Portion Control

All food is good.  Don't deny yourself.  Why sacrifice what you love?  Eat it.

No, this isn't Eve talking to Adam.  It's what I learned today at a T.O.P.S. Inspiration Workshop.  T.O.P.S. is a health support group.  Some may call it a weight loss support group, but when I was almost wasting away, I used T.O.P.S. to gain weight, because it's about healthy eating.    Unfortunately, now I can't reverse the trend.  I needed to gain weight then and got in the habit of stuffing myself, so now I'm finding it hard to stop.

Besides, after my experience with Cronkhite Canada Syndrome, I recommend that everyone be ten pounds over weight, because if you ever get sick, you'll need the reserves.

Still, that's ten pounds over weight, not twenty+.

What did I learn today?  "There is no bad food, only bad portion control."

Take your plate.  Divide it in half, now on one of the halves, divide that in half.  Half of your plate should be vegetable.  One quarter of your plate should be meat.  One quarter should be starch.

I think this is doable.  I like vegetables.  I also like meat.  And starch.  And sugar.  And grains.  And fruit.  And  beer.  And dairy.  And new foods.  And old favorites.  And...um...and now I'm hungry.



T.O.P.S.

Our Lady of Fatima

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.  I live near Fatima Shrine in Holliston, MA.  I've been there quite often to pray.  It's a quiet place and pleasant to walk around.  It probably has the world's largest Rosary.  It's made out of boulders attached by the types of chains you see on ocean liners--huge, big things.  On the single beads (boulders)  are plaque of the Hail Mary in different languages.  It's a prayerful place.

The religious order that takes care of the shrine are Xaverian Missionaries.  They're good guys.  I like them all.  They are known for the many activities that the Shrine offers to raise money: Christmas lights, fairs, concerts, and from May 13th -- Oct 13th, their Our Lady of Fatima Processions.  I had never been to their Fatima Procession.  I went tonight.

I was surprised at all the people from my parish that were there.  I saw lots of friends.  The place was mobbed.  I had a hard time finding a parking spot.  We had Mass and then a procession around the Rosary Boulders.  As we walked and prayed, we all held candles in cups.  These cups were just drinking cups--waxy paper cups with a hole in the bottom.  A candle was stuck through the hold.  The candles weren't very stable. You had to be careful, or your cup would catch on fire.  I saw two that did just that.

Afterwards, we sat in the benches and prayed Hail Mary in different languages for special intentions.  Especially, poignant was a couple of men from Libya who prayed for the safety of those fleeing from the violence in Libya.   There really is no end for needs to pray for.

Related articles

• Our Lady of Fatima (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
• Our Lady of Fatima Feast Day (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)

I've got that Nagging Feeling

Master General of the Dominican Order
in prayer

Since I've been praying like a pirate, I read with interest the Zenit article reflecting on "humanity's innate religious sense."  Pope Benedict urges us to spend more time in prayer, which he said was an expression of man's profound need for meaning.

B16 said if we listen in silence God will reveal Himself.  We will learn to recognize His voice and open ourselves up to a relationship with Jesus.  The Holy Father explained that man is as much a "homo religiosus," as he is "homo sapiens" and "homo faber."

I liked the part when the Pope said that prayer is a mindset, not words.  It's a way of being before God, rather than worship.  That's different.

Interestingly, the Holy Father agrees with me, that it is difficult to pray.  It can be a challenge for anyone, especially during different periods of one's life.  But it is a grace for everyone, to seek.

Pope Benedict mentioned the gesture of kneeling.  He called it a "dynamic of prayer."  It is a position of supplication, like a man asking a woman to marry him.  It's a typical expression of one seeking.

What are we seeking?  What everyone seeks -- love, relationship, a feeling of worthiness.

But I know some who would deny this "innate need for meaning."  Personally, I think they do feel that desire, but don't pay attention to it.  Like some who are sick and try to ignore it.  With grace they do seek help.

Let us pray.

Bethany.

They came wailing to the tomb
    His voice commands
      The stone obeys
And out walks Lazarus

They came wailing to prison
    The Spirit touches
    Hearts wrapped tight
Are unbound and finally freed.

h/t  Justitia, Poetry from the Second Annual OPrize for Poetry

The Pastor's Lament

If I express myself on a subject, I'm trying to run things.

If I'm silent, I'm dumb or have lost interest.

If I'm often at my office (preparing sermons or studying), why don't I get out and learn what's going on.

If I'm out when they call, why am I not tending to business, or studying for a sermon.

If I'm not at home at night, I'm out having a good time.

If I'm home, I'm neglecting important outside contacts and activities.

If I don't agree with people, I'm bullheaded.

If I do agree, I don't have any ideas of my own.

If I don't do what I'm asked, I'm a poor pastor.

If I do agree, well, that's what I'm paid for.

If I give someone a short answer, I'm "too big for my britches."

If I attempt to explain the pros and cons of an issue, I'm a know it all.

If I'm well dressed, I'm a big shot.

If I'm not, I'm a poor representative of my office.

If I'm on the job a short time, I'm inexperienced.

If I've been there a long time, It's time for a change.

h/t to my Lutheran friends

Sunday's Satirical Story

h/t to my Lutheran friends

Teen Angst

Granted, I've been around the block a few times, but I have a good memory.  And I remember being a teen.  And dating.  Back then the pressure was to stay a virgin until you married.  Or at least pretend you were a virgin, because you were considered a whore, damaged goods, less than desirable, if you weren't.  That being said, the pressure to have sex was great, nigh near impossible.  At times it seemed that every date with a new guy was going to be a wrestling match.  It seems that all boys were animals.


The world has turned on its head.  Now, being a virgin implies you're damaged--what's wrong with you?  How come no one wants you?  It's actually a disgrace to be a virgin.


I put a lot of the change of attitudes on "Hollywood."  I don't think Hollywood mimics the culture; I think Hollywood shapes the culture.  Magazines, books, now the net, constantly drive sex into our minds.  And bringing up teens in this culture is difficult to shield them from this influence.


And what doesn't help are state funded programs aimed to supposedly help teens with coping in our sex saturated culture.  I'm talking about the Maria Talks website, put out by Boston's AIDS Action Group.  What strikes me first, is the assumption that all, everyone, everybody, all in all, high and low, throughout, all round...have sex.  I expected (foolish ?) that a group dedicated to health and addressing teens would talk about the value of NOT jumping into sex.  NOooooo, they just assume that all, everyone, everybody, all in all, high and low, throughout, all round...are having sex.


They blew it.  Here was the chance to stand up to the Hollywood culture.  Here was the opportunity to explain that sex is something special.  It's not part of the dating relationship. That kids should think for themselves and stand up to the cultural influences.  That teens don't have to have sex.  It's not cool.  It's just following "Hollywood."  Teach teens to think for themselves.


Abstinence is not a dirty word.  It's the only 100% form of protection from STI and HIV.  BTW, Maria Talks advertises that "condoms are the only form of birth control that protect against STI and HIV."  Now that's debatable.  According to the Medical Institute's newsletter:

Condom breakage and slippage is estimated to occur 1-4% of the time. This is known as method failure.  By far the most extensive research on condom effectiveness has been done for HIV. A number of authors have performed meta-analyses (summaries) of other studies. These meta-analyses show that with 100% consistent condom use, condoms reduce the risk of HIV transmission by about 85%. Condom effectiveness against transmission of bacterial diseases like gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis is significantly lower than for HIV. Conclusive evidence is lacking for condom effectiveness against transmission of several other specific STIs, such as HPV and trichomoniasis, which each affect over 5 million people annually. Finally effectiveness is seriously limited for the many STIs which are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, since condoms do not cover all the areas of the body which may be the source of transmission.

Actually, I hate quoting statistics because you can always find, or tweek, the numbers to fit your argument.  But I know that blanket statements like "condoms are the only form of birth control that protect...., are false.  Common sense tells you otherwise. 

I just feel that it's such a shame that the teens nowadays are put under such pressure to conform to the culture,  to have to have sex, to walk that walk...  

C'mon parents.  It's up to you.  Teach your children what's right.  Teach them to think and not just follow the crowd.  That's what's right.  What's right is right!