Non Left Handed Best Friends

Even though my Newfoundland isn't left handed she always has a way to get to the left side of my body. She is only 18 months old and 129 pounds, but she still acts very much like a young kid. They keep telling me that she will soon become a couch potato, but I really can't see it happening real soon. I have been training with her, but I sometimes think that I need help. I am always looking for articles or books on Newfoundlands.

I have always had large dogs all of my life. Rather or not any of them were left handed or not just didn't seem to matter. Their companionship was all that I looked for.

My nephew has large dogs also. One is a huge St. Bernard named George. He really is a beauty and is as good as gold. He has had some really good training. All large dogs should be so gentle.

I think that most of my family have always had dogs all of our lives. Large and small, Rottweiler's to Cocker Spaniels. They are a lot of work, but with a little loving care and good training they can be great companions.

I'm not sure how we choose which dogs we get, I'm sure that very few of us have really studied up on it. It's like presto, instant dog and then we spend the rest of their lives loving them.

Left Handed Jesus

As I sit here in the quiet of my living room it is not hard to realize all that I have to be thankful for. My wonderful husband who seems to have the patience of Job, our home, my children, grandchildren and the fact that I work for one of the best organizations in the world, St. Benedict's Abbey, which is located on the bluffs of Atchison, Kansas.

Now I would like to share the following text from an article that was printed in the Fall 2007 Kansas Monks which is a quarterly publication of St. Benedict's Abbey, Dan Madden, editor.
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From left to right monks make a difference.

It was a simple postcard.

Abbot Barnabas Senecal had handed out several that day at a conference we were both attending. But the image on it struck me and I was touched by the gift, perhaps a bit more than most who received it.

Pictured in the simple painting on the card was St. Joseph, crouching before a carpenter bench, gently instructing his toddler son, Jesus. But here was the kicker. The young boy, with a muted yellow halo around his head was wielding a small hammer – in his left hand. The Abbot even called the artwork the fresco of the “left-handed Jesus.”

The card was a reprint of a fresco on the wall over the altar in the Chapel of St. Joseph the Worker, located in the crypt beneath the Abbey Church. Even though the Abbot was among the vast majority of right-handers in the world, he recognized the uncommonness of a left-handed Jesus, let alone anything left-handed that was good and holy in religious art, history or literature. This certainly was not lost on me, a member of the poor, unfortunate tribe of left-handers.

We haven’t exactly been celebrated throughout history, where we’ve been labeled awkward, clumsy, subversive, evil and even satanic. Frankly, Christianity has been especially unkind.

The Bible contains more than 100 favorable references to the right hand and 25 unfavorable references to the left hand. “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly…The right hand of the Lord is exalted” (Psalm 118:15,16).

In the parable of the sheep and goats, the sheep are set at Christ’s right hand and the goats on the left. Those on the right inherit the kingdom of God, while those on the left depart into everlasting fire. The devil is almost always portrayed as left-handed and evil spirits always lurk over the left shoulder.

The word sinister comes from the Latin root meaning “left,” and the English word left comes from “lyft,” meaning “worthless.”
And for generations left-handed children who attended Catholic schools were forced through corporal punishment to become righties.

The postcard Abbot Barnabas gave me sparked conversation and an eventual friendship. I recall thinking that I wouldn’t mind working for a man like him someday. Little did I know at the time that a few years later that thought would become reality when Abbot Barnabas appointed me director of development for his community.

Now I enjoy the honor of being touched each day by the hospitality and generous hearts of Abbot Barnabas and his entire community of Benedictine monks, all while receiving a livelihood for me and my family.

And as a bonus I can go visit the left-handed Jesus any time I like.

In the short time I have worked at St. Benedict’s Abbey, I have heard many tales of monks who have touched the lives of people, either through their dedicated work at Benedictine College and Maur Hill-Mount Academy, through their hospitable stewardship of the Guest House, through their pastoral service in parishes,
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I also know first hand of the wonderful works of the monks at St. Benedict's Abbey. I have worked for a Benedictine organization for over 30 years.

I hope that you have enjoyed this little piece of information and that it helps you or a loved one feel good about being left handed.

Famous Guitar Player Passes Away

This week on August 12th Les Paul, famous guitar player, passed away. He is credited with inventing the solid-body electric guitar. I'm sure that he will be greatly missed by the music world and his legend and guitars will continue on.

Since my husband and I both know the trouble it is to find left handed guitars it always amazes me when I can click on the internet and presto instant guitars including Les Pauls.

Being the bass player that I try to be, I am always checking to see what is new in the bass line. I love to look for amps or combo sets and you can never have to many books to teach you something new, help you learn something easier or just enjoy the history of the creation of guitars.

School Shopping

I have just spent a fun filled weekend of shopping with my 9 year old left handed granddaughter. You know it is sad that even though she is only 9, she has already learned to except for the most part, the right handed rule. All of her notebooks have the spiral binding on the wrong side and heaven forbid if you have to find left handed scissors.


We did finally find a pair at one of the discount stores we shopped at, but they were so large we were afraid that the school wouldn't let her use them and then who could afford the price. Finally we did come up with a pair of scissors that more or less had a universal handle that would work.

My granddaughter was just glad to get the supplies. She is starting a new school in a new town this year, so we want things to go as smooth as possible for her.