Quick Takes: Advent, and my crazy new blog!!

As we are in Advent, and in prayerful preparation to receive the Christ Child, I am winding down a bit and will be posting only Quick Takes till after Christmas.

1) If you are confused about the difference between Advent and Christmas, this fun, two-minute video is just what you need to see (and will keep you humming!):

Although folks tend to think we are currently in the Christmas season, we are not. The Christmas season begins on December 25, continuing for several days thereafter. Right now, we are in the Advent season.


2) By the way, it honestly makes me laugh when I see atheists trying to strip public squares of Nativity scenes or when politicians contort themselves calling Christmas trees "holiday trees" -- because last I checked, Christmas is a federal, government holiday! And the "Christmas" that is being commemorated by the government is that time in the manger, lo those many years ago, when Christ was born! And so the Nativity is the basis for the federal holiday that is on the government calendar, but we are apparently not allowed to mention or show that Nativity on public ground, or use the name of Christmas (tree), which is actually the name of the government holiday that we are commemorating! We can't speak or display the things of Christmas in relation to the government holiday commemorating… Christmas! The irony is rich! It is actually hilarious if you think about it. Why can't atheists see it?

If they had integrity and critical thinking skills, what these atheists should be lobbying for is an end to the government holiday of Christmas. Or do they like the day off work too much to attack the real problem?



3) Catholics who are still in the dumps about our nation's fast decline (evidenced by the last election), you must read about this incredible priest in, of all places, France:

Fr. Michel-Marie Zanotti-Sorkine

Fr. Michel-Marie, a Cassock in Deep Marseille

There, now doesn't that make you feel better?

4) An interesting follow-up to the "War on Men" articles of my last Quick Takes, by the author of the first article:

Let's Call a Truce in the War on Men

Yes, let's!!

5) And that leads to my latest endeavor, which comes (several years later) on the heels of my Catholic Moms Matchmaking email group (long dormant). It's my new, private blog dedicated to Catholic matchmaking!

If you are a devoutly Catholic mom (including spiritual moms), faithful to the Magisterium, and you would like to help your child find a great Catholic spouse, then you should become a follower of my new blog. Or, if you are a young single who would like to profile yourself on my blog, or just read it and see who is out there looking, then you, also, should become a follower of my blog. The blog is by invite only, and it's unsearchable. I already have a good list of readers, and the first post (a profile of a lovely young Catholic lady) is ready to publish in the next couple of days.

If you are a practicing, Church-loving Catholic and would like an invite to the blog, please send email me at littlecatholicbubble@gmail.com, and make your case. :)

Isn't this fun??? And yes, I know I'm a little weird.


6) Please keep praying for Baby Dominic, our own Becky's nephew, as he struggles after major surgery. He is so very loved…

Dominic before surgery, with big sister Bernadette,
one of his many adoring siblings.

…and his family wants to watch him grow up.

Recovery after surgery has been very difficult;
 he has coded twice, and he still is not out of the woods.

Please pray hard for this little boy and his family.

St. Padre Pio, pray for your little namesake.


7) One of my addictions is this blog:

Tiny Green Elephants

I dare you to start a few months back and begin reading the story of how they brought two Russian special needs orphans, a ten-year-old girl (Maria) and a baby boy (Elijah), home to America.

Blessed to be orphans no more.

And when you read, you will learn about Maria's very best friend from the orphange, Kate, whom she left behind. Kate still waits for a family, and Maria misses her so, and prays that Kate will be saved by an American family, just as she was. I pray that, too.

Please click Kate's photo for more information.

Blessings for a peaceful Advent, and a beautiful Feast of the Immaculate Conception!*

And thanks to Jen, for hosting!

*The Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Mary in her mother Anne's womb; it does not refer to Jesus' conception in Mary's womb (which we refer to as the Annunciation). Catholics, please remember that December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, is a holy day of obligation! It is a mortal sin to willfully miss mass on a holy day, although our gratitude and the joy we have at knowing that Our Lady was conceived without sin should be enough motivation for us to get there to celebrate. What a gift we have been given in a sinless mother!