Category Archives: Faith

52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose: If I Were To Win the Lottery…

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The topic for this week: if I were to win the lottery…

[+] I’d take the cash option. I’m with Becky on this one. It’s more money than I think I’d ever see in my life and I would be investing it so that the amount grows over time, especially if it was hundreds of millions.

[+] I would pay off all our debt and that of my parents and in-laws. Both sets of parents made a lot of sacrifices for my husband and I and it’s the least we could do to help them out. As for our debt, it would be nice to wipe the slate clean and not have a car payment, student loans, or credit card bills.

[+] I would set up a trust for Daniel. Best case, he will have something to help out when he gets older. Worst case, it would fund his care if something happened to Jon or me.

[+] I would re-train as a respiratory therapist. I actually do better when I am working because it gives me some structure and I’d love to be able to do something I love. Unfortunately, this means re-training so I’d like to be able to do so without having to figure out financial aid.

[+] I would give a huge chunk away. I would definitely tithe it but I’d also want to do things like build schools in third world countries, help to re-hire laid-off teachers in Sacramento, fund a preeclampsia study, fund autism research, and make a large number of Kiva loans. I’d also help out a bunch of families with their adoption expenses.

I don’t think I’ve ever bought a lottery ticket on my own but it’s nice to dream sometimes.

Now go see Becky and what everyone else would do if they won the lottery.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 15, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 15, 2013

Outside my window… sunny and hot. I think it was in the 90’s today.

I am thankful… for Jon taking care of Daniel on Saturday when I was going on 2 hours of sleep and taking him to WinCo and Trader Joe’s so I could nap.

In the kitchen… clean dishes. Thank you, Jon.

I am wearing… green t-shirt and black running shorts.

I am creating… blog posts.

I am going… to pray I get decent sleep tonight.

I am wondering… when I’ll do some posting that isn’t meme specific.

I am reading… Apologia pro vita sua by Cardinal John Henry Newman. (It’s a spiritual autobiography on steroids.)

I am hoping… I can get things figured out with my copy-editing tomorrow and what I have left to do.

I am looking forward to… possibly seeing my parents this weekend.

I am learning that I really can’t eat Daniel’s diet without my stomach spazzing.

Around the house… clean counters though I have vacuuming to do.

I am pondering… many things in my heart.

A favorite quote for today… ??Here and here only in all time the myth must have become fact; the Word, flesh; God, Man. This is not ‘a religion’, nor ‘a philosophy.’ It is the summing up and actuality of them all.?? – C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy

One of my favorite things… club soda when my stomach is being grumpy.

A few plans for the rest of the week: copy-editing tomorrow/Weds/Thurs, autism therapy on Weds/Fri, and possibly spending the weekend with my parents.

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Five Favorites: Miscellanea (VIII)

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Five Favorites

Yon

Reading. I should do more of it rather than sitting on Facebook and waiting for people to play on Words with Friends or Scrabble. It probably doesn’t help that I actually need to be sitting next to my computer for my current read so I can look up the classical references that I don’t get because I never read the works in their original languages like my dad and my grandfather had to do. I also never got into Jane Austen so my 19th century British reading skills are rusty.

De

This prayer. I’m trying to get in the habit of doing Compline from the Book of Common Prayer every night and I love the following prayer:

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or
weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who
sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless
the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the
joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

Twa

Friends who are expecting. I just got the news today that a friend from college and her husband are expecting a little one with a due date of January 4th. It seems like a number of my friends are due in December and January.

Kat

Quiet mornings. I’m incredibly introverted so I need a lot of alone time now that Daniel has after school ABA therapy that lasts 3 hours. This means that I’m really enjoying my quiet mornings by myself when I can get them.

Senk

Cool weather. It’s been 90F+ here for the last few weeks with at least 10 days of triple digits. I’m really craving winter rains and cool temperatures right now.

Go love up Hallie and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 8, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window… sunny. I’m told the temperature outside was supposed to be 95F today and Weather.Com confirms it.

I am thinking… about the crash at SFO and how amazing it is that more people didn’t die. (SFO is 2 hours away so this is major news here.)

I am thankful… for the first responders and passengers who risked their life to rescue people on that flight.

In the kitchen… turkey in the fridge defrosting and marinating overnight.

I am wearing… my black “Governator” shirt and black capri sweats.

I am creating… blog entries.

I am going… to hope that Daniel doesn’t have any more night terrors like he has had the last few nights.

I am wondering… way too many things to list.

I am reading… Apologia pro vita sua by Cardinal John Henry Newman. I’m a fan of spiritual autobiographies and this one was recommended to me. I also finished Between Heaven and Mirth by James Martin, S.J. and The Diva Frosts a Cupcake by Krista Davis while I was in southern California.

I am hoping… that Hunter Pence is voted into the All-Star Game. Go vote! Do it now!

I am looking forward to… my hair cut on Thursday and my massage on Friday.

Around the house… I need to get the Roomba fixed.

I am pondering… too many things in my heart.

A favorite quote for today… “… I ever kept before me that there was something greater than the Established Church and that was the Church Catholic and Apostolic, set up from the beginning, of which she was but the local presence and the organ. She was nothing unless she was this. She must be dealt with strongly, or she would be lost. There was need of a second reformation.” — Newman (I’m taking “the Church Catholic and Apostolic” to be the Church on earth which includes all of us — Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox — as Newman had not become Catholic when he was writing this.)

One of my favorite things… my mani-pedi today. My fingers and toes are so pretty!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Morning Prayer tomorrow, ABA therapy for Daniel on Wednesday, haircut on Thursday, massage and ABA therapy for Daniel on Friday.

A peek into my day… The zucchini of light.

The zucchini of light

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Five Favorites: Taizé Chants

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Five Favorites

You can credit Thomas of Strong Catholic for inspiring this week’s post. He was posting Taizé prayers on Twitter last night.

One

In the Lord, I’ll be ever thankful. This one that we used to sing in seminary on Mondays or Fridays when we’d have Taizé worship. I have fond memories of singing harmony on this one with a couple male classmates.

Two

Nada te turbe. The words are by St. Teresa de Ávila. I learned this during monthly Taizé prayer put on by the Christian groups at UCSC.

Three

Ubi caritas. This was one of the first ones I learned during Maundy Thursday 1997. It’s still one of my favorites and one that I think I’ve sung to Daniel.

Four

Jubilate Deo. I actually learned this as a grace at Girl Scout camp before I knew that it was from Taizé.

Five

Misericordias Domini. This is another one I learned while in seminary when I played piano for Taizé evening prayer.

Go love up Hallie and the others.

Blogging with a Purpose: 5 Years From Now

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This week’s topic: 5 years from now…

In five years, I will be 38. While that is still young in the grand scheme of things, there are still things that I am hoping will be worked out. Anything I put here is up to God in terms of whether it happens because I know fully well that when mortals plan, God laughs. So this is what I’m hoping will be in place in 5 years…

The puzzle that is Daniel, my medical mystery, to be assembled. Every time I think we have Daniel figured out, something new gets thrown at us. I’ve finally stopped crying every time it happens… most of the time. (The latest is him having mild hearing loss.) I’d like to have things with Daniel more figured out and for him to be able to be mainstreamed into a regular classroom.

My family to be “complete”. This could mean that Daniel is an only child, that I have another one naturally, or that we are called to adopt. Whatever it means, I’m open to what God has in store for me in this direction.

To have my respiratory therapy training or whatever it is that I’m going to be when I grow up figured out. Yes, I’m 33 and I’m still trying to figure out what it is that I want to be when I grow up. Current thought: respiratory therapist. I’d like to have it figured out and my training done.

Being part of a community choir that allows me to indulge my “great works of choral music” itch. I love to sing. I don’t have a place to really scratch that itch at the moment.

To have grown in grace and love for God. It’s my goal pretty much every day and I pray in 5 years to be better at conveying God’s amazing grace to others and to be better at loving God and His people.

Now go see Becky and where everyone else who is linking up hope to be in 5 years.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 1, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY July 1, 2013

Outside my window… dark. It’s 3:15 a.m. so I’m trying to blog out my brain so I might be able to fall asleep.

I am thinking… that climate deniers need to be shot. This could also be the triple digit heat talking.

I am thankful… for A/C right now.

In the kitchen… teryaki chicken marinating.

I am wearing… olive-colored t-shirt and running shorts.

I am creating… blog entries on various subjects

I am going… to hope and pray I can eventually get some sleep. I took some more Benadryl so hopefully that works.

I am reading… Between Heaven and Mirth by Fr. James Martin, S.J.

I am hoping… the heat goes away soon.

I am looking forward to… seeing my in-laws this week.

I am learning to be patient with myself.

Around the house… the Roomba is broken so I’ll be chatting up tech support today to find out what they want me to do.

I am pondering… my faith.

A favorite quote for today… “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance.” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… cool rainy weather. I want some. NOW.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Trying to get caught up on devotions, ABA therapy on Monday afternoon, Morning Prayer on Tuesday, heading down south on Wednesday, my nephew’s baptism on Thursday, coming home on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Ernie singing “I Don’t Want to Live on the Moon”. It’s been stuck in my head so I thought I’d share.

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