Thursday, February 9, 2012

NFP Virgin...and a celebration of another Woman honoring her Body and Marriage.

We live in some interesting times.  Our culture is one that has pushed its love of the human body to an extreme obsession with sexuality and beauty.  The sacred marriage act has become trivialized, casual-ized and often twisted so that now sexual sin encompasses pornography and porn addiction, sex trafficking, and committing abortions for the resulting unwanted children.

Artificial Birth Control use for family planning, as it is being debated currently between the Catholic Church and Washington, is also part of that equation.  Albeit it is such a minor part of a much larger issue: a heart issue regarding how humanity sees sexuality and our bodies.

In honor of this debate, I have decided to be inspired by this issue; not necessarily to stand up on my soap box, but to learn from the discourse.  I am myself a newly married woman who has always admired women who have chosen to avoid chemical birth control methods and learn listen to their bodies and celebrate that God made something wonderful in us, if only we should listen.  I am a bit frustrated with myself for not learning Natural Family Planning sooner, but I intend to learn.  And what a perfect time, in the middle of this debate!  To start, I want to learn what the church teaches us about our bodies, starting by reading JP2's Theology of the Body.  Feel free to join me on this journey, and provide your thoughts!  Heck, while I go in search of a class in my area, what books on Natural Family Planning would you recommend?

In the meantime, I leave you with this.  Victoria's Secret model Kylie Bisutti has made the decision to keep her body for her husband, thus stepping down from Victoria's Secret.  I have to admit, I'm a little bit inspired by her show of the conviction of her faith and her example.  It would be a good thing if more women chose to think this way, rather than showcasing so much of their flesh. 

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Lukewarm cold, wet and rainy

St. Louis, rather than being in a wintry state of puffy white, is in a state of lukewarmish cold, wet, and rainy.  The family had scheduled our winter sport day for this day originally (Hey....I have some new ski boots on some new bindings connected to my awesomely classic Olin skis that need broken in, man!), however, St. Louis weather has foiled that plan.

I got groceries instead, and I mean GROCERIES!!!!

My mother took pity on our situation of being poor new homeowners with an ever flooding basement, as of late, and offered to help.  Rather than ask for money, however, I asked for food.  Fill my pantries, please, so we can eat well without going out.  And she did.  I had a rather pleasant morning with her at the Scott AFB Commissary stocking up my kitchen with fruits. veggies, and most of all......more meat than I've EVER seen in my fridge since moving out of my parents' house.  Commissary meat is a steal, folks.  Local cuts prepped right there, and you don't even have to pay tax on any of it.  Being an Army Wife does have it benefits. ahem.  Sausage.  haha.  The last time I had made that trip was when I was a little College freshie, moving into her very first off campus apartment in Edwardsville, and still under the status of Air Force Brat.  Going back as a full fledged adult was a bit surreal, but this time I'm learning how to navigate the ropes so I can do it independently later.  Hey, though.....I have a full fridge and freezer.

I feel Domestically Complete (for now).

Rain.....  Sleepy.....

All I want to do is curl up in bed right now.  Even though I have a huge chuck eye thawing for dinner, I want someone else to cook it so I can lay in bed with the cat and pretend I don't have horrible circulation and constantly cold feet.  I want to stay in all night and read a book and forget that last night the hubbie and I had an impromptu McGurk's night after our dinner with Father J and a few other beautiful young couples from our Parish.  I want to forget the six separate (but small) glasses of red wine and two glasses of grappa followed up by two pub pints of Magners later.  Tonight was a planned O'Malley's night where we're to help a newly single friend get his groove back and talking to the ladies again.  However.....bed is so warm, and my husband is heading out tomorrow for two weeks of military duty far away from here.

And my cat actually curled up with me.  Who says cats aren't affectionate?  (Or maybe I have a dog in a cat's body...)