HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMOTHY JOSEPH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMOTHY JOSEPH

February 27th!! A happy day!

One Day Down

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday follows Mardi Gras. I had big plans for a very penitential Lent, so TLOML and I had a feast, and much wine , to celebrate Mardi Gras. That would've been fine.. but being a substitute teacher I got a call to go in to work on Wednesday. Wednesday was pretty hard. I had a headache, and I was HUNGRY!!! When I got home from work we went to mass. That was very nice, and we got ashes, being reminded that we are dust, and will return to dust, and to turn away from sin. After mass, it sure was cold, and seemed a little sleety. I WAS STARVING, ( this does happen when one has been fasting). So we decided to go to seafood restaurant . When we got there it was after seven o'clock on a Wednesday,and the joint was jumping. There was a thirty minute wait. I was a little embarassed to have ashes on my forehead , but then I saw that half the people in there had ashes on their foreheads ! We sat in the bar, and drank water with our dinner. I think that had to count for a lot of brownie points. So let's see...one day down, and 39 more to go...

Snowy February Morning

Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, the day to live it up, eat'em up before Lent begins. It is amazing to me all the people partying, and celebrating all over the television, and they admit they don't know what Mardi Gras means. Well, I guess any excuse to party is good.

Traditionally, Lent is the 40 days before Easter where we do a little soul searching, spiritual housekeeping, as it were to prepare ourselves for Easter. People are familiar with the "giving up something" for Lent. But we have three practices to nourish our souls during Lent. That would be prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

To be honest, I have often done the minimum during Lent. Once I gave up, (Fasted from) a different thing each week, so it wouldn't be too onerous. With all that is going on in the world today, and the general climate of things I feel challenged to really have a desert experience this Lenten season.

I feel very blessed, and I feel like a fraud sometimes. What have I done to deserve so many blessings? One thing that my brother , Timothy, said in a sermon in his blog, and I paraphrase, but he said people don't become big sinners overnight. They make choices, they give up their prayer time, they make excuses, ... They gradually fall away from God. ( Sorry, Tim, for the bad rendition)

I really want to spend more time in prayer this Lent. I INTEND TO DO THIS!! Also, the fasting concept is the giving up concept. Fasting from something that keeps you from God, or that you put before God. I am not telling anyone what I am fasting from this Lent until I am sure that I can do it.

With all the money I save fasting I will have more for almsgiving. See how that works?

Well, Lent begins tomorrow. Right now I am planning a steak dinner for tonight. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we shall fast!

Academy Awards, and Ribs

Tonight that Lisses are all about viewing the Academy Awards. TLOML and I made a concerted effort to see all of the movies nominated, and it is surprising how many of the movies we didn't see. But here are our predictions:
Best Film- Slum Dog Millionaire, though we really liked Grand Torino!
Best Actress- Meryl Streep, though Kate Winslett was great in The Reader, which was an amazingly thought provoking movie.
As far best supporting actor, we like Seymour Hoffman, in anything, most recently in Doubt.
Best supporting Actress, that lady in Doubt that was the boy's mother.

Will we be correct? Probably not, but we will be eating barbecue ribs so it should all be good!

Who Will Win!

Basketball Jones

A Poem by Mattie Stepanek

When I die, I want to be
A child in Heaven.
I want to be
A ten-year-old cherub.
I want to be
A hero in Heaven,
And a peacemaker,
Just like my goal on earth.
I will ask God if I can
Help the people in purgatory.
I will help them think,
About their life,
About their spirits,
About their future.
I will help them
Hear their own Heartsongs again,
So they can finally
See the face of God,
So soon.
When I die,
I want to be,
Just like I want to be
Here on earth.

Primo Post

A friend has encouraged me to start a blog. Why? Well, I live in the Pacific Northwest one of the most beautiful places on the planet. I am seperated by thousands of miles from many of my friends and loved ones, and this would be a way to share with everyone the adventures I am having with TLOML, Jim, and the best kitty cat in the world Bubba Liss Pie.

Today is a beautiful sunny day, with a cloudless blue sky, which is rare in February. From my windows I have a view of Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood . It almost makes washing dishes a pleasure when gazing at the mountain, often ringed in fog, through my kitchen window.

These days I am substitute teaching for Lake Oswego, and I will interview with Portland on Monday. I have been getting work in the Special Ed. Dept. at the highschool. They have a wonderful program there.

Primo Post

It has been suggested to me that I start a blog. Why?? Because I live in the Pacific Northwest one of the most beautiful places on earth! I am thousands of miles away from many friends and loved ones, and I thought that this blog can fill everyone in on what I am doing.

What am I doing? I am substitute teaching for the Lake Oswego school district. I was not called today so I made a book on Shutterfly chronicling our past year for my husband, TLOML, for Easter. Shh! Don't tell him. Here is a picture of TLOML, and my precious Bubba Liss Pie!!

It's A Wonderful Life ( If you don't weaken!)

It has been suggested to me , that I should start my own blog. Why? Well, I live in the Pacific Northwest, one of the most beautiful places on earth, as least in the summer. I am isolated by thousands of miles from many of those I love and miss. So this blog will keep everyone posted on my comings and goings.

I am a substitute teacher for the Lake Oswego school district, and I didn't work today, so I spent the day creating a book, on Shutterfly, chronicling the past, glorious year. I intend to give it to my husband, Jim ,for an Easter present. Shhhh! Don't tell him.

Here are pics of TLOML, and Bubster!