This is last week’s Quick Takes . I still have a bit more to write, but wanted to get this up first, as some of this week’s takes are continuations of these.
Nov 12/13
1. Every year over the Holidays there is a big national CCO conference called Rise Up. I discovered CCO just after there had been one, and last year I had a 2 month old baby so it wasn’t even on the table. This year has been different.
I definitely thought about going to Rise Up this year, but eventually decided it was not in the cards for me financially. So, I made the decision not to go, and made peace with it. Then at the end of the progessive supper the staff gave another speech about it, and now, I’m not so sure, but I think it’s back on the table. I really feel God is calling me to go this time. It was like He changed my heart.
But now my head is full of questions? Lord, Do You want me to go to Rise Up? What about the kids, do You want me to bring one? both? How should I pay for it? (the main reason I wasn’t going to go was the cost. I swing the 80-100 for the retreat every time but $500 is a bit steep especially since I’m still paying off my camera. But- I don’t want to take people’s money if I don’t really need it. I could easily put the full cost on my credit card. And we have the money to pay it off. Then I just add $500 to my bill. Other people need money more than me. )
These were my 2 workshop selections, the second one looks especially appropriate for me:
1H – Deepening Your Prayer Life
We are created to be in a relationship with Our Lord and it is the desire of His heart that we would spend time with Him. If you desire this as well, then this workshop is for you. Come and learn how to go deeper in your prayer life through the practices of Eucharistic Adoration and Lectio Divina.
2B – Evangelization and Social Media
Do you Tweet? What about Facebook? Email? Blogging? Websites? How can we use these social media tools to bring others closer to Christ and the Church? What is the Church saying about it using Social Media for Evangelization? What balance should we have between using social media and person to person evangelization?
When I broached the subject with my husband he said that he was not comfortable with me spending that much, even out of my personal funds, so that answers the money question: If I go I will be fundraising. I think this is best, it’s in God’s hands, if He does indeed want me there, then He will provide everything I need. And because it is my husband’s decision and as a wife I am called to submit, I don’t feel so guilty at the thought of fundraising either.
After discussing it with my mom and husband, I decided to register, and not miss the early bird deadline. I have 2 weeks to pay the registration fee so I decided to take those 2 weeks to really pray and think on it, and figure out how to make it work. If at the time when the money is due (and also will no longer be fully refundable) it still doesn’t look like it will work, then
I guess there’s always next year.
So I went ahead and filled out the forms. Then as an after-thought I decided to change one of my workshop selections. In doing so I messed up the registration, and had to email the coordinators. It’s completely out of my hands, since I messed up my registration. It’s entirely in God’s hands. I’m glad, it’s better because now I can’t mess up by doing the wrong thing. Fundraising too. The financing is not on my shoulders. If it IS his will, then He will provide everything I need. He will make it happen.
2. On Monday afternoon I had a meeting with my faith study leader. She encouraged me to share a faith booklet on the core gospel message with my friend when I met with her on Thursday. We discussed my faith journey and prayer habits, and then she challenged me to carve out a 10 minute block of time to listen to God everyday . She stressed the importance of opening up our hearts and quieting our minds to really listen to what the Lord may be calling us to. She told me I should use the PRAY acronym, to get everything off my mind so I can really listen to what God is telling me.
At first I resisted, telling myself, “I have so little personal time as it is, how can I give any of that up?!”. Then thinking about it more, I feel God is calling me to take our relationship to the next level, so to speak. He wants me to step it up, to make a real sacrifice for Him. So, I decided I would do it. And I’m reminded of a truth I have learned but often forget, ‘that taking even a few minutes to pray makes all the rest of my time valuable/ more productive etc’. In other words, I don’t really lose anything.
The first day I went into the woods out back. Then I shared my heart with God. I want conversion for all the people in my life, both past and present, every soul in my care, I want your mercy and grace for them all-My in-laws, husband, kids, friends and family members. I know it’s a lofty goal, but NOTHING is impossible for God. I know that with every trial, You are equipping me to love and save my loved ones. And when I finally took time to quiet my thoughts and LISTEN, the first thing I noticed was the fresh scent of pine from the wet trees, which I hadn’t noticed until then. I am glad that I responded to this call and carved out this 10/30 minute block of time for God.
3. On Monday afternoon my group and I met up at school to build our paper prototype for our meal planning application. We were there till about 7:30 pm. It definitely took longer than we thought. It is a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun.
My cutie friend and her laptop
4. I’d been in a funk for the last 4 days or so, and was really struggling with regaining my joy. I had good things happening in my life but I couldn’t get excited about anything. Then Saturday evening after the birthday party Mom and I went to the closing banquet for 40 days for life. A woman from Silent No More was the guest speaker and listening to her describe losing her children, I thought of my own baby in heaven, and I found my heart! After that I felt fully alive again. 
5. On Thursday my best friend and I got together for our annual girl-time and examination of our lives etc.
This year we had a lot more to talk about, since she’s been discovering God etc. I’m so glad I took the time to pray first. I knew I wasn’t in the right head space to minister, and that tonight was about more than just predictions.
I was already late and taking the time to pray made me later, but she was even later so it didn’t matter. While I was waiting her father invited me downstairs to see the cottage he was building in the basement. I had no idea there was practically a second house down there (- the essentials like a kitchen and a bathroom). It is really a utopia, you can tell how proud he is of his creation. Before then we’d hardly spoke two words to each other but that night I saw a whole different side of him.
When she got home we had a great night. First we had a really good faith discussion and she explained some of her biggest problems and blocks to faith, which she confessed later she didn’t think she’d ever tell me about. Praise the Holy Spirit for His work in her heart! Now I know the faith mission I had that night; it was to bring her biggest issues out in the open, so I can help her move past them.
Our predictions from last year were on the computer so first I played the hilarious David Sedaris video for her. We both laughed out loud. It really is comical, especially if you’ve studied other languages or care about grammar.
(Note: There is one bad word at the very end).
After that we talked through our predictions as usual. Then I went through the big bag of hand me down clothes she had for me. The first thing I pulled out of the bag was a plastic tiara, so we took turns playing princess in front of her vanity and taking pictures. It was fun In the bag I found a couple really nice things including an elegant black shirt and a vintage style dress with a sweet heart neckline that looks really great on me. It’s also completely modest
Outside she walked me to the car and we took a few minutes to pray there together in person. It was pretty awesome, the only thing to make it more special would be if we had held hands while we did it.
6. We got our midterm exams back. Turns out that because of the bonus I got 100% on the exam even though I got a D on one of the 5 questions. The Prof always puts a bonus, and it’s always the same question. It’s actually really smart. The question: ‘What one question is not on the test but should be, and answer that question.’ This method let’s students get credit for the thing they really studied and knew well but just wasn’t asked.
7. I happened to catch some of the CMA awards on TV and one of my favorite country artisits played a really neat song. I thought it was a cover but couldn’t find the lyrics anywhere. The next day I found a video from the CMAs, I guess it’s a brand new song. DH has made fun of this aspect: “It aint hip to sing about tractors and trucks and little towns, and yeah that might be true. But this is country music, and we do.” The song is so true and it’s what I love about Country Music.
For anyone who’s interested, here is the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW_CNZLhtGo
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