Author: Maria Johnson

I was going to ridicule this…

Evidently it is the National Day of Encouragement.

Yes.

I’m not so invested in this to seek more than the Wikipedia article.

Well, maybe a little bit. I mean, the idea is a good one. It looks like it was meant for young people. I don’t disagree. Certainly, our youth need encouragement. I don’t think anyone is going to disagree with that.

But here’s the thing: we all need encouragement — I’m gonna say — especially adults.

Think about it. We spend all day making decisions, choices, evaluating and re-evaluating those choices…and sometimes we’re acting in total isolation.

It would be nice to get a pat on the back, a “job-well-done”, a little acknowledgement for our efforts.

Don’t read a whine-fest into this…I’m not talking about anything particular in my life; I’m just realizing that there are many opportunities in my day to offer encouragement to someone who ordinarily doesn’t receive it. I’ve been extraordinarily blessed with people close to me, family and friends, who continuously offer this kind of encouragement and support. I’ve also benefitted from some wonderful professionals who’ve taken the time to mentor me and guide me in my career.

I could make a conscious effort to do the same. We all could, and it really doesn’t take some government proclamation to do it.

So go be nice to somebody. Tell them they’re doing a good job. Thank them for their hard work. Offer some of your expertise, without an agenda.

Spread a little love.

 

more like another cup of tea

It’s been a lazy Sunday around here. It is as it should be. Maybe the somber mood has been inspired by the date…maybe it’s just that there’s a hint of fall in the air.

Whatever the reason, it’s been a day for hot tea and quiet pursuits.

The best part, no doubt, is that I have refused to work. In fact, I’ve been off the electronic leash most of the day, except for a peek or two at a Words with Friends game that is a little too close to call at the moment. Mass in the morning generally makes the rest of the day more restful … so does going out for breakfast.

There’s still a little laundry to finish, and some things around the house that need a 27 Fling Boogie, and I need to figure out what I’m making for dinner…but that’s a couple of hours away.

I think I’ll just enjoy another cup and finish reading my book.

we remember

This is probably one of my favorite pictures taken on September 11. It’s a misnomer to use favorite, and yet, it is exactly that. I am moved, saddened, angered, and appalled by much of what I saw on that day and the subsequent days that followed, but this one, whenever I run across it, never ceases to amaze me.

It looks like a cathedral. I find that oddly reminiscent of that day for me…I was working at church, and witnessed the steady stream of people seeking solace in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

I heard many people lament, “Where was God?” He was always there. Always. As now.

There’s a glaring absence in acknowledging God today in some high profile events. That’s a shame. It is, sadly, one of those failings of the human condition that leads us to get too comfortable, too sure of our worth, too selfish and self-centered to see beyond our finite and vulnerable selves.

But that refusal to acknowledge…invite…invoke…worship…doesn’t diminish, for a moment, His presence.

today’s demoralizing exchange…

brought to me by the sweet young thing at the registrar’s office at my alma mater who kindly, patiently, and ever so condescendingly walked me through getting an ID and password for the newfangled on-line transcript request system only to discover that I AM TOO OLD TO USE THIS SYSTEM BECAUSE THE ELECTRONIC RECORDS DON’T GO BACK TO ANCIENT TIMES.

Great.

Cuz I’m feeling awfully young and spry right about now.

Excuse me while I go sharpen my quill and squeeze some berries so I can scribble my request on this here parchment paper…

Our Lady of Charity, Pray for Us

Hey! There’s a lovely article about Our Lady of Charity by my friend, Pat Gohn, from Among Women Podcast. We’re working on making her an honorary Cuban, but first she’ll have to show me her dance moves.

Still, she’s well on her way with her love of our virgencita. See what she has to say:

She is a woman with maybe a million titles—some majestic, some courtly, some theological, some regional, and some lovingly familial.

From Our Lady of Fatima, to Our Lady of Guadalupe, to Our Lady of Czestochowa, to Our Lady of Akita, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, to Our Lady of Grace, to Our Lady Star of the Sea, to Mother of Mercy, to Seat of Wisdom, to Gate of Heaven, to Cause of our Joy . . .

Depending on where in the world you live or visit, you probably know one that engenders devotion too. Every version of her name blesses both her and the people who prayerfully call upon her unceasing maternal intercession and protection. No worries, the Blessed Virgin Mary answers to them all!

Today, the Roman Catholic Church honors Mary—who mothers us all—on her birthday, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Meanwhile, important anniversary celebrations in Florida, Cuba, and perhaps elsewhere, honor her today as the Patroness of Cuba, Our Lady of Charity. Her full title in Spanish is La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre.

I have long held a devotion to Mary. Thanks to my friendship with a few Cuban-American families, I have recently adopted this title, Our Lady of Charity, into my prayer…read the rest here.

It’s a beautiful piece that recognizes not just a nation’s devotion, but the universality of Mary’s appeal. She is our mother, and draws us close to her heart, where she reveals to us her son, Jesus Christ.

Oh, and get this! Somebody around here just might have done a little translation of it 🙂 You can read that here.

another 7 Quick Takes Friday

 

Check out the collection of other 7 Quick Takes Friday posts, hosted at Jennifer Fulwiler’s blog, Conversion Diary. 

–1–

John and I celebrated 26 years of marriage on Wednesday.

 

–2–

And that love produced these goobers.

 

Who needs the other 5 takes this week?


it’s still “A Reel Cool Summer” around here

My stack of summer reading books is about 7 or 8 books deep and it’s stayed that way all summer. Every time I’d get through two or three books, three or four new ones would find their way there. It’s a good thing I like reading.

It’s a good thing I like reading good things.

Cue this adorable children’s book, A Reel Cool Summer, written by Martha Rodriguez and illustrated by her son, Joey Rodriguez.

It captures the wild imaginations of three adorably charming siblings, Joey, Danny, and Jacqui, and their brilliant plan for getting a swimming pool on a hot, boring day.

And it involves pirates, aliens, princesses, and…broccoli. Broccoli?! Well, it turns out Danny isn’t a fan of broccoli, either.

It’s perfect for a hot day, a rainy day, a snowy day, and especially, a boring day.

Kids will not only pass the time with a fun story, they just might get some creative ideas of their own.

a rainy day poem

The rain always reminds me of you.

Its soft patter
against the window
leaves a trail down
the glass that stands
in stark relief against
the dust and grime
accumulated over time.

Its path, not quite straight,
meanders steadily on
the course and
arrives gently
on the ledge.