Then on Ash Wednesday, one of my friends at the office sent me a hilarious greeting card for the occasion.

http://www.someecards.com

Of course I laughed. I have a sense of humor and it made me think about how many people miss the meaning of Lent. Sure, I joke about going on the Lenten Diet plan, but I realize that it’s for a greater purpose. Giving up beer, candy, clothes shopping and Dr. Pepper for forty days (and then some) doesn’t make me Mother Teresa. It does, however, give me an opportunity to control the desires of my flesh and practice abstinence from the worldly things that can knock me off the path to holiness.

While perusing the web recently, I came across this very helpful website about Ignatian Spirituality. I consider this method of prayer and daily living one that fits closest to my walk with Christ, so to stumble upon this website right before Lent, seemed a little like fate. http://ignatianspirituality.com/lent/
(Note: To quote Fr. Flynn, it’s never too late to have a good Lent. Check out the readings and meditations on the Ignatia Spirituality website)

IgnatianSpirituality.com has this to say about Lent, “Lent is a season of repentance and renewal. We turn away from our sinfulness and recommit ourselves to following Jesus.” It’s not that eating M&Ms is a sin, but giving up little indulgences can be a steady reminder that we are not slaves to the desires of our flesh. With God at the center of our lives, He is in control. By practicing self control during this “desert”, we can recommit to following Jesus and the path he has for us.

Join the Virtual March for Life! It’s super easy. Enter your name and location, then pick an avatar and you’ll get placed on the National lawn next to the other virtual marchers!

If you can make it to Mass tonight or tomorrow, go for it! Wear a rose, a pro-life shirt or whatever you can to show your outward support for life. Join with hundreds of thousands of Americans as we pray for the unborn, mothers and for all of our law makers. Especially during the crucial time in our country, your prayers matter. Life hangs in the balance and it’s up to us to storm Heaven with our avid intentions for the protection of life. The election of Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown has shown us that this fight is far from over. Even this pro-abortion senator recognizes the evils found in the current health care reform legislation, and he’s out to make a difference.

The Mass at the National Cathedral is tonight, so I’m really wishing I was in DC right about now. It’s my first time to miss it in two years. I’m already looking forward to next year’s trip!

http://abigailrenee.tumblr.com/

I connected that account to my Twitter account, so if I tweet, it will show up on Tumblr and vice versa. All of this technology is confusing, I know. Thank goodness for the “Connect” option.

Back to the reason for this post, to announce my theme songs for 2010. I’m sure you’re itching to know. Click on the song title to pull up a YouTube video, Lala player or Myspace page and listen to the  song.

1. “Empty Me” by Jeremy Camp

2. “Letting Go” by Matt Maher

3. “This is the New Year” by Ian Axel

4. “Once was Love” by Ingrid Michaelson

5. “Corner” by Allie Moss

Just a side note about the first song on my list.  I was on my way to home for the holidays and I was listening to a book on CD, “A Life with Karol: My Forty-Year Friendship with the Man Who Became Pope“. In the story, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz talked about the moments before the conclave that named Karol Wojtyla as Pope John Paul II. The then, Fr. Wojtyla knew if he accepted the role  he would be the pope that brought our world into the 21st century.

He knew the great responsibility that rested on his shoulders, and he took the position. And here we are in 2010, 10 years after the beginning of the new millennium, and what is new? How is Pope John Paul II message of love, evangelization and peace being lived in our world? He was a man of great holiness and it was because he emptied himself completely to the will of Chirst. What a beautiful testimony to faith! Then I heard “Empty Me” by Jeremy Camp and his lyrics spoke directly to the whisperings of my heart and that of “my pope”.

Give each of these songs a listen and let me know what you think. Who knows, you may find a new song to love.

Check it out!

Promise to post more later!

So what are we seeking?

A personal encounter with the person of Jesus Christ so that we can share His love and story of salvation with others.

This is our end destination. Not only in the season of Advent, but in our everyday lives. Everyday you must believe and profess that Jesus is Lord. St. Paul says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Now, I don’t know about you, but as a Catholic, I have always been put off by my well-meaning protestant friends that have asked me, “Have you accepted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” Being Catholic, the term “personal” never jived with me. Christ is a communion of three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; I live in communion with Catholics around the world. The fact is that the life of Christ is communal in His very essence and our lives’ mirror that relationship with our families. This isn’t about me.

But it is!

A relationship with Christ is extremely personal! Just like with any friend, family member or romantic relationship, intimacy is created when we have a unique encounter with another. It’s about me and another. When we hear and recognize the truth in another, we come to know them. We begin to put our faith and trust in them and into that relationship.  A relationship with Christ is no different. It begins with me and Christ, and then that life and love flows into communion with other believers.

What happens once we’ve experienced this personal encounter? Christ calls us to share the Good News with the world. We evangelize! Again, St. Paul tells the Romans, “But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10: 14-15)

As you wait this Advent season for the coming of Christ, so others wait for you to tell them about the good news of the Gospel. Someone is waiting for you to share your personal encounter with Christ so that they might believe in Him.

“Faith comes from what is heard”, but no one can hear it or come to believe in Christ if you keep it to yourself.

Worried that you aren’t holy enough or up for the challenge? No worries! St. Paul affirms us several times in his letters that it is Christ who moves within us. In this letter he tells the Romans, “and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10: 17)

That is your goal this Advent: to encounter the person of Christ, then share that experience with others.

Until tomorrow, peace.

I’m sure you’ve all had someone tell you, “Patience is a virtue, you know.” And more than likely after that statement your efforts to maintain patience went out the door. Well, the next time someone utters that phrase to you, I want you to look them square in the eye and say, “Actually, it isn’t.”

Here’s the deal.

Virtue comes in two forms: Cardinal and Theological.

Cardinal virtues (primary moral virtues) are prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude. The Theological virtues (given by God) are faith, hope and charity (bet you thought I was going to say love). Do you see patience in that list? Nope. However, I believe that each of these virtues requires patience and I would maintain that we are taught patience through the gift of these virtues.

In Mass today, Fr. John said that Advent is a season of waiting.
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I don’t know about you, but I feel like I spend most of my time waiting (or making other people wait). I wait for the clock to hit 5:00, I wait for the Internet to load, I wait for God to open the heavens and tell me what He wants me to do next. Life is one giant waiting game. However, Christ sets the season of Advent apart and reminds us that we are waiting on Him to come again. Advent is a time that calls us to actively prepare for Him.

During this season of Advent, I am going to make a post each day alternating between the readings for the day and a virtue to pray for. As part of my Advent preparation, I am reading Choosing Beauty: A 30-day Spiritual Makeover for Women. I have gone through the 30-day makeover once (more like 6o-days because I’m a slacker), but this time to hold myself accountable, I will share that journey and the gentle leanings of the Holy Spirit on here, and we can all discuss.

May the joy of the Advent season rest in your heart!

In his lecture on Love and Responsibility, Dr. Edward Sri explains that the human person is someone, not something. He pointed out that man is distinct from all other living things; man has the power of self-determination, ability to reason, inner life and he is incommunicable. Father Karol Woltyla says, “The incommunicable, the inalienable, in a person is intrinsic to that person’s inner self, to the power of self determination, free will. No one else can want for me. No one can substitute his act of will for mine.”[4] This means that each human person is responsible for his own actions. God cannot control his free will, nor can any other person direct his actions; it is up to man to choose good out of love for God or another person.

Despite man’s individual actions, he is not alone. Dr. Sri states that man is made in the image of the Triune God and points to the first person plural language used in the book of Genesis, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”[5] This show that man is made in the image of the communal God and has a responsibility to the many people God created.

Based on this responsibility to the communion of persons also made in the image and likeness of the Trinity, one must understand the proper attitude towards another person. In his lecture, Dr. Sri summarizes this attitude in the discussion of Father Woltyla’s personalist principle. This principle states that we should never treat a human person as merely a means to an end. Father Woltyla warns that “Anyone who treats a person as the means to an end does violence to the very essence of the other, to what constitutes a natural right.”[6] Such treatment of the human person leads to a utilitarian point of view that seeks to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. This attitude does not imitate the love of Jesus Christ the human person rightfully deserves.

The imitation of Christ is key to man’s responsibility in leading others to the common good of a Christian relationship. In his lecture on Christian leadership, Dr. Jonathan Reyes explains that the Christian leader is someone whose aim is to lead others into the life of Christ. Dr. Reyes points out that this is only possible by imitation of Christ. St Paul instructed the early Christians to, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”[7] This charge identifies the purpose of Christian leadership: to love as Jesus Christ loves – sacrificially and with self-giving donation.

With acceptance and pursuit of the common good, the love of Christ, the Christian leader can then make proper choices to form a responsible conscience. In his instructions for forming the conscience, Dr. Reyes challenges the Christian leader to develop a pattern of life that stands against the ideas of utilitarianism and instead seeks the formation of virtues through prayer and self knowledge.

In recognizing the unique value of the human person and actively choosing the common good, man demonstrates the power of responsible self-determination that imitates the love of Christ. As Dr. Reyes discussed, this is the ultimate requirement of a Christian leader: To bring another into the life of Christ. It is a great responsibility, and when carried out in light of the Triune God , will lead to a life worthy of imitation.

——————————————————–

[1] Karol Woltyla, Love and Responsibility, trans. H.T. Willetts. (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1981), 27.

[2] Woltyla, Love and Responsibility, 24.

[3] Woltyla, Love and Responsibility, 29.

[4] Woltyla, Love and Responsibility, 24.

[5] Gen. 1:26 (NAB).

[6] Woltyla, Love and Responsibility, 27

[7] 1 Cor.11:1 (NAB).

This blog was written in response to Support a Catholic Speaker Month on Fallible Blogma. Check out Fallible Blogma, FlockNote and TweetCatholic for other great Catholic sites from Matthew Warner.

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In September, I had the privilege of attending a Magnificat Meal with my friend Juli. It was one of those things I hadn’t signed up for, but Juli’s family had an extra ticket and apparently God required my attendance. I’ve spent the last month allowing my heart to process the messages I received that day from the keynote speaker, Stephanie Wood.

Once Stephanie started speaking, I leaned over to Juli and whispered, “This is a woman after my own heart.” As Stephanie began to share the story of her life, I noticed a stirring in my soul: This is exactly where you are suppose to be. This story is for you.

Stephanie Wood is the coordinator of NextWave Faithful, which is the young adult division of Family Life Center International.  For the past five years, she has worked with the EWTN Radio as a host on a talk radio show for Catholic young adults, called “NextWave Live”. In addition to these responsibilities, Stephanie is a speaker and writer who focuses her outreach to young adults. And for the past five years, she has narrowed her outreach to single young adults.

Ah, single young adults. The “single” part of that title has become more and more obvious to me since I turned 25 three months ago. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy every aspect of my state of life. God continually blesses me with opportunities, friendships and other commitments that wouldn’t be possible if “single” wasn’t attached to my demographic title. However,  people have now started to ask, “Are you seeing anyone? What are your plans for the future?” and so on and so forth. Then comes the feigned response to my answer:  “Well, good for you! No need to rush. There’s someone special out there for you.”

Those particular types of “pep talks” have done more harm than good and have lead me to blindly believe I was singular in this feeling. And then I heard Stephanie’s talk. She didn’t say anything that was new, nor did she offer a remedy for my feelings, instead, she shared her love story. It was filled with joys and sorrow, hardships and abundance and even a little loneliness as a single young adult. Who would have thought that someone else shared in my struggle?

Stephanie’s talk peaked as she shared her what she calls, “My Turn“. In an effort not to destory the beauty of this journey, I will summarize. Just when Stephanie thought God had forgotten about finding her a husband, He introduced Peter (her now husband) into her life. It was unexpected for her, but it was easy to see that God knew and  had planned every last detail of her love story as she stood before us as Mrs. Stephanie Wood Weinert.

Now, how does this stir my heart? It’s not that I am on a mad hunt for Mr. Right, but it  has certain ties to similar emotions regarding the future. What am I called to do? How is God preparing my heart? What’s my love story (religious, single or married) going to be about? These questions of the future often lead my heart and soul into a wrestling match with my brain and from there, it’s a battle to take to prayer.

Amidst the questions of insecurity, Stephanie’s talk gently reminded me that in all things God is the author and creator. Nothing comes into being without His knowledge. Stephanie quoted Proverbs 3:5-6 (the verse from my first ACTS retreat), “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

I do not know the future. I will never know the future. God moves, plans and directs our lives in ways unknown to us, but as God has shown me in my life, He always provides for my good. I find great hope in the faith God has given me with this verse from John,  “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.”  (John 14: 18-19)

Regardless, here it goes.

Recently, Kevin, Brian and I started our own podcast called “What Would Jesus Podcast?”. It’s something that has been in the works for quite some time, but had yet to come to fruition. However, that all changed about a month ago. What Would Jesus Podcast? or WWJP? is our effort to bring the Catholic young adult voice to the rest of the world. The young adult age group, people in their 20s and 30s, accounts for a large portion of church attendees. It’s also one of the most unreached groups in the Catholic church. But the USCCB and dioceses around the US are trying to reach out to this once forgotten demographic.

In the Diocese of Fort Worth, we have a young adults council that helps foster the growth and gives support to parish-level young adult groups. They also coordinate sporting events, retreats and other social events to help connect young adults in our area. It’s been a true blessing to me over the past two years, and through this podcast, we’re hoping to spread that sense of unity and community.

Often times, we, as Catholic young adults, feel that we’ve been forgotten. Especially here in the Bible Belt. We don’t have the same sense of community that a lot of our Protestant brothers and sisters have. As Catholics, we aren’t really the Sunday Church picnic or donuts and coffee , fellowship type.  Rather, we’re a people that make it to Mass on Sunday to fulfill our obligation, then go about the rest of our lives.

But that shouldn’t be the case. Look around you the next time you’re at Church. People are your age. They share the same faith as you. The same struggles and similar hardships. Reach out to them!

You don’t have to be Catholic or young to enjoy our podcast, give it a listen! Check it out on Comic Earth, you’ll find a link to What Would Jesus Podcast? under the Podcast tab. You can also subscribe to it on iTunes, search for “What Would Jesus Podcast”.

Our subjects always vary, but always focus on something that is relevant to living the Catholic faith as a young adult in America.

Also,  give us your suggestions! If there is a topic you want us to address, let us know (on here or on Comic Earth) and we’ll stick it on our docket. Also, we had our first priestly guest yesterday, Fr. Tom Kennedy. It was so incredible to have him there. (Thanks for joining us, Father!) We record every other week, and the episodes typically go live on Mondays. You can follow Brian, Kevin and I on Comic Earth or Twitter so you’ll know when we have a new post.

Peace.

Promise to update the ol’ blog tomorrow after our “What Would Jesus Do Podcast?” tonight. Check out our first episode on iTunes or at Comic Earth.

Enjoy!

For those of you that aren’t on Facebook, here’s the link to my newest photo site.

http://picasaweb.google.com/arcaperton

Also, if you need something random to make your day a little better, check out this video of The Chad singing his original song, “This song is bananas” that he wrote for the Teen ACTS retreat.

I am on the phone with my sister Camille and she is catching me up on the wedding I missed in Hereford this weekend. I am so sad I missed it! It would have been such a blast. However, I am getting to go home for a family reunion weekend.  First my uncle and his new wife are having their wedding reception on Friday, then we’re having a family cook out and such on Saturday.

Should be a fabulous time!

Read it for yourself. It’s a pretty short read, I promise.

So, now that you’ve read that riveting article, hear my rebuttal.

All of these things; anti-aging cures, padded bras, heels, girdles, smooth legs and make up, are all the aspects that help compose the attractive features men seek  in their “dream woman” (and by “dream woman” I mean unrealistic celebrity photos).  Now, I’ll be honest, I’m not a user of some of these elements, but for the most part, I am a full-on participant.

And why? Because my entire these things have been ingrained in my brain. Watch out for the sun, it will give you wrinkles and make you look haggard.  Wear a girdle to “smooth out” the lumps. Wear high heels to tone up your legs and make them look longer. Use  make up to enhance your natural beauty. And the one that sticks with most women, no man wants to marry a haggard, dimply, plain woman.

Is that the truth, gentlemen?

You want someone that looks youthful, hot and has aged gracefully! If I’m wrong, please correct me, but I don’t think I am based on a conversation I had earlier this week.

I was having drinks with two men that I deeply respect, and we were talking about Jennifer Aniston. I think she is beautiful and looks fantastic regardless of the fact that she is 40, but both of these guys said that she isn’t as attractive as she was during her days on the set of Friends. Say what? (If either of you are reading this, thanks for proving my point.)

When women start showing signs of aging, it’s like the beginning of the end for us. Sure little laugh lines are adorable when I’m 24, but you won’t think that when I’m 80 and looking like a prune! Like the guys said the other night, “you have to trade up for a newer model”.  Now, these two guys know me well enough and my reactions to things like this, so they were obviously trying to ruffle my feathers (and it worked), so I know that’s not how they (or other good men) feel, but it’s true for a lot of men.  Like I was told the other day, that’s why places like Chill (this bar that a lot of Cougars and older men hang out at) exist.

So, Jake living the single guy lifestyle in New York City, you can say that women look the most beautiful when we first wake up (no make up, padded bras or high heels, mind you), but the actions and comments of most men (including yourself) beg to differ. Sure, seeing a woman in her natural element is sexy, however, if I went to your company Christmas party looking all frumpy and dumpy, you would probably stop bringing me. I’m just saying that almost all men want someone they can show off. Guys want to hear, “Dude, your chick is hot” or whatever it is men say to one another. It’s a macho thing, and I respect that. It’s one of the reasons that I, and almost all other women, employ the beauty tactics you mentioned in your article.

We want to look good so that you will desire us. So that you will give us compliments and reassure our self doubts about looking fat in our new dress. Like Deacon Leroy said at my cousin’s wedding, women need affection. We need to know that our man desires us and loves us everyday of our lives. Because we fear that at some point you’re going to trade us in for a newer model.

Now guys, I would like to give you a fair chance to weigh in and tell me your thoughts. Am I wrong or am I right?

To all of the beautiful women in my life, I’ve seen you all without your make up and in your jammies, and I can say that you are beautiful without all the beauty extras. But throwing on a bra, running the mascara wand over your eyelelases and slipping into a cute pair of high heels sure puts you over the top. You are catpivating either way.

Right now, Jimmy Fallon is trying to get together all the cast members of Saved By The Bell for a reunion, so he’s bringing everyone back for an individual interview and asking them if they are up for a cast reunion.

Watch the clip!

Right now, I’m listening to my current favorite song, “Christmas TV” by Slow Club. This song was on the season finale of Chuck (my favorite TV show that recently announced a third season) and from the second I heard it, I had to look it up. (Click the link to listen to the song on YouTube, then fall in love with it.)

After Mass today, I was listening to this song and the first verse struck me.

“It’s okay to have scars, they will make you who you are.”

I remember a month ago when I first heard this song, I believed those words. I have a lot of scars and I’ve said on more than one occasion that those things make me who I am and are a big part of my life. I shared that thought with Fr. Tom recently and he corrected me. He said that my past does not define me, rather, it gives me definition. The scars of my past are very much a part of me, but that’s not who I am.

Isn’t that a beautiful freeing thought?

More often than not, we get stuck believing one thing about ourselves and think, “Well, that’s who I am. That’s what I’ve done and I can’t change that.” But the truth is, we can’t change the past, but we can start a new path. We don’t have to be defined by our past or fear the future because of our scars. At the dawn of everyday, we have the opportunity to forget yesterday and move forward with today.

To elaborate his point, Fr. Tom told me that Jesus didn’t come to heal the past, he came to change the present and make us better for tomorrow. Jesus didn’t go back in time and change the fact that Lazarus died, instead, Christ gave him new life. Lazarus was dead, but then he was alive. And that’s true in our lives.

Since that conversation, I’ve felt so free from those scars. Prior to it, I let my past hold me captive and allowed it to restrict me from moving forward in life, but not any more. Once again I am set free by the love of God and am able to find peace and serenity in the inner freedom of Christ’s joy. What an awesome revelation!

I guess to wrap it all up, I will say that you are not your scars, but they definitely add a little character to your personality.

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” Robert Frost

And I agree with Mr. Frost. Despite the obstacles or hardships we face each day, life continues.

Until the next time, chew on that thought.

Scrubs + Acoustic version of “Hey Ya” = Greatness

This morning, I was listening to Jessica Rey, former White Power Ranger, talk about defending chastity and morality. It was an interview with my friend Tony Rossi from The Christophers (who is now a ComicEarth member) and he always does such a great job asking questions and getting to the heart of the topic. This go round was not any different.

Click here to listen to the podcast.  Or click here, then scroll down a little bit until you see Jessica’s podcast.

Jessica Rey is a model, actress, wife, swimsuit designer, chastity advocate and one incredible Catholic woman. After a discussion with a priest about  bikinis, she decided it was time to create  a modest swimsuit line that was flattering, womanly, respectful and not frumpy. The inspiration for her swimsuits is none other than one of the most elegant women from the 1950s, Audrey Hepburn.

Back in the 1950s, I know my grandma didn’t prance around in a skimpy bikini. So, why do we, the women of the 2000s, do it?  Guys, I know bikins are sexy (at least on some girls), but is that really what you want to see? It’s like wearing a bra and panties!

Now, I am not a saint (not yet anyway) when it comes to modesty, but Jessica’s insights really made me think (especially with swimsuit season just around the corner).

Check out Rey Swimwear and tell me what you think.

I’ve already ordered one swimsuit and will most likely get another one in May. The customer service team is wonderful and responds quickly if you have any questions. Also, they are waiting on a new shipment of the top I wanted, but the customer service rep told me to order it now and they will send it to me as soon as they can.  As long as it’s before Memorial Day weekend, I’m good to go.

Since I can remember, I’ve been a swinger (not the multiple-partner relationship kind). Pictures from childhood show me sitting in a swing at all ages, from birth to my late teens. Heck, I still swing when I am home, it’s my thing. I find a peace there that has yet to be discovered in another setting.

So, what is it about sitting on a swing that puts my soul at ease?  I think this quote from Mother Teresa sums it up nicely.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

And I would go further and say that we need silence to allow God to touch our souls. That’s what swinging is about for me. It’s a place to block out the world and  just be in silence with God and His beautiful nature. To find joy in the big, vibrant blue sky. To relax as the wind blows gently over your face. To rest in your thoughts as you let the stillness of the day settle in your bones. It’s a therapeutic thing and I recommend it to everyone.

Growing up, my family knew that if I was on the swing set you didn’t talk to me. I was off in deep thought, mulling over the events of the day or simply just seeking silence from our busy house. It’s such a simple thing, but as I’ve been reminded recently, it’s the simple things in life that make it worth living.

Now, even though I go by myself for silence, it’s always wonderful to swing with a friend and have a heart to heart talk.

While the weather is nice, you should get out, find a swing set, and bring a friend. You might look like a creeper if you are at a park with children by yourself just swinging. Then enjoy the serenity of your surroundings and the presence of your friend. And those are direct orders.

A real blog will follow later today. It’s in my drafts just waiting to be finished.

Enjoy!

The last time I locked myself out of the house, I was floating around in the pool reading a book and had left my cell phone inside as well. That time was more of an involuntary habit of locking the door as I left. In that case, I walked down to the neighbors house and called a locksmith. When he arrived, he was a young guy and popped my lock quickly with a Pappa John’s gift card. I was floored! I asked him to show me how to do it, and he did, and he let me try it out. I got it in the first try.

Based on that experience, I thought I could pop the lock again with one of the many gift cards in my purse. No luck. Camille tried, and she was unsuccessful as well. I called my friend Mark and he came over to try his hand at breaking and entering. And after all of that, the door remain locked.

So I caved and called around to a few locksmiths. About 20 minutes and $60 later, we were back in the house and I grabbed my keys. Today, I’m going to make a copy of my key so this won’t happen again. It’s so frustrating!

After Camille and the kiddos left, I went back to work and hammered away at a few storyboards. The projects I am working on right now are some of my favorites to do. It’s all geeky phone tech stuff and it’s right up my alley.

Last night, I went over to the Cantu house to hang out with my Denton family. And for those of you that know me and my faults well, you won’t believe what I am about to tell you. I ate (and liked) two (not just one) black bean chalupas.

Can you believe it? Me, the bean hater, eating and liking two bean chalupas. It was a tiny miracle. Even the Cantus were shocked. For those of you that don’t know me and my craziness as well, I hate beans. I hate the way they taste. The way the feel in my mouth. The way the look. The way they smell. But I loved these. I think it was the concoction that Sarah mixed togther that made them so fabulous. Apparently she threw in some garlic, chiles, tomatoes, and perhaps another thing or two and made this delicious spread. Count me a fan. At least of those black beans.

In other news, Brian asked me to start writing a regular weekly blog on the main page of www.comicearth.com and I haven’t told him yet, but I am going to accept the offer. It will be more lighthearted and random and about the everyday happenings of my little life. I’ll let you know when I post!

OK, I am signing off for now. I hope you each have a wonderful day!

This morning, I finished reading the last 20 pages of “The Secret Life of Bees” and it was such a timely ending. It was incredible how this fiction story perfectly coincided with the wrestlings of my weak heart.

After Bible study on Thursday, I had this awful, but all too familiar, feeling sinking into the bottom of my heart. I’m not quite sure what pushed it into its downfall, but there it all sat, those words that trouble every feminine heart, especially this one: You are not enough. You are too much.

It’s quite the contradiction, I understand that, however, I don’t think any woman can honestly say she hasn’t felt that at some point in her life. As women, we give, we serve, we love, we pour out ourselves. And then we believe that we could have done better. Or the other extreme, we feel like we did too much.

For the feminine heart, it’s a balancing act, and one that’s been in place since the Garden of Eden.  After Eve and Adam ate from the tree of knowledge, “The man replied, ‘The woman whom you put here with me–she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it.’ (Genesis 3:12).”  I believe that moment is what gave all women self doubt.  In her humanness, she ate the fruit. And in that moment, she knew too much and suddenly felt like not enough. That’s why she hid herself.

Back to the “Secret Life of Bees”.  In the book, the main character, Lily, is a teenage girl who’s mother died when she was only a child. During the span of her life, she felt a gap in her heart where her mother should have been.  While she was staying at a honey farm in South Carolina with three black women and her caretaker, she discovered the power of the feminine heart. In the book, not so much in the movie, there is a great importance on finding strength in the love of the Blessed Mother Mary through the heart of Christ. And when Lily’s feminine heart is finally exposed in its  entirety, August Boatwright tells her this.

“When you’re unsure of yourself, when you start pulling back into doubt and small living, she’s (Mary, the Mother of God) the one inside you saying, ‘Get up from there and live like the glorious girl you are.’  She’s the power inside you, you understand?  And whatever it is that keeps widening your heart, that’s Mary, too, not only the power inside you, but the love. And when you get down to it, Lily, that’s the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just to love — but to persist in love. This Mary I’m talking about sits in your heart all day long, saying, ‘Lily, you are my everlasting home. Don’t you ever be afraid.  I am enough. We are enough.’”

And August (really the author Sue Monk Kidd) is right.  Mary is in the heart of each of us calling us to the love of her Son, Jesus. She is telling us what she told the servers at the wedding of Cana, “Do what he tells you” (John 2:5b). Mary is telling us that we are enough. She reminds us that Christ’s love for us is so infinite and great that He humbled himself as a human so that He could understand our suffering. So our hearts could be forever united with His.

Mary is calling all of us, especially women, to live with the zeal of Christ’s message on this Earth. To know that Jesus Christ is more than enough for us. His infinite love and mercy is what reminds us that He has made us whole, to the depths of our soul, He has made us whole.

I’m reminded of this verse from Matthew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

I will leave you with a summary of thoughts from my discussion with Fr. Tom. He reminded me that Christ looks at each one of us and says, “You are my precious creation, and no one can take that away from you. You are enough. In me, you are enough.”

My dear readers, my prayer for you today is that you always understand your worth as the image and creation of our loving God.

As some of you know, I went to Denver in early January to check out the Augustine Institute. It’s a Catholic Graduate School that focuses its curriculum to equip students for the new evangelization that Pope John Paul II began during his papacy. The new evangelization seeks to promote the culture of life in a world that is crippling itself with secularism.

This core ideology of the Augustine Institute struck a chord with me the moment I first learned about the program. Originally, I entertained the idea of getting my masters, but it took a backseat while God worked on getting me to the place I am now. In August, on my way back from visiting Christa, I was reading “The Privilege of Being a Woman” and this surge went through my body.

God is personally calling me to share the faith that He has so graciously given to me.

(You should see my copy of that book. It’s scribbled all over with thoughts and phrases that kept running through my mind.)

When I made it home the following weekend, Fr. John’s homily only confirmed that surge. He talked about the Gospel passage that day: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it”. Matthew 16:24-26

That was it. A familiar surge went through my body. Then came a song that said “Will you share the faith that you have found?” and I kept thinking, “Yes, Lord. Let me only know your will”. After that weekend, I came back and started looking into the school, and began spiritual direction to make sure this choice is the one God is leading me to. I know that AI is the place for me. Now, I have to get accepted.

When I went to the school to check it out, it only reaffirmed what I had already known. The professors were amazing, the staff was fabulous, and I loved the students. It’s a small, faith-filled community that is perfect for me.

My meeting with one of the professors, Dr. Burns, was quite humorous. When I sat down in his office, he asked me a lot of questions, very specific questions about me. Half way through his litany, I asked him, “Have you been reading my blog?”. He laughed.

Apparently, I had been googled. It made talking to him a breeze. Not only did we have a lot of talking points, but it was a real conversation. Based on his search, he knew a lot about me! From my faith to my high school golf scores, it gave him a good vibe about the real me, not the best-foot-forward interview mode Abby.  (If he would have googled “Abby” instead of “Abigail” I think he would have found a lot more information.)

I walked away from that meeting and my time at the school feeling like I had found a home. Dr. Burns said to me that him and all of the professors at the AI pray daily that they will be made worthy of their students. Isn’t that a beautiful prayer coming from your teacher?

The point of this blog is to fill you all in about what’s going on in my life and to ask you for your prayers during my application process. It’s an exciting time!

Also, while I was in Denver, David and I met up with Kendall for drinks, dinner, and gallivanting.  Typical Abby and Kendall protocol. I wish we would have taken a picture together!  So, Kendall, I propose that when you are traveling back to Texas (hopefully not in the near future), you stop and see me so we can take a picture.

Hope you have all had a fabulous week!

Since I can remember, let’s say freshman year of high school, I have been a planner. I remember getting my agenda book on the first day of school and thought it was the coolest thing. I kept track of my social schedule, meetings, classes, and homework with different colored pens. (That’s when gel pens were a huge deal.)  And I loved it. I soon found out that I work best when I am busy and have a schedule to run my day (making the Presiden’t list my busiest semester of college would reaffirm that statement).

These days, I still love having a plan. At one point, I had a planner and used my cell phone to track my days. It was glorious organization.

Up until August, my schedule consisted of meetings, meetings and more Church meetings.  That was my life. I stayed busy during the week and weekends serving God and His Church.  I served on numerous committees, councils and teams, and I loved every minute of  it. (You can now see how my two planners came in handy.)

Like Fr. Isaac would say, I am an “efficient” person. (He would also say that God doesn’t say “Blessed are the efficient, for they shall inherit the Earth.)

It never dawned on me that I was exhausting myself (both physically and spiritually) by all of my commitments until my friend Liz called me one evening. She called to make sure I wasn’t putting too much on my plate, and to tell you the truth, I was slightly annoyed by what she had to say.

Did she know who she was talking to? I never get tired or overwhelmed when serving God. God will never give me more than I can handle, right?

Wrong.

The problem with my attitude at that point in my life, was it all centered on me. I loved being the girl that did it all. Hearing people make comments about me “running the Church” always made smile. It was the Abby show and I was the star and my biggest fan.

Then along came God.

I realized I didn’t have to say yes to every meeting invitation,  I am not the one that deserves the glory.  So little by little, God is teaching me a thing or two about slowing down and taking a back seat. He keeps putting me in situations that remind me I am the one serving Him, following where He calls me.

So what’s keeping me away from blogging?

My schedule, of course!  I literally have to put something on my schedule like “Me Time” so I won’t book something on that day. But every night isn’t another meeting. I typically spend my time  hanging out with friends or still going to an occasional meeting, but I am learning my place, and honestly, I like it.

I do owe you all a few posts, and if I can get my photos uploaded, I will finish those today. We shall see though. Maybe I should start scheduling an hour to blog every other day. Then you would all get tired of my thoughts on life!

I guess the point of this post is to help me understand how God is working in my life. I’ve heard the brain never processes information until it’s said aloud. So reading this back to myself makes my position in life a reality.

Love, love, love!

Where to start?

I had a great Christmas with my family. This was the first time since my mom and step-dad got married that our new family has been under one roof.  We typically have someone missing from any event.  But not this time. It was the first Christmas in the new house, and what a way to break it in.

New Years was a blast spent with my step-brother and his girlfriend, plus all of my wonderful friends.

I’ve made a few resolutions, some of which are more difficult to keep than others.  This year I am in the habit of adopting and adapting other’s resolutions.

From Amy: Follow through.  Which for me, means finish reading a book before I buy another one.

From Mark: Take more chances.  None of this living under a rock business. This is my year to do some fabulous and exciting things.

From Christa and Kevin (which wasn’t an NY resolution): Buy less junk. Save more.  This goes for all types of purchases.

When I reach the end of 2009, I want to look back and admire the power of God as He draws me closer to him.  As I reflected over 2008, it was easy to see God’s transforming power and graces He has given me.  It was one incredible year, but I have a feeling 2009 will be one for the record books.

In the coming week, I will post about the rest of my month. Skiing and visiting the Augustine Institute in Colorado, the March for Life in Washington, DC, and a few other golden nuggets I have on my list.

Peace!

P.S. Tony, I have not forgotten about you or your present. It’s in my car. I just have to make it over to the post office. I know, I’m awful about mailing things.  It will almost be a Valentine’s gift!

That may sound a little bleak for some of us, but really, let’s think about that.  Shouldn’t we always be preparing for the second coming of Christ?  As Christians, that’s what we are living for, isn’t it?  We prepare for the second coming by living our lives according to the teachings of Christ and His Church.  And by following that teaching, we hope that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven at the end of our lives.

The question arises: What makes Advent different from any other time of the year?

(And now I bring in Fr. John’s homily.)

Advent gives us time to to look at and examine our journey.  The rest of the year, we are on the road and we aren’t really paying attention to where we are going or the specifics of our travels.  We know the destination and we head that direction.

By doing this, we miss the fine details and the impact of the big events that make us uniquely us. We rush through our lives, through each day, without much thought.  How often do we sit down to absorb the events of the day?

I know for me, even though I am less busy than normal, I get out of work and if I have nothing planned, I make dinner and plop myself down in front of the TV and bask in my laziness.  And if I were busy, I would keep myself so busy that I wouldn’t have time to think about anything other than the hour at hand.

Now, being lazy and lethargic is not inherently evil, but when it becomes a habit and we don’t take time to listen to God, then we are only keeping our eyes on the road.

Last Advent, I began on a new journey.  I had just broken up with my boyfriend of two and a half years, and quite frankly, I was numb.  I didn’t know how to live outside of that relationship.  I was broken and I felt like I wasn’t whole. I stumbled into a penance service at Church and found my way into Confession.  That was a turning point in my life.

It was the second I started to let go of the control I thought I had and let God take over.  Looking back a year later, I have had the most beautiful journey.  Every moment is savored in my memory as I recall the pain and bask in God’s healing and mercy.  I can tell you that this past year has been one of triumph.

It’s been a year-long Advent for me and I feel ready for Christ’s coming.

To answer my own question, “What makes Advent different from any other time of the year?”, to me, Advent is the time to look back and remember.  Like Fr. Tom told me recently, “Look at every moment and realize where God was in that moment.” I can go through each step and see Christ and I know that if I continue on this path, I will find God, gently smiling and calling my name.

Happy (remainder) of the Advent season!

I’ve recently started going to spiritual direction with Fr. Tom.  I love that man.  He has a way of helping me see things in a different light, and yesterday was no different.

For the past year of my life, I have been going through a sort of rediscovery and as Fr. Hebert Alphonso says (and I am paraphrasing), revealing my true identity and personal vocation.

You often hear people say, “I’m trying to find myself” and while I think people are sincere in that endeavor, I think they are way off base.  From the beginning of time, God knew me.  “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1.  The God who created and formed me knows me and He knows what He has planned for me.

Read that verse again.  The word “you” is very important.  It’s about you!

God has a unique plan and purpose just for you.

So, how does that negate the worldly view of “finding myself”?

You are not lost.  You cannot find what is not lost.  God created you to fulfill a specific role in the story of creation.  Now, all you have to do is listen to God and allow Him to whisper His grandest plans for your life and then it’s up to you to say yes.

That’s another thing Fr. Tom talked to me about yesterday.  Saying yes.  Particularly saying yes, like our Mother Mary said yes.  Her fiat - or decree - “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) was Mary’s yes to the will of God.

In applying my earlier thoughts, that God has a unique plan for us since the beginning of time, we can see that God had planned to make Mary the Mother of God since creation.  And all she had to do was say yes.

I once proposed a similar idea to my teens at Church.

Imagine being 14 (Mary was pretty young) and an angel of the Lord coming to you.

“Hail,  Mary full of grace! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)

What would you say?  What would you do?

“Who me? Mary?  Nope, you might want to try a few houses down.”

But not Mary. She said yes.  She allowed God’s will for her life and for His plan for creation to be carried out.  And that’s what we are called to do.  God invites us to say yes to Him in everything.

Fr. Tom told me to start saying yes to God in the small things, and that would make saying yes to the big things even easier.

So, how do we begin to say yes?

Fr. Tom suggested I wake up in the morning and before I put my feet on the floor say, “Praise God, I am here to live another day. I have another chance to do Your will, God.  Let it be done to me.”  And that’s what I did.

Think about the things in your life God is asking of you. What is your true identity?  What do you need to say yes to?

As for me, I’m still in discovery mode.  Like I said earlier, I’m working on saying yes in the small things, in hopes that when God asks me to do the big things I can look back and see God’s beautiful and unique plan unfolding.

But currently, I don’t have time.

So, I have an assignment for you.

I am trying to find the lyrics for “The Rivers of Babylon” by Matt Maher.

If you find them, feel free to post them in the comment section or post the link.

I have the song on my iPod, but I want to read the lyrics.  I am a visual learner.  And I tend to butcher lyrics when I write them down.  Not sure what that’s about.

I have a great post in mind that I want to write about that song.  And I have another post in my drafts section about Advent. I will finish that today, darn it!

So, dear readers, thank you in advance for your help.  I promise more Abby thoughts are in the near future!

The segment’s headline?  Must-miss travel destinations.  And Hereford (my dear hometown) headlines as the five most stinkiest places in the United States.  Peter Greenburg’s new book, “Don’t Go There!” lists and describes Hereford as “stinky” based on our 241 cattle to one person ratio.  So, not the best PR for Hereford, but I’m sure they will have fun with that title.

As the saying goes in Hereford, “It’s the smell of money” and that’s true for most of the community.  On an insider note, I will tell you that Hereford’s smell also comes from bi-product plants, the new ethanol plant and that crazy wind.  I always know when I hit Hereford city limits as I drive into the stink wall.

Here’s the clip.

Now, this isn’t the first time Hereford has made the Today show. Last year, my friend and mentor, Clint Formby shared his smiling face in an interview about his radio show in Hereford. Clint, “The Old Philosopher” holds the title for the longest running daily radio broadcast by an individual in America for his morning show.

As a child, I grew up listening to his words of wisdom and now as an adult, I visit him while I am home and we chat for hours. He always give me advice for dealing with the world and tells me how to go about achieving my dreams. Clint is one amazing man.

Here’s his interview from last year.

You will notice that they mention yet again, the number of cattle versus the number of people. Yes, we get it. Feedyards are everywhere. But Hereford is more than the “Beef Capital of the World”. It’s my hometown. It’s the place my grandparents married. It’s the place my mom and step-dad grew up. I’m going on the record with this statement: Hereford, Texas may be one of the five stinkiest towns, but is also one of the most loving and community driven places I will ever know.

Go Herd!

First, listen to Matt Maher’s interview on Christopher Closeup.  It’s great! Tony did a wonderful job on the interview and of course Matt was amazing as well.   And my blog about “Lay It Down”, God Laughs with Me gets a reference at the end of the interview.

Second, today is Halloween and we’ve had a lot of fun at the office with our costumes.  I’m a big fan of the retro look and definitely the 1950s era.  So, I decided to dress up as a 50s housewife.  Now, I know that women in the 50s didn’t exactly all wear high heels and pearls like June Cleaver, but I believe that Lucy and June became the icons of the 50s housewife.

We have a green screen at work, so we all went upstairs and took pictures.  Then we’ve added our own backgrounds and what not.  Lots of fun!

Have a safe Halloween!

I have a lot of blogs to write this week about my weekend at home and the newest book I am reading, You Can Change the World by Fr. James Keller, founder of The Christophers.  Ironically enough, the same points that I used in my last blog, he used in his book.  I think I will share those tonight when I get home.  Long day ahead!  Enjoy the pictures.

P.S. Thanks for reading, Mrs. Hall!  I’ll send you an email later tonight!

On any given morning, you can find the usuals sitting around this table playing another game of dominoes.

Felix has worked for the grain elevator for over 30 years. The hard hat he is wearing was a gift he received 30 years ago. Felix is a staple at the elevator.

This one of the many grain elevators. Isn't that sky beautiful?

My coach, Mrs. Hall, was one of the best teachers I have ever had.  She taught at Debate camp and was my teacher at school.  She is incredible and fiery as all get out.  She was known for saying, “Hell hath no fury like Mrs. Hall” and my friends, that was not an understatement.  Mrs. Hall was my mentor.  She was the one who taught me how to approach an argument and present my side in a well, thought out manner.  She also taught me how to listen to other people’s point of view, respect their opinion, and then tactfully take what they said and prove my own point.

With my shout out to Mrs. Hall out of the way, I will get to the point of this blog: Politics.

Yes, the dreaded “P” word.  Makes me shiver a little. Since the announcement for the GOP Vice Presidential candidate, that’s all people want to talk about.  It seems that every other conversation I have goes to that topic at some point or another.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, I get highly annoyed with people who can not present a valid or logical argument.

Please, when discussing politics, remember a lesson that Mrs. Hall taught me.   “Let’s stay away from dead babies on the highway” or a more polite way of putting it, steer clear of pathos during a logical debate.  People get too emotional when they start discussing politics, and rightfully so.  It’s an emotional topic that hits home in a lot of ways.  But when you are trying to convince me that my candidate is evil, please stay away from cheap shots and snide remarks.  And please, uncross your arms and stop whispering.

I get it.  I’m conservative, and apparently to some people that makes me a close minded, immigrant hating, gun carrying moron.  While I may sleep with a shotgun under my bed, I am in no way close minded (and I don’t hate immigrants).  I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I am more than happy to hear your point of view if you present it in a thought out and unemotional manner.  Give me the facts.  Express your feelings.  But I will stop listening, and most likely make you feel like pond scum, the second you get snotty or tacky to due your emotional state.

Most of my friends know where I stand in my political and religious leanings.  But people that I hardly know, because of my care free and widely accepting personality, think that I have liberal leanings.  And I think it shocks people at times when they figure out just how conservative I actually am.  It’s not really that hard to figure out if you talk with me for longer than five minutes.

In case you haven’t figured it out, let me give you a brief run down.  I’m a Creed-professing, Catholic woman.  That means that I will vote with the Church and that also means that the most pertinent issue in my book is protecting and promoting the dignity and sanctity of human life at all stages. Sure, you probably think other issues are more pressing, like taxes, border control, the amount of money and time we spend on the war (we should be concerned about the lives lost and the liberties the men and women in the military protect everyday) and such, but I believe, and this is my well thought out opinion, that lawmakers and people in power in this country will do whatever they want in regards to those topics.  They will fluctuate and change constantly.  That’s the way it goes.

However, I think that the sanctity of human life is an issue that does not allow fluctuation.  The value of a human life should never be put into question.  It is unwavering.  As human beings, we have an inherent call to protect and care for each other.  As the Declaration of Independence (and partly John Locke) says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Sure liberty gives us freedom from control according to our choice, but life is an unalienable right given to each person and it is our duty to protect that right.

I could get into a large set of points that would further defend my point of view, but I will leave it at that.

Friends, the point of this post is this: Politics is a difficult topic to discuss in mixed company.  If you are not capable of handling a mature, level-headed discussion about said topic, please refrain yourself from engaging in such things.

Happy debating!

I found an entry where I referenced my friend Colt, and there was a comment from him.  I hadn’t thought about him in a few years.  We went to Debate camp together one summer, and I was convinced at the age of 14, that he hung the moon.

He found me on facebook in 2005 and we kept in touch that way.  I always loved hearing from him.  He was very intelligent and had a way of making me laugh.  Over the course of the year, we both were dating other people and lost touch.  For certain reasons,  I closed my facebook and myspace account, and that really shut the door on our convos.

I smiled when I saw his name.  And wondered what he was up to.  Last I talked to him he was in Austin and had graduated from UT.  I clicked through Colt’s screenname, but he had never really blogged on his Xanga, he just had an account to make random comments.  He did have a blogger account that I would comment on, so I searched for that.  No luck.  So, I went to facebook and searched his name.  Nothing there, either.

So, I googled his name and found his website.  Colt was a computer nerd by nature, of course he would have his own website.  The picture on the front page didn’t really look like him though.  I went to his “About” section and saw him and his fohawk (which he had when he was 16…always the trendy guy).  It was my friend!

I went to read his blog, and was completely shocked to find out that he had died.  His obituary was his last entry.  I am still in such disbelief.  It’s not that him and I were super close, then lost touch, but it’s more of a guilty feeling that I didn’t know.  It’s really weird.

I spent most of last night reading his blog, and found out that the melanoma cancer he had fought off when he was younger, came back with a vengeance.  He died on April 5, 2008.  It wasn’t that long ago.  He was only 25!  My heart breaks for his family and for his girlfriend.

But reading through his blogs made me laugh, even until his last entries, he was completely himself. He had such a unique spirit.

How precious life is.  We think that everyone is going to be around forever and we can just facebook them on a whim and find them there.  (Oh, facebook.  How you have changed our lives.)

I was reading in Ecclesiastes on Tuesday night, and found the verses that have always given me comfort after a death.

“A good name is better than good ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, For that is the end of every man, and the living should take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, because when the face is sad the heart grows wiser.” Ecclesiastes 7:1-3

I can’t get this out of my mind, so I thought writing about it would help get my feelings out.  And it did.

I guess the lesson learned here is that our lives here on Earth are, at best, temporary.  We should spend our time here serving God by serving and loving others.  I know that Colt always had a way of making me smile.  And that gift alone is worth more than anyone will ever know.

The readings today were exceptionally powerful to me at this point in my journey, just as they were last weekend. What a beautiful gift God has given us in His scripture. His words fall on each of our ears in a way that He knows we need to hear and understand them. It’s perfection.

(In case you can’t recall the readings, check out these verses. Reading 1 Ez 33:7-9, Responsorial Psalm
Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, Reading II Rom 13:8-10, Gospel Mt 18:15-20)

Each reading had something for me, but this one hit a chord in my heart.

“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8.

After I received Communion, I began meditating on what it really meant to me to recieve the Body of Christ. (Please note that there is a lot of Catholic theoogy idea behind the statement I just made, but instead of trying to tackle one of the key aspects of my faith on my blog, I will advise you to ask a Catholic or me. Even better, starting reading about the Eucharist from sites like www.usccb.org and such.)

Being the extremely imaginative and literal person that I am, I thought of the literal aspect (which was a complete Scrubs moment): that we see a little Jesus in the host. That was a weird thought, so I kept thinking. And then God gave me the image of Him walking beside me. My Lord took me by the arm, linked mine through His, and He began to walk with me.

I pictured Him leading me back to my seat and kneeling beside me while I was in adoration of Him. And I’m not that special, so if Jesus is walking with me, that means that He has to be with everyone else as well. The image flooded my thoughts.

Walking arm in arm, I believe, is one of the sweetest embraces. I think it’s one that shows great respect and admiration for a person. It’s so intimate, but so friendly. You are connected. Linked together. Strengthened as one.

Just like with our Lord.

The idea of Jesus sitting beside each of us, was overwhelming. Then came the tug at my heart. If I could really see Christ walking beside every person and standing next to me like a friend, how would I be different? How would I act with Him by my side and with Him by others? How could that simple thought change me?

Growing up, my mother always would ask us after we did or said something that was tacky or rude, “If Msgr. Blum was here, would you say that?”. And I knew that I wouldn’t have said the same words or acted that way, because I wanted him to see me on my best behavior being a good Catholic.

That’s just like with Christ. I don’t want to hurt him. At all. That is last on my mind. But when I do not love another person the way God has called me to, then I am not doing what he asked of me.

“…”You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:9b-10

God is love. We are made in the image and likeness of God. So, if God is love, and we are made after Him, that means that love is the only acceptable attitude towards another person. But that, my friends, is no easy task!

How many people can we think of off the top of our head that we don’t particularly care for? Think about the people you meet or come across that seem so bitter, hateful and mean. And you wonder, “How am I suppose to be able to see Christ in that person? How am I suppose to love them as my neighbor? Geez, God!”.

For me, God has answered with this image of Him walking beside us. We all have marks and wounds from our previous battles scarring our bodies. We are sinners, we fall. So it’s sometimes hard to see the face of God smeared with sin. But, for me, I think seeing Christ walking next to a person, helping them along their journey, makes His presence with that person more real.

How could I hate another person or talk rudely to them if Christ is standing right next to them, joined at their arm? I wouldn’t be able to be mean, caddy, rude, or hateful. I could only offer my love, just like I would for Christ.

That very thought has lasting power. And again I ask you: What difference does that make in our lives? How can that change the way we act towards one another? It could rock us to our very core and shake up who we think we are. And it will. The love of God will change our life.

Now, I’m not saying that I have mastered loving every person as I love my neighbor, or even myself, but I will promise you that I am going to try my hardest to live this out in my life. I hope you will do the same.

I will leave you with this verse.

“This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:15

I’m sure most of you are a tad perplexed as to why I am posting this. It’s not my usual blogging style to post random things. But, if you are ever around Kevin and I, this isn’t too far stretched. We love the movie trailer guy. I am currently trying to talk Kevin into applying for his job, because he does a great impersonation. It cracks me up every time.

So, for Kevin, and in memory of the movie trailer guy, I will share my favorite clip from Frank TV. This is Don LaFontaine, Pablo Francisco and Frank Caliendo. It is awesome.

(I promise that you will have a real post this evening.)