The Wisdom of Patience

I have lived in the world for almost twenty years, and yet each new day never fails to surprise me.  Sometimes the new day surprises me with good things -- a remarkably beautiful sunset, the revelation of a friend's love, a tasty dinner (especially if I made it!), or even just the realization of all the blessings in my life.  But sometimes the day holds bad surprises.

This has become increasingly more shocking to me in what I read in the morning paper, or what I come across on an Internet article, or what I watch on a YouTube video.  Humanity of course is flawed, but our culture bluntly reminds me of this fact every day.  Here I read about the murder of a Catholic priest in Syria by rebels who have received weapons from the USA.  There I watch a hate-filled video where ever more vindictive gay rights supporters attempt to turn people further from the truth.  Elsewhere I read about the horrible pro-choice protests going on in Texas, people shouting and cursing and making no sort of peaceful protest.  There are women there with tattoos all over their bodies and faces twisted into ugly yells.  There are young girls there holding disgusting and blasphemous signs about God, trying to "shock" whoever sees into listening to them.  Well, sister, it worked.  But the only shock I'm receiving is that such foul language is coming out of your mouth.  (May I add also that I am reading about the vileness of these protests only through LifeSite News and other pro-life websites; the mainstream media does not deign to portray any of the evil that is happening at these protests.)

Now, I have a choice here: I could either see all these evil things, these dark surprises, and say, "Where is God?" and sink into depression and bitterness.  Or I could say, "Well, that's it for humanity", become a hermit, and live a life of seclusion.  Or I could pray over and over and over, "Lord, have mercy.  Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.  Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  Which do you think is the best choice? 

I'll admit that the first two are tempting.  I've had my share of both.  There have been times when I've sunk into depression and frustration, when I've wanted to glare at the heavens and ask what the point of it all is.  And I always need my quiet time, my space, my solace.  But I should neither rebel nor run away.  My God-given job as a Catholic is to stand and fight: not with violence, but with patience.

The quirk about patience is that you have to share it with yourself before you can truly give it to the world.  It's just like love -- "love your neighbor as yourself".  St. Francis de Sales says in his Introduction to the Devout Life (and I paraphrase), "To have patience is to possess one's soul."  We have to understand that holiness is a lifelong practice; sometimes just taking the first step towards God comes only at the last step of life.  But this is why the Church calls the spiritual life a journey.

We are all on a journey together -- the Christians and the atheists, the homosexuals and the heterosexuals, the pro-lifers and the pro-choicers, the liberals and the conservatives.  We are often radically opposed, and I can't say that I love the gay rights supporters or the pro-abortionists very much yet.  But I do know one thing we have in common: "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God".  It's just that we Christians have been given the gift of truth, and it is our job to share it.  I must only be patient with myself and my own failings, so that others can do the same.

"In Which Pooh Has a Very Important Thing To Do"

What to say after so long?  I feel like I've changed so much, but I also feel like I haven't changed at all.  But I have grown, I know that, whether it feels like it or not.  So I thought I would write "free-style", just write thoughts as they come and see what happens.  This is my very important thing to do -- important because it's been a while.  (By the way, I have recently become obsessed with Winnie the Pooh after watching the 2011 movie.  Hmm, have I really grown?)

If I were to use one word to describe this past year, from the time I left Lander, Wyoming, to spend three weeks backpacking in the mountains, to studying my brains out (almost literally) at Wyoming Catholic College, to now, sitting in my parents' kitchen at home in comfortable Ohio (or "the Shire", to evoke a good comparison), it would be process.

1. a systematic series of actions directed to some end     
2. a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner  (from dictionary.com)

Neither of these two definitions quite fits the bill, because my year has not been "systematic" or "definite" -- though perhaps it is from God's point of view.  He definitely sees it as directed to an end.  But I like the second definition, the words "continuous action ... or series of changes".  

When I ponder this, the first thing that comes to mind is the Church.  One big reason why I love the Catholic Church so much is for her divinely inspired balance between growth and solidness, adaptability and dependability, diversity and tradition.  We have a cycle of liturgical seasons, but they do not vary from year to year; every year is the same cycle.  The Church mirrors nature in this way, with its own cycle of seasons.  (Or nature mirrors the Church, because God created everything to point to something else.  So He created the natural cycle of the seasons to remind us of what the Church does.  Thanks, theology class!)  So too for my life, I have in many ways stayed the same; but on this soil that has grown richer year after year, new sprouts have begun to grow in all directions.  

It's time to begin, isn't it?/

I get a little bit/

Bigger, but then, I'll admit/

I'm just the same as I was/

Now, don't you understand/

That I'm never changing who I am? 

(Imagine Dragons, "It's Time"

It hasn't always been a blossom of flowers, though.  I have learned not only good things, but also flaws about myself.  There has been suffering along the way, new crosses that I've had to carry this past year, and beyond.  Every day, Christ asks me lovingly to take another step, and every day I either place that step willingly, or I struggle.  It's really all about trust.  

A recent study I read about families the other day said that the youngest tends to be a "free spirit".  I told my mom (being the youngest in my family, I was naturally curious to see what she thought), and she seemed to agree.  "Those are just over-generalizations" she said, but I knew she agreed with the experts about me.  I'm quite a quiet person, so you wouldn't really know it on first sight, but I can say without boasting that I am one of the most adventurous persons in my family.  (For Pete's sake, I went all the way to Wyoming for a 21-day wilderness expedition.  I ought to be adventurous.)  On some level, it's hard to admit, because we all have such a tendency to put ourselves down.  I suffer this especially, I think, but my year at Wyoming has been so full of truth that I can recognize this about myself and thank God for it.  

Why do I say all this about free spirits?  Because, as I said, it's all about trust.  God used my stubbornness and my free spirit to get me to Wyoming, but wouldn't you know it, those same characteristics often turn against me in my relationship to God.  It's so hard to "let go, and let God".  But a priest told me recently in confession to make frequent acts of surrender, and here is what I pray:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Or, I simply pray: My God, I surrender.  I surrender all into Your hands.

So, process.  To sum up, I would say that this word doesn't only describe my past year; it describes the rest of my life.  And what a process it will be.  Lead me on, my God.

Here I am again

Well, here we are; four months later, and only one post about school.  I really do apologize for posting only once in a blue moon.  It's hard to post at school, not only because I'm so busy but also because we have such limited Internet access.  Oh well.  My hope is to post once a week next semester, but we'll see if that ever happens.

So right now I am home for Christmas break, and it's already about half way over. (My break, that is.)  By the way, Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope it's been a blessed time for all.  My Christmas has been very quiet, but good.  In some ways, though it's rather hard to get into the spirit of celebrating with my family  because I have been living such a very different lifestyle for the past four months.  In some ways -- when I stepped back into my old room particularly -- I feel like I am going back to my old self.  I have grown and learned and changed in so many ways in the past few months that it's very strange and very backwards to come back to this old part of me.  I can't explain it very well, because it's very queer.

All in all, however, it has been lovely to be back home and to see my family, many of whom I haven't seen since July.  I am particularly delighted to see my 1 year old niece, who is an absolute cutie, even though she doesn't really know who I am because I so rarely see her now.  It is also good to relax and not worry about homework, and to eat lots (and lots and LOTS) of yummy homemade food.  I think I've gained some weight since being here, but it's hard to not eat a lot of homemade goodies after being deprived of really good food at school.

Best Christmas present: My own coffee maker (plus coffee!!)!  I never realized how much I would miss quality coffee while at college, but it hit me hard when I first sipped the coffee-flavored turpentine in our mass-producing coffee machine in our cafeteria.  So it was a true delight to receive coffee and a coffee maker from two of my brothers.  Yay!! :)

I thought that since I hadn't posted any pictures from my three-week trip last post, I'd put up a few now.  So here they are.  I will let them speak for themselves:

Have a blessed Christmas season.

Pax,
Clare

I'm alive! (Really!)

Well, I have arrived back from the three-week backpacking trip, and am now in the bowels of my liberal arts education.  I have literally not had a moment of free time where I could actually sit down and write a post, and, in fact, I am cutting into precious homework hours right now.  But I thought it was just as important for me to keep people updated on life.  I do not have pictures to post at the moment, but I thought I would copy here parts of the journal-letter I wrote to my mom and dad while I was on the three-week trip in the Wind River mountains in Wyoming.  It was such an amazing experience, and I do have gorgeous pictures, which I will post soon.  But I thought you might enjoy these excerpts from my thoughts and experiences while backpacking in the wilderness.  (Notice that names have been omitted, for the sake of privacy, of course!)

---

"No Name Lake,
The Back Country,
Wyoming

Dearest Mom and Dad,                                                  Tuesday, 8/7/12

      As I write this, I am sitting curled up in my sleeping bag, my long-johns

and under-armour on, my rain paints & fleece also on, my wool hat on my

head, and my gloves on my feet because my 'sacred socks' that I keep in

my sleeping bag have disappeared. (If there's one thing living in the

wilderness teaches you, it's the lack of value in material things like a luxury

pair of socks.) Did I paint a good enough picture of how COLD the nights

are here? How I miss simple things like slippers & down comforters!

     I decided to write you a journal-letter. This means that every day I will

write a recap of my day, so that you both can, in a sense, walk with me.

I am a couple of days behind, but I will do my best to catch up. i miss you

both achingly. The country is simply gorgeous, and I am so glad to be

here, but I am so, so homesick. Thank goodness I have so many wonder-

ful people around me, to ease the sickness. I think of you & the boys

every day, and I am praying for you all.

     Also, feel free to show or read this letter to family or friends, or anyone

else you might see soon who would enjoy hearing about the trip.

Especially show this to M----- and T---- who have shared so many

adventures with me already.

                                       Here goes then!



Day 1                                                                                   8/5/12

       We left WCC at 12:00 noon, a 20-odd group of girls cattling along in

WCC's donated old school bus. We drove about 3 1/2 hours to get to

the trailhead. (I made sure to take Dramamine before we left.)  En route,

our SROM [*Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries*] instructor, C----, gave us

a lesson on bear safety, which I could hardly hear because the bus was so noisy.

C. is a really great guy; I like him a lot. Our team's mentors are K--- & J---,

both seniors at WCC, but both hired by SROM to be co-instructors.

      We got to the trailhead, made some last preparations, and then we put

our packs on for the first "for real" time. Did I tell you already that my pack

weighed about 54 lbs?  My shoulders and hips started hurting immediately.

The first time getting the pack on, I had to get one of my teammates,

V-----, to help me by lifting it, but after that I got more used to it, and

did it myself.

     We stayed on the trail the whole day. Due to our late start, and to the

general of unfamiliarity to packs in our group, we didn't arrive at our

chosen camp until about 8:30 or 9:00 PM. We hiked about 4 miles, and

yes, we -- I! -- were/was exhausted.

     But guess what we saw while we were hiking? A moose! It was a female,

about 200 feet away from us, and she was eating a lot of vegetation to get

fat for the winter. That was a really cool experience. I snapped a picture,

but I can't develop it and send it to you because there are no Wal-Marts

around.

     We camped in some woods by a very pretty lake. Since it was so late, we

didn't actually cook anything, but we ate some goldfish and pretzels and

sunflower seed butter, or sun butter. Boy, is that stuff tasty. All in all, it

was a good, but tiring day. I was sore in the shoulders, but that is to be

expected. One of the most encouraging things to me is that every other

girl is in the same boat as I am. Even the experienced instructors say that

although your shoulders will eventually adjust to the weight, your hips

will always be sore. It's just an unavoidable reality.



Day 2                                                                                                  8-6-12

      Today was much harder than yesterday, not just physically, but also

emotionally. I was really missing you guys today. We celebrated Mass in

the woods for the feast of the Transfiguration, and suddenly I was home-

sick. Maybe it was because I associate daily Mass so closely with you.

But Mass was wonderful (Father celebrated Mass on a stack of backpacks,

in the middle of the woods!), and I now have a Magnificat to help me pray. Hooray!

     We followed the man-made trial trail for a good 2/3 of the day today-

unlike yesterday, when we stayed on the trial trail for the whole 4 miles.

(Sorry about the two back-to-back misspellings [ahh! another one!]

mispellings. [Wait, how do you spell mispellings?]  I keep on writing

'trail' as 'trial'. Hmm, what does that say about me?)  But today, we

eventually went off-trail, or "bush-whacking", as our WCC mentor and

Leader of the Day (LOD), K., told us. That's when it really started getting

draining. We clambered through a huge boulder field and that was probably

the first time this trip when I became seriously afraid that something bad was

going to happen.  Normally I love climbing around on big rocks, but it's quite

a different story when you've got a 50 pound pack on your back. My balance is

constantly getting thrown off.

     After this ordeal, we then had to face ascending a steep, forbidding, and

heavily forested mountain. Our team was just exhausted, but K. gently

encouraged us on, reminding us that our intended campsite was just over

the mountain. Looking back now, I remember praying to God and Pier

Giorgio Frassati, asking for the grace to persevere. I remember receiving

a gentle urging to offer my sufferings to Christ. I remember receiving this

in the context of thinking about the Transfiguration. After all, this feast

reminded me in ever so special a way today how Christ revealed Himself

in His glory to the apostles, and they were told to "listen to Him".

     We were so relieved to reach the campsite that perhaps we were in dan-

ger of glorifying it, but it really was a beautiful place. The tent area was on

a hill surrounded by rocks and trees, and then to reach the kitchen area

you had to walk down the eastern side of the hill. The kitchen area looked

out upon monstrous rock formations, like the cliffs on the coast of Ireland.

There was a lake on the opposite side of the kitchen. Because the kitchen

was in something of a valley, the sky was enormous. You could see all the

stars at night, and during the day, the white clouds look like they want to

smother you. I never realized that the clouds would be so big and close at

higher elevation, but it makes sense.

     That night we had pasta with fried onions and green peppers. It was no-

where near as good as your pasta & vegetables, Mom, but it was still

pretty dang good. Of course, everything tastes good after a long day of

hiking out in the back country!  In case you're wondering, we hiked about

4 miles today.



Wall Lake,
The Back Country,
WY



Update:                                                                     Wed.    8/8/12  

     I'm still behind in my daily entries, but I will try and write all of Day 3 to-

night. (Today, the 8th, is Day 4, so don't get confused.) Oh, and just so

you know, our elevation at No Name Lake yesterday was 10,590 feet.

Isn't that amazing?

Okay, here goes:



Day 3                                                                           8/7/12

     Today was, in some ways, harder than yesterday. We hiked about 4 1/2,

maybe 5 miles -- or we were supposed to. We were still off-trail, so we had

to figure out a way around this particular mountain. Today was also the first day

that two of us girls became Leaders of the Day, or LODs. The LOD basically

takes the place of the SROM instructors in areas of organizing, planning a route,

guiding the group through the route, etc., always deferring to the SROM instructors

when stuck or confused.

     So we decided to try and go around the mountain on one particular side.

But I don't know if our LOD misread the map (which is understandable

on her first day!) or if the map did not show clearly enough what the

terrain was like on that particular side (which can easily happen), but one

way or another, we got stuck and had to turn around. So we lost probably

about an hour in time, as well as an hour of expended energy. We didn't

get to camp until about 9 PM. The worst of it, though, was that the last

hour and a half or two hours were all uphill, and we were all very tired.

It was incredibly discouraging, because we'd top a hill or mountain think-

ing that our campsite was just on the other side, only to discover that we

had yet another hill to climb. But our LOD was so sweet and encouraging,

pushing us on and trying to keep our spirits up. And we got there even-

tually, unhurt and ready for food and rest.

     Despite the setback, it was actually a really wonderful sidetrack. We saw

some breathtaking panoramas of the mountains and clouds and far-away

lakes. And guess what we saw today? Another moose! We were high up

on a mountain, picking our way. Far below we could see trees descending

slowly down to a still blue lake. There in the middle of the lake stood the

moose, making ripples as it drank from the water. We thought we could

see little horns on it as we looked at it through binoculars, but it was hard

to tell.

     We had to cross through another boulder field today, although it wasn't

nearly as extensive as the one yesterday. It was still a little nerve-wracking.

Although the tension lifted when I crouched down to move from one

boulder to the other, lost my balance because I was so top-heavy, and

rolled gently onto my back, the pack cradling me from harm. It was rather

amusing, because at that moment I felt like a turtle trying to stand up

on its hindlegs. I've never felt so turtlish in my life!


P.S. I found my sacred socks! Yay!"

And that's all I have right now!  I will post the rest of the trip later.  I have to get to my homework now, which means reading a huge chunk of The Iliad for Humanities class, reading some Aristotle and starting a paper for Logic class, reading The Bible for Theology class, studying for our Latin exam on Tuesday, learning Euclid propositions for geometry, and studying the conformation of the horse for equestrian class!  Wish me luck!

Pax,

Clare

Quick Hello (and Goodbye)

I haven't much time at all to write, but I just wanted to give a quick update of what has been going on.  We arrived in Lander on Wednesday (August 1), and I have been spending the past few days going to class for Wilderness First Aid training, CPR training, and packing for the hike.  We are leaving later this morning, after Mass, so that is why I must rush and only give a quick update.  I will be gone for 21 days, and unfortunately (fortunately for me!), I will be totally disconnected from civilization during that time.  But when I come back, I will be sure to give a fuller account of this past week.

In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful sunset that I saw from my dorm:

Also, please pray for me that all will go well on the trip, and that I will learn all that God wants me to learn.

Pax,
Clare

Go West, Young...Woman

Today is Day 3 of our road trip to Wyoming Catholic College.  I have to be there August 1 (tomorrow) for a three-week hiking trip for us freshmen.  (This is WCC's version of orientation!)

We drove through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and into Wisconsin on Sunday, and stayed overnight at my aunt and uncle's house.  They own a fantastically gorgeous old house, beautifully furnished, complete with stained glass and woodwork and nooks and crannies.  I couldn't take very many pictures at all, because my stupid new camera holds only five pictures in its internal memory and I didn't have a memory card at the time I was having trouble with my camera.  But here are a few:

 Monday we drove through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and into South Dakota, where we stayed for the night.  Minnesota has grass so green and lakes so blue that I will have to search very hard to find their like.  There was a very lovely sunset that evening.  It was that kind of sunset where the sky seems to be like one large rainbow, only its colors are pastel pinks and purples, blues and greens.  Baby colors.

Today we drove through South Dakota and into Wyoming.  Big sky country.

We decided to take a longer route through South Dakota and drive through the Bad Lands.  I have never seen such stark, desolate, haunting beauty.

We also drove past Mount Rushmore, and took lots of wonderful pictures, but I can't upload them right now because they are on my parents' camera.  My camera was *ahem* giving me technical difficulties again.  (Besides, I was the one driving past Mt. Rushmore, so I couldn't very well have taken any pictures.)  But of course, everyone has seen pictures of Mt. Rushmore, so perhaps it's not such a big deal.  It was incredible, though, to see it "in real life".

These are all the pictures I have right now, but hopefully I will upload more soon.  Something I wish I had snapped: while we were in South Dakota, I saw a hotel sign that read, "Imaginary Friends Stay For Free!"
It made my day.


Pax,
Clare

Fresh name, Fresh start

Yes, I am back once again after a *very* long hiatus. There are a number of reasons why I have not posted, and I think one of them is that I didn't really feel...comfortable with my blog. Perhaps I have changed or grown recently. In any case, I felt the need to revamp and make a fresh start.  (My apologies for the sudden changes of important things like the title and the blog address!)  Another major reason why I have neglected my blog until now is that I am going off to college this fall, as a freshman. I am so very excited, because I have wanted to go to this college since I was about 12 or 13. (More on this later -- I'm thinking about writing a whole post about my college choice.) What is this school that has attracted me for so long, and through so many changing years?

Wyoming Catholic College.

 You know how, sometimes, you just get a little inkling that you should really do something? Like striking up a conversation with that co-worker who looks really down; or picking out a certain book for a present even though you aren't sure the person you're giving the book to would even enjoy it, only to find out that that is his favorite author? Well, those inklings have happened to me enough to convince me that they are promptings of the Holy Spirit.
There is a story in the Bible where God was looked for in the wind, and the storms, and the fire, but He was not in any of those things. He was found in a tiny whispering sound. I say all this because a tiny whispering sound has been quietly urging me towards WCC. I am the last person to trust my feelings, but really, it felt like WCC was the place where I should pursue my education. And it hasn't been easy to obey that tiny whisper. I am constantly asked questions like: "So what does Wyoming have that you can't find around here?" or "Don't you want to pursue music?" (I've been playing piano for almost 13 years) or simply "Why Wyoming?!" Even some of the people whose opinion about these things I trust the most doubted my choice.

I am not saying this to arouse sympathy, or to label myself a martyr, but because I think that when one is open to God's Will, and one hears God's call, he becomes endowed with grace. He is able to trust in God, not man, and to follow his own heart. Because of this, I give all thanks and praise to God for His great mercy and love.

 And besides, Wyoming Catholic College is just a pretty awesome school. Check it out for yourself.

wyomingcatholiccollege.com

Pax,
Clare

Freedom of Speech? Yeah, right!

I was trying not to let this get me riled up, but I couldn't take it anymore.

I was perusing a distasteful blog the other day, abortiongang.org, to get some sense of what the "other side" of the abortion issue thinks (i.e., the pro-abortionists), when I spotted a post that left a more-sour-than-usual taste in my mouth. It is titled Hey A--holes: Stop Using the Holocaust as a Metaphor for Abortion. My first thought was: "Thanks, Abortion Gang, you just did what you accuse us emotional, Christian pro-lifers of doing". (Now they'll really convince me of the truth of their stance, right? Just after calling me an a--hole?) Then I started reading the actual thing.

Boy, is it insipid. And ludicrous.

I got so fed up with the cockeyed arguments that I decided to post a rather lengthy comment, attempting to refute all the assertions and claims the author made in her post. (May I add that, from what I can see of who makes up the "Abortion Gang", they're all women. It's so opposite of being sexist that it's sexist.)

When I posted the comment, and saw that it was awaiting moderation, I was suspicious that my comment would be deleted. Forgive me for being obviously biased, but that's what I thought. But then I told myself, "No, of course they won't delete my comment. They'll enjoy arguing a pro-lifer's stance. After all, it's not like I was cynical or illogical in my comment." So I waited for my comment to appear, checking back rather routinely because I was eager to see if they had answered my argument.

Would you believe it, my comment got deleted.

I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt; I really did. But I guess they didn't want any opposing arguments on their website in case some doubting Thomas (or Thomasina) who was questioning the morality of abortion would happen upon it and be converted. After all, why should life be hard to figure out? Why should we question things?

Again giving the Gang the benefit of the doubt (although I was quite skeptical), I assumed that something had gone wrong with the computer or the Internet and again posted the comment.

Needless to say, my comment was once more deleted.

It takes two to tango. I don't know if this post will in any way reach the Gang, but I want to show anybody who reads this the absurdity of the Gang's post, and also my reply, since I was prevented from publishing my thoughts elsewhere.

Obviously the Abortion Gang don't believe in free speech. That should be a no-brainer, I suppose, since they quite blatantly disregard the right to life.

It's as if a candidate in a Presidential debate duct-taped the mouth of the other candidate in order to make himself look smart. It's unethical, unconstitutional, and unsuccessful.

This is directly from abortiongang.org. All boldings are my addition, for the sake of pointing out the ridiculous.

"Abortion is not like the Jews and the Nazis, and it’s not like genocide, and it’s not like slavery. Abortion is not like any of those things. This should be obvious to anyone with half a brain, but apparently, it’s not. Here are some very basic, seemingly obvious reasons why abortion is not like the Holocaust, genocide, or slavery:

1) Whether you think the fetus is a person with a soul or a collection of tissues, the vast majority of abortions occur at a time when the fetus could not survive outside the womb. In the case of the holocaust and genocide, those being killed were human beings surviving without physical dependence on another person’s body.

2) Those killed in the Holocaust, and in various world-wide genocides, were fully developed human beings with histories, families, and relationships. Abortion does not end relationships in this way, it prevents them from occurring.

3) Slavery! Abortion is not like slavery. Slavery is the ownership and exploitation of a person’s life. Abortion is preventing a life that does not yet exist from becoming one that does."

And here is my reply:

You are right, in one sense, by saying that the Holocaust is overused as a comparison to abortion. Kind of like how people use Hitler as a comparison to pretty much any criminal nowadays. But allow me to answer your three objections, point by point:
1) "Whether you think the fetus is a person with a soul or a collection of tissues, the vast majority of abortions occur at a time when the fetus could not survive outside the womb." By making this statement, you are basically saying that, 1: whether or not the fetus is a real, human being makes no difference; and 2: the fetus couldn't possibly survive on its own and thus taking its life is not such a big deal. So suppose the fetus is a real, human being? When you accept this as a possible scientific fact (which I believe it logically is, but that's an argument for another time), does it not make you pause, even for one moment, to consider that 50 million human beings have been killed since the legalization of abortion? And supposing that the fetus is a human being, does the question of whether or not it can survive on its own bear any weight here? A newborn baby or a 2 year old toddler cannot survive on his own, so by your reasoning, if an infant gets to be too much trouble for a mother, she is justified in killing that infant because she cannot handle a child at the moment. Of course, if you believe that a fetus is merely a bunch of cells (which you apparently do), then this argument will not bear much weight. But supposing that the fetus is not a human being; what is it then? By the time a fetus is 7 weeks old (around the time most abortions are performed, I believe), it already has a heartbeat. Does this not qualify it as a living creature, if not a human being?
2) "Those killed in the Holocaust, and in various world-wide genocides, were fully developed human beings with histories, families, and relationships. Abortion does not end relationships in this way, it prevents them from occurring." I find this argument to be the most inconsequential of them all. The words "fully developed human beings" imply that you regard unborn fetuses as "under-developed human beings", which they are, scientifically. Would you then consider "under-developed" and "not fully-developed" (or “inferiorly developed”) to be the same thing? If so, your argument justifies the killing of developmentally disabled people, because their brains and nervous systems aren't as "fully-developed" as the average person; at least, they are developed to a different degree, or to a different level. Many people would no doubt label mentally handicapped people as "inferiorly developed", because they can’t do everything the average person can do, and because they often cannot take care of themselves properly. Many people would say "Why not put disabled people out of their misery? After all, they have a low quality of life. That's unfair." I consider this one of the most inhumane statements I have heard people say. Handicapped people do not have an inferior quality of life, but a different quality of life. Although they seem “stupid” on the outside, oftentimes they are incredibly smart, many times smarter than the average person. They bring many unlooked-for joys and happy surprises to their families, their friends, and their caretakers. Anybody who has spent time with mentally handicapped people would agree with me.
3) "Abortion is not like slavery. Slavery is the ownership and exploitation of a person’s life. Abortion is preventing a life that does not yet exist from becoming one that does." With regards to slavery, abortion is more like slavery than you would suppose. An unborn fetus is, biologically and scientifically (and some would say spiritually) a human being. At the very least, a fetus is a potential human being. (And at what point, anyway, can we say that human life begins? Logically, it must begin at conception. Any other time during the pregnancy just has no scientific evidence to back its validity.) So if a fetus is a human being (or a potential human being with potential rights), why are the rights of that human being disregarded? The mother has the right to choose whether to keep her baby or not, and I do realize that it is always, always a hard choice. But never does a human being have the right to kill another innocent human being. A child is not the property of the mother – a child is the RESPONSIBILITY of the mother. There is a huge difference. Sort of like the difference between a slave and a hired servant.
With regards to “preventing a life that does not yet exist” – whenever a pro-lifer tries to refute a statement like this, inevitably a pro-abortionist will bring up Hitler or Osama bin Laden as an example of a life that, through abortion or some such killing, could have been prevented from causing so much pain and suffering. All I can say in response is: we don't know, and never can know, who a human being will become. If Hitler hadn't done it, maybe someone even worse would have taken over a susceptible, war-ridden Germany and gone even farther than he had with evils committed. If Osama bin Laden hadn't existed, perhaps some other terrorist would have organized an attack against the United States; perhaps it would have been a more horrible, more tragic attack. We just don't know. On the other hand, if all the children who were born in bad or hard circumstances had been aborted, we wouldn't have Muhammad, Beethoven, Buck Brannaman, Helen Keller, or John Lennon, to name a few. Who knows how many other potentially great or influential men and women have been legally aborted since 1973.
By the way, I object very strongly to being called an a--hole.

--

I am so convinced of the truth and logical arguments of these pro-abortionists' stance. Aren't you?

Forgive me if I come across as being oober-cynical, but I am understandably peeved.

-Clare

What if?

"Child," said Aslan, "did I not explain to you once before that no one is ever told what would have happened?" - C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader


Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you were not who you are?

In other words, what would life be like if you were not raised the way your parents raised you, if your faith was not what it is now, if the schooling you had was different from what you have had?

For me, it would be quite a change. One of my best friends and I were thinking about this the other day. What would life be like for us if we were not homeschooled, not Christian, and devoid of the morals we have from our upbringing?

If I were public-schooled, an atheist, and a "free-thinking" rebel, or just totally different from what I am now, I decided that I would be...a hippie. I would be really into New Age thinking (for instance, yoga would be my "meditation" instead of prayer), I would be anorexic, wear bellbottoms, have really long hair, and be all for "peace". All that jazz. Oh, and I would write steampunk novels. Probably would write a lot of romance too.

I say this because I think I have a little bit of the hippie, the steampunk, and the New Age in me. Actually, I think I have a little bit of everything in my personality. I'm a psychological mutt. I'm actually not a big fan of steampunk as a genre, but I find elements of steampunk intriguing and simpatico with elements of my personality. And one of my favorite Japanese anime movies by famed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is steampunk, Howl's Moving Castle. I also don't enjoy the political/moral mindset of hippies, but I think they can have cool styles. And as for New Age...I only say that I have a bit of New Age in me because I enjoy yoga as an exercise, and I listen to Enya. (Enya is technically considered New Age.)

To present evidence that my personality is all over the place and unable to be categorized, here are some photos of myself and my room:


This is a prime example right here. These are the books I am reading/am going to read. From L to R: a book about music therapy, a Star Wars book, "The Once and Future King", a book about God, and a book on writing by E.B. White.



Another classic example. Here we have juxtaposed a "Hellboy" poster and a poster of a cute little foal.



Two of my three bookshelves. I don't know if you can really see what's there, but among the medley are Beowulf, Plato, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Oscar Wilde, The Complete Sherlock Holmes, St. Thomas Aquinas, The Red Flag: A History of Communism, and numerous collections of fairy tales.




I will let this picture explain itself.



Yes, this is a sword. So I have a Japanese katana by my bed. What? Don't you?



These last two are me with two things I love but which, I think, don't normally go together. I actually have more than one pipe (I have three, to be exact), and their names are Archimedes, Oscar, and Clive. This is Clive...


...and this is J.S. BB-gun. Named after J.S. Bach.



That's me and my personality in a prolix nutshell! If you were to examine who you are now, who do you think you would be?

What if?

Pax,
Clare

We have arrived; will we survive?

The year was 2012. The first day of the new year was bundled in by flurries of urgent snow, and hovering dark clouds sympathized with the grim and despondent hearts of the people. The joy of a new beginning was shadowed by the threat of an ancient prophecy....

Sounds like the beginning of a book people might take seriously, doesn't it? With all the dire predictions revolving around the ominous year 2012, it's amazing people haven't started to panic. I suppose most people don't take the Mayan calendar that seriously. I don't myself, but I can't help wondering if something big will happen in 2012, even if it's not the end of the world. I don't believe that the Mayans truly knew when the end of the world would be, for only God the Father knows -- as Jesus Christ said Himself. But the Mayans were great scientists and could predict, through knowledge and research, many other things, so perhaps there will be some big event that happens this year. Perhaps it will be something readily observable, like a large earthquake, or something not as visible to the common person, like the death of a few stars. Who knows? But I believe in my heart that no one knows -- nor can know -- the hour of the End, and therefore we must constantly be ready.

My New Year's resolution is to keep on living as I have before, only better. I want to love more, laugh more, sing more, dance more, read more, write more, be more silent and caring, and ultimately grow closer to God. That is my goal. I don't care when the End comes; I just want to be ready to meet my Maker.

Here is a silly poem I wrote awhile ago:

"Dabbling in Drowsy"

So does genius run its course,
And when the mind has cried "Enough!"
I can't but muse that all this stuff
Is merely just a bit of fluff.

But give me room to plead my case,
To sleep upon my puzzled face --
And when the moon has lost its race
I'll bet upon another horse.

Whistling doesn't clear my brains,
It rather blends them all as sand --
Label me a one-man band,
With blarney scribbled o'er my hand.

Should I weep for what is not?
Like apples shared or gone to rot,
I'd rather stay in the frying pot --
When it pours, it never rains.

--
When I graduate from high school this year, I'm going to make a shirt that says "Class of 2012 -- We survived!"

Unless the End comes before then. Only God knows.

"The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last." -St. Philip Neri

Happy New Year!

Pax,
Clare

Merry Christmas from Peter Jackson and me

It's coming, it's really coming!!!



I recommend watching in 720p HD and in full screen for the best effect.

Just in time for Christmas.....

---

May the newborn Christ Child bless you and fill your hearts with His peace, His joy, His light, and His innocence.
Enjoy this Christmas as a child.

Pax Christi,
Clare

Dear Chico...

This is Chico.

We've had Chico for almost 11 years; my brother and I got him for our birthdays (He was turning 9 on November 29 and I was turning 7 on December 2 so we got Chico on December 5, I think it was). I almost can't remember a time when we didn't have Chico.

Chico died yesterday. He was almost 12 years old. I miss him so much...




Dear Chico,

It's hard to imagine that you're gone. You have always been such a solid part of my childhood -- a fixed and stable family member that always was there to listen even when you didn't understand. But your death is just another event to remind me that even friends don't last forever.

I will always remember every little part of your lovable personality: the way you chased Scruffy (our Maltese) up and down the dining room, the way you hung your head as if you were always afraid of being guilty, the way you wrestled with Seamus (our terrier), the way you hated to wear red ribbons at Christmastime but never complained, the way you rarely complained about anything, even in your last terrible days when you were so sick, the way you sat on Scruffy's tail and made him scream, the way my brother and I had to get our two friends to help us hang on to you when we were little and you wanted to chase after a dog, the way your tail waved like a flag when you were wandering in the backyard, the way your soulful brown eyes sparkled, the way you begged and shook hands and played dead on command, the way you loved carrots, the way you howled when someone prompted you by howling, the way you hated anyone to touch your stomach because you were so fat, the way you made beds out of random pieces of cloth lying on the floor...



Life will never be the same without you. I will always miss you because you were my puppy.



I love you, buddy.

-Clare

Save the Whales?

I tend to stay away from current events in my blog, because they generally annoy or depress me so much. I also like to spare any readers of my blog similar discomfort. But this story, which I read in today's paper, just couldn't go by without a sarcastic comment from me.

"PETA accuses SeaWorld of enslaving orcas"
(follow this link if you'd like to read the whole story)

Here's the scoop: Some folks from PETA, concerned over the health conditions of some orcas at SeaWorld, got together and began forming a lawsuit against SeaWorld. They worked on this suit for 18 months. Why it took them that long, I don't know. Did it take folks that long to come up with the simple bumper sticker slogan "Save the whales?" At any rate, it took them 18 months -- probably because they were scrabbling for any scrap of legal law/document (like the 13th amendment) that could somehow be applied to whales instead of humans. But more on this later. For right now, suffice it to say that SeaWorld replied that PETA's suit was "baseless" -- an understandable remark, as any average pet owner with a little bit of common sense knows. (Although there seems to be a considerable lack thereof, so maybe we should call it "unusual sense"?)

As if this wasn't bad enough, read this statement from Jeff Kerr, PETA's general counsel:

"By any definition, these orcas are slaves — kidnapped from their homes, kept confined, denied everything that's natural to them and forced to perform tricks for SeaWorld's profit."

Kerr's beginning statement, By any definition, fascinates me. Interesting choice of words, wouldn't you say? I was compelled to look up the actual definition of the word "slave", as it's not a word that I've ever had to look up before. Until now, every English-speaking person seemed to agree unconsciously on the exact meaning of "slave". So here's what I found:

1. a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant.
2. a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person

"Person" seems to be the key word here. According to Kerr, an orca is a person. And if an orca is a person, then any animal is a person.

Quick, let's rally to the cause of the poor little house flies! These helpless persons are being trapped and enslaved in the webs of the nasty, mean old spiders!! But wait a minute -- these spiders have rights too! They're persons, after all! Stop stepping on all the spiders, you evil human beings, because they're people just as much as you are!

Enough of that. Moving on, let's look at PETA's claim regarding the 13th amendment. According to tbo.com:

"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is accusing the SeaWorld parks of keeping five star-performer whales in conditions that violate the 13th Amendment ban on slavery. The suit...hinges on the fact that the 13th Amendment, while prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude, does not specify that only humans can be victims."

This also intrigued me, so I decided to look up the 13th Amendment as well and see how PETA could get evidence for their claim from this integral part of our constitution. They are right on one point, that the Amendment indeed does not specify that only humans can be victims. (I'm sure Abraham Lincoln did not feel that such detail was necessary.) It does, however, say that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude" shall continue in the United States. Involuntary, hmm. Do whales really have the will to make voluntary choices?

In case you're wondering, here is the meaning of the word "voluntary":

1. done, made, brought about, undertaken, etc., of one's own accord or by free choice
2. of, pertaining to, or acting in accord with the will

"Free choice", "in accord with the will" -- these seem to imply that slavery is only slavery when the person (or maybe PETA would say the creature) involved would choose to do otherwise than what he is currently doing but is forcefully prevented from doing so.

Sure, the whales would immediately swim for the open ocean if they were given the opportunity. But is this not merely the act of instinct? Could you really imagine the whale keeper standing in front of the whales with a bucket of fish and saying to them in a reasonable tone, "Now you can choose between freedom and food; which would you like to have?"

The point is, WHALES DO NOT HAVE FREE WILL, because they do not have sophisticated intellects like humans do. They do not have reason. They can't look at the whale keeper's bucket of fish and say, "Oh, that looks really tasty, and the open ocean is too dangerous, so I think I'll stay here." (On a more spiritual level, they also do not have immortal souls, but that's beside the point.)

Perhaps I am getting too wound up about this. But it's hard to see something like this going on, and know that millions of unborn babies have been murdered because they do not have rights. It's also hard to see fellow Americans disrespect the dignity and sacredness of our Constitution by lowering it to the level of mindless beasts.

This is not to say that I don't love whales. I think they are beautiful creatures, but please don't ask me to treat them like human beings. This is just taking "Save the whales" a step too far. Instead of "Save the whales" it should be "Save my sanity" -- please!

Lady Clare

The True Woman

Currently reading: "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo
Most recently watched movie: "Clue"
Current favorite quote: "Being a tiger just isn't all it's cracked up to be." -Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes

--

Just a few words I wrote down one time while in prayer...


The True Woman

Let me be as the woman at the well, and allow You to read my heart.

Let me be as the adulteress, and accept from You a pure heart.

Let me be as Magdalen, and give my all to wash Your feet.

Let me be as Martha, and serve You with my life.

Let me be as Mary, and make my heart Your listening spouse of silence.

Let me be as Elizabeth, and recognize Your hiddenness in others.

Let me, O Jesus, be as Queen, accepting Your Church with the love of a mother, waiting at the foot of the Cross, loving You even when my soul is lost in dark night, because these are the moments when You are closest to me.


--
Pax,
Lady Clare

Some (almost) Philosophical Thoughts

(I realized that my current book, movie, and quote are pretty much the same as my last post, so I'm not even going to bother re-posting those. :P)

--

Have you ever considered the notion that you don't know yourself very well?

It's an interesting thought. Your initial reaction might be that you know yourself better than any other person in the world. It must be so, you may declare, because you are the only person who knows your innermost thoughts and feelings and you are the only one who knows what you are going to do next. Most of the time, at least. You will perhaps acknowledge that God knows all these things as well (better than you do, in fact) but speaking in terms of mortals, you're pretty much the best source of information on yourself.

I contend that this is not true, strictly speaking. In fact, in my own personal experience, I've discovered that my family and close friends often know me better than I know myself.

But more on that later. For now, let's consider the question of knowing yourself. I believe that it is a life-long process. There are few -- if any -- natural wonders of the world more spectacular than the human being, and humans have spent all their time since the beginning of their existence in delving deeper into themselves, whether they know it or not.

Let me get one thing straight here. I'm not talking about Buddhism or Hinduism or yoga or some other Eastern-type religion or practice that might make you fidget in your seat with all its talk of being one with yourself and the earth. I'm not asking you to go outside and lie down with the flowers and close your eyes and try to bring out your inner spirit, and in the meanwhile attempt to ignore all the creepy-crawly bugs that decide to use you for a playground. (Let me add, however, that I myself enjoy yoga and see nothing wrong with meditation -- just so long as you are meditating on truth and the one true God. I also have absolutely nothing against Eastern religions [in fact, I am somewhat fascinated by them, and I appreciate many of their qualities], so please don't label me as a racist. I just know that there are many people in the world who are prejudiced against another group of people, and that group of people are prejudiced against another group of people, and I wish we would all learn to accept and listen to each other, because even the most seemingly-misled people have some truth to offer.)

So. Where was I? Oh yes, I was talking about humans diving deeper into themselves in order to find out more about themselves. Well, this is nothing new or foreign. The ancient Greeks, the basis of our modern civilization and culture, had a common maxim among them. You may have heard it before:

Know thyself.

Many of the famous Greek philosophers used this admonition as the inspiration for some of their dialogues. Socrates, in particular, comes to mind (but that's just because he's pretty much the only Greek philosopher I know very well, and whose work I've read). So what meaning does this have for us today?

It may be a tempting thought to believe that we 21st century folk are a completely defiled culture, devoid of any logic and reason and art. It may be tempting to think that our generation could care less about morality or philosophy or truth. I used to think this way myself. While it may be true that we are a lamentably degraded culture, it is good to remember that there are still many people who wish for a higher lifestyle, and who strive for a more enlightened mind -- like you and me. (Thank God for my upbringing that made me who I am now!) It is also somewhat comforting to remember that sin has been in the world since almost the very beginning, and there has never been a culture as pure and undefiled as we would like it to be. (Take the Middle Ages, for example. They were in pretty bad shape, and the people of that time were rather corrupt. I think that's why they needed chivalry and the knighthood and all those noble morals and guidelines, because they needed to balance out the evil. I don't really know, but that's my impression.) But most importantly, we should remember that the search for truth is timeless and universal and we will never know enough about the world and ourselves to be satisfied. Humans are very curious creatures. Have you ever noticed that we ask a lot of questions?

This is a very long post, so I think I will make this a part one and write a part two later. But for now, in regards to the meaning of Know thyself...I think part of the "knowing" lies in the "being".

Pax,

Lady Clare

Back again

Currently reading: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Most recently watched movie: North and South
Current favorite quote: "No one is so advanced in prayer that he does not often have to return to the beginning." -St. Teresa of Avila

--

Well, I'm back. It's deplorable how unfaithful I've been to blogging. How long has it been since my last post? I don't even know. So many things have happened, I don't know where or how to begin. I suppose this will be one of those random, incoherent posts... :P

First of all, and perhaps most importantly...I'm an aunt!!! My brother and his wife just had their first baby, and the first grandchild in our family. Here she is:



Isn't she adorable?? Just as cute as a button. *cue awwwww sound*

What else? School is starting up soon. It's hard to believe how quickly the summer went by -- I don't think I really got anything done that I wanted to get done this summer. I just didn't have time because of work. Yes, I now have a job! I work at the store of this shrine near us, so mostly I work in customer service -- you know, answering phone calls, directing people to the right transfer, giving them information, taking orders. I also work in the gift shop. It's been a really great experience, and I love working a job where I get to help people out. I never realized just how much I would like it. You'd think that it would inspire me to be more helpful around the house, but it seems that strangers are easier to help out than your family. Do you ever feel the same way? It's funny how the people you're closest to are oftentimes the hardest ones to get along with....

School. Yes. I'll be a senior this year, so I have to start thinking about applying to colleges. Actually, there's really only one college I want to apply to. I fell in love with it ever since I first heard about it and I've been wanting to go there ever since. Here's the website: wyoming catholicollege.com
So for my senior year, I will still be homeschooled (of course!), and I will again be taking some classes at the community college near us. I don't know all the classes I'm taking yet, but here's what I know so far:
(College) Drawing I
Intro to Psychology
(Homeschool) Church History
Algebra II
Latin
American Literature (possibly only in the spring semester)

I'm also supposed to be taking the SAT for the second time in October. Hope that goes well (yikes!). The first time I took the SAT, I got a pretty decent score, but I thought I may as well try and up my math scores (where I scored the lowest). So I'll be doing some Algebra I review before the SAT, and really getting into Algebra II after the SAT.

This is probably all rather boring, but I'm not sure what else to write about! Until I get into my blogging groove, my posts will be mostly random updates like this. Oh, I got a laptop! That's what I'm using right now. I need one for college next year, but my parents got me a laptop now so I could use it for the psychology class I'm taking this year at the community college (it's an online class).

So anyway, that's my life. Not in a nutshell. Just kind of...a generalization. It's hard to express everything you've gone through in a few months in a few paragraphs. Ah well.


Pax,

Lady Clare

Movie Review: The King's Speech

Currently reading: Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Most recently watched movie: Batman Begins
Current favorite quote: "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!" -Dory from Finding Nemo (I love love LOVE Dory!!)

---



This movie just came out in late 2010, but it is one of the best movies of the year.

Starring Colin Firth as Prince Albert (later to become King George VI), Helena Bonham Carter as his wife, Elizabeth, and Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue, this movie has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards. It is a simple, quiet story about a man of great position and responsibility, whose stutter prevented him from giving encouragement to his people when they needed it. It is a movie about friendship and true love, about morality and respect for the age-old traditions and values. It is a movie lacking nudity, sex, violence, and crassness. Rarely does Hollywood hand movie-watchers such a gem.

(Note: May contain spoilers!)


King George V (father of George VI), is an elderly man with a problem on his hands. His oldest son, Edward (known as David to his family), is the heir to the throne, but he is an irresponsible, morally-lax playboy. The more steady Albert, George V's younger son, is his father's only hope. Unfortunately, Albert has a solid stammer that makes him something of an embarrassment to the family when he speaks in public.




Albert, however, has come to terms with his stammer -- somewhat. A pathetic stream of bumbling doctors has led him to believe that his stammer cannot be cured, but he doesn't allow it to prevent him from telling stories to his little girls, Elizabeth and Margaret.




Albert's acceptance of his situation has become what it is mostly from the support of his loving wife, the elegant Queen Elizabeth. Determined to find help for her husband, Elizabeth manages to find a man whose fine reputation as a speech therapist is not tarnished by his commoner status: Lionel Logue.




Lionel Logue's methods are "unorthodox", but he has a steady faith in his abilities to help those with speech impediments. His first session with Albert turns out rather badly, however, as Albert becomes increasingly frustrated by Lionel's quirkiness and odd questions. Lionel makes a bet with Albert, laying one shilling on the belief that Albert can read a few lines from Shakespeare without stumbling. Albert, incredulous, neither takes the bet nor wishes to read; but Lionel insists. He further places headphones on the Prince's head, blasting Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" in Albert's ear while Albert reads. Albert throws off the headphones in annoyance a few minutes later; but before he can storm out of the room, Lionel hands him a record with a recording of Albert's recitation of Shakespeare.




Albert listens to the record later, his curiousity overcoming his initial fear and doubt. He places it on the record player and sits down to listen. Loud and clear comes the soliloquy "To be or not to be...", read without a single stammer by the unsuspecting Prince. Next scene, Albert is again sitting on Lionel's couch.




Beginning with basic breathing and speaking exercises (such as tongue-twisters), Lionel begins working with Albert. Although at first their relationship as patient and therapist is somewhat superficial, Lionel begins digging deeper into Albert's psychological mindset. He says that no child learns to speak with a stammer, and finds out eventually that Albert's stammer and abuse from Albert's nanny started about the same time, when Albert was 5 or 6 years old. Although both Albert and Lionel make mistakes, their friendship deepens as they continue working together. It is ultimately Lionel who pulls the King out of his fear and doubts into confidence and peace. In the beginnings of World War II, in one of England's most critical hours, Albert is able to be the role model of courage and gentleness that his people need.


(Picture of the real King George VI and Queen Elizabeth)

-
It is hard to find words to properly describe this movie. It is pure crystal. Do not let the R rating turn you off! The only reason it is rated R is because of a little bit of bad language. The S word and F word are repeated over and over, but I have to say that the context is actually rather funny. Lionel discovers that when Albert swears angrily, he doesn't stammer; so he asks the King to repeat all the swear words he knows. It is a brief scene, and not meant to be insulting or crude. I can think of many PG-13 movies that are infinitely worse, and should have been rated R.
Anyway, as I said, this movie is pure crystal. The pacing is quiet and gentle, and the acting is superb. It is a movie worth seeing over and over again, for it is beautiful, good, and true. It is one of the most inspiring movies I have ever seen. Definitely makes it to the top three movies of 2010, in my opinion. ;)


Pax,
Lady Clare

The Re-Return of the Procrastinating Poster

Currently reading: Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy [For those of you who have seen Inkheart, do you remember this quote? "Well, for the love of Thomas Hardy!"]
Most recently watched movie: Casablanca
Current favorite quote: "You Yourself contain all things and it is by containing things that You fill them. For those vessels which are full of You do not, as it were, keep You in a fixed condition; since, if they were broken, You would not be dispersed. And when You are poured out over us, it is not You who are brought low but us who are raised up, not You who are scattered but us who are brought together. You who fill everything are wholly present in everything which You fill." -from St. Augustine's Confessions [Yes, I'm reading that, too!]
Picture of the day:


--


Well, folks, it has been awhile, hasn't it? I have to say that I am just about the worst blogger ever. :P Ah well.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that!! I can't say I'm less busy than I was last year (see all the complaining in my last post), but I'm determined to not let it bog me down. My classes this year consist of:

(Homeschool)
Theology of the Body (again)
British Literature (again)
Chemistry (again)
Economics
Algebra II (not a co-op class)
Latin (not a co-op class)
Home Economics (not a co-op class)

(College)
College Composition I
Guitar
Yoga

So yes, I'm still busy. I'm pretty excited about this semester, though. I just had my first College Composition class at the college yesterday, and it looks like it will be really cool. My teacher rocks, which always helps. ;) I'm super excited about my guitar and yoga classes. I actually was supposed to have my first guitar class today, but I was late because I couldn't find the building, so I missed it. Eh, story of my life. :P I have to say that I'm a little bit leerie of my yoga class, if only because of the "spirituality" that generally accompanies yoga. But I'm doing it for the sake of exercise, and hopefully I won't have a very "spiritual" teacher. Cross your fingers. ;)

I really want to get back into writing. I didn't have much of a chance last semester to do any of my own writing; it was mostly for school. Our computer is also currently getting "fixed", and of course all my writing files are on that computer, so I can't access them right now. My book is calling to me! That isn't to say I've been paying much attention to it lately, anyway, because I haven't. ;)

Well, I hope I'm not being boring, just going on and on and on. But I guess I have to make up for all those lost months, right? Please forgive me for neglecting this blog so long....I don't mean to sound repetitive, but I really do hope to get back into the swing of things!!

Pax Christi,

Lady Clare

My life in digital words for those who still read them

Currently reading: The Dragon King Saga by Stephen Lawhead
Most recently watched movie: Castle in the Sky
Current favorite quote: " 'Before you come inside, I should warn you,' Klepp said, 'it's chaos.'" -Abarat (I find this applies to the general state of my room)
Picture of the day:
Picture explanation: I don't know if you have ever seen the new movie Inception, but these are my absolute favorite characters from it. They're so amazing. :)

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Well, I guess it's been quite a long while since I last posted!! I apologize. I have been so busy though. School has just completely smothered me; and other activities have added to the load as well. For instance, today I literally had classes ALL DAY. Now wait a minute, you might say, aren't you homeschooled? What are these classes you're talking about? Well, yes, I am homeschooled, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I'm doing co-op classes with some friends of ours who are in our homeschool group. So, yeah, that was today. Afterwards, I had a creative writing class at the community college near us, and then right after I had Driver's Education classes for four hours. So I had classes from 8:30 in the morning to 9:00 at night.

Ugh.

Super ugh.

I am enjoying most of the classes, however. Like I said, I am taking a creative writing class at a community college, and that has been lots of fun. Then, for the co-op classes, I'm taking British Literature (one of the best classes ever!! We're currently reading "Pride and Prejudice" <3), Theology, American Government, and Chemistry. Brit Lit and Theology are two amazing classes, AG is okay, and Chemistry is terrifying. :P As for the Driver's Education classes, however, they are some of the most boring hours I have ever spent in my entire life. Four hours a day, three days a week, for two weeks, of constant lecturing and watching driving videos that were made in the 80's. So much information is forced into your brain that it comes in one ear and goes out the other. Anyways, at least when it's all done I can get my permanent driver's license. :) Oh yes, that makes up for it all.... *mwahahaha*

I'm so sad. Apricotpie.com is closing its doors!! That has been my writing support for so long. I'm going to miss it sooooo much. I'm thinking about starting a writing blog so I can post my pieces of writing, or something like that. Keep your eyes open! :)

Well, as it is late, I must go to bed. I apologize for the short post, but hopefully I'll be able to get back into the habit of posting somewhat regularly. God bless you all!

Pax,

Clare