While living in Baton Rouge, my two oldest needed tubes in their ears. We got it done on the same day (would never do that again if I could help it. It was very hard to tend to them both adequately) they started having diarrhea shortly afterwards and it just wouldn't stop. Stool samples, blood tests and a trip to a gastroenterologist after a bowl of 7 grain cereal caused a severe facial rash were all done and determined that while they didn't have the typical bloodwork of a celiac, the reaction to the diet determined celiac. It is probably more of what is called gluten intolerance. It was so bad that when I tried to reintroduce gluten for the second child to be tested, he reacted so violently, I had to say forget it and just stick with the diet.
We moved back to Mississippi. When the boys would accidentally ingest gluten, they didn't react so strongly. And it was so much trouble and hard for them to understand why they couldn't have the hotdog bun and cupcake that everyone else had. In a rural area, there are lots of church functions and family get-togethers. So I bought some digestive enzymes, left some at my grandmother's house and said that a little cheating would be ok.
We got a discount grocery in our little town. I was thrilled to find some gluten-free things. But little by little, I started getting tortillas, pasta and dessert mixes that weren't gluten free. Besides the boys had done well with the occasional gluten, why not enjoy the savings? That was a slippery slope so that when we moved to Alabama last year, I had to ask why I was buying expensive gluten free foods when I wasn't really following the diet. I did start making sourdough bread. Sourdough does break down gluten some and we seemed to thrive on regular baking of sourdough.
Then I discovered I was pregnant with my fifth child. And then morning sickness moved right into tree pollen season so none of us felt real great. I was too sick to bother with sourdough or much cooking at all. So we got fast food, ordered pizzas and bought easy ingredients like sandwich fixings and hotdogs. I did crave salads so I did get some healthy things. But it was a lot of gluten. The older boys were fine, why not leave that time behind us?
Then my younger son and daughter started with diarrhea. I thought it was surely a bug when my second child joined them. I was having the opposite problem but thinking it was all pregnancy related. I had actually cramped so bad initially that I was afraid I was miscarrying. After about a week, I determined this was not simply a bug. At ten days, I was thinking that this was feeling a bit of déjà vu. So back to gluten free we go.
I sent a bunch of unacceptable food with my husband for snacks at work. I live near a health food store so I grabbed a few things to get us started. I already know that Tinkyada has marvelous pasta. I know Pamela's baking mix gives us great options for biscuits and pancakes. So I am a little ahead of the curve.
I definitely see where it was tempting to get away from the diet. It is a lot of work. There are more gluten free options now. I was able to get gf kids meals at Chik-fil-a. When I sprained my ankle, I found gluten free chicken strips so I could cook something easy without standing too much. But you have to think about every single bite you take. Every. Single. Bite.
The young ones responded quickly. Within 24 hours, the worst of the diarrhea was gone. But they still aren't back to normal. They have the yellow, greasy stools that is typical of the malabsorption troubles with celiac. I have them on probiotics, enzymes and omega-3 so hopefully their bodies will heal soon. I feel a lot better. My body is so sluggish. Gluten free diet makes my intestines come alive so to speak. Why I resist the way of eating that makes me feel better, I don't know.
So back to gluten free. I do want to see if we can go back to sourdough so trying some pizza tonight but prepared to get back to gluten free baking if that bothers the little ones.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 9
Genesis 12-13
This passage recalls the call and migration of Abram. We see that God rather than Abram will make a name for him. Abram goes forth rather than settle down. And the families of the earth will find blessing in him.
Abram and Sarai deceive the Pharaoh by saying she was his sister rather than his wife. Then Lot and Abram part ways because of the wealth they had each accumulated. Lot heads for Sodom, a decision that will bring devastating consequences.
Psalm 9 and (tomorrow's reading) Psalm 10
A psalm for thanksgiving for victory and praying for justice. These two psalms were originally one acrostic poem using the Hebrew alphabet.
Matthew 6:19-34
This passage speaks to the importance of being detached from the things of this world. Building up treasures in heaven, because the things of this world don't last. Depending on God for our basic needs because He cares for us and never fails to come through with what we need.
Catechism 54-64
This section details the various stages of revelation through Adam, Noah, Abraham and the prophets.
This passage recalls the call and migration of Abram. We see that God rather than Abram will make a name for him. Abram goes forth rather than settle down. And the families of the earth will find blessing in him.
Abram and Sarai deceive the Pharaoh by saying she was his sister rather than his wife. Then Lot and Abram part ways because of the wealth they had each accumulated. Lot heads for Sodom, a decision that will bring devastating consequences.
Psalm 9 and (tomorrow's reading) Psalm 10
A psalm for thanksgiving for victory and praying for justice. These two psalms were originally one acrostic poem using the Hebrew alphabet.
Matthew 6:19-34
This passage speaks to the importance of being detached from the things of this world. Building up treasures in heaven, because the things of this world don't last. Depending on God for our basic needs because He cares for us and never fails to come through with what we need.
Catechism 54-64
This section details the various stages of revelation through Adam, Noah, Abraham and the prophets.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 8
Genesis 10-11
Chapter 10 classifies the groups of people. This is referred to as the Table of Nations. How easy it is to lose sight of the fact that every human being is descended from one man and one woman. More importantly, how often we forget that we are all made in the image of God.
Chapter 11 describes the incident of the Tower of Babel and ends with the ancestors of the Israelites. I find the Tower of Babel an act of compassion on God's part. If you think about it, eventually the tower could have reached very thin air and many could have perished from lack of oxygen. It reminds me of how often our plans seem so smart but we can't always see the consequences.
Psalm 8
A beautiful psalm that speaks of God's grandeur and our inadequate attempts to praise him. The psalmist is struck by the smallness of humans and then by the royal dignity and power that God has graciously bestowed on them.
Matthew 6:1-18
This passage speaks of the importance of do good deeds, give alms, fast and pray with a warning to not make these things known to others to gain earthly praise. Then Jesus teaches us how to pray. As a Baptist, I was never encouraged to pray the Lord's Prayer. As a Catholic, I see the power in this prayer to truly transform our hearts. The mot impacting portion for me is "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." You can't say this prayer day after day and miss the fact that His forgiveness of us is dependent upon how we forgive others. That is further explained in verse 14.
Catechism 50-53
This section speaks of the Revelation of God to man and how it was done in stages culminating in the mission of Christ. The Old Testament isn't a bunch of failed experiments before getting it right with Jesus. It would have been easily missed had not there been so many prophecies and foreshadowing. The plan was revealed by so many and in so many times before Jesus was ever born.
Chapter 10 classifies the groups of people. This is referred to as the Table of Nations. How easy it is to lose sight of the fact that every human being is descended from one man and one woman. More importantly, how often we forget that we are all made in the image of God.
Chapter 11 describes the incident of the Tower of Babel and ends with the ancestors of the Israelites. I find the Tower of Babel an act of compassion on God's part. If you think about it, eventually the tower could have reached very thin air and many could have perished from lack of oxygen. It reminds me of how often our plans seem so smart but we can't always see the consequences.
Psalm 8
A beautiful psalm that speaks of God's grandeur and our inadequate attempts to praise him. The psalmist is struck by the smallness of humans and then by the royal dignity and power that God has graciously bestowed on them.
Matthew 6:1-18
This passage speaks of the importance of do good deeds, give alms, fast and pray with a warning to not make these things known to others to gain earthly praise. Then Jesus teaches us how to pray. As a Baptist, I was never encouraged to pray the Lord's Prayer. As a Catholic, I see the power in this prayer to truly transform our hearts. The mot impacting portion for me is "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." You can't say this prayer day after day and miss the fact that His forgiveness of us is dependent upon how we forgive others. That is further explained in verse 14.
Catechism 50-53
This section speaks of the Revelation of God to man and how it was done in stages culminating in the mission of Christ. The Old Testament isn't a bunch of failed experiments before getting it right with Jesus. It would have been easily missed had not there been so many prophecies and foreshadowing. The plan was revealed by so many and in so many times before Jesus was ever born.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Summer plans
We finished up schoolwork Tuesday and kicked off summer with a trip to the US Space and Rocket center. Today's a bit of begging (doggone auto-correct) vegging since I am still so sore from all the walking and lifting yesterday. I have about thirty days to finish up the required school days for our cover school. I have schooled year round before. We are expecting a baby in September so I really debated about whether to start the next grade early. But I have come up with a different plan. It may take a couple of weeks next summer to make up what we miss with the craziness of life with a newborn. But this summer will have a different objective.
Religion - We'll continue with reading through the Bible in the evenings as a family. I had to reread the reading from Tuesday night. I wasn't very focused. It will get done in 365 days, just maybe not 365 consecutive days.
Math - this is one of the subjects that we can't afford to lose ground in. We use an IPad app that the boys enjoy so we will continue this throughout the summer. Especially in the van on trips to field trip venues.
Reading - the boys can earn a Happy Meal for every 15 books they read. 15 books because they want instant gratification and go for smaller, easier books. I think I'll add an option to read a chapter book and write a one page report showing they understood it. So trips to the library will be planned weekly. If the boys don't need books from the public library, we will go to the Parent library for activity packs for Katie Rose.
Field trips - We can go to the Children's Hands On Museum, Birmingham Zoo and McWane Science Center. We also have the Natural History Museum and Moundville Archaelogical park. Hoping for a trip to Atlanta, Jackson, Montgomery, and Mobile. Maybe even Louisiana and Tennessee. We'll see what we can work into the summer.
Routines - I want to plan an outing every day that doesn't involve thunderstorms. Errands, field trips, and playing at the park. There needs to be motivation to get done quickly so we get to the fun sooner. The more consistent that we are, the more efficient we'll become. I want to build a good routine each morning so that we eventually leave a very clean house. I am starting with them making sure they get dressed, make up their bed and eat breakfast first thing rather than dilly-dallying. Eventually, I hope to have the whole house picked up, dishwasher unloaded and a load of clothes washed and hung up to dry. Then an evening routine where we prepare for the next day's activities, fold and put away laundry, and bath and bed routines. A couple of afternoons when we get home at a decent hour need to be devoted to deeper cleaning like dusting, mopping and vacuuming.
Getting ready for baby - We need to go through old clothes and see what we have that will work for the new baby. While we're at it, see what else we have for John Micah to grow into this fall from Davy and James' clothes in storage. We already have the new crib and majority of the baby needs are simply hand-me-downs like the blankets, carseat, swing, etc. Need a mattress and a few clothes. Then we should be ready. Remember to include pre-registration for the hospital and cooking meals for the freezer.
Planning for the next school year - This year was new for me even though I have been homeschooling for a while. I had to get accustomed to the new state laws, planning, and keeping records. I want to make a very detailed plan with spelling words, copywork, and all. So there is no need to switch gears in the middle of the year. I am going to hope that I can get them in a very solid routine in August so that they can complete their assignments in September without much of a hiccup.
Religion - We'll continue with reading through the Bible in the evenings as a family. I had to reread the reading from Tuesday night. I wasn't very focused. It will get done in 365 days, just maybe not 365 consecutive days.
Math - this is one of the subjects that we can't afford to lose ground in. We use an IPad app that the boys enjoy so we will continue this throughout the summer. Especially in the van on trips to field trip venues.
Reading - the boys can earn a Happy Meal for every 15 books they read. 15 books because they want instant gratification and go for smaller, easier books. I think I'll add an option to read a chapter book and write a one page report showing they understood it. So trips to the library will be planned weekly. If the boys don't need books from the public library, we will go to the Parent library for activity packs for Katie Rose.
Field trips - We can go to the Children's Hands On Museum, Birmingham Zoo and McWane Science Center. We also have the Natural History Museum and Moundville Archaelogical park. Hoping for a trip to Atlanta, Jackson, Montgomery, and Mobile. Maybe even Louisiana and Tennessee. We'll see what we can work into the summer.
Routines - I want to plan an outing every day that doesn't involve thunderstorms. Errands, field trips, and playing at the park. There needs to be motivation to get done quickly so we get to the fun sooner. The more consistent that we are, the more efficient we'll become. I want to build a good routine each morning so that we eventually leave a very clean house. I am starting with them making sure they get dressed, make up their bed and eat breakfast first thing rather than dilly-dallying. Eventually, I hope to have the whole house picked up, dishwasher unloaded and a load of clothes washed and hung up to dry. Then an evening routine where we prepare for the next day's activities, fold and put away laundry, and bath and bed routines. A couple of afternoons when we get home at a decent hour need to be devoted to deeper cleaning like dusting, mopping and vacuuming.
Getting ready for baby - We need to go through old clothes and see what we have that will work for the new baby. While we're at it, see what else we have for John Micah to grow into this fall from Davy and James' clothes in storage. We already have the new crib and majority of the baby needs are simply hand-me-downs like the blankets, carseat, swing, etc. Need a mattress and a few clothes. Then we should be ready. Remember to include pre-registration for the hospital and cooking meals for the freezer.
Planning for the next school year - This year was new for me even though I have been homeschooling for a while. I had to get accustomed to the new state laws, planning, and keeping records. I want to make a very detailed plan with spelling words, copywork, and all. So there is no need to switch gears in the middle of the year. I am going to hope that I can get them in a very solid routine in August so that they can complete their assignments in September without much of a hiccup.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 7
Genesis 8-9
The flood waters recede. I like verse 1 of chapter 8, "God remembered Noah and all the animals." How wonderful that we are not just left to navigate the storms on our own! God remembers! I also liked verse 19 where all the animals come out by families. How orderly!
Chapter 9 is about the covenant with Noah. Some very serious warnings for anyone who spills blood. The promise of the rainbow that God would never destroy the earth with flood again. Then the curse on Canaan because Ham looked upon his father's nakedness.
Psalm 7 - God the Vindicator
Verses 15-17 were interesting. "Consider how one conceives iniquity; is pregnant with mischief, and gives birth to deception. He digs a hole and bores it deep, but falls into the pit he has made. His malice turns back upon his head; his violence falls on his own skull." You may have evil planned towards someone else it often we do ourselves more harm than anyone else.
Matthew 5:21-48
A lot of serious warnings. Anger equal to murder. Lust equal to adultery. Divorce leads to adultery. Say what you mean. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. The last verse is one that we rarely pay attention to, "Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect." This is one of the verses that drew me to Catholicism. Our churches expect so little of us in regards to holiness and yet Jesus clearly expected a great deal from us.
Catechism 39-49
How can we speak about God? We do start with what we know and the resemblance to creatures. But God transcends all creatures. So our human words always fall short of the mystery of God. Another drawing of Catholicism. We can know a lot about God but we aren't God so none of us know it all. I like that the Catholic Church acknowledges mysteries. There are subjects that can be exhaustively studied over centuries and we can still feel as though we have only scratched the surface with our limited human understanding. We never reach the end. There is always more wisdom to gain.
The flood waters recede. I like verse 1 of chapter 8, "God remembered Noah and all the animals." How wonderful that we are not just left to navigate the storms on our own! God remembers! I also liked verse 19 where all the animals come out by families. How orderly!
Chapter 9 is about the covenant with Noah. Some very serious warnings for anyone who spills blood. The promise of the rainbow that God would never destroy the earth with flood again. Then the curse on Canaan because Ham looked upon his father's nakedness.
Psalm 7 - God the Vindicator
Verses 15-17 were interesting. "Consider how one conceives iniquity; is pregnant with mischief, and gives birth to deception. He digs a hole and bores it deep, but falls into the pit he has made. His malice turns back upon his head; his violence falls on his own skull." You may have evil planned towards someone else it often we do ourselves more harm than anyone else.
Matthew 5:21-48
A lot of serious warnings. Anger equal to murder. Lust equal to adultery. Divorce leads to adultery. Say what you mean. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies. The last verse is one that we rarely pay attention to, "Be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect." This is one of the verses that drew me to Catholicism. Our churches expect so little of us in regards to holiness and yet Jesus clearly expected a great deal from us.
Catechism 39-49
How can we speak about God? We do start with what we know and the resemblance to creatures. But God transcends all creatures. So our human words always fall short of the mystery of God. Another drawing of Catholicism. We can know a lot about God but we aren't God so none of us know it all. I like that the Catholic Church acknowledges mysteries. There are subjects that can be exhaustively studied over centuries and we can still feel as though we have only scratched the surface with our limited human understanding. We never reach the end. There is always more wisdom to gain.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 6
Genesis 6:9 - 7:24
This reading is all about building the ark and the gathering of the animals into the ark. As a child, I imagined Noah like a cattle wrangler or something to have to gather up all those wild animals. Noah had enough to do with building the ark and gathering food. But in 6:20, it reads, "two of each will come to you." I also thought the footnote was interesting about how did Noah know which were clean and unclean. The distinction wasn't made until Sinai that we are aware of. Maybe he didn't know and learned as they showed up.
Psalm 6
The first of the Seven Penitential Psalms used to express repentance.
Matthew 5:1-20
The Beatitudes - I have a new appreciation for the Beatitudes as a Catholic. They have often been described to me as "bless you if you got a rotten lot in life." But in Roman Catholicism, the Beatitudes are worthy of aspiration. Being a Christian is way more than the Thou shalt not's. Those are important but equally important is how you fill the space left when you purge sin from your life. Verses 13-16 describe the salt and light. We need to be visibly different from the world. Verses 17-20 speak of Jesus coming not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.
Catechism 31-38 - Ways of coming to know God and the Knowledge of God according to the Church
The world - we can see God in the order and beauty of the world around us.
The human person - We are made in the image of God with an openness to truth and beauty, a sense of moral goodness, freedom and the voice of conscience, and longing for the infinite and happiness.
But we need to be enlightened by God's revelation. 37 quotes Puis XII about being hampered in the attaining of such proofs. For, "So it happens that men in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful."
This reading is all about building the ark and the gathering of the animals into the ark. As a child, I imagined Noah like a cattle wrangler or something to have to gather up all those wild animals. Noah had enough to do with building the ark and gathering food. But in 6:20, it reads, "two of each will come to you." I also thought the footnote was interesting about how did Noah know which were clean and unclean. The distinction wasn't made until Sinai that we are aware of. Maybe he didn't know and learned as they showed up.
Psalm 6
The first of the Seven Penitential Psalms used to express repentance.
Matthew 5:1-20
The Beatitudes - I have a new appreciation for the Beatitudes as a Catholic. They have often been described to me as "bless you if you got a rotten lot in life." But in Roman Catholicism, the Beatitudes are worthy of aspiration. Being a Christian is way more than the Thou shalt not's. Those are important but equally important is how you fill the space left when you purge sin from your life. Verses 13-16 describe the salt and light. We need to be visibly different from the world. Verses 17-20 speak of Jesus coming not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.
Catechism 31-38 - Ways of coming to know God and the Knowledge of God according to the Church
The world - we can see God in the order and beauty of the world around us.
The human person - We are made in the image of God with an openness to truth and beauty, a sense of moral goodness, freedom and the voice of conscience, and longing for the infinite and happiness.
But we need to be enlightened by God's revelation. 37 quotes Puis XII about being hampered in the attaining of such proofs. For, "So it happens that men in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful."
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 5
Genesis 5-6:8
This passage shows the genealogy from Adam - Noah. The most interesting part was Enoch.
5:24 Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.
This narrative replaces the standard, "then he died." This passage spurs a lot of speculation. What did this life look like that was worthy of not seeing death? But I suppose if he walked with God, then his life resembled that of Jesus. That is who we should be imitating anyhow.
Psalm 5
In verse 8, the psalmist refers to mercy. Mercy is used to translate the Hebrew word, hesed. This term speaks to a relationship between persons. It is manifested in concrete actions to persons with some need or desire. The one who offers hesed has the ability to respond to that need of the other person. We often define mercy as offering something that the other doesn't deserve. So our acts of mercy often have an element of judgement as well. But here, mercy is described as just giving what you can.
Matthew 4
This passage deals with the temptation of Jesus and the calling of the disciples. Jesus' forty days in the desert recalls the forty years which Israel was tempted in the desert. Each refusal of Jesus is expressed in language taken from Deuteronomy (Deut 8:3, 6:13,16). Jesus takes on all the failings of the disobedient son, Israel and becomes the victor.
Catechism 26-30
We begin with I believe/We believe. The first words of the creed is divided into three parts; our search for the ultimate meaning of life, the Revelation by which God meets man, and our response of faith.
27 The desire for God is written in the human heart....Only in God will he finds the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.
The next section speaks of the attempts of man in their quest for God.
28 These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being
This references Acts 17:26-28 which speaks of those that would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him.
I like that word, grope. It perfectly describes the plight of man. In darkness, we reach out hoping to grasp the Light. But God is never far from us so we are able to find Him despite our lack of spiritual sight.
29 talks about the various reasons for rejecting this innate desire for God.
30 Although man can forget God or reject Him, He never ceases to call men to Himself. But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, "an upright heart," as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God.
I like that our search for God is treated as a major undertaking rather than with the flippant simplistic attitude we see now. As we study diligently for school, we should study even more diligently the things of God. One of our RCIA leaders described the deposit of faith as a treasure chest. We keep pulling out more gems to learn and grow, but the chest never empties. There is always more to learn from the Bible and Catechism. Then there are endless documents from Church Fathers, Councils and letters and books of the saints to help us grow closer to God.
Much of my tidbits are gleaned from the footnotes in the New American Bible Saint Joseph Edition. It is a great study Bible.
This passage shows the genealogy from Adam - Noah. The most interesting part was Enoch.
5:24 Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.
This narrative replaces the standard, "then he died." This passage spurs a lot of speculation. What did this life look like that was worthy of not seeing death? But I suppose if he walked with God, then his life resembled that of Jesus. That is who we should be imitating anyhow.
Psalm 5
In verse 8, the psalmist refers to mercy. Mercy is used to translate the Hebrew word, hesed. This term speaks to a relationship between persons. It is manifested in concrete actions to persons with some need or desire. The one who offers hesed has the ability to respond to that need of the other person. We often define mercy as offering something that the other doesn't deserve. So our acts of mercy often have an element of judgement as well. But here, mercy is described as just giving what you can.
Matthew 4
This passage deals with the temptation of Jesus and the calling of the disciples. Jesus' forty days in the desert recalls the forty years which Israel was tempted in the desert. Each refusal of Jesus is expressed in language taken from Deuteronomy (Deut 8:3, 6:13,16). Jesus takes on all the failings of the disobedient son, Israel and becomes the victor.
Catechism 26-30
We begin with I believe/We believe. The first words of the creed is divided into three parts; our search for the ultimate meaning of life, the Revelation by which God meets man, and our response of faith.
27 The desire for God is written in the human heart....Only in God will he finds the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.
The next section speaks of the attempts of man in their quest for God.
28 These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being
This references Acts 17:26-28 which speaks of those that would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him.
I like that word, grope. It perfectly describes the plight of man. In darkness, we reach out hoping to grasp the Light. But God is never far from us so we are able to find Him despite our lack of spiritual sight.
29 talks about the various reasons for rejecting this innate desire for God.
30 Although man can forget God or reject Him, He never ceases to call men to Himself. But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, "an upright heart," as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God.
I like that our search for God is treated as a major undertaking rather than with the flippant simplistic attitude we see now. As we study diligently for school, we should study even more diligently the things of God. One of our RCIA leaders described the deposit of faith as a treasure chest. We keep pulling out more gems to learn and grow, but the chest never empties. There is always more to learn from the Bible and Catechism. Then there are endless documents from Church Fathers, Councils and letters and books of the saints to help us grow closer to God.
Much of my tidbits are gleaned from the footnotes in the New American Bible Saint Joseph Edition. It is a great study Bible.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 4
Genesis 4 - Cain and Abel
Verses 6-7 grabbed my attention. God sees Cain is angry and speaks to him. He tells him that sin is waiting at the door BUT yet you can rule over it. He was offering him a way out. And then in verse 15, although Cain does sin against God and his brother, God shows compassion on him by placing a mark upon him so that no one would kill him. God's compassion is truly unfathomable.
Psalm 4 - Trust in God
This whole psalm is awesome. I liked verse 2 when David says, "When troubles hem me in, set me free." Verse 3 is convicting with him speaking to the people, "Why do you love what is worthless, chase after lies?" Verse 5 speaks to the need for private sincere repentance of our sins within "our hearts" and "upon our beds." We have lost the sorrow for our sins. We are so quick to judge another but will justify our actions at all costs. There is forgiveness but there must be repentance.
Matthew 3 - John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus
I really love the comparisons that are done of Elijah and Elisha to John the Baptist and Jesus. I read an awesome article about it a couple of years ago but can't find it now. It is uncanny how many things lined up with the Old Testament giving a glimpse of the New Testament and the New Testament fulfilling the Old Testament eternally.
There were a lot of ritual washings during this time period. But John points to the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. Some see the Holy Spirit and fire as synonymous, and the effect of this "baptism" as either purification or destruction. Thought provoking!
Catechism 18-25
As a homeschooler who's primary objection to public school is the attempt to reach all children with one method of teaching, I loved 24 which states in part, "teachers must not imagine that a single kind of soul has been entrusted to them and that consequentely it is lawful to teach and form equally all the faithful in true piety with one and the same method." Amen! So while my husband and I are reading the Catechism individually. At family devotions, we read from the St Joseph Baltimore Catechism that contains the same points but is tailored to children. There would be no benefit of reading a text with language above their heads. Our goal is understanding and subsequently wisdom so that comes from providing instruction at their level.
This section also points to the importance of paying attention to cross-references and looking at Scripture references in their entirety so that the faith can be understood as a unified whole.
Verses 6-7 grabbed my attention. God sees Cain is angry and speaks to him. He tells him that sin is waiting at the door BUT yet you can rule over it. He was offering him a way out. And then in verse 15, although Cain does sin against God and his brother, God shows compassion on him by placing a mark upon him so that no one would kill him. God's compassion is truly unfathomable.
Psalm 4 - Trust in God
This whole psalm is awesome. I liked verse 2 when David says, "When troubles hem me in, set me free." Verse 3 is convicting with him speaking to the people, "Why do you love what is worthless, chase after lies?" Verse 5 speaks to the need for private sincere repentance of our sins within "our hearts" and "upon our beds." We have lost the sorrow for our sins. We are so quick to judge another but will justify our actions at all costs. There is forgiveness but there must be repentance.
Matthew 3 - John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus
I really love the comparisons that are done of Elijah and Elisha to John the Baptist and Jesus. I read an awesome article about it a couple of years ago but can't find it now. It is uncanny how many things lined up with the Old Testament giving a glimpse of the New Testament and the New Testament fulfilling the Old Testament eternally.
There were a lot of ritual washings during this time period. But John points to the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. Some see the Holy Spirit and fire as synonymous, and the effect of this "baptism" as either purification or destruction. Thought provoking!
Catechism 18-25
As a homeschooler who's primary objection to public school is the attempt to reach all children with one method of teaching, I loved 24 which states in part, "teachers must not imagine that a single kind of soul has been entrusted to them and that consequentely it is lawful to teach and form equally all the faithful in true piety with one and the same method." Amen! So while my husband and I are reading the Catechism individually. At family devotions, we read from the St Joseph Baltimore Catechism that contains the same points but is tailored to children. There would be no benefit of reading a text with language above their heads. Our goal is understanding and subsequently wisdom so that comes from providing instruction at their level.
This section also points to the importance of paying attention to cross-references and looking at Scripture references in their entirety so that the faith can be understood as a unified whole.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 3
Genesis 3 - The Fall
It's easy to judge Adam and Eve. For heaven's sake, they had one simple rule to follow. No Ten Commandments. No Great Commandment. No Beatitudes. No governmental laws. Complete freedom save one tiny command.
But if we're honest, none of us would fare better. Who wouldn't be tempted at the prospect of being a god? People still seek it today in power and fame. I'm glad God doesn't give up on us and continues to find a way to reach us.
Psalm 3 - A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom
David is lamenting over his enemies and how they don't believe that God will come to his rescue. We know how Absalom ends up meeting a dreadful fate and David is returned to power. But you have to admire David in his darkest hours. He knows God has never let him down. And his "Salvation is from the Lord!"
Matthew 2 - Magi, Egypt and the Massacre of the Infants
You might wonder why didn't God make things easy for Mary and Joseph and the poor parents of Bethlehem. But all this seemingly difficult paths were necessary to fulfill the Scripture. I like that the Catholic Church honors the Holy Innocents as saints in heaven. They are portrayed as the first martyrs to lose their life for Jesus' sake. I can't comprehend the parents' grief over the senseless slaughter of precious babies.
Catechism 11-17
This section talks about the different aspects of a Christian's life that will be gone into greater depth throughout the text. The profession of faith is our response to the gifts that God has given us. The sacraments of faith section explains how God's salvation, accomplished once for all through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is made present in the liturgy and the seven sacraments.The life of faith speaks to our conduct in righteousness and charity. The forth section speaks of the meaning and importance of prayer in the life of faith.
It's easy to judge Adam and Eve. For heaven's sake, they had one simple rule to follow. No Ten Commandments. No Great Commandment. No Beatitudes. No governmental laws. Complete freedom save one tiny command.
But if we're honest, none of us would fare better. Who wouldn't be tempted at the prospect of being a god? People still seek it today in power and fame. I'm glad God doesn't give up on us and continues to find a way to reach us.
Psalm 3 - A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom
David is lamenting over his enemies and how they don't believe that God will come to his rescue. We know how Absalom ends up meeting a dreadful fate and David is returned to power. But you have to admire David in his darkest hours. He knows God has never let him down. And his "Salvation is from the Lord!"
Matthew 2 - Magi, Egypt and the Massacre of the Infants
You might wonder why didn't God make things easy for Mary and Joseph and the poor parents of Bethlehem. But all this seemingly difficult paths were necessary to fulfill the Scripture. I like that the Catholic Church honors the Holy Innocents as saints in heaven. They are portrayed as the first martyrs to lose their life for Jesus' sake. I can't comprehend the parents' grief over the senseless slaughter of precious babies.
Catechism 11-17
This section talks about the different aspects of a Christian's life that will be gone into greater depth throughout the text. The profession of faith is our response to the gifts that God has given us. The sacraments of faith section explains how God's salvation, accomplished once for all through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is made present in the liturgy and the seven sacraments.The life of faith speaks to our conduct in righteousness and charity. The forth section speaks of the meaning and importance of prayer in the life of faith.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Bible & Catechism - Day 2
Genesis 2 - I was drawn to the tree of life in this passage. I had read recently about how fitting communion was because we connect with friends and family almost always over a meal or some sort of food. From the very beginning, life was connected to eating. The tree of life, then the Passover meal that celebrated life that was spared during the tenth plague of Egypt, then the Eucharist which is obedience to Jesus' instructions at the Last Supper and understanding of John 6 where Jesus said that we must eat his body and drink his blood or we have no life in us. This is why I love being Catholic. There is such consistency from beginning to end.
Psalm 2 - a royal psalm. In verse 2, it is referred to the anointed. The Hebrew word for anointed is mashiah which is where we get the English Messiah. The Greek word is christos. So when we say Messiah or Christ, we are essentially saying King. Because traditionally royalty was recognized by anointing.
Matthew 1:18-25 - I wondered why they couldn't just tell Joseph beforehand before he began contemplating divorce. But I think this ties back to the importance of questions. We need to ask the questions before He provides the answers.
Catechism 1-10 - Our purpose is to know and love God. This section speaks of the importance of handing down the faith. I really like #7 which says that Catechesis is not just about adding new members, but the spiritual growth of its existing members.
We are going through this as a family but with the St Joseph Baltimore Catechism during family devotions. All four of us, that can read, read a section so it isn't much at all to get through the reading for the day.
Psalm 2 - a royal psalm. In verse 2, it is referred to the anointed. The Hebrew word for anointed is mashiah which is where we get the English Messiah. The Greek word is christos. So when we say Messiah or Christ, we are essentially saying King. Because traditionally royalty was recognized by anointing.
Matthew 1:18-25 - I wondered why they couldn't just tell Joseph beforehand before he began contemplating divorce. But I think this ties back to the importance of questions. We need to ask the questions before He provides the answers.
Catechism 1-10 - Our purpose is to know and love God. This section speaks of the importance of handing down the faith. I really like #7 which says that Catechesis is not just about adding new members, but the spiritual growth of its existing members.
We are going through this as a family but with the St Joseph Baltimore Catechism during family devotions. All four of us, that can read, read a section so it isn't much at all to get through the reading for the day.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Reading through the Bible and Catechism in a year
I am using Coming Home Network's plan for reading the Bible and Catechism in a year. I have been through the Bible in 90 days and a lot of study since from the questions that arose. Now armed with more understanding, I want to go through it again. In looking for a yearly plan, I found this one that included the Catechism.
Day 1
Genesis 1
Psalm 1
Matthew 1:1-17
Intro to Catechism
Genesis 1 - This outlines the creation of earth. So this brings up the question of creationism vs evolution. You will find a lot of arguments about whether the earth is thousands of years old or millions of years old. Some will question how long a day is. But does it matter?
What are the important matters to take from this first chapter. God was here before anything else and he created it all. Now does it matter if POOF it all appeared or if a process was spoken and God watched it unfold. No, it only matters that we acknowledge a divine intelligent Creator.
Now many creationists will argue that we must take it very literally or people won't believe the rest of the Bible. Then many of these faced with John 6 and the necessity for the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist will then argue that Jesus though adamantly repeating the same thing over and over without the typical alternate explanation that he offered in other cases where people misunderstood him, allowed majority of his followers to leave over something "symbolic." Their theology isn't consistent.
You can question things on both sides but I think that is the point. If we could find all the answers in science, why would we need to look for something higher? There's always the evidence of intelligence in the tiniest cells. You can never be satisfied with creation til you look for the Creator
Psalm 1 - I remember staying with my grandparents and memorizing this passage of Scripture. So it is one of my favorites. I think it highlights that we need to be in some cases physically separated from wickedness but most importantly in our minds and hearts. We need to meditate on the law of The Lord day and night. I just finished a book by Tami Kiser, Smart Martha's Catholic Guide for Busy Moms. While there are a lot of tips to do things simply and efficiently like Martha, we have to constantly be mindful of how Christ is beckoning us to sit at his feet as Mary did. We need the time in Bible study and prayer. We may find him in the service to our children, husband, neighbors, church family, etc. But prayerfully keeping our focus on the source so life itself.
Matthew 1:1-17
The genealogy of Christ is divided into 3 periods; from promise given to promise fulfilled, from promise fulfilled to promise lost, from promise lost to promise fulfilled eternally. The number of generations in each period is 14. Some scholars note that 14 is the number of David always pointing to Jesus as the Son of David.
Catechism - Intro
This talked about the purposes of the Catechism as a "reference text" that "fulfilled the mission of the Church to guard the deposit of faith." You can look in the index at any Scripture and find the teachings of the Church that correlate to that particular passage. You can also reference documents by Early Church Fathers and more. The Catechism is "offered to every individual who asks us to give an account of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15) and who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes." We have a guide to exactly what the Church teaches. We still have to form our conscience according to the Scripture but I am thankful for a means to avoid confusion.
In a college town in Mississippi, I sat in a restaurant near a table of six college students. I couldn't help overhearing bits of their conversation. They compared and contrasted their various denominational beliefs amidst a lot of confusion of the ones trying to explain the reasons why. But they never seemed to arrived at any truth. In the Catholic Church, we have a book compiling our beliefs and backed up by thousands of years of Scripture and a couple thousand more of the Holy Spirit's work in the Church.
Day 1
Genesis 1
Psalm 1
Matthew 1:1-17
Intro to Catechism
Genesis 1 - This outlines the creation of earth. So this brings up the question of creationism vs evolution. You will find a lot of arguments about whether the earth is thousands of years old or millions of years old. Some will question how long a day is. But does it matter?
What are the important matters to take from this first chapter. God was here before anything else and he created it all. Now does it matter if POOF it all appeared or if a process was spoken and God watched it unfold. No, it only matters that we acknowledge a divine intelligent Creator.
Now many creationists will argue that we must take it very literally or people won't believe the rest of the Bible. Then many of these faced with John 6 and the necessity for the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist will then argue that Jesus though adamantly repeating the same thing over and over without the typical alternate explanation that he offered in other cases where people misunderstood him, allowed majority of his followers to leave over something "symbolic." Their theology isn't consistent.
You can question things on both sides but I think that is the point. If we could find all the answers in science, why would we need to look for something higher? There's always the evidence of intelligence in the tiniest cells. You can never be satisfied with creation til you look for the Creator
Psalm 1 - I remember staying with my grandparents and memorizing this passage of Scripture. So it is one of my favorites. I think it highlights that we need to be in some cases physically separated from wickedness but most importantly in our minds and hearts. We need to meditate on the law of The Lord day and night. I just finished a book by Tami Kiser, Smart Martha's Catholic Guide for Busy Moms. While there are a lot of tips to do things simply and efficiently like Martha, we have to constantly be mindful of how Christ is beckoning us to sit at his feet as Mary did. We need the time in Bible study and prayer. We may find him in the service to our children, husband, neighbors, church family, etc. But prayerfully keeping our focus on the source so life itself.
Matthew 1:1-17
The genealogy of Christ is divided into 3 periods; from promise given to promise fulfilled, from promise fulfilled to promise lost, from promise lost to promise fulfilled eternally. The number of generations in each period is 14. Some scholars note that 14 is the number of David always pointing to Jesus as the Son of David.
Catechism - Intro
This talked about the purposes of the Catechism as a "reference text" that "fulfilled the mission of the Church to guard the deposit of faith." You can look in the index at any Scripture and find the teachings of the Church that correlate to that particular passage. You can also reference documents by Early Church Fathers and more. The Catechism is "offered to every individual who asks us to give an account of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15) and who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes." We have a guide to exactly what the Church teaches. We still have to form our conscience according to the Scripture but I am thankful for a means to avoid confusion.
In a college town in Mississippi, I sat in a restaurant near a table of six college students. I couldn't help overhearing bits of their conversation. They compared and contrasted their various denominational beliefs amidst a lot of confusion of the ones trying to explain the reasons why. But they never seemed to arrived at any truth. In the Catholic Church, we have a book compiling our beliefs and backed up by thousands of years of Scripture and a couple thousand more of the Holy Spirit's work in the Church.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Back in the swing of things
We have had a wonderful Lent and Easter season. We have a new Pope who is very literal in his demonstration of the humility of Christ. It is so refreshing and convicting.
We had a sonogram for our fifth child due in September. Another shy one like Katie Rose. I am still betting that this is a girl
Still trying to get back on top of things. Pollen season and pregnancy fatigue are slowing me down. It's a bit depressing to feel like it never gets completely done. So just trying to take one task at a time.
I have decided to go through the Bible again. So I will be trying to blog through that and the Catechism in a year starting tomorrow.
Hope you have had a blessed Easter season!
We had a sonogram for our fifth child due in September. Another shy one like Katie Rose. I am still betting that this is a girl
Still trying to get back on top of things. Pollen season and pregnancy fatigue are slowing me down. It's a bit depressing to feel like it never gets completely done. So just trying to take one task at a time.
I have decided to go through the Bible again. So I will be trying to blog through that and the Catechism in a year starting tomorrow.
Hope you have had a blessed Easter season!
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