tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32726517074056156232024-03-13T13:16:21.184-07:00Cloudy Symbols of High RomanceThe House of Lowman.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-16094223293380589402017-03-16T19:36:00.003-07:002017-03-17T09:08:15.354-07:00The Eve of St. Patrick’s Day<div style="text-align: justify;">
Guest post by husband:<br />
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“There was a pear-tree close to our vineyard, heavily laden with fruit…some of us wanton young fellows went late one night…and carried away great loads...My enjoyment was not in those pears, it was in the crime itself, which the company of my fellow-sinners produced.” (St. Augustine, Confessions, Book II) </blockquote>
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“I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God, and he looked down on my lowliness and had mercy on my youthful ignorance….That is why I cannot be silent…about such great blessings…the Lord so kindly bestowed in the land of my captivity. This is how we can repay such blessings: praise and bear witness to his great wonders before every nation under heaven.” (St. Patrick, Confessions, Paragraph 2-3) </blockquote>
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In Omaha, there are not so many pear trees and vineyards as there are beer and garages... However, there are plenty of sinful and ignorant youth as I used to be. Though still sinful and ignorant, I strive to repay God’s blessings of mercy on my youthful ignorance one beer at a time. </div>
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The delivery of Guinness on the Eve of St. Patrick’s Day is a tradition stemming back to before I knew Cecily, but which now defines how we celebrate the Apostle of Ireland every year as a family. On that Eve, having decorated the beer with green ribbon and shamrocks:</div>
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a passage from St. Patrick’s Confessions,<br />
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and sometimes a holy card. We bless the beer with the following blessing from the Rituale Romanum (a beautiful blessing even if not efficacious in the same way as if a priest were to bless the beer): </div>
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<i>Bless, O Lord, this creature beer, which Thou hast deigned to produce from kernels of grain, that it may be a salutary remedy to mankind, and grant through the invocation of Thy holy name, that whoever shall drink it may gain health in body and peace in soul, through Christ our Lord. Amen. </i></blockquote>
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The Guinness is then delivered to the porches of houses in the neighborhood, the dwellers thereof being as unknown to us as we are to them. We go to sleep dreaming of their bewildered joy to be and musing that its origin will always be a mystery to them.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-44529648194192231342017-02-14T21:53:00.001-08:002017-02-14T21:53:29.828-08:00Lovers & Martyrs<div style="text-align: center;">
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Happy Saint Valentine's Day! </div>
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In our home, Saint Valentine's Day is a highly anticipated feast. We love getting crafty, eating well, and basking in sweet words; this year was no different. Our celebration began on the Eve of Saint Valentine with a rose and poem (<i>Eve of Saint Valentine</i> by Tom Hood). But for me, true romance begins with strawberry cream cheese croissants, and to my delight, such was my surprise this morning!<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Croissant and roses; sweet gifts from my valentine.</span></div>
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On this great Feast of Saint Valentine, we celebrated by having Felicity and Cordelia send out homemade valentines to our family and friends.<br />
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In the evening, we dropped off the girls at grandma's and dined at Le Bouillon in Omaha's Old Market. 'Twas delicious and quite the culinary experience! But alas, we opted to be old fashioned and not take photos of our food.<br />
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We are so grateful for this beautiful feast. As good as our meal was, what makes this day so enjoyable is knowing that romance does not consist merely in the delights of life, but in the suffering as well. St. Valentine's Day is the feast of both lovers and martyrs, and the paradox of romance embraces them both.<br />
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This year, my husband composed a prayer to St. Valentine to be sent out with the valentines. Sancte Valentini, ora pro nobis!<br />
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Saint Valentine, patron of valiant love</div>
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St. Valentine is patron of valiant love, that particular
love the pursuit of which is difficult but worthwhile. </div>
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Who, elevating husbands and wives</div>
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The marriages St. Valentine performed in secret were not
natural marriages merely, but were elevated to the dignity of a sacrament by
virtue of the couples’ baptisms.</div>
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To Cana’s sacramental wines,</div>
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Christian marriage is here referred to as Cana’s sacramental
wines, wine being the quintessential sacramental element, and the new wine of
Cana signifying the grace which Christ effects in the lives of those who
experience the sacrament of holy matrimony.</div>
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Set the romance of martyrdom above</div>
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True romance is characterized by suffering, which any
romantic would affirm, and yet is not suffering only, but a suffering that
has as its end the love of another. Hence, both valiant love and martyrdom may
easily be seen to be romantic. It is no wonder the word has as its namesake
Rome, the place of both lovers and martyrs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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Pomegranates and chocolate troves</div>
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These gifts from God are also archtypes of erotic love,
and are set below romance, for though such may be included, they are not of
the essence of romance. </div>
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Pray for us, that the light of Christ</div>
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This is a paraphrase from St. Valentine’s own prayer from
the Golden Legend. </div>
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Illumine this house in such wise</div>
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In his prayer, St. Valentine prays for God not only to
illumine the blind daughter of the judge in whose custody he finds himself,
but also for the whole house to be made illumined spiritually. </div>
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That its dwellers may in their lives</div>
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Know Him to be God and not miss</div>
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In the Parliament of Foules, Scipio asks the way to heaven
of his grandfather, who replies in essence, first know your eternal end, who
is God, then work busily in light of that end in order not to miss the path
(St. Valentine’s Via Flaminia) to the gate Christ opened and which leads to
heavenly bliss. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The path that leads to heavenly bliss.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-76891416714160625212016-11-22T14:59:00.004-08:002016-11-22T15:42:27.722-08:00Sancta Caecilia Ora Pro Nobis!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Saint Cecilia, Guido Reni, 1606</span></div>
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It's that time of year again -- my feast day!</div>
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Earlier this year for our 3rd anniversary my ever-the-poet husband wrote me a beautiful prayer to pray to my patroness. It is meticulously crafted with meaning and symbolism in each and every word! I am so thankful for this beautiful and thoughtful gift to help me further my devotion to my patroness!</div>
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Here it is:</div>
<b style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px;"></b><br />
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<b style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px;"><b><i>St. Cecilia, virgin martyr,</i></b></b></div>
<b style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px;"><i>
</i></b>
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<b><i>The brightness of whose virginity</i></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">
<b><i>And whose martyrdom so ardently</i></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">
<b><i>Inspired earth and heaven’s choirs</i></b></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">
<b><i>To resound in ancient harmony, </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i> Precentress of the holy altar</i></b><br />
<b><i>Concert my heart to thy melody</i></b><br />
<b><i>And conciliate my soul and body</i></b><br />
<b><i>To praise Him with both harp and lyre</i></b><br />
<b><i>In concord for all eternity.</i></b><br />
<b style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px;"><b><br /></b></b>
<b style="color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-size: 15px;"><b><i>Amen.</i></b></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-46105834310014992652016-05-10T11:36:00.001-07:002016-05-10T12:25:42.638-07:00Cordelia Therese<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Cordelia Therese Lowman</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Love,
and be silent. </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our
second daughter, Cordelia Therese, was born a few days ago on May 3, 2016. We
chose the name Cordelia for some of the same reasons we chose Felicity, our
first daughter’s name. The scope of our search was limited to the saints. Like
St. Felicity, we chose the name of an early martyr in the Roman Empire, St.
Cordula, who was a companion of the famous St. Ursula, and possibly also
royalty.</span><br />
<span style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Altarpiece
of the legend of St. Ursula (Bruges)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Returning
to England from a pilgrimage to Rome in the fifth century, the Christian
princess St. Ursula, accompanied by a fleet of ships full of eleven thousand
and ten other virgins, one of whom was St. Cordula, were attacked by the pagan
Huns in Cologne and, refusing to deny Christ, were martyred. However, one of
the virgins, St. Cordula, terrified by the tortures and slaughter of the
others, hid herself deep on board her ship and went undiscovered throughout the
night. When morning came, St. Cordula repented her deed and declared herself to
the Huns of her own accord, and thus was the last of the virgins to receive the
crown of martyrdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Almost
a millennium later, on the Feast of St. Valentine, 1277, at the church of St.
John the Baptist in Cologne, the body of St. Cordula was discovered. From the
place where Brother Ingebrad of the Order of St. John discovered her body, a
most pleasant fragrance exhaled and he saw on her forehead these words written:
“Cordula, Queen and Virgin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>St.
Albert the Great who was in Cologne at the time, when he heard of the finding
of her relics, wept tears of joy, praised God from the depth of his soul, and
requested the bystanders to sing the Te Deum. St. Albert then vested himself in
his episcopal robes, removed the relics from under the earth, and solemnly
translated them into the church of the monks of St. John. After singing Mass, he
deposited the holy body in a suitable place, which God has since made
illustrious by many miracles (this account is according to Joachim Sighart).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
name “Cordelia” is a derivative of Cordula. While Cordula may be a diminutive
of the Latin cors or cordis, meaning "heart,” it may also be the case that
“delia” is a diminutive of the German name Adela, meaning “noble.” While the
name “Cordula” was used in Germany in the 16th century, the name “Cordelia”
began to be popular in England following the 1608 performance of Shakespeare’s
play, “King Lear,” in which the character Cordelia is one of King Lear’s three
daughters. Shakespeare likely took this name from the legendary queen of the
Britons, Cordiella, the daughter of the legendary King Leir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear’s daughters are named Goneril, Regan, and
Cordelia. When the elderly Lear requests that his daughters tell him how much
they love him in return for one third of the land of his kingdom, Goneril and
Regan give lavish speeches of flattery in order to ensure their inheritance and
ascend to power. Cordelia refuses to partake in such games, and responds, “I
love your majesty according to my bond; no more nor less.” When pressed,
Cordelia explains further:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Good my lord,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Return those duties back as are right fit,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Obey you, love you, and most honour you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Why have my sisters husbands, if they say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Half my love with him, half my care and duty:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: windowtext;">To love my father all. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFNzxCOf7bw/VzIp7dSwYeI/AAAAAAAABIU/M3shpIw9qnQmrbg0DcyI6e6MoZB2zgEJACLcB/s1600/Cordelia_-_William_Frederick_Yeames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFNzxCOf7bw/VzIp7dSwYeI/AAAAAAAABIU/M3shpIw9qnQmrbg0DcyI6e6MoZB2zgEJACLcB/s320/Cordelia_-_William_Frederick_Yeames.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
response to this, although Cordelia is Lear’s favorite daughter, he banishes
her from the kingdom. Goneril and Regan sideline Lear in Cordelia’s absence,
and Lear descends into madness. Cordelia returns from France at the end of the
play with an army, forgives Lear, but is ultimately captured and hanged.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> H</span>ere is a prayer we wrote for Cordelia Therese to pray when she is older:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;">St. Cordula, noblest heart be thine!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Though once a daughter of the sea,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">Virgin queen, with cordial duliance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">I supplicate thee thy light to shine,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;">And clothe me in celestial fragrance<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: windowtext;">That I too may see His sacred shrine.</span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-37973579964858876572015-12-05T21:23:00.000-08:002015-12-05T21:23:17.134-08:00St. Nicholas Day (Guest Post from Husband)<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>“In things of the imagination, unlike things of reason, the form is the spirit.”</i></div>
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–G.K. Chesterton, On Santa Claus</div>
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In G.K. Chesterton’s essay, On Santa Claus, his thesis is that “the sole test of whether Santa Claus is genuine is whether he is recognized.” For if he is recognized, Chesterton’s theory goes, he is a tradition, and if he is a tradition, he is a fact. I submit that we are very near to not recognizing Santa Claus, and therefore, he is indeed very nearly not genuine at all, thus giving credence to those who claim he ought not be handed on to our children. <br />
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Who do men say that Santa is? Some say Father Christmas; others say Kris Kringle. Santa Claus has become so unrecognizable by the world that many good Christians themselves refuse to recognize him, just as the Apostles abandoned the unrecognizable crucified Christ. But who do we say Santa is? He is Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Asia Minor and the patron saint of all children. My family recognizes him, and we will not abandon him.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9o9gUpbEAY/VmO_x677azI/AAAAAAAABFY/GcIwxz3ZJUk/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W9o9gUpbEAY/VmO_x677azI/AAAAAAAABFY/GcIwxz3ZJUk/s320/1.png" width="171" /></a></div>
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Jolly Old Saint Nicholas is perhaps most recognizable in the Story of the Dowries:<br />
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<i>There was a man, once rich, who had fallen on hard times. Now poor, he had three daughters of an age to be married. In those days a young woman's family had to have something of value, a dowry, to offer prospective bridegrooms. The larger the dowry, the better the chance a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery, or worse.</i></div>
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<i>Word of the family's misfortune reached Nicholas, who had the wealth inherited from his parents. Coming in secret by night, he tossed a bag of gold into the house. It sailed in through an open window, landing in a stocking left before the fire to dry. What joy in the morning when the gold was discovered! The first daughter soon wed.</i></div>
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<i>Not long after, another bag of gold again appeared mysteriously. The second daughter was married. The father, now very anxious to know who the secret benefactor was, kept watch during the night.</i></div>
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<i>A third bag of gold landed inside the house and the watchful father leaped up and caught the fleeing donor. "Ah, Nicholas, it is you!" cried the father, "You have saved my daughters from certain disaster."</i></div>
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<i>Nicholas, embarrassed, and not wishing to be known, begged the man to keep his identity secret. "You must thank God alone for providing these gifts in answer to your prayers for deliverance." <a href="http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/three-impoverished-maidens/">http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/three-impoverished-maidens/</a></i></div>
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Many of Santa’s traditions, for instance, the tradition of hanging stockings over the fireplace, have their origins in St. Nicholas’ charity, but at present these traditions have been transferred to Christmas, unfortunately, to the detriment of Christ’s Mass and to the detriment of the children’s patron. Perhaps then, the stockings hung on Christmas Eve should, in a sense, fill the shoes set out on the eve of St. Nicholas Day, hopefully effecting the restoration of St. Nicholas Day and thereby the salvation of Christmas.<br />
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Our family celebrates Christmas with Santa Claus, recognizing that he is St. Nicholas. This aspect of Christmas, however, is really a continuation of St. Nicholas Day. For on the eve of St. Nick’s is when stockings are hung to dry over the fireplace (well, for now, our pretend fireplace). On St. Nicholas Day, the children (well, just "child" until next year) wake up to find bags of coins from Santa in their stockings, just as the three impoverished maidens found coins in theirs. </div>
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These coins, along with some candy and a holy card, are accompanied by an exhortation from Santa to use the coins to help the poor like he did, whether for the benefit of the lonely peer, the child in need, the homeless or destitute, or the sibling suffering hardship. The reward for such a good work is a stocking filled with gifts on Christmas day. On St. Nicholas Day, a wish list letter to St. Nick is to be written, then, telling him also of the intended good deed, which they have until Christmas to perform. On Christmas Eve, the letters to St. Nicholas will be left in their stockings for his review and on Christmas morning, if they performed their good deed, the children get presents in their stocking from St. Nick, made by angelic elves from the heavenly realm of the North Pole. Milk and cookies are left for St. Nicholas near the chimney and carrots for his reindeer are left in the yard and “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore will be read. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-83978937222074278752015-12-05T17:51:00.001-08:002015-12-05T19:28:26.111-08:00Hallowtide<br />
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Hallowtide was so much fun to celebrate this year, especially since it began on a Saturday!<br />
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Here's how we celebrated:</div>
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<b><br />All Hallow's Eve {Halloween}</b></div>
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We began the morning by meeting my mother-in-law and nephew at our favorite coffee house, Stories, and indulged in the most scrumptious of pumpkin spice lattes.<br />
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Next we were headed to Vala's Pumpkin Patch, an October staple in these parts! Here, we enjoyed seeing many fun animals, a hayrack ride, picking out pumpkins, and even playing in a corn kernel pit!</div>
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Family selfie!</div>
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Pumpkins galore!</div>
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We then headed home to carve pumpkins and roast the seeds with holy salts, all the while listening to Dante's <i>Inferno.</i></div>
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Trick-or-Treating with our little hoodless bumblebee was extra fun! She knew just what to do, charging ahead to each house and collecting all the candy she could! She has never had so much fun, I'm sure of it! We concluded the candy trek by heading into Adoration at St. Stephen's (right down the street from Grandma's house!) to say a quick prayer and remember the "reason for the season". Upon arriving back at Grandma's we prayed the Litany of the Saints by candlelight. A great and appropriate ending to the night!</div>
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Cousins!</div>
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Our girl!!!</div>
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<b>All Hallows' Day {All Saint's Day}</b></div>
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We had a restful All Saint's Day complete with Sunday Mass and audio from Dante's <i>Paradisio</i>.</div>
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<b>All Souls' Day</b><br />
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It was particularly important that I celebrate All Souls' Say properly this year. This year was the first year that I had souls close to me pass -- my beloved grandmother, Carol, in December and my dear cousin, Michelle, in April. To truly honor this day, we (along with my mother-in-law) stopped at the Catholic cemetery to pray for our dead as well as the faithful departed as a whole. After this, we attended the solemn Requiem Mass at the Cathedral. Carter was kind enough to let me enjoy the Mass, while he took care of a very difficult Felicity. The Mass was so reverent and sorrowful; the priests and deacons wore black vestments, as though in mourning, and the choir was particularly heavenly sounding. The day was accompanied by listening to Dante's <i>Purgatorio</i>.</div>
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The beautiful St. Cecilia's Cathedral.</div>
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May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-32915849349881328232015-11-13T08:25:00.001-08:002015-11-13T10:56:30.787-08:00Michaelmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19.8400001525879px;">Michaelmas, </span></span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19.8400001525879px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (also the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels), is a day in the Western Christian liturgical year that occurs on 29 September.</i></span></span></div>
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This year, we Lowmans celebrated the feast of Michaelmas. I can take no credit, however, as Carter arranged it all! (Praise God!)<br />
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My birthday is just a few days before Michaelmas and on my birthday Carter surprised me with a note saying that we would be going on a mini retreat on the the Saturday of Michaelmas Embertide at Mount Saint Michael Benedictine Monastery! It was a much needed time away. My in-laws graciously took Felicity for the night and we drove a whole 5 minutes to the middle of nowhere (aka: the outskirts of Elkhorn). We prayed Vespers with monks, walked the gorgeous monastic grounds and gardens, and played cards and relaxed and read in the ever so charming Saint Raphael Retreat House. I read the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila, while Carter read <i>The Quest for Shakespeare </i>by Joseph Pearce.<br />
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Here are some pictures from our lovely time:<br />
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Our anniversary falls on the Eve of Michaelmas, so Carter cooked me a delightful feast complete with traditional Michaelmas foods -- carrots and blackberries! (He apparently called the grocery store for a goose, but decided against it as it was too large for two!) He also gave me Michaelmas Daisies in a galvanized watering can (which had been on my wish list for a while!)</div>
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Delicious Whiskey-Glazed Carrots!</div>
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Blackberry Brandy Sauce over ice cream!</div>
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A very happy me!</div>
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Carter is very intense about pouring that sauce...</div>
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Michaelmas Daisies!</div>
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St. Michael and all the Archangels, pray for us!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-11155417770483989182015-07-21T13:45:00.000-07:002015-07-21T16:55:14.714-07:00Our Little Way to France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Carter and I have an ardent desire to go on {European} pilgrimages. Since this dream is not plausible at this moment in our lives, we had the idea to have our own pilgrimage at home. Our destination? France, of course!</div>
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At dawn we began our pilgrimage Office of Readings commemorating the life of St. Norbert.</div>
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{A French Bishop }</div>
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Surely, one cannot have a pilgrimage without walking, so we took a glorious botany hike to soak in God's creation and work up an appetite for coffee and crepes! Sadly, we did not find the red poppy or the yellow flag iris of the French landscape, however, we did spot a deer!</div>
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The next part of our pilgrimage was focused on prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. We attended St. Vincent de Paul Parish {named for the French saint and featuring French architecture} for morning Mass, where we gave alms, and then attended Adoration. </div>
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St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Omaha</div>
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Felicity with the Child Jesus</div>
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Upon heading home, we read up on some of the many of French saints from the <i>Lives of the Saints</i>, including : St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joan of Arc, St. Bernard of Clairveux, St. Martin de Tours.</div>
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The bulk of our day was devoted to reading St. Therese of Lisieux's <i>Story of a Soul</i>. Carter and I took turns reading aloud while we fasted from lunch. We got about 100 pages into it, but I have since finished it in my spare time. I have so many thoughts on this wonderful book, but I'll just say that it was stunning and I feel like I have made a true friend of my Confirmation saint!</div>
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The Queen of France holding her court!</div>
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After some prayer and silent time, we made our French feast! <a href="http://mimithorisson.com/2012/10/14/why-not-eat-black-pudding/" target="_blank">This</a> is the recipe we made; it's from the region of France where St. Therese lived. Although, we made it with normal sausage, not blood sausage (ewww) like the recipe calls for. It was delicious and fun to cook as a couple! We renamed the dish Pom Pom de Terre {Apple-Potato; literally "Apple-Apple of the Ground"}! And we feasted with some vin of course!</div>
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After one more visit to St. Vincent de Paul for confession, we discussed and reflected on The Little Flower's work over wine and brie and chocolate.</div>
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We then had some fun watching <i>Les Miserables </i>and reading Felicity a fairytale or two by the French writer, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Charles Perrault. The night ended with Compline...or so we thought, until we looked outside and saw fireworks!!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">It was a much needed day away from the world, which is just what our little family needed! We are hoping to be "pilgrims" in another country soon! </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-25470885020064868382015-04-26T13:37:00.002-07:002015-04-26T13:56:01.181-07:00Easter This Easter was Felicity's first, and we were so excited to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord as a family! I had so much fun putting together a little Easter basket for her! She received play silks (which I dyed) for her enjoyment, hair bows for her ever growing mane, and socks for her feet (also ever growing)!<br />
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Play silks! (Excuse the wrinkles...)</div>
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Easter basket...Butterfly (a symbol of the Resurrection) & Anchor (Christian symbol of hope) socks!</div>
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A happy girl on Easter morn!</div>
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We went to the Vigil Mass in order to wake up bright and early for our annual Easter morning picnic. We did, however, break into the picnic basket a little early, for a post Vigil snack of scones and mimosas!<br />
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This Easter picnic was especially exciting because it was on a boat! We went to Chalco Lake and feasted upon white chocolate raspberry scones, cherries, and breakfast sandwiches. The morning was very still and calm, and altogether quite lovely. Felicity, who already has an affinity for the outdoors, seemed to enjoy herself immensely!<br />
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We were very cautious and stayed close to the shore.</div>
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Later we got together with the entire Lowman clan for another picnic at a different lake, complete with an Easter egg hunt, Easter baskets galore from Grandma, and of course good food and company!<br />
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With Grandma!</div>
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Cousin fun!</div>
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The feistiest girl!</div>
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Happy Easter from the Lowmans!!!!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-14891761650449715212015-03-26T14:08:00.001-07:002015-03-26T15:40:30.334-07:00Gifts of Guinness In college, Carter practiced a friendly "prank" (as he so calls it) on the eve of St. Patrick's day. This little tradition of leaving a Guinness on strangers' front steps has seeped its way into our marriage, and I'm so glad it did!<br />
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This year we made a whole fun night of it!<br />
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After reading <a href="http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/celtic/ctexts/p01.html" target="_blank">St. Patrick's <i>Confessions</i></a>, (a very beautiful work and a quick read) we chose this quote to accompany the beer:</div>
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<b><i>This is how we can repay such blessings, when our lives change and we come to know God, to praise and bear witness to His great wonders before every nation under Heaven. ~ St. Patrick</i></b></div>
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Husband's hands. </div>
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Finished product!</div>
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Before embarking on our mission we prayed the Office of Readings for St. Patrick's Feast and blessed the beer (!!!) with <a href="http://www.stpeterslist.com/1559/2-catholic-prayers-for-blessing-beer/" target="_blank">this</a> blessing! Our favorite line was "Bless..this creature beer"! </div>
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Carter and I dressed in all black with green sashes and Felicity, the reverse! </div>
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We got all ten beers delivered without getting caught...hopefully it was a nice surprise for those who received them!</div>
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Wee little lass. </div>
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St. Patrick, pray for us!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-74438977745353103562015-03-18T20:42:00.001-07:002015-03-18T20:49:35.145-07:00Felicity's First Feast Day As parents, our greatest hope for our children is that they become great saints! We named Felicity after the early Church martyr, St. Felicity of Carthage. We pray that she might look up to and stay close to her namesake her whole life. March 7th was the feast of Saints Felicity and Perpetua, so naturally, we had to celebrate. <br />
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In the weeks prior to this special day, I had thought it'd be nice to give Felicity a holy card of her patron. Little did I know how hard this task would be. I searched Catholic bookstores, scoured the internet, but alas, my efforts fell short! So Carter and I undertook the task of making our own (and now it is family tradition, and no matter how "common" our other children's names are, we must do this on every first feast day!). Carter was to write the prayer, and I was to find the image and assemble the card.<br />
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Carter based the prayer off of the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0324.htm" target="_blank"><i>Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity</i></a>, a fascinating primary text, in which Perpetua gives a first hand account of their martyrdom. (I actually had to read this in college for a women in classical studies class -- see, public education isn't <i>all </i>that bad!) Since I am challenged when it comes to computers, it took me longer than I'm willing to admit to assemble the holy card. But it turned out pretty nice, if I do say so myself!<br />
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The prayer is more than lovely! We can't wait to teach it to our little girl. As for now, we will just pray it on her behalf: </div>
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<b><i>St. Felicity –O happy martyr! </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Twice blessed with baptismal grace, </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Offer praises with heavenly psalter </i></b></div>
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<b><i>To the Holy Spirit, Son, and Father, </i></b></div>
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<b><i>And kisses of perpetual peace.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>And in the garden of humility</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Pray God grants thy spiritual daughter, </i></b></div>
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<b><i>If I suffer for His divinity, </i></b></div>
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<b><i>The fortitude in femininity </i></b></div>
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<b><i>To meet thee at the sacred altar. </i></b></div>
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Some small gifts, including animal crackers since St. Felicity was killed by a wild beast!</div>
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#catholichumor</div>
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Roles reversed, as a Felicity devours the wild beast!</div>
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St. Felicity, pray for us!!!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-55407658664920332092015-03-07T18:54:00.001-08:002015-03-07T18:54:20.653-08:00The Muse of the WestLately, I've been reading some Willa Cather novels. I finished <i><u>My A</u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><u>ntonia</u> </i>in January and just recently finished <i><u>Death Comes for the Archbishop</u>. </i>Here are some random, unorganized raw musings I have regarding both books.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><u>Death Comes for the Archbishop</u></b></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'll admit that in reading </span><i><u>Death Comes for the Archbishop</u>, </i>I was unsure of the whole point of the book. I was enjoying the story immensely but I was not grasping it and realizing the greater truth it upholds, that is, until the very last two paragraphs of the book. And that's when I realized again how lovely Cather is an an author. She can sum up the meaning of a 300 page book in two simple paragraphs. I was left with chills, wanting more, but so very satisfied (perhaps even mystified) with the beauty of it all. And upon reading that ending, I found myself wanting to reread the entire book in light of what was shed in those last few words.<br />
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One thing that struck me about this book in particular is how Cather describes the Catholic devotion to our Blessed Mother. This paragraph in particular had me running to Carter to share it with him:<br />
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<i>[They] were not the first to pour out their love in this simple fashion. Raphael and Titian had made costumes for Her in their time, and the great masters had made music for Her, and the great architects had built cathedrals for Her. Long before Her years on earth, in the long twilight between the Fall and the Redemption, the pagan sculptors were always trying to achieve the image of a goddess who should yet be a woman.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><u>My Antonia</u></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I first read </span><i><u>My A</u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><u>ntonia</u> </i>as a freshman in high school. I remember my favorite teacher, Mr. Sullivan, telling us that every time a person experiences a significant change in his life, he should read it. His words resonated with me as I found myself as a new wife and mother in a new place. It is no coincidence that I chose to read this book, I chose it precisely for its Nebraskan plains setting, the same setting I now look out my window and see.</span></div>
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One part of this book really spoke to me, as the main character is studying Virgil in Latin. He recalls a line from the <i style="text-decoration: underline;">Georgics</i> that he and his teacher had discussed: <i>"For I shall be the first, if I live, to bring the Muse into my country"</i>. And Cather through the voice of the narrator explains how Virgil was the first to bring the Muse into his country...he brought the <i><u>Aeneid</u></i>, the quintessential foundation story of Rome, a pillar of Western civilization. And that's when it hit me -- that is exactly what Willa Cather is doing with <i><u>My A</u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><u>ntonia</u>. </i>She is giving Western America its foundation story; she is bringing the Muse into the West. I'm sure I could develop this idea more, and I'm sure it has been done before, but that is precisely why I am not in school...I am done writing papers!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Auf Widersehen!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-40478829812992406652015-02-28T21:11:00.002-08:002015-02-28T21:19:34.086-08:00Beast + BottleSometimes in life one stumbles upon a little gem, and Beast + Bottle was just that. <br />
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We drove our second car back from Phoenix to Omaha in early January, and spent the night in Denver. Before the day long journey we knew we must have one thing -- brunch! Carter somehow found the most charming and delicious place tucked away in downtown Denver. And it's lucky for me that it's in Denver and not Omaha, otherwise I'd go there every single day and be quite fat and broke!<br />
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We loved the insignia.</div>
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Oh so lovely!</div>
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Brown + white sugars cubes, yes please.</div>
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Christmas Decor.</div>
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Gingerbread Waffle with Mascarpone Icing, Pomegranate, + Kumquat.</div>
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Feast!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-50380670067199312482015-02-27T15:17:00.001-08:002015-02-27T15:31:34.573-08:00A Very Merry Saint Valentine's <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our St. Valentine's Day was absolutely perfect this year! Now, I love feast days and I love sending mail so in late January I began making homemade Valentines for Felicity to send out. They were quite fun to make and mail to Felicity's grandmas and aunts, and even a couple great great great aunts! This is what I came up with:</div>
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After searching and searching for the perfect Valentine's Day breakfast to make for Carter I found the perfect one. And my, oh my, was <a href="http://www.nutmegnanny.com/2015/02/09/raspberry-amaretto-croissant-french-toast/" target="_blank">this Raspberry Amaretto Croissant French Toast</a> both festive and scrumptious! Everyone needs to make this incredible breakfast! I also gave Carter some dark chocolate covered espresso beans and the <a href="http://www.philosophersguild.com/Shakepearean-Love-Mug.html" target="_blank">Shakespeare Love Mug</a> (We have the <a href="http://www.philosophersguild.com/Shakespearean-Insults-Mug.html" target="_blank">Shakespearean Insult Mug</a> and are huge fans). He was quite pleased with his gifts! :) And we then read about <a href="http://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterepiphany5.html" target="_blank">the saint</a> for whom the day is celebrated.<br />
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While eating breakfast, Carter surprised me and told me he was taking me to V. Mertz for dinner -- the fanciest, most delicious restaurant located in an old alleyway, dubbed the Passageway, in downtown Omaha. We had been only once before -- on the night of our engagement day. </div>
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Since it was a Saturday, we went about our day as usual and I was in deep anticipation for the lovely evening ahead of us. Carter later came home from the library with a carnation for Felicity and a beautiful letter for her to read when she is older. I melted. He also bought a flower for each of his sisters, and a pink rose for me, which he presented along with a poem. The man knows how to woo his wife.<br />
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V. Mertz was so elegant and lovely...the way they took our coats, the way they combed off our table after each course, the red rose they gave each lady at the end of the evening. The food was unsurpassable. I can't even tell you all what we ate, it was that lavish. Each course perfectly crafted, perfectly textured, perfectly presented. We feasted on cocktails, a cheese platter, entrees, and dessert. It was utterly perfect. Valentine's Day 2015 will be hard to top!<br />
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I told Carter that if I wasn't already married to him I'd marry this cheese. Yes, it was <i>that </i>good.</div>
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And so I leave you with this quote from the Love Mug: Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.</div>
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{Kudos to Shakespeare}</div>
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Saint Valentine, pray for us!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-25915057668791876372014-12-16T19:50:00.000-08:002014-12-16T19:50:13.971-08:00A Charmed LifeEvery once in a while it seems as though we live a "charmed" life. The weekend after Thanksgiving was no exception. <br />
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On Friday, Carter took Felicity on a morning walk. To my surprise, it was very short...because sitting next to our dumpster (a little Black Friday shopping, anyone?), he found these:<br />
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We have been married a little over a year, and somehow managed without a dresser. I have been wanting one for a while, scouring Goodwills and Craig's List, but never willing to break down and actually buy. And out of nowhere TWO dressers appear -- completely free, in great condition, AND something we likely would have picked out ourselves! Charmed life, you ask, I dare say yes! </div>
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Saturday, we went to go chop down our Christmas tree, a tradition we started last year and plan to uphold each year. It is the perfect opportunity for Carter to use his axe! We awoke early Saturday morning and drove to Bennington Pines (about a 10 to 15 minute drive), and it exceeded all of our expectations! We found ourselves on a hayrack ride, accompanied by a few other young families. The hayrack ride took us to fields and fields of different sorts of Christmas trees, and then we set out to find our perfect tree. We settled on a perfect Scotch Pine, and Carter looked mighty good and manly chopping it down! Our tree, now also transported by the hayrack, was taken back to the entrance, where they evened out the stump, bundled the tree in a net, and attached it to the roof of our car! The service was excellent and they even provided free hot chocolate and candy canes! This early dawn morning was nothing short of a fairytale!</div>
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Enjoying the hayrack ride</div>
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Fields and fields of Christmas trees</div>
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Quite possibly my favorite picture ever <3</div>
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And our charming tree, lit and decorated!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-4072759729786716272014-12-02T16:33:00.002-08:002014-12-16T19:40:24.541-08:00Feast Day FestivitiesI am a huge fan of my feast day, or rather, St. Cecilia's (my patroness) feast day! Since she is the patroness of music, her feast, November 22, is widely celebrated throughout the Church. Although, I was not named after St. Cecilia, I have always felt a special kinship with her. My name (Cecily) is a clear derivative from her own name. She is often depicted with a harp, and I know that she guided me through my many years of harp studies. Those studies are currently on hiatus, but I trust she will lead me back to them eventually. (She always seems to.) Furthermore, she is a early Church martyr, which deems her even more beautiful in my eyes.<br />
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I did not grow up necessarily celebrating my feast day in any particular way, but I constantly reminded my family of this day. And every so often it falls on Thanksgiving, thus making it <i>feast day </i>on my feast day! </div>
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This year I made sure to celebrate -- because who doesn't love a 2nd birthday! I baked myself a pumpkin spice cake, paged through my St. Cecilia journal (Carter made this for me a few years ago -- it is complete with prayers, poems, and images of my patron), and reminisced about visiting St. Cecilia's in Rome. And the next day, Carter and I went on a classy date to an organ concert at St. Cecilia's Cathedral in Omaha. It was heavenly.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZwMlsXRUnU/VH5U9mc5NYI/AAAAAAAAAIA/KXDSKqll0Co/s1600/IMG_1788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZwMlsXRUnU/VH5U9mc5NYI/AAAAAAAAAIA/KXDSKqll0Co/s1600/IMG_1788.JPG" height="320" width="288" /></a></div>
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My tasty but not-so-beautifully-frosted cake</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NE7pSihZbJg/VH5Z19B9PQI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/BYDmjHpB6BQ/s1600/st.%2Bcecilia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NE7pSihZbJg/VH5Z19B9PQI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/BYDmjHpB6BQ/s1600/st.%2Bcecilia.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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At St. Cecilia's in Rome</div>
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The organist explained that Cecilia was never actually a musician, but used to be known as the patron saint of harmony. Throughout the centuries, she has taken on the role of being the patron of music and the persona of a musician. Carter and I had a great conversation about the connection between music and living in harmony with God after the concert, and he said, "Music lets sinners experience God the way that the saints experience God". I thought it was a rather beautiful sentiment. </div>
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I am already looking forward to my feast day next year!</div>
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Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail to thee!</div>
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Great Patroness of Us and Harmony!</div>
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Who, whilst among the Choir above</div>
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Thou dost thy former Skill improve,</div>
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With Rapture of Delight dost see</div>
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Thy Favourite Art</div>
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Make up a Part</div>
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Of infinite Felicity.</div>
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Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail to thee!</div>
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Great Patroness of Us and Harmony!</div>
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{A Poem by Nicholas Brady}</div>
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Sancta Caecilia, ora pro nobis! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-51727050493385566622014-09-26T18:14:00.001-07:002014-09-26T18:26:04.812-07:00White Wine Grape Picking Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The juice of the grape is the liquid quintessence of concentrated sunbeams. </div>
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--- Thomas Love Peacock</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5e4NMT0MIho/VCX3XoZUFAI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Lf7v84-i4cE/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5e4NMT0MIho/VCX3XoZUFAI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Lf7v84-i4cE/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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Since moving to Omaha, Carter has been finding all sorts of fun and interesting activities to help me feel more at home. Our first weekend here, we had the opportunity to go out to a small vineyard and harvest white wine grapes! The experience was an absolute dream!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zpW32HSm4nY/VCX2kAjE8QI/AAAAAAAAAFs/U4CJQMr4tjc/s1600/IMG_0257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zpW32HSm4nY/VCX2kAjE8QI/AAAAAAAAAFs/U4CJQMr4tjc/s1600/IMG_0257.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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The day was lovely -- cool, cloudy, and not too humid.</div>
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These grapes were of the Brianna varietal. They tasted seedy and delicious, like jam!</div>
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By the end of the day, we (and about a half a dozen others) had picked almost 2 thousand pounds of grapes! </div>
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We all had so much fun, even little Felicity!<br />
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Needless to say, the Brianna is now one of our favorite wines!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-89217771106481808742014-05-13T21:03:00.000-07:002014-05-13T21:03:54.811-07:00Easter JoysOur first Easter as a married couple was quite lovely! Having gone to the Vigil Mass, I awoke early and prepared breakfast...biscuit breakfast sandwiches (eggs for Carter, and none for me, of course), potatoes, and watermelon slices. We set off to eat our picnic feast under a beautiful willow tree in our condo complex, which we had been eyeing for some time. Later, after making a carrot bundt cake, we headed to my parents for a family celebration with lots of food and basketball! All in all, it was a joy filled day! Alleluia!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Carter's Easter Basket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Fresh faced.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Carter's Favorite.</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272651707405615623.post-58610847003201185002014-04-15T14:54:00.000-07:002014-04-15T14:54:01.736-07:00A PoemWhen I have fears that I may cease to be<br /> Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,<br /> Before high-piled books, in charact'ry,<br /> Hold like rich garners the full-ripen'd grain;<br /> When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,<br /> Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,<br /> And think that I may never live to trace<br /> Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;<br /> And when I feel, fair creature of an hour!<br /> That I shall never look upon thee more,<br /> Never have relish in the faery power<br /> Of unreflecting love!—then on the shore<br /> Of the wide world I stand alone, and think<br /> Till Love and Fame to nothingness do sink.<br />
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~John KeatsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15294096280418926057noreply@blogger.com0