid of both. But we ought to fear God more.
Let’s at least understand why we give preference to these two ancient enemies. Let’s stop pretending that we are somehow morally superior for allowing them to control us. We aren’t. Quite the opposite. We are bad Catholics and we are cowards.
Speaking of Ruling Classes, the English and Americans certainly don’t fall far below the Jews in the hierarchy of evil. Her Majesty Elizabeth II is going to knight Teddy Kennedy. There’s a rare pair for you. Sir Teddy Kennedy. The worst element of Irish Catholic depravity, knighted by the Protestant pretender. Will they dine cheek by ample jowl before the ceremony? What in the hell will they talk about?
I despise myself for the sorrow I’ve wasted on that woman in regards to her ill-behaved offspring. How else could they have turned out? Teddy bloody Kennedy.
Restore Francis II to the Throne of England and let’s be done with it!
And on the subject of Royalty, albeit in a roundabout way, I’ve suffered more than minor irritation lately from young ladies? Women? Like that McCain girl for instance, who complain because men like them for what they consider to be the Wrong Reasons. Ah, the angst. How will I know if I’m supposed to marry someone? What if he only likes me for my looks? Blah blah blah blah blah, you spoiled stupid female children! It’s none of your business, you whiney little twits, WHY the boy likes you! How dare you question the particular little twist of your lip, or tilt of your nose or arch of your eyebrow which God Almighty put on your simpering little face which, for WHATEVER reason, inspired that silly little boy and may at some time so motivate him so that he will become a man in order to embrace you as his wife? And how dare you whine, when God sends you a man, because you don’t know if he’s “really the one”?
When my girls were little, “Fergie” appeared on some idiotic news show and bemoaned her disillusionment with her royal marriage. The contrast with the queens represented in Beowulf, which we had been studying, was breath-taking, nor did the Little Girls miss the point. “I thought it was going to be like a fairy tale,” whined Fergie, and “I didn’t know that the entire Royal Navy would be going with us on our honeymoon.”
“What the hell’s wrong with her?” stormed Stuart. “She married a PRINCE of ENGLAND! What the hell made her think she was going to have a private life? What an idiot!”
“Yeah!” said Seguin. “I’m only a seven-year-old American and I know better than that!”
Well, my girls, I hope you never forget it, nor that you yourselves are royalty, and daughters of the most-high King. Like the queens in Beowulf, you must marry for the greater glory of God, and conduct yourselves with humility, dignity and unselfishness, observing all the tenets of Chivalry. Therein lies your happiness, and therein lies your answer.
And I have dishes to wash and floors to mop.
The Wealthy Ruling Class—“The Jews”. “The Jews” who carefully and craftily confuse themselves with the poor martyrs of Auschwitz because it buys them complete carte blanche politically and socially---complete immunity from any sort of accountability for ANYTHING they wish to say or demand. “The Jews” who by virtue of their shared genes with the victims of the Third Reich are not even challenged when they dare attempt to dictate the policies of the Holy Catholic Church.
“The Jews” --and WHY “The Jews”? What have they done to deserve the title “Jew”? Nothing apart from despising their faith and exploiting those who believe, and if “Jew” became a liability they would cast it aside. But it is not a liability. It is a title which allows them a privileged position ironically shared only with their ancient nemesis, Islam. Islam, the carefully deferred to so-called “Religion of Peace.” Has anybody ever picked up a damned HISTORY BOOK?
John Paul II kissed the Koran. It appears that Benedict may allow the Jews to dictate who he chooses to be his Bishops.
Williamson is accused of Holocaust Denial. What exactly does that mean? Certainly not what it says. For all practical purposes, Holocaust Denial means whatever “The Jews” say it means. In this case, it apparently means that Williamson, a man who doesn’t keep up with politically correct sensitivities, suggested that there may be a disagreement amoung scholars regarding the exact number of Holocaust victims and how they died. For this, he is accused of “Holocaust Denial”, which has come to mean that the perpetrator denies that the Nazis killed Jews and that he obviously does so because he hates Jews and wants more of them to die, and that any deviation from what “The Jews” dictate will lead to Jewish deaths.
In other words, if I am an socially oblivious accuracy freak history scholar who truly believes that 5,749,211 Jews died in the Holocaust and that two thirds of that number were buried alive rather than being gassed, I had better not say so. If I do, I will be a Holocaust Denier.
Do Catholics actually believe anything that they profess? I read an opinion recently that “Jesus Christ would not have allowed a Holocaust Denier amoung his apostles.” Really? He allowed a Roman collaborator who had fiscally raped his people not only to be his apostle but to write his biography… Then there was that anti-semite, John… Try reading John’s gospel, without any preconceived notions and tell me what John thought of the Jews. Of course, we know what John meant--we know that John didn't hate the children of Israel but was referring to the Pharisees and Saduccees who called the shots in Our Lord's trial, but somehow we are unable to extend that courtesy to anyone else. We can’t even contemplate the Jewish people with any kind of objectivity. We jump on the bandwagon when anyone yells “Holocaust Denier”. Does any of us ever turn and reply, “Christ Denier”? If we believe what Jesus said, then the First Great Commandment deals with loving GOD. The Jewish people deny the divinity of our GOD. The Talmudic Jews blaspheme and revile Our Lord and Our lady in the most heinous fashion, and instead of taking them to task, we fall all over ourselves kissing up to them and backing up their demands of retribution upon anyone who questions the details of their horrible national tragedy, which ought to be a matter for history and academic debate as much as any other national tragedy. Does ANYONE else enjoy this kind of privilege? Well, of course they do. The Muhammedans do. Anyone else?
What is wrong with our priorities, as Christians, when we take more offense at a historical inquiry than we do at having our GOD reviled? Does anyone get upset about the Armenians? The Sioux? The Cherokee? All those poor Russians starved by Stalin? Do any of those people command automatic immunity for EVERYTHING? Well, of course not.
“The Jews” control all the money in the world, and the Muhammedans are blood-thirsty barbarians who think they will gain virgins in heaven for every non-muhammedan they murder. We are justly afraid of both. But we ought to fear God more.
Let’s at least understand why we give preference to these two ancient enemies. Let’s stop pretending that we are somehow morally superior for allowing them to control us. We aren’t. Quite the opposite. We are bad Catholics and we are cowards.
Speaking of Ruling Classes, the English and Americans certainly don’t fall far below the Jews in the hierarchy of evil. Her Majesty Elizabeth II is going to knight Teddy Kennedy. There’s a rare pair for you. Sir Teddy Kennedy. The worst element of Irish Catholic depravity, knighted by the Protestant pretender. Will they dine cheek by ample jowl before the ceremony? What in the hell will they talk about?
I despise myself for the sorrow I’ve wasted on that woman in regards to her ill-behaved offspring. How else could they have turned out? Teddy bloody Kennedy.
Restore Francis II to the Throne of England and let’s be done with it!
And on the subject of Royalty, albeit in a roundabout way, I’ve suffered more than minor irritation lately from young ladies? Women? Like that McCain girl for instance, who complain because men like them for what they consider to be the Wrong Reasons. Ah, the angst. How will I know if I’m supposed to marry someone? What if he only likes me for my looks? Blah blah blah blah blah, you spoiled stupid female children! It’s none of your business, you whiney little twits, WHY the boy likes you! How dare you question the particular little twist of your lip, or tilt of your nose or arch of your eyebrow which God Almighty put on your simpering little face which, for WHATEVER reason, inspired that silly little boy and may at some time so motivate him so that he will become a man in order to embrace you as his wife? And how dare you whine, when God sends you a man, because you don’t know if he’s “really the one”?
When my girls were little, “Fergie” appeared on some idiotic news show and bemoaned her disillusionment with her royal marriage. The contrast with the queens represented in Beowulf, which we had been studying, was breath-taking, nor did the Little Girls miss the point. “I thought it was going to be like a fairy tale,” whined Fergie, and “I didn’t know that the entire Royal Navy would be going with us on our honeymoon.”
“What the hell’s wrong with her?” stormed Stuart. “She married a PRINCE of ENGLAND! What the hell made her think she was going to have a private life? What an idiot!”
“Yeah!” said Seguin. “I’m only a seven-year-old American and I know better than that!”
Well, my girls, I hope you never forget it, nor that you yourselves are royalty, and daughters of the most-high King. Like the queens in Beowulf, you must marry for the greater glory of God, and conduct yourselves with humility, dignity and unselfishness, observing all the tenets of Chivalry. Therein lies your happiness, and therein lies your answer.
And I have dishes to wash and floors to mop.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
I've figured out the upside!
Every day, I tell myself that since there is nothing I can do about the national situation, I'm going to withdraw from the whole thing, and just be isolated and ignorant...and you know what? Things have gotten so bad that I really HAVE withdrawn and isolated myself! I am mentally ghettoed up! It's wonderful! I didn't watch the news this morning, or yesterday, or the day before...I may bloody well never watch it again!
Free at last, free at last! Etc! Folks, I'm not kidding when I say that I feel happier and more relaxed than I have in a long time. I know it will make me mad to pay my taxes, but it always does, and anticipating it won't help, and it's not as if I can possibly affect the situation. So I am going to pretend I live in Middle Earth and just not worry about anything.
I have the Best Bishop in the Country! I have the Best Husband in the World! I have 7 beautiful children! I have my wonderful animals and lots of paint and a word processor and pens and pencils. I certainly have more than enough to eat and drink, and for the time being I can still afford roll-your-owns. I have the sweetest life possible. I have no right to be anything but happy.
Free at last, free at last! Etc! Folks, I'm not kidding when I say that I feel happier and more relaxed than I have in a long time. I know it will make me mad to pay my taxes, but it always does, and anticipating it won't help, and it's not as if I can possibly affect the situation. So I am going to pretend I live in Middle Earth and just not worry about anything.
I have the Best Bishop in the Country! I have the Best Husband in the World! I have 7 beautiful children! I have my wonderful animals and lots of paint and a word processor and pens and pencils. I certainly have more than enough to eat and drink, and for the time being I can still afford roll-your-owns. I have the sweetest life possible. I have no right to be anything but happy.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
A Whole Blessed New Year!
Happy New Year
I am fixin' New Year's Day dinner, and only have a moment, but wanted to put down in writing that all my friends would all be surprised to know how often you cross my mind, and how dearly I cherish God's blessings for you---every one of you...
What a difference a year makes! 2008 has been so much better than the year preceeding it. Even 2007 had its good and beautiful moments---Stuart's graduation, Chisum and Erin's wonderful wedding! What an incredible grace that has been for us all. So good to have dear Erin in our family!
2008 had a few problems---my health is worse, but Seguin's is SO much better! Stuart has had to work her butt off in vet school, but she got in! and Forrest is Out of the Army!
2009 is already shaping up to be beautiful---starting with Our Rachel's baptism in two weeks, and her Wedding to Crockett three days later! I'm baking cakes and choosing frostings. Such a happy time!
I am so grateful for the continued happiness of Chisum and Erin, who seem to be more crazy about each other with ever day, for Forrest's new status as a civilian and his wonderful pilgrimage to Europe, for Crockett's new life with dear Rachel---what are the odds of people even FINDING each other these days?---for Stuart's increasing interest in her chosen field and for the good friends who get her throught the hard days, and for my baby Seguin's lupus remission and for her renewed resolve to trust Our Lord and herself, and to put bad things behind her.
Most of all, I'm grateful for my Dennis. I know that he is a saint, and if you knew all that he has carried throughout his life, all the sacrifices he's made, you would know it as well. I ask God's blessing on him, and may he receive gratitude and admiration from his family here, and glory in Our Lord's Kingdom forever.
God bless you all.
Happy new year, and a blessed Feast of the Circumcision!
I am fixin' New Year's Day dinner, and only have a moment, but wanted to put down in writing that all my friends would all be surprised to know how often you cross my mind, and how dearly I cherish God's blessings for you---every one of you...
What a difference a year makes! 2008 has been so much better than the year preceeding it. Even 2007 had its good and beautiful moments---Stuart's graduation, Chisum and Erin's wonderful wedding! What an incredible grace that has been for us all. So good to have dear Erin in our family!
2008 had a few problems---my health is worse, but Seguin's is SO much better! Stuart has had to work her butt off in vet school, but she got in! and Forrest is Out of the Army!
2009 is already shaping up to be beautiful---starting with Our Rachel's baptism in two weeks, and her Wedding to Crockett three days later! I'm baking cakes and choosing frostings. Such a happy time!
I am so grateful for the continued happiness of Chisum and Erin, who seem to be more crazy about each other with ever day, for Forrest's new status as a civilian and his wonderful pilgrimage to Europe, for Crockett's new life with dear Rachel---what are the odds of people even FINDING each other these days?---for Stuart's increasing interest in her chosen field and for the good friends who get her throught the hard days, and for my baby Seguin's lupus remission and for her renewed resolve to trust Our Lord and herself, and to put bad things behind her.
Most of all, I'm grateful for my Dennis. I know that he is a saint, and if you knew all that he has carried throughout his life, all the sacrifices he's made, you would know it as well. I ask God's blessing on him, and may he receive gratitude and admiration from his family here, and glory in Our Lord's Kingdom forever.
God bless you all.
Happy new year, and a blessed Feast of the Circumcision!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Rest in Peace, Blanco
Today we buried the best cat in Christendom. Aged somewhere between 13 and 18 years old, Blanco has been with us for 12 years. None of us can really remember Life before Blanco…
Blanco involved himself in every possible aspect of our lives. He was always benevolent, always sociable, always kind to smaller creatures. Our pet doves, our pet mouse, and Marcel the bunny were all nose touching friends to Blanco, who would reach through the bars on the dove cage and pat his little feathered friends on the head.
Head-butting was Blanco’s greeting of choice, and he would approach in a kind, Kingly fashion to touch foreheads with new people and animals. He liked to lie on the couch, reaching down and gently petting the dogs who lay on the floor.
Blanco loved board games and always participated, whether you wanted him to or not. He was certain that the board and pieces had been specially laid out as a lovely resting place for himself. He would lie down in the middle of the proceedings and positively beam his pleasure and general goodwill.
Blanco would rather have fallen from a cliff than to pierce flesh with his impressive claws, but he often used them to grab your clothing in order to get your attention, or move you to where he wanted you to be. He showed them to Tweek, Dot, and their seven litter mates only once, when they came bounding up to him en masse. He raised his paw, claws extended, as if to say, “Careful, children!” He never again threatened any of them, but they had the utmost respect for him.
At his peak, Blanco outweighed Benny, the Chiweanie, and was certainly taller. They were fast friends, playing together and sharing warmth.
Blanco cared for his adopted special needs brother Scooter, grooming him, because Scooter didn’t understand how to groom himself. He was always, concerned, compassionate, cheerful and forgiving.
He had an understanding of shared responsibility with Scipio, the Alpha Male dog, and they always greeted each other pleasantly.
Blanco’s decline was fairly rapid. He succumbed to an evil cancer which consumed his intestine and colon. He never lost his love for visiting us and being close to us. He had lost a great deal of weight in the last three weeks and had been acting “older” for a couple of months, but blood work indicated there was no involvement of his kidneys or liver…yet he continued to ingest less and less, and his doctor suspected cancer. She told me she thought there was a mass in his abdomen, and that in order to know more she'd have to perform surgery. Although he was failing physically, Blanco's cheerful and charitable spirit never waned. Even when forced to take nasty tasting medicine, he merely made a little mad cat face and blew spit bubbles...
This morning the doctor opened him up to determine whether he could have a few quality weeks or even months by removing the mass---however, besides the hideous tennis ball sized mass of twisted tissue and ugly veins at the top of his intestine, most of the lymph nodes in his intestine were already hard and the cancer had moved all the way down to his colon. Seeing the damage made it obvious that there really was just nothing to do---extending his life would have been cruel and selfish.
Seguin and I had held him and talked to him while he went to sleep for the surgery, so we euthanised him rather than waking him up. His last feelings in this life were of drowsiness and lots of love.
Forrest buried him out by the orchard fence.
We will miss him a lot.
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