Signing off temporarily

I'll be signing off from any new blog use for about a week as we move and get everything situated, including new internet service.

Please keep us in your prayers!

The Joys of Moving...

Here we go again- all packed up and ready for another move! This time, though, it's only 10 minutes away, and into a house instead of an apartment. Praise the Lord, everything seems to have worked out, and by this time tomorrow we'll have the keys to our new house! We're excited about the house....Mama's excited to have more windows and sunshine coming into our home, Papa's excited about finally not having carpet under our kitchen table (!), M's excited about having her own room (ahem...we'll see how that actually pans out for her!!) and about starting a garden with Mama ("but we need to have both flowers and food in our garden!"), L doesn't really know what's going on, and C is just happy if she's in Mama's arms. Since we're only moving 10 minutes away, this move has seemed the least stressful (and being our 6th move in 5 years, I'm certainly thankful for that!!). It's also been the first move where I've realized how different moves can be with 'older' children... M has been sooo helpful, begging to help us in any way. So, we delegated special jobs to her- labeling the moving bins, helping to tape boxes shut, packing books, helping Papa wrap things in newspaper and pack them into boxes, etc- and she was delighted to oblige! L wanted to help, too, though his interest came and went, and I'm not proud to say that the DVD player has been his close friend this past week! I'll make it up to him once the move is over, though!! Thanks to everyone for your prayers regarding housing stuff for us. We are so grateful to be moving into a home, and we can't wait to have lots and lots of visitors!!!

The Problem of Evil...and Rosary Stuff

Gosh, if I was worried about the 'birds and bees' talk down the road, M has already managed to zoom forward to some of those mind-boggling, faith challenging, life-long pondering questions that I thought I'd have plenty of time to 'prepare' an answer for (ha! Does that ever really happen in life with children?!?) Here's the latest one from my little philosophizing theologian:

M: Mama, why do some people do bad things? Do they have evil hearts? Does Satan make them do evil? Are they still good people, though, if they do things that are evil? So... they have a 'hard heart' that makes them do bad things? Can they still do good, too? Because they need to have a change of heart, right?.....

This led to a discussion about sin, about being made in the image of God, about making choices and making mistakes..... but like usual, at the end of this conversation with M, I was left wondering some things, too.... Like, when a person 'promotes' something that is intrinsically evil, does this make them evil, or is it simply their actions that are evil? To what extent does their knowledge of what they're actually doing affect the answer to those questions? (I realize their own culpability with their sins affects the severity of their sin and their own personal responsibility...but does that in itself determine if they are actually evil?) When we read about people having 'hardened hearts', what exactly does this mean? Are there really "evil people", or just "people that do evil"? I think it's more than a matter of mere semantics, but I'm not sure... this is where I wish I had more theological knowledge! But alas! Thank goodness for the Catechism - I'll study up this weekend and see if I can quench these burning questions!! In the meantime, here's another one to ponder (with a little less intensity than the first slough of questions!):

Upon seeing a cross in a Baptist Church recently, M immediately asked:

"Mama, why isn't Jesus on the cross? What did they do with him?"

Some of our nonCatholic friends have asked us why we portray the suffering Christ on the crucifix in our Church, when he has in fact risen. Papa likes to ask in return, "Why do you have a cross at all then, if he's risen?"

Amazing how children notice even the smallest little things, isn't it? Keeps us on our toes! 'Lest you think this ponderous child is exceptionally pious, I share with you another recent M moment from this week: On Monday, we joined some friends at the nearby Catholic elementary school for a newly formed weekly "Rosary Club" for children. I thought I'd take my little ones and see how they'd do. Now, we don't pray a full rosary together as a family quite yet, usually tackling just one decade at a time, but I thought we'd give it a shot. After two decades, M turned to me with a sharp glance and whispered, "Is this all we're going to do? Just pray the rosary??? That's IT?" I smiled and nodded, hoping my angelic daughter would joyfully gush with excitement, bow her head and continue her holy prayers. Instead, she stared me down with a look I daresay resembled disgust, crossed her arms and retorted, "I've had it with this rosary stuff!" Hmmm. Looks like we have some work to do! So much for an 'easy path' to piety!!

A Change of Heart

Check this out: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15235

After Mass today I was talking with one of the women at our church who is heading up the "40 Days for Life" here at our parish. She informed me about this awful news, that Obama is now going to attempt to overturn protection of conscience rights for doctors, thus working to 'incrementally' (how sensitive of him, eh?) implement the Godless "Freedom of Choice Act" (known as FOCA). Isn't it amazing, that now our very own leader of this country, this democratic country founded on the principles and rights of life, liberty, and justice for all, is now working hard to take away our own freedom to live according to our conscience and morality!! Oh, yes... this is just the beginning, I fear. I mean, come on- even if you're pro-abortion (ahem, I mean 'pro-choice'), you have to see the danger in removing doctor's rights to follow their own conscience, especially with regards to an issue like abortion, which is so controversial and not 'black and white' in the law books currently (God help us). If you haven't seen this video, check it out... a very powerful point made: www.catholicvote.com

M overheard our conversation, and noticing my own reaction, was immediately interested in what we were talking about. I told her basically that President Obama is now going to try and make sure that doctors who don't want to do abortions aren't going to have a choice anymore.

M: "What?!?!?! Nooooooooooooo! Noooooooo! I don't want him to be president anymore! How can he do that??? Why hasn't he changed his heart yet? Is Satan making him do that, Mama? Satan likes it when people do evil things.... but why is that? Why isn't Satan happy? He should be happy for everything God has given him. He should have a change of heart, too."

Oh boy. I had quite a time dissecting that conversation!!!

(Her constant prayer is "that Obama will have a change of heart about abortion." Hmmmm.... looks like she's going to start praying for Satan, too, now!)

Though I find myself sometimes despairing in light of the condition our world is in right now, I am reminded that we are not to despair, not to lose heart, but rather to remember Who we serve, and that through Him ALL things are possible, and we are HIS children, called to take up our spiritual weapons and storm the gates of Hell with confidence in our General.

Heavenly Father, change Obama's heart. Jesus and Mary, save souls.

If you're interested in learning more about 40 Days For Life, check out the website. It's a wonderful way to actively/spiritually get involved in this battle for innocent souls...

http://www.40daysforlife.com/splash.cfm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On9jankGqB0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h39RM3dlYPI