Do You Know Your Bible?

Our Bible study group took this quiz this morning. I guess Jeff Cavin's Great Bible Adventure is doing it's job!

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

Hat Tip: The Curt Jester

Rebekah #2's Turn

We had three Rebekah's on the trip to DC, so we had to number them to keep down the confusion. Here is the lovely Rebekah #2, age 17:

I went with a group of thirteen teenagers and two adult chaperones. We drove to Pittsburgh, PA to stay the night at the office building of a church called St. Sebastian. The priest there was very hospitable and on fire for life. Some of my friends stayed up the entire night since they decided that going to bed at 11:00p.m. and waking up at 4:00 a.m. just wasn’t worth the five hours of sleep. *chuckle* The rest of us smart people tried to get some sleep.

The next morning, we left bleary eyed at 5:00 a.m., to get to the bus early with Mr. Aquilina leading the way. After a six-hour drive, we arrived in Washington D.C. We walked around for awhile and finally found the way we were supposed to go. After that it was easy to tell the right way because crowds were massing together. We reached the mall in front of the capitol as they were singing the National Anthem. There we listened to several speakers, including the President, via the telephone. It was awesome and encouraging to hear people tell of their love for life and what they were doing to fight for it.

While we waited for the march to start, we munched on munchies and tried to keep warm. The people in front finally started to march and everyone in our group grabbed their assigned “buddy” so as to not get separated in the mass of thousands. As I walked carrying my sign, I saw the Dominican brothers, college students, parishioners with their families and heard people praying the Hail Mary over and over again. I looked up and saw people watching us from windows and wondered what they were thinking. Did they think we were crazy? Or were they just like us?

After the march, we took a ride on the Metro to the National Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. There are not words to describe how wonderful it is. When I walked in, I wanted to cry because it was like a piece of heaven; the way all churches should be. The crypt, where we attended Mass, was no less beautiful than the main church. We finally left the basilica and made our way to the bus, which would take us back to Pittsburgh resulting in another late night.

All in all, besides the lack of sleep, which I am now catching up on, it was a life changing experience. It strengthened my resolve as a pro-lifer and my desire to do more to help the pro-life movement; but most of all, my love for God was increased through my visit to the shrine and the realization that God has a special plan for my life.

~Rebekah

Rebecca #3 Tells Her Tale

This is from Rebecca, age 17. I don't know if it's just me, but I went through the Kleenex reading this:

There is still hope. After participating four days ago in the Washington D.C. March for Life, I clearly saw that there is still hope. Hope for the innocent lives of the unborn children living in their mother's womb, hope that someday Roe will be overturned and the massacre of my generation will finally come to a close.

This was the first time I participated in the annual march through the streets of our nation's capital. I had no idea what it would be like or what to expect. I had my share of doubts. In fact, I almost did not go at all. Yes, I almost turned down the opportunity to take this trip, to stand up for what I believe in, to give a voice to those who have none, and to have a great time with close friends. Now sitting here typing this, I ask myself; "What on earth was I thinking?" For that I simply don't have an answer, this trip was something I will never forget, it is something I was so blessed to have had the ability to go to, to march in, and be apart of. It strengthened my beliefs, my resolve, and my hope that there are still good people in this world who care enough about our innocent to take the energy and the time out of their chaotic lives and defend them. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

When we arrived in D.C. late Monday morning, I was thrilled to be in the city, that in itself was "really, really cool." It is such a beautiful city. When I got off the bus and started walking around is when I began to notice the other people. As my group trudged through town, you could see more and more people. And not just the typical D.C. citizens I'd seen before, but other pro life people! Not only those of the older and wiser crowd, but other teenagers and young adults just like me! Young people who were there for the same reasons I was, to defend life and keep it sacred. Even cooler.

Just listening to all the speakers before the march taught me more about the reasons why I am pro-life, and reminded me again why the evil of abortion must end. One speaker in particular caught my attention. He spoke about how abortion is affecting different races and basically becoming another form of genocide. This is an evil I never realized. Standing out in the cold and wet with numb toes and pink ears was definitely worth it to hear what I did.

After the speeches had finally come to a close, we started the actual march in the streets. It is amazing to me to think they close down these very busy streets in our nation's capital just for us to march. That in itself says quite a bit. It sends the message that we are not just some little group of traditional religious parrots, but that we are a solid voice that will not be ignored, nor be pushed aside. As I was walking with my banner in hand, it was most definitely a very "solid" sea of people that went as far as my eyes could see. Banners everywhere, huge billboards graphically depicting just what happens to that " blob of tissue" whom remarkably resembles a human person, after a being torn from his mother's womb. People everywhere, so many people that, just to keep track of and stay with my small group of sixteen was a challenge. But it was a welcome challenge, to see so many people of so many diverse cultures all coming together for this one march, to stand up for exactly the same reason as myself, it was mind blowing.

One thing I had been wondering about before we started the march was whether we would see any "pro-choice" protesters. I thought surely we would see some. I was curious to see how vocal and how many that would turn out. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see only one woman with one sign showing her disapproval. Only one. Yes, surely there were more who I did not see, but if there are so many people that are willing to fight for their precious right to choose, then where were they? Why did I only see one person? The lack of opposing people I saw, or didn't see, at this march spoke volumes to me.

Why does it seem as if more and more the only ones who truly want a woman to have the "right" to an abortion are the ones whose pockets will be filled after they perform the procedure? Is that the voice of our young women? Why is it that pregnant women are often pressured into considering and having abortions because they are told it is the their only real option? Their only true or humane "choice"? In my opinion, there are not nearly as many people who love their right to choose as much as some large abortion industries do, and would like us to believe. Sometimes it's overwhelmingly depressing, to think we have lost so many already, and how on earth can we hope to overcome this great evil that makes so much money every year?

But after participating in this March for Life, my hope is renewed that we can defeat this monster that has stolen 1/3 of my generation, killed my friends and other amazing people that I will now never know. But we will not stand for it forever. Seeing all the young people there, just like me, made me realize that, like my brother said, someday, soon and very soon; "There won't be a next year."

I would like to thank the people who made this hope-inspiring trip possible for me. First thank you to every single person who I will never know of whom have given all of us this opportunity. Thank you to Dr. Donnelly for all he did for me that I am sure I'm not even fully aware of. Thank you to Mr. Aquilina, for all he did for our group, including finding us a great place to sleep. Thank you to the St. Sebastian's parish who allowed us to use their building. Thanks to our "tour guide" Michael, for sticking with us all day and even the night before. A special thank you to Mr. Stenske and Mrs. Wittmann, who gave so much to all of us. Whether it was driving a full sized van through snow and ice to get us there, dealing with our loud music, or just our crazy teenage terror in general, I thank you both for all you sacrificed to get us there and back again. Especially Mrs. Wittmann, who is such an extraordinary example of all a homeschooling mother can be, and if it were not for her and and her children, I wouldn't have gone.

Also thank you to my own parents for allowing me to go on this trip, and thank you again to my mother for choosing to give me life.

God bless
~Rebecca

Super Bowl Party Recipes

In between posting teen's reports on the March for Life, I'm uploading Super Bowl Party recipes over at the Thrifty Homeschooler Blog. If you're looking for something easy and yumcious for your weekend party, check periodically throughout the week. Or, if you have a favorite to share, just leave it in the comments here and I'll post it.

Michael On Overturning Roe

This is from Michael, age 17. Again, another guy who gets right to the point and inspires. Michael has been going to the March for ten years now (since he was seven - wow!) and was very helpful showing us how to get around DC.

This year I went on the March for Life in Washington, DC, and it was amazing!

I think my favorite part was seeing the diversity of the people who were there: both men and women, of all ages and races and religions, from all over the United States! It was really amazing to see all these people and know that they all came to Washington, DC on a Monday morning in January to protest the killing of more than a million babies every year.

And what's even more amazing is that the thousands of people who were there were just a tiny number of the millions of pro-life Americans out there - it really gives you hope that, with the support of so many people, our abortion laws will change for the better.

The March for Life was great and I hope to come back next year, but hopefully instead of a protest, this time it'll be to celebrate the overturning of Roe vs. Wade!

Updating and Labels

I've updated to the new Blogger and I'm busy adding labels. It'll take a few days I imagine. In the meantime, if you're looking for blog entries on the March, I've got all those labels entered. Just scroll down the sidebar a tad and you'll see the Labels header.

It's a nice feature that allows you to view only posts on a certain topic.

Christian Challenges You to March

This is from Christian, age 17. There is great hope in today's youth:

On January 22nd, 1973, abortion was legalized. Since that date, the body count of murdered pre-born babies has passed 39 million - 1,200,000 every year in the U.S. alone.

The ideology of the secular world is that abortions should be safe and few. Few, not because it is evil. On the contrary, they see it as a benefit to society and a gift to women. It is because they expect other means against procreation will be perfected.

Abortions are not few; they are not safe; furthermore, they are not justifiable. The facts are: abortion is brutal, it is messy, and it is painful both physically and emotionally, so much so it is traumatic. It violently kills millions of babies all against their own will (after all, what innocent little child would ever choose to die?) and kills millions of mothers inside. Abortion is murder. Abortion is cruel.

Many people understand this, and are angered by the sick ideology of our secular world. That is why on January 22nd of every year, well over 100,000 people gather at our nation’s capital for the March for Life. Every year these people gather together to give a voice to the millions of innocent victims who have none. These people, mostly young people, pray, protest, and march so that this modern day holocaust may someday end.

I wanted to be a part of this demonstration so I went and I marched; I want to see an end to this age of darkness, an end to where violence on such a monstrous scale is embraced by our government and integrated into our very society. I challenge every person who is sickened by the heinous sin of abortion to do the same.

Excerpt from Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate
Dictionary (1967):
Abortion: 1: The expulsion of a nonviable fetus: a: spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation. b: illegal abortion. 2: MONSTROSITY. (emphasis in original)

Christian is in the back row on your left.

Caleb Says It All

Caleb, 13, is a man of few words and gets right to the point. What a great kid - wow!

I thought the March for Life was an awesome experience. The speeches were fiery and amazing. It was the biggest event I have ever been to and it really changed my life. The event made me feel like I was part of history. Despite being really cold that day, my soul felt like it was on fire. It was shocking to see so many graphic pictures.

The national cathedral was huge and majestic. The paintings were amazing and the pillars were gigantic. The crypt was more like a cathedral instead of a basement.

Overall I think the March was successful. I had a lot of fun, and I encourage you to go to the March for Life some year.

Caleb

PS That's Caleb on the right, at Franciscan University's chapel where we stopped on the way home.

Jake's Take

(When Super Boy, age 4, saw this picture, he exclaimed, "Look! It's God's finger!")

Here's Jake's report on the March for Life trip. Jake is 16.

"We'll sacrifice our young with our eyes sewn shut now the light can't shine we'll never wake from dead...."

I went to The March For Life 2007 and had a great time. What do you get when you put fourteen caffeine-crazed teens and two parents together to go to the March For Life? A REALLY great time!

It was a long ride down to Pittsburgh in two vans but we made it, all in one piece may I add. The roads were very wet, icy, and slippery. We stayed in a church office/house for the night at St. Sebastian’s. Pizza was picked up, card games started, and music blasting. It wasn't out of control, the parents kept us from disturbing the dead. That night, none of the guys got much sleep due to two funny little people dancing somewhere upstairs all night. The next morning we woke up at four and got ready for a long bus ride and a March For Life. We were the first group on the bus so we all got to sit together in the back.

Stopping for breakfast at McDonald’s, I went on a mission to find Chapstick with my friend Austin. A nearby gas station held the fruits of our search. Victorious in our adventure we got back on the bus to go on a real adventure. The bus arrived in DC and we tromped out into the cold air staring at the Washington Monument. Pictures were taken and off we went in a search for the March.

“What a group of crazies” is what I thought when I heard the speaker/yeller yelling to a crowd of pro-lifers about how abortion was evil. Well, not all of the speakers yelled to us but there was enough of 'em. After the speakers were done doing what they did best, we set off to inspire people to choose life and to stop abortion.

The huge masses of people started moving, slowly. The March wasn't too long but long enough to make a difference. It was an amazing experience to see how many people stood for Life. We left the March at the end to get a ride on the metro to the Basilica. The place was huge. That’s all I know about it, because when we got in I sat down. I was so tired. We went downstairs to the crypt and participated in Mass, then left to go back to Pittsburgh. The bus stopped once for dinner and once in Pittsburgh for the end of the day. Not many card games were played that night, we were all too tired.

The next day we left around nine, ate breakfast, and on the way home we visited Steuby! We ate lunch there, visited the bookstore, and celebrated mass again.

The whole trip was amazing. It was really cool to see all the people standing up for life. I would definitely go again to fight the battle for life and pray for aborted babies.

The Companion Reviewed

Love 2 Learn has a review of The Catholic Homeschool Companion at their website. Click Here.

Mary's Turn

From Mary, almost 15:

The March for Life was on January 22nd and an awesome way to show the world that people still care about the unborn.

We got to Washington, DC around 11 and headed right to where the speakers were talking. Even though we had to listen to them in the frigid cold for an hour or two they still said some pretty inspiring things, that is if you listened hard enough and stopped looking at all the people around you and reading the signs.

When we finally got to march we were only able to take baby steps because of the crowd but eventually we spread out and really got to March for Life. Luckily, no one got separated in the sea of people but that was mostly because of the ingenious buddy system and the banners we were holding. We got to finish the March off with going to Mass in the crypt of the Basilica.

It all turned out to be an awesome experience and sharing it with friends made it even better. And even though I hope there will be no need for a next year, I sure hope I'll be able to march for something I truly believe in. LIFE!

God Bless,
Mary

Silent No More

(I didn't take this picture. It's from the Silent No More website.)

I think the bravest group at the March for Life was the Silent No More crowd. It takes a lot to stand before tens of thousands of people holding signs that read, "I Regret My Abortion."

These women get flack from both sides, pro-life and pro-abort, but they don't let that silence them. It's so important for us to hear their stories.

I didn't get to witness it personally, but 50 of them, men and women, stood on the steps of the Supreme Court and gave their testimony one by one. I'm told that about 100 anti-life protesters tried to shout them down, yelling all kinds of horrible things, but these brave souls stood firm.

God bless them!

Thank You St. Sebastian's

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank St. Sebastian's Catholic Church for making room at the inn for us weary travelers. It's not a little thing to make space for 16 people to sleep. (Well, what little bit we did sleep. Excited teenagers, in case you didn't know, can stay up ALL night.) The lives of the employees were disrupted a bit by bodies all over the floor when they came to work Tuesday morning, and I appreciate their kindness.

I'd like to especially thank Fr. Jim who made it happen. We only got to spend a 1/2 hour with him, late Sunday night, but it was so easy to see what a wonderful priest he is. The kids opened right up to him. I imagine the youth of his parish love him.

An interesting aside, Father worked in a hospital before he became a priest. He shared with the teens stories of the moral dilemmas he ran into regarding abortion. It really helped them understand the everyday reality of abortion. It was very good for them to hear.

Catherine's Report

This is from Catherine, almost 14. Whoda ever thunk a child of 13 could be so wise . . .

The March for Life was held this week, on Monday, January 22nd. I was privileged enough to be able to experience this powerful eye-opener with friends and total strangers, who were there for the same reason as me.

Trying my best to listen to the speakers, and at the same time, holding my coat as close to me as possible to stay warm, I took the chance to look at all the banners people were holding up—the names of their church, state, or school/university. I was amazed to see how many people from around the USA had come to support such a noble cause, and in January of all times. Even though, I thought at the time, I was sure all the people around me, particularly all the teenagers and young adults, had different opinions on a lot of subjects that I have different views on, just looking around me gave me such a happiness to realize that my friends and I were not the only teenagers who had the same strong opinions about the murder of an innocent baby before it comes out of its mother’s womb.

Not only is the March for Life an event where people can shout out to the world that abortion is evil, but also an event where all pro-lifers can come to grips about how many other people are disgusted about the fact that around 4,000 times a day, an innocent human life is ended. I think we all know that we are not alone in this fight but, in this time and age, it is hard to grasp it when the media is telling us that we are just some small, obnoxious group that has no right to say that a mother doesn’t have a right to abort her unwanted child.

When the speakers were done with their speeches, and whether people were ready for it or not, we all started marching. Holding up my pro-life sign, I took a brief second to look around me, and it was just incredible to see how many people were in line for the March. I couldn’t take it all in too long, fearing I might get run over, but it was enough to get me pumped to walk in the cold for as long as it took.

During the March, I looked over and my jaw dropped to see three people on the side of the road, holding a sign saying that they were from France. There was a sentence in French, and then another one that, I am assuming, was the French sentence translated into English. Then it hit me: Americans aren’t the only ones who are under this attack. I kept on looking behind me and glancing at them with a huge smile, amazed that they had come, until I realized that there was a big possibility I might trip over someone in front of me.

What I learned the most, it seems, is that there is still hope. The people at the March were just a small percentage of pro-lifers. Think about this: The March is in January, on a Monday, in Washington, D.C.

I am just lucky enough to be homeschooled and have friends who have the most awesome mother, and friends who have the most awesome father. I really want to thank these awesome parents: Mrs. Wittmann and Mr. Stenske. They dedicated their time to take a bunch of rambunctious, crazy teenagers all the way from Michigan to D.C., including all the stops in-between. Through all the planning, commotion, sickness, wrong turns, loud music, lack of sleep, and whims, they still stuck with us, and didn’t dump us on the side of the road in some abandoned town. This is why I really can’t say that this fight is only for the next generation—my generation—, because people like Mrs. Wittmann and Mr. Stenske are there to push us along the way, or literally speaking, drive us there. Thank you Mrs. Wittmann and Mr. Stenske!

Also thank you to: Mr. Aquilina, for finding us a place to sleep; to St. Sebastian’s Church for letting fourteen teenagers and two adults stay in their building; to our friends who provided the bus, and for having such a low price to ride on it; to the person in the dark van, whomever he was, who stopped and took time to ask if we were lost, and to direct us to the church’s building; to the people at Franciscan University in Steubenville, who were so kind and helpful to us. And finally, thank you to all my friends who came with me, for sticking with me, even when I was tired and delirious.

I also want to thank my parents for letting me go in the first place. It was truly an awesome experience, and I am proud to say that, yes, I am pro-life, and I always will be.

God Bless,
Catherine

Homeschooling With a Newborn

My new column is up over at Catholic Exchange:

Homeschooling and Preparing for a New Baby

I am not one of those superhomeschoolers. I don't raise my own beef, my children didn't build our house from scratch using how-to books borrowed from the library, and there is no way I can even consider homeschooling anytime soon after the delivery of a baby....

No More Marches!

Due to a broken foot, there was a teen who couldn't come with us. When he was seeing us off on Sunday I said to him, "You'll get to come with us next year." He replied, "There won't be a next year!"

What an awesome attitude! This is why we need youth in this movement: They have hope that Roe will be overturned soon, very soon.

Famous Authors on the March

Here's a snapshot of Mike Aquilina at 5:30 AM, waiting for everyone to get on the bus for DC.

Thanks Mike and Brian for organizing our bus from PA!

Paul and the March

I asked the teens to write a few paragraphs for me on their March experience. I'll be posting them over the next several days. Here is the first, from Paul, age 17:

I just got home from the March For Life in Washington, DC. It was an amazing trip. On one hand it was wonderful, and on the other it was very saddening. It was saddening because I finally started to realize what a horrible holocaust has been going on in this country for the last thirty some years, and I realized it on not just a local scale but on a national one too. But it was also wonderful to see thousands of people meet on a cold wet day for such a great cause. All it takes is one good person to change the world, and on Monday I saw thousands. My goal for this trip was to come home a little stronger and wiser person than when I left, and I have done just that.

I also have been able to understand my friends a little more, been able to talk to them about their beliefs and opinions. I got to hang out in a very comfortable setting with some wonderful people. The only thing that could have made this trip better is if we all could have gotten a few more hours sleep. :-)

I want to thank Mrs. Wittmann, Mr. Stenske, Mr. Aquilina, Dr. Donnelly, Fr. Jim, and all you people who had to put up with me for three days, I hope you enjoyed me as much as I enjoyed you.

I pray to God there isn't a next year, but if there is I'll be there with a banner in one hand and a friend in the other.

God Bless!
-Paul

Homeschoolers for Life

More homeschoolers at the March : Cause of Our Joy

Teens and Young Twenty Somethings

One thing that really struck me at the March was the number of young people. My guestimate is that a good half of the marchers were high school or college age.

One thing I hear, over and over again, from those outside the prolife community is how the prolife movement is driven by old white males. That has never been my personal experience and Monday's March For Life demonstrated to me that my experience is more than correct. In fact, I saw very few old white guys.

This has become a young person's movement. They're motivated by the fact that 1/3 of their own generation has been wiped out by genocide in the womb. It's not my generation being killed, it's theirs.