The Work of Mercy - Book Review

The Work of Mercy - Being the Hands and Heart of Christ by Mark Shea has been on my list of books to read for a while now.

Being raised Catholic, I watched my parents model the seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy in their lives. They, to my knowledge, didn't do them all, but they did do the majority of them.

It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I learned that there was actually a name and purpose behind them. I thought they were just doing what "good Catholics" do.

The seven Corporal Works of Mercy are:
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Harbor the harborless
- Visit the sick
- Ransom the captive
- Bury the dead

The seven Spiritual Works of Mercy are:
- Instruct the ignorant
- Counsel the doubtful
- Admonish the sinner
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive offenses willingly
- Comfort the afflicted
- Pray for the living and the dead

The first two Corporal Works of Mercy - about feeding those who are hungry and providing drinks to the thirsty (or access to clean, drinkable water) are self-explanatory.

The next one - clothing the naked - can literally mean providing clothing for those who don't have adequate clothing, whether in one's community or globally. Another interpretation is that the word "naked" does not mean "lacking clothes" but as "lacking modest clothes." I thought that was an interesting way to look it.

Harboring the harborless can be as simple as being hospitable - whether it is at church, an organization, or even at home. It can mean inviting someone over for tea or a meal or helping them find the right group within an organization to join (e.g., a choir, social justice group, environmental group).

Another part of the book I found interesting was about instructing the ignorant. It said, "Knowledge in the service of love, not pride, is the goal of instructing the ignorant. This is a work that is demanded of all of us sooner or later."

The author continued, "Virtually every human activity is taught us by somebody, and we are therefore all raised as debtors to a civilization we shall never be able to repay. Each of us has had a thousand teachers, not merely at school but from myriad other backgrounds and vocations.

Continuing down the list, there is the Spiritual Works of Mercy focused on forgiveness. The author said, "Unforgiveness punishes us, not the enemy. When we refuse to forgive, we hand our happiness over - forever - to people who may not know we exist, much less care.

"Refusing to extend forgiveness is one of the most deadly manifestations of pride in the world....Refusal to forgive trains us for nothing but misery."

I was pleased that, at the end of the book, there were organizations that one could support and/or volunteer their time at if they wanted to do these Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Some of their ideas combined with ones that I have supported include:

Feed the Hungry: 

Feed the Children - Both groups and individuals can volunteer to build boxes filled with food and essentials that will be delivered to families in need across the United States. Volunteers make the food-distribution programs possible by sorting and screening products, and helping assemble boxes loaded with much needed food and essentials. This is good for people who live in Pennsylvania.

Feed My Starving Children - I have regularly volunteered at the warehouse to pack food for children throughout the world who don't know where their next meal is coming from.

Give Drink to the Thirsty:

Global Water - From the organization's website: "Water … more crucial for survival above all other resources on earth. And yet, right now over one billion men, women, and children on the planet drink unsafe water. We believe that the lack of access to safe drinking water is the primary cause of hunger, disease and poverty throughout the developing world."

Clothe the Naked:

Organizations that accept clothing were mentioned. I think any local organization that accepts clothing would be grateful to receive items in good condition.

Harbor the Harborless:

There were national organizations suggested that help those who are homeless (adults and teens) and shelters for battered women.

Visit the Sick:

The book suggested volunteering through a hospice or the Ronald McDonald House.

Ransom the Captive:

International Justice Mission - There are more than 40 million people today who are in slavery. I had no idea there were that many. It's quite sobering to read that this is still going on. The International Justice Mission has ways for people to help put an end to slavery.

Bury the Dead:

World Vision - in addition to helping the living, this organization buries people who have died in natural disasters.

The book also has suggestions for the Spiritual Works of Mercy. I'm not going to list the ideas here since many are specific to the Catholic faith. That being said, there are many valuable ideas in this section of the book that people can follow or could find an equivalent in their own belief system.

A to Z Challenge - De-cluttering

During the month of April, I will be writing Monday through Saturday; and will exploring crafting, holidays, recipes, travel, and other items I've pinned on Pinterest. Each post will focus on a different letter of the alphabet. Today, I am focusing on the letter "D" and will be looking at my Ideas for the Winter Doldrums board.

There's a pin on my Beating the Winter Doldrums board with an image of decluttering 40 bags in 40 days. 

Source

This concept has been promoted on the internet to do in conjunction with Lent, which is happening now and goes through Easter (April 21st this year). 

I started to do this informally back on Ash Wednesday which was on March 6th. So, as of today, I should have 25 bags either donated, recycled, or thrown away. I only have 9 bags done so far, so I'm a bit behind. 

My goal this weekend is to go through my home office and get rid of fabric and craft supplies I no longer need or will use. That will easily catch me up to where I need to be. 

Volunteering at Feed My Starving Children

On Friday, November 23rd, I coordinated a volunteer group to pack food at Feed My Starving Children. We had 22 volunteers - youth and adults - plus 8 others who were at FMSC but were not part of my group.

The 30 volunteers filled two work stations. Below, Olivia is working on opening bags and holding them open while they are being filled.

Sophia did the same job at the other side of the table.

It was nice working together as a family on this packing activity.

My role was to take the sealed food packages and put them in 18 groups of two. I packed 36 packages in each box.

Our work stations packed 23 boxes.

The other station packed 31 boxes. They had mostly adults whereas our table had mostly youth.

After we packed the boxes and cleaned the stations, we could sample the food that is shipped to people around the world.

Collectively at the 12-2 packing session, 231 boxes were packed. That means that 49,896 meals were made. This represents 136 children for a year.

Below is a group of volunteers (minus two adults).

This was a meaningful way to spend the day after Thanksgiving. Everyone who attended the packing session was happy they came to Feed My Starving Children on their holiday weekend.

Something that Made Me Happy - October 2018

During the past month, there have been many things that have made me happy.

Something I've been enjoying a lot are the amazing sunsets here at the farm. This one was taken on October 16th.

In a matter of minutes, the sky changed to lighter colors as sun went further down on the horizon.

Another pretty sunset was on October 30th.

Again, in a matter of minutes, the sky has a different look to it with different shades of blues, purples, and pinks.  

This past month, in addition to my weekly pottery class, the girls and I took some art classes together. One that they wanted to do (so I thought I'd try my hand at it) was hand-sewing  leather. We each chose several projects to make. Below, Olivia is ready to start work on making a case for her sunglasses.

Sophia made three projects including a keychain (finished and to the right of the photo), coin purse, and a wallet which she is sewing in the photo below.

The three projects I made were a field note holder (to the left) which holds a little notebook, cards, and money; a keychain; and a clutch.

The clutch can hold an iPad mini, the field note holder, or other items.

This is the inside of the fieldnote holder. I need to get a little notebook that will on the right side of the holder.

We all said that we would want to take a hand-sewing leather class again.

On Halloween, during the middle of the day, Sophia and I took a SAORI weaving class at White Bear Center for the Arts. For two hours, we wove alongside ladies from Bloom.

Bloom is a SAORI weaving group made up of eight ladies. While these ladies happen to have developmental disabilities, they have had two nearly sold-out shows at Homewood Studios in Minneapolis. They gain teaching experience through workshops held during their shows and at White Bear Center for the Arts.

Below - from left to right - is me, one of the ladies from Bloom (dressed as Elvis for Halloween), and Sophia. Sophia went to town weaving and has a very long - and beautiful scarf.

Both of us still need to finish off the ends and cut the strings so they are even. Sophia is really happy with her scarf. For some reason, the yarn on my loom kept breaking (this is the first time this has ever happened), so the finished piece is lopsided. Oh well...it still was fun to create the weaving.

Another thing that made our entire family happy was finding a bin of Halloween decorations in the basement. I thought that some of them were still in the hobby shed when it burned down unexpectedly in May 2018.

Needless to say, I was so happy to find that we had some decorations that were passed down to us by Paige's mother and step-father, like the witch below.

The pumpkin that I used when I was a child was in the bin too!

The pumpkin still has my name on it with a scribble/swirl under it. When I sign my first name only I still will often put a line or swirl under it. I didn't realize I did that earlier in my life as a kid.

I was particularly happy to find both Sophia's and Olivia's candy bags. Since the first time each of them went trick-or-treating and dressed up, I traced one of their hands, wrote their name in the center along with their costume and year. When they got older, they began writing their own name and decorating the handprints.

October also brought many opportunities to volunteer together which made me happy. Olivia and I volunteered to help pack up a nearby library. We packed four racks (six shelves each) of fiction books; the large-print books, and about half a wall of non-fiction books.

We volunteered at the Lions Pancake Breakfast in the middle of the month, and enjoyed talking with some of the senior members of the Lions. The woman on the left helped paint the barn quilts that Olivia designed four years ago. She told us she's the same age as Micky Mouse, which would put her at about 90 years old now!

I coordinated a Service Project Sampler Day for Lions, Leos (the teen version of the Lions), and community members who wanted to volunteer. We ended up doing 14 projects or collecting items for 13 non-profits locally and globally. Afterwards, we had a healthy diabetes-friendly lunch together. (Diabetes is one of the key issues that the Lions work on.)

One of the projects we did was make 16 birthday bags for children whose families are struggling to put food on the table. We donated half to the local food shelf and then the other eight bags to a food shelf about 10 miles away. In addition, we donated over 50 pounds of food to the local food shelf.

At the Lions' Sponsor Appreciation Dinner, Sophia played the harp during the social hour and dinner. Olivia helped her get set-up and the speakers attached and working for her harp.

After having dinner together, the teens who volunteered to help had fun talking with one another, learning to play the harp (for the two exchange students from India and Mali, it was the first time they had touched a harp!), and talking about upcoming events.

So, it was a fun month - filled with beautiful things in nature, crafting, weaving, creative expression, learning new skills, special celebrations and holidays, volunteering, meeting new people, and deepening friendships through service and activities.

There is much to be grateful for and happy about as I look back at October.

Scavenger Hunt - October 2018

For October's Scavenger Hunt on Swap-Bot, there were five things to find:

Something alive

These flowers are in a little prairie garden and perennial flower garden I established this past year. I don't remember what type of plant this is, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the purple flowers still blooming on it.

The flowers are very delicate and cup-like when in full bloom. They are the only flowers in the garden that are still blooming - even after a couple hard frosts.

Something woven

We have had these woven placemats for many years now. I put one down on the bureau in the dining room and placed the Halloween train on top of it so the ceramic wheels wouldn't scratch the wood.

The Halloween train used to belong to Paige's mother and step-father. It is only one of a few Halloween items that we still have after the fire on May 5, 2018, destroyed the hobby shed (where many of our holiday decorations were kept).

So, we are very grateful to have the Halloween train and a few other items as a connection to past Halloweens.

Something you’d never want to find in your house

I was checking on the status of the garage that is being built as a replacement to the hobby shed that burned. Sitting on the ledge in the sunlight was this Northern Paper Wasp.

Northern Paper Wasps are commonly found in Minnesota. They build nests near humans because that is where a lot of wood can be found (e.g., barns, homes, fences, sheds, landscaping, firewood). The wasps use wood to help create their nest.

What I don't like about these wasps is that the queens aggressively defend their nests and their oldest workers join her in that effort. Animals and people who disturb nests may be stung multiple times as wasps do not die after one sting (like honeybees do).

That being said, Northern Paper Wasps are useful insects in the sense that they do a great job of removing plant-devouring caterpillars from gardens. Still, I would not want them in my home.

A poster or marquee announcing an event

This was a recent poster that our Lions Club placed around town to let people know about our Service Project Sampler Day. We held the event when youth had the day off of school. Lions and community members of all ages came to do 13 different service projects (hands-on activities as well as donated items) that benefited 14 organizations locally and globally.

It was a fun event and everyone said they would like to have another Service Project Sampler Day. So, we are looking at having the next one in January. The goal would be to do an event once a quarter.

Something fluffy

This is Lucy, our cat. He is about 15 or 16 years old now. He and his sister, Maggie, came to our farm as kittens. They were wandering around the farm at only a few weeks old. We never could find the mother.

So, we ended up feeding them soft food and milk and they were thrilled to have something to eat. We fed them daily and checked on them many times (they were living in the hobby shed which had a cat door on it thanks to the previous owners).

Eventually, they made their way indoors and lived inside ever since. Although Maggie is no longer with us, Lucy is hanging in there. He is showing signs of aging - like reduced vision in his right eye, loss of weight, and not being able to jump up onto high things any more.

However, he's always eager to sit right next to you and purr; and loves being pet. He's a really good cat. We are fortunate to have had so many years with Lucy.

My Favorite Photos of the Month - July 2018

The photos that I've included as my favorite ones aren't ones that are artistically beautiful or show advanced photography skills. Rather, they represent memories that are special or significant to me which makes them my favorite ones.

On July 1st, the month began with a lot of rain and significant thunderstorms. The excavated area that leads to the basement (for the new walls and steps due to flooding and a mud slide), flooded with water and had to be pumped out. Olivia went into the excavated area to rescue a frog that had fallen into the hole and was struggling to get out.

She managed to get the frog and out of the clay (which held tight to her boot), and release the frog on drier land.

On July 2nd, Sophia headed to Arizona to participate in a leadership camp. Forty teens from all over the United States and Canada attended the camp. Below, she is saying "goodbye" to Danny and Olivia. 

On July 3rd, the tigerlilies were in full bloom along the ditches in front of the house as well as in the backyard (pictured below).

We had a quiet 4th of July with Sophia gone to Take Action Camp in Arizona and it raining off and on throughout the day. I made barbecued ribs on the pellet grill - smoking them for two hours followed by one hour of baking. They tasted great. In the evening, we went to Dairy Queen.

On Monday, July 9th, the girls - along with a friend Sophia attended camp with for two years - went to the Science Museum of Minnesota after a stop at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to drop off four baby squirrels that fell out of their nest in our backyard. (They were there for quite a while and the mother was not getting them and bringing them back to the nest, so we brought them in.)

There was a special exhibit at the Science Museum about engineering and tall structures throughout the world. The models of the buildings were constructed from thousands of LEGO bricks.

After going through the exhibit, we watched a movie in the Omni Theater. Again, the theme was engineering. There was one section that we all felt was quite moving about the impact that engineering and bridges can have on people and a community. 

There was a woman who helped impoverished communities build bridges. In one place, a mother had drown trying to cross a river. Her children had to cross at that same dangerous spot each day to go to school. 

After the team of engineers from the U.S. and local construction workers created the bridge, the children no longer had to walk through the river where their mother died to get to school....they could now safely cross the river on the bridge.

The girls had fun on the musical steps at the Science Museum.

There was a little play area at the Science Museum. The girls and I remember it being there when they were young. They were good sports and had a lot of fun encouraging Emily to pick up one of the stuffed animals for a picture. 

I love this photo because it captures pure joy...complete happiness. Olivia laughing and not being able to stop...and Sophia with her head back laughing hysterically. I hope when they get older they look back upon memories like these and smile yet again.

On July 10th, we headed to the Mall of America for some shopping. The girls also went on a couple of rides - including the log ride which is their favorite one.

They also went on a roller coaster and clearly had a fun time!

On Wednesday, July 11th, we had a play system delivered and installed. The fire back in May burned down the playhouse and our swings no longer were functional. So, we invested in a play system with two swings, a little rock wall, ladder, playhouse/fort, and slide. 

Although the girls are teens, they still like to swing - especially Olivia. The slide is a fast-moving, bumpy one. Olivia took Scooby (who is about 11 years old) on his first ride down the slide; and Sophia took Danny (who is about 6 years old) on his first ride. 

 

That afternoon, we hosted a blood drive and mini-One Stop Donation Drop at the local community center and farmers market.

The girls made no-sew, fleece tied hats for children who have cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy. 

Sophia donated blood again. She's been donating blood and platelets since she turned 16 years old (the youngest you can donate blood).

She is happy knowing that for each unit of blood she donates, she is saving up to three lives!

While there was a short lull in blood donors, I decided to see if I could donate blood. With rolling and small veins, it always has been a challenge to get blood or do IVs when I've needed them for surgeries. 

After passing the screening test, I went over to one of the beds. The phlebotomist did a fantastic job and I was able to donate my first unit of blood!!

On July 12th, we went back to the airport to send Emily back to her parents out East, and to pick up Paige who was out of town on business. We were able to see another therapy dog at the airport. This one was all decked out in with a tie.

On Saturday, July 14th, my sister and I went on a farm tour sponsored by the local co-op. We visited several organic farms; and enjoyed eating at a new restaurant that focuses on using only locally-raised and made organic food. It was delicious!

On July 15th, more work was being done on the excavated area in our backyard. Rocks were brought in and the drain tiling was completed in the entry way to the basement (there is no access to the basement through the interior of the home).

On July 17th, we celebrated Olivia's half birthday a day early by going to the Chinese buffet. We all like this restaurant, and it is the place Olivia always requests to go on special days.

Wednesday, July 18th was a busy day for us. First, the girls were doing judging with their 4-H projects at the county fair. Olivia entered four photographs and received a reserve champion on one of them. She will be taking that one to the Minnesota State Fair in late-August.

Sophia won a grand champion award for her beaded necklace. She will be taking that one to the State Fair also in late-August.

To celebrate how well the girls did on their 20+ projects, we went to dinner at Dairy Queen (Olivia's request since it was her 15 1/2 year old birthday). Normally, we don't get out of judging so early, but with not having to show club projects this year, we were happy to be done around dinner time.

On our way home, we saw two spotted fawns by the side of the road.

We came home to a newly-graded backyard and one that didn't have the high ragweed and itch weed growing in the firepit.

The doors for the barn were completed and installed.

We celebrated Olivia's half birthday that evening by opening some presents. She had a great day.

On Thursday, July 19th, we enjoyed having our friend, Ed, visit us from California. Ed and Paige are business partners; and Ed is the son-in-law of Don Rickles (who passed away last year). We went to Don's funeral last year, so it was nice to see Ed under happier circumstances. 

We had bratwurst, fresh vegetables from the CSA, potato salad, tossed salad, berry/rhubarb pie, and homemade ice cream. 

On Sunday, July 29th, we went to the Polk County Fair. We enjoyed seeing the huge rabbits, projects, and entries from youth and adults.

Sophia was a good sport and had her photo taken by one of the cut-out-face displays. She was wearing a hat and didn't want to take it off, so that's why her face isn't closer to the hole.

On the final day of July, the 31st, the concrete guys came to put in the floor of the garage. It's been a long month trying to get a variance with the permit (due to the garage being 61' instead of 75' feet from the wetland...even though it is the same distance as the shed was that burned down) and then doing all the prep work for the garage.

There were 14 loads of fill that were brought in just to support where the garage will be placed; another 3 loads of fill that were used to grade the backyard, and cement trucks for the excavation project and garage. So, lots of construction vehicles during July.

With the 15 trees that were burned in the fire now taken down and chipped, the view to the west is quite open. Of course, this will blocked by the garage once it goes up, but - for the time being - we can enjoy this open and beautiful view.

One of the construction guys did recommend planting some trees along the fence line so that the garage wouldn't be so hot - that there would be shade during the summer. 

We do want to plant trees at some point...though a wider variety than the boxelders that had taken over that area. It would be nice to invest in all at least a half dozen different trees to benefit the wildlife; and to have different leaf colors and shapes. Something to think about during the summer and hopefully plant in the Fall or next Spring.