Our Apartment is So Cute!

So, tonight, instead of going out, Roomie and I decided to continue to beautify our apartment. We planted some pansies into a upcycled postal service box, I made a yarn wreath (my first attempt!) for our front door, and Rooms hung a new picture above our TV. Here are some pictures to highlight the experience. The rest will be on facebook/tumblr.

 Punching holes in the bottom so that it can drain.

 Oh no! Out of potting soil!

 Emergency trip to Lowe's for more potting soil/rocks for the bottom of the planter.

 Yeah! Got some soil/rocks!

 Arg....these rocks are SO heavy!

 Rocks in ze bottom

 I set you free extra soil that spilled on the balcony!

 Puttin' in some pansies!

 Water 'em in.

 Super cute planter!!!

 Rooms putting nails into the wall.

 Look at the super cute picture I picked out!

 Ain't it pretty?

 New over the TV area!

My yarn wreath!!!!!!!!!!

Guess who's on tumblr?

Oh, that would be me! I will probably still blog from here, but I am currently posting a quote-a-day on my tumblr. I am also sharing sweet stuff that I find. So......check it out!

What Wondrous Love Is This?

Earth Day Reflection on Light

This is a part of the Earth Day Prayer Service that my fellow Campus Ministry interns and I planned and celebrate today. The excerpt is from a Maori creation myth and the reflection was written by me.

In the Maori creation myth we hear...

"Soon, and yet not soon, for the time was vast, the Sky and Earth began to yield. Their longing was strong to keep embracing each other forever but their children's longing for growth was stronger. Rangi and Papa began to surrender their embrace through Tane's strength.


By this separation of Rangi and Papa the world of light, of existence, came into being. All of the creatures that were born of their parents love, were free now to move and grow...


They celebrated this first day of light and felt the joy of breathing and moving and having room to stretch out and grow and to feel themselves.


And we too now celebrate this returning of the light."


In this creation myth from the Maori people of New Zealand, we see the freedom that comes from light. Before the light, the children on Rangi and Papa are cramped and stifled. They long to live in the light. They force their parents to separate, breaking apart the tight bond between earth and sky. They are now free. They can stretch and breathe and move. They celebrate the light.

Imagine being in a place that is completely dark. How do you feel? Do you feel like the children of Rangi and Papa? Do you feel frightened, alone, and subdued by the darkness? What happens when a light enters the darkness? Those feelings of seclusion and restraint dissipate. You feel free to bend, move, grow, and live.

Just as the Maori celebrate the return of the light at the Winter Solstice, we too take time today to celebrate the light. Just as a plant cannot grow in the darkness, we too cannot prosper without light. We celebrate the chance to live our lives in the light, not in the darkness. We celebrate the comfort of a candle, the joy of a bonfire, the warmth of a hearth. We bless and honor the gift of the Earth called light.

Loving

by: P. Jacob

Blessed are the poor
...not the penniless,
but those whose hearts are free.

Blessed are those who mourn
...not those who whisper,
but those who raise their voices.

Blessed are the meek
...not the soft,
but those who are patient and tolerant.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice
...not those tho whine,
but those who struggle.

Blessed are the merciful
..not those who forget,
but those who forgive.

Blessed are the pure of heart
...not those who act like angels,
but those who life is transparent.

Blessed are the peacemakers
...not those who shun conflict,
but those who face it squarely.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for justice
...not because they suffer,
but because they love.

Reflection on St. Peter

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Students/2010-2011%20Reflections/s041911.html

This is a reflection that I wrote today about the daily readings. It is about St. Peter and Jesus' love for him and for us. Enjoy.

Loser Letters

I just finished this great book called Loser Letters. Is it almost like Stephen Colbert and The Onion had a baby. The letters are written by a Christianity to Atheism convert telling the head Atheist hanchos about the flaws in atheism. Here is the passage that made me think the most. I haven't really realized that my generation is truly disposable. This is the excerpt. I like the book. I recommend it!


Have any of You ever seen one of the rallies in Washington, D.C., on the anniversary of our favorite Bright decision ever, Roe v. Wade? (I’m guessing not!) I have. I went several times with my Dull friends, back before I met Lobo and stopped talking to Loser. And I’m here to tell You that unfortunately for us guys who want to protect the so-called right to abortion at all costs, those pro-life rallies on the Mall every January are nothing like the rallies that the pro-abortion people stage.  You know those other rallies, I’m sure—the ones full of grim ladies well past aborting age, marching with coat hangers as their emblems, yelling about their “right” to end the pregnancies they’ll never have.

            No, the pro-lifers and their rallies are a different world altogether. There are children, families, and teenagers everywhere. There are kids playing Frisbee. Kids holding hands. Kids horsing around and shoving each other. Kids with earrings and tattoos. Kids with rosaries. Kids wearing T-shirts that read, “I’m adopted and thanks, Mom, for having me.” Kids, kids, kids, kids, kids—are You getting the horrible drift here? It’s more like a rave or rock concert than an ordinary political event—I mean it would be, only the kids are a lot more healthy-looking and there aren’t any drugs, of course.

            I cannot emphasize enough how seriously bad I is for us Atheists that the face of the pro-life movement is a youthful face. And what do You think pulls all those kids into the pro-life scene? I know You will say indoctrination; but at the rick of annoying everybody all over again, I have to say as a former Christian that You’re wrong. Those kids are in the movement for the same reason that the civil-rights marchers—who are their rock stars—also took to the streets: because they’re totally convinced that in taking a stand against abortion, they’re doing something good for the world.

            Why is that? Don’t You ever wonder?

            I have, and I think the answer has to do with something we Atheists—and plenty of our Secular allies too—just don’t get yet. It’s this: living around the fact of abortion on demand has changed some people, and the closer they get to the ground, as it were, the more seriously they take it.

            I mean, face it! If You’re over fifty, there’s not much chance that anyone would have aborted You. But nowadays it’s different. It’s like anyone who’s even born now, in the Age of Choice, either requires explanation or feels like there’s a reason for it. It’s changed the existential experience of the very question, Why am I here?

            I’m not saying this bizarre state of affairs is altogether bad for our godlessness. Some kids, today as ever, do turn effortlessly towards Atheism’s chief transmitter belts among the young, i.e., nihilism and melancholy. In fact, some do it easier than ever. The fact that their generation is the fist truly disposable one—even disposed-of one—puts extra pressure on all of today’s kids to find a meaning in life. Some just can’t. That’s what Goth is for. And a lot of their music. And Norplant. And, of course, drugs.

            But other kids, including many of the more serious kids, get pulled instead by those same questions toward Loser. When those kids look at those pictures the rallies, they don’t see what nonbeliever see—a mistake of Nature “fixed” somehow by violent human intervention. No they see something else—what their baby sister looked like four years ago on the sonogram, what they themselves were not very long ago. They see themselves. They see their friends. They see their siblings. And all this propels them away from us, and toward the people who tell them this thing is wrong—people concentrated for one reason or another on Loser’s side.

            So many of us Brights just don’t get this part of the struggle! I’m not blaming anybody in particular here. I think it’s one more generational thing. As in my first Letter, where I tried to explain what You all are missing about the Sexual Revolution—like it unhappy consequences for lost of people—I’m trying here to explain something similar. Most young Dulls do not think abortion in an issue; they think it is the issue that proves their Christian morality to be superior. I cannot emphasize this point enough: millions of them are Dulls just because of abortion on demand. They believe—as that hideously erudite enemy of ours Hadley Arkes wrote—that abortion is “the central moral issue of our day, the issue from which everything else radiates.”

Time for Lent

As Lent approaches this year (okay it will be here in an hour), I am thinking a lot about the death and resurrection of Christ. What do we really mean when we say Christ died for our sins? What do we mean when we say he saved us from death? Did Christ HAVE to die? If not, why did he die?

These are the questions that I am wondering, that I want to delve deeper into. If you have suggested for things for me to read on these, let me know.

My Job Part 2: Justice Walking

Justice Walking is the social justice and faith group here on campus. Every semester there is a theme picked for us to learn about, weekly service, and bi-weekly reflection. Last semester we worked with Hospice, who is an organization near and dear to my heart. They were great when my grandfather was losing his battle with cancer. I visited a man all last semester. It took awhile for him to warm up to me and the girl I was partnered with, but eventually we were laughing and really looking forward to our visits every week. We got to know a very humble, faithful, and funny man. We got to give him something to look forward to every Wednesday and we too looked forward to our weekly visit. Once I became a coordinator, I was in charge of planning the weekly reflections. I also helped us get ready for our fall break trip to Tuscan (which I have already written quite a bit about on this blog), and I helped plan our closing ceremony.

Another aspect of this part of my job was to plan this semester’s Justice Walking theme. I chose education because it is something that I really care about. I guess it is a good thing that I am an education major! We are going to be GED and ESL tutoring. I picked this because not only it is an important service needed in this world, but I know that it will make us a little bit uncomfortable. It makes me uncomfortable. Teaching people older than me is always a little scary. They have so much more life experience than I do. Will they resent me for “knowing more”? I don’t know. I hope not. I would love to get to know these people for who they are; they deserve my respect. But, I am glad it makes my uncomfortable. Service shouldn’t be easy. It should stretch us, make us confront and reexamine our ideals, morals, and views of the world. Service should help us grow and help the world become a better place to live. Anyway, I am excited and nervous about the semester. Mostly this is because the whole idea of this semester was mine. If it fails, then I will feel like I failed.

My Job

I think I probably have one of the coolest jobs in the entire world, and I couldn’t love it any more than I already do. I am an intern in the Campus Ministry office on my campus. The highlights of my job include Justice Walking, Confirmation, weekly prayer and reflection with Laura and my fellow interns, bi-weekly prayer with the whole CM staff, spiritual direction, and the chance to work with awesome people all over campus!

First of all, my job was not intended to be as I just described it. I started off just participating in Justice Walking, and I was working on a Protestant Worship Service with Marie. The CM office was looking to cater to the Protestant as well as the Roman Catholic students here on campus. This was a stretch for me, because I am Roman Catholic, born and raised. I have only been to a Protestant service a couple of times, and that was a Southern Baptist service, very different from the mainline Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians I was working with. Luckily, one of the ministers was a professor I had last semester for Christology. It was a great time. I learned a lot about other denominations than my own and I also saw what goes into putting together a service.  I am happy to say that the service is still going on and growing! Due to some class conflicts with a fellow intern, I was pulled from this project and became a coordinator in our Justice Walking program.

Bring Me to Your Love, Lord

I wrote this last semester. It is a prayer based on Pslam 139.

Bring Me to Your Love, Lord

I, Katie, arise this day and rejoice!
I praise you, God, for your unconditional love;
you know me and love me anyway.
Your gift of peace is my great joy;
Your gift of grace is my great consolation.

When I am distressed, you comfort me.
When I am elated, you rejoice with me.
When I am sacred, you protect me.

Loving God, hear my prayer:
Open my eyes to see you in all people.
Open my ears to hear you in every voice.
Open my heart to receive the plan you have made for me.
Open my hands to hold those who have no one to hold them.
Open my mouth to speak your words.
Open my whole self to live the life you have prepared for me, even if it scares me.

Amen.

A New Year

A lot of people have been posting about 2010 and what they want to do in 2011. These posts have got me thinking about how I spent 2010. I can't say that 2010 was a great year for me. I have a lot of ups. The highlight was definitely working for Totus Tuus.  It was a great summer and I learned a lot about myself. Yet, I still found/find myself not becoming the person I wish I was. I want to be this person, but I want it to happen overnight. Yes, I know that is not how it happens, but I still wish it was like that. I am frustrated that I do not have the discipline to become a better person, the person I wish I was. I know that I should love the me I am, but I can't help but question myself. It has been quite awhile since I have been on a date. I find it hard to discern my vocation when I don't know what life would be like as a sister or as a married person. I would love to go on a date, just to help me make a decision. It is also tough to be the odd person out, the one home alone on Friday and Saturday nights. I can't help but think that there is something wrong with me, like I am not doing something right. I don't make New Year's Resolutions because I cannot stick to them, but I pray for the discipline to be the person God desires me to be. Okay, angsty post over.

A Summer for Christ

I have been thinking a lot about my summer with Totus Tuus, mostly because I have  I have been working on Dennis and Father at my home parish to being it to St. John. I think that Vacation Bible School at our parish is so tame, timid, and fails to preach the gospel to the young people of our parish, the people who will soon be standing up for their and and the Church or will be leaving it the Church all together. It also fails because there is nothing for the middle and high schoolers. In Rediscovering Catholicism, Matthew Kelly write, "The ironic thing is that most young people are looking for someone who has the courage to look them in the eye and tell them the truth. Young people want above all to be their own person. But they want to be the-best-version-of-themselves. And they need and want guidance in their lives." This is why Totus Tuus works. College students stand up in front of a group of high schoolers and say, "The truth is, Christ is worth you whole life. Look at us, we have been broken, we are confused, we have no idea where our lives are going. But God is so important, He will be with us throughout the entire journey. Christ is so important that we are willing to give up our whole summer to tell you about Him." Totus Tuus teachers are willing to stand up in front of these high schoolers and tell them the truth and to give them guidance. This is how the Church will change and grow.