“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.”
(1 Corinthians 6 :19-20)
What have you done to your body? What have you done with your body? It is after all God’s temple, a home for His Holy Spirit. Have you given Him glory with it or insulted Him with His personal gift to you? Our culture is saturated with sexuality and abuse of our bodies, but we are called to live in a way that is not of this world, although we live in it. Many people feel that they own their bodies and that they have a right to choose what they do with their bodies, but clearly for the Christian, we do not own our bodies. They are on loan to us.
It is important to the vitality of our souls that we remember to act in a way that is more important for our spiritual health than the image of our bodies. “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body,” says C.S. Lewis. It is a difficult thing to do- stand out from the crowd, but with the hope of Heaven and Love of Christ we are compelled, comforted, and given strength to live the life we have been given.
Are you an image of chastity in the world? Is your body treated like God’s temple and do others see it you believing that? “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13
Love and warm wishes!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Ridiculously in Love?
A couple weeks ago I learned a secret about a friend of mine. It was something I was shocked she and many of my other friends had kept secret for quite some time because she was afraid of me. She was simply afraid that I would judge her. I was so hurt by learning about this whole thing and at quite a loss for what to do about it. How could she every think that I would judge her?! I texted another friend about that part and her response was not the one I was suspecting. She simply wrote back something like, “I guess that means that as Christians we need to be more obvious about sharing God’s love.”
Apparently that was just the thing. Friend #1 had thought that just because my faith is so deep that I would judge her, yet here is my other friend pointing out an excellent truth. We do need to care more about living out our Lord’s gospel of love. How often do we let moments slip by us that are opportune for such acts or words of love? How crazy has Christianity gotten that friends are afraid to share a part of themselves because they think others will judge them? This is not Christianity. The Christian lifestyle is one that is a manifestation of love, yet it has turned into one that is full of controversy and disputes.
Throughout the New Testament we learn that “God is love” (1Jn3), God loves us, everything God does is for love of us, and since we are made in His image- we are alive for the purpose of love. I believe it was St. Augustine who wrote, “We should preach the gospel at all times, and only use words when necessary.” What has happened to us? Christianity is not just a believe system or list of truths, but it is a lifestyle. A Christian is someone who lives the Christian lifestyle, although it must be remembered that Christ came to call sinners just as a doctor comes to heal the sick. Still though, what’s happened to us and how culture views us?
It was hard not to notice at World Youth Day just how many we, the youth, are. We are the youth, we are tomorrow, and we are followers of Christ. It is so easy for us to be our true selves with others like us but when it comes to truly preaching the Gospel we get scared. We go lame. If we are truly tomorrow and we truly want there to be a better tomorrow then we need to step up our game, pick up our cross, and rely on the strength of our Lord for guidance. Mother Angelic once said, “Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous.” How ridiculously in living out love are we willing to be?
and so to you, here is some love and warm wishes!
Apparently that was just the thing. Friend #1 had thought that just because my faith is so deep that I would judge her, yet here is my other friend pointing out an excellent truth. We do need to care more about living out our Lord’s gospel of love. How often do we let moments slip by us that are opportune for such acts or words of love? How crazy has Christianity gotten that friends are afraid to share a part of themselves because they think others will judge them? This is not Christianity. The Christian lifestyle is one that is a manifestation of love, yet it has turned into one that is full of controversy and disputes.
Throughout the New Testament we learn that “God is love” (1Jn3), God loves us, everything God does is for love of us, and since we are made in His image- we are alive for the purpose of love. I believe it was St. Augustine who wrote, “We should preach the gospel at all times, and only use words when necessary.” What has happened to us? Christianity is not just a believe system or list of truths, but it is a lifestyle. A Christian is someone who lives the Christian lifestyle, although it must be remembered that Christ came to call sinners just as a doctor comes to heal the sick. Still though, what’s happened to us and how culture views us?
It was hard not to notice at World Youth Day just how many we, the youth, are. We are the youth, we are tomorrow, and we are followers of Christ. It is so easy for us to be our true selves with others like us but when it comes to truly preaching the Gospel we get scared. We go lame. If we are truly tomorrow and we truly want there to be a better tomorrow then we need to step up our game, pick up our cross, and rely on the strength of our Lord for guidance. Mother Angelic once said, “Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous.” How ridiculously in living out love are we willing to be?
and so to you, here is some love and warm wishes!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Big Brother
While in Maryland this past summer, I joined a young adult group at the local parish, and although different off-topic discussions stick out in my memory, one comment in particular that was actually on topic that night, really sticks out to me: “It’s sounds really crazy doesn’t it? Catholics have dead people for friends.” …Or at least it was something to that affect. But it’s true. We have the saints who intercede for us constantly, and on occasion there are a few who even seek us out it feels like. After all, if they’re living with Christ Himself, then they’re truly more alive than we are now. Why can’t our Lord use them to still preach His love?
There’s a couple saints in my life who seem to be having an influence on me, and one in particular who I feel like the Holy Spirit is occasionally talks directly to me through: Padre Pio. Respected mystic from the early 20th century and a stigmatic. He suffered the wounds of Christ and is portrayed as helping Christ to carry His cross in my favorite sculpture of Pio in Roma. Last year at this time I had only heard that Pio was a “really cool guy.” In my search to better know and understand the saints and their teachings, I decided to ask for a daily devotional with the writings of Pio for Christmas. I have spent the last 10 months reading a verse or two of scripture followed by a piece of a letter from our big brother in the Christian family. ¾ of the time, the daily reading is exactly what I needed to hear that day. So often I have found comfort in his words that on more than one occasion I’ve been completely convinced that the Holy Spirit had him write these words down while he was alive for me to read in the future, especially when he addressed his spiritual daughter. These bits and pieces of his letters have left me hungry to know him better. No doubt, one who suffers from the stigmata is a worthy person to look to for guidance. He’s becoming a very influential spiritual mentor to me through his writings.
Another one who was introduced to me by one of my best friends is Therese of Lisieux. During my senior year in high school, this friend confided to me that Therese was basically her patron saint. She had prayed a novena to Therese for intercession for a healing of a horrible skin issue and with no medical reason, she was healed. I had mentally put Therese’s name in my mental filing cabinet of “Really Cool Saints to Remember” at the time and thought little more of it over the course of the next year or so. That is until this friend gave me a copy of the Little Flower’s autobiography for Christmas. How could I not read it? Although I found it dry and nearly unbearable at first, I eventually realized that these were her actual words. I was getting to know who she really was, and I soon tried to be engrossed as I could be in the reading style. Her messages of little acts of love and total desire for our Lord are inspiring ideas to me. I have found it shocking just how much this one idea of love is reflected in Bl. Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Probably the thing that shocks me most about this spiritual big sister is that she died at the age of 23. She was so close to the age I am now, yet so wise.
Two more saints whose influences are growing in my life are Theresa of Avila and John Paul II. Have you read any of the works by these people? If not, then you really should pull up Amazon right now and find something by one of these great spiritual brother and sisters that the Holy Spirit worked within so much that they’ve left lasting impressions on the Church. Christ gave us Himself to look to for an example of how to live, and then He gave us these people who were meant to help guide others closer to Him. He is continually reaching out to us in the Eucharist, Mass, and through people (and probably in more ways than we can notice), but are we seeing Him or seeking Him in these people? Are we ignoring what He’s done and is doing through them?
Love and warm wishes!
There’s a couple saints in my life who seem to be having an influence on me, and one in particular who I feel like the Holy Spirit is occasionally talks directly to me through: Padre Pio. Respected mystic from the early 20th century and a stigmatic. He suffered the wounds of Christ and is portrayed as helping Christ to carry His cross in my favorite sculpture of Pio in Roma. Last year at this time I had only heard that Pio was a “really cool guy.” In my search to better know and understand the saints and their teachings, I decided to ask for a daily devotional with the writings of Pio for Christmas. I have spent the last 10 months reading a verse or two of scripture followed by a piece of a letter from our big brother in the Christian family. ¾ of the time, the daily reading is exactly what I needed to hear that day. So often I have found comfort in his words that on more than one occasion I’ve been completely convinced that the Holy Spirit had him write these words down while he was alive for me to read in the future, especially when he addressed his spiritual daughter. These bits and pieces of his letters have left me hungry to know him better. No doubt, one who suffers from the stigmata is a worthy person to look to for guidance. He’s becoming a very influential spiritual mentor to me through his writings.
Another one who was introduced to me by one of my best friends is Therese of Lisieux. During my senior year in high school, this friend confided to me that Therese was basically her patron saint. She had prayed a novena to Therese for intercession for a healing of a horrible skin issue and with no medical reason, she was healed. I had mentally put Therese’s name in my mental filing cabinet of “Really Cool Saints to Remember” at the time and thought little more of it over the course of the next year or so. That is until this friend gave me a copy of the Little Flower’s autobiography for Christmas. How could I not read it? Although I found it dry and nearly unbearable at first, I eventually realized that these were her actual words. I was getting to know who she really was, and I soon tried to be engrossed as I could be in the reading style. Her messages of little acts of love and total desire for our Lord are inspiring ideas to me. I have found it shocking just how much this one idea of love is reflected in Bl. Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Probably the thing that shocks me most about this spiritual big sister is that she died at the age of 23. She was so close to the age I am now, yet so wise.
Two more saints whose influences are growing in my life are Theresa of Avila and John Paul II. Have you read any of the works by these people? If not, then you really should pull up Amazon right now and find something by one of these great spiritual brother and sisters that the Holy Spirit worked within so much that they’ve left lasting impressions on the Church. Christ gave us Himself to look to for an example of how to live, and then He gave us these people who were meant to help guide others closer to Him. He is continually reaching out to us in the Eucharist, Mass, and through people (and probably in more ways than we can notice), but are we seeing Him or seeking Him in these people? Are we ignoring what He’s done and is doing through them?
Love and warm wishes!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monster Customers
I work in my university’s bookstore for a learn and earn program. Mostly my job description is sitting behind the counter, watching people walk in and out, talk with a few people who decide to chat, and when we have a customer, check them out. But mostly, I just sit watch, hour by hour. Right in front of the counter, first thing I see when I look up and first thing anyone sees when they walk in is a large, three-tier gondola, shelving just about every t-shirt we sell in the store. Which makes it a popular area of merchandise for customers to look through.
Each customer comes in looking to fulfill a need or want. They rifle through the products until they find whatever might satisfy that need or want, but sometimes they just don’t care about how they go about finding the product they’re looking for. That gondola is usually the messiest shelf (other than the clearance shelf) in the store. I suppose one of my job duties is maintaining a neat and welcoming area, which means that I have to clean up after what I refer to as the “monster customers” when they sift through our stacks of t-shirts leaving them unfolded, piled up, and quite disheveled. You have no idea how annoying it is to clean up after all kinds of strangers who don’t care at all about the mess they leave behind them- it’s not their job to clean it up after all.
Doesn’t this sound like life? We do it ourselves, and watch other people do it to. We feel a want or a need and we try to fulfill that desire by any means possible- it doesn’t matter how we get there, only that we do. We can mess up the lives of the people around us or mess up everything that is a part of our own lives while we’re still in hunt mode for that one specific thing that we imagine is going to be the perfect product- love, meaning, worth, success, experience, etc. I mean really think about it, what might you be aiming for right now? Are you distracted from maintaining anything else in your life, like friendships or family relationships? How about education? Is that bum guy you’re sleeping with because you believe he loves you, really going to help you live the life that you want? What’s your career like? Exciting, fascinating… How are your family and friends doing?
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t aim high and fight for whatever goals we make, but that we should only pay more attention about how we go about our achieving our goals. For example, if you’re looking for love, don’t settle for the first bum who says that he thinks he loves you. Some people try to help us fix our messes, or we try to do it on our own, but the truth is that the big mistakes we make aren’t messes that we can clean up. That’s not part of our job description. Our job description would probably be something like, “Do the best you can.” It’s Christ though that cleans up our mess. He already has, already is, and if we ask for the help, probably will. It’s the asking for help part that we get hung up on sometimes, isn’t it? But let’s face it- we can’t go back and clean up the trail we left behind us, because we don’t have any control over any time but the present. So, are you making a mess or trying to avoid one? It’s decision we have to make every day, multiple times. Sometimes though, it’s just best to ask the clerk for help finding the thing you think you want- He might know the Lifestore’s inventory a little better.
Love and warm wishes!
Each customer comes in looking to fulfill a need or want. They rifle through the products until they find whatever might satisfy that need or want, but sometimes they just don’t care about how they go about finding the product they’re looking for. That gondola is usually the messiest shelf (other than the clearance shelf) in the store. I suppose one of my job duties is maintaining a neat and welcoming area, which means that I have to clean up after what I refer to as the “monster customers” when they sift through our stacks of t-shirts leaving them unfolded, piled up, and quite disheveled. You have no idea how annoying it is to clean up after all kinds of strangers who don’t care at all about the mess they leave behind them- it’s not their job to clean it up after all.
Doesn’t this sound like life? We do it ourselves, and watch other people do it to. We feel a want or a need and we try to fulfill that desire by any means possible- it doesn’t matter how we get there, only that we do. We can mess up the lives of the people around us or mess up everything that is a part of our own lives while we’re still in hunt mode for that one specific thing that we imagine is going to be the perfect product- love, meaning, worth, success, experience, etc. I mean really think about it, what might you be aiming for right now? Are you distracted from maintaining anything else in your life, like friendships or family relationships? How about education? Is that bum guy you’re sleeping with because you believe he loves you, really going to help you live the life that you want? What’s your career like? Exciting, fascinating… How are your family and friends doing?
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t aim high and fight for whatever goals we make, but that we should only pay more attention about how we go about our achieving our goals. For example, if you’re looking for love, don’t settle for the first bum who says that he thinks he loves you. Some people try to help us fix our messes, or we try to do it on our own, but the truth is that the big mistakes we make aren’t messes that we can clean up. That’s not part of our job description. Our job description would probably be something like, “Do the best you can.” It’s Christ though that cleans up our mess. He already has, already is, and if we ask for the help, probably will. It’s the asking for help part that we get hung up on sometimes, isn’t it? But let’s face it- we can’t go back and clean up the trail we left behind us, because we don’t have any control over any time but the present. So, are you making a mess or trying to avoid one? It’s decision we have to make every day, multiple times. Sometimes though, it’s just best to ask the clerk for help finding the thing you think you want- He might know the Lifestore’s inventory a little better.
Love and warm wishes!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Carrying On Tradition
What a crazy summer it was! An internship that took me 400-some miles away from home for nearly 3 months, then an AMAZING pilgrimage to Roma and World Youth Day in Madrid (but our group also took day trips to Toledo and Avila). Only to come right back to school, like a world that was completely insulated from everything that actually occurred in the rest of the world. Mayberry, unlike myself, is the same, just like I left it. I had to struggle to keep my faith as a part of my habits, traveled to some of the greatest places in Catholicism, taken part in the largest group of witnesses of our Lord and faith, yet here I am one last time in the world of Protestants.
An unchanged part of school was Welcome Back Week last week. Each day hosted the same event that it had the year before, the year before that, and I’m sure the year before that. As is tradition Wednesday night had hosted Worship at the Cabin, which is like a bonfire with some music and the occasional tearful testimonial of what Christ did in people’s lives over the summer. It was an event I hadn’t attended since my freshman year… like most of the other faith-filled events on campus. This year I really wanted to go though and had some friends who were also interested in attending. As we sat in the dark in our university’s nature preserve, I couldn’t help but see the love of Christ present in the praise of everyone gathered there. These Christians whose traditions and theologies differ so much from not only mine, but also from each other’s had such an inspiring approach to praising our Lord. I’d seen it plenty of times before, but coming from Europe and all things Catholic, it was a relaxed change that struck me. Had we- the Catholic youth- learned from Protestants how to have Festivals of Praise? Had they influenced us sometime ago?
This semester I’m taking Humanities II which studies the Reformation to the present, and right now we’ve only gotten so far as John Calvin in the time line. I can’t help but wonder though as I listen to the biographies on the reformists and their theologies how have they affected us? Well, it’s obvious that Catholic leaders were forced to step up to the plate and those who were corrupt needed to fix their messes. But these reformists were asking questions and making far reaching statements that were contrary to our beliefs that we had just always accepted, or at least affecting the illiterate majority who knew nothing about the whys, hows, ins and outs of the faith. They went to Mass each week and sat in the light of the stained glass windows but they couldn’t argue why or how the Eucharist really, truly becomes the flesh of Christ. These reformists were a rude awakening to us and they forced us to look deeply and closely at our faith to answer their questions and respond to their radical theological ideals. Our faith has survived though, by the grace of God. By the tradition in which the Holy Spirit lives, and in the true presence of the Son. All the saints who have walked the path before us are praying for us and for our increase in faith. Are we taking for granted all that has come before our time?
We are growing, yes. World Youth Day was a true and strong statement that Catholic youth is here and our lives are still before us. There’s a lot of us too! “ESTA ES LA JUVENTUD DE PAPA!” (This is the youth of the Pope.) We easily take for granted all that we know about our glorious faith. We even forget the dark past. Honestly though, without the push from the reformists, I don’t think our faith would have the great health it has today. Look at it! There may be some scandals in the body of Christ, but our German Sheppard, the successor of Peter is so spiritually healthy! He urges us and urges us to pick up our Bibles and dive into scripture to encounter Christ there. We often have more than one Bible in our homes, are we opening them up? It’s even in English- we can read it. And now we have the YouCat (which I’m super excited about!)
May we not take for granted and forget what has come before us. May we exercise the faith that we have learned and claim to have. May we continue to grow in the faith and keep it filled with the excitement of the youth.
Love and warm wishes!
An unchanged part of school was Welcome Back Week last week. Each day hosted the same event that it had the year before, the year before that, and I’m sure the year before that. As is tradition Wednesday night had hosted Worship at the Cabin, which is like a bonfire with some music and the occasional tearful testimonial of what Christ did in people’s lives over the summer. It was an event I hadn’t attended since my freshman year… like most of the other faith-filled events on campus. This year I really wanted to go though and had some friends who were also interested in attending. As we sat in the dark in our university’s nature preserve, I couldn’t help but see the love of Christ present in the praise of everyone gathered there. These Christians whose traditions and theologies differ so much from not only mine, but also from each other’s had such an inspiring approach to praising our Lord. I’d seen it plenty of times before, but coming from Europe and all things Catholic, it was a relaxed change that struck me. Had we- the Catholic youth- learned from Protestants how to have Festivals of Praise? Had they influenced us sometime ago?
This semester I’m taking Humanities II which studies the Reformation to the present, and right now we’ve only gotten so far as John Calvin in the time line. I can’t help but wonder though as I listen to the biographies on the reformists and their theologies how have they affected us? Well, it’s obvious that Catholic leaders were forced to step up to the plate and those who were corrupt needed to fix their messes. But these reformists were asking questions and making far reaching statements that were contrary to our beliefs that we had just always accepted, or at least affecting the illiterate majority who knew nothing about the whys, hows, ins and outs of the faith. They went to Mass each week and sat in the light of the stained glass windows but they couldn’t argue why or how the Eucharist really, truly becomes the flesh of Christ. These reformists were a rude awakening to us and they forced us to look deeply and closely at our faith to answer their questions and respond to their radical theological ideals. Our faith has survived though, by the grace of God. By the tradition in which the Holy Spirit lives, and in the true presence of the Son. All the saints who have walked the path before us are praying for us and for our increase in faith. Are we taking for granted all that has come before our time?
We are growing, yes. World Youth Day was a true and strong statement that Catholic youth is here and our lives are still before us. There’s a lot of us too! “ESTA ES LA JUVENTUD DE PAPA!” (This is the youth of the Pope.) We easily take for granted all that we know about our glorious faith. We even forget the dark past. Honestly though, without the push from the reformists, I don’t think our faith would have the great health it has today. Look at it! There may be some scandals in the body of Christ, but our German Sheppard, the successor of Peter is so spiritually healthy! He urges us and urges us to pick up our Bibles and dive into scripture to encounter Christ there. We often have more than one Bible in our homes, are we opening them up? It’s even in English- we can read it. And now we have the YouCat (which I’m super excited about!)
May we not take for granted and forget what has come before us. May we exercise the faith that we have learned and claim to have. May we continue to grow in the faith and keep it filled with the excitement of the youth.
Love and warm wishes!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Summer Nights
Chello.
It's been awhile. So sorry! I can't believe how much more difficult it is to blog during the summer, but a really cool thing happened to me the other day and I just have to share it! So I was driving around, and it was the second time since I've "landed" in Maryland that I went out by myself for purposes other than work so I had my TomTom with me so I wouldn't get lost. Well my plan was to get to the nearest, quickest, and easiest post office to buy some Mother Theresa stamps, but apparently those were like a limited time deal (boo on on you UPS! jk ;) So I hop in Vivica ( my car ) and we're driving, following the voice of Mr. TomTom. We went through areas that I think only people who live there really drive through, like they were way neighborhoody and not so much drive through areas, only to come up to the spot where Mr. TomTom says the closest P.O. is... There was no visible P.O.... So I keep driving although I had no idea where I was or where I was going. I was just hoping and praying for a gas station or something for me to pull over in so I could find the next-nearest P.O.
In the midst of this whole, huge neighborhood I came across only one public building... A church. Our Lady of Mercy. I couldn't help but chuckle at God's not-so-subtle way of telling me to chill out about where I am in life and what path He's taking me down. I was completely lost, yet totally trusting and where was I brought to? My Father's house! Of all places! No matter where we are in our lives and no matter how much we question God and His plans for us, we should have faith enough to trust Him to lead us where He desires us. We should "set our feet upon the path of prayer (somewhere in Sirach)" and trust God's guidance. We may not know where we're going, but He does and His plan is a great one! The church was not the destination that I was aiming for, nor was it a place I wanted to stop in at on Saturday morning, but it's what God brought me to. Sometimes we're too caught up in our own goals and our own plans to see the great gifts and opportunities that are waiting for us to take advantage of them. When was the last time you asked Jesus to take the wheel? Do you even realize what opportunities you're missing out on because of yourself? That's a rough question, but it's one that many people aren't asking.
So I posted to share that story with you, but also to say that (obviously) I'm not posting regularly on Friday/Saturdays for the rest of summer. I may post a few random times or I may not. We shall have to wait and see, but whatever happens between now and the first week of September, I hope that you feel the Spirit living within you and follow it. Live with love and live with passion. Live and love like everyday is your last, because we "know not the time nor hour."
Love and Warm wishes!
Hasta luego!
It's been awhile. So sorry! I can't believe how much more difficult it is to blog during the summer, but a really cool thing happened to me the other day and I just have to share it! So I was driving around, and it was the second time since I've "landed" in Maryland that I went out by myself for purposes other than work so I had my TomTom with me so I wouldn't get lost. Well my plan was to get to the nearest, quickest, and easiest post office to buy some Mother Theresa stamps, but apparently those were like a limited time deal (boo on on you UPS! jk ;) So I hop in Vivica ( my car ) and we're driving, following the voice of Mr. TomTom. We went through areas that I think only people who live there really drive through, like they were way neighborhoody and not so much drive through areas, only to come up to the spot where Mr. TomTom says the closest P.O. is... There was no visible P.O.... So I keep driving although I had no idea where I was or where I was going. I was just hoping and praying for a gas station or something for me to pull over in so I could find the next-nearest P.O.
In the midst of this whole, huge neighborhood I came across only one public building... A church. Our Lady of Mercy. I couldn't help but chuckle at God's not-so-subtle way of telling me to chill out about where I am in life and what path He's taking me down. I was completely lost, yet totally trusting and where was I brought to? My Father's house! Of all places! No matter where we are in our lives and no matter how much we question God and His plans for us, we should have faith enough to trust Him to lead us where He desires us. We should "set our feet upon the path of prayer (somewhere in Sirach)" and trust God's guidance. We may not know where we're going, but He does and His plan is a great one! The church was not the destination that I was aiming for, nor was it a place I wanted to stop in at on Saturday morning, but it's what God brought me to. Sometimes we're too caught up in our own goals and our own plans to see the great gifts and opportunities that are waiting for us to take advantage of them. When was the last time you asked Jesus to take the wheel? Do you even realize what opportunities you're missing out on because of yourself? That's a rough question, but it's one that many people aren't asking.
So I posted to share that story with you, but also to say that (obviously) I'm not posting regularly on Friday/Saturdays for the rest of summer. I may post a few random times or I may not. We shall have to wait and see, but whatever happens between now and the first week of September, I hope that you feel the Spirit living within you and follow it. Live with love and live with passion. Live and love like everyday is your last, because we "know not the time nor hour."
Love and Warm wishes!
Hasta luego!
Friday, June 3, 2011
This Little Light of Mine
I was never a fan of Katy Perry. Mainly because the first song I heard from her was, “I kissed a girl.” I thought it was a really horrible way to make a statement or break out, however I have become Perry-fan. It’s because of her song “Firework.” Yes, I know it’s been out a while and I’m just now posting about it, but it’s a song that is and will always be great. Every time I hear it, a smile breaks out on my face and I’m automatically in a good mood.
God has placed within each of us different desires, hopes, and dreams that glorify Him by answering these callings. When we listen to Him and answer those callings, we are fireworks! At the top of this page is a quote by St. Catherin of Siena ( btw, Bob Rice blogged about her this week so you should go to my side bar and follow the link to his site) and it’s so true! Honestly. Mother Theresa set the world on fire. JFK set the world on fire. Karol Wojtyla set the world on fire. Martin Luther King, Jr. did too. And even Abraham Lincoln! There may even be people you know that when you see them you just instantly get excited and feel a fire within yourself. It’s because they are sharing their fire with you- they’re letting their light shine and making you go oh-oh-oh!
When we let our lights shine and when we shoot across the sky we are living up to our full potential and helping the world become a better place. If not directly by our actions then at least by inspiring others to let their lights shine too. Think of how many people those I listed above have inspired through the years and what the world would be like without them- it’d be a pretty dark place! “No one who lights a lamp hides it away or places it (under a bushel basket), but on a lampstand so that those who enter might see the light.” Lk 11:33
What’s your light? What secret desires are you too afraid to go after? Have you seen the video to Firework? There are 300 kids jumping and dancing in it and not a one of them is a just a back up dancer. Each of them were chosen because they’re letting their lights shine and being true to themselves.
Love and warm wishes
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep?
Six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you?
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down
You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow
Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through
'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/katy-perry-lyrics/firework-lyrics.html ]
God has placed within each of us different desires, hopes, and dreams that glorify Him by answering these callings. When we listen to Him and answer those callings, we are fireworks! At the top of this page is a quote by St. Catherin of Siena ( btw, Bob Rice blogged about her this week so you should go to my side bar and follow the link to his site) and it’s so true! Honestly. Mother Theresa set the world on fire. JFK set the world on fire. Karol Wojtyla set the world on fire. Martin Luther King, Jr. did too. And even Abraham Lincoln! There may even be people you know that when you see them you just instantly get excited and feel a fire within yourself. It’s because they are sharing their fire with you- they’re letting their light shine and making you go oh-oh-oh!
When we let our lights shine and when we shoot across the sky we are living up to our full potential and helping the world become a better place. If not directly by our actions then at least by inspiring others to let their lights shine too. Think of how many people those I listed above have inspired through the years and what the world would be like without them- it’d be a pretty dark place! “No one who lights a lamp hides it away or places it (under a bushel basket), but on a lampstand so that those who enter might see the light.” Lk 11:33
What’s your light? What secret desires are you too afraid to go after? Have you seen the video to Firework? There are 300 kids jumping and dancing in it and not a one of them is a just a back up dancer. Each of them were chosen because they’re letting their lights shine and being true to themselves.
Love and warm wishes
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep?
Six feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you?
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down
You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow
Maybe you're reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will blow
And when it's time, you'll know
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through
'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/katy-perry-lyrics/firework-lyrics.html ]
Friday, May 27, 2011
Take Care
So let me be honest, I’ve not had time for many interesting musings lately. Scratch that- just as I’m writing this my 3 year-old cousin whom I’ve been babysitting 80% of the time since I got here just walked up to me with a pair of scissors (which she calls “sisters”) and her favorite stuffed animal/ blanket thingie. She thinks that cutting the “yucky” tag “out” will improve her treasure, but clearly if I were to allow her to go at it then her favorite stuffed animal would probably be ruined and all the stuffing would fall out, right?
There are so many things in our lives that we wish we could just cut out, then everything would be so much better, right? Like school, or some of our family members, or some past experiences, but all of those things made us who we are. Every experience we’ve ever had was allowed in our lives by God for some reason. What that reason is isn’t always clear but it’s there for a reason. It’s there to form us into something or urge us along this path called life towards His goal for us. Taking out those experiences and people would leave us as only shells. Those things that we don’t really want to deal with create some kind of odd balances in our lives that we can’t fully understand. But they are there for a reason.
That tag is a part of the creation of that stuffed lion. It’s not pretty, it’s not soft, and it’s not there for aesthetics, but it needs to be there for safety and informative purposes. It had a reason to be there. We are created with “Care Tags” but we are given the Bible, the word of God. In it He offers some guidance on how to take care of ourselves and those around us. When the fabric of said stuffed animal or our clothes or some other textile are stained, what do we do? We look at the care tag to see how to properly clean it. When our souls are stained or just who we are, what do we do? Do we look at the care tag we’ve been offered to see how to get clean so that our souls are pure as newly fallen snow? Why not? Usually the manufacturers know more about the fabrics they choose and used to make their product than we, the consumers do. Shouldn’t we trust our manufacturer about our care? After all, He did give us His care tag for a purpose and reason too.
Love and warm wishes!
There are so many things in our lives that we wish we could just cut out, then everything would be so much better, right? Like school, or some of our family members, or some past experiences, but all of those things made us who we are. Every experience we’ve ever had was allowed in our lives by God for some reason. What that reason is isn’t always clear but it’s there for a reason. It’s there to form us into something or urge us along this path called life towards His goal for us. Taking out those experiences and people would leave us as only shells. Those things that we don’t really want to deal with create some kind of odd balances in our lives that we can’t fully understand. But they are there for a reason.
That tag is a part of the creation of that stuffed lion. It’s not pretty, it’s not soft, and it’s not there for aesthetics, but it needs to be there for safety and informative purposes. It had a reason to be there. We are created with “Care Tags” but we are given the Bible, the word of God. In it He offers some guidance on how to take care of ourselves and those around us. When the fabric of said stuffed animal or our clothes or some other textile are stained, what do we do? We look at the care tag to see how to properly clean it. When our souls are stained or just who we are, what do we do? Do we look at the care tag we’ve been offered to see how to get clean so that our souls are pure as newly fallen snow? Why not? Usually the manufacturers know more about the fabrics they choose and used to make their product than we, the consumers do. Shouldn’t we trust our manufacturer about our care? After all, He did give us His care tag for a purpose and reason too.
Love and warm wishes!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Go in Faith
Sorry, I didn't get around to posting last week- I moved. It's crazy and I sometimes feel like I've moved into a different dimension since there's not one corn or bean field in view of my current address, but it's only for a couple a months so I'm sure I'll survive. Actually, I'm more afraid that I might actually start to like this city life. It was kind of a last minute thing. Out of how many applications/resumes for internships I have floating around out there in the industry, until the last week-ish of school, I hadn't heard back from any business. God and I had more than one chat about what He wanted me to do this summer, then I recieved my sign: I heard back from a company.
It happened so fast! In two and half weeks my bags were being packed and I was driving 400some miles and a lifestyle away from my comfortable and normal. Although the two are far from being related, I couldn't help but think of the story in Matthew when God told Joseph to get up and go. He immediately got up, took his family and fled to a different country just because God told him through an angel, to do so in a dream. No hesitation. Just trust and faith in God. Well, first off, how often does God talk to us and we hear Him? Let alone actually following His desires. Plenty of things He desires us to do are laid out for us in a book, but often we fall short of acheiving the goals He has set for us.
Taking a leap of faith like Joseph did though, is almost impossible! I mean, it would be like standing on the edge of something and hearing God say, "Go. Jump." It's the unknown. You have no idea what exactly you're getting into or what the result will be, but because God has asked you to do it, you trust Him. Wholly. Totally. You're basically flying blind, but still have complete trust in God that this leap won't end in total disaster. However it is more common for us to do what is natural and what is comfortable, rather than when God is telling us to do just the opposite.
"Christ came to make the comfortable, uncomfortable." -Matthew Kelly. We're faced with choices everyday that put us on the edge: do I jump and speak out against a nasty comment someone makes or do I sit quietly and let the moment pass because it's more normal, more comfortable? Is God trying to tell me something and I'm ignoring Him? God has led me this far, now do I jump and trust that He'll catch me? How much faith do you put in God when He's urging you to do something?
Love and warm wishes!
It happened so fast! In two and half weeks my bags were being packed and I was driving 400some miles and a lifestyle away from my comfortable and normal. Although the two are far from being related, I couldn't help but think of the story in Matthew when God told Joseph to get up and go. He immediately got up, took his family and fled to a different country just because God told him through an angel, to do so in a dream. No hesitation. Just trust and faith in God. Well, first off, how often does God talk to us and we hear Him? Let alone actually following His desires. Plenty of things He desires us to do are laid out for us in a book, but often we fall short of acheiving the goals He has set for us.
Taking a leap of faith like Joseph did though, is almost impossible! I mean, it would be like standing on the edge of something and hearing God say, "Go. Jump." It's the unknown. You have no idea what exactly you're getting into or what the result will be, but because God has asked you to do it, you trust Him. Wholly. Totally. You're basically flying blind, but still have complete trust in God that this leap won't end in total disaster. However it is more common for us to do what is natural and what is comfortable, rather than when God is telling us to do just the opposite.
"Christ came to make the comfortable, uncomfortable." -Matthew Kelly. We're faced with choices everyday that put us on the edge: do I jump and speak out against a nasty comment someone makes or do I sit quietly and let the moment pass because it's more normal, more comfortable? Is God trying to tell me something and I'm ignoring Him? God has led me this far, now do I jump and trust that He'll catch me? How much faith do you put in God when He's urging you to do something?
Love and warm wishes!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
No One Mourns the Wicked?
“Let us be glad
Let us be grateful
Let us rejoicify that goodness could subdue
The wicked workings of you-know-who
Isn't it nice to know
That good will conquer evil?.....
No one mourns the Wicked!
Now at last, she's dead and gone!
Now at last, there's joy throughout the land….
No one mourns the wicked!”
Ok, first let me start off by rejoicifying over this, my first Wicked! posting. Wicked! is amazing and let be honest that sometimes when I listen to the soundtrack I get teary eyed just hearing it and thinking about it. No need to say that it’s my absolute favorite musical! Well actually this isn’t a post about Wicked… it’s a post that was inspired by the lyrics quoted above.…
Last Monday Bin Laden “lived by the sword and died by the sword.” (Cardinal Francis George) There is no need to question how wicked and evil his actions were, and yet when I logged into Facebook I was faced with a question that I had never considered before. When I heard the news, I was on the phone, and I was completely shocked. I couldn’t believe that our armed forces had finally caught the monster that had terrified so many and murdered so many. Excitement echoed in the voices of two of my best friends as we understood the importance of what had just happened. My roommate and I quickly turned on the tv just in time to see Obama walk up to his podium and give the world an extremely important and monumental speech. The sight outside the Whitehouse was reminiscent of the sight outside Buckingham Palace just a few days earlier, but on Facebook, it was evident that not everyone was excited and rejoiceful about this man’s death.
I was almost as surprised at other people’s reactions to the news as actually hearing the news. Some of these people were clearly upset and speaking out against those who were happy about Bin Laden’s death. Before reading those statuses I never would have believed that there were people in this world who were not happy that this man, who was responsible for the murder of thousands and sowed so much hate, was dead. It shocked me. It took me a little bit to understand why someone would not be happily excited about this event, even though I continue to disagree with most of the FB postings (some of them just made no sense what so ever!).
After some time to think about it and read different quoted reactions, the response that we as Christians should have to this man’s death is something to the effect of being happy about the end of a terror, but we should not rejoice over the man losing his life. The Vatican’s official reaction was this: “Osama Bin Laden - as everyone knows - has had the gravest responsibility for spreading hatred and division among people, causing the deaths of countless people, and exploiting religion for this purpose.
Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”
Personally, I think the Vatican, in taking their time to release an official reaction, said exactly what needed to be said. To say anything more on this subject I think would not only be over kill, but also dangerous- it is so easy for us to trip over our words. It is important though that we know what our own opinions are, but remain able to understand other people’s perspectives. We don’t have to agree with them, but just understanding them can help us grow and further our understanding in other matters too. That goes for lots of different situations. For now though, I’m going to leave you with some more food for thought;
“Are people born Wicked? Or do they have
Wickedness thrust upon them? After all, she had
a father. She had a mother, as so many do…” ;)
Love and warm wishes!
Let us be grateful
Let us rejoicify that goodness could subdue
The wicked workings of you-know-who
Isn't it nice to know
That good will conquer evil?.....
No one mourns the Wicked!
Now at last, she's dead and gone!
Now at last, there's joy throughout the land….
No one mourns the wicked!”
Ok, first let me start off by rejoicifying over this, my first Wicked! posting. Wicked! is amazing and let be honest that sometimes when I listen to the soundtrack I get teary eyed just hearing it and thinking about it. No need to say that it’s my absolute favorite musical! Well actually this isn’t a post about Wicked… it’s a post that was inspired by the lyrics quoted above.…
Last Monday Bin Laden “lived by the sword and died by the sword.” (Cardinal Francis George) There is no need to question how wicked and evil his actions were, and yet when I logged into Facebook I was faced with a question that I had never considered before. When I heard the news, I was on the phone, and I was completely shocked. I couldn’t believe that our armed forces had finally caught the monster that had terrified so many and murdered so many. Excitement echoed in the voices of two of my best friends as we understood the importance of what had just happened. My roommate and I quickly turned on the tv just in time to see Obama walk up to his podium and give the world an extremely important and monumental speech. The sight outside the Whitehouse was reminiscent of the sight outside Buckingham Palace just a few days earlier, but on Facebook, it was evident that not everyone was excited and rejoiceful about this man’s death.
I was almost as surprised at other people’s reactions to the news as actually hearing the news. Some of these people were clearly upset and speaking out against those who were happy about Bin Laden’s death. Before reading those statuses I never would have believed that there were people in this world who were not happy that this man, who was responsible for the murder of thousands and sowed so much hate, was dead. It shocked me. It took me a little bit to understand why someone would not be happily excited about this event, even though I continue to disagree with most of the FB postings (some of them just made no sense what so ever!).
After some time to think about it and read different quoted reactions, the response that we as Christians should have to this man’s death is something to the effect of being happy about the end of a terror, but we should not rejoice over the man losing his life. The Vatican’s official reaction was this: “Osama Bin Laden - as everyone knows - has had the gravest responsibility for spreading hatred and division among people, causing the deaths of countless people, and exploiting religion for this purpose.
Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”
Personally, I think the Vatican, in taking their time to release an official reaction, said exactly what needed to be said. To say anything more on this subject I think would not only be over kill, but also dangerous- it is so easy for us to trip over our words. It is important though that we know what our own opinions are, but remain able to understand other people’s perspectives. We don’t have to agree with them, but just understanding them can help us grow and further our understanding in other matters too. That goes for lots of different situations. For now though, I’m going to leave you with some more food for thought;
“Are people born Wicked? Or do they have
Wickedness thrust upon them? After all, she had
a father. She had a mother, as so many do…” ;)
Love and warm wishes!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Humble Tumble
The other day, as I was moving back into my dorm after Easter break it was pouring! And I mean POURING rain!! Driving conditions hadn’t been their best, and I wasn’t looking forward to carrying my loads in the rain, thankfully though a lot of what I had taken home had stayed home, but carrying everything in one load would have been disastrous. So I decided to try evening the load out into 2 loads. Which in hindsight was indeed a good idea. As I was carrying my laundry basket containing mostly clean clothes, my laptop in its case, my brand new Vera Bradley bag stuffed with books, and some leftovers, plus a bag of groceries hanging in the nook of my arm… I slipped on the mud and fell flat on the ground. For two Masses over the weekend I wore my 3 ½ inch pumps, one of them with a bent heel even! And no damage, yet one rainy day as I was wearing flat flip flops (white ones no less!) I slipped, somehow rolled my ankle, and skinned my knee. I can honestly say that I don’t remember the last time I skinned my knee.
But as I tried to stand up, testing the ankle that was giving me some pain, I was struck at how metaphorical the moment was for life. We fall all the time, sometimes it’s just a little stumble that really doesn’t affect us much at all, other than having an excuse to laugh at ourselves or a little wake up call to pay attention, but other times we fall down hard. When we experience those big falls, they usually scare the crap out of us once we realized what’s just happened, then we try to stand again on our own. Sometimes we can’t and sometimes we can. Sometimes we’re hurting too much to get back up right away and other times we know that if we don’t try to get up right away, we’ll be stuck sitting on the ground for who-knows-how-long. And even other times when we know that we probably have the ability to stand up, we just don’t feel like it and would rather wait until someone else comes along to push us up and cleans up our mess for us.
We can’t always depend on others to clean up our messes or give us a shoulder to lean on. Sometimes when God allows us to fall, He is cheering us on so that we know He has given us the strength to get up and move on again. Once we take into account all that has happened around us, we have to try to stand. Even when the entire world is raining down around us. God is there, cheering us on or waiting for us to ask for help when we can’t carry our overloaded laundry baskets by ourselves. Or maybe He’s even there holding an umbrella over our heads. It’s up to us though to at least try to get up, get ourselves together and move on. It’s just life. Even if we have to limp around for awhile.
Not only that, but God is also letting us be humbled. Sometimes, that even means our sins- our eternal short fallings, but not always. Jesus allows us to stumble when we’re trying to carefully watch out for where we’re going, perhaps it’s for us to wake up and realized He’s there, hand extended waiting for us to reach out to Him. Maybe He allows it to prevent us from vanity and pride. Let you heart rejoice in each humbling experience, that God found you worthy enough to be humbled.
Next time you fall, what will you do?
Love and warm wishes!
But as I tried to stand up, testing the ankle that was giving me some pain, I was struck at how metaphorical the moment was for life. We fall all the time, sometimes it’s just a little stumble that really doesn’t affect us much at all, other than having an excuse to laugh at ourselves or a little wake up call to pay attention, but other times we fall down hard. When we experience those big falls, they usually scare the crap out of us once we realized what’s just happened, then we try to stand again on our own. Sometimes we can’t and sometimes we can. Sometimes we’re hurting too much to get back up right away and other times we know that if we don’t try to get up right away, we’ll be stuck sitting on the ground for who-knows-how-long. And even other times when we know that we probably have the ability to stand up, we just don’t feel like it and would rather wait until someone else comes along to push us up and cleans up our mess for us.
We can’t always depend on others to clean up our messes or give us a shoulder to lean on. Sometimes when God allows us to fall, He is cheering us on so that we know He has given us the strength to get up and move on again. Once we take into account all that has happened around us, we have to try to stand. Even when the entire world is raining down around us. God is there, cheering us on or waiting for us to ask for help when we can’t carry our overloaded laundry baskets by ourselves. Or maybe He’s even there holding an umbrella over our heads. It’s up to us though to at least try to get up, get ourselves together and move on. It’s just life. Even if we have to limp around for awhile.
Not only that, but God is also letting us be humbled. Sometimes, that even means our sins- our eternal short fallings, but not always. Jesus allows us to stumble when we’re trying to carefully watch out for where we’re going, perhaps it’s for us to wake up and realized He’s there, hand extended waiting for us to reach out to Him. Maybe He allows it to prevent us from vanity and pride. Let you heart rejoice in each humbling experience, that God found you worthy enough to be humbled.
Next time you fall, what will you do?
Love and warm wishes!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Offer It Up
“40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Lk 23:40-43
Now, read 42-43 again.
What did you notice? Did you perhaps notice that this criminal was hanging on the cross next to Jesus and suffering (though probably not from the same beating) from the same horrific death, and even when Christ acknowledged the criminal’s faith in Him and accepted his faith, Christ did not free him from the suffering. Christ allowed the man’s suffering to continue. Christ allowed the man to continue to share in Christ’s suffering. “…he still experienced much suffering after he surrendered his life to Jesus. He hung on the cross for a several hours longer and had his legs broken. Jesus could have easily had him taken down from the cross to remove his suffering the moment the thief surrendered to Jesus.” (http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/why_catholics_love_suffering.htm)
Too often we view suffering as a bad thing and a curse, but without suffering we could not “Be put through the furnace as gold and made pure” (Wis. 3:5-6). Our trials are lessons and opportunities to grow forming us into the people our Lord desire us to be. When we exercise and work out, our muscles break and mend in order to become stronger, so do our souls. God allows us to suffer and be broken at times in order that we may become stronger. “…it is not necessary always to be consoled… if this were true, neither St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa, nor St. Paul would have served the Lord well” (Padre Pio, Letters, Vol. 3, 932).
How and why have you suffered in the past? What did you learn from it? How are you different? There is no way that you are the same person you were before your suffering. Why shouldn’t we be thankful for these opportunities and gifts from God that He offers us to allow us to learn and grow in? Christ suffered horribly, as we should be fully aware of right now in this holiest of seasons. He allowed the criminal beside him to continue suffering with him. “Offer it up.” It’s an old saying, but one that our world should bring back. Whenever we suffer or go through trials we should graciously “offer it up” for God’s glory and be thankful that He is allowing us these opportunities. Thankful that He is allowing us to suffer, though not as severely as Christ died, but it’s still suffering.
During this holy season, especially these last few days we have been able to “relive” the worst of our suffering in our faith- the suffering that we cause our Lord. “Every time we sin, we offend eternity, because God is eternal, living in every moment of all time.” (Fr. E. Culler). BUT because of the suffering, Christ was able to overcome death for us and raise us up with Him. Truly, this is why we should rejoice in our suffering.
Love and warm wishes!
Joyous Easter!
Now, read 42-43 again.
What did you notice? Did you perhaps notice that this criminal was hanging on the cross next to Jesus and suffering (though probably not from the same beating) from the same horrific death, and even when Christ acknowledged the criminal’s faith in Him and accepted his faith, Christ did not free him from the suffering. Christ allowed the man’s suffering to continue. Christ allowed the man to continue to share in Christ’s suffering. “…he still experienced much suffering after he surrendered his life to Jesus. He hung on the cross for a several hours longer and had his legs broken. Jesus could have easily had him taken down from the cross to remove his suffering the moment the thief surrendered to Jesus.” (http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/why_catholics_love_suffering.htm)
Too often we view suffering as a bad thing and a curse, but without suffering we could not “Be put through the furnace as gold and made pure” (Wis. 3:5-6). Our trials are lessons and opportunities to grow forming us into the people our Lord desire us to be. When we exercise and work out, our muscles break and mend in order to become stronger, so do our souls. God allows us to suffer and be broken at times in order that we may become stronger. “…it is not necessary always to be consoled… if this were true, neither St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa, nor St. Paul would have served the Lord well” (Padre Pio, Letters, Vol. 3, 932).
How and why have you suffered in the past? What did you learn from it? How are you different? There is no way that you are the same person you were before your suffering. Why shouldn’t we be thankful for these opportunities and gifts from God that He offers us to allow us to learn and grow in? Christ suffered horribly, as we should be fully aware of right now in this holiest of seasons. He allowed the criminal beside him to continue suffering with him. “Offer it up.” It’s an old saying, but one that our world should bring back. Whenever we suffer or go through trials we should graciously “offer it up” for God’s glory and be thankful that He is allowing us these opportunities. Thankful that He is allowing us to suffer, though not as severely as Christ died, but it’s still suffering.
During this holy season, especially these last few days we have been able to “relive” the worst of our suffering in our faith- the suffering that we cause our Lord. “Every time we sin, we offend eternity, because God is eternal, living in every moment of all time.” (Fr. E. Culler). BUT because of the suffering, Christ was able to overcome death for us and raise us up with Him. Truly, this is why we should rejoice in our suffering.
Love and warm wishes!
Joyous Easter!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Plain Jesus
Last Saturday morning our TEC team was gathered and preparing for the arrival of our retreat candidates. We gathered that morning to celebrate Mass and join in the magnificent wedding feast. It was during the liturgy of the Eucharist that I was struck at just how amazing the miracle before us was. I love the Eucharist and its total awesomeness and usually can comprehend- as well as anybody is able to- the miracle that happens during the Mass, but on this day I was in the old Our Lady of Consolation Shrine church, which is across the street from the Basilica and Pilgrim House. Inside the old, plain church there was only about 15 people- including our priest- gathered. We probably could have comfortably sat in three pews, but we were spaced out in four pews. It felt like the church was empty, even though 15 people is probably an average number for weekday Mass.
In case you’ve never had the opportunity to step inside the old shrine, it’s very plain. Bare white walls with only crosses representing the Stations of the Cross, simply decorated stained glass windows, but the area for the tabernacle is a fine example of great craftsmanship and woodcarvings, however the alter is small and plain too. No great carvings on it, no high polishing- just a plain, simple, dark wooded alter, yet upon this alter is where one of the greatest gifts God could give us occurs. Remind you of something? Maybe of God becoming fully human and laid in a plain wooden manger? Well, it is on this plain wooden alter that bread- “that the earth has given and human hands have made”- became the flesh of Christ. 2,000 years ago He gave Himself fully to us. 2,000 years later, He still gives Himself to us every day and sacrifices Himself every day for us.
It was difficult to imagine angels of the Heavenly host taking the gifts upon the alter that was in front of us to the alter in Heaven. It was difficult to imagine the saints and angels in all their splendor surrounding the plain alter in a pretty plain church, yet Heaven was still bowing down to kiss earth, and the angels were still rejoicing with us. There is quote that I’ve had hanging on my wall these two years of college, by St. Maximillian Kolbe, “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be for one reason: Holy Communion.” The angels have never consumed the Body of Christ, yet they follow him more faithfully. We are given the opportunity to consume his body and blood at least once a week, yet how well do we follow him?
It was in this small, almost empty, and unfancy church that 15 people gathered to offer ourselves with all our brokenness, sin, and shortcomings that God still made Himself present to us in the Blessed Sacrement. 2,000 years ago He thought that we sinful creatures were important enough that He sent Christ as a sacrifice to die for us. 2,000 years later He continues to value us so much that He still presents Himself to us. How could we not rejoice? How could we not celebrate the wedding feast that we take part in during the Mass? That’s truly what it is. The Eucharist is the wedding feast of the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (the Church) being made one, or at least that’s how Scott Hahn puts it. If Heaven is truly bowing down to kiss earth in that moment, and heaven is outside of this world and time, then we are sitting down to a moment in “time” when everyone who has ever partaken in this miracle is celebrating it at the same moment. It is a moment when the Bride is whole and is one body, fully and amazingly united with her glorious, saving, healing, and loving Groom.
Are we returning His kiss?
Love and warm wishes.
In case you’ve never had the opportunity to step inside the old shrine, it’s very plain. Bare white walls with only crosses representing the Stations of the Cross, simply decorated stained glass windows, but the area for the tabernacle is a fine example of great craftsmanship and woodcarvings, however the alter is small and plain too. No great carvings on it, no high polishing- just a plain, simple, dark wooded alter, yet upon this alter is where one of the greatest gifts God could give us occurs. Remind you of something? Maybe of God becoming fully human and laid in a plain wooden manger? Well, it is on this plain wooden alter that bread- “that the earth has given and human hands have made”- became the flesh of Christ. 2,000 years ago He gave Himself fully to us. 2,000 years later, He still gives Himself to us every day and sacrifices Himself every day for us.
It was difficult to imagine angels of the Heavenly host taking the gifts upon the alter that was in front of us to the alter in Heaven. It was difficult to imagine the saints and angels in all their splendor surrounding the plain alter in a pretty plain church, yet Heaven was still bowing down to kiss earth, and the angels were still rejoicing with us. There is quote that I’ve had hanging on my wall these two years of college, by St. Maximillian Kolbe, “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be for one reason: Holy Communion.” The angels have never consumed the Body of Christ, yet they follow him more faithfully. We are given the opportunity to consume his body and blood at least once a week, yet how well do we follow him?
It was in this small, almost empty, and unfancy church that 15 people gathered to offer ourselves with all our brokenness, sin, and shortcomings that God still made Himself present to us in the Blessed Sacrement. 2,000 years ago He thought that we sinful creatures were important enough that He sent Christ as a sacrifice to die for us. 2,000 years later He continues to value us so much that He still presents Himself to us. How could we not rejoice? How could we not celebrate the wedding feast that we take part in during the Mass? That’s truly what it is. The Eucharist is the wedding feast of the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (the Church) being made one, or at least that’s how Scott Hahn puts it. If Heaven is truly bowing down to kiss earth in that moment, and heaven is outside of this world and time, then we are sitting down to a moment in “time” when everyone who has ever partaken in this miracle is celebrating it at the same moment. It is a moment when the Bride is whole and is one body, fully and amazingly united with her glorious, saving, healing, and loving Groom.
Are we returning His kiss?
Love and warm wishes.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Teens Encounter Christ
I’m going to attempt talking about what’s happening this weekend without giving too much away. This weekend is the final TEC of the TEC season (Nov. – April) in my home diocese. TEC is an amazing experience! Throughout the weekend, when we retreat from the world, we take a look at the Pascal Mystery- of how Christ died, rose, and went forth. We learn how to see the Pascal Mystery and Christ in our own lives- in everyday circumstances. We look at how there are certain sinful things that we need to die to. We look at the hope God surrounds us with and how to go forward in our lives while holding all we learn this weekend close to our hearts.
No TEC weekend is exactly the same as any other. Simply because at each TEC God has brought these specific people together at this specific time for a purpose. Each person is a piece of a gift from God, and when all these pieces are put together, He is giving us just a little glimpse into heaven. Each picture is different because each individual is a unique piece of the picture, and the combination of different people means a different picture, each picture is beautiful though.
Once you’ve experienced a TEC weekend, you’re instantly part of that family. My family is the April one and we are a part of the world-wide TEC community. Yes, world-wide. There’s a link on the side bar here that will take you to the TEC website if you’re interested in seeing where all the TECs are. But we are a family, some of us are broken, some are nurturing, and some are completely confused about life, but the bonds we form over a time of 3 days are truly mystical gifts from God. We may never see some people ever again, and certainly not everyone will be united at one time ever again, but the bond that occurs is one that is forever held dearly in our hearts. He truly teaches us about love and just how unconditional it is.
Another thing we learn at TEC is that we should “participate, not anticipate.” It’s saying that I’ve heard many people laminate how much they hate it, but I think its meaning extends far beyond the activity we’re doing next. It has been a lesson in life that I’ve found myself reflecting on. God has brought me to this moment right now with some purpose. I should be participating in whatever He has planned for this moment rather than looking off into the distance trying to figure out what’s coming next. He brought me to school so that I should participate in education, not that I might constantly be thinking about where I’ll live in a few years or what I’ll be doing then. He has placed me in my current vocation for a reason, I should not be anticipating one vocation or another. Today He allowed half our campus to be without electric, how does He desire us to participate in these moments? It is indeed a difficult thing to learn. If only we could pause in our lives, look around and see what God has surrounded us with and be thankful for it. If only we could see what He has brought us to and how He desires us to participate in it.
Love and warm wishes!
No TEC weekend is exactly the same as any other. Simply because at each TEC God has brought these specific people together at this specific time for a purpose. Each person is a piece of a gift from God, and when all these pieces are put together, He is giving us just a little glimpse into heaven. Each picture is different because each individual is a unique piece of the picture, and the combination of different people means a different picture, each picture is beautiful though.
Once you’ve experienced a TEC weekend, you’re instantly part of that family. My family is the April one and we are a part of the world-wide TEC community. Yes, world-wide. There’s a link on the side bar here that will take you to the TEC website if you’re interested in seeing where all the TECs are. But we are a family, some of us are broken, some are nurturing, and some are completely confused about life, but the bonds we form over a time of 3 days are truly mystical gifts from God. We may never see some people ever again, and certainly not everyone will be united at one time ever again, but the bond that occurs is one that is forever held dearly in our hearts. He truly teaches us about love and just how unconditional it is.
Another thing we learn at TEC is that we should “participate, not anticipate.” It’s saying that I’ve heard many people laminate how much they hate it, but I think its meaning extends far beyond the activity we’re doing next. It has been a lesson in life that I’ve found myself reflecting on. God has brought me to this moment right now with some purpose. I should be participating in whatever He has planned for this moment rather than looking off into the distance trying to figure out what’s coming next. He brought me to school so that I should participate in education, not that I might constantly be thinking about where I’ll live in a few years or what I’ll be doing then. He has placed me in my current vocation for a reason, I should not be anticipating one vocation or another. Today He allowed half our campus to be without electric, how does He desire us to participate in these moments? It is indeed a difficult thing to learn. If only we could pause in our lives, look around and see what God has surrounded us with and be thankful for it. If only we could see what He has brought us to and how He desires us to participate in it.
Love and warm wishes!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Seriously Hysterical!
How often do you laugh at yourself? Once a month? Every day? How often do you share some joy with others and make them laugh? I really hope it’s at least once a day. Laughing at yourself is an essential part of life. I mean really, think about all the things you do that if you were to see someone else doing it, would you laugh at them? Too often we take life too seriously. We take our friends too seriously. And angry check out workers at Wal Mart too. I mean, that are times to be serious and topics that should be serious, but if we can’t find some way to look at life with some humor- even some of the bad times and the serious things- then life is just going to be kind of dim. We have to smile and we have to laugh. If not for ourselves, then for others. Laughter is, after all, contagious! And so is joy and happiness.
Happiness is a choice, depending on how you choose to look at life. Do you see life as endless course with obstacles, mountains, and valleys that are going to take lots of trying work? Or do you see it as an exciting adventure filled with opportunity? If someone tries to offend you, do you allow yourself to wallow in the anger they cause you, or do you choose to step back from the situation, try to see it from a different perspective, and then silently laugh the other person’s insults because you know who you really are? Being able to laugh at yourself is a sign of confidence and makes it easier for people around you to laugh at themselves too.
From my own experience, more than once I’ve tried to say something or do something in a light hearted manner with the result being that people take whatever is happening too seriously. Life is about joy. If we can’t find joy- or choose to be happy in a moment- in the little simple things in life then what about the big, and ubber-stressful times of our lives? Padre Pio once said, “I laugh at your suffering, as you, many times, laughed at mine… If you can, laugh at yourself with me, and pray that I too can laugh at myself with you.” There are moments where it is just better for us to laugh and choose happiness rather than allow ourselves to be consumed with stress, anxiety, anger, or deep sadness.
Here’s some facts about laughter from about.com:
• Hormones: Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine(adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.
• Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release. (Which means that it can also help relieve physical pain.)
• Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart. (you can get the same benefits from laughing 100 times a day, as you can from 10 minutes of rowing.)
• Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.
• Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive. (For more on changing your perspective, see this article on cognitive reframing.)
• Social Benefits of Laughter: Laughter connects us with others. Just as with smiling andkindness, most people find that laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!
Now, go look at yourself in the mirror, make some funny faces, try to pull off some epic dance moves that you’d never try in public, and laugh at yourself! :)
A cheerful heart is a good medicine. Proverbs 17:22
Love and warm wishes!
Happiness is a choice, depending on how you choose to look at life. Do you see life as endless course with obstacles, mountains, and valleys that are going to take lots of trying work? Or do you see it as an exciting adventure filled with opportunity? If someone tries to offend you, do you allow yourself to wallow in the anger they cause you, or do you choose to step back from the situation, try to see it from a different perspective, and then silently laugh the other person’s insults because you know who you really are? Being able to laugh at yourself is a sign of confidence and makes it easier for people around you to laugh at themselves too.
From my own experience, more than once I’ve tried to say something or do something in a light hearted manner with the result being that people take whatever is happening too seriously. Life is about joy. If we can’t find joy- or choose to be happy in a moment- in the little simple things in life then what about the big, and ubber-stressful times of our lives? Padre Pio once said, “I laugh at your suffering, as you, many times, laughed at mine… If you can, laugh at yourself with me, and pray that I too can laugh at myself with you.” There are moments where it is just better for us to laugh and choose happiness rather than allow ourselves to be consumed with stress, anxiety, anger, or deep sadness.
Here’s some facts about laughter from about.com:
• Hormones: Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine(adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.
• Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release. (Which means that it can also help relieve physical pain.)
• Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart. (you can get the same benefits from laughing 100 times a day, as you can from 10 minutes of rowing.)
• Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.
• Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive. (For more on changing your perspective, see this article on cognitive reframing.)
• Social Benefits of Laughter: Laughter connects us with others. Just as with smiling andkindness, most people find that laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!
Now, go look at yourself in the mirror, make some funny faces, try to pull off some epic dance moves that you’d never try in public, and laugh at yourself! :)
A cheerful heart is a good medicine. Proverbs 17:22
Love and warm wishes!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Soul Food!
I mean like, legitly L-O-V-E food! I love everything about it; the look, the texture, the flavor, the smell, the adventure, making it, how friends and family bond over it! Really, I mean think about it- food basically has its own culture, and I want to be a person who is fully well versed in this culture. I mean travel the world and experience as much of it as I can… or at least all over Europe and Australia, because I have no interest in Asia or the Middle East…or South America… or even Africa. I just don’t for some reason. I have nothing against anyone- except that Asia needs to stay out of American affairs like NASCAR, but hey, that’s just my opinion.
The only probably with food is that if we were to eat all our favorite foods, as much as we wanted, because let’s face it- most of our favorites probably aren’t that healthy, our bodies would suffer. The idea is kind of the same with our souls. What do you take in during the day? Gossip? Lies? Unchaste thoughts (cough*COSMO*cough)? The Jersey Shore way of life?
Just like when we take in lots of things that aren’t good for bodies, we’re surrounded everyday by things that aren’t good for our souls. When we take in too much fat and too many carbs, weight gain is clear to see by ourselves and other see it too. When we take in too much sodium and cholesterol, our heart suffers and can’t function naturally. When we make ourselves available to take in things that are sinful influences our souls, we may not notice it immediately, but others might, and eventually we notice it ourselves. Our spirits can’t function the way they are supposed to- giving glory to God- if all we take in is sin. We’re faced with a problem: our physical bodies are slaves to the physical world, yet through the sacraments, Christ’s spirit fills our souls and we’re constantly feeling the friction between this world and hope for what is not of this world. (Gal. 5:17; Rom. 8:22-23).
Just like when we decide to go on diets when our bodies aren’t quite up to par with what we want them to look like or how healthy we want them to feel, we need to go on spiritual diets also. You cut out what’s unhealthy for your body, why not cut out what’s unhealthy for your soul? Is it your music? What you watch? What you read? Who you hang out with? “Fasting is to the body, as prayer is to the soul,” says Matthew Kelly in his book, “Rediscovering Catholicism.” It’s not easy, and it’s probably an on-going process, but in the end there’s no doubt you’ll be happy with the “best version of yourself!” (“The best version of yourself,” is also from a Matthew Kelly book…. You really should consider picking up one of his books!)
Love and Warm Wishes!
Images: Chocolate is from sodahead.com
Fruit is from revellphotography.com
Steak is from foodportfolio.com
Friday, March 18, 2011
Discerning Individuality
“What if the world put this desire on your heart and not God?” Recently a couple of my friends and I were talking about some day when get married and have children and all that great stuff we dream about. Wait, let me correct myself- all that great stuff we’re planning on. One of these friends then asked the question, “What if this isn’t what God has planned for me?” I thought it was a simple answer: God places desires on our hearts to move us in the direction He desires us to go, right? Then she answered me with the above question. At the time, it kind of slapped me in the face, but our conversation moved on and all was forgotten. Kind of. Over the next few days, that comment rocked my world, actually it shattered it. I had all these wonderful plans centered around the idea of getting married and having a family someday, and when I asked myself “What if that isn’t my vocation? Or it’s not what God has planned for me?” Everything fell out of my plans. I had everything all planned out, and yeah if God was going to bring some great thing into my life- that’d be awesome, but was I really open to something great if it didn’t fit into these carefully structured plans?
Everyday we’re bombarded with images of the “norm.” What’s normal though? Something that many individuals do or are a part of? If we’re individuals though, shouldn’t we all be different, and if we’re all different than we can’t all be so similar as the world would like us to be, right? After all, God created us each differently than anyone else that’s out there. There is something within us that makes us uniquely us and separated from everyone else. It could be talents, hopes, our whole lives, choices, reasons for those choices, fingerprints, etc. If we conform to the “norm,” be it marriage and children, are we opening ourselves up to live a life that God desires for us. We are His children and as our loving creator He only wants what’s best for us. He is all-knowing after all, shouldn’t He know what the best life for us to live is, rather than the plans we’ve made on our own?
As I opened myself up to the possibility that the vocation of marriage isn’t for me, I’ve been able to look at life a little differently now. I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but there’s a new sense a freedom. I’m not worried about guys- about finding future hubby. Although, I always had faith that God would send the perfect guy along- and not the fictional man alive who is perfect in every way that girls dream about, but a guy who fits with me and who I’d fit with, trying imperfections and all- now I don’t look at this picture impatiently waiting for God to send this guy along. Now, it’s “If.” If God plans to send this guy along, then that’s great. If not, then no biggie, because He’ll have something better in store. Who knows- maybe the real one and only perfect Man alive, aka Jesus, is the guy that God has planned for me. Although, I’m really open to that possibility now, I just find it really difficult to see myself there. I feel like God has placed certain things in my heart that aren’t entirely capable with that vocation, but who knows? For now though, I’m able to fully rejoice in the vocation He has for me at this time in my life. The single life. And I mean fully rejoice it in! There’s no need to worry that my list of relationships is too short or anything like that. I’m an individual. For me, there is no norm, because God didn’t create me to fit into a mold. He’s molded me different than you and every other individual.
How has He molded you? Why are you different? Have you embraced your individuality or are you trying to be part of the “norm,” and fit into a mold?
Think about it... I mean really thing about it! :)
Warm wishes!
Everyday we’re bombarded with images of the “norm.” What’s normal though? Something that many individuals do or are a part of? If we’re individuals though, shouldn’t we all be different, and if we’re all different than we can’t all be so similar as the world would like us to be, right? After all, God created us each differently than anyone else that’s out there. There is something within us that makes us uniquely us and separated from everyone else. It could be talents, hopes, our whole lives, choices, reasons for those choices, fingerprints, etc. If we conform to the “norm,” be it marriage and children, are we opening ourselves up to live a life that God desires for us. We are His children and as our loving creator He only wants what’s best for us. He is all-knowing after all, shouldn’t He know what the best life for us to live is, rather than the plans we’ve made on our own?
As I opened myself up to the possibility that the vocation of marriage isn’t for me, I’ve been able to look at life a little differently now. I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but there’s a new sense a freedom. I’m not worried about guys- about finding future hubby. Although, I always had faith that God would send the perfect guy along- and not the fictional man alive who is perfect in every way that girls dream about, but a guy who fits with me and who I’d fit with, trying imperfections and all- now I don’t look at this picture impatiently waiting for God to send this guy along. Now, it’s “If.” If God plans to send this guy along, then that’s great. If not, then no biggie, because He’ll have something better in store. Who knows- maybe the real one and only perfect Man alive, aka Jesus, is the guy that God has planned for me. Although, I’m really open to that possibility now, I just find it really difficult to see myself there. I feel like God has placed certain things in my heart that aren’t entirely capable with that vocation, but who knows? For now though, I’m able to fully rejoice in the vocation He has for me at this time in my life. The single life. And I mean fully rejoice it in! There’s no need to worry that my list of relationships is too short or anything like that. I’m an individual. For me, there is no norm, because God didn’t create me to fit into a mold. He’s molded me different than you and every other individual.
How has He molded you? Why are you different? Have you embraced your individuality or are you trying to be part of the “norm,” and fit into a mold?
Think about it... I mean really thing about it! :)
Warm wishes!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Free to Fly
"Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly."
What is discipline to you? Is it a chore? Is it something that you could never imagine succeeding at? Is it an opportunity? What about a gift? Do you know whose said those words up there? It was Julie Andrews, one of the most successful actresses in the entire business. She could be the queen of entertainment- not just of Genovia! lol
Where I'm from many people just settle with the world they've grown up in and don't try to make something better of it or strive for something more. Many people today just expect things, like opportunities for example, to be handed to them on a silver platter. That is not how life actually is though. One of my closest friends and I were talking the other day about school and work. People want to succeed but they do not try to by even doing the simplest thing as going to class or doing the work, but in the future they expect to have the best opportunities. It baffles my friend and I. Discipline in little areas allows us to apply discipline to the larger areas in our lives which grants us success. It's practice for other areas of our lives as well. Discipline makes us free. Free to fly and reach our fullest potentials.
"Somewhere right now, someone is training for the next Olympic games. Can you imagine an Olympic athlete asking herself, 'What is the lest I can do and still win the gold medal?' Champions don't take shortcuts. Champions give everything they have to training, preparation, and competition. That is what makes them champions. On the day of competitions, the day that really counts, every shortcut taken in training comes to haunt the athlete," states Matthew Kelly in his book, "The Rhythm of Life." Which if you haven't read any of his work, he's an absolute genius and his books are easy reads! He makes a really great point here though, and it doesn't even have to be about the Olympics or any sport for that matter. Insert whatever suits you into the spot where "Olympics" or "athlete" is. What situations are you preparing for? College, careers, vocations, better health, everyday life choices? The list is endless! If one is not disciplined then there is no way that one can fully apply themselves to the tasks of life or even be prepared for them.
Discipline helps us to rid ourselves of things that hold us back. Usually things we choose to do which actually hinder ourselves and our goals. That's what Julie Andrews meant when she said it sets her free. Without discipline, she never would have reached the success that she has today or probably would not have even had the opportunity to try it. Discipline made her live life to the fullest and gave her the opportunity to reach her fullest potential. What goals do you have? How are you trying to achieve them right now? Are you preparing for them and the trials you'll go through to reach those goals?
Love and warm wishes!
Also may the people of Japan be in our prayers in this, their hour of need.
What is discipline to you? Is it a chore? Is it something that you could never imagine succeeding at? Is it an opportunity? What about a gift? Do you know whose said those words up there? It was Julie Andrews, one of the most successful actresses in the entire business. She could be the queen of entertainment- not just of Genovia! lol
Where I'm from many people just settle with the world they've grown up in and don't try to make something better of it or strive for something more. Many people today just expect things, like opportunities for example, to be handed to them on a silver platter. That is not how life actually is though. One of my closest friends and I were talking the other day about school and work. People want to succeed but they do not try to by even doing the simplest thing as going to class or doing the work, but in the future they expect to have the best opportunities. It baffles my friend and I. Discipline in little areas allows us to apply discipline to the larger areas in our lives which grants us success. It's practice for other areas of our lives as well. Discipline makes us free. Free to fly and reach our fullest potentials.
"Somewhere right now, someone is training for the next Olympic games. Can you imagine an Olympic athlete asking herself, 'What is the lest I can do and still win the gold medal?' Champions don't take shortcuts. Champions give everything they have to training, preparation, and competition. That is what makes them champions. On the day of competitions, the day that really counts, every shortcut taken in training comes to haunt the athlete," states Matthew Kelly in his book, "The Rhythm of Life." Which if you haven't read any of his work, he's an absolute genius and his books are easy reads! He makes a really great point here though, and it doesn't even have to be about the Olympics or any sport for that matter. Insert whatever suits you into the spot where "Olympics" or "athlete" is. What situations are you preparing for? College, careers, vocations, better health, everyday life choices? The list is endless! If one is not disciplined then there is no way that one can fully apply themselves to the tasks of life or even be prepared for them.
Discipline helps us to rid ourselves of things that hold us back. Usually things we choose to do which actually hinder ourselves and our goals. That's what Julie Andrews meant when she said it sets her free. Without discipline, she never would have reached the success that she has today or probably would not have even had the opportunity to try it. Discipline made her live life to the fullest and gave her the opportunity to reach her fullest potential. What goals do you have? How are you trying to achieve them right now? Are you preparing for them and the trials you'll go through to reach those goals?
Love and warm wishes!
Also may the people of Japan be in our prayers in this, their hour of need.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
A Disease Called Sin
I have a friend who was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes last year. She’s my age. When she was diagnosed it was pretty hard for her to swallow, but she overcame the initial shock and learned to live with it. However, just the other night she and her boyfriend were driving back to campus from eating out. Lately her blood sugar has been an on-going battle and it’s been a little rough for her. He was trying to tell her that everything was going to be OK, her body would get used to it, but then it smacked her right in the face. She was going to have to fight this battle for the rest of her life. Her body will never get used to having this disease. Every day she has to prick her finger and check her sugar levels 5 times a day, and most, if not all meals, she has to take her insulin. She will have times when her disease isn’t wrecking havoc on her body, but then there will also be those times where she feels miserable or is sick for the rest of her life.
It kind of reminds me of sin. Sin is something that we all learn about and know that we do, but we’re taught to strive for perfection and not to sin. Has it hit you yet though that we will always be fighting this battle? Some times in our lives will be better than others, when there might be less temptation for us, or when we feel God’s grace more present in our lives than others. However, there will always be those times when our battle with sin will be almost too difficult for us to bare or deal with. Just like when diabetics check their sugar levels, so should us sinners. We need to check our sin by examination of conscious. This time of lent is nearly upon us and what a great opportunity it is for us to step back for at least a couple seconds a couple times a day- even if you’re driving, walking, or waiting somewhere- and check our levels. How have we given God glory? How have we offended Him that day?
Prayer and acts of love and are like the insulin and help us to regulate this "disease." They are not cures though. We can never actually overcome this disease of our nature by our own means, but there is a cure for it. We don't have it though. Our Pharmacist in heaven is the only one who has it can give it to us. The devil might temp you with his double fudge cake and tell you that the better it tastes, the better it is for yourself, but in truth that sweet, delicious cake will do some serious damage to you. It might be difficult to resist it, but we must. Willingly offering ourselves to be stabbed with that needle of medicine might be painful, but it's totally worth it. After all, Someone else already offered themselves to suffer a much worse pain.
It kind of reminds me of sin. Sin is something that we all learn about and know that we do, but we’re taught to strive for perfection and not to sin. Has it hit you yet though that we will always be fighting this battle? Some times in our lives will be better than others, when there might be less temptation for us, or when we feel God’s grace more present in our lives than others. However, there will always be those times when our battle with sin will be almost too difficult for us to bare or deal with. Just like when diabetics check their sugar levels, so should us sinners. We need to check our sin by examination of conscious. This time of lent is nearly upon us and what a great opportunity it is for us to step back for at least a couple seconds a couple times a day- even if you’re driving, walking, or waiting somewhere- and check our levels. How have we given God glory? How have we offended Him that day?
Prayer and acts of love and are like the insulin and help us to regulate this "disease." They are not cures though. We can never actually overcome this disease of our nature by our own means, but there is a cure for it. We don't have it though. Our Pharmacist in heaven is the only one who has it can give it to us. The devil might temp you with his double fudge cake and tell you that the better it tastes, the better it is for yourself, but in truth that sweet, delicious cake will do some serious damage to you. It might be difficult to resist it, but we must. Willingly offering ourselves to be stabbed with that needle of medicine might be painful, but it's totally worth it. After all, Someone else already offered themselves to suffer a much worse pain.
Friday, February 25, 2011
A Future of Life and Hope
Last year, I attended my first March for Life with a couple of my college friends by way of grabbing a ride with a high school youth group. It was lots of fun and we made some interesting memories, but one of the things that made the biggest impression on me was the sheer size of the crowds. Especially the vigil Mass, which in case you've never been there- it took a half hour just for the entrance procession and there were literally hundreds of seminarians, priests, deacons, and a few archbishops who celebrated the Mass. Afterwards, the metro station at Catholic University of American was overflowing with people! It was estimated that about 300,000 people attended last year.
This morning I was reading the Catholic Register (which is an amazing publication, and totally worth the price! :) and in it (it's a couple weeks old by now- I've been busy) there was an article about this year's March which said that it was estimated between 100,000 - 200,000 people attended this year. The article mentioned something about the "disinterested and jaded media." This comment stuck out to me, because I remember being in complete awe last year after arriving home from the March that there was nothing on the news about it last year. It was the largest turnout the March had ever had and it didn’t even get a 30 second mention on any mainstream news media. It’s outrageous! How can the world be so disinterested and jaded from something that according to new statistics more than 50% of Americans be in support of? The news would rather discuss another homicide story or some new scandal. Craziness!
But let’s also take a look at who is attending not only this March, but the west coast one, and even the 12 year old who just organized the Colorado’s pro-life March for the third time in his life! It’s the youth. The youth is seriously representing at these events! We’re also the ones who are organizing events, promotion the message, and urging love rather than death. We are the future and I think more people our age are really taking this to heart. We’ve grown up in a cold world. A world that’s the product of raging, messed up times, and we don’t necessarily like the world we’ve been raised in. So, now as Americans that live in a country “by the people, for the people,” it is truly up to us to make the changes that we want and we need. If our young generation is doing this much now, give us a few more years. Give us a few years until we’re experienced and old enough to be in places of power. Watch us then. We’re already making changes now in our culture and the opinions of our country. Wait until we’re actually in control of those changes. We are a generation of hope, faith, and power. We will not stand for injustice or unsanctity of life.
Ok, so it's not letting me link this really cool video made by some youth group kids in Maryland, but maybe if you copy and paste the web address below into your browser, it'll work :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcCypMORf4k
Peace and Love!
This morning I was reading the Catholic Register (which is an amazing publication, and totally worth the price! :) and in it (it's a couple weeks old by now- I've been busy) there was an article about this year's March which said that it was estimated between 100,000 - 200,000 people attended this year. The article mentioned something about the "disinterested and jaded media." This comment stuck out to me, because I remember being in complete awe last year after arriving home from the March that there was nothing on the news about it last year. It was the largest turnout the March had ever had and it didn’t even get a 30 second mention on any mainstream news media. It’s outrageous! How can the world be so disinterested and jaded from something that according to new statistics more than 50% of Americans be in support of? The news would rather discuss another homicide story or some new scandal. Craziness!
But let’s also take a look at who is attending not only this March, but the west coast one, and even the 12 year old who just organized the Colorado’s pro-life March for the third time in his life! It’s the youth. The youth is seriously representing at these events! We’re also the ones who are organizing events, promotion the message, and urging love rather than death. We are the future and I think more people our age are really taking this to heart. We’ve grown up in a cold world. A world that’s the product of raging, messed up times, and we don’t necessarily like the world we’ve been raised in. So, now as Americans that live in a country “by the people, for the people,” it is truly up to us to make the changes that we want and we need. If our young generation is doing this much now, give us a few more years. Give us a few years until we’re experienced and old enough to be in places of power. Watch us then. We’re already making changes now in our culture and the opinions of our country. Wait until we’re actually in control of those changes. We are a generation of hope, faith, and power. We will not stand for injustice or unsanctity of life.
Ok, so it's not letting me link this really cool video made by some youth group kids in Maryland, but maybe if you copy and paste the web address below into your browser, it'll work :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcCypMORf4k
Peace and Love!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Life and Love
I want to play guitar. And I want to be able to really sing too.These are two of the many things on my bucket list. There's lots of different things on that growing list. Maybe you think it's too morbid to think of death at such a young age, but death is an important part of life- it doesn't consume my thoughts, but occasionally it does cross my mind. Living life to the fullest is my main goal in life, as I suspect it is important to many other people as well. I want to experience many different flavors, places, people, music, art, ideas.... etc.
Recently I was able to listen to Bishop Blair speak and when asked what the biggest blessing in his life has been, he answered that it was all the people he's met in his life. I think he really hit the nail on the head for all of us. His answer wasn't something that he has done, or experienced, or a place he's visited. It was simply his life crossing the paths of other people's lives. Relationships.
Relationships with people is love- in some degree, not always because we're not perfect, but sometimes it isn't necessarily our love or their love, it's God's love even when we don't feel it. He has created the relationships in our lives for some purpose, so shouldn't we focus more on the people in our lives and how we interact with them? Are we really aware of all the people whose paths we cross each and everyday? If living life to the fullest weighs heavily on love, then shouldn't we love to the fullest? Even the people who make us want to scream, pull out our hair, and slap them. Maybe it is these people through whom God offers the best opportunities of learning. We learn patience, how to hold our tongues, trusting in Him to see problems through, and a variety of other things- even lessons about ourselves.
People come and go in our lives, but no matter the duration or type of interaction, God works through them to shape us into the people He wants us to be. Shouldn't we love these trying opportunities to the fullest? These opportunities to grow into the person God desires of us? Wouldn't loving to the fullest be living to the fullest? Isn't God's infinite knowledge and plans for everything in His creation be better than our own microscopic ideas of the "fullest" that litter our bucket lists?
If only life was simple enough to put these ideas into action, but a simple life is another topic for another day.
Love and warm wishes. :)
Recently I was able to listen to Bishop Blair speak and when asked what the biggest blessing in his life has been, he answered that it was all the people he's met in his life. I think he really hit the nail on the head for all of us. His answer wasn't something that he has done, or experienced, or a place he's visited. It was simply his life crossing the paths of other people's lives. Relationships.
Relationships with people is love- in some degree, not always because we're not perfect, but sometimes it isn't necessarily our love or their love, it's God's love even when we don't feel it. He has created the relationships in our lives for some purpose, so shouldn't we focus more on the people in our lives and how we interact with them? Are we really aware of all the people whose paths we cross each and everyday? If living life to the fullest weighs heavily on love, then shouldn't we love to the fullest? Even the people who make us want to scream, pull out our hair, and slap them. Maybe it is these people through whom God offers the best opportunities of learning. We learn patience, how to hold our tongues, trusting in Him to see problems through, and a variety of other things- even lessons about ourselves.
People come and go in our lives, but no matter the duration or type of interaction, God works through them to shape us into the people He wants us to be. Shouldn't we love these trying opportunities to the fullest? These opportunities to grow into the person God desires of us? Wouldn't loving to the fullest be living to the fullest? Isn't God's infinite knowledge and plans for everything in His creation be better than our own microscopic ideas of the "fullest" that litter our bucket lists?
If only life was simple enough to put these ideas into action, but a simple life is another topic for another day.
Love and warm wishes. :)
Friday, February 11, 2011
My First Post
Hello.
Blogging is something that I've been considering for a while, but only recently decided to really try it. I have a lot of different thoughts to express and I can't be the only one with these interests and the occasional... opinion.
First, let me properly introduce myself though;
I am a Fashion Design student in my second year, but thankfully I've reached junior status with my total credit hours this semester which means I'm one step closer to the real world. It's a terrifying, yet exciting thought and I can't wait for the adventure that God has planned for me. Maybe I should say that I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next part of this adventure called life. I have so many hopes and dreams! But my first hope is that I give Him the glory in some way and reflect as much love as He made me able to reflect.
I also love the arts! Music, art, movies, literature, broadway, dancing.... all of it! What kinds? Well, that's a bit difficult because there's very little that I do not like. Originally I wrote out a whole description of everything in those categories I liked, but it was a horrendously long post that even I wouldn't have read. In the future I might give each one their own posting though.
I'm also a bit of a country girl. It's where I was born and raised. I've lived 95% of my life in the middle of fields and on county or township roads. I didn't grow up in the barn, but my dad had one, and when I finally took an interest in horses I did what I could with what was available to me- but that's a whole story in itself. Unfortunately though, I have skin allergies to animal dander and if my busy life wasn't enough to take me from my 13 year old Paint mare, Babe, then my allergies have blocked me from getting close to her at all really. I'm still dealing with the pain of it, but I hope that some day when I have time to put into a horse and the money for it, I'll try and find some way to get rid of that allergy. I also love the PBR (Professional Bull Riding) and although I have some favorite competitors, I don't faithfully watch each competition because of two reasons: 1. I don't have the Versus channel. 2. I'm busy a lot of the time. My favorite rodeo events are bull riding, broncs, and barrels.
I look forward to whatever this adventure may offer to you or me! :)
Love and warm wishes!
Blogging is something that I've been considering for a while, but only recently decided to really try it. I have a lot of different thoughts to express and I can't be the only one with these interests and the occasional... opinion.
First, let me properly introduce myself though;
I am a Fashion Design student in my second year, but thankfully I've reached junior status with my total credit hours this semester which means I'm one step closer to the real world. It's a terrifying, yet exciting thought and I can't wait for the adventure that God has planned for me. Maybe I should say that I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next part of this adventure called life. I have so many hopes and dreams! But my first hope is that I give Him the glory in some way and reflect as much love as He made me able to reflect.
I also love the arts! Music, art, movies, literature, broadway, dancing.... all of it! What kinds? Well, that's a bit difficult because there's very little that I do not like. Originally I wrote out a whole description of everything in those categories I liked, but it was a horrendously long post that even I wouldn't have read. In the future I might give each one their own posting though.
I'm also a bit of a country girl. It's where I was born and raised. I've lived 95% of my life in the middle of fields and on county or township roads. I didn't grow up in the barn, but my dad had one, and when I finally took an interest in horses I did what I could with what was available to me- but that's a whole story in itself. Unfortunately though, I have skin allergies to animal dander and if my busy life wasn't enough to take me from my 13 year old Paint mare, Babe, then my allergies have blocked me from getting close to her at all really. I'm still dealing with the pain of it, but I hope that some day when I have time to put into a horse and the money for it, I'll try and find some way to get rid of that allergy. I also love the PBR (Professional Bull Riding) and although I have some favorite competitors, I don't faithfully watch each competition because of two reasons: 1. I don't have the Versus channel. 2. I'm busy a lot of the time. My favorite rodeo events are bull riding, broncs, and barrels.
I look forward to whatever this adventure may offer to you or me! :)
Love and warm wishes!
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