5 Things I Can Do, Now That I'm Catholic

(I know, I know.  Some Catholics do not do these things and some protestants do.  It's simply a little fun in my life.)

 1.)  Celebrate Halloween.  Yes, sir, I love Halloween.  My only childhood memories of trick-or-treating are from photographs, as all that Devil nonsense ended at about age 10, when my parents "got saved."  Now I encourage my children to pick something really dead and scary or a saint, making sure that the identifying prop is gross (like bloody arrows for Sebastian).  I love telling them that it's a night to poke fun at Death, for the next day celebrates our beloved friends in heaven.  Plus I don't have to make breakfast, lunch, or snacks the following few days. As long as they have glasses of milk, they are ordered to eat it all so that the buckets don't languish, every sneaking Tootsie Roll ruining lunches for days.

2.)  Drink wine.  Nectar of the gods.  We were taught that Jesus drank "new wine," certainly not fermented alcohol, and the licensure contract for the Assemblies of God required a signature whereby we agreed to abstain from alcohol.  No more.  We choose; we enjoy; we thank God for luxuries.  My favorite is to sip a glass of red wine while cooking dinner.  Gets me in touch with my 1/4 Italian.

3.)  Enjoy secular art.  My salvation is neither in question nor jeopardy if I appreciate art from unbelievers, or different-believers.  If something is good, true, and beautiful; if something draws me outward and upward, then I can thank God for talent, regardless of the artists' religion.  No guilt.

 4.)  Recite rote prayers.  Such a weight lifted when I no longer had to create my own prayers.  As a brand new Catholic, it felt like cheating if I read someone else's words, but I was healed of that problem right quick.  Catholic prayers, even when prayed all alone and for personal reasons, always contain an element of community, witnessed by the many inclusions of plural pronouns like we and us.  The Communion of Saints is a consoling component of the Faith, and something I'm deeply grateful to be able to point my kids towards.

5.)  Have all the babies I want and help get them to Heaven.  No need to pretend that there's anything more important or spiritual or grave.  Or delightfully fun!  My ministry is husband, home, children and it is full-time  ("Full-time ministry" is the pinnacle of protestant sprirituality and pride.).  The world is God's and we use our fearfully and wonderfully made selves to know Him and to make Him known (Halleluia!).  But I do not carry the weight alone, for my Holy Mother Church makes available much aid. 



So I'm happy to be Catholic for all the theological and historical truth, and for all the little extras that make the journey merry.

Some of the kids on Assumption Day.


Let's be happy and enjoy the world!
Love,  Allison