In ALL things

not online, but still on my mid.

2009-03-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

So my ideas seem to have been much greater than my time. However, I am still focused and determined to write a prayer and find something I am thankful for each and every day. I mean it is so easy!

Here is a prayer I wrote this weekend. I had to deal with and process some crazy things. I actually wrote this prayer for a friend and shared it with her.

Mother Mary, please be my guide. Pray for me so that I may live the best way that i know with what i have been given. Thank you for being my mother in heaven, and for your comfort here on earth. Please pray for me each day, so that with your love and care i will know and understand love in others. Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. Amen. Mother Mary, bless me today and everyday.

Clearly the Hail Mary is in there...but it is like one of my favorite prayers. I pray it every day.

I wrote that prayer on Saturday night.

Thursday night I went out with a group of friends. It was really fun, we went and saw a movie and then went to Steak n' Shake...gotta love a girls night.

Lord, thank you for positive female relationships in my life. Thank you for enriching my friendships with love, trust, and honesty. Please be with my friends and help guide there decision making. Amen

Last night I went to youth group...something that I do every Sunday night that I can. We talked about the garden and the desert, and how you need desert moments [i.e. lent] in order to truley be greatful and appreciate the garden [i.e. ordinary church time] times. I think that is so true. We need bad, or not so fun, times in our lives in order to really appreciate the good things in our lives

Lord, everything that we have in this life is from You. Please help me to remember that in my joy and in my sorrow, You never leave. Please help me to remember to praise You in the good as ask in the bad. In Your love, let me live.

Nan and Cann

2009-02-25T17:12:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my best friend. I actually thought I was going to have to give her up for lent...a few to many phone calls...lets just say i went over in minutes, but I am doing a lot better!

But I am so thankful to have her in my life. We have known each other since we were freshmen in high school. I am not really sure when we became best friends...but we are, so there. What I love about our friendship is that it is so real. I can call her with anything, we can talk about anything and, well she just gets me.

So I am so blessed that God put her in my life. I couldn't have asked for a better best friend.

Dear Lord, please bless my best friend. Keep her safe in every situation that she is in. Please bless her when she runs that she doesn't fall. Help her find all of the beautiful things in her life, especially those that exist within herself. Thank you for my Nelly, Amen.

Mom and Dad

2009-02-24T19:41:00.000-08:00

Today is technically not a part of Lent, but I figure might as well practice

I see God in the relationship that my mom and dad have. It is so amazing, I doubt I will even be able to put it into words. But here is a try.

I got home from work and my mom and dad were sitting in their his and hers leather recliners watching the T.V. [actually they had paused it so that they could say hi to me as a came in]. And there they sat all night long, they flipped channels, played on their cell phones, and commented on whatever the television was saying. They drank some wine, joked around, and made plans for their morning routine [I think dad is waking up first].

They have been married for 25 years. They still find things to talk about. My mom still laughs at all my dad's jokes. My dad still smiles when my mom makes jokes and then asks "did you get my joke?!?!!?" They pray together. They text each other. They go on vacation. They have date night. They are amazing!

I am so lucky to get to share in their love everyday.

Tonight I thank God for giving me such wonderful parents. For blessing me with a mom and dad who love and respect each other. Lord please bless them for the next 25 years and then some. Amen

Why am I doing this?

2009-02-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

I don't think that I take enough time to reflect on all of the amazing things that God has given me. I tend to move at the speed of light, constantly have way too much on my plate, and forget to breathe.

At mass last Sunday, Father was giving his homily. In it, I remember him saying that Lent was a time to grow closer to God, to dive deeper into your relationship with Him. Just one week prior, at the LUKE 18 retreat, the same priest urged us all to slow down, and in doing so we can see and feel God in our daily life. Another priest, who is no longer at my parish but who I also thought very highly of, gave me the same advice on Fat Tuesday last year...SLOW DOWN.

So that is going to be my Lenten sacrifice. I am going to slow down and recognize something different about God's beauty everyday. Why do it on an online blog? Well 2 reasons: accountability and faith-sharing.

This is for me, but I hope whoever reads it can feel God's love in their lives too!