Time for a History Lesson!

Ok, ok, I know History lessons are not always the most interesting thing is the world but this one BLEW MY MIND!! So Naturally I had to share with all of you wonderful people :) 

During training for Totus Tuus this past summer Father Paul Hoesing (The Vocations Director for the ArchDiocese of Omaha) was telling us about how everything in the Bible is part of our story. How the stories that we hear in the Bible continue on through us. Someone wrote the word history on the white bord that was in the room. For some reason I just sat there and stared at that word for a while...

Humm...History. Then I started saying it over and over in my mind. Saying the word slower each time I said it.

Histooorrryyy. History. HIStory. His Story.

OH MY GOSH HIS STORY!! 

It was at this point that I realized that History is God's story, His story of our lives and how HE works in them.  
Now at first I thought I was crazy, it was cool but just a fun quirk Jesus through in to make me smile...but I was Wrong.

"History is His-story, the story of God at work in the world, often 'underneath the surface of history,' in a drama of salvation that is the human story, read in its proper depth." - George Weigel, Letters to a Young Catholic

It was  not until today while I was reading this book that I got conformation that I was not crazy! This idea was brought back into my life  nine months after the original thought! And that is how God works!

That is why, "Catholics can't think of history as flat. Catholics can't think of history as the exhaust fumes of the 'means of production.' Catholics can't think of history as politics, period." -George Weigel
Because history is. We are apart of His-Story NOW! So we need to act on it. When we are old and gray people will ask us, "What was 9/11 like?" "What was it like when Pope Benedict gave up the pontificate?" "What was it like when..." We are living history, His-story. So lets make it a good one. 

People Watching

I am sitting in a bistro at the airport in Denver on a balcony that overlooks the main terminal baggage claim area.  As I watch the world I see birds flying around that somehow got inside, I see the flowers on the table, but most of all I notice the people coming and going.

People come in from their flights and greet there families with HUGE hugs and everyone is excited to see each other. There is the little boy with the Star Wars backback fallowing his mother and they rush along to something new, the air force officer playing on his phone and occasionally looking around and tapping his foot as he to watches the people go by. The airport workers run to a frow as the women with the puppy tries to make sure he does not jump out of her arms. There are the two little girls in pink jackets, who run to their Father as he comes home from a business trip, their mother fallows behind and you can tell that soon their family will be growing.

As I watch all of this unfold before me, I can't help but wonder what there stories are. Maybe the kid with the Star Wars backpack is going to a wedding, and the air force officer is waiting for his true love to get back from visiting her family.   They all have stories that are so unique and beautiful, I wish I could read them all.  Instead I get to watch this small part of their lives and wonder what Beautiful things GOD has in store for them.

Dear Lord, Please bless all the people I see today!
Elizabeth :)

Let the Adventure Begin!

Hello World!

Sorry I have been pretty AWOL lately, things have been pretty crazy! I am back however and off on another Adventure. What adventure is this might you ask! I'm off to Denver to interview for a position on Staff for FOCUS! Exciting right!

One thing I have learned while preparing for this interview is that you really do need to give everything to GOD. If he wants me to get this Job, I will, if not there is another adventure waiting for me! Give everything to God and trust in him!

I have had several people ask me if I am nervous. The answer is a surprising no. I feel so at peace about all of this and it is because I have given in totally to HIM. This is rare for me, because I really lack in the trusting department, but it is so beautiful! There is no better feeling in the world.

Advice of the day: Pray and ask God to allow you to give you life to him, it is hard, but it is beautiful.

Have a Glorious Day :)

Me at the airport! 

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts." ~ John 4:8 

Story Time

A very good friend of mine has been asking me to write down a story, so I have decided to write it here. But before I tell you the story I have to tell you a little bit about myself.

I have changed a lot during my lifetime. I have gone through many different "transitional periods" and I finally think that I know who I am. Well I know who I am supposed to be and I work to reach that everyday.  Anyway, there are very few things that have never changed about my "tastes."  The one that has really been a constant is my LOVE for fairy-tales.  I FREAKING LOVE FAIRY-TALES! GAH! So yes the story I am going to tell you is a fairytale, but it is not like any other fairytale because it is real.

Once Upon a Time (Because that is how all good stories should start) There was a King. 

He was a wonderful King who always looked out for his people and took care of all of the problems in the land. 

The King had one Son, the Prince.

He was a delightful man who was kind and generous and loved to teach people about his Father's ways.  

The Queen was a beautiful woman named Mary.

(Ok So She was not this kind of Queen) 

 It was a simple name, but she liked it as the Queen was an extremely simple person.

The kingdom had a Fairy Godmother 

who helped to guide all the people in the kingdom to not only what was best for them, but what they really wanted. The Fairy Godmother helped make all of the dreams (even the ones they did not know about) come true. 

The Kingdom had many strong knights,

 who would go all over the land and take care of all of the King's people. 

They kept and protected the kingdom with honor and respect. They acted in the place of the King when he could not be physically present. 

There were also many squires who helped the knights.  

They trained and studied day and night in hopes to one day become a knight and get the chance to serve the King in a higher way. 

The Queen has many kind and generous Lady's Maids, 

and the Kingdom was filled with many Lords and Lady's.  

The Lord's were all kind and courageous gentlemen, and the Lady's were all beautiful, kind, and loved with their whole heart.

Now at his point I have to explain my tale a bit. 

For those of you who have yet to pick up in it the King is... 

God the Father.

Prince Charming is...

 Jesus. 

the Fairy Godmother is...

 the Holy Spirit.

The Queen is...

 Mary the Mother of Jesus, 

the Knights are...

 Catholic Priests.

And the Squires are...well this one has been a bit challenging. You see the squire bit came to me when I was at mass and I thought...

 But then you see, the majority of my guy friends are seminarians (studying/discerning priesthood) 

which means they are totally squires!!

 And then there are Deacons...who are also squires...but older then most. 

Actually the Deacons are like assistants to the Knights who are not training to be knights...I am going to have to ask my brother Ben if there is a name for such a thing...he will know. Then I will let you know!! And after that random tangent... 

The Lady's in Waiting are...

 Nuns (or sisters) Who care for our Mother and the people!! 

Then finally, the Lord's and Lady's are...

 the lay people. You and me.  

You see all of this came about when I was in the Cathedral in Omaha. You walk in and it feels like that is the banquet room in a castle! At the beginning of the summer we went to Ordination (When the Transitional Deacons become Priest...just in case you did not know!) and all I could think about was the fact that these three men getting ordained were really getting knighted!! GAH!!! It was so great!

I really believe that Catholicism. Is the only real fairy tale left! I used this fairytale example to explain the Trinity and my relationship to the trinity to the High School students during Totus Tuus this summer! I was super surprised at how much they loved it! But when I thought about it, it makes sense. Are not we all just searching for a grand Adventure? Well I have good news for you! God has an Amazing Qwest for you to go on! The Qwest is to get back to the grand Kingdom (Heaven). Now this Qwest will not be easy. You will have to face dragons (temptations), The evil Queen's Army (Demons) and Eventually the Evil Step Mother herself (The Devil). But do not worry! Because our Father and King has given us the tools we need to  defeat the Evil Queen! All we have to do is find them. Let the Qwest begin!

I'm Praying for you! We are all in this together! :)

Sidekicks vs. The Hero

       So I recently went to see the new movie The Avengers.  It was a great movie and because of it...I am on a super hero kick.  One thing that I have noticed is that in Marvel Comics none of the super heros have side kicks. This is really quite a travesty as I have always preferred the sidekicks to the heros.  I was always a bigger fan of Robin then Batman and so on and so forth.
        I have noticed that the super hero sidekick relationship is used in every form of entertainment we have today, especially books and movies. This relationship is most often show as the main character and the best friend, the studly male whatever and his best friend, and the ego jock and the dork (who is not the best friend).  The side kick character is always a great friend, a person that you want to hang out with, but is never the first choice. They are also usually a nerd or some form an artist. They usually end up alone, but are happy about it.
SIDE-KICKS ARE SO UNDER ESTIMATED.

One of my favorite movies is Sky High (Yes thank you I do know it is a children's movie)

IT'S ABOUT SIDE-KICKS KICKING BUTT! 

If you have not see it...do. This one is great for all ages.  Anyway my point is don't underestimate the side kicks. They are the strength behind every super hero. 

Let's get theological for just a bit. Jesus= hero (duh) Does he need a side-kick? No. But alas he has Peter the rock on which he built his church. BEST SIDE-KICK EVER!!  Peter totally kicked butt (in a totally non-violent way). Or look at any of the other Saints. Look at  Mother T or JPII or Therese of Lisieux...any of them! Did they want to be a hero? No they wanted to do what ever OUR LORD wanted them to do. Basically they were the most kickin' side-kicks ever.  So Moral of the story...become a Saint....become a sidekick! 

I'm praying for you, We're all in this together :) 

Look at Your Life Through Heaven's Eyes

Have you ever seen the movie "The Prince of Egypt?" If not, I highly suggest you do. It is one
of my favorites.  I have grown up watching this movie over and over and one of my favorite songs, was also the hardest for me to understand. The song "Through Heaven's Eyes" talks of looking at your life the way God does. Here is the song.

It's SO GOOD! 

Well last night while I was watching Little House on the Prairie (My favorite show!) God gave me an insight to how he looks at our life. (This also helps clear up the fact the God knows what is going to happen but we still have free will - wait how does that work issue) You see I have seen every episode of Little House on the Prairie multiple times. I know the story line inside and out. I know the characters like they are part of my own family. I know what is going to happen to each character in the many different trials they will face. 

Last night I found myself talking out loud (don't laugh it is the sign of a genius) To the T.V. I remember saying something like "It's ok Mary, it sucks that you are going blind now, but do not fear you will still be a teacher like you dreamed, you will just teach blind children. And don't worry you are going to meet your future husband at the blind school and the two of you will open up a new blind school and teach ALL THE CHILDRENS!" 

Here is the scene I am talking about! 

I realized that God looks at our lives the way I look at Little House. He knows what is going to happen. He knows the good things that will come from the hardest moments in our lives. We do not see it yet but he does. He has watched the DVD of our lives over and over and over again. He knows how we will react to every trail and happiness. HE knows the story line inside and out. We are HIS family. So he sits there and says "It's ok Elizabeth, You don't see it now, but one day you will become a missionary and you will set the world on fire." - Well ok I don't know exactly what HE says because I have not finished watching the show. But someday I will finish the show of my life, then I will be able to look back and understand. :)  

I'm Praying for you! We are all in this together!
God Bless.

Who Am I?

I have been looking for the answer to this question for the past 21 years, and I think that I am starting to see the answer. I am not at all who I thought I was. I have to be careful though, because I could jump ahead of myself. You see this is all a very slow delicate process, but a beautiful one at that.  I am not supposed to know all of me yet.  I know that sounds strange but it is because I am not quite who I was created to be yet. I am however at this moment the closest I have ever come to that person. You are probably wondering why the philosophical musings?   Well a lot has happened in the past few weeks. I realize that I have not written about any of it, but the truth is, I don't plan too. What I am going to write is what I have learned from all of this.

 I started this blog more for me then for anyone else. To keep track of my travels and have a place where all of my adventures were written down in one spot. I will not lie, a part of me also wanted a place where I could brag about my travels. But that is not what is really important. Is it an amazing blessing these travels? Yes. But the travels are not what is important (as I perviously thought). What is  important is what one learns from them. How they become apart of who you are. How everywhere you go, all the people you meet, everything you do, all come together to create the person that you are.  It's the little moments you think don't matter, but in the end truly do.

There is only one adventure that is at all worth writing about, and that adventure is life. Life is a grand quest...one worth truly fighting for. In fighting for life, you are fighting for love, for the LORD, and for yourself. It is a beautiful gift that is not to be wasted.

I thought about deleting the past posts that I wrote, but what would be the point in that. You can't erase the past, but you can move on to the future. I am resolved to write more here (once a week I hope!) But I am going to write about what really matters. Not about the places I go and the people I meet, but about life! My apologies for future rambling that don't make much sense, but then again life at its best does not make much sense except in HE who strengthens us.

So there you have it.
Goodnight, Sweet Dreams, And May GOD Send His Blessings Upon You.
Elizabeth