Everything Inbetween





     Over the Christmas break, Dad and I watched the Tim Tebow movie, Everything Inbetween.  As we watched Tim train, interact with his family, train, talk to fans, train, talk to interviewers, train, and then go train, I was struck by something.

     Tim Tebow doesn' have a normal "job."  He doesn't play football on the weekends, then go to the office Monday thru Friday.  He is focused on football (and God!).  Football is his passion.  It is also his career, and more importantly - it's his response to God to follow his vocational path.

     Most of us don't have something like this.  Most of us feel like we have a passion, a job, and a vocation - all separated into their neat little piles.  Very few of us can say that our vocation, job, and passion are rolled into one activity.

     Stay-at-home moms have this though.  Their passion is their children, their job is their children's well-being, and their vocation is their motherhood.   But if you, like me, are just a young adult trying to find his/her place in the world, what are we to do to find the joy found in passion, jobs, and vocations?

     We can find a solution in Saint Therese's Little Way.  In this path, we do everything we do for the glory of God.  We offer everything up.  Don't want to go into work today?  Offer up your time to God and see what he can do with it.  In this way, our job becomes a way to fulfill our vocation, and our sacrificing for the Lord becomes a passion that draws us closer to him.

     Does this realization mean that I wish I could go play football everyday and not work a conventional job?  Going to have to go with a "No" on that one.  I'll stick with my regular jobs right now, and leave the football to Tim Tebow - I'm pretty sure he can handle it. 
God bless you all!

Chloe M. 

Created As A Helper






     In Genesis 2, God creates woman.  Adam has found that after all the interaction with the animals, not one is suitable as his helper and companion.  So, when Adam is asleep, God takes a rib and made Eve. 

     Eve was created from man and for man.  She was created to be his helper.  After all, the world is a huge place for one person to manage alone.  On top of this fact, calling Eve a "helper" is not derogatory towards women because they are there to help the man.  Rather, it is honoring women because it raises to awareness man's need for help.
       That's wonderful, you say, but what about today?  Are women still called to help men.  The answer is simple: YES.  Women are called to help men now, just as they were called to help men at the creation of humankind.  Eve was not created and then told that she was going to have to help Adam - she was created AS a helper for Adam.

     So if we are still to help men, how do we go about doing it?  First, we must conduct ourselves in a sisterly fashion towards them.  This would include: dressing modestly, speaking to them with respect, and not treating them as what they could be potentially.

     "Modesty?! That's ridiculous.  Boys can look if they want too, but I'm dressing for me, not them."  This is an argument we hear frequently.  True, boys are responsible for their own actions - aren't we all? - but we are then responsible for being their stumbling block.  The "I'm dressing for me" comment is a selfish mindset that is supposed to ease one's conscience.  When we truly love men, we put their spiritual well being in front of what looks "cute" on us.

     What about being respectful?  What about flirting?  When you talk to a young man, he could one day be a lucky girl's groom.  This might be you.....but it could also be someone else.  Would you be happy if some girl was flirting with your future husband right now?  Would you appreciate her being a stumbling block for your man?  I know I wouldn't.

     Girls, we have to remember that men are not just what they look like, what they say and what they do.  They are children of God, created with a heart, mind, and soul.  We need to relate to them as such and work on being a help, and not a hinderance to their salvation.  
God Bless you all!

Chloe M. 
    

Merry Christmas!

We’re recounting 2012, chockfull of blessings!
As we eat our filling of turkey and dressings,
Wondering how do we wrap up this year grand and merry?
We’ll start with the things back in January!

Taking a break from our yelling and messes
Dad’s training for BNSF took him to Texas
So as he talked with financial directors,
Kale and Liam were our house protectors.

February left us all in tears.
We lost our guinea pig of less than a year.
Mr. Knightly left us at such a young age
Now Mr. Darcy happily rules the cage.

March marks the month where we decided
To give back to the city – we’re all so excited!
Volunteering at Let’s Help once a month
Folding all their clothes and sorting their junk (I mean stuff.) 

April!  A month that went by in a whirl.
God blessed us with a baby girl!
Sofia Laboure Mooradian is here;
You’ve heard her screams throughout the year.

 

May brought a trip to the Omaha zoo
Which was lots of fun through and through
Visiting island where monkeys roam,
Some of our family felt right at home.

 

Kale picked up a new sport in June
He played baseball in the afternoon.
We learned of our rights and how much we need them,
At rallies for Religious freedom!

July – should have bought a stock in sunscreen
Plus Reagan entered the ranks being a teen
Lots of pool time provided for relief
In all of the record-breaking heat!

August, as the heat remained,
We all worked on our tennis game!
Our life expectancy took a dive
As Madysen continued to learn how to drive. 

 

September must be the month where stars of talent glow,
The oldest three and a friend won second place at the Mother Teresa Talent Show!
As the end of the month came our way,
We had fun with homeschoolers at our field day.

October left Kale and Liam yet again in command.
As Dad’s business trip took him to a Canyon that’s grand.

And the month would not be complete without
Apple butter and a fall campout.

November brought with it Thanksgiving,
We’re very happy for the life that we’re living!
Essays and letters, test scores all around,
Now that Chloe is soon college bound!

Now here is December!  This great time of the year!
We are all so happy because in our lives, you are here!
With Christ’s birthday party in sight,
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

 

Sheep, Sheepdogs and Wolves.



     Before I start to talk about the above mentioned topic, let me first apologize for my lack of posting.  I sincerely try, but Christmas keeps pulling me away!  So here is my thoughts on sheep and such:

     There are three kinds of people in this world.  Ninety percent of us are sheep.  They are those who don't look for or want trouble, but are content to graze through life.  They are mentally unable to hurt anyone intentionally and violence though life is accidental. 

     Then there are wolves.  They are humans who reside on this earth who have no conscience and have no issues with hurting innocent people.  Violence is the best answer and the consequences of their actions are generally last thought in the process.  These are those who have appeared in the news as the perpetrators of the shootings in the movie theatre in Colorado, the school shooting in Newtown, and the various daily shootings and violence throughout our nation and world.

     The last type of person is a sheep-dog.  He has the ability to harm others - he does have fangs after all, but he or she uses that ability for protection for others.  These are our police men, soldiers, concealed gun carriers, home land security and aware and concerned citizens who are always ready to help when a situation presents itself. 

      Sheep hate sheepdogs.  They remind them that their is danger to be protected from.  Sheepdogs also look a lot like wolves sometimes.  It does not help that some wolves go under the disguise of wolves - such as politicians who promise to help and don't, or cops who misuse their authority.

     What are you?  Here is an easy way to evaluate where you stand.  In flight 93 on September 11th, there were the three categories.  The wolves were obviously high jacking the plane.  They are easy to spot as they prey on the weak and have no problem with mass killings.  On the ground, there were sheep and sheepdogs.  The sheep said, "Thank you, God, that I am not on that plane."  The sheepdogs said, "God, I wish I was on that plane so I could have made more of a difference."

     Sheep?  Sheepdog?  Wolf?  Where do you rank and how do you feel about that ranking?  Perhaps it is time to take a stand against the wolves and be strong for our family, our country, and our faith.      MERRY CHRISTMAS!  God bless you and your family this season and always remember why we celebrate this most wonderful time of the year!

Chloe M. 

For more on this topic and to read the article, read here





         

Citizen of What City?






     St. Augustine says the world is in possession of only two cities: the City of God and the City of Man.

     In the city of man, self gain is the goal and people are just obstacles in the way of personal pleasure.  In the city of God, Heaven is the goal and other people are opportunities for growing in grace.

     What city do you live in? 

God Bless,

Chloe M.

The Heart of Christmas
"Live while you can.  Cherish each moment.  The ones that you love, make sure they know it.  And don't miss this...the heart of Christmas." 

- Matthew West, The Heart of Christmas
     These words ring louder than ever in light of the tragedy in Newtown.  Yet they also ring true closer to home.

     This year is possibly the last year for Christmas with our family all under the same roof.  Cherish each moment.

     This year, twenty-six families will have just put a loved one to rest.  Make sure the people who you love know that you love them.

     Our life is so short.  We have to make each moment count and live each moment to the fullest.  This cannot be used as an excuse for immorality - such as the popular YOLO (you only live once) slogan used to make sinning "OK" because you never know when you won't be around.  This means taking this time that we have been given as a gift by God to work to be a saint.
     The heart of Christmas is a celebration of the fact that Christ came down to the earth and became a helpless baby lying in a manger.  This Christmas, admit hat you can do nothing without God's help.  Humble yourself as Christ did and experience the true meaning of Christmas. 

Was this God's plan?

Twenty six victims.  Twenty of them are just little kids.  There are twenty little kids who will not come home from school again to tell their parents about their day.  There are countless presents under the tree that won't be opened by the little hands who they were meant for.  Where is God when this happens?  Did He leave these kids when they needed Him most because America has taken God out of school?
NO.
     Was it God's plan that a twenty year old guy should come in a shoot up a school?  No.  But just because it wasn't in His plan does not mean that He cannot use it to His greatest glory.  I know He is also greatly saddened by the loss of life, taken away from the littlest of His children.


     It is always hard to think that a God who loves us could let this happen.  And it is always hard to know what to say about this type of incident.  Yet another challenge is tackling the issue of gun control - an issue that becomes discussed rampantly when tragedies such as this happen.
     Is the answer to take away the guns?  No.  Why?  Because guns kill people like pencils misspell words.  It's not the gun - it's the person who pulls the trigger.  The concern should be over the people, and not the guns they are carrying.
     My heart aches for the families of the victims at this shooting.  Please keep them in your prayers as they go through their first  Christmas without a loved one.

     God bless you all,
Chloe M. 

Belong to God

    Today is the feast of Saint Lucy, the Virgin Martyr.  In today' culture the status of being a virgin is made out to be as rare as being a martyr.

     We live in a culture that sells and objectifies women until it seems as if we are a dime a dozen.  Take for instance, the new clothing line, shockling named "OMG."  It claims to be a delightful mix of faith and fun, but in actulity their campaign is riddled with teen girls portraying what they believe to be sexy Christians. 


     This occured when we forgot that we belong to Christ.  We don't belong to a boyfriend.  We don't belong to the task of working to look like a supermodel.  We belong to the King of Kings, the God of the universe! 

     We are given the amazing examples of saints such as St. Lucy, St. Maria Gorretti, and Saint Joan of Arc.  We are given a Heavenly mother: Mary ever virgin.  When did becoming a woman of God become shameful?

     This advent, let's strive to truly be women of God.  Project:  If you are blessed to have a true woman of God in your life, thank them for their example.

God bless you all!

Chloe M. 

    

Meet Allison
She is one year old and she lives in Mexico.  Although she is still very little, her parents say she is very smart and observant.  Her mother works as a housewife and her father makes shoes.  Struggling to pay the rent and save back for Allison's future schooling, her family applied to Christian Foundation for Children and Aging to set up a sponsorship for Allison.

     Today I adopted Allison.  Well, I can't bring her home to live with me, but I'm going to be able to sponsor her each month to make sure she gets the proper food, schooling, and learns about Christ.

     Do you sponsor a child?  What program do you go through?  Have you ever thought about sponsoring a child?  Let me know in the comments below!
God bless you all,

Chloe M.   

Straight Roads, Filled Valleys and Lowered Mountains




     Dear readers - yes.  I am alive.  Although my blog posting has said the exact opposite.  Over the past 48 hours I have been knocked out, had four wisdom teeth pulled, and have been either sick to my stomach or sleeping for the remainder of the time.  Yes, as in the words of a friend, "If wisdom teeth are so wise, why are they extra?"  I have yet to find an answer.

     So I return with vigor and victory to shower you with blog posts.  OK, just one.  Since I am on the last leg of my Tylenol dosage and my mouth is starting to hurt again. 

     Today I went to morning Mass and the Gospel today is about preparation.  (common theme in Advent, eh?) and Father Tom was talking about preparing ourselves for the Lord. 

      We all, I am sure, do a LOT of preparation for Christmas.  Your to-do list is full of house decorating, cookie baking, present buying, light hanging, Christmas partying, well wishing and gift wrapping.  But what about you to-do list for your soul?  After all, on Christmas morning we are to receive Christ into our hearts.  How is that path to your heart looking?

     The path to our heart that Christ enters in right now could be in pretty sad shape.  Perhaps there are some mountains of pride we've put in Christ's way.  Or some valleys of depression, despair and general gloom.  Even some winding roads of trying to convince ourselves of the morality of our bad actions could be hindering Christ.

     John the Baptist tells us to "Repent!" and make the valleys high, the mountains low and all roads straight so Jesus can have the easiest path to our hearts.

     How do we do this?  You can make a point to go to confession (penance services are probably starting up around your parishes), and sometimes simply stopping and thinking about the reason we are even celebrating Christmas can put things in a better perspective.  Christ came down as a helpless baby and then took upon all of humankind's sin and died for us.  We have so much to be thankful for and so much to prepare for.

     Christ's coming is worth some big preparation.  Thank goodness we still have sixteen days to get things in order - the things that really matter.

     Once again, sorry about the long break between posts! 

God bless!

Chloe M.

p.s. Grandpa is back home, they are thinking it was a small stroke.  He has follow up appointments soon.  Hopefully those can confirm some theories and see if we need to do anything else.  Thanks again for all the prayers! 


    

A Time for Laughing
     This weekend, I went on You Tube at the prompting of another fellow Catholic teen blogger and happened upon the following three videos.  Perhaps you can identify with some of them?  Let me know what you think in the comments below!



Catholic Pick-up Lines:

 

 

Things Catholic Girls Say

 

Things Catholic Guys Say

 

God bless!

Chloe M.  

Don't be perfect...be prepared

     Welcome to Advent 2012!  These next four weeks, we will be (hopefully) drawing even closer to Christ with anticipation of the celebration of His birth....right?

     Don't feel bad.  I love Christmas!  I don't love the getting, I love the giving!  Even though I know the Christmas focus should be on Christ's birth, I get wrapped up (no pun intended!) in the gift giving instead of the praise-giving to God.

     I think we fail to realize the sheer awesomeness of Christmas.    What other god in all human history or mythology has come down to earth to SAVE mankind?  What other Creator became the creation?  None but Christ.

     This Christmas will not be perfect.  Inevitably, something will go wrong.  We have to relax though, since Christmas isn't about how many people are happy with our gifts or how much we spend per person.  Christmas is about family, giving, joy and, most of all, a healthy dose of recognition for the love Christ shows us by His coming.

     The Gospel this weekend talks about being prepared for the second coming.  How about being truly prepared for Christmas?  Like the first reading says, we have become drowsy in the dealings of everyday life.  Let's all get our hearts and souls ready for the Lord.  Make sure to hit a confession near you in anticipation for a soul white as snow when you receive Christ into your heart on Christmas morning.

     You can't be perfect.  Be prepared.  

God bless you all!

Chloe M.

p.s.  Grandpa is back home as of yesterday night - the brains scans show that he is good to go and the heart scans show the same.  Thanks again to everyone for your prayers!

Different Direction?  Update on prayer request.



     As learned yesterday night, Grandpa will not be getting a pace maker or surgery.  The tests they have run show that the arteries are not blocked in any way. 

     The only thing we are worried about now is a small blood spot on his brain.  Originally we thought it occurred when he had fallen, but now there is suspicion that the blood on the brain caused the heart incident. 

     Beings that nothing is wrong now and his heart is behaving normally, we think they will release him today after lunch.

     Please keep him in your prayers still, though.  I'll let you know if anything else comes up or if all goes as planned.

     Thank you for all of your prayers - they really are appreciated!

God Bless,

Chloe M. 

***Just heard - they ordered a MRI and are hoping to get results tonight. ***


 

UPDATE ON PRAYERS






     Quick update on some new information we got this morning.  The doctor thinks that Grandpa had an Adams-Stokes attack last night. 

     An Adams-Stokes attack consists of the heart dropping down to low beats per minute, and the lack of blood often causes fainting.  It can leave the patient feeling clammy, and forgetful of the situation.  Because the heart beat is irregular, and it can (and did) result in a heart block.  Grandpa's heart block is small enough that the doctors don't think it'll be an issue. 

     Here is what we have found out about Adams-Stokes:

There is collapse, usually without warning.

Loss of consciousness is usually between about 10 and 30 seconds.

Pallor, followed by flushing on recovery, can be reported.

Some seizure-like activity sometimes occurs if the attack is prolonged.  (this didn't occur in Grandpa)

If anyone manages to check the pulse during an episode, it will be slow, usually less than 40 beats per minute.

Typically, complete (third-degree) heart block is seen on the ECG during an attack but other ECG abnormalities such as tachy-brady syndrome have been reported

They are not posture-related.

     Adams-Stokes is usually experienced by older males who take medication for cholestreral or blood pressure (both of which Grandpa takes) and is easily treated with a pace-maker.

     We think they'll take him in for pace-maker surgery today, and I'll definatly keep all updated on the results of the surgery.

     I can't thank you all enough for your prayers.
God Bless!
Chloe M.   

UPDATE ON PRAYER REQUEST




  
     We have been texting back and forth with Mom, who is still at the hospital with Dad, Grandma and Grandpa.  She has told us that the doctor thinks all Grandpa will need is a pace maker and recovery time.  The surgery will probably be tomorrow. 

     He is suffering slight amnesia due to the fall.  He can't remember exactly what happened, but other than that he seems to be doing fine.

     Please keep us all in your prayers still.  I'll update the blog if we hear anything else - and tell you the results of tomorrows surgery.

     Thank you so much for all your prayers!  God bless you all.
Chloe M. 

PRAYER REQUEST

Just got news from my Grandma - when she got home from work tonight, Grandpa was passed out on the floor.  She called 911, and they came and saw his heart beat was at 50 bpm, and that his limbs were cold.  They were able to get him to talk.   They loaded him up on the ambulance and are taking him to the hospital right now.

PLEASE PRAY. 

I'll keep you updated. 

He can take your broken heart and put it all together.





     If you reflected on your life, I'm sure there are a lot of happy times.  New siblings, great test scores, college acceptance letters, first day on a great job, new pets, and weddings.  I'm sure there are also some bad times.  Deaths in the family, physical injuries, not getting on the team, being teased by someone you love, and sins you regret.

 If you put them all in one pile, there you have the story of your life.  Bad parts and good parts alike, they have formed and made and shaped you.  In the words of Cotton, they are the "fabric of our lives."  And what can

with this pile?  Sometimes it seems impossible to sort out and other times it seems like it is going to engulf us.  Yet God can work miracles out of our messes (thank goodness!)  All we have to do is give the pile over to him.

     Our kid's devotional tonight was saying that our lives are like one big quilt.  God puts together this quilt based on our life.  Everyone sins and everyone makes mistakes, but if we give God everything, He can make a beautiful quilt using all the fabric we give Him. 

     The material we give Him might not be the ideal material for what He had planned the quilt to look like.  Yet nothing is impossible for God! 

     This advent, don't let the season pass with the guilt of bad fabric on your conscience.  Make a point to go to confession and be free of the sin on your soul so that you can celebrate Christmas with the true joy of the knowledge that your soul is as white as the snow outside.

     God bless you all!

Chloe M. 

 

     

Consuming Fire







     "Mary by a singular privilege granted to no other saint, loved, and was always actually loving God, in every moment of her life, with such ardor, that St. Bernard declares, it required a continued miracle to preserve her life in the midst of such flames." -St. Alphonsus di Liguori, The Glories of Mary, (Tan Books: 1978), 411.

     In other words, the Blessed Mother was in a constant state of serving and loving God.  Likewise, God was in a constant state of loving Mary.  So it took a constant miracle for Mary to not simply be consumed by the fire of God's love!

     In   preparation in anticipation for the coming of Christ.  Let's not waste the time being consumed by material matters.

 

God Bless!

Chloe M. 

A Different Kind of King







     What kind of rulers, kings and people in control do you know of?  Ones that come to mind could be King Henry the Eighth, King Louis the Fourteenth,  Nero, Napoleon, Ivan the Terrible, etc.  The rulers we tend to remember are rulers who control everything and are sometimes not so great at their job.

     The idea of monarchy is foreign to Americans.  After all, we were founded on an overthrowing of monarchy in this nation.  So our thoughts of kings might not be so high.  What are your thoughts then, when we celebrate the feast of Christ the King?

      Are we ready to give Christ control of everything?  We might be wary of this after being burnt by the idea of kings.  Yet Christ isn't this kind of king.  He is a king of truth.  But in the words of Caesar, "What is truth?"
     We search and hunt and yearn for truth.  In the world we live in though, truth is sometimes far and in between.  Christ, though, is the ultimate truth and the ultimate King.  He doesn't abuse His people, He loves them.

     If Christ is truly the king, we must then be completely loyal subjects and give our WHOLE lives to Him. 

     Enjoy this last week before the season of Advent starts!  It's time to dedicate our lives to the King of kings.
God Bless!

Chloe M. 

   

Be Thankful for EVERYTHING




     Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope that you had an awesome time to spend with friends and family and just being thankful for everything that God has blessed you with.

     Just wanting to leave you with a quick post tonight - this week as been crazy, to put it lightly - I've been having to cover shifts at work for the holiday season, so by Sunday I will have worked forty hours.  In other words, I'm drained.  But, I am incredibly thankful for not one but two amazing jobs that I love.  Yet this forty hours has kicked me hard, and I have to go finish an essay on Jane Eyre. 
     Quick thought:  Today's Gospel reading had the ten lepers cured, but only one came back to thank Christ for the cure.  Ten percent.  How many times do we really truly thank God for the amazing things He does in our life....about ten percent?  This advent, let's work on bringing that percent up by a lot.
     Thank you Lord, for EVERYTHING.
God bless and have an awesome rest of your thanksgiving!

Chloe M. 

 Christian Cussing or Christians Cursing?




        Cussing....or Cursing?  Believe it or not, they are actually two different things.  I know there are a lot of Christians who cuss.  But did you know there are even more Christians who curse?  Including me!

     Let me explain.  When we cuss, we use $#%&# language.  When we curse, we take value away from something.  Cursing is the opposite of blessing (which means to build something up).  So when we curse things and people, we are verbally tearing them down.  That would include complaining about someone at work, or yelling at a sibling for something trivial.

     How about cussing?  In our family, we don't say "Shut up" or "Stupid" or "Dumb" when talking about a person.  Because it tears them down.  People we know think this is pretty weird, because when they say "Stupid" we automatically say. "Stop saying the bad S word!"  They do a double take and they say, "I didn't say that!"  To which we reply, "You say s-t-u-p-i-d (spelling it out)!"  They just sigh and shake their head.  Right Ria? :)  

     Cussing is a stumbling block for me.  I'm saddened when Christians cuss.  Why?  Because it doesn't make me think they are Christian in the best sense of the word.  That is not to say that Christians who cuss aren't Christians.  Nor is it to say that Christians are perfect.  It's to say that we are called to be different from this world and cussing is of the world.

     Advent is coming up!  How about we give up cussing AND cursing as a birthday gift for the Lord?  What do you say?  Join me?  Let me know in the comments below!
God Bless,

Chloe M. 

    



    

       From Ria's Blog

Sr. Elizabeth Ann, a Dominican Sister of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist just sent out the following:

Last night, my sister told me that a good friend of hers just found out that the child she’s carrying is severely disabled, and her friend is beginning to think that abortion is the best option. Her friend doesn’t think she can handle parenting a disabled child, and, of course, her doctors & everyone else is recommending termination. Please pray that she will have all the grace, strength and courage she needs to choose life. These next two weeks are crucial, as she has to decide by the time the child is 18 weeks. If you have a prayer chain or other intercessors you can send this to, that would be much appreciated. Thank you and God bless you.

It Hurts My Heart

     No, I'm not going through a breakup.  (What, that's what you thought, wasn't it?).  I logged online today and was informed that Justin and Selena broke up.  Last week.  Yes, I told you that I'm behind.  My first thought was, "Criminy, you guys are only sixteen years old, really?"  Then I was informed that Justin Bieber was eighteen and Selena Gomez is twenty.  I'm more behind than I thought.

     But, seriously now, I am going to bring this around to something deep....or deep-ish.  I'm looking at people I know and they are going through breakups and it hurts my heart to watch them go through that pain.  And more than not, those people who I'm watching are having their hearts stomped on are my age....or younger.   You could chock this up that I am overly compassionate, which is true, but I don't think kids our age were intended to have our heart ripped out, repaired, ripped out, repaired, and then ripped out again eight times by age eighteen.

     Now I know that I'm "weird."  I go to Catholic conferences and my peers look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them that I'm seventeen and a half and I have never been kissed and haven't ever gone on a date with a guy besides my dad.  You would think I had two heads.  Yet isn't this what we are called to?  Christ has some pretty crazy teachings in the world's eyes, yet He is completely sane and on top of sanity, He's completely God.  What seems weird and freakish in the world's eyes is completely normal and good in God's eyes.

     I have also observed that the girls who are on their fourth boyfriend in four years have low self worth.  This isn't always easy to see, girls are pretty good at putting on an appearance of normalcy when inside we're dying.  These girls put up with guys lying to her parents, throwing her under the bus, abusing her verbally, and just not treating her like she deserves to be treated.  Why?  Because she doesn't feel worth anything unless she has a guy telling her she is beautiful and his whole world.  Darling, as a sister in Christ, don't settle for this.  You have a man who is pining for your attention, who loves you more than the world and who died for love of you.  And He's sitting in the tabernacle waiting for you to come to Him.  Christ loves you so much and He doesn't want to see you in such pain.

     But we have to look at what we as girls are showing guys.  Are we constantly flirting with them?  Because this doesn't entice a guy.  For a little while, yes.  But when a guy realizes that he doesn't have to do anything to get your attention, your attention isn't special anymore.  Wouldn't it be more awesome to be pursued by a guy instead of pursing?  Wouldn't it be liberating and beautiful to know that a guy is thinking about how to get your attention than vice versa?  How can we experience this phenomena? 

Become a woman worth pursuing. 

     We have to, as women, have a sense of allure.  Not being "sexy" but being genuinely Beautiful!  This not only means wearing clothes that fit, not cling, but also translates into the way we talk, the way we walk, the way we act, even the way we dance.  We have to work on being ourselves and work on being attractive not only because of our physical beauty, but also because of our ability to show God's love to others. 
 
     Our love of Christ should be so deep that a man has to fall in love with God in order to fall in love with us.

     Let's not settle for breaking up and making up!  Let's work on falling in love with Christ mainly and then waiting on His divine plan with our love life. 
God bless you all!

Chloe M. 

Today I'm Thankful For....






     So someone mentioned to me the new movement to be thankful for something every day of November in preparation for Thanksgiving.  As you can see, I'm a little bit behind (per usual). 

     I just wanted to take today's post and thank my youth group.  If any of my anonymous readers are out there and you are in my youth group - you are such a blessing, you have no idea.  The highlight of my week is Bible study and getting to talk to you all for two straight hours.  I have so many awesome memories and inside jokes with all of you I couldn't even begin to list them.

     We have some fun trips behind us (Winter Jam 2012, March for Life 2011, Rally for Religious Freedom 2012, Stubenville 2012, NCYC 2008)  and so many fun ones ahead.  I can't wait to see the amazing things God will do with group - and I can tell you it's going to be BIG things! 

     The dads in our home school group get together for Dad's meetings on Thursday morning and are able to connect and touch base with each other faith-wise through text through the week.  Yesterday I got a text from a youth group member and we were able to talk about the humanity of Christ (you'll see more about that in an upcoming post).  I'll get e-mails from friends through the week and they'll make my day. 

     Guys, you seriously are such a blessing my life.  Thanks so much for the fun so far and I can't wait for the adventures ahead!
God Bless each of you!

Chloe M. 

    

Just For Laughs:  My Favorite Memes

Quotes on God's Plan for Us




- Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”


- Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path.”


- Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

- St. John Vianney "I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures." 
 

- St. Teresa of Avila "We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us." 
- Christopher West "God's plan remains God's plan despite our sin." 

 

Ignite the Fire
Making sure there are words to back up actions




     Lately, we've been talking a lot about a reigniting of dynamic Catholicism.  I've been saying that with the amazing numbers of Catholics in the United States, issues like pro-death politicians, the HHS Mandate, the constant talk of "free" contraception and general anti-Catholic bias in the media wouldn't even be issues.  So why are they?

     In the words of Matthew Kelly, "We are part of a Church where 'business as usual' is OK.  It's time to step up and say that it's not."  Where are the Catholics on fire for their faith?  Where are the sermons from the pulpit on Sunday mornings that Contraception, Cohabitation, Sterilization, and Homosexual active practices are intrinsically evil?  Aside from the few brave priests who aren't afraid of the effects that it will have on their parish numbers and finances, we are left with quiet homilies on subjects that although true, are small in comparison to the issues that the parish is going through.

     Where are the John Vianneys?  Where are the Padre Pios?  Where are those who are not afraid to tell their parishioners, as their shepherd, that they need to go to confession and here is the opportunity?  As parishioners, we need to raise the subject, but parish priests are the men who have given their entire lives to God and His people.  It's time to "Feed my lambs!"

     "Hard to swallow" homilies are what we need.  Catholics in America in general need a swift kick to the pants to wake us up about the issues that are tearing our belief apart!  It's time to put the beautiful and rich tradition and teachings into tangible action and let the world know  that Catholics aren't just another easy target.

     Thoughts?  Comment in the box below.
God bless,

Chloe M. 

Family Dynamics NOW
Enjoying the Blessings found in this moment.



        Today's the day.  After what seems like endless practicing and planning and e-mailing and calling, today is the day of my first college visit.  This is the day that I thought would never come and now that it is here, I'm filled with half-excitement and half-nervousness. 
        Today's the day.  After what seems like spending every day focusing on grades to impress colleges with a good GPA, and testing, and applications, and essays and recommendations letters, today is the day that I go to see if I am a good perspective student for a Catholic school.

        Today's the day.  Everything is a chain reaction from now, and before you know, I'll be filing for scholarships and looking at majors and deciding colleges and possibly moving into a dorm, and being dropped off for my first day of school for the very first time.
        Family dynamics are changing.  They started changing when I picked up a second part-time job and am away from the house everyday.  They'll continue changing as I work towards college and then eventually move out of the house that I have lived in for almost eighteen years. 

        Enjoy your family dynamics NOW.  Things will never be the same.  It is very slim chances that you will all be living under the same roof again.   You think you'll be glad to be out of it, but you'll miss it.  I'll miss coming home everyday and talking to my mom about work.  I'll miss bouncing apologetics and politics off my dad for his opinion.  I'll miss sitting around and talking with my next youngest sisters about clothes and Christmas plans, laughing at my even younger sisters about random memories, and I'll miss giving little boy's piggybacks and giving a little girl hugs and kisses everyday. 

        If you think I'm crazy, just wait.  It reminds me of a story that Bran Hansen posted on his blog on www.air1.com: 

   When you are going to have a baby, "This is going to be pretty exciting," you say.

They say, "You just wait."

"You just wait, because you won't be getting any sleep anymore, once that baby's born. It's all over. It gets harder. It gets worse."


Your baby is fun. You think it's hilarious, how he's amused by one particular stuffed dog above all other toys.

They say, "You just wait."

"Just wait, because when that kid is toddling around, pulling down the curtains, and getting into stuff, you can't look away for a second. It gets harder. It gets worse."


Your toddler is a blast. Everything is new and wonderful to him, from puppies to repeatedly crashing towers of blocks. He laughs every time, and wants you to "Do again!"

They say, "You just wait."

"Just wait, because when your kid starts really talking, you'll get tired of that sassy mouth. You'll wish he was still a year old. It gets harder. It gets worse."


Your elementary-age kid is an absolute joy. You can play take him swimming, play catch with him, and teach him hilarious end-zone dances to amuse your friends.

They say, "You just wait."

"Just wait until he's a teenager, because he'll learn how much he doesn't like you and won't want to have anything to do with you no matter what and he'll eat everything and you'll get very tired of him and want him out of the house as soon as possible. It gets worse."


Your teenager is fascinating. You can't get enough of him. He makes you laugh, because, well, you saddled him with your exact sense of humor. You get to play video games with him. He beats you at chess, sometimes twenty times in a row. He fills your home with music, first with a screeching sound, that, months later, becomes recognizably melodic, and then the sweetness of Bach on violin. He mows the lawn. Not always happily, but he mows the lawn. You catch him listening to your favorite bands in his room. He says things that you never thought about before. He grows taller than you.

They say, "You just wait."

"Just wait until he moves away, because your heart will break in two."



And... for once, the very first time, ever...

They're right.

Enjoy. Your. Family. Now.  Before you know it things will change.  Don't spend now worrying about the future.  Spend now enjoying the present.

God bless you all,

Chloe M.         

 Oh There's No Place Like Confession for the Holidays....
Buckle your seat belts, we're in for a ride.  Welcome to the holiday season 2012-2013.  It only gets crazier from here.  The countdown to Thanksgiving is nine days and counting.  Then we are on to Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Years Eve.  Don't laugh, it's all coming and will be here before you know it.

        I know that my schedule gets so hectic.  I get snappy and rude to others, including my family, and that attitude ruins the season, which should be a focus on thankfullness, Christ, and Christ-like actions.  How can I return to grace and appreciation of the season?  Confession! 

     Father Z's blog had an awesome article on a priest and confession.  He says, "A priest became pastor of a smaller rural parish, of approximately 300 registered families. The first Sunday of Advent, he announced to the parish that he wanted no Christmas presents from the parish that year – no gifts of money, or food, or gift certificates. Instead, the present he wanted from his new parish was for every member of the parish to go to confession during Advent.
        To that end, he would add times for confessions during the week, bring in outside priests, and make the sacrament as available as possible.

He said that, during the four weeks of Advent, he initially tried keeping track of the numbers of penitents, but was only able to keep track of the numbers of those who had not been to confession in more than 20 years – nearly 200, in his small parish!
        Many of the penitents told him that the reason they had been away is because no priest had told them they should go, or even invited them to go. Because of one priest’s invitation, an entire small town grew in grace through the sacrament of confession."

        It's a busy time of the year, but let's make room for confession and returning to God's grace in the season of Christ's birth....and hey, let's make it our gift to our priests, too!
        God bless you all!

Chloe M.