I knew it, I just didn't know I knew it.

That title is a quote from a priest I once knew but pertains to what happened last night. After dinner at my parents, we came home and cracked open one of the gifts for my daughter and I to play. It's a karaoke game for the Nintendo Wii system that features all the songs from High School Musical 1 and 2 plus some extras. Um, I knew most of the songs. Didn't know I knew that. Apparently, playing the songs in the car, they have seeped into my brain. Then I stayed stayed up an hour later to master some of the harmony parts on songs and "unlock new features". Here I am waking up the next day and the little Thorn wants to play again. Hmmmm. It's interactive, it's fun and clean. Can't say no to that, can I? As a side note, Mr. Thorn fell asleep while I was competitively singing.

Need a gift?

I found a code for 25% off an item at Barnes & Noble(this is an outstanding discount for them). For those who want to "shop", enter the code H6T9C3U at the checkout and the discount will be taken off your highest priced item. There are some nice books in the Catholic section you can pre-order and still use the discount. I thought I would share since I just picked up a Christmas gift there. They also have free shipping.

B&N

Thank God for the Church. Seriously.

I was able to go to Mass today and it was uplifting and so needed. I have been carrying so much sorrow and pain and I needed to feel I still had "the Church" to be there for me. I told Jesus how sad I was and how hard it is to just move on. The way the light hit through the windows in the Cathedral took my breath away for an instant and I knew right then that I have been given a gift. No matter how crappy life gets, how much loss and pain I muddle through, I have something worth more than all that I lost and gave up. I have the one, true Church that Christ gave to us for always. I'm not going to see that everyday. Some days are dark and it may be hard to see around the clouds. In the end, many search for the truth all their life and never find it. It took a pretty sunbeam on a grey wall for me to realize this. After a very rough morning(full of beating myself up for not being perfect), I was fortunate God showed me something so simple and magnificent. It might be a good thing I put this in words for those days when I need it.

The workload this week has been insane. I will need to somehow develop super-human powers to get through it all. Oddly enough, the response to Halloween this year has been overwhelming. Christmas is selling early. Go figure. With Mr. Thorn being out of work for over two weeks, we need the money badly. It will be insane all the way through the first week of December and then it just stops. So I will be knee deep in orders all week. I have more orders that are pending so again, I need a bionic foot and hands to get these orders cranked out.
Mr. Thorn and I got a night out last night. We went to a local Eye-tal-eon restaurant and had a nice dinner. The rest of the night was spent working and doing domestic things(i.e. shopping at Wal-Mart). So much for romance. It was nice to talk and slow down from our rushed daily life.

The TLM at the Cathedral Basilica is moving to St. Bernard's at the end of this month. There may be another TLM, nothing definite right now. It's nice to know there are people in the diocese to support the TLM.

Why are First Communion gifts so silly?

I would love to find a company that made really useful, unique or practical gifts for First Communion gifts. I found these gorgeous, traditional invites(printed in Italy, still shows child at altar rail....yeah, that would happen anywhere near me) and I'm trying to order a nice gift. There aren't many and they are hard to find. I know he will get the rosary, the prayer book, the frames....sigh. Someone want to start a tasteful Catholic gift company?
(OK, "getting sidetracked" warning....)

Whilst looking, I find what I think will be a cool CD on hymns of adoration. Hmmm. Look further. Daughters of St. Paul. And then the real piece of marketing that tips the scale of interest clear back the other direction:

Eucharistic hymns sung by the Daughters of St. Paul with contemporary music

Sigh. I listened to a sample. It's just odd. Not offensive, just odd as the arrangement isn't quite solid....kinda drifty. So, I continue my search. Both for a nice gift and well performed sacred music for my listening pleasure.