Occasionally, a weird thing happens to bloggers. We surround ourselves with words day in a day out, reading them, writing them, critiquing them, envying them. They mount up in our heads, pour out on our keyboards, and are more often than you’d expect deleted in fits of despair. Ask my editor Eileen and she’ll tell you (sweetly of course) that I am rarely at a loss for words. I think I’m known in my publishing house for being the most... Read more
This morning, I sat watching this video from my friend Father Roderick Vonhögen of SQPN.com and pondering the current — undecorated — state of my home. Honestly, in most years my home would have been decorated for Christmas by now. We typically host my husband’s work Christmas party in early December (it’s actually, of course, called a “holiday party”) and everyone expects decorations. This year, we’re off and as a result there is no “pressure” to decorate. I did spend... Read more
Unless you’ve been living under a rock this week (the same one my non-tweeting husband lives under), you’ve heard the exciting news that Pope Benedict XVI has officially launched his Twitter presence and that he will begin tweeting next week on December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas and of the unborn. As I write this, his Twitter profile at @Pontifex has already garnered over half a million followers even before having tweeted. He is... Read more
We are only less than halfway into the first week of the season of Advent and I already feel like Charlie Brown’s Teacher every time I open my mouth to speak about it. Perhaps this is one of the occupational hazards of writing an Advent-related resource! Today, I was blessed to be a guest on three different radio shows. On the third show, the hosts and I decided on a non-Advent related topic and yet we still ended up coming... Read more
As I was praying with my Advent wreath this morning, it occurred to me first of all how odd it is to pray with an Advent resource I wrote myself. This year, as part of my devotions for the season, I’ll be using my own little O Radiant Dawn. Since it’s been well over a year since I wrote this small booklet, in a way it feels new to me as well. I thought it might be fun to share... Read more
Tonight, I am experiencing an odd experience — incredible anticipation for the start of the Advent season and our new liturgical year. Why is that odd? Well, I’ll admit to often having been an Advent slacker. Too many years, I didn’t truly embrace the season until well into the second — or sometimes even third — week. It’s such a busy time of the year, and though I did “go through the motions” those years, my heart wasn’t in it.... Read more
True confessions time: rain depresses me. Actually, “depresses” is not really the right word — but “dampens my spirits” seems too silly to say. Regardless, unlike others in my family who love the lack of Fresno heat and her sun that withers our raisins, when it starts raining I feel like curling up in bed and going into hibernation mode. And today is not a good day for that! I’ve got so much to share, that I’m going to resort... Read more
Today, we’re going to have some fun! I hope this weekend to get out to see Rise of the Guardians. Patheos’ own movie reviewer, Bill Blankschaen says of the film, “Rise of the Guardians is the perfect film for kids from ages 4 to 10 to see with parents and grandparents.” I can’t give the movie away (yet), but I do have the chance today for you to score on an excellent Christmas present for the gamers in your life. This week I’m... Read more
I’ve been praying about how to broach a topic that I know may be a bit controversial here on the blog with some of my friends who are readers and wonderful Catholics. I’ve mentally written, revised and trashed this particular topic at least three times this week, in the end chickening out from actually posting it since I didn’t think I could do it justice. But an article in today’s CNN Belief Blog emboldened me. For those I am about... Read more
Today, I’m asking for your prayers in anticipation of a very special meeting. In February, 2012, our Diocese of Fresno welcomed our new spiritual shepherd, Bishop Armando X. Ochoa, D.D. For several months now, I’ve been desirous of a meeting with my Bishop and today my appointment has finally arrived. While I’ve met Bishop Ochoa numerous times at liturgies and various social engagements, today will be our first extended conversation. I requested this meeting because as a Catholic author, blogger... Read more
Lisa Hendey
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