"Where Shall We Go?"

Kind of a sucky day. The dogs started whining in the wee hours, and I finally dragged my carcass out of bed to let them out, then flopped back into bed. 45 minutes later they were at the door barking. Grumpy is kind.

T, who was also woken up at 4:30am, made a much-needed pot of strong coffee before he headed off to work.

I later made some of the monks' amaretto coffee at M's behest. Served it to him black and he gagged it down. He's just starting to drink coffee. Better to start him off with no add-ins. I do not like the flavored coffee.

M has three lessons/weeks left in his FixIt! grammar book. He's been doing a week of lessons per day. Rushing through it, which probably defeats the purpose but he's learning to finish his work, which is just as important as grammar. (Yes, I, the grammar queen, just wrote that!)

He has about 18 lessons left in his math program. I told him I'd buy him a lego set if he finished all his schoolwork by next Wednesday.  Grammar, math, assigned reading, art. Bribery, pure and simple. I am ready for a break. Anchorage will be it as we'll have to start next year in August.

Rained in the early morning and again in the evening. The rest of the day was low overcast, damp, and really windy. Ventured out for a walk with C in the afternoon, but that was it. M went out with the dogs a few times and took them on a long walk.

Apart from looking at the lego website for about an hour (lots of cool stuff!) I set up the new mattress in The Virus room.

shrink-wrapped

filling up with air

It's a mattress!

Green mattress made in CA

I also cleared off some shelves in the box room so H can put his stuff there. Dragged out two boxes full of his treasures (old papers, magazines and junk) which he'd put in the pantry years ago in preparation for housesitters.

That and three loads of laundry were my efforts for the day. About half of what was on my to-do list. I also wrote several letters early in the morning to be mailed tomorrow with magnets enclosed.

During this time of The Virus I have been on Facebook a lot more than is usual for me. Today I read a statement of apostasy from a Catholic couple who were sort of well-known in the homeschooling community. (I don't know them.) Normally something I wouldn't pay much attention to, but the public denial of faith smacked of pride.

It struck me as odd that they would announce their apostasy. Who does that? And the reasons they gave for leaving were blaming other people.

People in the church are mean so we're leaving. People haven't become better over the years, so it's all a hoax. It's their fault we're leaving. Um...

We brought up our kids exactly according to formula and some left the church so it doesn't work. Free will? (One comment mentioned Pelagianism = concerned above all with right conduct.)

We don't believe in God because our prayers haven't been answered. Really? Really?

Priests behaved badly. I'll give them that. So it's their fault we're leaving. Nope.

The statement of apostasy went on and on. We did everything right so how come weren't happy?Reminded me of the 18yo husky owner, "Not my dog." Not my fault.

I actually was confirmed in my faith (very much a tightrope walk for me) by the comments in response to this announcement.

- It is best to stay close to the sacraments and not take too much notice of the world.
- Everyone will answer for his own sins.
- The church is holy in her teachings and not her people.
- Living  a holy life isn't possible without the sacraments.
- The devil gives a false sense of peace because he stops harassing people who are lost.
- Pray for the gift of final perseverance. Faith is a gift from God.
- Double down; tie yourself to the mast.
- Put not your trust in princes, in man in whom there is no salvation. (Psalm 146:3)
- It is better to take refuge in the Lord than trust in man. (Psalm 118:8)
- Stay in the boat. (Fr. Rivera)
- The devil exists to draw men away from the Way, the Truth, and the Light. He throws a blanket of darkness over our shoulders and wraps tightly, and he often disguises himself as an angel of light so that we don't smell the sulfur.
- Be a pitbull and don't let go. (Juodas)
- Lord, to whom shall we go? (St. John 6:68)