Two Edge Talk

The Countercultural Family

You know what I like about doing these podcasts?  I like the weekly kick in the pants from Deacon Tim, and this week's episode really hit close to home.  Deacon Tim tells what he and Connie did to keep their kids outside of the mainstream culture, and if you could meet these kids, you would know that they've done something right.

I began to think about my own parenting practices, especially with an eye to "begin with the end in mind."  What were my hopes for these kids?  Do our time and activities reflect those hopes?  I could do better, I concluded.  There's a new sheriff in town, and she's turning off the TV.  If complaining is an indicator of success, I'm onto something!

On a side note, it occurred to me that I've been woefully neglecting the comments section!  Is it obvious that I'm deep in the trenches of summer with four children?  I promise I'll do a better job of responding to comments this week!

Thanks for sending our podcast around - it's fun to watch it grow!  Please send this week's show to a countercultural family - they probably could use some encouragement!

OPTIONS:

1.To listen right now, click here and select '024 The Countercultural Family'

2. To download the file, right-click and save this link: Download 024_the_countercultural_family.mp3

A Sign of Contradiction

We've established that we're all Christians around here.  So what?  What does that mean exactly?  How are we to interact with this culture of ours?  And what about our kids......what messages are we sending them about living the Christian life?  Deacon Tim just took Sarah, his sixth and final college student, to her freshman orientation.  He was rather alarmed, and he'll tell you why.  I, of course, am glad that it made for an interesting podcast.  Tell us what you think!

To listen right now, click here and play '023 A sign of Contradiction'

To download, right click (NOT the normal mouse-clicker- the other one) and save this:Download 023_a_sign_of_contradiction.mp3

The Forces of Evil

In this episode, we continue talking about the unseen forces that swirl around us.  Though we don't like to think about it, we are at the center of a battle, and the forces of evil are more powerful than we'd like to admit.  Deacon Tim gives us some ammunition for the battle, and one of his prayers was so good that I want to write it down so I'll always have it readily available.  When he needs to call on God's power to resist temptation, this is his prayer:

Lord, rebuke this temptation
by the power of your Precious Blood,
by the power of your Holy Name,
by the power of the Cross......

At the end of the podcast, Deacon Tim reveals something that shocked me at first, then made a lot of sense as I pondered it.  Nope, I'm not going to tell you what it is - you're going to have to listen to the bitter end.  (You do listen to the whole podcast, right?  Right?! Good.)

If you know someone who seems to be in the midst of a battle, either spiritual or physical, please send them this podcast - they may need some extra ammunition!

To listen right now, select '022 The Forces of Evil' at this site

To download and save for your mp3 player save: Download 022_the_forces_of_evil.mp3

The Divine Cast of Characters

We've introduced you to the saints as part of the players in this Divine Comedy we call life, and this week, we talk about the angels as part of the supporting cast of characters.  In this podcast, Both Deacon Tim and I have our own angel stories to tell, and Deacon Tim gives some practical (and unconventional!) suggestions for getting your angel involved in your life.  We'd love to hear your angel stories in the comments section - we don't want this podcast thing to be a one way street, you know!

At the end of the podcast, Deacon Tim prays a Catholic prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, asking him to protect us in the battle between good and evil.  It is a prayer that I use liberally, especially when things just seem not right somehow, when the family seems out-of-sorts or everything is just plain icky.  I don't like to battle icky forces alone - I often bring out the big guns to battle the unseen dark forces that can settle over a life.  If you'd like to pray the prayer yourself, here it is:

St. Michael the Archangel,
Defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him,
We humbly pray.
And do thou, o Prince of the Heavenly Hosts,
By the power of God
Thrust into hell Satan
And all evil spirits who prowl about the world
Seeking the ruin of souls.

If you're not Catholic, but like the prayer and would like a reminder to get St. Michael involved in your battles, you can actually buy a prayer card with his picture and the prayer.  Slip it into your wallet next to your Visa card, and whip it out as needed.  You can find these little cards at Catholic book stores, along with saint cards.  Worried that you'll feel like a Baptist in a liquor store if you step foot into a Catholic book store?  No worries - we Catholics are a no-pressure kind of people.  You won't be required to sign a statement of conversion if you just buy a couple of prayer cards.  You can even buy a Catholic book, and we won't bug you. 

Peace be with you this week! (and of course, send this podcast around to all the angel-lovers in your life!)

To play right now, go to this site and play '021 Angels'
To download, right-click and 'save-as' this link:Download 021_angels.mp3

Touched by a Saint

Pope John Paul II

If you listened to last week's podcast, you might have learned that you have some friends in heaven, on duty, ready to pray for you.  Pope John Paul II may be one of them.....listen to this week's podcast and you might be inspired to get him involved with your special  prayer request.  I figure that since he's new up there in heaven, maybe he's  not as busy as the rest of the saints, and he'll have some extra time to pray for your needs.  He hasn't been officially declared a saint yet, but he's on his way, and this week's podcast will tell you about a miracle that he asssisted with. 

If you listen to the bitter end (you DO listen to the bitter end, right?  Right?), you'll hear  how St. Anthony gave Deacon Tim a little assistance.

In case you're still a little shaky about how to get a saint involved in your life, I'll show you how I do it:

"Pope John Paul, I know that it was your mission to spread the Good News all over the earth, and you knew that technology could be used for good.  Would you mind praying for our podcast?  Please pray that we're doing God's work, and that we're able to spread the love of Jesus Christ all over the world.  Thanks for guiding us while you were with us, and thank you for your prayers for us today."

To download the podcast:  right click and save this file

To play right now, go HERE and play "020 Touched by a Saint".