Simple Woman Scribblings, January 27th

 

A Settling Worries Journal 

Looking out my window...

Me. Snuggled and scribbling. No rats.

There's a watercolor gray sky and snow still patching the ground in mysterious patterns (like: why did the snow melt over in that corner of the volleyball field, while the ground is completely bare in this corner of the volleyball field?). I haven't been out the door yet this morning, but it looks cold out there. I think I'll just stay in here. It's nice and snug in my little corner of the "tiny house!" (I like to call the RV the "Tiny House" nowadays -- in contrast to "the Big House" next door. It sounds homier than "the RV.") 

I am thinking... 

Worrying, actually, that the idea that we "gave up" the Big House to Dominic's family is causing a worry for some of our loved ones who think we are getting the raw end of the deal. Dan and I have talked to several of the children, one on one about it, but I want to set it down officially here, too. For the record: We love living in a smaller house with a smaller footprint! Less fuss, less muss, less to clean -- while still living on the "forever home" property where everyone can gather. How can you beat that? 

We thought it through -- and decided
to downsize -- sorta.

 Now that pretty much all of the children have moved on (with the two youngest only home in summer), all those rooms in the Big House were wasted space and more time and work than we want to deal with in our retirement. Two aging people don't need a four bedroom house or three acres of lawn and gardens to take care of. By themselves, 😬 and, though we were reconciled to the possibility, it was sad to think of selling our little paradise in the hills. We put the idea out to the children to take it over and were thrilled when Dominic and Monica decided to jump in on the adventure of a multigeneration cooperative! It's seemed to be the answer to everyone's prayers. Dominic and Monica were at a crossroads, ready for a move to a rural environment, safer and more economically feasible than where they started out (Denver). and Dominic almost immediately found a job that he loves and that pays well here in rural Iowa. I probably don't need to mention that we love having them and the little girls as our close neighbors! And we love their enthusiasm and energy for revitalizing the old homestead. My goodness, they are hard workers! The old place has needed some hammer and nails kind of love! And we love not having to be the ones to have to do it! 😉 (Heaven knows, we've BTDT enough times over the last 37 years!)

The Big House, winter. ❅

And here's the other win-win of the equation: the Big House fits the children's needs, providing space for their growing family, while the financial settlement we've arranged with them allows us to build a shelter for the RV that will have plenty of extra space for us.  We really like the coziness and simplicity of the tiny house and no longer having to yell across all that square footage at each other: "What?!" 😅 And with some extra living space behind the RV, we'll get to stretch out a bit and bring over the old familiar statues and pictures and pieces of furniture that will feel like "Mom and Dad and Home" to everyone  -- and will provide more space to entertain. Plus, we

Summer. (sigh) The view from the Little House

get an amazing view of the countryside from this side of the property, as we're further up on the hill. 

Summing up: we've been able to work out a financial plan that we can build the small efficient living space that we've always wanted that will wind up leaving us with almost no financial liabilities into our retirement - with the security of having family literally right at our elbows. How can you beat that? It's a very good thing!

I am thankful...

That God ignored all our prayers eight years ago to move to those other places that we now know, in hindsight, would have lacked the many blessings we have found here in Iowa. We wound up close to three of our children's families (and one a fairly short drive away in MN) -- and are so grateful to belong to a thriving and dependable church, with so many priests and Sisters and like-minded Catholics -- who we know will have our backs, no matter what. Being here at the hub of CMRI guarantees that we'll not only see our Religious children at least once a year (at holidays, vows, ordinations, and priests' meetings), but we get to see practically everyone we know periodically for those same reasons -- and have a network of friends who can fill pretty much every need you can think of in practically any emergency. In this world, there is absolutely no greater blessing and privilege. Proof positive that God knows best. Deo Gratias!

I am creating...  

Nothing much new right now, though I'm wanting to get out my needle-felting again to have another try at it! I've been slowly (very slowly) editing the old novel that I may never be satisfied enough to hand over to my beta-readers waiting in the wings. More than anything, I've been trying to organize and weed out the flotsam and jetsam of thirty-seven years of collecting... What is good to save in case of possible need -- should inflation continue to rise or the market crash or whatever? What might someone else see as useful, even if it's not something I might need -- and what is really just junk? Not always an easy distinction!

I am wearing... 

Long navy skirt, patterned with little shell pink flowers; matching pink cardigan; navy turtleneck, leggin's, and socks. 

I am reading...  

Three Religious Rebels, by M. Raymond, O.C.S.O

One more picture thought for the day...

Cathy last week with Chloe at her first birthday party.
(The Mother of all mothers looking on.)

The Amazing St. Raymond of Penafort...

 

...Who, upon being held against his will on the island of Majorca by King James of Aragon, said, "Oh yeah?" -- bowed his head in prayer and calmly spread his cloak upon the water. To the surprise of all, he then tied one corner of his cloak to his staff, stepped upon the cloak, and thereupon sailed across the Baltic Sea to Barcelona, a distance of 132 miles.  It's recorded that it took him six hours to make the trip.  Imagine.  I looked it up. If you were to charter a boat today from Majorca to Barcelona, Google sources estimate an eight hour journey.  In a boat -- with a motor.

But, do you want to know what is really amazing about St. Raymond?

Everything! 

Born to a rich and noble Spanish family in 1175, St. Raymond was a brilliant student, receiving doctorates in both civil and canon law at the Universities of Barcelona and Bologna.  He began teaching law at the University of Barcelona when he was only twenty years old, then continued teaching law in Bologna -- until he ran into some young men belonging to the newly formed Order of Preachers -- the Dominicans. It didn't take our saint long to realize his calling. By all accounts those dynamic young Dominicans were an impressive bunch! Raymond was 41 years old when he gave away everything he had in the world -- wealth, station, and honor -- to gain everything else that heaven could offer -- by joining the wandering preachers and becoming a Dominican friar.  And boy, did God have plans for him!

The Blessed Virgin appeared in separate visions to St. Peter Nolasco,
 St Raymond of Penafort and King James I of Aragon, asking them
 to establish an order for ransoming enslaved Christians from the Moors. 

Together with St. Peter Nolasco and King James of Aragon (yes, the same King James from the sailing cloak story... How could he not have reformed with St. Raymond around, right?) St. Raymond founded the Order of Our Lady of Ransom for the Redemption of Captives.  With the direct patronage of the Blessed Mother, the Mercedarian Order grew swiftly and was blessed with great success.  Every chance he got through the rest of his life St. Raymond dedicated himself to bringing home Christian captives of the Crusades -- and to the conversion of both Muslims and Jews.  It is said that at his death, he was responsible for the conversion of over 10,000 Moors.

But... as if that weren't amazing enough, St. Raymond also found time to write the definitive book of advice and information for confessors at that time, Summa de Casibus Poenitentiae, which so impressed Pope Gregory IX, that he had St. Raymond called up to be his own personal confessor at the Vatican.

 So impressed was the pope with St. Raymond's learning, that he was assigned the task of updating and organizing the previous 80 years of canon law decrees, which effort resulted in the Decretals (published in 1234).  Having then reached the age of 60, St. Raymond was permitted to retired from the job at the Vatican.  He tried to sneak away to a quiet life in Barcelona, but it was not meant to be; he was almost immediately called up to serve as Archbishop of Barcelona (much against his will!) -- but, exhausted from a life of constant labor, he became ill and had to resign within two years.

Nevertheless... there was still to be no rest for St. Raymond.   In 1238  he was elected Master of the Dominicans, and desiring to give his personal attention to the needs of the community instead of relying on hearsay, he set out on foot to visit every single house of friars and nuns in the Order! At this time, he was well into his sixties, but in addition to the constant travel, he also managed to set out a new Constitution of the Order -- in which he added a resignation clause for the Master.  As soon as the new Constitution was adopted in 1240, our St. Raymond took advantage of the clause and begged out. (Clever fellow!)

But, St. Raymond was still not finished. Or, rather, God was not finished working through St. Raymond. Having made the acquaintance of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Raymond encouraged the Angelic doctor in his work, Against the Gentiles.  St. Raymond, himself no fledgling in the work of conversions, contributed constant labor toward the conversion of the Muslims and the Jews. St. Raymond was responsible for the teaching of Arabic and Hebrew in several Dominican friaries toward this end. He founded Dominican Houses in Murcia (at that time still ruled by Muslims), as well as in Tunis and Mallorca.

But, St. Raymond never did get a chance to rest -- at least not until he reached the venerable age of 100 years, when he finally went to his eternal reward. He died while visiting one of the Dominican monastaries in Barcelona in 1275.  He was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in 1601. His relics can still be found in the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia in Barcelona.

The feast day of St. Raymond of Penafort is January 23rd.  He is the patron saint of all lawyers, but especially of canon lawyers.

St. Raymond of Pennafort, help us to remember that we are never finished until we are in heaven!

*Repost from 2013

Green

See that plant in the corner? The tall one? There's a long story behind that plant. Last June, on the way home from Idaho with the boys, we bought it as a thank you gift for the dear lady (a parishioner of Fr. P's mission church) who opened her home to us when our car broke down in Boise. But, for some reason (I can't for the life of me remember why!), we didn't end up giving it to her, so it rode along, the whole long way home, stuffed in our sedan with me and Dan, two hulking teenagers and all their stuff, plus two kittens in a too-large cat-carrier.

You might have already guessed that my poor plant arrived in Iowa a mite worse for wear. Bedraggled understates it. So, up it went, to the "intensive care" spot for plants next to the kitchen sink at the big house, where I could nurse it back to health. Which I was able to do. By the end of the summer it looked great! Like an actual small tree, with several tall stems and lush foliage.

Then I went to Germany. And Dan and Dominic and the gang started the big renovation on the homestead, taking out many of the main floor interior walls and raising the ceiling to its original height -- all of which is almost finished now and is awesome! I love it! In the process, though, I understand -- and the details are vague -- but, in the course of construction... Well, I guess basically -- the kitchen ceiling fell down on this plant.

By the time I got home from Europe, it was down to two or three pitiful leaves and was hanging on by a thread. So, I brought it over to the tiny home (the RV we're living in until we get our barndo built) -- and put it in intensive care again on the RV kitchen sink. And, check it out! It's coming back! Its about to grow out of this spot!

Here's the thing, though, the reason to tell this story. (Oh, the irony.) You know what this plant is called? It's a MONEY TREE! And its adventures are pretty much an analogy of our finances.

Here's how it goes: Start building up the account: car dies. Get a windfall: the refrigerator breaks down. Get a raise: a kid needs braces. Or we have to fund a trip somewhere for some reason for somebody. Or throw a big party. (Two of our daughter-Sisters' vows, for instance, are coming up in Easter week!) Or... Christmas...

So... Easy come. Easy go. Thank-you, God, that we've always somehow had enough tree that we could lose some leaves and even, occasionally, whole branches without killing it entirely... Thanks to Dan's intensive care finance skills, hard work, and scrimping, we've always been able to nurse the bank account back to health again!

Back to my plant, though. See the shiny leaves on those new shoots? It's so satisfying, seeing it come back to life! I'm enjoying it while I can. Same with my stubby aloe vera there, whose life's work is sacrificing its fronds for clumsy people burning themselves on pots... Finances/Fronds -- it's all the same, and one thing's for sure: there's bound to be another incident. Now that we're in the green again, it's bound to happen. Such is life. We're not holding our breath. Not worrying. Money doesn't grow on trees, but with proper care, it can "grow back" after a pruning.

Pious Exercise for Church Unity

The eight days between January 18th (Feast of St. Peter) and January 25th (Conversion of St. Paul) has been established by Pope Leo XIII as a special time for Catholics to pray for the conversion to the Catholic Faith for all unbelievers. The faithful are encouraged to recite the following prayers as a part of their daily routine during the octave:

ANT: That all may be one, as Thou, Father, in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in US; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.
V: I say unto thee, that thou art Peter.
R. And upon this rock I will build My Church.

Let us pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst say to Thine Apostles: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; consider not my sins, but the faith of Thy Church; and deign to keep it i peace and unity according to Thy will: who livest and reignest, God through all eternity. Amen.

For the Propagation of the Faith
(From the Mass of the same purpose)

O God, Who willest that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, send, we beseech Thee, laborers into Thy harvest, and give them to speak Thy word with all confidence, that Thy Message may run and may be made plain, and that all peoples may know Thee, the only True God, and Him Whom Thou hast sent, Jesus Christ our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

+ This octave is not liturgically observed, that is, there is no special Collect, Secret, or Post Communion in the Masses said throughout this period. however, these prayers were approved and sanctioned by Pope St. Pius X during whose reign it was well received by the Bishops in America, Canada, England, and throughout the world. Furthermore, Pope Benedict XV, by a Papal Brief of February 15th1916, extended this observance to the whole Church and attached special indulgences to its observance. In 1921, at the Annual Conference of the Hierarchy in Washington DC, the observance of this Octave was determined to be adopted in all the dioceses throughout the United States.

It is very interesting to note that this Octave originated from the Society of Atonement at Graymoor, at Garrison, NY in 1880. The amazing aspect of this spiritual practice is that this Society of Atonement was not yet Catholic and were received into the fold of the Catholic Church after two years of observing this Octave for Unity.

Besides the gaining of 200 days indulgence each day for the recitation of the authorized prayers during the Octave, all the faithful can also receive a Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions after the completion of this devout exercise.+

Specific Conversion Intentions for Each Day

Jan. 18 -- The return of all "other sheep" to the one true fold

Jan. 19 -- The return of all Greek and Russian Schismatics

Jan. 20 --The return of Anglicans the True Church

Jan. 21 -- The conversion of the Lutherans

Jan. 22 -- The conversion of all other Protestants

Jan. 23 -- The return to the Sacraments of all lapsed Catholics

Jan. 24 -- The conversion of the Jews

Jan. 25 -- The Missionary conquest of the world for Christ

* From the Sunday Bulletin, Mary Immaculate Queen parish, January 16,2022.

Toasty Tuesday

 

(Because I forgot about Simple Woman Monday yesterday.)

What we are doing this week... Still finding places to put gifts after Christmas -- a bigger challenge than in previous years, since Dan and I have moved over to the RV! We still have plenty of storage in the Big House and in the barns -- but, honestly... If a thing is not here with me in our new cozy little digs, I might as well not have it, because I'm too lazy to go looking for it... And, honestly, part of the point of moving into a smaller space was simplifying! Paring down. Learning to live with less. 😬 If you know me, you know this is not an easy thing. So, step back while I... er... sit over here drinking coffee and pondering what I can do without -- or reorganize - so that I can bring new stuff in. (Wish me luck!)

 Also, in the theme of  "paring down," Dan and I are determined to recommit to better nutrition now that all the sweets and junk are (almost) gone! A health food shopping trip is, therefore, on the agenda for later in the week. 

What we will be doing today... Getting the boys ready to head back to the Minor Seminary in Idaho tomorrow. A family from Idaho whose kids board here in Omaha have brought their youngins out for the winter semester at Mater Dei and will be taking our youngins back with them to St. Joseph's in Idaho tomorrow. (An ironical kind of situation that works out nicely for everyone!) So the great Hunt-and-Pack happens today! (Woohoo. 😖) And there are signs of these two teenagers everywhere, let me tell you - socks and underwear and thumb drives and breviaries and gifts scattered from here to Timbucktoo! Just like the good old days. 😊 I can't tell you how much we will miss Gabe and William (as we always do!) -- but, especially in this day and age, it's worth the sacrifice for them to be where we know without reservations that they are, not only getting an outstanding education and are physically safe and well-cared-for, but are in a place where they can thrive spiritually! So, anyway - as soon as they wake up... (a well-deserved sleep-in day after a busy week this past week and a busy week coming up!) and corral their belongings, we'll try to get some good time in with the boys today and take them out to diner tonight.

What I'm doing right now... Trying out the new laptop Dan got me for Christmas! (Much nicer and with a bigger screen than my old one, but I'm not used to this keyboard yet!) and drinking coffee next to my little Not-Quite-Arctic Fox, Dawsey - who's taken to playing out in the snow for a few minutes in the morning, then coming in all wet and cold and hunkering down next to me on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon - where I'm sure he's wondering why he thought it would be such a good idea to go out in the snow in the first place. But then, of course, he completely forgets how much he hates the cold and begs to go out any time he hears any of the children or grandchildren outside. 😑And here's where you see my Mom-angst seamlessly transferred from a house full of children to one little dog. Such is the Great Transtion. (More on that later maybe.)

What I'm hoping... That everyone passing here (all three of you) have a blessed and joyous Christmastide and a new year full of happy surprises and holy contentment! Doesn't matter what's happening outside, we can keep our own hearts warm and cozy!

Challenges

 Grandpa is not going to challenge you to do something easy.  What's the point in that? He doesn't say a whole lot when you haven't figured out yet how to succeed at the challenge, but he will usually let you keep trying until you get it -- or not. If you don't slay this dragon, there will always be more he can think up. So long as you give your best effort, all's right and tight. He's more chagrined, I think, when one of the kids doesn't want to even try or gets whiney when they have trouble. But, boy, do his eyes light up when you persist and beat the game! 

Kinda reminds me of Somebody Else we know.