Call me a music snob

But if there are two phrases that should never ever ever ever ever ever appear together in the world of sacred music (or indeed any world known to God or man), they are "Kenny G." and "Ave Maria." There are simply some instruments that should not be used for Marian hymns and this is one of them. A thousand times, NO.

I should not even be posting this video, but we must remember that Advent calls for some penance as well as rejoicing and whatnot. I dare you to see how long you can listen before your eardrums start bleeding.


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This guy will get to heaven before I do.

Because he's using his talents. I honestly wish I had this much enthusiasm for cooking, homeschooling and writing. Your morning cup of awesome.


Thanks to Miss P #5 who sent me the link.
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O Adonai

O Lord of Israel

Isaias 11:4-5
But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity the meek of the earth: and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. And justice shall be the girdle of his loins: and faith the girdle of his reins. 

Isaias 33:22
For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king: he will save us.

I'm a little late posting, because our internet was knocked out all day. Power blips will do that for some reason. Also, I was ferrying Miss P #5 to and fro a final exam at the local high school, and also doing laundry, and also baking Buttermilk Bread, and dinner rolls and sticky cinnamon buns (tried a Lazy Man's version today--will report if it turns out; if not, we will never speak of it again).
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O Sapientia

O Wisdom

The countdown to Christmas Eve has begun! Today we pray the first of the O Antiphons. Read more about them here. Let us now listen to this beautiful rendition of Veni, veni Emmanuel by the King's Singers:


I love these guys; their Christmas album (on which this is the first track) is fabulous.


Isaias 11:2-3
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord, He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.

Isaias 28:29

This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.

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I wonder if John Lennon had any possessions

I imagine he did.

His widow (the second one) is reportedly worth $500 million. I see that I missed the anniversary of his death, Dec. 8. Oh well, it's never too late to pray for the repose of his soul.

It's not easy, but you have to try.

"despite the millions John was making, he kept Cynthia and Julian on a financially-tight leash — they got an allowance of £2,400 a year in maintenance until his death. 

Things got worse when John was murdered and Julian was just 17.

After John divorced Cynthia he kept her and Julian on a financially-tight leash

For Julian wasn’t named in John’s will and it took him 16 years — and the threat of a prolonged court case — to persuade Yoko to hand over any of the Beatles’s millions."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2057764/John-Lennons-son-Julian-fears-Yoko-Ono-Paul-McCartney-trying-obliterate-history.html#ixzz3MBOe1JnB
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Just so we're all on the same page

Christ is the Prince of Peace, and there can be peace only by embracing the Judeo-Christian definition of peace. Sorry, but that's the truth. And there is only one Truth. (See above.)

"When negotiating peace with other cultures it’s a good idea to make sure that the words you are using mean the same thing."  Daniel Greenfield. Read it all. 
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The Fit Files: Major Update

Oh my, where do I begin? Some of you may know that I had a heart-health scare in the fall of 2013. (Here's a link to the archived column I wrote about it in the Australian Catholic newspaper The Record --paper verison, R.I.P.; it's entirely online now.) Recap: my family has a history of heart disease, so I was ordered to undergo a stress test before some routine surgery. I flunked it.

"Space" is a relative thing

OK, now I just feel silly for so often complaining that my house isn't big enough.



Of course, you couldn't raise 7 kids here. But it gives one hope that it is possible to live well, even if you don't own a McMansion. 

Like that kid said in that movie

They're baaaaaaaaaaack. The Dumb Old Housewives are blogging again. More to follow (we hope).