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Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty-Seven

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:00:12 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage was a true labor of love for author Cheryl Dickow whose own passions for the Holy Land and the Jewish roots of the Catholic faith are almost unquenchable. Elizabeth is the first work published by Bezalel Books which Cheryl established in late 2006; it centers on a woman whose life is at a crossroads and her realization that the only way to get back on track is to get to the roots of her faith—in the Holy Land—if it isn’t too late. Since the release of Elizabeth, Bezalel Books has published 40 additional titles that are perfect for the Catholic home, school or parish. Elizabeth is available in paperback or in Kindle format. Cheryl is also the author of the recent non-fiction book Our Jewish Roots: A Catholic Woman’s Guide to Fulfillment Today by Connecting with Her Past

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I will live for the Lord; my descendants will serve you. Psalm 22:31

The last two days of Elizabeth’s trip were wonderful. On Tuesday, all four women spent their last day together in the beautiful hills and valleys by the Sea of Galilee. It was in Northern Israel and filled with man-made and natural wonders. One of their stops was in the city of Safed. Rachel explained that during the middle ages it became a haven for Spanish Jews as a result of the Inquisition. “Many people consider this to be the most peaceful of settings that exist in the world.”

Beth had to agree with Rachel, as did Miriam and Sipporah. The mountaintop city and view was breathtaking. Everywhere they looked were streams running through the mountains, determinedly making their way to the sea.

“The Jews of Galilee used Mt. Arbel as a stronghold during their fighting with the Romans in the first century. But let’s not think of these things today!” Sipporah said, wanting to steer their last day together in a completely different direction than the endless fighting that seemed to be part of man’s inherent nature. “Let’s rent a kayak and ride down the Jordan River!”

Beth almost fell over at Sipporah’s suggestion. She had never been fond of boats and the only images she could conjure up regarding kayaking or rafting had to do with turbulent whitewater waves throwing all occupants into a rabid stream just waiting to plunge everyone to their death. Beth remained quiet to better hear all the other protests. To her dismay, everyone thought rafting or kayaking was a great idea and they were apparently on their way to some undisclosed kayak rental place with Beth trailing behind. Wouldn’t that be something if this was how I lost my life? Beth murmured to herself. Of all of Luke’s concerns, both spoken and not, Beth could bet on the fact that Luke never considered Beth would step foot in a kayak.

Within minutes they were gearing up for a boat ride and Beth felt that the whole thing had been planned. She knew she was right as Sipporah spoke, “I hope you won’t find us too pushy but we wanted to spend our last day together doing something a bit out of the ordinary so that when you thought of the Holy Land you thought of the times of Christ but also of today. Of all the things He has done for you, He has also brought you to us and made us feel as if we have always known you.”

Beth began crying and all four women hugged in one of those big, dramatic group hugs that are so often made fun of on television. But nothing was more appropriate, more fitting, than for these four friends to create a circle and laugh and cry for a few precious minutes.

“Ladies, let me just check your gear and you can get into the quad-kayak,” instructed their guide. Beth was relieved that they weren’t being left to their own devices and was the second to board. The boat was bigger than she had imagined. She looked around and saw assorted kayaks and canoes, all holding multiple occupants. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and she decided to have fun as well.

She shared a bench with Rachel. They looked at each other and giggled. Beth asked, “Have you done this before?”

“Many times. It is truly a fun experience. One you will never forget. We have all done this together, quite a few times. Now, we will always be able to remember you as part of our kayaking stories!”

Once they were in, the guide instructed them on the proper principles of leaning and ducking but mostly stressed that he would be able to handle what was ahead and that they should all enjoy the ride. Beth was relieved because by the time he gave the third instruction she had already forgotten what the first one was. Apparently even time in the Holy Land couldn’t erase the symptoms of menopause! She laughed and Miriam asked her what was so funny. “Just an inside joke,” was Beth’s response and the girls nodded in agreement, apparently all understanding that inside jokes were best left, well, inside. They smiled as the kayak took its place in the river.

The trip down the Jordan River was just one more highlight in a vacation filled with unforgettable experiences. Beth got soaked on more than one occasion and could not stop laughing. Soon, all four women were laughing at nothing in particular. If a feeling, a moment in time, could be a magical elixir, then Beth and Miriam and Rachel and Sipporah had their fair share that afternoon. And if laugher truly is good medicine, then each woman stood up from the kayak healthier than when she entered.

They made their way back to the car and began their trip home. The smiles on their faces reflecting the beauty of their day together. Driving home they each simply took in the sights of men and women and children busy with their life’s activities.

Dropping off Sipporah, Beth got out of the car to give her a hug. “Thank you for all your time. Please keep me informed about your life and your studies and I will do the same.”

Hugging Beth, Sipporah responded in kind. Then they pulled away from each other and smiled. Beth got back into Rachel’s car and they drove away. As much as Beth wanted to look back, she actually couldn’t. Her throat ached with the tears that seemed to be erupting. Looking back at Sipporah would have unleashed emotions that Beth was afraid were far bigger than just their good-byes.

Rachel parked her car in the street in front of the apartment complex. They had eaten a late lunch and all had agreed that dinner was of no interest. Miriam, Beth, and Rachel would be spending Wednesday together. Thursday, Beth was returning home. Her short trip was coming to an end. And yet, in a very wonderful way, Beth felt as if she had been in Israel for months. She loved the familiar sights and sounds and realized that in her two brief weeks she had known the tragedy and triumph that made up the Holy Land.

Closing the car door, Beth said to Rachel, “Okay. We’ll see you tomorrow morning?”

“Around ten?” Rachel asked in agreement.

“Perfect,” responded Miriam. They had all found that mid-morning gave everyone a chance to get their day off without a rush and thus enjoy it more fully.

Rachel pulled the car out into traffic with the requisite honking and maneuvering. Beth and Miriam headed up the stairs in silence. They always alternated between the elevator and stairs, somehow remaining in sync with their steps, whichever route they were taking. Miriam broke the silence when she asked Beth, “Do you want to stop by to say good-bye to David?”

Beth had not anticipated leaving Israel to be an emotional venture and yet that was exactly what it had developed into. She had come to dearly care for the Goldfarbs and Rachel and Sipporah and now had to say good-bye, not knowing if she would ever see them again. It was an odd feeling, reminiscent of when she was a young girl and her father would be in town on business. He would take Beth to dinner and then drive her home. Inevitably he was catching a plane to some other city, some other state, forever building his business for himself and his wife and their daughters. But never Beth. She was never a priority. She saw him now and again and each time was like ripping the scar off her heart, only to have her build it back up again.

Her father would drop her off and she would walk to her front door. The same ache that she had in her throat when saying good-bye to Sipporah was the ache in her throat back then, making it almost impossible for her to swallow. She would never forget the physical pain she would feel as her heart raced and her tears became suffocating. She never knew if she would see her father again. Would he be back or would he be gone forever? If it wasn’t for his business in town, she now knew she never would have seen him. Period. Would that have been better? She would never know.

As it was, each time she saw him she went through the same pain. It was really too much for a young girl to bear and, now as a mother, she would never be able to stand the idea that her own children would be subjected to such emotional turmoil.

“Yes, I would like to say good-bye to David,” was Beth’s quiet reply.

Miriam opened the door to her apartment and Beth walked inside. Was it just a dozen days ago that I walked in here for the first time? Beth couldn’t believe how much two weeks could hold. She had been living in such a way that it seemed like her life held nothing new and here she was, two weeks in Israel, and she had more experiences than the past five years of her life.

“Please, sit down. I’ll put on a pot of tea. It will be nice to have some fruit and cheese and visit together.”

Beth agreed and made her way to the couch. The window was open and the breeze was refreshing. David walked into the room from the small hallway and smiled as he saw Beth. “Shalom! What a pleasant surprise.”

Beth returned David’s warm smile and imagined all the families he would counsel, guide, and know as a rabbi. Although most rabbis agree that their decision is one of great contemplation and prayer, that they are not “called” in the way that most Christians consider their pastors or priests “called” to the religious life, there had to be something along those lines nonetheless. Beth figured that the reality for both was probably somewhere in the middle. God did a little calling and the recipient did a little praying, and before long they came to an understanding of how to best glorify God’s kingdom here on earth.

“Do you want any help, Miriam?” David called towards the kitchen.

“No, I’m fine. Where’s abba?”

“He went out with some friends. I believe they are visiting and enjoying one another’s company.”

David explained to Beth that after Shivah it was a responsibility of someone close to the family to encourage them to take up the things of life: going out again and so on. Beth knew that Meir would have been surrounded by such people who cared for his well being and could easily say that Ayala would have wanted him to enjoy his days as well. She was truly special.

Beth stayed for about an hour during which time she and Miriam and David exchanged pleasantries. It was an easy conversation with Beth recounting their day’s kayaking experience. David laughed heartily as Miriam pantomimed the four women doing their best to help the guide keep the kayak upright.

All in all, David admitted, it seemed to have been a perfect ending for Beth’s vacation. At his words, her heart leapt with the knowledge that when she arrived, David had a mother and now that she was departing, he did not. She shook her head in dismay and David asked what she was thinking about. In all honesty she replied, “Your mother.”

David and Miriam exchanged glances and Miriam spoke up, “Beth, my father and David and I have something we would like you to have.”

Beth looked from Miriam’s face to David’s and then back to Miriam’s. David left the room and returned with a container the size of an old-fashioned hat box. He handed it to Beth who reached up her arms to receive it.

She placed it on her lap and looked at them again. “I don’t know what to say. This is very kind and, of course, I have nothing to give you but my gratitude for your graciousness, kindness, and friendship.” Tears welled up in Beth’s eyes as she lifted the lid. Inside, packed in blue and white tissue paper was a ceramic tea set. Beth recognized it immediately. It was the tea service with which Ayala had served Beth on Beth’s first night in Israel. It’s porcelain exterior beautifully decorated with roses and vines, hand painted, Ayala had said when Beth originally complimented it.

When Beth looked at David and Miriam, they, too, were crying. David spoke in such a soft voice that Beth had to strain to hear him, “Beth, as you know, my mother was a wonderful woman. She loved everyone and did her best to make all people feel welcome in her home. She was especially fond of you, Beth, and would have wanted you to have this set.”

Beth started to object but David raised his hand to quiet her concerns before he continued, “The interesting thing about this, Beth, was that my mother knew right away she wanted you to have the set. That was why she was going to purchase a new set. She had already told us she wanted you to have this one.”

Beth could not breathe upon hearing those words. She looked at Miriam and David and realized that they could have, and Beth would never, ever have blamed them, hated her. Groaning, Beth apologized profusely and both the Goldfarb children hugged her.

David comforted her, once again, with his words. “Beth, my father and I have already gone to the home of the Arab merchant who was also killed in the blast. He left behind a wife and four children. Like my mother, his wife is a loving, caring woman who holds no hatred in her heart. We hugged one another because in these deaths, we are more alike than different. Each of our families will somehow go on but will be very different than they were.

Our world is filled with much hate and bloodshed and my mother would never want someone else’s hatred to infiltrate her family. And so Beth and I want you to know that you will always be very special to us and that we could never harbor ill feelings towards you because nothing you did was wrong. You brought out our mother’s love. How could we hate that?”

Miriam’s silence was as powerful as David’s words, each contributing to Beth’s overwhelming understanding of love and forgiveness.

“We’ve packed the set in a way that it would probably survive the trip but thought it might be better if we shipped it separately. What do you think?” Miriam asked Beth.

Beth surveyed the tea set and knew that it was as fragile as life itself. “Please, let’s ship it separately and pack it with a bit more padding.”

“Okay, I’ll take this to the postal service tomorrow and you should be getting it in two or three weeks,” David said.

Hugging David, Beth said her good-byes and walked across the hall to her apartment. Standing in the Goldfarb doorway, Miriam called out, “I’ll see you tomorrow around ten. Sleep well.”

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

Book Review: ZooBorns by Andrew Bleiman and Chris Eastland

Colleen Duggan — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:00:54 +0000

My oldest son, Patrick, is a fact lover. He devours with great fervor any informative books on space, sea, and animals. I was tickled then to receive the latest copies of Simon & Schuster’s ZooBorns: two books on the cutest, cuddliest fury things found in zoos and aquariums around the world.

Not only are the books educational (they are filled with tidbits of fun facts on all types of creatures) and entertaining (who doesn’t melt at the sight of infant twin Bengal tigers with piercing blue eyes?), the kids and I loved the visually stunning photos. The pictures are works of art that highlight fury friends in danger of extinction. As soon as we read the books, my son begged me to bring them to school to share with his teacher.

Perfect for either home or classroom, the books are based on the popular website which tracks the birth and progress of these endangered babies. I love that a teacher or a mom could supplement the terrific, informative books with the additional on-line resource.

I highly recommend these treasure troves as the perfect holiday gift for your favorite kid or teacher: Zooborns for All Ages and Zooborns! for Young Children . Need another incentive? 10% of all book revenue goes directly to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conservation Endowment Fund.

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty-Six

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:00:52 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me. Psalm 51:4

Luke was eagerly anticipating Liz’s return, as were the kids. To his surprise, even Michael had called home to see how things were going with Elizabeth. Miracles, Luke concluded, were still happening!

Sitting in the comfort of his favorite chair, Luke replayed his conversations with Liz over the past two weeks. There had been only a handful but he felt that each one was significant. At first both he and Liz were hesitant to utter any words of endearment. Each was somehow sizing up the situation as well as his or her own feelings. Therapy had been step one but step two was more of an internal “coming to terms” with what had been, what was, and what could possibly be.

Neither Luke nor Elizabeth were dreamers and had to decide if this marriage was going to work on its own terms or if either was interested in throwing in the towel. Luke was more likely to accept the status quo whereas Liz was looking for some serious change. He felt that although there were things she was looking for from him, the bigger question was simply if she were willing, or able, to move into a place of peaceful acceptance. While he didn’t believe, not for one minute, that this was “selling out,” he knew that Liz harbored those fears.

He could see it in her eyes, hear it in her arguments, and feel it in their relationship. For Elizabeth, accepting life as it had turned out felt like she was “settling.” She had thrown around those phrases for a few years now: settling, selling out. Each had been spewed out as if they were poison. Luke knew there was no convincing Liz that life just had a way, like an old house, of settling. He wanted her to understand, though, that the settling of a foundation meant that the creaks and groans had all been worked out. Yes, there seemed to be more energy when you never knew what to expect, but that wasn’t how things were meant to stay.

Luke thought of a verse he heard in church and wrote it down. He wanted to share it with Elizabeth but knew the time had to be right. He knew that the words were so applicable to their marriage that his confidence in sharing them with Liz was bolstered. Getting up from the chair, Luke made the decision to go to the store and find a greeting card for Liz that captured how he felt and hoped she still felt as well.

If nothing else, he would find a pretty card that was blank inside and write his own sentiments. A little annoyed with himself, he realized that the last time he had sat down and really put his heart in what he wanted to say was when he had engraved their wedding bands with the words, Our Destiny Awaits.

This wasn’t to say that he hadn’t bought cards and flowers over the years, but he could see Beth’s point that things had definitely changed over their lifetime together. He now wanted to put them back on track. He knew he had more to give than he had given in a long time. It became imperative for him to put the long term effort into this marriage that he had put into his company.

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

A Marian Book for Everyone By Sarah Reinhard

Sarah Reinhard — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:00:08 +0000

Violets for Mary
Norma McCulliss (Sally Bedrosian, illustrator)

This whimsical children’s book is just the size for small hands, and the fact that it includes plenty of pictures of flowers made it an instant hit with my two girls. Siblings Anna and Joe learn about honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. Though the focus is on May – and here in Ohio, at this point in November, May feels a long time away – I can’t help but love this little book.

This time of year, we picture Mary in a manger scene. I like her with flowers, though, and can’t help but recommend this book, unlikely though it seems for this time of year, for your gift-giving consideration.

Mondays With Mary A Celebration of Marian Feasts Throughout the Year
Meredith Henning

Aside from the fact that I love the alliterative title of this book, I can’t recommend it highly enough. This book is a treasury of ideas and resources. Whether you want to try to hold a weekly “Monday with Mary” as Henning suggests, or you want to learn more about Mary and use selected ideas, you’re sure to find recipes, prayers, crafts, and thoughts that will inspire your family’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Going through the year with the Blessed Mother is a practice we can all benefit from. This book is written for families with children, and it’s a book I see getting dog-eared and much-used with my own family!

Full of Grace: Encountering Mary in Faith, Art, and Life
Judith Dupré

The chance to review this book was a blessing of enormous proportions for me. It looked, at first, like a coffee table sort of book (which it could be, in fact), not the sort of thing I would normally pick up at all. I’m not so much a reader of coffee table books, though having read this one, I am going to have to rethink that bias.

Dupré combines extensive research with amazing photography and personal essays. Throughout the 59 chapters that make up the book – like beads on a rosary, she tells us in the introduction – we gain an insight into Mary as a person approachable and loveable. We learn about Mary throughout history and about various devotions.

What I loved the most about this book, though, was the way Dupré shares her closeness with Mary. She makes Mary relatable, removing her from the cold icon status and giving her breath and meaning through her writing. It’s not breath and meaning Mama Mary didn’t already have, but as a reader, I appreciated the weaving of historical intricacies and tangible experiences.

My advice? Buy a copy of this for yourself and for everyone you love. It’s a book worth owning and rereading.

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty-Five

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:00:17 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Now that I am old and gray, do not forsake me, God, That I may proclaim your might to all generations yet to come. Psalm 71:18

The next four days of Beth’s vacation continued to be a myriad of experiences. It was now the middle of her second week in Israel and she had but a few precious days left before returning home. She spent time at Chaim’s funeral, more time with Meir, David, and Miriam, and attended church with Rachel. Rachel called herself a Messianic Jew and had given Beth a wealth of intriguing information. Although Rachel’s family was quite unhappy with the evolution of her faith, Rachel maintained her commitment to its doctrine: that Jesus was indeed the Messiah that Jewish people awaited.

Beth could see how this would be offensive to Rachel’s parents but also admitted that it was quite appealing in that it embraced the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. This had always been Beth’s passion and she felt that the Lord’s hand was in her meeting Rachel. She questioned Rachel endlessly and then asked to attended a service with Rachel over the weekend. Rachel gave Beth some literature to read after the service and Beth was astounded at the intricate use of Scripture in supporting the Messianic Jewish position. That was Sunday and Beth had spent the entire evening reading.

The literature stated that Messianic Jews believed that the bible included the Holy Scriptures as well as the New Testament, which they called B’rit Hadasha, and was the infallible and authoritative word of God. They believed in its divine inspiration and embraced it as the ultimate source of guidance in all matters of faith.

Rachel gave Beth a bible to use while she read through the literature and Beth looked up such verses as Deuteronomy 6:4-9 which said, Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

Beth finished reading the verse and thought of the men at the wailing wall, wearing their tefillin, clearly following this command. Tefillin are the straps that the men wore around their arms and head that had words from the Torah written upon them.

Beth then looked at the doorpost of her bedroom door and knew that the mezuzah, a small ornate metal container with the Lord’s Commandments inside, was also adhering to this passage. Beth put the bible aside and picked up the brochure again. She saw many passages sited for the support of God’s Word as authoritative, infallible, and the only place to look for real guidance.

Beth had learned from David and Miriam that all Jews begin their day with the Shema. This was also taken from Deuteronomy and was a proclamation that said, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. As Beth read the brochure she saw that the Shema was also a foundation for the Messianic Jewish faith where they understood that this one true God existed in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The brochure referenced Romans 8:14-17 and Beth turned there in the bible.

After Beth finished reading Romans she turned her attention back to the brochure. Next it explained their belief in God as the Father, or Abba. Beth almost skipped over this as it seemed a given until it struck her that in using the term ‘Abba,’ it was safe to assume that there was a child and that child was Jesus! The revelation energized Beth and she looked up many of the verses sited: John 6:27b; I Corinthians 1:3; Gal. 1:1; Rev. 3:5, 21; Jeremiah. 3:4, 19; 31:9; Mal. 1:6; Matt. 6:9, 32; Luke 10:21-22; John 1:14; 4:23; 5:17-26; 6:28-46.

By that time it was late afternoon and Beth had no plans for the evening. She had assured Rachel and Sipporah that she enjoyed some of the quiet evenings at home. Beth went to the refrigerator and made herself another light dinner. The trip had been filled with so many blessings, not the least having been Beth’s drastically altered eating habits. She hadn’t had a bag of chips or a candy bar or a piece of cake since she had been in Israel.

Although her waist wasn’t returning to its pre-children size, she could finally feel a bit of room in her pants and as was always the case, that little bit of success urged her on and her appetite for sweets and salts was practically gone. Beth enjoyed her dinner on the balcony and felt a pang of regret that she would soon be leaving. She had made friends, seen sights, and had experiences that would stay with her forever. Would she ever come back? Only God knew.

Finishing her meal, she washed her dish and silverware and went to the end table to pick up the brochure. She was interested in reading how the Messianic Jews reconciled Jesus as the Son. He was called HaBen and there were countless verses to support this: Psalm 2; Proverbs. 30:4-6; Luke 12:35-37; John 1:29-34, 49; 3:14-18. Most intriguing to Beth was their acceptance of Mary as the virgin who bore Christ and the clear call to worship Him as God. There was no middle ground. He wasn’t an exalted prophet, He was Yeshua, Salvation. In black and white the brochure staked the claim that Christ was the Messiah of Israel, again indicating numerous verses to support this truth.

Beth then turned her attention to the information regarding God as the Holy Spirit, or what they called Ruach HaKodesh. Beth had participated in a study group years before where a lot of the work had been done in understanding ‘Ruach.’ Here it was used as the ‘Spirit of God’ but Beth also recalled learning how it was God’s breath, speaking the world into being, or something like that. Beth was frustrated with herself that she couldn’t clearly recall everything they had talked about during that study group.

Beth shook off her irritation and continued reading about man being created in God’s image and that he fell due to his own disobedience. This, then, led to all men being born with a sinful nature. Beth had to wholeheartedly agree as she thought of her own transgressions in her marriage and elsewhere. She heard David talking about sins and she realized that while she would have, up until that point, put her sins in a ‘lesser’ category, that wasn’t always the way that Adonai would view them.

Beth put the brochure down, took off her reading glasses and thought of her marriage. She decided to make herself a cup of tea and put on the tea kettle. Selecting a new flavor, raspberry, she put the tea bag in her cup and waited for the water to come to a boil. Soon the kettle was whistling and Beth watched as the hot water, pouring over the tea bag, turned to a reddish-purple color in her cup. Beth stirred absentmindedly for a few minutes and then, using the back of a spoon, she squeezed the bag against the side of the cup. Taking the dehydrated bag out of the water, she walked over to the waste basket to throw away the tea bag. Then, cup in hand, she headed back towards what had become her favorite chair.

As she continued reading the Messianic brochure, she found great comfort in the words of Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. Messianic Jews also believed in the resurrection and judgment with the redeemed sharing in everlasting life and the lost forever separated from God.

On that note, Beth decided to put everything away for the night and go to bed. She slept soundly and when she awoke Monday morning, resumed her reading. By noon Beth had read more scripture verses than she had over the course of the previous year. From the promise of the second coming as revealed in 1 Thessalonians as well as in John and 1 Corinthians, to the spiritual redemption of Israel as revealed in Romans and Hebrews, Beth was transfixed. With every word she read, she was renewed.

When Beth read the full prophecy that the Messiah’s return shall indeed be in Zion she thought of Suleiman’s attempt to seal the gate in the Western Wall to prevent just that! Beth found herself frightened at the prospect of the second coming. How would she be judged? she wondered. Was her relationship with Christ real or was it wishful thinking that there was more to life than this fleeting earthly existence?

Beth finished the brochure by reading what was essentially their statement of faith replete with bible verses to support the statement.

We recognize that Jewish people (physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, whether through the mother’s or the father’s blood-line) who place their faith in Israel’s Messiah, Yeshua, continue to be Jewish according to the Scriptures (Rom. 2:28-29). Gentiles who place their faith in Yeshua, are “grafted into” the Jewish olive tree of faith (Rom. 11:17-25) becoming spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham (Gal. 3:28-29).

We observe and celebrate the Jewish Holy Days given by God to Israel, with their fulfillment in and through the Messiah Yeshua. We believe that true “Biblical Judaism,” the faith of first century believers, which we seek to practice, acknowledges the continuity of faith in the one true God, revealed throughout the Scriptures, and ultimately manifested in God’s Son, Yeshua the Messiah. We believe that salvation has always been “by faith,” and that works of law, or righteous acts, have never saved anyone (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 2-6; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 11:6, 39).

We acknowledge that the New Covenant body of believers is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who have received Yeshua the Messiah as the Promised Redeemer. The “middle wall of partition” has been broken down and now we worship the God of Israel together (I Corinthians. 12:13; Eph. 2:13-14).

After finishing the brochure, Beth found herself in a contemplative mood and decided to take a stroll around the neighborhood. She pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed her all-purpose sweater. It was late Monday afternoon and the next day she was to be spending with Miriam, Rachel, and Sipporah. Shivah was over and Miriam was looking forward to getting together with “the girls.” Beth had thoroughly enjoyed her day roaming around the apartment, reading, and relaxing.

Tomorrow and Wednesday would hold a few more sights, a few more conversations, and the week would finish on Thursday evening, when she would head back home. Rachel and Miriam would be driving Beth to the airport, Sipporah had a meeting with her professor for a few last minute edits on her thesis. The next few days would also be filled with ‘good-byes’ as she would not see Sipporah after tomorrow. David, too, was leaving for a sabbatical before he began his education as a rabbi.

Beth’s heart was already aching, torn between her new found friends and her love of the Holy Land and her need to get back to her own life in the states. She was a wife and a mother, a teacher and a friend. She strolled around the neighborhood, taking in every last detail in case she were never to make it back. She didn’t want to forget even the minutest of details from this magnificent trip.

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

Catholic Book Review: Walking Together by Mary DeTurris Poust

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:00:22 +0000

Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship
by Mary DeTurris Poust
Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 2010

Reviewed by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Our world does not seem to allow for deep friendships today. Family and friends are often separated by physical distance. Our lives are so busy that even keeping up with people via electronic means can be a challenge. One is lucky to have one or two close friends. A spiritual friend is an even rarer gift. In Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship, Mary DeTurris Poust emphasizes the value of such friendships while acknowledging the difficulty in forming them.

What makes a spiritual friend different from a “regular” friend? They are “two people bound together by a love of God.” They walk side by side, with God always in between. “Spiritual friends magnify our virtuous qualities. More casual friends might bring out the worst in us through competitiveness, idle gossip, jealousy. Spiritual friends, however, bring out the best – in inspiring us to live in humility, honesty, charity. Spiritual friends inspire us to move beyond pettiness to a place where our hearts and minds are focused on doing what is right.” The goal that both parties are reaching for is life with God in heaven.

Poust profiles some famous spiritual friendships, holding them up as a model for our own lives. The bonds between St. Frances de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein, and St. Francis and St. Clare are all discussed. Poust, who seems to have been extraordinarily blessed in this area, also shares her own experiences of spiritual friendship.

Poust offers some practical advice on how to find and nurture spiritual friends. She also examines spiritual direction, which can sometimes develop into a spiritual friendship. Some time is devoted to spiritual friendships between men and women, both within marriage and outside of it. She acknowledges that there can be challenges in celibate opposite-sex friendships and cautions that the temptations toward infatuation and romantic interest must be overcome in order for a healthy, loving friendship to develop and flourish. If one or both of the parties are married, great care must be taken to make sure that the friendship does not threaten the marriage in any way. Despite these concerns, Poust does feel that male-female spiritual friendships can be a great blessing and she has benefited from them in her own life.

Spiritual friendship is a rare and good gift. It is to be greatly treasured. Hopefully, Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship will encourage many to pursue them in their own lives.

Order Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Catholic Moments #162 – Your Whole Life

Catholic Moments Podcast — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:58:06 +0000

Our guest on this week’s show is Carol Showalter, author of the great book Your Whole Life: The 3D Plan for Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God. This week, we also discuss the kickoff of the SQPN Giving Campaign. Please consider a donation to the Star Quest Production Network to support our efforts to use Social Media in evangelization.

Please join me in thanking our Catholic Moments contributors by visiting their sites: Deacon Tom Fox, Lisa Mladnich, Avery, Sarah Reinhard.

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community. Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

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Peggy Bowes on EWTN

Lisa Hendey — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:30:22 +0000

Last week, I shared the good news that our friend and CatholicMom.com contributor Peggy Bowes, author of The Rosary Workout would be appearing on EWTN. I’m happy to share this video for anyone who missed Peggy’s appearance on The Journey Home. Just a reminder that if you’re thinking about Christmas gifts, The Rosary Workout would make a wonderful gift for any family member or friend who’s interested in growing spiritually while getting into shape. The book is great for any reader, regardless of your knowledge of the Rosary or fitness level. Great job Peggy!

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty-Four

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:00:32 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Chapter Twenty-Four

When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. Proverbs 31:10-11

It was early afternoon when Meghan, Luke’s secretary, put Beth’s call through. Luke hadn’t answered his private office phone which meant he was out in the building. Meghan could page him, wherever he was at.

Beth knew that the boys had the day off from school because of conferences and that Luke was bringing them to work. They liked to play at the computers in his conference room and he enjoyed their enthusiasm. It would be an even shorter day for Luke as he wouldn’t want the boys to become restless on his watch. Sophia would be at the library, using the day to search for college scholarships. She knew that Luke and Beth had long ago put money aside for her college education but prided herself on doing things on her own terms. Beth fully believed that Sophia would come up with enough scholarship money to pay for a lion’s share of her own tuition.

“Liz! Is everything okay?” were Luke’s first words. Although a bit annoyed by them, Liz understood that after their last conversation in which Elizabeth had to tell Luke about the explosion and Ayala’s death, they were understandable.

“Yes, I’m fine. Everyone is fine. How are you and the boys? Sophia? Have you spoken with Michael?” Beth decided Luke did not need to know about Chaim’s death.

“Good. Actually we are doing quite well. I’m sure the boys will tell you that they are both bothered by my early arrival home each day and a bit pleased. You know how that goes. Mike has been busy with a paper he has to write for an English class. He seems to really like his small group discussion leader, so that’s a real plus in his accomplishing the work for class. Sophia has been busy working on scholarships.”

Beth knew exactly what it was like to have those mixed emotions that Luke was referring to. She had them towards just about everything lately; from her kids to her job to her looks to her marriage. “Yes, I sure know how that goes,” Beth agreed. “And I figured Sophia would be spending time looking for scholarships. She is something!”

“Yes, she is. They all are, actually. And I’m delighted at Mike’s turnaround. He’s really opened up when we talk and seems so willing to share what’s going on at college. Maybe he just needed the distance between us and him. Whatever it is, I’m grateful!”

Beth shared her agreement with Luke before he continued, “So, tell me about your sight seeing? Have you been to the Wailing Wall yet? How about the church you wanted to go to?”

Luke’s interest seemed sincere and Beth was quite grateful. She shared some of the highlights of each venture with him but kept some of her personal epiphanies to herself. They just felt very private and like a child with a new toy, she did not want to share.

Beth then spoke to Joseph and Sammy for a few minutes. Although each conversation was less than ground-breaking, Beth could feel that they simply loved her and wanted her home. They even spoke of Sophia’s missing Beth. Another epiphany for Beth to put in her back pocket.

Although when the boys were younger they tended to be more emotional, like Beth. Today she could sense their pragmatic side taking over. Like Luke, they were being neither too talkative nor too emotional, factually stating their love for Beth. Beth often missed having no allies with whom to jump up and down or get teary eyed. She would have to make do with her monosyllabic brood.

Sammy gave the phone back to his dad. “Well, we were just heading out for a late lunch, or early dinner, depending on how you look at it. How about you. What have you been eating?”

“Actually, I’ve probably lost a few pounds because I haven’t been eating too many sweets, now that you ask! But I’ve been enjoying a lot of the native dishes, in particular falafel, tabouli, compote, and chicken soup. It has been delicious, really.”

“My favorites,” Luke interjected and Beth could tell that all the talk of food was making his stomach growl.

“Okay, you need to go feed my children!” Beth jokingly said.

“Yeah, you’re right. We better get going. Liz?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” Luke said quietly, without grandeur.

Taken aback, Beth said after a few seconds of silence, “Give the kids a hug for me and make sure they eat well. I’ll call in a few days.” Then she hung up the phone, dismayed at her inability to respond to Luke’s proclamation. Do I love him anymore? she asked herself as she walked into the living room. Do I love him?

Beth had put her reading book on the table by the chair with the intent of digging in tonight. Picking up her reading glasses, Beth made herself comfortable. Half listening to the traffic noises working their way through her opened window, Beth began reading. Slowly, the traffic faded as evening made its appearance and everyone headed home. By midnight, Beth had read a dozen chapters and closed the book. It was as good as she had hoped, and she knew she would make time to finish it over the next few nights. Switching off the lamp, Beth walked towards the bedroom. Hanging her robe on the hook on the back of the door, Beth stepped out of her slippers and pulled the sheets back. Laying down she thought of Luke’s words, I love you.

“I love you, too, Luke. I love you, too,” she said to no one in particular.

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

Are You Set Apart? by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:00:44 +0000

I had the great pleasure of helping to welcome several young children into the Catholic Church today. I love attending baptisms. They are such hope-filled occasions. Each of the persons being baptized has a role to play in our Church. They were sent here by God for a particular purpose and our Church is not complete without each one of them.

The presiding priest did a wonderful job of explaining each part of the ceremony. When he was about to anoint the children with the sacred chrism, he described how this set the child apart and united them with Jesus’ mission as priest, prophet and king.

What does it mean to be “set apart?” Cheryl Dickow tackles that question in Our Jewish Roots: A Catholic Woman’s Guide to Fulfillment Today by Connecting with her Past. She describes how in the “Old Testament people and things had often been set aside for specific purposes. . . priests were ‘set aside’ for specific duties. Utensils, vessels, and garb that were meant for service at the altar of the temple were ‘set apart’ and would not to be implemented elsewhere.” Dickow goes on to explain how in the New Testament, St. Peter encourages the newly baptized to be “set apart for God’s purpose.”

Our baptism should matter. It isn’t merely a one time event. Admittedly, like the children who became part of the Church today, most of us don’t remember our reception of the sacrament. Our parents and Godparents made a commitment to the faith for us. Yet, even though we were unaware, the sacrament still changed us forever.

Baptism not only wipes away original sin (as well as any sins that have been committed by the individual), “but also makes the neophyte ‘a new creature,’ an adopted son of God, who has become a ‘partaker of the divine nature,’ member of Christ and co-heir with him, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.” (CCC 1265)

After being baptized and anointed, the child or adult being baptized puts on a white garment, which emphasizes this fundamental change. “The person baptized has ‘put on Christ,’ has risen with Christ. . . The baptized are ‘the light of the world.’” (CCC 1243)

As Christians, we are called to be set apart. We are called to holiness, to live according to the teachings of Christ. We should be different from the world at large. People should be able to tell that we are Christian by the way that we live our lives.

Do we live out that call to be “set apart?” How can we improve the way we live out our baptismal commitment?

Catholic Book Review: Holding on to Hope by Sister Kathryn J. Hermes

Anne Bender — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:00:56 +0000

Holding on to Hope: The Journey Beyond Darkness by Sister Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP
Reviewed by Anne Bender

I have been a fan of Sister Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP, ever since I read her books Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach and Making Peace with Yourself. Her words in these books brought me comfort and a sense of community in my darkness, helping me to realize that depression can happen to anybody, but it doesn’t have to define who we are or lead to restrictions in our lives.

In Holding on to Hope I found the same sense of comfort and support that I have come to acquaint with Sr. Hermes. The book is set up with sections on images, scripture, reflection questions, contemplative exercises, resting and inner healing exercises (written by Sr. Helene Cote, PM, MTS.) Throughout each chapter, the reader is lead into a spiritual healing experience based on the life of Christ.

Some passages that I found to be especially helpful for me were those that dealt with the realization that God is always present, holding us as we heal, and supporting us in those moments when we fall back into darkness, such as:

“This is the way it is. We cannot escape the waves of consolation and desolation that wash through our souls…we need to be able to dip back into the darkness here and there with graciousness and without fear in order to learn to relax there, where God is also present.” (p. 74)

But perhaps, the most hopeful and helpful section of all was Appendix Two: A Process for Putting on Christ in Seven Stages. This section dealt with the letters of St. Paul that show his transformation as he “put on Christ.” We, too, are called to put on Christ and can accomplish this by following the example of this great saint. I plan to follow Sr. Hermes’ lead here by praying with her hopeful and serene words: “I want only Jesus, not my perfection or security or happiness. Knowing Jesus is more important to me than any of this. To share His sufferings is my greatest joy because I know He will let me share His resurrection.” (p. 142)

As a wife and mother who has fallen in and out of depression many times in the past few years, I found that Sr. Hermes book, Holding on to Hope, will be a great resource for me to use whenever life becomes difficult and despair seems so near. In those dark times, I will reach for this book and hold on to hope.

Many thanks to Sally Feller at Pauline Books and Media for this opportunity to review Holding on to Hope.

Order Holding on to Hope and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Real Food Books by Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Kelly the Kitchen Kop — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:00:59 +0000

My favorite hobby is reading, but I’m sad to say that lately I just can’t seem to get through a darn thing in my book pile. Right in the middle of this super busy time in my life, three Real Foodie bloggers have come out with new books that they’ve asked me to read and let them and my readers know what I thought, but it’s just not happening.

SO, I had an idea. I’ve asked each of these bloggers to write me a short blurb about their book, and what makes it special and unique, so I could share it with you… Read More

Happily Ever After . . . Again: Rediscovering the Joy of Married Life by Heidi Hess Saxton

Heidi Hess Saxton — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:00:49 +0000

This week I’ve been reading Christopher West’s Heaven’s Song, an unforgettable reflection on marriage as a metaphor for the perfect union God longs to have with us. When I reached a section called “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Becoming ‘One Flesh,” I was so struck by the boldfaced truth of one passage, I had to stop and process it a bit. West writes:

If the Song of Songs reveals the ecstasy of becoming one flesh, the marriage of Tobias and Sarah reveals the agony. Only by holding the two together do we get a realistic vision of marriage.

Catholic writer Melinda Selmys brought this point out well in an article entitled “Divorce: In the Image and Likeness of Hell” (National Catholic Register, 9/30/07). … “The theologians remind us that our married life is an image of the union between Christ [and the Church]. We hear of … the bliss of two becoming one …. But how are you to fall in love again with an insensitive beast who has broken your heart and slept with another woman? How can you see your sex life as an image of the intimate life of the Blessed Trinity when your wife consents only on a full moon when Mars is in Virgo, and makes love with the enthusiasm of a dead frog?”

For whatever reason, such brutally honest writing seems rare in much of the Catholic press. It is as if those who promote Catholic teaching are afraid it will not go over so well if we talk about the real sufferings of following Jesus. So we conveniently promote the glories of the Christian life without a realistic assessment of the sorrows (Heaven’s Song p.143).

Now, some of you reading this may be cringing, wondering where on earth I’m going with this. No, Craig has never cheated on me (he says he can barely handle one woman … what on earth would he do with another one?). And he assures me that I do not bear the tiniest resemblance to a dead amphibian. No, the specific examples Selmys offers aren’t directly relevant to me . . . but the underlying message is important. Marriage can be hard. There’s really no getting around it; you just have to get through it.

No matter how much you love the man you married, there are going to be times when you cast a wistful glance to the other side of the bed, and wonder how the chasm between your pillows has grown so incredibly wide. Wonder how the nightly dramas of family life have so encroached on marital bliss that you can barely span the distance with your outstretched hands.

Can you relate to this? If not — if your life is so flowing with marital bliss, you can’t imagine greater happiness in this lifetime – you’re excused from reading any further.

But if a tiny part of you can relate to this kind of loneliness, this kind of sorrow, take heart. Bridal joy need not be the stuff of memories. But sometimes the only way to catch the sweetest strains of heaven’s song is to walk through that valley of shadows.

Marriage isn’t always “happily ever after.” Sometimes it’s, “Faithful even when.” For it is especially at these times of white-knuckled trusting that we are best able to mirror – to ourselves and to the world around us – the kind of no-holds-barred, sacrificial kind of love Christ has for us.

In the story of Tobias and Sarah, a courageous young man accepts the hand of a beautiful girl who had already been widowed seven times on her wedding night. Talk about baggage. To be joined to her would have been such certain death that on their wedding night, his father-in-law was digging Tobias’ grave before the wedding feast was over.

Most of us enter marriage with our own custom set of personal baggage, which out of sheer love our spouses learn to navigate (for better or worse), just as we learn to manage theirs. In most cases, that baggage isn’t quite as lethal as Sarah’s … On the other hand, it can be just as deadly to the union if we don’t recognize it for what it is, and resolve to do whatever is necessary to get the healing we need. And most often, this requires three kinds of ongoing choices:

The choice to let go. The expectations brought into marriage can provide a useful pattern for the future … or a trap of ongoing negativity and strife. For example, I grew up in a home where my father was home for dinner every night, and worked around the house every weekend. Neither of these things has been possible for Craig, who works long hours just to keep up with the demands of his job. And so, I had to manage my expectations: I could continue to harp at what he is unable to do for us, or appreciate what he does provide, and find ways to connect with my husband in ways that worked for us.

The choice to “cleave.” In and out of the bedroom, the choice to hold on to one another, loving and caring for one another as husband and wife can be obscured by all kinds of things. Health or other necessity may make physical intimacy difficult or impossible. And yet protecting that “shining barrier” of love (as memorably captured in Sheldon Vanauken’s work A Severe Mercy) is crucial, even when it is not exactly the stuff of fairy tales. When shadowy demons of separateness prowl, in the story of Tobias and Sarah, we rediscover the antidote: deep, intimate, prayerful, thankful togetherness.

The choice to forgive. It always boils down to this, doesn’t it? Forgiving each other. Forgiving ourselves for our own failures. Sometimes even forgiving God for not keeping us out of harm’s way. (Imagine Sarah’s mental state from enduring the pain and isolation of seven dead grooms.) The oil of forgiveness is the healing balm that washes away the dirt and debris, so the woundedness can begin to heal.

Of course. You knew that, didn’t you? An article in a Catholic forum about marriage has to include the necessity of forgiveness within our most intimate relationship. And yet, I was recently reminded of the importance of not carrying past grievances into marriage (this kind of baggage can do real harm within our vocation) and how the graces of marriage can also do a great deal to heal past woundedness.

The other day Craig got uncharacteristically angry because I was less than supportive of his piano practice. My “constructive suggestions” for improving his piano technique fell on deaf ears. All he heard was the sound track of his own childhood, when his dreams of learning a musical instrument were dashed by the critical remarks of family members who told him he had no talent, and should stop.

Intellectually, he understands why unproductive practice time is painful for me to listen to. But his heart needed me to re-record that inner soundtrack, to replace criticism with encouragement so he could practice from a place of confidence and strength.

Choosing to relinquish, to cleave, and to forgive. Embracing the crosses and hardships so something better and stronger and life-giving can result. Through it all, God can be trusted to guide us toward something infinitely better than a fairy tale – something more tangible, real . . . and everlasting.

“Blessed are you, O God of our fathers,” we pray with Tobias and Sarah. “Blessed be your holy and glorious name forever. Let the heavens and the whole creation bless you. You made Adam and gave him Eve his wife as a helper and support. From them the race of mankind has sprung.

“Lord, we believe you have given us to each other for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish. Help us to love not in our own strength, but with all the graces you have for your Bride. Confident in these graces, we will take up with courage even our crosses and follow you with all our hearts. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen!”

Can You Hear the Bells? by Tami Kiser

Tami Kiser — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:00:04 +0000

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Tami Kiser on the release of her great new book Smart Martha’s Catholic Guide for Busy Moms! As a big fan of Tami Kiser’s Smart Martha tips and techniques for years, I’m thrilled to find all of her words of wisdom compiled into book format. With Smart Martha’s Catholic Guide for Busy Moms, Tami gives moms practical solutions for managing their homes but more importantly for nurturing their souls and familial relationships. From prioritizing family dinners to organizing your home and schedule, Tami gives moms the tools they need to help themselves and their families live happier, holier lives. Lisa

Can You Hear the Bells?

I was so nervous during Mass the first time my boys took their turn as altar servers. I thought they’d forget something, or worse yet, drop something. We’ve had a few “moments” since their premier over five years ago, including bumping into a mic and “yikes” dropping the lid of the ciborum, (which Father placed on the wrong vessel.) I always tell them that my favorite part of their serving is when they get to ring the bells to announce that “Jesus is here!” I remember pointing this out to them when they were wiggly toddlers, “Listen. Do you hear the bells? That means that Jesus is here.”

If only I could have those bells ring out during my busy day, because “Jesus is here,” too. He is here in the faces of my children. He is here in my phone conversation with my friend. He is here in the cashier in the grocery store check-out line. And yes, he is here in my dishes.

As part of my Smart Martha Ministry, I encourage women to look for Jesus in the midst of their busy lives. And no, I am not even close to doing this all of the time myself. I, too often, am like Martha who finds herself “busy and anxious” with my everyday duties. But I want to live my life more like Mary and try to help others by sharing my struggles and successes.

Bells would come in handy in my struggle of finding Jesus throughout my day. I’m in the midst of paying bills and answering emails and an excited ten year old is trying to show me a picture. (Ring!) I look the ten year old in the eyes and ask about his artwork. Or, I’m vacuuming the living room floor wondering how all those leaves got in here (Ring!) I remember to say a prayer for my husband in a tough situation at work while continuing to clean. Or, I’m waiting in the dentist office for my child about to pick up a magazine. (Ring!) I am drawn to listen to a worried mom in the waiting room tell me about her troubled teen instead. Or, I have to get back to paying bills and balancing the budget (Ring!) I offer the work to God and ask for His wisdom and perseverance in this task and then, I get right to it.

Unfortunately we don’t have bells to remind us. We have to rely on grace. With God’s grace we will have those ringing bell moments, moments when we will seek Jesus. And how do we get this grace? We beg and pray and frequent the sacraments. And what joy it is to live life knowing that “Jesus is here!”

To read the rest of my Smart Martha’s Brief, but Helpful November Newsletter click here. http://smartmartha.com/ThisMonthsNewsletter.aspx

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty-Three

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:00:27 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Chapter Twenty-Three

All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes, but it is the Lord who proves hearts. Proverbs 21:2

All three women agreed that they would get together the next morning and attend Chaim’s funeral. From there they would spend time at Miriam’s apartment and then simply walk the marketplace for Beth to pick up some groceries. Beth welcomed the idea of spending more time with her friends and felt thankful for the opportunity to do a mitzvah by attending the funeral. She was no longer struck by the fact that what some would call an imposition, others would call a good deed. It was becoming her way of thinking and she found a deep sense of serenity in its acquisition.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Beth said as she closed Rachel’s car door. Sipporah, sitting in the front seat next to Rachel, smiled out the window and waved good-by. Beth turned towards the apartment complex and heard the honking and beeping of passerby’s as Rachel maneuvered her way back into traffic. Smiling, Beth opened the door.

Beth considered checking in on Miriam before entering her own apartment and then changed her mind. She was tired and knew she wouldn’t be good company. Besides, tomorrow’s plan was in place and Beth would have a much better visit when she was rested and her mind was clearer. Right now she wanted to sit in silence and let the day’s sights and sounds take root in every cell of her mind and body. With that goal in mind, Beth decided to fill the tub. She had noticed some crystal decanters of bath beads alongside the bars of soap in the cupboard and could already feel the warm water enveloping her body.

Once inside Beth knew she needed to make a call to Luke. The only real question was if it should be before her bath or after. She decided that after her bath was a better choice. She made her way to the bedroom to get one of her clean loungewear outfits and then to the bathroom to fill the tub. She found the bath beads and probably poured in more than was necessary. She gave in to her indulgent feelings as she watched the bubbles rise and fill the tub, the sweet scent of gardenia filled the air. Undressed, she slowly immersed herself into the water. She had purposely made the temperature hotter than normal with the expectation of spending a good amount of time laying in the tub and letting the memories of the day soak into her very being.

In the tub Beth could feel the odd combination of exhaustion and elation in her body. It was difficult to believe that all she had experienced had happened in less than a week’s time. She thought of Ayala and the Goldfarb’s. She wondered what sort of accident or tragedy Miriam had experienced that had drawn Miriam and Ayala even closer together in the past few months.

Beth wondered what Luke was doing and how her boys were faring in her absence. She thought of Sophia’s demanding school schedule and had to admire her daughter. Sophia was bound and determined to attend the same east coast college that Luke attended and knew what would be required. Sophia’s mind, like Luke’s, was methodical and pragmatic. Both of them very much unlike Beth, who was more emotional and temperamental. Sophia wanted to study business and finance, ultimately practicing on Wall Street. Beth envied her daughter’s convictions and did her best to instill in her daughter a sense of morality and perseverance. Luke, too, admired Sophia, no doubt seeing himself some thirty years younger.

Sophia had made Luke promise not to use his alumni connections when she applied. She wanted to know that she earned her prestigious spot all on her own. While Luke agreed to Sophia’s request, Beth wondered about his sincerity. Beth knew that Luke’s heart would surely be broken if Beth’s college dreams weren’t realized. No one seemed to think of Beth’s heart being broken at the thought of her daughter moving hundreds of miles away. Beth decided to let go of those thoughts and concentrated on her bath.

As her mind and body relaxed more in the heat of the gardenia scented tub, Beth could almost hear the chants from Skull Hill and smell the incense. She could see the different denominations taking turns with their hymns and songs and knew that this was how Christ must have hoped the world would live while awaiting His return.

Thinking of the temple mount, Beth tried to imagine the depth of faith Abraham must have had to follow God’s request to sacrifice Isaac. Of course it didn’t happen, but still Beth had always struggled with the notion that Abraham moved forward as if he would sacrifice his own son. Beth had shared her great effort to understand this with Rachel and felt that what she had subsequently revealed to Beth was quite invaluable.

As Rachel explained to Beth, the story of Abraham and Isaac is called, in most Jewish literature, The Binding of Isaac. As the explanation goes, the binding was both a physical binding as well as a spiritual binding. As we know, Isaac was physically bound to the altar but like so many things in life, that was only the surface, or visible, aspect of the story.

Rachel assured Beth that Jewish scholars believe that God reveals Himself in the deeper, more hidden, covert messages of the overt chronicles in the Torah. This meant that while Isaac was literally bound at the altar, so was the realization that when we bind our own self-serving interests and are willing to make painful sacrifices, we are ultimately setting ourselves free.

The bath water was getting cold and as Beth got up to dry off and get dressed she asked herself, What self-serving interests do I need to bind at the altar?

Looking in the mirror she realized that the five stages of grief also applied to her physical aging. At first there was denial that her body was getting a bit saggy here and there. Then there was anger that her body could betray her so quickly, so easily.

Following anger was Elizabeth’s bargaining, that was more like pleading, in which she hoped that if she exercised and ate right then her body would show signs of firmness and verve. Depression soon followed as she realized that no amount of exercise was going to stop all the signs of aging. And, like all else, here she was trying to enter the final stage of accepting what was happening to her body.

She had heard all of the arguments against the five stages and yet felt that they best captured her own struggles in so many ways. But for Elizabeth, the last stage was really where she met Christ because it was with Him that she could accept all that life had dealt her, all that life held. And in that way, the stages made perfect sense because they were natural transitions that the Lord seemed to allow her to experience so that she could move into a very personal relationship with Christ.

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty Two

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:00:15 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Lord raises the needy from the dust, lifts the poor from the ash heap, seats them with princes, the princes of the people. Psalm 113:7-8

Beth loved the fact that she felt near starvation as they left the wall. For her, the physical emptiness mirrored her spiritual emptiness and she knew that just as a good meal would satiate the pangs in her stomach, God would fill the void in her heart. She had come to the right place and was humbled by that knowledge.

“We are going to stop and eat before we head to the Garden Tomb and Golgotha,” remarked Rachel. Sipporah smiled at Beth, sitting in the back seat. To her surprise, Beth realized she had not shed one tear at the wall and Sipporah’s smile indicated that she understood, based upon her own experiences, how Beth’s journey was unfolding.

Beth had learned, after the death of her beloved grandmother, that there were five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Beth was beginning to see that she could apply those same stages to her life over the past few years. At first, in her early forties, she began to feel great denial in how her life seemed to be working out.

In a frustrating, dead-end career, kids arguing and fighting with both her and themselves, and seemingly endless lapses in communication between herself and Luke, she literally would find herself saying such things as, This can’t be my life! If anything could classify as denial, that was Beth’s life at forty-two and forty-three years of age.

Then, denial evolved into anger. As she looked around and surveyed what she felt where the ruins of her existence, she became angry. She screamed at the heavens, Why is this happening to me? What have I done to deserve children like this? Where did my life go? It was a terrible time for Beth and to get a handle on things she began bargaining with God. If I work at becoming a better mother, will you make my kids nicer? More respectful? If I promise to stop bickering with my husband will you bring some joy into my life?

When she made these feeble attempts and didn’t see the results she was hoping for, praying for, bargaining for, she became depressed. She literally let the kids sit on the computer for hours at a time. She simply did not care anymore. Weeks went by when she didn’t vacuum or fold clothes. Fatigue settled into her bones. She couldn’t make the effort to maintain the family and she stopped putting up a fight with the kids.

Her bag of tricks was empty and no one was giving her a refill. It was in the midst of this depression that she had looked at her calendar and hatched her plan to visit the Holy Land. She wondered now if it was divinely inspired as she could literally feel herself moving into the last stage, which was acceptance. But a peaceful acceptance versus a resigned, defeated acceptance. She could feel her heart and soul saying, With You at my side, I’m ready now for whatever comes.

There was no panacea for what ailed Beth’s life, no quick cures or remedies. Beth was starting to see that life was more like a marathon where there were times you were ahead and times you were behind. Making it to the finish line, so to speak, committed to your goals was what mattered. Beth was starting to see her life with faith filled eyes and like a volcano rumbling deep within, she just knew that an outpouring of peace and tranquility was soon behind.

Rachel opted for a typical “American” restaurant even though Beth could have easily eaten another falafel plate. Seated inside, in a blue vinyl covered booth, Sipporah said, “We thought you might like a good old-fashioned hamburger today!”

Beth would have never considered making her friends feel awkward and agreed that a hamburger sounded perfect. As Beth watched Rachel and Sipporah eat their own burgers and fries, she wondered who really wanted a burger!

Getting back into Rachel’s car, it was a fairly short trip to their destination. They parked near the Damascus Gate of the Old City and walked up Nablus Road to the beautifully manicured area that very much reminded Beth of the English country gardens she had seen in some of her favorite movies. The silence and simplicity of the garden were in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of East Jerusalem and the ornate furnishings within the Holy Sepulcher.

Both, however, provided the pilgrim with an opportunity to transcend time and space. There were brochures in languages that Beth couldn’t identify, speaking to the nationalities around the world that called Christ, “Lord.” Beth contemplated the realization of the sheer magnitude of people who chose to make this journey and put a physical experience to their Gospel studies.

Beth picked up a brochure and was reading about Charles Gordon’s theory, offered in 1883, that this location was the actual spot referred to in The Gospel of Mark as the ‘place of the skull.’ Apparently Gordon, a British general having spent many months in Jerusalem, was looking out of his window and was amazed when he noticed the rock formations that literally looked like a skull. Gordon became convinced that what he was looking at was, literally, ‘the place of the skull.’

Many people joined in Gordon’s enthusiastic discovery and a fundraising campaign ensued. Its goal was to purchase land adjacent to the formation. By that time, late in the nineteenth century, a rock-cut tomb, various water or wine cisterns, and a wine press had already been excavated. Their cause, and enthusiasm, was bolstered by these finds.

According to the New Testament, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy citizen, provided the tomb in which Christ was buried. Although the site seemed to have all the elements to make it a likely place for Jesus’ death and burial, more recent research indicates the tomb was actually too old to be Christ’s, as His was freshly cut at His death.

Regardless of the conflicting information, Beth felt that the garden provided a wonderful setting in which to contemplate Christ’s sacrifice. It was late afternoon and Beth noticed different groups of people gathering in the garden. They weren’t like the guided group tours that were also roaming about, enjoying time on the benches and privately sharing their thoughts and prayers with God. Soon these groups had assembled themselves into cohesive units, with some lighting incense and others lost in their own thoughts. Then, as if choirs of angels from heaven had made themselves known, the groups began singing the most melodic chants Beth had ever heard. Taking turns, they praised God and lifted their voices to His throne.

Beth remembered the song that Judge Deborah sang after the Israelite victory over the Canaanites and easily slipped through the cracks of time. Her heart was filled with the edicts of Psalm 100, Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. And once again Beth began humming.

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

Catholic Moments #161 – How to Get to “I Do”

Lisa Hendey — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 15:42:56 +0000

Amy Bonaccorso married in 2008 after ten years of dating in the Christian scene. She is a Catholic convert and the author of How to Get to ‘I Do’: A Dating Guide for Catholic Women.

Please join me in thanking our Catholic Moments contributors by visiting their sites: Deacon Tom Fox, Lisa Mladnich, Avery, Sarah Reinhard.

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Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage – Chapter Twenty One

Cheryl Dickow — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:00:43 +0000

Today, we are happy to share the next chapter in our online novel, Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow.

Chapter Twenty-One

Happy the people who know you, Lord, who walk in the radiance of your face.

Psalm 89:16

Elizabeth was awakened by the noise coming from the hall between her apartment and the Goldfarbs. Her bedroom shared a wall with the hall and Beth was, for the first time, aware of this fact. She stirred in bed and then listened intently to the rise in pitch and volume of the voices. Getting out of bed, Beth pulled on her robe, stepped into her slippers and made her way to the door. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to open it and instead put her ear to it in hopes of catching enough words to figure out the cause for the commotion.

Unable to make heads or tails of what was happening, Beth finally opened the door. Staring right into a neighbor’s face, Beth smiled as if to say, Is everything all right? but caught herself as she saw Mitzi crying and being held by two other older women, also wrapped in their robes. One of them looked Beth’s way, knowing who Beth was but never having had the pleasure of speaking with her and said, “Mitzi’s husband passed away this morning. They are taking him now. We are sorry if we have disturbed you.”

“Oh my, please, I am sorry Mitzi,” Beth said as she left her door ajar and moved towards Mitzi. Mitzi who had been so kind to her just days before, bringing her food and companionship. How ironic that Mitzi, who had so patiently taught Beth how to say the mourner’s greeting, was now hearing it issue from Beth’s mouth.

Ayala had told Beth earlier in the week that Mitzi’s husband had been quite ill for the past few months, congestive heart failure had been the diagnosis. Everyone in the complex knew that his time was limited and yet no one could imagine life without him was what Ayala had said. Again, how ironic it was that Ayala had actually been saying words that would apply to the emptiness her death had left as well. It seemed clear that a friend’s death, whether expected or not, left an emptiness that was impossible to fill.

Maybe that was what God intended, Beth thought. That we all have a role to fill, a part in God’s divine plan. And when we do what we were brought forth to do, we have affected certain lives in such a way that we continue to live on in the memories of those people. Beth knew for certain that Ayala would always live on in Beth’s heart and mind. Beth also knew that her life was richer for having known Ayala for only a few short days. Could the same be said for people who had known Beth? She worried that such a statement could not be said. Was she doing what God called her forth to do?

As she was standing in the hall, Rachel and Sipporah appeared at the top of the stairs. Mitzi’s neighbors began speaking in Hebrew, undoubtedly telling Rachel and Sipporah the news of Chaim’s death. Hearing his name, which Beth had completely forgotten, made the memory of him delivering the bag of food from Mitzi flood Beth’s mind.

Rachel and Sipporah discreetly removed themselves from Mitzi and her friends and walked with Beth into Beth’s apartment. “I’m sorry I’m not ready,” Beth apologized. “For the first time in ages I slept in! I think the week is catching up with me.”

“Or you’ve finally let go of some things that have been on your mind, thus allowing you to sleep,” offered Sipporah. Beth knew she was right and gave a silent prayer of gratitude for what the restful sleep undoubtedly did for her emotional and physical well-being.

“Give me twenty minutes and we can start our day,” Beth said as she headed towards the bathroom to splash her face with cold water and brush her teeth.

“Don’t hurry,” insisted Rachel. “Where we are going today has been there for thousands of years. A few extra minutes won’t matter!”

Beth laughed and closed the bathroom door. She was a willing participant in whatever Rachel had on today’s agenda. She splashed the cold water on her face, applied a moisturizer that also contained a sunscreen, and added a few strokes of mascara for good measure. Although as soon as she applied the mascara she regretted it, thinking that if the day held any more tears, her face would be a streaked mess. Staring at herself in the mirror she saw a woman whose neck and jowl line were a bit weaker than just a year ago but whose eyes still sparkled with the hopes of what a new day could bring.

She opted to leave the mascara on and headed to her bedroom where she pulled on yet another monochromatic outfit, tying the requisite sweater around her neck. She was alternating between pairs of shoes and put on the pair she had worn two days before. Looking at herself in the full length mirror, she simply could not decide how she felt about herself. Did she like what she saw? Was she ready to let go of her youth? Were the answers somewhere “out there” or were they buried deep inside of her? Letting out a long stream of air through her mouth, she walked into the living room and announced, “Okay, I’m ready!”

Rachel and Sipporah joined her at the door. As they walked out Rachel informed Beth that today they were going to The Wailing Wall, also called The Western Wall, and that they would also venture to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb.

Beth had enjoyed Rachel’s discourse before entering The Holy Sepulchre and asked if Rachel would be kind enough to share information about today’s sites. Maybe it was the teacher in Beth, but the information ahead of time had made the experience that much more valuable. Rachel agreed and began with information about The Wailing Wall.

“Let’s begin by talking of the two terms used interchangeably for the wall. One is “The Western Wall” while the other is “The Wailing Wall.” For non-Jews there seems to be no difference but for Jews and Palestinians there is a tremendous difference. This has been especially true since the many talks and negotiations that the west has tried to have between the two warring factions and how the wall might play a significant role in what land is said to belong to whom.”

Beth was, once again, intrigued by the information that Rachel was sharing. She knew that Rachel must have been a favorite professor at the university. She clearly enjoyed disseminating knowledge in an interesting and comprehensive way. Beth found Rachel’s talks to be quite valuable.

“The length of the Western Wall is significant. Is it simply the area of the wall traditionally used by Jews for prayer and lamentation, which is less than sixty meters, or does it include the entire western retaining wall of the temple mount, the sacred area in which three faiths stake great claims? The Palestinians want any settlement to use the shorter length while the Jewish state wants any settlement to reflect the entire length which is almost five hundred meters. You can see that this is a significant difference.”

Beth thought of the marketplace and the vibrant life that the Arabs brought to it and received from it. She knew that Ayala had fondly thought of the merchants as friends and Beth was glad to have seen the very human side of the difficult co-existence. Ayala and her favorite merchant had died together from assailants still unknown. Two families had been greatly affected by the tragedy: one Arab, the other Jew.

Sipporah was helping Rachel shed light on the history of the wall. “The Hebrew term ha-kotel ha-ma’aravi or “Western Wall” is far older than the term “Wailing Wall.” This isn’t said to bolster the Jewish argument for the length to be determined in their favor, this is just a fact. As early as the seventh or eighth century, we find the term “Western Wall” as being attributed to Rabbi Acha, himself a fourth-century scholar, when he stated that the Shekinah, which is God’s presence in the world and with His people, did not leave the “Western Wall.” However, There is some question as to whether Rabbi Acha was speaking of today’s Western Wall or was he actually referring to the Temple’s destroyed west wall? Up to that point there had been no recorded mention of praying and mourning, as happens today. In fact, in the first few centuries after the destruction of the Temple, Roman authorities would not even allow Jews to enter Jerusalem and so their praying and lamenting actually occurred elsewhere. They stood on the Mount of Olives where from that vantage point they were able to look out over the Temple Mount. If you think about it, it must have been a much more traumatic sight as their eyes could take in all of the destruction instead of standing at a wall in which their view would have been quite myopic.”

Beth agreed with Sipporah’s assessment recalling the popular phrase, You can’t see the forest for the trees. So, in this case seeing the forest would have been more heart wrenching for the Jews than just seeing the trees.

Rachel finished where Sipporah had left off, “This practice has been recorded by an early Church Father named Jerome, who witnessed the Jews on the Mount of Olives on the Ninth of Av, the day of mourning and commemoration of the Temple destruction. Father Jerome watched as the Jews looked down upon the ruins, themselves wailing and crying. Ultimately many scholars conclude that the term “wailing wall” was introduced in the twentieth century after the Turks conquered Jerusalem. Either way it seems to be, sadly, one more point of contention between Palestinian and Jew.”

By this time they had parked and Rachel suggested that Beth write out a “kvitlich.” She said it was a paper that had a prayer, or prayer request, on it and would be inserted into one of the cracks in the wall. Here she was hand delivering her prayers to the wall that God’s presence was said to never leave. It was almost too much to bear. Beth’s mind flooded with prayers that ran from the purely selfish to the purely selfless. She thought of praying for her children; that Sophia would know how much Beth loved her and felt blessed to have her as a daughter or that one day all her children would find wonderful spouses, or that her own career would flourish, or that the world would know Christ’s love and peace.

Her mind was filled with hopes and dreams for herself, her family, her friends, her neighbors, and the world. What to ask? she postulated. Where to begin?

In the end her prayer request was simple. She remembered the story of a peasant who went to pray and but was unable to read from his prayer book. He was an unlearned man, not scholarly, and felt that whatever words he would offer to God would be inadequate. He chose to simply say the alphabet, out loud, and humbly suggested that God use the letters in His own way, for His own purposes. With that in mind, Beth simply wrote on her kvitlich, Thy will be done.

With kvitlich in hand, Beth approached the portion of the wall reserved for women. Interestingly, she had no qualms about the segregation. Nothing could surpass her heightened sense of the divine as she neared the wall.

Beth thought of Pope John Paul’s historic trip to the Wailing Wall. She was awed by the realization that millions of people had taken the same trip over the course of hundreds of years. God’s presence was surely calling them, just as it was calling her now.

For the second time in as many days, Beth understood the magnificence and splendor of God. She entered into communion with Him and neither heard nor saw anyone else at the wall. Time stood still as Beth rocked and swayed and praised the Creator of all that was, is, and ever shall be. She stood in awe of His glory as she inserted her kvitlich into the wall.

Join us next week for the next chapter of Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage by Cheryl Dickow. Can’t wait for more? Check out Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage at Amazon!

Catholic Moments #160 – St. André Bessette and Fr. Ronald Raab

Catholic Moments Podcast — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:21:54 +0000

Fr. Ron Raab, CSC ministers among the vulnerable and marginalized of society and the Church. From his experiences in living the Gospel among the poor, Fr. Ron speaks about prayer and service and knowing the love of God through our common poverty. Fr. Ron offers a weekly radio reflection on the Gospel and writes for several liturgical magazines. His first book, The Unsheltered Heart, published by Ave Maria Press is an Advent at- home retreat. He serves as Associate Pastor at the Downtown Chapel, Portland, Oregon.

Please join me in thanking our Catholic Moments contributors by visiting their sites: Deacon Tom Fox, Lisa Mladnich, Avery, Sarah Reinhard.

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community. Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or emaillisa@catholicmom.com.

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Catholic Book Spotlight: Attack on Planet Falrus by Joanna Tenkorang

Victoria Gisondi — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:00:56 +0000

Interview with author Joanna Tenkorang by Victoria Gisondi

Hi Joanna. Firstly, let me thank you for having entrusted me with the reading and review of your wonderful book! I really did enjoy the characters and the story. I had the pleasure of reading your science fiction book Attack on Planet Falrus, which is a story about the adventures of a boy, his friend and a robot and their quest to save their world from tyranny. Without giving too much away, what else would you tell the readers about this book?

Attack on Planet Falrus, although was written for children, is probably more likely to be appreciated by the older children amongst us, or those of us who never grew up! It is all about the utopia I sometimes wish this world to be, and ended up effectively creating in my head. It is my secret home, a great place to be! That is not to say it is a place free of problems – it is a nice mix of utopia and ‘normal life’ where the central theme is family life, a sense of community, and importantly, a sense of order and social cohesion which is key to the happy and carefree life there, and a national spirit similar to the ‘blitz’ mentality of Great Britain during the second world war, all seen through the eyes of a child. I wanted to impart the kind of values I would love to live by, in my own life, in this book, to create a world of shared goals and a desire to help those less fortunate than ourselves (as illustrated by the ‘relationship’ between the Falrusians and the ‘District’ people). In short, alongside the exciting adventures of my young heroes as they get themselves embroiled in the biggest challenge of their young lives, this book’s running theme is also the depiction of an innocent era, perhaps a bygone one?

Your biography mentions that you are a physician and author but I’m sure your readers would like to know more about you personally. Could you introduce us to yourself and tell us more about you? Where do you live? Family? Hobbies? Likes and dislikes?

Yes, I am a physician, a cardiologist by profession, but my first love was writing. I was born in Ghana and brought up a little there, in Togo and Nigeria and in England. I now live in Switzerland, as I work here. My parents were both academics, teaching french and history in a university, so books were all around me from the start. I didn’t just want to read them, I wanted to write them! Apart from writing, my other big passion is cycling. I love the freedom and the sense of abandon that I get when faced with the open road. It’s that ‘me against the road’ feeling. And often, I have no definite plan as to where I will go. Cycling has taken me to some interesting places, for example, the North cape (I cycled from Tromso in Northern Norway all the way, ie almost 400 miles, over 6 days to the North Cape 10 years ago), Holland and all through Great Britain as I cycled the 1000 miles from the Southwest tip of England all the way to the Northeast tip of Scotland in 12 gruelling days (ouch, that was painful especially over the mountains of Scotland, still brings tears to my eyes when I think of it). I love thai food and learning languages, but I am not the biggest fan of vegetables (please don’t tell my Mum!)

Have you always written? Is this your first published book?

I started writing when I was six. Although this book was first written when I was 17, I didn’t have the time to develop the story until recently, due to my studies and eventually my job over the years. Yes, this is the first of my stories to be published.

What can you tell us about your own faith journey that lead you to where you are now?

My mother is a staunch Catholic. So it was inevitable that I was going to be at least raised Catholic. Like most people, I probably took my faith for granted, but over the years, it has definitely helped me. I believe that it is a good thing to have a faith, whatever that may be. The Catholic faith is not a bad one to have, contrary to widespread propaganda, despite all the issues the Church has faced in recent times. That’s a personal opinion based on my own life experiences. As one matures, one realises that there is more to life than meets the eye. In the end, faith, or religion is more logical than science, even though on the face of it, the reverse may seem true. Apologies for the cryptic answer!

I noticed you incorporated your Catholic faith in the books but not overtly. Why did you feel it was important to infuse the culture on Falrus as well as past Line Desimak as a Catholic culture?

That was actually not intentional. It just so happens that in my idea of utopia, some sort of faith is central to the existence of life. It just so happens that the catholic faith is the faith that I know well. So it made sense to incorporate this into the book. I do know a little of other faiths, but not enough to feel confident to, for example, accord these to characters in the book. Interestingly, people from other faiths who have read the book remarked it was nice to have that aspect to the storyline.

The Demba family was very realistic. I loved Giren and Square especially. Are any of the characters based on real life experiences or family members?

Yes, each character in the Demba family and indeed most of the characters in the book are a mix of people I know, their personalities, mannerisms, quirks and idiosyncrasies. My ultimate fear right now is to get a call at midnight from a family member to say, ‘Ah, it’s suddenly hit me! So-and-so in your book is actually me, isn’t it?’ Then I would have to fess up (smile). Giren is a lot like me when I was a child. I had a friend like Square at school. I think most people have a friend like Square at school – you know, the really clever kid who seemed to ooze intelligence and that you were secretly jealous of (smile). The tyrants of the OLD World are not completely fictional to me. The military coups of the 80′s in West Africa helped to shape my imagination, but when I lived through it, it was very real. Anyone who has lived through a military regime would immediately identify with the people of the OLD World. It is an extremely terrifying experience.

There was a lot of science lingo that went over my head in the book, but was quite fascinating, like how life beyond Desimak is older than the Big Bang. Can you share more with your readers about your thoughts on the origins of the universe in general? Could there be life older than the Big Bang?

(Smile) I love this question, because I am by no means an expert on the Big Bang. This is one aspect of the book which is truly fictional. Space and nuclear physics was one of my favourite subjects at school, and as a teenager I was fascinated by atoms, neutrons, planets and galaxies, that sort of thing. Hence the original idea for the book. To answer your questions, I am as much a fan of the Darwin’s theory of evolution as the biblical story of the Creation, with Adam and Eve. In some way, I do not see why these two theories cannot co-exist in a unifying way, i.e. that Darwin is right, but the origin of his complex life forms have to have been created by a divine entity, i.e. God. To my simple mind, there need not be a conflict. The answer to your second question is that no-one really knows. Which is why it is great to fictionize it. It cannot be proved wrong!

What was the inspiration for this story?

The context to the inception of this book is this: Picture a 17 year old, bored after finishing high school exams, waiting to find out if a medical school place is in the offing. Head full of science and an overactive imagination to boot, with a history of writing stories for hours just for the pleasure of putting pen to paper, and six weeks of time to kill with no definite plans for a holiday or any other organised activity (far too impoverished for that!), it was only a matter of time before this kid was going to write a story about life on an unheard-of planet. For self-entertainment. Just for the sheer fun of it. Some might say I needed to get out more, indeed to get a life! But I had so much fun developing the characters and having fun with the science part, it was the best six weeks of my life (well, up to that point!) Then I had more fun recently, ‘tidying’ up the story, rewriting a few parts and getting it ready for publication. I relived the pleasure, reacquainting myself with my ‘secret people’. In short, by that age, I had my own ideas about what the perfect world should look like, and I wanted it to document that somehow, make a snapshot of my thoughts. I was inspired by the need to create something nice, initially for myself, and then to be shared with others. Some do it with music, I like to do it with writing.

Would you say Professor Potty could be a Christ figure in the story or is that reading too much into it?

Wow, I honestly never saw it from that point of view. It is an interesting connection to make, but not one I had in mind when I was writing the book, I must admit! My take on Professor Potty is that kind of ‘big brother’ or young (perhaps unmarried) uncle who can get down to the level of a child and interact with them as such. I had several Professor Potty figures in my life growing up. Quite why I chose a robot to fulfill this role for the kids in this book, I cannot really explain: I guess the robot was always going to be central to the story, and some sort of adult figure was required to ‘help’ the kids, so it made sense to use the robot in this way! I guess this relationship between a child or children and a non-human adult is not unique to my book…as an example I could cite that between the Terminator and Edward Furlong’s character, John Connor. It was a beautiful friendship, bordering on a father-son relationship, don’t you think? Especially in this case given that John Connor was indeed fatherless (and actually, vrtually motherless for much of his life too).

I would call your genre science fiction geared towards children. Why did you pick this age group? Have you written any stories for adults?

Again, interesting and actually insightful question. It may well be purely because I was a ‘child’ myself when I first wrote this book. I have also written fiction for adults, in my adult life. I do however prefer to write for children. It is that refusal to grow up, I guess, the eternal desire to entertain first the child within, and then other (real) children. I love the innocence associated with childhood, and I guess this is my way of preserving it for myself and others.

At one point in the story, Giren is conflicted on whether to tell his father about his “adventure” or keep it between Square and himself. Why do you think Giren chose what he did and is there a lesson in this for children?

To answer this question, I would ask anyone reading this to revert to their own childhood. Remember the feeling od wanting to do something for yourself, rather than asking anyone else, least of all an adult, and least of all your parent for help? Remember the need for independence? We have all done this in one way or another. I love that ‘us against them’ attitude children sometimes adopt against grown ups. It is fearless, it is noble, and it is natural. As an adult now, I react with an ‘Ahhh, bless’ when I see it in action. It is part of growing up. It is a necessary step before adulthood. It is being stubborn, obstinate and sometimes naive. But as Frank Sinatra reflected in his famous song, it is a good feeling to know that ‘I did it my way’. That little decision Giren took was my way of saluting all our little friends who choose to do something (hopefully good and not naughty), their way. In many ways, it is an ode to adventurous children of which I was one. It’s what childhood is all about. It is also why I chose that particular acknowledgement at the start of the book.

Life beyond Desimak is a place of tyranny and oppression, but Falrus is a place of freedom. Is there any reason for this?

As is often the case in life, where there is good, in another part, there is evil, unfortunately. It’s like yin and yang. To fully appreciate the (almost) perfect life in Falrus, I feel one has to feel the pain of the District people. But even there, it’s not all about pain and suffering. They are wonderful people, with goodwill and kind hearts. They too are people just like the Falrusian people, but who just happen to find themselves in a tricky situation. In many ways, what happened to the District people could have happened to anyone, even the Falrusians. One never knows, in this life.

When can we expect the second book in the series?

Not very long. I shall let you into a secret. It is now finished! Just watch this space for the release date in the next year, I hope.

Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

Yes! Another cryptic answer coming up: in the book I am careful not to give a physical description of any of the characters…but I was persuaded to ‘introduce’ them on the cover. That let the cat out of the bag about what the sequel is all about. Confused? All will be revealed in a year…(smile)

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