A Body Manifesto!

I have been thinking a lot about body image lately. It seems more and more the media is trying to tell us what beauty is, but it doesn't resemble what real women look like. I love Dove and their campaign for real beauty, and Creighton picking it up (and me being a model for them!) I also love songs like "More Beautiful You" by Johnny Diaz. These things are encouraging real women to love themselves for who they are. Even Glamour is getting on the bandwagon and starting to use models of all shapes and sizes in their pages. So, here it is, a list, no a Manifesto! of the things love about my body.


I love my hair! Everything to the color, to the way it looks, I have great hair.
I love my eye color. It is an amazing blue that is really, really blue. I get more compliments on my eyes than any  other part of my body.
I love the way my eye crinkle and get lines around them when I smile.
I love my claves. They are strong and muscular and look good in heels.
I love my butt, it may be small, but it is mighty!

There it is: the things I love about me. I think it is a good idea for every woman to make a list of what they love about themselves and look at it often. As Johnny Diaz said, There could never be a more beautiful you!

Our God is not dead, He's alive! He's alive!

Lent is over, Easter is here! I did pretty well on my Lenten sacrifice (except for spring break...that week was a bust). My sacrifice was to attend daily Mass. So, not really a sacrifice, but an addition. It was hard because It was taking time (albeit only a half an hour) out of my day to go to Mass. It ended up being more rewarding than giving up pop or chocolate or snacking could have been for me. No, I didn't have an revelations during this time, but I feel a little closer to God than I did before Lent started. I think the best part was just taking the half hour to be with God everyday. I have tried to pray in the morning for before I do to bed, but at those points in the day I am just so tired that I let it go. Having Mass in the middle of the day gave me the time to not think about homework or where I am going to live next year, or all that other stuff and listen to God. It is hard a lot of times in this world to live that life, but going to Mass reminded me that there are those around me who also believe what I believe. A nice older man who sat by me almost everyday talked to me last Wednesday before I left for break. He told me that he was proud of me, and other students, that attended Mass so often during Lent. He said that it was a nice mix of older and younger people and encouraging to older people like him. It was such a positive effect on my life, and I think that I will still try to make a point to attend at least once or twice a week. Spending time with God, His Word, and His Body is time well spent in my mind.

I'm Just Sayin'

"We can show that Catholic worship does indeed have a place where believers accept Jesus into their hearts as their personal Lord and Savior. When the Priest lifts up the host and says, 'This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,' the entire congregation confesses, in words from Scripture (see Mt. 8:8), 'Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.' And then we go forward to receive Jesus into our hearts--His body, blood, soul, and divinity."

 --from "Reasons to Believe" by Scott Hahn

"Lord, I am not worthy to receive you...

This is an entry from my journal from last summer, but I wanted to share it. This is something I was thinking about in Mass today.

June 15, 2009

So, my favorite part of the Mass is right after the Our Father and the Sign of Peace. We sing the Lamb of God and then kneel one more time before receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest raises the Body and the chalice containing the Precious Blood and says "This is the Lamb of God. This is He who takes away the sin of the world. Happy are those who are called to His table." And we reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I shall be healed." This line has, recently, really started to stick out to me. There is no why that I am worthy to receive that Body of our Lord into mine. I am a sinner who, despite her best efforts, will never stop sinning. Yet, Christ says it doesn't matter. Seek forgiveness and you shall be forgiven. He loves us even though we are not worthy of Him. He gave us His Body and Blood, not because we deserve it, but because He wants us to be with Him. This is why I could never really belong to another Christian denomination. Maybe another church has better youth-oriented worship. Maybe another church has more engaging sermons week after week. But, the fact of the matter is that no other church believes that the bread and wine is no longer bread and wine, but the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. How can I abandon a church whose core belief matches my core belief? The Church has its problems, just as any human institution will, but I will stick by it and pray for the betterment for all. I also think that this is a good prayer for every day. I have been asked before if I have "asked Jesus into my heart." Yes, I have. But I also think that it's important to remember that we are not worthy to have Him there. It is only through His grace, His words that we are even remotely worthy.

One of my new favorite videos

I kind of really this really existed...

I Love Ash Wednesday!

You get free stuff at Mass :-)

DONATIONS FOR RELAY FOR LIFE!!!!!

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take…

but by the moments that take our breath away.”

RELAY FOR LIFE WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY!

A 24-hour team event filled with fun, food and friendship, surrounded by people of all ages joined together to honor cancer survivors and remember loved ones who lost their battle.

Dear Family and Friends,

March is just around the corner, and it is almost time for Creighton University’s Colleges Against Cancer’s Relay for Life. You may now know a lot about Relay for Life, but it is a very important event to raise money for the American Cancer Society. This is an organization I am passionate because many people in my family have suffered from cancer. More than 70 percent of the money raised from Relay goes directly to support the American Cancer Society’s programs for research, education and services for patients and their families whose lives have been touched by cancer. 

I have already begun forming my 2010 team, and we will be participating in the 24-hour walk/campout at Relay for Life on March 26-27. My fundraising goal for this year’s Relay is large, and I really need your help to meet this challenge. But my challenge is nothing in comparison to the challenge that so many children and adults have to face 24 hours a day once diagnosed with cancer. I feel blessed to be part of such an important cause. This year Team Virginia is dedicated not only to my grandmother, who is currently fighting cancer, but also in honor of or in memory of all of those who are fighting cancer – the people of valor whose legacies pave the way for children and grandchildren to not have to fight this awful disease, and help guide each of us through life’s journey.

Please help support my efforts for Team Virginia this year with a tax-deductible contribution to the American Cancer Society. I am asking for only $20 from you, which is a small sum if we can find a cure for the suffering of millions. You can donate directly to me online at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/KatieKastl. 

My grandmother’s amazing courage and strength during her battle with cancer gives me hope and inspiration to help reduce the suffering and loss caused by this horrific disease. Together, we can make a difference!  Remember…There’s no finish line until we find a cure.

Warm regards and many thanks,

Katie Kastl