Bishop Van and the big tushie...er, fish

I find mass very relaxing...in fact, I try to go every day. Last week I had a great day at Mass. The priest was discussing Jonah and great fish...didn't you always think it was a whale...who knew. Jonah and the really big fish. Anyway, when I started teaching kindergarten CCD back when Matt was a tot, I learned what ADHD was, big time. I think each of my children with one exception had it. When we blew through all of my planned activities in record time, I pulled out a children's bible. We started with Jonah...I mean who could not like that story. They were rapt...they took in every word. They laughed when they realized Jonah was going to hide from God; he didn't know God was like a mommy...we had such fun. And when Jonah was spit out of the whale, well, I was definitely the best story teller. I still have kids making the sound of Jonah being spit out of the whale--phfut!!  When I still had roughly half the class left, we decided to play a game...Jonah, Jonah, Whale, was born. We still play it to this day...
What the children loved, as do I, is the way that Jonah tries to hide from God. No matter what he did, God took him, via Whales mouth, right to where he was supposed to be. He did it for Jonah, who was afraid to do what he needed to do. But he did it for the people as well...so they didn't need to be smote. Great story, great lesson, good times. We could learn alot from Jonah. Also from the people, though I believe they actually had to be smote. We don't easily learn our lessons...we keep repeating, like the people of Nineveh did. As soon as they learned their lesson, they saw that our Loving Father forgived and so they kept sinning until, Smote. I actually met someone yesterday who uses smote in regular conversation. She came to my house looking for her grandson. She talked to me quite a bit. I suspect she was trying to save me from the fascist Catholic Church. She obviously didn't know who she was talking to and since I am acquainted with her grandson, I decided to keep talking. Then when she said "smote" out loud in regular conversation, well, I was just pleased to hear it! I told her...I suspect she thinks I am crazy. I had to laugh. I talk to people daily online about religion. The only people I have to talk to about religion in real life are my kids...I suspect they think I am crazy as well. As I sat in church, I was wondering why can't we all just get a long. Why is it so hard. Jesus came 2000 years ago and said, right out, this is my catholic church. This is the head of my church. He clearly wanted us to remain one, catholic and apostolic church. Don't people who broke away realize that it is only our disobedience...our sin nature. Our unwillingness to follow direction. Why can't we just all pull together to take care of this Obama situation. Even Catholics are split...evidently there are Catholics who believe in a feminist agenda. I was reading National Catholic Reporter and was shocked to hear some of the opinions...I may have to split my time between there and Yahoo!!

I have been thinking quite a bit about obedience. I love the children going to school. I get sooooo tired. But with the things going on in our public school system and with the things going on in health care, I suspect soon I will be very dissatisfied with it. I have prayed a lot about homeschooling...probably because if I am not sure that is what He wants me to do, then I can just say "i wasn't sure." I suspect that is just MY sin nature rearing its ugly head. As I was starting to go up for communion after hearing about Jonah, I saw a woman with her two daughters. It was the first Friday of the month and we get a lot of homeschoolers on First Friday's. These particular women were wearing a lace head covering...even the girls. The youngest girl was wearing an old formal dress over another longer one. Very unattractive. That is the problem with homeschooling. There is a portion of catholic homeschoolers that just take things to the extreme...its so judgemental and unwelcoming. Maybe I should just keep the kids in school.

Well swallow me whole and spit me our, Phfut...

Father, protect me from my sin nature...Help me to see that there are people everywhere, like me and unlike me...all who love you or don't know You as You are. Perhaps they have only seen the ugly in us. Allow me to show only love and tolerance when articulating Your words. Help us to be one Church united in your love...

The best thing about Jesus' church...and our Heavenly Father, is his forgiving and merciful nature...


Bishop Van...I think he is still laughing. Long time since he has been called My Tushie...

We had a service with the kids who will be joining the church this Easter...Bishop Van was in attendance so I was trying to make the kids understand how important he is and how to be respectful. I told the baby girls they should say, "Good Afternoon, Your Excellency." and to curtsy...Nicolette tried, God love her, but somehow that sort of morphed into an awkward bow and a "Your Welcome, My Tushie..." Sigh...thank Goodness for confession...