Converting Your Husband with Your Behavior | Biblical Womanhood Series #3

I think that the sensibilities of modern women are offended, thanks to the insidious influence of feminism, by the idea that a wife's submission benefits her husband. This patriarchal structure oppresses women, they say, and does not allow women to develop themselves. Yet it's entirely biblical that a woman should happily submit to her husband, and that this benefits not only him, but herself as well. And with a careful reading of Scripture, we see the Beauty in God's ordered plan. Today we are looking at 1 Peter 3: 1-7, Catholic Confraternity Version. 

In like manner also let wives be subject to their husbands; so that even if any do not believe the word, they may without word be won through the behavior of their wives, observing reverently your chaste behavior. Let not theirs be the outward adornment of braiding the hair, or of wearing gold, or of putting on robes; but let it be the inner life of the heart, in the imperishableness of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God. For in this manner in old times the holy women also who hoped in God adorned themelves, while being subject to their husbands. So Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are daughters of hers when you do what is right and fear no disturbance. 

At the beginning of this passage we see that some women will be married to unbelievers, so if you are one of those, take heart. God was and is thinking of you and is giving you guidance in a difficult situation. Even if you married a Christian man, he could lose his faith, or he could be lukewarm and fail to take his family to church or be the spiritual head of the home. Perhaps he has lost his way through an addiction, or he suffers physical disabilities or a mental illness that make it more likely that he will fall short in his vocation as husband and father. 

The way out--of what may seem unbearable and feel like hell--for the wife is not necessarily to divorce her husband (though of course in the case of abuse, women need to get to safety and seek help), but rather to offer her suffering up to God for the bestowal of grace upon her husband. There is purpose in suffering. We must unite our afflictions to those of Jesus on the cross and lay it all at his feet.

And as the Bible assures us, we may win our husbands to a conversion by our behavior, by imitating the holy women of old. If New Testament women were charged with being submissive to their husbands as Sara was to Abraham in the Old Testament, then surely this message is still relevant for us today; and we additionally have New Testament examples such as Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, to show us the way. 

In some translations the word conversation is used instead of behavior, and I think that guarding our tongues is key to our husbands viewing us with reverence. Chastising our husbands never results in a good outcome, and often doing so escalates a potentially volatile situation, causing serious and even irreparable harm. If we cultivate that pearl of great price, a quiet and gentle spirit, we will please God, which is the ultimate point. 

Sometimes when I'm angry with my husband, or feeling taken for granted and unappreciated, my spirit becomes rebellious. I want to go on strike as a wife and not do things for my husband, like his laundry. But then I tell myself that I'm doing it for Jesus, and that way I can do it with joy and not resentment. 

Earlier this week I wanted my husband to do something for me, but he said no, not today. He had too many things that needed to be done, like paying the bills, and he needed my help with our home-based business. I was tempted to argue, and even reasoned with him that the task would only take a couple minutes. Again he said no, it would take longer than that, and by his tone I understood that my requiring his help even with something I thought would be simple, on this particular day would cause him stress. I remembered about being submissive, and I accepted his authority. 

Submission has to become a habit if we women are to be happy in our marriages. Not only will it also make our husbands happy, it will be a sacrifice of immense value to God, and it will help to build up the whole Body of Christ, which is crumbling. What you do to help your husband get to Heaven with your authentic Christian femininity can lead him to be a better man, you to be a better woman, and repairs the Church in ways you may never know. But know without doubt that it does. 

As far as how we dress and style our hair, I don't think this passage suggests that we literally don't wear braids. One sermon I heard online talked about how the pagan women of ancient Greece wore such elaborate braids that they looked like Medusa. So likely the message is to focus on our inward Beauty and keep our outward adornment modest and simple. In other words, don't try to look like the Kardashians, and don't act in worldly ways. 

Husbands, in like manner dwell with your wives considerately, paying honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, and as co-heir of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. 

It is fine for a wife to gently remind her husband of his duty to her, and how he is to treat her. However, we must not do it with rebuke, treating him like a naughty child. I think it's also interesting that being the weaker vessel is put forth as a reason to honor the woman. Feminism, conversely, teaches that women are no different than men (and transgenderism has followed as a logical conclusion!), and that we should be offended at the suggestion that we are the weaker sex in any way. Personally, I am relieved that I am designed to be weaker than my husband, and I admire his physical strength and applaud him for it! 

It's clear as well that Christianity teaches that women are equal in dignity to men, equal children of God, made in his image and likeness. This was a radical view in those times. And that last admonition to husbands, that your prayers be not hindered, makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A husband who fails in his duty to his wife and who does not love her in the proper manner (we will see that it is indeed sacrificial love he is called to in another passage) will not have his prayers heard or answered. God will turn a deaf ear to such a man. The wife's submissive, gentle spirit will help to safeguard her husband from damnation. 

Women, allow your husbands to lead even if you don't think they do a stellar job at it. Allow them to provide for you and your children. Stop emasculating them with your harsh tongues and rebelliousness. Get out of their way and let them step up to the plate. Even if they fail, serve them as you would serve Jesus. We can find rest in our biblical womanhood, fearing no disturbance. 

Additional Note: 

Though divorce is strongly discouraged in the Catholic Church, allowance is made in canon law for physical separation, and even divorce, in certain cases. Future posts will explore the idea of mutual submission and the conditions under which it may be necessary for a husband and wife to separate for a period of time. 

A Closer Look at Titus 2: 5 ("Domestic") | Biblical Womanhood Series #2

Viggo Pedderson, 1888

 ...to be discreet, chaste, domestic, gentle, obedient to their husbands, so that the word of God be not reviled. Titus 2: 5, Catholic Confraternity Version, emphasis mine

Before I proceed with this series, a few housekeeping (pun sort of intended!) notes:

1.  My intention is to be inclusive of all Christians. To that end, I will be using a variety of Bible translations, both Catholic and non-Catholic. My choice will depend upon which translation offers the best clarity in tandem with my theme. Keep in mind that Catholic Bibles contain 7 Old Testament books (as do Orthodox Christian versions) that are omitted in Protestant Bibles. Rest assured that "apocryphal" verses used from Catholic Bibles are in harmony with the message on these topics found in our shared books. I offer them to further elucidate and strengthen the argument for biblical womanhood. (I do hope that non-Christians will also benefit from this guidance.)

2.  Being that I am Catholic and therefore am not a "Bible only" Christian, I will additionally be offering wisdom from Church Tradition, to include such resources as Catholic catechisms, apostolic letters, writings of the Church Fathers, etc. Again, I assure you that these writings will support and help to interpret the biblical texts. 

3.  My goal is to support all women in their endeavors to be good Christian disciples, wives and mothers. This includes mothers who work outside the home, single mothers, married and unmarried women, full-time homemakers, and wives without children. Guidance will also be given to unmarried, childless women. All women are called to be spiritual mothers. I condemn no one for their choices and circumstances, but rather wish to encourage all women, in whatever their situations, to seek to align their wills and lives to God's design. Some may be offended, and feelings may be hurt, but please believe that I'm here to help, and I care about your happiness.  

So let's take a look at this word, domestic. I chose this particular translation for the notes, as it comes from the St. Joseph Textbook Edition of 1963, which is an excellent study Bible, with references to original sources. This one tells us that in the translation into English rendered as "domestic," variants in the original Greek text give us two words very similar in form, meaning "home worker" and "stayer at home." 

I will add that in my research I've learned there is also the sense in the original Greek of women being the guardians of the home, and this nuance is well reflected in the King James Version as "keepers at home."  Other translations use "homemakers," "busy at home," and "workers at home." 

I have seen the emphasis on guardianship being used to argue that the Bible is not referring to domestic work in Titus, such as housekeeping, but rather to a spiritual care of the home. I would argue that it's all tied together, and the variety of translations make clear that the vocation of a wife and mother is carried out explicitly in the home. Of course, we will look at many other Bible passages that affirm the roles of men and women; but as this admonition to be full-time homemakers is a sticking point even for many Christian women, I thought it wise to rip off the band-aid and get it out of the way. No invisible elephants welcome in the room here! 

Let this serve to encourage, first of all, the full-time wife and mother who is busy at home, for whom the care and guardianship of her home and those in it are her top priorities. You sacrifice much and take a lot of heat for embracing this traditional lifestyle in a modern world dominated by radical feminism. A huge pile of guilt can fall on you for "being able" to stay home with your children, for "not working," for betraying the dogma of women's "liberation." 

But your obedience to God comes first, so please be affirmed in your choice, sacrifice, dedication, and courage. Be a light on the hilltop. Other women need to see your perseverance, conviction, joy, and yes, submission. Whether you have one child or ten, or even if you are a wife with no children, your place really is in the home. The home is your place of power. Have you ever thought of that before? Listen to this:

I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule their households, and give the adversary no occasion for abusing us. For already some have turned aside to Satan.  (1 Timothy 5: 14-15, Catholic Confraternity Version, emphasis mine)

While this passage is contained in St. Paul's directions for the care of widows, obviously the same message applies to non-widows. We see again that the young women are to take great care in their work in the home, which is their overriding purpose, in order to safeguard the word of God. Their physical presence in the home, nurturing husband and children, is necessary to the spiritual guardianship of the home and serves to guard their feminine power. I would argue that when women choose or are forced by circumstances to leave the home for many long hours in the workforce, it disempowers them. It emasculates the husbands as well, which is a topic for the future.

For now, take pride, in the best sense of the word, in your role as homemaker--guardian, ruler, and keeper of your domestic sphere. 

 

Hitting Pause

Despite my natural setting of hopefulness and my attempt to see the silver lining regarding Pope Francis' decision to practically abrogate the Latin Mass, I find myself feeling profoundly saddened. No matter how you look at it, it's a loss to the Catholic Church. I almost titled this post, "The Burden of Being Catholic." I feel overwhelmed, drained, confused, not peaceful. 

Today is Sunday, a day of rest. I didn't sleep well last night, or enough. But the day ahead will be sunny, and the sun always revives me. We've had enough of rain. 

It's time now to shut off the noise and retreat into prayer and contemplation. Adagio. Play the music slowly. 

Why the Abrogation of the Traditional Latin Mass Might Be a Good Thing | My Thoughts As a Catholic Convert

 

So Pope Francis dropped a bomb today with his motu proprio, "Traditionis Custodes," which effectively abrogates the "Traditional Latin Mass" (TLM), or Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Here is a summary of the situation without all the hysterics attached to it: https://catholic-link.org/pope-francis-new-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes/.

Basically, the sweeping restrictions of the new motu proprio make null and void Pope Benedict XVI's "Summorum Pontificum" of 2007. After consulting with bishops all over the world, Francis decided that this change was necessary for the good of the unity of the Church. 

I started attending Mass in the fall of 2011, and my conversion to the Catholic Faith became official with my confirmation in March of 2013, which was the same month and year that the Francis pontificate began. I was aware of the TLM, but I went through RCIA and attended Mass at "Novus Ordo" churches, where only the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite was celebrated. I was converted through this form and was perfectly happy with it. I was glad that the Mass, though different in significant ways from my former experiences as a Protestant, was not entirely foreign. 

However, as I was a religious seeker prone to much research on the subject, I encountered the detractors of the "Novus Ordo" Mass and Vatican Counsel II early on, and their messages did instill doubt and engender criticism on my part of the Masses I attended. Traditionalists will insist, for example, that receiving Communion in the hand is a desecration of the Eucharist, that the TLM is the more reverent form of the Mass, and that there should not be female altar servers, among many other "liturgical abuses" that they point to. 

In a county adjacent to mine there is a church that has offered the TLM once a month, and I took the opportunity to attend it twice.  I enjoyed the Gregorian Chant, and admittedly the quality of music in Ordinary Form Masses is often, though not always, mediocre. I did think receiving the Eucharist kneeling rather than standing was more reverent, but otherwise, I didn't feel that the TLM was really more reverent in general. I also did not understand why only the host and not the wine was offered. Both are offered in the Ordinary Form. 

I couldn't follow what was going on in the TLM. I suppose that would eventually not be an issue once one got used to it, but nevertheless I felt discouraged. And because this Mass was only offered once a month and was not even at one of my sister parishes, I didn't feel like it could really offer me a sense of community. Now it seems that this Mass will no longer be held at that church, because according to the new motu proprio, the TLM can't be celebrated at parochial churches anymore. No mention is made as to where it can be celebrated, just that the bishops will have to work that out. 

While the TLM has not been categorically banned from the face of the earth, it seems clear that the intention is to eventually phase it out completely. There will be a time of transition leading to the integration of all the faithful into one expression of the Roman Rite. Additionally, care will be taken to ensure that no liturgical abuses exist, which has been a concern with the implementation of the "Novus Ordo." As a side note, nothing has been said regarding the Eastern Rites of the Church, and I imagine they may become a more popular option for those attached to the TLM. 

While I personally have nothing against the TLM, and my heart goes out to those who love it so much and are utterly committed to it as a lifestyle, I feel a sense not of relief exactly, but of peace that in the end this is not a bad call on the part of Pope Francis. 

The division in the Church that concerns him is quite real. I've personally had it shake my faith. I've observed the rhetoric against Vatican II, the "Novus Ordo" Mass (which is, after all, no longer new), and Pope Francis himself escalate to a fever pitch. Even the traditionalists are fighting amongst themselves. Conservative but not radical traditionalist Catholics like myself feel torn and somewhat homeless. It's a struggle to discern who is telling the truth. 

A whole Catholic subculture has developed around the TLM. What began as an aesthetic preference has morphed into folks insisting that theirs is the "true Church." They have lost the way of obedience to the Church Magisterium that characterizes Catholicism in the first place. They go so far as to say that there is an entirely different theology inherent in the TLM, and that the Ordinary Form is quite inferior. 

While there will surely be an uprising against "Traditionis Custodes" and an even greater sense of division in the Church will ensue, this may be what is needed for the future of Catholic unity. The schismatics will basically declare themselves as such by their actions, even if they continue to insist that they are the true followers of Christ. Catholics like me can let go of our doubts and stop thinking that maybe we should try to get to the TLM, even move to a place where it's offered every week in order to fully engage in the lifestyle. We can stop listening to the traditionalist commentators who seem to become more and more radical as time goes on. We can put our faith in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and stop being conspiratorial and suspicious of Vatican II and the development of doctrine since. We can reject the pronouncements of those who scandalize the church by defaming the character of our pope. 

Sure, there are serious problems in the Catholic Church, but probably no more than there are in other branches of Christianity, and in certain ways there are less. So let's not panic. Practice detachment instead of being reactionary. The sky is not falling, I promise. On this her feast day, may Our Lady of Mt. Carmel pray for us. 

Loving my Homemaker Life | Biblical Womanhood Series #1

 

For some time I've wanted to write a series on biblical womanhood, but I have hesitated for various reasons. Where to begin? Am I qualified? What if what I say hurts or offends people? Questions such as these kept the idea tucked in the back of my mind. 

Recently, on a sunny day while I was enjoying being outdoors, I had an epiphany. I love my life. The feeling of true contentment I experienced may have come after weeding my brick patio, of all things. It hit me out of nowhere, and I was filled with gratitude. I was also relieved to recognize the truth that I really do take joy in my life, because I was not always feeling that way. Homemaking is repetitious, can seem not that important, and can be extremely frustrating when one feels she never gets ahead, when her hard, faithful work is constantly unraveled. 

The internal knowledge that I love my simple life, that quiet wellspring of joy, came just before a crisis hit, and everything seemed to spiral out of control. I slid into fear, anger, resentment, and insecurity. The peace of my life was shattered, and I felt like I had reached an impasse in which I could not stay in my marriage. I thought my lovely homemaker days might have to come to an end. And while I have hope, I don't feel entirely confident that it will all work out. This is, of course, because I've been leaning on my own understanding and have not truly given the wheel over to Christ. 

How could I write about biblical womanhood under such uncertain conditions? Perhaps this is exactly the reason. It is clear to me today that biblical womanhood, sometimes also called authentic femininity, is the only way out. It's the only chance my family has of staying together and being happy. I believe that the Holy Spirit allowed me that window into true repose of the soul that day, right before the bottom dropped out, to sustain me through the storm. This life is worth fighting for. 

One thing I've learned is that I have to let go of perfectionism. No family is perfect, and I don't have to be perfect to teach on this subject. In fact, it's the reality of my shortcomings and what I have learned through the experience of 19 years of marriage and 17 years of motherhood that qualify me to teach on authentic Christian womanhood and family life. You will not find a June Cleaver here, though I suppose she can teach us a thing or two. 

Hmm... I just viewed images of June online, and I do find myself wanting to be her. I might just even search the library catalog for "Leave It to Beaver" on DVD! Trust me, you will never find me vacuuming in high heels. Even if I wanted to, my back and knees couldn't handle it. But otherwise, I mean, she was pretty awesome. 

The point here isn't whether or not I'm qualified, but that biblically I'm required, as an "older woman," to instruct the younger women in godliness. Titus 2: 1-5 (NKJV) says,

1But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Biblical womanhood grates against feminism and our modern conceptions of femininity. It's controversial, even among Christians. But what is at stake is that the word of God be not blasphemed. That's pretty serious stuff, and we see evidence of blasphemy against God prevalent all around us. Women even older than me need this message. 

Here's the other thing I've determined. The restoration of traditional families and gender roles is the only way out of the predicament society is in. America is on the brink of collapse, and I believe that everything we have seen during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the surge of Marxism and mob rule by domestic terrorists like BLM and Antifa, and the insanity of the woke leftist agenda, can be traced to the destruction of the nuclear family and the erosion of Judeo-Christian values. 

The good news is that it's not too late for a cultural revolution in the right direction, and each of us has control over how we respond to outside events and how we live our lives. The powers that be would love to remove our unalienable, God-given freedom and the constitutional liberty based upon faith in our Creator, so we must fight for it. We give our lives back to God, or we lose it all. 

In his 1995 "Letter to Women," John Paul II called on us, on the feminine genius, to save the world. What I plan to share with you in this series on biblical womanhood is exactly how we do it. 

Read the above passage from Titus carefully. Meditate upon it and hold it in your heart. Submit to the word of God. We must humble ourselves if we want to be guided by the Holy Spirit. We must believe that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, that where we follow God's will, there is always a way. It's time for Christian women to return to the home, to be full-time wives and mothers, to embrace being the guardians and keepers of our homes as our true vocation. Our rebellious spirits may recoil at this idea, and you might think that even if you wanted to quit your job, you simply can't. It just isn't a possibility in your circumstances. Try to still your soul and listen. Your feeling of discomfort, maybe even anger, is evidence of being convicted of the truth in your heart. If you are already home but are struggling, please also come along on this journey. In every case, acknowledge the fear and doubt you are feeling, and then lay it at Jesus's feet. 

Ohio COVID Restrictions Lifted Today | Why All Things Matter

 

This is a bittersweet day. By orders of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, all COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, with the exception of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. I imagine this is how an innocent person who went to prison would feel upon release. There is the joy of returned freedom, but yet a certain bitterness at having been unjustly jailed in the first place. What was taken from us can never be returned. 

To switch gears for a moment, over the Memorial Day weekend I attended the funeral of a 13-year-old girl who died in a house fire. Oh the heaviness of my soul. In the wake of tragic events such as these, it seems that we often reflect upon what is truly important in our lives and remind ourselves not to worry over petty little things. Surely there are lessons to be learned in this regard.

However, my reaction to the loss of this sweet, beautiful child was different than what I've experienced with past griefs. The message my spirit received was that all things matter. Everything in life matters. Most of our days are not filled with special occasions and momentous decisions. Everyday life is a process of small moments and seemingly trivial details. I'm coming to believe that exactly because life is so fragile, and we never know what destiny awaits us, the most simple choices we make every hour of our existence contain profound meaning and significance. 

The significance of this day of liberation for my state from the coronacult madness is the acknowledgement that while things may go back to "normal" on the surface, we must remain vigilant. Permanent damage has been done, and we will not know the full repercussions for years to come. We must not fall back into complacency.

There are plenty of those who don't want to step out of the prison and freely breathe again. They love their masks. They continue to live in an unholy fear, with their top priority being nothing greater than the avoidance of death. 

I have a family reunion coming up at the end of the month. The day before DeWine's announcement in May of his plan to lift restrictions, I was told that people would be expected to wear masks in the food line, despite it being an outdoor reunion, and so not even subject to the current mandate. I rejected this scenario, which resulted in a bit of friction. So when I learned a few days later of DeWine's June 2 date for mandate release, I thought the debate about masks at the family gathering would be settled. However, I then heard that it would depend upon whether or not attendees had been vaccinated! 

I will generally not be sharing my vaccination status, as my medical records are private, and so are everyone else's. To be told you have to wear a mask if you have not been vaccinated would be a gross overstepping of boundaries. Even to be asked whether or not you are vaccinated is just plain rude. But to be segregated publicly into groups of those who have and have not received the jab, which I've heard is happening even in some churches, is a violation of human dignity and equality. 

I don't think we are out of the woods yet. The tension around COVID and vaccines will continue to fester, and I have no doubt that we will see both minor and major explosions to come.

Today brings a sense of relief but also a sober reminder not to take our freedoms for granted. It's a call to remain aware of events, to stay tuned to the truth, and to be diligent in fighting the good fight. This whole ordeal exposed the fact that our country is not merely divided along political lines; we are in fact inhabiting contradictory realities. It does matter what reality you choose, and it's extremely important who we allow into our sacred spaces.

By this, I mean what people and ideas enter our homes, our hearts, our social media connections, our news sources, our places of worship, even where we shop and do business. The coming together of like-minded communities around matters of patriotic, religious, and personal freedom is imperative, as is pushing back against the tide of woke socialist evil. 

Our ensouled bodies are sacred, and every element of our lives in them must be treated as such and protected. The path forward must be the proverbial road less traveled. 

Starting My Day Differently | Intermittent Fasting | Earthing

 

Today I began a lifestyle reset, and already I can report excellent results! First, I didn't drink any coffee. Instead, I drank two cups of Earl Grey tea, so I've had substantially less caffeine than usual. Coffee tends to upset my stomach, jangle my nerves, and dehydrate me, and I suffered none of these adverse effects from the tea. 

But before I even had the tea, I brushed my teeth and then drank a cup of water with slices of lemon and a few ice cubes. I took it outside, raised my eyes to soak in some sunlight, and walked barefoot on the grass. The latter practice is called earthing. My chiropractor mentioned it to me, so last year, once it was warm enough, I began starting my day this way. You can read the list at the top of the page of all the amazing benefits.

The basic idea is that connecting your feet to the earth grounds you. The earth's electrons, which give off a naturally negative electrical charge, flow through you, and this helps to neutralize the electrons in our bodies. I notice a positive boost in my mood from just a few minutes of walking barefoot on the grass. 

The quality of sleep we get each night is influenced by what we do from the moment we wake up in the morning. Getting exposed to sunlight first thing helps to set one's circadian rhythms for wakefulness during the day and better sleep at night, and the earthing practice also promotes healthy sleep patterns. 

For breakfast, I usually have fig bars with my coffee or tea (Nature's Bakery brand are whole grain), but I find that, like the hobbits, I function best if I have "second breakfast". So today, awhile after eating the fig bars, I had a slice of avocado toast and vegetarian sausage. 

Another practice with many health benefits is intermittent fasting. This basically means that you eat all of your food in a window of a set number of hours. Inspired by Jennifer L. Scott of "The Daily Connoisseur" blog and YouTube channel, my goal is an eight hour window. However, I find that I sometimes need to give myself an extra hour. This afternoon I went to the greenhouse and planted flowers, which ran into my usual dinner making hour. So I gave myself an extra hour in my eating window.

A window of anywhere from 8 to 10 hours is standard, though some do an even smaller window. Jennifer lost 30 pounds in a year just from practicing intermittent fasting. I am hoping to lose weight as well, to make healthier dietary choices and avoid snacking in the evenings, and to optimize my metabolism and general health. 

Before getting showered and ready for the rest of the day, I had devotional time with my breakfast. I find that prayer and spiritual reading in the mornings set the tone for my entire day, helping me to be more calm, happy, patient, and productive. It also helped immensely that I slept through the night and got a solid 9 hours. Praise God! 

The last thing I did differently this morning was to take quercetin and homepathic allergy treatments instead of my usual Claritin. I want to taper off all my prescription and OTC meds and replace them with natural remedies and dietary changes. For now I'm still taking my nighttime asthma medicine, plus Benadryl, but I'm cutting down on that. I ran out of Flonase nasal spray and don't plan to refill my prescription. I also used my neti pot this morning and will make that a regular part of my daily routine. 

I got a lot done today, enjoyed myself, and spent quality time with my daughter while my husband was out of town. Every day may not go so smoothly, but I feel encouraged that I am setting myself up for success with better habits around food, sleep, and time in the sun. Now I'm going to take an evening stroll to cap off a lovely day! 

To Strengthen and Exercise the Will

 

This is the students' motto of a Charlotte Mason education, and today I am focusing on the fourth everyday duty of Achieving Peace of Heart, to strengthen and exercise my will (decision and constancy).  If you have missed the discussion so far, it begins with the Feb. 15 post.

When I was younger I was interested in yoga. I remember reading a piece of advice on the subject, which was to just show up on the mat. Whether the practice of yoga is fitting for Christians or not is a matter of hot debate, and it is not today's topic. The point is that when it comes to the way of the will, the first step is to just show up. 

Some days, I feel anxiety first thing upon waking, and I don't even want to get out of bed. I might then grab my rosary and just show up to prayer. Or I might hear the dogs wanting to go out, so I show up for that small duty. As the morning goes on, I show up in the kitchen to make coffee and put away the clean dishes. I show up to put in the first load of laundry. I have my breakfast and show up to read the Scriptures for the daily Mass. 

Every time I fight acedia to show up to do the next right thing, I am exercising my will. When I make the decision to cook dinner for my family, to write out my daughter's homeschool assignments, even to simply take a shower and get dressed, I can claim a little victory. In these days of agitation and uncertainty, sometimes I forget that I am a daughter of God; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me; I ought to do my duty to God, to myself, and to others; and I will choose the right. 

When I neglect my duties and struggle to maintain my routines, I feel my peace slipping away. I feel guilty, which modern society insists is taboo. Should is a four-letter word. And anyway, what is the purpose of it all?? The truth is, there is good guilt and bad guilt, and we need to heed our conscience. This is impossible to do without Silence. So I do my best to find Silence first, then balance times of prayer, work, study, and rest. Curiously, there is no true leisure without the tending to responsibility, and there is no space for creativity without structure. 

The beauty of it all is that we can always begin again, each day, in each moment. If your conscience convicts you, take ownership of your failure and forgive yourself. Clinging to the guilt is the bad part. Just show up to accomplish those four, everyday duties with joy and trust in the Lord, and your purpose will be revealed. 

Goose (an original poem)

I am a goose shot 

straight out of the air,

strung together by the neck 

with others shot for sport--

Misery always has company,

like it or not. 

The Misguided Sheep | Far from the Madding Crowd

 

My husband and I recently watched the 2015 movie version of Far from the Madding Crowd, based on the Thomas Hardy novel. Carey Mulligan stars as the fiesty, independent heroine, Bathsheba Everdene, with Matthias Schoenaerts playing one of three men vying for her affections, shepherd Gabriel Oak. 

Curiously perhaps, today's Mass readings from the Douay-Rheims Bible reminded me of a scene from this movie. For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand (Psalm 95: 7) He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth (Luke 11: 23). 

Farmer Oak is training a new sheep dog to replace his beloved, aging dog, Old George. The younger dog is named Young George. One night, for reasons unknown, Young George jumps into the sheeps' pen, disturbing them to the point that they break free. The renegade pup drives them into a frantic run. Gabriel awakens to the commotion, and by the time he catches up to the flock, he watches in horror as every single sheep plunges over the side of a cliff. The sight of the dead flock on the ocean shore below is chilling. You can guess what happens to Young George. 

Something akin to this is happening in today's society, as we continue to be goaded into a frenzy and feel ourselves falling without a net. Maybe the most disturbing aspect of the coronavirus cult response by government leaders, medical "experts," and much of the population is the "fear porn," as it has been called by some of its opponents. Mainstream news media and big tech social media have conspired with the cult leaders to keep people disempowered, silenced, and terrified. The only break from the maddening narrative we've gotten over the past year has been the Marxist revolt of the Black Lives Matter and Antifa organizations, which have delivered their own brand of fear porn while taking attention away from the Covid Theater. 

The likes of Dr. Fauci, emperor-like state governors and city mayors, some members of the police force, the Marxist groups, and the hard left media have become society's shepherds, and clear marks of their misguided sheep are the citizens complying with mask mandates and lockdowns. The sheep at the bottom of the cliff are those driven to suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and poverty, among the many victims of the coronacult fallout. 

Others, mostly traditional Christians it seems, have found a new fervor of faith, and we have our gaze fixed firmly on our eternal Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. All of the false leaders are truly idols that many have chosen to follow, out of fear, out of lack of faith and the action that it requires. They reject the Way, the Truth, and the Life for a story of despair and bondage. The path of a holy freedom is too narrow, so they enter at the wide gate and refuse to consider turning back. The consequence is an existence frought with anxiety, a loss of one's sense of self, an isolation we were not created to endure. It is nothing short of the crushing of the spirit, the piercing of the soul.

The question is, are you gathering or scattering?  The choice is actually simple, though not easy, and comes down to a daily decision to act either with Faith or in fear. Bathsheba Everdene reacted for a long time out of fear of losing her independence, so she refused to marry. That is, until she inexplicably made an impetuous decision to surrender to the wrong man. Her heart led her astray, as can anyone's. It seems to take forever for our heroine to turn to the shepherd who has always been there for her, who continuously watches over her, waiting with extreme patience for Bathsheba to finally come to her senses. 

This brings me to the third of the everyday duties from Achieving Peace of Heart that I've been exploring and discussing this Lent: to elevate and control my heart (love of God and neighbor).  As Jesus commands that we love our neighbors as ourselves, we must first love God with the entirely of heart, mind, soul, and strength before we will be oriented in the right direction. Putting one's faith in the world's idols puts the whole flock in danger. A heart lifted to God and obedient to his sovereignty puts all other considerations into perspective. 

Recently, "medical" advice was given to parents that if a child was exposed to Covid, he should be isolated in a room by himself for two weeks, with no hugs or any closeness with family members, eating meals alone and doing everything completely by himself. If he were to venture into the hallway to use the restroom, he must be wearing a mask. I can only imagine the emotional scars a child would suffer under such conditions, yet some people think this kind of approach falls under the dictate of common sense. In reality, it's a call to heartlessness. These are the extremes that being in compliance to the absurd has led us to, and if such totalitarianism continues to be allowed, we will see far worse in the future. 

It's imperative that we recognize the evil and stop listening to the barking of orders that has caused this coronacult stampede and its ultimate perilous jump into collective mayhem and madness.  Be the one sheep that is found. 

Sacred Silence | Selah

 

Our Lady of Silence

Of course there is such an icon as Our Lady of Silence! I began to contemplate silence yesterday, and I ordered many (surely too many!) books on the topic from the library. Though I have by no means mastered the everyday duty to strengthen and govern my body, it is time to incorporate the second everyday duty, to feed and enlighten my intellect (see Feb. 15 post). I have sought the meaning of silence in the past, but I am finding the need for more serious, concentrated work in this area. 

As with all things sacred, we find that Satan has produced a diabolical counterfeit, and the spiritual pollution of a deadly sort of silence is to be avoided at all costs. True silence is rooted in the hiddenness and peace of God, in the abiding presence of the divine. A perfect image of such a blessed silence is that of Jesus sleeping in the boat while his apostles are being gripped with fear of the storm raging around them. Even the wind and the sea obey the Lord. Selah. 

James Tissot

The silencing of people for the purpose of controlling them, of striking fear into their hearts that is not the fear of God, is evil. We see this happening all around us today, with the silencing of the perceived enemy being accomplished by calling him racist, white supremacist, homophobic, transphobic, terrorist. We see it in the mass online censorship of voices that do not tow the party line of woke collectivism. 

We see our friends, family members, and neighbors gagged with face masks, unable to properly breathe, which surely should be an unalienable right. We cannot see one another's smiles, or sometimes even discern who is a stranger, and who is someone we know. People with medical conditions are refused goods and services for not masking up, their health exemptions not honored. In short, the disabled are treated as deplorables. We fear to speak or to show our faces, lest we be cancelled. Our lips are shuttered from proclaiming the Gospel. Selah.  

This silencing is the handmaid of a toxic noise. For the entire summer of 2020 we witnessed the chaos of burning and looted buildings, shattered lives and livelihoods, bricks and fire works thrown at people's heads, murder and rape, neighborhoods criminally occupied, police officers with hands tied from any action to mitigate the violence. We witnessed the pulling down and erasing of emblems of our country's history, and even of our Faith, and the menace of a cultural re-education to warp the minds of our children. This is the silent scream, the silence of the devastated and the dead. 

And all of this is called good by folks we once thought sane, in a country once known as brave and free. Selah. 

This is why we must seek a holy silence. We must quiet the counterfeit noise which masquerades as a call for unity and peace. Rather than fighting against the tyranny and oppression of our bodies, minds, and spirits, which will serve only to keep attention on the hellish fire, it's imperative that we determine what we are for. 

We won't undergo that process by steeping ourselves in the news and social media, or by striving to convince others of our point of view. When Christ is your light, you are a city on a hill, and the darkness is forced to flee. The energy and power to fight will only come from the calm center of the Sacred Heart, the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit. We will arise in might only when the path is clear, when we know that He is for us, and we remember who we are and what we are for. But first, we pause. 

Lent is a time for prayer and penance. It's a season of intense contemplation. It is the command to "Be still, and know that I am God." 

Shalom. Selah. 

Our Lady of Sacred Silence, pray for us. 

 

What I'm "Giving Up" for Lent

 Sarah Combs bedroom, designsponge.com

This image came up when I searched for "Spanish minimalist decor." My home is decorated in a Spanish Mediterranean/Mexican hacienda style, with the goal of a colorful and cozy but uncluttered, minimalist aesthetic. Though I don't care for white walls, this bedroom presents the balance of color and interesting objects with a peaceful simplicity that I love. It is, however, lacking in books, which isn't to be tolerated, and I'd add a bit more artwork and personal effects. I find that one must begin with a vision for one's home, beyond the general desire that it be clean, beautiful, and orderly. What does this have to do with Lent?

For past Lenten seasons I've given up clutter, but I was not specific enough regarding how to make that happen in a systematic way. A couple of weeks ago I was contemplating conservative media in a blog post, and I felt at a loss as to how I might give up certain aspects of internet use for Lent. Immediately following that post, I spent a whole day internet free. 

That was a glorious day. I felt much less stressed. I was more productive, finishing all of my daily routines without feeling rushed. I spent plenty of time in contemplative pursuits--praying the Rosary, spiritual reading, and creative endeavors. It was, like, the perfect day! 

Instead of trying to limit internet use each day to a certain amount of time, and/or cutting out particular things entirely, like social media, I'm going to make Wednesdays and Fridays internet-free for the duration of Lent. These are traditional Catholic days of fasting and abstinence. 

As I'm a vegetarian (I don't even eat fish), I don't need to abstain from meat on Fridays. I will replace that with abstaining from internet use. I think we only have a couple of obligatory fasting days during Lent, one of them being tomorrow, Ash Wednesday. I'm going to extend Wednesdays as days of food fasting, in addition to internet abstinence, throughout this liturgical season. This practice will mitigate some of the internet-produced clutter, which is mostly involving that of the mind, but it also clutters up my time. This leads to my next plan for giving up clutter. 

I will work on decluttering my home for a minimum of three hours a week. I initially thought I'd set it at five, but I want to set myself up for success. Five hours is my true goal, but three will suffice. I will keep a log of the time spent decluttering, and use a timer for 15-minute chunks, so as not to overwhelm myself. The time I'm giving up for decluttering will be in addition to my regular housework. 

I think that between the everyday duties for mental health outlined yesterday and this giving up of time away from the internet and toward decluttering, I will grow in virtue, which is the point of Lent. These small sacrifices will have the added benefit of bringing my vision for my home to more perfect life. I will outline my plans for spiritual devotion for Lent later this week. 

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone, and have a blessed Lent!

Achieving Peace of Heart | Four Everyday Duties

 

One of the books I'm currently reading, Achieving Peace of Heart by Rev. Narcisco Irala, S.J., is going to be an informing guide for my plans this coming Lent. Irala was both a Catholic priest and a psychologist, so we have the good fortune of finding a path to mental health which is rooted in the Faith. The last paragraph of Chapter I reads as follows:

"Four everyday duties will help me to acheive a more healthy mental life. I must resolve, first, to strengthen and govern my body (nourishment, exercise and discipline); secondly, to feed and enlighten my intellect (serious, concentrated work); thirdly, to elevate and control my heart (love of God and neighbor); and finally, to strengthen and exerise my will (decision and constancy)."

I don't think anyone would argue that the Covid-19 crisis has brought about a worldwide mental health problem exponentially greater than what had existed before, and which had already reached alarming levels. If you didn't have a mental illness previously, likely you find yourself now struggling to keep your wits about you and your emotions on an even keel. If your mental health was already very fragile, you may feel yourself nearly drowning.

I think it's extremely interesting that the first of the four everyday duties Irala lists pertains to the physical body. Arguably, if our bodies are not strong and healthy, we will struggle also in the areas of mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and we will be unable to strengthen our wills for the good. 

For this first week of Lent, which begins in two days, I will be focusing on my physical being. I will write down a system for the benefit of my body, contemplating both my strengths and weaknesses in this area. At the end of the week I'll report back with the specifics of my plan. My primary areas of concern are sleep, respiratory function, and physical strength. Physical pain is an impediment to happiness and makes it difficult to concentrate on other things, so for me, reducing pain needs be a primary consideration. 

I think keeping it simple is always key to making lasting changes. So for this week I will work on only three habits, pertaining to a consistent sleep schedule, exercise plan, and respiratory health strategy. In the area of sleep, I will turn off screens by 10:00 and go to bed by 11:00 p.m., with a wake-up time of 9:00 a.m. I tend to need a lot of sleep in winter, so that gives me 10 hours. 

My exercise plan will include morning warm-ups, done standing up, to a couple of praise and worship songs. During mid-day I will take a 15-minute walk, with a route in my neighborhood I already have planned out. A stretching regimen is part of my evening routine, which I need to make sure to complete consistently. Finally, I will add using my neti pot on a daily basis, likely also as part of my evening routine. 

Each week I will proceed to focus on the next everyday duty on the list, and my hope is to have developed a renewed system of habits by the end of Lent. My ultimate goal is to draw closer to Jesus and to align myself more perfectly to his will, eliminating all manner of clutter and distractions, to produce a lifestyle that reflects my deepest values and personal vocation. I desire a peace that cannot be shaken.

Please join me this Lenten season for this journey to a peaceful heart, resting in the Sacred Heart of Our Lord!

Is Conservative Media the Answer?

I've had enough time on the free speech (viz. conservative) social media platforms, Gab and CloutHub, to form something of an opinion in answer to this post's title question, is conservative media the answer? The best I can give you is a wishy-washy probably not. 

First, the pros. I don't spend anywhere near the time on these two platforms as I once did just on Facebook. This is primarily because I don't know anyone on them personally! Alas, none of my Facebook friends have come to find me in either place. I have, however, joined some groups, and that has been a fine experience. The first one I joined was the #WalkAway Campaign, which was the reason I signed up for CloutHub. Speaking of which...

I found out only Friday that on Monday, Brandon Straka was arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. That's a whole other story, but one thing I heard was that some of the "evidence" against him included comments he made on YouTube, and it was a family member who turned him in. Statements made to Fox News also got him in trouble. So this kind of leads into a related question, as to whether anyone is actually safe using any kind of online media. 

We can find safer options, such as email and internet servers that block ads, don't share your info, and protect your privacy. We can choose social media platforms like Gab that are entirely self-owned and don't censor or fact-check you or spy on what you're doing other places on the web. So you could say that leaving Big Tech and switching to safer options is something of a solution. 

However, if the Leftist mob can shut you down, they will. They are going after the high profile people who have had a strong influence against them first, like poor Brandon. I believe they will eventually fry as many of the smaller fish as they can as well. Unless the whole scheme blows up in their face, which I think is a reasonably likely outcome. I have no doubt that they will start eating each other before it's all said and done. 

Right now I'm leaning toward the conclusion that social media is a plain old bad idea. It's a distraction, an addiction, and largely a waste of time. Following the news, whether it's the big Democrat controlled conglomeration or smaller, more sane alternatives, typically does nothing for one's mental health. Is the solution to cut back, to be very picky about who and how much you read and listen to, or would it be best to cut it all out of your life as entirely as you can? I find that most of my attempts at moderation fail. Once I get started consuming, it's a giant, rolling snowball. I suppose the first step is admitting you have a problem, so I'm probably ahead of the pack by virtue of simply asking these questions. 

What about you? Are you still slogging your way through fruitless sessions on Twitter and Facebook? Have you discovered some better options, but perhaps find them only minimally satisfying? Does viewing the news make you crazy? So then you turn to a Netflix or Hulu binge for escape? 

Where does it all end??? There must be a better way to live. No, I don't necessarily think that getting 100% off the internet is the answer. My family depends on it for a large part of our income, so we must have it. In our personal lives, though, I really don't think it would be hard to live without it. Because I'm old enough that I have. I like blogging, which by now is pretty much old school. I enjoy a TV series now and then. I have been in this place before, and I feel stuck. What changes should be made, and how, if I'm going to live a life around the three themes of this blog for 2021?

I think that wiping the slate clean first would be a feasible approach. Cut it all out and then decide on what, very specifically, to let back in, and how much time to allow for it. For Lent, beginning in 17 days, I could give up all internet but blogging (say, a maximum of once per week), what is needed for work and homeschooling, using the library catalogue online, and a daily, one-hour limit for TV (including YouTube). But no news on any forum and no social media. Okay, I'm going to sleep on that, and then I will proceed to share with you how I'm preparing for Lent and this working plan. I might even give up coffee too, if I'm feeling particularly ascetic!!

The Domestic Monastery

 

I think, in a certain way, it would be easier to form a domestic monastery if I had a house full of young children. There would be so much less time for distractions, as I would have very little time to myself. Busy mothers have extremely limited space in their days for prayer and contemplation, but they have much more motivation for developing regular routines and sticking to them. 

So I begin the discussion of my third blog theme for the year, the domestic monastery, at something of a loss. My spirit is restless, and I feel anxious for the future of my country, with Joe Biden's presidential inauguration just a day away. I have a vague vision of the life that I long for, but turning away from the world seems so difficult right now. The urge to stay informed is strong. 

The idea of the domestic monastery, or domestic church, in Catholic tradition is simply the practice of putting God at the center of family life. Like life in a monastery, domestic life is ordered around regular times of prayer, work, meals, study, and rest; always keeping the focus on growing in faith and virtue, with an eye toward Heaven, our final destination. It is the raising of saints and the cultivation of an inner life of contemplation. 

I'm beginning today with re-reading Ronald Rolheiser's slim volume, Domestic Monastery. I'm also listening to Marsha Sinetar's series of recordings on YouTube, "Marsha Sinetar - A Casual Contemplative's Archive."

I am feeling like I need to get back to basics, move toward taking a sabbatical from the internet, and refocus my energy on simplicity and minimalism. My plan right now is to substantially reduce time spent on social media, the news, and YouTube videos, and to only check my email once daily. This will be a jumpstart on making plans for Lent, which begins Feb. 17. I will also, of course, keep blogging here as I am so inspired by the Holy Spirit, but I can't say how often that might be. My prayer is to have insights to offer to others, but I must fill my own well first. If you have any experience to share, I hope to receive your comments! 

Godspeed, Rita Michele 

The Literary Life | Big Tech Purge a Blessing in Disguise?

 

Having begun the discussion on one of my three blog themes for 2021, the preservation of liberty, I will now introduce the second, the literary life. When I originally determined my themes, I didn't recognize a connection between these two concepts; but now their close relation strikes me as startling. Perhaps I can open the conversation of the literary life by sharing my own experience in a world before the dominance of the internet and social media on people's lives. 

The majority of folks now seem to live their lives directly on social media and do not know how to function otherwise. It's a true addiction. But earlier this week I deleted my Facebook accounts, and it really didn't hurt! Because of what this "platform," which is really a publisher, recently pulled, in cahoots with other Big Tech companies, I could rise above the personal and leave on principle, an ability that I can attribute to having once lived a literary life. 

As an English major in college, I learned that literature teaches us about life and the human condition, and that by reading high quality works that have stood the test of time, we can gain wisdom and understanding. Additionally, by analysing the ideas found in great works of literature, philosophy, and religion, then developing a thesis and arguing our point in writing based upon the text, we grow in our critical thinking skills. 

Today the focus is on information, and the power to control it, and this information largely comes in the form of video. I enjoy watching YouTube videos myself, and I spend much more time on those channels than I do reading blogs online or consuming print books. Even when people do read books, it's often on a hand-held device, so an inordinate amount of time is spent in front of screens. People work on computers, check their social media constantly, sit for long hours in front of the television, and have very little time left for more traditionally human pursuits. 

When I lived alone for most of my 20s in the 1990s, I had the bare minimum of technology available at the time. My computer came from an office that had replaced their system. All it did was spreadsheets, which I didn't use, and word processing. I typed my poems on it, saved them, and printed them out. That's all I used it for. To access my hotmail account, I had to walk down the street to the coffee shop and sign up for time on the shared computer. There were maybe two people that I emailed. I bought a cell phone, which only made and received calls, and I used it predominantly in the car. I don't remember if it even had texting. None of my jobs involved computer work, except for being a library clerk, and that was in a situation of interacting directly with people. Every job I had required that I work in direct service of others, in person and face-to-face. 

In my free time I took a lot of walks, watched a little TV on the 3 or 4 channels that my 13-inch television was able to receive, went to see movies, plays, and art exhibits, wrote poetry and went to poetry readings, hung out at bookstores and coffee shops, spent time with friends, and regularly went out dancing. Oh, and I read a ton and wrote daily in my journal. I took classes to learn things like calligraphy and writing for children, in person, and then became a student of belly dance after I was married in 2002. I was a well-rounded woman with a variety of interests and was comfortable both in social situations and by myself. 

As a mother, I homeschooled my child in the Charlotte Mason method, which is based in classic literature and nature study in the field. Lots of time with living books, engaging mind-to-mind with the ideas found in them, and as many hours as possible spent outdoors were emphasized in Miss Mason's philosophy. So there is always a cognitive dissonance experienced when people assume that we homeschool online. My daughter, now 16, uses an online math program and some other online resources, but the bulk of her learning comes straight from actual books. 

Unfortunately, I have in great part lost the comforts and benefits of the literary life I once so much enjoyed, and I spend a great deal too much time on my Kindle. I can only imagine the self-imposed isolation of life on a smart phone!

Our path to preserving liberty is not ultimately going to be found in big government, public schools, Big Tech, or mainstream media. It's going to be found in libraries, homeschooling, private schools, churches, and local governments and communities. It has to start in the home first and foremost, and with the cultivation of our own minds and the development of character and virtue in the classic sense. It has to do with the re-education of our senses to wake us up to the real world around us and the redirecing of our hearts to the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. We have to get back to Nature, to self-reliance, to in-person interactions, and to a literary life. 

Perhaps we will find that the Big Tech purge of conservative voices will be a blessing in disguise. If more and more of us find the courage to leave the likes of Facebook and Twitter, and to cut our dependence on social media even when we find good alternatives; and we reinvigorate ourselves physically, intellectually, creatively, emotionally, and spiritually in the ways human beings have done for thousands of years, we will have the edge when we we need it most. And that time is fast approaching. 

In upcoming posts, we will continue to explore the connections between the preservation of liberty and the literary life, and how this all finds its foundation in the domestic monastery. 

Big Tech Treachery | A Patriots' Underground Railroad?

 

I'm sure you've all heard by now about Friday's Big Tech purge. Twitter kicked President Trump off its platform and even deleted his tweets from the official POTUS account. The app for Parler, a free speech alternative to Twitter, was removed by both Google Play and Apple; and as of midnight tonight, Parler's website server will be taken down by Amazon, effectively wiping it off the internet. Parler says it has plenty of others competing to be its new server, so there is still some hope.  

Facebook also made sweeping purges of users and groups, most notably for me the #WalkAway Campaign, a group of over 500,000 people, founded by Brandon Straka. All of the group's admins' personal accounts were wiped as well. #WalkAway was the most diverse group you can imagine, with people of all races and ethnicities, many members of the LGBT community, teenagers to senior citizens, folks from all walks of life. The common ground is that they have all walked away from the Democrat Party, and the group's purpose was to provide a place for testimonials and support. #WalkAway has no history of violent rhetoric or action, either online or in person. They broke no Facebook rules. 

Brandon is working right now to get his group reinstated on Facebook, but he realizes it's time to find a new home. He asked for viewers at his YouTube channel to find the group at clouthub.com. I joined CloutHub today myself, and it looks like a user friendly, alternative social media platform for Patriots. Brandon had previously asked followers to sign up at the #WalkAway website for the email list, only to have Leftist trolls report him as spam, resulting in getting kicked him off his email provider! 

On the news media front, CNN has launched a campaign to pressure cable providers to no longer host Fox News, News Max, and One America News! Both the social media and news media giants have been engaged in censorship and information manipulation for a long time. With the Democrat Party soon to be in nearly complete power of the federal government, the Communist coup will be a done deal. It's the end of the Republic as we know it. But are all the nails on the coffin pounded shut?

I doubt the effort to remove Fox News, OAN, and News Max will be successful, and even if it is, there are other options, such as LifeSite News, Church Militant, and EWTN, all conservative Catholic outlets. YouTubers such as Timothy Gordon, Patrick Coffin, the Rubin Report, Candace Owens, Dr. Taylor Marshall, and Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire group are all good resources for news and commentary. (Please note that I don't necessarily agree with all opinions or viewpoints expressed on these platforms.) Of course, conservatives on YouTube have also been enduring a great deal of censorship, needing to resort to speaking in code in some cases, so alternatives to that platform will likely be necessary too. I've heard Rumble mentioned in this regard. 

Just as Patriots may need to geographically relocate, concentrating themselves in red states, we will need to regroup online, finding new venues for communication. I think email, which has been making a comeback, is going to be instrumental as a way to ensure privacy and communicate to large groups of people. I've recently started using Proton Mail, a secure server out of Switzerland, and I'm very happy with it. 

One caveat to all this is that the conservative movement, by which I don't mean the Republican Party specifically, must remain entirely peaceful (while keeping in mind that self-defense could become necessary). Violent extremists should not be welcome. What happened at the Capitol last week did nothing to further the "Patriot Party" cause and gave Big Tech just the excuse they needed to launch their assault. 

I'm thinking in terms of a Patriots' Underground Railroad to get us off the "Democrat Plantation," as conservative author and activist Candace Owens puts it in Blackout. We need to find a new home court advantage. Mixing it up on platforms like Facebook and Twitter is counterproductive. No, we don't want to get lost in our own echo chamber like radical Leftists are, but we desperately need the support of like-minded communities, the ability to speak freely and safely, and places to organize our plans. 

Since Blogger is owned by Google, even this little corner of Organic Mothering may eventually have to find a new home...