Books for Lent and Beyond...

I grew up in a single parent household as a latchkey kid. And while I learned a great deal about self-sufficiency, I did not learn the finer domestic arts outside of basic survival skills.⁣⁣ When I married at 19, I could make a passable tuna noodle casserole, I knew how to run a washing machine, and could heat anything up in a microwave…⁣⁣
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But I also used dish soap in the dishwasher (have you done this?? It’s very cool and even more alarming to see an entire kitchen covered in several feet of bubbles)…⁣⁣
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And I once used furniture polish to make my wood floors shiny (do NOT do this if you wish to remain upright as you traverse your hallways).⁣⁣
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I’m now 45 and I still feel mildly teenage when undertaking domestic tasks, mothering, and general womanly skills. But I have improved with some help…⁣⁣
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Years ago, I stumbled upon the indomitable Leila Lawler whose writing not only entertained me but also mentored me. Her blog “Like Mother, Like Daughter” was both encouraging and challenging.⁣⁣
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I happily sat at her feet and underwent something of a domestic transformation that took me from “I really stink at this” to…⁣⁣ “Woah… my vocation is beautiful. I can’t believe I get to do this. Tell me more!”⁣⁣
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When Sophia Institute Press put her joyful wisdom into a set of books (!!!) called The Summa Domestica, I knew it was bound for my legacy bookshelf, the collection of information I wanted to bequeath to children.⁣
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I have Catholic books on birth, child rearing, homeschooling, and health (one which I wrote myself to fill a gap). But this set was missing. And now it’s not.⁣⁣
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Another gem this season from Sophia is the Lenten Cookbook from Scott Hahn. Dr. Hahn’s writing has played a significant role in the formation of my household… it only makes sense that this beautiful book should grace our shelves as well.⁣⁣
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It’s not just recipes, but rich content on the importance of fasting and the observance of the Lenten season.⁣⁣
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If you are already a domestic diva, you will still enjoy Leila’s wisdom and Dr. Hahn’s insights. Two of my favorite Catholic authors with rubber-meets-the-road guidance for your Ecclesia Domestica. 🌸 Enjoy!

Of risk-taking and milestones...

When I declined a contract from my first-choice publisher for this book, I felt a little crazy. Crazy but confident. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have had the moxie to walk away from an offer in order to keep my message intact. I would have assumed that someone else (anyone else) knew better.⁣
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All I had to do was to cut out this and that and the contract would be mine. It was tempting. And I thought about it for a little while. But it didn't take long to decide that, though I was happy to accept an editor and all the discomfort that comes with the editing process, I wasn't willing to dilute the message.⁣
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No regrets.⁣
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So my post today is a celebration and a THANK YOU to all of you who have supported me on my less traditional path, have bought my book, shared it, and have reached out to let me know how it has blessed you.⁣
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In spite of publishing small in the middle of a pandemic, book sales have exceeded expectations. We have surpassed our ambitious 6-month goal and momentum continues to build.⁣
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I didn't know what to expect before publishing and so I prayed to be content with the opportunity to testify to God's goodness through the work, even if no one read it. And that maybe (please) even one person would be brought closer to the person and healing love of Jesus Christ. And, just being honest, that we would at least break even on the modest financial investment made.⁣
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My hopes have been realized and exceeded. We have also launched Intinction Press. And grace upon grace has poured out as a result of our leap.⁣
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Thank you, Jesus. I trust in You. You are good in all seasons. You make all things new. ☀️⁣

For Your Informed Consent...

Highly recommended book for 2021…

Vaccination: A Catholic Perspective by Pamela Acker

I like this book because it consolidates a mountain of info into a simple read. After a decade of researching on my own, it's a welcome resource.⁣
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Some of you already know that I'm the mom of a couple vaccine-injured kids. I never questioned the science. I never questioned anything...⁣
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Until the first injury.⁣
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Even then I didn't question much. They told me it was rare and that my child shouldn't get a booster, but that was it. Nobody paid our medical bills. Nobody stayed up with us at night holding our child through seizures and daily vomit. Nobody told us we could report it.⁣
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And so we moved on with our new sorrow and worries. Then 10 years later, it happened again. Different shot. Different kid. Different injury. Lord, have mercy.⁣
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There are some thing you can't undo and it hurts every day. It was not all my fault but I cannot deny that I failed to do due diligence after the first injury. That fact pierces.⁣
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I did not have true informed consent. I just believed what I was told.⁣
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After the second event, I was forced by necessity to learn about what was happening to my child. And I fell into a painful and eye-opening world of study.⁣

I never wanted to be THAT MOM. I would give a lot to be able to undo the circumstances which forced me to be.⁣ I'm not an "anti-vaxxer" and I caution against using a word that has become a bludgeon used to silence grieving families who ask questions.⁣
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This book is not "anti-vax" but a summary of what you should know to make informed decisions. A beginning.⁣ I didn't know that the shot which injured my infant was only safety tested for 4 DAYS. There's a lot I didn't know.⁣
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The world wants to talk about the "miracle" shot currently in the news. The one that isn't FDA approved and doesn't even stop transmission. But the foundation of my response predates this jab by years... and will exist after it passes. I support...⁣
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•Medical freedom.⁣
•Informed consent.⁣
•Reverence for the body.⁣
•Preference for God's design.⁣
•Ethical medical advances which do not interfere with conscience, natural law, bodily autonomy, or rights of the family.⁣
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AMDG ❤️

Of Epidemics and Healing Revival...

I’ve been reading about epidemics. I know, I know... not really the stuff of Advent. Sitting in front of a glowing tree, a roaring fire... and a book with photos of smallpox victims from the late 1800’s.⁣
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Not super twinkly of me. But I’m a health nerd, what can I say? And what I’ve been finding is amazing...⁣
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Regardless of what period of history I study, certain truths about health remain unchanging. Above all... the most effective way to reduce disease and illness is a combination of the following:⁣
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Improved nutrition⁣
Good hygiene⁣
Sanitary living and working conditions⁣
Clean water⁣
Eliminating toxic exposure⁣
Fresh air⁣
Elimination of “Hospitalism”⁣
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Epidemics in the US declined to almost nothing when these needs were met. Va( (ines arrived on the scene only after disease was deeply in decline. And heavy-handed medical intervention generally contributed to a decrease, not an increase, in health.⁣
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In my book, The Sunshine Principle, I don’t talk about epidemics, but I do talk about the conditions necessary for health and how God designed you to thrive.⁣
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I don’t talk about the deleterious effects of drinking water tainted with sewage because that’s not our beast anymore.⁣
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In our great wealth, we have eliminated certain hazards. And yet in our gluttony and sensuality, we have turned back the clock and have restored some risk factors, particularly:⁣
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Poor nutrition⁣
Toxicity (food, products, environment)⁣…

⁣And have added the significant risk factor of excessive medical intervention.⁣
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God’s design does not need fixing. Our immune systems are complex and still largely beyond the comprehension of science. It is a grave violation of dignity to continue to tinker ourselves into decline.⁣
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Isn’t it time to rediscover God’s plan for health?⁣
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Isn’t it time to turn around the deadly epidemics of autoimmune disease, heart disease, cancer, neurological disease, and diabetes which are killing us in far greater numbers than our current “pandemic”?⁣
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My answer is yes or I wouldn’t have written the book. Medical freedom. Health independence. A restoration to design.⁣
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Time for revival. ☀️⁣

(Buy my book here: The Sunshine Principle)
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