Hell has frozen over: Lutheran leader invites Pope to participate in anniversary of the Reformation

Why should I miss out on all the fun?

Luther is rolling in his grave and the end of the world is at hand. How else can you explain this weird event? The year 2017 will mark the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation and the Lutheran World Federation has invited Pope Benedict to help plan the festivities. Yes, you heard that right. The pope will help celebrate the beginning of the Reformation. Perhaps the pope or the Lutheran World Federation has gone mad? Or maybe the pope doesn't want to miss out on a good party. After all, the party is going to be in Germany and we all know how well they party.

Actually it isn't too shocking, since Lutherans and Catholics have made great ecumenical strides in the past decades. In 1999, an historic document was signed pertaining to the doctrine of justification by faith. Both Catholics and Lutherans, "share the conviction that the message of justification directs us in a special way towards the heart of the New Testament witness to God’s saving action in Christ: it tells us that as sinners our new life is solely due to the forgiving and renewing mercy that God imparts as a gift and we receive in faith, and never can merit in any way."

For those of you who attend, I will be insanely jealous. Just think of me when you play a riveting game of pin the thesis on the church door and eat some delicious heretic potato pancakes!



Lutheran leader invites Pope to participate in anniversary of the Reformation | Christian News on Christian Today

Tea at Trianon: The Boring One?

Ferocious as a tiger, sweet as a lamb, determined to a fault and as charitable as a saint, all describe Catherine of Aragon

If you haven't checked out the discussion yet over at Tea at Trianon, please do. It is a rousing debate on Catherine of Aragon's personality and the origin of Henry VIII's cruelty.

I think I had a little to much fun, but I felt I was back in my college history classes. This is why I love blogging.

Tea at Trianon: The Boring One?

Warning...More of my Poetry. Run If You Have Too!

I will not be riding into battle like Queen Isabella did when she was pregnant.  I know, I'm a total slacker

I've been participating in the Month of Poetry, which requires me to write a poem each day.  I dream of being a writer and the only way to get better is to not be afraid of myself and write.  I won't lie.  I've failed miserably at writing each day.  The poems I have written, mostly refer to my current condition of pregnancy. 

While pregnancy is a beautiful thing, I'm not in the blissful stage of pregnancy yet, where I can feel the movement of my baby.  Instead, I'm in the morning sickness, fatigue and all around yuckiness state.  Oh, and blogger is telling me that yuckiness isn't a word.  I beat blogger has never been pregnant.

I would like to share a poem that doesn't include vomiting or about how much time I spend in the bathroom.  Please forgive the amateurish tone.  I am learning...

A swollen belly,
mind numbing fatigue,
a sore back,
aching breast,

Signs of life
Signs of love
Signs of continuity

From one generation to the next,
each woman has suffered thus
with a cheerfulness in her heart
and a bosom full of love

First came Eve,
than billions hence
of nameless women bearing souls

A soul to be nurtured
a soul to be loved
a soul who will know Christ's love

Cherish motherhood
cherish love
cherish children,
who are a gift from above.

Thank you...

Hey...Who Are You Calling Short?

I went to Belgium and all I found were some chicken bones!

About eight years ago, I eagerly participated in an archaeological dig in Belgium.  The focus of the dig was outside of the castle's medieval walls, in hopes of determining how long the area had been settled.  Most people get excited when I tell them about my archaeology experience, however, I must assure you it's nothing like you see on TV.  For days on end we dug, scrapped, dusted and shifted through the soil not finding a single item.  After a couple of weeks, bones were found and everyone thought we might find a skeleton.  Nope, all we found was a chicken bone, which was in the medieval garbage pit.  We found shreds of pottery, horse teeth and some pretty rocks, but no human skeletons.  Sometimes archaeology stinks.


Archaeologists in England, however, have found more than chicken bones after excavating a mass grave dug for the casualties of the Battle of Towton during the War of the Roses.  Over 28,000 men died in this pivotal battle, which put Edward IV on the throne and the men who died, long to tell the tale of their lives.

According to a recent article in the Economist, which documents this important dig, the skeletons challenge conventional wisdom of the health and well being of medieval man.  Instead of being short and sickly with rotting teeth, festering wounds, chronic diarrhea and a horrendous odor, men during the 15th century were only a couple inches shorter than modern Englishmen.  After evaluating many of the skeletons, it was determined the average height of a man during the War of the Roses was just under 5'7".  According to the Guardian, modern Brits aren't much taller, with an average height of 5'9".

At least he got plenty of money from the tooth fairy.

Other distressing news for modernity snobs, is that the men who died in battle were generally in good health, had most of their teeth and a bad cause of Little Leaguer's elbow.  Since it's unlikely that the soldiers were playing baseball between military engagements, it was surmised by the excavators that the famed English longbow was to blame.  Instead of spending long hours practicing their fast ball, 15th century boys were practicing the art of warfare.

It's not surprising that many believe that persons in the past suffered from stunted growth and ill health.  The modern world, with all of its fancy contraptions, modern amenities and superior medical care, has cemented the image of an unfavorable past.  Life was full of sickness (it still is), anxiety (still is) and death around every corner (nothing has changed), it's no wonder why we think that people long ago were in poor health.  Take heart, however, because the men who fought at Towton undoubtedly smelled worse than a dozen or angry skunks.  A nice bath didn't fight into their demanding schedule.

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Totally Trashy and Historically Inaccurate, But I think I'll Love it!

It looks like showtime is coming out with another 'historical" drama. The Borgias family, dubbed by showtime 'the original crime family', is about a powerful family in Renaissance Italy. I best be reading up on them.

The History of Childbirth and Nell Gwynn

This space reserved for a witty phrase by Nell Gwynn

 Books are my crack.  Like every good crack head, when a new one comes out; I race to the library to get my next fix.  Yes, I'm a nerd.  I won't deny it. But seriously, who wouldn't want to read the Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell and Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank, by Randi Hunter.  The former is an historical novel about my favorite mistress of Charles II, Nell Gwynn and the latter is self explanatory.

Below are links to reviews and for a chance to win the book by Randi Hunter.  Happy reading!

The Darling Strumpet review:  http://burtonreview.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-review-darling-strumpet-by-gillian.html

The Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank review: http://www.historyandwomen.com/2011/01/get-me-out-of-here-history-of.html

I'm a 6'1" Supermodel and Thomas Jefferson Lived Like a Monk.

"My suit is Armani and my shoes are Prada."~pretend quote from Thomas Jefferson

Debt has always plagued humanity.  We want things now.  Not after the harvest or our next paycheck, but today!  Why wait when you have access to credit?  When reading the countless newspaper and magazine articles on this topic, how can I not conclude that our generation is irresponsible with money?  Baby Boomers, Generations X and Y, we are financially irresponsible, leading the United States down the road to Armageddon.  We need to open our history books and learn from our fore bearers the art of frugal living.
 

In the good old days, everyone paid in cash or bartered, never borrowed money and lived within their means.  Sigh... the good ol' days.  If you believe this, perhaps I can convince you that I'm a 6'1" supermodel with gorgeous long blond hair and a body made of plastic.  Not buying it?  I didn't think so.

Me!  Hey, it's possible!

Thomas Jefferson, author of the "Declaration of Independence" and American saint, was a notorious debtor.  To be fair, many Southern planters and northern merchants were debtors, but Jefferson as well as our other "Founding Fathers," are suppose to be examples of  frugality and simplicity. 

According to Monticello.org, while Jefferson inherited debt from his father and was a victim of the many financial panics the new country experienced, Jefferson loved spending money on building projects, wine, furnishings, clothing and travel.  He lived so lavishly that upon his death, he owed over 1.5 million in today's dollars.  Leaving Jefferson's family no choice, but to sell most of his property.   Jefferson must have been a do as I say and not as I do type of man, because MSN Money quotes him as saying:

But I know nothing more important to inculcate into the minds of young people than the wisdom, the   honor, and the blessed comfort of living within their income, to calculate in good time how much less pain will cost them the plainest stile of living which keeps them out of debt, than after a few years of splendor above their income, to have their property taken away for debt when they have a family growing up to maintain and provide for.

Debt and living beyond our means is an age old problem.  Human nature hasn't changed.  Instead of looking at history through the glasses of nostalgia, try to see history as a tool.  We love to spend.  Always have, always will, however, we have a golden opportunity to learn about financial responsibility and frugal living.  Cut up those credit cards, draft up a budget and start saving.  As for me, I'm going shopping (for groceries).

 

The Cross of Laeken: St. Dymphna

Hear us, O God, Our Saviour, as we honor St. Dymphna, patron of those afflicted with mental and emotional illness. Help us to be inspired by her example and comforted by her merciful help. Amen.

In the Catholic tradition, saints help humanity by interceding on our behalf for God. Saints can heal us and provide us protection.  Over the centuries, saints have become patrons of a group of people, a condition such as pregnancy, an action or place. For example, St. George is the patron saint of England and St. Joseph is the patron of carpenters.

Over at the blog "The Cross of Laeken," he discusses the patron saint of mental illness St. Dymphna. While she was the daughter of an Irish king, she died at the age of 15 in Belgium.

Throughout history, St. Dymphna has inspired the citizens of Geel, Belgium to humanly care for the mentally ill. Those who would normally live in asylums or on the streets, live with a host family and work or perform other task during the day.

We must open our hearts and follow their lead, if we desire to prevent another devastating shooting. If we don't, history will repeat itself.


The Cross of Laeken: St. Dymphna

The Vatican Library in the twenty-first century: newyorker.com

Have some tea, but don't spill it on the books!

In my previous life, I was a librarian for a small academic library and working at the Vatican was a distant dream of mine. The Vatican's library has so many treasures that new documents get discovered all the time. Enjoy!

The Vatican Library in the twenty-first century: newyorker.com

Save this French Town.

Catherine Valois begs you to save this poor town!

This is a disturbing article from the blog "Tea at Trianon." Expecting the world to end in 2012, foreigners are buying up properties near a mountain in Southern France believing they will be taken away by aliens when this happens.. Strange

Tea at Trianon: Bugarach