Of Sound Mind and Spirit

MLK Day through a Child's Eyes

2012-01-16T08:56:00.000-06:00

I love the innocence of a child.  When you spend time with children, you are often hit with at least one question that knocks you for a loop. Something that reveals their pure view of the world that makes you smile when it see it through their eyes.

When I recognize those moments from my children I desperately try to hold on to them. Children grow so fast and at some point, they lose that innocence and hope and begin to see the world a little more clearly, with more experience.

One of those moments that stands out was Martin Luther King Day in 2008. My wonderful six-year old daughter loved school. Everyday she couldn’t wait to go to class and learn something new. January rolled around and MLK day.

My daughter’s kindergarten classroom was racially diverse.  Fewer than half the students looked like her.  With the pure beauty of children, if they noticed the difference in each other’s appearance, they didn’t seem to think much of it. She had no labels for the kids who looked different than her. When telling me about a classmate, she would just describe how they looked. It never occurred to her that they were any different or that anyone would treat someone differently because of how they looked.

Until MLK day.

Martin Luther King Jr.

I knew they were learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Naturally, I assumed the school would introduce them to key phrases from Dr. King’s great speech and talk about his vision for our country. That the lesson would be used to inspire children to look at the goodness and character of each one of us and live together in peace & harmony.  However, if they did, that message was lost on my daughter, because they also shared the presence and history of racism with the class. My sweet little girl came home crying.  “Why,” she sobbed,“would anyone treat someone else so ugly because of how they looked?”

Her little world was shattered. She learned an ugly truth about adults, from adults. We can be cruel to each other for no good reason. I felt very saddened for her.  She was so young to already have some of that innocence and hopefulness wiped away. For her eyes to be opened more to the reality of humanity.

Let us not focus on the sins of the past, but instead emphasize the words and dream of Dr. King. Let us continue to bring that dream to fruition.  Let us allow our small children to love each other for who they are and not concern them with past racial divisions.

Can you imagine the world if we truly looked at one another and see simply the content of our character?

The difference a year makes

2012-01-12T06:10:00.001-06:00

Last year I celebrated my 40th birthday with a big party. I remember stressing over the venue, the food, the guest list, how I looked, and all those things. I felt proud to be going into a milestone year in the best physical shape of my life, surrounded by good friends and colleagues. I felt empowered. I was excited and motivated, looking forward to many things coming with the new year.

This year I celebrated my 41st birthday with a baptism. I didn’t worry about what to wear or what to eat or how much I weighed. Instead I savored every minute spent with family and friends surrounding my two month old son as we witnessed his first Sacrament in our church. This unexpected, unplanned, miracle has caused me to slow down, reassess my priorities, and appreciate life even more.

Maybe I haven’t fulfilled all those resolutions from 2011. This certainly isn’t the same path I thought I’d be on last year and it’s changed me in ways I couldn’t have predicted. But I’m learning to surrender, learning to accept, and learning to trust all over again.

Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if he wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength. - St. Philip Neri

Do we let family competition tear us apart?

2012-01-06T10:00:00.001-06:00

My daughters love the Disney television show Wizards of Waverly Place. The show follows three Russo siblings (Justin, Alex, and Max), children of a former wizard who gave up his magic to marry a mortal. All three learn magic in typical Disney comedic fashion; however, only one child from each family can keep their powers. Eventually they must compete between themselves to win the family powers. Knowing that two of his children will lose their magic forever, the dad tries to teach them not to rely on magic.

Tonight’s series finale will answer the burning question, “Who will be the family wizard?”

This “First Look” preview has been running all week on various Disney channel shows.

What really caught my attention is father’s caution to them, where he says, “I need to tell you guys something before this starts. Winning the wizard competition is great, but it comes with a price… I’m talking about family. How often does Uncle Kelbo come around? A couple of times a year? And Aunt Megan? Never. You know why? Because we let the competition come between us. Promise you’ll stick together no matter who becomes the family wizard.” (The kids promise him) “Not to me... to yourselves.”

His words ring true and are very real to me. How often do we compete with our siblings for attention or affection within our own families. Even as we try not to foster competition, it grows, whether it's about grades in school or who performs better in a particular sport. Even in close families as siblings grow older they tend to grow apart, and do we allow that feeling of competition to carry on into adulthood? College acceptance. Scholarships. Business or family success. How do we prevent this "competition" from interfering with our family relationships? How do we accept each other for who we are, particularly when we grow up as one family, but evolve into separate individuals?

I see Disney using this “family wizard” storyline to help tweens identify this coming-of-age struggle. In this tv family, as with real families, there is that element of who among the siblings will have the family power and control. In this story, these three siblings must compete with each other, yet only one can win and keep their powers. Will the competition and resulting consequences break them apart or will they be able to accept the results and change their relationships with each other? Either way, their family life will change as one of them gets to continue being a wizard – having beaten the others in competition – while the others lose a special part of themselves.

I asked my younger daughter who she thought would win the Family Wizard competition? The over-achieving older brother? The reckless daughter who often gets herself in trouble, or the goofy, naïve, younger brother? Her answer was that their love for each other would be so strong, the magic would split three ways, so no one has to give it up.

I’m not sure how Disney will resolve this question tonight, but I hope it’s done in a way that is both realistic and hopeful for their viewers struggling with their own version of becoming the “family wizard.”

Secrets of Once Upon a Time

2011-12-05T11:18:00.003-06:00

Are you watching the new hit television show Once Upon a Time seen on ABC Sunday nights? Lisa and I are both big fans and our combined interest led to Lisa being invited to be a regular podcaster on the SQPN Secrets of Once Upon a Time.

Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, who brought us Lost, are producing an engaging show where our favorite fairy tale characters are trapped in time, in our modern day world, after being cursed by the evil Queen. The storyline balances back and forth between present-day and fairy tale world flashbacks. Clearly a lot of thought and expense has been used in production, with rich costuming and beautiful settings. Multi-faceted characters bring fairy tales to life withcleverly created backstories. If you haven’t seen it yet, the first six episodes are available on Hulu thru January 9.

SQPN: StarQuest Production Network, produces several “secrets” podcasts, or audio talk shows available online and via iTunes subscriptions. In these podcasts co-hosts discuss various plot lines, references to literature, symbolism, irony, and other underlying meanings found in pop culture television shows and movies. The Secrets of Battlestar Galactica podcasts were my first introduction to SQPN. Their most complex and longest running secrets podcast series is the Secrets of Harry Potter. All 9 "secrets" shows are directed at the universal audience of the underlying show.

Lisa recorded three podcasts of Secrets of Once Upon a Time with SQPN founder and CEO Fr. Roderick Vonhögen and David Handloss, who also records the Secrets of Tin Tin. Check out her theory about the relationship between Snow White and the evil Queen on Episode 3 “Secrets: OUAT Snow Falls.” Unfortunately, Lisa developed a bad case of pneumonia, preventing her from being able to record a two-part podcast covering the fourth show. Since she still wasn’t recovered this weekend, she invited me to fill in for her on the most recent podcast covering Episode 5 “That Still Small Voice.”

Because we have so much to discuss as we uncover details, large and small, layered throughout this show, these podcasts are around an hour in length. If you’re enjoying the show as much as we are, you’ll be fascinated to consider all the different angles and theories we toss about. Why does the evil Queen (Regina) hate Snow White (Mary Margaret) so much that she wants to take away all the happy endings, trapping them forever in the curse? How is Emma going to break the curse and bring back happy endings? What does the “magic” represent – could it be a metaphor for love?

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Listen online via SQPN: Secrets of Once Upon a Time
Follow @OnceUponaTimePC on Twitter

Tune in on Sunday nights to ABC and then tell us what YOU think about the episode.

Maternity leave observations

2011-11-29T08:11:00.008-06:00

After six weeks of maternity leave from both my job and the blog, it’s time to get back to business. While I have a few more weeks before returning to the day-job, I think it’s time to reconnect with the blog. Thank you to everyone who offered prayers and support for me and my family during this transition. You have been in my thoughts and prayers as well.

Slowing down is not in my nature, so being still, resting, and accepting the fact that I can’t do as much as I’m used to, proved to be a real challenge. I’ve been working for a library or university as an archivist for 16 years. My daughters are 12 and 9, so it’s been a while since I’ve had a baby or been out of the office for an extended leave. When you’re at work, staying home sounds like a luxury. Oh, to have time to do laundry during the week, or clean the house properly, or read uninterrupted for a long stretch, or spend time writing without distraction. Before delivering, eight weeks sounded like such a long time that the planner in me designed all these projects to achieve.

Being home for maternity leave is anything but the above. It took me four weeks to turn off the “must-achieve-something” part of my brain. After the first month I finally threw out the entire idea of accomplishing projects and accepted that any goals must be proportioned appropriately. Finally I understand why Faith and Family’s “Seven Quick Takes” is so popular. If you don’t keep track of the little things, a whole day passes without feeling as though you’ve accomplished at all. You go to bed wondering what on earth did I do all day.

Here are a few post-partum observations from a type A “older mom” overachiever.

Newborns come with three settings: nursing, fussy, and asleep. When he falls asleep you have a pretty big decision to make. You can lay him down and try to get something done, or stay on the couch and hold his warm, cuddly, little body, and watch a little tv until it’s time to nurse him again.

Watching the Food network cooking shows is going to make you hungry and want to cook. This tends to be problematic when you’re laying on the couch holding a sleeping baby. Dozing is a much more appealing alternative.

If you spend all day watching HGTV house shows like House Hunters or Designed to Sell, I promise you will walk around your own house lamenting the fact that you don’t have the perfect kitchen backsplash, hardwood floors, or granite countertops. Don’t even think about the fact that you haven’t even vacuumed your carpets since you came home from the hospital.

Don’t schedule tree service, bee removal, cable tv installation, or an electrician during the first two weeks, even if someone is helping you out at home. Trust me on this one.

Immunizations, heel sticks, and circumcision for the baby is actually more difficult for you. The baby won’t remember a thing, and may not even cry, but the fact that something sharp has pierced their skin is seared into your heart.

Hormones make you crazy. Postpartum hormones are more powerful than pregnancy hormones. You can go from weepy exhaustion to “I will kill you before you come near my child” in the blink of an eye.

It’s okay to start a load of laundry and not finish it on the same day. It’s also okay to run a load of laundry every day, instead of doing it all on the weekend. It’s not advisable, because then you feel like all you’re doing is the laundry, but it’s okay.

Don’t answer work emails or phone calls. If you worked right up until delivery, the office will actually try to contact you for the first two weeks, unable to accept that you’re really and truly “not available.” You can stay in touch and send them pictures, but the first time you answer a work-related specific question, you open the flood gates and it won’t stop.

Personal connection is important. It’s easy to feel isolated and alone at home with a baby all day. The Facebook app on my iPhone is a lifeline connecting me to friends, although it’s tricky to compose long messages. (I prefer a keyboard to texting.)

It’s much easier when other people are at home. My daughters, being 9 and 12 years old, are a huge help. Though I don’t enjoy their fighting over who gets to hold the baby, I do appreciate that they willingly change diapers. I also love having my husband around on the weekends. I love him and just his presence at home is comforting to me, even when he’s stretched out on the couch, baby nestled in his arms, watching a football game. (Go Pokes!)

Getting out of the house is a very big deal. Running an errand prevents the day from turning into one long monotonous blur of tv, nursing, laundry, eating, and trying to pick up the clutter. Of course I keep thinking I'm going to attend daily mass at 8:30 a.m. but I haven't made it yet.

Babies can go pretty much anywhere. At three weeks, I brought the baby to an all-day softball tournament. It took me two hours to get out the door, but we saw three of the four games. At five weeks old, we took him on a thousand-mile round trip to three different places for Thanksgiving week. By the end of the week even I thought I was crazy, but we survived.

100 Reasons I'm Thankful

2011-11-24T08:11:00.001-06:00

This Thanksgiving, Lauren Warner's post, "100 Reasons I'm Thankful" at Sipping Lemonade inspired me to share my own 100 Reasons I'm Thankful.

I'm Thankful for...

1. Pumpkins. Anything that smells or tastes like pumpkins

2. Family

3. Coffee

4. A hamster named Isabella Fuzzball and a daughter who adores her

5. iMacs, iPads, MacBooks and the iPhones that rule our household

6. The examples of the Saints

7. A comfortable house

8. The hot Houston summers!

9. Any rain, no matter how small

10. Elections every four years

11. Chocolate Chip Cookies

12. Lazy Sunday afternoons spent next to the pool with the family

13. My kids being funny and telling jokes

14. Family centered neighborhoods

15. Days I can curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good book

16. Pig Latin

17. Rock Band Wii

18. Hacienda Margarita

19. Red wine

20. The wonderful food at Brennan’s of Houston

21. The wonderful food my husband cooks out of the Brennan’s of Houston cookbook

22. Sting concerts with the hubby

23. Salmon fishing (and the 75 lbs of salmon brought back from Alaska)

24. Flying a kite

25. Our Cows at the ranch

26. The wide open skies of West Texas

27. Family road trips

28. Phi Mu Sisters

29. The love of my life

30. Jalapeno poppers

31. Buccee’s

32. The prayers of my children

33. Geocaching

34. Sappy television Christmas movies

35. The great example of my parents

36. Having spent my 25^th birthday in Paris on my honeymoon

37. Cuddly babies

38. Chocolate covered popcorn made by my husband and kids

39. Breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day

40.The excitement of Cougar football

41. Breathtaking views in the Chinati mountains

42. Cub scout camping

43.A wonderful dedicated pediatrician

44. My husband’s dedication to work that enables me to stay home with the kids

45. Star Wars

46. A hairstylist who tells me the truth

47. Weekends at the ranch

48. My father’s ability to fix almost anything

49. Pleasant memories of childhood

50. Great friends who understand me and my quirks

51. New friends met through new media, who are as great in person as they are online

52. Catholic authors who help me discover the fullness of truth offered in the Catholic church

53. CatholicMom.com

54. The love of my sister. Without her, Sound Mind and Spirit would not be a reality

55. Comfy velour sweat suits I can wear everywhere

56. Playa del Carmen Mexico

57. The chance to get dressed up in something sparkly

58. The sun on my face

59. My in-laws who’ve accepted me as one of their own

60. Really tough workouts at the gym

61. Mundane household tasks

62. A sister in law who feels like a sister

63. Pandora

64. Deer, turkey, raccoons & other wildlife spotted on our ranch

65. The laughter of my children

66. My husband’s smile

67. My warm, comfortable bed

68. Discovering the joy of each stage of childhood as my kids get older

69. Dora the Explorer, Disney Princesses, The Wiggles & Barney – who helped me get a shower most days when the kids were little

70. Spending days with my family

71. All day lipstick

72. SQPN, who introduced me to a whole online world of Catholics

73. Tropical coconut drinks on the beach

74. Hanging out with family at the Ranch

75. Really loud music with a good dance beat

76. Sign language

77. Christmas decorations

78. A comfy chair

79. Health and mobility

80. The kids relationship with their great-grandmothers

81. Girls annual Christmas brunch

82. Minivans

83. Great fitting jeans

84. Pasta

85. Hiking

86. Beautiful art

87. Rosary

88. Cougar Basketball

89. Hugs from my children

90. Farmers who wave when you drive past on dirt roads

91. Conversations that make you lose track of time

92. A cool swimming pool on a hot, hot day

93. Walkie talkies on family road trips

94. Date night with my husband

95. Family movie night at home

96. Years of wonderful memories with my husband when we were just dating

97. Big bonfires at the ranch

98. Faith

99. God

100. Life

Happy Thanksgiving!!

A Virtual Sisterhood Inspires Love of Life

2011-11-17T08:18:00.000-06:00

We hear all the time about the power of new media or social media in today’s culture. New media refers to much of the online content that people share via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube…. It is used to connect people, businesses and ideas. Some people doubt that relationships forged in this virtual world are sustaining and deep; however my experience last week proves otherwise.

Almost 14 years ago, I joined an email list of women involved in my college sorority. Several hundred of us from all over the country, different colleges, of various age ranges and at ever stage of life email each other daily. At the height of the list’s popularity a few years ago, I could receive 100 emails a day on any given topic. At first our only connection to each other was simply the bond of our sisterhood.

Through the years I’ve become friends with many of the ladies on the list as we got married, weathered natural disasters, rejoiced in the birth of new legacies and supported each other through personal struggles. Just as with any group of women, we’ve argued and bickered over everything and nothing. With the surging popularity of Facebook, we can now see each other’s smiles and interact even more. Many of these women I consider great friends and some I’ve had the immense pleasure of hugging in person.

Last week, our group lost one of our most vibrant sisters to a senseless tragedy. Denai Vaughn was killed in a traffic accident in Amarillo, Texas leaving behind a loving husband and young daughter. In a heartbeat, the reality of our virtual sisterhood came crashing through my laptop screen. For us, everything stopped as our group unified in stunned silence. The loss of our sister is palpable and real.

Denai founded and worked with several ventures utilizing and specializing in marketing within the online community. Her beautiful, happy face was seen many times a day, every day, brightening up my Facebook news feed, spreading her marketing message, her love of our Lord and joy for life. Because Denai was deeply involved with social and new media, her friendship via the virtual world was even more powerful.

The very morning she lost her life, she recorded her last video podcast preserving for eternity her thoughts on dealing with the grief of losing a loved one. Denai’s last message sent through new media offers each of us one last connection with Denai and healing through her very own words.

Whomever doesn’t believe in the power of new media or recognize virtual friendships as “real” should witness our group as we mourn and celebrate this amazing sister who was called home to God too early. Denai was always an inspiration to us in life and her life will now leave a lasting legacy on her Phi Mu sisters forever.

“We aren’t promised tomorrow, but we do have today. Live a life that outlives your life.” ~ Denai Vaughn

Spending Veterans Day with a Hero

2011-11-14T08:57:00.001-06:00

I am honored to welcome my husband, Brian Jones, as a guest blogger today on Of Sound Mind and Spirit. He has supported my writing hobby and the blog for many years, so I am thrilled for him to make his first appearance with his own post. Welcome Brian.

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Veterans Day has a very special meaning to the members of my family. On a cold September day in 1950, my maternal Grandfather willfully charged onto the battlefield to save his company from being pinned down under machine gun crossfire. He knew there was a very good chance he would not be able to go home, however, his duty to tend to the aid of the men under his command outweighed any thoughts regarding his own personal safety. Master Sargent J.T. Dunn died that day, Monday, September 11, 1950, a hero. I never had the privilege of knowing him, although the stories of his selfless acts of bravery have had a dramatic impact on my life.

For this Veterans day, I decided I would spend a few hours each day reflecting on the sacrifices our past and present soldiers have made, for the defense of the individual freedoms we take for granted on a daily basis. I immediately looked around our home for “Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10” by Marcus Luttrell. This was to be my second read of Lone Survivor in so many years. As I expected, the second reading of this book instilled an equal, if not greater level of respect and admiration for the members of our Armed Forces.

Lone Survivor is the detailed account of a team of Navy SEALs and an ensuing battle that took place deep inside the Hindu Kush Mountain range in Northern Afghanistan. The story is focused on the personal experiences of Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of what has become know as “The Battle of Murphy’s Ridge”. Aptly named after Lt. Michael P. Murphy, the officer in charge and subsequent posthumous Medal of Honor recipient.

Marcus Luttrell, a proud Navy SEAL, was raised in a small community about 50 miles north of Houston, Texas. The book is written from Marcus’s point of view and vernacular. Having been born, raised and still residing in the suburban Houston area, I was immediately drawn to the stories Marcus told from his youth. His ability to communicate his upbringing along with his pride in the unique values shared by the people of Texas is uncanny. He builds credibility and respect by relaying his honest thoughts and feelings about everything from his relationship with God to political correctness. With Marcus Luttrell, you get exactly what you see, a trait that is rarely found outside of a true Texan.

As a result, Lone Survivor is written in such a way that I found myself not simply reading the book, but pulled into the captivating narrative. As each night passed, I picked up the book to continue the story and felt Marcus Luttrell sitting in the chair across the room reading the next chapter. Even though I had read the book once before, I still found myself laughing at his banter with his fellow Navy SEALs while becoming emotional when he was describing the events during the fateful battle. This truly is one of my favorite books, and I will read it again this time next year.

This past September, my wife, Lisa, and I decided to take a night off from our children to celebrate our 13^th wedding anniversary in downtown Houston. I had secured a hotel room and made dinner reservations at a local restaurant, which had recently reopened due to a natural disaster. We were excited. This was our special night, little did we know how special this night would become.

Founder of Lone Survivor Foundation

As we arrived at our Hotel and rounded the corner to the registration desk, we were surprised to find Marcus Luttrell standing directly in front of us waiting for a member of his party to finish checking into the hotel. Lisa and I recognized him immediately. I was instantly flooded with the memories of his story. We stood there in line for what seemed like half an hour, although I am sure it was only five minutes. All the while, the heroic actions of his friends lost in battle, his journey tumbling and crawling down the rugged mountainside as well as the story of his narrow escape from the Taliban was racing through my head. I could not help but become emotional inside. My wife stood there in awe as well. She leaned in and asked me if I thought we should say something to him. I pondered it for a moment, turned my head and simply said no. It was an easy decision. He was with his friends, laughing and carrying on. In my mind, this was one of “his” moments. A few moments throughout the day where had a taste of normalcy in his life. A few moments where he could talk amongst friends without the reminder of what happened to him in that Afghan valley. A few moments where he could enjoy the peace for which he and his Brothers in Arms have paid so dearly.

With this said, I would like to take the opportunity to do so now. Thank you Marcus Luttrell for your service, your unmitigated dedication to our country and for sharing the heroic story of your experience in the Hindu Kush Mountains the last week of June 2004. Thank you for making this country a safer place so that my children may have the opportunity to live their lives enjoying the same freedom in which our generation was raised. And lastly, thank you for coming home and dedicating your days to helping the returning soldiers that so deserve it via The Lone Survivor Foundation. It is yet another testament to your character and unwavering generosity.

Saints for Catholic Moms: Review & Giveaway

2011-11-03T07:45:00.000-05:00

For the last two weeks I haven’t accomplished very much, spending most of my time resting and recovering from childbirth. However, while nursing my newborn son, I’ve had Lisa Hendey’s newest publication, A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms, at my side.

Written especially with mothers in mind, this book introduces us to 52 saints, chosen to represent various topics found in motherhood ranging from Diligence in Domestic Tasks (St. Zita of Lucca) to Serving as Good Stewards of Our Family Finances (St. Matthew). Each saint is also assigned with an element describing how they nurture mothers in heart, mind, body, or soul.

For this project, Lisa pulls in a wide variety of saints, both new and old. Some will sound familiar: The Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bernadette, St. Patrick, and St. Joan of Arc; some may be unknown to many: St. Rose Venerini, St. Margaret Clitherow, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, and St. Maria Goretti. Lisa even included some very recently beautified saints: Blessed John Paul II, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Blessed Chiara “Luce” Badano, and Blessed Andre Bessette.

Each chapter opens with a brief biographical sketch, followed by a lesson or reflection, popular devotions or traditions assigned to the saint, a quote of wisdom from the saint, a daily scripture and brief prayer for meditation for one week, saint inspired activities, a family prayer, and “something to ponder.”

In a stroke of true divine inspiration, Lisa captures a format that makes the book highly functional for her readers. It stands out from other saint publications and offers a broad appeal to all. This is not just another biographical book on the lives of saints. Instead, Lisa identifies some aspect from each saint that relates their lives to our own vocation as a mother. It doesn’t matter where you are in your stage of motherhood, there is something for all: new mothers, mothers of large families, single mothers, grandmothers, homeschooling mothers, empty nesters, mothers caring for ill children, mothers who have lost children, mothers in need of spiritual reawakening, and mothers in need of reassurance.

The way each saint is presented, you have the opportunity to sit and read straight through the book, skip around from saint to saint, or choose one saint for a weekly meditation or daily devotional. Personally, I love the daily scripture for each saint. I’m simply in awe at the amount of thought and consideration that went into selecting each passage in a way that truly captured the focus for each saint.

A Book of Saints for Catholic Mothers will provide you with an opportunity to learn, inspiration to meditate and pray, and reassurance of your role as “Mom,” within the presented community of saints.

My personal copy of this book will never reside on my bookshelf. It has earned a semi-permanent spot tucked between my nursing pillow and the couch cushion to be at the ready when I’m sitting with a nursing baby in the middle of the night. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy for yourself or your favorite Catholic Mom.

Since we received a gratis copy of Lisa Hendey’s book, A Book of Saints for Catholic Mothers, from Ave Maria Press in return for our honest review, we are offering this copy to one of our lucky readers. Your name can be entered into the random drawing by leaving us a comment on this blog post, becoming a new follower of @SoundMindSpirit on Twitter, or by clicking “Like” on Facebook. Do each one and your name will be entered three times! A random drawing will be held on Thursday, November 17.

Baby Announcement

2011-10-28T07:45:00.000-05:00

Shelly & Bryan Kelly are pleased to introduce

Douglas Arthur Kelly

born Friday, October 14, 2011
at 10:49 a.m.
weighing 7 lbs 11 oz
20 inches long

GOOOH - Get Out Of Our House

2011-10-26T10:44:00.000-05:00

"If you are tired of career politicians, GOOOH is for you. If you believe money has corrupted Washington, GOOOH is for you. If you believe politicians have too much power, GOOOH is for you. If you are weary of the death grip the two parties have on our government, and are ready to return control of our government to the people, then GOOOH is for you."

In this charged political climate, does that grab your attention? It did mine when I met a representative of GOOOH (pronounced "Go") in Houston a few months ago. This grass roots, non-partisan system allows a community to choose a citizen representative to serve their district in the House of Representatives.

GOOOH founder, Tim Cox, believes the problem with the current political system lies with career politicians who are more focused on their reelection and power than affecting positive change for our nation. The GOOOH goal is to select, support and fund average citizens interested in representing their district in the US House, but not interested in becoming career politicians. This concept of citizen representative has a long history in our nation starting at our founding and can still be found in Texas among the Texas State Representatives.

This is not a third party option. Each candidate, when selected by the local members of GOOOH will mount a primary campaign in their state and district with the support and funding of the GOOOH organization. This non-partisan organization is not affiliated or supported by a political party and does not endorse a political platform of any kind.

A visit to their well designed website will not only give you more definitive information on their mission, but also enable you to sign up to be a potential candidate for your district. The candidate questionnaire is extremely detailed with questions from all over the political spectrum.

If you are in Texas, the first GOOOH candidate selection meeting will be held on Saturday, November 5 at locations throughout the state.

Book Review - Stay Home, Stay Happy

2011-10-25T08:37:00.001-05:00

Rachel Campos-Duffy Shares her Secrets

Even after eight years as a stay at home mom, a book with the title, Stay Home, Stay Happy; 10 Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood sparks my interest. Who doesn’t want to know all the secrets that will help us be happy, thankful, and appreciate the best job in the world even when the going seems tough?

Rachel Campos-Duffy writes with a friendly conversational style that invites the reader in to discuss motherhood, as you would with a friend over coffee. You smile, you laugh, and nod your head at times in a knowing way. She becomes a girl friend who is sharing her story, her difficulty, and advice as you reflect upon your own.

The section dedicated to centering your life as a mother through the importance of prayer resonated with me. With many little kids and a busy life, she is practical in her approach of how to achieve a prayer life in the midst of a full family life.

“Prayer will give you and your family strength”

Rachel manages to weave her Catholic Christian faith throughout the book in an unassuming and pleasant way, revealing the importance faith plays in her role as a mother and in their family life.

The idea that we should have friends who are experienced moms to turn to for wisdom and perspective is an important yet oftentimes overlooked relationship. The section on how to choose a mommy mentor made me examine my close mom friendships to discover if anyone is fulfilling that role for me. And then consider how I provide that role to another friend.

Sprinkled throughout the book are helpful fun quizzes that reinforce the message of each section. Taking the quiz, “Are You Making the Most of Family Time? What’s Your Home’s Personality?” opened my eyes to how I, as the mother, set the tone for our entire house. My goal is to have a warm and inviting environment for building strong family bonds, but am I succeeding in doing it for our family?

Parenting books, especially books on motherhood, are as different as each person is unique. Rachel Campos-Duffy managed to speak to me through her book in a friendly, warm way and gave me comfort that I am part of a group of mom friends who laugh, cry and love while seeking the secret to at-home motherhood.

Feast Day of Blessed John Paul II

2011-10-22T11:48:00.004-05:00

Today, the Church celebrates the first liturgical feast day of Pope John Paul II.

"Be Not Afraid"

After beatification last May, October 22nd was selected for the feast day of Blessed John Paul II. During his heroic life he was a faithful and inspirational witness bringing Christians around the world closer to Christ.

"What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus, everything else is secondary. And, without the love of Jesus, everything is useless." - Pope John Paul II

Blessed John Paul II, Pray for us.

New Year as a Catechist

2011-10-18T08:35:00.000-05:00

My stomach filled with butterflies as I walked back into the parish classroom to begin another year as a 3^rd grade catechist. When I worked over the summer preparing my lesson plans, I was full of enthusiasm and excitement about teaching the faith once again; however, facing a new class of 23 students found me extremely nervous.

My mind focused on the difficulty I had last year getting my footing as a new teacher. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions from week to week while dealing with the struggles of discipline, learning how to present the material, and finding myself inspired by the students’ demonstrations of faith.

Perhaps I stress a little too much over teaching one hour each week, but I feel the weight and responsibility of teaching and representing the faith.

As I set up for my first class of the new year I took a few minutes to quiet myself and pray, asking God for strength, courage, guidance and blessings to fulfill His will in the classroom. Then I called upon the Holy Spirit to work through me to bring the children closer to God.

By remembering to put God first, I felt calmed. The children and I had fun in our lesson, learned about God and each other, and the hour flew by. Late in the week, two mothers with children in my class mentioned how much their sons enjoyed the class, which helped me feel reassured and renewed.

Parents have the primary responsibility and vocation for teaching and living the faith by example, yet it is an important responsibility to work as a catechist. Teaching children brings a profound impact on our own lives and personal relationships with God. Through instructing and witnessing the faith to them, we are reminded of God’s awesome love and the power of faith. Witnessing God through the eyes of children sharpens the focus on my own faith journey. We must learn to love and trust Him simply, as a child. God’s loving embrace reaches us all on our own path towards the cross.

Anti-Catholic EEO Training Scenario Revised

2011-10-13T20:10:00.004-05:00

Last week I wrote about an offensive Catholic stereotype used in our university system mandatory EEO training. The post, with a screen shot of the slide, received quite a bit of attention when Thomas Peters, American Papist at Catholic Vote.org wrote about it.

After noting the overwhelming response and shared outrage, I posted in the comments asking for time to do a little follow up on my end. I contacted our Human Resources Associate Director for Organizational Development (including mandatory training) who in turn contacted the main campus Human Resources Director of Talent Management/Training and Development.

Here is what I have learned.

I can now confirm that the EEO training program, including the scenario depicted, was written by our university system main campus human resources training department. According to the Director of Talent Management/Training and Development, the scenario used…“is based on an actual case that was reviewed by the EEO office during the past year.”

On a more positive note, I can also report that as a direct result of my complaint, the training department removed the offensive slide from the program, and after review, replaced it with an adjusted, rewritten scenario that no long includes the derogatory stereotype!

The slide now reads:

“Khalilah is of a different faith than Janice. They both know this about one another. One day, Khalilah loses her favorite ring. Janice offers to pray with Khalilah and Khalilah declines. Khalilah reminds Janice that she is of a different faith. Janice gets upset, tells Khalilah that she will never find her ring because of her lack of belief. Over the course of several weeks, Janice repeatedly stops at Khalilah’s desk to ask if she found her ring. Each time Khalilah indicated to Janice that she had not yet found her ring, Janice would smirk and offer to pray with her. As a new employee, Khalilah is scared to mention anything to her supervisor because she knows her supervisor is of the same belief as Janice.”

If you read this scenario without having seen the previous one, you would be less likely to find offense. By not identifying any one particular faith/belief, this is a great improvement from the original! Since the mandatory training runs from October 1 through December 1, the change took place relatively early in the process.

By speaking out, I brought it to their attention that the scenario, as written, was just wrong. My complaint was not only heard, but also acted upon quickly to find a resolution. Even though the first slide existed, demonstrating a possible prejudice, I choose to focus on the fact that my complaint effected positive change within the system.

Thank you to everyone who sent me supportive messages or posted comments expressing their own outrage. You provided me with the courage to politely speak out in defense of my faith and beliefs. My complaint reached the appropriate person and effected change on a university system level.

I’m just one person, but we are all defenders and an advocate for what is right. That includes treating people of other faiths with respect, as well as demanding it for ourselves in return. We need to continue to speak up when we see these things, support each other in our endeavors, and work to bring about a better awareness of anti-Catholic stereotyping.

GOP Economic Debate Focuses on Future

2011-10-12T09:45:00.000-05:00

Last night’s Republican Presidential Debate hosted by Bloomberg Network focused entirely on the economy, exactly as it should. The debate format allowed for all eight candidates to sit around a table to discuss topics in a less formal setting.

Overall, after the two-hour debate concluded, I felt good about the current crop of candidates. Many have bold, specific plans for America and appear to be focused in the right direction toward putting our nation on the path to prosperity.

Discussions on cutting federal spending, restricting the size of government, returning personal freedoms back to individuals took precedence. All were in agreement that government must get off the back of the working person, return manufacturing jobs to the US, develop our natural resources and create an environment where banks and businesses are confident about investing in our future.

They argued over specifically how to lower the tax and regulatory burden on American citizens and enterprise, but agreed that for America to succeed, we must free up the small businessman and entrepreneur to risk their capital to succeed or fail.

Almost all the candidates have economic policies centered on conservative principles that I agree with in part. Of course, no one candidate is a perfect match for my top tier issues, but the debate left me comfortable with many of the individuals in the race.

The most important thing now is for candidates to drive the focus and conversation toward ideas and innovation that will move our country forward. We need more dialogue on potential solutions to the issues facing working Americans in their everyday lives. This is still not the time to narrow our field to any one candidate, but to remain open, listen to their proposals, and see how they develop, so we can find the best candidate to represent us in the next election.

Governor Perry reminded us at the end of the debate that the most important thing we can do to help move America toward job creation--the best thing that can be done to get Americans working again--is to Replace Obama. With that goal in sight, we look forward to the 2012 elections.

Top 10 Quotes From CNMC 2011

2011-10-10T12:56:00.000-05:00

My Top 10 Favorite Quotes heard during the 2011 Catholic New Media Conference by SQPN.

10. "A new evangelization is needed whenever you encounter a new culture. That is what is happening today with new communication." – Sister Anne Flannigan

9. "You must become the leaders, the encouragers of new media. God doesn’t call the equipped, but equips the called." – Pat Gohn

8. "It all goes back to storytelling. Jesus taught with stories." – Sean Patrick Lovett

7. "Let it be done in our lives before we can communicate it to others." – Sister Anne Flannigan

6. "The Church has a beautiful positive message that caters to the soul." – Father Roderick

5. "Personal Prayer is essential to effective communication." – Jeff Geerling

4. "Technology is not going to bring people back to the Church. You are. People are. Through building meaningful relationships." – Matthew Warner

3. "Are you doing this so that others may see Christ?" Question asked of Sean Patrick Lovett by Blessed Mother Teresa

2. "Let the light of the star shine through what we do. The star is greater than us. The star is Christ." – Father Roderick

1. "Let’s go do something beautiful for God!" – Sean Patrick Lovett

I hope to see you at the next Catholic New Media Conference in the Dallas/Fort Worth area - August 29-31, 2012.

EEO training targets Catholics with negative stereotype

2011-10-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

I work for a state university. Every two years all employees, from the faculty down to student workers, are required to complete mandatory training. It’s part of our minimum job expectations. The topics are pretty basic, covering the usual expected areas: Fraud Awareness, Cash security, Secure Computer Systems, Ethics, External Consulting, FERPA, and Equal Employment Opportunity.

After ten years of employment here, I’ve reviewed the training and passed the assessment exams five times. This year I noticed that some of the training videos/ PDF slides were redesigned from the previous training two years ago.

Instead of simply presenting the necessary information, the reviews include suggested scenarios, with a little Q&A to make sure you understand the concept. Under the EEO training, we are reminded that “equal employment opportunity is the requirement that all persons receive the same opportunities for hiring, training, promotion, etc. without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin/ethnicity, disability, age, veteran status, and genetic information.”

Slide 5 reiterates that at our employer: “Harassment and/or discrimination based on sex, race, religion, color, age, national origin/ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or sexual orientation will not be tolerated.”

So you might imagine my shock when this slide appeared, as the example for Religious Harassment. (click image to enlarge)

Stunned. I didn’t know what to think. First of all, I’ve never met anyone, Catholic, Christian, or otherwise who would grab someone’s hands and begin praying out loud in the workplace. The scenario continues with the Catholic becoming upset, treating this new employee rudely, and disintegrates into being downright hateful. What this person is described doing would be considered against the very tenets of the Catholic Faith. It’s completely implausible!

At first I tried to dismiss this, telling myself that something has to be used as an example. But as I continued through the training, reading more likely examples presented in other areas, I became more and more incensed at the derogatory, negative, and completely false stereotype used to represent Catholics. Ironically, an earlier slide had cautioned us that stereotypes or assumptions “can easily get people into trouble for … harassment or discrimination.”

I realize that this slide was not prepared by anyone at my campus location, but it does represent the views and ideas of our university system, and possibly a higher governmental level.

I work in a wonderful campus setting where I’m exposed to rich, diverse cultures and ideas. Some of these I embrace and participate, while others I simply look the other way, disinterested. However, I’ve never felt any offense or intolerance directed at myself or based on my own thoughts, ideas, or culture.

I’m extremely disappointed that the person who developed this training program appears to be so ignorant of the Catholic faith, that they would write something this crude. By creating this implausible scenario, the trainers did exactly what they’re trying to educate people from doing. They used an offensive stereotype about Catholics, implying we would be the type of people to blatantly intimidate or harass another faith. Under the guise of educating people, the trainers actually become the ones who offend.

SQPN: Catholic New Media Conference 2011

2011-09-30T10:44:00.006-05:00

As I write this, Lisa is winging her way towards Kansas City for the 2011 Catholic New Media Conference. Of course, by the time I post this, she will have landed. I won’t be attending with her this year, for obvious reasons, but I’m participating in spirit, as well as Twitter, UStream, Skype, and any number of other social media avenues.

When Lisa and I started blogging two and half years ago, we struggled to define our sense of direction, our voice. She is the one who discovered the SQPN Catholic New Media Conference and enthusiastically talked me (and our mother) into attending with her. Though we started blogging in February 2009, the CNMC always feels like our true anniversary, since it was our experience at the 2009 San Antonio CNMC that really inspired us and guided our writing in a firm direction.

Over the past two years, we have strengthened our voice and our faith through the growing relationships with inspirational people we’ve met and come to know from our involvement with SQPN and the CNMC. People like Lisa Hendey-the Catholic Mom, Jeff Young-the Catholic Foodie, Matt Warner, Sarah Reinhard, Maria Johnson, and so many more. These people, this connection, has helped to guide us over the past two and a half years of writing, and in the process encouraged us to grow and develop a new knowledge and appreciation of our beautiful shared faith. The CNMC experience teaches us how to embrace each other, our faith, new ideas. It has opened doors and revealed new opportunities.

This year’s CNMC offers an expanded format that begins with a long half-day of Catholic Media Guild Workshops and a full Saturday of sessions and keynote speakers aimed at expanding our role of bringing the fullness of truth through the new media world. In addition, we gather for fellowship over meals, sharing Mass, special prayer time and adoration, and just coming together in communion with Christ and one another.

If you’d like to see what it’s all about, check out the CNMC schedule, follow #cnmc11 on Twitter, and watch for opportunities to listen in via the UStream channel. Keep those attending and those watching from home (like me) in your prayers, that we may feel the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding us.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20 (NAB)

Thinking About Mary

2011-09-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

I woke up in the middle of the night convinced that Jesus must have been a preemie.

Or that Mary did not carry him for the full forty weeks we define pregnancy.

I know the Bible is big on the number forty, but it's impossible for me to imagine Mary willingly setting off on a four-day cross-country journey to Bethlehem riding on a donkey during the last two weeks of the traditional forty weeks of pregnancy.

How did she do it? Did she have any hesitation preparing for this journey when she was so swollen with child? How much did her hips and lower back ache during the ride. How did she get any rest sleeping on the ground? What did Joseph do to make her more comfortable? Did he have to help her up from the ground every morning? How large was she? Was she irritable or calm and serene with a holiness bestowed by God for this purpose?

It occurs to me that all my ideas come from the traditionally told version of the Nativity Story, that implies she was “great with child” laboring as they entered the city, and delivering the very night of their arrival. However, we don’t actually know how pregnant Mary really was when she made the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The Gospel of Luke only says,

“And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (NAB Luke 2:4-7)

Is it possible that Mary and Joseph traveled and arrived in Bethlehem weeks earlier, when she might have been less uncomfortable? Maybe they were in Bethlehem for the census and delayed their journey home because she was too close to delivering to travel.

My own final weeks of pregnancy are passing slowly, one day at a time, one night at a time. I realize that when I focus too much on my own discomfort and irritability, I’m disconnecting myself from God. Yet this is the time when I should be prayerfully drawing closer to Him. When I don’t, I find myself lying awake in the middle of the night with my head full of thoughts. Often, these thoughts gravitate towards Mary, wondering how she dealt her final weeks, awaiting the delivery of our savior, Jesus.

Hail Mary, full of Grace, grant me the sereneness and inner peace that carried you through your own anticipation of birth. Guide me to fully embrace these last days before bringing forth my own son.

The Mass is What Catholics Do

2011-09-26T08:01:00.000-05:00

“The Mass is What Catholics Do.” These first words of the book, The Mass: The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition” by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina remind us that celebrating the Mass is the source and summit of the Catholic faith and the most recognizable element of that faith. But how deeply do we understand the history and reasons behind the individual parts, actions and words of the Mass?

Cardinal Wuerl and Mike Aquilina in this new book magnificently illustrate the innate beauty behind the Mass by breaking it down into various pieces to explain each section in glorious detail.

“When the Church celebrates the Mass, she commemorates Christ’s Passover and it is made present: the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present. The Church calls us not jut to a commemoration of long-ago events, as great as that might be, but also to enter the mystery itself- today. We are not bystanders, but participants.”

The first part of the book connects the actions, prayers and liturgies in our modern mass to the mass as celebrated almost 2,000 years ago by the first Christians. We are reminded in a very direct way that Christ instructed at the Last Supper to “do this in remembrance of me,” and so we continue to “do this” as faithful Catholics in a modern age.

The authors continue throughout the first section of the book to walk the reader through the mechanics of the mass; how we prepare ourselves, the parts of the mass, the roles of participants, the sacramentals used in the mass and even the distinct areas and furnishings of the physical church. This section of the book explained and defined many attributes of the mass or the church that I routinely see, but never fully understood its function or even its name.

The second section of the book explores details and explanations of the mass that even many Catholics might not know. Through our personal experience, events and actions within the mass seem familiar or common. The authors describe how each action, each prayer and even the very words we use are designed to draw us into real communion with Christ, so that our participation takes on a new importance in our experience.

If you think attending Mass has become too routine, pick up this excellent, informative book to provide a fresh look at the most familiar type of Catholic worship from both a priest and layperson perspective. By providing a deeper understanding of the parts and whole of the mass, you will be inspired to view the Mass in a more reverent and passionate way, leading it to become a more necessary desire in your Catholic life.

Nine Months and Nesting

2011-09-22T07:45:00.000-05:00

Many pregnancy information websites and books suggest the nesting instinct is a sure sign of impending labor. While not all women experience the nesting instinct, it’s typically described as a sudden distinctive urge to clean, tidy, and organize in preparation for baby’s arrival.

I’m nine months pregnant.

My house is a mess.

Where is my nesting instinct?

My daughters might say I’ve been a bit more insistent that they keep their rooms picked up and the clutter under control. However, pointing out shoes left in odd places, wet towels on the bathroom floor, or dirty clothes dropped three feet from the hamper isn’t something new. And trying to keep up with the inundation of 14,000 pieces of paper sent home from two different schools is an annual event.

So where is my nesting instinct? Why hasn’t it happened yet?

August proved to be quite a stressful month for me at the office, with numerous important projects piled up one after another, overlapping each other with exhibits, receptions, presentations, and an unexpected oral history opportunity thrown into the mix. All of this took place within seven working days, and scheduling the preparation for them in the three weeks prior proved daunting.

Did that count as my nesting?

I doubted it. I usually thrive on that type of adrenaline-inducing panic, even when I’m not pregnant. I don’t schedule it on purpose, but when it happens I kick it into high gear and somehow it all turns out okay.

Last night I was resting on the couch, hand piecing a bit of the baby’s quilt, wondering why I had no interest in cleaning the bathroom or organizing the medicine cabinet. My husband sat down beside me and asked me what I’m doing at the office all day, now that these big projects are over.

And it occurred to me, as I described my September “to-do” list, that my nesting instinct is taking place at the office and not at home. I’m bustling through a lengthy stack of little things that must be done before I take maternity leave. Tying up loose ends. Weeding out overstuffed files. Creating long notes for my assistant, so she knows what to do if someone calls about this or that while I’m on maternity leave. Answering correspondence. Dotting i’s and crossing t’s. Getting all my ducks in a row.

So yes, it appears that I do have a nesting instinct. By settling up my accounts at the office, I’ll be able to better focus on enjoying the time I’ll have at home with my newborn.

We Are... Catholic

2011-09-20T12:34:00.000-05:00

A friend sent me the link to the most amazing Catholic video on YouTube.

Thank you to Defend Us in Battle for inspiring Catholics with a powerful visual of our Faith.

The Promised Joy

2011-09-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Nine months ago I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant.

I don’t remember much about my first pregnancy, 12 years ago. As the oldest daughter, I was the first to be pregnant, so I received a lot of attention; felt a lot of pressure to do things a certain way, and all of it was a new experience. At the end, I had a brand new beautiful daughter and (despite reading all the books) absolutely no idea what I should be doing. There is nothing quite like the hands-on challenge of learning how to be a new parent.

Eight weeks into my second pregnancy, my mother-in-law died very unexpectedly. There was nothing about that pregnancy that I enjoyed. My husband, my family, was turned upside down with grief, anger, frustration, sorrow. We were both just a few months into new jobs, and in the last two months before delivery I became very ill. Even now, nine years later, the basic emotions that stand out from those eight months are crushing depression and frustration. However, in the very second that our second daughter arrived, I received the most overwhelming joy and peace I’ve ever known. Her birth, after those terrible months, brought a brilliant radiance into our lives.

Finding out I was unexpectedly pregnant again at forty was a challenge. Even though I knew the end of this journey will bring a new sense of joy, I had to allow myself time to wistfully look at the path we were traveling and looked forward to, now being closed off. Anytime you’re forced into a life detour, there’s an adjustment period necessary to get your bearings, make a plan, and look ahead. I found myself focusing on these ideas during prayer time.

God knows what He is doing.

God knows the path He wants me on.

God’s will be done, not mine.

Very early in my pregnancy, I gave Him this baby, this pregnancy. The past eight months have not been without sorrow and emotional moments, but because I’ve surrendered myself to God’s will I’ve handled it differently.

Since my last pregnancy created so many unpleasant memories, I’ve really tried to discover and focus on little moments to appreciate and enjoy the miracle of life growing inside me. Despite the growing uncomfortableness that comes in the last three weeks, I can actually look back over the past eight months with few regrets.

A friend who became pregnant about a month before me delivered last week. Seeing the photos of her newborn made my own impending delivery suddenly very, very real. It’s hard to believe that in a few short weeks I will be cradling my own newborn. For the first time in my pregnancy I actually felt a moment of real excitement, a glimpse of that promised joy.

How to Choose? Evaluating GOP Presidential Candidates

2011-09-13T11:14:00.000-05:00

With 14 months to go before the next Presidential election, the media and pundits are in a frenzy, anxiously attempting to choose President Obama’s opponent. Republican Presidential candidate debates may be found on TV once a week, while social media is abuzz with supporters and detractors of every candidate and issue.

At this point in the political process, five months before the first primary election, I welcome the media attention on all Presidential candidates. Many argue the media failed in this regard toward then-freshman Senator Obama in 2008. Journalists Tom Brokaw and Charlie Rose discussed how they still did not know much about Obama or his beliefs just days before the 2008 election. This lack of information should be unacceptable to us as voters. Since our Presidential campaign season lasts well over a year, we should know where each candidate stands on every important issue before ever casting a single vote.

It is our job, as voters, to understand and know our candidates as well as possible before walking into the voting booth. Gov. Perry, Gov. Romney, Rep. Bachmann, and all GOP candidates probably welcome the scrutiny because withstanding it will prove each of them to be a worthy competitor and candidate in the general election against President Obama. Voters need to be able to discern who they are voting for, particularly how that person expects to lead our nation if elected.

How to Discern the Candidates

We need to be responsible in evaluating our own beliefs, ideology, values and morals, develop positions on pertinent issues, and prioritize which issues are most important toward earning our vote. Then we will be able to closely examine the truth about each candidate in relation to our top tier issues. Where does each of them stand, both on their record and in stated campaign promises. What do they believe? How does a candidate’s stance on big issues align with our own? No one candidate is going to be “perfect,” or vote “perfectly” on all my issues or values. If perfect candidates existed, and everyone agreed what “perfect” meant, there would be no need for politics or elections. So, we must know which issues are most important to each of us, individually, in what will influence our decisions for support and vote. This is an individual evaluation, decision and choice.

An important part of evaluating a candidate is to look beyond what the media or political pundits say about a candidate. We cannot just take their word for it, but must watch and listen to the candidate for ourselves. This is why it’s important to seek out articles and other items written by the individual, before they were a candidate, go through their past record of leadership, or speak to someone who lived in their state or district while they were in office.

Texas Governor

In the case of Governor Perry, Shelly and I have the benefit of having lived in this state where he has been Governor for the last eleven years. I don’t need the media or pundits to tell me how he governs or how to interpret his governance. Watching him on debates or in interviews, I recognize decisions he’s made throughout his term that I agreed or disagreed with. Now, I must decide how his total leadership as Governor, and potential leadership as President, fits in line with my top tier issues. Are his deficits, in my opinion, enough to outweigh all the things I agree with him on?

As Governor, Perry impressed me more and more over the last several years. He stood strong in his beliefs of fiscal responsibility, limited government regulations, American exceptionalism, and strong pro-life convictions. His Presidential announcement speech given in South Carolina spelled out many of the values, priorities and core beliefs he followed in governing the state of Texas. Read it for yourself to get an introduction into Rick Perry’s vision for America and a glimpse into his core beliefs.

The next step is to see where Governor Perry places on my issues list when I line him up against the other candidates. There are things I like, if not love, about each Republican candidate. But, since I do not know the other candidates as well as Governor Perry, it is an ongoing process to examine each of them, look at their records and listen to their words to see how they measure against my own top tier issues.

Thankfully, we still have many months to evaluate each of the candidates for ourselves before we walk into a voting booth. In the meantime, I will take the time to examine each candidate’s beliefs, principles and integrity as it aligns with my core beliefs and priority voting issues. As I find candidates whom I believe may be a strong leader for our great nation, I will offer them my support to help them stay in the race until election time.