One of those days ):

Yes, I'm having one, since late yesterday afternoon. Some pretty hefty storms ripped through northeastern Ohio and we lost our power well into the morning. I also discovered I had one mixed-up blogspot when I returned to it and lost my customized items such as links to website and others' blogs ): Yes, it is one of those days!
Hopefully, in time I will eventually restore the lost items to the left margin side bar. If you notice a book suggestion or favorite link missing, please let me know. I'll be anxious to replace it.

In the meantime, Catholic Analysis has posted an excerpt from the book of Esther; one of my most admired books of the Bible. You can visit it at: Catholic Analysis.

More Beautiful Art

School in all varieties, including that of homeschoolers, is just around the corner. This photo-looking piece of art entitled: The Country Schoolhouse is that of Maxfield Parrish. You must click on the title to see this piece enlarged. This hardly does it justice; it is truly beautiful! When I was in my teens a neighbor whom I use to babysit for introduced me to Parrish's artwork. I was hooked as far as a more contemporary artist was concerned. I love his technique; the depth and rich colors. Parrish is one of my favorites, as well as John William Waterhouse. His Saint Cecilia is just exquisite. To also see it enlarged, click on the title.



Artwork here, courtesy of Art Renewal Center.

Every woman's book of cope and hope

Graham Crackers, Galoshes, and God By Bernadette McCarver Snyder

Inside these little stories, Snyder shares the frenzied furies and hilarious happenings of her life as a mother, wife, and professional. If you need a laugh or prayer, this book is for you.

From Liguori Publications

Saints Anne and Joachim

I thought this was an interesting medieval renedition of Saints Anne and Joachim. My middle name is Annette, the French variation of Anne. Jennifer over at Family in Feast and Feria mentions her middle name is Anne and has a beautiful image of these saints as well as an insightful post.

Saints Anne and Joachim, Pray for Us!

Angels, Silence and more

Not too long ago I came upon a wonderful apostolate: Opus Sanctorum Angelorum, translated: Work of the Holy Angels. It's always a good day to talk about angels and remember our own angel given us by God in a more intimate way. Opus Sanctorum Angelorum has made this endeavor a wonderful and edifying apostolate. There is bountiful spiritual formation articles available at the site. I found myself most interested in "silence" which is included in the seven character traits of formation listed for laity at the site. I wondered if all this great information was available in book form; the apostolate contact told me they were working on it! In the meantime, if you write them they will gladly send you an information packet and answer questions for you. email: opusangelorum@rc.net

A little on silence; I think these articles speak best when read in their entirety, while I can not do justice to this topic. In short, silence has definite healing, restorative and connective attributes leading to better discernment and peace in one's life. Not to be mistaken for a cruel silence inflicted upon others for the sole purpose of hurting and shunning. This silence is a path of peace, healing and goodness. The articles explain two different silences (i.e. silent treatment) that are anything but good and noble.



Here I will post a small excerpt from the article regarding the practice of silence and solitude. Then, be sure to read the article (link included in this title): "Holy Silence, the Secret of the Saints" to get a well-rounded view of this very special and important character trait.


The Practice of Silence and Solitude

Now it is important to be aware that practicing the virtue of silence does not mean that we have to be constantly quiet and never say anything. Nothing could be farther from the truth. For there is such a thing as an unholy silence, for example, giving someone the "silent treatment." To practice the virtue of silence, then, we must know when to speak, and to whom to speak, and the right way to speak.

The Letters of St. Paul contain much helpful advice on this subject, and could even be called a kind of "summa" of how to speak. In the letter to the Philippians he writes that we must not only "act without grumbling and arguing" (Phil 2:15), but also that we must speak only about "what is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is gracious, and anything worthy of praise" (Phil 4:8). And in his letter to the Ephesians he states that we must "never let evil talk pass our lips, and say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them" (Eph 4:29). And then he adds: "immorality, or any impurity or greed must never be mentioned…. Silly or suggestive talk is out of place" (Eph 5:2).


We must ever keep in mind, therefore, that silence is not an end in itself, but simply a means to an end, though a very effective one at that. For the primary purpose of silence is to help us grow in the love and knowledge of Christ. And so all our conversations must be selective, and we must sometimes sacrifice our desire to speak with others, if this be the will of God.

Not only that, but we must also practice silence when we are speaking to others. We do this by allowing the other person to speak and listening politely. "Let every man be quick to hear and slow to speak", as St. James tells us (Jas 1:19). In other words, we should first think and then talk. Blessed Giles the Franciscan says on this point: "we should have a neck like a crane, so that our words would travel a long way before they come out of our mouth."

For the entire article on The Practice of Silence and Solitude follow this LINK.

Silence is Golden

Some excellent thoughts as always, from Oswald Sobrino at the Catholic Analysis blogspot on silence. Follow the link to the homepage and read: The Value of Less Talking, More Silence, posted for Friday the 21st.


"...in silentio et in spe erit fortitudo vestra... in quietness and in trust shall be your strength...."
Isa 30:15

WD-40, the answer?

My very helpful sister-in-law sent this one; I was wondering if we used this on children if it would make them less noisy and work more smoothly too? Hmm :)



This is very interesting and some you may not know the origin of WD-40: "Water Displacement #40". (WD-40) The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40.

The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. The workers were so pleased with the product, they began smuggling also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing")

The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans. The rest, as they say, is history. It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. Only one of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive smell from a fragrance that is added to the brew. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.

When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle!

Then try it on your stovetop...Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been.

You'll be amazed. Here are some of the uses:

Protects silver from tarnishing.

Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.

Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.

Keeps flies off cows. You as well.

Restores and cleans chalkboards.

Removes lipstick stains.

Loosens stubborn zippers.

Untangles jewelry chains.

Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.

Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.

Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.

Removes tomato stains from clothing.

Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.

Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.

Keeps scissors working smoothly.

Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.

Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.

Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding
mowers.

Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.

Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.

Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.

Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.


Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.

Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.

Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.

Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.

Removes splattered grease on stove.

Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.

Lubricates prosthetic limbs. Even your real limbs, like hurting knees.

Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).

Removes all traces of duct tape.

Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.

Florida's favorite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers." Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly!

I am sure you have found some other uses for it as well. So keep some WD-40 on hand. You can buy the little tubes to keep in you purse or car now. So always have one on hand.

The favorite use in the state of New York--WD-40 protects the Statue of
Liberty from the elements.

WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.

Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that
purpose.

Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for
fishing are not allowed in some states.

Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls.
Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried
a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with
WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!

If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!

Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off.
Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.

Use WD-40! P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.

Holy Angel, my counselor, inspire me;
Holy Angel, my defender, protect me;
Holy Angel, my faithful friend, intercede for me;

Holy Angel, my consoler, fortify me;
Holy Angel, my brother, defend me;
Holy Angel, my teacher, instruct me;
Holy Angel, witness of all my actions, purify me;

Holy Angel, my helper, support me;
Holy Angel, my intercessor, speak for me;
Holy Angel, my guide, direct me;
Holy Angel my light, enlighten me;
Holy Angel, whom God has assigned to lead me, govern me.

Beautiful Art

Speaking of beautiful art, we have been chatting alot about good art on the Mother Of Divine Grace families' home study support loop; from a fellow looper here is a great place to discover it: ARC International The Art Renewal Center. You can browse through thousands of the best quality artwork of the last six-hundred years. You'll be hooked :)

The Blue Boy (Jonathan Buttal)
Thomas Gainsborough

Check out the captivating beautiful picture at my friend Lynn's blog: Life is Beauty, post: Here We Go Again. She's going to have to tell us about it in another post - hint - hint ;)

Christ needs you, and calls you to help millions of our fellow men to be truly human and to work out their salvation. Live with these noble ideals in your soul....Open your heart to Christ, to the law of love, without placing conditions on your availability, without fear of receiving noncommittal replies, because love and friendship do not vanish over the horizon. [JPII Address in Javier, 6 Nov. '82] They always main their plentitude, for love does not grow old.

St. Thomas teaches that we love someone when we desire the good of that person. If, on the other hand, we try to take advantage of the one concerned, either because it gives us pleasure or because he is of use to us, then properly speaking, we don't love that person: whatever we want, it is not his good. When we love, we desire what is the best for the other; our whole person is directed to this love, independently of our likes or dislikes or moods: the payment and the price of love is to receive more love. [St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle, 9, 7]

In Conversation with God, Vol. 3 Twelfth Week, Friday

Birthday Blessings

Happy Birthday to our Jamie Catherine!

Born 13 years ago, this beautiful bright Ohio day.

Pictured here with happy faces: Jamie with her youngest brother Mark from nearly two years ago now.

Entry: 6 July 1906

J U L Y

6. Third day of bright sunshine and fifth without rain. Miss F. gave me some Bee Orchids this afternoon which she had gathered growing wild in Berkshire.

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, Edith Holden

God bless you this Fourth of July Holiday!

"...Parents have the right to educate their own children..."

"The family is the basic and most important unit of society, the one God looks upon as its firmest support. And it is perhaps the part of society most insidiously and ruthlessly attacked from all sides.....Many lost sight of the fact that parents have the right to educate their own children, and, in the face of excessive state intervention, have ended up renouncing an elementary right and this is due in part to these inhibitions - there are imposed certain kinds of teaching dominated by a materialistic view of man. In such methods the pedagogical and didactic approaches, text-books employed, schemes of work, curricular programmes and school materials deliberately set aside the spiritual nature of the human soul....."

In Conversation with God, Vol. 3 Eleventh Week, Friday