NAS: The Holy Spirit

Ahhh!!! It's summer vacation! Today was my first day and it feels weird! I loved being at the same school all year this year! Tomorrow (May 27th) I have an interview for a full-time position at a low-income Catholic School in my diocese. So, if you could take a moment at 1:30 pm central standard time to pray that it goes well, I would be very grateful!

Now, the prompt for the NAS this week is the Holy Spirit. Seems perfect considering that we celebrated Pentecost on Sunday! 

I LOVE the first reading on Pentecost Sunday! It gives my chills whenever I hear  it. It is truely amazing how the Holy Spurit moved the disciples. They were able to speak in different tongues and were understood by all! I was looking forward to mass on Sunday solely to hear this reading and to hear the homily.

Well, things don't always go according to plan...I hurt my back somehow between Friday and Sunday. I was in pain all day and the medicine I was taking made me dizzy so I knew I would not be driving myself to mass. If my parents went, they would take my dad's truck and there was no way I would be able to get in. Even if I did make it there, sitting in a pew would be tough. I was devistated! I wanted to go so badly. 

Well, we ended up taking my brother's car. Then, one of my favorite priests was saying mass so it didn't last over 45 minutes. (Disclaimer: he's not one of my favorites because he says short masses) His homily was good, but he didn't talk about the first reading.

But he did talk about not being afraid. How God provides for all and he is there to remind us not to be afraid. He talked about how when he met St. Pope John Paul II he was told by him to not be afraid. I felt like the Holy Spirit was talking through him to me. 

The last couple of weeks have been kind of stressful. I sent in my application for the Catholics on Call Conference, but one of my references got lost so we had to quickly fix that. That same day I got my flight info for my trip to Wichita. I will not only be flying by myself for the first time, but I will have to switch planes by myself at DFW. I also have this interview for a job I REALLY want tomorrow that I have had scheduled for 2 weeks. From June 8 through June 21 I will be on the go. This has me super stressed. I'll be in Wichita, then at TEC's 50th Celebration, then a week in Ruma, and finally Assembly. So I really won't be home for nearly 2 weeks.

But, God has said be not afraid. The Holy Spirit is with me giving me the comfort and peace to get through this next month. 

Check out Jen and Morgan's blogs for more NAS goodness!

7 QT: Another Update

Wowzers! I have been busy, busy, busy!!! I've been kept busy by the sisters and doing "homework". I will now share a little of what I have been up to!

1.

I had the opputinty to explore the a Ruma convent! Wow! It's really pretty! 

I could just sit quietly here and just enjoy the beauty!

2. I had this opportunity because I was invited to attend the 50th Jubilee celebration for some of the sisters. It was a pretty ceremony. It was also my first "on my own" event that I have attended. Normally, my vocation director or another sister is my guide, but they were all busy celebrating so I was on my own. Luckily, everyone is very friendly and I ended up getting to catchup with one of the sisters that taught me in high school. As the day went on, I found myself not wanting to leave. The Ruma convent is beginning to feel like home!

3. I have also had the chance to have dinner with another small community of sisters. I was very nervous because I would again be on my own AND I had to drive on a couple of different interstates to get there. It was a lovely dinner and I had the chance to hear their vocation stories. I was kind of shocked at how similar theirs were to mine. Some of them had also, at first, said no to a religious vocation. It also took some awhile to accept that it was where God was calling them.

4. I have also began exploring the vows. This was really difficult to start. I easily read the poverty section with no trouble. I feel like I can, and kind of already do, live that vow. Most of the celibacy section seemed like it would be a struggle, but doable. It encourages a support system because leading a celibate life isn't always easy. The obedience section also seemed doable. It's not like I will be told what to do, but it will be conversations and discernment where the community and I see where I should minister. Will there be difficult times? I'm sure, but that's when you talk to someone.

5. There was one section that I read that kind of put me in a panic. It was about never having my own children. This though has always been okay with me. However, when I read this, it, all of a sudden, wasn't okay. I don't know why, but I had a nice long chat with God about this. And I do wonder if I will be okay never having my own children.

6. I had the chance to have lunch at the Ruma convent with some sisters and associates. I love how welcoming they are and how they make me feel like part of their family. Next weekend, I have been invited down to meet the Jr. Associates and spend the day with them. They are young men and women 11-20 who want to grow in their faith through prayer, study, and charity. I'm excited to meet this group!

7. As I was leaving, I may have helped myself get a job. It's amazing how God works. The principal of a local Catholic School just so happened to be there as I was leaving and she is looking to hire a middle school social studies teacher! I'm certified to teach middle school social studies. The principal is considering becoming an associate, another associate works there, but is leaving to work with sisters in Tanzania for a year, and another sister works there. I think I would fit into this school! 

Please pray for me as I go about applying for this job!

Visit Kelly for more Quick Takes!

"Ran Away Naked Mark"

This weekend, I went to mass at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine. It's a beautiful place and I have many fond memories of serving on the Teen Leadership Team there. The OLS church is one of my favorite churches and I love attending mass there. It's been awhile since I have been to mass there.

Today, we heard the gospel where the Apostle Thomas received his nickname of "Doubting Thomas". The priest had a wonderful reflection on this topic. All the other apostles saw Jesus and so they believed. But, poor Thomas was out at the time Jesus visited. He didn't get to see and didn't take the word of his fellow apostles. Jesus then appears and Thomas immediately believed. Yet, we still know Thomas as "Doubting Thomas". As the cartoon depicts, why not also call Peter "Denying Peter" and Mark "Run Away Naked Mark"? 

I shared the same picture on my Facebook page and the following was posted by a friend:

"I wake up in the morning feeling like T Diddy. Once was a doubter I'm out the door, gonna convert this city. Before I leave sell my stuff, just one cloak on my back. Cause when we go out in pairs all we take is a staff." - Forest

Do you ever find yourself doubting? Would you like to be labeled as "Doubting Patricia" or "Doubting Fred"? Let's forgive Thomas for doubting that Jesus had risen and just call him "T-Diddy"!

Jesus's Resurrection and My HoopsMania Ticket

What? How are these two things similar??? Well, I'm going to tell you.

If you follow college basketball and March Madness, then you know that tonight was the Final 4. I bought a HoopsMania ticket, which is a "bracket for dummies". I was assigned 8 teams, 2 from each area. I didn't know what teams they were for all I had were what seed. I had to wait for Selection Sunday. I had to have a little faith that whatever teams I got would perform well!

Well, I had 2 teams out in round 1 and 5 teams out in round 2...that's right...I had 1 team make it to the Sweet Sixteen! Then, that one team made it to the Elite Eight. Oh, look at that they made it to Final Four!

Again, tonight both Final Four games happened. I went to the Easter Vigil mass so I did not watch or know how the games were going. If my team lost, my card would be dead. (Not that it really matters, I have no shot at winning since all my other teams were out so early)

Now, how does this ticket tie into Jesus's Resurrection?

As I said, I was at mass tonight. It's one of my favorite masses. We sit and wait for the resurrection of Jesus. People believed him to be dead. His followers were gone, hiding in the upper room. Many thought He was gone, not to return. There was no sense to check on Him.

I thought my ticket was gone and not worth my time to check it. But, it lives! Just as Jesus lives!

Okay, I know it was a bit of a stretch and my thoughts seem a bit scattered. But did you follow? I gave up hope that my team would continue, but they did. Just when you give up hope, we find out that Jesus has risen! 

My Journey With the Sacrament of Reconciliation

I think we all have a Love-Hate relationship with the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At least I do. I'm a work in progress and this is a bit of my journey.

When I was in grade school I had a terrible experience during the Sacrament that made me SUPER uncomfortable being alone with a priest let alone telling him all my sins.

In high school, I often found myself having a personal pep talk to receive the sacrament. This pep talk has been known to last over an hour and I completely miss my chance.

In college, I convinced myself that I didn't need a priest to tell me God forgives me, I can simply ask God directly for forgiveness. Yes, I was one of "those" people. Soon, I found myself going nearly 8 years without receiving Reconciliation.

I slowly was falling away. I was a "Chreaster", attending mass just for Christmas and Easter.

Then the amazing events of 2014 happened. On Harvest 26, the priest talked about how excited we should be to receive the sacrament and celebrate after we receive God's Mercy! 

Now, I was ready and I NEEDED to go. I was REALLY nervous. I gave myself a good pep talk and got in line. I would only go to the priest that I knew, and, of course, his line was the longest and I was the last one in line. I waited and didn't let my mind talk my heart out of going. When it was my turn, the priest was getting up to leave and I motioned that I still needed to go. You see, there were 2 other priests there and both were done. I made my confession and I felt SOOO much better! It felt like I was walking on sunshine!

Fast forward to the season of Advent. I was feeling a pull in my heart to have Reconciliation again. I made plans to go to a service with my parish partnership. I had a friend who was going to go with me and my mom. Both backed out. A panic attack soon followed. I almost turned my car around so many times. I had to give myself many pep talks that night. One was just to get out of my car. Another was to walk to the church. There  was the normal one to get in line. Again, the line I chose was the longest. I then I had the pep talk to stay in line. I didn't get the same "walking on sunshine" feeling.

Last weekend, one of my favorite priests was hearing confessions during the retreat I was one. I may have done a happy dance when I found out. My pep talk was almost non-existant and I had that really happy feeling again. The only anxiety I had consisted of being worried about one of my Questers.

I'm still working through the anxiety I feel before receiving Reconciliation. I know that I can't let myself worry about it too much. Also, there are certain priests that I feel comfortable confessing to, and when I know they will be my confessor, there is little to no anxiety. I know I won't always be able to seek them out to hear my confession. 

I'm working on reclaiming Reconciliation as a happy sacrament. One that doesn't lead to a panic attack. One that doesn't require a pep talk to attend. One that realigns me with God. 

Celebrating National Catholic Sisters Week!

What better way to celebrate National Catholic Sisters Week than by starting the application process with the Adorers of the Blood of Christ!

That's right! I'm an applicant!!! Awwww!!!!

That's all! Please keep me in your prayers as I venture through this next step in my journey!

7 Quick Takes: Life Update!

I have a lot going on right now, so I figure this is the best way to update you all on my life!

1. This weekend I will serving on the adult team for a Quest retreat. This retreat is for Freshmen and Sophomores in high school. It focuses on the 3 circles of love...Love of Jesus, Love of Others, and Love of Yourself. When you balance these you find JOY! (Did you get it???) I will be giving a talk about prayer and I'm super excited to share how I pray and help the Questers see how many ways there are to pray! If you can, please keep us in your prayers this weekend! The team assembles Friday night and the Questers come Saturday morning. The retreat lasts until Sunday evening. Thanks in advance!

2. I'm officially discerning with the Adorers of the Blood of Christ! The vocation director will be in town next week and we will be getting together a couple of times to talk! I'm really excited! I have been "assigned" a bunch of "homework" to do. I have to read the spirituality section of my discernment journal. I'm also starting to plan a trip to Wichita to visit the sisters there!

3. If you read my blog, then you know I had a pretty bad week last week...this week has been a bit better. I'm now taking the approach that I'm going to do the best I can and offer my frustrations up. The serenity prayer comes to mind...

I am accepting I cannot change how she acts towards me, so I'm asking God to help me accept it!

4. 

I bought 2 packages of these delicious gifts from Australia last week...I'm pretty impressed I still have 1.5 packages still left! On the other hand, I received a box of Girl Scout cookies and I ate about half of them yesterday while I was waiting for my car to warm up...I was hungry and may have been eating my feelings...

5. I celebrated my "baptism birthday" on the 4th. 26 years I have now been a baptized member of the Catholic Church! The crazy "coincident" is that March 4th is also foundation day for the Adorers. I feel like it's a sign that I am on the right path right now!

6. We are winding down the winter weather for the season. This makes me a bit sad, mostly because I did not get a snow day. I am ready for the weather to be warm enough to take the kids outside without freezing. Between the full moon this week and being stuck inside, the kids were (literally) bouncing off the walls today.

7. The 8th grade boys like to play mass at recess. Yes, you read that correctly. They do their "mass" followed by a "circle time" to discuss how they can improve. The young man who was the "bishop" promoted himself to pope. They also have a priest, deacon, and a server. One boy is the cantor and they sing songs and the Responsorial Psalm. I even caught a bit of the homily. One told me that he is kind of interested in being a priest or deacon. Can't wait to see what comes of this class!

Check out more 7QT at This Ain't the Lyceum!