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Post by pensmama87 on Feb 17, 2017 18:50:59 GMT
This was from Simcha Fisher earlier this week, about NFP in particular but also in general Catholic ideas about the value and purpose of suffering. An excerpt: I'll admit that I'm something of a Simcha fangirl, but I really appreciate her stuff on NFP. Her book gives some great food for thought on the subject.
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Post by Irishmom on Feb 17, 2017 19:27:27 GMT
Well, I really like what she had to say about agony=holiness, not even connected to NFP. I always wonder where people get the idea that God would be so cruel as to kick us when we are down. You are right pensmama, He is not like that at all. Thanks for posting that, and I love the title of the thread.
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Post by pianistclare on Feb 17, 2017 19:28:13 GMT
I love this. I think we all recall folks who believe this. I like her stuff. She can be very witty, but yet, hitting it squarely on the head. Thanks for posting it for us!
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Post by oralabora on Feb 17, 2017 19:28:57 GMT
Well although I am well past the age where NFP is relevant, I am intrigued by what you posted on suffering. Being well-versed in the Benedictine view of things, I would say that Benedictine monks wag their fingers at such self-imposed suffering as described in the quote. Benedictines take a very balanced approach to life. Yes, they sacrifice, but much of their lives are conducted in joy, and some little pleasures: a good glass of wine, cross-country skiing on the abbey grounds, well-balanced meals and yes, very much, a sense of humour. Speaking of joy, I have been blessed by an awesome spectacle of nature this morning. A large owl has been perched on our bird feeder since breakfast. He's been there all morning and is still there. While eating my lunch, I watched him dive into the snow, and come out with a mole in his beak, which he proceeded to devour in one gulp, back on his perch. The chickadees are besides themselves as they can't get safe access to the feeder. My cat is glued to the window. It's such a delight to watch nature... God's wondrous creation... unfold before my eyes. So the conclusion above "God. Is. Not. Like. That." I agree wholeheartedly with. He wants our joy, and He never ceases to place such delights as that owl under our noses. But He does want us to delight in the right things. Here's a pic of our new friend:
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Post by pianistclare on Feb 17, 2017 19:35:57 GMT
Wow! That is a great shot. WE have hawks in our oak trees every year, and it's fun to watch them train their chicks. Interestingly, the mama flies to another tree, wait, and they flutter and almost fall, but eventually make it. Then they rest, and in about 5 minutes after they have composed themselves, she does it again to another tree. They repeat this process for about a week. Suddenly, one morning, she just flies away. Far. Eventually she believes int heir education, and allows them to fly solo. We can learn a lot from nature. Thanks for posting your pics. HOw did you do it? I tried yesterday and managed it once, but now have forgotten.
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Post by tawny on Feb 17, 2017 19:58:37 GMT
That's a beautiful picture. Our neighbor has a resident owl hold up in his barn, can't wait to see what he/she will be doing in the spring. We have a pair of red tail hawks that nest in the tall oak tree in the back. They had a nest last year with three babies. They're off on their own now. The most amazing thing I witnessed was them catching a pigeon in flight.
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Post by pensmama87 on Feb 17, 2017 20:06:37 GMT
What a lovely photo! I love owls. They're such interesting birds. It's curious you mention the Benedictines. I've been thinking a lot about them lately. Their spirituality really resonates with me. Maybe a sign I need to look further into it.
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Post by pianistclare on Feb 17, 2017 20:08:42 GMT
That's a beautiful picture. Our neighbor has a resident owl hold up in his barn, can't wait to see what he/she will be doing in the spring. We have a pair of red tail hawks that nest in the tall oak tree in the back. They had a nest last year with three babies. They're off on their own now. The most amazing thing I witnessed was them catching a pigeon in flight. Oh! Ours are red hawks as well! There are oodles of them here I also like watching the cranes at the nearby state park They filmed some of the HUnger Games there, so it's gotten much more popular, andtheyhave had the resources as a result, to update the trails and build a new nature center!
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Post by oralabora on Feb 17, 2017 20:17:14 GMT
Wow! That is a great shot. WE have hawks in our oak trees every year, and it's fun to watch them train their chicks. Interestingly, the mama flies to another tree, wait, and they flutter and almost fall, but eventually make it. Then they rest, and in about 5 minutes after they have composed themselves, she does it again to another tree. They repeat this process for about a week. Suddenly, one morning, she just flies away. Far. Eventually she believes int heir education, and allows them to fly solo. We can learn a lot from nature. Thanks for posting your pics. HOw did you do it? I tried yesterday and managed it once, but now have forgotten. You need to find a photo hosting site like Flickr or Photobucket. Host the picture on that site, then copy the URL and wrap it in image tags. There's an icon for that when you reply or start a message, but you need to use the full reply function, not the quick reply. The icon looks like a small photo, next to the email icon.
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Post by oralabora on Feb 17, 2017 20:19:23 GMT
What a lovely photo! I love owls. They're such interesting birds. It's curious you mention the Benedictines. I've been thinking a lot about them lately. Their spirituality really resonates with me. Maybe a sign I need to look further into it. Oblation is only a phone call to your nearest monastery away! Well that and a bit of a formation period. In ours, it was one year. I am in my 14th year of oblation, 15th if you count the year of formation! It was, for me, a life-changing event. But it took several years to realize it!
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Post by Professor Q on Feb 18, 2017 4:56:39 GMT
So now I'm really curious: do owls practice NFP?
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Post by oralabora on Feb 18, 2017 17:19:22 GMT
So now I'm really curious: do owls practice NFP? Well they certainly do to small critters that have the misfortune of crossing its path! My bird feeder is a perfect example of a "food chain" The birds are messy eaters, so lots of the seed ends up on the ground, which feeds the squirrels (it's a squirrel-proof feeder), moles, mice, etc., which in turn feed the owl and thus, umm, reduce in a natural way the growth of the families of certain species. However I think the "P" in NFP might be an overstatement, I don't think there's much planning involved other than finding a suitable perch! That, and the chickadees are madder than heck as they can't get safe access to the feeder now. They're smart enough to avoid Mr. NF not quite P.
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Post by pianistclare on Feb 18, 2017 17:28:05 GMT
LOL. Love the name of this thread.
We'll continue this discussion on the random thread forum.
When Ora posed the query to his owl...the owl replied "oh! I guess Ow'll look into it!"
I crack myself up.
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Post by Professor Q on Feb 20, 2017 10:39:44 GMT
His wife, Mrs. Owl, then replied: "Huh, getting my husband to practice NFP? That's a hoot!" I kill me. =)
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Post by glennonp on Feb 20, 2017 17:24:23 GMT
His wife, Mrs. Owl, then replied: "Huh, getting my husband to practice NFP? That's a hoot!" I kill me. =) Practicing NFP can make me owly.
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