The Mom Weekly

Author: Mom

  • Hope Does Not Disappoint

    Hope Does Not Disappoint

    The Mom Weekly Volume 92: May 13, 2025

    You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.

    (I don’t have any notes this week, but I wanted to be sure to say)

    Remember how much I love you,

    Mom

    Hope Does Not Disappoint

    True confession: Sometimes, if I wake up too early—but not too early to go back to sleep— I will read on the Substack app. I love Substack and have a number of paid subscriptions, and even more free ones. 

    Usually in the early morning hours, I have prayers that I want to say, and if there’s enough time, I will also pray the Office of Readings. But I’m not perfect, and sometimes I open Substack, or another app, first.

    Unfortunately, Substack has a social-media type of feature called “Notes” and when you open the app, Substack takes you to Notes, not to your subscribed publications. So often, I see random links to other Substack accounts from people I may know or not, especially ones that are popular. It’s kind of like if I go onto Facebook and share someone else’s blog post, Facebook post, or others, and say, “Check this out.” That can be a real time drain!

    Anywho, the other morning I opened it before my prayer apps or even praying (mistake! I know! I’m just being honest). And several people had linked to someone’s Substack post about how AI is basically the end of the world and the end of normal jobs, etc. The looong post was telling this particular person’s story, and it was bleak, both this person and their situation, and the comments were even more so.

    Family, it really got me down! I just thought: there are so many people without hope and saying things that may or may not be true. Many if not most, of these people do not see a point to life or of living in community, much less about living any kind of faith life. Even I don’t know this person, or anyone connected to this person, it made me sad for all of them.

    So I thought, well, now it’s time to look at my subscribed publications instead of spending any more time here in this place of woe. I’m only kind of kidding! One of my paid subscriptions is Recovering Catholic (“For people seeking wholes and freedom in the living tradition of the Church.” Now there’s a tag line) I do not know the author, Sarah Carter, personally, but I like her theological style and writing, and I want to support people doing good in the world. And today it helped me.

    Sarah has a post called “Leo” about our new Pope Leo XIV. She makes the case that by choosing the name Leo XIV, he may be saying something about how he wants to engage with the world:

    In the midst of a rush of social, political, and cultural change that one can only imagine felt tremendously chaotic, Pope Leo XIII wrote a dizzying 90 encyclicals on topics ranging from liberalism and socialism to freemasonry to the Eucharist and the Rosary, and well, pretty much everywhere in between. One can detect in the writings of Leo XIII a strenuous grappling with the times in which he had been called to lead the Church, a willingness to engage with modern ideas in their positive aspects as well as their limitations, and most importantly, a desire to bring the voice of Christ to bear on the ‘joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties’ of the age. He recognized that Church triumphalism needed to be done away with—a new approach was needed.”

    The Holy Father, in his first address to the cardinals, a few days later, spoke to this moment, and particular to those concerned about AI (like the sad post that inspired this reflection).

    Sensing myself called to continue in this same path, I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”

    (Digression, but one I’m excited about: Sarah announced that she’s doing a read-along of Rerum Novarum, the famous encyclical from Leo XIII that is “a clear and compelling articulation of first principles” in social teaching. I have never read it.

    So I plan to do this read-along, and finally say I have read this great encyclical. Here is Rerum Novarum on the Vatican website. I’m going to find a way to get this into my books app so that I can take notes on it and highlight different things. End of digression!)

    Sarah’s post, as well as other coverage of Pope Leo XIV, helped get me out of the depressing place the post had left me, early in the morning. It gave me hope, and it reminded me that Pope Francis named this year the Jubilee of Hope.  (The opening line of his announcement–“Hope does not disappoint”–inspired the quote that opens this Weekly!

    And I realized that the ability to have hope and look forward to good things, is almost like a superpower. It should be the mark of every Christian. 

    Pope Leo XIV’s first words on the balcony after his election are so appropriate to reflect on here. I’d like to close with those words, and encourage you to read through them slowly:

    Peace be with all of you!
    Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd  who gave his life for God’s flock.
    I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the world. Peace be with you!


    It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.


    We can still hear the faint yet ever courageous voice of Pope Francis as he blessed Rome, the Pope who blessed Rome, who gave his blessing to the world, the whole world, on the morning of Easter. Allow me to extend that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! All of us are in God’s hands. So, let us move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another other! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge that can lead us to God and his love. Help us, one and all, to build bridges through dialogue and encounter, joining together as one people, always at peace. Thank you, Pope Francis!


    I also thank my brother Cardinals, who have chosen me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a Church, united, ever pursuing peace and justice, ever seeking to act as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, in order to proclaim the Gospel without fear, to be missionaries.

    I am an Augustinian, a son of Saint Augustine, who once said, “With you I am a Christian, and for you I am a bishop.”  In this sense, all of us can journey together toward the homeland that God has prepared for us.

    Interesting/Notable

    Since there are a number of extended family members having graduations this spring, including two in our own nuclear family, I wanted to include this 

    Charlie Munger speech to USC Law School class of 2007

  • May is Full of Holidays

    May is Full of Holidays

    The Mom Weekly Volume 91: May 6, 2025

    You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.

    May is Full of Holidays

    May, especially for our family, is full of holidays and celebrations. This year, we not only have Dad’s birthday, our wedding anniversary (32 years!), two graduations, and more. Also, May is replete with some great family-specific feast days, such as St. Joseph the Worker that was on May 1 (I made savoiardi, naturally), and even more birthdays and anniversaries for extended family members of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

    May is also Mary’s month, so some extra devotion and a few extra prayers can be a great way to honor her. Consider praying the Rosary with the Hallow app—I typically choose the guide Anna, who has a British accent. I find her style very helpful, and conducive to me to prayer, as I walk the dogs in the morning. I have found it a spiritually fruitful time. You can also use the rosary that came in your Easter basket. (See photo!). Per Dad’s suggestion, I’ve started carrying mine in my pocket.

    So how can you celebrate this month better? Well, for one, Dad’s birthday is only a few days away, so if you haven’t sent a card yet, today is your chance! And Mother’s Day is this Sunday, but you know I don’t need any cards or anything, because you kids are my gifts. But you might plan to be extra-available via text or phone call on Sunday, because I do love to hear from you.

    Otherwise, maybe try to plan for some fun baking or cooking this month, or some extra time in nature. You know that you will be glad that you did!

    Remember how much I love you,

    Mom

    Interesting/Notable

    Papal conclave: about the rules related to it–The Pillar

    Dad & I were talking about how news outlets are reporting about who got how many votes during prior conclaves, when it’s meant to be strictly secret.

    A Fifth of American Adults Can’t Read. Here’s How to Teach Them.

    This article is a must-read. And remember working through this book together? Teaching each of you to read was so challenging, but so rewarding!

    “The whole experience knocked me off my ideological pedestal. The most effective way to help my students, I realized, was to radically diverge from the progressive path I’d traveled my entire life. I am now as close to a traditional schoolmaster as I ever could have imagined: I drill. I test. I say things like, “No, that’s wrong. Try again.” There is a correct answer, and I want it.

    It turns out the students want that, too.”

    An Action Item: Reach out to three friends, preferably one in person

    As usual, I am adding this as an action item for myself as much as anyone else.

    While it’s great to “see” people on social media, or in other ways, there’s nothing like connecting with people “in real life.”

    Connecting with someone in real life can include texting, phone calls, or seeing someone in person. It can also include one of my favorite ways: writing people actual notes to send via “snail mail.”

    I remember hearing on podcast (surprise!) a guest offer this idea: scroll pretty far down your text messages, and see someone that you haven’t texted or talked to in a while. 

    Once you do, send them a quick text to say, “Hi! I was thinking of you and I just wanted to say Hi! How are you doing?” 

    You may find it sparks a quick conversation, or even leads to a time to grab tea/a meal or go for a walk together. 

    I just did this right now, and I can’t tell you how much it boosted my mood to do so!

    Here were my three:

    —I texted a friend from our parish that I had asked a wedding-related question to, and never responded to her (back in January!)

    —I texted (again) a woman I met at JASNA last year, appreciating her hosting the JASNA podcast (this episode in particular )

    — (in a group message) I texted three friends that I used to sing with, sending them a story from the local news about an opera singer who sings for patients in a nearby city.

    In the next few days, I am also going to try to connect with a college friend and try to chat with her while I’m walking in the next few days. That will be more “in real life,” and maybe later I can try for some “in person” time.

    Please give this action item a try! I promise you will be happy that you did.

  • Novemdiales

    Novemdiales

    The Mom Weekly Volume 90: April 29, 2025

    You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.

    Novemdiales

    I had already scheduled last week’s email to go out over the weekend, before Pope Francis died on Easter Monday. I thought about revising last week. But 1. I loved “Shakespeare and Family” so much! But 2. more importantly, there would be another Weekly in a few more days, and so I could wait until then.

    By the time you read this, assuming you read it on Tuesday (as all TMW readers do! ha) is that we will be on the Fourth Day of the Novemdiales. The Novemdiales is the special nine-day period of mourning after a pope dies. This time starts on the day of the funeral, which for Pope Francis was this past Saturday.

    This article explains the Novemdiales and lists the schedule of Masses.

    Pray More Novenas (yes, it’s really a website and email service!) started a novena for Pope Francis called the Novemdiales novena. Here is the explanation: “After the death of a Pope, there is traditionally a 9-day mourning period called Novemdiales. During this period, Masses and prayers are offered for the Holy Father. “

    We are all praying for the Holy Father, and also having prayers of gratitude for his life and devotion. We should also be praying for the church and for everyone who is interested in this process; the people covering it, the people watching, and more.

    It’s definitely a time of grace and a time for conversion. I hope you will take advantage of it. I am going to try to!

    I don’t think that speculating about “who will be the next pope” or similar is that good a use of our time. But this video presentation from Catholic University of America, which Dad & I listened to on a drive last week, is an excellent behind-the-scenes about how the process works. “What Happens After a Pope Dies?” It’s by a canon lawyer and just fascinating. (At least for me!)

    Because YouTube suggests videos I might like alongside the above video , it is a more simplified explanation of some of the traditions around the conclave and the death of the Holy Father.

    What Happens in a Papal Conclave? Everything You Need to Know

    (I recognize this priest from seeing things from him on Instagram or Facebook, and he seems solid, but I have no details about him or his ministry).

    Remember how much I love you,

    Mom

    Interesting/Notable:

    Five Unusual Papal Burial Places: The Pillar

    Americans are Tipping Less—Are You? WSJ

    This was a fun interactive feature. It turns out I am average for a tipper.

    An Action Item: Move Over Clothes from Winter to Spring/Summer

    I am putting this item here mostly for me, but I know others will like this little nudge! The change of seasons is a great time to go through your clothes and pass along things that no longer “work” for your style or your life. I can usually get rid of, or sell, more than a few items, and it helps my closet & dresser seem less crowded, and more organized.

    Here’s what I don’t have: a way to get rid of things that I keep for sentimental reasons. I have some old t-shirts and items that I keep in a bin labeled “not sure/sentimental”) and it’s pretty rare that I can get rid of things there. Any thoughts of how to work through those items would be welcome!

  • Shakespeare & Family (From the Vault, 1982)

    Shakespeare & Family (From the Vault, 1982)

    The Mom Weekly Volume 89: April 22, 2025

    You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.

    Shakespeare and Family (From the Vault, 1982)

    Shakespeare’s birthday is tomorrow. April 23 is the 461st anniversary of his birth.

    I came across the letter I’m going to share some time ago when I was going through my photo library. (See the “Action Item” for today!)

    It made me think about how much we have explored Shakespeare over the years. But it’s not just because I was an English major—now you can see that it is a generational thing…

    We’ve seen many Shakespeare plays, from here to England, and studied even more. One of my favorite homeschooling memories is working through How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare and memorizing all the passages that we did.

    I know a bank

    where the wild thyme grows

    Where oxlips

    And the nodding violet grows …

    Or Rosalind from As You Like It?

    “For I must tell you friendly in your ear,

    Sell when you can;

    you are not for all markets.”

    And who could forget the St. Crispin’s Day speech from (as we called it) “Henry the Vee? 

    Even though we did memorize all those passages, I can only really call to mind bits and pieces of them. But I imagine if I worked on them again, it would be easier to memorize them again.

    Anyway, this letter was written to me by my father, your grandfather. The “New Mayfield” he refers to is this. (Sadly, it closed in 1985 and has not been opened since).

    This letter is absolutely “on brand” for my dad, and for his love of classic things. I am 90 percent certain he also recited this to me at some point, because I can actually hear his voice saying the lines, and smiling at the same time.

    (Note also: he refers to stopping at a local restaurant for their famed “cookie monster,” so of course you know from whom we all inherited our sweet tooth).

    He passed on his love of literature to me, and I am pretty sure that I’ve passed it onto you kids. I sincerely hope that you pass it on to your children. It’s a treasure and inheritance, far greater than any material thing.

    Remember how much I love you,

    Mom

    Sunday Eve October 24, 1982

    This afternoon Catherine went to the St. Mary’s football game at 3 p.m. Then after a quick supper I took her to the 5:30 p.m. movie at New Mayfield—Laurence Olivier in “King Henry V.” Not one of his (Shakespeare’s) better plays, but a good movie. It was about 8 p.m. and our car somehow wandered over to Norton’s so we were forced to stop and have a cookie monster.

    Catherine asked me if there were any familiar quotations from Hamlet because we didn’t really hear any tonight, but she was struck by the familiar phrases in Romeo and Juliet. Well anyhow, among the many famous passages in Hamlet, of course, is Polonius’ advice to his son Laertes as he is about to leave to accompany Hamlet to school (in England?) Every father should, of course, pass on this advice to his son—or daughter—as they leave for school, so here it is, (over)

    “…Give thy thoughts no tongue,

    nor any unproportioned thought his act.

    Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar;

    Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,

    Grapple them until thy soul with hoops of steel;

    But do not dull thy palm with entertainment

     of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade. Beware

     of entrance to a quarrel, but, being in,

    Bear’t that the opposed may be aware of thee.

    Give every many thy ear, but few thy voice;

    Take each man’s censure but reserve thy judgment.

    Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

    But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy,

    For the apparel oft proclaims the man.

    Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

    For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

    and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

    This above all: to thine own self be true,

    and it must follow, as the night the day,

    Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

    Love,

    Dad

    Interesting/Notable:

    An update from the Holy Land–The Catholic Traveler

    Seeing this article about The Catholic Traveler resuming tours in the Holy Land made me want to go there even more, and soon, when it is not very crowded! 

    An Action Item: Go Through Your Photos from Today

    I first heard this hack/tip years ago, and I cannot remember the source. But I do it from time to time, and it’s a fun exercise.

    Here’s what you do: open your Photos app on your laptop. In the search bar in the upper right corner, search for a day. Let’s say, April 3. This will bring up photos that have the words “April 3” in them, but also all the photos that have been taken through the years on April 3. Select “All Items,” and go through them. 

    Usually, I find that a large portion of my photos are of dogs, Spot specifically. (Really!) But for April 3, I can see my album has 64 items, including several HILARIOUS 2016 videos of child 2 and child 3 lip-syncing to Owl City songs. It’s worth it just for that. You can usually find find a few, or even a dozen or more, of blurry or “similar” photos that you can delete. 

    That’s it! I promise it’s a fun experiment, a good way to (slightly) clean up your photos, and a fun trip down memory lane.

  • In Praise of People Who Share Their Scam Stories (again!)

    In Praise of People Who Share Their Scam Stories (again!)

    The Mom Weekly Volume 88: April 15, 2025

    You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the website here. https://themomweekly.com/

    Notes

    I hope that you have filed your taxes by now, but if you have not, today’s the day! So get to it.

    Also, we are in Holy Week. The Triduum and Easter are in a few days. Enjoy this sacred season. To be honest, I will be glad—not for the first time—that Lent is over. It’s not my favorite season, but I want to appreciate it better than I do—something to ponder! For now, I’ll get ready to celebrate the Easter season. 

    Remember how much I love you,

    Mom

    In Praise of People Who Share Their Scam Stories, Again

    I recommend you take a few minutes to read this Wall Street Journal article (gift link):

    “The Panicked Voice on the Phone Sounded Like Her Daughter. It Wasn’t.”

    It is so helpful to read these kinds of accounts. I’ve written about them previously here and here.

    First of all, so we can be sympathetic to people who have been through this. Everyone is susceptible to these kinds of scams, and that’s why involving trusted others (such as family members) in our financial lives is so important.

    Also, it does make me fear for what AI can do to perpetrate these scams, and how we can guard against it. I do not have any firm thoughts on how to do this, except to say that we should stay vigilant.

    A good resource on this? Frank Abegnale’s book Scam Me If You Can: Simple Strategies to Outsmart Today’s Rip-Off Artists.

    This book, published in 2019, so well ahead of both the pandemic and the AI trend, is by the scammer turned FBI agent who wrote the autobiographical Catch Me If You Can (the book is way better than the movie!), not only covers the seemingly endless variation of ways that fraudsters try to cheat money out of people. It also covers the psychological tricks that criminals use to get people to trust them, or feel a sense of urgency. 

    I first read this book early in 2020, before all the pandemic news, but one quote I wrote down from is especially helpful during this time:  

    “I believe we have to get back to forming strong communities where people know and look out for one another. A lot of fraud happens in isolation and online. If we look up from our electronic devices and limit our online time to specific tasks and goals, we will vie less prone to scammers online. We’ll also feel happier and less isolated.”

    What I wrote many months ago still is true, so no need for me to write it in a different way. Here it is, from “Expect to be Scammed.”

    So, what’s the moral of this story? And the title, “Expect to Be Scammed”? Should we be constantly vigilant and expecting to be cheated at every moment? Looking over our shoulder, living in fear, and constantly worried about becoming a victim?

    No. But we can be extra cautious when it comes to our financial lives. We can also begin to be relatively transparent about our finances with several trusted people in our lives.

    “Expect to be scammed” means being realistic about the existence of bad actors in the world, who come up with sophisticated and devious ways to prey upon people. “Expect to be scammed” means we should practice excellent online “hygiene” when it comes to our financial, and indeed, our online lives in general.

    Interesting/Notable

    Marriage Article of the Week—How I Plan My Weekends: Laura Vanderkam

    This may not seem like a “marriage article of the week” but it describes some of the the division of labor that goes on in a family, and how to make fun and good things happen for a family.

    I thought this was a great paragraph that outlines why it’s good to “plan ahead” for group physical activity—so that inertia won’t take over:

    I also see that all family members are free on Sunday afternoon from about mid-afternoon to evening. As the older children won’t actually have done much on Sunday, I feel like we could make a reasonable case for a family walk or bike ride during this time. The weather should be good. If everyone gets their heads around this beforehand, it will probably happen. If we wait until Sunday afternoon to try to decide to do something, inertia will take over and there will be a lot of screen time instead.

    An Action Item: Plan Your Weekend

    In the Laura Vanderkam school of thought, planning your weekend makes it more likely that you will do things you want, and not just what you need to do. You’ll be glad that you did!

    Also, did you notice that I was ahead of time management guru Laura Vanderkam? (Not really, because I have read her for years and absorbed a lot of her ideas!). But still, remember that I had a section of The Mom Weekly for the first year and a half or so: “What Are You Doing This Weekend?”

    Here are the questions again, and I will try to include these episodically, but not often enough so we get too used to them.

    What are you doing this weekend?

    So, now that it’s Tuesday, what are you planning for the weekend? I’m going to suggest trying to cover four “F”s to get ideas flowing:

    *faith—when are you going to Mass?

    *friends—what friends will you see or connect with?

    *food—any fun recipes you plan to try, or restaurants you plan to visit?

    *fun—anything interesting you are going to play, watch, or do this weekend? Now’s the time to think it through, and put it on the calendar (even informally).

  • Surely God is With Us (A Rich Mullins Lent)

    Surely God is With Us (A Rich Mullins Lent)

    The Mom Weekly Volume 87: April 8, 2025

    You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.

    Notes:

    Last week, I should have shared another funny “gentle” April Fools’ Day “ jokester: Duolingo. Last year, there was the hilarious Duolingo on Ice.

    “Duolingo on Ice”

    This year’s was equally as clever, with an actual link to Carnival Cruise Lines. Is this product placement? Who knows? it’s funny.

    DuoLingo 5-Year World Cruise

    Also, I don’t think that my reflection below on “Surely God is With Us” quite explains my thoughts as well as I would like. However, the perfect is the enemy of the good, and I wanted to get it out before the end of Lent. 

    Remember how much I love you,

    Mom

    Headline: Surely God is With Us (A Rich Mullins Lent)

    This Lent, one of my favorite Rich Mullins songs has been “Surely God is With Us.” There are actually two versions in the world. 

    One is the demo tape (yes, an actual tape) Mullins made just a few days before he died in a vehicle accident in September 1997. The other is from singer Mark Robinson, which was part of The Jesus Album, made in the year after Mullins’ death, with both the demo versions of the song, and covers of the each song by various artists, such as Michael W. Smith. For “Surely God is With Us,” I prefer Rich’s version.

    Well, who’s that man? Says He’s a prophet

    Well, I wonder if He has got something up His sleeve

    Where’s He from? Who is His daddy?

    There’s rumors He even thinks Himself a King

    Of a kingdom of paupers

    Simpletons and rogues

    The whores all seem to love Him

    And the drunks propose a toast

    And they say: “Surely God is with us

    Surely God is with us”

    They say: “Surely God is with us today”

    Who’s that man? Says He’s a preacher

    Well He must be, He’s disturbing all our peace

    Where does He get off? What is He hiding?

    Well, every word He says those fools believe

    Who can move a mountain?

    Who could love their enemy?

    Who could rejoice in pain?

    Turn the other cheek?

    And still say: “Surely God is with us

    Surely God is with us”

    Who’ll say: “Surely God is with us today?”

    Blessed are the poor in spirit

    Heaven belongs to them

    Blessed are those who make peace

    They are God’s children

    I Am the Bread of Life, I am the Way”

    You hear that Man? Believe what He’s sayin’

    Tell me who’s that Man? They made Him a prisoner

    Tortured Him n’ nailed Him to a tree

    Was He so bad? Who did He threaten?

    Did He deserve to die between two thieves?

    See the scars and touch His wounds

    His risen flesh and bone

    Now, sinners have become the saints

    And the lost have all come home

    And they say: “Surely God is with us. Surely God is with us”

    They say: “Surely God is with us today, today”

    This may seem like a digression, but bear with me:

    Matt Talbot, a Dubliner who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century, was an alcoholic from a family of alcoholics. He was considered a “hopeless alcoholic” from the age of 13 years old, and struggled with it for many years, spending all of his earnings on alcohol, and even stealing from people to support his habit. 

    When he was 28, he became sober, back then called “taking the pledge.” He then spent the rest of his life penitentially, and especially practiced a sincere devotion to his Catholic faith, with daily Mass, prayers, and penances.

    He died of heart failure on the way to Church on Trinity Sunday, June 7, 1925, when he collapsed on the street, alone.

    When Dad & I were in Dublin, I think we must have walked to Granby Lane to see where he died, and there is a little plaque in the brick wall marking the place where he died, basically an alley. 

    the plaque on a wall in Granby Lane
    This is another photo I took of a warehouse on Granby Lane in 2016; I found the signage very photogenic, but it also shows how it really was like an alleyway.

    And I’ve always thought it seemed somehow fitting that he died that way, since he is a patron of those struggling with addiction. How many people with addiction end up dying alone, either on the side of the road or in some sort of equivalent.

    Rich Mullins also died on the side of the road. It was actually along Interstate 39, not far from where we live. They both died alone, on the side of the road, forgotten. They didn’t choose their deaths, but they might not have minded, since they each had a solidarity with the lonely, forgotten, and hopeless.

    And yet, surely, God was with them. Surely God is with them. And surely God is with us.

    The manner of their deaths might be pointing people to the truth that God is with us, all of us. No one is alone. No one lives alone, and no one dies alone.

    Interesting/Notable:

    Marathon in 24 hours — Beau Miles (YouTube)

    As you know, this video inspired someone in our family (!) to run his own “marathon in a day.” The subject of the video ran one mile each hour, and had a list of tasks he wanted to complete, and knocked them off in between.

    (I confess, I am thinking of my own version of this, but not a marathon in a day. I don’t want to stay up for 24 hours. I would like to intersperse completing lots of tasks along with bursts of activity (like running or walking a mile) to reset your energy level and motivation.

    Anyway, after watching it, I wondered what made this particular video so appealing, and I found this “making of” interview. Really interesting!

    The how-to of the filming of a marathon in 24 hours

    An Action Item: Complete Your Taxes

    A week from today is Tax Day!

    I mentioned back in January that you could start your taxes, and in February talked about the idea of extending your taxes. 

    Now is the time to finish your taxes, if you have not already done so. You know you will feel great when you have this completed, so knock it off in the next day or so!

    Bonus for those who have already completed their taxes: check your Roth IRA. How much have you contributed yet this year? 

    If you are under 50, you can contribute up to $7,000 to your Roth IRA. If you want to be on track to max this out, you should have approximately $1,879. I bet you could try to get at least there (or a bit beyond).