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The Sky is Falling...Deja Vu?

I shared recently about how it feels to see old friends and colleagues falling into environmental hysteria; it's as if they imagine ours is the first generation to ever consider the planet doomed.  I was reminded of this today when I read a bumper sticker that announced something along the lines that all endeavors will fail until population is reduced.  On the back of an expensive car, it seems to say I can live and enjoy what life has to offer, but no one can come after me!

Let's take a deep breath, sip some herbal tea (preferably from London's Twinings), and review some basic facts, folks.  First, in terms of fervent religious predictions concerning the pinpointing of end times, there's no shortage.  A particularly great reminder of this fact is a page dedicated to Apocalyptic predictions.  (People have a way of forgetting about Matthew 24:36 and profoundly misunderstand the book of Revelation.  (Great resources on Revelation and the Catholic understanding of end-times and the Second Coming by the way, are Revelation: A Divine Message of Hope by Father Bruce Vawter, C.M., The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn, and my friend Carl Olson's great book entitled Will Catholics be Left Behind.)

Second, in terms of fairly recent predictions of environmental catastrophe we also have an abundant supply of death and destruction at our fingertips.  Who, for instance, can forget the misguided and inaccurate predictions of Paul Ehrlich's Population Bomb?  If you're reading this, you yourself are proof of his errors and gross overstatement.  A particularly great list of these predictions is found here on the AEI site, and Fox News also has an entertaining contribution on this topic. 

We as Christians should rightly consider ourselves stewards for the world we have been gifted, but let's remember our priorities as well as the historical context of these kinds of pronouncements.  Where do we draw the line, after all, between environmental stewardship and a sort of secular faith--full of the same kind of fervency and passion displayed in other denominations?  Here's part of how I explained this distinction in "Caring for Creation" published on Catholic 365.  (I am concluding with this large excerpt from my article.)


The more ardent supporters of the Green Movement hold a belief that the human race is something like a virus invading and damaging its host: our planet. While this view may be entertaining within a science fiction novel, it can prove dangerous in real life. For one thing, its adherents fail to recognize the obvious: they themselves are as much a part of the planet as any animal or plant. It’s also ironic, given that they tend to hold atheistic or agnostic spiritual views, that they claim to know what’s best for the world. That is, if there is no God or transcendent meaning within the universe, from what wellspring is their moral authority drawn? As a relative of mine pointed out, “if meaningless motions of particles explain my actions, then whether I create a strip-mine, or a garden, or protect a wilderness, these actions are all morally equal, and equally natural.” Their perspective also leads to a distorted view of creation and our place within it. In particular, it encourages the destruction of the unborn in favor of the environment.

We’ve all probably heard the estimated “carbon footprint” or the highly questionable monetary costs associated with raising children. Remember Paul Ehrlich’s misguided ramblings in the Population Bomb from 1968? Paul’s fans are apparently alive and well in Australia. An article appearing in a 2007 issue of the Medical Journal of Australia, for instance, proposed a hefty carbon tax for the parents of newborns. There were, of course, financial incentives for those choosing contraceptive measures. For many of the Green Movement, a child seems worth less than a pile of ash.

A particularly good piece of common ground in this discussion, however, can be found in the way we choose to treat other living beings. As Deacon Keith Fournier wisely observed in his June 2010 article concerning environmentalism, which appeared in Catholic Online, there is nothing new about being “green” for Catholics. Responsible stewardship, when correctly understood, is a duty clearly conveyed to us in both the Old and New Testaments. This is especially true concerning the treatment of animals. Who can forget Balaam’s reproachful donkey in the book of Numbers, for example? As a children’s writer who employs animal characters and as a person with a love of animals, the call to treat them with kindness rings particularly strong. As Saint Francis reminds us, “If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”

If we are to become good stewards of creation, honoring creation because it is such a profound gift of our Creator, we should care about the complexities exposed within this debate. A good place to begin to enhance our understanding is the letter written by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on New Year’s Day 2010, on the occasion of the Celebration of the World Day of Peace. Below are some of our Holy Father’s concluding observations from “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.” ...If the Church’s magisterium expresses grave misgivings about notions of the environment inspired by ecocentrism and biocentrism, it is because such notions eliminate the difference of identity and worth between the human person and other living things. In the name of a supposedly egalitarian vision of the “dignity” of all living creatures, such notions end up abolishing the distinctiveness and superior role of human beings. They also open the way to a new pantheism tinged with neo-paganism, which would see the source of man’s salvation in nature alone, understood in purely naturalistic terms. The Church, for her part, is concerned that the question be approached in a balanced way, with respect for the “grammar” which the Creator has inscribed in his handiwork, by giving man the role of a steward and administrator with responsibility over creation, a role which man must certainly not abuse, but also one which he may not abdicate.

As we read in 1 Corinthians 10:31, this matter really comes down to “whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” If our heart and mind are directed to Him, we will become the workers and stewards He created us to be, striving for a balance between the environmental concerns and God. If the environmental message du jour quietly replaces the words of Christ in our churches or homes, we are called to act decisively, tearing down these modern idols like Moses destroyed the gold calf raised by the Israelites in the desert. Reflecting quietly upon the beauty and majesty of nature points to a Creator who clearly cares deeply for us. We should endeavor, then, to offer thanks to Him, as we strive to be good stewards of all the life He has created.

A Conversation with Professor Meg Roland on Sounds and Words

Professor Meg Roland visits Sounds and Words today from Concordia University.  She is also a former professor and academic advisor of mine from (now closed) Marylhurst University--not to mention an incredible guide across London and Rome in the fall of 2017!

Today's episode focuses upon the myth and truth associated with legendary King Arthur and the noble knights of Camelot.  It touches on some of the literary and historical records supporting that King Arthur may indeed have lived in some form--perhaps an amalgamation of different British kings of old.  She also explores the continuing fascination with these legends and why they touch our imaginations so deeply.  

Due to difficulties with Meg Roland's computer, Zoom conferencing was not used today; the audio is not perfect.  (It's possible we may re-record this segment due to the audio.)

A Conversation with Carl Olson on Sounds and Words

Today's podcast features author, lecturer, and Ignatius Press editor Carl E. Olson.  Raised in a Protestant family where Catholicism was not looked kindly upon, Carl's experiences in college soon opened his young mind to the true identity of the Catholic Church.  Since his coming home to the Church in the 1990s, he has written a number of marvelous books on faith and Catholic apologetics such as Will Catholics be Left Behind, The DaVinci Hoax, and Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead? .

This latest podcast explores both Will Catholics be Left Behind as well as his newest collection of scholarly essays on the fascinating topic of theosis entitled Called to be the Children of God: The Catholic Theology of Deification.  This episode begins with a discussion of his coming home to the Catholic Church as well as his reflections upon Bishop Robert Barron's Letter to a Suffering Church.  It also explores a recent controversial statement made by Pope Francis.

Carl Olson and family currently reside in Eugene, Oregon.  (We're only an hour apart.)  He is excited to be preparing a move to the Oregon countryside for a little more elbow room.

I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did recording it!

A Conversation with Amanda Almodovar, Musician and Playwright

Amanda Almodovar is the wearer of many hats. By day she's a clinical social worker, but in her free time this Catholic mother of three loves writing plays and composing music. Today's podcast explores everything from the nature of that creative spark of inspiration to the unique role of the Christian artist. A wonderful account was also shared of the significance of Saint Hildegard of Bingen to Amanda's own rich spiritual and creative life.

About Amanda Almodovar

Amanda Almo-dovar is a bilingual, licensed clinical social work associate by profession, with a passion for writing plays and music. She is an active member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Producers; the Dramatists Guild of America; the North Carolina Women’s Theatre Festival; the Greensboro Playwrights’ Forum; and the Catholic Writers Guild. She has written and produced several original short plays at Studio 1 in Burlington, NC and the Steven Hyers Theatre in Greensboro, NC. She served as musical director for her original full-length musical “The Adventures of Pink and Purple” in spring 2019 with festival and main stage showings in Burlington, High Point and Raleigh, NC. Her monologue “Sara’s Dress” will be featured in fall 2019 as part of “Illuminated Dresses” presented at the Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh, NC. A mother of three school-aged children, she lives in central North Carolina with her husband and rescue beagle.

BEAT the HEAT Giveaway

How would you like to win one of (4) $100 Amazon eGift Cards?! Here's your chance from the #1 site for #Reader #Giveaways: The Kindle Book Review. Just click the link and enter the BEAT the HEAT Giveaway. It's easy & fun. 

If you love #reading, enter now; giveaway ends June 30, 2019. 

(Early cover art design)

Margaret Reveira's Interview on Sounds and Words

In today's latest podcast interview, we talk to Catholic writer Margaret Reveira, whose spiritual journey is beautifully conveyed in Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, & Testimonies. We discuss her personal story of faith and what it means to live a life for Christ. How does one's life reflect the light of Christ in the secular workplace? What set the Catholic Church apart from other churches when Margaret was endeavoring to search for a new church home? What does it mean to be spiritually fed? These questions and more are covered in today's broadcast.

Listen HERE or on iTunes!

A Conversation with Joseph Pearce on Sounds and Words

In this interview of Joseph Pearce on Sounds and Words, we spend the first part of the podcast discussing C.S. Lewis' conversion from atheism to theism, then finally to Christianity (with the help of J.R.R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson). Of course, we also talk a great deal about his splendid book C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church.  In the course of the conversation we also explore the marvelous fiction of Lewis and Tolkien, as well as their associated motion pictures. In the podcast's second half, we take a close look at Joseph Pearce's poetry. He also graces listeners with a reading of several works from Divining Divinity, A Book of Poems.

About Joseph Pearce 

A native of England, Joseph Pearce is Director of Book Publishing at the Augustine Institute, and editor of the St. Austin Review, editor of Faith & Culture, series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions, senior instructor with Homeschool Connections, and senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative. His personal website is found at jpearce.co.

The internationally acclaimed author of many books, which include bestsellers such as The Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde,C. S. Lewis and The Catholic Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile and Old Thunder:  A Life of Hilaire Belloc, Joseph Pearce is a world-recognized biographer of modern Christian literary figures.  Hisbooks have been published and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Croatianand Polish.

 

Pearce has hosted two 13-part television series about Shakespeare on EWTN, and has also written and presented documentaries on EWTN on the Catholicism of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He has participated and lectured at a wide variety of international and literary events at major colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Europe, Africa and South America.


Behind this Podcast

There's nothing quite like doing a podcast from home.  Sometimes things don't always go according to plan, though, and that was actually one of the themes of this particular interview.  Have you ever listened to PDQ Bach on the Air?  Well, let's just say a few things went very wrong pretty quickly in this little audio adventure.  When my Garage Band software application first mysteriously stopped recording shortly after the interview began, I should have realized that it was "Houston, we have a problem" moment, but we persevered.  Frantically, hitting the record button every so often was a unique way to way to do the podcast, after all.  

Of course, that wasn't the only little technical issue.  Making sure that I had turned the ringer off on my phone next to my (not so) trusty iMac, I was somewhat surprised when it loudly rang in my ear.  After throwing the phone a short distance, I detected a dreaded sound outside my office door.  Unknown to Joseph Pearce on the other side of the line (sitting somewhere in a nice, quiet, and tranquil university office, I imagine), our part Siamese cat named Dante had decided it was high time to open this particular door for a routine inspection.  As soon as that characteristic door handle swat began, I was up and managed to lock said door before the cat and his ever-watchful Newfoundland companion (named Chesterton, of course) could enter my man cave.  It's not that I don't appreciate animals, you see, but having Dante and Chesterton in the same small room...would be nearly as distracting as having Dante and G.K. Chesterton in the same small room.  Less cigar smoke perhaps...

Just when things began to seem ready to calm down slightly, Zoom, the meeting software I was depending upon to speak with Mr. Pearce across much of the continental United States, stopped zooming altogether.  It didn't just slow its zoom; its zoom was there one moment and mysteriously gone the next.  About the same time, my iPhone began to signal an exciting new text message.  It's possible my particular reply was not the kindest or gentlest thing I've ever texted (during a podcast, at least).  

In the end, though, we made it through successfully.  I must also add that Joseph Pearce could not have been more kind, gracious, and patient.  

After I finished repairing my recorded audio, I was thankful to have only lost about 5% of the interview.  Unfortunately, however, this does include the first question, which was to have been "Given Lewis' Irish upbringing, what do you believe his early impressions or feelings were about Catholicism?"  

Suffice to say that Joseph Pearce's response was insightful and brilliant--and altogether lost.  The good news?  Even though it may have begun in "medias res," I think the podcast remains an outstanding conversation that explored C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Pearce's own wonderful and insightful poetry.  

PS.  I think I also solved the mystery of my errors on both Garage Band (using audio files like repeatedly used Word templates) and the Zoom problem, which was likely caused by limiting the meeting schedule to an hour.  This being the case, I'm sure Joseph is ready for Part 3 of our audio adventure...  Joseph?  Joseph?  Can you hear me now?

A Conversation with Nancy Ward

Today's guest on Sounds and Words is Nancy Ward, the author of Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story. discusses evangelization and renewal. In this, she is drawing from her own background that highlights God's guiding hand: gently drawing her from a Protestant tradition home to the Catholic Church. The value of spiritual journaling is also explained, and examples of its spiritual and emotional value are shared, identifying a potentially powerful new tool for believers. Nancy Ward's story illustrates the need for Christians to be ready at a moment's notice to give an account of their faith. (1 Peter 3:15)

For readers of Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story, don't forget to read my family's own story of our journey across the Tiber on page 179. "Come in, brother, the water's fine!"

The link in the opening sentence of this post will take you to the podcast hosted by Podcasts.com.  It should also be available on iTunes later this evening. 

Nancy Ward

nancyhcward@verizon.net

NancyHCWard.com

JoyAlive.net


Facebook.com/Nancy HC Ward

Twitter.com/@NancyHCWard

LinkedIn.com/Nancy HC Ward

Sounds and Words, a Podcast with a Difference

Excited to announce the arrival of my brand new podcast: Sounds and Words, a Podcast with a Difference!  I hope you can drop by and check it out soon.  While the focus will be the intersection of the faith and the arts, it also will focus on other topics of interest.  More information available on my website in the way of background, introduction, and goals.

I'd love to hear what you think. 

Beware Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

The following is adapted from a newsletter feature I do at my office, and I decided to share on my blog.

Last month, I shared some information about the Federal Student Aid’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which might be a great tool to consider if you’re planning on returning to school. After learning additional facts and details, I wanted to suggest that readers proceed with a healthy dose of caution when exploring this option to finance their continuing education. For example, if you have Parent Plus Loans—federal loans for your adult children--the program is likely not going to be particularly helpful. The degree of assistance it might provide may also be largely contingent upon your family’s current financial situation. Before planning on using this benefit, crunch the numbers yourself to make sure that the program is worth your time and effort. You might also seek out a certified financial planner. 

If you’re not careful, the high interest rates of the Federal Student Loan servicer—e.g. Nelnet--can quickly offset any potential savings benefit. You may even be surprised to find much better options at your own bank or local credit union.  For instance, we successfully leveraged our home equity to refinance our mortgage and entirely payoff those annoying federal student loans.

UPDATE: CBS NEWS STORY

In case it's of any help, I am also offering you the e-mail address to a Jeffrey Noordhoek, one of Nelnet's Board of Directors. You can find his profile information here.

A Review of the English Tea Store...by a British Tea Snob

I have a confession to make...  Ever since I visited London and Rome in the fall of 2017 as part of a study abroad program, I have grown a real lack of patience with the domestic teas readily available in the USA.  Having tried Twinings UK tea, I realized what a significant difference there is between what goes for tea here as opposed to there.  Take one of my favorite flavors of Twinings: Lady Grey.  If you compare the USA Lady Grey to the UK's Lady Grey, you notice immediately how much more bold and rich the UK tea's flavor is. In contrast, Twinings USA Lady Grey tastes more like ordinary grocery store tea--weak and lacking in those fragrant notes.

When I returned to the USA from across the pond, I learned that I could still buy great tea from Twinings UK, but the shipping was expensive and buying in pounds is not my preferred way to go online (even if my credit card thankfully doesn't charge foreign transaction fees).  Sometimes the packages would also arrive in pretty beat up condition, as if they had to be carefully snuck past the Red Coats in the dead of night by a one-eyed smuggler named Jack.  But I digress.

I could keep buying tea from Twinings UK, or I could consider driving to Portland for the some very good tea options, but it's sure simpler to find reliable online options that are faster and less expensive.  One such viable option is the English Tea Store.  It's not perfect, but it carries some great teas.  So far, I have ordered Twinings UK teas from them as well as some of their house blends.  The fact that they even have Keurig teas is a definite added bonus.  As long as one remembers not to use too much hot water and appropriate steeping time is allowed, I've been pleasantly surprised with the quality of their house blends.  I'd particularly recommend their Assam and Irish Breakfast teas.  The Assam is very similar to Twinings UK blend of the same name, and it is probably about as close as a cup of tea can truly come to an excellent cup of coffee: rich, bold, and dark.

So, what's the downside to the English Tea Store?  Here's a hint...

Over the course of a couple weeks, I had a few questions for the English Tea Store, but they were harder to reach than a one-eyed smuggler named Jack.  I tried reaching out via both e-mail and Twitter, but they never made any reply.   Compare that to the nearly immediate replies to any question from Twinings UK Tea, as seen below.  Clearly, Twinings UK has a much more professional approach to customer service.  That said, unless Twinings UK makes their high quality teas more readily available in the states, I'll probably stick with the English Tea Store for now.  Hope you can check them out too!

Hi there! We're expecting this to be back in stock very soon. If you enter your email address on our website & click the "Notify Me When In Stock" button, we'll send you a update as soon as it becomes available: https://t.co/8hs329uDsM Hope this helps! :)

— Twinings Tea (@TwiningsTeaUK) January 18, 2019

**UPDATE**

5% off your next order! Tea Bags Loose Leaf Teapots Accessories British Food Candy Twinings Variety Pack Tea K-Cups - 10 count    VERY GOOD. Assam Tea - Tea Bags Package Size: 25 Teabag Pouch  EXCELLENT. Irish Breakfast Tea - Tea Bags Package Size: 25 Teabag Pouch  EXCELLENT.            Highlander Blend Tea - Tea Bags Package Size: 5 Teabag Sampler  VERY GOOD. Variety Tea Sampler - 5 Tea Bags of 8 Delicious Different Flavor Teas VERY GOOD.  CURRANT TEA IS REMARKABLE.

Top Five Reminders About Kindle Formatting

Formatting eBooks can be a pain in the backside.  Here are some quick pointers for doing it right the first time.

1.  Don't double space after periods.  Use Find/Replace to correct this throughout your document.

2.  Select paragraph option from the top of the Word menu.  Delete paragraph symbols showing between paragraphs.

3.  Open the Normal stye pane in Word on the top right.  (You may wish to proceed a chapter at a time at this point.)  The settings are alignment - left, body text, and the rest are all at 0 values.

4.  Under Special, make first line 0.2, and enter line spacing at 1.5.

5.  Do a spell check again for your entire document.  Check for spacing errors, and be sure to use the Kindle preview option to see what your final document looks like.