Outside my window...
...mostly gray with a few blue patches, cool and still. The birds are busy, I heard their busy sounds when I let Maggie in. She was down in the creek again -- I don't guess I'm ever going to break her habit of drinking from the creek. Blech. Oddly she won't drink from her water bowl unless the water was just placed in it. She will drink from the toilet, however.
I am thinking...
...about the homily our young priest gave yesterday. It was about the True Presence and receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. He related the two, as they are inseparable, and the connection that he made was that receiving Holy Communion on the hand has led many Catholics to stop believing in the True Presence. He said this was a fear when Vatican II gave permission for Communion to be received in the hand. He also made the connection between the percentage of Catholics who believe in the True Presence (30%) and the low numbers of men and women choosing the religious life. Of course, the two would go hand-in-hand. Why would a man become a priest if he did not even believe in the True Presence? I could go on and on about this subject. Doug and I "came back" to receiving Communion on the tongue about seven years ago and Faith received her First Holy Communion on the tongue. It's a serious discussion that needs to be ongoing with our sons. It's something we believe strongly in, but the boys are old enough that it should be their choice to come to Jesus in the Eucharist "as a child."
"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” How better to become a child than to humble oneself and allow the precious Body of Christ to be placed in one’s mouth?
I am thankful for....
...cool, gray autumn days
...a washing machine and dryer -- I have a lot of loads to do today
...hot, (strong) black coffee, always
...hot, (strong) black coffee, always
From the lesson plans...
...back to the grindstone. We had a busy week last week with three feast days -- Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and they were all good learning days, but not in the book-learning sort of way. Back to the books.
From the kitchen...
...ah, a real problem these days. I wrote here about how my family has, at late, rejected most of my home-cooked meals. Even last evening, I made a wonderful Creamy Italian Chicken Noodle Soup and Rosemary Focaccia and, with the exception of Joshua's girlfriend (living in a dorm gives a child a new view of home-cooked food for certain), they barely ate. I ate two bowls, and it was delicious, but they were, "meh." Doug actually said he would rather eat scrambled eggs every night. And them there is fightin' words. Guess what he's getting tonight (and it was actually on the menu, but he doesn't know that)? I really don't know what to do. Readers of my food blog suggested getting their input, but when I suggested that at dinner they really didn't care to offer input. Any suggestions? Personally I don't want scrambled eggs every night.
I am wearing...
...a black skirt, red and white blouse and black crocs. I never thought I would wear crocs but they really are so comfortable.
I am creating...
...a corduroy jumper, finishing up the last sleeve of a Christmas sweater, and some car rosaries for Doug's aunt
I am hoping...
...for a working solutions to my meal problem. Maybe I really need a new family? ;-)
I am hearing...
...the birds outdoors.
Around the house...
...lots of laundry and a pile of ironing that never seems to get small.
I am going...
...no big plans this week. To vote tomorrow for certain.
One of my favorite things...
...the smell of an outdoor fire on a cool fall day
I am praying for...
...my children, especially Noah who is still having some adjustment issues....our priests and all religious
...several soldiers
...Uncle Walt
...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week
...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week
Plans for the rest of the week...
...school and home -- my vocation
...school and home -- my vocation
Quote of the Day...
"It is You, O Lord, who in an instant so enlighten the humble mind
that it comprehends more of eternal truth than could be learned by ten
years in the schools, You who teach without noise of words or clash of
opinions, without contention of arguments." (Imitation of Christ, III, 43:2,3)
Oh, so sorry about the whole food dilemma!! Try eggs different ways this week and maybe their favorite meals each night? It seems hard when we leave one season and enter into another, we seem to get tired of the same old same olds.
ReplyDeleteThat book looks good.
You'll have to let us know how it is.
Let them eat (canned) soup for a week. Perhaps they will appreciate the home-cooking after that! Personally, I think I would make each one take turns cooking a meal. Let them see how hard it is to plan, shop, prepare, and get everything done and on the table in time. Boys need to know how to do it too: mine could prepare a few basics on their own before they left home. I would love to taste one of your meals: they all look wonderful! --- Rosemary
ReplyDeleteI have always received Communion on the tongue just because I always had my hands full of babies and it was easier. :-) Now my hands aren't so full, but I still receive on the tongue because I like it like that. Occasionally, a priest balks, but I just stand there politely with my mouth open till he comes around. It only takes a couple of seconds. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe kids receive both ways. They haven't made up their minds which they prefer, but we also go to church outside of Mass once in a while for private Adoration, so the reality of the Real Presence is drummed into them regardless.
You and I need to let the 'rest of the family' fend for themselves and cook for each other. I would so love your food...maybe you would hate mine...but I am having a hard time cooking for these hooligans who put up their noses also to my homecooked meals.
ReplyDeleteI could only do eggs every night with feta cheese and salsa...homemade of course.
I can feel your frustration--I feel it here as well. When I find "evidence" in my husband's car that he stopped at Burger King on the way home from work...when one of the kids goes "ewww, what's THIS?"...and even when they shovel it in and don't seem to taste it.
ReplyDeleteFood is the way I nurture my family best. It's certainly not by dusting! I plan good meals and I try to accommodate their preferences. I try new recipes, hoping they will enjoy them. And I'm seriously missing Big Brother, who is my most appreciative audience. At least when he's home, he appreciates the non-dorm food.
I'm almost at the point of setting out grilled-cheese fixings and just cooking what I like for myself. It's tempting, some days.
I will let you know how it is, Jamie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, Rosemary. The boys have cooked before, and they know it's not easy. My husband would eat cold cereal every night before he would cook. The problem is, I won't.
Oh, Jennie. So sad to hear a priest balking at Holy Communion on the tongue. More than likely one between the ages of 40 and 60 -- he never distributed at the rail and doesn't have the zeal of these young priests.
Christine, glad to hear it's not just me if for no other reason than "misery loves company." ;-) I would love to cook for you!
Barb -- "Food is the way I nurture my family best." You hit the nail on the head. Having someone reject your food it like having them reject your love. It hurts.
I am the mom to sons and a daughter. My sons all had particular tastes. My husband is extrememly picky. I have handled it 2 ways - and I am not saying either works. First, I never answer, "What's for supper?". I would then be just giving an invitation to 5 other suggestions.
ReplyDeleteI would say, "Oh something, you'll see". The other way was I made a pretty menu on the white board on the refrigerator for the week so everyone knew and did not ask.
I live in a college town and my sons have graduated from college. Their food preferences are horrible. Many of the women on campus came from homes where there were no family meals. They were never taught and prefer eating out. With the Food channel, everyone is talking about food - but very little about nutrition. That being said, it isn't healthy if no one eats it.
So none of this is a suggestion, but I do fell your pain. Hang in there!
I have my kids rotate planning a week at a time. 20 meals (I choose Sunday Dinner) and they help cook some of it.
ReplyDeleteIt gives them practice planning balanced meals, and no one complains about the food because they know 1 this is someone's favorite, and 2 their turn will come!
Also, I express my love by cooking yummy food for them, but I pay very little attention to who eats what. I think they have to be able to choose what they eat. It's my job to control the options, and make sure healthy stuff tastes good, but they have to choose what and how much. I'm hoping that, since they are making the choices, they will continue the trend as adults, but my oldest is a 14 year old boy, by definition voracious!
This has saved my sanity, and strangely, produced pretty adventurous eaters. All six kids like brussels sprouts (choose them at the store). What's with that?