The Clorox splashed around and sanitized the black bucket. I watched with a lump in my throat; that meant they didn't make it. My dad had taken care of it by dumping the contents of the bucket into the gulley. Less than twenty-four hours earlier, there were four tiny, breathing kittens huddled together in that … Continue reading Inordinate Compassion for Animals as a Cure for the Unbearable Lightness of Being
Author: Mary Frances Floody
Consummatum Est
The following are some reflections on John's account of Christ's death in light of the sacrament of marriage. "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh. This is great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the … Continue reading Consummatum Est
The Dirty Guv’nahs as a Remedy for Acedia
In the pursuit of the intellectual life, we sometimes push ourselves to a point of feeling stuck or burnt out and our mind falls into a state of sorrow. We get so fixated on trying to re-acquire the pleasure we once felt in the pursuit of this higher good that we neglect to see lower … Continue reading The Dirty Guv’nahs as a Remedy for Acedia
“C’est la BONNE vie!” A Lesson on the Good Life from Tee-Blanc Sambeaux
Last weekend, I went to a local farmer's market for the first time and fell prey to the booth of local children's book authors. One particular book caught my eye and I started to flip through it. As soon as I picked it up, an old man behind the booth started to tell me about … Continue reading “C’est la BONNE vie!” A Lesson on the Good Life from Tee-Blanc Sambeaux
Picking Up Raisins
So there I am, trying to follow my daily routine and put in two hours of work while Evangeline plays and Irene naps. Evangeline approaches my desk with a large bag of raisins she managed to pull out of the bungee-corded snack drawer (so much for my toddler proofing; she always finds a way). She … Continue reading Picking Up Raisins
On Psyche’s Impossible Tasks and the Little Way of Wooing God
Psyche at the Throne of Aphrodite, Edward Hale, 1883 Probably the greatest of the Greek myths has to be the story of Psyche and Eros. No matter how many times I recall this tale, I am always drawn into the details of the story, feeling deeply for every joy and sorrow of Psyche. I feel … Continue reading On Psyche’s Impossible Tasks and the Little Way of Wooing God
Don’t Follow Your Passions, Broaden Them!
I recently listened to one of those Google Talks by Dr. Barbara Oakley on the topic, "Learning How to Learn." Although a completely secular audience and atmosphere, I was impressed with the humility and magnanimity of this woman. This lovely lady did not fall into the jargonny academicism that so many PhD's can fall into. … Continue reading Don’t Follow Your Passions, Broaden Them!
Some Thoughts As Lent Approaches
1. Reject Destructive, Self-Pitying Thoughts Now that you're out in the wide open world, without the formative constraints and influences you had in college, some of the good habits you formed then have likely slipped away. Possibly, without the next outdoor trip looming over you, or the shame of the nightly dorm push-ups, or the … Continue reading Some Thoughts As Lent Approaches
Encomium to Evangeline on her Second Birthday!
Names are so wonderful! Letters put together, sounds uttered by vocal chords, and yet, these words have the power to express a particular person, a unique image of God! What an amazing thing that God lets us name our children. What a sacred privilege and a solemn duty we parents have to bestow upon our … Continue reading Encomium to Evangeline on her Second Birthday!
My Resolution to Write on Lander’s Forge
If you know me at all, you probably know that one of my biggest weaknesses is over-thinking things. I have so many thoughts running through my head all the time and I can sometimes let them overwhelm and consume me in a destructive sort of way. Analysis paralysis, perfectionism, excessive rationalization, meloncholia - whatever you … Continue reading My Resolution to Write on Lander’s Forge
Lander's Forge 