NunEssential

Being football season, we have seen many plays and many penalties as well. Every now and then, a team will "decline the penalty." At first I was like, "hey! you can't go around declining penalties" or "I wanna decline some penalties too" but then I realized I didn't really understand the rule. So being the nerd that I am, I did some investigative work. In football, an opposing team can decline the penalty of the other team. For example, if Team A is called for pass interference and receives a 15 yard penalty, Team B can decline that penalty and let the play stand as and where it ended, if they feel that it benefits them more than that penalty would. So the referee gets on the mic and says "pass interference, defense, the penalty is declined" and the game goes on. (okay, football experts, I know it's a bit more complicated than that, but go with me here) And I was thinking about how Jesus declines our penalty. We know that the ev...

LOVE this song by Matt Maher. It takes my breath away. SO lovely.

I like both George Weigel and Tim Tebow. Mr. Weigel writes an excellent article about Tim and Christophobia. It's very true and relevant. God bless both of these men.

Kim Kardashian's engagement ring: 2 million dollars A lavish wedding ceremony with over 400 people in attendance: 10 million dollars A 72 day "marriage" that is ending because " sometimes things don't work out as planned ": Loveless and sorrowful

I found this article about Steve Jobs last words on earth to be piercing and telling. I have been pondering all day what he might have seen over the shoulders of his loved ones that would elicit that response. Did he see angels? Jesus? Eternal Beauty? Perhaps one day we will know....

Check out this AWESOME play by freshman quarterback Braxton Miller. With 30 seconds left in the game, he scrambles to stay alive and then gets off this game winning pass to his freshman teammate, giving Ohio State the upset win over Wisconsin yesterday. It was incredible to see it as it happened and still makes me shake my head as i watch the replay. This is why I love sports-- when all seems lost, one heroic play can change everything.

check out this pic of an amazing pumpkin featured by the people over at the Susan B. Anthony List . Let the little babies stay in the wombs!

I love Adele's voice, so soulful and beautiful. Here is a video of her singing her latest hit, Someone Like You , in her home with only a piano to accompany her. She is lovely indeed, God bless her and her beauty.

Played some volleyball yesterday, haven't had the chance of doing that since the summer. The team I play on is awesome because they are awesome people, truly a joy to be around. And while we are easily the oldest team out on the court, I think we laugh the most and have the most fun. But sometimes the competition we face is rather daunting. The volleyball league we compete in plays on men's height nets, which are eight feet tall (and I SWEAR that they are more like nine feet tall at times). My league is co-ed so we regularly face young men who can jump like they are in the NBA and they hit so hard that I wonder if we should have tourniquets readily available in case of limb-removal-by-force-of-volleyball tragedies. Needless to say, it can be pretty overwhelming. At these times I can: A) whine that it's not fair and that these guys should be playing in the league above ours (popular and common option) B) become resentful that I am not young anymore and have had knee su...

Thought you all might enjoy this, thank you to the person who sent it to me! Happy Friday :)

Read this sobering article about the message of Fatima and how it is coming true in our present day. We must prepare.

This is powerful and timely. Bishop Fulton Sheen writes as though he is still alive on this earth today. If I were to read this excerpt on the internet, not knowing who the author was, I would assume it was written by a current Bishop imploring his flock and fellow Americans. Incredible. From Bishop Fulton Sheen's address on War and Providence, December 29th, 1940 " Our Declaration of Independence affirms that this country trusts in God. Let us Americans take it literally and never relinquish an absolute trust in the Providence of God even in adversity, sorrow, depression, catastrophe, and war. With Job we cry out : "Although he should kill me, I will trust in him: but yet I will reprove my ways in his sight” (Job 13 :15) .   Starting from this basic trust in God, certain conclusions follow: We will not start with the assumption that we are innocent, and therefore assert that all our misfortune is undeserved. Henceforth, instead of asking, "On whose side i...

" Love is awakened by beauty, in the first instance by the beauty of  another person; but then it proceeds by stages to higher levels so that the soul appreciates beauty of character, of thought, of all goodness and all things perfect. Finally, having come so far, the virtuous person will find supreme beauty, the source from which all other beauties flow. Love is thus the catalyst and binder of the universe: in a manner of speaking, Love is God. And since beauty is the initiator of love, it follows that those who create and encourage beauty, such as artists and philosophers, are acolytes in the divine mystery. By seeking beauty, they seek God. " Robert Coughlan from the book, The World of Michelangelo

I was reading the Book of the Prophet Hosea yesterday and doing some deep thinking about the words of God. I think God often shocks us with His honesty. We get uncomfortable with his straightforward truth and passion, so instead of opening ourselves to Him, we distance ourselves and create a "sanitized" and "safe" version of God. Check out His words to the prophet Hosea regarding the infidelity of the nation of Israel, " 2 “Rebuke your mother, rebuke her,    for she is not my wife,    and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face    and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. 3 Otherwise I will strip her naked    and make her as bare as on the day she was born; I will make her like a desert,    turn her into a parched land,    and slay her with thirst. 4 I will not show my love to her children,    because they are the children of adul...

Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died yesterday in a horrific IndyCar pile up at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 33 year old car racing champion leaves behind a wife (pictured here) and two young sons. Makes you wonder if the pursuit of excellence in this manner was really worth the ultimate cost. May he rest in peace.

This article breaks my heart about a lesbian couple who is giving their 11 year old son hormone blockers so he can "choose his gender" should he want to become a girl. Where the heck is common sense? This is crazy stuff. We need to know who we are and where we came from. God help us all....

I went to Canada this weekend and returned to find a forlorn Beary waiting for me at the front door, complete with his do-rag and sorrowful expression. I think he had been waiting for some time....

In light of the earlier post on fashion models and what the world considers beautiful..... From the book, "The Quotable Fulton Sheen"-- "Beauty without virtue is like a fair flower that has an offensive odor. But true beauty bathes in that light without which nothing is beautiful. Beauty is a gift of God, like the rain. He allows the rain to fall upon the just and the wicked, and He gives beauty not only to the good, but even to the wicked. Wicked beauty strikes the eye, but the inner beauty of grace wins the soul."

I saw this documentary yesterday and its well worth watching. It is NOT for young children and it shows an honest evaluation and link between Hitler, abortion and our personal decisions. The documentary is about 30 minutes long and if you know someone in your life who is "pro-choice", you might want to pass the link on to them. It's very thought provoking....

Check out this honest article about fashion models who are beginning to speak out more and more against the dark side of the "glamorous" modeling industry. Wow, it's pretty sad.

This song came to my heart this morning. I usually only hear it on the easy listening station in the dentist office waiting room but today perhaps it deserves a closer look. It's actually a very beautiful song with deep lyrics. Men, tell your Beloved how much you love her :) Enjoy!

From a 12-Step Daily Reflection.... Continued to take personal inventory. . . . . TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 88 The spiritual axiom referred to in the Tenth Step–”every time we are disturbed, no matter what the cause, there is something wrong with us”–also tells me that there are no exceptions to it. No matter how unreasonable others may seem, I am responsible for not reacting negatively. Regardless of what is happening around me I will always have the prerogative, and the responsibility, of choosing what happens within me. I am the creator of my own reality. When I take my daily inventory, I know that I must stop judging others. If I judge others, I am probably judging myself. Whoever is upsetting me most is my best teacher. I have much to learn from him or her, and in my heart, I should thank that person. This is good stuff!

A 3rd talk has been added to the schedule of next weekend's event in Abbotsford, BC Canada On Sunday October 16th at 2pm I will be giving a talk to a general audience at St. Anne's Church. Perhaps I will see you there!

check out this interesting article about Steve Jobs. There is truth in there is his rejection of a pornography app for the iPhone. It's almost like he was trying to "quell" his conscience by donating to gay "marriage" propositions. It must have been an interesting quandary for him.....

Steve Jobs, the co- founder of the Apple Corporation, passed away today after a lengthy battle with cancer. May his soul rest in peace. This man was an entrepreneur who truly changed the world through innovative technology.

I will be speaking at two different locations (thus far) in October- Wednesday October 12th , Youth For Life Meeting, 7pm Saturday October 15th, Theology of the Body : 2-4pm, talk to teens, St. Anne's Church Abbotsford, BC Canada, 7-9pm, talk to young adults (ages 19+), The Phoenix Restaurant, Abbotsford, BC Canada

Check out this secular song by Fiona Apple. The song is called Criminal and its about a woman who has broken the heart of a man and she knows she has done wrong and wants forgiveness and redemption from this man. She doesn't want people to tell her that redemption is not needed, for she knows it is. This is amazing-- truly the natural law written in our hearts (and to a catchy tune!) Who couldn't sing this song to Jesus? I know I could....

SEATTLE- (SMJ)--- Shock and awe came over a crowd of nuns when a picture of St. Therese spoke to one of the novices in the form of a dialogue bubble on her feast day. "We have had this picture of St. Therese for years, " one Sister commented "but she has never spoken to us before, this is truly unprecedented." The Sisters awoke on the morning of October 1st to witness the dialogue bubble that appeared some time during the night. "Many statues and icons have displayed supernatural characteristics in Church history" said a Church historian. He went on to say, "We have seen statues weep but we have never seen a dialogue bubble before. Perhaps this is the Saints way of embracing a new means of social communication." Rumors flew about the crowd that St. John Bosco will begin texting on his feast day and that St. Anthony would probably establish a Facebook page. However, no one could confirm the authenticity of the rumors. St. Therese could...

There is has been a lot of push these past couple of years by the Merck drug company and certain organizations to administer a vaccine, targeting young girls, called Gardasil. Gardasil supposedly "protects" young women from acquiring the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus, the most common sexually transmitted disease, that can cause cervical cancer.  Keep in mind that HPV is an STD, acquired from skin to skin contact. Keep in mind that this vaccine is completely unnecessary because one cannot contract an STD without being sexually intimate with someone. Keep in the mind the message we are giving to 12 year old girls when we vaccinate them. Now read the truth about the vaccine here. Not only does the vaccine not protect against all forms of cervical cancer, it has seriously harmed and killed some of the young women who received this "safe and harmless" vaccine. This path of "vaccination" and "safe sex" as a cure for moral errancy is NOT the ...

Here's a little old school alternative music for you on this Monday morning. I have been thinking of this song by Soundgarden for the past couple of days. Perhaps it's the rain in Seattle..... Fell On Black Days.. Whatsoever I've feared has come to life Whatsoever I've fought off became my life Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile Sunspots have faded And now I'm doing time And now I'm doing time Cause I fell on black days I fell on black days Whomsoever I've cured I've sickened now Whomsoever I've cradled I've put you down I'm a search light soul they say But I can't see it in the night I'm only faking when I get it right When I get it right Well I fell on black days I fell on black days How would I know That this could be my fate How would I know That this could be my fate So what you wanted to see good has made you blind And what you wanted to be yours has made it mine So don't you l...