1 hour ago
November 5, 2009
Aloha!
We arrived in Maui just a few short hours ago. We are blessed to be here with Michael's parents for a week and we are excited to swim, relax, and enjoy the sun. Avila is definitely an Aloha girl at heart and I'm grateful she can experience the magic of the islands.
November 2, 2009
Pumpkin Patch
nothing like a little dancing in the rain...well, maybe a bit more than rain.
after this she thought "swimming" in the puddle would be fun. needless to say I'm glad I brought extra clothes.
October 29, 2009
October 28, 2009
unlocking a whole new world
The past few nights I have woken up in the middle of the night and been haunted once again by the truths of abortion. After I wrote my last post, I spent over an hour stumbling through interconnected abortion blogs written by people who work at Planned Parenthood, actual abortion doctors, and even one about the story of a young woman's step-by-step experience of having an abortion. During the nights when I wake up, I find myself spending much time in prayer - not only for the people I saw on "the other side" but also because this "other side" has unlocked, for me, an element of evil I had never encountered before.
I have always been sensitive to the spiritual realm. When all my friends played "white witch," "light as a feather, stiff as a board," and the Quiji Board at sleepovers I sat out every time because I was too uncomfortable to participate. I have never been able to watch scary movies - not to mention the "demonic" type ones - and even CSI has become too much for me! I can always tell when I am being spiritually "attacked" and when others are, as well. So I guess it doesn't surprise me how affected I am after what I keep uncovering about the world of abortion. But in another way, it does. When I am actually looking at pictures or reading things I of course am shocked, however it's not until when I least expect it that it hits me.
If there is anything truly and blatantly evil in this world, it has to be abortion. The justification of killing another based on whatever motive - no matter how well rationalized - comes from a foundation of evil, as God is the author of life and Satan the author of death. The purpose, the meaning, of life is to make it to Heaven. This is why we are created - not only to know, love, and serve God is this lifetime, but to be with Him in the next. If you hated God and all things from Him, where would you spend your time fighting? Satan goes right to the core and not only tries to steer living souls away from God but he also tries to prevent souls from being created in the first place - hence contraception and, if that fails, taking the life all together through abortion.
What my experience these past couple weeks has taught me is not to shy away from the truth of knowing and exposing the evils of abortion, but rather to make sure my prayer life is in good swing. Unlocking this whole new world will for sure bring focus and attention from the Evil One who longs to keep the blindfolds on our eyes, however, with the weapon of prayer (I always grab my rosary when I wake up during the night...) he has no chance of winning.
Last night during my awake time, I couldn't help but think of women who have had abortions. And for the first time, my heart really broke for them. It wasn't a sorrow of pity but rather it was like I had an ever so small taste of their experience - being almost unaffected during the actual event (in my case the reading) and taken off guard by the sorrow and pain at an unpredictable moment. I truly hurt for them and pray that God will use their pain to draw them closer to Him, to seek forgiveness, and to know they are loved. The awesome thing about God is that death is not the end. Life will always prevail - if not now, than for all eternity. God is able to take the most twisted things and use them for good, and I ask Him to use us for that good.
Some of the sites I checked out (except for the one documenting the abortion):
I am Emily X
I am Dr. Tiller
The Abortioneers
I have always been sensitive to the spiritual realm. When all my friends played "white witch," "light as a feather, stiff as a board," and the Quiji Board at sleepovers I sat out every time because I was too uncomfortable to participate. I have never been able to watch scary movies - not to mention the "demonic" type ones - and even CSI has become too much for me! I can always tell when I am being spiritually "attacked" and when others are, as well. So I guess it doesn't surprise me how affected I am after what I keep uncovering about the world of abortion. But in another way, it does. When I am actually looking at pictures or reading things I of course am shocked, however it's not until when I least expect it that it hits me.
If there is anything truly and blatantly evil in this world, it has to be abortion. The justification of killing another based on whatever motive - no matter how well rationalized - comes from a foundation of evil, as God is the author of life and Satan the author of death. The purpose, the meaning, of life is to make it to Heaven. This is why we are created - not only to know, love, and serve God is this lifetime, but to be with Him in the next. If you hated God and all things from Him, where would you spend your time fighting? Satan goes right to the core and not only tries to steer living souls away from God but he also tries to prevent souls from being created in the first place - hence contraception and, if that fails, taking the life all together through abortion.
What my experience these past couple weeks has taught me is not to shy away from the truth of knowing and exposing the evils of abortion, but rather to make sure my prayer life is in good swing. Unlocking this whole new world will for sure bring focus and attention from the Evil One who longs to keep the blindfolds on our eyes, however, with the weapon of prayer (I always grab my rosary when I wake up during the night...) he has no chance of winning.
Last night during my awake time, I couldn't help but think of women who have had abortions. And for the first time, my heart really broke for them. It wasn't a sorrow of pity but rather it was like I had an ever so small taste of their experience - being almost unaffected during the actual event (in my case the reading) and taken off guard by the sorrow and pain at an unpredictable moment. I truly hurt for them and pray that God will use their pain to draw them closer to Him, to seek forgiveness, and to know they are loved. The awesome thing about God is that death is not the end. Life will always prevail - if not now, than for all eternity. God is able to take the most twisted things and use them for good, and I ask Him to use us for that good.
Some of the sites I checked out (except for the one documenting the abortion):
I am Emily X
I am Dr. Tiller
The Abortioneers
October 26, 2009
Stepping up my fight for the unborn
I have been awakened. I have been awakened to the horror of abortion in a way that can no longer leave me inactive in fighting for the unborn. Yes, I have always been pro-life and I have done things here and there to raise awareness of the injustice of abortion, however, the battle has been raised to another level.
A couple weeks ago, while doing some spontaneous research on abortion, I came across a real life account, step-by-step, of an abortion done to a 12-week old baby. And I can't get it out of my head. We can argue on all the various points of why abortion should or should not be legal - such as the science behind when life begins and why "choice" should determine whether someone lives or dies - but I now believe that the only way hearts will be changed is by seeing first or second hand what abortion actually is. There are many arguments that graphic images and accounts of abortion should be avoided as to prevent guilt in those who have had abortions. However, I believe that these women are hurting so deeply that a graphic image can spur them to not only acknowledging what actually occurred, but also on to seeking help. But despite what may or may not happen if the truth is shown in pictures, we cannot be afraid of proclaiming the truth. And this is what I don't get: if murder, which is illegal, can be shown on TV and in print, why can't abortion, which is legal, be shown as well? What it is that they don't want us to see? I will tell you what they don't want us to see...
The following is part of the account that I mentioned above. I dare you to read it. It's not graphic compared to what graphic means in mainstream culture - just real. It is simply a look at a child and what happens moments before he is aborted. None of the actual abortion is mentioned, however there are links at the end I hope you'll check out. Don't shy away from the truth, but let the truth set you free. Obviously this isn't meant for young children, but I believe that even 13 and 14 year olds need to hear about this because in many states they can get an abortion without parental permission. Even if you are pro-life you need to hear this because as Satan has stepped up his attacks on life, so too must we be motivated enough to step up ours.
An excerpt from Silent Scream
"Now let's turn to the actual film itself. We are now looking at a sector scan of a real time ultrasound imaging of a 12 week, unborn child. The child is oriented in this direction. You are looking now at the head of the child... here... the body of the child... here.. and this image is the child's hand approaching its mouth. Looking a little more closely at the child, we can discern, the eye or the orbit of the eye, here, the nose of the child, here... and the mouth of the child... here.. and we can even look at the ventricle of the brain, here. This is a fluid filled space in the brain. We see the body of the child here with the ribs in silhouette ... and the spine of the child at the back."
"This rather granular area of tissue at the top of the sector appears to be the placenta or afterbirth of the child. And we can begin to see down here, the thighs, the lower extremities of the child coming off the child in this manner. Now, we see the heart beating, here in the child's chest, The heart is beating at the rate of approximately 140 beats a minute. And we can see the child moving rather serenely, in the uterus. One can see it shifting position from time to time. It is still orientated in this manner and the mouth is receiving the thumb of the child. The child again is moving quietly in its sanctuary."
"Now this shadow that we are seeing, down at the bottom of the screen is the suction tip. We have colored the suction tip deliberately in order that you can discern it more clearly. The abortionist has now dilated the cervix and is now inserting this suction tip which you can see moving back and forth across the screen. You will note as the suction tip which is now over here, moves towards the child, the child will rear away from it and undergo much more violent and much more agitated movements. The child will move in a much more purposeful manner. Its orientation changes from to time. It is again rearing here. Now the suction tip has not actually touched the child, even though the child is extremely agitated and moving in a much more violent manner."
"The child has now moved back to the profile view and the suction tip is flashing across the screen. The child's mouth is now open... and we will see that in a freeze frame in a moment... but this suction tip which you can see moving violently back and forth on the bottom of the screen is the lethal instrument which will ultimately tear apart and destroy the child. It is only after the fluid has been broken, the sack has been disrupted, that the tip will actually come against the child. We can see the tip move back and forth as the abortionist seeks the child's body. Once again we can see the child's wide mouth open in a Silent Scream in this particular freeze frame. This is the silent scream of a child threatened eminently with extinction."
"Now the child's heart rate has speeded up dramatically. And the child's movements are violent at this point.It does sense aggression in its sanctuary. It is moving away ...one can see it moving to the left side of the uterus...in an attempt ... a pathetic attempt to escape the inextricable instruments which the abortionist is using to extinguish its life.
For the rest of the transcript
http://www.silentscream.org/silent_e.htm
To watch the actual video
http://www.silentscream.org/
http://www.antichoiceproject.com/
http://abort73.com/
not-graphic - you have to check this out
http://www.abortioninstruments.com/new_index.html#instruments
graphic:
http://abortioninstruments.com/
A couple weeks ago, while doing some spontaneous research on abortion, I came across a real life account, step-by-step, of an abortion done to a 12-week old baby. And I can't get it out of my head. We can argue on all the various points of why abortion should or should not be legal - such as the science behind when life begins and why "choice" should determine whether someone lives or dies - but I now believe that the only way hearts will be changed is by seeing first or second hand what abortion actually is. There are many arguments that graphic images and accounts of abortion should be avoided as to prevent guilt in those who have had abortions. However, I believe that these women are hurting so deeply that a graphic image can spur them to not only acknowledging what actually occurred, but also on to seeking help. But despite what may or may not happen if the truth is shown in pictures, we cannot be afraid of proclaiming the truth. And this is what I don't get: if murder, which is illegal, can be shown on TV and in print, why can't abortion, which is legal, be shown as well? What it is that they don't want us to see? I will tell you what they don't want us to see...
The following is part of the account that I mentioned above. I dare you to read it. It's not graphic compared to what graphic means in mainstream culture - just real. It is simply a look at a child and what happens moments before he is aborted. None of the actual abortion is mentioned, however there are links at the end I hope you'll check out. Don't shy away from the truth, but let the truth set you free. Obviously this isn't meant for young children, but I believe that even 13 and 14 year olds need to hear about this because in many states they can get an abortion without parental permission. Even if you are pro-life you need to hear this because as Satan has stepped up his attacks on life, so too must we be motivated enough to step up ours.
An excerpt from Silent Scream
"Now let's turn to the actual film itself. We are now looking at a sector scan of a real time ultrasound imaging of a 12 week, unborn child. The child is oriented in this direction. You are looking now at the head of the child... here... the body of the child... here.. and this image is the child's hand approaching its mouth. Looking a little more closely at the child, we can discern, the eye or the orbit of the eye, here, the nose of the child, here... and the mouth of the child... here.. and we can even look at the ventricle of the brain, here. This is a fluid filled space in the brain. We see the body of the child here with the ribs in silhouette ... and the spine of the child at the back."
"This rather granular area of tissue at the top of the sector appears to be the placenta or afterbirth of the child. And we can begin to see down here, the thighs, the lower extremities of the child coming off the child in this manner. Now, we see the heart beating, here in the child's chest, The heart is beating at the rate of approximately 140 beats a minute. And we can see the child moving rather serenely, in the uterus. One can see it shifting position from time to time. It is still orientated in this manner and the mouth is receiving the thumb of the child. The child again is moving quietly in its sanctuary."
"Now this shadow that we are seeing, down at the bottom of the screen is the suction tip. We have colored the suction tip deliberately in order that you can discern it more clearly. The abortionist has now dilated the cervix and is now inserting this suction tip which you can see moving back and forth across the screen. You will note as the suction tip which is now over here, moves towards the child, the child will rear away from it and undergo much more violent and much more agitated movements. The child will move in a much more purposeful manner. Its orientation changes from to time. It is again rearing here. Now the suction tip has not actually touched the child, even though the child is extremely agitated and moving in a much more violent manner."
"The child has now moved back to the profile view and the suction tip is flashing across the screen. The child's mouth is now open... and we will see that in a freeze frame in a moment... but this suction tip which you can see moving violently back and forth on the bottom of the screen is the lethal instrument which will ultimately tear apart and destroy the child. It is only after the fluid has been broken, the sack has been disrupted, that the tip will actually come against the child. We can see the tip move back and forth as the abortionist seeks the child's body. Once again we can see the child's wide mouth open in a Silent Scream in this particular freeze frame. This is the silent scream of a child threatened eminently with extinction."
"Now the child's heart rate has speeded up dramatically. And the child's movements are violent at this point.It does sense aggression in its sanctuary. It is moving away ...one can see it moving to the left side of the uterus...in an attempt ... a pathetic attempt to escape the inextricable instruments which the abortionist is using to extinguish its life.
For the rest of the transcript
http://www.silentscream.org/silent_e.htm
To watch the actual video
http://www.silentscream.org/
http://www.antichoiceproject.com/
http://abort73.com/
not-graphic - you have to check this out
http://www.abortioninstruments.com/new_index.html#instruments
graphic:
http://abortioninstruments.com/
October 24, 2009
Go Lions!
Last night was Bellarmine Prep's homecoming game against Olympia. It was an awesome game and highlighted as the King5 Game of the Week. And our little lion (complete with licorice face) is in the footage. Check it out!
Big Game of the Week
Big Game of the Week
October 23, 2009
7 Quick Takes Vol. 17
1. Theology of the Body NW is going really well. I am currently teaching at St. Mark's in Shoreline and at the University of Puget Sound. I hope to continue to spread this message at more parishes and youth groups in the coming future. It is so invigorating to see young (and not so young) people finally realize the beauty of sexuality lived according to God's plan for salvation. The notion that sex is an icon of the Trinity and, if lived out correctly, is a major path to Heaven is definitely different from the oppressive view of sex that so many people think is the view of the Catholic Church. In the coming weeks I hope to share the teachings on the Theology of the Body here on our blog. Stay tuned!
~~~
2. Tomorrow is planned with an activity that includes pumpkins and saving babies. You should try it! Click here...
~~~
3. As promised, here is video of Avila in Spokane, rocking out in the car. Isaac joined her for a while but then Avila's dance moves became a bit too weird...
~~~
4. Speaking of singing and dancing, here is another video. Avila was trying out the karaoke machine I got for youth group.
~~~
5. I am just about convinced this baby is a boy. With Avila I craved salad and apples. With this baby it's Doritos and Macaroni and Cheese. We're not going to find out so I guess it's a few more months of waiting to see. Other signs this pregnancy is different: I am still sick (yucko), I haven't gained any weight yet (with Avila I put on 10lbs in one month), and I am waaaaay more forgetful (either that or I can't remember how forgetful I was with Avila). Don't tell my dad, but I'm secretly rooting for a girl so Avila can have a close sister friend and so I don't have to buy any baby clothes!
~~~
6. My absolutely wonderful husband gave me my Christmas present early. He got me season tickets to the Pacific Northwest Ballet! We are going to see the Nutcracker together the weekend after Thanksgiving :) and the 3 other ballets I get to see are: Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, and Hansel and Gretel. I feel like I'm transformed to another world when I'm at the ballet and some of the best memories I have are from dancing. Thank you, Michael.
~~~
7. Here is a fabulous fall recipe for pork tenderloin. I made it twice last week...mmmm so good.
Roasted Pork with Blackberry Sauce
1-1/2 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 cup blackberry preserves, melted and cooled
1/4 cup dry white wine or apple juice
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
1/2 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary
Steamed green beans (optional)
Finely shredded orange peel (optional)
Directions
1. Place tenderloin in resealable plastic bag set in shallow dish. For marinade, in bowl whisk together preserves, wine, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon orange peel, and rosemary. Pour marinade over pork; seal bag. Marinate, refrigerated, 2 to 5 hours, turning bag occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Drain pork, reserving marinade. Place meat on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast 35 to 45 minutes or until slightly pink in center (155 degrees F).
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in small saucepan bring reserved marinade to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Slice pork; serve with sauce and green beans. Top with additional orange peel. Makes 6 servings.
October 22, 2009
October 21, 2009
Our little Teresa of Avila
About 6 months ago my parents gave me a sewing machine that used to belong to my grandma. I'm guessing it's at least 40 years old. I took it out of the box on Monday, and to my surprise it works! Anna came over and showed me the basics of sewing and we got to working on Avila's Halloween costume. We will be celebrating Halloween as All Hallows Eve - the night before All Saints Day. As such, Avila will be her "favorite" (in this case, patron) saint - St. Teresa of Avila. The costume isn't quite finished and lacks Teresa's appropriate props, but here's a glimpse into our holy little saint. And what do you know, a habit fits her quite well ;)
October 15, 2009
Happy Namesake Day, Avila!
Today is the feast of St. Theresa of Avila. May this blessed saint watch over our beautiful daughter for another year.
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