RIP Joe...good and faithful servant...

I think I am going to be bad today and break some rules...I am about to break every good blogging rule. Today, I am not thinking about my audience. I am not thinking about how this post will help or hurt my fledging little blog. I am not even writing it for the man I am about to euligize...he is in a much better place, of that I am certain. I am writing it for me...and the idealistic person I used to be. In fact, I can tell you right now that I will not even post comments made to my blog today, because, frankly, i don't care. Just want to hear myself talk :o) No big surprise there, right. But I want to talk and I don't care if anyone agrees with me...ok, if you want to comment, agree with me and I will post it. I am feeling a little sad and sentimental and that always loves company.



Joe Paterno


I have spent much of my parenting years and if i squint, I think I can see some of the years prior to that, telling my children and other people that we spend too much time worshipping idols. There are no perfect people. Why do we worship them. There was only Jesus and Mary, and we spent just as much time crucifying them while they were on earth as we did worshipping them. Why then, do we idolize ordinary people who sing, or throw a ball, or have the genetic gift of perfectly placed facial features...really, does that make them special. Usually they aren't even very nice or funny or have anything special about them other than that gift that was presented to them by God solely for His Glory. But today, I am letting that go and talking about my only earthly hero, Joe Paterno.

Joe is my hero. I went to Penn State in the early 80's and it was a golden time. We had not one, but two national championships. Joe was the man...not just because he won those football games, but because he was our coach. Any university, an school for that matter, identifies with its football team. That is part of our hero worship mentality. The highly visible, usually revenue generating part will make us stand up and pay attention. But Joe was the face of our team...and by virtue, our school. We all had stand up Joe's in our apartments and dorms. We all wanted our picture taken by the Lion. Any news clippings I have saved from the 80's usually has something to do with Joe or the team. I let my long-held belief regarding hero worship go with Joe because, well, he was above all that. No, I never had a sit-down heart to heart with the man. But he was a heavily publicized figure for more years than I was even aware of the university. He did a few things and he did them well. He was a husband. A parent. A coach. A leader. Joe did those things well. He was there for his family, his university, his team, and his kids...He loved us and let us know by his dedication to his few absolutes. As a student, I was one of his. By his unwavering committment to us, he earned my unending love and admiration. Ridiculous unwavering loyalty to a coach...a public figure. Silly, yeah, maybe. But he walked with us down the mall. He waved as we attended classes. He was one of us and I was there. And he did a few things so well...so good, it made an impact. How many of us can say that.

Farewell, Joe...I am praying for you and your family. You were a good and faithful servant and I pray that you are hearing that right now from the only One who has the legitimate right to be worshipped...

The Baptism of Jesus and a little more...

the baptism of Jesus from Wylio

Yesterday I posted about Epiphany. I was a little confused and still am, but today at Mass, things became a bit clearer. I knew that in some fashion, Epiphany also was about Jesus' Baptism. I couldn't connect all the dots because I thought all of it was connected. I am not sure, but I think that today's solemn feast is actually a distinct feast that is generally celebrated on Epiphany. It is not, this year, because of a scheduling of the Liturgical Year. Clear as mud...Why does it feel like, as a cradle Catholic, I am learning about my faith on a day by day basis. Anyone else feel this way. I guess trying to really teach it to my children I am, in fact, learning about it. So, Epiphany is the Pinnacle of the Christmas season...the highest part. And then, the Baptism of Jesus, and the beginning of his public ministry, is the end of Christmas...take down those decorations. I think we can eat more snowmen on a stick, too...totally appropriate.

Everything I Know About Parenting, I Learned From My Cat...
Many of you might remember that a few weeks ago, our cat had kittens. She is a young cat and it was an unplanned pregnancy :( We had not had the opportunity to take her for her operation; quite honestly, didn't even think she was old enough to have kittens. But she did and they were born prematurely. It was a devastating experience for my 10 year old daughter who spent a lot of time with her and then helped her with the kittens. Three kittens were born during a 24 hour period and we lost two shortly after their birth. The last kitten survived longer, possibly because she was born last and much later than the second earlier two. More likely because Tina hand fed it. Since they were so early...small and no hair...and our cat didn't really seem to have a maternal instinct, this gave the kitten a chance to linger. Unfortunately, it couldn't keep any heat, and when we finally left it alone with her mom, it expired. While she didn't seem to have a maternal instinct, Ashe, our cat, did feel possessive and she continually carried the kittens to her corner where she had the kittens. To our surprise, last week she stalked and "captured" one of Tina's toys...a small stuffed dog. I thought she was trying to eat it, like the dogs do with stuffed animals. But she just kept it. It wasn't until she tried to feed it, that I realized what she was doing...


Ashe's Kitty eats Kibbles...

Yes, Ashe likes to eat; is becoming quite fat actually. Eating is her favorite thing to do. We started to get the idea when we saw her place her kitty in her food bowl. She never really got the hang of doing it any other way and this is how all the other animals in the house eat :o)

Parenting does not come naturally to most. Like Ashe, we learn to parent by observing our own parents. The longer we live, the more ideas and models we have to parenting. That can be a good thing, if we have good models. If we don't, it can actually damage us. And, there is always books. I have reviewed two books and I will review more. However, I am going to spend some time looking at the bible as the ultimate parenting manual. The older I get...the longer I parent, the more I am convinced that the answer to most of our questions in life are found in this book. I am not wedded to a format, though, so if anyone has any ideas, please comment and tell me ideas...options...questions.

Happy Epiphany!

Well, I did the disappearing act, again...this time it was health related. My bells-palsy incident contributed to my severe tiredness with my cross-country trek to PA and back, topped off by my children's vacation from school and yadda yadda yadda...Tough month! But very wonderful time with my birth family and some of the kids. Then back to reality with my little Murphy Family ;o) Love breaks...did I say I wanted to homeschool. I think someone hijacked my blog!! Seriously...I would love to homeschool except when they are home on break. If I could work out some kind of deal with the public school to watch them for me during the day...

So Epiphany! What is it? The best I could come up with was its the final day of Christmas. I decided with 7 new Murphy's becoming new Catholics, we needed a better description. After much searching, I decided even the Catholic Church doesn't have a good handle on this!! Very confusing. I finally got some answers on EWTN and on Dr. Italy's Website...Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio gives a great explanation. We haven't marked our door and blessed our house yet...that's later tonight but we did do a fun snowman activity I found on Catholic Icing and
Pinterest...

 The snowmen representing, so I told the children, the Trinity (three beings one God) as well as the three Kings. All aspects of the Epiphany, or Jesus' recognition by the Gentiles as part of the trinity and as the King of Kings.

Truly, Epiphany is a great way to extend the holiday season past the craziness that it often is and remain focused on the season after the big box stores have already moved on to hearts and bunnies. It gives us quiet time to remember the little boy born in a manger who was recognized by kings as divine. A baby who could not care for himself who would one day die for our sins and redeem the world. Our next holiday frenzy--its nice to have time in between to reflect on The Man...Jesus, and, you know, eat donuts on a stick...always fun. Happy Epiphany people...its nice to be back.