Sometimes, I find something so beautiful that I have nothing to say about it. So, all that is really important is that, the other day, I was thinking about what motivates people to help one another. Specifically, I was thinking about this responsibility to love as Christ loves. Anyways, I came across this poem, and it's beautiful. And I don't have much more to say.
I hope you love it.
Love,
Sara
"Christ Has No Body" by Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
More Thoughts on Love
If I am honest, I have to admit that I sometimes have a hard time sticking to religious practices. I can be lax about reading my Bible. I probably don't pray as much as I should. I spent most of my life to this point as a non-practicing Christian, so I never really developed those good habits when I was younger. But, really, most of my lack of following religious practices is owing to an inherent laziness. I mean, so long as I'm being honest, I might as well admit to my laziness.
But, oddly enough and despite my laziness, I think about God throughout much of my day. I remember reading somewhere that a relationship with God is something like a young man who is in love for the first time. Though he can't spend every moment with the object of his affection, when he finds a spare moment, his thoughts turn to her. I sort of loved that. I sort of thought it was beautiful.
Lately, in those moments, I've found myself thinking about the enormous love of God. I think of the selflessness of Christ, the unworthiness of us all to receive such love. And yet, well, and yet we do receive that love.
But, what amazes me most is that, in receiving that love of Christ, we are entrusted with the responsibility of showing that love to others. Maybe "responsibility" isn't the right word. "Responsibility" always sounds so forced. I'm responsible for doing all of those mundane tasks that I really don't want to do, like filling out forms for work or jumping through bureaucratic hoops.
It's not that sort of responsibility. To love is an opportunity. We have the opportunity to show Christ's love in a world where love is often hard to come by. Sometimes, I think of the verses from Matthew:
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'[...]'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"
It reminds me of Mother Teresa, speaking of the people she worked with in India. She said that, "Each one of them is Jesus in disguise." And, she once said, "I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord Himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?" It's as if, in so many ways throughout our lives, we are given these beautiful opportunities to care for others as we would care for Christ and, in turn, to be the face of Christ to those who so desperately need love. And, if we're really honest, we have to admit that each of us--no matter how smart or rich or beautiful--needs love, longs for it, would do almost anything to have it.
I guess it makes sense that my thoughts of late have revolved around God's love, as I'm realizing that there is no end to it. As I've been writing this, so many things come to my mind, so many ways that I am awed by the enormity of God's infinite love. So many ways that I am grateful that God has given me such a gift as this chance to show love to others. I could say much more, and I probably will on another day. But, right now I will probably go to bed. I may even say a prayer before I fall asleep. A prayer of thanks that God is good, that His love endures forever. Amen.
I love you all so much,
Sara
But, oddly enough and despite my laziness, I think about God throughout much of my day. I remember reading somewhere that a relationship with God is something like a young man who is in love for the first time. Though he can't spend every moment with the object of his affection, when he finds a spare moment, his thoughts turn to her. I sort of loved that. I sort of thought it was beautiful.
Lately, in those moments, I've found myself thinking about the enormous love of God. I think of the selflessness of Christ, the unworthiness of us all to receive such love. And yet, well, and yet we do receive that love.
But, what amazes me most is that, in receiving that love of Christ, we are entrusted with the responsibility of showing that love to others. Maybe "responsibility" isn't the right word. "Responsibility" always sounds so forced. I'm responsible for doing all of those mundane tasks that I really don't want to do, like filling out forms for work or jumping through bureaucratic hoops.
It's not that sort of responsibility. To love is an opportunity. We have the opportunity to show Christ's love in a world where love is often hard to come by. Sometimes, I think of the verses from Matthew:
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'[...]'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"
It reminds me of Mother Teresa, speaking of the people she worked with in India. She said that, "Each one of them is Jesus in disguise." And, she once said, "I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord Himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?" It's as if, in so many ways throughout our lives, we are given these beautiful opportunities to care for others as we would care for Christ and, in turn, to be the face of Christ to those who so desperately need love. And, if we're really honest, we have to admit that each of us--no matter how smart or rich or beautiful--needs love, longs for it, would do almost anything to have it.
I guess it makes sense that my thoughts of late have revolved around God's love, as I'm realizing that there is no end to it. As I've been writing this, so many things come to my mind, so many ways that I am awed by the enormity of God's infinite love. So many ways that I am grateful that God has given me such a gift as this chance to show love to others. I could say much more, and I probably will on another day. But, right now I will probably go to bed. I may even say a prayer before I fall asleep. A prayer of thanks that God is good, that His love endures forever. Amen.
I love you all so much,
Sara
Sunday, February 15, 2009
A Valentine for You
Valentine's Day is over. It always seems a little sad when those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are moved to a big pile, shoved off to make room for the next holiday, reduced for quick sale. I know it's not popular to like Valentine's Day. It's commercial. It's fake. It's just plain silly.
But, I do love Valentine's Day. I love seeing people happy. I love that people take a day to be kind to each other. I love that people give each other flowers and that even little kids scrawl their names on little cards for each other. I love that there is one day when we hear the word "love" most everywhere we go.
My mom used to say that I was like my dad. Not given to too much emotion. Not one to cry too much, if at all. And, that's a pretty fair assessment. I don't like to cry. I don't like people to see me cry. I don't like people to ask me how I'm feeling. And when they do, I usually lie. There's a certain expression that I feel my face make whenever I'm about to cry. It's a serious, almost angry face.
I felt that earlier this evening when went to work out. Oddly enough, I'd been thinking about Valentine's Day, about why I like it so much. And I realized that I love Valentine's Day because, as a ridiculous idealist, it's how I want to see people treat each other. I love Valentine's Day because there's something so beautiful about its spirit, even if it's a bit tinged by commercialism.
And, I love it because, though I am an idealist, I've dealt with and seen a lot of very realistic heartache in my life, and there's something about Valentine's Day that gives me hope that we can love each other. Because when I think about some of the things I've seen and lived through, there is so much that I don't know how to fix.
I see her, struggling with the abuse brought on by a relative, the sister who took the bulk of the abuse. Sometimes during dinner she just stares off, and I know that she is somewhere very painful. I see him, killing himself with drugs, self-medicating and trying to overcome the demons in his heart and mind. Trying to find some sort of escape. Never sleeping and never eating. And I see the many students I've taught, young people who deal with unimaginable pain, but hide it so well under such bright, beautiful smiles.
I see all of that. And I don't know how to fix it. I don't know how to make any of it better. I don't know how to fix all of the hurts that I see, and I know that there are countless more hurts that I don't see.
So, all of this was going around in my head as I tried to make it through my usual workout. I felt the serious, angry face coming on. I felt something. Was that sweat? Was it a tear? Was it both?
There are times when even those of us who aren't prone to crying end up completely losing it. Perhaps it's my own fault. There was a time when I prayed that I would love others as Christ does, and it seems that those prayers have caught up with me. Love like that can hurt. And, even though there are so many hurts that I can't fix, I will keep trying. Keep loving. Keep making an effort to give love when I can.
Happy belated Valentine's Day, everyone. I love you all.
Oh, and as a Valentine, please enjoy this video. I loved it.
But, I do love Valentine's Day. I love seeing people happy. I love that people take a day to be kind to each other. I love that people give each other flowers and that even little kids scrawl their names on little cards for each other. I love that there is one day when we hear the word "love" most everywhere we go.
My mom used to say that I was like my dad. Not given to too much emotion. Not one to cry too much, if at all. And, that's a pretty fair assessment. I don't like to cry. I don't like people to see me cry. I don't like people to ask me how I'm feeling. And when they do, I usually lie. There's a certain expression that I feel my face make whenever I'm about to cry. It's a serious, almost angry face.
I felt that earlier this evening when went to work out. Oddly enough, I'd been thinking about Valentine's Day, about why I like it so much. And I realized that I love Valentine's Day because, as a ridiculous idealist, it's how I want to see people treat each other. I love Valentine's Day because there's something so beautiful about its spirit, even if it's a bit tinged by commercialism.
And, I love it because, though I am an idealist, I've dealt with and seen a lot of very realistic heartache in my life, and there's something about Valentine's Day that gives me hope that we can love each other. Because when I think about some of the things I've seen and lived through, there is so much that I don't know how to fix.
I see her, struggling with the abuse brought on by a relative, the sister who took the bulk of the abuse. Sometimes during dinner she just stares off, and I know that she is somewhere very painful. I see him, killing himself with drugs, self-medicating and trying to overcome the demons in his heart and mind. Trying to find some sort of escape. Never sleeping and never eating. And I see the many students I've taught, young people who deal with unimaginable pain, but hide it so well under such bright, beautiful smiles.
I see all of that. And I don't know how to fix it. I don't know how to make any of it better. I don't know how to fix all of the hurts that I see, and I know that there are countless more hurts that I don't see.
So, all of this was going around in my head as I tried to make it through my usual workout. I felt the serious, angry face coming on. I felt something. Was that sweat? Was it a tear? Was it both?
There are times when even those of us who aren't prone to crying end up completely losing it. Perhaps it's my own fault. There was a time when I prayed that I would love others as Christ does, and it seems that those prayers have caught up with me. Love like that can hurt. And, even though there are so many hurts that I can't fix, I will keep trying. Keep loving. Keep making an effort to give love when I can.
Happy belated Valentine's Day, everyone. I love you all.
Oh, and as a Valentine, please enjoy this video. I loved it.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
About Work and a Poem
Right now, Job #2 is pretty slow. Because it's the beginning of the semester, we really don't have too many students coming into the Writing Center, and, when we do, it's usually to ask really quick questions or do short sessions to look over their application essays. Those are a lot of fun because I get to learn about the students and just have a nice time of talking to them about what they want to major in, what they want to do with their lives, all those complicated but exciting conversations.
However, there is a lot of downtime right now, so we use that time to catch up on reading for our training sessions and to familiarize ourselves with the kinds of essays the students will be working on this semester. We're going to be seeing a lot of literature papers pretty soon, so we've been looking through the literature anthology to get acquainted with what the students might be reading.
I'm not going to lie. We often end up just reading poems aloud to one another or thinking about staging some of the plays and then deciding not to. Sometimes we read poems and then argue about them. But, the other day, I read this poem, and we were all just so moved by it. I didn't cry when I read it, but I wanted to. Anyways, I thought I'd share it.
Gwendolyn Brooks
"The Mother"
Abortions will not let you forget.
You remember the children you got that you did not get,
The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair,
The singers and workers that never handled the air.
You will never neglect or beat
Them, or silence or buy with a sweet.
You will never wind up the sucking-thumb
Or scuttle off ghosts that come.
You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh,
Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye.
I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed
children.
I have contracted. I have eased
My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck.
I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized
Your luck
And your lives from your unfinished reach,
If I stole your births and your names,
Your straight baby tears and your games,
Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches,
and your deaths,
If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths,
Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate.
Though why should I whine,
Whine that the crime was other than mine?--
Since anyhow you are dead.
Or rather, or instead,
You were never made.
But that too, I am afraid,
Is faulty: oh, what shall I say, how is the truth to be said?
You were born, you had body, you died.
It is just that you never giggled or planned or cried.
Believe me, I loved you all.
Believe me, I knew you, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you
All.
However, there is a lot of downtime right now, so we use that time to catch up on reading for our training sessions and to familiarize ourselves with the kinds of essays the students will be working on this semester. We're going to be seeing a lot of literature papers pretty soon, so we've been looking through the literature anthology to get acquainted with what the students might be reading.
I'm not going to lie. We often end up just reading poems aloud to one another or thinking about staging some of the plays and then deciding not to. Sometimes we read poems and then argue about them. But, the other day, I read this poem, and we were all just so moved by it. I didn't cry when I read it, but I wanted to. Anyways, I thought I'd share it.
Gwendolyn Brooks
"The Mother"
Abortions will not let you forget.
You remember the children you got that you did not get,
The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair,
The singers and workers that never handled the air.
You will never neglect or beat
Them, or silence or buy with a sweet.
You will never wind up the sucking-thumb
Or scuttle off ghosts that come.
You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh,
Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye.
I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed
children.
I have contracted. I have eased
My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck.
I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized
Your luck
And your lives from your unfinished reach,
If I stole your births and your names,
Your straight baby tears and your games,
Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches,
and your deaths,
If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths,
Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate.
Though why should I whine,
Whine that the crime was other than mine?--
Since anyhow you are dead.
Or rather, or instead,
You were never made.
But that too, I am afraid,
Is faulty: oh, what shall I say, how is the truth to be said?
You were born, you had body, you died.
It is just that you never giggled or planned or cried.
Believe me, I loved you all.
Believe me, I knew you, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you
All.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Greta
I am exhausted. I'm looking forward to finishing up my work and settling into my nice, cozy bed.
Today was a rough day.
It all started yesterday. Well, it really all started last night. For some reason, Greta started coughing last night. It wasn't just a little cough; it was a really deep cough. She would sleep and then wake up and cough. I hoped she'd be better by this morning, but she wasn't. The cough was still there, so we went to the doctor.
Well, the doctor (who was just incredibly sweet) took a look at Greta and couldn't really find anything the matter. But, she wanted to do X-rays to get a better idea of what was going on in little Greta. And then she said it. A cough like Greta has can be a sign of some really bad stuff.
Pneumonia, heart problems, Cancer.
Yeah, that last one really shook me up. I had to leave Greta there for the X-rays, and then I had to go to work. As I drove out of the parking lot, I just started crying. When I got to work (all cleaned up and not looking teary-eyed), I told my co-workers that Greta had to go to the doctor. One said that her dog had a similar cough and that it turned out to be Cancer.
Ugh. Tired, sad, grumpy, and still 5 hours of work to go!
Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Greta is fine. She sleeping right next to me as I type this. She's a sweetie. And I'm so grateful that she's healthy. Now I need a good night's sleep! :)
Today was a rough day.
It all started yesterday. Well, it really all started last night. For some reason, Greta started coughing last night. It wasn't just a little cough; it was a really deep cough. She would sleep and then wake up and cough. I hoped she'd be better by this morning, but she wasn't. The cough was still there, so we went to the doctor.
Well, the doctor (who was just incredibly sweet) took a look at Greta and couldn't really find anything the matter. But, she wanted to do X-rays to get a better idea of what was going on in little Greta. And then she said it. A cough like Greta has can be a sign of some really bad stuff.
Pneumonia, heart problems, Cancer.
Yeah, that last one really shook me up. I had to leave Greta there for the X-rays, and then I had to go to work. As I drove out of the parking lot, I just started crying. When I got to work (all cleaned up and not looking teary-eyed), I told my co-workers that Greta had to go to the doctor. One said that her dog had a similar cough and that it turned out to be Cancer.
Ugh. Tired, sad, grumpy, and still 5 hours of work to go!
Fortunately, this story has a happy ending. Greta is fine. She sleeping right next to me as I type this. She's a sweetie. And I'm so grateful that she's healthy. Now I need a good night's sleep! :)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Simple Sandwich
Anyone who knows me well knows that I love a good chicken sandwich. In fact, my love of the chicken sandwich is probably the most boring thing about me because I will order one whenever I'm at a restaurant that has a good one. Like clockwork. Like dull, boring, predictable clockwork. It's been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and my family would go to dinner at Oxford Street. A friend of the family used to tease me about getting a chicken sandwich at a steakhouse, but, to me, the chicken sandwich was that tastiest thing I'd ever encountered. Well, that and the 500 Shirley Temples I'd order at dinner.
For me, a restaurant chicken sandwich should have the following:
Warm, not overly seasoned chicken breast
Melted cheese (preferably a white cheese)
Bacon
Lettuce
Occasionally Onions
And (the clincher) Mayonnaise
Put all of that on a tasty bun, and you have the perfect chicken sandwich. And if there are fries on the side, oh heavens! I just pepper my ketchup until it's almost completely black and then enjoy. Oh, how I love pepper and ketchup. If you've never had that combination, you're missing out. It's the only way to eat ketchup.
The problem with my favorite sandwich is that it's totally unhealthy. That, and I'd rather not spend a ton of money on eating at restaurants. Oh, and there is no more Oxford Street. Sadness.
So, I started making a yummy, simple sandwich the other day, and I love it. Here goes:
Toasted bread (I like it healthy, so whole grain)
Sliced chicken breast
A bit of Swiss cheese
And (Oh, heavens, this is the best part!) Smashed Avocado (I told you! Amazing!)
So, I started making that the other day, and I love it. It's simple and good. Today I opted to heat up the chicken and cheese so that it was all hot and melty. Yum!
I probably have no future as a cook, but this is a step in the right direction! ;)
For me, a restaurant chicken sandwich should have the following:
Warm, not overly seasoned chicken breast
Melted cheese (preferably a white cheese)
Bacon
Lettuce
Occasionally Onions
And (the clincher) Mayonnaise
Put all of that on a tasty bun, and you have the perfect chicken sandwich. And if there are fries on the side, oh heavens! I just pepper my ketchup until it's almost completely black and then enjoy. Oh, how I love pepper and ketchup. If you've never had that combination, you're missing out. It's the only way to eat ketchup.
The problem with my favorite sandwich is that it's totally unhealthy. That, and I'd rather not spend a ton of money on eating at restaurants. Oh, and there is no more Oxford Street. Sadness.
So, I started making a yummy, simple sandwich the other day, and I love it. Here goes:
Toasted bread (I like it healthy, so whole grain)
Sliced chicken breast
A bit of Swiss cheese
And (Oh, heavens, this is the best part!) Smashed Avocado (I told you! Amazing!)
So, I started making that the other day, and I love it. It's simple and good. Today I opted to heat up the chicken and cheese so that it was all hot and melty. Yum!
I probably have no future as a cook, but this is a step in the right direction! ;)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Journeys
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about spiritual journeys. I guess I'm always amazed at the paths that people take (or find themselves on) in their quests to find and know God.
But, I find myself even more amazed at the ways in which God meets people on their paths, the ways in which He provides for each of us who seek Him.
It's feels as if, along the path, God has always been there. And, when I look back on my path so far, I think of God saying to me,
"That feeling of emptiness, that sense of longing, that bit of sadness and ever-present wonder if there is something bigger than all of this? The feeling that you didn't even know what you were looking for? You were looking for Me."
And, then I just smile, grateful for a God who loves me enough to be that constant presence, calling me to Him.
But, I find myself even more amazed at the ways in which God meets people on their paths, the ways in which He provides for each of us who seek Him.
It's feels as if, along the path, God has always been there. And, when I look back on my path so far, I think of God saying to me,
"That feeling of emptiness, that sense of longing, that bit of sadness and ever-present wonder if there is something bigger than all of this? The feeling that you didn't even know what you were looking for? You were looking for Me."
And, then I just smile, grateful for a God who loves me enough to be that constant presence, calling me to Him.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Sunday Psalm
I have trouble picking favorites. If you listen to the radio with me, you'll hear me say, "Oh, that's my favorite song" more than once. They're not all my favorites, but it certainly seems that way sometimes.
I'm just as bad at naming a favorite Psalm. They're all beautiful. But, I always find myself going back to Psalm 62. It's one that you can just take in, enjoying the words and loving the hope they speak of. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Love,
Sara
Psalm 62
1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.
I'm just as bad at naming a favorite Psalm. They're all beautiful. But, I always find myself going back to Psalm 62. It's one that you can just take in, enjoying the words and loving the hope they speak of. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Love,
Sara
Psalm 62
1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Oh, the Break!
First, I must start by saying that I smell amazing, and my toes have never looked cuter. I'm not bragging because I have absolutely nothing to do with those things; they're only owing to a fantastic Christmas present of yummy smelling bath things and to my mom who treated me to a wonderful pedicure at this new place.
I wish I knew the name of the place because the people who work there are so very sweet and do such a great job. Seriously, this is the best pedicure I've ever had, and the price is really reasonable. I actually pretty much hate having pedicures, and I almost never do it because it's too pricey and because I figure I can make my toes look pretty decent on my own. But, for the occasional splurge, I'd definitely go back to this place.
I guess all of that silliness is to say that my Christmas break has been pretty nice (and, currently, nice smelling). There have been fun things to do, family to see, cookies and assorted treats to bake, and an all-around good time to be had. I especially loved the annual family sing along, even if we didn't get to sing all the verses of my favorite songs. :)
Nevertheless, it was a great time, and I'm looking forward to the rest of my break and to seeing just how long I stick to my resolutions. There's this pesky one about being organized and creating some sort of schedule. Um, feel free to take bets on that one. Odds are against me, but I'm going to prove the odds makers all wrong.
Love,
Sara
PS: I've been listening to Emiliana Torrini a bit lately. She has, perhaps, the sweetest voice ever, and, though I haven't listened to a ton of her stuff, I'd recommend checking her out.
I wish I knew the name of the place because the people who work there are so very sweet and do such a great job. Seriously, this is the best pedicure I've ever had, and the price is really reasonable. I actually pretty much hate having pedicures, and I almost never do it because it's too pricey and because I figure I can make my toes look pretty decent on my own. But, for the occasional splurge, I'd definitely go back to this place.
I guess all of that silliness is to say that my Christmas break has been pretty nice (and, currently, nice smelling). There have been fun things to do, family to see, cookies and assorted treats to bake, and an all-around good time to be had. I especially loved the annual family sing along, even if we didn't get to sing all the verses of my favorite songs. :)
Nevertheless, it was a great time, and I'm looking forward to the rest of my break and to seeing just how long I stick to my resolutions. There's this pesky one about being organized and creating some sort of schedule. Um, feel free to take bets on that one. Odds are against me, but I'm going to prove the odds makers all wrong.
Love,
Sara
PS: I've been listening to Emiliana Torrini a bit lately. She has, perhaps, the sweetest voice ever, and, though I haven't listened to a ton of her stuff, I'd recommend checking her out.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Future is Island Chains
Lately, I've been on a music kick. I've been finding a lot of new music and rediscovering a lot of old music that I hadn't listened to for some time but still really love. It's always amazing to me the ways that certain songs will really just grab my attention, force me to listen, make me think about what's going on in the lyrics or just really feel the way the music sounds.
There are some songs that I come back to again and again, and there are other songs that I never listen too, not because I don't like them anymore or because I've grown tired of them but because there's something in them that's just too personal or too sad. An example. I can't listen to Elliott Smith for just that reason. There's just something too sad in his voice, something too melancholy.
And, I guess this has me thinking that there are reasons why certain songs affect us in certain ways. Isn't it that there's something in the song that speaks to something in us? It isn't just those abstract ideas of love or loss that we find appealing or moving; it's that we feel or have felt those things. It's that there is something inside of us that resonates with the song because, in some way, we know those feelings.
It's just kind of a reminder that, even in something that may seem solitary (like listening to music alone), I'm sort of not alone. I kind of like this idea.
I guess I like this idea because I've never been someone who easily relates to people. I know that sounds just awful. It's really not so bad; I just mean that I often try to go it alone. I don't want help. But, if there's anything that I've learned over the last few years, it's that going it alone just isn't an option. I need, we all need, people around us to help us grow, to share our lives with, to love and be loved by.
I think nothing has taught me this more than growing in faith. I look back on my spiritual journey to this point, and I see so much of it as a path I walked alone. I see myself sitting alone on a pew at a church where I knew nobody, taking in the sermon and enjoying this singing but being sort of an island with nothing and nobody touching me. But, in the words of Jon Bon Jovi, "No man is an island." It applies to women too, and it especially applies to spirituality. Now I just see so much the difficulty of growing in a faith alone. It seems that, as much as I love the idea of running off and being a contemplative living a cloistered existence, there's just no way to grow that way. There's just no way to understand how faith looks lived in the lives of other believers and how their experiences can inform my own spiritual growth.
So, perhaps I'll always be a bit of an island; only children are a bit that way. But, I'm moving toward the idea of the island chain. It seems the island chain really must be the future if all of us individuals are to amount to anything together as one unified Body.
[Note: If you can name the movie I stole from in this post, I'll buy you a cup of coffee. I promise I only stole a small bit, just because that one line makes me smile.]
[Note Part Two: I've got a ton of good music recommendations, if anyone is interested. First off, I have to say that Horse Feathers is a great band, and "Curs in the Weeds" is one of my new favorite songs.]
Love,
Sara
There are some songs that I come back to again and again, and there are other songs that I never listen too, not because I don't like them anymore or because I've grown tired of them but because there's something in them that's just too personal or too sad. An example. I can't listen to Elliott Smith for just that reason. There's just something too sad in his voice, something too melancholy.
And, I guess this has me thinking that there are reasons why certain songs affect us in certain ways. Isn't it that there's something in the song that speaks to something in us? It isn't just those abstract ideas of love or loss that we find appealing or moving; it's that we feel or have felt those things. It's that there is something inside of us that resonates with the song because, in some way, we know those feelings.
It's just kind of a reminder that, even in something that may seem solitary (like listening to music alone), I'm sort of not alone. I kind of like this idea.
I guess I like this idea because I've never been someone who easily relates to people. I know that sounds just awful. It's really not so bad; I just mean that I often try to go it alone. I don't want help. But, if there's anything that I've learned over the last few years, it's that going it alone just isn't an option. I need, we all need, people around us to help us grow, to share our lives with, to love and be loved by.
I think nothing has taught me this more than growing in faith. I look back on my spiritual journey to this point, and I see so much of it as a path I walked alone. I see myself sitting alone on a pew at a church where I knew nobody, taking in the sermon and enjoying this singing but being sort of an island with nothing and nobody touching me. But, in the words of Jon Bon Jovi, "No man is an island." It applies to women too, and it especially applies to spirituality. Now I just see so much the difficulty of growing in a faith alone. It seems that, as much as I love the idea of running off and being a contemplative living a cloistered existence, there's just no way to grow that way. There's just no way to understand how faith looks lived in the lives of other believers and how their experiences can inform my own spiritual growth.
So, perhaps I'll always be a bit of an island; only children are a bit that way. But, I'm moving toward the idea of the island chain. It seems the island chain really must be the future if all of us individuals are to amount to anything together as one unified Body.
[Note: If you can name the movie I stole from in this post, I'll buy you a cup of coffee. I promise I only stole a small bit, just because that one line makes me smile.]
[Note Part Two: I've got a ton of good music recommendations, if anyone is interested. First off, I have to say that Horse Feathers is a great band, and "Curs in the Weeds" is one of my new favorite songs.]
Love,
Sara
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Prayer
The other day I was praying, thinking about the season and all that it means. For some reason, I started thinking about Mary. Perhaps it's because I've been listening to a mix of Christmas songs that I made, and one of the songs is "Breath of Heaven," a beautifully moving song that's sung from Mary's point of view.
It's one of my favorite songs, and I love it precisely because it makes me think of how difficult it must have been to be Mary, to feel worthy of all that she was called to, to understand how to carry and mother the baby who was God incarnate. And, when I listen to that song, I think of how I often feel as she must have felt because, in some ways, we're all called to carry Christ. I'm called to do that, unworthy as I often feel.
And yet, the other day as I was praying, I thought beyond those feelings of unworthiness to focus on how indescribable it must have felt for Mary to know who she was giving birth to. Obviously, I've never given birth, but I tried to think about what that must have been like to know how close she was to God.
I sort of marveled at it for a moment. I tried to picture it. Tried to grasp the enormity of that moment. And then I realized that, along with those feelings of doubt and uncertainty, there is also a great feeling of peace, of love and joy, that comes with a closeness to God. And, though I cannot know the feeling of the exact kind of relationship that Mary had to Christ, there is something so beautiful, so truly wonderful about the connection to Christ through prayer.
Love,
Sara
It's one of my favorite songs, and I love it precisely because it makes me think of how difficult it must have been to be Mary, to feel worthy of all that she was called to, to understand how to carry and mother the baby who was God incarnate. And, when I listen to that song, I think of how I often feel as she must have felt because, in some ways, we're all called to carry Christ. I'm called to do that, unworthy as I often feel.
And yet, the other day as I was praying, I thought beyond those feelings of unworthiness to focus on how indescribable it must have felt for Mary to know who she was giving birth to. Obviously, I've never given birth, but I tried to think about what that must have been like to know how close she was to God.
I sort of marveled at it for a moment. I tried to picture it. Tried to grasp the enormity of that moment. And then I realized that, along with those feelings of doubt and uncertainty, there is also a great feeling of peace, of love and joy, that comes with a closeness to God. And, though I cannot know the feeling of the exact kind of relationship that Mary had to Christ, there is something so beautiful, so truly wonderful about the connection to Christ through prayer.
Love,
Sara
Monday, November 24, 2008
Inside the Mind of a Blogger...
My boss is really into Meyers-Briggs Personality testing. My friend Sabrina is the same way. And, though I know that Meyers-Briggs isn't even considered reliable by many psychologists, I have to admit that it's my guilty pleasure.
Now, I'm not super obsessed with it or anything; I just think that, after I took a test years ago, the description of my personality type was eerily on target. As in, I couldn't have said it better if I wrote it my own dadgum self. Seriously.
Well, hilariously, now this test can be applied to blogs. Oi. So, of course I had to see what my blog-personality is! Blog-sonality? Perso-blog-anity? Man, it just won't work this time!
Anyways, I did the blog test using both the entire blog address and a modified address using archived posts. You can do it to. Just click here. Here's what I got:
INFP - The Idealists (This was for the archived posts)
The meaning-seeking and unconventional type. They are especially attuned to making sure their beliefs and actions are congruent. They often develop a passion for the arts or unusal forms of self-expression.
They enjoy work that are aligned to their deeply felt values and tend to strongly dislike the more practical and mundane forms of tasks. They can enjoy working alone for long periods of time and are happiest when they can immerse themselves in personally meaningful projects.
INTP - The Thinkers (This was for the whole blog address)
The logical and analytical type. They are especially attuned to difficult creative and intellectual challenges and always look for something more complex to dig into. They are great at finding subtle connections between things and imagine far-reaching implications.
They enjoy working with complex things using a lot of concepts and imaginative models of reality. Since they are not very good at seeing and understanding the needs of other people, they might come across as arrogant, impatient and insensitive to people that need some time to understand what they are talking about.
Your Opinions???
Seriously, which do you think is more like me? I know what my "real" personality type is, so take your best guess! ;)
Much love (Like, seriously, tons of love and best wishes and hugs and kisses and such),
Sara
Now, I'm not super obsessed with it or anything; I just think that, after I took a test years ago, the description of my personality type was eerily on target. As in, I couldn't have said it better if I wrote it my own dadgum self. Seriously.
Well, hilariously, now this test can be applied to blogs. Oi. So, of course I had to see what my blog-personality is! Blog-sonality? Perso-blog-anity? Man, it just won't work this time!
Anyways, I did the blog test using both the entire blog address and a modified address using archived posts. You can do it to. Just click here. Here's what I got:
INFP - The Idealists (This was for the archived posts)
The meaning-seeking and unconventional type. They are especially attuned to making sure their beliefs and actions are congruent. They often develop a passion for the arts or unusal forms of self-expression.
They enjoy work that are aligned to their deeply felt values and tend to strongly dislike the more practical and mundane forms of tasks. They can enjoy working alone for long periods of time and are happiest when they can immerse themselves in personally meaningful projects.
INTP - The Thinkers (This was for the whole blog address)
The logical and analytical type. They are especially attuned to difficult creative and intellectual challenges and always look for something more complex to dig into. They are great at finding subtle connections between things and imagine far-reaching implications.
They enjoy working with complex things using a lot of concepts and imaginative models of reality. Since they are not very good at seeing and understanding the needs of other people, they might come across as arrogant, impatient and insensitive to people that need some time to understand what they are talking about.
Your Opinions???
Seriously, which do you think is more like me? I know what my "real" personality type is, so take your best guess! ;)
Much love (Like, seriously, tons of love and best wishes and hugs and kisses and such),
Sara
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Little Blog
Just a little blog to share something I think is funny. Greta snores. My tiny, seven-pound dog sounds like a chainsaw. It's awful. And it makes me laugh. Fortunately, it doesn't wake me up, because that would not make me laugh.
Also, I'm nearing the end of the semester. Lots of thoughts/emotions/feelings about that. It's been a really great semester--a lot of changes, a lot of new people, a lot of new things learned. As for things unlearned? I hate documentation styles, and I'm pretty sure that I did my best to avoid thinking about them as much as is possible for someone who both teaches composition and works at a writing center. But, I try my best to help those who really want to know how to use MLA properly. And, I try my best to stay awake while doing so. ;)
In other news, I've been super busy with work but managing to fit in having a life. In short, life is good.
Loves,
Sara
Also, I'm nearing the end of the semester. Lots of thoughts/emotions/feelings about that. It's been a really great semester--a lot of changes, a lot of new people, a lot of new things learned. As for things unlearned? I hate documentation styles, and I'm pretty sure that I did my best to avoid thinking about them as much as is possible for someone who both teaches composition and works at a writing center. But, I try my best to help those who really want to know how to use MLA properly. And, I try my best to stay awake while doing so. ;)
In other news, I've been super busy with work but managing to fit in having a life. In short, life is good.
Loves,
Sara
Friday, November 07, 2008
Procrastination
I'm supposed to be grading. Actually, I'm supposed to have been grading for the past few weeks.
And yet.
And yet.
Here I am, with so many ungraded papers it's making my head spin! The truth of it is that these papers are very easy to grade. They take almost no time at all to grade, in fact. But, despite how quickly I can grade them, there's just something about grading them all in one shot that's starting to making my brain turn to mush.
So I bought a CD off iTunes.
The fact is, I needed something new to listen to, some new stimulus for me weary old brain. So, I bought a CD by Andrew Osenga. I just learned about him yesterday, and I'm glad I did. He's got a nice, folky sound. Good lyrics. Clean sounds, nothing too muddled or overproduced. I like that. His voice kind of reminds me of Ryan Adams. I like that as well.
Check him out, people!
:)
Sara
And yet.
And yet.
Here I am, with so many ungraded papers it's making my head spin! The truth of it is that these papers are very easy to grade. They take almost no time at all to grade, in fact. But, despite how quickly I can grade them, there's just something about grading them all in one shot that's starting to making my brain turn to mush.
So I bought a CD off iTunes.
The fact is, I needed something new to listen to, some new stimulus for me weary old brain. So, I bought a CD by Andrew Osenga. I just learned about him yesterday, and I'm glad I did. He's got a nice, folky sound. Good lyrics. Clean sounds, nothing too muddled or overproduced. I like that. His voice kind of reminds me of Ryan Adams. I like that as well.
Check him out, people!
:)
Sara
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
The Day After
So, the election's over, and we know who won. I have to say that, as someone who believes in the sanctity of life, it makes me sad to know that we've just put into office the candidate who has promised to sign FOCA. That we've elected someone who puts that as a top priority.
Those things bother me. They bother me deeply.
And yet, I'm not overcome. I voted for life, and that's really all I could do. And, when I really think about it, I know that we can never craft a legislation that will change hearts. All that the law does is limit availability; it doesn't speak to the deep needs of women who are facing a pregnancy that they feel so unprepared for and overwhelmed by.
Only love can speak to those needs. And so, we will pray.
We may even give praise. Praise to a God who loves us. Praise to a God who is still almighty. Praise to a God who knows our hearts, our hurts, and our needs.
"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
Those things bother me. They bother me deeply.
And yet, I'm not overcome. I voted for life, and that's really all I could do. And, when I really think about it, I know that we can never craft a legislation that will change hearts. All that the law does is limit availability; it doesn't speak to the deep needs of women who are facing a pregnancy that they feel so unprepared for and overwhelmed by.
Only love can speak to those needs. And so, we will pray.
We may even give praise. Praise to a God who loves us. Praise to a God who is still almighty. Praise to a God who knows our hearts, our hurts, and our needs.
"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Let us be catholic.
I have a confession.
Sometimes movies make me cry. I know that this shouldn't come as any big surprise, and I'm sure most anyone reading this has had those moments. Maybe it was Beaches or Steel Magnolias. Those are real tear-jerkers. And they made me cry too.
But, there's something else that really gets me. It's those movie scenes where people come together, where there is some moment when people must come together for the greater good despite their differences. Those scenes get me every single time.
The other night, I went to a worship service. I stood outside in the night air, illuminated by candlelight. I stood there with other believers, both Catholic and Protestant, and we sang and praised God together. We asked for His blessings, for His mercy. And, together, we recited the Apostles' Creed. It's difficult to describe the feeling I got while confessing those words alongside others who believe them so strongly, so beautifully.
Together we confessed,
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen"
Despite theological differences, we were, each of us, able to say these words not only with our mouths but in our hearts. And, it is the belief in those words, in the great gift of life made possible by the death of Christ, that led each of us to the spot where we were standing that evening.
That night was part of a prayer vigil focused on the sanctity of life. We were gathered together in a common belief that life is precious, that even the smallest human life is deserving of our love and support, of our prayers and our dedication to a common good that cannot deny that life a chance to be born.
And it is that belief in the sanctity of life which led Bishop Kevin Farrell and Bishop Kevin Vann to write a joint statement to the Faithful of the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth; this statement is a further explanation of a previous statement by the Bishops of the United States. These two men have written this statement to instruct Catholic voters, but, as I read their statement, I couldn't help but believe that its words are true for all who confess the Creed, as each of us is indebted to a God who is the Author of Life.
They write:
"As Pope John Paul II clearly states:
"Disregard for the right to life, precisely because it leads to the killing of the person whom society exists to serve, is what most directly conflicts with the possibility of achieving the common good... It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop..." (The Gospel of Life, 72; 101)
Therefore, we cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion – while not the "only issue" – it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years. Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, more than 48 million innocent lives have been lost. Each year in our nation more than one million lives are lost through legalized abortion. Countless other lives are also lost through embryonic stem cell research. In the coming months our nation will once again elect our political leaders. This electoral cycle affords us an opportunity to promote the culture of life in our nation. As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America, limiting it as much as we can until it is finally abolished.
As Catholics we are faced with a number of issues that are of concern and should be addressed, such as immigration reform, healthcare, the economy and its solvency, care and concern for the poor, and the war on terror. As Catholics we must be concerned about these issues and work to see that just solutions are brought about. There are many possible solutions to these issues and there can be reasonable debate among Catholics on how to best approach and solve them. These are matters of "prudential judgment." But let us be clear: issues of prudential judgment are not morally equivalent to issues involving intrinsic evils. No matter how right a given candidate is on any of these issues, it does not outweigh a candidate's unacceptable position in favor of an intrinsic evil such as abortion or the protection of "abortion rights."
As Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship states:
"The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must always be opposed." (28)
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, in paragraphs 34-37, addresses the question of whether it is morally permissible for a Catholic to vote for a candidate who supports an intrinsic evil – even when the voter does not agree with the candidate's position on that evil. The only moral possibilities for a Catholic to be able to vote in good conscience for a candidate who supports this intrinsic evil are the following:
a. If both candidates running for office support abortion or "abortion rights," a Catholic would be forced to then look at the other important issues and through their vote try to limit the evil done; or,
b. If another intrinsic evil outweighs the evil of abortion. While this is sound moral reasoning, there are no "truly grave moral" or "proportionate" reasons, singularly or combined, that could outweigh the millions of innocent human lives that are directly killed by legal abortion each year.
To vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or "abortion rights" when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible."
Anyone who knows me knows that politics is my least favorite topic, and yet, for me, abortion isn't just a political issue. It's an issue which speaks to our belief in life and its value. It's an issue which sees those who are faced with it at their most vulnerable, and it's an issue which asks us, as those who love and believe in God, to reach out, to see Jesus in each and every person, even those who have yet to be born. It's an issue which tests how we will choose to treat "the least of these."
So, in this election, let us be catholic. Not necessarily in the sense of being a part of the Roman Catholic Church, but in keeping with the meaning of the word catholic. Let us include all who trust in Christ, and let us be the Body of Christ here on earth.
Love,
Sara
Sometimes movies make me cry. I know that this shouldn't come as any big surprise, and I'm sure most anyone reading this has had those moments. Maybe it was Beaches or Steel Magnolias. Those are real tear-jerkers. And they made me cry too.
But, there's something else that really gets me. It's those movie scenes where people come together, where there is some moment when people must come together for the greater good despite their differences. Those scenes get me every single time.
The other night, I went to a worship service. I stood outside in the night air, illuminated by candlelight. I stood there with other believers, both Catholic and Protestant, and we sang and praised God together. We asked for His blessings, for His mercy. And, together, we recited the Apostles' Creed. It's difficult to describe the feeling I got while confessing those words alongside others who believe them so strongly, so beautifully.
Together we confessed,
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen"
Despite theological differences, we were, each of us, able to say these words not only with our mouths but in our hearts. And, it is the belief in those words, in the great gift of life made possible by the death of Christ, that led each of us to the spot where we were standing that evening.
That night was part of a prayer vigil focused on the sanctity of life. We were gathered together in a common belief that life is precious, that even the smallest human life is deserving of our love and support, of our prayers and our dedication to a common good that cannot deny that life a chance to be born.
And it is that belief in the sanctity of life which led Bishop Kevin Farrell and Bishop Kevin Vann to write a joint statement to the Faithful of the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth; this statement is a further explanation of a previous statement by the Bishops of the United States. These two men have written this statement to instruct Catholic voters, but, as I read their statement, I couldn't help but believe that its words are true for all who confess the Creed, as each of us is indebted to a God who is the Author of Life.
They write:
"As Pope John Paul II clearly states:
"Disregard for the right to life, precisely because it leads to the killing of the person whom society exists to serve, is what most directly conflicts with the possibility of achieving the common good... It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop..." (The Gospel of Life, 72; 101)
Therefore, we cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion – while not the "only issue" – it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years. Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, more than 48 million innocent lives have been lost. Each year in our nation more than one million lives are lost through legalized abortion. Countless other lives are also lost through embryonic stem cell research. In the coming months our nation will once again elect our political leaders. This electoral cycle affords us an opportunity to promote the culture of life in our nation. As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America, limiting it as much as we can until it is finally abolished.
As Catholics we are faced with a number of issues that are of concern and should be addressed, such as immigration reform, healthcare, the economy and its solvency, care and concern for the poor, and the war on terror. As Catholics we must be concerned about these issues and work to see that just solutions are brought about. There are many possible solutions to these issues and there can be reasonable debate among Catholics on how to best approach and solve them. These are matters of "prudential judgment." But let us be clear: issues of prudential judgment are not morally equivalent to issues involving intrinsic evils. No matter how right a given candidate is on any of these issues, it does not outweigh a candidate's unacceptable position in favor of an intrinsic evil such as abortion or the protection of "abortion rights."
As Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship states:
"The direct and intentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must always be opposed." (28)
Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, in paragraphs 34-37, addresses the question of whether it is morally permissible for a Catholic to vote for a candidate who supports an intrinsic evil – even when the voter does not agree with the candidate's position on that evil. The only moral possibilities for a Catholic to be able to vote in good conscience for a candidate who supports this intrinsic evil are the following:
a. If both candidates running for office support abortion or "abortion rights," a Catholic would be forced to then look at the other important issues and through their vote try to limit the evil done; or,
b. If another intrinsic evil outweighs the evil of abortion. While this is sound moral reasoning, there are no "truly grave moral" or "proportionate" reasons, singularly or combined, that could outweigh the millions of innocent human lives that are directly killed by legal abortion each year.
To vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or "abortion rights" when there is a morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil – and, therefore, morally impermissible."
Anyone who knows me knows that politics is my least favorite topic, and yet, for me, abortion isn't just a political issue. It's an issue which speaks to our belief in life and its value. It's an issue which sees those who are faced with it at their most vulnerable, and it's an issue which asks us, as those who love and believe in God, to reach out, to see Jesus in each and every person, even those who have yet to be born. It's an issue which tests how we will choose to treat "the least of these."
So, in this election, let us be catholic. Not necessarily in the sense of being a part of the Roman Catholic Church, but in keeping with the meaning of the word catholic. Let us include all who trust in Christ, and let us be the Body of Christ here on earth.
Love,
Sara
Monday, October 20, 2008
Send Me!
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8
I love that verse. Maybe because, reluctant as I am to admit this, I'm a romantic, and I love the idea of having some great purpose, some great mission, some great reason for being. And, that's part of it.
But, I also love that verse because it makes me think of the million little ways that we can say, "Here am I. Send me!"
Not too long ago, I was reading an article written by a priest, and he was saying that, because we are the Body of Christ here on earth, we are called to minister to those who need help, those who are troubled and hurting.
I think we start doing that when we begin listening for God's voice, when we start looking for those million little ways that He can use us, those million little ways He can work through us, using us as His hands and feet, eyes and ears. We become the means by which God's love is carried to those who need it when we hear Him and answer, "Here am I. Send me!"
By the way, I've never written about this before, but usually when I write, I'll listen to one song over and over. Often my writing is inspired by something I've been listening to. The other night I went to a praise and worship gathering (which, incidentally, involved the police, though no arrests were made), and we sang this song. I'd never heard it before, but with all those people coming together, it was just beautiful. This is definitely a song that is a prayer. It's beautiful, and I listened to it while writing tonight. If you want to check out the song, it's by the Robbie Seay Band. Download it immediately, and then commence with prayer and meditation. :)
Oh, my God
Shine Your light on us
That we might live
I've been holding on
I've been holding on
All that is inside me
Screams to come back home
If you feel lost
If you feel lost
Sing along
If you feel tired
If you feel tired
Sing along
If you feel lost and tired
This is your song
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8
I love that verse. Maybe because, reluctant as I am to admit this, I'm a romantic, and I love the idea of having some great purpose, some great mission, some great reason for being. And, that's part of it.
But, I also love that verse because it makes me think of the million little ways that we can say, "Here am I. Send me!"
Not too long ago, I was reading an article written by a priest, and he was saying that, because we are the Body of Christ here on earth, we are called to minister to those who need help, those who are troubled and hurting.
I think we start doing that when we begin listening for God's voice, when we start looking for those million little ways that He can use us, those million little ways He can work through us, using us as His hands and feet, eyes and ears. We become the means by which God's love is carried to those who need it when we hear Him and answer, "Here am I. Send me!"
By the way, I've never written about this before, but usually when I write, I'll listen to one song over and over. Often my writing is inspired by something I've been listening to. The other night I went to a praise and worship gathering (which, incidentally, involved the police, though no arrests were made), and we sang this song. I'd never heard it before, but with all those people coming together, it was just beautiful. This is definitely a song that is a prayer. It's beautiful, and I listened to it while writing tonight. If you want to check out the song, it's by the Robbie Seay Band. Download it immediately, and then commence with prayer and meditation. :)
Oh, my God
Shine Your light on us
That we might live
I've been holding on
I've been holding on
All that is inside me
Screams to come back home
If you feel lost
If you feel lost
Sing along
If you feel tired
If you feel tired
Sing along
If you feel lost and tired
This is your song
Saturday, October 18, 2008
My Friday Night
I had a wild and crazy Friday night. I babysat.
That's right, folks. I was left alone with and in charge of a two year old. And we're both still doing fine!
It was a lot of fun, actually. We watched Cars and danced when the music was fun. Apparently, there are certain parts of the movie that you're supposed to dance during. Who knew?
Anyways, it was a fun time, even though I had no luck getting him to go to sleep. Baby John always has funny things to say, so I'll leave you with this gem,
"I don't eat dogs. I eat vegetables."
(By the way, I promise that I didn't make him view any PETA videos on animal cruelty. He just came up with that on his own.)
:)
Sara
That's right, folks. I was left alone with and in charge of a two year old. And we're both still doing fine!
It was a lot of fun, actually. We watched Cars and danced when the music was fun. Apparently, there are certain parts of the movie that you're supposed to dance during. Who knew?
Anyways, it was a fun time, even though I had no luck getting him to go to sleep. Baby John always has funny things to say, so I'll leave you with this gem,
"I don't eat dogs. I eat vegetables."
(By the way, I promise that I didn't make him view any PETA videos on animal cruelty. He just came up with that on his own.)
:)
Sara
Saturday, October 11, 2008
I Like This
A quote from a book I've been reading, a prayer:
"Dear Lord, grant me the grace of wonder. Surprise me, amaze me, awe me in every crevice of Your Universe. Delight me to see how Your Christ plays in ten thousand places, lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not His, to the Father through the features of men's faces. Each day enrapture me with Your marvelous things without number. I do not ask to see the reason for it all; I ask only to share the wonder of it all."
Beautiful, right?
I thought about that today, thinking over the wonder of life and birth and death. And how important that wonder is. How necessary that I, that you, that we still stand amazed at the wonder of all that is around us. Of the beauty of life. Of the worth and sanctity of life. That we consider that wonder in the large things and even the small.
So, perhaps we pray a little more. Maybe we care a little more. We wonder a little more at this gift that is life. And maybe that makes us love each other just a bit more.
"Dear Lord, grant me the grace of wonder. Surprise me, amaze me, awe me in every crevice of Your Universe. Delight me to see how Your Christ plays in ten thousand places, lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not His, to the Father through the features of men's faces. Each day enrapture me with Your marvelous things without number. I do not ask to see the reason for it all; I ask only to share the wonder of it all."
Beautiful, right?
I thought about that today, thinking over the wonder of life and birth and death. And how important that wonder is. How necessary that I, that you, that we still stand amazed at the wonder of all that is around us. Of the beauty of life. Of the worth and sanctity of life. That we consider that wonder in the large things and even the small.
So, perhaps we pray a little more. Maybe we care a little more. We wonder a little more at this gift that is life. And maybe that makes us love each other just a bit more.
Monday, October 06, 2008
This Weekend
Well, this weekend was a ton of fun. I went to Oklahoma, surprised my aunt, and ran in the Race for the Cure. It was great because there were so many family and friends there to encourage my aunt, and I think it made her feel good to know so many people care. Plus, she got an awesome (pink and black) cake for her birthday, and I was more than happy to have a piece of that! :)
While I was in OK, I (of course) took a little time to shop and got some great shoes. Comfy, classic, perfect to go with my suit in case I ever have to find a job. I say that like I don't work, but I do work. Pretty much all the time. And you know what? I think I like working a lot. True, it does take some getting used to because it's way different than the sort of schedule I'd been accustomed to as a grad student, but, as I'm getting used to it, I'm really liking that I get to go to work and meet up with my super wonderful co-workers and get to see my students. It's good times!
Oh, back to Oklahoma. I found this cool pet shop there. They sell dog treats and food and accoutrement. The food is all really healthy for the pups, and, judging by the reactions I've gotten so far, dogs really love eating healthy. So long as healthy involves such tasty things as lamb and sweet potato stew and buffalo gravy over regular dog food. What four-legged friend wouldn't love that? Greta's in heaven with all these treats!
Anyways, those are the goings on here!
Love!
Sara
While I was in OK, I (of course) took a little time to shop and got some great shoes. Comfy, classic, perfect to go with my suit in case I ever have to find a job. I say that like I don't work, but I do work. Pretty much all the time. And you know what? I think I like working a lot. True, it does take some getting used to because it's way different than the sort of schedule I'd been accustomed to as a grad student, but, as I'm getting used to it, I'm really liking that I get to go to work and meet up with my super wonderful co-workers and get to see my students. It's good times!
Oh, back to Oklahoma. I found this cool pet shop there. They sell dog treats and food and accoutrement. The food is all really healthy for the pups, and, judging by the reactions I've gotten so far, dogs really love eating healthy. So long as healthy involves such tasty things as lamb and sweet potato stew and buffalo gravy over regular dog food. What four-legged friend wouldn't love that? Greta's in heaven with all these treats!
Anyways, those are the goings on here!
Love!
Sara
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)