Knit and Pray

Catholic woman talks about knitting, sewing, crocheting, cross-stitching, crafting and Catholic Faith and family.

Friday, October 31, 2008

FRANKLY MY DEAR...



I don't want anyone to be damned! It's Halloween 2008. We elect a new president in four days. If the Democrats win this election you may not believe the horrors we will see in the coming years. The Germans wanted change too and Hitler promised them "change". He delivered. You read the history. What a price to pay for "change". The "change" we will see if the Democrats win is less freedom and more murder of the innocent. No one should have the "right" to choose to kill the innocent unborn child, the elderly, sick or anyone. We will choose life or death in this election. It is as black and white as that. It's as horrific as that. God help us if we choose poorly!
OK. Well, I guess you can say this is the tricky part of my post. Now for a treat.
Have finished the log cabin blanket except for weaving in the ends. It's over 40"x40" which is a nice size to keep your lap warm too. If it doesn't sell at the Bazaar it will be going to The Preemie Project.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

PRAYER FOR UNBORN LIFE

O God of life and love,
You have given us the gift to participate
with You to bring new life into the world.
But, all too often, the mother's womb,
which should be a nursery of life,
becomes instead a place of its destruction.
Help us to remove this evil and ensure respect
for all life made in Your image and likeness, called
to fulfill its promise on this earth, and destined to find
a home with You for all eternity.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Our God, Our Savior, and OUR ALL.
Amen.
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Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

CROSS ROADS

Anne has a wonderful post I hope you visit.

Monday, October 27, 2008

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY


Immaculate Heart of Mary,
help us to conquer the menace of evil,
which so easily
takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seems to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from
every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning,
deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the
children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both
national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of
God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual
human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin:
individual sin and the "sin of the world,"
sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
Amen.

ONE BABY, ONE VOTE

Please join me at One Baby, One Vote to adopt and pray for an aborted child. When you vote please keep the child you name in your thoughts and prayers. I'll be thinking of baby Therese. The scourge of abortion MUST END! Thank you to Esther for the link.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

LITTLE HATS CONTEST

Sarah is hosting another Preemie Hat Knit-a-Thon contest from September 29-November 30. I entered last year and since she is also a mom who has faced the trenches of the NICU it just seems right to enter again. I probably won't be making as many, but even one hat will help to warm a precious tiny head. I started one right away using Caron Simply Soft and the hat pattern I use most often. Will you join us?

SMALL SWEATER MADNESS



I'm making some small sweaters in various colors and putting on various different buttons and embellishments to sell at the Bazaar in November. Won't they look sweet on a Christmas tree, or just glue a magnet on the back and they'd work well on a refrigerator too. Hey, string a few together and they'd make such a cute garland to hang in a window, on the mantle, or on a small tree. I'm thinking of stuffing one with some fiberfill too for a more full effect and maybe even sewing up the bottom of one and using it like a small gifting pocket for the tree.
Still working on the log cabin blanket and then will begin on a round blanket.
Picked up some of the Bernat Glow In The Dark yarn on sale at Michael's. Eric and Daniel want some glowing mittens. I told Eric that mittens needed to be made out of wool to be really effective against the bitter cold, but that I could make the outer cuff with the glow-in-the-dark yarn. Maybe I'll make a small sweater out of it too. It is small sweater madness after all;~P

CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 14

While visiting at Regina Brennan's blog, she posted about this cool contest giveaway with two ways of winning a cornucopia of lovely prizes. I particularly like the purse from Faite Designs. The link is http://indiefixx.com/2008/10/13/indie-fixx-autumn-cornucopia-giveaway-2-ways-to-win-2-prizes
It ends November 14 and is open to international entrants. Check it out!

JUST LOOK

Just Look

The picture on this page is an untouched photograph of a being that has been within its mother for 20 weeks. Please do me the favor of looking at it carefully.

photo

Have you any doubt that it is a human being?

If you do not have any such doubt, have you any doubt that it is an innocent human being?

If you have no doubt about this either, have you any doubt that the authorities in a civilized society are duty-bound to protect this innocent human being if anyone were to wish to kill it?

If your answer to this last query is negative, that is, if you have no doubt that the authorities in a civilized society would be duty-bound to protect this innocent human being if someone were to wish to kill it, I would suggest—even insist—that there is not a lot more to be said about the issue of abortion in our society. It is wrong, and it cannot—must not—be tolerated.

But you might protest that all of this is too easy. Why, you might inquire, have I not delved into the opinion of philosophers and theologians about the matter? And even worse: Why have I not raised the usual questions about what a "human being" is, what a "person" is, what it means to be "living," and such? People who write books and articles about abortion always concern themselves with these kinds of things. Even the justices of the Supreme Court who gave us "Roe v. Wade" address them. Why do I neglect philosophers and theologians? Why do I not get into defining "human being," defining "person," defining "living," and the rest? Because, I respond, I am sound of mind and endowed with a fine set of eyes, into which I do not believe it is well to cast sand. I looked at the photograph, and I have no doubt about what I saw and what are the duties of a civilized society if what I saw is in danger of being killed by someone who wishes to kill it or, if you prefer, someone who "chooses" to kill it. In brief: I looked, and I know what I saw.

But what about the being that has been in its mother for only 15 weeks or only 10? Have you photographs of that too? Yes, I do. However, I hardly think it necessary to show them. For if we agree that the being in the photograph printed on this page is an innocent human being, you have no choice but to admit that it may not be legitimately killed even before 20 weeks unless you can indicate with scientific proof the point in the development of the being before which it was other than an innocent human being and, therefore, available to be legitimately killed. Nor have Aristotle, Aquinas or even the most brilliant embryologists of our era or any other era been able to do so. If there is a time when something less than a human being in a mother morphs into a human being, it is not a time that anyone has ever been able to identify, though many have made guesses. However, guesses are of no help. A man with a shotgun who decides to shoot a being that he believes may be a human being is properly hauled before a judge. And hopefully, the judge in question knows what a "human being" is and what the implications of someone's wishing to kill it are. The word "incarceration" comes to mind.

However, we must not stop here. The matter becomes even clearer and simpler if you obtain from the National Geographic Society two extraordinary DVDs. One is entitled "In the Womb" and illustrates in color and in motion the development of one innocent human being within its mother. The other is entitled "In the Womb—Multiples" and in color and motion shows the development of two innocent human beings—twin boys—within their mother. If you have ever allowed yourself to wonder, for example, what "living" means, these two DVDs will be a great help. The one innocent human being squirms about, waves its arms, sucks its thumb, smiles broadly and even yawns; and the two innocent human beings do all of that and more: They fight each other. One gives his brother a kick, and the other responds with a sock to the jaw. If you can convince yourself that these beings are something other than living and innocent human beings, something, for example, such as "mere clusters of tissues," you have a problem far more basic than merely not appreciating the wrongness of abortion. And that problem is—forgive me—self-deceit in a most extreme form.

Adolf Hitler convinced himself and his subjects that Jews and homosexuals were other than human beings. Joseph Stalin did the same as regards Cossacks and Russian aristocrats. And this despite the fact that Hitler and his subjects had seen both Jews and homosexuals with their own eyes, and Stalin and his subjects had seen both Cossacks and Russian aristocrats with theirs. Happily, there are few today who would hesitate to condemn in the roundest terms the self-deceit of Hitler, Stalin or even their subjects to the extent that the subjects could have done something to end the madness and protect living, innocent human beings.

It is high time to stop pretending that we do not know what this nation of ours is allowing—and approving—with the killing each year of more than 1,600,000 innocent human beings within their mothers. We know full well that to kill what is clearly seen to be an innocent human being or what cannot be proved to be other than an innocent human being is as wrong as wrong gets. Nor can we honorably cover our shame (1) by appealing to the thoughts of Aristotle or Aquinas on the subject, inasmuch as we are all well aware that their understanding of matters embryological was hopelessly mistaken, (2) by suggesting that "killing" and "choosing to kill" are somehow distinct ethically, morally or criminally, (3) by feigning ignorance of the meaning of "human being," "person," "living," and such, (4) by maintaining that among the acts covered by the right to privacy is the act of killing an innocent human being, and (5) by claiming that the being within the mother is "part" of the mother, so as to sustain the oft-repeated slogan that a mother may kill or authorize the killing of the being within her "because she is free to do as she wishes with her own body."

One day, please God, when the stranglehold on public opinion in the United States has been released by the extremists for whom abortion is the center of their political and moral life, our nation will, in my judgment, look back on what we have been doing to innocent human beings within their mothers as a crime no less heinous than what was approved by the Supreme Court in the "Dred Scott Case" in the 19th century, and no less heinous than what was perpetrated by Hitler and Stalin in the 20th. There is nothing at all complicated about the utter wrongness of abortion, and making it all seem complicated mitigates that wrongness not at all. On the contrary, it intensifies it.

Do me a favor. Look at the photograph again. Look and decide with honesty and decency what the Lord expects of you and me as the horror of "legalized" abortion continues to erode the honor of our nation. Look, and do not absolve yourself if you refuse to act.


Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York

Saturday, October 25, 2008

ST. GEMMA GALGANI "THE GEM OF CHRIST"

Please visit here to learn more about this wonderful saint!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

SOME OF LIFE'S BLESSINGS




*I'm blessed by my children and their smiles.
*I'm blessed by reading "Mother Angelica's Private and Pithy Lessons From the Scriptures" Introduced and edited by Raymond Arroyo.
*I'm blessed by the ceramic pots that hold my tools for knitting and praying.
*I'm blessed by my ability to knit and the yarn with which to knit up.
*I was unexpectedly blessed by the lady who checked me out of Wal-Mart last night. Daniel and I went to do some last minute shopping and as we were checking out the cashier asked me about my Preemie Project t-shirt. You see, she had had a preemie boy that weighed only 1lb.4oz in July of '06. He passed on shortly after. She still has his blanket. She was so touched that someone had cared enough to make a blanket and gave it to her. A special reminder of her precious blessing.
It took every ounce of strength for me not to break down and bawl! I offered to donate a blanket in his name if she would want to share it with me. As soon as Christmas is over I plan to make a special blue blanket and donate it in Matthew Levi's name.
*I'm blessed by my friend's who visit here and care to make a comment. Thank you all for stopping by and saying hello:~)
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Count your blessings name them one by one.
Count your blessings see what God has done.
Count your blessings, count your blessings.
Count your many blessings see what God has done!
(hymn that I remember singing at the First Baptist Church where I grew up.)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

THREE WEEKS TIL THE BAZAAR

Busy here as I work on items for the Bazaar, to be held at Holy Trinity, November 8-9. Christmas items will be worked on after the event and then in January will be working on charity items. A whole lotta knittin' goin' on here:~D
Eric and I almost finished shopping for Christmas, so it's a great relief to have that out of the way. Daniel played the last of the fall ball. It's been a beautiful autumn day:~)
We prayed the rosary this morning (a little late getting started, but finished in the 9am hour.) Next up is an election novena, check out what Father John Corapi has to say about it.
I would love to stay on and visit blogs, but need to get busy with the knitting. Am focusing on making blankets these next few weeks.

ROSARY FOR UNBORN BABIES


Please join my family and others as we all pray a rosary at 9 am, wherever you are, for this intention: For an end to the surgical and non-surgical killing of unborn babies.

Monday, October 13, 2008

ANOTHER ROUND BLANKET

Finally got this baby finished this afternoon. Just used some leftover bits of Caron Simply Soft in various colors to fill this out to about 52" across. The colors in this picture look more vivid than they are in real time.
Got to work on Eric's Christmas hat a little this weekend. I'll be focusing on Christmas gifts and then I believe I need to whittle the acrylic stash down a bit and start on an afghan.

A LOVELY DAY FOR A WEDDING









The roses in front of the Rectory were blooming and smelling so wonderful. The candles were lit at the stain glass windows. The bride's only brother got to make it to the ceremony to walk his little sister half way down the aisle. Her father took her the rest of the way and presented her to her groom.
At the reception was a beautiful wedding cake and a humorous groom's cake. The table candles were lit and ours was blown out by Michael who got to blow out another tables' candles as well. Thank goodness we brought action figures so they could play in the table decor. The bride and groom were very happy and so were we. It's always a wonderful event to catch up with family who live so far away. It will be five years next week that the bride's sister got married. She was the Matron of Honor and her 1 year old son tried to steal the mike when she was giving her toast. Yes, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans:~)

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

HI THERE!



What have I been up to? Well, let me tell you it's not been dull around here.
The denim recycle quilt has gotten it's last tack and is ready to use. Oh, happy day!:~D Love the backing material!
Next is a man size hat in Cascade 220 using this pattern.
Then comes another Round Blanket in Caron Simply Soft in the Embroidery Print colorway. This is the yarn I got on sale at Wal Mart for $1.50 a skein. The picture represents two 4 oz. skeins. I'll use some other Caron Simply Soft colors to make it as big as I want it.
There's quite a bit of Christmas knitting to be done yet, and even though it's just the first part of October and there is plenty of time to finish, the season seems rushed. I think it's time to say the "Serenity Prayer".