A Long Overdue Welcome

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one."  

C.S. Lewis

Welcome to all who come to the blog; whether you find me by accident or by design, I hope you return!  This is a time when there are perhaps too many blogs from which to choose, and publication of an individual's thoughts is so easy as to make yet one more irrelevant.  However, we all recognize in social media and the internet an infinite capability for reaching those who might not be reached otherwise- and so we hope to come into your home or workplace and develop a relationship of sorts, that may one day bring joy, encouragement, or even revolution!

First, a little about myself: I am a happily married mother of 4 (1 of which is still in utero), and a devoted Roman Catholic.  In fact, not only a mother, but a homeschooling mother, which might indicate either foolishness or insanity on my part.  The hubs and I are developing our own curriculum, in what I've deemed a "Trial By Fire" method- we come up with many of our own lesson plans, and I stalk the internet looking for ideas to by plagiarized or adapted to our own family life.  I'd love to share some of our ideas here on the blog, and I'm always open to questions and suggestions!  Schooling, child-rearing, family life, and advice for young moms are always topics on which we've got plenty to say.  

I've studied Catholic theology, with an emphasis on moral theology and bioethics; these are things which no doubt will crop up in the blog more often than not.  I've also been raised as a Catholic among members of the Charismatic Renewal, and the various charisms and spiritual gifts to be found in the treasury of the Church are definitely worthy of exploration.  The art, literature, and history of the Catholic Church inform me in my daily life, and I hope to share its influence with all of you as well!

More than anything, what I hope for with the blog is intuited from the quote from C. S. Lewis (one of my favorite authors): "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."  We members of the faith have been told many times by our modern culture that our faith is private, not to be "forced" upon anyone else, and definitely not to be used as justification in any political, ethical or public sphere.  This, however, as many of you suspect, is idiocy.  Our faith in no way invalidates our convictions or opinions; our faith is One, rational, and cohesive- and as such requires us to live out our lives in accordance with those same convictions.  We cannot simply take it off at the door and leave it at home, or at our Church; rather, we are called not only by God but by that very same Truth to share it with others.  The Truth by which we are convicted allows us and also requires us to have a living relationship with that self same Truth.  There is no such thing as "Cafeteria Catholicism" or even "moral relativism" when confronted with real Truth.

I hope this gives you an idea of where the blog is going; the intent right now is to update regularly, though the topics will often vary.  Your questions and comments are always welcome (just keep 'em clean, folks!).

-Mel