No Excuse for Not Cooking . . .

After watching an episode of America's Worst Cook, I had to wonder about the mental capacity of these self-professed horrible keepers of the kitchen. I've always felt that if you can read, you can cook. Following basic recipes with a minimum of ingredients will usually provide one with an edible meal. Practice will eventually provide one with a better meal. When someone claims they can't even boil water, you have to wonder exactly how unmotivated they are that they find excuses to not provide nutritious food for themselves and their family.

My mother came from a culture when education came first so she got very little training or insight into the workings of a kitchen. She got married, she and my dad got hungry, they were living on an airman's salary . . . she had to learn to cook. The go-to cookbook for her was a big, fat one she found in some thrift shop. It was worn when she bought it and the pages, over the years, took on the fragile transparency of a well-used prayerbook or Bible. In some ways, it was right up there with those books as it what how she learned to sustain her family at the dinner table.

Naturally, she was not without mishaps and mistakes but, after the tears, they became the cooking legends of the family. My mother ended up being a great cook and it was because she wanted to provide and she bothered to take the time to read.

I got some training in the kitchen to a small extent but I found I liked to cook and bake and read my way to a certain competence in the culinary scope of the kitchen. Before I could rest on my accomplishments, I got married and my husband had certain allergies to some of the spice packets and such I used to cook meals. I started reading both the labels on the 'helping' stuff but researched how to make the items from scratch. You won't find a lot of canned or prepackaged items in my kitchen these days and it actually saves on the grocery budget.

Like just about anything in life, if you want to do it, you can do it . . . if you bother to work at it. I have had so many weird remarks made to me over the years because I enjoy being in the kitchen. "Your mother could cook so it's easy for you!" "You like being in the kitchen so it comes naturally to you." Uh, I could stand in the kitchen all day and unless I actually made an effort, nothing would happen. "You are a health nut and like to cook healthy." If you have a family, shouldn't YOU like to cook healthy, too? "My mother didn't teach me to cook so I'm hopeless in the kitchen." My mother became a working mother when I was seven so I learned a lot on my own if I was hungry enough. "Even if you didn't actually cook with your mother, you got your aptitude through osmosis." Okay, if one can absorb such knowledge through just being around cooks, a few trips to a gourmet restaurant and you'd be set for life, right?

I have to admit that having a husband and children was an extra push to cooking to the best of my ability. But, the fact that I was responsible for keeping people other than myself healthy, played a huge role in my desire to improve over the years. I figured that besides pleasing my family, I'd eventually have to report in to God about how I took care of the blessings He sent me.

Prelude to the Beginning . . .

The cardinals have gathered in Rome and the conclave to elect the new pope begins today. I imagine Emeritus Pope Benedict is most prayerful today as he remembers his time during the last papal election. I read the various articles and columns about all this and am glad the world doesn't get to vote on this important election. It is now a wait and see process. One wonders where they will be and what they will be doing when the white smoke plumes in the sky and we know the announcement is close at hand. There are many cardinals that would make a good successor to Pope Benedict but God's plans will make the final decision. We hope and pray.

I'm also feeling a bit old today as I count back on all the popes that I've 'lived' through to date. I remember listening to the radio and hearing the somber tone of the reporter saying, "Pope Pius XII is dead." I guess maturity and age played into my thoughts as I found the election of Pope Benedict the most exciting. I remember heading down the road for shopping and the announcer saying, "We have white smoke!" I made the fastest U-turn in history and headed back home to get my children gathered around to hear. With amazement, we heard that Cardinal Ratzinger had been elected and knew for sure that God is in charge because he was the most conservative in a world of liberalism.

So, this week is going to be interesting and anxious as we wait and pray for the cardinals who have the future of the church in their hands. They are locked away from the world with only their prayers and the Holy Spirit to keep them company.

How the Apostles Died

How The Apostles Died

1. Matthew

Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound

2. Mark

Died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead

3. Luke

Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost

4 John

Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave

of persecution In Rome . However, he was miraculously delivered from death.

John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos.

He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed

and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the

only apostle to die peacefully.

5. Peter

He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.

According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy

to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6 James

The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast

pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he

survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7. James the Great

Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry.

As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem.

The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial.

Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he

declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8. Bartholomew

Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey.

Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9. Andrew

He was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers

they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was

led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour.

The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his

tormentors For two days until he expired.

10. Thomas

Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent

11. Jude

Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

12. Matthias

The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

13. Paul

Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured

a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had

formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational

Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us

That our sufferings here Are indeed minor compared To the intense persecution And cold cruelty

faced by the apostles And disciples during their times For the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be

hated Of all men for my name's sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God WILL!

Novena For the Election of the Pope

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come.
From thy bright heavenly throne!
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all Thine Own!

Thou who art called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The Living Spring, The Living Fire,
Sweet Unction, and True Love!

Thou who are sevenfold in Thy grace,
Finger of God's right hand,
His Promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand!

O guide our minds with thy blest light,
With love our hearts inflame,
And with thy strength, which ne'er decays,
Confirm our mortal frame.

Far from us drive our hellish foe,
True peace unto us bring,
And through all perils guide us safe
Beneath thy sacred wing.

Through Thee may we the Father know,
Through Thee the Eternal Son,
And Thee the Spirit of them both
Thrice blessed Three in One.

Now to the Father, and the Son
Who rose from death, be glory given,
With Thee, O holy Comforter,
Henceforth by all in earth and heaven.

Amen.

Prayer

O Lord, with suppliant humility, we entreat Thee,
that in Thy boundless mercy
Thou wouldst grant the most holy Roman Church a pontiff,
who by his zeal for us,
may be pleasing to Thee,
and by his good government may ever be honoured
by Thy people for the glory of Thy name.
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who with Thee livest and reignest world without end.

Amen.

Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

Papal Trivia . . .

There is, of course, nothing trivial about a papal election but throughout the Church's history, there have been some interesting bits of trivia pertaining to the papal lineage.

The longest the Church has ever been without a pope was 1268-1271 when Gregory X was finally elected. This election was taking so long that the faithful finally put the cardinals on a diet of bread and water which seems to get the voting back on track!

The first Roman to be elected pope was St. Anacletus in 76.

The last Roman elected to be pope was Pius XII in 1939.

The first Italian pope was St. Linus in 67.

The last conclave held outside Rome was in Venice in 1800. At that conclave, Pius VII was elected. The reason the conclave was held in Venice was because that period of time was marked by uncertainty for the Pope and Roman Catholic Church following the invasion of the Papal States and abduction of Pius VI under the French Directory.

The Catholic Church Chooses a Pope!

Like most Catholics, I'm excited about the conclave being convened this week for the purpose of voting for our next Pope. Since we aren't also mourning the recent death of the previous Pope, there is a different feeling about this election. There is a lot of conjecture about who will actually be elected. I know from other papal elections that the ones we are sure will be in the running are not always the ones that are given the title. Naturally, I have favorite cardinals but await the white smoke the the final decision.

The Conclave starts this Tuesday. Before the voting even begins, some cardinals are selected by lot to gather the ballots of the sick who cannot attend the regular voting sessions. In fact, these cardinals will be sequestered at St. Martha's House. Some other cardinals are given the task of counting the ballots. Voting begins with only one ballot on the first day. In the following days, if necessary, two ballots will be taken in the morning and two in the afternoon. You have to wonder who has the most anxiety - we the people of the Church awaiting the announcement or the cardinals prayerfully voting and asking for God's Will to be done through them.

The ballot paper is rectangular with the words Elligo in Summum Pontificem in Latin which translates to "I Elect as Supreme Pontiff" written at the top with room for the cardinal to write in the name. The ballots are then folded twice and carried to the altar. As each cardinal casts his vote, he says aloud, "I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected". The ballot is then placed into a receptacle, they bow, and return to their place.

When all the ballots have been cast, they are immediately counted. Each ballot is pierced with a needle through the work Eligo and place on a thread. After the names have been read out loud, the ends of the thread area tied into a knot. If someone has obtained two-thirds of the votes, the canonically valid election of the Roman Pontiff has taken place and we have a pope!

Once a pope has been elected and before the cardinals leave the Sistine Chapel, all the ballots are to be burned along with any notes written by the cardinals.

Until a pope is elected, the ballots are burned and the black smoke indicates to the world that they are still at work on this. Once a pope is elected, the burned ballots are done so as to emit white smoke and the cheering and anticipation begins until the actually announcement is made public.

After three days and no two-thirds vote for anyone, voting is suspended for a day of prayer, discussion, and spiritual exhortation. After a series of seven further ballots, the process may again be halted for discernment until, finally, only the two cardinals who received the most votes in the last ballot are eligible for a runoff election. The two candidates cannot themselves vote.

You are what you eat . . .?

We live in a world where everyone has an opinion on what works or doesn't work for them nutritionally. Many people start a 'health' diet without enough personal research into long-term effects, possible side effects, inadequate nutrition, and the effect it might have on children. This article shows up a concern that has actually cost children their lives.

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/12-year-old-vegan-has-the-degenerating-bones-of-80-year-old/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHealthyHomeEconomist+%28The+Healthy+Home+Economist%29

Yes, we need to eat better in order to live better. Most healthy eating is thoughtful and fine for most everyone but, like anything in life, going to far in one direction can be hazardous for your health.

When we decided to try going gluten-free, I did some research and the one 'problem' could be a lack of the B vitamins given the lack of wheat products. We added a multiple B vitamin to the diet and have not experienced any problems. We are, however, vigilant and keep possibilities in mind. Actually, omitting wheat isn't taking away a really main component in the diet as all the meats, fruits, starches, and vegetables are still in play. Going totally vegan without any milk protein, however, could have it's problems as the article indicated.

I think that adults are free to eat whatever diet they want to but need to take more consideration into the possible effect on babies and children. Going gluten-free has been very helpful to my husband. We have not, however, limited wheat products for our children.

The world is a fantastic place to live in when it comes to what we eat and what is available to eat. We just need to do our homework and make proven, sensible choices.