Growing up

...When you're 7-years-old Christmas and birthdays are the most exciting times. You get new toys to play with, new clothes to wear; it's an exciting day. I used to sit and wonder, "why aren't my parents excited to open gifts, their so much more concerned filming me...weird." When I would ask them, they usually responded "we'd rather watch you open your gifts." How could someone NOT be excited to open their own gifts, or about getting gifts?

I get it now! Actually it was a concept I started to grasp in high school. I was more excited about Christmas lights, music and food than the gifts I would get on the 25th. I was more excited to spend time with my family on Christmas, or on birthdays than to open the nicely wrapped gifts. Then a few nights ago, it REALLY hit me. My husband asked me what I want for Christmas, yes it's still a few months away but I guess it's never to early to plan. I stared at him speechless. I have NO idea. When I was 7, I could talk for an hour forming a list of things I wanted, at 17 I had a few definite Christmas wishes but now at 22, nothing.

I guess it's not so much that I don't have anything I want, but those wants are covered by needs. While trying to think of things I want my head starts focusing on practical things such as grocery gift cards, or carpet cleaning for my apartment...lame stuff. Or my mind starts thinking about things I want for the new baby, like a cute outfit I saw at Gymboree or Carters or toys for the baby. I can think of all the things my husband wants, but my mind no longer focus' on stuff for me.

I guess that's part of being a wife and a mother. I'm content with what I have, and that's a lot compared to most. I have a loving husband, we are expecting our first child any day now, and we have a strong faith and love for God. Honestly, what more could I want?

Or, i'm just getting old...

Go Cardinals!

Just a short post to cheer on my home team. First game of the world series 2011 is tonight and since we don't have cable, or get regular stations i'm force to glue myself to the computer. It's not an ideal situation, especially when my Cardinals are playing, but I make due.

Here is an awesome video dedicated to the Cardinals!

GO CARDINALS! GO CARDINALS! GO!

Entertainment for Monday

Here is a bit of entertainment for that slow Monday. A clever video with a surprise ending. Enjoy!

180

Here is a 33 min. video about how people today don't know, or don't think but are willing to listen. The gentlemen conducting the interviews was able to get people to listen and participate. However, there are a few things he mentioned, such as his stance on where you go in the afterlife and the lack of any form of purgatory, that are a bit off the mark.

I do highly recommend watching this, 33 min does sound daunting, but it's the weekend and it is "entertaining" enough (frustrating enough) that it's not as daunting as it may seem.

Just remember there are some incorrect things said, but the overall message of this documentary is a great one.

What do the blind dream?

We have all had dreams. Some are epic, some scare us, some are to real for words. It seems our dreams are relatable to what we see everyday, or what we know. You have my permission to laugh at this, but when I was a kid, I dreamt I was on the Titanic and Leo DiCaprio was my dad...I was 8, and had just seen the film (my parents were unaware of the sex scenes...I covered my eyes).

It's fun to tell others your dreams, because usually, they are so crazy and unrealistic that you just gotta share them.

My husband is a deep thinker. It's kindof amazing some of the questions he comes up with, they just make you sit there and think for a moment. The other day he asked, "What do the blind dream about?". My immediate response was, probably what everyone dreams; but if they have been blind since birth, what do they relate to visually that would make that movie in their head at night? They haven't seen roller coasters, or knights in shining armor. Maybe they dream their own interpretation of things we see, based on sound.

If I ever meet a blind person, I plan to ask ( as long as it isn't insulting).

It's right that everyone pay their fair share?

I could be really misunderstanding things, and I tend to do that when it comes to politics, but Obama's deficit plan seems to be a really bad move.

In today's Fox News article "unveiling" the new deficit plan I found out that basically that plan is about raising taxes to dig us out of debt. My favorite quote from the article reads "We can't just cut our way out of this hole. It's going to take a balanced approach. It's only right that we ask everyone to pay their fair share." I want to know how it's "only right" to ask everyone to pay their fair share, I realize we are one country, together, but I do not think it is in anyway fair to ask us to pay off our country's debt...says a fairly recent college graduate handling her own debt.

I leave it at that. If you are interested in reading the article you can find it here.

Help improve hair and skin with coffee grounds?

Already ladies, and gentlemen too, ever wonder what to do with those left over coffee grounds your husband, or you, left when you went to work?

Well I have a few solutions for you...

1. use it as a face mask: mix some used coffee grounds and egg white for an at home, skin tightening mask.

Coffee grounds can help improve skin quality by:

- Exfoliating

-preventing and diminishing fine lines and wrinkles

-Balancing pH

-controlling blemishes

-pulling toxins from the skin

-moisturizing

2. Exfoliant - massage your face with coffee grounds. (tried it and my face was really soft after).

3. Hair Color Enhancer - coffee grounds can add shine to brunette and black hair, improve scalp health, and prevent dandruff. Use in shower in between shampooing and conditioning (tried it today and unless you have a lot of time on your hands...don't do it, it's a bit messy and takes a while to rinse out of your hair)

There are other uses such as fertilizer and deodorizing a freezer, but the skin and hair stuff applied was more interesting to me. If you want to see more uses follow this link.

Have a great weekend!

Our Lady of Fatima pilgrim statue visits San Diego

Most of you know the story of Our Lady of Fatima, those of you who don't can follow this link to read more.

There is an international pilgrim virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima that was created in 1947 by Jose Thedim. The statue is based on the description Sr. Lucia, one of the 3 children to see Our Lady in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. The statue was blessed on October 13, 1947 by Bishop Leiria at Fatima, Portugal to be the pilgrim.

The statue has traveled the world many times and is now in San Diego. Some of you may already be aware, but for those who aren't can see the San Diego schedule here. My husband and I will for sure be going, hope you can make it to one of the locations as well!

children have the faith

How much faith and trust in God do we really have? How about courage? Would we give up our life for God, just as His Son did for us? As adults we struggle with these questions. The society we are living in today make it very hard to stand up to ridicule, especially regarding our faith. It seems, children have no trouble with faith and trust in God.

I heard a story today, whether it is fact or fiction I'm not sure. I searched the internet for a while today and found the story on three separate sites. Each site says this story was an inspiration to Archbishop Fulton Sheen's vow.

Now, the story...

"When the communists took over China, they imprisoned a priest in his own rectory near the church. They locked him up in his own house and then proceeded into the church. The priest watched from the window as they proceeded into the sanctuary and broke into the tabernacle. Out of hate, they took the ciborium and threw it on the floor, spilling the Sacred Host. 32 Host lay desecrated on the floor (one site claimed they were then stomped on by the soldiers).

The Communists left not noticing a small girl praying in the back of the Church, who had just witnessed everything. That night, she returned slipping past a guard standing outside the priests house. She entered the church and made a holy hour of prayer to make up for the act of hatred that had occurred earlier. After she completed her holy hour she went into the sanctuary and knelt down. She bent over and with her tongue, she received Jesus in Holy Communion, since it was not permissible for laymen to touch the Sacred Host with their hands.

She came back every night to make her holy hour and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. On the 32 night, after consuming the last host, she accidentally made a noise that woke the guard. He ran after her, caught her and beat her to death."

One small girl, risked everything to save the Sacred Host and became a martyr for her faith. It seems like kids just get this stuff, why do we struggle with it?

Whether this happened or not it is certainly a testimony to the faith we should all be striving for.

me being crafty

So, Christmas is fast approaching.  Before Christmas there is, of course, Thanksgiving, and before that our precious gift from God will be here!

We can hardly wait, but in between work and visitors, I get pretty bored.  So I will be rug-hooking a Christmas stocking for baby.  I did the same thing for my husband for our first Christmas last year, so it's only right that I continue.  I'm so particular with design, though, and the rug-hooking designs offered everywhere are not desirable. So I sat down with my husband and we designed the stocking together.  My husband is amazing at free-hand sketches and he was able to draw a simple pattern that can be transferred onto canvas so I can work my magic.

We decided to bring our Catholic faith and traditional Christmas themes together to form a wonderful design the can grow with our child: the lion and the lamb.  There is a little more to why we went with that.

When I was a kid my mom started a stocking for me.  It was a Laura Englebright needlepoint pattern of the lion and the lamb.  It was a beautiful design, and I could not wait for it to be finished.  Well, it took 7 YEARS to make, because things would come up and it would be put on the back burner, then picked up again only to be put away when we got busy (which was all the time).  Finally, my Freshman year of high school it was finished!  It had beautiful rich colors, and a dark green velvety backing. I loved it! Then we moved.  I packed it in a box, or so I thought, but we haven't seen it since.  I can't even find that pattern.  It is now a family joke.
Anyway, I had my lion and lamb stocking, so now I am going to "live vicariously" through my child who will have a similar stocking.  ... Joking.

Well, I'm very excited to begin, although I better start soon, or else I'll end up taking 7 years just like my mom did :).  I will share the design below, and I will share the finished product...eventually.

Modesty in Mass

I am not a stickler on modesty. I have worn short shorts and bikini's on "good" days, but that doesn't make it okay. I have gotten better and have learned that dressing modestly does not mean abandoning all sense of fashion, and I prefer looking classy to looking trashy, especially in Mass.

I read an article today, which you can find here, about modesty at Mass. Of all places, I do not know why this is even an issue. Young women, and their parents should know that when you enter Mass, you are entering God's house. Short shorts, tight skirts, cleavage hanging out, strapless tops are un acceptable. It's not just the teenagers, I've seen moms dressing immodestly for a church service. It shows disrespect not only of yourself, but of fellow parishioners that are standing next to you, or behind you. Mass is a place of worship. A place to reflect on the word of God, to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Immodest dress is distracting to everyone. Young men have trouble concentrating, and some even experience lustful thoughts; others are broken from the Mass by sheer awe at the nerve. I don't think anyone wants to be responsible for causing that.

It can be difficult to change your dress habits, especially when it's been a habit for so long, but it's not the end of the world. You'll feel better about yourself, and you'll earn more respect.

God, grant me the Serenity...

Today just seems to be one of those days where nothing goes as you want. Whenever these days pop up, whether it happens to me or my husband, I do one of two things. I pray a Hail Mary, asking Mary to place my needs at the feet of her son. Or I create a list of all the things I have to be grateful for, (my husband doesn't really like the last one). Today, I did pray the Hail Mary, but I also looked to an old prayer my mom and dad used to recite:

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

So for any of you that needed a pick-me-up today, here you are!

What is happening in our country?

One of the greatest gifts we are given, is life. It is a gift everyone has a right to, yet so many lives are taken. It is common sense, and is written in laws that you are not to take someone's life. Murder still happens in our world, everyday and we all know it is wrong, or do we?

Everyday, roughly 3,700 babies are aborted, murdered, everyday in the United States. 3,700 lives taken, yet it is not considered murder? The government, and quite a lot of U.S. citizens do not consider this murder because they are "unwanted fetus", to them fetus does not mean baby. If a 2-year-old child can point at a pregnant woman and recognize she has a baby growing inside her, then why can't our own government or several citizens in the U.S.?

Recently, the Obama administration set a mandate requiring all health plans to provide women with government-approved contraceptives and abortion drugs, free of charge. How nice of them. How nice of them to remove free will from companies, from hospitals to require that they subject themselves to going against their morals. Thanks Obama administration, "we owe ya one." Now, we have people praising China's one-child policy.

Ex-planned Parenthood Director, Norman Fleishman praises the policy while offering his support to the above mentioned mandate. He goes against proven statistics, and condemns the world's population growth.

To read more, check out the article, Ex-Planned Parenthood Director Praises China's One-Child Policy | LifeNews.com

One of the greatest gifts you can give your child, is a sibling. If this "law" were to ever pass (I pray it isn't even being considered), the government would be taking away a parents right to reproduce, and a child's right to siblings. I think this country's founding fathers are turning in their graves right now...

God's 26 Guards

I know it's long, but take a moment to read this, someone emailed this story to me.

God's 26 Guards

Here's a message that will bring you chills.

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and Then just put it

on a list and said, 'I'll pray for them later'?

Or has anyone ever called you and said,

'I need you to pray for me, I have this need?'

Read the following story that was sent to me and may it change the way

that you may think about prayer and also the way you pray. You will

be blessed by this.....

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home

church in Michigan .

'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa , every two weeks I

traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies.

This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the

halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I

planned to

collect money from a bank, purchase medicine, and supplies, and then

begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had

been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same

time talked to him about the Lord.

I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without

incident.....

Two weeks later I repeated my journey.

Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated.

He told me that he had known I carried

Money and medicines.

He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle, Knowing

you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money

and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, We saw

that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.

At this, I laughed and said that I was

certainly all alone in that jungle campsite..

The young man pressed the point, however, and said,

'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards, my friends also

saw them, and we all counted them.

It was because of those guards that

We were afraid and left you alone'

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the cong

regation jumped

to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell

him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation

the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:

'On the night of your incident in Africa ,

it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about

to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you.

In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this

church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you.

Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?' The men

who had met together to pray that day stood up.. The missionary

wasn't

concerned with whom they were, He was too busy counting how many men

he saw.

There were 26.

This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit of the Lord

moves in behalf of those who love Him. If you ever feel such prodding

to pray, go along with it, you don't know what it can mean

to that

person.

Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell. I encourage

you to forward this to as many people as you know. If we all take it

to heart, we can turn this world toward God once again.

As the above true story clearly illustrates,

'With God all things are possible'.

More importantly, how God hears and

Answers the prayers of the faithful.

After you read this, please pass it on and

Give God thanks for the beautiful gift of your faith, for the powerful

gift of prayer, and for the many miracles He works in your own daily

life. And then pass it on.

Who says God does not move on the earth today?

I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today.

To guide you and protect you as you go along your way.

His love is always with you, His promises are true, and when

we give

Him our cares you know

He will see us through.

So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult a

t best,

Just remember I'm here praying,

And God will do the rest.

The Waiting Game

All of us have a little trouble waiting. Our anticipation and excitement for things sometimes leads us to act prematurely; if only we had waited just a bit longer, we could have had something even better!

As kids, waiting is extra hard. The little minds of children can only handle so much excitement and anticipation before they just "burst." How many of you "peeked" at your presents before Christmas morning? I can honestly tell you, I never did, mostly because my mom was so good at hiding them (she has lost a few presents in the past). The waiting game is not particularly fun, but it is extremely good practice to prepare you for adulthood.

As adults, responsibilities grow. You are no longer under your parents "financial wing," for the most part; rent, car payments, groceries, phone and internet bills, things add up. Money becomes tight. Weekends were once spent shopping for clothes, going to movies, going out to dinner with friends; all of a sudden, every penny counts. This is where the waiting game begins to show its ugly face. Once waiting involved sitting and anticipating a friend coming over for a play date, now responsibility and money is attached. Things that are "wants" and not "needs" are put on the back burner for a sale or for never.

The waiting game doesn't just apply to financial things, but ethics and morals as well. One of the hardest things people these days have trouble waiting for is marriage. The media tells us "why wait" when we should be asking ourselves, why not wait? Sex is a beautiful thing, and it should be shared by two people united in Holy Matrimony, not two people that met in a bar and will never speak to one another again.

There is nothing wrong with waiting; whether it's for a sale, or for your spouse. Those who wait are rewarded greatly with happiness that others spend a lifetime searching for. I've barely even scratched the surface on waiting, but i'll conclude with this old youtube video about waiting...

It All Ends...

Don't worry, this post is not about the "end of the world," but about the end of an era, the end of a big part of my childhood...the end of Harry Potter.

As a kid I LOVED reading books. Every night dad would read to me before bed, and if he wasn't home yet mom would. Then, I got into 1st grade. With every book I read I had to write a book report, and so, my love for reading diminished. Reading became a chore, I didn't read for the fun of it, but because I had to. That continued until 3rd grade. One night when I was getting ready for bed I found a book under my pillow (mom placed it there as a surprise). She told me to give it a try. I opened the book and read, and read, and read. That book was Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, the first book of a 7 part series. I couldn't put it down. Once I finished it, I read it again. I was immersed in a world of adventure, magic, friendship and a fight between good versus evil.

I wasn't a nerd about the books, I read them, some more than once and I was in line for the midnight release of each following book. I was reading again, and loving it. My friends shared in the excitement of the books, and we had a great time talking about them. Then, to our excitement, we found out they were to be made into movies. Our excitement grew.

As our excitement grew, it was also met by book banning in schools and in churches. I heard of parents who would not allow their children to read the books and it shocked me. There are several books out there about witches and wizards, the beloved Lord of The Rings trilogy is filled with magic and wizards. I could not, and still do not understand why Harry Potter is condemned. I have even searched the internet for direct info regarding what the Catholic Church, in particular the Pope, has said about it and could not find any trusted searches regarding the issue. I searched the vatican website as well and the only thing I found about Harry Potter was a review "a British view from Japan on "Tolkein Versus Rowling". In it he addresses some differences between Harry Potter and Lord of The Rings, this of course in not church teaching, but the vatican did put include it on their site, so maybe thats something to think about.

As a soon to be parent, I am beginning to understand where parents are coming from when choosing what they will and will not allow their kids to watch and read. Some things I agree with, and others I don't. When it comes to the Harry Potter series, I have come to the conclusion that you have to be careful, as you should with everything in the media. Children are vulnerable, and should keep their innocence for as long as possible. Don't simply let your children loose with the books without giving them the proper guidance, show them that it is fiction, it is not real. To have an imagination and to stimulate it, I think, is a valuable thing, as long as one can separate what is real, from what is not. My parents let my sister and I read the books (my brother is still to young), and we are strong, faithful Catholics that can defend our faith. When my husband and I feel our children are old enough to "handle" the books, we will let them.

As my husband and I walked out of the theater yesterday (we saw Harry Potter 7), he said "well, it's over, this is something our kids won't experience." I asked him what he meant, since, of course the books and movies are around still. He said, "our kids won't experience the anticipation of the next Harry Potter book, or the midnight showing for the next movie." I had never thought of it like that. That was part of the fun of the whole series, both for the books and the movies, the anticipation. The waiting in line with my dad for the 3rd book that I pre-ordered. Or waiting with my cousins in line for 5 hours for Part 1 of the 7th movie. A piece of my childhood has passed, but I have memories, and I'll get to share them with my kids. After all...

It all ends.

Why Worry?

...That is a question that typically haunts me. I am a worry wart...my poor children are going to have a very hard time, my husband has already whispered this to our in-eutero child. Why do we worry? I could spend hours worrying about whether or not I unplugged my straightener before running out the door (when I remember unplugging it from the wall). Or whether I locked the front door (I check every night at least 3 times). When one spends so much time worrying you miss something huge. That is, you miss living. Now, there will always be little moments of worry, it's our nature, but in that moment say a little prayer and flush it out of your mind. My mom always tells me to give my worries to Mary our Mother, asking her to place it at her Son's feet, and every time I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Most of the time when we worry it's over things that in that moment we can not change.

There are lots of people who believed that the world was going to end this past May. People who put time and money into this thought, who for the past few years have stopped living, in preparation for something that did not happen. Why spend so many years waiting, worrying, and preparing for an idea that may or may not happen.

There is a song by Tim McGraw, "Live Like You Were Dying." To this day, I cannot listen to this song, every time I hear the first few beats I change the station otherwise I'll tear up. Why? Even though my dad is perfectly healthy, I picture that man in the song as my dad, and as a daddy's girl, I cannot bear to imagine life without my dad.

Have you ever sat and really listened to those lyrics? The song is about a man who finds he doesn't have long to live, and instead of worrying or waiting for the inevitable, he celebrates life, "I went Skydiving, rocky mountain climbing..." "I became a better husband, most the time I wasn't." Why does it take a tragic news like that to bring us to really live? We should be living everyday as if it were our last. That doesn't mean live everyday for yourself; live everyday for yourself, for others and most importantly for God.

True friends

I thought maybe today I'd just talk a little bit about friendship. We all have friends or people we call when we are bored to talk or to hang out. What makes a good friend? It's something I think we all ask ourselves.

"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship" - Thomas Aquinas

I think that is a very powerful quote, but how do we know, or find true friendship? My very best friend, apart from my husband, I've known since I was 2. Yes, we have been friends that long, she was the maid of honor at my wedding and is the godmother of my first child. We have had 1 fight in our 20 years of friendship and that was when we were 7 and she wouldn't let me play with one of her American girl dolls. Come on, we were girls those silly fights happen. She makes me laugh like you would not believe, and is practically part of our family. Her future spouse will not only have to ask her parents for her hand in marriage but my parents, as well.

How can a friendship last so long? We have not attended the same school since we were in kindergarten, we lived several miles apart for most of our childhood, and neither one of us enjoy talking on the phone. Now we live at least 2,000 miles apart. We don't hold any secrets to our friendship, we just ... are. I can speculate. We don't sit and discuss politics, or religion, we were both raised Catholic, however, she'll be the first to tell you I'm the one who has remained the "bible thumper". To me, our friendship isn't about telling one another what we are doing right or wrong, but being an example for one another. I know when she disagrees with something I do, because I hear behind her sweet "wow, I mean if thats what you want" comment, that not-so-sweet "Your crazy and I don't think you should do that" tone. That disappointed tone is enough to make anyone rethink things. I'm sure there are things I've said and done that have helped her as well. Our friendship is not perfect, but is anyones really? Friendship takes practice and growth, understanding and respect.

"Men kick friendship around like a football, but it doesn't seem to crack. Women treat it like glass and it goes to pieces." -Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

How true is that quote? Girls are the worst, we are so mean to each other, burn friendships like we have plenty to spare. When women do something wrong, and are confronted about it, we tend to hold grudges. I had a friend do wrong to me, and I told her I needed a bit of “space”, and that I was angry. That may not have been the best thing, but I was hurt and really did need “time away." When I finally cooled off, I called her up and said, "I forgive you." Guess what! All of a sudden, I was to blame. I did everything wrong. She could not own up to what she did, and because of that she burned the bridge between us. I honestly don't hold a grudge now, and I have emailed her to see how she is, but I never hear a response. To me, I just think that that’s her loss.

Why do people hold grudges? I rarely ever confront anyone, except on matters of moral issues. The one time that happened (4 years ago) it was in a positive way, and this person hates me. Hate is a strong word, and I do not exaggerate it, this person has literally told people "I hate her." It does not bother me; if they want to "hate" me that is up to them. If 4 years later they are still concerned with that issue, then thats a bit ridiculous. People need to learn to forgive, and in some cases, forget. If we spend our lifetime hating and hurting others we are truly only hurting ourselves. I do not tell the "negative" stories to ask for pity, and I'm not bitter. It’s to simply show that I am human and that even though I have great friends, I have lost friends too, but I didn't lose true friends.

True friends are friends who are there for you, who help you to grow in faith, love, and friendship. Who aren't afraid to tell you when you are wrong, but remain there for you when you are. Who rejoice with you when you are happy, and comfort you when you aren't. If you have a friend like that, hold on to them. Grow with them, and help them get to heaven.

Hand holding in mass?

Alright, as some of you may know, at the end of this year, 2011, the Catholic Church is making official revisions to the mass. Why? Jimmy Akin explains it all in his new book Mass Revision. Truly a fascinating read, I suggest you pick it up. The one thing that may be addressed with the rest of the changes is something that has bothered me for years, and that is hand-holding during the Lord's Prayer.

When my husband brought home the book the other night I flipped through it searching for whether or not that was to be addressed, and it is. Hand holding has become very common, in some areas more than others. I'm not sure where it began but it is not an "approved liturgical posture." "There is no authorization in the Church's liturgical law for the laity to hold hands, either during the Our Father or at any other time during mass," (Jimmy Akin, Mass Revision). It was stated by the Second Vatican Council that no one can change anything in the liturgy without proper permission, and so introducing a new liturgical posture, hand holding, violates church law.

Jimmy Akin includes in this small, page-long section that he suspects that Rome has yet to address this issue because their are plenty more important things to focus on, and I'm sure he is right.

It is simply a pet peeve of mine and I thought I'd share my findings. Also, googling will bring up similar answers and explanations on the point from websites like EWTN.

Thoughts on Relativism

The past view days I have been in an intense debate regarding hate speech against homosexuals. I am a cradle Catholic, meaning born and raised, and it has been instilled in my heart and mind to show respect towards others even if I disagree with them. The other day, I posted on facebook a link to an article regarding a new law that most likely will pass in the state of California that requires public schools to teach "gay history" beginning in kindergarten. My comment on it was "on that note, I will be homeschooling", and because of that I am now being accused of spouting hate speech.

I do not hate anyone, not even my worst enemy. I have friends who are attracted to the same sex, and our friendship is not changed because of it. I do not publicly protest gays, I do not shout hateful words at them and I do NOT hate them. My reasoning for wanting to homeschool is a personal choice, a choice that I am gifted the right to have because I live in the United States. I am also gifted the right to freedom of speech. Apparently, that right is only given if you agree with the "popular norm." I believe that teaching your children things such as sex or homosexuality is the rights of parents, not the school systems. To have a law saying that it is required takes away some of the rights of parents, and that is not right.

Let me digress. I should here take a look at the root of the issue. There is a mindset that is very popular today which is adopted by most people who favor "gay rights", "equality", and the like. I am talking about relativism.

The ideas about relativism are inspired or taken from an excellent little booklet my husband just read called Absolute Relativism by Chris Stefanick.

The fundamental philosophy driving relativism is that Absolute Truth (hereon referred to as A.T.) does not exist. But this statement is immediately flawed, because to believe that A.T. absolutely does not exist is not absolutely true unless A.T. exists. But if A.T. exists, then... well, it exists. In fact, the only reason so many people today are relativists is because it is rarely scrutinized.

Relativism is the concept that truth, and morality, can be defined by each person. In this case, if one person wants to believe that homosexuality is immoral, and another believes it is acceptable, they agree to disagree because "truth" is relative.

Relativists are quick to label anyone who takes an objective view of truth "intolerant". Obviously, this cannot be applied to all moral issues; for example, you would surely agree that murder (take the 9/11 disaster as an extreme case) is OBJECTIVELY wrong. Even American relativists would not dispute that. Stefanick says: "because it is impossible for relativism to be consistent, many people end up being 'selective relativists,' objective about things they feel strongly about (terrorism? gun control? global warming?) but nothing else (sexual ethics? religion?).

Relativism is not necessary to maintain peace in the world. As it is, whenever someone states he can know with certainty the truth about something, and anyone who disagrees with him is "wrong", he is quick to be labeled "intolerant," "rigid," or "close-minded."

Isn't it ironic, however, that relativists are less tolerant than Christians? Chris Stefanik gives many examples of cases where schools persecute public prayer, activists sue companies for public religious symbols, and so on. Christians are one of the least-tolerated groups, but they are most-frequently labeled "intolerant".

"Relativists state that each person can create his own right and wrong with the one rule that we shouldn't hurt or restrain anyone else. But as soon as someone admits a single should into his vocabulary... he has undetermined moral relativism, where there are no objective moral standards."

What is tolerance? To tolerate something, we must first agree that it is wrong. Sunshine is never tolerated, it is enjoyed. Rain sometimes has to be tolerated. A Christian does not agree with homosexual practices, so for them to be labeled intolerant is actually a misnomer.

To close, I would like to point out that Catholics do NOT hate homosexuals. To disagree with their lifestyle choice is not hateful, it is a disagreement, it is not unlawful to disagree. As a Catholic I hear many people spouting hateful things about my church, but I never accuse them of "hate speech," for that would be a very strong accusation and I know there will always be people who disagree with my faith.

God bless, and have a safe and happy 4th of July!

From Top Model to Role Model?

You may be familiar with the show "America's Next Top Model" with host Tyra Banks, but are you familiar with season 3's "America's Next Top Model" contestant Leah Darrow?

Leah is a beautiful woman who tried her hand at modeling. While struggling to find the happiness within the industry, rather the lack there of, Leah quit modeling and has since become a Chastity speaker for Catholic Answers. She gives an amazing personal testimony delving into the life behind the scenes of "America's Next Top Model" and everything that led up to her coming back to her faith. Leah went from top model to role model and has since been speaking around the country hoping to inspire young women, and men to be modest, chaste and respectful to themselves and others. How can you not listen, she is beautiful and fashionable!

Below are 2 trailers for her DVD which is on sale now.

The DVD is wonderful, she is animated and fun so it doesn't feel like you're just watching someone talk.

Pope Benedict XVI "tweets"!

How awesome, our pope tweets!

Jason Evert on "Green Sex"

This past weekend my husband and I, along with our friends, went to the latest Jason Evert talk, titled "Green Sex", at a local parish. This talk was about NFP (Natural Family Planning) vs. contraception; and let me tell you, if I had been for contraception before (which I wasn't), I am definitely not now.

I highly suggest you watch his talk, which was filmed and will be available in the upcoming months for purchase through Catholic Answers. There are only a few things I want to highlight that really stood out to me.

In society today there are lots of negative feelings towards the Catholic church due to their stance on contraception, which is of course, don't use any form. When contraception is used it is inhibiting life, and God created man and woman to join together in love to create life in an unselfish act. So, when the Church says not to use contraception, people's reaction is "The church is trying to control us."

Actually, the Church is doing no such thing. Contrary to "popular" belief, the church is saying, "Have sex, love each other, enjoy it! But...just do all that when you truly love someone, when you are ready to make a commitment, when you are ready for a family. If you are not ready for any of that, then you are not ready to have sex."

In his talk, Jason introduces a very important thought by St. Augustine. St. Augustine pointed out that the cross is the marriage bed of Christ, where He gave Himself to His bride, the Church. What a beautiful example of married love. Christ gave Himself to His Church, to us, fully because he loved us, and in doing so created life in His Church. We should all strive to love as Christ loves, and then will we find eternal happiness.

God is great!

Tips for young newlyweds

Now, I have been married less than a year, but in that time I have learned a few things. To anyone getting married young it is important to remember:

1. Keep God in your marriage. He is the most important even before your own spouse. If you trust in him, you have nothing to fear.

2. Keep your friends close. I am married to my best friend, but every once in a while, it is important to get out of the house and spend time with other friends. They keep me sane.

3. Go on dates. Very seldom do young newlywed couples have tons of money, so find stuff to do that is inexpensive, or free such as hiking, beach, walk in the park, library.

4. Keep in touch with family. I talk to my mom on the phone everyday, sometimes more than once. You don't have to call or fill in family everyday, but parents and grandparents want to

know how you're doing, and may offer much needed advice if asked.

That's all I have for today, it's the weekend go out, have fun or stay in, relax and read a book.

I love "I Love Lucy"

I have recently developed a liking, well, a loving for "I love Lucy". Today after a long day at work I came home a flipped on an episode and just died with laughter. I found a clip from the episode that brought on this laughter and thought I'd share it with everyone, something to close out the long work week!

Ethics vs. Justice: Les Miserables review

The other night my husband and I sat down and watched "Les Miserables", starring Liam Neeson. I have to say, I was a little skeptical to see it, but I really enjoyed it. A very well done film. It is not a great film just because of the great performances by actors such as Liam Neeson, or Geoffrey Rush; it's "amazingness" stems from the moral/ethical dilemmas the Characters face throughout every turn in the film. I was on the edge of my seat formost of the film, will Valjean do the right thing, or the wrong thing?

For those of you who have seen or know the story, Valjean is a criminal who is given a second chance at a good and honest life. He takes this chance and runs with it, becoming a kind, honorable and forgiving man. No sooner does his "new" life begin, he is suspected and must once again run, until he finds out another man is accused of being Valjean and will be sent to jail in his place. At the same time, a woman who is in his care, on her deathbed asks Valjean to look out for her young daughter. What a dilemma! If he chooses to run, and take the girl he ruins an innocent mans life, if he confesses he is Valjean he leaves a poor child orphan; either way he will stray from what is ethically sound. You must see the film (or read the book) to see how he solves this ethical dilemma.

To see a film like this in today's society where people think only of whats best for themselves and not for others, is a breath of fresh air. It makes me want to be a better person, to always think, "am I doing what is ethically right?" If we start each day thinking that, we will be rewarded greatly, maybe not here on earth, but by our heavenly father!

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Pathway to heaven?

The ultimate goal in life is to get to heaven, right? The pathway to heaven is not paved in gold, there are rocks (or boulders), there are puddles and holes, but there are also railings and helpful hands and most importantly there is God.

As a soon-to-be parent, how do I make sure I am helping my child to eventually, after a long long life, get to heaven? The culture today is filled with violence and vulgarity and as hard as my husband and I may try, we won't be able to shield our children from it forever. So the question is, how do we, how does anyone help guide our child(ren) to make smart choices, to choose the good in a world filled with so much evil?

1.) Attend Mass every weekend as a family (and weekdays if possible), not only will children hear and feel the presence of our Lord, but will see other families and celebrate with them.

2.) Spend time as a family away from electronics such as the television, computer, cell phones etc. This means that the attention is on one another, not on things. (My siblings and I loved game nights)

3.) Volunteer, whether at a soup kitchen or by donating old clothing or toys; it will show kids the value of helping others. (Every Christmas morning my family and I get up at 5:00 a.m. and feed the homeless).

4.) Share meals together, if you have a busy schedule, at least sit down for dinner as a family, talk about one anothers day.

5.) Pray together. Set aside time once a day, a few times a week and say prayers. God is the most important part of a family so talk to him as a family.

These are just a few suggestions, things that I have grown up with that have had a positive impact on me. These suggestions are ways that I feel I can help lead my children in the right direction, so they can walk the pathway to one day enter the gates of heaven.

Planned Parenthood instead of parenthood?

One of the most troubling things in our world today is abortion, the killing of innocent lives. I find it appalling the amount of people, Catholics and non-Catholics who are okay with this. As a soon-to-be young mom I cannot imagine how women, whether by their own choice or by the forceful suggestions of others, can take away the life of their child. How can they go from one day feeling that precious life moving within them, to a painful emptiness?

I remember the first time I went to a silent protest in front of Planned Parenthood, my naive 16-year-old self went to be with friends not really knowing what was being protested. I remember standing there with my youth group thinking, "Why are we protesting a place called Planned Parenthood? It sounds like they help couples plan to be parents." Wrong.

I have since found out what Planned Parenthood does. It saddens me that so many people choose Planned Parenthood instead of parenthood. The argument that I hear the most is "Planned Parenthood offers so much good for women, abortions are only a small portion." In 2009 Planned Parenthood preformed 332,278 abortions. Regardless of the "good" Planned Parenthood does, any amount of abortions exceeding 0 is to much, and everyone should be fighting to save the lives of our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, daughter-in-laws, son-in-laws and friends that may never be if we don't fight for their lives.

^Ultrasound at 6 weeks^

heartbeat is as clear as day, and has been beating for weeks at this point!

The heart starts beating at 22 days after conception.

...and away we go

I am a young, Catholic, married mother-to-be sharing the ups, downs, ins and outs of life as we know it now. With a "crashing" economy with sky-rocketing prices things are not so easy, but with God, my husband and I are finding our way. This blog is meant to share with others thoughts about happening in our world today, with the occasional posts about my growing family. Let the fun begin!

...and away we go