the Water of Grace: May 2016

Monday, May 30, 2016

Do THIS....

Life has been on the go, go, go... nuts to say it nicely. But it's been good, maybe even great at times! And I will post more pictures, I promise-- but you are gonna have to wait a few more weeks, until camp is over. Then watch out... I will blog away! :)

But I wanted to share a few thoughts quickly tonight. (yes, I should go to sleep instead) but some things I just want to remember forever.

Today was the feast of The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ in the Catholic church. A day to thank Jesus for loving us so much, that He gave us the Eucharist, to be able to receive Him and be so close to Him. For Jesus to be with us, to stay with us. To let Him love us. During the homily, Father talked about these words... "Do this in remembrance of me." What is this?? What are we suppose to do in remembrance of Jesus?? Yes... we are suppose to break the bread, eat it; drink His blood. The Eucharist. The Communion. The Thanksgiving. But Father explained, THIS.... is to break your heart, to bleed, to sacrifice, to show someone how much you love them. Do all that for Jesus. Do this.... visit your family in the nursing home who doesn't know you; sacrifice for your children, your spouse; help a new mother or father; volunteer your time to a child who needs someone to show them love. --- do all this in memory of me. All for Jesus. I just really loved this way Father illustrated the reading. Kinda like the water of grace. Do all this for Jesus-- and the water of grace is then shared with others. When we start to understand and accept the unconditional love Jesus has for us, that is when we then are able to start sharing that love of Jesus with all those around us. It really is a beautiful gift.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Brothers and sisters:

I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,

that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,

took bread, and, after he had given thanks,

broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,

you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

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And a few other simple moments that make me heart smile in this past week! :)

My youngest sister graduated from high school!! Party time!!!

Love these all so very much!!

So proud of her!! xoxoxo

These two boys melted my heart!!

Went to visit a best friend from college and her brand new baby!! Didn't want to put him down.

Friends are the biggest blessing!!

And this simple moment... a very special friend on the left celebrating the marriage of his son on the right.

Like a song that played tonight, "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney... "just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you wake up and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife... don't blink." Time goes too fast--- so enjoy those little things, treasure those simple moments, take time to be with your friends, tell your family you love them. That's what life is all about.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

To My Mom

Today is Mother's Day. A day to let our Mothers know how special they are. To thank them for everything that they have done for us, whether we are just 5 days old, or 50 years old. A day to thank Jesus for giving us such a person to care for us, love us, comfort us. And to thank Jesus for giving us His Mother Mary also, to be our Mother. To love us with the tenderness and gentleness of a perfect mother. To share in our joys and our trails because she has been there too. But Jesus gave us His Mother to bring us closer to Him. To draw us near to Him. All that Mary has, she brings to her Son. Jesus wants to touch us, show us His love, through the love of a mother, His Mother.

I wanted to say a little Thank you to my mom. (hopefully she's okay with me posting this) :) I know I don't tell her enough how special she is, and how grateful I am for all she does for me, for all of us. I couldn't have asked for a better mom! She has been there for me, from the day I was born and rushed to Children's hospital in critical condition. And through all those young years, staying up with me when I was sick, or when I would have bad dreams. Holding me, rocking me, carrying me back to my bed up those stairs. She was there when I would come home from school, crying, feeling left out when I was the only one not invited to the birthday party. She was there to cheer me on when I sewed my watermelon dress for the county fair, or when I had my first piano recital in front of so many others. She supported me when I wanted to buy a horse so bad. She was there on those late nights to help me study for tests, thinking of acronyms so I could remember what crazy words meant. And helped me when I had trouble writing a paper. She was the best at grammar! :) She was there to help me get ready for my first prom, and so excited with me when I had a date! She would be there to talk on the phone when I was so homesick being the first to go to college. She prayed and went to Mass for me the morning I took my boards. And celebrated when I found out I passed!! She would keep me awake on my drive homes in the early morning after working a night shift. With each heartbreak, even when I told her I'd be fine, she knew better (like mom's always do) and stopped whatever she was doing to be there to hold me when I cried and cried. Encouraging me always, especially when life gets tough! She is there to help me find the perfect outfit and accessories. And there to sew me scrub tops, even if it meant her to stay up til early morning to finish! And teaching me about the beauty of the cardinals-- sharing such hope! She listens and understands when no one else does.
I could go on and on. But mostly my mom has taught me so much about love, sacrifice, and trusting in God through it all. To love with your entire being. It might not always be seen on the outside, but loving by giving of oneself when it's hardest. When one doesn't think can go one more minute, but yet somehow washes yet another load of laundry so you have your basketball uniform cleaned, or have clothes to take back to college; or texts you back at 3am when you confide in her something that is keeping you awake, that you can't seem to let go. That is love! That is sacrifice! That is what a mother does. She gives everything up of her, to give to her children. She prays for them constantly. She tells them the things no one else wants to say because she knows that will make them a better person. She loves them with her entire being. And she trusts God! That is probably the number one thing she has taught me, and which I am still trying to learn and understand. That trust. That complete trust that God is in control, and His plan is always best. He always knows. Many times it is not what we want, not what we pray for, not what we understand. But we still have to Trust in Him because he knows always.

I know there is so much more. So much more to say thank you for. She not only has been an incredible mother to myself and my siblings, she is a mother to so many others. Her kids at school, her students in CCD-- staying so many late nights to help one of them deal with a really tough difficulty. She's done that ever since I can remember. And just never being afraid to lend one more extra hand, do one more thing to help ease another person's burden. I honestly don't know how she does it all. She is a true example of sharing in the water of grace. The motto I keep going back to as I try to live my life. Sharing the love that Jesus has for us, and wants us to know, by sharing in the water of grace all around us each day!

At Mass last night, our priest talked about motherhood, explaining that Motherhood is one of the beautiful ways God makes love known. The importance of sacrifice and giving oneself away as a gift. Motherhood gives life. So all I can say is THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, for giving me the gift of life. For being my mother. For not giving up on me. And for teaching me about the love Jesus and Our Blessed Mother have for us. It's the best gift you could have given me, given us. If God blesses me with the gift of being a mother someday, I pray that I can be at least half the mother you were to me, to all of us. And then I would know I am doing good. Thank you for loving us so very much!! Love you so much!! (insert heart emoji here) :)

A Mother's Day Prayer

I thank you, Creator of us all, for my mother.

I thank you that she gave me life and nurtured me all those years. She gave me my faith, helping me to know you and to know Jesus and his ways. She taught me how to love and how to sacrifice for others. She taught me that it was okay to cry and that I should always tell the truth.

Bless he with the graces she needs and which you want to give her today. Help her to feel precious in your eyes today and to know that I love her. Give her strength and courage, compassion and peace.

Bless her this day with your love.

Oh and sharing with us your love for sun and water of course!! :)

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

The World is a Book

"The world is a book and those who don't travel read only one page." ~St Augustine

Hmm... where to start?? How do I sum up traveling to 4 different countries, over 15 days, taking ~~200~~ 2000 pictures (no typo here... I've said before I love pictures), with so many special memories with special people in amazing places?!? I've been thinking about it, and I think I'm going to give a little synapse of where we all traveled... and then break it up in separate posts to share the pictures and places and moments. And you don't have to be afraid, I will not share all 2000 photos! I'm not that crazy! :)

So I traveled with a group through my church. This is my 5th time traveling overseas with them. The easiest would be to say that I am hooked! :) It started about six years ago, back in 2010. I was making rosaries with a group of ladies from church, and they were telling me about a trip that was being planned to Italy/Rome. And I have always wanted to go to Rome, to see the Pope! Be in St Peter's Basilica. To just take it all in. So I decided to look into that trip, and after some thinking, was able to make it happen and go! I didn't really know anyone going at that time, minus our priest and a couple others. And traveling overseas was completely new for me. But I decided to go, and it was the most wonderful experience, and ever since then I've been hooked!! :) I love traveling and seeing new places. Our world is really oh so beautiful. I've been so blessed to see and be in so many incredible places. Many in which I never dreamed I would get to be. But I always tell others, it's the incredible and special people that make these trips so wonderful!! You could take me to see a hog farm (no offending here, I grew up on one)... and it would be the best still if our group came along! We would have the greatest time! :) Each trip, many of the same people go, but there are always new individuals who join, and it's so great to meet these new friends! They become true friends. Genuine. Ones that are sad for you when you are sad, and happy with you when you are happy! We watch out for each other, help each other, pray for each other, and laugh with each other! It's truly a beautiful gift from God! These friendships that I've made.

So back to the trip. :) We left on a Sunday and headed to Madrid, Spain. Spain is 7 hours ahead of us, so when we arrived, it was around 8am there, but 1am here... but we keep going and stay up all day, as that is the only way one can really switch time zones. What's that saying on Finding Nemo, "Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!" Well... here we say, "just keep going! just keep awake!" :) We then flew to Lisbon, Portugal. From there we got on a bus and drove to Fatima. That was a very special place. I will go in detail later. We stayed there for two nights, then headed to Santiago, Spain. We got to stay a night there, and had some delays leaving the next day, as we lost one from our group... but with the help of Our Blessed Mother... we found her! It truly was a miracle (more to come). We then drove along the Atlantic Ocean coast to Santander, in which we got to stay in a hotel less than a block from the ocean. I could see it from my window. It was gorgeous. and the perfect place to wake up on my Birthday morning!! :) So on my birthday, the next day, we headed to France... going to Lourdes. A town in which the Blessed Mother appeared to a little girl named Bernadette in 1858. And just to give a little overview... this place "wowed" all of us! It was amazing, beautiful, and I'm pretty sure touched us all spiritually in a special way. So many graces all around. We were blessed to stay there two nights (and it's always a gift to not have to pack up our suitcase each morning). Leaving France, was the most beautiful drive... into the Pyrenees Mountains, back into Spain. It's a beautiful country. We drove up, up, up to Montserrat! Gorgeous!! Stayed in the mountains, at least 3000 feet elevation! And Jesus painted the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen there! It pays to get up each morning, in the dark, to go for a run, when the sunrises appear!! It was breathtaking!!
Next we headed to Barcelona, and got to tour that city! Along with seeing the amazing church called Sagrada Familia! It's a place that every architect needs to go! It's incredible! From there we boarded a "bullet" train, aka very high speed. We were going up to 300km/hr, which is about 185mph. It was awesome! Traveling nearly 800 miles to Malaga and Torremolinos, which happens to be right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea! I'll just say I thought I went to heaven... I was wondering if it was for real. Falling to sleep each night to the sound of the waves hitting the coast! It was wonderful! And can I just say we got to stay here THREE nights!!! Alleluia! :)
While staying there, we ventured out to new places each day, one being Seville, Spain. And the other, the group split. Half went to Granada. And half went to AFRICA!!! :) Yes.. our 4th country. I wasn't planning on going to either, as I wanted to stay on the beach... but things changed, and I was so grateful to be able to get a ticket for the ferry to head over to Morocco! And what an experience that was, being in a completely Muslim city. (more to come on that fun day).
We then had to leave our beautiful seaside, and head back Northwest to Madrid, where we were able to enjoy that city, and also head to the beautiful town of Avila. So quaint and peaceful! With city walls still up and in perfect condition, protecting the old city.

And then of course, all good and great things must come to an end. So on day 15, we headed back to the great country of ours, the United States of America! No more rows and hills of olive trees, but back to corn and bean fields. That's okay though, as I'm partial to those crops. :) It was hard to say good-bye to everyone, and get back to the real life of demands and to-dos. BUT the memories made will be forever treasured in my heart!! God is so good!