College is...

I have a new article up on IIBloom!!! 

This article is dedicated to the AMAZING Class of 2010 and Professors from John Paul the Great Catholic University!!!!

College is...

Parental Rights

My mother in law forwarded me an eye opening article about parental rights. Did you know that if your child is 12 years old you have NO legal rights to view their medical records?? Yup, your 12 year old who is 100% dependent on you for food, clothing, shelter, and allowance has the legal right to hide their medical records from you and can even go to the doctor to the doctor to be prescribed birth control (not sure if a pharmacy can fulfill that prescription though if they are under 18...) Yet another piece of legislation brought to you by pro-abortion groups to chip away at our parental rights. Don't you just love California?

Here's the article.

Pray for Priests

I just found out yesterday that a Priest who I greatly admired has left his community and the Priesthood. This reminded me how much we need to pray for our Priests. The Devil hates them most because they bring us Jesus truly present in the Eucharist. We may often remember to pray for an increase in Priestly vocations but let us not forget to pray for those men who have already given their life to the Church has a Priest. Below is a prayer for Priest. Please keep in your prayers Fr. Xavier, Msgr Dale, and all Priests who have been led astray that they return to the their vocation like the Prodigal Son in scripture.

Prayer for Priests

Most gracious Heavenly Father,
We thank you for our faithful priests and bishops, whose spiritual fatherhood and example of fidelity, self-sacrifice, and devotion is so vital to the faith of your people.
May our spiritual fathers be guided by the examples of Saints Peter and Paul, all the Apostles and their saintly successors. Give them valiant faith in the face of confusion and conflict, hope in time of trouble and sorrow, and steadfast love for you, for their families, and for all your people throughout the world. May the light of your Truth shine through their lives and their good works.
Assist all spiritual fathers, that through your Grace they may steadily grow in holiness and in knowledge and understanding of your Truth. May they generously impart this knowledge to those who rely on them.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Z is for... Zeal

Zeal, according to St. Thomas, "(From delos, a derivative of deo 'to boil', to 'throb with heat'), is 'a necessary effect of love', being 'the vehement movement of one who loves to [secure] the object of his love' (vehemens motus amantis in rem amatam, St. Thomas, Summa Theol. I-II:28:4)." When used most properly to its design (as our life's purpose is to know and to love God), zeal is the burning in our hearts for the knowledge and love of God.

I was driving last week listening to Matt Maher's, "Everything You've Done," per my daughter's request for "songs for Jesus," in which he calls us to "Dance for the Lord." This is our favorite part of the song. When I am most joyful, I am dancing and singing as if no one is watching, so the idea of doing this for the Lord, as David did before the Ark of the Covenant, stirs the fire of love for God in my soul. Perhaps this is also attributed to the fact that my reversion to the faith happened within Life Teen youth ministry. The organization has undergone some attacks in recent years with Msgr. Dale sadly falling away from the Church, but has always stayed Eucharist centered and in line with Catholic teaching. I can't deny the fruits in my own life. In fact, this blog was created as an extension of that ministry as most of us bloggers met there.

Nowadays, my faith has matured as I've grown in formation, and I hope that my zeal grows as my knowledge of Christ does. I am inspired by the silence I find in adoration with gregorian chant at St. Michael's Abbey, and by the unchanged beauty of the Tridintine mass, as well as by spiritual reading, and big or small experiences in my life. As women, I think we are particularly prone to growth from experiences in our lives. We tend to reflect and ponder more than men. While my husband may be on fire for sharing the truth of Christ after reading a chapter of a C.S. Lewis book, my heart is more often stirred by a person I encounter who is in need of the love or truth of Christ, something I may witness during the day, or simply by listening to the lyrics of a beautiful song praising God.

Whatever it is that brings out your zeal for the Lord, pay attention to it. Make sure to keep that as part of your regular routine and prayer life. We have an entire book in the Bible of songs written for Christ, and these are now daily Catholic prayers in the Liturgy of the Hours. Just don't forget to reignite that flame in your heart which burns for God. That initial fire that was sparked by my initial Catholic formation, amidst lots of praise and worship and friendships that lead me closer to Christ, should only be furthered as I grow in formation and virtue. It is that zeal for Christ that brought St. Paul to continue writing while in prison, that gave so many saints the strength to praise the Lord, even as they were being martyred.

A great, short commentary on zeal can be found at New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia.

Y is for Your wife is Hot

While driving on the freeway a billboard caught my eye. "Your wife is hot." What?!

But it got me thinking. What adjectives are used to describe women? What do young girls strive to be? Sadly, I think "hot" is the most sought after status by teenage and young girls. Hot. What is hot? The closest definition I found in the dictionary was "lustful, amorous, or erotic" Girls, is that really all we want to be? Is that how we really want men to view us? How do you think they treat someone who's goal is to be lustful or erotic."

Instead I offer you a challenge: be BEAUTIFUL! You are created in the image and likeness of the Lord and your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit! be BEAUTIFUL! You were created that way!

Oh, and the billboard turned out to be unfinished. Next time I drove by it said "Your wife is hot." Call such and such air conditioning company.

X is for the Cross

I was told once by a priest that the Church does not approve of pictures where Mary is not standing at the foot of the cross. She is not supposed to be swooning or lying crying on the floor, but standing - grieving and loving her Son.

I thought this was beautiful, the Church holding Mary in such high respect that she does not want people to see Mary as weak. And I think it tells us something about the Church's stance towards women in general. They are not weak humans who need to be shielded for all pain, but strong and loving who give their love and strength to others - there when many others are too scared to be.

X is for eXercise

I find that when I exercise I feel a lot better physically, mentally, and spiritually. God made us with a body and a spirit and we need to take care of both. Most important of course is the spirit but we should never neglect the importance of the body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Women can become obsessive about exercise, usually due to vanity, so it is important to have balance. Still though, don't let life keep you from taking care of your body. Dr. Laura often tells her callers who are struggling with feeling down or depressed to start eating well and exercising to help them feel better. I hear her give this advice a lot to mothers who say they are struggling with the challenges of motherhood. It is easy to cut exercise out because we are short on time and don't see it as necessary. I think we need to start seeing it as necessary though because as regards our health is really is a necessity. I have heard that 30 minutes a day 3-4 times a week is sufficient to keep us healthy. This week I start school both as a teacher and as a graduate student. I am going to try to commit to exercising at least 30 minutes 3 days a week this school year. I will likely be tempted to cut it out when I am busy but in the long run I know that exercising will be better for me both physically and mentally.

A Movie Recommendation

I just watched The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio. I've seen it before and enjoyed it, which is why I rented it from the library. It's a great story about a strong woman who uses her writing talents to make ends meet for her big family. She is positive and persistent through the whole film and a great image of a "proper" woman. Plus her 1940's/1950's dresses are fun to see! It was made in 2004 so check the library and NetFlix! "She raised her kids on 25 words or less!"

W is for Work and Witness

Wow, did I wake up exhausted this morning!  I just finished coaching a high school dance team through their "work week", as they prepare for school to start.  This meant that my typical two-hour workday grew to almost a full-day of time clocked-in.  Sixteen months ago I would not have batted an eyelash at the concept, but adding motherhood to the equation brings it to an entirely new level.  To the working moms out there, I don't know how you do it!

I have felt specifically called to part-time work.  Although my employment started out as a financial necessity, it has turned into something much more than an extra paycheck.  Through teaching dance, I have found an creative outlet to share my love of the art and fitness, without sacrificing my primary duties of marriage and motherhood.  In some ways, I feel as though spending those hours each week away from my home rejuvenates me, brings me joy, and helps motivate me to always give my vocation my all.  I have spent many hours listening to music or working on choreography while doing laundry or housekeeping-- thus bringing enjoyment to some of my less exciting responsibilities.

More than this, I have also discovered my ability to use my talents to witness to those people around me.  In some environments that many not be the most naturally Christian, I have the opportunity to spread the love of Jesus.  This can be through love and support, mentorships with younger girls, and the example I pray to lead in the way I live my life.  In addition, by sharing my knowledge of dance, I truly believe that I can provide a healthy outlet and passion to the lives of many young people.

I recently came across an excerpt from John Paul II's "On the Dignity of Women" that struck a chord with me:

"The hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of women is being acknowledged in its fullness, the hour in which women acquire in the world an influence, an effect, and a power never hitherto achieved.  That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women imbued with a spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid humanity in not falling."

This quote truly illustrates our situation and calling as women of God in our present day!  Andi described in her recent post the many hats that mothers wear.  Similarly, many women are being called to share their talents and gifts in the workplace.  God calls us where he needs us, and there is no doubt that He needs strong women in working environments as well.

My marriage and family is always my first priority, above work.  I am the only wife my husband has, and the only mother my toddler has.  At this time I have been called to full-time motherhood, my mom was "at-home", and honestly, I totally get it.  There is nothing wrong in simply being a wife or mother.  In fact, it is beautiful! 

At the same time, I do not believe that this means that a moms cannot aspire to a career, hobby, education or that "something more".  I have met women who work full-time from home, have their own business, or who balance family responsibilities between both parents.  Many moms take their "free time" to volunteer in the community, take on-line classes, or start creative projects at home, like scrapbooking, photography or sewing.  Like JPII stated, by acknowledging our vocation to its fullness, we as women will be able to change the world, whether it is in our home, or outside in a larger community.

W is for Wedding Gowns

I got my wedding gown ten days after I got engaged to my husband. I was home in Canada for Christmas and on a whim, my mother and sisters and I went to a small bridal shop in a small town called Elmira, Ontario (about ten minutes from where Mom lives) "just to take a look".

My perception of what my wedding gown was going to look like definitely changed over the years. I remember being really young and wanting something similar to my First Communion dress, which was a simple, cotton "little girl" dress along with thick, white tights and white shoes. Throughout my youth, teenage years and early twenties, that design changed often and I wondered with anticipation what it'd actually end up looking like.

When I was in the bridal shop, it was a wonderful experience. The seamstress went above and beyond to help me find something that I'd like, even if I didn't end up buying that day. It was so special to be able to share the browsing with my mother and sisters - especially since that now we all live so far away from each other; we were able to be together for what would be the most beautiful day of my life. They knew my taste and they helped me pick about five or six gowns to try on.

The first dress was... okay. It didn't really fit me well and I didn't like it on me that much. The second dress was awful. It was such a gorgeous gown but ended up looking like a big box on me. I remember being in the dressing room a little sad after that, wondering if I'd ever try on something that I'd end up liking. Where was I going to find my dress?

I put the third gown on and walked out. I lifted the skirt carefully so as not to trip over it when I climbed up on to the platform in front of the mirrors. My mother had a huge smile on my face and my sisters nodded in approval. It was a lacy, off-white, A-line gown that had a beautiful champagne ribbon under the bust with a bow. There was another bow at the back of the gown, near where my knees were to give it a slight mermaid feel. It was perfect.

Of course, it needed to be altered significantly. It didn't fit me perfectly, but I'm not sure many wedding gowns initially do. I wasn't a fan of the spaghetti straps on the gown - I asked for cap sleeves instead, knowing that my future husband wasn't a fan of strapless. My final fitting was the following July, when I went back to Canada for a friend's wedding. It fit perfectly, the cap sleeves ended up looking fabulous and I was overjoyed to finally put on the gown that I'd been dreaming about my entire life for my special day.

(Oh, and my veil? I made it myself, using tulle and some fantastic lace I found downtown Los Angeles. Turns out that mantillas are super easy to make - and absolutely gorgeous!)

V for Value

The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.
Mother Teresa

Ladies - Let's practice the loving - no matter the cost or result!

U is for Understanding

We often hear the saying "seek to understand before seeking to be understood." I think women have an innate ability to understand others. Maybe it is because we are made to be mother and will have to understand our children, but we have an ability to understand where someone is coming from or empathize with them. I think it is one of our great gifts at women. When we seek to understand someone we make them feel loved, accepted, and cared for. This is especially important when we are talking about matters of faith and helping to lead someone to conversion. Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we want to change about the person that we forget to first understand who they are and where they are coming from. We sometimes forget to just love them and that in that love God will bring conversion. Father Dave Pivonka, T.O.R. describes an experience like this in his book "Hiking the Camino." Father Pivonka walked the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain in thanksgiving for the gift of his priesthood. Along the way he met a woman named Mara. Mara had a lot of pain in her life and was in need of conversion. Father Dave writes of his time with her:

"My time with Mara made it clear to me that I was not supposed to try to convince her of something or of some way of believing. Sometimes I think that, rather than really trying to know another person, especially one very different from myself, I can't get past my agenda of what I want to happen. I want the person to change so badly that I fail to recognize the beauty of the person. Jesus didn't treat people like this. Throughout my entire time with Mara, I felt God asking me to walk with her and be present to her. In the end God was calling me to love."

We need to speak the truth and seek to bring others to conversion but we should never forget to first love and try to understand them.

T is for Tangentially Appropriate

I have said that God is pleased with nothing but love; but before I explain this, it will be as well to set forth the grounds on which the assertion rests. All our works, and all our labours, how grand soever they may be, are nothing in the sight of God, for we can give Him nothing, neither can we by them fulfill His desire, which is the growth of our soul. As to Himself He desires nothing of this, for He has need of nothing, and so, if He is pleased with anything it is with the growth of the soul; and as there is no way in which the soul can grow but in becoming in a manner equal to Him, for this reason only is He pleased with our love. It is the property of love to place him who loves on an equality with the object of his love. Hence the soul, because of its perfect love, is called the bride of the Son of God, which signifies equality with Him. In this equality and friendship all things are common, as the Bridegroom Himself said to His disciples: I have called you friends, because all things, whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you.

-St. John of the Cross

T is for...Teaching

In America today, 3 out of 4 K-12 teachers, is female. Think about your favorite teacher growing up. What qualities made them so great? My favorite teacher was my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Sipe. I still remember vividly. It was my first year at a new school after moving across the country for the 2nd time in 3 years. What I remember most, is her warmth, and the emphasis that she put on good behavior in the classroom. She was so genuinely sweet herself, yet not afraid to discipline, that created a class full of children from all different backgrounds, who for the most part, interacted charitably and peacefully.

Even the statistics show that women are more drawn to the profession of teaching, and seem to excel in it more than men. I can't put my finger on just one quality that makes women naturally such good teachers, but I would love to hear your thoughts (especially since several of our bloggers who don't yet have children of their own, and even one who does, are feeding those of others as teachers).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that, "Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues. This requires an apprenticeship in self-denial, sound judgment, and self-mastery - the preconditions of all true freedom. Parents should teach their children to subordinate the "material and instinctual dimensions to interior and spiritual ones."³¹ Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children. By knowing how to acknowledge their own failings to their children, parents will be better able to guide and correct them." (CCC 2223)

For those of us who are mothers, it is quite clear that we are the primary educators of our children, as for most of us, we are the primary caregivers. Some of us may choose to homeschool, which makes us our child's teacher, on a whole other level.

Clearly, the Lord calls many women, no matter what their vocation or state in life, to be teachers. What is it about us that makes us particularly fit for educating? Is it patience, nurturing, compassion, listening skills, or is this something that is built into our physical and spiritual makeup?

S is for Service

"Love cannot remain by itself -- it has no meaning.
      Love has to be put into action, and that action is service." - Mother Teresa


There is no way that one can serve with out love, and as Mother Teresa says, the action of love is service. Because love is selfless, it only seeks to help others. When you serve others, you give your life meaning. Your actions become more than just actions. They become part of a story, a legacy, a way of life. 
There is much more to service than just helping others, because if you are only helping others but do not have love, then it is only an action. With love, it becomes more than that. Love in action is a way of life. Giving of one's self, without holding back can be difficult, but well worth it! You never know which act of service turns someone's life around. Or gives them hope when they needed.




Love. Action. Service. Always.