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!