Time for Another Quote!

"Be an instrument of gold or of steel, of platinum or of iron-big or small, delicate or rough.

They're all useful.

Each serves its own purpose.

Who whould dare say that the carpenter's saw is any less useful than the surgeon's scalpel?

Your duty is to be an instrument."

-St. Josemaria Escriva

Lessons in Battle

"Battles, battles, get your spiritual battles!"

I feel like the last few weeks, I've been a walking talking advertising board for spiritual warfare. It's been filled with horrible and wonderful, losses and victories. But if you really want to hear about it, ask me some other time. I'd love to have a good convo about angels, battles, and Saint Michael! But for now, I'll get to what I learned from these battles:

1) What we feel isn't always happening. We may feel worthless; that doesn't mean we are. We may feel like the world is crashing down around us; that doesn't mean it is. On the same note, we may feel everything is fine, but that doesn't mean there aren't problems in this world. If we were all controlled by our feelings 100% of the time, this world would be absolutely crazy. (If you're like me, the thought that just went through your brain was "Isn't it already?!" Well yes....but multiply that times a billion.) Trust me, if what I felt these last few weeks would have actually been happening, I'm pretty sure there would be nothing left standing around me. Everything would have either crumbled, caught on fire, or blew up somehow. What we feel isn't always happening.

2) St. Michael is AMAZING......times a zillion and a half. There is no way I would be here right now feeling strong and safe if it weren't for his constant intercession and help in battle. When I got to the point when I felt I was battling alone, the prayers I asked for were specifically to St. Michael (more to come on the asking for prayers later). I've always been partial to the Archangel, but nothing like I am now. WOW. My freshman year, I picked St. Michael as my patron saint, but not for any reason really-because he was the only one I knew enough about to write my required saint report on. You know how we're all supposed to open the "door" in our hearts to let Christ in? No worries, St. Michael just ninja kicks it down for us.


3) God needs us to be who we are, not who we assume others need us to be.
Did that just feel like a drop-kick in the face? Yeah.... This is definitely the phrase that has been stuck in my mind for the last week or so. Kind of self-explanatory. I don't try to meet others expectations, I just create my own. I try so hard to help others in ways that aren't "me," that I end up hurting them worse. But the guy knows what He's doing. He surrounds us with the people we need, not the ones we want. He knows just how others will impact us, and how we will impact them. This world needs people who find their identity in Him. Song of Songs 4:7. BAM.


I also wanted to use this post as a way to say thanks. To all of you (followers of this blog or not) who have supported me in prayer when I desperately needed it, read all of my annoying texts asking for them, and encouraged me by the way you live your lives...thank you. You are truly a blessing, and you have helped more than you know.


St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou,
O Prince of the Heavenly Host-
by the power of God-
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Go...Go...Go....Be Still!

My day:

• Speeding (slightly) to school so that I could get chemistry help


• Power-walking to my car after school to get to my chiropractic appointment


• Flying through a rosary on my way to Winfield for adoration


• Speeding home from Winfield ( I promise I don't speed that often!) to avoid questions about where I've been


• Sitting here trying to rush through homework before 4-H, hearing one sister yell "Mom!" all over the house, and the other one hitting the computer because it's not fast enough to suit her needs


• Speed-typing this blog post before my brain explodes!

Hmm.....I may be over-exaggerating a tad, but I'm not being that dramatic. For crying out loud, be productive when you need to be and BE STILL when you don't! Stop letting your brain (or your bodies too, if you're like me) go, go, go, and go some more. Sit. Breathe. Thank God for His work in your life. Even if that only takes you two seconds. I deem that two seconds well spent.

"Be still, and know that I am God!..." ~Psalm 46:11

Spend a useful two seconds every once in a while, and find joy in His Love. Peace!

Endless Hope

You know those days where you feel like God's giving you a gigantic bear-hug? Today has definitely been one of those days! Spiritual victory, no matter the size, feels wonderful.

Throughout the day there has been one phrase that I just can't seem to get out of my head:

Endless Hope.

God has an endless capacity of hope for us. Endless....as in never ending. Ever. Ever. Ever. It feels good to think about, huh?

It's so easy for us to lose faith in ourselves and others. One bad day, and we feel like our world is ending. One hurtful secret that slipped out of a friend's mouth, and we no longer trust them. It's hard to have hope in those peers who seem to see the negative side of every situation, and it's hard to make ourselves see the positive side. But there always is; with a God who willingly sacrificed himself for us, how can there not be? Christ wasn't sent to die on a cross so that the world could remain dark. He came to bring light :)

Regardless of what we have done, are doing, and most likely will do in the future, God hopes. In fact, he has an endless capacity of it just for you. When you can't seem to resist the temptation dragging you down, God forgives. When you are running on empty, God provides. When you are singing joyfully, God listens in wonder. In all situations, God hopes.

And with that, I leave you with a verse very dear to my heart:

"Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us." ~Romans 5:3-5

May you find comfort in God's endless hope, today and always. Peace!

Plainly and Simply

So I've been reading quite a bit about the apparitions of Mary lately, and I absolutely love Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Ah....beauty :) I just found this beautiful reflection, and thought I'd share. Enjoy!

"Whenever I go to the chapel, I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him, 'Lord I am here. Tell me what you would have me do.' If he gives me some task, I am content and I thank him. If he gives me nothing, I still thank him since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that. And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart. I tell him about my pains and my joys, and then I listen. If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen. God always speaks to you when you approach him plainly and simply." ~St. Catherine Laboure

May we strive to approach Love with everything that we are...plainly and simply.

Ringing in 2012

Hmm....it's 2012. I've never really been one of those people who makes a big deal out of New Years Eve. I mean, don't get me wrong-I do enjoy certain parts of the holiday. I love that everyone seems to be so positive about life, and so excited about self-improvement. I guess what I've never really understood is why people think things like this only need to come around once a year. Our clocks strike midnight every 24 hours; it's not like we repeat the same day 365 times each year. Each day is a chance to start over, to make a difference, and to better ourselves. Each day brings with it the opportunity to live out our faith even more than the one before. So why wait for a whole new year?

It's 1:45 a.m on January 1st. What have I done with the night, you might ask? I spent it with my little sister. The new Just Dance game for the Wii, popcorn, and the must-have for all New Years Eve get-togethers...sparkling grape juice! I showed her up with my amazing (or not so amazing...) dance skills, listened to her crack jokes about everything that came on TV, and ate our favorite meal of popcorn and juice. It was an unusually quiet, simple, uneventful evening. But you know what? There's no place on this planet I would have rather been.

If I had to pick one word to describe everything I've learned this past year, or what I hope to do in the future, it would be:
Simplify

Such a small word that can be applied to just about everything in our lives. Simplify our budgets, so we don't worry so much about payments. Simplify our eating habits or our workouts, in order to stay healthier and feel better. Simplify our spiritual lives, so that our prayers become an ongoing conversation. Sometimes, less really is more. Tonight, I was reminded that I don't need crowds of people or fancy resolutions to be happy. I need to take life as it comes, strive to live out my faith more each day, and let the One who loves me most hold me always in His arms. Thank you Lord, for your daily reminders of Love.

May you have a peaceful, simple beginning to the year, taking life one day at a time. Grace to you, and peace!

Yay Treasure Boxes!

The past 24 hours, I had the chance to go to a Totus Tuus camp reunion lock-in in Wichita. Before we got started with the shenanigans, we kicked off the night with mass, evening prayer, and a penance service. Grace, grace, grace....AWESOME. So, this penance service:

We had the option of going face-to-face or behind the screen. Me being, well, me, I automatically decide I'm going behind the screen. But as I sat in adoration examining my conscience and reflecting on how strong I felt after my last confession, something told me to go face-to-face. So I went through all the usual "this is what I can remember" thing. Then I actually started talking to the man sitting in front of me-about my life, about my struggles, about why I'd been having trouble. Basically, I said something like my life is easy compared to what those around me are going through. I'm praying for them, but sometimes it's hard for me to just let God take control of the uncontrollable, and trust that He'll take care of them. We talked about Mary for a bit, and then came His response to my "boohoo my life is so easy" rambling:


Store these things away in the treasure box of your soul. There will be a time when you have nothing to rely on but faith alone. Cherish the details, and keep these good times for when you need them most.


We've all been through times where literally the only thing carrying us through was our blind faith. Our faiths are built up by those moments of assurance. Faith is built in those moments of Love, when we see clearly His call and are surrounded by brothers and sisters willing to help us follow it. So what happens when the going gets tough? Dig deep into that treasure box of your soul. Remember why you even care about faith in the first place. Remember that there are people out there supporting you in prayer and sacrifice, and a God that will NEVER leave your side.



May our treasure boxes be full, and remind us that what we need is the treasure Himself.