Just in the Nick of Time

Update on January Goals:

Go running ten times. Check. Just went for the tenth time about two hours ago.
Spend 8 hours in Adoration. FAIL. Majorly. I only spent about 3 hours in Adoration all month. But I went to Mass 12 times. I want to do better.
Write in this blog two more times. Check, check.
Drink one gallon of water per day and eat clean for 20 days. Check. I took before and after pictures to see if I could tell a difference in my skin after drinking a gallon of water per day for 20 days, and I can't. But I know it's good for me, so I want to keep going.
Do something that makes me uncomfortable. Check, times two. I both accepted and extended lunch invitations that made me uncomfortable. Also I had some friends over for dinner, which didn't make me uncomfortable except that I made them a questionable recipe for Whole30 Chili which they said they liked. Note to self: don't make your friends be your recipe guinea pigs.
Pray a novena. Check. I'm on day 7 of a novena which ends on the Feast of the Purification of Mary.

Update on me:

Nothing huge has been happening in prayer or otherwise.

The most exciting thing in my life is that my mom got two new puppies and I.AM.OBSESSED.

They're the cutest.

Here are some pictures:

Cricket is the black one, she's super outgoing and rambunctious and TROUBLE.
Trixie is the brown one and she's shy and sweet as can be. And a chicken.

I love them.


And because you're all dying to know:

February Goals
Gym x 12
Finish 3 books
Reconnect with 3 friends
Prepare for Lent

Mary, Pure of Heart, pray for us!

Mary, Crusher of the Serpent

Hey Hey!!!

I am in a generally very happy mood this week for a few reasons. None of them have to do with my job.

One is that I'm probably still riding that FOCUS Conference mini high. I've looked over my notes from the conference and replayed a few of the talks in my mind, and gotten some great little nuggets.

Fr. Mike Schmitz spoke to the Alumni about the importance of prayer in evangelization. Dr. J. Reyes gave a breakout on how to evangelize a parish. Both of them KILLED it and provided so much wisdom.

I'm still unpacking. (Not physically, I'm too neurotic for that. Think: Monica from friends.)

Another reason for my happy mood is that I've been doing a lot of speaking this week. I gave a workshop on evangelization on Saturday, gave the talk at both high school and middle school youth groups this week, and I'm speaking on discipleship at a Confirmation Retreat this weekend.

Speaking at these events gives me SO.MUCH.LIFE. It is so invigorating and exciting and encouraging for me to hear the feedback afterwards.

On the way home tonight I was thinking about how prideful I am because of how encouraged I feel. After thinking about it more, I'm not sure if it's only pride though. It's prideful to expect to be asked and prideful to expect thanks and praise for the talk. But is it prideful to be excited to be asked to speak? Is it prideful to be excited that someone got something out of what I said? I know my pride is always lying CLOSE to the surface of most of my thoughts, and I like to be recognized when I do something well. Also, I know that ultimately these talks are given by the Holy Spirit, who has no need of me to deliver them. But I'm thankful when He let's me! I'll have to pray more about it.


Since you're my accountability partner, blog, here's how I've been doing on my January goals:

Go running ten times.
          I've gone 4 times so far and I'm planning on going tomorrow. I'll have to step it up next week.
Spend eight hours in Adoration.
          FAIL. But I have been to Mass 9 times, which is more than I usually get to go in a month.
Write in this blog two more times.
          Ding ding ding!
Drink one gallon of water per day and eat clean for 20 days.
          I'm 10 days in so far. Haven't stopped peeing once. You're welcome.
Do something that makes me uncomfortable.
          Still working on this one.
Pray a Novena.
          I'm going to pray a Novena for the Feast of the Purification of Our Lady, starting Tuesday.  

So there you have it!

Mary, pure and lowly, pray for me!

Mary, Queen of my Heart

Merry Christmas!!!! And Happy New Year!

I'll tell you all about my New Year's Resolutions after I tell you this story. 

The past month or so, I've been having an internal debate with myself. 

Side one:

For about the last 2 years I've been fully committed to my parish. 

I lead a 12th grade girls small group. (I have lead 8th and 9th previously.)

I lead a young adult woman's Bible Study. 

I go to the same Mass whenever possible and I sit in the same pew. 

I have made friends there, and I know the people who sit near me in Mass.

The location is conveniently between my office and my apartment. 

I think this parish and the friends I have made there are the perfect "village" that it takes to raise children. Sometimes when I go over to friends' houses and see all their kids playing together, I think about how awesome it would be to raise babies with all of them. The problem is, I'm just not there yet. 

Side two: 

My parish is in the suburbs. 

There are many young adults there, but they are all married, and most have kids. 

I feel like I need to meet people my age to make more friends and to expand my evangelization opportunities/scope.

There are zero single men there. (Think: same number of dinosaurs roaming earth, not "there's nothing to wear in my closet.")

So this leaves a dilemma which I've been doing mostly thinking and a little praying about. (Me of little faith.)

If I get a new job (which I can do within the next six months if I want), I wouldn't need to live where we live now, and we could move closer to downtown where all the "cool" young adult stuff happens. 

Cut to the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. 

It was a pretty normal Mass, I had some other things on my mind and was praying about something different. 

After Mass, a family I hardly know invited me over for lunch tomorrow. After exchanging contact info and making plans, I was on my way out of the Church when another couple stopped me and asked if I wanted to get dinner next week.

Part of the problem isn't solved (there still aren't any single men), but I'm just so surprised that people went out of their way to invite me to things. It feels like I'm always the one doing the inviting (and the one getting stood up, if you remember my post from a few months ago.) It was so affirming to have someone reach out to me. I'm encouraged to keep inviting, because I'm reminded how powerful a personal invitation can be. And I'll keep praying about it further, but I'm really thinking God wants me at this parish. 

Now for the resolutions!

(I'm only making monthly resolutions, as I can't handle a whole year at a time.)

January, 2017

Go running ten times.

Spend eight hours in Adoration. Learn to worship God for His sake and not for mine. 

Write in this blog two more times.

Drink one gallon of water per day and eat clean for 20 days. 

Do something that makes me uncomfortable. 

Pray a novena. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, pray for me!