New England Sunday, 1840s

In "The Story of A Bad Boy", Thomas Bailey Aldrich gives a rather grim description of how Sunday was observed when he was a boy.  I'll just share this little bit:

"People who were prosperous and natural and happy on Saturday became the most rueful of human beings in the brief space of twelve hours. I don't think there was any hypocrisy in this. It was merely the old Puritan austerity cropping out once a week. Many of these people were pure Christians every day in the seven -- excepting the seventh. Then they were decorous and solemn to the verge of moroseness. I should not like to be misunderstood on this point. Sunday is a blessed day, and therefore it should not be made a gloomy one. It is the Lord's day, and I do believe that cheerful hearts and faces are not unpleasant in His sight."

Of course, I agree with him!  

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Time to hop over to RAnn's blog for Sunday Snippets, where Catholic bloggers share their posts.  I've discovered some wonderful blogs here.

How about sharing yours?

Semper Gaudete! : A Good Day To Be Sick

Semper Gaudete! : Part Of A Conversation

Semper Gaudete! : Sibling Kitties

Semper Gaudete! : Something I'd Like To Share

Semper Gaudete! : One Of The Most Moving Posts I've Ever Read

Semper Gaudete! : Bunk Beds.... Sort Of

Semper Gaudete! : Sickening is An Understatement

Semper Gaudete! : Books Read In The Past Week

Sickening is An Understatement

Warning: This article is one of the most disturbing I've ever read.   I will NEVER understand how anybody could do such things, especially to a three-year-old and a six-year-old.
Scotty McMillan does not need our prayers; he is safe now; he will never hurt again.
It's his six-year-old brother who needs our prayers.  Pray that he will be healed, and go on to live a normal, happy life.

Bunk Beds.... Sort Of

I don't have a bed; I'm not comfortable in a bed.  I have a couch.  It's the same couch I slept on when I lived in Brooklyn.

So why did I give this post the heading Bunk Beds.... Sort Of?

Well, usually, after I'm settled for the night, Winky jumps onto the back/top of the couch, and goes to sleep.  Hence, bunk beds!

One Of The Most Moving Posts I've Ever Read

I Was There To Serve Them

I just HAD to share this.  Warning: You might need a few tissues.

Something I'd Like To Share

I don't drive, due to my perceptual disability and poor co-ordination, but I'd like to share a prayer from Thyra Ferre Bjorn's book, "Mama's Way."

"Father,

     Help me to drive so I won't endanger others,

 and others to drive so they won't endanger me.
 And take the wheel and drive with me, so I can

 feel completely protected."

I think that, if I were able to drive, I would offer that prayer before starting out.  At least, I hope I would.

Sibling Kitties

Before we had Winky, Mom and I had Heather, and before we had Heather, we had Ollie and Cleo, who were brother and sister... they really were siblings.  

Ollie was more talkative (meowative?) than Cleo.  Quite often, he would stand in front of  Mom and/or me and make a speech.
"Meow, meow, meow, meow," and so on.

When he finished, Cleo would give one single "Meow."

I used to say, "Ollie does the invocation and Cleo does the 'amen'. "