The Beauty of Being a Woman

  This is just random scribblings and a compilation of writings and quotes-its my hat tip to being a woman and to all women who are strong, resilient, and beautiful. But as well as being serious take it all with a light heart and a sense of humor, I'm not a man-hater I happen to be thankful that I was born a girl, and I have seen quite a few women who don't appreciate being a female nearly as much as I think they should.



A woman can do all the things that women naturally do and she can do most things a man can do also. A woman can keep a house looking like something out of House Beautiful, a woman can make a delicious meal from leftovers, a woman can create life. A woman can plow the north 40, hot coat the roof, milk the cows, come in, take a bath, and be ready for a night on the town. Men can't even put a dish in the sink.



I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.

Audrey Hepburn



A woman's guess is much more accurate than a man's certainty.

Rudyard Kipling



I'm very definitely a woman and I enjoy it.

Marilyn Monroe

A Year Come and Gone

I started to post on this blog about one year ago after Thanksgiving last year, I was fortunate enough to spend the holiday with the majority of my family in Vermont. There is nothing like coming home and being surrounded by so much love to make you examine your life and re-direct it a little.
Maybe it's because I seem to revert to childhood a little when I'm back but suddenly my dreams seem more within reach, my Faith seems deeper, and my appreciation for my life is greater. I didn't realize how much I needed this leave until I was home, but I know I'll be able to go back to Japan refreshed in mind and spirit-ready to strive towards my goals once again. But for now I'm taking my time enjoying time spent with family and friends, my days are filled with long chats over coffee, writing, hiking, playing cards, snow fort building, baking, and eating ever so much amaZing food. ;) As my best friend would say, "Pura Vida!"

The Hound of Heaven

I FLED Him down the nights and down the days

I fled Him down the arches of the years

I fled Him down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind, and in the midst of tears

I hid from him, and under running laughter.

Up vistaed hopes I sped;

And shot precipitated

Adown titanic glooms of chasme d hears

From those strong feet that followed, followed after

But with unhurrying chase

And unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

They beat, and a Voice beat,

More instant than the feet:

"All things betray thee who betrayest me."



I pleaded, outlaw-wise,

By many a hearted casement, curtained red,

Trellised with inter-twining charities,

(For though I knew His love who followèd,

Yet was I sore adread,

Lest having Him, I should have nought beside);

But if one little casement parted wide,

The gust of his approach would clash it to.

Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue.

Across the margent of the world I fled,

And troubled the gold gateways of the stars,

Smiting for shelter on their clangèd bars,

Fretted to dulcet jars

And silvern chatter the pale ports o' the moon.

I said to Dawn: be sudden, to Eve: be soon,

With thy young skyey blossoms heap me over

From this tremendous Lover!

Float thy vague veil about me lest He see!

I tempted all His servitors but to find

My own betrayal in their constancy,

In faith to Him their fickleness to me,

Their traitorous trueness and their loyal deceit.

To all swift things for swiftness did I sue,

Clung to the whistling mane of every wind,

But whether they swept, smoothly fleet,

The long savannahs of the blue,

Or whether, Thunder-driven,

They clanged His chariot thwart a heaven,

Plashy with flying lightnings round the spurn o' their feet --

Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue.

Still with unhurrying chase

And unperturbe d pace

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

Came on the following Feet,

And a Voice above their beat --

"Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me."



-Francis Thompson

Fever, Chills, and St. Valentine

Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God,
that we who solemnize the festival of blessed Valentine, thy martyr,
may, by his intercession, be delivered from all the evils that threaten us
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Now here in Japan Valentine's Day is celebrated a little differently: on February 14th women and girls give candy and cards to the special men in their life (just like in America anyone from a sweetheart/husband to a father or good friend). Now don't get too excited boys! The next month on March 14th (called "White Day") the men return the favor and give gifts to the women.

Now the fever and chills are not associated with the day! But I came down with a bit of a virus (the reason Im posting at 4 in the morning) and as I lay there in bed shivering violently for a good amount of time I recalled hearing my mother say when I was younger, whenever she herself was sick, "You miss your mother the most when you are sick-no one takes care of you like her!" And since I had a lovely mother who was always there growing up, I didn't really understand that saying. Then, I moved away and I caught myself thinking tonight, "Gee I really wish Mom were here." (deep i know but forgive me, i was 103 degrees ;) ) And the more I thought about it the more I realized that it wasn't because I wanted her to wait on me-I was an independent brat of sorts growing up and I would always say something like "No, no I got it." when she offered to get me anything. So it wasn't that aspect of it, really, it was the knowledge that at any point in the day you could call out and she would come quickly and help you-the knowledge that she loved me so much that she would do whatever it took to make me feel better. Now, who does that remind you of? For me I realized that Jesus operates in the same way He is always there just waiting for us to call on Him so that He can assist us with all our needs.....

Happy St Valentine's Day!

So True

"Sometimes the only way the good Lord can get into some hearts is to break them. "
— Fulton J. Sheen

Wasting Life, Cherry Blossoms and Lent

 I haven't written in soo long! And there is so much I want to write about!
I have been on a Bishop Fulton Sheen kick lately-by far my favorite speaker ever, I have been listening to his various talks nightly for a couple weeks now and this one talk has been on my mind the most:



there is two more parts to that video, but what a beautiful thought-to waste your life-to pour it all out for the Lord! May He help me put it into action!

Cherry Blossom Festival is a week long fair in celebration of the coming of Spring here in Okinawa-the day we went I was recovering from wisdom teeth removal surgery just 24 hours previous and it was bitterly cold (go figure). But, regardless, it was well worth the hike up the mountainside to see the flowers, all along the streets at the foot of this mountain are vendors and game stands. At the top there was a snowland with trucked in ice for the children to play in-the were having a ball-jumping up and down, shouting and grinning from ear to ear when it "snowed" It both warmed my heart to see them so gleeful and it made me miss the snowy mountains of Vermont just a lil more. ..

 Lent is fast approaching! I have started pre-Lenten reading: The Five People You Meet in Heaven which is surprisingly a very interesting book and a quick read as well which is sometimes almost a necessity with work and physical training these days. I was promised a Lent devotional from my lovely mother-she takes the time to accumulate Holy cards, articles, prayers, and quotations and puts them in books for us-I keep everyone that she has made for me. They are not only incredible they provide a little excitement each day of Lent-you never know what tomorrows entry will say!

Oh, I know I have more to write about but at the moment nothing springs to mind, which should teach me to keep this blog updated!

A Candle in the Window-The Door Flung Open

This Christmas has been so unlike yet still alike to all my past Christmases. The familiar mixed with the unfamiliar-no snow, carols pouring out of every radio and store, no family to gather close, but a base-wide family who took me in.
At the children's Mass tonight Fr had them all gather round after the pageant was over and had one little boy run to get a wrapped package under one of the trees in the church-he did so and Fr asked what he thought would be in it-like all kids playing detective with gifts he shook it. His eyes widened in surprise when there was no sound at all "Fr it's empty!" he cried. But the tag read To: all people of the world From: God-"Well," reasoned the priest "God wouldn't play a trick on us now would He?" The children agreed and excitedly tore the paper off only to reveal a simple cardboard box. They turned disappointedly to Fr for the answer-he unfolded it which of course created a cross and everyone realized that He had given us all the best present after all.
Merry Christmas to all.