7QT: On the Links

No, I haven't been golfing. After a near miss with a neighbor's window, my golf lessons were cancelled years ago. Instead, I offer you a few links to some posts mixed up with some other quick thoughts brought to you courtesy of Jennifer's Seven Quick Takes link up at Conversion Diary.

1) Have you seen the one about the mom who is raising sons who don't get to be FB friends with girls who post sultry FB selifes? You can read the original here, and then a boatlaod of response-posts here. Thoughts? I have several, but that would make this rather non-quick takes.

2) Books? Love. Iowa Hawkeyes? Love. Put them together, get this little collection that demonstrates how art and literature were sometimes combined in ways that didn't always first meet the eye. Flip book lovers will understand and appreciate this, I think!

3) Have you seen Pope Francis' call for a day of prayer and fasting for peace (especially in Syria) tomorrow, September 7? I know it is blowing up my FB and Twitter feeds, as I hope it is yours. You can read the whole Angelus message here. I tried to select an excerpt, but well, you know those texts where you're supposed to highlight parts and then you look back and the whole thing was so good that the entire book is highlighted? Yeah, Pope Francis. This should probably have been first, but well, that's the way the cookie crumbles at the Casa sometimes.

4) Speaking of Pope Francis, THIS. He is back on the phone..again and again. Have I mentioned how much I love Pope Francis? Oh, and by the way, he also makes me a little uncomfortable because he is pretty demanding that we live by the Gospel and is quite public about how to do that in his own demonstration. What I don't love (not about him)? The peeps who are still playing the comparison game. I loved Papa Benedetto too. In a completely different way, because he is a completely different man who was entrusted with the keys of Peter for an entirely different reason. So, stop with the "this guy is so much better" or "that guy was better" because the Holy Spirit is using them both to form us into a healthier body of Christ, to be his hands and feet working by His lead. That is all.

5) September is a busy month for us. Not only is it birthday central with my birthday and my mother in law's birthday, it is also our anniversary, and with the Hubs being a teacher, back to school crazy schedule days. In reflecting on this our anniversary month, as we top off our fourth year (when did that happen?), I thought I'd check on what it was I vowed to do again as a wife. Here's my reflection on how we can better honor our husbands.

6) September is also one of our major fundraisers at work. Mary's Mantle holds its annual $30,000 in 30 Days campaign this month each year. The goal is to get 1000 people to pledge $30. You can read more about the work and the campaign here.

7) Final thought. Casa McCormick is under the weather and short on sleep this week. It all began with a night time freak out by the Li'l G. I've been reflecting on whether I should be sharing so candidly her not finer moments. She doesn't get a chance to tell her side of the story or form her own identity without my fingers typing away, but I have always maintained that even in (sometimes especially through) those moments I am the one who learns more. It isn't that I learn how to be a better parent, though that is part of the effect. It is that I learn so much more about God. For instance, this little meltdown at 10:30/11ish at night was leaving her inconsolable. Usually she is a daddy's girl all the way. This night, it was all about "mama, hold you!!" When she had calmed down an hour later, she wasn't really clear on why she was so upset. The next day, she was more clear.

Apparently, she was still thinking about the moment after lunch when she had thrown her plate on the floor, and mommy had told her we were done with lunch and she was going straight to bed because we do not throw plates on the floor. To be honest, I had forgotten about that almost immediately after putting her down for a nap. She had brought it up later in the evening as to why she couldn't go play outside (I had forgotten all about it). At 11 o'clock at night, it still plagued her to the point of hysterics. I truly, truly had forgotten all about it, and thinking back on the moment, didn't even yell or punish her beyond saying she needed to go straight to bed. Isn't that what we do with our sins all the time? God tells us they are forgotten, but we are certain we cannot take Him at His word. We constantly remind Him how bad we were...how bad we are. Even when he assures us He has forgotten. Just in the same way, I assured my daughter that I had not only forgiven her, but had forgotten long before and she need not keep worrying about it or bringing it up. God reminds us the same thing, if only we would listen.

And that my friends is this Friday's adventure on the links. For sticking with me, please accept this parting gift for your viewing pleasure.

We've been doing Classical Lunch Hour.
These are their classical faces.

Here's hoping you and yours have the best of weekends! Go on over to Jennifer's newly redesigned space and read up on the rest of the quick takes.

If you enjoyed reading this post, follow The Pitter Patter Diaries on Bloglovin!