Transformed

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2
We live and we learn. We grow in our understanding of things and of people. I have to say that in this past in the past month in a half or so, I have grown in my own understanding. Honestly, starting this blog, I didn't think I'd keep up with it. I've tried to keep diaries and journals before, but usually after a few days I give it up. So when I made this commitment, to blog everyday, it looked a little doubtful. 53 blog posts later, here I am with having missed only one day. (P.S. Lent isn't really 40 days, that's why I have more posts).  In doing this, God really did help me to keep up with this commitment. I sort of proved to myself that I could keep up with a dairy/blog. It felt really good to come before the computer at night and looking back at my day, reflecting upon and actually thinking about how God had influenced it or finding bible verses that defined my day. Most of the time, we go through our daily motions without even thinking. We're just little robots going through our routinely life. What we do less then is take the time to meditate over what it was we really did. Setting apart this time every night, even if it was just 5 minutes to search for a quick bible verse, gave me a consistency, a new routine to add to my day. A routine that would allow to look back at what wonderful or life changing thing God lead me to do that day. He leads each one of us in different directions and in different ways. Lets see how this looks a year from now. I want to come back to this, implement it into my yearly routine, and do it again for lent next year. Maybe even make a new blog? Might be pushing it though. I'll just go to wherever it is God guides me. 
Amen.

Alright day

Do you know what one of the worst feelings in the world is? Smelling someone grilling really good steak half way through a run in the neighborhood while being a Catholic on Good Friday. An other really bad feeling: trying really, really hard not to laugh when it's quite and hundreds of people are looking at you. I had both feelings today. The latter was for a second during the Stations of the Cross at church today. Every year, the high schoolers put on a reenactment of the Stations on Good Friday. This year was my third and final year. Despite the moments of uncomfortable laughter bubbling in your chest, being a part of such a powerful production is one of the greatest feelings (though I did lose feeling in my legs by sitting on them for so long during the procession). In practicing for the Stations, yea we goof off, snack on food and such. Its not until you are at the front of the church, with hundreds of people watching you, that you realize how amazing and how important what you're doing is. After we finished the performance, old ladies came out crying, little kids wanted pictures with us. (P.S. I played Mary and we're all dress in old fashioned "robes" and such) It's always amazing to know that simple little acts, productions if you will, can be so influential and moving. Tomorrow, go through with a little random act of kindness toward someone. Bet it will mean the world to that person, even if it's just a little tiny world in the them. We owe it to Jesus. His final act of kindness was anything but simple or random, but he set forth an example for us to follow.

Stations of the Cross 1950
Henri Mattise

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus is given his cross
3. Jesus falls the first time
4. Jesus meets His Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene carries the cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls the second time
8. Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
11. Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
12. Jesus dies on the cross
13. Jesus' body is removed from the cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb and covered in incense.

Golden rule

He said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?

You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.

If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.

I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

John 13:12b-15

Jesus set a precedent for us quite a few years ago. He gave us our oh so cliche "golden rule:" Treat others the way you want to be treated. Just like every kindergarten teacher who bestows that little phrase upon us, Jesus presented us with the most simple way of life: to treat others (friends, strangers, enemies) in the same way he would treat us and us him. He even gave us a visual, the washing of the feet, that is still reenacted at Holy Thursday mass every year, all over the world. As you pass by someone tomorrow, look at them. Look at them in the same way you would look at Jesus. Treat them. Treat them with the same gestures you would if he or she were Jesus. Try to do that once a day, then work it up to all the time. Think about it, how often do you really look at someone and really treat them in the same exact way you would want to be treated? Room for improvement, right?

Holy Wednesday

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
And I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
My face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let him confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Singsongy

R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17

(To listen to it, click here.) 

It's really soft yet uplifting. I really feel that when singing it, you get a whole different feel for what is being said. We are doing as the bible says, singing of His salvation, showing of the wonderful voices he granted us with.

Roses are red...

"Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gift of grace increases as the struggles increase."

St. Rose of Lima


An amazing woman, St. Rose of Lima has a story that in my eyes cannot compare to many others. In choosing her as my confirmation saint last year, I really look up to her. She willfully choose struggle to be present throughout her whole life, in order to be able to see the beauty in it one day. Without struggle, we cannot be satisfied. Thus, we learn from the obstacles that come before us and become stronger.

Sunday nights

A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter;he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy...

Sirach 6:14-16


Friends are people who guide you and grow alongside with you. I have made some of the most incredible friends these past few years, who have guided me and grown with me in my faith. Today was our last Lifenight (HS youth group) of the year; my last official Lifenight at St. Helen as a student and a teacher (for now at least). Honestly, I almost started crying about 4 times. Lame maybe, but I was realizing just how much I'm going to miss these Sunday nights come September. Being a student in Lifeteen, freshman through junior year, I absorbed a lot of info and got close to some of the greatest people. As a small group leader this last year, I still felt like a student a lot of the time. I got the chance to sort through what I'd absorbed and really learn what it was I believed. I grew in my faith at the same time I was sharing it with some of the greatest kids I could have to call a small group. We had some kids come and go, but tonight I saw how we became a little Sunday night family. To begin the year, I was afraid. Still kind of figuring out the direction of my faith and leading a class of freshmen on my own at the same time was really daunting. Today, in mingling with each other near the end of the night, I heard the bits and pieces that we all took away from this year. In talking about the weekend, learning how to pray, discussing marriage and eating a few sugar cookies, my only hope is that these kids, my kids, learned a little something and want to keep coming back to learn even more. It was because of some of my own teachers that I kept coming back. I am so grateful to have had teachers and these kids this year who gave me the chance to share with them what I had to begin with and gave me so much more to know along the way.

Listen and learn

The Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes.

 Romans 8:28

And one and two

I was in an exercising mood today so thought this would fit nicely. 

Really gives you an intense work out.

This is basically what goes on at mass every Sunday.

Standing, kneeling, sitting.

Catholics: we're just so swoll.

0011000000110100001100010011010000110010001100000011000100110001

Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

 Proverbs 17:14


The binary title (04142011- today's date) and the verse basically summarize my day today:)

Venite adoremus

"…thousands of people from all across our country will testify that one hour each week with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the most peaceful, the most satisfying hour of their whole week."

I have to agree. Going to adoration tonight really was the most relaxing and productive hour I've had all week. And it's only Tuesday. Can't wait for the rest of the week:)

Musica

Thought I'd share one of my most favorite songs tonight. Honestly, I'm not a really big Christian music listener. However, I love it at church, especially singing at my Lifeteen(youth) mass on Sunday nights. Though I can't sing to save my life, I love being able to do so every now and again at church and at retreats. My most favorite time for music is during adoration. It really is an other way to connect the body and soul. Like all that old soulful music? lluuuuuvvv it. Music like that just makes you reach in within yourself for something deeper, for something that can't just be explained using everyday speech and inflections. Like St. Augustine said, "He who sings, prays twice."

Woohoo!

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God.
Philippians 1:3

All in a day's work

All I can say about today is thanks to God. Battle of the Bands was a huge success: bands, judges, officers, volunteers, and audience all helped to make it so great. I am so glad to be apart of Interact and have been in charge of Battle of the Bands this year. Knowing that all the money from today will go to better the things, to the American Cancer Society, makes it even greater. It was cloudy and windy all day, but all I can say is thanks to God for it not having rained and for blessing us with so much help and support. I couldn't have done it with out my closest friends and without the help of such amazing people in this community. It's all went amazing, and it's unexplainable how amazing it feels to have been apart of something so great.

BOTB 2011? Check.

Only when necessary

"Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words."

St. Francis of Assisi

even included a visual for today:)

Eat it right up

He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Matthew 4:19

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Everyday, we are fed information to help us succeed in life. Whether it comes from our parents, our teachers, our friends, or the television; is about our family, math, relationships, or a breaking news story, we take all of this information, decipher it, and allow it to affect us accordingly. God feeds us in the same way. He nourishes our faith and lives. However, for it to work, we have to put in some of our own effort. We have to learn how to. There are two sides to the learning process: teaching and learning. He may teach us, but we have to take what he teaches us, take what we learn and apply it in our own lives to grow in our understanding of our faith. So tomorrow, as you eat a bit of fish (for it's Friday!) , think about what your are eating. How does God reach us? How does he feed us?

Just do it

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.

Psalm 127: 1-2


Our everyday activities are because of God. Do what you do with Him in mind. Don't do it for praise or glory, waiting for someone to congratulate you. For if not, what we do has no point.

Now if only I could get some sleep like that last line says...

Prayin'

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

2 Peter 3:9

Make no mistake, every prayer you pray

Gets answered, even though

Sometimes, the answer is no.

(Brad Paisley)

a few words

Check out my own that I made!

All the words come straight from all the blogs I've posted:

(click on the picture so you can see it better.

It's really blurry

if I try to make it any bigger

on here.)

what is love?

simple enough, no?

:)

Believe

For I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.

Romans 1:16 

For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

Romans 12:4-5

Lovely melodies

Of these, twenty-four thousand were to direct the service of the house of the LORD, six thousand were to be officials and judges, four thousand were to be gatekeepers, and four thousand were to praise the LORD with the instruments which David had devised for praise.

I Chronicles 23:4-5 
Of the seemingly nearly four thousands musicians on the stage tonight at the symphony, all did amazing! The music was wonderful and just beautiful. Props to the youth symphony who played with them as well! God really has a way of surprising me with the most spontaneous of evenings sometimes. And tonight, He wished to share the wonderful sounds of music. I heard why it was that four thousand were to do nothing but play all day. If you ever get a chance, go listen to a symphony, an orchestra or just the high school band. Music is an amazing uplifter. Even just at church next time, really listen to the sounds of the chorus and instruments. You'll be surprised as to how they can help clear your thoughts and guide your prayers.

Pair of twos

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Good things come in pairs. :)

Lights

This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you:God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5

So I guess flashlights don't exist in heaven...

No pain, no gain

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:3-5


When you fall and hurt yourself, it hurts. Right? Yea, it does a lot. Why does it hurt though? Why does on little tiny paper cut hurt so much?! When you hurt yourself, your body has to work to fix it and the pain you get is your body letting you know that it is doing its job. The pain is also your body warning you to not touch your injury and make it worse. It's the body sending out immunities and white blood cells to help. Kinda weird how it works isn't it? You're not going to get better until you make it through that little bit-o-pain.
We also can't really learn unless we go through that pain and endure it. God and growing closer to him kind of works the same way as our body. In order to grow in our faith, a little pain has to precede it. We have to work for it to achieve his glory. Our sufferings make us stronger in ourselves and in God. We learn through the pain, in end coming out even more secure in ourselves. After falling and hurting ourselves, our body comes out even stronger and more able. No pain, no gain.

Thanks

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:8

Thank you for such a wonderful Sunday Lord. I pray that you will bless our week and guide us in our endeavors, so that we may grow closer to you. 

Amen.

Feeding the people

When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." (Jesus) said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over --twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

Matthew 14:13-21


There were some men working on our house today. At about noon, we were getting ready for lunch. Having been talking to the two men outside, my dad comes in telling my mom that we are inviting them for lunch. My mom begins to prepare two extra plates. Without checking to see if there would be enough of the chicken my mom was making, she went ahead and prepared those plates.
Afterwards, my mom was telling me about how my uncle, her brother, was always doing the same thing. He is always welcoming people and sharing what little he may have with them to help them. Once he shared so much that in the end there was no food left for him. Yet he was full. It sounds cheesy, but we are always so much more full after helping someone. I'm always full of energy or full of just plain happiness after having helped someone, especially multiple someones.
It's in this bible verse that we witness the truth of aiding others. It's simple. No questions need to be asked, no numbers added. Now, Jesus knows we can't go and feed thousands with such little food. However, us helping with such little food, such little a gesture, can turn into feeding thousands, helping millions. It's as easy as just smiling at that person at the mall or in the hallway. (better than pretending to awkwardly look at the ceiling or the wall next to you, no?) In this verse, Jesus starts a chain reaction by blessing the loaves, passing them to his disciples who in turn shared it with the people. You can be like Jesus. You can be the one to start the chain reaction.

Feast day... what?

So I just found this totally ridiculously awesome blog:

http://happycatholic.blogspot.com/

The reason I'm posting so late tonight (well I post late every night but...) was because I was reading this (like I said) ridiculously awesome blog. Check it out. Her story is really great. I love it! I hope you will too:)

P.S. Today was the feast of the Annunciation. (It falls 9 months before Jesus' birthday, if that helps.) It is the day the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her (suspense...) she had been chosen to be the Mother of God. And well we know how the story goes. How cool is that?! So in celebration, today was a day of feasting! Meaning Meat Friday! (only for today though) And also no Lent sacrifice for today. Unfortunately I did not know this during lunch, and missed out on the meaty lasagna as school today, but I enjoyed my popcorn shrimp none the less. And yes. I have a window opened to Facebook right now. Don't you?

Hope you had a great day!

:)

Loser.

And whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:38-39


My friend is a loser. He wore a shirt today that said so. LOSER. In big white block letters across the front of his shirt on a black t-shirt. We said hey like we do everyday, but when I saw his shirt I added a funny look. All he did was laugh. He proceeded to take of his backpack and explain to me by turning around. On the back of his shirt, in small white letters was a sentence, a verse to be exact. The verse above.
I am a loser. Jesus asks us in different ways and forms to follow him. At church, at school, driving along on the road, running along a path. He gives us small glimpses of true beauty in nature and in the personalities of people, asking us to follow in his steps. To often, however, we are distracted by these beauty's and choose to "not take up his cross and follow." We allow him to suffer alone, without helping. By doing so we ourselves may suffer.
We are losers. After reading the verse, the shirt made sense. It suited it purpose: to catch my attention and spread the word of God. Sometimes though, t-shirts like this show us up. We to often forget of our own purpose: to pay attention to what He is saying and spread his word.
Are you a loser?


Verse "Spark Notes"
[38] The first mention of the cross in Matthew, explicitly that of the disciple, but implicitly that of Jesus (and follow after me).
[39] One who denies Jesus in order to save one's earthly life will be condemned to everlasting destruction; loss of earthly life for Jesus' sake will be rewarded by everlasting life in the kingdom. (USCCB)

[Want to see the shirt? Click here.]

healing powers

What's anointing of the sick? Funny you should ask. On Sunday's and Monday's posts I started talking about a certain bible verse (Matthew 8:5-10,13) and explaining it. I was getting ahead of myself in explaining the Anointing of the Sick, so I decided to share it with you in the simplest, greatest, coolest way I could think of made by one of the coolest people ever... Cristine! She did the key note talk at Lifenight last week and made this amazing presentation. I wish she could present it to yall too. But unfortunately, technology isn't it's cracked up to be. 

So cherish it, enjoy it, love it, learn of it.

[Just click on the little gray arrow at the bottom]

Sacraments of Healing on Prezi

oh noes!

I promised to continue on my post from yesterday,
but like everything else,
a few things come up
:(
I'll continue on the anointing of the sick tomorrow,
and take this time to remind yall
about his nice little button
here.
Or that one,
there-->
or
<--there.
Your click could make a difference.
Yea,
sounds cheesy,
but it's no lie.

...of the Sick

Before you read today's blog, go read yesterday's.

Don't want to scroll down? Just click here. BUT don't forget to come back.

Did you read the passage?

Really read it?

How bout the questions?

What's a centurion again?

Why yes, it is an old Roman military officer high in the hierarchal system with great power.

Though if you read the verse,

you see the way in which he refers to

JESUS.

The Centurion says,

 "I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed."

It shows how even the most powerful

may not always be as powerful as they appear.

Even they must yield to someone higher than he or she.

This past Sunday (yesterday), we had Lifenight. It's my church's high school youth group. Not to brag or anything but... I have the best small group. What? You can't read it? Oh well... I have the best small group! I am a very proud small group leader and ♥ it. This semester's theme is over the 7 sacraments,  and the Anointing of the Sick was our most recent topic. This sacrament is a physical, spiritual and mental healing.  Go back and read the verse. It was actually the one we read on Sunday with the topic and talked about in our small group time. The questions too. How does the verse relate to the Anointing of the Sick? 

Makes more sense now that you know what it has to do with.

I really liked this verse,

with the help of my kiddos and my lovely assistant,

we each learned to sort of decipher it.

I'll share more of our findings with you tomorrow.

It's getting late

and I should probably post this sometime today,

I'll explain the Anointing of the Sick more on my next post.

Hope you have/have had a great day!

(depending on when you're reading this)

but for me it is now bedtime,

so goodnight and sleep tight,

Amen.

Annointing...

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed.

Matthew 8:5-10,13

• What stood out about the passage? Why?
• A centurion is a military officer, a person with great power; what is significant about the way he approached Jesus?
• Why is humility important when seeking healing from Jesus?
• Why is faith important in receiving healing from Jesus?
• Do you believe Jesus still heals people? Why or why not?
• What makes a ‘healer’ real?  Does Jesus fit the definition?

►Now click here to go to the next post.

Enjoy

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13


Stay strong guys.
Only 1 day of this wonderful break left.
Enjoy it:)

with love

I can't imagine what hasn't been said about Japan.

Everything from horror stories to miraculous fairytales.

We however can DO something.

The little things go a long way.

Click here to donate.

And since it is 12:13 right now,

this will count as my Friday post

as I will be taking part in this bloggers day of silence.

So many are suffering,

without basic necessities.

Your love can go a long way,

all across the largest ocean.

God bless all in Japan,

and all lending a helping and loving hand.

Amen.

happy St. Patrick's day!

"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

St. Patrick

I hope everyone wore green today! I told my little brother about how you have to wear green if not people pinch you. He then changed and then went around pinching the rest of my family that didn't have green on. Oh kiddos. Anyways, I didn't really know much about the true St. Patrick so I did a little reading.  His story is really amazing. Not originally Irish, he converted thousands to Catholicism all throughout Ireland. He wrote, taught and shared his love for God over a whole nation of people. He was a great guy worthy of his sainthood (is that the word for it?). Want more info? I got mine from Catholic.org. Here's the link to St. Patrick's page: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=89. Goodnight guys:)

Strength and courage

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

Simply put

Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"

Matthew 22:37-39
It's an easy way to remember two important things we tend to so often forget.

Spring cleaning

"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

Hebrew 10:22 


I began spring cleaning today. Huge mess that came from it. There were papers and more papers everywhere. I'm one of those people who keeps old 4th grade TAKS essays so that someday when I'm older I can look back and laugh at the overuse of simile's in my a-time-you-learned-something paper. Just looking at the piles of papers to be recycled and papers to be kept, I have no idea where it all came from. It just accumulates and accumulates and by the time you know it, it's everywhere and you don't even realize it. I kept putting of cleaning everything out and it wasn't until now that I wish I had gotten it over with earlier. I mean come on, cleaning your room isn't the most ideal way to spend the first Monday of spring break. But hey, sometimes we need it, that little break from our break to really value this new found time we have. It's important to go back to our roots to find out what the desk really looked liked under that pile of papers. Maybe even a spiritual cleaning is in order. We can't to a spiritual cleaning on our own, we have to ask God to help with it. Start with a prayer at night, maybe add a bible verse too (see above).  It's not for us to jump right in, but to take it at our own speed. As much work as we may put into it, spring cleaning only lasts for a season, but spiritual cleansing can last for the rest of our lives.

Running and shoes

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

Hebrews 12:1


After mass today, I went running with my brother and Corey. We got to talking and then of course it starts to get a little harder so I stop talking so instead I can use those moments to actually breath. In those quite moments, it's nice to just stop and listen to whats going around. I don't run as often as I should or as much as I used to, but it's times like that that remind me about why I do love it. It's just me, my mind and nothing else but God. Focusing on breathing in and out, it's hard to think of anything else. Every now and again though, my mind will wander off and I'll start thinking about things going on or things I haven't made time to think about that day. And I've sort of realized that for me, running is sort of like praying. Unless I just fall asleep, I pray before going to bed. And in doing so, in the middle of my little convo with God, my mind starts to wander and like while running, things I just hadn't made time to think about during the day start rushing to my head. It's like sometimes, God just opens our mind and it just starts racing. I've sat there for an hour before because different things just pop into my head. And they're just little things I may have forgotten or I just hadn't gotten to talk to about with anyone. It's God there every day and night ready to listen to us and what we have to say and think. He wants to listen to what we say. An Our Father or a Hail Mary are amazing prayers, but sometimes, it's our very own words and conversations with God that can go the distance and mean so much more.


p.s. AHHHHHH!!!! MY PICTURE IS ON TOMS.COM!! 

I uploaded this picture a few weeks ago:

and this is a picture of it on TOMS.com:

http://www.toms.com/how-we-wear-them/?p=9
by the time you see this post, it may be a few pages back, so just keep looking:)

Just wanted to share my excitement with you guys! I went to get my brother to come look at it right now and he thought I'd seen a bug and wanted him to kill it. Either way, I'm super excited! Kudos to Jordan for taking such great pics! Pretty sorta really awesome(ly) impressive? woooo! :D

Timing it right

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use            of the time.

Colossians 4:5 


Ready for the time change? We always see it as losing a whole hour of sleep and dread when this change comes. Change can be good though. Instead of looking at it as loosing an hour, think about it as getting the chance to start tomorrow sooner:)
First Sunday of Lent, here we come.

Words of wisdom

How much better to get wisdom than gold,                              to get insight rather than silver!

Proverbs 16:16


Sounds like a fortune cookie doesn't it? I wonder who decides what goes in those cookies. They make often make you think about things you wouldn't have ever thought. Even more often, they are things that have forever been on your mind, we just don't always know how to word it. How did Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and all the others know how to put to words what became the Bible? 

Genesis 29:20 & Relativity

So Jacob served 7 years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

 Genesis 29:20

"Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity"

Albert Einstein 

Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable

First day of lent, and already I've had to resist getting onto Facebook. I'm pretty sure I've come up with at least 20 status updates since I got up this morning. Out of habit, I even clicked on where I have it bookmarked and almost started to log-in. It's hard stuff, but hey, that's the whole purpose of this. We are getting the chance to get comfortable with what makes us uncomfortable. It's you trying to breakout of the box of habits to reflect upon them. The whole reason we give up lent is so that me way do as Jesus did. We are preparing ourselves for his death.

It's hard to know sometimes what is the best way to do this. What is the right way to fast or give up something for lent? Honestly... there is no true answer. Not even people back in the day(think 5th Century, Socrates) really had a definite answer. The Church  has very nicely set rules for how, who and when to fast. But what you personally sacrifice is up to you. It really is. No one can judge you or should influence your decision. It's just you, yourself and God. Simple enough? And it doesn't always have to be a sacrifice. You can make a promise to do something, such as pray the Rosary once a week or try to attend adoration at your church (I especially, really, a lot, like you have no idea, love adoration!) . If you don't already, just promising to say a prayer everyday is a beautiful start. If you want to share, comment and let me know what you have given up or take the nice little poll on <--that side.

I'm really glad I got to go to mass early before school this morning. Even got a funny look from the Shipley's guy this morning because of the ashes (or maybe because he thought I was getting 3 donuts instead of 2). They lasted the whole day though, they're still there, nicely smudged and all:) Happy first day of lent! 1 day down, only 39ish to go.