NunEssential

Here is a song that my delightful friend Jackie Francois is singing with a young man named Paul Kim. Jackie is a beautiful and shining example of the purity and joy of God. check out her website here: www.jackiefrancois.com

Good one! lol!

Failure at something we try won't kill us. The most important thing is that we get back up and try again.....

I like this honest song by Sara Evans. Who hasn't, at some point in their life, known a similar struggle? Maybe it's not over love but a deep wound or a loss. This is a good song about healing and hope.

This article is blowing me away. Incredible, deep and true..... The Chastity of Jesus and the Refusal to Grasp

okay, this made me laugh!

check out this new article about the investigation on Planned Parenthood. It's so crazy to me that they even got funding from American taxpayers. crazy. Who authorized that?

"Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in You..." St. Augustine How often I have heard that saying of St. Augustine in many different settings. But as I sit here and think about St. Augustine, he knows the truth of the words because he lived a life of darkness and then a life of grace. He knew the restlessness of lust and insatiability it brings. People often compare love and attraction to a fire and heat. But the burn of love and the burn of lust burn very differently. Lust can be compared to an explosive and aggressive fire that seeks to consume at all costs. It seeks to fuel itself and sustain itself no matter what the cost. Lust burns hot and spends itself quickly. Whether the lust is for a person or for power or material possessions, lust is exhausting and tiring and loses interest quickly once it satisfies and possesses it's desire. It never satisfies and always remains restless, irritable and discontented. At the heart of the matter, lust is grasp...

Pope Benedict XVI gave an amazing talk to German youth on September 24th in Freiburg, Germany. At a vigil for the young people, the Holy Father boldly reminded them once again that it is Jesus, not our societal advances, who is light of the world. He goes on to say , "While all around us there may be darkness and gloom, yet we see a light: a small, tiny flame that is stronger than the seemingly powerful and invincible darkness. Christ, risen from the dead, shines in this world and he does so most brightly in those places where, in human terms, everything is sombre and hopeless. He has conquered death – he is alive – and faith in him, like a small light, cuts through all that is dark and threatening. To be sure, those who believe in Jesus do not lead lives of perpetual sunshine, as though they could be spared suffering and hardship, but there is always a bright glimmer there, lighting up the path that leads to fullness of life (cf. Jn 10:10). The eyes of those who bel...

This article was delightful to read about Taylor Swift. I pray she can continue to navigate the waters of stardom without surrendering her precious and beautiful body and soul. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/23/wholesome-country-singer-taylor-swift-is-proof-that-sex-isnt-always-only-way-to/?test=faces

ohh! Tom Petty AND Eddie Vedder singing "The Waiting".....love it!!!

Check out this excellent article regarding the matter of "free" birth control. Very good and reasonable logic.

Alright folks, here is where we get to work. Perhaps you read the press release from the USCCB last week regarding new federal regulations that would force insurance plans to cover " all Food and Drug Administration approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity " (as a complete aside, why does the term "reproductive capacity" conjure up images of the Alien movie series?) This is a very serious new federal regulation that would rob people of their religious freedom. Very. Serious. We, as citizens of this great nation, still have a chance to voice the truth to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if we respond by September 30th. Please check out this link on the USCCB website for more information and instructions on how to effectively make your voice heard. Consider this very true statement by Blaise Pascal- “ It is as much a crime to disturb the peace ...

Beary giving himself a bear hug- I wonder if he is trying to tell us something...

We know that economic times are tough, but when Gumby turns to robbery, it's a serious problem.....

We met a new friend at the Puyallup Fair yesterday. We invited him over for dinner but he was reluctant to make a commitment......so he just kept his eye on us. 

Saw this guy jamming downtown at the first Starbucks at Pike Place Market....cool stuff!

My favorite Sponge is in trouble :(  boo hiss! read the unfortunate study here....... http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/12/watching-spongebob-can-lead-to-learning-problems/

Tim sings a hilarious song of things you don't say to your wife.

Christian comedian Tim Hawkins sings his version of "Hey There, Delilah" I was literally laughing out loud when I first saw it. Hope you get a smile out of it.

To the Woman who embraced and welcomed her destiny, To the Woman who loves and is loved, To the Woman who was so open and receptive that she literally conceived God in her womb, To the Woman who was not afraid to suffer, To the Woman who is All Beautiful, To the Woman who receives sinners and clothes warriors, To the Woman who defends the innocent and unwittingly humbles the arrogant, To the Woman who protects life and radiates truth, To the Woman who changed the world, To the Queen of Peace: Happy Birthday, Mother. We love you.

SEATTLE (SMJ)-- A small crowd of mourners gathered to lay The Grill to rest today. The Grill passed away on Sunday afternoon after a long fight with a bad chef. His demise was documented in a recent post found on an obscure blog. Fr. Burner officiated over the ceremony and opined on the shortness of life and that cooking temperatures do vary depending on category of meat. "It didn't have to be this way" one mourner said, "we always loved The Grill. He provided many happy meals. Its a shock that he is gone so soon." Investigators originally concluded that The Grill died as a result of a cheficide but an autopsy revealed that The Grill died prematurely of natural causes. "The Grill cooked a lot of high fat food. That, in combined with harsh outdoor patio conditions, well, anyone would have problems." the medical examiner reported. The Grill is preceded in death by his grandgrill Webber and is survived by four water hoses, three shovels, a leak...

Nothing says Labor Day Weekend like ice tea, corn on the cob and.....when your bbq grill catches on fire. A helpful math equation: old bbq grill+cracked propane line+beef ribs=big fire :( Now, in the life of an accomplished grill person, the thought process goes something like this: "hey! the ribs have a lot of fat on them, hey! it's catching on fire, hey! this fire isn't going out like it usually does.....maybe we should try plan B" But, no, no, dear readers, that would be far too easy and I am only a novice grill nun. so, my thought process went something like this: "hey! i smell smoke, hey! the fire inside the grill is big! WOW! i really need to get the ribs off the grill (shove aside corn on the cob as our dog becomes quite interested in the unfolding scene and how it might benefit him), WOAH! the fire is still burning even AFTER i turned the gas off and shut the lid....uh oh, fire seems to be getting bigger and bigger inside.....hmm.....there are som...

Dinnertime at the convent...

The relationship of love gives extraordinary permission for life. Many years ago, I saw the movie Anna and the King and there was one scene that touched me in particular. When Siam was ruled by the king, he was indeed considered sovereign and all-knowing. No one was allowed to usurp the king in any way, not even by holding their head higher than the king's. The king's servants were all required to bow in his presence, standing was not permitted and no one was allowed to approach the king without being summoned. In the movie, though, there was one exception-the king's beloved daughter. In one of the scenes, as the little boys in the school begin to fight, the little girl runs from the school house and into the palace. She doesn't stop on the fringes of the throne room and wait for her father to acknowledge her. Knowing how much he loves her and delights in her, with confidence she runs past the servants who are all bowing and climbs onto the throne into her fa...

This song always touches me when I hear it. Its deeply beautiful and true..