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Close Calls, Liam Neeson & The Danger of Busy
On our recent pilgrimage to Spain, “close calls” seemed to be one of the themes of the trip. We began our trip with a close call with a terrorist attack in Barcelona. We moved on to a close call with a firecracker. There we were, watching an amazing display of fireworks in San Sebastián. I was literally turning to put my baby into our stroller when this blazing ember flew past us, hit the stroller, and proceeded to fall directly in the seat and burn a few serious holes in it! Could have done without that excitement. Then there was our last day in San Sebastián. We decided to hike up…
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Halfway Through Lent and Other Thoughts…
We have reached the halfway point in Lent — yay us! Lent has been just what it should be — difficult and beautiful and really, really long. I know it has been good for me, how about you? Well, on to the takes… ~1~ It’s My Little Sister’s Birthday! My sister is hilarious. She really is. She’s got 8 kids, plus one in heaven, and she is one of those people who puts you at ease because she’s just so darn real. The stories she can tell about her crazy life — she should be the one writing a blog! When we were growing up, she used to run to me when any…
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The Importance of Leisure
Leisure is an important thing. This statement might seem obvious to some — and slightly offensive to others. In fact, our American work ethic might make it difficult to believe that leisure is an important part of our lives. You might even equate leisure with laziness, sloth, or vice. Spiritual direction over the years has made one thing abundantly clear: filling your day with lots and lots of work is not necessarily a virtuous pursuit. Perhaps even more shocking: moments of leisure help to shape you into the person that you will become. It is really that important. A recent visit to Italy reminded me of this truth. We were sitting in St. Peter’s Square,…
