Monday, September 29, 2008

Courage and Nose Piercings

I finally got up the courage to read my journals from "inside the walls"...slogging through, I re-lived those moments...I am working backward...the most current journal only goes back to April 2008...once I'm done with this one, then I'll venture to the bulk of my year "inside the walls"...

other news: I told the teens at the parish that if they brought in at least 500 pounds of clothes, I would pierce my nose...I was already feeling a bit rebellious and wanted a nose piercing (just a stud)...so, what an easy way to get one...well, my teens, like Our God, exceeded my expectations and brought in 1300 pounds of clothes...

so, said piercing will be taking place on Wednesday by a professional...I'm getting excited! :)

WHOOP!!!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Calling all Catholics!!

Today marks exactly 40 days until the Presidential election. 40 days for us to FAST. That's something we understand: Catholics fasting for 40 days, our very own personal Lent in October, a private time with God alone to beg for His will to be done and the devil's plans to be thwarted. There isn't much else the average American can do at this point. There are enough bloggers, TV personalities, and radio hosts, all doing a fine job at verbalizing the fears and frustrations of this election. Most people feel helpless in doing their part, BUT, if you're Catholic, you know you have a purpose right in the privacy of your own home, car and office: to fast and pray, hold an October Lent between you and God. Fasting is a powerful weapon, used by the greatest and most humble saints to turn things around for the glory of God.

Let's band together in our common goal for a 40 days that we understand all too well, as a time for self-sacrifice and prayer. We are fighting for our freedom in this election, and the freedom of those who are more innocent than ourselves. We are fasting for a President who truly lives the Christian life, a life which we know takes more than going to church on Sunday. If you live the Christian life, you know that it requires making those tough decisions to honor all those around you with dignity, love and the expressed value of each human life, from conception to natural death. Without valuing each and every human life residing at the core of who you are, nothing else really matters, because it is from this virtue that all other decisions stem.


Let's pray for an Easter Tuesday!!! A Victory in the White House!!! A Resurrection of the American principles in which this country was founded!!! Those men and women would be sad to see our state of affairs. Let's pray this election honors their hard work, and often times death . Let's pray to keep this country a free nation founded on God. There are more Christians in this country than we realize. Many people say that God is disgusted with us and our behavior and we deserve punishment. How many nations have gone before us and deserved the same? Yet, by the prayers and fasting of the few, God showered his mercy upon all the people. Do all of the people deserve his mercy? No, and neither do we. We have all sinned and need God's salvation. We need His intervention right now. We need His hand to come in and save us. Fasting puts us in this place of dependency. In God We Trust.

_________________--------------____________

I want to be clear, I did not write the aforementioned. A friend did...but its good...really good...and what a fantastic idea...so get crackin...

Monday, September 22, 2008

This is Candied Ginger's fault

This is my easy way out of posting...I've been extremely busy...how can I get it all done? my office is a mess...so here you have it.

Here goes:
1. What time did you get up this morning? 10:50 , 3 hours AFTER my alarm went off
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw? The Waterhorse
4. What is your favorite TV show? Jon and Kate plus 8
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? yogurt and bagel with cream cheese and COFFEE
6. What is your middle name? Karen
7. What food do you dislike? sushi
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? my mp3 playlist: Country
9. What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Camry
10. Favorite sandwich? Reuben
11. What characteristic do you despise? Rudeness and snobbery
12. Favorite item of clothing? t-shirts and jeans that fit (of which I don't own any yet)
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Rome and the Holy Land
14. Favorite brand of clothing? not really anything currently, I am still trying to find a brand that fits
15. Where would you retire to? on a farm or just a lot of land away from suburbia
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?My 18th
18. Furthest place you are sending this? the blogosphere
19. Person you expect to send it back first? who cares
20. When is your birthday? August
21. Are you a morning person or a night person? definitely a night person...
22. What is your shoe size? 8.5
23. Pets? nope but in the future: a lab/beagle mix
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? nada
25. What did you want to be when you were little? a teacher
26. How are you today? exhausted and in knee pain
27. What is your favorite candy? riesens and gummy things and See's lollipops
28. What is your favorite flower? Roses
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Thursday's (my sabbath)
30. What is your favorite pastime? reading good books and baking
31. What are you listening to right now? silence :)
32. What was the last thing you ate? stale Cheetos
33. Do you wish on stars? not ever
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? macaroni and cheese
35. How is the weather right now? cool, not like Sept in GA is supposed to be
36. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? Lisa
37. Favorite soft drink? Dr Pepper
38. Favorite restaurant? Buckhead Burrito or Johnny's Pizza
39. Real hair color? black
40. What was your favorite toy as a child? Hot Wheels Car Wash
41. Summer or winter? Fall!
42. Hugs or kisses? hugs
43. Chocolate or Vanilla? chocolate
44. Coffee or tea? Starbucks
45. Do you want your friends to email you back? who cares about this
46. When was the last time you cried? in Adoration on Saturday night
47. What is under your bed? an empty trundel unit
48. What did you do last night? Mass, Life Night, phone call, passed out exhausted on my bed
49. What are you afraid of? bees, birds, heights
50. Salty or sweet? salty
51. How many keys on your key ring? personal - 3 , office - 8
52. How many years at your current job? less than 1
53. Favorite day of the week? Thursday
54. How many towns have you lived in? this one is hard: Kennesaw, Dahlonega, Newnan, Peachtree City, Summit, St Paul
55. Do you make friends easily? I'd say so
56. How many people will you send this to? n/a
57. How many will respond? whatever
OK, TAG you are it. If you post it on your blog leave me a link

Thursday, September 18, 2008


I am reading a fantastic book - The Rose Legacy by Kristen Heitzmann. The author is Catholic and this book is definitely Catholic.

My favorite time period for fiction or non-fiction historical is the 1800's. On the western frontier. Think Little House on the Prairie. I love this kind of stuff. hint hint.

And, this weekend. I am going on retreat! Hurrah! I miss those retreat days at the monastery. The peace. The quiet. There's supposedly about 110 participants including me. And the best thing is I get to just be me. Not the YM. Not the one in charge. Just me.

And, last nights CORE meeting, very productive which reminds me, I need to get the word out to them who's signed up for what on the retreat in October.

Also, I don't know if I said or not, but I am going to NCCYM in Cleveland. I am sooooooo very excited to be given this opportunity. To network. To hear awesome speakers. To hang out with friends. AWESOME! I am booked for Wed-Mon. I figured I could a get a decent sleep on Sunday night even if everyone went home.

Monday, September 15, 2008

I have a prayer request: we are in need of some more CORE leaders...we are blessed to have 15 but our Life Teen continues to grow...and in order to have a deep prayer life and awesome relational ministry, we need an additional 5 male and 6 female CORE....CORE = adult volunteers who give of their time and LOVE for our teens at STA...one needs to be committed and not just on Sunday's. Life Teen is a relational ministry. We build relationships with each other and most importantly with Christ. A constant and consistent prayer and sacramental life is key. You can't give what you don't have! Preach it.


Thank you for your prayers in advance. As a CORE team, we are saying a 54 day novena:


Spirit of Truth, who came to us at Pentecost in order to form us in the school of the Divine Word, fulfill in us the mission for which the Son has sent you.


Fill every heart; give many people a yearning for the authentically good and beautiful in life, a desire for evangelical perfection, a passion for the salvation of souls.


Sustain the "laborers in the harvest" and grant that their efforts may bear much spiritual fruit.


Make our hearts completely open and pure, and help us to follow Christ more fully, so that we may receive your last and greatest gift: the joy which will never end.


-- JPII (thanks Summit sisters for teaching me this prayer)

I asked the CORE team to pray this prayer thru Oct 14, 2008 and if they could, to offer up a Rosary daily for the same intention.


On another note, I am attending NCCYM in Cleveland in December...so those of you out there who are also attending, let me know and we can hang out. I plan on arriving on Wed afternoon and leaving on Monday morning.

the elliptical machine is AWESOME...I am achieving the "burn" daily...and gaining muscle and abs...

also, I got a bible study from Dr Brant Pitre: "The Apostle Paul: Unlocking the Mysteries" and "Mary, Mother of the Messiah" . You can go over to Catholic Productions and procur yourself one or another one of his CD/DVD sets on various topics. This guy is my age! and He knows his scripture!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

the elliptical machine got delivered today...it is a big box...evidentally, there was only ONE delivery man, so my dad had to help (I was at a friend's house.) and evidentally dad had to take a pain killer...the box is heavy, i pushed it around the room...and I had to flip it over b/c the bottom was up...and i did that one my own...go ab muscles...

it should be interesting putting it together...2mrw...I will try and remember to take some pictures!

Monday, September 8, 2008

update on my wardrobe:

as I dwell on the fact again that I gave everything away and yet kept my clothes...but only to return 40# lighter...I did not have any clothing that fit...it actually fell off...yeah, that was interesting...

so, I am in midst of slowly but surely building back up my wardrobe..

As of today, I own:

4 solid color tee's
1 print dress shirt
1 dressy skirt
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of capris
2 pair shorts
5 hand-me-down t-shirts
unmentionables

that's it...really...and I am really picky when it comes to clothes shopping...so please pray that I can find some decent modest clothing...especially for winter...thankfully, I kept about 4 hoodies...so at least in that department, I am good...but I need to start looking for winter jackets...

Wednesday, September 3, 2008




I am dang proud to be a REPUBLICAN...I love that our VP Nominee, Sarah Palin, is not afraid!

She speaks the truth even when some people don't want to hear it, and as Jill Reiswig says, "Hear me now, believe me later."

BOO-YAH!
ok, just a little rant...

I really do not like MACs...I don't think I ever have. My dad loves them.

My mom has a PC, thank goodness...or I really would go crazy in this house.

At midnight every night, Dad gets off his Mac and goes to bed. So, that act sends me in here to blog or surf on the MAC...

The mouse sometimes, ok alot of the time doesn't want to work...and don't even get me started on AbiWord...yeck!

so, to all you Mac users...sorry, I just like PC...I can't help it...its easier for me to use...its what I am used to...

now, wait, I will say this...the cpu is 100 times smaller than a pc...and you can play DVD's...so I guess the MAC is not that bad...but, I still LOVE the PC.
Not too much here...just usual YM stuff...getting ready for our kick-off...

teen info cards - Check
nametags - printing on Sun.
Parent Info sheet - to be finished on friday
CORE slideshow - Check
Food - Check (its a potluck)

I am seriously low stress...I have the most amazing ministry position...I know I keep saying that, but its true.

I found "In the Footsteps of St Paul" by HV Morton...the package went missing..but today found that our Adult RE Director had it...it accidentally got placed in her pile of mail...

I ask for your prayers for Sunday - 5:00 - 9:00 pm...thanks!

ps...my delivery window of time 2mrw is 2:45-4:45 pm for my mattresses and Elliptical... HURRAH!!