Marcel over at the Aggie Catholic Blog recently posted this wonderful list.  It’s such a great resource that I’m re-running the complete list.

With apologies to P.D. Eastman, our next section of our Caffeine series, looks at Discipleship and tells a tale of a young woman with somewhat limited resources. She had grown to reasonably comfortable point in her life. Yet, there was a vague void in her life. She just knew that there was some experience, some meaning, some thing, some one missing.

She had discussed it with friends and family. This  emptiness seemed uniquely hers, yet the distinct elements of it were beyond explanation. It was an irksome yet wonderful gift yet to be unwrapped.

But, she was a young woman restricted by her somewhat limited resources. She could not afford counseling, dream therapy, or whatever was the trendy prescription of the moment. The time involved would take her away from her commitments to her workplace and family. The expenses would deplete her vacation fund. She did not want to risk her tenuous relationships or reputation with her roommates as well as her friends at the weekly “theology at tap” group.

Self-help seminars or books held similar complications. She was pondering the challenge of seeking answers without expenditure as she traversed the wide aisled fresh breads and pastries section at the mega-grocery complex in her suburb.

Off in the distance of the super-sized supermarket was her solution―the magazine rack! During her shopping excursions, she would scour the latest and greatest publications searching headlines and opening paragraphs for life direction before replacing the unpurchased document onto the rack and completing her shopping. Surely, she will find her “other” here!

Her first choice was Oprah- a magazine by a successful woman was certainly appealing to a woman of somewhat limited resources. It told of “Discovering Happiness,”  “Organizing Your Life,” and “Dr. Phil’s Secret Steps to Simplicity.” She wondered to herself, “Is this my other?” She continued her shopping, then murmured to the bag boy loading her purchases into her car, “I am going to be a self-empowered successful woman.”

She discovered, however, that the structure of organization frustrated her and that simplicity in today’s society is a complicated endeavor.  “This is not my other,” she thought.

Her next choice was Cosmopolitan. The airbrushed cover-girl with considerable cleavage just seemed to breathe a sensual confidence. It told of “Being on Top Emotionally,” offered a Cosmo quiz “Will you rock someone’s world?,” and suggested methods for “Freeing Your Passion.” She wondered to herself, “Is this my other?” She continued her shopping, then in a sultry whisper to the bag boy loading her purchases into her car, she promised “I am going to rock someone’s world.” She discovered, however, that relationships are a challenge, especially as she attempted to maintain her own independence while strategizing the dependence of another.  She discover that he was not “her other”.  A world was rocked. It was not hers.

Her next choice was the National Enqirer. It featured tales of scandal, celebrity embarrassments, and alternative realities and alien beings and Elvis. She wondered to herself, “Is this my other?” She continued her shopping, then in a sneer to the bag boy loading her purchases in her car, she pledged, “I am better than these people.” She discovered, however, that her own mistakes, her own internal embarrassments, and her own shattered realities just increased her own desire for “the other” outside of herself.

Her next effort involved the magazine Food and Wine. The search remained unsuccessful. It was quickly followed by Shape. Still unsuccessful. Neither eating and drinking or dieting and ab crunching brought her any closer to her other. It only resulted in mornings of bloated hangovers or hungry dizzy muscle aches.

Much later, the bag boy, missing the series of declarative epiphanies from his most interesting customer, asked one day, “So, how’s it going?” A rather tense response came back, “It’s not, I feel lost. . . the magazines have all lied, and my hope to find ‘my other’ seems rather dim.”

As he placed the last bag into the car, he made a brief notation on the paper bag and said a silent prayer for his interesting customer, the young woman of limited resources. As she unpacked her groceries, she saw the note. It read, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” That night, she restlessly pondered the meaning of those words.

The days are coming when we anticipate, O LORD, that promises will be fulfilled! May Your ways, become known to us; teach us Your paths.  May we increase and abound in love for one another and for all. May we stand erect and raise our heads because our redemption is at hand.

May we conduct ourselves to please God alone and as we are doing so, we should do even more. Show us sinners the way. May our hearts not become drowsy from the anxieties of daily life. Strengthen our hearts, to be blameless in holiness before You, our God and Father. Our friendship of the LORD instructs us that the paths of the LORD are paved with kindness and constancy.

Guide us in your truth and teach us, for You are God our savior, and for You I wait all the day.  Guide us to justice, teach us your way as we cry out “The LORD our justice.”

I got myself in a little trouble this afternoon – - – messing around with my banner.  But I eventually solved the problem – - -  sorta!   I hope to make the banner not so high, thereby buying back some real estate for text… but we will solve that another day.

Anyway, for the RSS readers, here’s the old banner which served us well over sixteen months

and, in celebration of the new liturgical year, (and “because I can”) here is the new edition, which lifts the sensibility of multiple images from Sharon’s blog:  (UPDATED 11:00am on Sunday, November 29… still cleaning it up!)

Things that I am thankful for this weekend:

Today, my oldest child, Nichole, marks her 25th birthday.

I’m thankful that she has had the blessings of good health.

I’m thankful that she has found her heart fulfilled within another and is growing in love, commitment, a sense of “home,” and maturity of relationship.

I’m thankful that she seems surrounded by good and loving friends and that she is the ringleader of parties and camping experiences with them.

I’m thankful that she seems to have found a career and that is motivated out of a sense of service and a care and concern for God’s creation.

and. . . I’m thankful that she has reached the point in her life where she occasionally makes a grab for the check.

Happy Birthday, Nichole!

When, in the live of young disciples, we invite them into the conspiracy of our faith, we are addressing the fruitful side of their maturing faith. Brain and Heart are not all that is needed for one’s journey. In Oz, it was discovered courage is also necessary. “I’m afraid there’s no denyin’, I’m just a dandylion, i s fate I don’t deserve. . . But I could show my prowess, be a lion, not a mowess, if I only had the nerve.”

One of the most oft phrases found in the Bible include “Peace be with you” and “Be not afraid.”  Encouraging the conspiratoral aspects of the lives of young disciples is helping them determine how their hands of service (what to do) might best be utilized in the Lord’s name; it addressed the behavioral dimension of their person.

The intention to conspire in faith with the Lord and the Church should be able to be detected by:
> A desire to grow in personal holiness. This includes attempting to clearly discern their Christian vocation in this world.
> An imperative to be an agent of change for the Spirit of peace and justice as well as to be a defender of the worth and dignity of the Creator’s best creation, each individual person.
> A compelling urgency to offer service in God’s name.

Our young people need to have the invitation and opportunity to engage their lives in faith. After having received much in a faith community, they need to be encourage to give much in response.

Not because of victories
I sing,
having none,
but for the common sunshine,
the breeze,
the largess of the spring.

Not for victory
but for the day’s work done
as well as I was able;
not for a seat upon the dais
but at the common table.

 - Charles Reznikoff.

For all those who share ministry at the common table, God bless you and know that others are thankful for your service to the Lord!

When the context of Rocky’s life remains open to change, actually to the point of desperately seeking it, when the content of coaching and encouragement helps him into new patters on his life, when those within the communion of his life compel him to “Win, Rocky, Win!” and his internal soundtrack kicks in, it is here that the rubber meets the road – - -  literally.   Sneakers pound the pavement and there is evidence of a (re)new(ed) life.

Colonel Nicholson is completely within the context of a proper British soldier allowing him to deny the indignities of being a Japanese prisoner-of-war.  He passed along the content of the values and identity of  proper British soldiering to his troops stating, “One day the war will be over. And I hope that the people that use this bridge in years to come will remember how it was built and who built it. Not a gang of slaves, but soldiers, British soldiers, Clipton, even in captivity.” But, wh en confronted by the greater communion of his allies attempting to explode his creation of the bridge over the river Kwai, he is compelled to change his own course as well. 

Remy is a rat (context) who is attracted to the theory (content) of Chef Auguste Gusteau that “anyone can cook:.  Together (in communion), with his friend garbage-boy Alfredo Linguini and chef Colette along with Remy’s “family,” conspire to  create one incredible Ratatouille.

The story does not have a “happy ending” unless the protagonist takes matters into his or her own hands and doing something about it. Faith is not a passive endeavor, it demands an active response.

Sunday brings the start to a new liturgical year and the start of Advent. Now, Advent is a season of anticipation… but, I’ve been anticipating Advent for some time now.

There have been far too many uncertainties through summer and autumn… now, here comes a season which embraces just that.

Beyond my advent wreath, I hope to have a little more intentional time for personal health and growth as well as some time for spiritual practices as well.

How will it all turn out?  That’s such an Advent question!  We will just have to wait and see.