Still A Work In Progress

"I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."

The above quote struck me when I first ran across it the other day while I was actually trying to find a different quote. I think it holds pretty true, for the most part... Only instead of the most significant relationship being with yourself, it should be your relationship with God. That's where we should be placing our best effort and the most attention too. Of course our relationship with others is important, but those relationships would not happen if it weren't for God placing them in our lives. Sometimes I have periods of time in my life where I have forgotten that and placed other relationships in front of Him and put more time into them than into mine with God. It is a human thing to do, but it is not something that should keep happening. Once I really have realized I've done that I really try to refocus my attention on the relationship that is the most important... My relationship with Him. Everything in my life seems so confusing when I forget to keep him in the middle. It's only when He is kept my focus than I become centered again and everything comes back together and I can make sense of it all... I thank God for the blessing of my family and friends that He gave me for my journey and am excited to meet those he has yet bring my way.

"Good Friday Ideas For Families"

I found this article and thought I would share it as it does have a number of good ideas. Enjoy!

Good Friday Ideas for Families

Catholic schools will be closed on Good Friday so the children will be able to participate in family observances of this solemn day. If possible, the entire family should attend Good-Friday services together, or at least make a trip to Church to make the Stations of the Cross (see section on Stations). Following are a few other suggestions.

a.. Hot Cross Buns. The familiar hot cross buns are sweet rolls with the sign of the cross cut into it, and they are one of several traditional European breads marked with a cross for Good Friday. According to tradition, these buns originated at St Alban's Abbey in 1361, where the monks gave them to the poor people who came there. (You may have your own recipe for sweet-rolls to which you can add currants or raisins before shaping and cut a cross in the top before baking; or you can buy them.) These Good Friday buns were very popular, and were sold by vendors who cried,

Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns! One a-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, give 'em to your sons! One a-penny two a-penny, Hot cross buns!

• The Three Hours. Some churches hold prayer services during the three hours of Christ's suffering on the Cross. It would be appropriate to observe a period of silence at home, for devotional reading and private prayer (e.g., no radio, television, etc.), especially between the hours of noon and 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
• Each member of the family might choose a particularly unpleasant job which has been put off for a long time - like cleaning the garage or a closet, or scrubbing the bathrooms (we're sure you can think of something!)- to emphasize the dreariness apropriate to the day.
• Good Friday was thought to be a good day for planting seeds (a reference to the Gospel about the seeds which must be planted in the ground to bear fruit as a metaphor for Christ's necessary death and His burial on this day) so if the weather permits, this could be a worthwhile activity with children. (Don't forget to explain the symbolism.)
• With very young children keeping silence during the Three Hours is virtually impossible. You might help them make a miniature Garden of Joseph of Arimathea in the yard. Mother or Father can teach children about the circumstances of Christ's burial and resurrection from the tomb by telling the the story of Joseph, Christ's friend who donated the new tomb where Jesus' body was buried after He was taken down from the Cross. Children can gather small stones, sticks, acorns. etc., for the little garden.
• Older children can be given a drawing or coloring project. Perhaps they could draw one or more of the Stations of the Cross. (See also sections on the Cross and Christ symbols).

The Power Of Prayer

Facebook Photo Challenge: Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

The power of prayer is something that makes an impact on my life. The most recent example of this is when my nephew/Godson was so sick just a few weeks ago. It was pretty scary at first. I felt so blessed and touched to know of all the people who I love and care about were praying for my nephew and checking-up on him daily. The majority of my friends had never met Keegan before but were sincerely worried about him. They offered Masses for him, their work-outs, prayed rosaries and a few of them even fasted for the little guy. Now he is up and running as if he had never been sick. I can tell you that it was a very humbling and amazing experience that has left a huge impact on me.

Reflection On The Meaning Of The "Our Father"

Yesterday I was blessed to be able to go to confession. The penance the priest gave me was to pray the "Our Father" very slowly while contemplating the words I was saying... I ended up finding an article that was incredibly well-written. I decided to borrow a little bit of it here... There is much more detail in the full article, which you can read if you click here.

“Our Father”
God is not just Father or even my Father, he is “our” Father. Although the word “our” is not in St. Luke’s account (Lk 11:2), it is certainly implied. The universality of God’s fatherhood is an important theme in Matthew’s Gospel. It highlights God’s covenantal family. Because God is “our” Father our relationship with others must cut through all races, sexes, cultures, classes, parties, or any other distinctions. The other, no matter how despicable or downtrodden, irregardless of their offenses and brokenness, is always my brother or sister because they are also God’s children. The Father’s great love sent Jesus to bind our wounds and unite us into one family. This is one reason that so much of Catholic worship is communal worship. It celebrates God’s love as the family of God.

“Who Art In Heaven”
Heaven is the possession of God, because God is everything worth possessing. When we possess God and nothing else, we have everything. On the other hand, if we possess every conceivable earthly good and do not have God, we have nothing. “What will it profit a man,” Jesus asked, “to gain the whole world and to suffer the loss of his soul” (Mt 16:26)?

“Hallowed Be Thy Name”
In this petition we ask that His most holy name be sanctified and honored everywhere. May we always honor His name in our thoughts and in our actions. Without His help we are utterly helpless to do so. So we pray: “Never let us violate your name by sin.” When we sin we drag your name, which you indelibly imprinted on our soul, through the muck of evil and death.

“Thy Kingdom Come”
We have a distorted understanding of kingship. We view it only in a governmental sense. A king is viewed only as a ruler or perhaps the ceremonial head of state. In democratic countries like the United States we have almost no appreciation of the biblical concept of kingship. This may be why some modern translators render the Greek word basileia as reign of God rather than kingdom of God. God’s fatherhood is the basis for His kingship, because in God His fatherhood and His kingship are one.

“Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven”
Submission to the Father’s will defines what it means to live faithfully in His kingdom. This is how we, His children and His subjects, must live. Obedience to His will is the only way we can show our love. Thus Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). It is only in the full submission to the Father’s will that we are truly free and at peace.

“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”
When these two images, daily and tomorrow, converge they underscore the supersubstantial bread of the Eucharist, “the bread from heaven” (Jn 6:32-32). This daily bread sustains our supernatural life, is the source of all grace, and in the great tomorrow it is cause of our resurrection in Christ. Liturgically this awesome reality is evidenced in the ancient practice at Mass of reciting or singing the Lord’s Prayer before Holy Communion. The Our Father is a reminder that we are about to receive the Bread of the great tomorrow when our union with the Heavenly Bridegroom will be eternally celebrated in the wedding banquet of the Lamb.

“And Forgive Us Our Trespasses As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us”
Nevertheless, the Father extends His merciful forgiveness. When our repentance is complete so is His forgiveness. However, God demands that we act like Him by forgiving those who have offended us. He knows that forgiveness liberates the wounded heart and removes the poison that endangers it. In that process we experience the depth of God’s love and mercy. When we forgive we also reveal he Father’s heart to others.

“Lead Us Not Into Temptation”
So we ask our Father, “lead us not into temptation.” In other words we ask the Father to make us humble relying on His strength and protection. We ask Him to keep us from becoming overconfident, complacent, self-seeking and boastful. When we are humble in this life the Father can exalt us in eternity. We ask the Father, “Deliver us from sin, the only evil.”

“But Deliver Us From Evil”
While our Father never uses force, He is not a passive bystander waiting on the sidelines to see which destiny we choose. He is always the loving Father nudging His wayward children with his loving support and direction. When, for example, we get caught drunk on the job and are fired, or are arrested for shoplifting, or have an affair exposed, or get caught cheating or lying, or get divorced for unfaithfulness, selfishness and neglect -- these are signs of God’s undeserved mercy. He’s trying to get our attention to the far greater danger that lies in eternity. When our evil is exposed, God is not abandoning us to sin with its pleasures. If we were not caught we would fall deeper into the arms of Satan until, like the scribes and Pharisees, we had sealed ourselves off from God’s mercy and forgiveness.

“Amen.”
We end our prayers with the word amen. It is a transliteration of a solemn Hebrew word (’amen) describing something firm, true, or reliable. At the conclusion of Christian prayer it expresses our complete trust and surrender to God’s will. It is our fiat.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Prayer

Lord,
Because love is patient…Help me to be slow to judge, but quick to listen. Hesitant to criticize, but eager to encourage,remembering your endless patience with me.

Because love is kind… Help my words to be gentle and my actions to be thoughtful. Remind me to smile and to say “Please” and “Thank You” because those little things still mean so much.

Because love does not envy or boast, and it is not proud… Help me have a heart that is humble and sees the good in others. May I celebrate and appreciate all that I have and all that I am, as well as doing the same for those around me.

Because love is not rude or self-seeking… Help me to speak words that are easy on the ear and on the heart. When I’m tempted to get wrapped up in my own little world, remind me there’s a great big world out there full of needs and hurts.

Because love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs… Help me to forgive others as you have forgiven me. When I want to hold onto a grudge, gently help me release it so I can reach out with a hand of love instead.

Because love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth…Help me stand up for what is right and good. May I defend the defenseless, and help the helpless. Show me how I can make a difference.

Because love always protects and always trusts… Help me to be a refuge for those around me. When the world outside is harsh and cold, may my heart be a place of acceptance and warmth.

Finally, because love always perseveres… Help my heart continually beat with love for You and others. Thank you for showing us what the word love really means. Amen.

By Holley Gerth

"Circle me, Lord..."

Circle me, Lord.
Keep protection near
And danger afar.

Circle me, Lord
Keep hope within.
Keep doubt without.

Circle me, Lord.
Keep light near
And darkness afar.

Circle me, Lord.
Keep peace within.
Keep evil out.

Amen.

The above prayer was shared today during the homily of our pastor's last week-end here. It was a very moving homily and I must admit I did tear up a bit from it. Father Bill brought a whole lot to our parish and he became very important to my family. The most touching part of the Mass with him was how I could see he was crying a little bit while waiting for the gifts to come down the aisle. It was easy to see that as much as he meant to us the parish did mean a whole lot to him as well. What he taught us will be remembered as we welcome our new priest. Change is not easy, but with the right attitude it can be the beginning of a good thing. My family still intends to visit Father often and will be kept close at heart. :)

7 Deadly Sins/ 7 Contrary Virtues

Today during the homily at Mass father focused mainly on how we all have bad habits which we need to work on. He talked about how we can only overcome these bad habits through an active relationship with God. The thing about bad habits is how they show us how we will always need help from God through our whole life. He then talked a bit on the seven deadly sins and how we all battle with these in our own ways. It is a good thing we have the virtues to pray for growth in to help us out with the struggles of our daily lives. Virtues are always a work in progress. It is not something you are born with, or once you think you have it you always will. No, virtues are something that must be practiced, but we can only really practice them to the best of our ability with the grace of God. So here is a little bit more about the deadly sins and some virtues that correspond with them.

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity. (pray for the virtue of Humility to overcome this sin)

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation. (Pray for the virtue of kindness to overcome this sin)

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires. (pray for the virtue of abstinence to overcome this sin)

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. (pray for the virtue of chastity to overcome this sin)

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath. (pray for the virtue of patience to overcome this sin)

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness. (pray for the virtue of liberality to overcome this sin)

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. (pray for the virtue of diligence to overcome this sin)

Have You Prayed About Your Vocation Recently???

As I said in my previous post, this week is Vocation Awareness Week. Last night at "holy" hour we talked all about vocations and ways to really go about understanding what God is calling us to do in our lives. There was a panel of three guests, a priest, and then a couple who are engaged to be married this May. It was interesting to really learn each one of their stories. I particularly enjoyed hearing the young woman's story because it helped affirm how I have been discerning God's call in my own life. She never has really spent her time discerning about being called as a nun. Instead each time she has had to make a choice in her life she discerned whether that is what God was wanting her to choose. When it came to becoming engaged she discerned whether she was called to spend the rest of her life with her fiancee. Before she was engaged both her and her boyfriend did a novena for over a month and spent time together going to Mass and in eucharistic adoration to figure out if marriage was what God was calling them too.

I found this story very insightful for myself. Like her, I have not really thought too seriously on becoming a nun. Not that I have totally closed the door on that idea, but right at this moment I have not felt that being a nun or sister is my calling. With every big choice I have I also go to God in prayer about it. I pray a lot before making a decision. The more I sit in prayer with God, the more I feel peace with my life and the direction I am going right now. I know that if and when it comes time in a relationship to think about marriage I want to take this girl's advice. I want to really pray about that with the person I am in a relationship with before a proposal officially happens.

One question that was asked was how to decipher which answers come from God and which ones come from the devil. It is always tricky to figure out. Father said that the more we pray about our vocation then the choice that really fills us with peace and fulfillment is the answer he believes comes from God. The devil will always be there trying to make a person turn away from God's path, but the more we rely on God while spending quality quiet time with Him and talk with a mentor/close family and friends (when I say close, I really mean a select few people who really know YOU best and who you are comfortable sharing yourself with) about the discernment process the more it will help drown out the devil.

After the discussion we spent some time in Eucharistic Adoration which was a perfect way to help digest all that we had listened too.

Vocations Awareness Week 2011

This week happens to be Vocations Awareness Week.... So I have found this great video about ways to discern your vocation...

St. Elmo

Apparently there is a popular game (although game is not really the right word for it) going around. This year if you wish to do this you can click onto this link to find out who your saint for the year will be. You are supposed to pray about which saint will come up before you click the button, and then the one that is given to you is supposed to become special to you throughout the year. It will also give you a link so you can learn more about that specific saint. Tonight before I clicked the button I prayed that the saint who would come up would be someone I could really identify with and sure enough the saint that came up was St. Erasmus, or better known as St. Elmo. He is the patron saint against abdominal pains; against appendicitis; against birth pains; against childhood intestinal disease; against colic; against danger at sea; against intestinal disorders; against seasickness; against stomach diseases; against storms; childbirth; navigators; ordnance workers; sailors; women in labor. I found this kind of interesting because when I was little I would get really cranky whenever I got hungry. I remember one day I told my mom I was hungry and I must have said it a lot because she looked at me with a frustrated expression and said if I told her I was hungry one more time she would not give me lunch. So five minutes later I told her I had hunger pains.... After I read the first thing this saint was a patron saint for, abdominal pains, it made me flash back to that moment. I have also suffered from really painful abdominal cramps, and still do occasionally. I do not think I will be giving birth anytime within this year, but I do want to become a mother so now I know exactly who to pray to when that time comes.

Here is a little bit more about St. Elmo...
Feast day: June 2
Erasmus was also known as Elmo. He was the bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy, and suffered martyrdom during Diocletian's persecution of the Christians. He once fled to Mount Lebanon during the persecution and lived a life of solitude there for some time, being fed by a raven. After the emperor discovered his whereabouts, he was tortured and thrown in prison. Legend claims that an angel released him and he departed for Illyricum, eventually suffered a martyr's death and was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Legend records that when a blue light appears at mastheads before and after a storm, the seamen took it as a sign of Erasmus's protection. This was known as "St. Elmo's fire". The blue electrical discharges under certain atmospheric conditions have also been seen on the masks or riggings of ships. Erasmus is also invoked against stomach cramps and colic. This came about because at one time he had hot iron hooks stuck into his intestines by persecutors under Emperor Diocletian. These wounds he miraculously endured. His Feast day is June 2nd.

"Prayer For A Blessing On The New Year"

O sacred and adorable Trinity, hear our prayers on behalf of our holy Father the Pope, our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us. Bless, we beseech Thee, during the coming year, the whole Catholic Church; convert heretics and unbelievers; soften the hearts of sinners so that they may return to Thy friendship; give prosperity to our country and peace among the nations of the world; pour down Thy blessings upon our friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and upon our enemies, if we have any; assist the poor and the sick; have pity on the souls of those whom this year has taken from us; and do Thou be merciful to those who during the coming year will be summoned before Thy judgment seat. May all our actions be preceded by Thy inspirations and carried on by Thy assistance, so that all our prayers and works, having been begun in Thee, may likewise be ended through Thee. Amen.

God Can Speak Through Anything... Even Texting.

The past few months, or maybe more like the past year or so has been a tough one for my family. The kind that can wear a person down sometimes. Monday night I had a real heart-to-heart with God about some of these things and other things I have had to deal with. I could not go to sleep ( probably due to the fact that I made Monday my lazy day and did pretty much absolutely nothing, but watch tv. Heck, I didn't actually change out of my p.j.'s till six p.m. because I had to run to the grocery store to grab some ingredients for dinner... yeah, I was lazy) so instead I just had a long conversation with God. The only reason I am even telling my readers this is because of what happened to me yesterday.

I had just pulled-up into my drive-way after a long drive down from Carmel, In.. I was in the middle of texting my friend, who I had just visited, to let him know I arrived home safely when I received this text message..."Life is hard, but a strong person knows how to keep their life in order. Even with tears in their eyes, they still manage to say 'I'm ok' with a smile. God is good. Change is coming. God saw your sadness and said hard times are over." It happened to be one of the random forwards people send so I had to press reply to figure out the number of the person that sent it to me. I found this person's number and went through my phone book to see if I could figure out who sent it to me, but apparently I do not have this person in my phone book. I guess in retrospect I could have replied to the text message to ask who it was, but it is a little late for that now. I do not mind either. It may seem silly to some, but to me that was God telling me he heard me when I was talking to Him and it's gonna be ok. I rather like not knowing who sent it to me after all...

"My Grown Up Christmas List

This is one of my very favorite Christmas songs.... Especially now as I am no longer a kid anymore. Even though today is the day after Christmas I did not have a chance to get on here and post it earlier with the all the hustle and bustle of my own Christmas celebrations with my family... I hope you enjoy this song too. :)

My Grown Up Christmas List

Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies

Well, I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
and wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up christmas list

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

Well heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up christmas list

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
(there'd be)

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up christmas list
This is my only life long wish
This is my grown up christmas list

Life Does Not Revolve Around Me

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day ("who really ought to get a job") is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day That of all the gifts you give us Lord, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......but His retirement plan is out of this world.

I received this prayer from a friend of mine on facebook. It really does put things into perspective. It is interesting to me how quick we can be with people while waiting in traffic and such. We live in such a fast-paced world and I know I need to remind myself that life should not revolve around me and should not be paced to just my own needs. Everyone has their own problems and issues... just because I want things to go faster or slower does not mean that everyone else cares. In the grand scheme of things I really should take the time to say a quick prayer for the person who is annoying me by moving like a turtle or speeding like a demon. I know that might help me keep my own cool too.

I'm "Alive Again!"

This past week-end I spent with an amazing group of high schoolers leading a high school retreat... Antioch 2010, "Alive Again." I have worked on four of these Antioch retreat now, and I have to say I think we finally got it right this time. This team of leaders had each attended many deep and life changing retreats, whereas in the past not everyone had... it makes a huge difference when the leaders all have the common goal of wanting to make a powerful retreat experience. It was a very special week-end.

Within the team I also believe we each ended up giving the most perfect talk topics for us to reach these kids on a deeper level than before. I gave the one on "homecoming," otherwise known as the confession talk. I must admit all these years I have kind of known I should give this talk, but this one has always scared me. I opened up more deeply than I have ever really wanted to for a group of mostly strangers. It was an incredibly humbling experience for me and to be honest everything that came out of my mouth I know was from God. I fought the talk, and I ended up winning. I know that because one of the kids came up to me after my talk and told me that she had made up her mind before the retreat that she was not going to go to confession, but then after hearing my talk she changed her mind... I talked about my own "homecoming" story. I focused on how as we go to a doctor when we are physically ill we should go to a priest for confession to help our soul get well... Just like a doctor needs to have all of our medical history to best know how to help us get better the priest needs to know everything to give us the spiritual medicine and advice to help us get better... How it is time to take a good look at ourselves because every single person has something that we want to keep hidden and are ashamed about, but to really be touched and heal and really come closer to God it is time to come clean about those things in a safe environment. How waiting in line thinking about what we will tell is ten times more terrifying than actually saying it in the confessional. It is the most worthwhile thing they can do for themselves on this retreat... There was way more than that, but to be honest I do not remember everything that came out of my mouth.

Other than the team members helping make this retreat amazing I have to hand it to the kids themselves. They rose to the occasion... all the challenges we put to them they did. As a small group leader my favorite part is watching how the kids come in the first day versus how they leave on the last day. The change is amazing. A good third of the retreatants came because they were offered some confirmation service hours by helping out cleaning after meals and preparing meals and being in charge of the ice breakers. These kids obviously came just because they thought it would be an easy way to get most of their hours out of the way. They had no idea what they were walking into. A few of them were in my small group and the transformation from not really into this to completely all in was awesome. They let themselves be open-minded and open to God which is the true key for a retreat to work.

I am truly in awe with the whole week-end. God is really amazing. Knowing I was a part of that makes it even more meaningful for me. The whole group came out of this week-end feeling "Alive Again!" It is a retreat I know I will never forget. Thank-you for all who did pray as I asked. I am more grateful than you could know. Praise be God!!!! :)

Just A Little Side-Tracked Lately

I must admit, I am usually on top of my game when it comes to scheduling and not forgetting things I have scheduled. This week, however, I have somehow messed up a number of things. I know why I have had my mind on other things, but that is still no excuse when it comes to missing meetings and such. My mind has been going from work, to school, to more family issues than usual, to hanging-out with friends, the retreat on my mind, my talk that I will be giving. It is a lot to think about that it is no wonder I forgot about a confirmation facilitator meeting I had tonight, which I am very sad I missed considering it was going to be focused our Confirmation II retreat that I am helping with. Not really one I needed to miss.

Tonight I was praying with the Antioch retreat team for the week-end to go smoothly. We prayed a rosary together. After that we talked a lot about last minute details that needed to be smoothed over. It was a productive time. I am pretty confident this will be a great week-end. I hope that I am right about that.

So my lesson learned for tonight... Always check my calendar before saying I am free for a spontaneous get-together.

So Much To Do...And So Little Time

This week has been my spiritual preparation week for the Antioch retreat I am doing. As a spiritual bouquet for the two dozen retreatants who will be attending I have decided to do a number of things. I started my week off with fasting. Not at all an easy endeavor, but so far I have been doing great. Though I must say my stomach has been growling now off and on for three hours. Not at all a fun feeling, but I am very strong-willed and stubborn. Once I decide to do something I will do it no matter what. I also made it to confession this week to prepare myself even more to help lead the high schoolers closer to God. I spent my Holy hour with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration and prayed about this retreat among many other things in my life that I need to give to God. Tomorrow evening along with the many other last minute things I MUST get done in preparation for this upcoming week-end, the team and I are meeting together to pray about the retreat for about a half hour or so.

There is so much I have to do left to leave for this retreat with a free mind. I have to get some laundry done, clean up my room, polish off my retreat talk out-line. I need to remember to print off directions to the retreat center. I also need to do my work-out, because I won't have much free time for that at all on the week-end. Obviously I have to pack for the trip. That has to be done. Add in work all day for the next two days and there is not that much time to get everything done...with sleep included that is. The only reason I am typing this last paragraph out is because it is to help remind me of what I need to do.

Those of you who happen upon this post within this week I would appreciate prayers for this retreat week-end to go smoothly. The more prayers the better! Thanks very much. :)

My favorite Devotions

So a friend of mine tagged me to do this quite awhile ago. I am just now getting to it....

So, here are my personal favorite devotions...

Mass

Eucharistic Adoration

Stations of the Cross (during Lent)

Saint of the Day :)

The Angelus


And now I am supposed to tag three friends to tell about theirs... Enjoy!

Suzanne's Shorelines

The Long Journey Into Light

Just A Small Town Girl...

Striving For Sainthood Through Little Ways

The other night I was hanging out with my friends and we began discussing how we are all called to be saints. We then bounced around different ideas on how we can work on making Catholics have a positive rap here in my liberal college town. So, here is the list we came up with...

Remember to smile. Everyone enjoys seeing a happy friendly face.
Listen patiently when someone needs to talk... after listening, instead of forcing advice on a person offer to pray together about what the other person needed to talk about. Bring problems to God.
No matter where we go to eat remember to always pray... and when we make the sign of the cross before and after make sure it is not a quick gesture, but a proud one.
Volunteer helping out at the local community kitchen or homeless shelter
whenever we meet someone to always think in our heads "you are worthy of being loved." By thinking this hopefully it will help us remember the other person is also loved by God.
Invite a friend to Mass
Always strive to learn more about our faith so that when people do come to us with a question we can be prepared. At the same time there is no way we can know everything there is to our faith. Part of being Catholic is knowing that we don't know everything, but we want to learn as well. It is a lifelong learning process.
Try not to gossip. this is a hard one, but the more we avoid talking about people behind their backs the more people will begin to respect us.
Dress modestly, but in a confident manner.
Be polite and courteous.
Be proud to do things like the Eucharistic Procession...
Enjoy wearing catholic t-shirts, or retreat t-shirts.
When in a group of friends who want to do things that are anti-catholic try to suggest to them in a friendly manner something else to do. If they don't want to go along with you, that's fine. Just politely say you are not interested in that and excuse yourself from their plans.
Remember to be a role model for those who you never know are looking up to you. Do not do something that you would regret seeing a younger person, or peer do.

These are just a few of the points we thought up. I wish I could tell you I remember them all, but I don't. We talked about a LOT of different ways.

Letter Writing

Ever since reading the very long quote that is below this post I have spent a lot of time contemplating on it. Words are powerful. Words are also scary. Words are a necessity. They are what we learn to make sure each other's needs are heard and being met. The hardest part of using words for me is figuring out which ones I need to say and which ones I should just keep to myself. It is a guessing game for me in so many ways. I always worry about what will happen after everything has been laid out in front of a person... all the cards out on the table. The waiting period between telling someone something and receiving their reaction back is the most excruciating time period I can put myself through. I imagine so many scenarios, and usually they tend to be the worst ways the reaction will play out. I tend to do that as a defense mechanism, so mentally I have prepared for the worst so if it does end up being that I will be able to handle it in the best way possible. Then there are times I think I am right in holding those words back, but soon after I tend to regret keeping them to myself.

Usually when I have words I want to say but am really too scared to actually say them I will write the thoughts in letters. In fact I have a nice sized box of unsent letters under my bed. Some days I pull out the box and re-read them and see how much of my thoughts and feeling have changed since I last wrote the letter. If they are still right on then I will send it, but if they are different then I tend to just keep them in the box. I do this because I feel like in a heated moment I may say something that I do not mean at all, but once said I can't take back. I feel that by writing letters and waiting a few weeks or even a month after I have cooled off from the topic at hand I will have a better perspective on what I would want to say to that person. I feel a sense of relief after I write letters. Like a weight has been lifted from my chest.

I must say that writing letters is another favorite way to pray for me to. I have written so many letters to God. I tend to write them while in Adoration, or when I am at home before I go to bed. Sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night and write them. It may sound a little cheesy to some, but it is a way that I feel closest to God. Maybe you can try it yourself sometime and see how you like it. Who knows, you just might get hooked.