Apocalypse Nowish

Signs that the end is nigh?

Weird things are happening.  And what happens tonight?  The weirdest random thing of all.   Since the beginning of 2011, many natural disaster things have and continue to happen in my area, and I'm to the point where I am wondering if it will end any time soon.

Multiple destructive tornadoes in the St. Louis area?  Check.

Large hail on more occasions that I can count at my house?  Check.

Solar flare knocking out cell and GPS service?  Check.

Earthquake that woke me from my slumber and shook my home?  Check.

Cicada infestation?  Check.

What does the Book of Revelation say?  Did I miss anything?  Did somebody say, "repent?"  Oh yeah, I almost forgot the weirdest of them all.  I often randomly surf through random blogs trying to find something interesting to read or follow.  Tonight I stumbled across a blog of someone I know.  Who?  Oh, just my ex-fiance.

I was not expecting that.  At all.  I cannot ever remember stumbling across a blog and realizing I knew the owner before.  It's so strange.  And yet, my inner dialogue response was the weirdest of all.  I considered the possibility of commenting on a post.  This is definitely going to prayer with me tonight, but I have to wonder the big question of "why."  It would be great if you gave me a clue to what you're doing, God.  Thanks.

B90: Judith

Judith beheads Holofernes

I like reading things either really early in the morning or late at night, so I have a full day to ponder the material I read, often relating it to daily events or to the longings of my heart.

Judith was both difficult and a joy to read.  For my non-catholic-y readers, you can find the Book of Judith here with the introduction that I'm reading in The Catholic Study Bible.  In the Catholic bible, Judith is found after Tobit, before Esther.  So, as many of the Old Testament books begin, Judith opens with a narrative of war and battles in regions that are a bit fuzzy in my visual of an ancient map.  These parts of the bible that describe war, battles, and war strategies do not hold my attention unless there is a personal biographical narrative embedded within it.  Luckily, the book of Judith quickly got to the main storyline of, well, Judith!

The storyline is typically well known.  The Israelites are under attack and may be forced to surrender.  Judith convinces the elders to allow her to leave the gates of the city in order to do God's will and save God's people.  She ends up in the enemies tent, with a drunk commander.  She takes his sword, beheads him, and takes his head back in a sack to the village elders and God's people are saved.

When I read this last night, this one passage really stuck out to me:

Jdt 8:8: "No one had a bad word to say about her, for she was a very God fearing woman."

I know that many times I say things that I shouldn't say at work or with friends, and I often wonder if people speak ill of me when I am not present.  I'm glad I read this passage so I can take it to prayer for me to know when to shut my mouth so I can evolve into the character of a God fearing woman.

Today I was driving around trying to get some errands done.  When I drive, I contemplate things and life.  I started thinking about Judith...  Oh, God had quite the field day with my heart and mind this morning!

Often, I avoid God's tug on my heart.  I don't know if a lot of people know this or not, but when I'm at Mass or before the Blessed Sacrament, I feel his presence very strongly in a physical way.  It moves me.  It tugs at me.  It calls to me.  But, I'm often fearful of where it will take me.  In the story of Judith, the Elders were afraid of what would happen to the people in the city, and therefore gave God an ultimatum to receive water and food or they would surrender.  Judith was not fearful.  She prayed.  She heard the voice of God and acted.  God, in turn, saved his people by her hand.

How often do I hear the voice of God and refuse to act?  How often am I fearful and ignore the call, tug and voice?  How much good could I be doing to help others if I would have acted?

Judith, pray for us!  Help us to be trusting and fearless.  Help me act when the Holy Spirit moves me.  Jesus, I trust in You!

B90: Tobit

Tobiah and Sarah kneeling in prayer on their wedding night while Raphael slays the demon.

God provides.

After I read all of my B90 day one reading in Genesis, I was greeted by an email from our B90 small group leader that we would be delaying the start for one week.  I was so excited!  Why?  Because I can spend this week reading my 7 deuterocanonical books!  Yeehaw!

So, last night I read Tobit.  All of Tobit.  It's not that long, and it's written as an engaging story in narrative form.  For all my non-Catholic-y readers, you can read the Book of Tobit here.  There is also an introduction at the link, which is the same introduction I'm reading in my Catholic Study Bible.  How convenient!  In the Catholic bible, Tobit is located after the Book of Nehemiah.

I love how the introduction to Tobit states the major themes that are taught in the text:  fidelity to the law, the intercessory function of angels, piety toward parents, the purity of marriage, reverence for the dead, and the value of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.  It's easy to see all of this in Tobit.  I really liked how it wasn't in your face like, "OH, woe to you who did not fast and pray, death be to your kinsmen!"  It was embedded throughout the text in the virtues, values and principles of the characters.  The characters demonstrated these virtues through their words and actions, which is the best example there can be.

I won't tell you the entire story (don't want to spoil it for the newbies to Tobit!), but anytime there is an archangel in disguise to help humans and the slayage of a demon in order for a wedding to be consummated, I'm intrigued.   Of course, my favorite part is this prayer that Tobiah prays with Sarah on their wedding night...

"When the girl's parents left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, Tobiah arose from bed and said to his wife, 'My love, get up.  Let us pray and beg our Lord to have mercy on us and to grand us deliverance.'  She got up, and they started to pray and beg that deliverance might be theirs.  He began with these words:

'Blessed are you, O God of our fathers; praised be your name forever and ever.
Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever.
You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended.
You said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself.'
Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose.
Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age.'"

B90

Today, I start the Bible in 90 Days Challenge.  A wonderful friend invited me to join their B90 group, and I was eager to say YES.  One slight problem, however...  The Bible in 90 Days Challenge programming is for a non-Catholic bible.  What's the problem, you ask?  Oh, just a little thing called the deuterocanonical texts, that's all.

If you break it down and if I want to read the Catholic bible in 90 days (which let's face it, I do!), then I have 7 more books of the bible to fit in these mere 90 days of intense reading.  Which books am I referring to?  That would be: Baruch, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Sirach, Tobit, and Wisdom.  If anyone has a great plan for me to fit these extra books into the structure of B90, now would be the time to share your expertise with me.

Don't get me wrong, I've read the Old Testament before when I was taking graduate level theology courses at Ave Maria University, but it was a quick read.  The reading required for those classes was so intense I couldn't keep up and ultimately dropped out of the program.  Maybe again someday...

I'd really like to read the Old Testament using the newest edition of the New American Bible, but I'm torn between that and the RSV Catholic Edition by Ignatius, which was required reading for courses in theology.  But, honestly, I'm leaning towards my NAB "The Catholic Study Bible" because I can reread the introduction materials for each book, giving a great reference point.  Maybe I have too many bibles...

Anyway, I will be blogging about my reading, impressions, frustrations, new insights, and whatever else may surface.  Get ready bible, here I come!

Book Review: unPlanned

Usually, I do not read an entire book from cover to cover in 24 hours unless it is part of the Twilight Saga or Harry Potter Series.  I typically read about 10 books at a time, rotating my interest between how I am feeling each day.  This weekend, however, I read an entire book in 24 hours.  It was unPlanned by Abby Johnson.

I love biographies.  I think it has to do that I'm fascinated with hearing a person's story.  My former business colleague and professor, Tom Conran, ignited a fire in me to listen to each person's story and to strive to be a great storyteller.

Tom Conran

So, on with the book review!  UnPlanned was a little different than I anticipated.  I knew it was a book with a pro-life and christian message, but I didn't expect to get so drawn into a story line with a main character who was through most of the book very pro-choice and pro-planned parenthood.  Yet, I was engaged from the very beginning.  While reading, I felt like I was experiencing the transformation and change of heart with Abby, and it was a bit emotional.

Overall a great read, no matter your stance on Planned Parenthood or abortion.  In fact, if you are pro-choice, I challenge you to read this book.  You might be surprised.

Sew...Excited?

Rarely do I have a bad experience at a craft store.  Unless, of course, you consider how much money I spend!  That is, until today.  Up until this evening, I was super crazy excited about the ideas I have to upcycle a bunch of clothes I have into blankets, quilts, scarves, hats, etc., and to start sewing some clothes like skirts for work that will save me some money.  I was excited until I ventured to the St. Peter's JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts.

It has been years since I have seriously shopped for sewing supplies.  In late elementary school and into Jr. High school, I took sewing lessons from a local seamstress.  And, in 7th grade, I took home economics which included a sewing section.  In sewing lessons, I even made my Easter dress one year and a jacket and pants that I wore for 7th grade school pictures.  So, I'm not a complete stranger to the sewing section.  However, it's been about *gasp* 20 years!  GEEZ.

So, I was excited when I walked into JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts for the first time.  Then I was overwhelmed.  Then, I needed help and couldn't find a sales associate to assist me to save my life.  THEN, I waited in line for 20 minutes to check out so I could buy my half price pin cushion (among other things).  When I was overwhelmed and needed some help, I had a "Saved by the Bell" moment from the past...



I'm so...SEW....SCARED!  Well, maybe not scared, but overwhelmed. :)

I did buy a pattern for a cross body laptop bag, which I'm excited about, and I bought some things I don't have at the house like a seam ripper, pins, and a pin cushion.  I know I have these things somewhere...probably in my parent's basement...that has been packed in a random box for 20 years.  UGH.

I bought a new sewing machine that should arrive just in time to start my summer break.  I have a sewing machine that was my Gramma's...or my Great Aunt Irma's?  I don't remember which one.  BUT, it's, again, in my parent's basement and it's one of those machines that i part of a table, which I absolutely do NOT have room for at my house.  So, the new singer went on a good sale, and I broke down and bought it.

Do you have any great upcycle patterns or ideas that I could use?  Great patterns I should check out?  I'm really looking for a pattern for an all soft body doll (head, too)...I have a great idea to expand my small crafting business if I can pull it off! :)

To TV or Not to TV...

That is the question.

Like most people, I use television to get a lot of my news information and to de-stress after a long day of work, grad school, and other stressful things.  But, more and more I find myself mindlessly flipping through 200 channels with nothing to watch.  Sex, violence, and morally questionable shows seem to be everywhere, and I just don't find it entertaining anymore.  Even dramatic television series' like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" just seem to annoy me more than anything, especially "Private Practice."  Every episode just seems to be so morally controversial, and I am just frustrated.

I spoke with one of my friends over the weekend about how I was going to change my U-Verse service.  Before I could answer, she asked if I was adding premium channels or moving up to the U300 package.  When I told her I was decreasing my service from the U200 package to the U-Family package, she seemed a little dumbfounded.  I explained to her that I don't really watch many of the channels and I could save about $15 per month by downsizing my package.  Then she said something kinda hurtful:  Can you do that?  You're not a family.  You're just one person!  And she laughed.

I just brushed off her comment at the time, but it seemed like a dig.  Just because I'm single doesn't mean I'm not part of a family.  I explained to her it meant "family friendly" channels, but she just said "sure."  Sigh.

Well, I'm happy that I changed my package today.  I'm keeping my subscription to streaming Netflix so I can watch some of my favorite shows (ehem, Little House on the Prairie). :)

What do you think about downsizing your television package?  Do you watch all the channels?  Should you be?  Do you have better things to do with your time than managing your DVR?