Peony Moss: April 2009 Archives

READ THE WHOLE THING.

How do we arm ourselves for what is first and foremost a supernatural war?

First: Unless we are living in God’s life we should not go near this battle. I don’t care if you are the strongest and most brilliant and clever person on the planet. The devil – as he has shown over and over again – will turn you inside out. If you are not fortified by the sacraments – frequent confession and worthy Holy Communion – you cannot succeed in an ultimately supernatural battle. We must live – no longer ourselves – but Christ in us. Be always in the state of grace.

Pray. Be a prayer warrior. One modern day saint said when you are going out to try to change someone’s heart determine to make your effort 80 % prayer and 20% words or actions. Prayer defeats the devil. Prayer aligns us with Christ. Pray for the abortionist. Pray for the legislator. Pray for the mother (and father and other family members). Pray for the child in the womb. Pray for yourself and allow God to guide you. Pray that you will be a warrior of faithfulness and love and mercy. Remember that God often chooses the foolish to shame those who are clever.

Use the symbols and instruments of our devotion. Arm yourself with the rosary. Protect yourself with the scapular or a blessed medal. Ask for a blessing as a sign of unity in the Church in what we do: unity with the Holy Father, with your bishop, with your pastor. What I am supposed to do as bishop (teach and lead, and sanctify) I must, in turn, delegate in proper measure to my pastors. They, in turn, need you as soldiers.

Fudgies. MMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

As long as we remain sheep, we overcome. Even though we may be surrounded by a thousand wolves, we overcome and are victorious. But as soon as we are wolves, we are beaten: for then we lose the support from the Shepherd who feeds not wolves, but only sheep.

(St John Chrysostom, from Homily 34 on St Matthew)

HT: dylan at phos hilarion

"Cry Me a River" -- cut for a charity album in 1999.

"My first pastoral letter's gonna be a condemnation of light beer and instant mashed potatoes -- I hate those two things." -- Archbishop Timothy Dolan, via The Church Ladies

1. I never know how to get started on my list of Seven Quick Takes.

2. After I finish my Seven Quick Takes, I am going to bake cupcakes using a Wacky Cake recipe. I've been asked to make a birthday cake for a little girl whose baby sister is allergic to eggs, so I'm going to try out the recipe today and have the kids and grownups test them out when Hambet and I go off to a play date later today.

3. I reorganized the books yesterday -- something I've been wanting to do since around June 2006 -- and dedicated a shelf to the books I haven't read yet. I also discovered that we have three world atlases. How did this happen?

4. For Lent this year I tried to give up recreational use of the Internet (with the exception of Facebook and JUST A COUPLE of blogs.) The exceptions kept growing and then about halfway through Lent I was ranting about the Notre Dame situation on IM to a friend, who said, "you should put this on your blog!"

That stopped me in my tracks -- I'd never told her about my Sekrit Identity -- so I tried to be clever and asked, "Now, what makes you think I have a blog?"

"Oh, I thought you did; everyone else has one. Well, you should start one!"

5. I started reading The Hobbit to Hambet the other night. He LOVES it.

6. I like the artwork on Jen's copy of Prayer Primer much better than the artwork on my copy.

7. My rhubarb is starting to come up. Maybe I'll actually be able to harvest some this year!

"... Everyone in this mega-community is a somebody with an extraordinary destiny. Everyone is a somebody in whom God has invested an infinite love. That is why the Church reaches out to the unborn, the suffering, the poor, our elders, the physically and emotionally challenged, those caught in the web of addictions..."

--Archbishop Thomas Dolan, in his Installation homily. H/T American Papist

It can slice a steel pan in half! (Smock, don't go trying this at home now....)

Susan Boyle is sweeping the blogosphere today:

I looked in my little saucepan and noticed that the non-stick coating long ago ceased to stick to the pot (hopefully it's not sticking to our innards either).

So it's time to go pot shopping. I think I'm done with non-stick (too fragile -- I want to use a whisk, darn it) and I'm growing leery of aluminum (reactivity?)

I was looking at this and liking it -- the price is right --

but it's almost certainly made in China, which doesn't have a great reputation for food safety these days.

Of course, there's always All-Clad, but... $100 for a pot? I'm not there yet.

I came across this one...

but when I take another look, it's non-stick.

*sulks*

Colbert takes one of those "the Christians-made-it-up" "scholars" to school.

HT: CMR

"They keep changing the countries so you'll have to buy new maps." -- Wally Cleaver