Catholic Carnival 196: Explorations

A big part of who I am has to do with my vocation as wife and mother. That used to bother me a bit, because I thought I was supposed to be more. I thought that, on the platform of womanhood, I was missing something, failing somehow, letting someone - myself? - down.

I've come to realize, through the grace of God and the wisdom of many wise people in my life, that this is the myth society sells us. "Vocation? Who needs vocation? What you need is a vacation!"

In this last week of October, when the Church has us focused on respect life issues and which is set aside in honor of the Rosary, and while we are gearing up for that joyous feast of All Saints, I'd like to spend some time exploring through the lens of my vocations (and, hopefully, you'll find this a lead for how you can do the same for the vocations God has blessed you with).

Late last week, my three-year-old wanted to go "splorin." I don't know if you've gone "splorin" lately, but we found some treasures that made me think of my Catholic faith and of the treasures I find each week in the Catholic Carnival.

Laughter and Camaraderie
In my life, this is often found in groups of girls - my two girls, or girlfriends and I, or girl cousins, or aunts and sisters and moms. Even on the days when I'm not feeling particularly cheerful, there is laughter, though perhaps not mine. There's medicine in that laughter and help in the camaraderie. How can I use the blessing of laughter and the camaraderie of friends to help me better live my faith?

• Asking for Help taps into the camraderie of this Catholic blogosphere, as our own beloved Steven (he of Bookworming Fame) asks most humbly for our help. Would you consider it?
  
• Ghosts of Mothers Past touched me in many ways, but most of all because I too have struggled with the "meaning of motherhood." Maybe you'll find camaraderie in this post, as I did.
  
• Laughter Is Still the Best Medicine reminds us that for centuries humans have needed to be reminded not to take themselves too seriously. Now excuse me while I go figure out how to apply the "rubrics of happiness" to today...

Beauty in the Ordinary
It's just a leaf on grass, but it struck me as so meaningful. Just a week ago, a young niece was visiting us from down south, and she took a lot of time to gather leaves just like this to take home, since the leaves don't paint the sky with brilliant colors down there. God gives us so much beauty, but I often miss it in my hurry to do the "more important" things in my life. What can I do to thank God today for the ordinary beauty that makes my life better?

• Decorating for Advent when you could decorate for Christmas? It's the ongoing challenge of Catholic parents everywhere. Find an idea here for compromising with lights.
  
• Pregnancy is not ordinary, but this poem explores a different take from a Catholic angle.
• Rerun: What Changed? takes a look at my inner room and what's different about it.
• Spiritual vs. Religious examines whether being spiritual without being religious can get you to heaven.
  

Peek-a-Boo
Ever find yourself seeing something, all of a sudden, that you've seen a thousand times before, but in a new light? Ever discover something right under your nose, something amazing and life-changing, something that has been there all along, waiting for you to notice?

• Biblical Prosperity worked right in with some of the reflections I've had in the last few years about wealth and stewardship, with references to - you guessed it - the Bible.
  
• Meditation - Its Main Aim looks at a passage from St. Alphonsus Liguori and makes meditation seem like less of a scary thing to one certain frazzled-crazy-running-around mom I know. :)
• When Does Ensoulment Happen? might give you a new take on life.
  

From the Heart
Dandelions are what make my lawn interesting, maybe mostly because of the young girls in my life who see them as potential bouquets. My daughter has such passion for picking them - "LOOK, Mommy! Yellow flowers in the grass!" - and her immediate response, upon having a handful, is to give them away. How can I act more like her when I have something worth sharing?

• Answered Prayers reflects on God's answer to the prayer of her heart, instead of the prayer of her words.
• On Following the Holy Spirit's Marching Orders will make you stop and think about your priorities and your potential.
• Poem of Grieving Loss of a Loved One reminds me of the dandelions fleeting beauty and of the beauty yet to come.
  

Important to Someone
Some of the treasures we found on our little adventure looked suspiciously like junk. This hunk of rope, for example, was surely dropped on its way to the trash can. To my daughter, though, it had potential. She may not have any clear idea what to do with it, but she made me consider just what this length of rope could be used for in the hands of someone handy like my husband. Am I brushing something off, just because it's not important to me?

• An Act of Suffrage links our celebration this week of All Saints Day and All Souls Day with the upcoming election in a brilliant feat of semantics.
  
• Christmas Was Not Originally a Christian Holiday (which most of us know, but here is not the place for a lengthy response to that); I'm not really sure if this post is intended to be Catholic in nature (as in educational), but I'm linking it here all the same.
  
• Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is a movie review that's not only highly entertaining, it's also compelling enough to make me add it to my rental queue.
• Lincoln's Line of Thinkin' makes an important comparison concisely and beautifully.
• This Week: All Saints and All Souls Day, Indulgences considers the fabulous feasts of the week, with links and resources enough to use up all your computer time. :)
  
• Voting Obligation Revisited explores why voting is a scriptural instruction, whether or not you find yourself able to fully embrace a candidate.

Sticks and Stones
There's an attraction between rocks and children that seems annoying when you find them inconveniently inside, but which warrants further attention. This rock, my daughter told me, was beautiful, and it had to go in our pile to show Daddy. How often do I overlook the important beauties of my vocation and fail to share them with others?

• Donkey Kicks Elephant; Donkey Sprains Ankle analyzes Obama's statement about abortion during the third presidential debate.
  
• Election 2008 Novena reminds us that prayer is the most important action we can take to influence the outcomes of the American election.
• Gianna Jessen Responds to Obama's Attacks with an ad and facts we all need to have.
  
• Matthew 25 Network's Christian Radio Ads Mislead Voters on Obama, Abortion is an important post to read and consider.
  
• What Obama Has to Say About Abortion gives us insight straight from the man himself.
  

Shepherds and Comfort
When our adventures took us down by the barn, I was reminded again of the vivid imagery Jesus used throughout the Gospel. Sheep may not strike a chord with many people, being removed as so many are from rural life, but to me they are a reality. Out there in the field, they make a pretty picture, but they're also a reminder of the comfort of the Gospel. What will I see today that will remind me that Jesus is with me, beside me, holding me?

• Steps on the Journey reflects that faith is a journey, one that gets easier when we stop fighting Church teachings and allow them to be part of our very being.
  
• Thoughts on Stewardship shares wisdom that I might just tattoo on my forehead: "We do not 'own' our lives, but are merely stewards of the lives God has given to us, without our asking for it."
  
• Who and For Whom We Are uses the wisdom of Benedict XVI and the family pets to tackle theology. (Not to be missed!)
  

To Everything a Season
The corn field next door has been harvested, and as I stood there, admiring the light, I caught a glimpse of our little red barn. Then I noticed the bright blue of the sky, the lines of the trees, the lay of the land. I always feel rejuvenated in the fall, and though we're preparing for winter and the long nights ahead, we're also holding on to the hope of spring. How can I transform this season - of my life, of the year - so that my focus is where God would have it be?

• Hope will make you consider, through a personal revelation, just why this is a cardinal virtue.
• Open Your Hands is an encounter with grace that was just what I needed to consider today.
  
• To Be Human asks and ponders the question "Is [humanity] an excuse for our failings, or is it a call to holiness?" in light of Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth.
  

Want to learn more about the Catholic Carnival? You’ll find all the information here. There’s a submission form that’s easy to use. If you have found yourself submitting a few times, won’t you consider going one step further and trying your hand at hosting? All you have to do is pick your date and email Jay.

Catholic Carnival 196: Explorations

http://snoringscholar.blogspot.com/2008/10/catholic-carnival-196-explorations.html