tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post9165644771564161524..comments2023-07-28T09:40:38.679-04:00Comments on Messy Wife, Blessed Life: What We DoMandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-28260417645974158892014-03-13T12:03:09.402-04:002014-03-13T12:03:09.402-04:00Your point of how we are always so focused on the ...Your point of how we are always so focused on the DON'T instead of the DO is so true, and applies to so many areas of life...diet, parenting, faith, fitness, etc. Your post makes me think of that song, "They'll know we are Christians by our love" (and not what we *don't* do). Jen Frost / Faith and Fabrichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00724278927112310293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-7776821459233721462014-03-11T20:30:29.677-04:002014-03-11T20:30:29.677-04:00Wonderful post, Mandi. Let that joy shine forth!Wonderful post, Mandi. Let that joy shine forth!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-13690260476263060242014-03-10T21:05:26.744-04:002014-03-10T21:05:26.744-04:00Love this! What a great point!Love this! What a great point!Catholic Mutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10254315970336710941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-76672007730897145352014-03-10T14:55:32.098-04:002014-03-10T14:55:32.098-04:00Mandi, this is a fantastic observation and challen...Mandi, this is a fantastic observation and challenge. My husband got me a gorgeous pendant that says "maintain your joy" and I wear it on the same chain as my small crucifix and miraculous medal. It's a small thing, but it's my way of emphasizing that my faith IS my joy. Now, to live it more fully. :)Micaela Darrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04601442850363152303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-58299806791905952122014-03-10T13:32:31.281-04:002014-03-10T13:32:31.281-04:00Great, great post! I'm still technically a Pr...Great, great post! I'm still technically a Protestant (having been advised not to start RCIA until next fall by the DRE at the local parish) but very interested in becoming Catholic…but in my sharing my journey towards the Church with Protestant friends and family, there is a lot of the "negativity" view. One person actually said, "I think it might be possible for a Catholic to be saved, but it's just so much harder for them." The Evangelical view is that salvation is so simple and straightforward: acknowledge that you're a sinner, that Jesus died and rose to atone for your personal sins, put your faith in him, and hey presto, you are saved forever and ever no matter what. Compared with that, anything else would look complicated and seemingly negative. <br />I think this really comes out in the differing views on contraception. As a newly married Protestant, I was taught that birth control is a gift which allows us to be intimate in whatever ways we want whenever we want so that we can be "good stewards of our bodies" by not having babies before we can afford them. Of course, don't abort babies if they happen accidentally, and CERTAINLY don't have sex before marriage, but once you're married, anything goes. The idea of chastity in marriage is literally anathema to some of the pastors I used to listen to: if you as a wife turn down your husband, you are in grave sin. Your body should be available regardless of fertility. <br />The Catholic view makes so much more sense holistically. Instead of stressing chastity only for unmarrieds and for people with same sex attraction, it means everybody all the time needs to be continent. It's very consistent. And in our society which views continence in ANY area as a negative, we know that it is actual more freeing to belong to Christ than to belong to sin (whether the sin is sexual or not). <br />Anyway, great post and I look forward to reading more of your blog!Jenny Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10133048572595109212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-77350576105233071672014-03-10T12:01:55.747-04:002014-03-10T12:01:55.747-04:00Thanks for sharing this - it was just what I neede...Thanks for sharing this - it was just what I needed to hear - I shared about it: http://anneryathome.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-dirt-tt-why-ive-been-quiet.htmlAnneryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04954066811992919236noreply@blogger.com