At the very outset of Christ's work on earth, God showed the world a family in which, as Pope Leo XIII teaches, "all men might behold a perfect model of domestic life, and of all virtue and holiness." The harmony, unity, and holiness which characterized this holy Family make it the model for all Christian families.
Find things to rant about
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Morning Prayer and Pope Benedict XVI
Today's morning prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours reminded me, in great need, that God will take care of our vineyard. God will take care of us.
The first reading was Psalm 80, which in part reads:
The second reading was from Isaiah 12, which in part reads:
The third reading was from Psalm 81 (Solemn renewal of the Covenant). In part, it reads:
And the reading from 1 Kings:
Finally, from the petitions:
Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church, that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation.
May our hearts thirst for Christ, the fountain of living water.
May God protect the vine of the Church, and put His hand on the man he has chosen to lead us, the faithful. May we heed the Lord, and listen to Him. May we be confident and unafraid in the coming days ahead and trust in the Lord. Amen.
The first reading was Psalm 80, which in part reads:
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph's flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
...
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
to plant it you drove out the nations.
Before it you cleared the ground;
it took root and spread through the land.
...
God of hosts, turn again, we impolore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.
Men have burnt it with fire and destroyed it.
May they perish at the frown of your face.
May your hand be on the man you have chosen,
the man you have given your strength.
And we shall never forsake you again:
give us life that we may call upon your name.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
The second reading was from Isaiah 12, which in part reads:
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.
The third reading was from Psalm 81 (Solemn renewal of the Covenant). In part, it reads:
Ring out your joy to God our strength,
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.
...
A voice I did not know said to me:
"I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the load.
You called in distress and I saved you.
...
"O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
turn my hand against their enemies.
"The Lord's enemies would cringe at their feet
and their subjection would last for ever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
and fill them with honey from the rock."
And the reading from 1 Kings:
We are your people, O Lord, and your inheritance. Thus may your eyes be open to the petition of your servant and to the petition of your people Israel. Hear us whenever we call upon you, because you have set us apart from all the peoples of the earth for your inheritance.
Finally, from the petitions:
Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church, that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation.
May our hearts thirst for Christ, the fountain of living water.
May God protect the vine of the Church, and put His hand on the man he has chosen to lead us, the faithful. May we heed the Lord, and listen to Him. May we be confident and unafraid in the coming days ahead and trust in the Lord. Amen.
The Last Day
Pope Benedict XVI pledges unconditional reverence and obedience for the new pope
Whispers in the Loggia (of course) has the whole thing
Mark Shea offers thoughts on Pope Benedict XVI as natural teacher
Fr. Zeloni has considerations on papal abdication (very good read!)
Melissa at Faith and the Muse gives her thoughts on the lessons her papa has given her.
The Ironic Catholic's favorite Pope Benedict XVI quote.
Just a Small Town girl tells about a humble shepherd.
A Star of Hope says goodbye to papa.
The Anchoress, as always, has a good roundup of links.
Fr. Philip has some moving photos.
All Roads Lead to Rome has been in Rome since Pope Benedict XVI's announcement.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
What I'm Loving Wednesday
Hosted by this kind of love
I'm loving:
The decision I have made, after much prayer, is the fruit of a serene trust in God’s will and a deep love of Christ’s Church. I will continue to accompany the Church with my prayers, and I ask each of you to pray for me and for the new Pope. In union with Mary and all the saints, let us entrust ourselves in faith and hope to God, who continues to watch over our lives and to guide the journey of the Church and our world along the paths of history.
I'm loving:
Lip Factory Inc - a beauty subscription box. I haven't even received my first box yet, and I'm already wowed by their amazing customer service and how they respond to people's inquiries, besides their amazing boxes. Yes, they focus on lips, but over the months, they've also had themes of brows, special collections, etc. I cannot wait until my order comes! If you're interested and want to sign up, I'd appreciate if you used my referral number (yes, I will get credited) when you sign up. Lip Factory is $22/month, free shipping. The box is jam-packed with stuff! They are currently getting sold out of March, so if you want in on the action, sign up now or wait until towards the end of March. My referral number is 38343. If you want to give me credit, you *must* use that number.
I'm loving:
Mr. Fred Rogers
Today is the 10th anniversary of the death of Mr. Rogers. Mental Floss has 10 "How It's Made" clips today on their site. Mr. Rogers was so amazing, something I truly didn't appreciate until a couple of years ago. He testified before the U.S. Senate, was a tireless advocate for all children, and his lifetime achievement award acceptance speech makes me cry every time. Plus, he was just a nice guy.
I'm loving:
New bloggers that I'm following:
Don't forget to follow me on twitter and on facebook! Have a great Wednesday!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Zoya Nail Polish deals
Just fyi - Zoya Nail Polish is having two deals right now.
One is:
-spend $20 and receive the color "sharon" for free. Use code "SHARON", good now through 3/3/13.
The other is:
-spend $25 and receive 3 colors free (pre-picked). Use code "VDAY13", ends 11:59 p.m. EST on 2/27/13.
Happy shopping!
One is:
-spend $20 and receive the color "sharon" for free. Use code "SHARON", good now through 3/3/13.
The other is:
-spend $25 and receive 3 colors free (pre-picked). Use code "VDAY13", ends 11:59 p.m. EST on 2/27/13.
Happy shopping!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Mani Monday
I thought these two colors went really well together and really brought out the specks of color in the Designer....De Better color. I used scotch tape to make the lines on my toenails, and a dotting tool to make the dots on my fingernails. I use Beauty Secrets Base Coat & Beauty Secrets Top Coat, mainly because every single salon I've been in uses that brand. I figure if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
On another note, I had a friend who suggested using my dotting tool to make a rosary on one of my fingers, complete with a cross. I think this is a cool idea and will definitely be doing this in the future, but this got me to thinking about what other kind of Catholic nail art I could do. What do you think? Any ideas?
Perfection
Awhile back, I read two blog posts that speak of the idea of perfection. One spoke about perfection in the Faith, the other about perfection in motherhood.
Two weeks ago, I was a participant in a conversation that loosely was about faith, religion, and Christians. Mainly the conversation was about, "How come these people go to church on Sunday but are awful people the rest of the week and do awful things?" (Awful loosely defined as chain smoking around kids, swearing, drinking, generally acting like a douche.)
Today I read a snippet from Terry at Abbey-Roads about the resignation of Cardinal O'Brien, quoting Fr. Blake saying: "These are priests and bishops in a very grave state of sin, who seem to count it as nothing. These are men who are content to live in the sewer whilst ascending to the altar of God. There is not just the sin they are involved in, it is also the hypocrisy, the lies, the deceit, everything that runs contrary to the integrity of the Gospel, the betrayal of brother priests of laity, all contribute to the undermining of faith of "the little ones", "better millstone be tied around his neck ..."".
I've been thinking a lot about this lately, mainly because as a mother and as a Christian, I have lately been feeling the pain of my sins weighing me down. While on one hand, I think I should give myself a break as a mother and a Christian, and not to expect too much from myself, not to get too impatient with myself; I also think that I am setting the bar rather low in terms of striving for perfection as a mother and as a Christian.
It's a fine balance, no? How do I keep striving for perfection in my faith and in my vocation, without setting unrealistic expectations that keep me discouraged? I want to be a good example for my children, for my family, and for perfect strangers, on what it means to be a Christian, on how it has changed my life. But too often, I find myself passing the buck and lowering my expectations with the caveat that "Nobody is perfect" or "No one can get it right all the time" or "Everyone falls down and makes mistakes". All those are well and good, but we're living in a time now where my example as a Christian - whether good or bad - is of utmost importance to the world around me. What I choose to portray in my behavior is a portrayal of Christianity to some people. If I fail in that, that is a hefty weight upon my shoulders. I think we are seeing the fruits of "passing the buck" attitude in our clergy and in our church. People think, "Oh well, I'm doing all I can, within my limits." Well, aren't we called to reach outside our limits?
"We become apostles and witnesses of his Good News as we hear it and are changed by it." This sentence was in a book that one of my study groups is discussing. A friend put it this way: "I am only as good a witness to the Gospel as I allow myself to be changed by it." If I don't truly hear the Gospel within my heart, if I don't take it in and be converted by the scandalous words it contains, how can I truly hope to be a witness of the Faith to other people?
So yes, my behavior needs to change. I must constantly be in a process of conversion, and hearing the Gospel anew, in order to change my behavior, my attitude. Last week, during lectio divina on yesterday's Gospel reading, the phrase that was brought to my attention was "They fell silent." I know that I need to work on shutting up my interior monologue and dialogue with others, and just listening to God. Perhaps in this way, I can start to make sure I hear the Word and be changed by it.
Two weeks ago, I was a participant in a conversation that loosely was about faith, religion, and Christians. Mainly the conversation was about, "How come these people go to church on Sunday but are awful people the rest of the week and do awful things?" (Awful loosely defined as chain smoking around kids, swearing, drinking, generally acting like a douche.)
Today I read a snippet from Terry at Abbey-Roads about the resignation of Cardinal O'Brien, quoting Fr. Blake saying: "These are priests and bishops in a very grave state of sin, who seem to count it as nothing. These are men who are content to live in the sewer whilst ascending to the altar of God. There is not just the sin they are involved in, it is also the hypocrisy, the lies, the deceit, everything that runs contrary to the integrity of the Gospel, the betrayal of brother priests of laity, all contribute to the undermining of faith of "the little ones", "better millstone be tied around his neck ..."".
I've been thinking a lot about this lately, mainly because as a mother and as a Christian, I have lately been feeling the pain of my sins weighing me down. While on one hand, I think I should give myself a break as a mother and a Christian, and not to expect too much from myself, not to get too impatient with myself; I also think that I am setting the bar rather low in terms of striving for perfection as a mother and as a Christian.
It's a fine balance, no? How do I keep striving for perfection in my faith and in my vocation, without setting unrealistic expectations that keep me discouraged? I want to be a good example for my children, for my family, and for perfect strangers, on what it means to be a Christian, on how it has changed my life. But too often, I find myself passing the buck and lowering my expectations with the caveat that "Nobody is perfect" or "No one can get it right all the time" or "Everyone falls down and makes mistakes". All those are well and good, but we're living in a time now where my example as a Christian - whether good or bad - is of utmost importance to the world around me. What I choose to portray in my behavior is a portrayal of Christianity to some people. If I fail in that, that is a hefty weight upon my shoulders. I think we are seeing the fruits of "passing the buck" attitude in our clergy and in our church. People think, "Oh well, I'm doing all I can, within my limits." Well, aren't we called to reach outside our limits?
"We become apostles and witnesses of his Good News as we hear it and are changed by it." This sentence was in a book that one of my study groups is discussing. A friend put it this way: "I am only as good a witness to the Gospel as I allow myself to be changed by it." If I don't truly hear the Gospel within my heart, if I don't take it in and be converted by the scandalous words it contains, how can I truly hope to be a witness of the Faith to other people?
So yes, my behavior needs to change. I must constantly be in a process of conversion, and hearing the Gospel anew, in order to change my behavior, my attitude. Last week, during lectio divina on yesterday's Gospel reading, the phrase that was brought to my attention was "They fell silent." I know that I need to work on shutting up my interior monologue and dialogue with others, and just listening to God. Perhaps in this way, I can start to make sure I hear the Word and be changed by it.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Glamour Doll Eyes of the month review
I recently heard about Glamour Doll Eyes, a mostly eyeshadow company, through another beauty blog. I am branching out my makeup routine, and their "Of the Month" (OTM) eyeshadows seemed like a good way to try out their products. I signed up for 3 months, and February was my first month. For February, I received the eyeshadow (they make loose eyeshadow) in a small jar, some cute Valentine's candies, and a sample packet of the eyeshadow to give away to a friend to spread the love. The February OTM is called "Toxic Grape" and is shown below.
The first picture is without flash, dry is on the top, wet on the bottom.
This grape is such a great eyeshadow. Using it dry, it's very subtle but still shimmery, and can easily be used as a lid or crease color. I haven't tried using it wet to be honest. It's definitely for a bold look that I haven't the gumption to try yet.
GDE is a great company - good customer service, which I unfortunately had to find out about. My eyeshadow jar was stuck shut and I couldn't get it to open, so Vee from GDE sent me another jar, free of charge without having to send back the stuck jar.
I'm wearing GDE Toxic Grape on my lids here. I know, not a great picture, but it's the only picture I had in the dock (that was available).
Some of their eyeshadows are vegan safe. Full jars are 2 grams of product for $6, a sample jar is about 1 gram of product for $2.50, and a sample packet is about .5 gram of product for $1.25. I think this is a great price point for loose eyeshadow, and will last quite awhile for me. They also have collections, where you can purchase a collection for $24-$40. I definitely have my eye on some of the collections, and each eyeshadow within a collection looks to go well with the others. I'm particularly looking at Pick Your Poison collection and the All Work No Play collection.
I'm excited to see what March's OTM color will be! If you're interested in Glamour Doll Eyes, go check them out. You can sign up to receive an email when the "of the month" opens up, and then you can purchase one month, three months, or six months. Have fun looking around!
*I am freely reviewing this product, and purchased this product with my own money. I am not an affiliate of GDE (yet), and have not been compensated in any way for this review.*
The first picture is without flash, dry is on the top, wet on the bottom.
This grape is such a great eyeshadow. Using it dry, it's very subtle but still shimmery, and can easily be used as a lid or crease color. I haven't tried using it wet to be honest. It's definitely for a bold look that I haven't the gumption to try yet.
GDE is a great company - good customer service, which I unfortunately had to find out about. My eyeshadow jar was stuck shut and I couldn't get it to open, so Vee from GDE sent me another jar, free of charge without having to send back the stuck jar.
Some of their eyeshadows are vegan safe. Full jars are 2 grams of product for $6, a sample jar is about 1 gram of product for $2.50, and a sample packet is about .5 gram of product for $1.25. I think this is a great price point for loose eyeshadow, and will last quite awhile for me. They also have collections, where you can purchase a collection for $24-$40. I definitely have my eye on some of the collections, and each eyeshadow within a collection looks to go well with the others. I'm particularly looking at Pick Your Poison collection and the All Work No Play collection.
I'm excited to see what March's OTM color will be! If you're interested in Glamour Doll Eyes, go check them out. You can sign up to receive an email when the "of the month" opens up, and then you can purchase one month, three months, or six months. Have fun looking around!
*I am freely reviewing this product, and purchased this product with my own money. I am not an affiliate of GDE (yet), and have not been compensated in any way for this review.*
Holy Father's Last Angelus
http://youtu.be/jtl78T0sxjw
Our Holy Father looks so frail in this video. He is such a good papa - did you see that cute little wave at about 1:00? Look at all those people at the end of the video! My heart is full of love for our Church and our Pope.
For some reason, it's not embedding. Sorry! Go to watch though, and listen.
Full text and better video at Whispers in the Loggia.
Our Holy Father looks so frail in this video. He is such a good papa - did you see that cute little wave at about 1:00? Look at all those people at the end of the video! My heart is full of love for our Church and our Pope.
For some reason, it's not embedding. Sorry! Go to watch though, and listen.
Full text and better video at Whispers in the Loggia.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Ending the Day the Healthy Way
Via Adrienne's Corner
Great list, the only thing I would add is a nightly examen of conscience. Here's what I use:
Great list, the only thing I would add is a nightly examen of conscience. Here's what I use:
Brief Examen of Conscience
Make a brief examination of conscience before going to bed each night. Two or three minutes will suffice.
Place yourself in the presence of God, recognizing His strength and your weakness. Tell Him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."
Ask your Guardian Angel for Light to acknowledge your defects and virtues.
What have I done wrong? What have I done right? What could I have done better?
Examine your conscience with sincerity.
Did I often consider that God is my Father? Did I offer Him my work? Did I make good use of my time? Did I pray slowly with attention? Did I criticize anyone? Was I forgiving? Did I pray and offer some sacrifices for the Church, the Pope, and for those around me? Did I allow myself to be carried away by sensuality? By pride?
Make an Act of Contrition sorrowfully asking Our Lord's pardon.
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
Make a specific resolution for tomorrow:
-To stay away from certain temptations.
-To avoid some specific faults.
-To exert special effort to practice some virtue.
-To take advantage of occasions for improvement.
Pray 3 Hail Marys to the Blessed Mother, asking for purity of heart and body.
Friday's Letters
Dear February,
I'm so tired of you. It seems like you've stuck around for ages. I cannot believe there is still another week to you. Ugh. Seriously. Bye.
Dear St. Joseph,
I'm so ready for March and for it to be your month, that I had to change the background of the blog to a picture of you & the angel Gabriel.
Dear Lent,
Sigh. This happens every year. Am I ready for it? Almost never. I get so damn crabby - spiritually and physically - and I feel like a worse Christian than ever. But, I'm sticking to my prayer commitments so far, and I'm trying on everything else. That's all we can do, right?
Dear Sephora,
Darn you and your new collections! I need to stop spending money with you, but you make it so easy.
Dear the next 3 weekends,
I realize that my husband works hard for us, for our kids. But stealing my husband for the next 3 weekends for work? Yeah, I hate you.
Dear Pope Benedict XVI,
I love you.
Revlon NailArt review (UPDATE)
I saw an ad in Elle magazine for Revlon's new nail art moon candy line, and it looked amazing. Seriously.
I mean, that looks pretty cool, right? So I thought I'd check at Target and see if they carried it, and of course they did. So I made the leap to pick it up at $6.99, which is huge for me, because I almost never buy nail polish if it's not on sale or clearance.
Here it is, resting on my computer.
Here's the good news:
-the base color looks great, and one coat is enough to make your nails look good.
-the shimmery glittery part is also great looking
Bad news:
-this two sided thing is unwieldly, and easy to knock over.
-the shimmery glittery polish is thick and goopy, and the glitter doesn't spread out evenly at all. It was hard to get more than one glitter on a nail.
-how the heck are you supposed to store this thing?
-I wish they would've had a way to separate the two ends from each other
This is just my first impressions. As it stands now, I won't be purchasing any more of these duo sets. What are your thoughts?
Update: the next day after applying this, it started chipping. No good! I definitely won't be getting any more of these sets.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
February Birchbox Review (The One and Only)
So, I received my first birchbox this week. It will also be my last birchbox. For those that don't know, birchbox (referral link, but read the review first) is like the first of the beauty subscription boxes. They started the craze. Maybe once upon a time, they were good, but they've seriously fallen off the wagon. It's a $10/month beauty subscription box, that "curates" items for you to try; if you like an item, you can buy it straight from their shop and earn points. 100 points equal $10 off a purchase or off of a month's price. Keep reading for what I think. 
The whole kit and caboodle
What I'm Loving Wednesday
What I'm loving Wednesday at this kind of love
I received my second graze box this week. I'm seriously loving this weekly subscription box service, but every time it comes, I want to eat the whole box right away! I received fruit & seed flapjack (the best thing ever!), banoffee pie, salt & vinegar nut selection, and "bounty hunter" (chocolate is involved, so you know that it is good). I don't have any invites left, but if I get any in the future, I'll be sure to link it up.
Speaking of subscription boxes, I also received my first birchbox yesterday (and then yesterday afternoon, received my tracking information; super helpful, guys!). Am I loving it?
I'm loving this article on modesty, especially this part:
When it comes to Catholic modesty, especially when the Blessed Mother is pulled forward for her opinion and example, there often is a conflation of two different concepts: imitation and mimicry. Imitation is using someone or something as a model for one's own actions; mimicry is to attempt to create an external, superficial resemblance to something or someone else.
Too often in discussions of modesty, it seems that those advocating for using the Blessed Mother as a role model confuse mimicry with imitation. Perhaps that is why you sometimes hear of Catholic women who don't cover their heads in church or elsewhere, or who choose to wear pants, or who do not cover every square inch from neck to toes, denounced as "immodest" for not following some perceived "Marian code of dress for Catholic women."
We are not called to be mimics of the Blessed Mother, dressing as would be appropriate for a first-century Palestinian peasant woman (e.g., long veils, skirts to the floor, sandals). We are called to imitate the Blessed Mother in her virtues. In terms of modesty, that might mean dressing in a way that is appropriate to one's culture and circumstances, not drawing undue attention to oneself either in one's dress or undress, remaining circumspect about one's own choices, and not denouncing the reasonable choices of others.Okay, that's all I have time for this morning! Have a wonderful Wednesday out there, everyone!
Monday, February 11, 2013
No Words (UPDATED)
I have no words on the news of Pope Benedict XVI retiring. My heart is upset, confused, and a little broken.
Link Round-Up:
Whispers in the Loggia on the statement and the follow up statement
The Anchoress
Jimmy Akin's 10 Things
Fr. Michael Duffy
Can the Pope retire?
Aggie Catholics 10 Reasons this is a good thing
Dulcius Ex Asperis: Long Live the Pope
Deacon Kandra: What happens next?
Rambling Follower connects this to Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical
Why I Am Catholic writes
Twitchy catches us up on the haters
phatcatholic gives us tips on defending the Papacy
Join the Novena for Pope Benedict XVI and the Papacy
Scott Hahn's Facebook status:
Back on April 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI did something rather striking, but which went largely unnoticed.
He stopped off in Aquila, Italy, and visited the tomb of an obscure medieval Pope named St. Celestine V (1215-1296). After a brief prayer, he left his pallium, the symbol of his own episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome, on top of Celestine's tomb!
Fifteen months later, on July 4, 2010, Benedict went out of his way again, this time to visit and pray in the cathedral of Sulmona, near Rome, before the relics of this same saint, Celestine V.
Few people, however, noticed at the time.
Only now, we may be gaining a better understanding of what it meant. These actions were probably more than pious acts. More likely, they were profound and symbolic gestures of a very personal nature, which conveyed a message that a Pope can hardly deliver any other way.
In the year 1294, this man (Fr. Pietro Angelerio), known by all as a devout and holy priest, was elected Pope, somewhat against his will, shortly before his 80th birthday (Ratzinger was 78 when he was elected Pope in 2005). Just five months later, after issuing a formal decree allowing popes to resign (or abdicate, like other rulers), Pope Celestine V exercised that right. And now Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to follow in the footsteps of this venerable model.
Check back for more as it comes.
I'll leave you with a smile:
Early media failures
Vatishock by Whispers in the Loggia
Fr. Longenecker on what "retirement" will look like
Send a word of thanks to the Pope
Authentic Bioethics thinks this sets a bad precedent
Michael Barber connects Pope Benedict XVI and St. Gregory the Great
Simcha Fischer writes a poignant piece
Terry at Abbey Roads writes
Calah at Barefoot and Pregnant also writes - my eyes literally welled up with tears reading this.
The Crescat has a temper tantrum
The Anchoress has another roundup
Gregorian Rants has some thoughts on papal "bull"
Cardinal Arinze:
Try to stay sane out there, folks. If you have written something on the Pope's renunciation or read something you'd like to share that's not already linked, link it up in the comments.
Whispers in the Loggia on the statement and the follow up statement
The Anchoress
Jimmy Akin's 10 Things
Fr. Michael Duffy
Can the Pope retire?
Aggie Catholics 10 Reasons this is a good thing
Dulcius Ex Asperis: Long Live the Pope
Deacon Kandra: What happens next?
Rambling Follower connects this to Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical
Why I Am Catholic writes
Twitchy catches us up on the haters
phatcatholic gives us tips on defending the Papacy
Join the Novena for Pope Benedict XVI and the Papacy
Scott Hahn's Facebook status:
Back on April 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI did something rather striking, but which went largely unnoticed.
He stopped off in Aquila, Italy, and visited the tomb of an obscure medieval Pope named St. Celestine V (1215-1296). After a brief prayer, he left his pallium, the symbol of his own episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome, on top of Celestine's tomb!
Fifteen months later, on July 4, 2010, Benedict went out of his way again, this time to visit and pray in the cathedral of Sulmona, near Rome, before the relics of this same saint, Celestine V.
Few people, however, noticed at the time.
Only now, we may be gaining a better understanding of what it meant. These actions were probably more than pious acts. More likely, they were profound and symbolic gestures of a very personal nature, which conveyed a message that a Pope can hardly deliver any other way.
In the year 1294, this man (Fr. Pietro Angelerio), known by all as a devout and holy priest, was elected Pope, somewhat against his will, shortly before his 80th birthday (Ratzinger was 78 when he was elected Pope in 2005). Just five months later, after issuing a formal decree allowing popes to resign (or abdicate, like other rulers), Pope Celestine V exercised that right. And now Pope Benedict XVI has chosen to follow in the footsteps of this venerable model.
Check back for more as it comes.
I'll leave you with a smile:
Early media failures
Vatishock by Whispers in the Loggia
Fr. Longenecker on what "retirement" will look like
Send a word of thanks to the Pope
Authentic Bioethics thinks this sets a bad precedent
Michael Barber connects Pope Benedict XVI and St. Gregory the Great
 | ||
| Stolen from Creative Minority Report |
Terry at Abbey Roads writes
Calah at Barefoot and Pregnant also writes - my eyes literally welled up with tears reading this.
The Crescat has a temper tantrum
The Anchoress has another roundup
Gregorian Rants has some thoughts on papal "bull"
Cardinal Arinze:
 |
| From Catholic Memes on Facebook |
Friday, February 8, 2013
Friday's Letters
Dear Top Gear,
I have now started season 6 on netflix. Can I tell you how much I love you overgrown boys who love to play with their toys? I love everything about your show: the way the sound goes higher when you rev the engines; the way you make fun of your guests sometimes; the way you poke fun at each other. Please don't ruin my love by being nasty to something I love.
Dear Jennifer at the aforementioned Ramblings of a Suburban Mom,
Thank you for getting me addicted to crack. Specifically, this crack:
Dear Sephora,
Thank you for making me VIB Insider. I am ridiculously excited about this. Also, it should have probably taken me longer than a month and a half to make VIB, right? But I know you won't judge me.
Dear Top Gear (again),
Because I've fallen in love with your show, and have become a bit obsessed by it, I have missed all the current shows that I like to watch as well.
Dear Jon Stewart,
I have a tendency to fall in and out of love with you, because sometimes you really skewer the state; and sometimes you are humping their leg. But this, this I love:
So what are you doing this fine Friday?
Thursday, February 7, 2013
February Beauty Army Review (UPDATED)
In this post, I'll be reviewing the Beauty Army monthly subscription box that I received this week.
Here's the Beauty Army box. Nice sized box, that could be re-used as a gift box, though right now I'm using it to store eye shadows.
For their one-year anniversary, they included a full-size mascara for free in every box. (More on that later.)
After opening the tissue, you get to see the goods. *wink wink*
Full size is $33 for 8.5oz (jcPenney's has it for $33 or buy 2 at $22 ea). This was a .5oz sample, so worth $1.94.
The product link says that this will rebuild damaged hair for "improved shine and elasticity." Now, I don't know about that, but once a month I like to deep condition my hair and I was due - so I used this right away. First of all, this smells amazing! It smells nutty and kind of vanilla-y. The consistency was nice and thick. I combed it through after cleaning my hair (you know my steps) and let it sit for 5 or so minutes. Then I rinsed out. As I was rinsing it out, I could tell already that my hair was super soft. It did take a little bit to get it all rinsed out though. After my shower and squeezing out the moisture in my hair, I worked through my regular leave-in conditioner and then after awhile, dried my hair with my hair dryer. I had great, bouncy, very soft curls for the rest of the day - and the next day after, and the day after that! In fact, my hair was almost a bit too soft - but it wasn't frizzy at all. I cannot wait until this is back in stock, because it would be worth the money.
$19.99 for .5oz full size. Sample size is .1oz, worth $4.
Now, I was a little skeptical of this, because there are a lot of eye creams and such on the market, plus I already use L'Oreal Youth Code Eye Treatment. But, I'm game for trying something new. The sample size is .1 fl oz, which is plenty! You literally only need a dab for each eye. The sample size will probably last me at least a week (assuming I use it in the morning and evening). I've just been using it in the evening before I go to bed, and I'm already noticing a difference. It seems that the skin under my eyes is becoming a bit smoother, the wrinkles less deep. The full size is .5 fl oz for $19.95, which should last forever. The only thing I wish it had was an applicator tip like the L'Oreal eye treatment does. (Update: I originally posted this on 2/7/2013. I am still using this little packet 2 weeks later. Yes, I will be purchasing this soon.)
Full size Mark. mascara that came as a gift - $6.50
Full size Mark. lip gloss ($6.50) with the mascara. You can kind of see the "hook up" part attached to the mascara - that's meant to hook up with the gloss.
Now, I wanted to like the mascara/lip gloss (I mean, how cool is that hook up thingamajig?). But I just can't. There is no way that I would pay $6.50 for the mascara or lip gloss. The mascara doesn't go on well at all - I kept having to go over and over in one spot just to get some mascara to stick to my lashes. Plus, they did nothing to lengthen my lashes at all. In fact, they looked short and stumpy (something my lashes are not). Update: I gave the mascara another shot, and it is a good day-to-day mascara. I would probably pay $6.50 for this. The lip gloss, I am still on the fence about.
The lip gloss was a weird orange-y kind of color that didn't look good. It also went on streaky and pretty translucent.
Ineke's Hothouse Flower perfume (.05 fl oz)
$95 for 2.5 fl oz full size, sample worth $1.90
This is a musky kind of perfume, in a flowery gardenia. It is very strong. I thought I would like it, but since it is so strong, I just can't. The description says the top notes are: Earl Grey tea, Green Foliage, Cypress; middle notes are: Gardenia, Fig, Frankincense, Galbanum; base: Mush (????), Corn Silk, Guiaiacwood (whatever this is). Yeah - all I get is gardenia. I sprayed it in my usual spots (elbow pits, cleavage - shut it, I'm married - and knee pits). Too, too much. It's way too strong for me. I won't be purchasing this (especially at $95 for 2.5 fl oz).
$24 for 22 towelettes, so one towelette is $1.09
First of all, my whole box smelled like this. It's not a bad or overpowering smell, very subtle, but it was definitely there. You're supposed to apply them like they are a perfume sample in a moist towelette, I guess? Or use them after going to gym (haha that's funny) or being all sweaty and gross? I dunno. They had a really nice, feminine scent that I enjoyed, but left a greasy-ish residue on my fingertips from using it. 24 towelettes for $22 is a little much for me, so I'm going to pass.
Full size is 8 pairs for $30, so 1 pair is $3.75
Two eye things in one box? What are they trying to say? LOL I haven't yet tried this, but after I do, I'll update this post.
Total paid: $12. Total amount of products in box: $25.68
All in all, for $12, I thought this would have been a very good deal if I would be using the mascara and the lip gloss on a regular basis - but it did give me the chance to try out two really great products that I don't know I would have ever tried out. I'm going to give this box another shot. I didn't realize until afterwards that I could have re-taken their little quiz and received different products if I wasn't happy with the choices offered to me. So, I'll be trying that out for next month's box. Again, if you're interested in Beauty Army, sign up through my link to get me credit.
Update: I did see the"Yes To Eye Firming Treatment" at Target for $19.99 (same price as Beauty Army); the Macademia Natural Oil line was available at my local jcpenney's salon - I've updated above.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
What I'm Loving Wednesday
I'm loving:
Gradient nails. (Same hand - with flash on the left, without flash on the right)
Okay, this isn't perfect, but I had fun doing this. Hopefully you can see it okay. I did a base color of deep green, followed by a glittery silver at the base of my nail and trailed it up to the top. I messed up a couple of nails, but not bad for a first try, hmm?
I'm loving:
(Okay, loving in a Christian way) - This ebay seller.
The reason? I had bought something from her, but never received it. I sent her a message and she said that there was an unexpected death in her family, sorry for the delay, sending it out right away. So I sent a simple message stating that I understood and hoped that someday she would be comforted with the good memories of her loved one. Her message back? That she didn't know how her kids could go on without their dad. My heart broke just a bit. Anyway, I'm praying and loving her today, and hoping for the best for her. If you didn't click the link above, she is also deaf. If you can, support her by purchasing something from her shop. And pray for her.
I'm loving:
Simcha Fischer and this comment thread right here. I'll wait while you read. Back? (You didn't go there, did you? Now go do it!) Okay - I cracked up and I was infuriated and went back to laughing while reading the comment thread.
I'm loving:
This piece on how the purity culture has hurt men too. Amazing piece and I want to shout it from the rooftops. Go read!
Okay everyone. That's it for my mid-week break. What are you loving today?
Monday, February 4, 2013
Subscription Box Bug
So....I've been bitten by the subscription box bug. If you don't know, there are a TON of monthly or weekly subscription boxes that you can sign up for - beauty/skincare/makeup, exercise, food, house, exercise, etc; they are either deluxe samples or full size.
I picked two to start and two that I'm a waiting list for. I've started Beauty Army, and graze. The reason I picked Beauty Army is that you can skip a month if you want to (and not get charged). Beauty Army is a skincare/beauty/perfume/makeup subscription box, at a fairly cheap price ($12), it also had fairly good reviews (about product and good customer service) across the board, which is really important to me. (That link is an affiliate link.)
Graze is a weekly snack subscription box, and the main reason I picked it? So I get the first and fifth boxes free. Each week is $5, so for the first month (and a week), I only pay $15. I'm pretty stoked about this one too. You can pick either the nibblebox or the lightbox (less calorie versions) - I picked the lightbox. (That link is not an affiliate link, but I will have invite codes up when I review my box.)
The two that I'm on the waitlist for are: Birchbox and Ipsy (formerly myglam). Birchbox is a health/lifestyle/beauty box (at $10/month); and Ipsy is a makeup bag (also at $10/month). Of the two, I think I'd rather go with ipsy. I'm also thinking about signing up for Square Hue, a nail polish subscription (if you only knew the extent of my addiction to nail polish).
At any rate, I'll be posting reviews and such on the blog soon of Beauty Army and graze - any links included in posts will be my affiliate links and I will be credited for you signing up through my links. If you don't want to credit me, GTS*.
If you've signed up for any subscription boxes, let me know which one(s) and how you like it.
*Google That Shit
I picked two to start and two that I'm a waiting list for. I've started Beauty Army, and graze. The reason I picked Beauty Army is that you can skip a month if you want to (and not get charged). Beauty Army is a skincare/beauty/perfume/makeup subscription box, at a fairly cheap price ($12), it also had fairly good reviews (about product and good customer service) across the board, which is really important to me. (That link is an affiliate link.)
Graze is a weekly snack subscription box, and the main reason I picked it? So I get the first and fifth boxes free. Each week is $5, so for the first month (and a week), I only pay $15. I'm pretty stoked about this one too. You can pick either the nibblebox or the lightbox (less calorie versions) - I picked the lightbox. (That link is not an affiliate link, but I will have invite codes up when I review my box.)
The two that I'm on the waitlist for are: Birchbox and Ipsy (formerly myglam). Birchbox is a health/lifestyle/beauty box (at $10/month); and Ipsy is a makeup bag (also at $10/month). Of the two, I think I'd rather go with ipsy. I'm also thinking about signing up for Square Hue, a nail polish subscription (if you only knew the extent of my addiction to nail polish).
At any rate, I'll be posting reviews and such on the blog soon of Beauty Army and graze - any links included in posts will be my affiliate links and I will be credited for you signing up through my links. If you don't want to credit me, GTS*.
If you've signed up for any subscription boxes, let me know which one(s) and how you like it.
*Google That Shit
Friday, February 1, 2013
Friday's Letters
Dear Husband,
Thank you for 16 wonderful years together. I love you. I'm grateful that you work so hard to support our family, and you put up with my craziness and anal-retentiveness every day.
My dear little boy,
Could you stop terrorizing everything and everyone? Please, I'm almost bald from pulling out my hair.
Dear blog,
I like having fun with you, and not being so serious all the time. I hope you like it too. Sometimes I get tired of having to write serious, religious-y posts. I like these fun little posts.
Dear Wounded Warrior Project,
I sincerely hope that this isn't true. Because that's kind of silly.
Dear certain ebay buyer,
Please stop outbidding me on every single auction. Are you following me around or something? Seriously, knock it off.
Sincerely,
Me
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