7 Quick Takes Friday

1) God puts exactly the right people in our lives at exactly the right time we need them.  I am constantly amazed and warmed to the cockles of my heart by my beloved friends from Church, and their kindness and compassion in the valley of the shadow my family is trudging through right now.  May He richly bless them all.

2) Sede Vacante. No Pope.  Something so sad about that--and watching the Pope Emeritus fly off in that helicopter for Castel Gandalfo reminded me of a presidential changing of the guards, minus the private luncheon with the "new guy".  I hope sincerely that the new Pope is a man of great character and overwhelming love for his fellow man.  I pray for that. And I wish Benedict a life of peace and prayer.

3) Found some great new shoes at the Birkenstock In Step store today. They call me whenever they get cute new patterned shoes in in my humongous boat-shoe size (size 42 eur.) because they usually only get one per design in that size, so I raced over there, and found a pair of mary jane type shows in a beautiful rose pattern.

I long ago developed an attachment to Birkenstocks and similar type shoes and I have about 4 pair of clogs for winter and four pair of sandals for our eternal summer here in Texas and that's it. I won't wear anything else. Gotta catch them on sale though, as I did today. $69!

4) Which is your favorite church-approved apparition of Mary?  I am torn between Our Lady of Guadalupe and  Fatima. I love the beautiful Tilma that still exists today and defies scientific explanation, and I also love the miracle of the sun that so many witnessed at Fatima.  It makes me kind of sad that Jacinta and Francesco died so very young, even though I know it shouldn't, though.

5) One day, I hope to live somewhere in the north, in a woodsy area with snow in the winter and reasonable temps in the summer, and lovely lakes and  quiet valleys and no more stickers and cockleburrs and flying tree roaches and other such sub-tropical nonsense.  Anyone want to trade residences with me?

6) My son and I are watching a really interesting documentary called "Bully" about the bullying problem in today's schools.  It's so extremely sad and so frightening to watch what these kids go through.  And I remember being bullied severely when I was in the lower grades myself, and how much it hurt. We really have to listen to our kids when they talk about being mistreated by others at school.  Tragedies do occur.

7)  Th Th Th Th Thats All Folks!