You must experience it. Summa mamas promises to have a refreshing perspective on things.
Around St. Blog's: September 2003 Archives
Thomas requested an interview. Although he has already responded to Alicia's questions, there were other things I thought I could ask.
(1) I note your site has numerous references to monastic life, and in many cases strict monastic life (Trappists, OCSO, etc.) What is the attraction to these orders?
(2) Outside of the Bible, what spiritual reading has been most formative for you?
(3) Tell us a bit about the pilgrimage so far--born Catholic or convert? What has been the single greatest help in getting to where you are today spiritually?
(4) There seems to be a implication that you have had some experience in the business world. How has this experience informed your journey?
(5) Who is your favorite canonized Saint (other than the Blessed Virgin) and why?
Later: Thomas has posted his answers.
Crystal has asked to be interviewed. I must admit that I am not much of an interviewer and my questions may lack the luster of some. We might do well to be interviewed by several people because others ask incisive and informative questions. So if Crystal will forgive me, I offer these questions.
(1) The name of your site is Still Building Zion. Please explain what the title means and one thing you would like any visitor to your site to leave with.
(2) Other than the Bible, what is your favorite spiritual reading and why?
(3) You are part of a ministry that serves a teenage community. What does One Rock do and how did you get involved with it?
(4) Who is the person living today who has had the most influence in your life for good or ill? Why?
(5) On your site you speak of your reconversion. For the benefit of those who have not had a chance to read your story as published early, what is your story? Where were you and where do you hope to be going?
Kathy the Carmelite was the first blog-owner to request an interview--I have to figure out what I'm going to do about non-blogowners--seems to me that frequent commenters might also be qualified.
Anyway, I'm not much of a questioner, but here I go with Kathy's five:
(1) You call your blog Gospel M*i*n*e*f*i*e*l*d. What did you have in mind when you named it that?
(2) Who has had the greatest impact on your spiritual journey and why?
(3) Which of the Carmelite Saints do you prefer and why? To whom would you suggest that one wishing to know about what Carmelite life is REALLY like go? (Other than the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin)
(4) What is your favorite holiday/season of the year and why?
(5) List five authors (dead or alive) who you wish would never stop writing and tell us why they speak to you.
If you haven't already discovered this wonderful site, please look into it. What I like best about it is that even though it deals with very serious issues, the Blogmeister is a considerate and even effervescent personality who truly enjoys the blog-world and its wonders. His weekly round-up always includes wonderful things to read, and his deep concern for the plight of those exposed to the more hideous aspects of the culture of death is heartening. My thanks to Mr. Appleby
And after this my complaints about Samuel's admittedly very minor (5 year old) behaviors are both ludicrous and petty. But then we all have our own matters to contend with. We often attend mass with a family who has a daughter with SID (sensory integration dysfunction) which is along the spectrum of autism. What mom has to go through on a daily basis is grueling, but in the case of this child has achieved nearly miraculous results.
Jeff Miller does it again with "explicit" prayer magazines. Hey, Jeff, can I have that issue of Prayboy for site decor?
You can find it continued at Erik's Blog
You can find them here. And I'm certain they will find it a wonderful and convivial home.
John da Fiesole provides once again interesting commentary on how NOT to read the Bible.
I thought I'd mention Davey's Mommy, who in several places about her blog wonders about the purpose of blogging on mundane matters and not talking about deeply personal, close-helf stuff. And I just have to interject that it is often though what others consider the mundane aspects of their every day lives, that I find new elements and moments of grace. Endless discussions of what the Bishops are doing wrong or right, or why these Catholics are bad Catholics and those are good ones, or why some foreign yahoo I don't even know is kindling for the fires of the Inferno, simply don't open me up to the workings of grace. But to hear the small triumphs of a day--building a castle with blocks, making dinner, just being who we are and living out our vocations--those things speak to me in a voice that demands change. They teach me things and they call me to be a better father, a more compassionate friend, and all round a better exemplar of Christ.
So to Davey's Mom and to all of those who wonder whether it is worthwhile to share what you do--the answer is YES. You do not know who you bless or how with what you choose to share. Even if you don't dive down into the muck and murk of your own souls and dredge up all manner of grisly objects to show the world, you bless us (come to think of it, perhaps more than if you ran an online confessional monologue). Don't worry about not being able to talk about deeply personal matters. You don't know how simply and mundane things transform your audiences bit by bit. You make all of us better people by simply living your lives and sharing what you choose to share with us. Thank you.
