Safe Haven

Time for another list, and so: The Five Creepiest (no offense) Aspects of the Rosary/Mariology For Sympathetic, But Questioning Protestants: 5. The Rosary's length and repetition. [Protestant Slogan: "Liturgy is Bad." And, "Anyone Who Prays The Same Thing Twice Is Up To Something."] 4. The Apostle's Creed. Apparently, even the US Catholic Bishops don't like "he descended into Hell" which has become "he descended to the dead." [Even the Reformed are generally comfortable with it, though we don't mean what we say when we say it.] 3. "Hail Mary, full of grace." Aside from this first line, everything else is objectively true and right from Scripture, mostly the words of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. (Naturally, one first must be comfortable talking with Mary and the other saints.) [Snark Alert: Has anyone ever pictured John as a Southern, American, suit-wearing, non-drinking, non-dancing Baptist while reading th...

Yesterday, my boy MDL had his 32nd birthday. Happy birthday, Chief. The same day as a girl from the early days of college that I've never gotten over. I might feel a tinge of sadness when she gets married, but most likely, I'll feel relief. We never actually dated or anything, but fellas, you know how it is. The feelings were nearly out of control. If I thought I had anything to offer her, I'd call her up right now. But it seems this will just be a wound I have to carry around. She's not the only girl I've felt things for, but she's the kind of woman you remember. I feel this one deeper precisely because no one (apparently) is loving her. I hate that. When people get married, you let go of things. It's not so bad. But when the fair maidens remain maidens year after year, and often lament their state, even a confident man starts to doubt himself. You do what they do: you start to wonder if there's something wrong with you. Neither is it hard to imagine on...