If I'm not off hiding somewhere with a good book, chances are I'm chasing a toddler or a Jack Russell (or sleeping, because every mom can use a nap!). I found Prince Charming and married him, and now we enjoy the idiosyncrasies of life in an old farmhouse. Oh yeah, and we root for the Buckeyes. Every time.
Catholic Carnival 130: Fair Daze
’Round here, we’re in that calm time between the county fair and the state fair, and though I’m not the one who has to do all the hard work, I definitely have fair on my mind. And what is late July and early August without the coating deep-fried pickles leave in your mouth or the sweet sensation of that only-at-the-state-fair ice-million-percent-fat ice cream? What is the hard heat of summer without the reward of howling laughter coming from the general vicinity of the midway and the grimy scum on the outside of your car after an exhausting day of chasing animals and toddlers and wagons and flapping French fries?
The Midway: It’s where all the cool kids are, right? It’s also the first place every kid wants to go. I spent so very little time on the midway in my youth that I can’t really always tell what belongs and what doesn’t, but I can tell a good deal on onion rings and a mouth-watering reason to step right up when I see them. These posts are on the midway just like the greasy food and the howling laughter; they’re fun the way that turning upside down and spinning in circles is (when you’re ten); they’re the first things you’ll want to read in this week’s Carnival.
“Shepherding the "Hound of Heaven"? The Coyote and the Cardinal” at Fighting Irish Thomas – A coyote led an entertaining chase in Chicago and we get an entertaining commentary of the episode in which the coyote still runs free, thanks to the Cardinal’s sheltering lawn. Gives me an idea of just what to do with all the extras we have out here in the boonies…
“Yaakov Stern: Build Your Cognitive Reserve” at SharpBrains – It might not look like Catholic Carnival material, but I’ll bet you’ll find it fascinating. The brain is a muscle, indeed, and here’s some research from a leading neuroscientist giving us some more reasons why we have to keep exercising it.
“Hospitality” at Daughter of the King – Abraham and Sarah make great models for hospitality for us, even now, and it’s not just about the unexpected guests, but about everyone we encounter. Yes, even a coyote in a cardinal’s garden…
“Praying for the Conversion of Jews” at Ales Rarus – Praying for the conversion of Jews…is this a big deal or not? Let’s all do it, right after we run on over to read this post and enjoy the commentary.
“The Traditional Latin Mass - The Ultimate Nonsense Reducer” at Christus Vincit - the BLOG! – Could the 1962 Mass be a fertilizer, bringing in beauty? Or a weed killer, picking off abuses? Or maybe even BOTH? Read and see. (Written with the help of an article by Michael Overall)
The Livestock Barns: You might notice the smell first, but I notice all the familiar faces. I see the hardworking kids and the parents who are busting their backsides to keep a dream alive. I see the care that’s gone into getting those animals ready and the glow from the recognition that comes in the show ring. So these posts, like the livestock barns, are chock full of what’s good about the Catholic Carnival.
“Reverential Silence” at Eye Hacker Blog – This short piece on the meaning of silence in our churches and how it relates to the liturgy will give you food for thought (and maybe some squirms for good measure).
“Church in the Now” at 50 Days After – Here we have a post about the Catholic Church as unchanging and the one, true Church established by Christ. Any questions?
“Venerable Solanus, pray for us” at A Third Way - A look at the life of Venerable Solanus Casey, on the 50th anniversary of his death. Fr. Solanus was an example of humility for us all, despite being a prophetic healer and conduit for God's miracles. (And here I wouldn’t have heard of him if not for the Catholic Carnival!)
“Growing Through Devotions” at Transitus Tiber – A look at two books that Kim picked up for devotional purposes and how they have helped her, all while she reflects on where her devotions are going and how they’re getting her there. She writes, “In these two books, I found it possible to quiet myself down and listen to the Holy Spirit. It turns out that there was a well of residual guilt (not "Catholic guilt", mind you)… that had been stored up from my pre-Catholicism years, as well as guilt inflicted on me by others.”
“God is Outside of Time and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass” at Domestic Vocation – Just how do you explain the theology of God being outside of time and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to your kids in a way that they’ll understand? Why, you listen to the Holy Spirit and come up with a fabulous metaphor that will help the adults reading your blog too, of course!
“Islam: A Lesson for Christianity” at Deo Omnis Gloria - Ever wonder how and why Islam spread so quickly after its birth, and why so many lands that were Christian became Muslim? Daniel did, and thanks to his research, we have some quick answers as to why some cultures fell to the Muslim invasion without much protest.
“Martyred for Supporting Marriage” at Living Catholicism – Have you ever heard of the
The Grandstand: There’s no telling what you’ll find going on at the grandstand. It might be a big name act or something unique and catchy that you just can’t miss. It might be a rodeo or a big sale or even the demolition derby. And just like the grandstand, these posts are worth the price of admission.
“A Poll: Good and Bad Catholic Speakers” at The Catholic Cantor – It is what it says it is. Mary asks, “What speakers have you heard and loved? Who just parroted what was in their book? Who challenged you? Inspired? Healed? Who did you have high hopes for only to find their Theology was outside of the Magisterium?” Go on over and let her know what you think.
“Human Device” at Catholic+Linux+Monkey – This post is about a (Yahoo/Konfabulator) widget Antonia made that displays any one of 200 random aspirations (short prayer) from the Saints and keeps a count of how many have been said today. It started out as a little project to better keep presence of God in her daily work. What a great idea for those of us who are in front of a screen for hours at a time (with or without the motivation of “work”)!
“The Power of a Name: Review of "The Girls Who Went Away"” at Streams of Mercy – In a review that made me slow down my reading and really pay attention, an adoptive mother reflects on a popular book about birthmothers who were forced to give up their children for adoption years ago and how the author's conclusions reflect a secular feminist rather than Catholic worldview.
The Racetrack: You never know who you’ll run into at the racetrack, but you’re sure to see a race worth running, whether you like to see horses run in circles or not. And if you don’t watch a race, it should be because that old guy next to you is spinning a yarn full of old stories and how things used to be. So whether you read these posts or not, make sure you take a gander.
“How has blogging affected my life?” at cause of our joy – In response to another blogger’s asking “What do you think?” in regard to that interesting onion of a discussion regarding stay-at-home-moms and their need for adult interaction and intellectual stimulation, Leticia offers her perspective and just what her blogging has offered her in her life.
“Catholic Conference was a definite Three Star Event” at Mum2Best7 – Any interest in resources or reviews? Look no further than this post, which summarizes the highlights of a Catholic Conference and links to a load of helpful homeschooling and Catholic resources.
“Love and Ecstasy” at Catholic Fire – Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen does it again with a quote that’s worth rereading and memorizing.
The Show Arena: It’s where the winners are named, where the smiles are showcased, where the sale wraps things up. The small ones pull their pedal tractors in heated competition after the bigger ones sweat it out with all manner of livestock and projects after the queens are named and the kickoff is done. And then, at the end of the day, it’s where we settle in to jaw and wait for the kids to get done mucking out their pens. These posts give me the same feelings of elation and comfort that I find from the show arena. They’re where I wanted to end up at the end of a long week at the fair, cozied up and pleasantly exhausted.
“When A Child Dies” at My Domestic Church – In a reflection worthy of a hug, Elena leaves us with this thought, which will be on my mind as I ponder through the rest of my week, “What I think my daughter and all my children will remember is that God gave their parents a time of special sorrow, and they still trusted Him with their lives, and were rewarded abundantly.”
“Abortion is a "Perfect demonic system" at The World…IMHO - This doesn't leave me with much elation or comfort, and yet I put it in the show arena section because it's worth special attention and is a must-read. I found in this post some of the protests I have about abortion beautifully explained and upheld, and then there were the new ones (which was scary).
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