Here's an easy Election Day decision

Do you need something to take you away from all the partisan sparring? A little spiritual lift to whoosh through your soul like a cleansing breeze? A bit of grounding to help you deal with the chaos of day-to-day life, not to mention Facebook? Look no further.

Head over to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and cast your vote for my newest book, "Everyday Divine: A Catholic Guide to Active Spirituality." (B&N gets extra points for getting the title right in its catalog.)

Here's what I had to say in my introduction to this book, which really grew out of my own need to bring a little sanity, serenity, and spirituality to my rather crazy, chaotic, and confusing life:

"Developing a regular and ever-deepening prayer life sounds fantastic on the surface, but it can be a tough thing to put into practice. Life gets in the way. We get in the way. We may want to pray with all our heart, but when it comes down to it, there just aren't enough hours in the day. How do we fit prayer into our already busy schedules, and what's the right way to pray anyway?


"I wrote this book to answer those questions, not only for my readers but for myself...I began exploring everyday prayer practices, starting with a spiritual breakfast routine and expanding to prayer while driving, prayer while waiting, and prayer while cleaning. And guess what? It works....By weaving prayer into the actions of daily life -- showering, cooking, cleaning, driving, working, eating, jogging, and more -- you can bring a sense of the divine to everything you do. Suddenly life isn't the chore you might imagine it to be; it's a joy, because everyday prayer makes you grateful, shows you where God enters into your busy life, and helps you traverse the highs and lows with equal calmness."

Still not ready to put that book in your cart? Okay, here's what Jesuit Father James Martin said about "Everyday Divine" in his endorsement:

"I love this book because it's practical. Too often spirituality is seen as something reserved either for mystics or, well, 'someone else.' Mary DeTurris Poust shows us that the spiritual life is not removed from your daily life, it is your daily life. Her new book will invite you to try some simple, down-to-earth and accessible ways of encountering God in what you might consider your 'ordinary' life. But after you've discovered God while you pray, but also while you work, clean, hike, exercise, do yoga and look at a sunset, your life will begin to seem pretty extraordinary indeed. Because it is."
-- James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything

So, go ahead, cast your vote for my book and you'll be the winner today. (How corny is that?!?!)

Year of Faith: Are you smarter than a fifth-grade religion teacher?

As part of our celebration of the Year of Faith and our commitment to reacquaint ourselves with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, I thought it would be fun to post this catechism quiz that ran in Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly a short time ago.

See how well you do, and, remember, it's not just about content but about the process of producing the catechism, which was a lot more entertaining than you might expect. Check it out. This intro will jump you to the OSV quiz link, but be sure to come back here and leave a note in the comment section.

Here we go...

By Mary DeTurris Poust

Despite being a worldwide best-seller, the Catechism of the Catholic Church can be a little intimidating to the average reader, with its 900-plus pages and copious footnotes. I know from experience. Several years ago, when I was first asked to put the Catechism into “plain English” in what would become “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism,” I wondered if I had the stamina to get through it and understand it in such a way that I could “translate.” But something wonderful happened on my way through Church doctrine: I discovered the poetry and beauty of a book that weaves all of Catholic teaching into one magnificent tapestry of faith and morals.

It’s no wonder that even now, as the Catechism marks its 20th anniversary, it continues to sell in record numbers, inspire spinoff publications, turn up in various digital formats, and more. From teens devouring the new “YouCat” version of the Catechism, to adults going through RCIA, to lifelong Catholics looking to strengthen their already deep faith, the Catechism has proved to be the answer to a prayer, or, at the very least, the answer to the many, many questions Catholics and others have about the Church and its teachings.

If you’ve never read the Catechism from cover to cover — and even if you have — there are will be things inside its pages that will surprise and even amuse you. Just about every topic you can imagine, and probably quite a few you can’t, fit into the Catholic picture. Don’t believe me? Take the quiz below and see if anything stumps you. This is not your grandmother’s Catechism, and it was never meant to be.

The answer key at the end of this section will provide you with the correct Catechism paragraph numbers for many questions you may want to explore further.

Have fun and, remember, no cheating. But you already knew that. Click HERE for the quiz.

Take a virtual tour of my office

Main work desk, book posters, assorted goodies

I'm always talking about working from home -- my incense, my candles, my stuff. So I thought today I'd invite you all in for a virtual visit. Now you'll know where I'm coming from.

Deadline/assignment board and feather boa

Bookshelf/sacred space

St. Francis portrait from Subiaco

Quiet corner/prayer bench

Detail

Overview of one side

 Some of my favorite items from the shelves of my two bookcases...

Buddha eyes box (incense stored inside)

Prayer shelf

Merton and more

Relics of St. Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal

VanGogh and Jane de Chantal, an unlikely combo

Random stuff that gives you insights into my wackiness....

Angels and battery candles

Gumby, icons, and prayer books, oh my.

Photos, collages, social justice statements

Newest saint

Hemingway, Tibetan prayer flags, icon of Dorothy Day

If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by for a real visit so you can smell the incense and hear the music. :-)

Manic Monday: Here, there, and everywhere

If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I've been showing up on various blogs, on various topics, in various places these days. It's all good, although I feel pulled in a dozen directions. I thought I'd post links to my posts in case something strikes your fancy. Here we go...

Yesterday I was posting at Catholic Parent Network, a new website that serves up suggestions for parents trying to instill the faith in their children. I love the website's subtitle: "Making sure the apple stays close to the tree."

You'll find my post under "Building Blocks: Helping Children Understand Prayer." Click HERE to read that story, but be sure to check out the rest of CPN's offerings, including posts on Catholic apps, countering the culture, raising big families, and specific prayers for the season. CPN also has a Facebook page, so stop by and "like" it when you get a chance.

I'll be posting on CPN now and then, so check back often for other stories on Catholic parenting and more.

Last week, I also made an appearance at Catholic Moms Talk, a new blog featuring Catholic moms and the catechism. It's a special effort as part of the Year of Faith, and I'm honored to be included among a great group of Catholic writing moms. I talked about my experience with the catechism, how it influenced my own faith life, and how I use it in my family and faith formation classes. Click HERE to read "A Catechism on Every Shelf." I'll be over at CMT on a frequent basis throughout the Year of Faith.

And, if you missed my Huffington Post piece to kick off the Year of Faith, click HERE to read "It's Not Your Grandmother's Catechism." I'll be back over at HuffPo next month with a piece to help you navigate the chaotic holiday season, so stay tuned for that. 

Just a reminder: If you are on Facebook, click HERE and "like" my author page. If you are on Twitter, follow me at MaryDTP.

Finally, I will be disabling my "Networked Blogs" feature on Facebook, so if you read the blog through that portal, please be sure to become a "fan" of my author page so you don't miss any blog posts. For those of you who have emailed me to tell me you can't leave comments, that's a Networked Blogs issue, so this will rectify that. As long as you continue to come back through my regular blog address.

More big news to come about new books, new ventures, new speaking engagements, so check back early and often. Have a great week!

Discovering the Divine in the Everyday

My other new book is nearing its release date, and I realized this morning that I've been kind of quiet about it. I've been so caught up in so many other projects, this one has been slowly and silently creeping up on me, but that doesn't mean it isn't near and dear to my heart. It most definitely is, and here's why.

Everyday Divine: A Catholic Guide to Active Spirituality, which will be released on Nov. 6, grew out of my own need and desire to figure out how to fit prayer into my extraordinarily busy life. I simply can't get to daily Mass or Adoration on a frequent (confession: even occasional) basis. It just never seems to happen. I am Rosary-challenged, and I can't seem to string together nine straight days of a novena. Bottom line: Regular, traditional prayer is a constant struggle for me. So I had to come up with more creative ways to include prayer in my everyday life. And that is how "Everyday Divine" was born.

This book -- using stories from my own life, stories from friends and colleagues, advice from the saints, and, yes, traditional prayers and devotions -- covers everything from how to weave prayer into your exercise routine or morning commute to how to find pilgrim moments in the most unlikely places. It was a labor of love, and so many wonderful people -- some you may even know -- shared their own tips and techniques with me. There are practical suggestions, meditations, and more. And if you buy now, and only now, I'll throw in the Ginsu knife. Okay, not really. But, still, buy now. It's available for pre-order at all the usual spots. (Link above takes you to Amazon.)

Here's what Jesuit Father James Martin had to say about my book when he "blurbed" it for the cover:

"I love this book because it's practical.  Too often spirituality is seen as something reserved either for mystics or, well, 'someone else.'  Mary DeTurris Poust shows us that the spiritual life is not removed from your daily life, it is your daily life. Her new book will invite you to try some simple, down-to-earth and accessible ways of encountering God in what you might consider your 'ordinary' life.  But after you've discovered God while you pray, but also while you work, clean, hike, exercise, do yoga and look at a sunset, your life will begin to seem pretty extraordinary indeed.  Because it is." 

-- James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything.

 
Let me give you a brief look at the Table of Contents (with a tiny explanation):

1. Creating Calm amid the Chaos (mindfulness)
2. Building a Spiritual Foundation (prayer essentials)
3. Turning Chores into Spiritual Practice ('Little Way')
4. Bringing the Body into Prayer (exercise)
5. Work of Our Hands (home and office)
6. Sounds and Signs of the Spirit (nature, song, and more)
7. Silence, Simplicity, and Solitude (sacred rhythm of life)
8. Dark Nights and Dry Spells (self-explanatory)
9. Pilgrimage of the Heart (walking the way of faith)
10. All of Life as Prayer (finding God in every moment)

So there you go. More to come in the days ahead as we close in on the release date. Still no decision (on my part) as to whether to do a release signing and party, mainly because I hate to burden my friends with yet another book signing. Especially when another book (Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God) is coming out six weeks after this one. If I do decide to go ahead with a signing party, you'll be the first to know. Okay, maybe the second or third. Well, definitely in the top 100.

Cravings: download, print, pass it on...

Cravings Flyer: Click on this link to view, download, or print full size.

One parish's plan for the Year of Faith

I received an unexpected email yesterday from an Alabama parish telling me the pastor had "placed a large order" for copies of my Complete Idiot's Guide to the Catholic Catechism for use as a text in his parish program for the Year of Faith. Obviously, that news made my day, but it also got me thinking...

Are there other parishes out there look for interesting ways to approach the Year of Faith, which begins on October 11 and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

In Porta Fidei, his apostolic letter announcing the yearlong celebration, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that it should be a "summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world."

"The 'door of faith' (Acts14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church," the pope wrote.

What will you do this year to deepen your relationship with Christ and perhaps walk through the
"door of faith" anew, as you did at baptism? If you or your parish are looking for resources to help you with this endeavor, consider my Complete Idiot's Guide to the Catholic Catechism, which explains the catechism in plain English, was vetted by a theologian, and carries an imprimatur.

Or, you might want to try my Essential Guide to Catholic Prayer and the Mass, which covers not only popular Catholic devotions but silent prayer, pilgrimage, and a host of other prayer methods. In addition, it includes an entire section on the Mass, covering the new language as well as the whys and how-tos for those who'd like to refresh the Catholic teaching of their youth or deepen their already strong faith. It, too, carries an imprimatur.

Click HERE to read a review of my Complete Idiot's Guide to the Catholic Catechism. Click HERE to read a review of my Essential Guide to Catholic Prayer and the Mass, which one reviewer likened to a "textbook for Catholics."

Amazon is showing a short wait for the Complete Idiot's Guide, but I believe that's a momentary glitch. You can also order via Barnes and Noble. And, of course, both books are available for Kindle and Nook, so you don't have to wait at all! The catechism book is also available in Spanish. If you have any questions or want to know more about either of these books, feel free to email me at mary@notstrictlyspiritual.com

Is it food you're craving, or something more?

One of my two new books being released this fall is heading into final production. Here's a big stack of covers just waiting to be wrapped around the pages of "Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God" over at Ave Maria Press.

The official release date is December 17. You can pre-order at all the usual places. Click on the title above and you'll get Amazon. Click on the cover image below and you'll get B&N. You can also go straight to Ave Maria Press by clicking HERE.

Here's the description of the book that's up on Amazon, along with three "blurbs" from other important Catholic folks:

In this first book on the topic written from a Catholic perspective, award-winning writer Mary DeTurris Poust offers personal, hard-won wisdom on the complex relationship between food and spirituality.

Mary DeTurris Poust draws on the rich appreciation of meals she first gained at the tables of her childhood in an Italian-American family, leading readers into reflection on the connections between eating, self-image, and spirituality. Like Geneen Roth in Women, Food and God, but from a uniquely Catholic point of view, Poust helps readers spot ways they use food to avoid or ignore their real desires -- for acceptance, understanding, friendship, love, and, indeed, for God. Poust draws from scripture and the great Catholic prayer forms and devotions to assist readers in making intentional changes in their use of food. She also offers reflections on fasting, eating in solidarity with the poor, vegetarianism, and the local food movement.

 And here are the blurbs:

"Whether you're tired of being obsessed with your weight, are hungry for inner peace even more than you're hungry for food, or are desiring the freedom that comes with self-acceptance, Cravings will leave you satisfied." --Kate Wicker, Author of Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body

"This book opens a doorway to hope for anyone locked in a struggle with food. It is a refreshing guide to freedom in Christ." --Jeff Young, Podcast host of The Catholic Foodie

"Another excellent tool in Mother Church's hand to help feed God's children with what they crave most: truth, the food of saints!" --Rev. Leo Patalinghug, Author of Grace Before Meals

Don't miss the Fat Tuesday book giveaway

From my post at OSV Daily Take today. Follow the link at the end of this post to leave a comment and enter the book giveaway.

Paula Huston’s beautiful new book, Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit, is so much more than spiritual reading for one particular season. With its daily meditations, practical exercises, and gentle guidance, I know this book will be one I pull out not only during each Lenten season but any time I feel spiritually “stuck” and in need of something to jump start my prayer life.

Maybe it’s because so many of the daily activities remind me of things I’ve tried at different points along my journey -- making a meal from “stored or forgotten items,” spending time in solitude and silence, turning off the cell phone or TV, learning to do the Examen. Maybe it’s because I'm intrigued by suggestions I hadn’t yet considered or tried -- sleeping on the floor for a night or covering the mirrors for a day. And maybe it’s because Paula reminds readers that her book of Lenten practices does not include Sundays, days typically set aside as celebrations of the resurrection in miniature. Do you know how many times I’ve had to argue that point with people who insist the Sundays “count”?

Here’s a brief excerpt from Paula’s introduction:

“The beauty of the Lenten season is that it encourages the development of a humble heart. In Lent, we are invited to look deeply inside, identify what is impeding our ability to follow Christ along the way of humility, and begin applying antidotes...Simplifying the Soul is meant to aid you in this process...My prayer for you as you begin this retreat is that, first of all, you enter into it with the right spirit. This book is not meant to be a spiritual version of the Girl Scout honor badge program, and if you look upon it as a handbook for self-improvement, you’ll more likely become frustrated and disappointed. Instead, think of it as an invitation to self-knowledge and as a small step in liberation from destructive complicatedness -- that is, from sin.”

And here’s a snippet from Ash Wednesday, with its focus on clearing out a junk drawer or closet, so you can get started while you wait for your book to arrive:

A junk drawer is the classic repository for what we are meant to leave behind. Not only does it symbolize our histories, but it also reveals the speed at which we lived through them: how did a sunflower seed wind up among the rubber bands and old corks, and this seventy-five-year-old baptismal gown stuffed into a brown paper sack?

When we clear out a junk drawer for Lent, we are in some small way dealing with the detritus of breathless hurry and our corresponding inability to focus. We are beginning to tear through the sticky web that binds us to our past: not only to the fine and happy times, the poignant seasons of growth and change, but also to the tears we once shed, the idols we once worshiped, the myths we once believed, and the lies we once told ourselves.

If you’re hungry for more, enter our book giveaway and you just might win a copy of Simplifying the Soul (Ave Maria Press, $14.95). Leave a comment at OSV Daily Take by clicking HERE. Share what you’ll be doing as a spiritual practice this Lent, and we’ll pick one winner at random. (My kids will be picking a name from a hat. Very scientific.)

Happy Fat Tuesday, and blessings as you begin the journey through Lent.

Join me for Theology on Tap tonight!

Attention all New York Capital Region readers:

I'll be talking about spiritual friendship at Theology on Tap at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Jan. 19) at The Orchard Tavern on North Manning Boulevard in Albany. Please come by, grab a drink, and stay for the short talk and discussion.

The talk is based on my book Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship (Ave Maria Press, 2010).

See you at the Tavern...

Manic Monday: Returning to 'normal' life

Our Christmas tree came down last night, along with the rest of the decorations. The magi hardly had time to settle down in front of the creche when I shipped them off to the basement. Such is the end of the season, at least around here. By this time of year, I'm ready to return to ordinary time and Ordinary Time.

So here's what's on tap on this Manic Monday...

The above YouTube clip is a follow-up to last week's 'Twinkle' post. Someone captured the kids playing at Mary Jane's funeral. (Thanks, Pam, for sending that to me.) When the clip is rolling, Olivia happens to be visible on and off over on the left in the cream-colored top.

Bookshelf: I'm reading about a dozen different books all at once as research for the two books I'm writing, but there's one that stands out right now, a recommendation from a Facebook friend. It's called Listening Below the Noise: A Meditation on the Practice of Silence by Anne D. LeClaire. Loving it so far. Here's one piece that resonated with me because I have experienced it so powerfully myself:

"Over the years I had prepared meals in quiet rooms, in accidental silence, as I would later come to call it, but I was discovering that intentional silence brought a focus to everything. Ordinary acts -- measuring oats and water, chopping walnuts, scooping out a handful of raisins, stirring oatmeal -- were transformed into meditations simply by the attention stillness brought to the tasks. Later, scrubbing out the gummy saucepan, I found unexpected pleasure in this simple job. I was experiencing what Buddhists have always taught: Silence, along with the attention it fosters, is our anchor to the present, to the here and now."

Perfect. Today when I make my silent oatmeal, as I do each weekday, I will do so with those words ringing (silently, of course) in my head, reminding me that this practice of still, slow eating truly does allow me to bring a depth and calmness to my day that is absent when I skip this favorite ritual. My meditative breakfast has become, without question, one of my best prayer moments of any day.

Soundtrack: Dreamland by Madeleine Peyroux, something Dennis discovered on The Coffee House on Sirius. A bunch of it's in French. Very cool. Check it out.

Viewfinder: Below is a shot of my Christmas gifts, or most of them, collected on the dining room table. Makes you wonder if perhaps I'm planning to open a monastery or a retreat center. We've got prayer flags up front; the official Abbey Psalter from the Abbey of the Genesee; Yoga Prayer DVD by Father Thomas Ryan, CSP; Landscapes of Prayer: Finding God in Your World and Your Life by Margaret Silf; a cross candle holder; a Himalayan singing bowl; incense, lots of it; a tea set with Zen tea. I did get some other goodies that had nothing to do with prayer or spirituality, like the Midnight in Paris DVD and a flameless candle, although that last one borders on spiritual, too, doesn't it?

My Christmas bounty.

The lovely Abbey Psalter.

Visiting my grandmother, who turned 99 on New Year's Day.

Birthday boy.

Manic Monday: Halloween edition

It's a Manic Halloween Monday. Boo! Guess I should go out and buy some candy, not that any trick-or-treaters ever ring our doorbell. Seriously. Not. One. Kid. Still, I feel woefully unprepared if I don't have some real candy on hand -- Kit Kats, Hershey bars. The real deal. Our former pastor gave us a bag of Tootsie Rolls and Dots, which would do in a pinch, but we all know that those can't hold a candle to chocolate.

So, other than Halloween, here's what's going on...


Bookshelf: I just finished Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, What an awesome and inspiring book. I could not put it down. Well, I had to put it down, but I grabbed it every chance I got. If you have not read this book yet, go get it and start reading. Now. The power of the human spirit to survive in the face of the most unbelievable treatment and torture is beyond comprehension.


Soundtrack: We've been kind of busy, so it's been kind of quiet. Olivia just got her new iPod Touch, so she's been testing it out with her favorites. But every night, as I go to bed, I can hear Mozart softly playing on continuous loop from her bedroom. That's been her routine for months, maybe a full year. I wonder if that's contributing to those stellar grades she's getting in every subject.

Viewfinder:

From a distance, our front porch looks lovely, with the cornstalk and hay bale decorations. Pumpkins and gourds and corn, oh my.

On closer inspection, we see the damage the squirrels have been doing to the pumpkins. So much for pie.

Then there's the Indian corn, completely decimated by the chipmunks, who hang there in plain sight, nibbling to their hearts' content. That last ear of corn is just about finished at this point.

Friday night was the Costume Ball for Olivia the Vampiress,
and Halloween Happenings for Rapunzel.

Look up. It's fall.

Look down. It's winter. Although we were spared the worst.

Odds and Ends: This will be the first year Noah doesn't don a costume and go out on Halloween night. Makes me feel old. Although he did dress up as Maximilian Kolbe at our parish youth ministry's All Saints party last night.

Tomorrow I get to participate in Parent Reader Theater in Chiara's classroom. I'll be reading Falling for Rapunzel, which not only ties in with Chiara's Halloween theme but is also a really funny children's book. A favorite of mine.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., I will be signing/selling all four of my books at the St. Thomas Craft Fair in St. Thomas School, Delmar. Look for me to the left of the entrance when you walk into the gymansium. Tell your friends. Walking Together, my book on spiritual friendship, makes a great Christmas gift. My Essential Guide to Prayer and the Mass is a great resource as we change over to the new translation of the Roman Missal. And then there's my Complete Idiot's Guide to the Catholic Catechism, which walks you through the entire catechism in plain English, and Parenting a Grieving Child, which focuses on how to help children deal with death and loss. Look over on the left of this page for Amazon links for all of these books. Or contact me directly for signed copies.

Manic Monday: It may not be pretty, but it's life

It really is a manic Monday, no way around it. It was a pretty manic Saturday and Sunday to be honest. Just one thing after another. So as I ponder my usual Manic Monday posting topics, I realize life has simply taken over everything else that I normally squeeze into a week.

As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." And life is definitely happening these days.

Bookshelf: (See photo of my office below) As you can see in the very scary shot of my office, or half of my office, most of my bookshelf is on my floor. Not a whole lot of reading getting done here lately, at least not novel-type reading. Bits and pieces of all sorts of other stuff related to cooking, eating, praying, exercising, writing. Which is really not a bad combo now that I look at it. I guess I'm pretty lucky that even my work involves such fun topics. If you were to zoom in on some of those books on the floor, you'd find The Rule of St. Benedict, the Sivenanda Companion to Yoga, and the Artist's Way, among other things.

Soundtrack: Hmmm...In the car, I'm tuned to K-LOVE, which is Christian music. At home, it's mainly Gregorian Chant, with some occasional forays into jazz during the day. On the family soundtrack this weekend, we had Frank Sinatra, U2, and some selections from Guys & Dolls (for Olivia's audition this week). Quite an eclectic mix, no?

Viewfinder:

Olivia takes to the ice at YMCA.

No fear.

Only Chiara's second time on ice skates.

Determination.

What greeted me when I went to the basement to do laundry this morning. Apparently this crew is headed to the airport for their flight to Paris. Barbie is living the good life.

And then there's real life. My office, which does not usually look this bad. It's a sign of things to come. Many, many months of intensity. I'll fill you in as we go along. But, no matter how crazy it's going to be, in the end it's all good. Right? RIGHT!?!?!

Appointment Book: We break up the usual meetings, deadlines, and general insanity with a Daisy trip to Five Rivers this evening. In other words, a very specific type of insanity. Nine 6-year-olds on a nature trail near a big pond. No problem.

Manic Monday: Pumpkins and other fall fun

So I've been rather scarce around these parts lately. Sorry about that. Typically that means one of two things: Too much work or too much kid-related stuff. In recent days, the two have converged to make life totally crazy.

Between deadlines, soccer practice, soccer games, dance classes, meetings and fund-raisers for our big youth ministry trip to Indiana next month, plus the usual school events, it's been more than hectic. And, truth be told, I've got two big projects in the offing. Shhhh....can't say much about them now. But if both come through, the next year should be the craziest year ever for me in terms of work. I'll keep you posted as that situation develops. Until then, please be patient with me and keep checking back here. I promise to show up as often as I can.

Without further ado, here's this week's Manic Monday...

Soundtrack: It's been quieter than usual around here. The kids haven't been blasting much music this week. I guess because we're just not here enough to be singing and dancing. As for me, I've been keeping Pandora on my work computer tuned to my Gregorian chant channel. I needed music to soothe and inspire while not tempting me to sing along. So a little chant and a lot of incense have kept me in line while I write.

Bookshelf: Believe it or not, I am just finishing up Genesee Diary. I've been reading a little before bed each night. Usually I find some pearl of wisdom to contemplate as I drift off to sleep. I did dip my toes into Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, but I'm not sure I should undertake such a heavy book when I know I'll have so little time for luxury reading in the weeks and months to come.

Viewfinder: Well, first of all, let's talk viewfinder in general. I finally started shooting with my new Nikon 3100 SLR digital camera. Dennis and the kids gave it to me for my birthday last month -- after years of listening to me whine about our point-and-shoot while constantly mentioning how much I wanted this particular camera. Then, once I got it, I said I was going to bring it back. I didn't think I could justify the expense. I didn't think I deserved the extravagance. I let it sit unopened next to the door in our family room for more than a week. Finally, tentatively, I opened the box and peered inside, thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to keep that camera. And I did.

I took it out this weekend for some pumpkin picking shots and other random outdoor photos. Here are a few photos from the new camera. Still haven't given the zoom lens much of a workout. Maybe you'll see those next week. Click on any photo to see it enlarged.

A bumble bee taken with the macro setting.

Chiara in mid-jump thanks to the sport setting.

Olivia taken with the portrait setting.


Cross in the garden with toad lilies.

Chiara trying to catch a yellow butterfly.


Pumpkins galore, on landscape setting.


The great pumpkin?

Menu: The menu around here as been dullsville. Hence, no Foodie Friday posts lately. I'm joining Dennis for a bout of Weight Watchers. I didn't officially join, but I'm tracking those stupid points and not very happy about it. Lots of fruits and veggies, which now cost no points, but not much else worth mentioning. Oatmeal and brown rice might as well be cheesecake on this new point system, which I hate. If I was going to write about food, I'd tell you about the hot cider donuts we bought at the farm yesterday. The kids said they were the best they've ever tasted. Not surprising since we got them within minutes of them coming out of the farmhouse kitchen. Two weeks in a row we've bought cider donuts and I've yet to have one. So if you're out at a farm in the coming weeks, eat a cider donut for me, please.

Appointment book: Busy week ahead. Again. Faith formation, dance, ice skating, soccer, parent meeting for high school. Oh yeah, and I'm speaking at St. Thomas on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood. I'll be discussing spiritual friendship.