Edward Cullen vs. Normal Boys

A normal guy would say: “I love you Baby!”
Edward Cullen would say: “You are my life now.”

Normal Guy would say: “I think I am falling for you.”
Edward Cullen would say: “The Lion fell in Love with the Lamb”

Normal Guy would say: “You hair looks like a haystack; go brush it!”
Edward Cullen would say: “Your hair looks like a haystack but I like it.”

A normal guy would pick a random song from a random artist and dedicate it to you.
Edward Cullen would sing you a song he wrote for you while playing the piano.

If you die, a normal guy would find another.
If you die, Edward would kill himself cause life without you isn’t worth living.“Well, I wasn’t going to live without you..” He rolled his eyes as if that fact were childishly obvious. “..but I wasn’t sure how to do it. I knew Emmet and Jasper would never help so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi.”

As you leave the house, a normal guy would say: “Bye, see ya!”
As you leave the house Edward Cullen would say: “Come back to me, love.”
He smiled my favorite smile. “Hurry back to me.”“Always.”

As you come back to the house, a normal guy would be watching TV and wouldn’t even notice.
As you come back to the house, Edward Cullen would be welcoming you by playing the piano with a song just for you.
“I heard the music before I was out of the car. Edward hadn’t touched his piano since the night Alice left. Now, as I shut the door, I heard the song morph through a bridge and change into my lullaby. Edward was welcoming me home.’

A normal guy would wait for you to make him breakfast.
Edward Cullen would make you breakfast everyday.
While you are both out for dinner, a normal guy wouldn’t keep his eyes off the hot waitress.
Edward Cullen wouldn’t even notice the waitress was a female.

A normal guy, while driving, would keep one hand on the wheel and one hand on the radio.
Edward Cullen, while driving, would keep one hand on the wheel and the other attached to yours.

While far apart in different places, a normal guy would say: “I miss you.”
While far apart in different places, Edward Cullen would say: “It’s like you’ve taken half myself with you.”

A normal guy wouldn’t care or notice if you had nightmares.
Edward Cullen would sing until your nightmares went away.
“Do you want me to sing to you? I’ll sing all night if it will keep the bad dreams away.”

A normal guy buys you flowers and chocolates.
Edward Cullen buys you a car.

Life From Where I Stand

In atheist Sam Harris' book, "Letter to a Christian Nation," he talks about what he calls "Real Morality." He claims that anything that is not a direct result of suffering, and that gives you joy for the present time, is moral. Therefore, Abortion, Adultery, and same-sex marriages, are all moral. I wonder if Sam Harris is married and has kids. Because if so, I wonder how his wife stomachs the fact that her husband thinks sleeping around is OK? And I wonder how he punishes his kids, since putting them in time out causes them suffering; it is therefore immoral.

Why do we strive to do good in the eyes of the good? But yet at the same time, love doing bad in the eyes of the bad? Is this instinct? Is it just human nature? Was it brought about through Adam and Eve's sin? And can we ever get rid of it?

I think we have lost sight of the fact that Jesus said "Seek first the Kingdom". We spend more and more time worrying about the things of this world. And less and less time about getting to heaven.


Do It Anyway
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

-Kent M. Keith

Sarah Palin's Husband

“Until recently, he earned hourly wages as a production operator in a BP-run facility that separates oil from gas and water. Palin was making between $100,000 and $120,000 a year before he went on leave in December to make more time for his family and avoid potential conflicts of interest. London-based BP is heavily involved in the gas pipeline negotiations with his wife’s administration.”

See... some people still believe in family life!

College Lessons to Learn Now

From Monsignor James M. McDonald
Dear Friends:
There will be a lot of high school graduations this weekend and many of our Catholic High Schools have already conducted theirs. Now there is that last summer at home and the preparation for the big move in late August or early September. I thought in this letter I would like to talk realistically to our new graduates and soon-to-be freshmen. You have serious responsibilities to yourself and your parents and certainly to Christ.
Those of you who are going away will be entering a far different world. You will have to make adjustments and compromises with roommates; in short you will have to learn to live with people other than members of your own family. Some of these people may be great but others can be annoying and definitely unpleasant. I'm hoping that you get a roommate who is a decent, considerate human being. And by the way, be that kind of roommate yourself. You represent your family and all the values you have been taught in your home.
That very different world of college has very definite moral problems. Often enough, the atmosphere is poisoned by immorality. Practically every school considers itself a big drinking school and there is enormous pressure to fit in with an established pattern of drinking that is a considered a part of college life. Don't! Any dope can be a drunk in college - it takes no ability and is an indication of a lack of moral backbone.
Drunkenness kills and if it doesn't do that immediately, it destroys lives through the tragedy of alcoholism. You are a follower of Jesus Christ and not a follower of the world. Be different! You will find others who share your same point of view.
The sixth commandment, which forbids all sexual activity outside of marriage, is not suspended by God during the four years of college. No matter how lonely you may feel or romantically inclined you may be, you are expected to be a living image of Christ at all times. Your parents brought you up with distinct and definite moral values. Please don't disappoint them! Happy marriages do not begin with college immorality.
You have a definite responsibility to go to Mass each and every Sunday or Saturday evening. I'm counting on you to go even if an awful lot of others don't. I urge you to participate in the campus ministry program and make yourself known to the chaplain. Help prepare for Mass if you are fortunate enough to have Mass on campus. Try to participate in the ministry programs. You should meet some wonderful people there.
Finally, you are in college to study. Do it! And, oh yes, use that cell phone to call mom and dad very, very frequently. They will be missing you more than you'll ever know.
In Jesus and Mary, Monsignor James M. McDonald

Quote for the Day

"Joy is often found behind little things and is reached by followingone's proper daily duty with a spirit of devotion." -Pope Benedict XVI

Trails West!!!

Trails West is the biggest thing to hit St. Joseph since the Pony Express...which is pretty sad. But we always have a really great time. Blooming Onions (me and Mom) and Root Beer (Rachel, Caroline, me, and Katie) are two of the best reasons to go.

Lovely

The word of the day is lovely!

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. She openeth her mouth with wisdom: and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ~Proverbs 31:10, 26, 28, 30

The painting above features the four cardinal virtues: Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice.

Being a women is hard work. We always have to be on our guard. But how does this relate to lovely? With so many celebrities showing us what "beauty" is, its hard to know what real beauty is. Be strong in the Lord. Know that He loves you just the way you are. Don't ever change who you are to become what the world wants you to be. Be lovely!

10 Questions Every Christian Must Answer

This is a video that Timothy found on You tube. I wanted to share the questions with you and post my answers. Here is the link for the video if you want to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDHJ4ztnldQ
Question #1: Why Won't God Heal Amputees?
Maybe God is using these people, and has a special plan for their life. Maybe he is teaching them patience.
Question #2: Why Are There So Many Starving People In Our World?
This man goes on to say "why would God answer your prayers about getting a raise and not answer these starving children's prayers". Who said He wasn't answering these children's prayers. Just because their dying doesn't mean God doesn't love them. He is a just God. Everyone suffers. Christians and non-Christians. It is a part of every humans life.
Question #3: Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible? This is the bible verse he quotes:
21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
21:19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21:21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
How does that turn into "God demands that we kill teenagers"???
This was the old covenant, God came and gave us the new covenant! Plus, no Christian is doing this. So why would this be a question we need to answer? I work on Sundays at the Pony Express Museum, should I be worried that the Bible police are going to come find me?!?!
Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?
Why couldn't God create Adam from a handful of dust? He's God! If you believe that He is God then you don't have to question that He could do something like that! He has the power to create our whole world out of nothing in 6 days.
Question #5: Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery in the Bible?
Slavery was not abolished until 1865! Is he saying that George Washington was crazy because he had slaves?!?!
Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?
To put them in their place. Our God is a just God. Sin helps us keep our mind on heaven, and always striving to get there.
Question #7: Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?
Are you kidding!!! Hello, the Shroud of Turin!!! They didn't have computers to write things down. They did the best they could. And that is the evidence.
Question #8: How do you explain the face that Jesus has never appeared to you?
It's called faith! Believing without seeing.
Question #9: Why would Jesus want you to eat His body and drink His blood?
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53) In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained. (CC para 1374)
Question #10: Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians?
Because we have free will. We choose to get divorced. God does not choose this for us.
Next he asks you to answer all questions with the answer: God is imaginary.
So I put in these questions: Why are we here? Why am I sitting down? What is the point to life? How do things grow? Why do I have feelings?
After that he asks why should we care. He then says that it matters because people that believe in God are delusional. Remember in the beginning when he said that 3 out of 4 doctors believe that God is working miracles? So is he saying that 3 out of 4 doctors are delusional??? Wow, that's such a great comfort!

Faith, Hope, and Love

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes always perseveres. Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will come to pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am full known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
(I CORINTHIANS 13: 4-13)

I read a quote once that said "You can't fully love a person until you have stopped hating the rest of the world."

Hate is so easy to feel. It can come upon you faster than you know how to stop it.

Which do you think is more powerful, hate or love? If Hitler could cause so much uproar with his hate, how much uproar do you think Christians could cause with their love?

Show someone your love for them today. It doesn't have to be a big thing. But show it. See how much better your day will go when you spread the love!

John McCain Ad Responds to Biden Attack on Sarah Palin on Stem Cell Research

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The campaign of presidential candidate John McCain has responded to attacks on his running mate Sarah Palin with a new ad touting his support for stem cell research. Palin came under attack from pro-abortion vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden claiming she doesn't support the science.
Biden questioned Palin's commitment to special needs children by attacking Palin's stance on the issue of embryonic stem cell research, which has never helped a single patient.
"Well guess what folks? If you care about it, why don't you support stem cell research?" Biden asked.
Today, the McCain campaign released its latest radio ad, entitled "Stem Cell" that highlights a McCain administration's support for stem cell research to advance medical discovery and treatment.
The ad will air in key battleground states, the campaign told LifeNews.com Friday.
"John McCain will lead his Congressional allies to improve America's health," the ad says.
"Stem cell research to unlock the mystery of cancer, diabetes, heart disease; stem cell research to help free families from the fear and devastation of illness; stem cell research to help doctors repair spinal cord damage, knee injuries, serious burns; stem cell research to help stroke victims," it explains.
"And, John McCain and his Congressional allies will invest millions more in new NIH medical research to prevent disease," the ad continues. "Medical breakthroughs to help you get better, faster. Change is coming."
After the Biden attacks, the McCain campaign released a statement to LifeNews.com saying his comments were "offensive."
And Marjorie Dannenfelser, the head of the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life women's group, also took strong exception to Biden's "caustic" comments."Biden outrageously implied that Americans who refuse to sacrifice innocent human life in the name of unproven, desperate attempts to cure our nation’s ills through embryo-destructive research somehow don't really care about children," she told LifeNews.com.
"I am a mother of five children, one with a mental disability. The fact that Joe Biden questioned the compassion of parents like me – Governor Sarah Palin, among them – makes me sputter in disbelief," she added.
Related web sites:Listen to the ad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-2ayFo3BXs

Jane Austen and Mastering the Fine Art of Flirting

Jane Austen's novels are frequently called courtship novels because they trace one or more young woman's courtship experience Courting followed various rules and protocols that made getting to know each other far more difficult for young couples than it is today. Just spending too much time together led to gossip and speculation. But what is especially intriguing about reading an Austen novel is seeing how the author, while completely aware of the etiquette of courting, also respects the common sense and good morals of her characters as they deal with society's strict and often unreasonable, even hypocritical, notions about male-female relationships. Despite the difficulties involved, though, young couples met, married, and lived happily ever after - or not.

"Oh Lizzy! Do anything rather than marry without affection." (Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 59)

Abortion: Protecting the Womans Rights???

The main argument of abortion is that we are protecting the woman's rights. Her right to decide what is done to her body. We are giving her a chance to speak up for what she believes, and then act on that.

But who decides for the child? The mother? Do you honestly think that if you have that child a choice it would choose death? No, of course not!

Where do the people of our world get off deciding that child's fate? No one ever gave him or her a chance. We are humans, are taking on the role of God.

The parents of a child only give the body. God is the one who gives the soul! If we kill the body, we are murders. If we kill the soul, we are putting our selves about God.

People of this world: stop acting like you know more than God!

Every person is special. God has a plan for every single one of those children. Let them fulfill that plan.

Here are 10 Arguments Against Abortion:

1. Cost of Abortions: The Ministry of Health claimed that the 45 000 women treated in public hospitals for incomplete abortions each year is costing the state R19 million.

2. Backstreet Abortions Increase: Dr Christopher Tietze, an abortion advocate, concedes: "Although one of the major goals of the liberalisation of abortion laws in Scandinavia was to reduce the incidence of illegal abortion, this was not accomplished. Rather as we know from a variety of sources, both criminal and total abortions increased."

3. Parallels between Abortion & Slavery: Slavery in centuries past and abortions in this century were defended and promoted by the same arguments.

4. Indisputable Medical Evidence: The Unborn baby is a Human Being

5. Abortion Aggravates Child Abuse: If children are viewed as expendable before birth, they will be viewed as expendable after birth.

6. Even Legal Abortions are Unsafe: There are many complications that may arise from an abortion. It is not a 'quick fix' at all. The complications include: Ectopic pregnancies, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (reported in up to 30% of all cases), subsequent infertility and miscarriages, future premature births (often because of a cervix that was damaged during the previous abortion), small-for-dates babies and placenta previa, which is 7-15 times more common among women who have had abortions than among those who have not.

7. Increase in Breast Cancer: "Every study of induced abortions performed before the first live birth is consistent with an initial increase in risk of at least 50 percent," reports Dr Joel Brind.

8. Most South Africans Oppose Abortion: A professional survey done by the MarkData arm of Human Sciences Research Council in September and October 1995 shows that the public were strongly opposed to abortion.

9. The Overpopulation Argument: However, is the world really overpopulated? Can we not feed ourselves? In his book "Exploding Population Myths" Jim Peron conclusively proves that the population is not the problem:"In most of the world, food production is easily outstripping population growth, and on a world-wide basis the problem of overpopulation no longer exists."

10. The Bible Declares the Sanctity of Human Life:

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves...defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9
"For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb....Your eyes say my unformed body." Psalm 139:13-16

(Taken from ChristianAction.org)

Directions for Cultivating One's Mind

1. Furnish yourselves with a rich variety of ideas.

-Teach your self to weigh and judge things, discern things into an order, better arrange your ideas and thoughts, obtain a rich store of thoughts and arguments for all occasions.

2. Use the most proper methods to retain that treasure of ideas which you have acquired.

-Recollect every day things you have seen, or heard, or read which may have made any addition to your understanding.

-Talk over these things, this will make a fresh impression on your memory.

There is a vast difference between reading and understanding. Write down your thoughts. Put them in order, and decide what you think.

"Alas! how many hours, and days, and months, have I lost in pursuing some parts of learning, and in reading some authors, which have turned to no other account but to inform me that they were not worthy of my labor and pursuit! Happy the man who has a wise tutor to conduct him through all the sciences in the first years of his study, and who has a prudent friend always at hand to point out to him, from experience, how much of every science is worthy his pursuit; and happy the student that is so wise as to follow such advice!"

(Isaac Watts' General Directions)

So Where Do We Stand? Part 2

Timothy wrote this about Objective Beauty and I thought I would share it with all of you.

God existed for eternity before creation of anything took place. In that time, only God existed and therefore only "good". With the creation of the angels, God fashioned something that possessed a nature of "free will" as opposed to God's which is limited by his nature of immaculate holiness. With the creation of a "free will" or "free nature", evil came to exist. As soon as a choice is given in any situation, there exists at least two possibilities. I would define evil as any choice against God whether thought or action. The "Pure Evil" argument stems from the fact that no ENTITY is completely evil based on this:
God created all things Good is a reflection of God's intentions. Therefore, all things in some way reflect God's intentions for them (even if it is at the most basic levels like the design of their bodies or the ability to reason.)
God could not have created evil for it is (by my definition) the very opposite of His design. I like Joe's model of light and dark. God said "let there be light" and there was light. However, men constantly try to run and hide in the dark. Darkness does not exist. It is only the absence of light.

So Where Do We Stand?

As most of you know, I have been reading St. Augustine's "Confessions." At first I found his writings tiresome, but now I am enjoying it very much. You also know that I have been attending a logic class, and the thoughts of St. Augustine go very well with this. A few weeks ago we were talking about objective beauty. Deciding what is beautiful, and how you decide or reason your conclusion.
There are many abroad who talk of their own fantasies and lead men's minds astray. They assert that because they have observed that there are two wills at odds with each other when we try to reach a decision, we must therefore have two minds of different natures, one good, the other evil. Let them vanish at God's presence as the smoke vanishes. As long as they hold these evil beliefs they are evil themselves, but even they will be good if they see the truth and accept it, so that your apostle may say to them 'Once you were all darkness; now, in the Lord, you are all daylight.'(Eph. 5:8) These people want to be light, not in the Lord, but in themselves, because they think that the nature of the soul is the same as God. In this way their darkness becomes denser still, because in their abominable arrogance they have separated themselves still further from you, who are the true Light which enlightens every soul born into the world. I say to them 'Take care what you say, and blush for shame. Enter God's presence, and find there enlightenment; here is no room for downcast looks.' (Ps. 33:6)

I think this is a big problem with the world today. We want to be the light, not in the Lord, but in ourselves. Movie stars give credit to their talent, but not to the one who gave it to them. We our proud of what we have accomplished with our lives, but how many times do we forget to thank God for helping us get there?

End-Less War???

While driving down the highway yesterday, we passed a car with a bumper sticker that read: "End-Less War" What in the world does that mean? We are not fighting in a war! We are there to keep the peace, not fight an enemy! How can people see it that way? I know that our nation is suffering because of the war that is happening. I just don't view it in those eyes.
The other thing is gas prices. Obama said that he would tax the oil and gas companies to help lower taxes for the people. Does he realize that it will be the direct cause of the prices going through the roof? The oil and gas companies would make that money back in less than a week! Gas prices are $3, which is the same price as Monsters, or Starbucks coffee drinks. If people gave up one drink a day, they could afford gas!

Don't you just love it when Catholics are funny?!

We have been talking about the Presidential Election.

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old PA farmer, whose hand was caught in a gate while working the garden , the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.
The old farmer said, 'Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'.' Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was. The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'.'
The old farmer saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. 'You know he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't know what to do while he is up there, and you just wonder what kind of a dumb ass put him up there!.'

Fallacy: Appeal to Emotion

I am happy to report that the Tuesday Night Bible Study finally finished discussing fallacies!!!

Three weeks (and 42 Fallacies) later, I think everybody is ready to move on!

You really don't realize how many fallacies you use in your daily speech until you have to read through (with examples) all of them. Appeal to Pity, Straw Man, Genetic Fallacy, Red Herring, Appeal to Flattery, Appeal to Popularity...but I must confess that my favorite was the Bandwagon! (oh Dearest Becca!)

Be careful how you talk, and listen carefully to what others say. Know when someone is committing a fallacy, because it might be your only way out of a very hard situation. (such as someone questioning your beliefs).

Today my mother brought out a book with the title "Eats, Shoots and Leaves." On the first page it tells the story of a Panda who goes into a restaurant, eats his food, pulls out a gun and fires it into the air, and then proceeds to walk out the door. The waitress stands there dumbfounded. But when she looks at the table she sees a pamphlet concerning Pandas. On the front of it are the words "Pandas: Eats, shoots and leaves."

The whole point of the books is how important punctuation is. (I know, this lady had WAY to much time on her hands!) But the books is very interesting and has some funny things to say along the way. For instance, did you know the movie "Two Weeks Notice" should instead say "Two Week's Notice"? A famous movie, and it is missing the punctuation! My mother was appalled! But then again, she is appalled whenever we are driving down the Belt and Green Hills has spelled something wrong! I guess that's what you get when you have employees who make minimum wage.

St. Augustine- Confessions

"Is this what you prescribed when from the heights of heaven to the depths of earth, from the first beginnings to the end of time, from the angel to the worm, from the first movement to the last, you allotted a proper place and a proper time to good things of every kind and to all your just works? How can I hope to understand the height and the depth of you, from the greatest to the most lowly of your works? You never depart from us, yet it is hard for us to return to you."

(St. Augustine's Confessions pg.167)

Why is it so hard to come back to God after we have sinned? Luke 15:7 says "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

Why then is it so hard to come back. We know God loves us. And that he will always receive us with open arms. But we still find it hard to turn away from sin and come back to God.

The truth is, that deep inside us we have a yearning to do what is good. It's true that sin causes that yearning to not be as strong. But it is always there. We just have to find it.

Call upon the Holy Spirit in times of need. He will help you obtain the graces needed to come back to God.

I have been praying about this question a lot lately, and thinking about what it means to have true repentance. God's love is so great, that He loves us even when we sin. Even when we don't choose Him, He still chooses us!

Come Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Lady in Waiting

My wonderful friend Alyx has decided to start a Bible study! I am so very excited! We will be reading and discussing the book "Lady in Waiting" (the book she based her speech on). The date is not set yet, but I believe that we will be meeting on Sunday nights. The book is all about accepting single-hood with open arms, and believing that you don't need a guy to complete your life. It is all Bible based and yes, it is a courtship book. :)

Its a good chance to have a girls night out filled with good conversation and lots of laughs. If you are interested in coming please email me at pinkdancer92@gmail.com or call my cell.

New Library...and other such adventures with Reid

Well, today was the first day of our new weekly trend. My piano lessons (in Kansas City) are from 2:30-3:30, and Reid has hockey practice at 8. So the parentals have decided that we will stay in Kansas City during the in-between time. So today Reid and I located the nearest public library and signed up for our "new" cards! (I must say that so far it has been the highlight of my day!) I guess it will end up being good because I will have a set time every week that I can check my email and Facebook at a very slow rate!

The Young Riders

I can not believe that I am actually blogging this, but oh well, I suppose it will give me good graces with my mother!

Last night we finished the final episode of The Young Riders. The single season TV series based on one of the Pony Express Mail Stations. It has now taken up a month of our Netflix rentals (which I am less than pleased about), but I must confess that I did learn something from it. And that I will be better at my job because of it.

The boys are head over heals for it. Watching every episode three times.

The romantic parts did draw me in. And the "shoot em up" scenes had me on the edge of my seat. Although, with that said, I do not think that I will be watching them again!

Henry Pool Is Here

Two weeks ago, my wonderful mother set up a evening for some friends from youth group to go see this movie together.
After the movie, I was talking to Hannah, Hannah, and Nicole about what we would say if someone asked us what the movie was about. Yes, I liked it. Yes, it was good. Yes, you should go see it. But there is not a whole lot more I can say. So I decided that I would reach out for this one. I looked up the review on Plugged In Online, and this is what I found:
What's eating Henry Poole?
No one knows, and he'd rather not say. He'd rather not talk to anyone if he can help it. He buys a nice little house in the Los Angeles suburbs, telling his real estate agent to not dicker over price. When she says she could at least get the owners to slap on a new coat of stucco, he cryptically says he won't live there long enough to care.
His diet consists of pizza, doughnuts and vodka. He spends his days sprawled on his couch, all the curtains drawn. If he's feeling really adventurous, he lounges on a plastic lawn chair in his bare backyard, his only entertainment listening to his beard grow.
"So, where are you from?" asks neighbor Esperanza, after taking him a plate of welcome-to-the-neighborhood tamales. "Not here," he says, closing the door.
Yeah, Henry is Eeyore without a tail, a morose sad sack who just wants to be left alone.
Too bad, then, that Henry's Realtor ignores his wishes and has the house restuccoed. Too bad the stucco guy botches the job and leaves behind a curious discoloration on one wall. Henry, naturally, thinks it's a water stain. Esperanza thinks it's a miracle—the face of Christ stamped on the side of Henry's nondescript dwelling. Soon, folks start making pilgrimages to Henry's home to touch the face and pay their respects.
And then the miracles begin. The mute talk. The blind (or, at least, the visually impaired) see (better). It's a wonder neighbors don't dig up dead loved ones and cart them to Henry's house in wheelbarrows.
Henry's not having any of it, though.
"I don't see anything," he tells Esperanza, peering at the wall.
"You're not looking," she answers.

Very good movie. Only PG so you can take all the "little" kids of the family. I found at the end a great need and desire to go out and do something good with my life. Or at least give a granola bar to the homeless man in Kansas City.

Twilight

"Stephenie Meyer revealed that Twilight's vampire Edward Cullen is a subconscious combination of her three favourite leading men: Jane Eyre's Edward Rochester, Pride and Prejudice's Fitzwilliam Darcy and Anne of Green Gables' Gilbert Blythe."

How...interesting!

As most of you know I did read all four of the books. My mother didn't like it very much that I spent almost two weeks in bed because of it. (only getting up to shower and eat!)

I think that her books are very well written. Just like any of the classics listed above.

One of my favorite quotes from Twilight is "Romeo was one of my favorite fictional characters...until I met Edward."

You know from the start that Edward is perfection itself. Just like you are drawn to feel about the other Heroes.

In a conversation with Hannah I said "Out of all the courtship books I have read, this book made it all finally make since to me!" It showed me that you should wait until your "perfection" comes along. You don't need to settle for any less than that. Wait for Edward! Wait for your perfection!

Chastity: What are you saying Yes to?

While at the Catholic Family Conference in Wichita, my Dad picked up a brochure for me entitled "Chastity: What are you saying Yes to?" I really liked the thoughts it shared.
1. Chastity is saying Yes to authentic, real love.
Love is a deep desire to do what is good for another. It involves sacrifice.
2. Chastity is saying Yes to you.
Chastity says "I believe that I am worth waiting for. I am a unique unrepeatable person who has a unique unrepeatable gift to offer."
3. Chastity is saying Yes to your future spouse.
"I have prepared myself for you!"
4. Chastity is saying Yes to a great future.
Don't mess with your future and the happiness the Lord longs for you to enjoy!
5. Chastity is saying Yes to God.
God's plans are not shallow and mediocre. They are Great! He has set the bar high because He wants what is truly best for us and knows the deepest desires of our hearts. Chastity says Yes to the fullness of God's plans for you. Give your life to Christ and live daily for Him; you will have more adventure than you know what to do with!

Finding True Love in Christ

My friend Alyx recently wrote this. She was asked to give a talk on courtship, and this was her pre-speech, get some ideas down on paper. She said that once she started she just couldn't stop. She also said that most of her ideas came from the book 'Lady in Waiting' which I just ordered so that I could read it as well.


Your girlhood dreams of becoming a princess may have become grown up dreams of finding a prince to marry -- a man who'll make you blissfully happy. But no such man exists, because no human being has the power to make your dreams come true.That doesn't mean you need to stop dreaming, however. You do, indeed, have a prince waiting for you. And if you discover Him, you'll experience the greatest love of all.Here's how you can devote your heart to your true prince, Jesus Christ:Don't settle for a broken heart and shattered dreams. Even though this fallen world is full of sin that can disappoint and even destroy you, it's also full of hope. Don't assume that you'll never meet a man you can trust, who'll treat you with dignity and respect. Pass untrustworthy men by while you wait for one who'll treat you right. Refuse to lower your standards for relationships. Pursue only the best -- all that God wants for you. Don't sink into depression when your wait takes longer than you'd like. Instead, use your time to live to the fullest, growing as a person and enjoying all God has for you while you're single.Place your faith in Jesus alone. Realize that it's futile to expect a man to fulfill your deepest desires. Don't put pressure on any man to rescue you from your circumstances and make your dreams come true. Instead, make your relationship with Jesus your top priority, and expect to see everything else in your life fall into place as a result of that relationship. Trust Jesus alone with your hopes and dreams.Make Jesus the foundation of your life. It's not enough to try to fit Jesus into your life; you need to fit your life around Jesus. If you just utter some quick prayers occasionally and don't hear any reply, that doesn't mean you need to figure life out on your own. It means that you need to deepen your relationship with Jesus so you can discover His great plans for you. Commit to wholeheartedly pursuing a relationship with Jesus -- the Prince who made the ultimate romantic gesture by giving up His life to save you. Just as He gave everything for you, decide to give your all for Him, out of love. Make Jesus the center of your existence.Turn your heart into a sanctuary. Set your heart apart from the world and guard it to become a sanctuary for the Holy Spirit to reside. Ask God to show you the trash that's lurking inside your heart and needs to be removed to prepare a proper place for your Prince to live. As He reveals the kind of trash you need to remove -- from small lies and unhealthy compromises to traumatic memories and deep bitterness -- write it all down and pray about each piece of trash specifically. Don't allow any sin to clutter up your heart. Take action to remove it however God calls you to -- from apologizing to people you've hurt or disrespected to throwing away items that fostered sin in your life (such as seductive clothes you wore to attract unhealthy attention from men, or CDs of music that celebrated impurity). Examine your heart again regularly, making trash removal an ongoing process in your life. Whenever you notice that you've allowed any wrong habits to creep back into your life, or whenever you encounter a situation or relationship that needs to be made right, take action as God leads you.Kick out other lovers. Don't allow any person or thing in your life to take away time, thoughts, energy, or devotion that you should be giving to Jesus. Take a hard look at what you've been pursuing -- romantic relationships, popularity, comfort, material possessions, achievements, and more -- and honestly consider how your pursuit of them may be keeping you from pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly. Then eliminate activities that distract you from growing closer to Jesus, and change your goals so that your life is truly focused on Him. Don't worry about feeling deprived by cutting out unhealthy attachments from your life. Once you pursue intimacy with Jesus above all else, you'll discover that your relationship with Him will actually enhance every part of your life.Change your lifestyle. Ask God to show you what practical changes you can make to your life so you'll be better able to develop a closer relationship with Jesus -- from waking up earlier each day to pray more and watching less television, to tackling a service project and making more an effort to share your faith with others.Embrace God's dreams for you. Be willing to give up your personal agendas in order to embrace God's better dreams for you. Trust that God, who created you, knows what plans are best for you. Pursue His dreams for your life rather than your own.Set your heart apart for your future husband. Make a commitment to keep yourself sexually pure as a gift not only to God, but also to the man you may eventually marry. Ask yourself: "Am I truly set apart for my future husband? Or am I just doing the bare minimum for him by putting up a few physical and/or emotional boundaries in my life?", "Do I seek male affirmation through flirting, hugging, touching, etc.?", "Do I draw guys' attention by showing off my body?", "Do I casually offer my heart, mind, emotions, and body to guys by jumping into short-term flings?", "Do I allow my mind to fantasize about guys I'm attracted to?", "Do I offer too much of myself to guys, even in friendships?", "Am I willing to sacrifice pleasure, attention, affirmation, and temporary fulfillment to live a lifestyle of lily whiteness for the man I will spend the rest of my life with?", "Am I willing to allow my faithful Lord to bring a love story into my life in His own perfect time and way?", and "Am I willing to hand over the pen of my love story to Jesus and trust Him completely?". Write your future husband a letter to solidify your purity decisions, and read that letter whenever you struggle with purity. Ask God to forgive your previous sins of impurity, as well as to help you heal from whatever sexual sins have been committed against you (such as through abuse). Also ask God to help your future husband live a life a sexual purity himself.Protect your intimacy with God on a daily basis. Be alert to any and every sin that tries to encroach upon your inner sanctuary and lessen your intimacy with God. Every day, pay attention to what you're thinking, saying, and doing, and consider whether or not that pleases God. Repent immediately of whatever doesn't reflect the love you should have toward your true Prince.Overcome temptation. Although you'll often be tempted to sin, you can always resist temptation if you don't give it an opportunity to grow in your mind. At every crucial moment of making a decision about how to respond to temptation, say "no" to it. Then the temptation will have no chance to grow, causing it to lose its power over you. Read the Bible often, and study, memorize, and meditate on its words so you can absorb its truths into your mind. Whenever you encounter temptation, the Holy Spirit will then remind you of biblical truths that will help you overcome the lies temptation tries to tell you. Don't hesitate to pray against all forms of evil that are enticing you to cave into temptation. Identify the areas of your life where you're most vulnerable to temptation, then use the spiritual authority you have as a Christian to pray for deliverance from evil that's trying to harm you in those areas. Create boundaries for your behavior to protect yourself from unnecessary temptation, such as refusing to watch movies that tempt you to engage in sexual impurity or avoiding nightclubs where impure behavior surrounds you. Ask yourself: "Are there voices I need to start ignoring?", "Are there shows or movies I need to stop watching?", "Are there places I need to stop going?", "Are there people I need to stop spending time with?", "Are there certain clothes I need to stop wearing?" and "Are there songs I need to stop listening to?". If any friendship, activity, or influence tends to draw you away from Jesus or keeps you from reflecting His purity, create a boundary around it. Guard your relationship with your true Prince, no matter what the cost, knowing that it's always worthwhile to do so.Don't compromise your standards in romantic relationships. Value the high standards to which God has called you (for your own good) more than you value romance itself. Ask God to help you be willing to live a set-apart life out of love for Him, even if you never find a man who's worth marrying. Set yourself apart for your true Prince no matter what happens in your future. Making that decision will give you the confidence and strength you need for every circumstance you'll ever encounter. It's better to remain single than to settle for a romantic relationship with a man who doesn't treat you as God wants you to be treated. But be assured that many worthwhile men do exist. Look for men who enjoy intimate relationships with Jesus and show integrity, compassion, courage, and selfless love -- men who will help you protect your inner sanctuary. Pursue a romantic relationship that draws you closer to Jesus, while avoiding those that draw you farther away from Jesus.Cultivate ongoing intimacy with God. Your relationship with God doesn't have limits. There's always more you can learn about Him, always more to worship in Him, and always more to experience with Him. Develop a lifestyle that helps you constantly grow closer to God. Study the Bible often. Write your prayers down in a journal, like personal letters to your true Prince, and write down His responses to your prayers. Read great Christian literature to learn how to deepen your relationship with God. View every challenge as an opportunity to grow closer to God and every triumph as an opportunity to praise God.Delight in God. Learn how to notice God's constant presence with you, and delight in Him moment by moment. Ask Him to help you speak and listen to Him no matter where you are or what you're doing. Develop a quiet mind. Cultivate a heart of worship. Meditate on the Bible. As you walk through each day with God rather than just representing Him, you'll experience unshakable peace and strength in every situation.Pursue healing if you've had your heart broken. It's crucial to heal from a broken heart before you can be ready for true intimacy -- both with God and with your future spouse. Ask God to reveal what mistakes you made in the broken relationship, and to help you learn from them. Forgive yourself and the person who hurt you. Ask God to give you His perspective on what you've gone through, and to help you see yourself as He sees you -- someone who is extremely valuable and deeply loved. Find some people you can trust to talk through issues and encourage you as you deal with pain while going through the healing process.Build spiritual oneness with a potential romantic partner. Don't rush into romance with any man, no matter how promising he seems. First, savor a season of friendship, getting to know each other well without the pressure of romance. Keep an open hand, refusing to hold on to the relationship too tightly. Trust God to do whatever He sees fit with the relationship, remembering that He wants the absolute best for both of you.