Category Archives: Faith

Tetelestai (It is Finished)

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I’ve been trying to write this blog post since Saturday when I got the news that Courtney, the daughter of Mary of Passionate Perseverance, had taken her last breath at 1:51 a.m. She is no longer a slave to her body which worked against her for pretty much her whole life and she is now healed and whole.

From the Lutheran Book of Worship:

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Courtney. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

I wish I had adequate words to describe how much love, respect, and gratitude I have for Mary. She was devoted to Miss Courtney and through her blog, she managed to show the world how to live with joy, grace, and faith while taking care of a kid with special needs. She encouraged all of us mamas with kiddos who weren’t typical not just through her writing, but on Twitter and Facebook. She and I had Facebook messaging conversations while one of us was sitting in the ER with a sick kid and she shares my gallows humor (which is rare).

The information about final arrangements for Miss Courtney is here. If you want to make a donation in memory of Courtney, Mary gives you the options for that. (She also writes the BEST thank-you notes.) If you can give, please do. If you can’t, your prayers are more than appreciated.

Mary, we love you and my family wants you to know how much your witness, encouragement, and all-around awesomeness mean to us.

7 Quick Takes: Three Days into Christmas…

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7 Quick Takes

Kelly is taking some time off of blogging for Christmas but I thought I’d do Quick Takes anyway.

— 1 —

Saint for 2015. I decided to do Jen Fulwiler’s Saint Generator to see who my patron saint should be for next year. When I first did it, I got St. Paul Chong Hasang, a Korean martyr. I did it one more tme and got St. Rita who is a little less obscure. We’ll see how 2015 unfolds and how these two figure into it.

— 2 —

Handel’s “Messiah” on Sunday. I had the blessing of being able to attend both performances of the You-Sing-It Messiah put on by the Claremont Symphony Orchestra. My mother-in-law, bless her, watched Daniel for us so we could go. I had a fabulous alto behind me for the first performance but had to hold my own for the second performance because the altos were scattered. (They had seating by vocal section and the altos were supposed to all be behind the sopranos instead of scattered.) My choir director is the conductor of the symphony and he pitched it to the choir members as a way of practicing for Christmas Eve. I got lots of practice and was able to firm up some sections that were giving me problems.

— 3 —

Handel’s “Messiah” on Tuesday. Our Christmas cantata on Christmas Eve was the Christmas section of the Messiah and we had an extra practice session on Tuesday because our regular choir night is Wednesday which was Christmas Eve. The awesome alto that was behind me on Sunday turned out to be the professional mezzo-soprano that was singing the “Messiah” with us. She was absolutely fabulous to work with and I appreciated hearing someone else singing who was on-key and not getting lost.

— 4 —

Handel’s “Messiah” on Wednesday. Ohmigosh… I can’t believe how completely amazing it was. I got to sing it with four opera singers from all around southern California who were so much fun to sing with and who sounded better than some of the professionals on the recordings that I own. We also had a bass player from the Claremont Symphony Orchestra joining us and the richness of his bass seriously rocked. Of course, the glue in all of this was my awesome choir director, Dr. Sage, who pulled all of this together. There is seriously nothing better than good church music sung by people who believe and affirm that about which they sing. Midnight Mass was wonderful and it took forever to get to sleep when I got home because of all the adrenaline. Our priest’s homily was fabulous (she preaches like an NPR commentator) and so incredibly relevant. Jon made it to church after the worship service he was part of and was able to join us for the Hallelujah Chorus during the Offertory.

— 5 —

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. My sister-in-law Joanna, her husband Chris, and my incredibly cute nephew Patrick came up on the afternoon of Christmas Eve to hang out. They brought Daniel one of Patrick’s toys that is interactive and has doors and light switches. That kept him occupied pretty well that afternoon, evening, and the next day. 🙂 Patrick is in that stage that seems to occur around 18 months where kids flip out if a parent leaves the room so he was not a happy camper; but it’s all good — at least we got to see him.

On Christmas Day, I got to sleep in which was good — I’ve had a crazy week taking care of sick people and I needed the sleep. We opened presents in the late morning and Daniel got some books and craft stuff from various relatives. Jon and I went and had dinner with some family friends who also brought dinner over to my in-laws who were watching Daniel. It was nice to have a dinner with adult conversation.

— 6 —

In San Jose now. Yesterday, Daniel and I drove up to northern California to spend time with my parents. It was a vastly easier drive on I-5 than it had been at Thanksgiving. It’s good to see Mom and Dad again. We have no firm plans for the week other than church on Sunday and possibly having a coffee date with my friend (and Daniel’s godmother) Rebecca.

— 7 —

Sarah’s stockings. I am so glad I can finally share this story on this blog now! For those not in the know, my parents are University of Washington alums (as are some of my extended family and adopted family) and Sarah is at the OTHER school (Washington State University) where she plays in the marching band. The two teams play each other in the Apple Cup on Thanksgiving weekend and the family Facebook walls get pretty humorous during the week beforehand.

Anyway, we usually have a family gift drawing and as I usually organize it, I was going to cheat and give myself Sarah. The plan was to crochet two Christmas stockings, one in each team’s colors. I was going to stick the Washington State one into the University of Washington one along with some of Sarah’s favorite candy. The drawing didn’t end up happening but I had already made one of the stockings, so I just made the other one and my Mom used them to house Sarah’s present from her. Ironically, I finished them on the night of the Apple Cup… which the University of Washington won by a decent margin of 31-13 and Washington State didn’t even score until the 4th quarter. (It was pretty brutal.) My mom and my sister-in-law Jeanette had the idea to stage them on either side of the TV:

The stockings were hung by the TV with care, in hopes that an Apple Cup win would be there.

I had wondered if Sarah had liked them and saw this on my Facebook wall this morning:

Sarah and the stockings.

Had a wonderful Christmas with my family! I got some beautiful crocheted stockings from my cousin Jen! I’m just going to consider the purple one my high school stocking.

🙂 Whatever. Love you too, sweetie!

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 22, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY December 22, 2014

Outside my window… dark. It’s almost midnight.

I am thinking… about what I have to accomplish in the next few days. Daniel and I are heading up to be with my parents for a week or so and I’ll need to figure out what to take up with me.

I am thankful… for the opportunity to sing the Christmas section of Handel’s “Messiah” with the Claremont Symphony Orchestra yesterday.

In the kitchen… nothing as it’s past time to eat.

I am wearing… my Online Debate team shirt and capri-length sweats.

I am praying for… relief from my fibro flare, for Daniel to pleasepleasepleaseplease sleep in tomorrow, for Mary/Jerry/Jonathan, and for some special intentions.

I am going… to go to sleep as soon as this posts.

I am wondering… too many things to mention.

I am reading… Skein of the Crime by Maggie Sefton. I also just finished Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews

I am hoping… for sleep.

I am looking forward to… sleep. (Do you sense a theme here?)

I am hearing… my laptop fan.

Around the house… things are out away for the most part

One of my favorite things… ice chips! I gained an appreciation for them when Daniel was born.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT for Daniel tomorrow, visit with family tomorrow and Wednesday, rehearsal for Messiah tomorrow night, Messiah concert and Christ Mass on Wednesday night, Christmas stuff on Thursday, and heading up to San Jose with Daniel on Friday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

Advent Blog Hop: My Relationship with Mary

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Beth Anne's Advent Blog Hop

Did you know that Mary is my homegirl?

Wait… Jen, aren’t you Lutheran? Doesn’t that mean that you forgo Marian devotion?!?!?!?

Kind of sort of yes. Prayers like the Hail Mary in its post-Trent form (when the “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death” was added) and the Hail Holy Queen make me a bit nervous but it doesn’t mean that I don’t like Mary. Heck, I’m chill with her as the Theotokos (that would be the “God-bearer” as the Orthodox refer to her) and I started understanding her a bit more six years ago while pregnant with my son Daniel.

Do tell.

I shall!

Six years ago (for those counting on fingers and toes, that would be 2008), I was ~3 months pregnant with Daniel. We had just had our first ultrasound with him and gotten to see him being adorable and waving his little limb buds at us. We were living in northern Montana at the time and being December in Montana, we went into the annual tradition of several weeks of -20F weather (not counting wind chill — with wind chill, it was more like -40F). For those not familiar with how to live in such a climate, cars do not start well in cold like that so many people have block heaters on their engines and even if you do, you still have to start your car about 10-15 minutes before you plan to drive it. I remember waking up, tossing boots on, tossing my parka and a scarf on (to cover my nose and mouth — bare skin is a no-no in cold like that), starting my car, and going back into the house to get ready while the car warmed up. For whatever reason, the cold made my hands ache like nothing else. I would have knitted gloves on, insulated mittens over the gloves, and then socks over the mittens but my hands would still ache for most of my 60 mile commute each way to and from work.

One particularly hard day, I was having a pity party for myself and it occurred to me that I could understand some of what Mary felt in having to journey the 103 miles to Bethlehem from Nazareth while pregnant. Having lived in a Mediterranean climate (a.k.a. northern California), I can tell you from experience that while it’s relatively warm during the day, it gets pretty cold at night with temperatures close to 40F on average. Imagine having to travel that distance on a donkey while 9 months pregnant and freezing your tail off. Imagine arriving and finding out that there was no room at the inn and you’d be forced to give birth in a cave where the animals were kept. While my birth experience with Daniel 4 months later was pretty traumatic, it pales in comparison to the conditions in which Mary would be giving birth.

As I pondered these things more and more, I came to the realization that I also could understand some of the fear she had when visited by the Angel Gabriel and told that she would be bearing God’s son. I had feelings of both joy and complete terror two months earlier upon discovering that I was pregnant. (For some of my favorite settings of Mary’s song, the Magnificat, click here.) I also realized that I was understanding the verse about Mary “treasur[ing] these things and ponder[ing] them in her heart” because I was doing similarly.

4 months later, I would give birth to Daniel and start understanding how Mary must have felt seeing her Son up on the Cross, a feeling I would experience again 2 years later. It took me a fairly long time to understand that in looking to Mary and how she handled all of this, I would have a model in how to deal with what God was throwing at me; but when I did, I started understanding the love that my Catholic friends had for her.

It is still pretty weird for me to consider saying some of the Marian prayers but I feel like a connection was made with her that cold day in December.

What I Wore on Sunday: Second Sunday of Advent 2014

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I haven’t linked up here for a while, mostly because I frequently forget to take pictures of what I wear. Today, I changed back into church clothes midway through the afternoon because I was escorting my father-in-law to a concert of the Pomona College Choir so I took pictures when I got back. I needed a prop and as I’m singing the Christmas section of Handel’s “Messiah” with my church choir in a few weeks, I thought my copy of the work might be a good one.

Here I am pondering those lovely sixteenth note runs in the “For Unto Us A Child Is Born” chorus:

Me looking over the sixteenth note runs in the 'For Unto Us A Child Is Born'.

My mother-in-law was taking the pictures and this one was where she told me to look happy to see the piece without looking too manic. I ended up laughing and the picture turned out well.

My mother-in-law making me laugh while I was singing one of the solos for pictures.

And here is one of me from head to toe. I’ve lost enough weight that the pants are baggy on me right now!

Me from head to toe.

Cardigan: Kohl’s
Shirt: Old Navy (I love their “perfect tees”.)
Pants: Kohl’s
Shoes: Payless Shoe Source

Go show the other pretty ladies some love.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 2, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY December 2, 2014

Outside my window… dark. It’s about 1:30 a.m. right now and between the fibro and the PMS, I’m not sleeping well.

I am thinking… about the sermon I heard on Sunday regarding the sitch in Ferguson — very well-articulated. balanced, and thought-provoking.

I am thankful… to be back home in Claremont. Also thankful for the rain we’re supposed to be getting today.

In the kitchen… cleaned up but I did baked potatoes for dinner — quick and easy comfort food.

I am wearing… grey v-neck shirt and black capri sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, healing for my father-in-law whose cancer numbers have doubled, and some special intentions.

I am going… to sleep once I get this posted.

I am wondering… why the St. Louis police feels they have any business trying to punish the St. Louis Rams for the “don’t shoot” posture. There is no crime against free speech.

I am reading… Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton. I finished A Killer Stitch on my long drive on Sunday in addition to reading all of The Long Way Home by Louise Penny. It was, as are all her books, haunting in a literary chiaroscuro way. (“Chiaroscuro” is honestly the best word to describe them.)

I am hoping… to be able to put together my Christmas cards this week and send them out.

I am looking forward to… choir on Wednesday and working on Handel’s “Messiah”.

I am hearing… what I think is traffic in the distance.

Around the house… silence. I am the only one up.

A favorite quote for today… “The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were “gods” and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said.” — C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

One of my favorite things… rain. We’re supposed to have a massive world-ending storm in a few hours.

A few plans for the rest of the week: errands whenever they pop up, choir on Wednesday, possibly a concert later in the week.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 23, 2014

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 23, 2014

Outside my window… dark. It was maybe in the 60’s today. I’m actually blogging earlier than usual as I’m trying to get Daniel to go to sleep (without breaking out the Samuel L. Jackson book) and he won’t go to sleep unless one of us is present. *sigh*

I am thinking… about how much I love the liturgical year and about today being Christ the King Sunday for me as a Lutheran. I’m kind of bummed I missed church this morning because some of my favorite hymns were being sung. (I was having a fibro flare and as Jon had a wedding this afternoon, I needed to rest to have my A game on for Daniel.)

I am thankful… for Gabapentin which helps with the pain. (It’s nerve pain so painkillers like Tylenol and Aleve are useless. And yes, I get asked that frequently.)

In the kitchen… Daniel’s dishes to toss in the dishwasher. I haven’t had dinner yet — I’ll make it after Jon finishes cat chores and takes over putting Daniel down. (We’re in hour 2 of “put-Daniel-to-bed”.)

I am wearing… light gray v-neck shirt and jeans.

I am praying for… closure about Edda (still missing after almost 2 weeks), for finances, for a call for Jon, and for various special intentions regarding family members.

I am going… to go to IKEA with Daniel sometime in the next two days. I haven’t been in 4 years and it would be something to do other than the worksheets that his teacher sent home for this week. Also, I’m puzzling over the fact that she said that she wouldn’t send homework home like that if the parents didn’t want it. Seriously, we could probably get all of them done in about an hour… and that’s with my child who has no attention span. It’s not like this is putting us out at all and I remember always having stuff like that over vacation even in kindergarten. What is with parents these days?!?!?!? (I’m under the assumption that her statement is because parents have complained about actually having to do something with their kid… like read to them.)

I am wondering… what happened to Edda. I miss my lovey little house panther very much.

I am reading… Skein of the Crime by Maggie Sefton. It’s another in the series of murder mysteries about a woman in Colorado. I also read all of The Chocolate Clown Corpse by Joanna Carl and part of French Pastry Murder by Leslie Meier before I put the latter down due to it failing to keep my attention.

I am hoping… to get the two Christmas stockings done by the time we leave San Jose on Sunday.

I am looking forward to… seeing my family on Wednesday.

I am hearing… Jon feeding cats.

Around the house… cat chores being done and laundry to be folded once Daniel is down and I’ve had a chance to shower.

A favorite quote for today… “I quit church, stopped reading my Bible, gave up on any real semblance of a prayer life — and you know what? He was big enough to take it. His feelings weren’t hurt when I spoke words of doubt instead of faith. He didn’t mind when I cried rather than worshipped. He is God enough to handle this human heart of mine. He didn’t scold me; He didn’t heap “shoulds” or shame on me; He didn’t tell me to let go and let Him. He just sat in The Great Sadness with me.” — Alece Ronzino over at Deeper Story. (Read the rest of it here. HT: Rachel Held Evans.)

One of my favorite things… In-n-Out cheeseburgers with spread and pickles only, fries, and a Coke.

A few plans for the rest of the week: IKEA trip with Daniel, errands, crocheting, driving up to San Jose on Wednesday, and bonding with my family.

A peek into my day… Instead of a picture, I’m going to share an interesting link that I got from Rachel Held Evans.

Gate A-4

Hosted by The Simple Woman.