INDEPENDENCE 2005

As you will see in the posted pics that my family and I went to the Firefall 2005 celebration near the Springfield/Branson Regional Airport this past Saturday. It was a lovely evening for it. We got a Papa Murphy's cheese pizza and baked it to take with us and the ice chest full of drinks. The funnel cake we shared was soooo good! The $5 it cost was not great, but we have them so seldom. Michael was not afraid of the fireworks, thankfully, as some of the sonic booms caused some car alarms to go off! The traffic as usual was horrible, but hey, that's part of the experience, no?! It was such a lovely experience and the boys so enjoyed themselves. We could hear the Springfield Symphony play and that is such a plus.

I finished "The Shop On Blossom Street" by Debbie Macomber in two days. This is the first book I've ever read by her and it was very nice summer reading. I've got a very simple shawl on some needles to take with me when going to pic up #1 at school and have begun on my first clapotis. I'm using Reynold's Mandalay 100% silk yarn in a blue-green color that I just love. This is the first time I've knitted with silk and it isn't too bad. It is stiffer than what I'm used to but after all it's the process and the experience of using different mediums the way I see it. I got a bunch of Cascade 220 on Saturday with #1 and can hardly wait to make another buttonhole bag. I just love my first one!

Got an e-mail from a friend from high school who mentioned that she was coming in from Florida to be at her younger sister's "wedding to her girlfriend". Last I heard she had been married to a man and had four kids with him. I didn't know that their mother "threw her out like a piece of trash". I really didn't believe I was "bashing" her by saying that I was sorry I couldn't be happy about the uh, nuptuals, as I beleive the Bible was very plain about that sort of thing; and that I thought her children must be very confused about the turn of events. My husband thought I shouldn't have written anything about that, but my goodness, how was I to know how strongly she would respond to my little remarks. After all, I am a Catholic and proud of it. I'm not sure that we will remain friends, but how many people see eye to eye on anything and still can be civil. I simply disagree with her sisters choice to involve herself in a homosexual relationship. I would feel the same was if it was an adulterous thing with a man. If that sounds like bashing or pushing my religion on her, then so be it, but I am a Catholic and I do believe it is wrong and very hurtful to society as well as to the individuals involved.

The Catechism says, "2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centeries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

Pray for these people please! Pray for people who try to make God into their own image that they may see the error of their ways. Let's pray for PEACE in this time of war!

Jesus! Mary! I love you! Save souls!