From the horse's mouth

Here is a chance to listen to the founder of Planned Parenthood in her own words. She actually claimed that the Church has a celibate position when it said that marriage should produce children. Right, and contraception leads to parenthood. It is great to hear an interviewer, Mike Wallace, actually quote Church documents and construct a logical argument. It is just as amusing to hear flat denials from Mrs. Sanger when confronted with her own contradictions. I thought that Oprah was a good interviewer until I heard Mr. Wallace.

Oh, woe is she

Here is a damsel in distress, awaiting her knight in no-fault armor to save her from a life of reality. I was going to fisk the whole thing, since a dear reader actually e-mailed to ask what I have to say, but the article is not worth repeating any more than I would repeat what I found upon staring at my navel for three hours.

After denigrating her husband for a few paragraphs, she mentions how women of all ages can look sizzlingly hot and therefore attract a new future ex-husband. Maybe this isn't the best way to find a good man since that attitude got her to where she is now, middle aged and dreaming of divorce. Perhaps she could try something different, like prayer and self-sacrifice, just to mix things up a bit. Also, getting off hormonal contraception is a good idea, since many of her issues can be related to its side effects as explained in Contraception:Why Not by Dr. Janet Smith.

Then, after a few paragraphs of trying to summarize the feminist revolution, she cites examples of other women: a high-powered high-earner, a mogul's wife, a clothing designer, and a doctor. Do I even need to mention that she lives in New York? Maybe she should get out more. I bet Wife Swap would take her.

Her final hypothesis is that marriage will wither away like a vestigial organ. I can only pray that she actually try to use her organ before it withers away, she may discover that it isn't so vestigial after all.

Cold Markets with Warm People

I worked my first table for Reliv at the CCL Convention and it was a blast. I thought that I would be far more intimidated by talking about a business to strangers but I have found it to be amazingly easy. I really just talked to whoever walked by my table, which is exactly what I enjoy doing at CCL Conventions. I met some great people. I heard some interesting stories about other home-based businesses and about Reliv. I got a few people who wanted more information and I followed up with them, which was excellent. I'm still playing phone tag with them so I don't know how successful the convention was from a monetary category but it was a personal success. It's good to learn first hand that business can be personal and quality, now I just hope my low pressure, personalistic model can succeed so I can do this full-time. How sweet would that be!

Burdens of Providing

I've been having an existential quandary for most of this year and I think I can finally phrase the question. Work has been feeling particularly toilsome for this year but the pay is actually a family wage and the prospects for a career there are good. But, basically, I only go because I need to pay the bills. This toiling has been an excellent motivator to get me to learn about money management and investing, as well as starting my own home-based business. However, I am torn over the spiritual dimension: should I be happy at the career that God has currently laid before me and ignore the desire to do things differently and potentially better? Or, should I assume that this entrepreneurial spirit which I have always had is a gift from the Lord and pursue it more diligently?

It is amazing how many difficult situations in life can be summed up by the word discernment.

Apologies to the Smurfs

So, I was watching the Michael Phelps last night with my beautiful Michael Phelps and I couldn't Michael Phelps the scores that were Michael Phelpsed in for the women's Michael Phelps bars. I was also Michael Phelpsed at the men's Michael Phelpses in the Michael Phelps . I'm glad that my Michael Phelps has gotten me Michael Phelpsed in the Michael Phelps. I have Michael Phelpsed some stunning Michael Phelpses as well as some Michael Phelps sportsmanship by the Michael Phelpsest Michael Phelps to win Olympic Michael Phelps.
Go team U.S.A.!

A Regular DeVil

I have been a fan of Disney since birth, and it is with heavy heart that I have seen some of their choices as a business. However, I just recently "got" a character name and I felt like a total maroon. While reading 101 Dalmatians, I realized that Cruella DeVil's last name is actually devil. I can't believe it took me so long to notice. I also can't believe how much I enjoyed those moves as a kid and how far they have dropped in quality. It is quite sad to read, "This is where the path of hatred leads us" as the moral of Pocahontas. Even 101 Dalmatians with its simple plot has a deeper story or parental dedication to children. A formula which leads to tremendous value and success. Long live Pixar!

A Newspaper to Trust

The Bulletin "Philadelphia's Family Newspaper" just ran an article on A Baby's Breath. Hehe, ran, I crack me up.
Read the article to get the joke.

Future famous cinematographer

I met some great people at the CCL Convention, especially vendors and their soon-to-be-famous children.

Couple to Couple League’s Convention 2008

Asheville, North Carolina — (August 5, 2008) — Over 150 families gathered at the Lifeway Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, NC from July 29 – August 2, 2008, and were re-energized in their dedication to the Natural Family Planning (NFP) lifestyle. The occasion of their meeting was the biennial convention of The Couple to Couple League International (CCL), one of the nation’s largest providers of NFP education to couples. Attendees had traveled from 32 states (including Hawaii), Canada, India, and Hong Kong to be part of what has become a very popular event for the families associated with CCL.

The convention, themed “Advancing the Culture of Life Through NFP,” provided a mix of national and international speakers who presented a combination of main talks and workshops that were inspiring and practical in their support of marriage, Church teaching on sexuality, parenting, nutrition and natural family planning.

Nationally-known speakers included Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota; marriage counselor Greg Popcak, MSW, Ph.D. and his radio co-host wife, Lisa; professor of moral theology Christopher Thompson of the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity; biological anthropologist and researcher Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.; John Bruchalski, M.D., Ob/Gyn, founder of the Tepeyac Family Center in Fairfax, Virginia; Damon Clarke Owens, M.S., founder of Joy-Filled Marriage NJ and the New Jersey NFP Association; and Tami Kiser, founder of the Smart Martha seminars. International flavor was provided by German NFP effectiveness researcher Petra Frank-Herrmann, M.D., Ob/Gyn, and CCL-affliated speakers included Executive Director Andrew Alderson; Board Chairman Linda Kracht; Board Members Tom Bengtson, Erik Tozzi, Jack Burnham, M.D., and Fr. Erik Pohlmeier; Project Managers Ann Gundlach, Vicki Braun, and Silvia Schmidt; author of Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition, Marilyn Shannon; and CCL Teaching Couples Mike and Ann Green, and Adrian and Stacey Nagle.

Most convention attendees were certified Teaching Couples, Promoters, or members of CCL. The Couple to Couple League has been providing instruction on the highly effective Sympto-Thermal Method of natural family planning (NFP), clarification on the moral issues surrounding the use of NFP, and support for breastfeeding since its founding in 1971. The convention is an opportunity for volunteers to recharge their batteries, sharpen their teaching skills, and share strategic ideas and successes with volunteers from other parts of the country, and for other attendees to fellowship with like-minded families.

“I thought this was the best convention ever,” said Chairman of the Board Linda Kracht. “All of the speakers were smart, engaging, funny, and timely in their message. Also, the Ridgecrest staff was wonderful, and the facilities were very well laid out in a beautiful setting. I heard from many attendees that they were enjoying themselves.”

The families who attended brought with them over 350 children who participated in age-appropriate activities including outdoor play, crafts, music and games. In addition to various group activities, teens also received one age-appropriate talk per day and had opportunities to participate in a high ropes course, outdoor laser tag, and a rock-climbing wall. In addition, all convention attendees were treated to a family concert by Catholic wife, mother and recording artist Marie Bellet.

To learn more about the CCL organization and the Sympto-Thermal Method of Natural Family Planning, visit www.ccli.org.

If only doctors were engineers...

This article shows that the "fertility treatments" commonly offered actually do nothing to treat fertility. If only there were some way to actually understand a couple's fertility and diagnose any problems. Hmmm....

NFP Class

We have a new NFP class starting in one hour. Feel free to call and let us know if you want to come. We hope to plan future classes further out but we are always happy to teach an interested couple.

NFP links

NFP was in the news while I was away at the CCL Convention.

John Allen Jr. has an op-ed in the NYT. Wow! (Warning: Evil registration requirement)

California Catholic Daily has an article by Cardinal James Francis Stafford. Shouldn't that be James Cardinal Stafford? (I haven't read by I mean to!)

Inside Catholic has an article by former blogger Simcha. A firestorm in the comments.