My Sunday Best

Linking up with Rosie and the rest!

This picture had to be taken this way, as my legs are currently propped up in what has been a weekend cycle of “stretch them!” “put them up!” “walk some more!” “elevate with a heating pad!” (Plus my sainted husband is scouring the bathroom and fully deserves to collapse in a chair instead of taking my picture.) Apparently the charley horse in the wee sma’s of Friday  was not properly flexed out, and my right calf has been SORE all weekend.

Though I normally don’t like to layer in the summer–especially now that I have to sport compression stockings–church was quite chilly with its A/C. The pink tank is Old Navy, I’m pretty sure; the white top might be H&M, can’t really remember; and the skirt is a consignment store find that I was able to get one last wear out of. The waist could sit above the bump!

Best Line: “What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?”

I like this line from Luke because to me, it’s a reminder that God doesn’t give us bad things after we’ve asked him for good ones. But it is also challenging in the sense that still, bad things do happen. As I understand it, it’s not so much God willfully ignoring prayers for say, health, and gleefully pressing a tragedy button instead. But more like because we live in a fallen world, bad things happen, and though it may be hard to understand, God uses those times to give us even greater goods.

Oh, and I wanted to make some special connection to this and NFP Awareness Week, as I usually like to acknowledge the time with some writing, but I’m at a loss. Here’s the mention: It’s NFP Awareness Week! Erm…it’s a fish, not a snake. 😛

REMINDER: Caitlin E. (a blogger) and Deanna T., or you know followers of this link-up with those names, please email brittleighbooks@gmail.com. You’ve won a prize!

Advertisement

WIWS: Happy Memorial Day

 

Hi, there! A little late joining in on the fun…but Arrested Development did just become available on Netflix…  😛

Of course, it would figure that on the “unofficial start to summer” weekend, it would be a “feels-like” temp of 34 degrees. I decided to go patriotic in honor of today:

Dress: Something I’d mentioned before from a consignment shop. 🙂

Sweater, tank and leggings : somewhere. 🙂

WIWS: Come Holy Spirit…

…breathe life into Oklahoma. If any readers out there are affected by the tornado, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

Dressed liturgically yesterday:

Dress: A number from Burlington Coat Factory circa 2007.

Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft, ages ago.

WIWS: Special Guest Photo Bomb

Happy last week of Easter! This Sunday was a bittersweet one. More on that after the clothes.

Special Guest photo bomb!

On me:

– Purple twirly dress from The Limited (last Fall clearance).

– Navy cardigan from a former roommate’s closet, I think.

– Silver gladiator wedges by Naot. Sooo comfortable on the soles. Hilariously, I ended up tripping in them more than walking (poor footfalls) than Friday night when running for the train in straight heels.

On Special Guest:

– Green polo from wherever men buy such things. So, could be anywhere!

My roomies were very kind to let my best friend crash on our living room couch for a visit this past weekend. He is a gallant gentleman. Who lives so very far away. Prudence and patience are the virtues God wants me to work on…

WIWS: Conference edition

Happy Bright Week to all the Eastern rite readers! This weekend I was at a writers’ conference in Springfield, MA. It was wonderful. I also got to experience a different Mass for the first time in a while. So my outfit was comfortable and functional, but still church appropriate.

Turquoise top: Marshall’s.

Black cami: Forget. I had to throw it out anyway. The lace around the bustline was starting to separate scandalously. There was some yanking and pulling of a sweater…

Black pants: New York and Company. Affordable, serviceable, and still classy.

And book earrings from Broadside Books in Northhampton. Designed by Cory Anne Sharer. http://www.coryannesharer.com/gallery.html

WIWS: Boylston Street is Back!

Happy Sunday! God willing, today is the last of the commemorative posts. After Mass, my friend and I walked up and down Boylston Street. I wanted to support the businesses that had been closed for so long, so here is what I wore, Boylston style:

Comfortable shoes to walk in. Alfani ballet flats, bought on sale at Macy’s last September.

New oven mitt. Crate and Barrel.

Ring pop, cherry flavored. From Sugar Heaven, next door to blast site 1.
Polka dot dress is from a thrift shop.

Old South Church sported these flowers.

And Copley Square wore these.

 

 

WIWS: Boston

This week I’m doing a bit of a different post. Instead of pictures of what I wore today, I’d like to share what Boston wore. My parish is just three blocks from the second blast. It was accessible since Thursday, and is the spiritual home of many runners not just the third Sunday of April, but all year. Its location means that the parishioners get to easily walk the streets, shop the stores, eat at the restaurants after Mass. No matter our personal experience or lack there of with the tragedy, our hearts are forever marked.

I post these pictures not to be creepy, exploitative or disrespectful, but to show my city on this beautiful Sunday morning. We hope that soon these spots too will be the beautiful streets we’ve known them to be, and that they too, will have the new life of spring.

Flowering tree in front of the old part of Boston Public Library, south side of Copley

South side of Copley Square. Tents and trash still there a week later.

The memorial at Berkeley and Boylston streets.

The Pearson building. Two years ago, I worked here on Marathon Monday, and the street in front of the building had all the runners’ bags. My former boss is still there, and it’s been an odd week for them, to say the least. This is about two blocks away from the finish line.

Sign on a restaurant at the southeast corner of Copley Square.

View from the Prudential Center mall. Mile 26. 1 block away from the second blast. The investigators are donning special yellow shoes.

New life.

 If anyone reading this blog knows anyone or could get word to St. Boniface in Wesley, NY, I’d love to extend my heartfelt thanks to the 8th grade Confirmation candidates who sent my parish handmade “Thinking of You” cards. Our pastor read one aloud, and it really touched us in the pews, and I’m sure the man in the back, who was wearing a runner’s jacket.

WIWS–Divine Mercy!

Happy Divine Mercy Sunday! I was finally able to sleep in this morning, so no time for a pre-Mass post. (I know, I know, a single gal who whines about sleeping in–but have mercy. More sleep equals more energy to try to be a spiritual mother. Today: counseling a friend with a boy issue and hopefully later some edits on a book I wrote for teens.) It was a cold “high of 57–meaning Mass time it was 43, and the high will last about 20 minutes during the 3 pm hour–hey, it’s meteorological mercy!

Here we go!

Chocolate Blazer: Halogen, bought at a consignment store.

Dress: New by Down East (had tags), but bought at consignment store. Wait…just found the web site. My dress isn’t there, but OHMIGOODNESS, moderately priced modest wear! My purple-y confection hangs a little big on my narrow shoulders, so I put a cami on.

Leggings: Oh, somewhere. As I was miffed I couldn’t prove I had knees, I compensated with sandals.

Sandals: Brown, with some gold, bronze, and silver sequins on the bridge of the foot. Maybe DSW like 3 years ago?

Reflection: It’s Divine Mercy Sunday. In the past few years I’ve tried to complete one of the two devotions, but can never quite manage all 9 days of the novena or make it to confession before Sunday. Even still, this morning I was looking forward to saying the final chaplet in the pews and so overjoyed that God is so merciful. But I also recalled a Monday morning a couple years ago when I learned Osama bin Laden had been killed the night before–on Divine Mercy Sunday. My first reaction was “Really? Seriously? Of all days? Come on!” While my reaction at least affirmed my faith (because I sincerely do believe in God’s offer of mercy–to everyone), it also revealed how I need mercy, too, for I find it very challenging to think that I’d end up sharing heaven with people who brought the fires of hell on Earth. But our “sins are but a drop of water in the ocean of God’s mercy” (cf Thomas Watson). How incredible is that love, that He died for everyone of all time; His mercy is an offer we are free to accept or reject. We have no idea who in history chose what; all I can take from meditating on this mystery is the inspiration to live my life in grateful acceptance, over and over again.

WIWS: Surrexit Christus! He is Risen!

Happy Easter, everyone!

NEW, IN-SEASON Dress: Jessica Simpson collection, Lord & Taylor. Yay for sales and coupons and birthday money! And Zooey Deschanel wore it too! If my iPhotoBooth had a paparazzi-quality lens, I could capture the joy that this mint color is. Of course, I added what I call a “modesty tab”…hooks onto your bra–no bunching or extra weight like a cami. 🙂

White cardigan: Old Navy.

It was nice and sunny and warmish Easter morning, so I did well with a rain coat. Then it got windy and overcast, so the high of 59 did not feel as warm as it should have.

Reflection: The Triduum is my favorite liturgy of the year. This year, I received what I call Good Friday “grace,” which I wasn’t really attuned to until Saturday morning. After waking at a hideous hour after a disappointing amount of sleep, I roused myself enough to get to morning prayer at my parish. Though Lent was at an end, I had a goal to speak to Person involved in the whole “discontent” issue I mentioned last week. The “Good Friday grace” I received compelled me to just say “yes” to what was offered to me: do a reading during the prayer (I hate public speaking); assist with decorating the church for the Vigil (but I wanted to get to L&T before the special coupons ran out). By saying yes, I was graced with making new acquaintances and even receiving a compliment for my reading! The preparation for decorating was physical work, but the good kind of physical and Easter lily pollen reminders of the day decorating my sweater. And as you can tell by my photo, still made it to L&T in time for a coupon. 🙂 But the biggest grace of all was to have a truly splendid rest of the day, the weight off my heart lifted, and on Easter night, I called Person a very nervous girl and hung up a much more relieved and happy girl.

What I Wore Sunday — Palm Sunday

Happy Palm Sunday! It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the end of Lent. This Sunday I wanted to wear something that was indicative of the change in tone…no more purple…but also something subdued, evocative of Christ’s Passion, which we hear in today’s Gospel.

As always, the assorted black thermals.

Top: 3/4-sleeve sweater from New York and Company (last Fall)

Skirt: The Limited. (on sale last Fall)

I feel like Lady Sybil on Downton Abbey when she said that her clothes were from her season and wanted to “wear them out.” After Mass today, I intend to go shopping for a new, or at least, new-to-me, Easter dress.

Reflection: This morning’s Psalm is is 22: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” I have been blessed to celebrate Mass at churches with robust music ministries, and every year, I am practically crying in the pews from the sheer guttural, passionate aching despair of the emotion behind this Psalm. And it is one that my heart has cried out on its own during some past seasons in my life.

For personal reasons I won’t get into here, this has been a Lent of discontent. But unlike other seasons, when Psalm 22 was my anthem, I do not feel abandoned by God. It is one of those situations that I share with others, who often wail “Why is this God’s will?” But this time, I don’t blame God. I blame myself for things said or left unsaid, things done, or left undone. I blame others for exercising their free will that seems counter to the “good” that I am seeking. But I do not blame God. No. Even if I don’t show Him enough, I recognize that God has not abandoned me. But I will pray for the strength to not abandon Him.

Holy Week Note: Check back in throughout the week. I’ll have some reflections based on a couple songs that really capture the spirit of Holy Week. I’m unsure if I’ll post a 7QT on Friday. I’d like to, for those who want something spiritual in the midst of their day.