Challenging

Just a small blog.
For the past 2 weeks I have been going to daily Mass. It is a very relaxing way to start out my day. Our new priest is very inspirational and I love listening to his homilies. But there's something I've noticed about this week...Everday morning so far, right as Father is preparing the Meal, the sun shines brilliantly and just really illuminates the Mass. It has happened everyday so far. =)
I think God is trying to cheer me up and give me hope. I've been having trouble trying to figure out what to do about the fact that my friends, the ones from college, are Presbyterian. I want to hang out with them so much and go to their Bible Studies and Youth Group, but I know what they teach isn't the Truth and it really frustrates me. I need Catholic teens to hang with but I don't know where to go to look for them.
 I want to show them(my friends) all the Truth but I realize that that is nearly impossible. Their church is really big, with lots of people and little kids. (All the more reason to try and convert them. Those kids are our next generation)
It really gets me down when all I can do is just "plant the seeds" of the Truth...I can't fully convert them in a day/week/month/year. It would take so long...
I guess I just need to really wait and be patient for our own Parish to start activities for the kids. I will definitely be willing to volunteer as a leader! I have so many ideas now...I just hope we can get some of the people back that left because of our old priest.

All I can do is pray and trust in the Lord to do what needs to be done...

"Our Father, who art in  Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, They will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven..."

God Bless and Peace be with you!
~Katherine

Church...<3

Finally Freedom Rings! (Part 3)

Just gonna get right back to where I was!
July 6th we took some time off from all the crazy holiday stuff and went to a beach we usually go to every year. I'm not fond of beaches at all, and that day I just really missed our beautiful forest back home. Here we were on a very beautifully sunny day and I was at one of my least favorite places. Don't get me wrong, I love the beach, but only the ones with the vast ocean in front of you with the high rocky cliffs. Not this beach...it's tiny and public and everyone and their dogs go there, haha. Anyway, I was just very happy to go back home that night, the countryside is the life for me, everything smells clean, looks clean and feels clean. As my facebook status said "Hooooome sweet home!"

July 7th I really didn't do anything. I was getting really depressed about the job searching I had started. Nothing was coming from all the applications I had put out and no one was calling me. I was going back and asking about them, but still, nothing happened. So yeah, that day I prayed to God to help me with job hunting. Also, I believe it was the same day, I finally got into the New Testament! I felt so at home reading those familiar verses. That made my night! (I am currently just finishing up on John.)

July 8th this day was exactly what I was praying for! I went out as planned and checked in at the places I had put my applications in at, one of which was a clothing store I was really hoping to get a job at. It was my first stop so I was nervous. All I planned on doing was talking to the hiring manager about my application, which was exactly what I got...Plus more. We talked a little bit and then he asked me to follow him to his Office. There he gave me a quick interview! I was so excited, I think I did really good, considering it was unplanned and I was unprepared. He said he would call me within the coming week, so I've had my fingers crossed the whole time. Pray for me! (It's Wednesday and I'm going to call Thursday, even though he said he would call...Why do I have a bad feeling about this?)

July 9th - ?

July 10th very refreshing, our new priest is just so good at what he does, I find myself leaning forward to listen to his homily, instead of going off in my own little world and not paying attention to mass at all. I could feel hope rising in me, God was working his wonders in our lives, slowly but quite surely. And to express my joy, I get to share an experience I have not had for quite a few years. After mass I built up the courage to talk to Father about something I had wanted to do. A couple weeks ago after going to confession I noticed our Parish flower garden was very overgrown, if my memory served me correctly it had been way too long since it had been weeded. As a little girl I had always loved playing in the garden, it had a beautiful fountain and a statue of Mary in a little grotto, and a big rock that all the kids loved to climb on. Now the fountain is broken, the Mary statue was surrounded by thorns and moss, and the rock had grass growing just as tall as it.
So, I asked Father if I could weed it. My mom warned me that he may not allow it since he's not quite familiar on what we do and don't do and all. But I decided to ask anyway. To my great relief and joy he said of course and to come by any time. =) I asked my two sisters, Marie and Anne, if they would like to come with me, and then we also got some of our younger cousins to help out! If felt like old times, only...I was the sort of "youth leader". I can definitely see myself doing something like this in the future. Anyway, we got a quarter of the garden done and now we're just waiting for good weather to work on it again. Life is good!

July 11th I didn't do much in the morning, just daily mass. But at 1:30 I went up Mt. Peak with my sister Anne and I invited Colin. It was a very funny experience. She is a very shy person and doesn't really like talking, plus she wasn't use to climbing as fast as us. So at one point, while taking a large drink of water I told her not to drown herself by gulping so fast. Colin laughed because he has never heard that expression. Then, while her mouth was full of water he began to poke fun by turning his voice a pitch higher and said "Don't droooown Anne! Don't drown!" With that, she burst out all the water and laughed. It was really funny! =) I'm glad she came, we don't often hang out together.

July 12th....Absolutely nothing...I'm serious! Nothing done! Morning mass, lounged around all day, read the Bible and then watched a movie that night. Exciting right? Ahhhhh!

July 13th today wasn't too different really. Went to morning mass with my mind wide open, read the Bible, turned in some applications at McD's and Taco Time. Later I was told mom had a book for me from the library. YAY! Excitement! I had been waiting for this.
Last week I got a book from the Library called The Centurion's Wife. It is a really good Christian book, about the days following Jesus' death. The main character is the niece of Pilate, and she is soon betrothed to a Centurion who is given the order to discover a mystery of a missing body. A prophet's body. Can you guess who? Jesus! The outcome was rather obvious but I really enjoyed the whole thing. Anyway, today I got the second book, so far it's just as good! It's really making me wish I had lived in Jesus' time, to see all of his miracles and be with all of his disciples. But I have to remind myself of what Jesus said "Blessed are those you do not see but believe" In the book it talks about how some of the first believers were having trouble believing as well, since they had not seen but how God kept revealing himself to them through little miracles. I've taken note of this, since I will admit that I am having trouble concentrating on my faith. From my lack of job, my dads lack of job, the questions unanswered about my friends and what impact they have on my life...And really where I'm going in life.
I'm trying to open my heart and eyes to God and trust in him to show me what I'm looking for.
I constantly feel that I'm being challenged by my Presbyterian about my faith, even though they themselves have not done anything to challenge me but have invited me to do things with them. Why is it disturbing me so much? Is it the fact that I'm afraid that I can't defend my faith? Or is it that I'm frustrated that they wont accept me as a Catholic. I just want to be friends without worrying about them pestering me and making me doubt what I know for a fact is the truth. Arghhh!

Lord Jesus, let Your prayer of unity for Christians 
become a reality, in Your way
we have absolute confidence 
that you can bring your people together
we give you absolute permission to move
Amen

So! Now I'm all caught up and I hope to post another blog before things get too busy!

God Bless and I hope you are stronger in this faith of ours than I am!
~Katherine

P.S. Some sites that have helped me through my time of distress and a bit of confusion.
http://forums.catholic.com/
http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/index2.htm

Finally Freedom Rings! (Part 2)

Erm...Oops?
The day after I posted my last blog things got really busy with Independence day and all. And now I have even more to talk about! Oh well, I'll do everything as brief as possible, haha.

So where did I leave off?
Oh yes, the day after my little brother's birthday, the 27th. Not too much happened that day, walked 5 miles and then just waited out the day. Sooo moving on, the 28th! This day is part of the reason for the title of my blog.
So...That evening we headed to my brother's fiance's house. See, her mom has a car...It's her mom's car. (John's   fiance's grandma) and well, they needed to get rid of it fast because they needed the room in their garage.
So that evening my sister and I came home with a car....Did you hear me?? A CAR! WHOOOOO!!!

This is the car, it's a 1997 Saturn SL1, it's in amazing condition for it's age and it is awesome. We named it The Green Bean. ;D

By the time we got home it was too dark for me to drive, I didn't trust myself driving at nigh after not driving at all for 3 months. So instead I cleaned it out and everything! It was very fun. =)
The next morning on the 29th I drove it once only a little ways away, then around our town and then I went out again with my younger sister Marie in tow. It was so cool, I had freedom at last!
But that about sums up that day. On the 30th nothing too much happened. I went out and picked up/turned in some job applications and got discouraged at how many were online now. You never ever hear back from the people when the applications are online. So that evening, to lift my spirits my sisters and I listed to Bagpipe and Irish folk music. ;) Love that kind of music, makes you happy and is easy to dance to!
I believe that night I also picked up the Bible again. I was getting excited because pretty soon I would leave the Old Testament and start on the New Testament, I love reading about the disciples and Jesus. =)

Ahh now for July 1st. That was a rather discouraging and hardening day. I was really excited to take The Green Bean to Mt. Peak and go up with Colin. I had planned to go up at 12 once my family left for Cosco. I got a text from Colin asking if 12:30 would be ok. I said sure, that's only half an hour later, right?
Then he asked to change it to 1:00...I was rather upset by now because I realized my family might be home by then and my sister needed the car. I masked my disappointment and said fine. So, I'm getting ready but I couldn't wait any longer so I left and went to the library first. I waited there 20 minutes before he said he was on his way. By then it was 1:20. So I left and waited at the base for another 10, now 1:30. He got there and we went up, I forgot all about my rising anger and we talked a bunch. (Firs he did have to inspect my car, that made me laugh. ;P)
However, things got a little bumpy about 2/3rd the way up. He said he had to leave because he had a piano lesson. I got rather mad and said he could leave then. He said he would get in trouble by my parents if he left me but I told him I was going to make it to the top with or without him. We walked a little way on and then he said he really had to go, so I said bye and we parted.
I was so furious right then. I knew I wasn't allowed to be up the Peak alone, but I really didn't care and now that I look back on it I realize it was a really bad idea. (Just because it's a wooded trail and who knows what kind of creeper is up there waiting)
Anyway, the reason I was so angry was that he didn't tell me he had to leave and he knows that every time we go up we ALWAYS go to the top, and plus he made me wait an hour and a half. I ran the whole way down and acquired a side ache and my calves cramped up. I swore this would never happen again and I'd never bother asking anyone to come with me ever again.
I got to the bottom a little calmer, still angry, and went to my car. There under the windshield wiper was a dandelion. I just stopped and stared at it a moment and looked around. Was it just because he was feeling guilty for leaving me or was it that plus something else? C'mon, the first thing you'd think was that...well...never mind it sounds stupid.
Anyway my second thought was that he was trying to make up for leaving, so I took the little flower and put it in the car. I got a text from him asking if I had made it down yet, and after leaving and stopping by Safeway(a grocery store) I said "Yes, I did. I was driving."
I hate to admit it, but when I'm angry at someone I show it. I'm trying to work on that.
Anyway, the next text from him just made me all the more angry. He said that "That was good. I got to meet your car! I gave it a flower since it's going to save me a ton of pain. xP" He was referring to the fact that he always had to drive me home after the Peak. I reassured him that he never HAD to.
The next texts were only very brief. The little rat...Why would he even put a flower in the windshield if it wasn't something else? Why would anyone do that because it would save them "pain"? Arghhh!! Why are guys so confusing?
*Sigh of frustration*
Anywho, when I got back at around 3:00 my was home but I left again when my sister told me to fill up the tank. Using that time I decided to text Colin and sort of just talk to give the impression that I was over the whole situation(which I wasn't) I told him that my sister didn't need the car after all and we talked about what I could do instead. I ended up getting myself some ice cream and driving around. Finally he had to go and I went home, my family didn't get back till about 5:00. And then I made a mistake. I told my mom about what happened and she became angry about it saying he should have stayed anyways, like a gentleman. Then, what usually happens after I talk to my mom about anything, she goes and tells everyone. Now half my family doesn't like Colin for this reason. (My mom even told my dad...BIG mistake! He called him an idiot today...) Anyway, it wasn't entirely his fault, half of it was my own selfishness at going up anyway knowing I'd be alone. I was over it all but my mom isn't...Oh well, that's life.
That night I watched a cute movie with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck called "Roman Holiday" really cute movie!
Later on, since I had more time, I watched the first X-men movie(still trying to get over everything). I was really surprised I liked it! I got hooked and watched the rest over the course of the week.
ANYWAY! Rambling!
On the 2nd: The 1 year anniversary of my eldest brother James leaving for Ethiopia! I can't believe it has been a whole year...It was a weird feeling...I haven't heard his voice for a whole year! Everyone else has on the phone, I just never got to talk to him because I was always away or busy. So I'm really excited to see him! (He actually left yesterday for Addis Ababa where he'll stay for 3 days before heading to New York, where he'll stay for 3 weeks before coming home, so excited!!)
That day I went on a walk into town with Marie, but we went at the hottest time of day (2-4) and we got kind of sun burnt, haha. We were hit on a couple of times, once by a bunch of guys in a car ad then by a kid who looked 14. Sheesh, the kids these days just creep me out. =S
On the 3rd it was a Sunday and a very exciting Sunday at that!
We got to meet our new priest, Father Ludvik! He is just so great, he is truly a God-send! I am still thanking God for sending such a kind person. He is so animated and happy and we can understand him clearly! He loves to sing and he loves youth and gardening! I'm bursting at the seams with joy! Do you have any idea how great this will be for our tiny Parish? God Is Good!
Ahh, anyway, after Mass we started getting ready for Independence day by cleaning and went out to see my brother and his fiance's house! It is the cutest place ever, out in the country by a river! SCORE! Haha, after that we went out and bought some fireworks and lit them off that night as we usually do each year.
The 4th of July was probably the best we have had for about 3 years. He were relaxed about everything for the first time. See, we usually invite all the family from both sides of the family and have a big grand old celebration! And usually they are really fun, but ever since our Grandpa died in 2003(give or take a year) nobody seems interest anymore. We've struggled to invite people in the past but people begrudgingly came. So this year we only invited a couple of people. However, here's where out plan came in, people started asking if we were doing anything, we said yes but didn't say anything more, so they asked if they could stop by! Hehe, we got quite a few people coming. ;D
But it was great, we had our cousins over(who we've never really gotten along with) and they were so nice! They brought an archery set and we had a sort of mini tournament. I must admit it wasn't really fair since they've gone to Nationals in tournaments and are really good, but I ignored that and just had fun. I ended up doing pretty good!
So....Here is the most exciting part about the whole Holiday! We were all playing Volleyball and having fun when dad was trying to find mom. I ran off to find her and found her at the street with a whole bunch of people. They were all surrounding my sister Jeanne and her boyfriend. I said dad was calling for mom and they all came over slowly, all with the biggest of smiles on their faces. I saw Jeanne and her boyfriend holding hands and smiling, Jeanne was holding a bouquet of a dozen red roses. I asked what was going on, Jeanne just smiled and stifled a giggle and held out her left hand. There, on her ring finger, was a shiny ring. My eyes widened and I hugged her! SHE'S ENGAGED!! Oh my goodness it was so exciting! And she could stop laughing! They announced it to everyone in the backyard and we celebrated. =)
Over all it was an AMAZING 4th of July and I thank God for blessing my sister with an amazing boyfriend-er...fiance. ;)
Sooo yeah, moving on.
The 5th of July was my little sister, Anne's, 15th birthday. We cleaned up and just celebrated as a family. The sun was shining so bright and warm...But I couldn't go out...Why you ask? Because I was so burnt from 4th of July that I hurt and looked like a lobster. Haha!
Anyway, not much else happened that day, but I thank God for watching over Kellie and keeping her safe all these 15 years! =)

I'm going to stop here now because this blog post is waaaay too long. I'll continue on a second blog!

God Bless!
~Katherine.

Finally Freedom Rings! (Part 1)

Hellooooooooo!
Yikes, so I haven't exactly posted in awhile. Bad habit!
Argh, and now I'm not sure where to start...Way too much! Well, to start off with I will just say that you know that little promise I made to myself about being nicer and such? Man, it sure is a lot easier said than done. I messed up so many times it's not even funny. But I haven't given up! I will keep trying of course...And I've noticed that the more I try the more God challenges me. I stumbled upon a sort of challenge today...But I'll get to that later on. Right now I'll just go down the line of what I've done so far in this new Summer year!

Sooo...Where to begin? Last post was the 16th, so I'll start with the following days, only in very brief detail. (Using facebook status' to remember, haha!)
The day after that I played hide and seek(the only thing I remember from that day lol) with my siblings and discovered that night isn't as dark as it used to be when we were little! I could see much easier than them so I felt like I was cheating.
On the 18th it rained a whole bunch so I couldn't go hiking. So instead I stayed at home and texted Colin while cooking 11 dozen chocolate chip cookies for my dad for fathers day! It was rather amusing, I also watched my little sister Anne play Wii fit and listened to my little brother, Peter, listen to 80's music! Good stuff, no? Oh yeah! And I also sat for 2 hours telling those two a story from a book and one I made up!

On Father's day we, unfortunately we left early from Church(my dad does that so often) so I missed out on saying hi to a friend who just came back from a filming college in California. But it was Father's Day after all so I had to suppress my disappointment and follow along. When we got home, however, my emotions got the better of me and I began to cry. My mom came into my room asking what was wrong and I told her I was having a hard time saying Happy Father's Day to dad. It's a horrible thought and I feel so ashamed for saying it now. But after a long talk with my mom I discovered something about my dad. He isn't like other dads, the kind that play with their kids and such, he is a Provider. He does everything in his power to provide for us, the food on our plates, the roof over our heads and the clothes on our back, whatever it takes. Sure some dads can do that and be happy, but I've learned to accept that difference because of what he has done for us. We have such a nice house and everything and now he is working hard to keep it that way without a job. I still get angry with him, but I'm trying, I really am! God please help me with my impatience with my dad.
Anyway, the rest of Father's Day went very well. He really liked the cookies so I am very glad about that!

So moving on, as of Monday the
20th I began walking/jogging every morning! On our treadmill using a Wii game so it wasn't as fun as out in nature, but oh well, it works! Since then I've walked a total of 16+ miles! =)
On the 21st it was the first day of summer and it was BEAUTIFUL! So I decided to spend it outside. Of course the only way to spend it outside was to go up our Mt. Peak. and the only way to go up Mt. Peak was to go with someone and that someone had to be Colin because everyone else is lazy. =P So yeah, I did that and worked on the garden. It was a great day!
On the 22nd it just rained a lot so I stayed inside and played a computer game I love.(Elder Scrolls: Oblivion if you're curious) Which I beat so now I can just fool around on the game, haha!
On the 23rd I don't think I did anything but I did get to make plans with a friend of my of 10 years so on the 24th I went to the mall with her and got to hang out at her house with her sister and nephew and new puppy! So that was really fun. =)
On the 25th I went up our Mt. peak again with some friends of mine from the church choir and the friend who came back from California for two weeks. It was sooo much fun! I missed hanging out with them so much, I forgot what it was like to be with Catholic friends! Haha, I hope that makes sense.
We climbed all over that mountain, up the front, down halfway the back, up the side and then down the front again! I was so energetic after that, and then I went to bed and slept like a baby. ;D
Anyway, after hanging out with them I realized I had become very lazy with my religious life. I started reading the Bible again that night. I find that the Old Testament is very hard to read. x)
On the 26th was my brother Peter's 10th birthday and also our priests last day at our Church. So we celebrated his birthday by opening gifts and playing around and then we went to Church for a farewell potluck for Father. It was very very good to see so many people there! Not quite everyone was there, but enough to make me very happy. We even got to play a short, halfhearted game of Frisbee. =)
We went home after it was over and had some cousins over for cake and ice cream for Peter.
All in all a very good day!

Starting Monday things started to look a little bleak. I don't really have time to fill you in since it's rather late, so I'll post another blog post tomorrow! =)

Goodnight and God Bless!

~Katherine