Biscotti in Bed

This morning, as I write this, I am eating biscotti in bed. Close at hand is my warm mug of hazelnut-crème-flavored coffee. Hubby is already at work and summer’s pace still has the teenagers sleeping in. I am hiding out from my fears for a little while as I contemplate my forthcoming hip-replacement surgery only days away. Call it escapism or denial, but for me, little moments like this do a lot to bolster my immune system.

I bought the biscotti yesterday from a feisty apron-clad lady at the local Italian bakery. She warned me that the biscotti are very hard. “Sometimes people complain to me about it—but I try to lovingly explain that ‘biscotti’ means twice-baked.” I nod knowingly, given my love of European cafés and penchant for these intentionally hard and crusty biscuits. She continued, “It’s made to be dipped in your coffee or espresso.” I always do that… but I smiled under her tutelage, knowing that Americanized mass-produced biscotti cannot compare with her Old World-recipe.

This is probably a good time to mention that, this past year, as I finished my graduate studies in theology, I rekindled an old love affair with coffee—drinking about a pot a day—indeed, it would be accurate to say that prayer and coffee got my middle-aged brain through my final year. But these days, for health reasons, I’m weaning back to one or two cups a day. I say this so you'll perhaps better appreciate the significance of this little interlude between my morning java and my crisp Italian treat.

Today, I anticipated this delectable moment as I was lured into the kitchen by the aroma of the freshly brewed pot. I chose my favorite cup, wrapped a napkin around my portion of biscotti, and retreated to the quiet of my bedroom to read, write, and pray. As I mentioned, stress about my surgery has been mounting; here in my bed, I asked God to help me. I no sooner bit down on the homemade biscotti when I realized that God wanted me not only to savor this, but He intended to teach me something powerful using things I could easily understand.

Let’s get real here: If coffee could be compared to God, we might compare the biscotti to, well, me and my life right now and my need for daily prayer. My worries and fears are making my life hard right now—even though I love my life, and I wouldn't trade it. For me, dealing with health issues is hard, and hard-to-swallow at times. It would be accurate to say that I’m feeling a little hard and crusty on the outside right now, even though so many other things in my life, on the inside, are going well.

Okay, you can probably see the lesson in all of this: I can only enjoy my biscotti slowly, and patiently, consuming it bit by bit as I immerse it in my coffee. The coffee must soak and penetrate the biscuit so that it can be softer to swallow. In the same way, my worries--and more importantly, my life--need to be immersed and permeated by God’s strong brew of grace, wisdom, and peace. Then, what is hard—what is seemingly difficult to swallow on its own—becomes saturated with what I truly love—and reduced to manageable, even tasty, bite-sized morsels.

Sometimes I expect God to overwhelm me with something profound. But most often, he speaks with amazing simplicity, like a conversation over morning coffee...

Like the words I find in the Psalm 16... for a gal facing surgery, these words are simple, direct, and understandably real...

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, "Thou art my Lord: I have no good apart from thee."

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; thou holdest my lot.

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night my heart instructs me.
I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices;
my body also dwells secure. (Psalm 16: 1-2, 5, 7-9. RSV)

God loves me so much that He used something as simple as a slice of biscotti to allow me to see, smell, taste, and feel his love this morning. He is my portion and cup. He is holding fast to my lot. And all I had to do was wake up and smell the coffee.

© 2008 Patricia W. Gohn

Promoting good things in and around Boston

Attention Boston Area Catholics!
Here are a few good things going on right in our backyard here in the Archdiocese of Boston!

First, Cardinal Sean has initiated a weekly email out to all interested members of the Archdiocese... it literally takes one minute to sign up for it here.

Second, mark your calendar for July 25th for a great day for your spiritual renewal called "Catholic Boot Camp" featuring Patrick Madrid and other speakers! It is sponsored in part by the good folks at Catholic Quest, so check it out here.

Third, I just caught a great episode of Real Faith TV (a Catholic show for youth) on Catholic TV featuring singer-songwriter Matt Maher. Check out Real Faith TV on Catholic TV online or on your local cable channel: Saturday at 4:30 PM, Sunday at 9:00 PM, Monday at 3:30 PM, Wednesday at 3:30 PM, Thursday at 5:30 PM.

Finally, check out the details here for Magnificat's "Pilgrimage of Hope" coming to Boston in October!

Writer's Wednesday - Benedict Groeschel, CFR

A London newspaper once invited various popular writers to submit articles for a series about 'what's wrong with the world?' G.K. Chesterton, the Catholic apologist, submitted the following letter:

Gentleman,

I am.

Sincerely yours,
G.K. Chesterton

Most thinking Christians feel the same way about themselves. What's wrong with the world? They are! We are! Many others seem to have lost any sense of sin. Modern pop-psychology has successfully convinced many that the experience of guilt is merely an unhealthy habit to be avoided at all costs. Yet the Holy Spirit is constantly at work in our heart to convince us of the need to struggle against our tendency of rebellion against God.

-----Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR, Healing the Original Wound: Reflections on the Full Meaning of Salvation, Servant Publications.

New Media and me... it's great, but must wait!

Well, it's been two days since I returned home from Atlanta and the first ever Catholic New Media Celebration. I was totally pumped up by the event, and it allowed me to meet and greet in real life many writers, editors, bloggers and podcasters whom I've only known online. That, along with the inspirational content given by the presenters, was a gift to me. But would you believe my life is too complicated right now that even posting about it is creating some stress? So I'm gonna leave the descriptions to a few other blogs...

I am one day from more medical tests... I am two days from having to drive my son and friends up to Maine for a day... I am three days away from hosting this weekend's wonderful invasion of out-of-town family and friends for a party celebrating my daughter's high school graduation...I am 5 days away from my dreaded-but-needed hospitalization for the new hip.

Can you spell S-T-R-E-S-S?

Therefore, I will not be posting on the Catholic New Media Celebration, but fortunately, there are so many great bloggers who did! Go check out Lisa, Heidi, Kate, and Mark.

Blog neglect

Once upon a time, there was a little corner of cyberspace that needed tending... I've always said this blog was something I kept "in between" the other pages of life.

Indeed, my blog has gone neglected as I try to squeeze in alot of living into the month of June. As you can see, we've recently celebrated my daughter Kate's graduation, (you can admire the non-cap-and-gown gowns her Catholic all-girl academy dons for their graduation, at left!)

Then, we were off to take a family vacation for a few days on the sunny beaches of Long Island.

Now, I'm about to attend the Catholic New Media celebration in Atlanta this Sunday June 22.

Then it's home to prepare for my upcoming hip replacement surgery! (Okay, maybe that's too much information, but its the truth! I needed the slower pace of the the summer to fit in such a big event!) Keep me in your prayers as I recover and recuperate this summer.

Thanks for checking in!

Writer's Wednesday

...a day late and a dollar short...

but here is a gem.

HT to Happy Catholic.