Forming Daily Prayer Habits

This month's Bright Maidens blog topic is daily devotions. It's perfect timing because I'm in the middle of learning a new one. My in-laws gave us a copy of Shorter Christian Prayer for Christmas, so we're trying to use it together every day.

Praying the Liturgy of the Hours together is something we've talked about doing for a long time. It seems like a good fit for us. I usually prefer psalms to the rosary. The Southern Baron has to make his own schedule while he's dissertating, so he likes the automatic structure of marking morning, evening, and night. Plus the vintage 1988 illustrations take us back to our childhood. Doesn't that old school CCD textbook vibe make you feel cozy and nostalgic?

It's easier said than done, though. There are a lot of different parts of the script to juggle. The opening hymn usually becomes a round of "let's sing along with a YouTube video." And even though this was my idea in the first place, once the novelty wore off I started to balk. Sometimes when my husband reaches for the little book, I feel like whining "Do I hafta??" 

I'm glad the Southern Baron is more dedicated than I. He reminds me that if we stick with it, evening prayer after dinner will  become part of our routine.  Even if I'm reluctant sometimes, I know that talking to God is better than running on empty. Reciting alternate verses of psalms and canticles is a collaboration, and gives us a chance to work as a team. We hope that one day our kids will be singing the Marian antiphons along with us. And if they whine "Do I hafta?" I'll encourage them that it gets easier once you power through the doldrums. 

What I Wore Sunday, Vol. 9

It's good to be back blogging! The past few months of wedding planning and moving and big work projects and Major Life Changes were busy to say the least. Now I finally feel settled in with my new husband and new last name. (Hint: it starts with a D.) On here I've called him "The Beau" and then "The Bethtrothed," but he needs a new nickname. For now he'll be "The Southern Baron," which he calls himself on the interwebs sometimes.

We're getting to know our little village in New Jersey and have joined a new parish. Sometimes it's lonely being far away from my friend base in the DC area and the Sunday brunch group at his former NJ church. But the gorgeous Gothic building down the street from us houses a busy congregation where the priests are very friendly and welcoming. A new young adult group is starting up there, so we are eagerly attending planning meetings and watching the other people our age come out of the woodwork. Already I've met one other person schlepping into the city for work like me, so that's encouraging. 

Today at the end of Mass the pastor called up all the new parishioners to formally greet them and give everybody a welcome gift. We always feel a little awkward about audience participation segments like this, so after a whispered conference we decided to stay in our pew. "Do you think Monsignor will be mad at us? Nahh, he won't see us back here." Yeah, well he did. He and our deacon friend gave us a good-natured hard time about it, and then gave us a plaque anyway. That's what we get for volunteering for things, haha.  

Sweater: JCPenney, skirt: Old Navy, shoes: Aldo, earrings: Brooklyn Museum gift shop,
family monogram: handmade by by my brother-in-law

This has been our first real week of fall weather, so I finally broke down and unpacked all my lightweight sweaters. My William Morris pattern earrings were a hasty addition as we ran out the door, but they got compliments from the sample girl at the grocery store. She was wearing a knit hat and a necklace that was practically a geode, perfect for hawking a quinoa smoothie beverage. (Would you ever drink that? I am a fan of kombucha and all sorts of earthy/crunchy drinks, but this seemed too sugary to do you much good. Also the banana flavor tasted like baby food.) 

The flats are a new purchase. I'd been eyeing them for a while since I am a sucker for wing tip styling. Finally they went on sale! If I can break them in they should come in handy for being on my feet all night at my museum's gala fundraiser this week. 

After church we strolled around the nearby Montrose Historic District, a neighborhood with lots of pretty early 20th century houses. The town's website has a guide to all the buildings, so we geeked out reading the details of each house on the Southern Baron's phone. Married nerd life is good. 

For some reason this part of NJ is obsessed with Tudor Revival architecture. 

For more Sunday outfits, visit Fine Linen and Purple!