the true. the good. the beautiful. (revisited)

“That his creatures should share

in his truth, goodness, and beauty --
this is the glory for which God created them.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 319

I started "the true. the good. the beautiful." series ten years ago (what!?!), but only posted three times. I just went back and reread my first post  and wish I would have continued. Maybe I'll try again ... or maybe this will be a one time thing ... 

In my first three posts in this series, I focused on what we were doing as parents to feed our children's intellects with truth, to form their wills with goodness, and to inspire their affections with beauty. Now that the kids are older, and indeed two of them have moved out, I think I'll broaden the series ...

I don’t know about you, but I am especially wearied by all the lies, the ugliness, and the bad news dominating the media these days. I’ve largely been avoiding news radio, television, and websites for this reason, but even my social media streams — Facebook and Instagram — are full of political rants, pandemic debates, and links to horrific news reports from around the globe (and right now from my beautiful hometown of Minneapolis) when all I want to do is connect with family and friends and see what they’re up to. I’d rather my streams were full of truth, goodness, and beauty, uplifting my soul rather than wearying it. So ... that's what I'm hoping to inspire by starting again ...

truth | tro͞oTH |

noun

the quality or state of being true

(also the truth) that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality

This poem spoke truth to me this morning, especially when I am tempted to throw in the towel, build a cabin in the woods, and abandon the world.

The New Day

Venerable Madeleine Delbrêl

One more day begins.

Jesus within me wants to live it.

He has not locked himself in.

He walked in the midst of the people of his day.

With me he is in the midst of the people of today.

He is going to meet each person 

who enters this house,*

each person I bump into in the street,** 

rich people other than the rich people of his day,

other poor people too,

other intelligent people and ignorant people,

young children and old men,

saints and sinners,

healthy people and sick people.

All will be people whom he came to look for.

Each will be a person whom he came to save.

He will have a word of reply for each person 

who speaks to him.

He will have something to give to each person

who is in need.

Each person will be for him

as if he were the only person existing.

In the noise he will live his silence.

In the tumult he will launch his peace ….

* namely, the people who live here with me

** or interact with from the mandated six feet of physical distance

goodness | ˈɡo͝odnəs |

noun

1 the quality of being morally good or virtuous

Speaking of being Jesus to the people around me, we’ve had our share of tensions from being cooped up together for the last three months, but also moments of grace and goodness that gladden my heart and inspire me to try harder to love those God has placed in my immediate presence … the teenage boy helping his little sister with an architectural issue with her Lego mansion, the eldest taking the initiative on some major yard projects and enlisting the youngest’s help, dad putting a huge pile of work aside to go kayaking and get ice cream with his daughters, children noticing when stress levels are rising and offering help and hugs and back rubs, apologies given and received, time together not taken for granted. 

beauty | ˈbyo͞odē |

noun

1 a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight: I was struck by her beauty | an area of outstanding natural beauty.

a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense

If you know me, you know the tonic of wilderness is a healing remedy for my weary soul. A wild geranium from my walk in the woods yesterday …

If you care to join me, share some truth, beauty, and goodness today. If you’re a blogger, link up below in the comments (I'm not savvy enough to figure out how to do a real link-up, so if you know of an easy way, enlighten me?); if you're on Facebook or Instagram, tag me in the comments, please! 

Peace, friends.

Stay-at-Home Week 1

A young hobbit once lamented to his wizard friend, "I wish none of this had happened." The wise wizard responded, "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" (JRR Tolkien).

I am not unaware that many lives have been much more terribly disrupted than mine has been by the pandemic now afflicting our world. I am not unaware that there is much anxiety, much fear, much suffering, and much death.

But we all have a choice of how to respond to what is happening around us and to us and to our world.

On Friday Pope Francis asked us to consider why we are afraid. He reminded us that the Lord is "calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing ... a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to [the Lord] and to others."

So, friends, what are you doing with the time that is given to you?

Living The Lord's Day Well

I'm a do-er. I struggle with be-ing. Especially when I'm at home on a Sunday afternoon and the dishwasher needs to be unloaded and the laundry folded and the lesson plans prepared for the week and ... and ... and ....

But I'm also a work in progress. So I'll try (again!) to set Sunday aside as a day for prayer and rest and family ... even (especially?) when I am at home.

Today I turned some overripe pears into a cake.

I finished reading my Christmas book and colored for a while.

I took a nap. (So did The Athlete.)

I reveled in feeling like I was in a snow globe 

(for a very few minutes ... the snowfall so far this "winter" has been lame).

I listened to the Vikings win (in overtime!).

I shared a meal and prayed a rosary with the family.

We blessed our home for the new year. (Happy Epiphany!)

I sipped a glass of wine and wrote this blog post.

What's your favorite way to keep holy the Lord's Day?

Need some ideas?

If you're in the Archdiocese of Detroit, or even if you're not,

check this out!

2019 Churches

Books, hikes, and churches! These are the things I keep track of every year. 

Here's a list of the churches/chapels at which I attended Mass in 2019: 

1. St. John the Baptist (Ypsilanti, MI)

2. Christ the King (Ann Arbor, MI)

3. Our Lady of the Lakes (Penn Yan, NY)

4. St. John the Baptist (New Brighton, MN)

5. Our Lady of Fatima (Michigan Center, MI)

6. Chapel of Christ the King, Franciscan University (Steubenville, OH)

7. St. Augustine (Austin, MN)

8. Holy Rosary (Bozeman, MT)

9. Resurrection University Parish, University of Montana (Bozeman, MT)

10. Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (Bismarck, ND)

11. St. Peter (Forest Lake, MN)

12. Sacred Heart Major Seminary Chapel (Detroit, MI)

13. Pastoral Center Chapel, Diocese of Duluth (Duluth, MN)

14. Christ the King (Richland, WA)

15. St. Mary (Escondido, CA)

16. St. Paul (Ham Lake, MN)

17. St. Mary (Altoona, WI)

18. Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary (Duluth, MN)

Are you a list maker like me? What do you keep track of?

Hiking Log

In addition to keeping track of what books I read each year, 

I also like to keep track of my hiking mileage. 

In 2019, I logged a pathetic 138.3 miles. I'll say it again ... pathetic.

My goal for 2020 is 365 miles. Unpaved.

I logged my first three miles today. 

Did you know there are amazing health benefits to walking,
specifically in the woods? 

The Japanese call it "forest bathing."

I don't know about all the science behind it,
I just know a walk in the woods makes me feel amazing.

If you are an Ann Arbor area hiker,
share with me your favorite places to get off the beaten path?