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

Taking the High Road

So I was planning on writing this on Monday, then on Tuesday, and well this week has really gotten away from me. Last weekend was full of a lot of new adventures, starting with racquetball! I went into this sport expecting the worst and hoping for the best. Well it was bad. Really bad. I learned that I am really, really great and flailing.  I this this is going to be something that I work at on my own...but it did help me see how much I want to be athletic. That sounds crazy I know...but I really do want to! So I have decided that I am first going to work on being in shape. Then I will work on the athletics.

On Saturday I went to Highland Kanas for my brother's track meet. I got to see him pull vault 10 feet, which is super legit! I needed gas and I beat my brother and his friends so I stopped at a local gas station. I got gas and paid and thats when I realized it...I locked my keys in my car. This is the first time this has ever happened to me and I did not know what to do. I went into the gas station and got the number of the police to see if they could unlock my car. Apparently they don't do that.  So they gave me the number of a lock smith. While all this was happening My brother, his girlfriend, and one of their friends drove by, so they stopped and picked me up. I called the lock smith and then walked back to the gas station to wait. The lock smith unlocked my car after I waited for a while, but he did not have a way for me to pay him with my debit card. So I ended up buying him gas. This people is why I so want to end up in a small town.

Well I have to meet with a possible student now, so I have to bounce. Stay classy internet world, stay classy!

Winter Wonderland!

This weekend I continued with my nomadic tendencies and went to Omaha. When I drove down Thursday night it was still a beautiful 60 degrees. I was planning on going back to Missouri Saturday night so I could teach religious education on Sunday night. Everything was good. Friday was raining but not bad. I got to study with my cousin in the UNO library, and then went to my little brothers play that night!

The Play was great! My brother had the lead and did an amazing job! I am so proud!

He played a fairy tale detective! 

My little sister and I got really bored while waiting for the play to start and took a bunch of random and fun pictures! 

She is such a cutie...

...even if she is crazy. :) 

Then Saturday Morning came. 

When I woke up I thought there was going to be a light dusting of snow, a little wind, and that it was not going to be as bad as EVERYONE said it was going too...

Well it was EXACTLY what everyone said it would be. 

Yup. 

Needless to say I did not get back to Missouri Saturday night. It was super nice being snowed in though. I got 9 hours of sleep...two nights in a row! I also got to play with my little sisters, see my little brother's basketball game (they won!) and got to eat my dad's apple spice banana pancakes! 

It was a pretty great weekend! 

Now I am "watching" the superbowl with the Newman crew and I will probably go hang out in the dark room later tonight.  I know I promised more about California, but that is going to have to wait. I will leave you with this. 

Where Am I?

      I am pretty positive that someone has scooped up Maryville and moved her to Sunny California. It  is a beautiful 59 degrees, the sun is shinning, the sky is blue, and life is great! I am currently sitting on my front porch as I am writing this. The windows in my house are open, there is a nice but slightly chilly breeze, and I am pretty sure I am not in Missouri anymore.
    I called my Mother just to make sure...but it turns out it's not just Maryville...it is just as beautiful back in Nebraska. After I got over the slight sadness the occurred when I realized I was not transplanted to  California, I have really decided to live it up today! My best friend and I are going on a bike ride around town and I can not wait! I got a beautiful new bike for Christmas and it is nice to get a chance to use it! We are also planning on baking my new favorite food! The most amazing Ginger Cupcakes with the best Cream Cheese frosting I have ever had! (And I don't like frosting)

So Yummy! 

(Side note if you want the recipe's check out my Pinterest!)

     Goodness with weather like this, I can handle winters in the midwest! But, oh how I miss Cali! I realized that I have not written at all about my resent venture to California. I know lame. It was an amazing trip! I went with my parents and my baby sister Lucia!  The weather was like that of today...only everyday!
     We stayed in La Jolla, a downtown area of San Diego.  We could see the ocean from our room, and were just a short walk away from a beach where a bunch of sea lions lived!

They were practically in our front yard! 

It was absolutely amazing! Well it's time for me to get ready for my bike ride! More on Cali later! Remember to stop and smell the flowers!