Week One: Back in Atchison

I know it has been a while since I have posted, but FOCUS Staff Training the last few days have pre-occupied my time. For the mean time...check out this video.

You will all remain in my prayers. I will try to give a weekly update of what has been going on here at Staff Training. For now its been Team Director Training during Week Zero, but the gang arrived Saturday so its been great time of fellowship and growth. I cannot wait for the weeks to come.

Everyone's Hero

You know you are baseball's fan, when you come home from a baseball game and you sit down and watch a baseball movie. Tonight my mother took to the Royals game. Sadly enough even though they had won 8 of their last 10 games, they lost big tonight. 10-3. Yeah it wasn't the most of exciting game to watch, but I spent some good time with my mother.

Two days before I leave for FOCUS training I am in a daze of the new journey God has asked me to do. To be completely honest, I am afraid. But I think about this movie we watched tonight. This little boy doesn't have the best of skills. He is rather horrible at what he loves doing actually. But he has the passion and love of the game. With a little help and teachers here and there through his journey, he's skills improve. He develops confidence that at the beginning was non-existence. Its what in your heart that reflects who you are.

"It just goes to show you, you can be the smallest, you can be the weakest, and you can be the worst player on the field. But when people tell you are no good, and say you should give it up. You know what you should do? You should just keep on swinging."

I have a feeling that sometimes our Lord in heaven tells us this all the time, but we are too busy with our lives that we forget to listen. We feel so weak that no matter what do or say will make a difference. Well, our Lord is definately telling us to keep on swinging. Lord help me. Let me learn how to keep on swinging.

Mimosa...the coolest plant you will ever see

Ever wonder what missionaries do during their time off??...

Obviously they go plant shopping.

So this past week my father went to to the nursery next to us to look at some plants. While we were looking at some herbs, we came across this plant I have never heard of.

My father knew about it and they grow wild in Cuba.

Nonetheless I now own a small mimosa of my own [also known as the sensitive plant] (more)

I think the reason I love this plant is because I can relate to it so well. As humans when we start to become vulnerable in our relationships with people, we let go. But every once in a while we close up when people get a little too close to us. We are afraid to show our true self. We are afraid when people truly discover who we are from the good and ugly, we will no longer have anyone in our lives.

This plant teaches me that yes it's okay to tighten up, but after a while we need to open back up and let people in. We will never be able to grow unless we are true to ourselves.

I know deep, but its been one of those days.

If you want to learn more go here. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_plant]

MTV and the Catholic Church

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?name=news&id=1559081&vid=147851

I personally never thought those two words could be the same sentence. Well, they can. Today I received an e-mail from our President in FOCUS regarding this video.

MTV features the Sister of Life in NY and growth with the women's call to the religious life. Yes, that is right, it is not a misprint and I am not making this up. I was blown away and to be honest lost of words.

Prayers in changing our media little by little is working....

Christ is calling you to be Saints

Pope's Message to the Youth - May 10th 2007

My reflections coming soon...

Good Foundation = Good Day

So its the end of the year and I wanted to leave something behind for my disciples. I thought I could buy them a good book, but let's be honest...how many books do we own that we have gotten through the first 50 pages and never actually finished? I thought I would make them something.

Every since I have lived alone, I have it that arts and crafts are a good way to make the time go by fast. I went to the dollar store and bought, a glue gun, glue sticks, three frames, and a bag of small rocks. For under eight dollars I created myself a little project.

How many of us have heard the story in the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew on rock and sand. We have heard it a million times, in order to have a good foundation we need a foundation of rock. Storms will come it is not avoidable, but you can withstand them with a foundation of rock instead of sand. Yes or yes?

Well, why don't we actually practice what we know. This is common sense to us. This shouldn't be new news. I thought hey I would put it all together and print off a nice morning offering. Our first thoughts of the day are our foundation. The saying, "Wow, she must have woken up from the wrong side of the bed," is true. So I made them this little frame with rocks around it and a prayer in the middle. Prayer should be the start of our day. Prayer should be part of every minute of our lives.

It's not a book, nor a nice rosary, but its a tool to start out the day with a GREAT foundation.

O Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

7 Goals of the Summer

So the ladies here at UNO made up a list of goals they wish to accomplish this summer. I thought I would share it as well with the rest of you. If they can model after the first disciple, we should be able to do the same.

What is wrong with this picture?

Do see what is going on here? I know illegal immigrants, I get the point, but spray painting the Mexican flag. Sometimes people go a little far when they are trying to make a point. It took everything in me to not pull over and have a little conversation with this group of individuals.

Let's pray for those that don't see that America is a free country, a country where freedom is the key of everything we stand for. Where is the golden rule here? Are we truly loving our neighbors in the best fashion? What if that was an American flag?

Just one word, pray.