Jen Fulwiler hosts Quick Takes every Friday!
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Here is my explanation for my absence: I am now employed. I work from home and the hours are technically part time, but I am logged on to a client network and I cannot tool around in the interwebs like I used to be able to do. Therefore, I am at least a month behind on the blogging world. Maybe Santa will bring me a laptop for Christmas and I can keep in touch while still working.
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For more information about my work situation, I have to say that my prayers were clearly answered in a very surprising way. Back in late 2009, when I started to feel so overwhelmed with the life schedule of a working mom, I used to feel a lot of envy and frustration. I knew of a few people who were able to work part time in lucrative positions, sometimes even from home, and still be quite involved in their children’s lives. I thought these people were rare, lucky, or knew someone. Well, apparently I know someone, too. We all know who He is, but He managed to put people in my life in such a way that at the peak of my performance in my last job, I met someone who would eventually become a friend and truly respect my abilities and skills.
When this friend found out I had “retired” and was now spending my days caring for my children, he called me up. My job interview included lunch at Hooters with both kids in tow. My first assignment was brief and gave me the confidence I needed to know this would be a good fit. And finally we are in a situation where it is all working out. I work from home between 15 and 50 hours a week (largely my choice how much or little) and I just have to be accessible wherever I am (gym, kids’ schools, etc).
I feel truly blessed.
Don’t get me wrong; we are still all adjusting. I haven’t quite figured out where my shower will fit into my day, but it’s such a wonderful opportunity and will serve my family very well.
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New Roman missal: Changes began this Sunday (Saturday vigil for me). What did you think? I think it is harder to get used to the changes in the priests’ portion versus the responses and prayers. It didn’t feel *quite* like mass at first, but then I remembered that it is still the consecration and the Eucharist is the same no matter what language is used.
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Advent is one of the most wonderful times of year. I know that there is plenty that we really just have to do to get ready no matter what we all think of it: cleaning, cooking, baking, shopping, decorating, mailing, visiting, letter-writing, etc. But I am trying to practice what I preach and primarily focus on understanding Jesus’s first coming and clear way to look forward and be joyfully ready for the second coming of Christ.
This year I have taken on perhaps a bit too many Advent traditions with my children and alone. My children have a good-deeds countdown (every day requests they do a small act of kindness), a Jesse tree with small scripture readings, and nightly advent devotions with the advent wreath. They also have a chocolate countdown and a tree to decorate (more secular traditions). However, I must say that the children very much enjoy it and look forward to it; even the scripture readings.
I am learning a lot myself with my own adult version of Advent devotions. Just today I learned/realized that we are not waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the first coming of Christ. The second coming of Christ is unknown to us, and this is why we need to be awake and ready. I have a lot on my mind to ponder.
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I am also thinking a lot about death. Specifically, dealing with death and if we expose our children to it.
I have always been open with my children about death because I don’t quite know how to shield them from it without feeling dishonest. I think death is a part of life (the FIRST part of our eternal life, not the last part of our earthly life). I think this is how we remember that life on earth is precious and this is why it is so important that we treat one another with love.
There are a number of people in my life that do not discuss death with their children, one being my close friend and neighbor. I once told her child that she couldn’t have the stool at the top of the stair steps because I was afraid she would fall and die (that is truly what I was afraid of!) and she was horrified. Luckily she laughed it off later, but just before Thanksgiving I mentioned to her daughter that I was getting my turkey that day. Her child gleefully said she wanted to see my turkey and I mentioned that there wasn’t much to see; it was already dead and frozen. YIKES. Apparently she hasn’t really opened up to her daughter about how the turkey actually gets on the table at Thanksgiving.
So now I feel like some behemoth that talks about death all the time!
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What do you tell your children about Santa? I am all for the tradition, but I never quite got the specifics and it seems everyone is on a different page. Why do really well-behaved and deserving poor kids not get gifts (necessitating the Angel Tree) while my sometimes poorly behaved children get so much? Do we tell them that we help chip in? Do we have just one or a few gifts from Santa and the rest are from Mom and Dad? Previously we never signed any from us; all was from mom and dad. I wish there was one universal story!
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Speaking of that elusive shower, I have to be at my daughter’s school in an hour, so I should try to get one!
Come, Lord Jesus!
5 comments:
I'm new to Advent, too. I'm trying to think of it like Mary would have: she knew she was pregnant with the Son of God yet she had to wait nine months to discover what that really MEANS.
I'm not a parent, but I think it's good for children to be exposed to the concept of death. Don't feel morbid, it sounds like you're putting it in a healthy context, i.e., "the FIRST part of our eternal life."
We have been easing into the Mass changes at our parish, so I find I am starting to feel used to it. There are still some chuckles as some of the parish says, "And also with you," while the rest of us remember to say, "And with your spirit." We'll get there. Our priest has been really wonderful about talking to us about why the changes are happening, so it doesn't seem like something is being done "to" us, but something that we're simply doing together.
3 - I felt even more like it was the Mass. What we have moved to is a more literal translation from the Latin. I love it and I feel like I am in a much better spiritual place...not so much a worldly place, if that makes sense.
2 - I so wish I could find a job where I could work from home. My expertise is in financial markets though and most places just don't allow much of that (usually due to security risks)
That new job sounds exciting! I don't have any answers for you on the rest, like talking about death and so forth. I grew up in the Midwest; we were always pretty straightforward about things like that.
Congratulations on the new job - sounds like a wonderful situation...you'll work out the kinks I'm sure!
I love the new translation - I go to daily mass most days and the more times I hear it, the more I love it...give yourself time :).
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