Day after Christmas

After a very blessed Christmas I'm back in KC.  My days home were all too short, but very filled with family and little cousins and news of two new little cousins (children of cousins, specifically) on the way!  Today I was scheduled "on-call" at Pottery Barn Kids, which translates to I call in an hour before my scheduled time and PBK 100% of the time doesn't need me on those days...but I still have to plan on the possibility of being needed for work.  So my parents and brother took me up to KC today, and while my parents and I walked around the Plaza, Jake went to see his one of his Godsons, since the family was in town and he probably won't see them again for a couple of years.  My parents and I had fun going into some snazzy stores and I got to introduce them to PBK (their eyes got nice and big and round at the old fashioned toys and gifts on display).  After a couple hours we went back to my house and I called into PBK, and then when I found out they didn't need me I called Sister Maria Catherine about coming in for more orientation.  It was really...really really...hard to say bye to my parents this time around.  I don't want to say too much more than I'm having really really bad homesickness right now, and I could use some prayers for that.  But they did have to leave, and I went to work.  We had 5 or 6 residents sick tonight, so it put some more stress on the three of us CNAs there, but it was still a pretty good night.  The floor I'm on in the nursing home happens to also have the main chapel, so I go in there on my lunch break (evening shift lunch breaks usually happen between 8pm and 10pm) and there was a beautiful Nativity set up, which made me super happy.  And after break there were only a few things to do before having to leave, so it was smooth sailing after 10pm.  And now I lay me down to sleep...  I have some errands to run tomorrow and work at PBK tomorrow night.  The busier I keep, the faster time will pass until the 5th when I get to go home next is my thought.  So, goodnight!

Two Posts in One

I really wanted to get both of these posts in before Christmas...so I'm putting them into one post!  Don't worry, I'll separate them so you won't get confused :-)

-----~-----~-----~-----~-----~-----

“Wherever you go I will go…”

In my current vocation, the sub-vocation of being a friend is a very important one to me.  I love finding time to foster friendships.  At this point in most of our college lives, we aren’t able to go spend money and eat at a restaurant to chat, but there’s plenty of opportunities of meeting at each others’ houses to do meaningful activities like baking and playing games…something in which we can talk and catch up on life and share a fun activity at the same time.  Though finding time to do these things can be especially hard at this point in our lives, with conflicting break schedules, conflicting job schedules, and conflicting social and family lives even, when time does present itself, I love to take hold of it and treasure it.  At school it usually looks like this:  one or two of us are studying in one room in the evening, and then another one joins in, and then maybe another one, and before we know it it’s way past when we thought we would be going to bed, but we don’t want it to end because we never have time to do that with our school work and crazy lives.

Recently, I was watching to a Life on the Rock episode featuring Sarah Swafford.  Before she talked, they did a short interview with a Nigerian priest interning at EWTN.  Nigeria has many, many vocations coming from it right now in the religious life and priesthood, and when asked why, he said that a persecuted Church is always a strong Church…it is comfort that is the seed of destruction in the Church.  I started thinking of this in terms of my friendships.  When a friendship noticeably starts suffering is when I go out of my way to make sure I put effort and care into that friendship…it is when I become comfortable in a friendship that I begin to not find time to meet with that friend, or simply ask how they are doing on a regular basis.  I guess that’s part of the message of Advent:  don’t get comfortable.  Be awake, be ready, have oil for your lamps, be joyful, be prepared.

I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on the Book of Ruth, and specifically on the friendship of Naomi and Ruth…and how far I have to go in my friendships.  Ruth’s friendship was so unconditional.  It transcended conditions because it was infused with love and loyalty.  I am all too guilty of thinking of friendships as exchanges…they shared that much information with me and went that deep, so in exchange I share this much of my life.  While there is certainly balance in friendship, there also needs to be trust and vulnerability.  I can only imagine how uncertain Ruth was of her future, but none of that mattered too much because Naomi had been such a caring mother-in-law that Ruth could only think about being a loyal friend in return.  Her loyalty blessed Naomi more than either of them could ever dream.  And Ruth is one of a few women named in the genealogy of Jesus, so great was her blessing.

I want to be a Ruth friend.  I want God to bless my friendships with spiritual fruits which will be pleasing to Him…I want to lead my friends to Heaven.

-----~-----~-----~-----~-----~----

Well, I finally put the news in letters (I wanted some close friends to find out in a way other than a media source) and on Facebook, so now I’ll go ahead and blog about it…I’m a part-time CNA!

I’ve been praying for a position with the Little Sisters for months…really since I volunteered there last spring.  When I first went on my discernment retreat in October of 2010 with them, my pull towards the medical field was disappearing, and I was questioning myself on whether I’d really stick with that emphasis through college.  Seeing the joy of the Sisters in their work, though, helped me glimpse just how I want to use faith and medicine in my future line of work.  Volunteering there for a whole week confirmed it even more for me, and I realized that it would help a lot if I got certified as a nurse’s aide.  Whenever I first mentioned it to Sister Amy, she was thrilled and said she’d try to get me in as soon as I returned to school.

Well, I got to school, and there was no position to be had.  There were simply no open positions for me to fill, and so I began waiting and at the same time searching for other positions, and eventually broadening my search to anything, not just nursing homes.  And so, I got in with Pottery Barn Kids.  Just as seasonal help, so I fully believed that, once January hit, I would again begin searching for work.

And so, the Sunday right after finals, I went to visit the Little Sisters, thinking I was going to be wrapping boxes with the residents (I think I even blogged about that before I went, come to think of it).  I got there and found Sister Amy, who informed me that there had actually been a couple of groups of entertainers there that afternoon and I would not be needed to do that original wrapping idea, but that it was still good that I had come, because Sister Maria Catherine was wanting to speak with me.  Now, if I haven’t explained how the Jeanne Jugan Center is set up, it’s divided into 4 floors.  The first is for more independent residents who can still come and go (there’s also a separated set of apartments for independent living).  The second floor is for residents who can move around less, but are still pretty healthy for the most part.  The third floor is the infirmary and has many of the sicker and more elderly residents, and the fourth floor has the convent.  My interactions have mostly been on the third floor, volunteering in the infirmary, where Sister Amy is in charge, while Sister Maria Catherine does more with the second floor.  Which is why I was puzzled at first why Sister Maria Catherine would want to visit with me specifically.  So, of course, Sister Amy went on to say that there was an empty position and Sister Maria wanted to talk to me about starting as a CNA there!

I’m still struck with a little disbelief.  I had really begun to think that that door of my life was closed and, for whatever reason, God was just not calling me to work there.  I knew that Sister Amy Kristine was working hard to get me in there, but just how hard, I soon came to learn.  I found out that the Mother Provincial who at one point had visited the Jeanne Jugan Center had found out that they were trying to hire me, and SHE insisted to Mother Rose Marie and Sister Amy that they should get me working there!  Sister Amy worked her scheme all the way to Mother Provincial!  Woah!!  Sister Amy said that, after that, the push to get me in was even more intense, and they were finally able to hire me.

So, I’ve been filling out paper work and got my physical and drug screen and am just about ready to start.    I’ll be working every other weekend, both Saturdays and Sundays, from 3pm to 11:30pm.  My first day will be December 31^st (I get to spend New Year’s Eve working…I’m actually really excited about it!!).

I guess I’m using this post to celebrate…but also to say thank you.  I know there were a lot of friends with whom I was confiding my hopes and despairs about job-searching, and all of the prayers are what helped me to this.  St. Joseph is amazing, and although I’m impatient and was always complaining about how slow he was in helping me…he was helping me all along, by helping me learn acceptance of God’s will and timeline and denial of my own.  So, friends, thank you for your prayers.

Wizard of Oz wisdom

Oh, the things you can get out of old movies.  Wizard of Oz is chock-full of wisdom.  I think we all have a bit of each of the main characters in us.

 Scarecrow:  I can't figure out this problem.  It's beyond me.  Why do I try?

  

Lion:  I just...I just can't face up to these problems.  I'm so scared and alone.  No one can help me out of this.

 Tin man:  All these people around me have so much compassion and caring.  I'll never measure up to the good that they're working.

  

Dorothy:  Oh, home is so far away!  I just need to get to back to the start and make everything good again.

The longer we stay away from Confession, the more we are captured in our failings, the more we repeat these thoughts to ourselves.  Sin not only breaks our relationship with God, but it also hurts the Mystical Body of Christ and distorts our own self-image.  The grace administered through the Sacraments brings about such healing and gives us correct vision.  Through constant conversion and recourse to the Sacraments, our previous lies we were telling ourselves can be transformed.

 Scarecrow:  I have all these tools I've been given, and I have my God-given brain.  I may not have all the answers, but I can certainly do good by what I have!

Lion:  Failure may happen, but as long as I have Christ as my strength, I need not fear!

 Tin man:  I have caring, and I have the right-sized heart for me.  The more I surround myself with the people I care for and the Love of God, the more I will continue to grow in devotion and adoration.

Dorothy:  I am never far away from home.  All I have to do is turn around, right around into His Arms of Love.

Quote of the Day XXI

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, “What! You too? I thought I was the only one!"

--C. S. Lewis

Finding Jesus

While praying the final decade of the Rosary last night, it was surprisingly the 5th mystery that caught my attention.  Looking back at this semester, I see how anxious I've been to find Jesus in everything, and how disappointed I've been when it seemed I couldn't.  One of the core values at school is to "Find Jesus in All Things".  Which I utterly fail at 95% of the time.  I either pay attention for a while to "looking" for Him and then give up, or don't even begin my search altogether. But the 5th mystery reminded me that Mary, our Blessed Mother, and St. Joseph, her spouse, searched for three days for Jesus!  Three days for them, that most blessed Couple,  to find Jesus in the midst of Jerusalem.  If it took them three days to find Jesus, why do I get discouraged when I don't see Him right away?

Their search was a most blessed search.  Joseph and Mary sought with hope...without despair, without fear, without being frantic.  "Perfect Love casts out all fear"; Mary searched for her Child, with hope and joy in her heart, accepting God's will for their results.  Jesus would never remain hidden forever. 

As Advent continues, may you discover that joy in your hearts that carries you on in your search for the Babe in the manger, Jesus Christ. 

Christmas (break) is here!

There's something a little sad about seeing all of my housemates' piles of packing for Christmas spread throughout the living room.  I look forward to having this break to be mostly alone to catch up on reading (there will be a whole paragraph about that), and I won't be lonely because I'll have work, Adoration, and a few friends that are also staying up here with whom to keep company.  But I can't help but also long for the day where I pack up everything to go back home for a while.

This weekend on Saturday I have an aunt and cousin who will be coming to visit for about an hour while they pass through KC (yay!!!) and Sunday I'll go do some "gift-wrapping" at the Little Sisters'.  I put that in quotes because I'll just be wrapping boxes, but the residents will sit around and "help" while I wrap...Sister thought they would really get a kick out of being "involved" in wrapping presents, like they used to when they were not in the nursing home.  Hence, I plan on decking myself out in holiday apparel and going to have fun with the residents :-)

So.  Books.  So many many books to get through and to begin!  Since I was basically done with my last final on Wednesday (easiest finals week ever), I made the most of my time...I finished my last 20 pages of Lord of the Rings (finally!  That was basically all I've had left to read in it since August, but I successfully kept ignoring it or not having time for it until this week), I finished my Medjugorje book, and I finished book 4 of the Anne of Green Gables series.  I'm now on book 5 of the series, and I've also started Orthodoxy by Chesterton.  At this rate I'll be able to take home quite a few of my books and bring some new ones from home.  Taking a long, extended, much-needed break from Facebook definitely helped with this.  And, since the departure from Facebook went so well, I'm continuing it in a way...I'm back on, but only for event purposes.  I already emailed a bunch of friends over Facebook and emphasized I didn't want to be just "Facebook friends"...I wanna be real-life friends!  Basically, don't try to keep in contact with me over Facebook at this point.  I will be avoiding it heavily, and catching up on reading and being present to the here and now.

Finals went super well.  I had already had my piano final 2 weeks ago, and my anatomy and physiology final the week before finals week, leaving only my anatomy and physiology lecture final, John: Gospel and Epistles final, French final, and Religion, Ethnicity and Race final.  The RER final (it's so much easier to just abbreviate) ended up being 3 essay questions, each no more than 2 pages long, to turn in at the time of the final.  And I had those written back on Sunday already.  Easy sneezy.  So I had the other three in a period of two days.  Tuesday was the John final and A&P final.  Wednesday was the French final.  And I was done.  Why can't every finals week be like that?  Crazy.  So Thursday I just turned in my essays, watched a movie in the XL dorm, and went to 9pm FOCUS Mass for the holy day.  Today I have nothing to do until I go to work from 4-8, so I will be cleaning my room and, hmm, probably reading...

Alright, well, that's all I've got, dear readers.  I pray the waiting  of Advent continues to awaken in your hearts deep peace and joy.  Blessings!

Martha preparing for the Lord

I’ve been writing a paper on St. John Chrysostom’s interpretation of the flesh and blood theme within the Gospel according to John, so I’ve been immersed in his homilies on the Gospel lately. I loved this little passage and wanted to share it with you! I actually thought it was a great way to pray to begin Advent and learn how to truly prepare for the Lord.

Excerpt from Homily 44 (John 6:26-27)

“How is it that Jesus said to Martha: ‘Thou art anxious and troubled about many things; and yet only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the best part’? And again: ‘Do not be anxious about tomorrow’? It is indeed necessary to explain all these texts now, not only in order that we may cause those who are lazy to cease to be so—if they should be open to persuasion—but also that we may prove that no statements made by God contradict one another.

The Apostle says in another place: ‘We exhort you to make progress and to strive to live peacefully, minding your own affairs, so that you may walk becomingly towards outsiders.’ And again: ‘He who was wont to steal, let him steal no longer; but rather let him labor, working with his hands, that he may have something to share with him who suffers need.’ Here, indeed, Paul not merely has bidden us to work, but to labor so industriously that we have something from our efforts to share with another. Elsewhere, too, the same sacred writer says: ‘These hands of mine have provided for my needs and those of my companions.’ And writing to the Corinthians he said: ‘What then is my reward? That preaching the gospel, I deliver the gospel without charge.’ And when he was in that city: ‘He stayed with Aquila and Priscilla and he set to work; for they were tent-makers by trade.’ Moreover, these quotations seem to contradict those others still more strongly if interpreted according to the letter. We must, therefore, produce the answer at last.

What, then, should we say in reply? It is that ‘not to be anxious’ is not the same as ‘not to work,’ but it means not to be solicitous for tomorrow’s refreshment, but to consider that this anxiety is unnecessary. It is possible both for one who works not to be hoarding for tomorrow and for one who works not to be solicitous. Solicitude, indeed, is not the same thing as work. One does not labor as if setting store by the work, but in order to share with him who suffers need.

And what was said to Martha did not refer to work and daily labor, but to the necessity of knowing the time for it and of not spending the time, intended for listening to Him, on more material occupations. Well, then, He did not say these things to encourage her to idleness, but to compel her to listen to Him. ‘I have come,’ He meant to say, ‘to teach you the things necessary for salvation, and are you busying yourself about a meal? Do you wish to make Me welcome and to prepare a lavish table? Prepare another kind of refreshment by making yourself an attentive and enthusiastic listener and imitating the loving attention of your sister.’ It was not, then, to forbid hospitality that He spoke as He did to her; perish the thought! How, indeed, could He do so? But it was to show that one must not be preoccupied with other things when it is the time to listen to Him.”

A bit about break so far

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone. That means that I am back at school, and I have just finished my day at work. Which truthfully wasn't too bad at all. The only kind of ridiculous thing that happened was that someone requested one of the girls to steam-clean the dress of the doll that she was buying. Mkay. Whatever floats your boat.

It was actually pretty hard to leave home this time. Riding home with my parents from Thanksgiving, looking out the window at the stars (the only thing better than coming home to a Kansas summer sky is coming home to a Kansas winter sky...it's breath-taking), I just didn't want that car ride to end. If there's one thing I realize and appreciate more from leaving home for college, it's that moments like that don't get to happen very often, so I try to hold onto them tightly when they do.

I did have a very fun break while it lasted, though. On Wednesday we bridesmaids for my friend Sarah's wedding picked and bought our dresses. Then I went with them to eat at Freddy's, where we met up with her dad and Bryant (the fiancée) and I joined Bryant and Sarah on a trip around town. First they took me to see Sarah's wedding band and the ring that Bryant is considering, then I went with them to their dance class, where they were perfecting the waltz (so fun to watch! Thankfully when I was pulled in to join at one point, I knew the basic step already, so I didn't completely flop.). After that we went to a friend's bonfire and hung out. It was so weird/interesting being the only one under 21.

For Thanksgiving Day we went to Mass and watched an hour of the parade before heading to my dad's side of the family for Thanksgiving. I got to see my little cousins, and we had a fantastic meal and a super fun time playing cards. Even though I lost horribly at garbage. Not that I'm blaming my dad since he sat behind me in order and passed me horrible cards or anything ;-).

So, I traveled back up to the Rock and went back to work today. Over the next couple days I'll be working quite a bit and fitting in cleaning, homework, and seeing the Sisters in the between time. So life goes. I hope your entrance into Advent is equally as blessed, dear readers!

Blue Screen of Death

My computer this past year has been beginning to act a wee bit temperamental. My old battery made it to the point that it just did not hold a charge anymore, so I replaced that this summer and that has fixed a number of problems, such as the extreme over-heating the computer was doing, and I can have the computer off the cord now for more than one minute before it dies (praise the Lord!!). The past few days, though, there has been a blue screen with a jumble of white writing counting down and then shutting off my computer. Not being well-versed in the ways of technology, I texted Matt about what was going on, and informed me about this tricky "Blue Screen of Death". After doing what he recommended with a computer clean and changing the power settings, the next day it happened again. At which point I realized I really needed to save my computer information in case one of these days the Blue Screen returns again, and for good shuts off my computer. Last night I spent emailing myself all of my important files I want to save, since I currently don't have another way to save my files. It's a temporary move, but at least I know that if my computer crashes, then I can at least access all of my files.

How often are we spiritually sick, but don't know the underlying issue? We can see the symptoms, but don't know the source. I can be feeling moody, irritable, and grumpy, but if I don't get down to what's really bothering me, then all I can do is try to remedy the superficial layers. I think what happens is that, initially, we know what has bothered us...some event that is causing so much turmoil that we either bury it or let ourselves believe that it has been fixed. When you start to feel emotions that you don't immediately connect with the real issue at hand, then it's harder still to get to the root of how to go about what needs to happen for you to feel spiritually well again.

It's important for us not to bury issues and pretend like they're alright when they're not. Something that amazes me about the Blessed Mother is that she "pondered these things in her heart." That is the hardest part of Mary for me to imitate, I think. I usually go about it one of two ways...I bury it, or I can't stand keeping it to myself so I dump it on someone else. It's difficult for me to take it to God instead. Mary truly pondered over things...she didn't bury the trouble, she didn't "emotionally dump" on others, but she truly took the issue from herself and gave it over to her Lord.

It's also important for us to seek out spiritual direction. Preferably a priest. Someone you confess to regularly, so that when you do try to hide the deeper issue, they can say, uh uh, we're going to get to the root of the problem. It's so imperative to have a good spiritual director guided by the Holy Spirit who is not afraid to pinpoint exactly what needs to be done. If a priest is unavailable or if God is still preparing one for you (such as is my case, at the moment), then regular confession is still key, and finding a peer or role model, someone who is spiritually mature and knows you well enough to keep you on track and point out what needs to be done, can also work. I just think it's highly important that we all have someone holding us accountable. That way, when that "Blue Screen of Death" comes along, you can get right to the source and fix whatever is the problem.

Lastly, honesty with yourself is key. Call yourself out! It takes prayer, self-discipline, and a focus on spiritual meditation to accomplish this, and it is no easy task. I am still far from perfect on this. Mental prayer and regularly having recourse to the Sacraments to obtain grace, which will make our spiritual sight clearer, should help us all in this aspect. (Too bad my computer couldn't self-reflect and pinpoint a problem instead of going right to the "Blue Screen of Death").

Daily Gospel VIII: Luke 20:27-40

Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
General Audience of 01/12/1982

"They are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise"

"As a sacrament born from the mystery of Redemption and, in a certain sense, reborn from the nuptial love between Christ and the Church (cf. Eph 5,22-23), marriage is an efficacious expression of God's saving power, bringing to realization his eternal design even after sin and in spite of the concupiscence that is hidden in the hearts of every human being, both man and woman... As a sacrament of the Church, marriage is by nature indissoluble. As a sacrament of the Church it is also a word spoken by the Spirit, who exhorts man and woman to shape their whole life together by drawing strength from the mystery of the redemption of the body... The redemption of the body means... that hope which, in the context of marriage, can be defined as hope in daily life, hope in what is temporal...

The dignity of married couples... is expressed in their profound awareness of the sanctity of life, to which both contribute by participating as co-founders of a family in the forces belonging to the mystery of creation. In the light of this hope, which is linked to the mystery of the redemption of the body, this new human life, the child conceived and born of the conjugal union of its father and mother, opens itself to the 'firstfruits of the Spirit' 'to enter into the freedom of the glory of the children of God'. And if 'all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now', a special hope accompanies the woman in the pains of childbirth, namely the hope of 'the revelation of the children of God' (cf. Rm 8,19-23), a hope of which every newborn child carries a spark when it comes into the world... This is what Christ's words refer to when he called attention to the resurrection of the body... They are children of God, being children of the resurrection."

Beautiful...

I actually really liked this line..."He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." I mean, really, just so cool. Not only are those who "die" very much alive in the eyes of the Church, but extremely alive, as they are participating in the glorious reality of Heaven. Woah...that means they're super duper alive.

Heaven is so darn cool!

One more week till Thanksgiving!!

I wrote the longest paper that I can remember ever writing last night. Okay, not long in length-only 4 pages. But it was over Japanese cultural identity and a tiny glimpse into Shintoism. Basically I didn't hardly understand what I was writing about. Between having to read and re-read and re-read the material to try to understand and plain not being excited about this paper I had to write, it probably took upwards of 3 hours to write last night.

Moving right along...

Work has been going alright. I don't feel like I've had a ton of customer experience yet in the store, so I'm still rusty as to how to help customers, since most of them that come in are just walking around the Plaza looking for something to do. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the menial tasks I've been doing to fill my time, but I was hired as a seasonal worker to interact with customers as they come in so that the regular workers can help with the bigger issues if they're there for registry, design studio, buying furniture, etc. I'm sure it will get more interesting and fast-paced as the holiday season approaches.

Speaking of the holidays, I'm so excited for Thanksgiving. If my work schedule works out that I can go home, then I'll go home for Thanksgiving day and be back for Black Friday. If it doesn't work out that way, then I'll just spend Thanksgiving up here. Either way I hope to go volunteer a bit at the Little Sisters, because I haven't seen them since AUGUST! Crazy!!

Alright, well, time to go get ready for the day. Have a good one, readers!

Kickin' off the weekend!

Ahhh...smell that? Let it soak in. It's the weekend!

Last night we kicked off the weekend here by going to Beyond Words, which Rockhurst Res Life put on, which drew attention to the cycle of oppression and discrimination in our society. Then we went to the tailgate that the Student Athletes hosted (I won a t-shirt...that's two sizes too big. Oh well, a new addition to the pajama collection lol). After that we returned to our house for a spur of the moment dance party. We even dressed up and took pictures ;-)


Then I went on over to the FOCUS missionaries' house to hear a talk by Dr. Kasia Szymanek. She's a DO in residency and is knowledgeable in the Creighton method of NFP. She talked to a group of us women about natural hormone balance and about NAPRO as opposed to In-Vitro. It's so surprising how much you DON'T know about your own natural body processes until somebody explains it to you in such a context. I definitely learned more about charting and about what is involved in NAPRO.

This morning a group of us went to pray at Planned Parenthood, and now I'm waging the homework battle ;-). Thanks for dropping in everybody!

A Focus on the Positives of the Day

Because it can be a little too easy to be dreary on a day like today :-)

1. Woke up, got an early start on studying for John: Gospel and Epistles, and took the test. Glad to have that out of the way this week :-)

2. Had time to take a little break before Religion, Ethnicity, and Race today.

3. Received my last A&P test back with a 96%!! Now just to figure out why class is so much easier than lab...positivity, positivity!!

4. Had one super awesome afternoon. Anna and Alma came over for hot chocolate. Delicious. And Alma just makes me smile so much. I hope this friendship continues to grow. Her story is fantastic.

5. I have time to write this! And soon I will be reheating some leftovers and buckling down for studying for lab.

6. Bible study is tonight. I'm really looking forward to it for whatever reason.

7. I've had the chance to talk more with Matt the past few days then we've been able to in a while.

8. With my first paycheck I got a trim and got a super good deal at Payless with BOGO. I now have work shoes and purse that's easier for them to check before I leave the store.

9. I made my first sale ever last night. And I left work with a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks because of some competition that our particular Potter Barn Kids store had won. So I got a cinnamon dolce latte and a mini peanut butter cupcake. Perfect on a dreary night like last night.

10. I'm just blessed overall.

How have YOU been blessed lately??

Fall Back

I've never been so excited for "Fall Back" on the clocks...

This was such a funny week. As in, it wasn't crazy busy, but it was busy enough to make me tired enough to be falling asleep by 8pm last night. I suppose a lot of it was due to the fact that Monday started off busy. Whenever the week starts off busy, then the rest of it seems to follow suit. Thursday marked the end of my busy week, as that was the culmination of the week. Yesterday contained World Cultures Day, for which all language students prepare a small booth on a country that has the language which they are learning (mine was Guadeloupe [not Guadalupe]). It wasn't a huge project, but it was time consuming.

Emily, Courtney, and I came to an intimidating conclusion this week: it's already crunch time for the semester. Wait...woah...how in the WORLD did that happen?! But it's so true. Papers coming up...finals starting middle of November...it's here! Ca-razy.

Something else that's crazy...no more piano lessons after this semester. Next week is literally my last piano lesson ever. For our recital on the 15th we are instead doing a studio with just the piano students, as it seems the Piano I students have not been practicing or sometimes even showing up for their lessons (silly silly silly). Ergo, they would not have been ready for a recital. It's a little sad that I will not have my last recital actually be a recital, but it will also be less stressful to prepare for, thereby leaving me time to invest into other classes.

Alright, time to be productive for a while :-) Thanks for checking in, and peace to you!

Quote of the Day XIX

"Again, where is the strength to face martyrdom born? From a deep and intimate union with Christ, because martyrdom and the vocation to martyrdom are not the result of human effort, but the response to God's initiative and call; they are a gift of His grace, which enables them to offer their lives for the love of Christ and the Church, and thus the world."
--Pope Benedict XVI

Up before the sunrise

What I love about getting up early in the morning: I'm ready for the day, I get a bunch done (such as sending out two transcripts and figuring out that crazy maze called registration), I get my fix of coffee

What I find not so great about the morning: less sleep, my mind races from one thing to the next as far as what I need to get completed for the morning (alright, so that might be a side effect of the coffee...), I'm a little more loopy than usual

I was glad, however, that 6:15 didn't come too rough this time around. It's been a while since I've experienced that hour of the day. Why 6:15? Occupy Rockhurst is now underway. There's a group getting ready to set hearts on fire for Jesus on campus. Pray for us as we continue to discern how to continue to evangelize here!

The Christopher West event was great! Saw some familiar faces, got to pray for those attending during Adoration, and I think one of the best parts was the band. Mike Mangione and the Union is a rock/indie band that bases their lyrics in Theology of the Body. Completely touching. Here's a sample: Woman in Gown

Alright, time for some piano!!

Daily Gospel VII: Luke 14: 1, 7-11

This is a Gospel story that is powerful when it is lived out (all of them are, of course, but this one is super powerful when applied, in my own opinion). Especially around the holiday season, people like to hear stories about people lowering themselves to help others and success stories of the poor getting the assistance they need and being raised out of their situation. I think this reflects a deep desire in ourselves for justice. We don't want to have those of higher status to be lowered just to get back at them for the wealth that they have received in life; we want them to experience compassion and living for somebody outside of themselves. Similarly, we don't want to raise someone of a lower status just to be nice and condescending; we truly want them to experience the dignity that they deserve as human beings.

I think this is a great Gospel message to carry with us into the holiday season. Give thanks, don't be afraid of blessings, but also try extra to live for others and spread true Love. Peace to you!

All Things Work for Good For Those that Love the Lord

Well, I'm actually going to make this post a short blurb, because, typical crazy week, I'm going to go plan Adoration, eat with the housemates, and then head back to Wichita for less than 24 hours.

This weekend I'm thrilled to be volunteering at the Fill These Hearts tour in Overland Park. This kind of fell in my lap, but basically I've committed to a 15-minute Adoration time during the speaking, and in return we get our admission and back-stage pass paid for. I know, right?! Two of Cathy's sisters are also coming in for the tour, as well as a couple friends from back home, so I'm excited for a fun weekend of homework and meeting Christopher West again.

I don't think I've said explicitly on the blog yet, but I was blessed with a job recently! I'm now a seasonal sales associate for Pottery Barn Kids. I'm pretty nervous about going into retail not really knowing how to do anything, but I think I'm fairly adept at learning random jobs by now, and it will be a good resume builder.

The latest development at our house is our new prayer room. We've had it as an idea for the house since our friends had a small one in their house last year, and Emily really put most of it together. It's simple just some inspirational verses and quotes on the walls, a few statues, and a small bookcase, but I'm very fond of it.

Alright, gotta run, readers! Peace to you!

A Shout-Out to Friends in the Nest

For reminding me that taking time off from busy work can be rewarding...

For helping me to appreciate the little things...

For getting me hooked on old TV shows...

For breaking into song at exactly the right moment...

For getting excited about random-osities (such as cookie dough or dinners together)...

For sharing what happened in each others' days...

For patience when I don't wash dishes right away...

For well-coordinated laughter...

For music streaming from two or three different rooms...

For our now decorated dining room wall, soon to be completed by our Nest photo (thank you Alzbeta Volk for the wonderful photos!!!)...

For the good and rough times we've had, and the times to come...

...Thank You :-)

I Will Still Love You

"I will still love You, Lord." I find myself trying to pray this more and more. I will still love God...even if He doesn't make out a straight path for my job search. Even if I don't get a job. Even if all my insecurities and fears are not immediately relieved. "I will still love You, Lord."

Fall break went well, I mostly stayed home and worked on homework except for one day in Wichita with my mom and dad and going to a bonfire that the WSU Newman Center hosted that same night. I enjoy fairly low-key breaks, and this hit the spot.

This week is Respect Life Week at Rockhurst, so the activities are going on for that. I had the blessing of meeting a transfer student today who's been involved in pro-life activities before, and getting to hear her story was truly awesome.

Alright, back to focusing it is :-) Peace and blessings be with you.

Quote of the Day XVIII

"Truth must be sought at all costs, but separate isolated truths will not do. Truth is like life; it has to be taken on its entirety or not at all. . . . We must welcome truth even if it reproaches and inconveniences us -- even if it appears in the place where we thought it could not be found."--Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

'Tis the season...of autumn!!!

Fall break is upon us! I'm immensely excited to go home. I don't even have anything planned, it's great! I should hopefully be heading out on Wednesday morning.

First things first, though... 2 midterms! Actually, I'm pretty prepared for my French exam, and have been working on preparing my essays for John: Gospel and Epistles. I usually am a last-minute studier (border-line crammer), so this is a little out of the ordinary for me. This weekend has been the perfect balance of studying and relaxing. Emily is even making a baseball fan out of me. I've never kept up with baseball before, but now that the Cardinals are in the play-offs, the games are being watched with great intensity at the Nest. The couch in the living room by the TV has quickly become my study area while the games are going on.

" I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me."--2nd reading at Mass...definitely powerful and provocative for me tonight.

Daily Gospel VI: Luke 11:5-13

Confession of the day: I would not open my door in the middle of the night if you knock asking me for bread. I will be dead to the world, unless you truly knock hard enough...

Alright, glad I got that out of the way. Phew. Don't judge.

I really like to relate this story to praying the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet. And each one of the prayers in each decade is a knock on the door. I mean, really, if you're knocking THAT many times, I'm pretty sure the point of your petition is going to get across! For real, I would even wake up if somebody pounded on my door 50+ times. It's easy to find it monotonous or tiring to knock on Heaven's door that often, but: "Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary's which purifies the monotony of your sins!"--St. Josemaria Escriva

So go ahead. Knock on Heaven's door. Ask and pray to God for your intentions. Even if it gets repetitive, get the point across to Him! Your prayer will reflect the desires of your heart.

Peace

Just as love is knowing, peace is revealing.

This God-inspired meditation came to me recently when I was complaining to Him. At some point I told Him that all I wanted was peace. That was only part way true. What I was really saying was that I wanted complacency. I just had not put it in those words. God flipped the tables and put it in just those terms, though. Peace is one of those theological terms that somehow proves hazy and distant to me most of the time. I hear about it, I can sense it, but I cannot quite understand it. However, I am pretty sure that I am not the only one out there who doesn't grasp everything. Most of the time, whenever I read New Testament portions where the disciples seem to keep questioning Jesus on the same subject, no matter what spin He puts on the point He's getting across, I COMPLETELY relate to them. Really, Jesus probably has to say something to me about 20+ different ways before I get it. I probably sound like a broken record to Him..."What do You mean?" "Why don't You make sense?"...you get the picture.

I am coming to more of a concrete realization, though, of what peace is not. I think that's a step in the right direction. Peace is not complacency. Just as love is not "blind", as poets like to pretend. The Bible is awesome in talking about love as "knowing". Love does not (should not) cause one to hide away faults. Love is knowing and healing faults...Jesus does not love us in spite of our humanity, but because of it. Similarly, peace does not turn a blind eye to violence, war, wrong-doings. It reveals the brokenness, meets it right where it is, and heals exactly there. We as Christians, as peace-makers to the world, are never called to pretend that the world is anything but hurting. Peace brings Christ right to the ache.

Today, allow the peace of Christ to enter your life in a radical way. Lay it all before Him and see what He has in store.

What's new...

...not much. I'm a bit out of it today, as I made a late night (early morning?) trip to the main chapel on campus...just had stuff on my mind to hand over to God. I thought of canceling job searching today, but I'm not feeling tired *yet*, so shall continue the applying. I will be surprised if I ever discover a nursing home/hospital within 20 miles of campus that I have not looked into for applying.

Anyways, let's talk happy thoughts. Gospel of John is amazing...as always. Greek words are so rich with meaning! One of my favorite points we talked about in class today was Jn 1:5 (the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.). We took the phrase "Darkness has not _____ it (light)" by itself and looked at the Greek verb katalambanein. This verb has three possible meanings: 1) to receive or accept; 2) to overtake or overcome; or 3) to grasp or comprehend. Now, if you fill in anyone of these meanings in the blank, suddenly you can see how any one of them can work...darkness can not accept/receive light, it could not overcome light, and it could not comprehend light. Woah! Talk about meanings on multiple levels! It got even more fascinating as we related light to Logos and salvation and all that good stuff. Basically awesome.

Alright, time to peace out and look for some employment. Blessings to you!

Weekend doings

I've had one very blessed weekend. It started with a Padre Pio party, complete with Pio (Uno, only you yelled Pio), The Bilocation Game (Go Fish..."Could you bilocate a ____ to me?), Nerts, and, my favorite part, espresso and brownies. Yum.

And then on Saturday Matt and I went to visit our good friend Shawn at Conception Seminary. It was a lovely trip. Went to Mass at the abbey, got to see a ton of friends from the Wichita diocese, ate in the town near there, and sat for hours talking in their union. 'Twas grand. A very nice weekend get-away.

Today's been a pretty lazy day. Just got back from Mass, where I ended up being needed to Eucharistic minister, which was actually very good for me, I needed a reminder in my day that God was thinking about me. Getting ready to abandon homework once again and go on a walk with a good friend. I hope your weekends were filled with goodness as well!

Quote of the Day XVII

"Always remember to love your neighbor; always prefer the one who tries your patience, who tests your virtue, because with her you can always merit: suffering is Love; the Law is Love."--Bl Mary of Jesus Crucified

Choose Life

Yesterday would have been my day to blog, but I found my words lacking, so decided to blog at a better time. Which would be today. Especially since the two tests of the week are out of the way and I can think clearly again. And, yes, I felt good about both of them. I was cutting it close on the John test. I wouldn't say I was cramming, necessarily...but I definitely should have gone over my notes in more detail the past week instead studying all the little details the morning of...however, it's done, praise Him, and the weekend is basically beginning!

On this feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, I really wanted to share this reflection that I received with the Daily Gospel, courtesy of St. Therese of Liseuex:

One day when sinners are listening to the doctrine
Of Him who would like to welcome them in Heaven,
Mary, I find you with them on the hill.
Someone says to Jesus that you wish to see him.
Then, before the whole multitude, your Divine Son
Shows us the immensity of his love for us.
He says: ''Who is my brother and my sister and my Mother,
If not the one who does my will?" (Mt 12,24-50)

0 Immaculate Virgin, most tender of Mothers,
In listening to Jesus, you are not saddened.
But you rejoice that He makes us understand
How our souls become his family here below.
Yes, you rejoice that He gives us his life,
The infinite treasures of his divinity!...
How can we not love you, O my dear Mother,
On seeing so much love and so much humility?

You love us, Mary, as Jesus loves us,
And for us you accept being separated from Him.
To love is to give everything. It's to give oneself.
You wanted to prove this by remaining our support.
The Savior knew your immense tenderness.
He knew the secrets of your maternal heart.
Refuge of sinners, He leaves us to you
When He leaves the Cross to wait for us in Heaven...

Saint John's home becomes your only refuge.
Zebedee's son is to replace Jesus .....
That is the last detail the Gospel gives.
It tells me nothing more of the Queen of Heaven.
But, O my dear Mother, doesn't its profound silence
Reveal that The Eternal Word Himself
Wants to sing the secrets of your life
To charm your children, all the Elect of Heaven?

Soon I'll hear that sweet harmony.
Soon I'll go to beautiful Heaven to see you.
You who came to smile at me in the morning of my life,
Come smile at me again ... Mother.. .. It's evening now! ...
I no longer fear the splendor of your supreme glory.
With you I've suffered, and now I want
To sing on your lap, Mary, why I love you,
And to go on saying that I am your child!

How beautiful is that?! To be charmed by the secrets of Mary's life is definitely the most beautiful image for me. Yesterday, on the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Father reminded us at Mass that suffering is an opportunity. It's just another one of life's instances that holds an invitation...to pass by it, or to use it for a greater good. And, in Hinds' Feet in High Places, Much-Afraid makes her journey to the High Places with the company of Sorrow and Suffering. In other words, sorrow isn't something to run from! Wait, but aren't we supposed to choose life and blessing, instead of curse and death (Dt 30:19-20)? Who said we HAVE to equate sorrow and suffering with curse and death?! It's often when we experience sorrow and suffering that we 1)Love the Lord, 2) heed His voice, and 3) hold fast to Him (v. 20). In other words, if we approach sorrow and suffering and make it a blessing, then it can order our priorities correctly. Mary's secret is this: that sorrow was her blessing. Her triumph was also in the Cross. May we today also recognize any sorrow or suffering as an opportunity of grace.

Daily Gospel V: Luke 7: 1-10

*Before you go on, also read the reading for today, which is from 1 Timothy 2: 1-8. I like the reading a lot as well, and it goes very well with the Gospel.*

I think this is a perfect example of Jesus meeting someone on their own level. This time, with a man of authority, a centurion. In this instance, it was a centurion who had done much for the Jews and probably had much indebted to him for his aid. His servant is sick and he wants Jesus to help him out. I think the fact that a Roman is enlisting help from this Jewish Miracle-Worker is striking by itself, but then you get to near the end of the Gospel reading, as Jesus is on the way to the house of the centurion, the centurion has his friends meet Jesus and tell Him to not even come in the house, for the centurion finds himself unworthy, but only to "say the word and my servant shall be healed" (words from Mass anyone, eh?). Here's the striking words the centurion has his friends tell Jesus from himself: "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."

Jesus Himself is impressed by this. The centurion is appealing to Jesus' mystical power. The centurion is used to his own authority, and knows in his heart that Jesus has something more than he does. He knows that Jesus has authority in the spiritual realm and on earth, and so whatever He commands will happen, much as the centurion does with his own power. Wow. That IS a lot of faith! I often think of the Romans as the "bad-guy" invaders when it comes to this time period, so it's nice to be reminded here that they, too, had needs that Jesus was fulfilling.

So, what does this mean for us? I think it's to remind us of how Almighty He is. If He called all creation into being and and is Ruler of the Universe, He can also fulfill any needs I might have. May we all recognize this powerful reality in some way today by petitioning Him for anything we have need for with no fear that our prayer will go unanswered!

Trusting in Him

This week begins it...the first two of the many tests I will have this semester. That's a crazy thought. I feel like I just got to school. The good thing about my classes is that I'm already learning a lot. Normally it seems like introductory information goes on through September, even into October. I really like that this semester we're diving right into the subjects. It's awesome. I look at my notes on the Gospel of John and am amazed at the brilliance of it. There's an article I HAVE to share with you, dear readers. A) I think it's cool that my professor wrote it, and B) it gives a glimpse at the literary, inspired masterpiece that is the Gospel of John. Click here for it: The chiastic key to the identity of the Beloved Disciple.

Well, that's really it for now. I got "kidnapped" by Emily and April last night...they had found a deck on one of the upper floors of one of the buildings on campus that we hadn't known existed, so they took Courtney and Cathy and me on a trust walk and showed it to us. 'Twas a wonderful surprise :-) We now have a new place to star-gaze on campus! Peace to you!

Light of the World

Lately the theme of Light and Dark in spirituality has been coming up for me, so I'll probably stick to that for this post. I figure when a theme or topic comes up more than 3 or 4 times in a week, it probably means God wants you to draw something from it and learn from it. I can't remember when it first started coming up, I think a Gospel or other reading from church lately, but it's been coming up in my class on John, and in music (see my last post) and just in being in my house at night versus in the daytime. It always seemed interesting to me that there was such dichotomy between the two when used in spiritual terms (Son [Sun] of God, Prince of Darkness, etc...). But, just as water can have good cleansing effects and be destructive, so does light have it's good properties and proper times. Light allows sight...ergo, for us to have knowledge of what is around us and give meaning to that which would have none. Yet, there is a time for darkness when we must sleep.

Sometimes, when I think of God as Light, I think of it as an unbearable light, to be honest. A light from which I have to shield myself...because it is so overwhelming, or because I'm ashamed of what God may be aware. (Really, Lord, You don't want to know how I've been lacking in this aspect in life...don't shine on me now...I don't think You'll like what You find...) I think of flashlight searching in the dark. You know those creepy movies when the characters are using a flashlight, and it suddenly lands on something super scary that makes your heart and stomach switch places? Then I heard the song Fireflies by Jessa Anderson and it made me think of Light in a different way. A soft glow. A dazzling display. It makes you stand in awe at it's beauty, humbled and yet exalted and exhilarated at the same time. Today in John: Gospel and Epistles, Dr. S was giving his lecture on the Essenes, and how the Jews before and at the time of Jesus would sometimes pray to God as Father, but it wasn't emphasized too much, and then it was the stern, tough-love Father figure that they would have emphasized. It was Jesus who first introduced the concept of praying to God as Abba (Daddy). That which we imagined as harsh has just been re-introduced as soft, tender, and approachable. And, when I think of Light in that way, it's not so much a burning, hard light, as much as a warm, healing glow in which you want to stay.

And then, in the Gospel of Matthew, we are called to be the light of the world. I think I want to be a soft glow as well. Softly, silently revealing Beauty. Approachable...not too timid to shed light on that which is not good, but not scalding either. I love tabernacle candles. You never notice them, really. They're not self-important. Yet, the fact that they are lit gives me hope, because I know that where one is, there is Jesus. Kind of an image of Mary...always pointing back to her Son. That's the kind of light I want to be...unnoticed, but revealing the presence of Jesus. I pray that you all find your own ways to be lights unto the world!

Little Moments

ahhhh...done with the first full week of school...and already a 3-day weekend! Labor Day just popped out of thin air. And I'm done with classes for the day. I'm staying here this weekend and planning on going to town on cleaning, homework, and purposeful-relaxation (aka reading or baking or both). I missed morning Mass today (someday I WILL remember that the 11am Mass is at SFX, not on campus...), so I'm going to venture to Old St. Patrick Oratory in northern KC for a Latin Mass at 6pm...first time in a while I've been to one, so my project for the afternoon is to print out some responses and remind myself of them...

I'm attempting at the moment to think of one word to describe this first full week...and all that comes to mind is "unplanned". Literally, every day I had an idea of how I wanted it to go, and every day something completely threw it off. Whether it was a headache, allergies, my forgetfulness, or just in general being busy and/or having homework, nothing went as planned. Nothing. I was so agitated going to bed last night because I was SO peeved that nothing went my way. Oh, to be reminded that I am nothing by myself. But I also look back and realize that at least once, each day, there was a consolation. Whether it was somebody I hadn't seen yet who just said hi, walked a little bit with me, and/or had a meaningful conversation, I knew that God was just saying, "Look, I'm here, always will be, in your darkest hour, I am the Light...you may not always "feel" me, but I am here. You just have to be aware."

To be aware...that's something that has started blooming in my life since coming to college. In high school I was so centered in on little pieces of life that I missed out on a lot of big picture things. I honestly don't have a good memory of a ton of high school. The parts that I remember the most are actually from retreats, specifically Steubenville retreats...probably because those are what mattered the most. College and CLC "God-moments" made me open my eyes to God's interactions in life..."God-incidents" as I've heard them called. And, since I've been looking for them more, I find more of them. I have so many more wonderful memories since I've come to college...even in the bad weeks. Because even in those weeks the sun still shines, the rain still freshens, the clouds will part to a beautiful sunrise, and a friend will give you a super-hug. Blessed be God for the little moments with which He woos us.

Quote of the Day XVI

"The cheerfulness of a man of God, of a woman of God, has to overflow: it has to be calm, contagious, attractive...; in a few words, it has to be so supernatural, and natural, so infectious that it may bring others to follow Christian ways."--St. Josemaria Escriva

Classes and Domesticity

I am now a CNA in 2 states. That's my "boast" of the day. SO excited. I can now *hopefully* get on soon with the Little Sisters. Oh. man. It took a lot of sanity to make it through the past 24 hours to get to this point, but the test is done, it's mostly official...huzzah!

Classes are off and running. Still waiting for a piano sign-up so I can pick a good time slot, and labs haven't started yet, but I have had French; John: Gospel and Epistles; Religion, Ethnicity and Race; and Anatomy and Physiology II. It's been good for the most part...trying to figure out the French alphabet compared to how they pronounce words is a trip, but I'm already seeing similarities in how they structure phrases and sentences compared to German, so hopefully my leftover German knowledge will continue to be an aid. John was just a fun class. My academic advisor is the professor for it, and he'd get off on a tangent...come back...go on another tangent...but all very interesting information. For example: Matthew uses 606 out of 661 verses from Mark...woah! Religion, Ethnicity and Race (I've been calling it RER for short...it's amazing at how quick you start to shorten class titles after a while) was interesting. I hadn't met the professor before, but he's definitely one of the more charismatic and young professors I met, and those types are so skilled at adding pizazz to any subject, so I think I'll enjoy it. A&P is with my FAVORITE professor on campus, so you know already that I'm going to love it. Overall it should be a good semester.

So, here's a random question to you, readers: of any of you who are accustomed by now to buying groceries, how do you keep track of your perishable food items? Any systems or suggestions out there? Not that I'm buying a lot that will go old quickly, only really bread and milk and eggs and maybe fruit are what I'm really concerned with. I'm toying with the idea of keeping a list of my items and their expiration/sell-by dates, but if you have any thoughts, please share! I was so excited to buy my own chicken breast meat the other day. Seriously, I felt so grown up. Is that weird??

Well, back to the homework...still planning on working ahead and getting some readings out of the way. Till next time!

Daily Gospel IV: Luke 1: 26-38

Ahhhhh. How can I add anything to this wonderful passage? I just feel like both the angel and Mary are so well-spoken here. I love how...forward-thinking...Mary is here. She's not worried about her announced pregnancy, because she knows it's in God's hands, but she is forward-thinking about how it could come to be...how others and her own family will think about her...what Joseph will decide to do. Forward-thinking versus worrying is a topic on my mind these days. There is some balance of which I must be unaware. How to think about life after school and how to pay for my education without worrying that it will burden me forever. How to be "care-free" without being careless..."For with God nothing will be impossible."--Luke 1:37 You know what I think? I don't think it's a matter of the cup being "half-full" or "half-empty"...I think it's a matter of something is there. Period. Whether it be little or much, there is something there with which to work. Mary's situation probably appeared to most "half-empty"...the facts were that she was going to bear the Son of God, possibly without any support. But it was enough. She was thinking ahead, but she trusted. May it be so for all of us!

Adventures of the Nest

Hey everybody...back on board, running at full speed! One can't help but disappear online for a few days when attempting to move half of what one owns to a city 3 hours away from home...no big deal. It actually makes me feel kind of accomplished that I'm able to pick up and be so mobile at this point in my life. Give me about 5 years and I'll be singing a different tune.

I really like our new house. Like Emily said, it's perfect for us. Simple, and yet still really quite luxurious compared to the dorms. And, because I can't rest until my room had some order, I spent my first night last night organizing. I love to think of how much preparation I'm going to get in whatever is my future vocation. Budgeting for groceries, chore lists, bathroom schedules...yes, I'm excited by all the above because it means that I'm going to be able to use it as learning a bit more about this adulthood business and see where God leads me through it.

Well, I'm going to go read and such, just wanted to let you all know I'm still alive and breathing ;-). Blessings to you!

Musings

Well, summer is wrapping up...1 week and counting till going back up to school! It's crazy to think about. There's a lot that I accomplished, and a lot I wish I could have done better, but overall it was definitely a summer of growth and learning more about myself, in regards to how I react to situations. My big summer project, my recipes, is coming to a close. I'm currently working on an index of ingredients for my mom, and I only have a few recipes from a few cookbooks to enter in and it will be done! I didn't quite get around to finishing up Lord of the Rings like I hoped I would, but I really want to finish this project before going up to school. I'm already thinking of some big project that can occupy my time next summer (hopefully work will be in the mix by then!).

Speaking of work, I'm inching closer and closer to working when I get back to school. I have my CNA card, and should be hearing back any day now from Missouri as to a testing date for them. I'm a little nervous, because if it's in Jefferson City like I think it might be, and before school starts, it could make the moving process interesting...then again, if school starts already by the time I'm taking the test, I'll probably be missing some school...either way, should be interesting, and I'm excited to be so close to working for the Little Sisters!

Tomorrow my family celebrates the 50 years of my grandparents' marriage :-). Dated for 2 weeks, engaged, and married for that long...does that happen anymore??!

Thanks for checking in!