Goodbye and The End

This isn't my very last post most likely, but it is close to it. You see... I have some news for you.

I have officially been accepted to enter the School Sisters of Christ the King on August 28. Yes, I am aspiring to be a religious, a sister, in this community. I've posted photos of them before yet avoided questions of whether I was primarily discerning with this community so I could tell family and good friends first. But now, as the date approaches, and I think of deleting my facebook, blog, twitter... I know I have to leave some reason for suddenly disappearing. And in addition I could really use your prayers. Please pray for me, that God's will may be done in my life, and for the community, that God blesses them abundantly with many vocations.

Formation recreation in April while I was visiting.

(Click photo for link to blog post "Visiting the Sisters")

Why this direction? Why this choice? Well, it really is all by God's grace and goodness that He has called me to be His bride, His love. There have been many small moments of grace and some larger moments, leading me to this point. And, praise the Lord, I am saying "yes" to His calling for my life. We are all called to holiness, but each of us, as unique human beings, are called to live in a different way, leading us to holiness and ultimately heaven. The next best step for me at this time, in my path to holiness and heaven, is to enter this wonderful community as a Postulant in just 13 days from now.

 An outing to Boys Town

An outing to Boys Town

 Walking the grounds.

Answers to the inevitable questions:
Yes, I am excited! God is so wonderful!
Yes, I am slightly nervous and overwhelmed. But God is all good and all powerful. Jesus, I trust in You!
Yes, I will be deleting my facebook and blog.
No, you cannot e-mail me.
Yes, you can write me. No, I cannot write back very much.
Yes, I will get to see my family.

Once again, I ask for your prayers, especially on this feast of the Assumption!

May Christ the King reign in your heart and the hearts of all those you meet this day!


In Christ through Mary.

My Patroness(es) - 2 of 3

This is a continuation of a series started in April highlighting three important patronesses in my life. Check out the first here.

My second:

(do note that these are in no particular order...)

Our Lady of Guadalupe.

(Mosaic at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception)

 

I've always had a special place in my heart for Our Lady of Guadalupe, whether I realized it or not. Early on in my childhood I didn't understand Marian devotion. Partly because I had seen so many concentrate so much on her, and rarely even speak of Christ. Yes, Mary is the Mother of God... but they rarely mentioned the Son whom she was the mother of. I didn't get it. And I didn't realize this influence in my life until I watched a series of videos my cousin posted. She traveled California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico, interviewing Latino women on the influence of Our Lady of Guadalupe in their lives. (Check it out here.) I came to realize Our Lady's impact on me and my view of Marian devotion when one woman said she loved Our Lady, would do anything for her, but didn't believe Christ was the savior. What? That simply didn't make sense. Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the Mother of God, and believing in her message should lead to a deep love and belief in Christ and the Church.

 

 One of my favorite paintings of the image, painted by a local artist and given to me by my own mother.

Last summer, I taught Totus Tuus. At our first team meeting, we sat trying to think of a patron saint for our team. Initially, I couldn't think of anyone. Then Our Lady of Guadalupe popped in my head. I hesitated though. I didn't say it. But someone else did. I don't remember who, but we picked Our Lady. And she followed us... all summer. Every single parish, and even some of our host homes, had a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She watched over us, leading us ever closer to her Son, Jesus Christ. She continues to watch over me today.

“Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you .” -Our Lady of Guadalupe to San Juan Diego


Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Patroness of the Americas, pray for us.
Patroness of the Unborn, pray for us.



In Christ through Mary.

Friendship and Simplicity

I recently visited the International Forest of Friendship with, you guessed it, some friends.

We kicked the evening off with some time at the lake, grilling and eating out of the back of the car since it was too windy to set things out on the picnic tables. Once almost everyone had left, four of us went for a drive around the lake and to the "forest."

It was beautiful. Okay. Not necessarily the trees (most were not in full bloom yet... if they ever are. Half the trees there are not meant to be growing in the middle of the midwest). The time there with friends was beautiful though. It's got me thinking though... how simple of a time it was. We sat on picnic tables at a lake, grilling, and talking for over two hours. No need for games, or movies, or computers. The most technology was an occasional phone call or text and my camera. Then the walk through the "forest"--how wonderful! The simplicity of the afternoon was great--it allowed for conversation, stories, jokes, laughter. Despite the 38mph winds, we enjoyed the geese, the lake, and most importantly each other.

I can't thank God enough for these wonderful friends I've made here at BC and for all the people He's placed in my life. Whether it's the check-out clerk at Wal-mart or a classmate or a FOCUS Missionary, they've all been placed in my life for a reason for a given amount of time--and I praise the Lord the time I've been given with them!

 

I once read this quote somewhere, and it's so true. Feeling the love of the people around us, and the Lord's love especially, is what feeds my life and keeps me going.

"To feel the love of people whom we love is a fire that feeds our life." -Pablo Neruda

What feeds your fire?



In Christ through Mary.