Over and Above My Wishlist

Earlier in the season, I posted a list of books I'd like and wished for the time to read them.  The books came and I'm making the time.  I started with Myths from Mesopotamia by Stephanie Dalley.  She includes so many details and end notes that my interest was stirred beyond the story of Adapa, and I found myself thinking of ancient stories in new ways.  Practical matters like missing bits and lost cultural assumptions.  I wanted the kids at our homeschool cooperative to have the same experience, but I knew it'd be difficult to acquire sufficient copies of the text.  "Ye have not because ye ask not" is a piece of ancient literature I was taught well.  On a whim I looked up Ms. Dalley and sent her an email asking if I might copy the pages for the kids.  To my great delight she replied the seven pages I needed were an allowed amount to copy.  It felt so good to send out those pages to my students.  It's going to be such a great class.  

Ms. Dalley also suggested we watch her documentary on finding the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.  You can see it HERE on YouTube.  It is exactly the kind of thing we want the kids to be watching.  The careful detective work, the critical contributions and leadership of a woman, and the terrible losses we are suffering because we'd rather fight instead of fight for peace, these are all values every kids should be exposed to.  Sometimes it's not just a book, sometime's it a new world or a new hero.  Sometimes it's all of the above.

Musical Toothbrush

There is always that one cool toy you buy your kids, but wish Santa had bought one for you.  This toothbrush is my secret wish this year.   Sure two minutes seems like forever, but you don't notice as much when the music is going straight into your brain.  The things they have for kids these days.

See it here. 

Early Christmas Present

I am proud to announce my oldest daughter has been accepted by The University of Michigan, her first choice.  We are all so proud of her and her accomplishment.  She'd like to study neuroscience even though she is an amazing writer.  Whatever she does, she does well.

god is in the details

I've been working on this tree topper for years.  I want it to express my beautiful faith, and it does.  The Crown of Thorns reminds us of this baby's destiny.  The lilies sing of the beauty and sacredness of the death whose clock starts ticking now.  The red berries proclaim the power of his blood both in its origin and in its purpose.  I loved it until I took a picture and looked at the details.  I left the price tags on.  One unattractive stem is simply hanging out there.  The top of the tree is still visible.  I immediately stopped seeing the meaning allowing minor details to rob me of this moment of faith.  My god shifted from the Christ to the details.  It was all about me, maybe it had been all along.  Bringing my heart back to purpose has been today's challenge, to remember who I am celebrating not how.

Intersection

I went to my first reconciliation service Sunday.  I've been to confession at the regularly offered time before, but this was my first group confession.  Not that we confessed as a group, there was half a mass and then we all lined up to get down to business.  Five priests who had joined with Father Dan were sprinkled around the church.  It was interesting that some priests had more fans than others.  I picked mine because I used to live in that priest's parish.  

I'm always surprised at how different Catholics approach these moments differently.  Some of us stood there making some small talk.  Some were nervous, constantly making little motions.  Some were bored.  I was trying to remember all my sins and making sure they were represented on my Mea Culpa App.  Some sins are easier to remember than others.

I liked the group experience.  The honesty of all that steaming shit I didn't know the details of, and the embarrassed relief as each person finished their penance, made me feel more completely part of things.  We were all in it together.  It was a good thing to know.

Fascinating

I have always been blessed with fascinating friends.  Starting with Rene Rosier in kindergarten until the present day, my friends have always stretched me and introduced me to wider worlds.  A recent addition, Janet Tyson, is helping me see art in new and hip ways through her work, guerrilla exhibitions, and most recently her art blog--artcite.net.

Janet's work is highly conceptualized without being stuffy.  Legos are her preferred medium and I never knew that they could say so much.  She also has a lot to say about other people's work.  I hadn't fully appreciated Rene Magritte and the Early Netherlandish artists before we were friends, and now I have new windows into the way the past connects with the present artist--that's useful no matter what creative field you work in.  You should quickly go and make her acquaintance.

Visit her HERE, and be prepared to learn.

The Other St. Francis

Today is the memorial of St. Francis Xavier.  He was a missionary to Asia.  I like his fervent spirit and his care for those who had no opportunity for education in the faith.  You can learn more about him HERE at this link.  Below is a quote from his letters.

Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again I have thought of going round the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”

I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them.

This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God’s will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart:Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do?Send me anywhere you like—even to India.