You are Hope of all the earth...

"You're the Hope of all the earth. You are my Hope. You are my strength. You are everything, everything I need. You are my Hope! You are my Life!"

Such Blessings!

I am just so amazed at what He's done in my life. I while I sat down and wrote this poem. This past weekend I saw my best friend (who is also my boyfriend) and he played for me the song he made it into. He put music to my poem and it was just perfect. The music matched the emotions of the poem perfectly; he has been given such a gift in his musical talent and voice. I was just so grateful, amazed and happy and something I scribbled down a few months turned into a great song for His glory. My God chose me. He inspired me with the words and gave me an amazing guy with the talent to make it so much more. It may seem like a little thing but it shows the promise I have in Him. He can do anything :)
Thank You!Be Glorified!

Skirts & such

I love wearing skirts. They're comfortable, countercultural, and most of all just pretty. I'd like to say that I pull off looking modest and stylish in skirts...but most of the time I just don't, and I look kind of dorky. I can say, however, that I've seen other people do it.

My sister, for instance, can look modern and modest:

Or you could go for a forties kind of look (I love clothes like this):

Or you could wear really long skirts:

Also, I like this random outfit a lot (with a slightly higher neckline):

She Walks in Beauty (Byron)

I love this poem. Innocence is regarded in our society as perhaps being charming and sweet at first, but really kind of boring in the long run. But innocence, purity of heart, is the indispensable condition for true happiness.

She walks in beauty, like the night

   Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

   Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

   Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

   Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

   Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

   How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

   So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

   But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

   A heart whose love is innocent!

Lead Me to the Cross

Making a Spiritual Communion

Today I went to Adoration at the church next to my school. I picked up a book about the Eucharist and I started reading it, and I found a part about spiritual Communions. A spiritual communion, according to St. Thomas, consists in an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and a loving embrace as though we had already received him. A person can make a spiritual Communion when he is unable to attend Mass or when he has not confessed a mortal sin and is unable to receive Communion sacramentally. These are incredible graces! I already knew about those before today, but this afternoon, I found out that a spiritual Communion can be made any time and anywhere, and that the graces received in this kind of Communion are comparable to the graces received in Sacramental Communion. I'll have to go find the part of the book that talks about this and post it here, because the writer explains this far more beautifully and movingly than I am.
Blessed Angela of the Cross (I think) made one hundred spiritual Communions in a day and one hundred more at night. She said, "If my confessor had not taught me this method of communicating, I could scarcely live."


St. Padre Pio said, “Go to the tabernacle in spirit when you are unable to do so physically, and there pour out your ardent desires, talk, pray, and embrace the Beloved of our souls, even more than if you had been permitted to receive Him sacramentally.”


Blessed Pope John Paul II (Pope Blessed? Blessed Pope?) wrote in his Ecclesia de Eucharistia:

In the Eucharist, "unlike any other sacrament, the mystery [of communion] is so perfect that it brings us to the heights of every good thing: Here is the ultimate goal of every human desire, because here we attain God and God joins himself to us in the most perfect union."

Precisely for this reason it is good to cultivate in our hearts a constant desire for the sacrament of the Eucharist. This was the origin of the practice of "spiritual communion," which has happily been established in the Church for centuries and recommended by saints who were masters of the spiritual life. St. Teresa of Jesus wrote: "When you do not receive communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you" [The Way of Perfection, Ch. 35.].1 .

Thus, the passionate desire for God, whom the saints have seen as the Sole Satisfier, and who in the Eucharist is the "summit and source of the Christian life", is at the root of this practice. The experience of St. Padre Pio illustrates the compelling desire felt by the saints in the face of the drawing and attracting power of God's love: “My heart feels as if it were being drawn by a superior force each morning just before uniting with Him in the Blessed Sacrament. I have such a thirst and hunger before receiving Him that it's a wonder I don't die of anxiety. I was hardly able to reach the Divine Prisoner in order to celebrate Mass. When Mass ended I remained with Jesus to render Him thanks. My thirst and hunger do not diminish after I have received Him in the Blessed Sacrament, but rather, increase steadily. Oh, how sweet was the conversation I held with Paradise this morning. The heart of Jesus and my own, if you will pardon the expression, fused. They were no longer two hearts beating but only one. My heart disappeared as if it were a drop in the ocean.”^[1]

St. Jean-Marie Vianney compared spiritual communion to blowing on fire and embers that are starting to go out in order to make them burn again: “There are some who make a spiritual communion every day with blessed bread. If we are deprived of Sacramental Communion, let us replace it, as far as we can, by spiritual communion, which we can make every moment; for we ought to have always a burning desire to receive the good God. Communion is to the soul like blowing a fire that is beginning to go out, but that has still plenty of hot embers; we blow, and the fire burns again. After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel ourselves slacken in the love of God, let us have recourse at once to spiritual communion. When we cannot go to the church, let us turn towards the tabernacle; no wall can shut us out from the good God.”

St. Josemaria Escriva taught spiritual communions improve presence of God: "What a source of grace there is in spiritual Communion! Practise it frequently and you'll have more presence of God and closer union with him in your life." He also taught: "Do not neglect to say, “Jesus, I love you”, and make one spiritual communion, at least, each day, in atonement for all the profanations and sacrileges he suffers because he wants to be with us."

According to Catholic theologians, the value of a spiritual can be as great as Holy Communion itself. "Spiritual Communion, as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Alphonsus Liguori teach, produces effects similar to Sacramental Communion, according to the dispositions with which it is made, the greater or less earnestness with which Jesus is desired, and the greater or less love with which Jesus is welcomed and given due attention," stated Father Stefano Manelli, O.F.M. Conv., S.T.D., in his book Jesus our Eucharistic Love.^[1]

"A special advantage of Spiritual Communion is that we can make it as often as we like — even hundreds of times a day — when we like — even late at night — and wherever we like — even in a desert, or up in an airplane," Fr. Stefano continued.

Those who are aware of a mortal sin that needs to be confessed, can reach out to God through spiritual communion.

(The text from the John Paul II quote down until here is taken from a Wikipedia article, by the way) 

You can make a spiritual Communion thus:

"Oh my Jesus, I firmly believe that Thou art really and truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love Thee with my whole heart, and because I love Thee, I am sorry for having offended Thee. I long to possess Thee within my soul, but as I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least in spirit into my heart. I unite myself to thee as if Thou wert already there; never let me be separated from Thee."

With Thy Friendship...

"...With Thy friendship the world shall never be dreary, and life never without a charm..." 

- St. Augustine

I had a good day :) I woke up at 5am, was at the gym by 6:02 and had over an hour of exercise. It really energized me for the day and felt so awesome. I was in such a good mood after :] Last night I realized that I'm not giving my life fully to God. I am letting food be an idol. I cannot give my life totally to my God if it is controlled by something else. He is all I need. By waking up and exercising this morning I felt that I was regaining some control and would not just be slave to sloth and gluttony. I was treating my body as what it is - God's creation. He gave it to me and I must take care of it. 

Anyway! After that, I got Starbucks. I thought the cups were adorable :

Triple shot skim milk latte - wonderful!

Once again, thank You, my God, for the little Joys =)

Have an amazing & God bless!

A bit of joy..

My friend tried to take outfit photos of me today but I am such an awkward model that we settled for an artsy shot...

..and a laughing one :)

I like drawing in my notes :

"What wondrous love is this, o my soul?"

Thank You, my King, for all the little joys You give to us!

Skirts & a Song

Helen and I finally took some photos - Enjoy!

I love this skirt of hers; it's so pretty...

...and perfect for twirling!

Here is one of mine. I love the color and since the front is higher than the back so its easier not to trip over (perfect for a klutz like me). 

And now for the song part of this post. I've recently been listening to this band a lot. This song came on while I was making this blog post so I thought I'd include it:

Have a great day & God bless :]

On Dressing Well.

There seems to be a general view that people who pay a lot of attention to the way they dress are silly and vain; I disagree. True, when taken too far caring for one's appearance can lead to vanity and by no means should it be the center of one's life. We should feel most confident in who we are in our Creator and our God and not care to please others, but, as material creatures we cannot be free from all material matters. I think dressing well (modestly) is good because it presents the wearer as having respect for the creation that is themselves.

One of the reasons I like watching old movies (other than the clean, clever humor and good plots) is the way people dress - they're seemingly held to a higher standard that we are today. Lately, I've been trying to take more time in how I dress when I go places - especially work. Usually at work I just wear a t-shirt and jeans but lately I've been wearing more skirts or dressing up the t-shirt by tucking it in and adding a sweater. Just these little things really improve my mood. Taking the time to present myself well makes me feel more confident and, as somebody who has always struggled with body image, it helps me see my body as God's good creation no matter it's size. Dressing well can add a little bit of beauty to the world (click here!) and show the intrinsic dignity and respect we, as men, have. So, I do not think caring about how one dresses is wrong - I think it has many benefits. Helen and I will try to get some photos on here soon!

Have a great day :)

Judging Others.

Today I read this blog and it made me think. This topic comes up often in my mind but is usually soon forgotten. I try (and fail) daily to live modestly and humbly but I over look a major flaw in myself when I judge others. I see people doing something or dressing in a way I think obviously not modest and/or vain and for a moment feel superior,thinking, "at least I'm not that proud" or "gosh, they're full of themselves." But that's the thing - it's a proof of my huge pride that I think myself in a position to judge others. I have plenty of my own flaws to work on; I have no right to go around judging others. God alone knows their heart and, as much as my pride hates to admit it, I do not know the whole story and am never in the right to judge.

Sweet Jesus, grant me a humble heart so that I may more closely imitate You and my most blessed Mother.

The Little Things...

Lately I've been quiet grateful for...coffee! I just find it so relaxing to sit down with a nice hot cup whether reading in a coffee shop or trying to stay awake at school. Thank You for the little things :)

Disciple - After The World

Polyvore Outfit I