Got food?

Next time you don't feel like making dinner . . . . 

Or your children don't happen to like what you are offering them . . . . 

Remember this little girl.

She looks pretty thankful and happy with hers.

From my big sister.

A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all circumstances would say: My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!

One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty from losing a finger.

Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said "Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my finger."

The slave replied only "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good, and he knows the "why" of all these things. What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!"

Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices.

While on the altar, ready to sacrifice the noble, the savage found that the victim had a missing finger and so he was released. 

According to them: he was not complete so he could not be offered to the gods.

Upon his return to the palace, the king authorized the release of his slave to whom he said very affectionately:

- My friend, God was really good to me! I was almost killed by the wild men,but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: If God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?

- My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I would have been sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger.

Therefore, remember: everything God does is perfect. HE is never wrong!

Often we (me) complain about life and the negative things that happen to us, forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose.

Every morning, offer your day to God.

Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, to ease your feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

Do you ever feel like this?

Do you ever NOT feel like doing the jobs you should be doing?

Oh yeah, this is me this week!


And yes, the look I have on my own face is about the same.

Happy St. Valentine's Day

A couple of my hootiekins are going to KILL me!!!

So Happy St. Valentine's Day for the last time!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwAeEGc1A9Q

And the goal is . . . .

I know this Abbe. . . . .

This is what he dreams of at night for St. Francis de Sales Oratory, which is the largest church dedicated solely to the traditional liturgy in the whole wide world!!!!!

Probably universe, too!

I counted the servers.  72!!!!!  Yes, 72 servers in that procession.

That would be fabulous, Abbe!

Next year, a Pontifical High Mass with Cardinal Burke at St. Francis de Sales Oratory!  

(We can dream about it!)

Oh Canon, I think I need another roll of blue fabric!

This post is in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes.  Today is her feast day.

The cassocks are blue in honor of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest 

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

St. Bernadette, pray for us.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us all.

ONLY A BOY WOULD SAY THIS!

I heard this while my boys were eating breakfast this morning . . . . . .

"Wouldn't it be so cool to watch a 9 hour Godzilla movie?"

The next thing I would hear coming from my 
breakfast table would be . . . .

"Wouldn't it be cool if Godzilla was my pet?"

Let me think about that . . . . . .

Maybe backwards would be best!

"My mom is SMOKIN'!"

Can you imagine one of your children saying, "Dear Mother, please go smoke this cigarette before you paddle me."

This is for you people who haven't been fortunate enough to hear this song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIN8MmMloZE

Can you imagine this commercial on TV now?  Get out of the way kids, Barney can't play right now, he needs to get a cigarette."  Cough, cough, hack, hack!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqdTBDkUEEQ&feature=fvwrel

Love/Hate Relationships

If that title sounds like something fishy is happening around here, you are correct!

I have been thinking about many things lately.  Most of the time that is not good!

This time might be different . . . . but I doubt it.

So many things around me that I LOVE but HATE to love them!!!

My life would be so much easier if in fact I could live without them completely.  Some of these things I must keep because ultimately, they serve a greater purpose.  The rest, well, are like magnets.  When I see them, I simply CAN'T resist them!  

I am going to start with the first of these things and try very hard to be strong and avoid these cute little fellers in the future.

Normally, I would be opposed to schools of fish all around me.  Especially schools of fish in my stomach.  I  could never imagine myself picking up fish by the handfuls and chowing down on them but these are different.

What is it about those adorable little things that smile at you while you eat them?  Why would you even eat something that SMILES AT YOU!?!?!?  And really let's just be honest, it isn't really eating when you cram handfuls of anything into your mouth and keep returning for more in the same manner.

They are evil, I say, pure evil.  They should have made them look like piranhas because they are NOT sweet and innocent! The only word that comes to mind when I see them is GLUTTONY!!!!!!

Picture the cookie monster.  Keep imagining that.  Now imagine the cookie monster having been starved from eating cookies for 3 years!  

Yes, that is me when I get my hands into a bag of these creatures.  Have you guessed what I speak of yet?  If you have then chances are you have done the SAME THING!

You look at one, so cute.  "Hi litte guy!"  Line them up.  Eat the ones without tails first.  That is the humane way to eat them you know.  Then all of a sudden your hand is pulling them out as fast as they can go into your mouth.  The bag is never ending.  You are secretly wishing someone would save you.  Then you look into the bag.  3 are only left and some crumbs.  You might as well finish those off too.  At least you can hide the bag in the bottom of the trash can and everybody might think they only thought they saw goldfish in the cupboard.

At least I have matured enough to know NEVER EVER buy the gallon box of them!  Now, however, they have Smores, baby ones, flavor blasted ones, and going to outer space fish.

It started the same way it always does this weekend.  

"Oh, Dierbergs has Goldfish on sale 10 bags for $10!  WOW! WHEE!" 

 I hesitate.  I think to myself, "Don't buy those things!  You will EAT THEM ALL!"  Then the other side of my brain says, "You know your children would LOVE those Goldfish crackers.  It has been SO long since you bought them.  And look at that deal!  You can't beat $1 a bag!  It isn't fair to deprive them just because YOU can't control yourself.  It will be different this time"  

Then the fight begins.  You'll eat them ALL!  No, I won't!  I can hide them from myself!  No you can't!  Remember the last time you ate them ALL!  I know, I know but I know how bad I felt!  I WON'T do the again.  Yes, you will!  NO I WON'T!!!  YES, YOU WILL!!

I think at this point I am arguing out loud with myself in front of the goldfish crackers with people staring at me or walking quickly passed me with their carts telling their children not to stare.

A GOOD DEAL and THOSE IRRESISTIBLE SMILES won again!  

Oh boy, do I feel sick!  

They are so cute too!  Why, oh why, can't I leave them alone!  I tell you I hope I NEVER see another goldfish cracker again! 

Because . . . . . for some strange reason I will EAT THEM ALL!!!!!!!

At least if they looked like piranhas then I could justify it saying, "I had to eat them before they ate me!"

This is what they really look like on the inside with super x-ray soul-o-vision glasses.
See, I told you.  They are evil!

I won't even admit how many bags I bought and how many are left.

I am through with you and all your little fishy friends FOREVER!

Wipe that silly little grin off of your face!

I think I have done this before!!!!!

AHHHHHH, blue material EVERYWHERE!!!!!!

Remember man (and horse) that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.

Well . . . . . it is inevitable for us all.

We are all going to die.

When you own animals, you know they will die, too.

Here is Goldie - alive and well!

Luke and Goldie at a horse show.

Here is Goldie on her last big trip:  Giving rides at St. Francis de Sales Summer at the Oratory.

Sunday night at 9:00 pm, I returned home to hear that she was down and probably not going to make it through the night.  She was a good horse and had taught many to ride including a couple of mine.  She was over 33 years old (probably closer to 35).  In human years, that would make her a little over 100 years old.

Monday morning, I did the only thing a good mother would do:  send her children to see if she had died.  I think they are a bit tougher than I am.  No, she was still down but eating hay.  Not good. In vain, we tried to get her up.

Then came the call to the vet.

Then came the vet.  

There was no hope and we all knew it.  These are decisions my parents used to make for me.  My turn.  

After Goldie passed away, only a boy would ask, "Can I keep one of her teeth?"  

No, it was NOT John who asked.

My reply, "No, I don't think we will or should keep any souvenirs of her."  Thank you very much!!!!!

Then came the very interesting "backhoe" burial the next morning.

I couldn't help but tease my children that too bad I hadn't kicked the bucket too last night.  

They could have erected a sign which read,

"HERE LIES ONE HAG AND ONE NAG".

The next day we receive this card from the vet who came out.

The next day we receive this from the vet who came out. 

Cheers Goldie!!!!  You were a really sweet horse!!!!

I'll drink to that!

Who says there aren't any available men out there?

Quit your whining ladies and just pick one!