A Last Dance

There was a time when dancing was like brushing my teeth-- it was simply something that I did. I trained for as much as 5-hours a day, and although I loved and enjoyed it, I definitely took these hours for granted.

Nowadays taking a dance class is a special privilege for me. I am sure that any mother can relate to the challenge of making time in the day to simply take a shower, nevermind finding a couple of hours to wisk yourself off to the studio! As a result, I now cherish every single moment of my dance classes. I love the sound of the ultra-loud music pulsing the room, the liberating feeling of my body moving through space, and even the lovely aches and soreness that follow me home afterwards. I find myself spending every second of my 90-minute class completely focused on the instructor, soaking in the exercises and fine-tuning every detail and mechanic of my movements. A large neon bus could probably drive through the wall of the studio, and I wouldn't even notice. By the end I always find myself physically and mentally exhausted. I never know when I will get another chance to return, so I truly treat each class as my last.

I realize that this is nothing new; we often hear the saying "seize the day". Even so, I feel that in the busyness and ordinariness of daily life, I often forget to cherish each moment. I can't help but wonder what I could have accomplished had I treated every dance class as I do now. Although this thought is pointless, it leads me to reflect on other areas of my life. What if I listened to music, as though it were my last song? What if I spoke, as though this was our last conversation? What if I prayed, like it was my last prayer?

Thank you Lord, for the gift of the present. Please help us to cherish each day!

Saint Jude Michael

A very good friend of mine recently delivered her son almost 4 months premature. Many of you who read this blog have heard about this and been praying for him. Thank you for your prayers. The following is something I wrote to share with my students who have been faithfully praying for him for weeks now...

Many of you have faithfully and lovingly remembered in your prayers my friend Erin and her baby Jude. Jude was born on February 14th after only 24 weeks in his mother’s womb. Almost 4 months premature he suffered from many issues that come along with being under developed. Jude struggled and suffered for 7 days. On February 21st he entered heaven where he will suffer no more. Those of us who loved him and prayed for him might be left to wonder why this happened and if God even heard our prayers. I had great faith that a miracle would happen and Jude would be healed through the intercession of Saint Jude. God did indeed hear our prayers but he had a better plan. This reminds me of CS Lewis when he said “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do what is best for us, we are just wondering how painful that best will be.” Jude was anxious to get to heaven so he could meet Jesus. After all, the goal of every single life is to get to heaven. Jude just expedited the process. His little body as young and tiny as it was knew the joys that awaited him in heaven and so he rushed there where he will receive his crown and reign as a Saint for all of eternity.

Often times in our lives we wonder why we must suffer and if suffering has any value at all. Jude witnessed to the value of suffering. In his 7 days of life Jude touched more lives then I think many people touch in 60 or 70 years. Jude called people on to prayer who otherwise don’t often talk to God or acknowledge his existence. Jude witnessed to the reality of faith in the family of God by pulling people together around his life. Jude has showed us exactly what life is supposed to be, completely and totally dependent on God. Jude came, drew people to God and then went to spend eternity in heaven. He completed his life perfectly. I was able to meet Jude and even got to hold his hand through the side of his incubator. It will remain one of the best moments of my life, for I met a perfect little saint. I have faith that now in heaven Jude is saying that it was all worth it. If Jude can do so much in just 7 days imagine what those of us who live 18, 29, or even 80 years can do if we just give our lives over to God the way Jude did.

Those of us who knew Jude will be sad for quite some time for we mourn the loss of someone we all loved very much but Jude will be our comfort from heaven. Immaculee, a Rwandan Genocide survivor who lost almost her entire family in the genocide once had a vision of her family in heaven in which her brother appeared to her and said “do not be sad, if you only knew how great it is where we are you would never wish for us to return to earth.” I think Jude is saying the same thing to all of us now. If we only understood how great it is where he is now we would be able to rejoice for him. We know that Jude is now in heaven and so we must find comfort in knowing that he is in the place that we all long to be one day.

Jude’s parents were faithful and completed their job well. The single goal of any parent is to love their children and then deliver them to our Lord in heaven. Jude’s parents loved him in the womb and out and then faithfully handed him to Jesus where he belongs.

Jude died while in his mother’s arms. He is now resting in the arms of our heavenly mother where he waits and hopes that we will all decide to join him one day. I pray that through the intercession of Saint Jude we all will one day be with him again.

Saint Jude Michael Webster, pray for us.

The Joy of Lent

We've arrived! Lent is upon us, and we are called to unite ourselves to the sufferings of Christ in this grace-filled time. As I prepared for this season this last week, trying to think of some new penance to undertake, I kept thinking of the typical negatives: no chocolate, no meat, no sleeping on a pillow, etc. I was stumped trying to come up with something original, something that I could do while being pregnant, and something that would truly be a sacrifice that would help me grow closer to Christ. So rather than making a list of the negatives, I thought, "What virtues do I need to grow in?"

The one that dominated, was joy. Lent is not often associated with the virtue of joy, but in actuality, "Mortification only produces sadness when there is in its practice too much selfishness and a lack of generosity and love of God. Sacrifice always brings with it joy in the midst of pain, the happiness of knowing that we are fulfilling God's will, and of making the effort to love him." (1 Cor 8:10) While watching the Dominican Sisters on Oprah last week, I was reminded of the few precious moments I've been blessed to spend with them. Each time, it was so hard to leave because the joy of Christ which radiates from them, is so infectious. It is not that these women have an easier life than I, for they've given their entire lives over to Christ for the sake of the kingdom. It is a matter of perspective and a life of virtue.

This true Christian joy can be some of the best evangelization, and we are called to share it with everyone in our lives, especially those closest to us. During Lent, the Lord calls us to mortify ourselves, and there are certainly some tough penances we can take on, and we should feel the difficulty, as Christ's cross was not light. But it is also a time to be aware of the passive mortifications in our lives (the ones we can't control). Whether it's something as miniscule as picking up the trail of clothes your husband leaves around the house, or a great suffering like grieving the loss of a friend or family member, we are called to smile when we don't feel like it, to give hugs and kisses to those we love, to perform our daily duties with the people we do them in mind, and do everything with the love and joy of Christ.

For even as we mourn the passion of Our Lord, we always hope in the resurrection. So happy fasting, because it is in these moments that the Lord unites us closer to Him and reminds us that He is ultimately, all we need, or want.

As a way of expanding this virtue in your life, I challenge everyone to think of some way you can bring joy to those in your home on a daily basis, and those in your community each week, and take on a positive this Lent.

Australia's Anglicans are becoming Catholic!

This past Sunday marked a historic day for the Church, as Forward in Faith Anglicans in Australia voted unanimously to enter the Catholic Church! Praise be to God! This was brought about by Pope Benedict XVI's invitation to Anglicans in Angliconorum Coetibus. The Anglicans will still maintain aspects of their liturgy, but will officially be in communion with the Church. Let's keep praying for unity of all Christians as Jesus intended, and hope that more Anglican groups follow their example.

Here is the full article: http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=35460

Olympic Pride

For the first time I cannot say I have lived in Canada longer than I have lived in the United States. I will be an alien of twelve years this summer, and at the age of twenty-four, this makes my primary national residence split right down the middle of my life timeline.

My husband always bothers me about cheering for Canada in the Olympics and having pride in my home country. He accuses me of living in the past. Since I am currently a US resident, why wouldn't I devote my alliances to America?

The truth is that it is not about how long I have lived at a certain address. It is more than this-- Canada IS my childhood. Canada is my teddy bear, worn out because she was so loved. Canada is the comforting smell of my mom's perfume when she hugs me. It is my cozy and dry clothes, after swimming or skiing. Canada is a delicious homemade dinner after playing outside all day long. It is my first memories of Christmas, surrounded by family, food and a fire burning in the fireplace. In many ways, Canada is home... home to the child in me.

This year, my husband and I will be watching the Olympics from Australia. Of course, Michael had it coming when I asked him if he would be cheering for Oz, since this is where we currently live. I think he is finally starting to understand my commitment to the country on my passport. Who will you be supporting this Olympic season?

I can't stop thinking about this...

"The fruit of silence is prayer,
The fruit of prayer is faith,
The fruit of faith is love,
The fruit of love is service,
The fruit of service is peace."

-Mother Teresa

Sisters on Oprah

Tune in to Oprah next week (February 9th) for an interview with the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist.

For more information about their community, visit http://www.sistersofmary.org.

Holiness for Housewives

I think this passage is applicable to everyone :)

The mother of a family will tell you that she would be able to give herself much more to religion if she did not have the children to look after. A factory worker will compare her chancees with those of a lay sister. "I would be very religious," says the girl in the post office, "if it were not so impersonal, and I could serve God in a family." Everyone creates an imaginary kingdom of God on Earth, and sits outside its walls gazing enviously in its direction. But the kingdom of God is within you. Your purpose is to "seek God and feel after Him...although he be not far from every one of us."

Imagined sanctity is no sanctity. A religion that exsists in hypothetical circumstances cannot endure the pressure of actuality. To presume to a service of God that the present framework of life does not allow is sheer pride. What sort of service can it be that has its only reality in someone else's vocation? How can obedience to God's will (which is all that religion amounts to) rest on a concept that is not being realized and may never be?

If the mother looks upon her children as obstacles to the prompt response to grace, she is missing the whole point. If the children look upon their mother as preventing their development in God's service, then they have not yet begun to love God. If the workers write of their employers as a sheer waste so faras religious perceptions go, and if the mistress looks upon the maid as hired labor and not as a soul redeemed by Christ, then theere is a want of balance.

Your occupations, associates, material surroundings, health, and strength are there, are real, are the solids, are the substance from which the here andnow house of God is to be built. There is nothing concrete in a dream vocation.

Saintly Wisdom

"Though we should fall fifty times a day, let us rise again quite simply, without wasting thought in self-reflections on what we may have done or left undone. Such useless discouragements are often greater faults than the ones that so disturb us.

If we follow His plans for us, though heaven and earth should be overturned, in truth it does not matter whether we suffer or enjoy, so long as the Divine Will be accomplished."

--St. Jane Francoise de Chantal

Ephesians 5

I know I am a single woman but I love Ephesians 5. Of all the wedding reading this one is my favorite and I love when couples choose to have it read at their wedding Mass. I often see women struggle with this teaching and I think it is because many do not understand the passage. When Saint Paul talks about wives being in submission to their husbands he is not talking about domination. To be submissive means to be under the mission of something. This is why women, we need to marry men who have the mission of getting their family to heaven. Then we can trust, not worry, and love the idea of being submissive. I read a reflection on Ephesians 5 today and I think the following paragraph is beautiful.

"Note that St. Paul describes wives’ subjection to their husbands as the prototype for the Church’s subjection to Christ. Does the Church feel cheated because She is formed from the side of Christ? Does the Church feel slighted because She must follow Christ (to Her salvation)? Yet the hairs rise on the necks of feminists when women are made the prototype of the Church. Christ loves the Church. It is the object of His great affection. Women are made prototype to this image of Christ’s affection. How can one take offense? The wife should embrace the honor given her as prototype for the Church: that instrument of Christ, that bride of Christ, through which graces flow — through which all men come to their salvation. Women are the prototype of this worthy bride!"

As a side note, this is what women represent when they wear the veil at Mass. The Church is holy and so must be veiled. Women are a prototype for the Church so they veil themselves at Mass.

In Defense of Getting Married Young

When Joey and I first got engaged, many people started to question us. We were told that we were too young, that we hadn't experienced enough life yet. They told us to "enjoy college life" or "why don't you travel around the world?"
Because both Joey and I are both in school, we were told going to school and working would be to difficult. 


In my opinion, it definitely is not the right choice for everyone. 


That being said, it is important to follow God's will in your life. 


There are a lot of reason for getting married young. When your lucky enough to have met the person you are going to spend the rest of your life at such a young age, and God calls you to the married life, then it's God's timing. 


I remember reading an article when Joey and I were first considering when we should get married. It was called in defense of marrying young. In this article it talked about a lot of reasons that getting married young is not a bad thing. One thing they talked about was how when you are growing up your patterns and  habits change a lot. When you get into college, you start to settle into your habits, but because of not knowing how your rooming situations will change from year to year, some of your patterns and habits can change. Then, once you start living on your own, your patterns and habits really take hold. And once that has happened, it has made it increasingly harder to change your ways. However, when you get married young, your patterns and habits start to form to each others. I've noticed that there are a lot of things that Joey and I like or don't like, and a lot of them tend to be similar. Our habits and patterns tend to fit into each others because we've, in a sense, have grown up together. 


Another thing that was interesting was when people told us to "enjoy college life" or "travel the world". 
I have found that when people say "enjoy college life" or "travel the world", my first reaction is why wouldn't I want to travel the world or enjoy my college life with my spouse? 


At first glance, working and going to school would look like something that could be really difficult. Luckily, we haven't found this to be as difficult as it may sound. While working and going to school and being a wife can be difficult at times, I have found that working gives me something to do while Joey is at work during the day and I am not at school. 


One of the biggest problems that people were questioning us over was money. Obviously, you need money to live, so therefore, it is important. But, it is not the end all be all. We don't need to be in a mansion and have all of those extra courtesies.  Also, marriage is for richer or poorer. Not just when you have the good times rolling, but also when you have been hit so far down that you can't get back up.


Marriage is sacred and holy. It is a man and woman being joined together with God.


And those are a few of the benefits of getting married young.

Praise be to God!!

Thank you all for your prayers! I went to the perinatalogist today for a loooooong ultrasound (I'm talking over an hour!) where I received the good news that the placenta had moved 6.8 cm from the opening and the Doctor said I do not have to have a scheduled c-section!!!! Of course, I still need to confirm this with my Dr. on Friday, but he was hoping it moved 3cm so I'm pretty sure we have the green light to try for a nice, normal birth!!! Maybe God just needed me to be at peace with the idea of a c-section...who knows?? Now the waiting game begins (though apparently I'm already getting lots of contractions...)