Black Forest Musings

Re-visiting Saints by the Month

Fran — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:13:59 +0000

OK. So I am starting on my first resolution for 2012–that is, to do a bit more blogging and update my Saint Movie recommendations monthly. The movies are good for family viewing and can be used as part of the homeschooling curriculum.

In 2008, I could only find a couple of saint movies for the month of January. To the movies about St. John Bosco is now to be added The Dreams of Don Bosco featuring Doug Barry of Radix fame. The feast of St. John Bosco is January 31. Be sure to invoke his intercession for editors and those who work with young boys on this day.

The feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is on January 4. A recent movie called Time for Miracles tells the story of a wealthy American woman who was reduced to poverty when her husband died of tuberculosis in 1803. She converted to Catholicism and shocked her society friends as well as her family by doing so. Nevertheless, she forged ahead and founded the American Sisters of Charity, the first American parochial school and left a legacy of hospitals and orphanages, as well as over 20 communities of nuns around the country. This “can-do” woman is a model for all Catholic women, as she shows us what can be done, no matter what the odds are against us. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is the patroness of many causes: against problems with in-laws, against the death of children and parents, for people ridiculed for their piety, and for widows. She is a good advocate for teachers and homeschool parents because she was so dedicated to the education of children.

Following the feast of St. Elizabeth Seton is, of course, the Feast of the Epiphany when we commemorate the visit of the three wise men to the Christ Child. The Fourth Wise Man, while not one of the three, represents all of us and our journey to the Christ Child, no matter how long it takes.

Buying local

Fran — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 15:23:40 +0000

I have made a commitment to buying local whenever I can and to supporting American business whenever possible. I try to avoid buying Chinese, though I often fall short because I can’t find American or European made products. So much of what is in the stores is produced in countries which are theoretically enemies of America.

Recently I have had two experiences which have backfired. I found an alternative American source for a product we sell to replace an item that we discovered was being made in China. We contracted for the product to be made with our company logo and felt good about “buying American.” We told the manufacturer that he was chosen because he is American and we wanted to support American business. And then the products came–many of them were defective. He gave us all kinds of excuses and said that the defects are not serious enough to do them over. He also told me that we are the only customers who have ever complained about the quality. They were, in fact so bad that we couldn’t sell many of them. His attitude was just plain awful and the fact that we chose him because his business is American didn’t faze him. In fact he got just plain rude when I told him the quality was inferior to the Chinese ones we were replacing. We won’t be doing business with him anymore.

The second instance was with a local business. I mean real local. I live in the country and chose a jeweler who is nearby to fix a ring. The fix didn’t last so I returned the ring to the jeweler. When I went to pick it up, she tried to charge me again for the repair. I told her that I wasn’t expecting to have to pay again for a repair that had just been done in her establishment, and her response as she waved the back of her hand at me was “OK, just take it.” I can’t put her tone of voice in writing, but trust me, it wasn’t friendly. I won’t be doing business with her again.

Is business so good that small companies as well as American manufacturers can treat their customers so poorly? Or is this part of the loss of civility we are all experiencing in today’s post-modern America? I am puzzled by it.

I will continue to buy local and American when I can, but I won’t support businesses that treat customers with contempt. Those enterprises deserve to fail. After all, who provides their paychecks but their customers?

Thoughts on hospitality

Fran — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 13:33:15 +0000

My friend Amanda posted this on Facebook rather than on her blog, so I have pasted it here for people to see. I have thought about the decline in hospitality over the years and think we are much poorer as a society as a result. Amanda said it beautifully.

Hospitality Regrets

by Amanda Johnson Free on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 3:17pm

Who doesn’t appreciate another’s hospitality? How many of us are commonly hospitable? We all know there is a talent for it that some have. A gift of throwing the perfect party, of a generous spirit with a gracious and expectant hope that others will be blessed. Yet, all those who are in the body of Christ are encouraged to be aware of those around us, serving, sacrificial and hospitable.

Last night I attended a party thrown by a woman who is my parent’s age. I didn’t realize the plans she had! Crystal, silver, china as well as the guests names were set at places with gifts. A menu was planned and games were so organized that she matched playing mallets to colored and numbered buttons for her guests to wear. The winner of the games were given choices of necklaces, bracelets, and rings to enjoy. Dessert was cheesecake with berries, chocolate and other toppings. Conversation was lively and the guests who attended were fun and wise.

What, then, was to regret? The table set had perhaps ten place settings, adorned with names of desired company and gifts. Only half the ladies who were committed to going were there. Those missings had their titles proudly displayed at the head of their plates but the plates did not have the smiling faces behind them.

I have seen an attitude prevelent among people my age and younger. The situation at this woman’s party is not rare. I have no problem inviting 100 people to my parties, knowing only 20 will come whether their RSVP was ‘yes’ or ‘no’. No doubt I have exhibited it myself: selfishness in the extreme. Why do we not follow through with commitments? So many reasons! We think our presence is so important and desired that to tell a person who would like to bless us (or even who we might pity) ”No, I’m busy (otherwise committed or even need to stay home that night)” would crush their delicate spirit. We want to keep ALL doors open until the last two minutes so we can choose what most suits our tastebuds at that moment. And more. We’re so used to being catered to and taken care of and made-up for by friends and especially family, that we have no thought of other’s investment and sacrifice. We do not see the importance of recieving grace faithfully, allowing others to express it in their service and love and devotion to the all gracious Lord.

Let me tell you what the consequence was for you who missed:

A decision by the hostess to NOT include women of your/my age bracket again. So, not only did you miss out on a wonderful night but you have created a spirit of discouragement, a spirit who no longer desires to serve you and who will no longer bless others in the future because your lack of ability to either recieve a blessings or respond with a polite ‘no’. You cost her quite a lot of money as she invested in the food and the gifts to serve you. You cost her a lot of time and hard work as she neglected other responsibilities to clean and prepare for a night to spoil you.

May this be a reminder to me, who is guilty of this too often. And may I say “Thank you so much”.

Let me encourage you to commit one way or the other to invitations, and requests for help, promptly so there is time for other parties to be invited if you decline, or for the host to invest and prepare. Let your yes be yes and your no, no.

Are you ready for Lent?

Fran — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 23:31:42 +0000

I was just telling my husband that I am going to become a souper Lenten cook this year, when voilà, this article came across my email. I am determined to do better with cooking more soups, and this is a great start for the upcoming season of fast, abstinence and penitence. Only these soups don’t seem too penitential….

If you try any of them, let me know what you think. Remember, Lent starts in just a few days with Ash Wednesday on March 9.

Beverly, Rest in Peace

Fran — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:15:02 +0000

Twenty years ago when Mike was a baby of about 7 months, we were sitting at Mass and Mike was amusing himself with my credit cards, putting them into and taking them out of the pocket for them in my purse. When Mass was over, I grabbed my purse and we started to leave when a voice behind me said “Ma’am, you forgot one of your cards.” I thanked her and she walked away. Thinking this woman looked like she needed a friend, I sent Rebekah after her to stop her so I could speak with her. That was the beginning of a 19-year acquaintance and association with this woman who had nobody in the world.

Her mother had just died and she was all alone—this 56-year –old woman who was working on the diploma she never managed to get at the time of her life when most young girls graduate from high school. She and her mother had been abandoned when Beverly was a girl, and Beverly was so distraught she never learned to read or write, drive a car, or cook a meal. So when her mother died, she was truly left alone and pretty helpless.

We started picking her up to take her to Mass and did that every week for a number of years. Then we changed parishes and she preferred to go to her own. We still saw her, though not as often, and had her over for holiday meals.

An accident at the restaurant where she worked led to an early retirement on disability, so the little contact she had with the world outside her tiny house was reduced even further. Beverly had her routines which she didn’t like interrupted, and an incident in her neighborhood caused her to change her phone number and have it unlisted.

I tried calling her only to discover that the number I had was no longer good, and she forgot to tell me she was now unlisted. So after several weeks of not seeing her, I went to her house to try to see her in person. Because of the way she lived, she never allowed anybody into her house. She didn’t answer the door, and I couldn’t get anybody in her neighborhood to answer either. They were all still hunkered down because of the neighborhood incident and wouldn’t open their doors to strangers. I always feared that Beverly would die or fall in her house and nobody would know, so that was my first thought when she didn’t answer the door, which, by the way, had a broken glass. So I called the police, and they went over and convinced her to open the door. They asked her if she knew me and she said yes. The told her to call me and let me know she was all right. She did so and she was incredulous that anybody would go to such lengths for her. After that, she called me every Wednesday evening at 6:00 sharp to check in.

We saw her on and off and then last year, we went to Dallas in March. I told her I would be gone for a couple of weeks so I wouldn’t be home to answer the phone. She forgot that, and while I was gone, she left me an angry message saying she would never speak to me again because I was ignoring her call. It took a while to convince her that I was not avoiding her, but she finally commenced calling me again. Things were never quite the same after that because she wanted to rehash my neglect of her by being gone, and a few months ago, she stopped calling me except irregularly. By this time, she was 75 years old.

A couple of months ago, I got a phone call from a stranger asking if I knew Beverly. I said I did but hadn’t heard from her in a few weeks. This person related that Beverly had died and she had just come from the funeral. The circumstances of her final days were appalling—she was alone in her house in bed and almost completely dehydrated. The police had to practically shovel through papers and vermin to get to her in the back bedroom. They called an ambulance which took her to the hospital where she died, with only a nurse in attendance. The police apparently found my phone number by her telephone and gave it to this person to call me.

The sad thing I learned from this phone call was that Beverly did have family, right here in town. They only surfaced after she died. She always told me we were her family.

I relate this story because if you know anybody who is alone, I would encourage you to keep tabs on him/her. And if you have an estranged relative or friend, try to find a way to heal that distance. Nobody should die alone, and you might be the one privileged to be the one to escort that person to the threshold where hopefully the angels will be waiting.

Beverly would have been 76 on Friday. Eternal rest grant to her, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon her.

Feminism’s Folly

Fran — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:55:15 +0000

This is a must read. Rebecca Walker, daughter of Alice Walker of The Color Purple book, exposes what life was like with a feminazi mother. It will curl your hair to realize just how radical and anti-family the feminist movement really is. We can only hope that reason will prevail and women will once again realize what a gift motherhood truly is and how important good mothering is to the entire society.

What is Catholic culture?

Fran — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:51:45 +0000

There is a lot of talk about reviving Catholic culture. But what is Catholic culture? We can’t even define it any more because it has been lost to the last couple of generations. This new series is worth watching.

Raising the hearts, minds and souls of those who behold art to God.

Boys and Reading

Fran — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:40:59 +0000

This is a must read from the Wall Street Journal if you either have sons, grandsons or nephews or know anybody who does. The bold sections are my emphasis.

When I was a young boy, America’s elite schools and universities were almost entirely reserved for males. That seems incredible now, in an era when headlines suggest that boys are largely unfit for the classroom. In particular, they can’t read.

According to a recent report from the Center on Education Policy, for example, substantially more boys than girls score below the proficiency level on the annual National Assessment of Educational Progress reading test. This disparity goes back to 1992, and in some states the percentage of boys proficient in reading is now more than ten points below that of girls. The male-female reading gap is found in every socio-economic and ethnic category, including the children of white, college-educated parents.

The good news is that influential people have noticed this problem. The bad news is that many of them have perfectly awful ideas for solving it.

Everyone agrees that if boys don’t read well, it’s because they don’t read enough. But why don’t they read? A considerable number of teachers and librarians believe that boys are simply bored by the “stuffy” literature they encounter in school. According to a revealing Associated Press story in July these experts insist that we must “meet them where they are”—that is, pander to boys’ untutored tastes.

For elementary- and middle-school boys, that means “books that exploit [their] love of bodily functions and gross-out humor.” AP reported that one school librarian treats her pupils to “grossology” parties. “Just get ‘em reading,” she counsels cheerily. “Worry about what they’re reading later.”

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There certainly is no shortage of publishers ready to meet boys where they are. Scholastic has profitably catered to the gross-out market for years with its “Goosebumps” and “Captain Underpants” series. Its latest bestsellers are the “Butt Books,” a series that began with “The Day My Butt Went Psycho.”

The more venerable houses are just as willing to aim low. Penguin, which once used the slogan, “the library of every educated person,” has its own “Gross Out” line for boys, including such new classics as “Sir Fartsalot Hunts the Booger.”

Workman Publishing made its name telling women “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” How many of them expected they’d be buying “Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty” a few years later from the same publisher? Even a self-published author like Raymond Bean—nom de plume of the fourth-grade teacher who wrote “SweetFarts”—can make it big in this genre. His flatulence-themed opus hit no. 3 in children’s humor on Amazon. The sequel debuts this fall.

Education was once understood as training for freedom. Not merely the transmission of information, education entailed the formation of manners and taste. Aristotle thought we should be raised “so as both to delight in and to be pained by the things that we ought; this is the right education.”

“Plato before him,” writes C. S. Lewis, “had said the same. The little human animal will not at first have the right responses. It must be trained to feel pleasure, liking, disgust, and hatred at those things which really are pleasant, likeable, disgusting, and hateful.”

This kind of training goes against the grain, and who has time for that? How much easier to meet children where they are.

One obvious problem with the SweetFarts philosophy of education is that it is more suited to producing a generation of barbarians and morons than to raising the sort of men who make good husbands, fathers and professionals. If you keep meeting a boy where he is, he doesn’t go very far.

The other problem is that pandering doesn’t address the real reason boys won’t read. My own experience with six sons is that even the squirmiest boy does not require lurid or vulgar material to sustain his interest in a book.

So why won’t boys read? The AP story drops a clue when it describes the efforts of one frustrated couple with their 13-year-old unlettered son: “They’ve tried bribing him with new video games.” Good grief.

The appearance of the boy-girl literacy gap happens to coincide with the proliferation of video games and other electronic forms of entertainment over the last decade or two. Boys spend far more time “plugged in” than girls do. Could the reading gap have more to do with competition for boys’ attention than with their supposed inability to focus on anything other than outhouse humor?

Dr. Robert Weis, a psychology professor at Denison University, confirmed this suspicion in a randomized controlled trial of the effect of video games on academic ability. Boys with video games at home, he found, spend more time playing them than reading, and their academic performance suffers substantially. Hard to believe, isn’t it, but Science has spoken.

The secret to raising boys who read, I submit, is pretty simple—keep electronic media, especially video games and recreational Internet, under control (that is to say, almost completely absent). Then fill your shelves with good books.

People who think that a book—even R.L. Stine’s grossest masterpiece—can compete with the powerful stimulation of an electronic screen are kidding themselves. But on the level playing field of a quiet den or bedroom, a good book like “Treasure Island” will hold a boy’s attention quite as well as “Zombie Butts from Uranus.” Who knows—a boy deprived of electronic stimulation might even become desperate enough to read Jane Austen.

Most importantly, a boy raised on great literature is more likely to grow up to think, to speak, and to write like a civilized man. Whom would you prefer to have shaped the boyhood imagination of your daughter’s husband—Raymond Bean or Robert Louis Stevenson?

I offer a final piece of evidence that is perhaps unanswerable: There is no literacy gap between home-schooled boys and girls. How many of these families, do you suppose, have thrown grossology parties?

Mr. Spence is president of Spence Publishing Company in Dallas.

Military gets new auxiliary bishop

Fran — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:38:30 +0000

The military is getting a new bishop. This will be unusual because he will live in the American Seminary in Louvain, Belgium, and will maintain a personal presence in the war zones. He is an interesting mixture of Franciscan and military man, and he has a brother who is also a priest and serving in the military. This is a good move by the Pope, and our military men and women serving in very difficult circumstances will be the beneficiaries. May God grant him many years.

Keeping up with technology

Fran — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:09:12 +0000

Keeping up with technology is not easy. At least not for somebody of my generation. I resisted cell phones and now I don’t know how I ever survived without one. I have had a computer for a long time (13 years) because I started writing study guides and needed something other than a typewriter. Those were the days….fighting with formatting issues in Word. I remember crying at my computer because “it” insisted on placing a number where I didn’t want one, or “it” insisted on inserting an indent which didn’t match the previous one. My husband would help me the best he could–after all, he was still working and sat at a computer all day long. I would finish up a guide and send it to the school that was publishing it on a floppy disc. (Remember those?) Those first guides were sold as single pamphlets.

Then the guides were published by a small company. The owner created a template for me to use which helped me tremendously, but still had some quirks which I couldn’t overcome. I really didn’t understand all the voodoo behind a template and when I needed to make changes I was at a loss. The publisher helped me and those guides were published, this time as spiral-bound books in two editions. (Seen to the left of this post) My son drew beautiful illustrations with pen and ink which greatly enhanced the books. Floppies were now a thing of the past and I delivered my work on a CD and the illustrations as they had been drawn.

Then my oldest son introduced me to Lynda. A whole new world opened up for me as I explored the step-by-step workings of Microsoft Word. Suddenly, the mystery of templates was solved. I even managed to create my own for use on the next phase of my guides. For you see, this 13-year project isn’t over. Now, people aren’t buying as many books. They want instant gratification in the form of E-books or digital books–those you can download NOW. This trend has caught many booksellers by surprise, and if they aren’t Amazon, they are probably scrambling to get the capability to sell E-books. So…….

With the knowledge I have gained from Lynda and a lot of patient help from my sons, I have learned to create E-books. These are individual study guides (like the first ones) only they can now be downloaded from the internet. My son is still doing the illustrations, only now he draws them on a digital pad directly onto the computer. No more ink and scanning of images for him. They are all digital and just as beautiful as the originals. Now, as they are finished, I send pdf files by email and in a matter of minutes, the books can be made available.

I still prefer holding real books, but they are becoming less popular as people use their electronic readers which can hold hundreds of books in a device about the size of a paperback novel. Who would have thought anything like this was possible? I can’t even guess what new technology will replace this, but of one thing I am sure—the readers being used now will be obsolete in a matter of very few years.

As I scramble to update according to the demands of technology, I humbly realize that I will never truly catch up. My efforts are only useful for a short time as technology marches inexorably forward. I am not sure I will be up to the next paradigm shift in technology. So while I struggle with each technological advance and always feel a bit behind, I at least have the pleasure of revisiting the wonderful Classics of the last 2400 or so years as I work. They keep me grounded in what is important and help me to see that what truly matters is not tied to any technology.