Hello

Hello.

It's been awhile...

Vee lost her mom and shortly after that stopped posting on this blog.  I have been struggling with some health issues and haven't had much time to write.

Sometimes people start blogs because they want to express themselves to an audience... or sometimes they just use it as their daily, weekly, monthly diary... I believe the world wide web has a trillion blogs out there... some have millions of readers while the majority have 1 or 2 or even less.  I would like to continue, but as always, need to pray about it...

TeamOpCarm is made up of two people from two different backgrounds with a great love for two charisms of the Catholic church: Carmelite spirituality and Dominican spirituality.  We're not the role models of these two spiritualities, far from it, but we wanted this blog to share our passion for these two spiritualities while at the same time sharing how normal it is to be Catholic (we're not rigid robots) hence the love of beer thrown into our description.

Since I last posted, it seems to me the world is becoming an even darker place to live in.  I often wonder what St. Teresa of Avila would do or St. Dominic if they were living in our world at this time.  For sure they would be making headlines every week... they were not afraid to boldly proclaim the Gospel, it didn't matter if it wasn't PC or if it came off as "offensive" to certain groups.  I think we Catholics have a real job to do, and we need to stop being pantywaists.  We're so afraid of offending people with the Gospel!  Does that even make sense??? We're afraid of preaching about Jesus Christ because we're afraid it's going to hurt someone?  How can that be?  ridiculous!

We need to turn our lights on, Christians!  As the world grows darker, we should be burning brighter than ever!

Go out and Preach it!

God Bless

The Headlines on this New Year's Day 2014

ObamaCare birth control mandate halted for Catholic group

From Fox News:  Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor stops the stinkin' obama administration from forcing its draconian laws penalizing Catholics for not paying for their employees abortions and birth control.  This law needs to be stopped not just temporarily.  This law just proves that Obama hates Catholics.    

AP sources: O'Brien reaches agreement with Texans

From the San Antonio Express News:  My beloved TEXANS have their new head coach!  He comes to us from Penn State University.  I'm not expecting the man to give us the Superbowl next year, but he MUST give us a drastic improvement from this year's terrible results...

...at least they aren't as disappointing as the Cowboys :P

Manziel fuels Texas A&M's biggest rally in 52-48 Chick-fil-A win over Duke

Way to go JOHNNY FREAKIN' FOOTBALL!!! PLEASE COME TO THE TEXANS, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE with sugar on top!

Putin vows to annihilate 'terrorists' after deadly bombings

Some jerks are blowing up Russia bit by bit.  Putin is pissed.  He vows to annihilate them.  I wouldn't doubt it.  Putin has more putz than all the world leaders combined...

Pope Francis stresses acceptance and community in New Year's message

No, he's not saying to accept people's sins, just to accept the people themselves...get it right...

Happy new year to all our readers.  We hope you have a good one.  

And Catholics, today is a Holy Day of Obligation...get your self to Mass...

Christmass Mourning: we need to pray for each other

 I am just rambling and putting ideas down.  Allow me to share my mind mix:


I neglect to pray for those outside my immediate bubble.  That's a straight out confession.  I am too absorbed in my own worries and loved ones, that others don't even cross my mind.  Today, Pope Francis called upon us to spend a few minutes at Noon (whenever noon happens in our part of the world,) to pray for those who hunger.



I can't imagine what living life would be like without knowing where my next meal is coming from.  But that's not all. Most of the world's hungry don't even have roofs over their heads, places to sleep comfortably, bathrooms, running water!  We need to remember these people, and pray for them.  Prayer is so powerful, we can do the impossible with God! 

Another group that often gets overlooked at Christmas are those who are mourning.  Christmas has always been a time of joy and excitement for most people.  Things changed for me when I lost my brother to a motorcycle accident 20 years ago.  Ever since his death, Christmas has become more spiritual for me, as it should.  7 years ago, I lost my mom, so the sadness around this time has multiplied.  Vee lost her mother just three weeks ago :(  For some of us, that joy we experienced in our youth is lost for good.  We can only keep our eyes looking forward to that Eternal Christmas, when we will reunite and be a family again in Paradise.  There are many people mourning their loved ones during the Holiday seasons.  We should remember to pray for them as well.

Let us remember the sick and those in the hospital, nursing homes and those who are living all alone.  There is a group of elderly at my parish.  They live together in a dilapidated house.  I'm thinking of going there to visit them, closer to Christmas day and see what I can do for them.  I wanted to decorate their homes for them, but I don't know...wouldn't want to create a fire hazard and burn their house down.  I will see what I can do...

Let's all start with prayer, I'm sure it will lead to action to make this world just a little bit better for the less fortunate people out there.

pocketful of morphine

I had some interesting things in my pockets this week.  Ok two things, morphine and Jesus.  My mom's pain got to the point on Friday that I had to stay home from work and she was prescribed morphine.  To make sure she doesnt mess up when taking the drugs I give them to her in consultation with my sister the nurse.  As she cant attend Mass when father was here yesterday, giving her the anointing of the sick, he said I could bring her Communion in  a pyx they would give me after mass.  After mass today I spoke with the deacon, he set me up and Jesus King of kings, Lord of lords, etc etc sat in my coat pocket as I biked back home in the chilly wind.  Donkey jokes are accepted.  We chatted, I suggested it might be a nicer ride if I lived in a place with palm trees :P I was honored to be able to do that but wish a priest or someone else more qualified was available.

Ignoring God

There may be things we want to hide in our lives from God, or just hide our whole life in general.  We are afraid, for whatever reason, that following God means He takes everything fun away from us.  Fun meaning the sin we think is fun but we are really slaves to.  That could be one reason but there are others as well why we ignore God.  The joke is on us though because we think we are so smart and knowledgeable about God that if we ignore Him He will think "oh ok so and so is ignoring me so I will leave them alone." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA  NO SUCH THING!!!  You can ignore God all you want but He will NEVER ignore you or leave you alone.  He is the Good Shepherd that will keep following your sorry stupid ass, throwing spiritual rocks at you until the very end in order to save your soul.

From Psalm 139

Where can I go from your spirit?

From your presence, where can I flee?

If I ascend to the heavens, you are there;

if I lie down in Sheol, there you are.

If I take the wings of dawn

and dwell beyond the sea,

Even there your hand guides me,

your right hand holds me fast.

If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me,

and night shall be my light”^*—

Darkness is not dark for you,

and night shines as the day.

Darkness and light are but one.

HAPPY FEAST!!!

Happy Feast

of St Therese!!!!