Recycled Instruments

I must be on a recycling kick these days, but here's another video of the amazing things that we can do with product that was destined for the landfill.  Not only does this video show a community rising up to create something wonderful, but it inspires us all to think about creating something unique with what we have.

Cardboard Bicycle

This has got to be one of the coolest things I've hear of.  Please have a look and tell me what you think!

The Spit Flute

Hughie showing of his amazing musical ability.  I give you...the spit flute!

Studying for a Final

I have been preparing for another final exam this past week and feeling the stress of it all.  The money it costs to take these courses, the burden it puts on everyone and the time and energy that the courses take up.  When you don’t pass an exam, there are a number of reasons why you can feel sorry for yourself. 

I read a good little tid bit from “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.  It said that school work is a lot like farming.  You cannot “cram” on the farm and expect your crops to grow overnight.  It takes time and attention.  This was somewhat reassuring as I have put a lot of time into this course.  I hope that my crops will be ready in time for the exam!

One of the other things that I’ve been thinking about while fumbling through a few prayers for the test is the wedding feast at Cana.  It’s kind of the perfect rosary mystery for students. Why? The Groom at the banquet knows how many people are coming to the wedding.  He has enough food, places to sit and everything else, but totally forgets to get enough wine.  He has not prepared properly for the big event. 

To avoid the embarrassment of disappointing his family and friends, the groom petitions Mary who then convinces Our Lord to perform a miracle that saves his bacon. Instead of having to tell everyone that the wedding celebration will have to be cut short, the celebration carries on without event.  The groom gets the credit for serving the best wine last.  Sound familiar students?  So next time you have not done enough preparing, say the Luminous Mysteries with particular emphasis on the Wedding Feast at Cana.

Holidays...already?

It's Christmas time once again.  Its been pretty busy around our house with getting ready for the holidays and me preparing for the big exam next week.  I'm glad that I got the link working on facebook, and I'm happy that you decided to visit the blog today.  I'll be posting more photos post exam as there will be more time, but for now you have to be content with my ramblings.

Hope everyone is enjoying the time before Christmas and not busying themselves too much.  I look forward to slower times and less to do.

Mommy Life

As I mentioned earlier, one of my most revered blog writers tragically passed away in November.  I am just stunned by her death as she was about the age of my Mom.  She came home from a trip one day, sat down in a chair and had a stroke just before her husband left for the weekend.  She was an amazing woman and wrote about most of her life on her blog.  She had nine kids naturally.  After her final child was diagnosed with down syndrome, she and her husband decided to adopt 3 more down syndrome children.

Mer and I first heard about her when one of her daughters was in the pre-finals of American Idol.  After reading her remarks on so many subjects over the years and developing a real respect for her opinion, I am truly stunned by her death.

I invite you all to take a look at her website that her widower husband is now maintaining.  It was always such a resource and I would like to invite all of you to take a look at the older www.mommylife.net posts and see if there is any information that any of you would find helpful.  There are tidbits on big families, down syndrome and just living out your Catholic faith in whatever way possible.

I will truly miss you Barbara Curtis.  May God have mercy on your soul.

www.mommylife.net

Catholics Come Home

The new Catholics Come Home initiative is one of the biggest things to happen to the church since I can remember.  This website and the information that it contains is so exciting.  They boast that there is a 20% increase in the mass attendance after they run a set of Catholics Come Home commercials in a given area.

I have found that the website is not only useful for "historic" Catholics, but also for those who have not been away from the Church at all.  I found that this is such a great thing to get excited about.  I really feel that the Holy Spirit is working to get people excited about evangelization and reaching out to those who just need help to come back.

For all those who have been considering coming back to the Church, its never too late!  Check out this website and start feeling the warmth that living your faith gives your soul.  Our hearts are restless until they rest in you Lord.

www.catholicscomehome.org

Discombobulate Defined

Discombobulate:

1. To throw into a state of confusion

2. To befuddle or perplex

3. The state one enters into upon having their 8th child.

Leilani starting to talk...kind of.

This morning

What is it about starting the day with a routine that kicks you into super achiever mode. I love it when I can have a plan for the morning and just start knocking things off this list one by one. This morning was no such morning. After remembering that I have an eye exam at 10am, I found that there is nothing more distracting than a mid morning appointment.

I do find solace in the fact that I can write these things down on the blog, but I wish life were more simple sometimes.

 I hope all of you have a more productive morning and day than I. There remains so much to pray about. The passing of Barbara Curtis (a long time blogger hero of mine) and my looming exam. I ask that Jesus perform another miracle for me today and rescue me from my laziness that seems to get the best of me most days. Lord take away my keenness for distraction and replace my desires with your comforting presence.

Night time reflection of sacrifice

Studying for another CASB exam is no fun ordeal. I long for times when I was able to spend more time goofing around and enjoying my time with my wife and kids more. Alas the school machine keeps me progressing towards a more secure future for myself and my kiddies. The knowledge that Heaven will allow us all to spend time doing whatever is most pleasant is a great relief for me. I feel that there are so many lost opportunities here on Earth with the restriction of time and priorities. I long to enter into a period of eternal timelessness with a loving God. The sacrifice is worth the effort now I suppose. So with that I will leave you tonight. Take Care!