7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 2)

1.  It's been so long since I did one of these! No matter, I'm going to proceed as if I've been doing it forever. This week has been kind of weird as I continue hanging out in limbo here. The job I applied to would be a huge life change for me and something I swore I would never do (teach) but God has a way of gently nudging you into impossible situations and somehow making a way. I've really been learning how to offer things up to Him. Who knew I had such a death grip on things?

2. Third week of Lent, church! We're halfway there! Anyone have any interesting things God has been teaching them? I've been reading this awesome biography of St. Catherine of Siena who, fyi, was a BEAST for the Faith (that's a good thing, by the way.) I mean, she routinely told popes, evil Breton mercenaries, and hotheaded, rich, Italian noblemen, to "be a man." Here is one of my favorite passages from a letter she wrote to her mentor, Raymond of Capua:

We must strip ourselves of ourselves and clothe ourselves in Christ crucified. We must board the little ship of the most holy cross and fearlessly navigate this stormy sea... The ship is provisioned with every food the soul can imagine. True, [God] may often allow the little ship to be swamped by the sea's waves. But he does this not to drown us, but to make us better and more perfectly able to discern peaceful weather from stormy....Those on board shouldn't simply stand at the edge but should leap into the hold at the heart of the ship, into the abyss of the blazing and anguished love of Christ crucified, and the waves won't hurt them at all. (180)

Beautiful, right? Just sit with that for a minute. Imagine it in your mind. That icy cold fear when the boat is tossing about too much, or the airplane has a little too much turbulence. Whatever it is. Hold that fear in your hands and then toss it overboard! Take refuge in the fire of His love!

3. Okay, enough theology...for now. This is a video I saw this week which talks a little about the making of the new movie October Baby. It seems like the movie is loosely based on the life of the indomitable Gianna Jessen, an abortion survivor. I don't even need to say any more; the video speaks for itself.

4. Speaking of movies, I was thrilled to be able to hang out with a college buddy and we got to see "This Means War." A delightful tale of two "CIA" "agents" who "fall in love" with the same girl. She gives herself a week to decide between them. Yeah. Chaos ensues. 

Chris Pine: Rawr! Just call me Captain Kirk, toots.
Reese: Oh, my! *hair blowing in wind*
Tom Hardy: Rawr! I'm sexy and British.
Reese: Were you that guy in Downt--
Hardy: DO I LOOK LIKE A BLOODY SERVANT?!
Pine: So who's it gonna be, bab-y? *tooth sparkle*
Hardy: Inception.... *echoes in the wind*
Reese: Ummm..... I pick myself! 

There was little to no moral value but it was otherwise a great girls night out movie! Okay, basically, there were a lot of things that went boom, hot guys, and...um...hot guys! But if you're looking for a meaningful movie, try "October Baby" instead. Anyone see anything good lately on tv or in the movies?

5. We've been hearing a lot this past week about "Kony 2012", a campaign by the organization Invisible Children to bring awareness to the crimes of Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA. Now, I'm pretty familiar with Invisible Children but I know there's been some controversy over this video in Uganda and here in the US. I'll let you decide for yourself. But I stumbled onto this sweet little documentary which gives you a glimpse of real, tangible hope amidst the trials of life in Uganda, and what can happen if you really let God use you. You can watch it free on their website.

'Moving On' Official Trailer from Light Gives Heat on Vimeo.

6. This week I also learned that I may have PCOS. I've had symptoms before, including an extremely painful, ruptured cyst in college, but the doctors never really made a conclusive diagnosis of any kind. Recently, some of my symptoms have been appearing again so I went to see my doctor. She said it "seems like" I "might" have PCOS but ordered a bunch of tests. When I got home and started reading some more about it I started panicking but, #Cathsorority came to the rescue! It's so encouraging for me to have some amazing godly women to talk to, even if it's just on Twitter. So thank you, ladies! Please continue to pray for me as I await results!

            6a. Also-- if anyone has anything they want me to pray about for them please let me know!! I                   spend way too much time thinking/talking about myself! You can post it here or email me. 

7. Lastly, I want to alert everyone about the prayer needs of an awesome Catholic couple who write for Ignitum Today. I learned about Andrew and Cristina through their ministry there, and with Jovenes de Valor in Brooklyn, NYC. They're an amazing witness for chastity in dating & are so on fire for the Lord! They're recently married and recently pregnant, but learned that their precious baby girl, Maria Isabella, has spina bifida. They have a tough road ahead and need our prayers! 

life at the bottom of the sea

Nothing ever works out the way you think it will, does it?


You should see my list of things I was going to do this Lent, that I made on Ash Wednesday. I was going to be more Catholic than the Pope. And it started off okay. But then...slowly...it tapered...off...

My bed--which is sinfully comfortable--held me like a prisoner when I was supposed to get up for prayer. That whole rosary I was supposed to pray everyday? Like slogging through quicksand. Oh, and fasting from sweets, ice cream? Flocked to it like a crack addict. No alcohol? Ha!

the tree of life my soul hath seen

I almost died as a baby. 

I was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and in a very dangerous position. The midwife delivering me, quickly and carefully removed and cut through the umbilical cord before I suffocated, saving my life. The very thing that had kept me alive all those months within my mother, had almost killed me. 

The midwife, who was Jewish, took the placenta (with my parents' permission) and buried it, said prayers, and planted a tree over the spot. A Jewish tradition, apparently. 

Imagine if every human life was treated with such reverence? Was so carefully defended? 

Goodbye, 2011!

As I am writing this, I am sitting here, quarantined in my room. I caught something from one of my perpetually ill cousins this Christmas and, so, there you have it. No mind, I will just have to bombard you all with Twitter updates and blog posts! :)


What a crazy year it's been! So many ups and downs. In June I graduated, and have spent every day since then having everything I once thought about my future, my goals and dreams, my life, being turned upside down by God. Nothing in my life has been safe from His devastating love.


I'm writing now my goals for this year, but I want to do something a little different. I'm taking part in the "One Word 365" challenge, which is basically a commitment to find one word that speaks to your heart for 2012 and the hope you have for the New Year. It's an intentional sort of thing and I will write a mile-marker post every 3 months or so. Hopefully you will all consider participating! Or just doing it on your own!


So my word for 2012 is this: Χάρις - charis. 


Such a small word, yet so rich and pregnant and vibrating with meaning. 


Charis is grace; the grace that God gives, that I can live, inhabit, be. Grace that I could return, give to someone else. It is also joy, holy kindess, charity, Christ-love. 


It forms part of the word eucharisteo, eucharistia - eucharist. This sacrament I am called to live and live by. 


There is so much here! My prayer this year is to make it part of my every breath and heartbeat. 


Blessed John Paul II will also be my patron saint this year! Praying alongside me and guiding me closer and closer to Jesus. 


May all of you, too, be guided by the grace of God, and the peace that He gives! Happy New Year everyone and peace be with you and yours!

7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 1)

1. 

My first Quick Takes post ever! I thought it would be fun to do one right before Christmas because I probably won't be blogging again, or around the blogosphere, much until 2012. 

virgin is the new mermaid

At first I laughed. 

When I saw the promo for a new TLC "reality" show called "The Virgin Diaries" featuring that goofy altar kiss, I laughed like everybody else. When I saw it again on Ellen, I laughed a little less but, still, it was funny. Then I saw the actual show and I stopped laughing. I watched the morning news shows trot out "experts" to weigh in on how healthy this lifestyle is. How these smart, successful, modern women all laughed at that strange being: The Virgin.

when God uses glee and st. john of the cross in the same sentence

Bear with me, there is a method to the madness.

We must then dig deeply in Christ. He is like a rich mine with many pockets containing treasures: however deep we dig we will never find their end or their limit. In every pocket new seams of fresh riches are discovered on all sides...The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross. (st john of the cross)