Wednesday, January 28, 2009
One More Thing
I just followed Jackie's comment on my NFP post back to her blog to read her post on NFP. She actually has several, but I recommend this one here. This is a really great explanation. She also refers to a Patrick Madrid blog post here, which I mention just because I greatly enjoy Patrick Madrid!
My Patron Saint for 2009
I'm feeling a little less melancholy today. I want to thank everyone who commented on my previous post. You've given me great information and advice. I am so appreciative to you all!!
Well, I've received my Patron Saint for 2009 and I'm very excited about it. I have been chosen by St. Matthew, the Apostle. I can't wait to really sink my teeth into it and try to figure out exactly why I would be chosen by this wonderful saint! It's exciting to actually have one of the Apostles. I will be reading the Gospel much more closely now trying to glean some information.
If you would like a Patron Saint of your own, or maybe for your whole family, please visit Marianne's blog here. This is such a great ministry she has!! If you want, please come back and tell me who chose you. I would love to know!
Well, I've received my Patron Saint for 2009 and I'm very excited about it. I have been chosen by St. Matthew, the Apostle. I can't wait to really sink my teeth into it and try to figure out exactly why I would be chosen by this wonderful saint! It's exciting to actually have one of the Apostles. I will be reading the Gospel much more closely now trying to glean some information.
If you would like a Patron Saint of your own, or maybe for your whole family, please visit Marianne's blog here. This is such a great ministry she has!! If you want, please come back and tell me who chose you. I would love to know!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Trust
My baby girl is only two months old and already I have heard every variation of "Are you done yet?", "You going for #6?", "How many do you plan to have?" etc, 20 times over. Seriously. I can hardly leave the house without someone asking me that, which is so weird to me because most of my friends, both in "real life" and online have 4 or more. I guess I just hang with a cooler crowd, because apparently most people have not heard of this in all their lives.
This has got me really thinking. Obviously I do not plan to use birth control, but I don't really know how to use NFP either (also obvious, ha ha). So I've been asking myself, am I done yet?
There is a class being offered at a parish in my town, but I think it starts too early for us to join. I'm not exactly back to any kind of cycle, so I wouldn't be able to apply any of what I was learning, and I'm pretty sure part of the class is to go home and chart. Thinking about all of this made me realize that I'm not really sure exactly where I stand on NFP anyway. I mean, I know where the Church stands and I understand all of that to some degree. I know the Church approves of Natural Family Planning. But here's where it gets confusing for me.
My understanding, and please feel free to correct me, maybe it will help me wade through all of this, but my understanding is that the Church approves of natural family planning to limit the number of children in a family only for good cause (my words, can't remember the actual wording of that). But good cause is kind of left up to the individual to decide. So, I think we can all agree that the health of the mother is good cause. If it is going to endanger your life to carry and give birth to a child then you should use NFP to avoid pregnancy. I've also heard priests (specifically Father Corapi on EWTN whom I love) that financial reasons can be good cause, but it has to be a real financial concern not, I won't be able to afford my luxury SUV and Penthouse suite or whatever. But what I can't figure out is how do you know where to draw the line? I mean, I'm not living in a shelter or receiving food stamps, but money is tight. However, theoretically, I could move to a smaller house and reduce my mortgage for extra money, right? Or something along those lines. It seems to me that maybe it shouldn't be a concern until you've exhausted all your options without ending up on the streets.
I've also heard that mental health can be good cause. Well, how do you define that? I have suffered from post-partum depression after some of my pregnancies, and I've suffered from mild depression and an anxiety disorder for most of my adult life. It can be controlled with medication, but not in the third trimester or when you are nursing. Plus, although it does affect my parenting sometimes, it doesn't keep me from functioning as a parent. But who's to say when I'll go off the deep end?
The real sticking point for me however is this: Wait! Disclaimer! These are just my feelings. I understand what the Church teaches, and this is a very personal topic, and I am not trying to pick an argument with anyone, because I have seen this explode on other blogs, but here is the sticking point for me: despite having it explained to me several times, I still don't really understand what is the difference between a calendar and a condom? And if I were to accept that, for me, there was no difference, then what am I saying? That I am prepared to have 8,9, 10 children? more? I have no idea if I am or not.
Do not get me wrong. I love love love my children and I admire immensely those big families. There are many times when I wish that I did have one of those big families. It really looks wonderful. But I am so tired. My memory is completely gone, which I believe is a product of my depression and anxiety, though I am feeling mostly good in that department this time around, thanks be to God!! My varicose veins are better now but were really awful while I was pregnant. I feel pretty burned out and battered right now. I just can't imagine doing this again, even though I appreciate the wonderfulness of a new little person.
My husband is driving me crazy because he doesn't know what to think. I tried to be a good wife and defer to him in the decision making on this, but he seems not to know, or have an opinion, or whatever. He's like that. He's not a planner. But he also is stressed all the time about finances so you'd think he'd have something to say on the subject. Maybe that is his decision. Maybe the indecision is the decision, if that makes sense? Maybe he really is willing to leave it all up to God's plan with no planning on our own, natural or otherwise. I know that I want to live a life that places all trust in God. I just wish God didn't trust me so much.
This has got me really thinking. Obviously I do not plan to use birth control, but I don't really know how to use NFP either (also obvious, ha ha). So I've been asking myself, am I done yet?
There is a class being offered at a parish in my town, but I think it starts too early for us to join. I'm not exactly back to any kind of cycle, so I wouldn't be able to apply any of what I was learning, and I'm pretty sure part of the class is to go home and chart. Thinking about all of this made me realize that I'm not really sure exactly where I stand on NFP anyway. I mean, I know where the Church stands and I understand all of that to some degree. I know the Church approves of Natural Family Planning. But here's where it gets confusing for me.
My understanding, and please feel free to correct me, maybe it will help me wade through all of this, but my understanding is that the Church approves of natural family planning to limit the number of children in a family only for good cause (my words, can't remember the actual wording of that). But good cause is kind of left up to the individual to decide. So, I think we can all agree that the health of the mother is good cause. If it is going to endanger your life to carry and give birth to a child then you should use NFP to avoid pregnancy. I've also heard priests (specifically Father Corapi on EWTN whom I love) that financial reasons can be good cause, but it has to be a real financial concern not, I won't be able to afford my luxury SUV and Penthouse suite or whatever. But what I can't figure out is how do you know where to draw the line? I mean, I'm not living in a shelter or receiving food stamps, but money is tight. However, theoretically, I could move to a smaller house and reduce my mortgage for extra money, right? Or something along those lines. It seems to me that maybe it shouldn't be a concern until you've exhausted all your options without ending up on the streets.
I've also heard that mental health can be good cause. Well, how do you define that? I have suffered from post-partum depression after some of my pregnancies, and I've suffered from mild depression and an anxiety disorder for most of my adult life. It can be controlled with medication, but not in the third trimester or when you are nursing. Plus, although it does affect my parenting sometimes, it doesn't keep me from functioning as a parent. But who's to say when I'll go off the deep end?
The real sticking point for me however is this: Wait! Disclaimer! These are just my feelings. I understand what the Church teaches, and this is a very personal topic, and I am not trying to pick an argument with anyone, because I have seen this explode on other blogs, but here is the sticking point for me: despite having it explained to me several times, I still don't really understand what is the difference between a calendar and a condom? And if I were to accept that, for me, there was no difference, then what am I saying? That I am prepared to have 8,9, 10 children? more? I have no idea if I am or not.
Do not get me wrong. I love love love my children and I admire immensely those big families. There are many times when I wish that I did have one of those big families. It really looks wonderful. But I am so tired. My memory is completely gone, which I believe is a product of my depression and anxiety, though I am feeling mostly good in that department this time around, thanks be to God!! My varicose veins are better now but were really awful while I was pregnant. I feel pretty burned out and battered right now. I just can't imagine doing this again, even though I appreciate the wonderfulness of a new little person.
My husband is driving me crazy because he doesn't know what to think. I tried to be a good wife and defer to him in the decision making on this, but he seems not to know, or have an opinion, or whatever. He's like that. He's not a planner. But he also is stressed all the time about finances so you'd think he'd have something to say on the subject. Maybe that is his decision. Maybe the indecision is the decision, if that makes sense? Maybe he really is willing to leave it all up to God's plan with no planning on our own, natural or otherwise. I know that I want to live a life that places all trust in God. I just wish God didn't trust me so much.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
New Blog Link
My friend Jill has started a blog and I thought I would give her a boost and direct you all to it. She has been feeling a real call to talk about pro-life issues so she's putting it all out there on her blog. You can visit her at Standing Up For Life.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Chores, chores, chores
Here is why I don't have time to blog:
That is the laundry hamper in the room that two of my boys share. Here's another reason: 
That's the laundry in my room. Here's what the kitchen looks like:
I had actually just cleaned it a few hours before this but the dishwasher was full and we had just had lunch. I have to clean my kitchen at least 3 times a day, sometimes 4. Even with all of that you would still think I'd have time to blog. I mean, the washer/dryer and dishwasher do all of the work once you load them up and then you have nothing but time while you just sit around and wait right? Yeah, but then I have these two home all day sucking up my time:
and...
They sure are cute though, aren't they?
The Pledge
I'm a couple of days behind, so you may have already seen this, but if not...grab a barf bag and head over to Shoved to Them to see this annoying video. Then take The Mom's pledge.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wow! Just saw this on Adrienne's blog Give Him Your Heart. Thanks Adrienne for posting this! Obama's own mother chose life. Let's pray his heart converts so that he will recognize the potential in all human life!
March for Life - January 22, 2009
I'm sorry I just haven't been able to get out here to post much, but I did want to remind everyone that tomorrow is the March for Life in Washington. I really want to be there - I am just outside of D.C. - but it is impossible with a nursing baby. Waaaay to cold! So, I am just asking that you all please keep the marchers in your prayers. Also, pray for the victims of abortion, babies and mothers, the abortion doctors and our lawmakers. I will try to post more later if I can, but for more information on the march itself please visit the official March for Life website here.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Novena to Stop FOCA January 11 -19
I think I've posted about FOCA (the Freedom of Choice Act) before but I can't find the link right now. I know I've had the button on my sidebar for awhile. So, if you don't know what it is, please click on that button and you can learn all about it. I'm sorry I can't tell you more right now but I am typing one-handed and nursing a baby. :-) However, I wanted to forward this information to you all as soon as possible and urge you to join in this prayer effort. I will say that I tend to pray for God's will rather than telling Him what I want Him to do, but however you word it, praying for the unborn is always good:
If you are apposed to abortion, please read the information below and join us in prayer and fasting January 11-19, 2009.
The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) will be signed into law if Congress passes it on January 21-22, 2009. The FOCA is the next sick chapter in the book of abortion. If signed into law, all limitations on abortion will be lifted, resulting in the following:
1) All hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, will be required to perform abortions upon request. If this happens, Bishops vow to close down all Catholic hospitals - more then 30% of all hospitals in the U.S.
2) Partial birth abortions will be legal and have no limitations.
3) All U.S. taxpayers will be funding abortions.
4) Parental notification of abortions on minors will no longer be required (regardless of age).
5) The estimated number of increase in abortions is 100,000 annually. Just as important, the government will now have control in the issue of abortion. This could result in a future amendment that would force women by law to have abortions in certain situations (rape, Down Syndrome babies, etc) and could even regulate how many children women are allowed to have.
Needless to say this information is disturbing, but sadly true. As Catholics, as Christians, as anyone who is against the needless killing of innocent children, we must stand as one. We must stop this horrific act before it becomes a law. PLEASE JOIN US IN saying a novena (9 days of prayer ) and fasting from January 11-19. For Catholics, the prayer of choice is the rosary for
the special intention of stopping the FOCA. For non-Catholics we encourage you to pray your strongest prayers with the same intention for 9 consecutive days. We hope and pray this will branch and blossom to become a global effort.
Please do the following 3 things:
1) Pass this letter to 5 or more people within 3 days or less (so as many as possible can start praying on January 11)
2) Say a novena from January 11-19, asking God to prevent the FOCA from becoming law in the U.S.
3) Fast at least 2 days during this novena (either a complete fast of bread and water, or a Lenten fast of no meat and meals limited to 1 regular meal and 2 lesser meals during the day).
Remember that with God all things are possible and the power of prayer is undeniable. If you are against the senseless killing of defenseless children, please join us in prayer and fasting.
May God bless you abundantly.
If you are apposed to abortion, please read the information below and join us in prayer and fasting January 11-19, 2009.
The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) will be signed into law if Congress passes it on January 21-22, 2009. The FOCA is the next sick chapter in the book of abortion. If signed into law, all limitations on abortion will be lifted, resulting in the following:
1) All hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, will be required to perform abortions upon request. If this happens, Bishops vow to close down all Catholic hospitals - more then 30% of all hospitals in the U.S.
2) Partial birth abortions will be legal and have no limitations.
3) All U.S. taxpayers will be funding abortions.
4) Parental notification of abortions on minors will no longer be required (regardless of age).
5) The estimated number of increase in abortions is 100,000 annually. Just as important, the government will now have control in the issue of abortion. This could result in a future amendment that would force women by law to have abortions in certain situations (rape, Down Syndrome babies, etc) and could even regulate how many children women are allowed to have.
Needless to say this information is disturbing, but sadly true. As Catholics, as Christians, as anyone who is against the needless killing of innocent children, we must stand as one. We must stop this horrific act before it becomes a law. PLEASE JOIN US IN saying a novena (9 days of prayer ) and fasting from January 11-19. For Catholics, the prayer of choice is the rosary for
the special intention of stopping the FOCA. For non-Catholics we encourage you to pray your strongest prayers with the same intention for 9 consecutive days. We hope and pray this will branch and blossom to become a global effort.
Please do the following 3 things:
1) Pass this letter to 5 or more people within 3 days or less (so as many as possible can start praying on January 11)
2) Say a novena from January 11-19, asking God to prevent the FOCA from becoming law in the U.S.
3) Fast at least 2 days during this novena (either a complete fast of bread and water, or a Lenten fast of no meat and meals limited to 1 regular meal and 2 lesser meals during the day).
Remember that with God all things are possible and the power of prayer is undeniable. If you are against the senseless killing of defenseless children, please join us in prayer and fasting.
May God bless you abundantly.
Why I Blog
Well, I hope everyone had a nice holiday! Mine was hectic, but in the most wonderful of ways.
While I was taking a break from blogging I found myself spending a lot of time thinking about what I'm really trying to do with this blog. Where I'm trying to go with it. I guess I don't really have an answer. I find myself thinking of blog subjects all the time, writing clever little essays in my head, but I find that I don't really have much time to get on here, so a lot of them never get written.
I do love being able to use the blog to pass along information. It's interesting how this has turned into such a pro-life site, especially when you consider that I used to be pro-choice. But I have found myself really called to that kind of activism, I think to make up for my errors, and I am glad that I have this vehicle for speaking up for the unborn. Still, I know that's not solely what I'm doing here. So it I kept thinking about it. What am I doing here?
I get asked a lot about why I like blogging and I never could really give a good answer. But I had an experience over the holidays that really started to illuminate it for me.
I was at a New Year's Eve party talking to a friend and somehow the conversation took one of those turns where you get real personal and next thing you know it's like a counseling session, complete with tears and emotional break-throughs. We were sharing with each other some of our deepest feelings and I ended up sharing a story with her about something that I am really ashamed of. And you know what? She didn't make me feel bad. She didn't tell me it was okay either, or try to excuse it away, but she just was my friend and let me know she still loved me. And I thought, that's what God is like. Unconditional love even when you have failed. Even when you are broken, when you've done everything completely wrong. So it just hit me, that's what we can be to each other. We can be God for each other. We can let Jesus live through us, showing people that kind of love. Not saying that everything we do is okay - not moral relativism - but just loving each other anyway.
And so it occurred to me that that is kind of what we've created out here on the blogs. I know no one gets super personal out here, or confessional, I mean you never know who will come along and read, but still we share our stories and encourage each other. It's a pretty big thing to write down your thoughts and hit "post" putting them out there for the whole world to see, and then we come along and tell each other "yes! I love you just the way you are." It's pretty cool. Just imagine if the whole world was like that. Letting Jesus live through us and love through us.
It's good to use the blogs to get information out there too, and to gently correct when someone is going in the wrong direction, away from God. And we have to call out sin always, but lovingly. Through it all we are loving. After all, this is the second great commandment that Jesus gave us: Love your neighbor as yourself.
So, I guess this is what I want to say to all of my readers today: I love you.
While I was taking a break from blogging I found myself spending a lot of time thinking about what I'm really trying to do with this blog. Where I'm trying to go with it. I guess I don't really have an answer. I find myself thinking of blog subjects all the time, writing clever little essays in my head, but I find that I don't really have much time to get on here, so a lot of them never get written.
I do love being able to use the blog to pass along information. It's interesting how this has turned into such a pro-life site, especially when you consider that I used to be pro-choice. But I have found myself really called to that kind of activism, I think to make up for my errors, and I am glad that I have this vehicle for speaking up for the unborn. Still, I know that's not solely what I'm doing here. So it I kept thinking about it. What am I doing here?
I get asked a lot about why I like blogging and I never could really give a good answer. But I had an experience over the holidays that really started to illuminate it for me.
I was at a New Year's Eve party talking to a friend and somehow the conversation took one of those turns where you get real personal and next thing you know it's like a counseling session, complete with tears and emotional break-throughs. We were sharing with each other some of our deepest feelings and I ended up sharing a story with her about something that I am really ashamed of. And you know what? She didn't make me feel bad. She didn't tell me it was okay either, or try to excuse it away, but she just was my friend and let me know she still loved me. And I thought, that's what God is like. Unconditional love even when you have failed. Even when you are broken, when you've done everything completely wrong. So it just hit me, that's what we can be to each other. We can be God for each other. We can let Jesus live through us, showing people that kind of love. Not saying that everything we do is okay - not moral relativism - but just loving each other anyway.
And so it occurred to me that that is kind of what we've created out here on the blogs. I know no one gets super personal out here, or confessional, I mean you never know who will come along and read, but still we share our stories and encourage each other. It's a pretty big thing to write down your thoughts and hit "post" putting them out there for the whole world to see, and then we come along and tell each other "yes! I love you just the way you are." It's pretty cool. Just imagine if the whole world was like that. Letting Jesus live through us and love through us.
It's good to use the blogs to get information out there too, and to gently correct when someone is going in the wrong direction, away from God. And we have to call out sin always, but lovingly. Through it all we are loving. After all, this is the second great commandment that Jesus gave us: Love your neighbor as yourself.
So, I guess this is what I want to say to all of my readers today: I love you.
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