Author Archives: michellereitemeyer

11.08.06
by

Time for prayer

A few days ago, I began mulling the need to pray extra hard for a particular prayer intention. This special intention would be a long-term prayer commitment, and I thought that a daily rosary would be the best way to do it. It’s a serious matter, and really needs the weight of many many rosaries to be offered up.

I don’t pray the rosary daily. I have tried many times to commit to this. I know that world peace (and the liberation of Russia!) hangs on my daily rosary, and I am ready to have the whole war in Afghanistan and Iraq blamed on my failure to do it. It’s all my fault – and yours too, if you don’t pray the rosary daily. If only we all prayed the rosary daily, there would be no war, right? As my husband once said when pondering all the many chaplets and prayers that one could say daily plus daily Mass and other sacrifices one could make for the salvation of one’s own soul: if you spend that much time in prayer, you would most certainly go straight to Heaven, since you would have no time to commit any sin. But I digress. And my particular intention is not world peace, although that is certainly a lofty goal and does happen to be in my daily prayers as a matter of routine.

In the back of my head is this desire to pray the rosary daily and an internal argument with myself about the practicality of this commitment. And so I sat while I ate my lunch and happened across this discussion at Danielle Bean’s website about making time for prayer. I’m not too happy with some attitudes in some of the comments: some people seem to condemn those of us who aren’t spending hours a day in formal prayer, and some people seem very willing to forgo formal prayer as impossible. Neither attitude is particularly helpful to those of us struggling with this issue and seeking ideas on how to improve.

And then I read one comment: who doesn’t have the time to offer up a 15 minute rosary? Holy cow, I thought, a 15 minute rosary? How do you say a rosary in 15 minutes? I try hard to be reverent, to really meditate on the mysteries and imagine the sights and sounds, to conjure the emotions I would have felt had I been there and the significance of the event. It takes me 20 to 25 minutes to say a rosary! I rarely have that much time to myself, except when the kids are sleeping. And if the kids are sleeping, and I sit quietly for a few minutes, I am at serious risk of falling asleep myself!

And then I realized my mistake: I’m trying to say the perfect rosary. Without practice. Even after 10 months of running, I can’t run a mile in 9 minutes (or 2 miles in under 19 minutes), but I don’t expect to do so. In running, I seek daily improvements, always challenging myself, but never setting unrealistic goals. Why would I expect my prayer life to be any different? How can I expect to achieve 30 minutes of serious meditation if I haven’t tried to do 10?

And so, I finished my sandwich and went to my room. It was a good day to start a rosary for my special intention. Pete was napping, and Jenny had also fallen asleep on our way back from voting. The other kids were getting their daily dose of TV, and I had 15 minutes until the show was over and we’d be back to the school grindstone. I quickly lisped out a rosary in the quiet of my bedroom. I prayed fast and it only took me 11 minutes. No, it wasn’t perfect. But I was able to focus better on the mysteries (since I only spent 90 seconds on each one), and I did complete the entire thing without dozing off – a miracle in and of itself.

Is perfectionism holding you back from a more fulfilled prayer life? Consider joining me in a daily rosary if you don’t already. World peace (and the liberation of Russia!) depends on it.

11.08.06
by

Jesse Tree

Advent is coming faster than you can blink. I almost always scramble every first Sunday of Advent getting the Advent wreath out and trying to find candles. Today, I am going to make sure that I have everything I need to avoid the unholy scene that will unfold without proper planning.

Yesterday we received another Leaflet Missal catalog. I love this company, but don’t know why they have to send us another catalog every 3 weeks, especially when I don’t often have a chance to sit down and peruse it! I literally dropped my jaw when I saw this Jesse Tree project. YEARS ago I made my own very very similar Jesse Tree. So similar in fact that I am highly suspicious of which friend may have told which person about it and turned it into this project. My Jesse Tree is a banner with a green felt Christmas tree on a dark blue starry background. But my symbols were photocopied from a book, colored by my little kids, and mounted on felt. These symbols are beautiful! I really think I’m going to ditch my homemade one for this one, at least to replace the symbols (seriously, a few of the symbols were colored by the 3 and under crowd – you can hardly see the symbol under the scribble!).

If you’ve never done a Jesse Tree, I highly recommend it, and this kit is good for those who don’t have the space for a three-dimensional tree (often a bare tree branch is used to hang ornaments). I truly believe that we each, every day, have chances to say “Yes!” to God, to offer Him our own Fiat. The Jesse Tree uses symbols to represent people who also offered their Fiat to God: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Ruth, Daniel, and, of course, the perfect Fiat of Mary. I like to use the Jesse Tree as another countdown to Christmas, adding one more symbol every day. It gives us a chance to read some great stories from the Old Testament and to ponder anew the magnificent Divine plan for our salvation.

11.07.06
by

Reunion

The kids couldn’t stand the idea of a photo being taken without them in it. Even this head shot of us had Pete standing on a chair right next to me.

Pat and Jenny.

Bob and Gina.

I realize that many women who read this blog are, like me, Catholic homeschool mothers of many. At the risk of offending you by stereotyping, conjure in your mind an image of what a Catholic homeschool mother of many looks like. The first adjective that springs to my mind is dowdy. I see glasses, long hair pulled back, long skirt or jumper (denim, of course), and sensible flats. And, except for the jumper (which Bill has strictly forbidden), I think I’m looking in a mirror! So I tried hard to not look that part. Check out that skirt: you can see my calves! Whoa! That’s practically a mini! And those shoes? Can you tell? They’re flimsy little strappy ones. A reflection of my inner wild child, I tell you!

I must have done a good job of projecting a more polished image than usual; most people were suitably shocked when we said we had 5 kids and homeschooled. Keep in mind that my husband attended a Catholic high school. I don’t think anyone else there had more than three kids. Sad.

I think Bill had a good time. Too late, but in preparation for the 25th, Jenny and I plotted amusing scenarios such as pretending to be someone from the class (or better yet, maybe a younger classmate) or suggesting that we come to the reunion with each other’s spouses and then leave with our own (in an attempt to create scandal). It sounds funny…but maybe next time, Jenny and I will stay home while the boys go. I don’t mind that Bill wants to attend, but I have serious doubts about ever attending one of my own. I just don’t know if I want to open up all those doors to safely locked memories…

11.06.06
by

In brief…

This morning I’ve got to get the dog from the vet who boarded her this weekend and shop for 3″ wide white fluff and 1″ wide gray velcro. And do school…

I’ll post some photos later and recap the weekend and the reunion.

For now, if you’ve already been to Danielle Bean’s website, you’ve seen these already. If not, here are two must-see links:

The Second Catholic Homeschool Carnival. This will be absorbing any free time I have today.

Children of God For Life’s FDA Alert: The FDA wants the public’s opinion about the use of aborted fetal cells being used in vaccines. Most states are mandating the chicken pox vaccine, but the only one available was made from aborted fetuses. Most doctors use the MMR vaccine, which also was made from aborted fetuses. Unless we speak up, there will continue to be no moral alternative to these vaccines. If you’ve ever resisted giving your child one of these vaccines, you know how much pressure and guilt is applied to parents to go against their conscience. I don’t want my child to suffer these dreadful diseases either, but a moral stand is a moral stand, and sometimes the consequences of a moral stand are unpleasant in this world. Here’s a chance to tell the government exactly what we think about corporations like Merck who have little to no regard for the moral sensibilities of those subjected to the laws their PACS successfully lobby to enact. Send the FDA a letter TODAY!!!!!

11.02.06
by

Road Trips and Reunions

Tomorrow morning the kids and I are heading to Pennsylvania to visit with a good friend. I’m excited because the last dozen times I’ve seen her, it seemed I would have a hasty cup of coffee and then run out to take care of my rental property while she babysat my kids. Then I’d come back to her house, grab a quick meal, gather the kids and leave. Not much fun (for either of us!). Thank goodness, she is a real true good friend who doesn’t mind too much being abused like that. And her kids are good friends with my kids, so they had fun.

This time, we’re sleeping at her house, and there’s no rushing around to other places. At some point, surely, the kids will all be sleeping, and we might enjoy an hour of uninterrupted conversation. Surely.

Saturday morning, we’ll head out and pick Bill up at the train station. We do have to take care of some rental property business, but hopefully this won’t take too long. We’ll go over to Bill’s parents’ house and visit for a bit. Bill’s parents will watch the kids while we get together with friends at a bar in New Jersey. Then we’ll all head over to Bill’s and his buddies’ 20th high school reunion.

Bill and I went to his 10th reunion. We had been married just over a year and had no kids. It will be interesting to see if anyone has changed as much as we have! The reunion is just a buffet reception at a local hotel, but the best part will surely be the pre-reunion private party with old friends. I really like the one friend’s wife, and I’ll get to meet the other friend’s girlfriend.

A few days ago, we also received information about Bill’s 15th college reunion.

{I’ll interrupt myself quickly to explain that Bill did not begin college immediately upon graduation from high school. He procrastinated drifted aimlessly took his time and made a deliberate and thoughtful college selection. It’s a good thing too, because had he started college when he was 18, I’m certain some other intelligent, attractive young co-ed would have scooped him up before I found him.}

Our college hosts all the reunions at the same time. Each different class has their own private parties, but lots of activities are done all together. For example, there is a big reunion parade for all alumni and their families through the small town where the college is located. Afterward, there are various activities on the campus with each class doing their own thing. The reunion letter highlighted pong as one of the fun events for the Class of 1992. Just in case you didn’t attend a big party school, pong is ping pong but with beer and the object being to get as drunk as possible.

I suggested to Bill that we wait until his 20th reunion to see if perhaps his classmates had grown up any by then. We laugh at our quarterly alumni newsletter where classmates announce the happy news of their engagement or marriage or perhaps the birth of their first child. We’re so far removed from those “new beginnings” days. I seriously think it may be another decade before we and these peers can meet on similar ground.

It certainly will be interesting to find out.

11.02.06
by

(Un)Holy Day of Obligation

This morning I soooo wanted to start attending daily Mass daily just so when my kids complained that “We have to go to Mass every day,” it would be true.

And then I went to Mass and remembered again exactly why I don’t go to daily Mass daily. Yes, I suppose if I did it more often the kids would be better behaved. That’s a theory that I fear would require much accumulated time in Purgatory to prove or disprove. You see, for every grace obtained by attending Mass and receiving Communion, I blow it by spending the entire time committing venial sins. Can one truly find God while plotting to murder one’s progeny? When life imprisonment begins to sound appealing (benefit #1: no kids, benefit #2: I’m willing to bet that many prisons have daily Mass), you have to seriously consider the cost/benefit of going to Mass with kids.

Since today was a Holy Day of Obligation, I have no problem with obeying that directive. I feel that my act of compliance out of love of God and Church outweighs any discomfort, embarrassment or distractions I suffered for the 45 minutes. But most days are not days of obligation, and to attend Mass tomorrow, for example, would be an act of insanity, I believe. Perhaps in a few years I’ll be able and willing to torment my children, as they now torment me, by truly going to Mass every day. Paybacks are unpleasant. But, for now, I’ll tough it out on Sundays and leave the rest of the days to obtain God’s graces in some other way.

11.01.06
by

New Month’s Resolution for November

Ah, a new month. A fresh start in some small aspect of my life.

A few weeks ago, my sister proposed a novel writing challenge as my November resolution. I guess it’s a big thing. The objective: to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of November. Here are some FAQs, if you seem inclined (you can sign up to participate through the end of November). Some of my favorite quotes off their website:

Can anyone participate in NaNoWriMo? No. People who take their writing (and themselves) very seriously should probably go elsewhere. Everyone else, though, is warmly welcomed.

If I’m just writing 50,000 words of crap, why bother? Why not just write a real novel later, when I have more time?

There are three reasons.

1) If you don’t do it now, you probably never will. Novel writing is mostly a “one day” event. As in “One day, I’d like to write a novel.” {snip}

2) Aiming low is the best way to succeed. With entry-level novel writing, shooting for the moon is the surest way to get nowhere. With high expectations, everything you write will sound cheesy and awkward. {snip}

3) Art for art’s sake does wonderful things to you. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you want to take naps and go places wearing funny pants. Doing something just for the hell of it is a wonderful antidote to all the chores and “must-dos” of daily life. Writing a novel in a month is both exhilarating and stupid, and we would all do well to invite a little more spontaneous stupidity into our lives.

And I can no longer find it, but there was something earlier on their website about doing it because randomly quoting your own novel at parties is so much fun.

Well, I was all ready to jump on the NaNoWriMo bandwagon, but Barb, the big mistake you made was giving me too much time to think about it! I started thinking about all the other things I planned to do this month, and quickly decided that this November was not a good month to try to carve out free time. First off, I need to get production going on camouflage Christmas stockings. And secondly, I had set aside the week before Thanksgiving to try to figure out how I was going to make this dress for my niece’s First Holy Communion using my sister’s wedding dress.

So this month’s resolution is to get all my sewing projects completed! That’s a challenge enough. I am flattered, though, that I have inspired others to think about new month’s resolutions (even to the point of them recommending one to me!). I see that Jennie has already listed her new month’s resolutions (see her sidebar), and did get all of her October resolutions done! If you want to know what the new months’ resolutions are all about, check out my July post. And if you want to see what other things I’ve done, well, there’s this handy dandy “post label” thing now and all you have to do is click on “New Month’s Resolutions” at the bottom of this post, and all related posts will come up! Cool!

Let me know if you decide to do a new month’s resolution. And if you take on the NaNoWriMo challenge, please let me know that too!

10.31.06
by

Reduce, reuse and recycle (Part Seven)

This is my last post on this topic since it’s the end of the month. Tomorrow, I’ll go back to being extravagant and wasteful! (sarcasm)

I live in military housing. Currently at this post, we do not pay for our electricity. It’s free! There is talk, and some posts have begun the process, of implementing a system whereby our electrical consumption would be monitored, a baseline would be established, and those who exceeded the baseline would have to pay for their excesses (those who went under the baseline would get a cash reward as well). This sounds reasonable, but change is never welcomed by the masses, and the protests (including legal ones) have been slowing the changeover.

This is my first experience ever with military housing. Two years ago, I lived in a house I owned in the real world. I had gas heat. I had no central air (just two window units). I paid for electricity, gas, water, and sewer. I dressed lightly (and still sweated) in the summer, and dressed warmly (and still shivered) in the winter. We turned off lights. We used blankets. We went to other people’s houses on really hot days!

I must confess that this past summer (and the summer before), I reveled in the cool of my air conditioned house, and I didn’t care how much energy it took to keep it at a reasonably refreshing temperature. Why should I? It’s free!

Well, that’s not entirely true. I did try to be responsible. If I wasn’t going to be home for a few hours, I would turn the A/C off (or set it at a higher temp). I would try to open the windows, especially in the spring and fall when the night temps dipped low enough to cool the house. Frequently, I have lain in bed at night with my windows wide open to the sound of the crickets…and the sound of all my neighbors’ A/C units kicking on.

One warm day a few weeks ago, I had a nice breeze coming in the open windows, and I heard my neighbor’s A/C unit kick on. It was the middle of the day. The temperature was around 70 degrees. There was nobody home next door (between work and school).

It really ticks me off. And it’s why I’m in full support of the whole baseline electrical consumption thing. There is no other way to get people to conserve energy (short of a gun to the head!). Even I, who don’t like to waste energy (it’s been ingrained in me from my youth to turn off lights, close the door (we’re not heating the backyard, you know!), and pay attention to how I use electricity), can easily get lazy about it. I forget to turn the heat down before going to bed…I’m only going to be gone for an hour, so there’s no point in checking the whole house to see if all the lights are off…oh, the kids accidentally turned that outside light on; I’ll get it next time I’m in the garage.

According to most people, I should be in opposition to this plan. I stay at home. I homeschool. I have a big family. We use a lot of electricity.

I think we’ll be fine. I don’t expect to get any money back. But it might be fun trying!

These new houses have programmable thermostats. I had one of those in my last house, and they’re great. I couldn’t figure this one out, though, so for months, it’s been unused. Last night, I was at a neighbor’s house, and I saw the directions to her thermostat still tucked behind it on the wall (ours came like that too, but I loaned them out to someone else and never got them back – and then they moved away!). I borrowed it, and finally was able to program my thermostat! Hooray!