Holy...Monday

This Holy Week, I begin to think about the state of Christianity in the world today. Everywhere I turn, there is hatred for the Christian lifestyle. The media claims that we are a Church of hate because of the way we live. Because we stand up for the sanctity of marriage and the sacredness of every human life, we are considered too traditional or even intolerant of others.

“Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”

The world believes that it is freer than ever because of so much “tolerance.” The truth is, we are not free of materialism and selfishness, it consumes us. We want everything in excess, whether it is money, items, or even some sort of fake love. Society believes that all of this will make people happy, but when you continue to hoard items on your boat, you’re bound to sink.
True Christianity goes against all of that. We are to follow the perfect example of Christ. Not only did God create all of us and everything we need, but, when we failed, He sent His only Son to save us. And, not only that, our Lord, Jesus Christ took on human flesh to do this. He gave the ultimate sacrifice in the most…sacrificial way. If I was suffering so much and I knew that I had a way out, I probably would take that way out, wouldn’t you? He didn’t. He did all of this for you and me, even though we fail over and over.

P4MAIP4U

Please pray

Please pray for the people of Japan and other victims of the recent natural disasters.

These images are truly heartbreaking and these people need our prayers.

Sorry about the ad before the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKh-QaeT6rc

Can you imagine your loved ones and everything you own being swept away by water right after a major earthquake?

This little light of mine

Light a virtual candle and say a prayer:

http://www.lightingacandle.org/Candles/

Word Made Flesh

An archive of some cool quotes about the Blessed Sacrament and you know how much I love quotes!

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/tes/quotes11.html

Some of my favorites:
"Who is Jesus to me? Jesus is the Word made Flesh. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus is the Victim offered for our sins on the cross. Jesus is the sacrifice offered at holy Mass for the sins of the world and for mine. Jesus is the Word - to be spoken. Jesus is the Truth - to be told. Jesus is the Way - to be walked. Jesus is the Light - to be lit. Jesus is the Life - to be lived. Jesus is the Love - to be loved,"

- Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament....There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth, and more than that: death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, that every man's heart desires,"

- J.R.R. Tolkien

"By a beautiful paradox of Divine love, God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life. We have slain Him; we have nailed Him there and crucified Him; but the Love in His eternal heart could not be extinguished. He willed to give us the very life we slew; to give us the very Food we destroyed; to nourish us with the very Bread we buried, and the very Blood we poured forth. He made our very crime into a happy fault; He turned a Crucifixion into a Redemption; a Consecration into a Communion; a death into Life Everlasting,"

- from Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's This is the Mass

And a cool video of a sort of mobile Adoration through the streets of NYC:
Watch

New and Improved

Like the new layout?

I feel like it's less obnoxious :)

Happy Ash Wednesday by the way! Today is the day that we can actually recognize other practicing Catholics.

One reason I love Ash Wednesday is because of it's counter-culture-ness. In modern times, religion seems to be in hiding. Secularists would rather see God-fearing folk in their churches and not causing scenes. Too bad because here comes trouble :)

Interesting article about ashes:
Wearing the Poppy, Wearing the Ashes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rFrWGjKTcU

Does anybody see what I see?

Stuff like this bugs me:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/miamicbs4-15750840/teacher-criticized-for-how-she-sent-a-note-home-24445195

Sure, maybe the kid was embarrassed. Did the Mom ever stop to think that maybe his humiliation would stop him from acting out in class?

This may not have been the best way to deal with the situation, but I am so tired of kids acting out and no real discipline as a result.

Amy Chua has some interesting points about this:
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/11/132833376/tiger-mothers-raising-children-the-chinese-way

This is why people are sooo messed up today. As children, they were taught that they could do no wrong. Now as adults, they can't understand why they aren't receiving gold medals for waking up in the morning.

Commitment people!

Abigail: Have you forgotten what you used to say to me, I haven't. Commitment, Abby, commitment. There are only two creatures of value on the face of this earth - those with a commitment and those who require the commitment of others. Do you remember John?

For all married couples...

Don't Text and Drive

Please watch this and pass it on:
TXT and Drive

Keep your phone in a safe place, and don't let it distract you.

Ichthys

Recently, I had an awkward conversation with one of my classmates. Not that the content was especially awkward,it was more that I wanted to leave but for some reason, we kept talking.

Somehow, we got to a point where we were talking about how she does not like to go home often. After a while, she explained that she is the daughter of two Presbyterian ministers. I explained that I didn't know much about the Presbyterian denomination, and she went on to explain that, because of this connection, all of the Presbyterians in her town judge her actions. She also went on to explain that her Dad and step-Mom did not care for her fiancé.

Somewhere in the conversation, I mentioned that I was Catholic.

In order to make more of a connection, I told her about how my brothers are both in the seminary. She didn't seem to understand that the statement meant that they both hoped to be Catholic priests someday.

At one point, she finally seem to understand because she said, "Oh, so they are going to become the Catholic priests that don't have kids."

So I answered, "Well, yeah. They don't get married."

She then said, "That must be hard to live alone..except for with just guys."

I then replied, "It's not hard, it's a sacrifice." Looking back, I probably should have said, "it may be difficult, but it is a sacrifice."

It's funny how, the world today, acts like a teenage child acting a certain way just to make it's Father angry.

Until that conversation, I had never seriously thought about how much I need to represent my brothers, and all religious for that matter. When people hear that someone is Catholic, they seem to immediately think of the scandals going on or maybe they think that no one is a "real" Catholic anymore (more the Nancy Pelosi types I guess).

When people ask me about my brothers, I feel like I need to defend them as well as all priests, seminarians, and religious that I know (or don't know).

When Michael first entered the seminary, I seemed to get all of these new uncles. I feel much more connected to the Church and its priests. Not that I wasn't connected before, I just feel more responsible in the representation of the Church. But, we should all feel that way, all the time.

Catholics should defend their priests in these trying times. They are walking through the lions den, and their parishioners should be right there with them. In a time when people only associate the Church with scandal, these priests and religious are true heroes.

Pray for your priests and be armed with information! When someone finds out you are a Catholic, show them your love for the Church and its servants.

When someone draws that Ichthys in the sand, don't ignore it. Profess your faith and finish drawing that fish!

March for Life

This video shows the biased nature of the media when it comes to the March for Life every year. The media constantly chooses to ignore the March despite the overwhelming numbers of marchers.

Media Malpractice at the March for Life

Putting the humanity back into the human

Philadelphia doctor who performed abortions charged with murders

I wish stories like this would wake people up from their ignorant slumber.

Even if, for some reason, you support abortion excerpts like, "...a search of Dr. Gosnell’s clinic had turned up bags and bottles that contained aborted fetuses.
'Jars containing the severed feet of babies lined a shelf,' the statement said," should shake you to the core. You should begin to realize the evils of abortion.

"Gosnell 'induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord.'"
(http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/19/philadelphia-abortion-doctor-charged-counts-murder/)

After hearing the saying "He who sings prays twice," almost all of my life, I wanted look up the source of this "quote" or determine if it really was a quote at all. This saying is usually employed by choir directors of parishes that are a bit too quiet.


Father Z has a cool post from 2006!

"Qui enim cantat laudem, non solum laudat, sed etiam hilariter laudat; qui cantat laudem, non solum cantat, sed et amat eum quem cantat. In laude confitentis est praedicatio, in cantico amantis affectio…For he who sings praise, does not only praise, but also praises joyously; he who sings praise, is not only singing, but also loving Him whom he is singing about/to/for. There is a praise-filled public proclamation (praedicatio) in the praise of someone who is confessing/acknowledging (God), in the song of the lover (there is) there is deep love."

In any case, I will be in the music ministry for Mass tonight and I need all the help I can get!

Sophia

There is no possible way to describe how wonderful my Grandma was and how much I will miss her, but I will begin by saying that she had so much love to go around. She made everyone feel welcome and always put others before herself. In public, she was a quiet woman with a loving smile with eyes that gave the glimmer of wisdom and excitement from her many adventures of youth. In private, with family, she showed her humor and sacrificed everything to provide for her loved ones. Even these words don't seem enough to capture the glimpse of Heaven that was my Grandmother, but they are the best I can do at the moment. I love you Grandma and I miss you so much!

Dzisiaj w Betlejem



SUNSET and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

(Crossing the Bar - Tennyson)

I haven't updated in a while, so here goes..something..

I'm back at school now with a whole new semester of classes. It feels strange being back here and especially with the new schedule. After one semester of grad school under my belt I can make some observations. In grad school, they kind of assume you know all of the procedure and such. Don't get me wrong, I like not being treated like I'm in preschool when it comes to finding forms and the like, but sometimes I feel like there should be some advice available.

I can say, for sure, that my head as not in the game after Thanksgiving break. My Grandma suddenly passed away during the Thanksgiving weekend. I know I still haven't come to terms with it, but I'm really trying. I came back to school after that break, but I left my heart at home.

After getting very sick and finally taking my last final I was able to come home.

Christmas break went fast (too fast). After going home late because of a snow delay for my exam, I went straight to work at the bakery which was very therapeutic after so much turmoil over Thanksgiving break and with my exams.

After Christmas, we had a sort of talent show with friends and I decided to honor my Grandma there by singing a Polish Christmas carol with my brother. It seemed only fitting because she had spent Christmas with the birthday Boy this year.

Empty snowfall crush
Eyes burn with warmth of Spring
Lost in this gray slush

JP2, we love you!

John Paul II's Beatification Process

"VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2011 (VIS) - On 1 May, the second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, Benedict XVI will preside at the rite of beatification for John Paul II in the Vatican.

According to a note released by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, "today 14 January, Benedict XVI, during an audience granted to Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, authorised the dicastery to promulgate the decree of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla). This concludes the process which precedes the rite of beatification. "

The Cross of St. Andrew

St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer to Obtain Favors

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)Imprimatur

+MICHAEL AUGUSTINE,

Archbishop of New YorkNew York, February 6, 1897

This is disgusting...

Give the gift of an abortion this Chritstmas

The entire invitation is horrible, but one of the worst lines is:
“The gift certificates are also a wonderful idea for that person in your life who puts everyone else first and has been putting off taking care of her or his own health. Now, there’s no excuse for those people in your life not to get the basic health care that they need."

No, obviously this person is putting herself first instead of her child.

Planned Parenthood is basically saying, give this abortion certificate so they can get on with their life by ending one.

Haiku for You!!

Trees burst into flame.
Autumn welcomes the lost ones.
Seasons, God's paintbrush.

The leaves drip with radiance.
A last breath of life.
Winter will consume the glow

I.O.U

This Sunday Germany will finally finish paying reparation for WWI. Pretty exciting, huh?

Anyway, I found this article with some funny fake voicemail between France and Germany...well, mostly France demanding money.

My favorite part:

1989
“Ah, just flipped on my television. See this is a bad time. I’ll call back.”

Tis Poetry in Motion

ARRR! Today be the day! Happy International Talk Like A Pirate Day :) Go out in the world and show off your pirattitude!!

TLAPD for Beginners

Sing with your crew:
A Pirate's Life for Me

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (Veggie Tales version)

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (Relient K version)

George Harrison always wanted to be a pirate

Drunken Sailer

I don't know if Michael has already posted this...

http://clevelandpriest.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-defence-of-da-fence.html

This is an article in defense of altar rails.

Maybe it's just because I grew up in a Church with an altar rail, but I've never seen them as something that says the altar is forbidden. It could be that I've gotten used to being on the altar because of my days as an altar server, but I've always thought the rail was a nice marking of where the altar begins.

I see more modern Churches and there seems to be no separation between the pews and the altar. I understand that the congregation wants to be more a part of Mass, but in the end the altar just appears to be, as the article points out, a table.

When we turn the Mass into something that does not emphasize how amazingly beautiful the Eucharist is, it simply becomes a gathering of people. The Mass is the greatest prayer in the Catholic faith, our God and King comes from Heaven to be with us in the form of bread! Shouldn't there be more importance placed on reverence than, everyone having a "special" part to play?

In our time...

Happy International Left Hander's Day!!!

http://www.euroweeklynews.com/2010080982075/news/international/august-13-is-international-lefthanders-day.html

Celebrate by embracing your left handedness, or, if you are not left handed, try to be one for the day to begin to appreciate the trials of southpaws :)

Some leftie facts:
Most left-handers draw figures facing to the right.

There is a high tendency in twins for one to be left-handed

Stuttering and dyslexia occur more often in left-handers (particularly if they are forced to change their writing hand as a child, like King of England George VI).

Left-handers adjust more readily to seeing underwater.

Left-handers excel particularly in tennis, baseball, swimming and fencing.

During the witch trials of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, being prone to use this hand was another "sure" sign of being a witch.

Left-handed persons use visual stimulus to process information. Research reveals that people who are left-handed do not use the sequential processing style like their right-handed colleagues, to disseminate information. Instead they are good at applying themselves to multiple tasks with the help of the synthesis method of breaking down information and finding a solution.

Just as I thought...

Twilight: Eclipse was so incredible....not. I really didn't expect it to be based on the hilarity that is known as the "baseball" scene of the first movie in the series. Usually, I try not to judge a movie if I didn't read the book, but come on! They have to play baseball during thunderstorms because the sound coming from the contact between their baseball bat and the baseball is so loud that it would attract a crowd. What?! I'm honestly surprised they didn't have some sort of high school musical like dance scene about their love of baseball.

Just when you think the scene can't get worse, in come the floaty guys. lol!

The movie is basically a longer version of the junk that is on ABC family right now. Everything is instant gratification. I heard an interesting theory on the Today Show this morning...not that I look to the Today Show for brilliant ideas...hahah no. Anyway, one of the talking heads said that the reason America is not really into soccer is because we are a country of instant gratification. Soccer matches could go to the very end without scoring a goal.

I know I get annoyed during football games when a team hasn't scored during the first quarter let alone having to wait the entire first half.

When I hear the name, "Jacob" I don't think of the stupid werewolf!

What's happened since my last blog post...all the way back in April....sorry :(.

Well, I've graduated and somehow did exceptionally well in all of my classes including my thesis (I know! It's a miracle!)

All of that seems so long ago now that summer is upon us. As of late, I've been working in the bakery, trying to get ready for Kent, and pretty much just hanging out.

I've actually been trying to eat healthier and that happens occasionally.

I've also been trying to plan this trip to Maple Leaf land :) Should be pretty fun!

Recently, I've been listening to a lot of Linkin Park courtesy of Michael's cds :)There is just something fun about listening to angry music...especially if you're not an angry person. Having a varied music taste like that keeps people on edge, and I like it :) Of course, when I listen to "screamy" songs, I can't help but think of "The Happy Song," by Blue Rubber Clippers :)

Anyway, as I've been trying to clean out my old accounts I came across this e-mail from my Mom with an awesome link in it about Introverts and Extroverts. You all know how much I love stuff about personality types...ok, maybe you didn't know that...but now you do!

http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/newsletters/read/1795

I love Hugo

Wow! It's been a really long time! I guess that shows how my semester has been.

I know everyone says that senior year goes really fast, but I just can't believe I'll (hopefully) be graduating in a few weeks.

This semester has been a killer. Besides working on my all-important thesis, I've also had several papers and projects. I had a presentation today and I HATE presentations. I always seem to get myself extremely nervous and then rush through my notes.

I stood at the front of the room today and had many thoughts running through my head like, "I need to remember to talk slowly, I can't forget to show the clips, I hope I remember to say ...." When all of a sudden, I looked down at a desk near the front of the room.

I saw that someone had written lyrics or a poem in really large handwriting, so I decided to read it. At first, I could not think of what it was. I remember thinking, I know I have heard that before..what is it?

And then it hit me, it was the lyrics of the theme song from "Firefly."

Why would someone write that on a desk? I don't know. What I do know is that it made me calm down.

I started thinking, let's just get this over with. I don't know what it was about those lyrics, but they made me focus on the task at hand. I love that show...I don't care how geeky I sound!

Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care, I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me

I think that was God's way of telling me to relax. I know someone might think, "how would a show that was cancelled help you in a presentation?" I honestly don't know...but it did.

Thank you Joss Whedon. I need to not take life so seriously. "I aim to misbehave."

This is a clip of the opening credits...enjoy.

PS -Hopefully I will start posting more regularly.

Dream

I had this dream a long time ago and I forgot to post it on here:

Dark room
Bathed in shadow
Blue quiet
Night’s sorrow

No being
Emptiness gathers
Gloomy veil
No life

Oh, light!
Breaks the dull
Golden throne
Quiet glory

Here, I find the Lord
Within his Heavenly home
He searches the wasteland
Lost souls find peace

Switching classrooms should not be allowed

Today is the first day of classes for my final semester as an undergrad...hmm. I guess it hasn't really hit me yet.

Sometimes I feel like things like this are not a big deal for me because I have seen both of my brothers go through the same stages, and it is not much of a shock to me. A lot of my friends and family say things like, "It's your last semester! Aren't you excited?!"

I guess I'm excited, but it's not like I'm done with school forever after this. I'm hopefully going to grad school, and maybe when that is finished...maybe I'll be excited, or not. I'll probably just be worried about getting a job.

The whole idea of me not being excited is a little disappointing. I don't stop take the time to think about what I have accomplished in life. I'm not saying that I'm worthy of an award or something, but I always seem to downplay everything I do accomplish just because I have to move on to the next stage of life so quickly.

"And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed."
-Dr. Seuss

I'm in such a rush to finish each level of education, I don't get a chance to think about how lucky I have had it and how much I need to thank God for everything He has allowed me to do.

Just some thoughts...this post didn't really go anywhere so I will leave you with this clip that has nothing to do with what I just said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd8ecTzAa9U

Percy Nonsense!

Hello loyal readers!

Since my last post, the semester has ended and I have survived the crucible of exams. I am now back to the crazy Christmas chaos of cookie creations (What alliteration!). It does not really feel like the semester is over just yet. I feel like I am just on a four day break or something and I will be going back to class soon. I almost feel like I need to keep my books or something...actually I always keep some of them because I like the subjects - especially the history ones :)

World War I was an awesome course as expected. I never really thought much about The Great War, except that it came before WWII. I guess what is sad about the study of any war, is that you are able to see the beginnings of a future war in the arrangements ending the war before it. When you read about some of the actions by the victors of WWI you almost want to shake the leaders and make them realize that they are setting the stage for WWII with their cruel decisions- but I am not saying that WWII was just or anything, I'm just saying it probably would not have happened the same way if the Allies had not acted the way they did at Versailles.

As mentioned above, I am now in the world of baking for Christmas. Whenever I think of my Christmas job, I realize that it is all such a blur. If you have ever worked at the bakery over Christmas break you know that, at one point you are standing there, rolling cookie dough and listening to the movie "Elf" (I say listening, because you are working and cannot stop to watch lol), and all of a sudden it's Christmas Eve and you are walking home with a big tray of cookies thinking, "What...the... heck just happened?" At that point you notice that you have the lines from the movie Elf memorized because over the 2 weeks at the bakery, you have managed to listen to it about 4 times a day.

It is like some sort of time warp or a movie like "Bourne Identity" where, once you finally stop to think of what is going on, it's over. The only problem with this comparison, is that, instead of going out on missions for the government, you are baking thousands of cookies..or...are you?

I guess what I am trying to say is that, Christmas break goes really fast for me. I get to work at the bakery, which is awesome :) and then all of a sudden it is Christmas and then New Years.

'Til then, 'til then...

A message from Jacinta...

I have not updated in a while...forgive me.

Let's talk about the Confirmation debate. Where do you stand? Do you think a person should be confirmed right after they receive their First Communion, which is usually around second grade? Do you believe a person should wait?

Where do I stand in this debate?

This may be a consequence of when I was Confirmed, but I feel that a person should wait until high school to be confirmed.

I know what you are thinking, "But Amanda, that is such a long time after the other Sacraments! If the Church chooses to do that, some high schoolers will not wait that long."

I know that it is a long time to wait to be confirmed, and believe me, I know that some people will decide not to be confirmed at all, if that is the case.

My point is that, if a child is confirmed right after their First Communion, they will not understand what they are agreeing to.

In my experience, Confirmation seemed like the only Sacrament of Initiation that I really paid attention to. I know that sounds horrible, but I don't remember my Baptism, of course, and First Communion is such a blur because I was in second grade and the most important thing seemed to be to remember not to wear my white gloves up to Communion.

For me, Confirmation was after my junior year of high school. When I began my classes for Confirmation, I felt too old, like I should have received the Sacrament years ago. But, when the day arrived, I felt proud that I had stuck with it.

Many people that were in my class since grade school did not get confirmed, or were confirmed at other Churches. I felt that, because I had waited that long, I had stuck with the Faith and therefore, I understood what I was accepting.

When a child is Confirmed, I feel that they are only doing it because they feel they have to and because their parents told them that they should.

On the day of my Confirmation, I felt that I was finally being accepted as a member of the army of God.

Not only was it my Confirmation day, but it was also my birthday...what a wonderful way to celebrate!

"...oil also for a most sweet unguent, wherewith they who already have been initiated by baptism are sealed, and put on the armour of the Holy Spirit"

Speaking of staying with the Faith, I think this book looks interesting and worth the read...maybe I can ask for it for Christmas :)

I'm confused...

So, it is really nice this week after feeling like early winter last week...hmm. I know that this time is usually called "Indian Summer," but why? What is the meaning behind the name?

Is this correct?

Prayer of Abandonment

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain
where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
and that I think I am following your will
does not mean I am actually doing so.

But I believe
the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire
in all I am doing.

I hope
I will never do anything
apart from that desire.
And I know if I do this
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.

I will trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear,
for you will never leave me
to face my perils alone.

Arrr you ready?

www.talklikeapirate.com

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Super Sonic

Hello loyal readers :)

I apologize for my long blogging absence, but I am still trying to get accustomed to classes and all the stuff that comes with them.

What has happened lately? Well, as stated earlier, classes have begun and I feel like I will really enjoy this semester. I'm taking WW1 and some Archeology related classes and a Studies in Drama class. I was going to take a Sociology class, but once I checked my almost full program paper, I realized that there was no point in me taking it. The class seemed like it would be cool for a Freshman, but definitely not for a Senior. I guess that's why the room was mostly full of Freshmen...Senior electives, what can I tell ya? ;)

Being a Senior is pretty interesting. The freshmen all seem to be trying to prove themselves in class...I guess that's why they keep raising their hands and saying the most obvious things as if they were some profound thought. They just don't get it lol.

I also feel like I'm starting to get some kind of cold. First of all , its all rainy outside and I just came out of a classroom where the a/c was on full blast....WHY?

Sorry, this is a really boring post....I'll add a youtube clip to make it interesting...

Puppies vs Cat

King Crab

I can't believe I haven't dedicated a post to my favorite show, The Deadliest Catch!

Why do I love this show? I have asked myself that very question every time I stop on the Discovery Channel to watch yet another re-run. What is it about a bunch of crab fishermen on a crab boat in the middle of the sea that is so darn exciting?

I think that the main reason I enjoy the show is the variety of personalities on each boat. Sure, Sig and Edgar on the Northwestern have "brother fights," and the Harris' have fights with their dad, Phil, on the Cornelia Marie (if that's how they spell it), but they all manage to get the job done. The idea of a group of people facing horrible waves and harsh climate to make a living for their families is reassuring when you look at the world today. Not that a person that sits in front of a computer at work doesn't deserve his money at the end of the month, but, when you see what these guys go through to earn money...you feel like they really deserve it.

I might add more to this post because I feel that I haven't even scratched the surface on why this show is great...but that will be later.

For some reason I can't explain...

I watched the new Discovery Channel series called "The Colony," on Tuesday night and I thought that I'd comment on it because I know that some people (cough* Michael) didn't watch it b/c they decided to watch "Lost."

The show is a reality show and before you just brush it off as trash, you need to hear the plot. The whole idea is that the people in it agreed to be treated as they survived some sort of huge catastrophe and they are some of the only humans left. To bring on the stress that a person would endure in that situation,they were forced to stay awake for a long amount of time and were not given food or water.

After the "survivors" met for the first time, they were given the chance to go into an abandoned department store to find supplies that they believed were important. After the amount of time had passed, a group of people that remind me of the bad guys in Waterworld, came in and tried to steal their stuff.

After that, the group found an abandoned warehouse where they found more supplies and the makings of their new home. The survivors found batteries and food and a bunch of other items that they used to generate electricity and build their own water filtration system.

On the second day, after a few scares by the "bad guys", another group of survivors arrived and asked for shelter. Although the first meeting of these two groups was filled with anger and little trust, the group quickly bonded together to make 10 survivors.

That's about all that happened in the first episode. I'm not sure if I like the show just yet, but it's pretty interesting to see how people react to situations.

I'm sure Discovery Channel has something on its site about the show, so check it out :)

--for the present good Night.

I know this is a little late as it is officially July 5th...


Letters between John and Abigail Adams

"A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for."

I've decided that I worry way too much. I'm not sure why, but I do. Maybe I was born this way or maybe I've developed this trait over time....well, I don't know. All I know is that I need to do something about it.

Now, I'm not saying that people shouldn't worry about things, oh no. Being worried about things,situations, or people just means that you care or have concern for them. What I'm saying is that I can't let my worrying nature take over my life and stop me from experiencing new things or places.

If you want to see me really worry, you should see me when I'm planning for a trip, especially a trip to somewhere I've never been before. Not only do I over pack...I basically put the whole boy scout/girl scout community to shame. This isn't always a bad thing. When I'm with a group of friends or family, they can usually count on me to have something they need (advil/tums/tissues/extra water). Being the Mary Poppins of the group isn't bad. I just wish that I could get over the worrying aspect of the trip. My family knows how I am during trips, but my friends usually see me as the calm and collected person in the group...believe me, I'm really not.

I don't know..I guess all I'm really saying is that I'm going to attempt to be content with where I am or what I'm doing and I'll try not to be so nervous that I don't get a chance to appreciate what's around me.

We shall see how that goes....'til then, 'til then, I am, as I ever was and ever shall be yours, yours, yours, yours, yours.....saltpeter....pins...

As I was explaining to Michael on the phone, every once in a while I like to put lyrics to songs that I like based on how I'm feeling at the time. This summer...this is pretty much my mood. (I'm sure you can find this song on youtube..."Motown Never Sounded so good.") I love Less than Jake :)
***************************************************
So you say,
All you white flags are up,
And that you've had enough.

And you're tired of collecting dust,
You say everything always looks the same.

And you need,
A brand new face,
To match a brand new place.

You say all your distress calls have gone out.
And your ship is going down.

Well, I'll say it to myself all the time.
Stop living half a life and stop,
Feeling like I'm half alive.

I can't get enough, I'm not satisfied.
I've wasted my time with this daily grind.

In single file lines,
Is this real life?

I keep telling myself sometimes,
What matters is on the inside.

Do you remember when we had all the answers?
And can you really remember,
When we wished for anything better.
Does it feel like it's been forever,
Does it feel like a broken record?

Head full of yesterdays,
You keep wishing your life away,
You can't keep looking over your own shoulder.
Things will never look up unless you start to look forward.

Well, I'll say it to myself all the time.
Stop living half a life and stop,
Feeling like I'm half alive.

I can't get enough, I'm not satisfied.
I've wasted my time with this daily grind.

In single file lines,
Is this real life?

I keep telling myself sometimes,
What matters is on... the inside.

I can't get enough, I'm just getting by,
I can't stand this design for out bitter lives.

I keep feeling lost, I'm not satisfied,
With traffic and turnpikes,
And these tired eyes.

I can't get enough, I'm not satisfied.
I've wasted my time with this daily grind.

In single file lines,
Is this real life?

I keep telling myself sometimes,
What matters is on... the inside.

Journal Post

Hello again,
I'm sorry to post another "journal entry" but I can't think of any links or anything I want to post on here...you will just have to deal.

It's summer...well not technically I guess...but I've been taking summer classes. I just finished Ancient Greece which was very interesting as I had anticipated. I've actually been talking to people about how cool the hoplite phalanx is...yeah...it's that cool. Now I'm in History of Russia and it should also be quite beneficial. After that class is over, I'll be taking Cultural Anthropology until the end of July.

All of these classes are great and I'm happy to get the credits out of the way for next year, I just feel like if I don't take a fun break in there somewhere I'll just freak out :)

I do have a conference that I will be attending this month, I just wish that I could go on vacation somewhere.

Now I know what you are thinking, I recently said that I shouldn't complain about not going on vacation because of all the people that are striving just to survive in the world. Sometimes I think it would be good to go on a mission trip during the summer to help these people.

So, yeah. That's my life right now. I was very blessed to attend another Ordination and a first Mass recently, and they were both wonderful. It was so nice to spend time with these newly Ordained priests and also the seminarians that will be ordained shortly. I think the Diocese will be in good hands. Please pray for the seminarians and more vocations.

Click on this link to hear Taps


TAPS
- Major General Daniel Butterfield
Day is done...
Gone the sun
From the lake...
From the hills...
From the sky.
All is well...
Safely rest
God is nigh.

Fading light....
Dims the sight
And a star....
Gems the sky....
Gleaming bright
From afar....
Drawing nigh
Falls the night.

Peter Pan, where are you?

Peter: Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again.
Wendy: Never is an awfully long time.

Everyone remembers the story of Peter Pan, the boy that lives in Neverland, fights pirates, and vows never to grow up. He is the season of spring in human form. His tale is a great story for kids because of the amazing adventure and the message that reminds them not to grow up too quickly.

Whether you have seen the play of Peter Pan or one of the various Disney re-makes of the character, almost everyone connects with the character who displays a defiant resistance to the tyranical pirate adults in Neverland. As Michael has said on his blog before, all kids love watching youth rebellion, that's why he wrote the "Conquest Chronicles."

One may wonder (and by one I mean my one reader...lol)why I decided to break my blog silence of finals to talk about the tale of one of my favorite characters. Well, I'll tell you why. I think that, in today's youth (at least in America), Peter Pan does not exist.

I really wonder what Mr. Barrie would have thought if he could see the types of shows on tv today. I know that I sound like some old person complaining about "those darn kids," but come on...kids are different in this age of Disney Channel and Youtube.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that kids have their own shows to watch apart from cartoons and little kid's shows. However, I really question the effects of the hidden messages within the shows.

"...children are being exposed to the virtual world at younger ages, and more frequently.... The result being Generation Z children are exposed to an environment that is heavy on stimuli, and weaker in interpersonal relationships."

I know that the argument of kids losing their imagination is old and I'm not going to talk about that because some of the new technology allows us to channel new forms of imagination.

What I am going to point out is the emphasis placed on labels and brands.

I can't speak for everyone around my age, but I really don't think I cared about fashion and pop music as much as "Generation @" or "Generation Z', as some people call them.

Why in the world are Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, and other Disney slaves attempting to break out of the Disney bubble and into the real world of music? Because the barrier between kid world and adult world is being shattered.

Kids seem to care more and more about what they wear and what songs they are listening to than ever before. What ever happened to sweaters with a puppy on them or Ninja Turtle shoes? These wonderful clothes are replaced by Limited Too and other places focusing only on Generation Z because they know who is buying.

Now this isn't all the kids fault, I mean, the kids didn't decide to push weird trends through the tv at themselves. The other generations are to blame. My own generation started down this slippery slope and is passing it onto the youth below them. We shouldn't forget that the Baby Boomers and Generation X also have their own issues.

To get back to the reason for this rant, Peter Pan seems to have disappeared. Children are being encouraged to grow up too quickly and are blindly leaving their best years behind.

I feel that, because I am about to reach an important age in my life, I have the right to bestow wisdom upon those younger than me.

My advice to these kids is to reject these Disney and Nickelodeon tricks. Go ahead kids, go outside and wear some good ol' sweat shirts..well, not right now, it's a little warm. Forget about the Jonas Brothers and make up your own music, or make up your own radio show!

Kids! Don't let the evil pirates (adults controlling entertainment) ruin your childhood. Get out there and just be kids! Have sword fights, pretend you are a ninja, or make a fort.

More quotes from Peter Pan:

John: [upon meeting Peter] You offend reason, sir.
Michael: Mm-hmm.
John: [sees Peter lift into the air] I should like to offend it with you
*****************
Story Narrator: But I was never to see Peter Pan again. Now I tell his story to my children and they will tell it to their children, and so it will go on - for all children grow up... Except one.

(These are from the 2003 movie version.)



PS. I know that all kids aren't like this, so don't be insulted if you aren't :)

Beyond your Scope of Vision

In a FIF mood today...

Cannonball
Wind passes right through my skin as I fall down,
this furious speed will only destroy me.
Crippling and devastating momentum,
approaching maximum velocity.
And this is how it's going to be,
the point of it all.
'Cause this is what was meant for me,
recklessly I fall.

Hulking, smashing, I come crashing,
nothing like when I was small.
I am unstoppable,
I am the cannonball.

Thirty-two feet per second I increase,
as the exponents will multiply.
I'll never stop to look back behind me,
cutting through the bright blue sky.
And this is how it's meant to be,
untethered I will soar.
I'll barrel towards the earth below,
it's what I was made for.

Hulking, smashing, I come crashing,
nothing like when I was small.
I am unstoppable,
I am the cannonball.
That feeble coward that you knew,
has undergone an overhaul.
I am unstoppable,
I am the cannonball.

And everyone will say it's just an accident,
like some mishap or a tragedy.
I think that failure has a purpose,
and I don't believe it's chance if I fall.
And I know that if I ever do fall,
he will catch me.
And if he ever lets me fall down,
for the good of those who believe him,
He will make me into a cannonball, cannonball, cannonball, cannonball.

Unblemished, and faultless.
A burning luminescence.(Cannonball)
Unequaled precision.
Beyond your scope of vision.(Cannonball)
Unblemished, and faultless.
A burning luminescence.(Cannonball)
Unequaled precision.
Beyond your scope of vision.
Cannonball.

Kamikaze

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Amen

Papers to write, sleep to miss

Howdy ya'll!

I have no idea why I decided to start the post that way. Maybe I was inspired by the wild west...who knows...I don't.

Anyway, this semester is quickly coming to an end whether I'm ready to admit or not. Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy to be done with certain classes, but this also means that papers and finals are hanging over me like...well, papers and finals. I could have said an "old/dead goose" or whatever the phrase is, but I'm not that type of a person. Poor goose.

This summer should be interesting. It won't really be a break because I'll hopefully be taking a bunch of classes so I don't need to worry about them later. I'm looking forward to some of them like History of Greece and History of Russia...they should be muy interesante!

I'd love to go on an official vacation like some people do, but then I think I'm being selfish. Other people in the world are just trying to survive and would love to have an education or job like I have, and I'm just complaining because I need to get up early. What's wrong with me? I need to stop complaining.

To end this random post....I thought I'd share this clip from Britain's Got Talent.

Wow! Chris is moving up in the world!

Anyway,have a blessed Holy Week and Happy early Easter!

Ave, ave verum corpus
natum de Maria Virgine,
Vere passum immolatum
in Cruce pro homine,
Cujus latus perforatum
unda fluxit et sanguine,
Esto nobis praegustatum
in mortis examine.


Your Best, Your All
With arms out-stretched,
And face to the ground,
Thy wounds are bleeding,
There is no sound.

What are your thoughts,
As you hang up there?
While you’re in pain,
Do you despair?

You’re innocent to your last breath,
In this life you gave,
You were not despairing over death,
But thinking of all you would save.

Thank you for everything, O Lord!
To save the world from Adam’s fall,
Instead of dying quick by the sword,
You truly gave it your best, your all.

Welcome!

So, I just told some more people about my blog and gave them the address. I just wanted to say, "welcome!", to any new readers. I'm not really good at updating often, but I do as much as I can. On the left are some links to my brothers and one of my friend's blogs.

Well, *enjoy*!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here are a bunch of links to Irish songs and stuff...

The High Kings - "Jimmy Murphy"

The High Kings- "Dance at the Crossroads"

The High Kings- "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore"

Celtic Woman - "The Voice"

Celtic Woman - Ave Maria

Celtic Woman - A New Journey - Spanish Lady


Celtic Woman - Si Do Mhaimeo I - Wealthy Widow


Anuna- Dulaman

Scythian - One of my favorite bands during a concert (The sound quality isn't so good)

Step Dancing

Some soft shoe Reel Dancing

Beyond Riverdance: Explaining Irish step-dance traditions

Hephaestus Couldn't Make A Shield This Good!

St. Patrick's Prayer

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.


And for the kids!
Veggie Tales - The Story of St. Patrick

"It's miraculously delicious!"

Hudson Miracle

He would think about his family — his wife and four young children. He would think about God, about death, about trust, about an extraordinary promise made by Jesus that he read the previous day in that booklet.

"Prepare for impact," the pilot would say over the PA system.

What was the promise? Suddenly, it would come to him, the last passage he read before heading off to his meeting. Jesus said to St. Faustina, "This is the hour of great mercy. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (Diary of St. Faustina, 1320).

(thanks Mom!)

Angels With Dirty faces

I googled for something to put here and found this

Appreciating Ash Wednesday


This is from the point of view of someone that doesn't follow the practice of having ashes on his forehead, but he now appreciates it when he sees Catholics or other Christians wearing them.

Before receiving my ashes, the friar told us that whenever you go out today and people look at you because you have the ashes, try to remember why they are there and remember the movie, "Angels With Dirty Faces."

That's all for now...

Smokey loves all!

Catholic Roots to Valentine's Day

Happy (almost) St. Valentine's Day! - God

No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with being loved by me alone, discovering that only in me is your satisfaction to be found…. Then will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing… one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you. You just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things; keep experiencing the satisfaction that I AM. Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you. Just wait that's all.

Don't be anxious, don't worry. Don't look around at the things others have gotten or that I have given them. Don't look at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away to me, or you'll miss what I want to show you.

And then, when you are ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you could ever dream of. You see, until you are ready and until the person I have for you is ready (I am working even at this moment to have both of you ready at the same time) until both of you are satisfied exclusively with me and the life I have prepared for you, you wont be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with me and this perfect love.

And, dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see it in the flesh, a picture of your relationship with me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love that I offer to you with myself, and know that I love you utterly. Believe it and be satisfied.

Love, Your Father (God)
PS- "Te amo!"

Life- Are You Worthy?

Where will it end?

I hope this link works...

Did you think you could ignore this issue?

The fact of the matter is that these people will continue to determine who is not fit to have life. It starts with the vulnerable of course, but trust me, if we don't stop this culture of death soon, the number of people seen as "unworthy of life" will increase.

If you are selfish enough not to think of the innocent babies and elderly that are being told they don't deserve to live, you could always look to yourself. Would the pro-choice fans say that you are worthy of life?
___________________________________________________________

My Mom just reminded me of another twist to this idea....I wouldn't be alive!
Are you the 3rd child?
Thanks for my life Mom and Dad! :)

Four Sweater Vests

Howdy ya'll!

So, Christmas break is almost over for me and I just picked up my books for the new semester...blah.

Now my loyal readers (all 1 of me...lol) may wonder, I ask myself, "What have you been doing this whole time and why have you deprived me (myself and I) of some worthwhile blogging material?"

After apologizing to myself and promising to buy myself some more of those wonderful Betty Crocker mini delight cake thingies... think that's what they are called, I finally settled down and forgave...my-self. Not an easy thing to do!

Anyway, Christmas break was pretty productive for my standards. I worked at the bakery again which was loads or shall I say cups of fun...ok that sounded funnier in my head. It was intense but a great job b/c the people that work there are soooo nice!

On Christmas Eve, our family had Wigilla and I posted a Polish song on here. Me, my brothers, and two of my little cousins sang that song in Polish and then English to our Grandma as an early Christmas present. Now I dont know if the Polish sounded great but we did our best and our Grandma really liked it so Im happy.

After Christmas I pretty much just hang around the house. Michael and I went to see the Benjamin Button movie which was very good and left me with a renewed appreciation for life at all stages and a love of hummingbirds...you should see it.

After New Years me, Kates, and my Clone had a "stupid movie marathon" which included Troll 2 and Legend. I will never think of Tom Cruise the same way again :(.

After the marathon, Katie finally forced Amanda and me to watch Dr. Horrible. She had told me about it a long time ago and other people had recommended it to me but I kept forgetting to watch it. Now that I have watched it...I love it! I ended up downloading the album. Dr. Horrible for president!

And so beings the increasingly quick final push toward the new semester. I'm sure I'll like some of my classes I just hate classes in general. It will be nice to see everyone again and get to work as vice president. I hope I do ok. P4MAIP4U

I leave you with some Polish people correctly singing the song that we attempted to sing to our Grandma...

Dzisiaj w Betlejem

Happy Wigilla!

Dzisiaj w Betlejem, dzisiaj w Betlejem

Wesola nowina

Ze Panna czysta, ze Panna czysta

Porodzila syna

Chrystus sie rodzi, nas oswobodzi

Anieli graja, krole witaja

Pasterze spiewaja, bydleta klekaja

Cuda, cuda oglaszaja

Wesolych Swiat!

Who's my follower?

Link in an e-mail from my Mom...

"Introversion and extroversion don't refer to shyness and boldness. They refer only to how you charge your emotional batteries. Introverts gain energy from internal contemplation, centering, and quiet time. Extroverts gain energy from external people, places, and things...

Introverts rarely say what they are thinking.
They say only what they have thought. Introverts think to talk.

Extroverts talk to think."

I love looking at that sort of stuff:)

I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while, but hopefully I'll have some sort of Christmas thing on here soon!

Early Christmas...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5hVAHKnvXM&feature=related

Part 2

Hmm...

Number 1 song on my birthday...
"Anything for You" by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her."

What ever happened to that "Chris" kid?

Not sure if I've posted this before, but...

I really like this video, minus the bad language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot115OdOKRA&feature=related

That's not my name!

Howdy people!

I hadn't posted in a while so I thought I'd update....well there ya go :)

The mind is not a vessel to be filled!!!

I really don't like talking about politics or economics that much,but with this whole financial crisis occurring I thought I'd add my spark to the flame of arguments for arguments sake.

I think the solution is simple. Our representatives seem to have failed. As one anchor on NBC put it..."someone screwed up." I think that because of this mistake, the politicians who claim to care sooo much about us should pay us for their mess up.

This makes sense because we are the employers and they are the employees. Mistakes will come out of their paycheck....I mean come on, I think they can afford to part with some of their money...right?

Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo!!!

"Today is my 111th birthday. 111 years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like. And I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." (Bilbo)

Hobbit stuff...

More Hobbit stuff...

"Fare well wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at your journey's end."

Today be the day!!!

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day mates! Go out into the world and show off your bloody pirattitude, savvy?

A treasure chest of piratey links...

Muppet Pirates

Paradoxical Pirates


The Brilliant Lads who created this wonderful day...

Pirate bloopers

There may be more to come...

Have a great day me hearties!

PS- Get rid of any ninjas trying to ruin our holiday!

Take that extroverts!!!

This is something my Mom sent me today and I really love it!

Q: I'm not a shy person, but whenever I get into a group of people I don't know too well, I can't find anything to say. I like who I am and I think I'm a decent person to get to know, and I'm tired of being told that I'm too quiet. Why can't people accept that not everyone is outgoing and talkative, and that's okay?

A: Boy, I know exactly how you feel. I have people telling me that I'm too quiet every other day, and it can get annoying I know. Do you know the saying "actions speak louder than words"? Well it's true, and considering that actions are louder than words it shouldn't matter what others say to you, or about you. St. Thomas Aquinas was called a dumb ox at school because he was so quiet, and you know what? He ended up becoming a Doctor of the Church. There is nothing wrong with being soft spoken. God made you and me that way for a reason. We're in this together dude.

Coming soon to a...campus near you

Sing it Ohio

I apologize...I haven't posted in a while. I know all of my readers were on a hunger strike until I posted again...lol, so here goes...

Classes started today. I really don't feel like the semester has started...its strange. Maybe its because I took summer classes and worked all summer...I really don't feel like I had a summer either so...what can you do.

I was thinking about atheism the other day and I have no idea how those people get out of bed in the morning. Not to be depressing but, really, if there is no real purpose to all of this and when we die we just don't exist anymore what is the point. My goodness! This would be some sick joke delivered by some being that, in their minds, doesn't exist.

Thank goodness for faith! Without it...the world would be a depressing place. Thank you God! :)

A teenage girl about 17 had gone to visit
some friends one
evening
and time passed quickly as each shared
their
various experiences of the past year.

She ended up staying longer than
planned,
and
had to walk home alone. She wasn't
afraid
because it was a small town and she lived
only
a
few blocks away.

As she walked along under the tall elm
trees,
Diane asked God to keep her safe from
harm
and
danger.

When she reached the alley, which was a
short
cut to her house, she decided to take it.

However, halfway down the alley she
noticed
a
man standing at the end as though he
were
waiting
for her.

She became uneasy and began to pray,
asking
for
God's protection.

Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness
and
security wrapped round her, she felt as
though
someone was walking with her.

When she reached the end of the alley,
she
walked right past the man and arrived
home
safely.

The following day, she read in the
newspaper
that
a young girl had been raped in the same
alley
just
twenty minutes after she had been there.

Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and
the
fact
that it could have been her, she began to
weep.

Thanking the Lord for her safety and to
help
this
young woman, she decided to go to the
police
station.

She felt she could recognize the man, so
she
told
them her story.

The police asked her if she would be
willing to
look
at a lineup to see if she could identify
him.

She agreed and immediately pointed out
the
man
she had seen in the alley the night
before.

When the man was told he had been
identified,
he
immediately broke down and confessed.

The officer thanked Diane for her bravery
and
asked if there was anything they could do
for
her.

She asked if they would ask the man one
question.

Diane was curious as to why he had not
attacked
her.

When the policeman asked him, he
answered, "Because she wasn't alone.
She
had
two tall men walking on either side of
her."

Amazingly, whether you believe or not,
you're
never alone. Did you know that 98% of
teenagers
will not stand up for God?

O Jerusalem...

I have been following the links on my brother's blog about PZ Myers and I will be praying for the conversion of his heart.

After reading Myers' posts and the comments by his readers I do feel anger but I am also upset about the death threats to him and his family. By making threats, you sink to his level.

He claims to be open minded but that is a lie. He clearly has no respect for anyone including himself.

May God have mercy on us all.

Happy Independence Day!

This link will take you to a sweet site with tons of quotes from founding fathers and a few truly interesting historical people...

Click!!!

"Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand." - John Adams

"A patriot without religion in my estimation is as great a paradox as an honest Man without the fear of God. Is it possible that he whom no moral obligations bind, can have any real Good Will towards Men? Can he be a patriot who, by an openly vicious conduct, is undermining the very bonds of Society?....The Scriptures tell us "righteousness exalteth a Nation." - Abigail Adams

And here is an old post about the people who signed the Declaration and what happened to them...

Chopsticks chop chop

Hey everybody howzit going?

I just took my final exam for my first Spanish class and I begin the 2nd part of the class Monday. After that its Spanish 201 in the Fall and Spanish 202 in the Spring....fun times huh...lol.

Im a little bit less depressed from the last post. I think what I need is to go on a vacation, but not the kind that makes me want to do every possible activity and cram every possible tourist spot into that short period.

I believe vacations should be about relaxing. You know what I mean...sleeping in, having a late breakfast or early lunch and then just seeing where the day leads you.

Theres nothing wrong with having a special day on which you plan to go to some historic spot or whatever but I hate to be rushed when its supposed to be a holiday.

I havent actually been on an official vacation for a while...theres just no time for everyone to go. Hopefully Ill be able to do something at the end of summer after my class is over and Im done with work....we'll see.

Till then, till then, I am as I ever was and ever shall be yours, yours, yours, yours, yours....
Saltpeter...John
Pins....Abigail
For God's sake John sit down!

Movie Reviews

"pointless drama"

Have you ever had a day where you felt everything was just flying by soooo quickly and everything is so darn stressful that you wish you could just stop time and then go to some cave somewhere or an island to figure everything out? That's how I've felt for since the beginning of spring semester and life just keeps on trucking like that.

I've just been so stressed out by the smallest things and sometimes the biggest things...it doesn't even make sense. I'm mean I really haven't had tons of things to do at once or anything...I'm taking a summer class and working but that's it....I just feel like everything needs to stop and I need to just sit down and figure out what the heck is going on.

What's really difficult is the fact that I feel like I have no time to hang out with my friends and they won't always be around...they've got crazy lives too.

The worst thing though, is that I feel so far away from God right now....it freaks me out. It's not that I've stopped praying...I just feel so empty all the time...sigh* Please pray for me and anyone else going through the same things.

Please pray for everyone that has felt the impact of these recent natural disasters and for all of the people suffering from all of the other problems in the world.

Thank you Katie!

I forgot that I had this until tonight. Katie sent this to me before finals last year...I think. I've edited it a little bit.


Silverstride proudly presents Real Men of Genius: Stressed Out College Student During Exam Week.

Today we salute you Stressed Out College Student During Exam Week. As you sit in your lonely cubical in the library, doped up on Starbucks & Adderol, you think to yourself, am I ever going to need to know this stuff in life? The distractions are tempting and you have suddenly diagnosed yourself with ADD, along with advanced delusionary schizophrenia and involuntary narcissistic rage. I'm sure by now you know exactly what everyone is doing because you have checked your buddy list 800 times. Summer break is just days away, and your Prozac prescription will be in tomorrow. So crack open an ice cold *mountain dew*, tyrant of test-taking, because for most of us, Summer will be spent in rehab.

I dont know how many times Ive asked myself that same question.

Charlie the Unicorn 2

Blue: The man with the hat sent us!
Pink: He told us many amazing stories!
*weird music* *creepy laughing*
Charlie: What?
Pink: Tonight we dine on turtles!
Blue: So good, they will be!
Charlie: Ah, what did you two do?
Blue+Pink: ZZZZZZZZZZ
Blue: I am happy!
*creepy music, creepy laughing*

Good song!

"Hurrah my soul!" says I.

This song makes me want to go fight somebody. Ill just have to walk up to somebody and hit 'em! lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QdbeM2JWYE&NR=1

Take that Michael!!!!!!

I took this from his blog!!!!

How big is your bed? Annoyingly short. I feel like Will Ferrel in Elf.

What are you listening to right now?
Nothing right now, I was just listening to Celtic Woman on my Ipod.

What was the last thing drank?
Water

Last person you hugged?
My Mom or my dog...

How is the weather right now?
Pretty nice but still a little chilly.

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My Mom

Favorite type of Food?
I like a lot of different things but I dont like sea food.

Do you wear contacts/glasses? I sometimes wear glasses, but I wish I could wear contacts.

Favorite holiday? I like most holidays. I love Christmas b/c of the atmosphere but Easter has the best Masses and Halloween is just a fun time.

Favorite Season? Spring/Summer.

Last Movie you Watched? A movie about George Gerswhin but I dunno what it was called.

What books are you reading?
The Two Towers.

Piercings? Nope, not even my ears.

Favorite Movie?
I really cant pick a favorite.

Favorite College Football Team?
Dont watch a lot of college football.

What were you doing before filling this out?
Stressing out about the housing fair.

Any pets? Smokey the dog, Mumble the fish, and Amigo the snail.

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Favorite Flower? Red roses.

Who would you like to see right now? All of my family and friends.

Have you ever fired a gun?
Yes, but only at pop cans.

Do you like to travel by plane? I never have but I hope Ill be ok when I do.

Right-handed or Left-handed? Southpaw all the way!!!! Well, I do use my right hand for scissors.

If you could go to any place right now where would you go?
Ireland/Scotland (Billy Boyd could give a tour)/Poland/New Zealand but Id pick up my brothers,Mom and Dad, and some friends on the way. I wouldnt go by myself.

Do you have a tattoo? Nope.

Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings?
No, but I do watch some cartoons when theres nothing on. I love Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends!

Are you 18? over.

What is the wallpaper on your cell phone?
Smokey and Phil the fish... :( I miss Phil/Fillet.

Did you get enough sleep last night?
I havent gotten enough sleep since pre-school.

First thing you thought about this morning?
I'll just sleep for 10 more minutes....zzzzz

What do you have handy at your bedside?
Water, Two Towers, Tissues, alarm clock and flashlight.

Are you afraid of the dark?
Sometimes.

Favorite hangout? Wherever friends are as long as its not standing in a parking lot when its negative degrees with people saying, "where do you wanna go? I dunno, where do you wanna go?"

Things you can't live without?
Besides things that a human needs to survive thats including God...um, family/friends, books, music..stuff, a phone.

Favorite song?
Can pick just one.

What are you afraid of? Lots of things: letting people down, death of people I love and my own, Chuck Norris, Scott Hahn...need I say more?

Are you a giver or a taker? Both, usually I dont like to take things.

What are your nicknames? Mitch Blue, Silverstride, Manderz, Amanda-per-da-fra (or however katie says it), Fierce Eyes, Goose, Talonz, and many more.

Stuck on a deserted island and could only take one thing?
Besides survival stuff, lots of books. Im just keeping what Mike said. Oh, and a way to get home.

Favorite tv commercial? Hard to pick. I like a lot of them.

First thing you'll save in a fire? People, pictures, dunno.

What are your favorite colors? Silver, blue,green,pink.

What are the things you always take with you?
Cell, wallet, keys, rosary, tissues, glasses, Advil.

What did you wanna be when you were a kid?
Archaeologist.

Do you usually look at the clock when it turns 11:11?
Sometimes...why? I like it when it turns 12:34.

The color of your bedsheets? Purple.

What do you think about before you go to bed? What I have to do tomorrow an what Im going to wear.

Something you didn't expect to happen today?
I didnt expect to be this stressed about the housing fair. Grrrrr!

To the readers...if there are any

I thought Id take this time to tell you that Ive decided enough is enough. I have nothing interesting to post here anymore (or maybe I never had anything interesting) and the lack of comments depresses me. This will be the last Through the Eyes of Silverstride post...ever....no, Im totally messin' with you!

Just joshin friends!

I was actually just looking through old posts of mine. I like to do this and then compare things like my writing style (or lack thereof), my attitude toward life, and the events in my life in general. Its so funny to look back at the high school posts and try to understand why everything was soooo important (like my great fear of shifting in parades...why was it soooo darn scary?).

Im not saying there was no reason for stress back then, quite the contrary, high school is a very stressful time of self discovery and you are supposed to get upset about things. I remember in one of my high school classes, a teacher was talking about how we had no real reason to be stressed out. How dare he?(to be said with a fake Scottish accent like Indiana Jones)

Im not saying that Im so above high school or that I know so much more now...I really dont. Yeah, I know my major but I dont know whats going to happen in my life. High school was a time of uncertainty. You are unsure of your studies, your paths in life, your friendships, and yourself in general.

Im glad to say that Ive kept many of the same friends I had then. It is awkward when we first see each other over breaks and stuff...I mean, some of us havent seen each other in months. The inside jokes come out eventually and hilarity ensues. I hope that we will all be able to get together this summer!


This song makes me think about the past...

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I've come from
That's the reason why I seem
So far away today

[Chorus:]
Let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia, you're calling me, now I'm going home
But if I should become a stranger
Know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the fellas and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes, there's no denying
I have traveled hard, sometimes with conscience flying
Somewhere with the wind

[Chorus]

Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames have cooled, don't get any higher
They've withered, now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking, my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When hands have shaken, the kisses float
Then I will disappear

[Chorus]

Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

Bumper Sticker...

Someone sent me this bumper sticker on facebook and I thought it was interesting...

Christianity:
In the beginning there was an ultimate being. Which created everything.

Atheism:
In the beginning there was nothing. Which exploded.

Hobbits

Shut it!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080408/ap_on_sp_ol/olympic_torch

Yet another strange IM conversation....

This is a confusing chat about our buddy icons and my dog (we were both confuzzled about what the other was talking about-my buddy icon is a dancing/hopping hamster named Tuffles)

me: oh
me: hamster
them: no thank you
me: tuffles loves you
me: and your puppy
me: even though he keeps getting too close
them: oh no, stuffing in puppies mouth
me: why would you do that to tuffles
me: he just has to dance
them: penguins???
me: no, hamsters

I watched the video Mike had on his blog about Oprah and Ive come to the conclusion a long time ago in a galaxy far away that she honestly freaks me out. Her fans seem to be in a cult...the "O" cult or something.

When did she go from being a talk show host to a major figure in a new "religion"? As I considered the whole new age movement I caught myself thinking.."Man, I wish Christianity was considered as cool as this new age stuff," but then I realized that I shouldnt think of it in the terms of being cool because the true religion shouldnt follow trends.

The lyrics of a Switchfoot song popped into my head at that point:

We are a beautiful let down,
Painfully uncool,
The church of the dropouts
The losers, the sinners, the failures and the fools
Oh what a beautiful let down
Are we salt in the wound
Let us sing one true tune

The new age people seem very stuck on themselves. I just feel that they think they are too smart for their own good. Sure, its good to have confidence in yourself but not so much as to think that you dont need God in your life.

Does anybody see what I see?!

I've been watching this mini series on HBO recently and I really suggest you watch it if you get a chance. The series is called John Adams and it really shed some light on the founding father who usually gets forgotten in the mist of giants like Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson. I've become interested in the life of Adams ever since I first watched the musical 1776. The musical takes its creative liberties or course, but it really opened my eyes to the life of John Adams and his unique personality. As an author says in the video, Adams knew what it was to be a citizen. He did what he believed and did it with all of his strength, even if no one was supporting him. Of course, he did have Abigail behind him to help him along the way and Jefferson also assisted him in the beginning, but Jefferson turned out to be a great enemy during Adam's presidency and it wasnt until the end of their lives did they begin correspondanc again.

Its very interesting....so, check it out!

I don't like the guy from Canada ...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=R4924xJl38E

...but this is from the 10th anniversary celebration of Les Mis. We actually have the tape and Ive always like this part at the end.

Prayer Warriors

Please pray for 3 special intentions of mine...we need miracles for these people