Misinformed...

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0900402.htm Sorry for any confusion.

Living

Peace. Joy. Rest. Happiness. Silence. By the grace of God, these will one day be words that describe the way I live. I want to spend time living the tradition of the Christian life. I want to move and rest to the rhythm of life in Christ - the rhythm of the liturgy. I hope to never again wish for life as it used be. I will always strive to allow life to change me, to embrace all there is to learn, to start anew in every phase - always learning the lessons life teaches, always learning to live a better life. I hope to embrace the silence. To meet God (peaceful, loving, and gentle) in the stillness. I am training myself to pause, not just externally, but internally as well. My heart and I will learn how to love God. My soul and I will learn how to rest.

Back to Formalized Education...

Classes start today. I am looking forward to getting an idea of what my life will look like this semester. I am ready for a routine. I am still determined to live better this semester. There is one error that I made in my thinking last semester that has to go. In my attempt to nurture my desires, I ended up blindly following my emotions. In that process, my true desires were forgotten. I never really found peace or happiness last semester. A distinction that will be important for me this time around is that it is the will that desires, not the emotions. Emotions that are well trained will follow the desires of the will. The will, with virtue, will follow the intellect. So, this semester, I will live so as to nurture my desires, as they are ordered to the intellect ... my emotions will catch on eventually!

Some Quick Thoughts

1.) I do not want to go back school. I love being home. I love youth group. I know that God is teaching me about the power and value of prayer while I have to be away, but it is a lesson that I am learning begrudgingly. It is this kind of stubbornness and selfishness that frequently gets in the way of God. 2.) This semester WILL be different than last. I WILL learn self-discipline. I will NOT neglect my personal development. This is known as determination - hopefully it is genuine. 3.) I see lots of tea (or coffee), prayer time, writing, and peace in my future. May God grant me the grace to really have this as my life.

Luckily, I did NOT make blogging consistently a New Year's resolution. In case you were curious as to what I chose to give up in January, the snooze button won the award this month. Should be fun...

Fireproof

I watched the movie Fireproof again tonight. It is a wonderful reminder to me that love at its most real state walks the road to Calvary and hangs naked and covered in blood on a cross. The reality of love something to fight for. This is the love I am called to live daily.

2008 Awards

1) LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD (longest friend) Kayla Hartmann 2) NEWCOMER AWARD - COOLEST NEWEST FRIEND? Lindsay Chandler 3) MOST UNDERSTANDING FRIEND ? Amanda Powers 4) HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR? All the fun times in my suite! 5) LOW POINT OF THE YEAR? All of the end-of-year RA stuff was pretty obnoxious. 6) BEST HOLIDAY? I'm saying this Christmas ... maybe only because it is freshest in my memory. 7) SONG FOR 2008? To Know Your Name -Joel Houston 8) MOVIE FOR 2008? Saving Sarah Cain (although Fireproof was good too) (AND I actually watched Gladiator ... well the parts that didn't have my eyes covered anyway) 9) BOOK FOR 2008? The Dream Giver (changed my life) 10) WHO DID YOU SPEND VALENTINES WITH? I can't remember ... no one specific 11) ALL AROUND GREAT FRIEND TO HAVE? Tylan Ricketts 12) WHAT WERE YOU FOR HALLOWEEN On Call 13) RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR? The Cheesecake Factory 14) BEST PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR? Dr. Rhzia. period. 15) BEST DECISION MADE THIS YEAR? To add a theology major. 16) WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? Learn how to really build my life on God. Follow my dreams. Love others as much as possible. (Jesus set a pretty high standard of possibility). Enjoy being ALIVE. 17) MOST STUPID IDEA? Trying to throw water onto Abby's windshield while going 70 mph down the highway. (As basic logic regarding the situation would tell you, it did not even come close to working.) 18) BIGGEST CHANGE OF THE YEAR? I stopped being an RA. I changed my major (a few times probably). I turned 21. I finally got to vote in Presidential Election. 19)BEST CLASS? It's probably a tie between Christian Moral Life (which impacted me on an everyday/practical level) and The Book of Revelation (which changed the entire way that think about life). 20) NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION? To stop lying to myself.

Starbucks on a Sunday

Any day that necessitates a step outside the typical hustle and bustle and into a relaxing glimpse of reality is a day worthy of Starbucks. The environment presents a unique tension, encouraged by the multidimensional purpose of the product being served. Coffee is used equally as frequently as energy to get through the endless myriad of tasks shoved into a day as it is to provide that much coveted journey into relaxed bliss. Both purposes can be witnessed at Starbucks. As I sit sipping my carefully selected drink, enjoying my personal relaxed bliss, I observe this unique environment. With each warm sip, I can't help but believe that I'm entering more deeply into the purpose of life itself. Starbucks has given me the opportunity to ponder those things that truly matter and to smile slightly as my mind passes over those that do not. Starbucks is a wonderful place to spend my Sunday.

I had the great privilege of attending a simply stunning wedding yesterday. The bride was absolutely gorgeous. The Church, decorated for the Christmas season, was beautiful. It was a wonderful mass and exchange of wedding vows. I'm quite certain this one made Heaven proud!

My Prayer

MERRY CHRISTMAS! My prayer today is that you may come to know and love Jesus in a new and lasting way.