The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
(This will all look and work better if you click on the actual post and do not remain on the main page.)
Sukie and I were talking about how great it is to have a good planner and to-do list, but how perhaps misguided to have the sense that we must wake up in the morning very, very goal-oriented, or at least very aware that everyone else is goal-oriented and we are, by comparison, falling behind.
In this season of achieving all the things and decluttering all the things* and making sure we are bursting with explosions of creativity, all of which of course I endorse, maybe each day we might pause to think about how much it means to those around us to find us peaceful.
The drive to check off all the boxes can make normal things seem like obstacles.
I'm here to report that, just for instance, babies are not efficient…
… but that this inefficiency is a feature, not a bug.
In other words, I put for your consideration that the seeming pointlessness of daily life in making a home may be a result of our not having the vantage point necessary to see the whole. And these circumstances of life that seem so, well, not fabulously indicative of our self-realization and positively derailing of such, may be God's way of helping, not hindering, us reach where we need to be.
I was also talking to my friend Therese yesterday, and she was lamenting how little direction we have from from our spiritual leaders, to know that we are not here on earth to perform to some worldly standard and become all we can be, this instant; but simply to do God's will and be with Him in heaven.
And yet, each day is also full of things we need to do!
Today (as so many days) the Office of Readings (From a letter of Pope St Clement I to the Corinthians) explained the paradox well, and suited my theme:
It is obvious, therefore, that none of these owed their honour and exaltation to themselves, or to their own labours, or to their deeds of virtue. No; they owed everything to God’s will. So likewise with us, who by his will are called in Christ Jesus. We are not justified by our wisdom, intelligence, piety, or by any action of ours, however holy, but by faith, the one means by which God has justified men from the beginning. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen…
… What must we do then, brothers? Give up good works? Stop practising Christian love? God forbid! We must be ready and eager for every opportunity to do good, and put our whole heart into it. Even the Creator and Lord of the universe rejoices in his works. By his supreme power he set the heavens in their place; by his infinite wisdom he gave them their order.
Read the rest of it (it's short).
*But, on the other hand, if you are perchance decluttering and finding that your Springerle molds do not spark joy and you will never use them again, no matter how much Auntie Leila posts on IG about them, can you please contact me to make a deal? I will take them off your hands, with remuneration of course, mutually acceptable, if they fit into my plans. I feel that this whole decluttering movement could work in my favor…
On to our links!
- I hate the term “toxic masculinity” and thought this rebuttal from a watch company to that awful shaving company ad, was moving and brilliant.
For those without a subscription, a few quotes:
Actual medicines have research behind them, enumerating their benefits, characterizing their harms, and ensuring the former supersedes the latter. Marijuana doesn’t. It’s a toxin, not a medicine. It impairs judgment and driving ability. It increases the risk of psychosis and schizophrenia. Smoking it damages the respiratory tract. A 2017 report from the National Academy of Medicine called the evidence for these harms “substantial.”
Some advocates say marijuana is better than opiates for pain. Yet while opiates have risks, there are no studies comparing them to marijuana, and untested claims in medicine don’t get the benefit of the doubt. Testing such a hypothesis often disproves it.
Decades passed before we took on smoking and drinking with education, labeling and other forms of regulation. But it worked, and deaths from lung cancer, heart disease and alcohol-associated accidents are in sharp decline. We need this same approach with marijuana. Acknowledging that it is not a medicine is a necessary first step.
- A C. S. Lewis doodle! This one is on the Four Cardinal Virtues, a topic dear to my heart.
- Do you know about the life and witness of Jerome Lejeune, geneticist and hero of the pro-life movement?
- Speaking of temples, Duncan Stroik, one of today's foremost sacred architects, on the need for a new counter-reformation.
From the archives:
- As the sad anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches on Monday, here is what I wrote with my thoughts on marching, staying home, and healing a wounded nation: Marriage is the plan, there is no other plan.
- Some little things that just make me feel housewifely (I remembered this post upon seeing a discussion on Facebook of how kids love wearing aprons to do their chores!)
Today there are some relatively obscure (yet of course appreciated!) saints on the calendar, St. Marius and family and St. Canute.
While you’re sharing our links with your friends, why not tell them about Like Mother, Like Daughter too!
We’d like to be clear that, when we direct you to a site via one of our links, we’re not necessarily endorsing the whole site, but rather just referring you to the individual post in question (unless we state otherwise).
Carol says
As the mother of a child with T21, I thank you for sharing about Servant of God Jerome Lejeune! We discovered him early on in our journey and he gave us great hope. We had encountered some attitudes within the T21 community that implied that there was something wrong with asking for a cure–that since it was “genetic” you are somehow wishing your child away, wanting to change their identitiy or something. The existence of a holy man who not only sought a cure, but thought one was imminent, gave us confidence in our own approach to that pesky extra chromosome. We pray often through his intercession for our daughter’s healing.
Kari and Brad Brane says
I agree that toxic masculinity is rubbish, but what I noticed about the Gillette ad is those men were using their physical strength to break up fights, stop a bully, and stop a friend from cat calling to a woman. It was subtle (probably too subtle) but the men in that ad were being men, using strength to protect the weak…
Donna L. says
Yes, I noticed that, too! I seem to be in the minority when I say that I liked the commercial by Gillette–perhaps others have always been around holy and respectful men, but I did not grow up with that. I am trying, as a Mom, to raise our boys to be good and holy men {as others are, I’m sure} and that includes a fair amount of training/teaching/encouraging them to Chivalry and respectful behavior around others–men and women alike. It is not a popular opinion, I see, and I will swallow my pride and say I have high hopes for the future. I do not know if the commercial will have any impact on society at large, but if awareness is raised that may be what needed to happen. I was heartened and teared up when I saw the change in behavior of the Dads/men after the echoing “Boys will be boys”—-I hope it will become the norm–someday.
*My Husband and young adult son hated the commercial and said it was “preachy” so, perhaps I missed something that is causing the firestorm….
Shyla says
Great Links! I had never heard of Dr. Jerome Lejeune and I really enjoyed reading about him. What a wonderful man! Also, I Just spent the last hour reading the Victorian Kitchen article and then diving into craiglist/eBay AGAIN looking for the perfect wall mounted vintage kitchen sink. * THANKS SO MUCH for getting back in that rabbit hole* haha! xoxo
Leila M. Lawler says
Haha Shyla I’m here to help.
Joy in Alabama says
I loved the article about the kitchen! I have my grandmother’s Hoosier cabinet. She only had that, a table, and a metal sink with a small cabinet in her kitchen. We’ve moved a lot, but Grandmother’s cabinet always has a place in my kitchens!
Joy in Alabama says
And one more thing, I love to iron! I listen to a podcast or watch something while I iron once a week. I find it relaxing! I’m glad I’m not the only person who likes to do it!
Lisa G. says
Oh, goodness – I am ironing two or three times a week! I prefer cotton and linen, and we know what that means! 🙂
Katie Shaw, Heart’s Content says
Thank you for reminding me of housewifely, I love it for it so many reasons. I think it’s one your greatest posts.
Elizabeth says
Oh my goodness, the springerle!!! The molds you can find online are a-ma-zing!! So very expensive, but also so touchingly beautiful. This Swiss webshop has so many molds related to the liturgical year…. I mean, you could match your springerle baking with the daily readings. Imagine eating a Palm Sunday springerle https://www.springerle.com/sortiment_EN/1033.html
I am pestering my German (Bavarian) brother in law with questions right now, thank you for always finding these cultural/traditional yet food related gems!
Leila M. Lawler says
Elizabeth, this is the problem — er, crisis. There is literally no limit to the images and hence molds one could be producing and using.
Please have your German BIL send a shipment of molds to me!
Dawn says
I adored the article about the kitchen. It so explains why our former home’s kitchen (built in 1930) never worked. It was intended to be a outward kitchen and someone had forced it to be through the years. Amazing!
Blessings, Dawn
Elizabeth W says
Thank you so much for the beautiful musing on The Paradox. I am always struggling with that perplexing relationship with the time we are given, which seems to be at the heart of motherly life. You have helped me so much with it! Keep it coming. (Thanks also for linking to “Housewifely” which I didn’t remember reading before!)
Sarah Chepkirui Creider says
What a beautiful and helpful reminder that it is actually a gift to those around us when we find some quiet in our daily lives. I tend to think that I’m not allowed to feel peaceful: I have to feel busy! But some of my most lovely memories of my childhood were when my mother seemed to be quiet and at peace. Thank you!
Anne Marie says
Thank you for considerations on planners and a certain, driven mentality we can fall into… It’s been on my mind of late.
After six weeks laid up on the couch with morning sickness, with the house gone to pot along with my plans to provide my family a wonderful Advent and Christmas (they had one anyway), I’m fighting the temptation to feel worthless because I am achieving none of the things. My dayplanner gathers dust. Where to hang my pride, my worth?
Yet, my husband and kids have so warmly received the peacefully derailed me. Indeed they seem rather to prefer it. Perhaps it is because I’m more available to them in my beachéd state…
Dixie says
Anne Marie, these weeks are a sowing season for you, not a reaping season. You can’t sow and reap at the same time! As the Advent hymn goes, you “give up your strength/the seed to nourish/that in time/the flow’r may flourish;” girl, you are doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing, giving your strength to the littlest one right now, and not to other things; knowing that at some point not too far away, that little one will be giggling on a quilt somewhere with a sibling while you dust off your dayplanner!
Leila says
Anne Marie, I love your observations of your family’s response to your current state. You are very wise!
Victoria says
The average American only spends 4 hours a week cooking??? No wonder I feel like everybody else has so much more time than me! My husband and I combined spend closer to a combined 5 hours per day on food prep and cleanup. This is probably in large part due to the absence of a dishwasher…which we plan to remedy with a portable dishwasher very soon… Well, I managed to find time for quiet downtime today to comment here, so that’s good. 🙂
Diana Pfeiffer says
I stumbled upon your site,blog? While looking for Elderberry liqueur recipes. My grandparents made wine and jelly. Also Springerles. I am also Catholic and feel like I have found a bit of home. Thanks so much.
Ginni says
Oh how I enjoyed the article about beginning a new Counter-Reformation. So many items from the article helped me to identify just what I wish were contained within modern-made Catholic Churches. We were in Cincinnati this fall and an old church downtown took my breath away. What a glorious tribute to Our Lord. The Irish, German, and Italian immigrants financed and built it themselves in the 1700’s. We lingered after Mass, prayed before the beautiful altars, and thanked the Lord for such a place of worship.
This leads me to report, with joy, that we will open our new church in Texas next month. It replaces a barn structure gilded by sound dampening panels and two felt banners. And then there is the art. All who enter can see the ridiculous oil paintings displaying the Blessed Mother bashfully staring at her saddle shoes, while another painting depicts Saint Joseph as he stares at us from his work table. But to understand the visual you must imagine Saint Joseph as Jean-Luc Picard wearing denim overalls. You can understand why our family is ecstatic for the new church to open across the parking lot. The three Archangels arrived this week and now preside like sentinels outside the front doors of the new church. They stand 10 feet tall, these warrior statues, carved by artisans in Italy. I have never seen the like. We cannot wait for the doors to open next month so as to witness the beauty of all of the stained glass windows exhibiting our favorite saints. Can you imagine the visual catechism that will come from the beauty of this church?
Also, please understand that I am eternally grateful that this original church contains the True Presence, and that I have the joy and privilege to worship my God at Mass or at Reparation. I am so grateful for our parish church. No matter what it looks like. But I admit I am as giddy as my children are for the the doors to open at the new building.
I am keeping this article with me. It is a guide to the architecture of churches, indeed, but also a call to action for building Catholic Family Life. Thank you for posting it. Have a beautiful week!