Advent: Preparing for Christ's Coming



        Advent. A word that means "coming." But what or who is coming? Jesus of course! But Jesus already came 2,000 years ago...so why are we celebrating it again? Advent is a time to prepare not so much for the first time Jesus came, but to prepare for his second coming. Each day we live should be as if it were our last. We should be loving those around us and trying to be as close to Jesus as possible. But we aren't perfect and everyone makes mistakes. So advent is yet another reminder of what life is really all about: Preparing for the coming of Jesus.

       As you begin celebrating this season, probably with Christmas shopping, baking, decorating and more, remember to prepare for the coming of Christ. In the end, he is all that matters anyway. Happy Advent!



Advent Wreath



Small Things With Great Love

Finals are coming up in a little over a week and the stress of tests, papers, and assignments is starting to set in more than ever. I find myself getting so caught up in trying to get everything done and finding no time for enjoying life or helping others with what they are doing. I want to do so much to encourage people and let them know I care, but I just don't have enough time!

Stress of Finals Setting In

But it's not about doing a lot or even doing big things. It's the small things in life that are important - especially when we're really busy. Taking time to smile at someone you pass, leaving a sticky note on a friend's dorm room door, hugging people hello, buying someone's drink for them, striking up a conversation with a random stranger while waiting in line......all these things are simple, yet thoughtful - and they just might make someone's day!

Cute Sticky Note

So as you're going through your day and craziness begins to set it, remember what Mother Teresa said:

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

Bumper Sticker Evangelization

Evangelizing is something that each of us is called to do as a baptized Christian. But not all of us are called to do foreign mission trips or give talks or other things along those lines. However, just because we may not be called to be a missionary in the traditional sense, we still have a mission to share Christ with those around us.  We are called to live a life that shows others Christ. We should be showing his love to those around us with our words and actions.

10 Simple, Easy, and Creative Ways to Evangelize

1. Pro-life, Catholic, Christian Bumper Stickers.

2. License Plate Frames

 

3. Post uplifting quotes on Facebook

4. Play Christian Music in your car with the windows open

5. Wear a necklace with a medal or cross on it


6. Wear T-shirts that preach the message


7. Say "God Bless You" when people sneeze


8. Go to the movies whenever good, moral, uplifiting movies come out to support the companies that made them


9. Make the background of your computer a religious image


10. Get a keychain for your keys with a postive message on it.


There are dozens of other ideas, but these are just a few to get you started. Go out and spread the good news! :)

p.s. check out Catholic To the Max for some great bumper stickers, keychains, license plates

Modesty is a Virtue

Modesty. A word that people both love and hate. How can one word cause such opposite feelings? Most of us, when we hear the word think immediately of brown paper sacks, or long skirts and nothing cute to wear. But modesty is not like this at all! 

Modesty, rather than imprisoning us in old-fashion views and styles of dressing, frees us to be the women God created us to be and wear cute, attractive outfits. The Bible says this about modesty: "I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly; not with fancy hair styles or with gold ornaments or pearls or expensive dresses, but with good deeds, as is proper for women to claim to be religious." -1 Timothy 2:9-10.

No where in the Bible (look as hard as you want) does it say that women should wear floor length gowns or dress like nuns. Rather, it says to be modest and sensible about our clothes. But modesty is not just about our clothing; it starts in our hearts. St. Paul also says in the second verse that we are to be adorned with good deeds. Good deeds have nothing to do with clothing, yet they are a part of what modesty is. How can this be?

As I said earlier, modesty starts in our hearts. We need to be modest and pure in our thoughts, speech, and actions, as well as our dress. Even a promiscuous woman can dress modestly, but if she acts in a sexual, provocative way, is she truly being modest? When our hearts are centered on Christ and following his plan for our life, we will desire to act and dress in a way that reflects Christ and his love for us.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, there is not list of what to wear and what not to wear. This is why forming our hearts is so important. We can only know what is modest if we have a well-formed conscience, if we are filling our lives with holy things. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) does offer some good advice on how to decide what is considered modest: "Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden....Modesty is decency. It inspires one's choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet." -CCC 2521-2522

My favorite part of that quote is the first part: "Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden." This is so beautiful. The Church isn't telling us what we should and shouldn't wear. They simply tell us what I believe every girl knows deep down inside, that we should save what is meant only for our husband's eyes. Modesty is a virtue that we should pursue and nurture the growth of. 

I Am Not A Fruit

"'I am not a fruit.' With these words, a Muslim woman began her comments to a room of teenagers. As you would expect, the teens responded with a puzzled look. She repeated herself:

'I am not a fruit. I grew up near a marketplace, and the men would walk down the aisles of fruit. The men picked up and examined everything before they bought one. The would touch them, smell them, handle them, and toss them back into the pile. After rummaging through the batch, they would pick one, buy it, and leave. I am not a fruit.'" - How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul, Page 101.

Ladies, we are not fruits and we should not be treated as if we are. It is not okay for men to treat us the way they do. We deserve to be loved and treated with respect as God's beautiful daughters. But how do we show the men around us that we deserve to be treated right? One important way we can do this is by dressing in a way that upholds our dignity, by dressing modestly.

Men will respect us when they see that we respect ourselves. When we dress modestly, we tell those around us: I am special. I am valuable. I don't need to flaunt my body to feel my worth. The king of the whole world died to save ME and I am worth being respected. Modesty demands that men look at us not with lust, but love.

Modesty also reminds us of our worth as women. "When a woman chooses to dress modestly, it's deliberate....Not much thought goes into buying sexy clothes. A girl will say to herself, 'Oh, that is so cute. It goes perfectly with my shoes,' and the sale is complete. When selecting a modest outfit, the process is more involved. The woman is conscious of how her clothing reflects her standards. Every time she puts on the outfit, it will be an unconscious reminder of what lifestyle she is choosing to lead." - Soulmate, Page 172.

"Modesty inspires an allure that lasts becasue she retains the element of mystery and directs his attention to more than the external. By your very nature as a woman, you are mysterious to men....You're mysterious because you are a woman. Retain that mystery by considering your body to be a secret, spoken only to the one who deserves to know it." - Soulmate, Page 173.

When you pick out your outfit tomorrow, think about what you are choosing to wear and how it will affect those around you. :)

Link to A Post-Abortion Testimony

Dear Readers,
     I found this link today and I wanted to share it with you. It is the story of a woman who had an abortion and now regrets it. I found it to be moving, and I wanted to share it so that we can continue to be aware of the harm that abortion does to women, children, and our society.

http://www.silentnomoreawareness.org/testimonies/testimony.aspx?ID=2309

Life is Beautiful

This is something that I created on photoshop to celebrate life. :)