Advent

For the last seventeen years of my life, I was under the impression that The Church celebrated Advent, lit Advent candles, and used Advent calendars for the sole purpose counting down the four weeks before Christmas- so everyone knew how much time they had left to get my Christmas present. A couple weeks ago, a preist at my school gave a homily about the darkness that the Jews were living in while they waited for their savior, and how deep and attentive their waiting was. Now, I had been 'celebrating' Advent with my family for seventeen years and not once did I think of it like that. Advent is all about waiting, and once I understood that, my Advent came alive with meaning. When the priest spoke of different times in his life that he waited for things, my mind was flooded with memories of my scrawny, brace-faced, eighth grade self sitting next to the phone waiting for Adam Morello to call me. I stared at that phone like I was expecting it to turn into gold; every one of my senses was suddenly hyper-sensitive, every fiber of my being was willing the phone to ring, and oh the wrath that awaited any one of my family members should they attempt to make a call! I laugh at myself now as I remember it, but at the time I'm sure it was incredibly important to me that he called. That's the kind of anticipation we should all experience during Advent while we're waiting for Christ, only even more! Because, 1) Jesus's presence is exponentially more important to the world than Mr. Morello's attention was to me, and 2) unlike when I waited for Adam, we are waiting with a purpose and a hope. We don't have to question or be uncertain about the Man we're waiting on because we can be sure that He will come through for us because, well... He's God and He loves us too much to leave us sitting there until our mothers tell us to go to sleep (oops I got my stories mixed up...).

2 more days until Christmas!! I'm so bloody excited!! Travel safe, ladies! God bless you and your families.

Keep it real,

Emily

Slay Away

We are called to, by the power of GOD (which is inexhustable), destroy evil. Sisters, why do we sit in silence? Slay Slay Slay

Keep it real,
Emily

Fischer-isms

I love my life at Franciscan University so much! I'm so blessed to be able to study here, and I never feel the immensity of that blessing more than when I'm siting in Psychology 101 with Dr. Fischer. I will never be able to describe how awesome he is in my own words so I'll share with you some of his and let you make your own judgement.

• "Don't e-mail me. I don't use computers quite simply because I believe that they are of the Devil. Yes, we are all probably going to hell because of our use of computers."
• When taking attendance: "Marget Alrich? Margret? Is she here? Well I don't have a pencil... The hell with it." attendance over. 

• "And, as we all know, if you don't have a phone number you die. (long solemn pause) Your phone breaks, you get sick, you get diarrhea, you start throwing up and then you die."
• "Any questions about leaf blowers, weed wackers, OR axonal conduction?"
• "It wont cure you like you went to Lourdes or something but it will have an effect."
• "I don't patrol the desks trying to catch cheaters or anything, but I've checked with the Vatican and if you cheat... You WILL go to hell when you die. Bear that in mind."

Hot!

I believe in getting into hot water; it keeps you clean.

      -G. K. Chesterton

If I've only learned two things in the month that I've lived and studied at Franciscan University they are, One: always begin by referring to the wisdom of those who've gone before you and Two: G. K. Chesterton was the second wisest man to ever walk the earth. Ok so maybe not the second but definitely top one hundred. Anyway, I love this quote. As Christian women, we are flooded with books, pamphlets, emails, and flyers about true femininity, and in our disgustingly mislead world, I can understand the need for a clarification on the subject. HOWEVER! I feel that we've grabbed ahold of the concept of the Virgen Mary (blessed be her most Immaculate Heart!) in her beauty, grace, humility and modesty, and we've forgotten how strong she is! Mother Mary was no delicate little flower, helplessly caught up in the Devine Will. She was an active part of God's Plan. She was so in love with the Holy Spirit that even the intense suffering of her one and only son could not keep her from complying with His Will. Mary was a rock star.

Just like Mary, we are called to play an active part in God's Will. We are called to be strong, lead by example and love radically. God dosen't want to drag us around the dance floor as we insecurely mutter that we don't know the steps, he wants us to confidently follow is strong, unwavering lead. As women, we should be confident in the plan that God has for us, and boldly go where, sometimes no woman has gone before. We live in times of great distress; our country and world have been at odds with our Heavenly Father's Will for decades, and ladies, the battle's on. Our country needs love from the hearts of true, strong, and DEPENDANT women.


As women, we're called to give birth to Christ in the souls of everyone we meet. Sometimes that means fervently praying for conversion, and sometimes that means getting in there and being a catalyst for conversion. Sometimes, we have to get into the dirt and drag our brothers and sisters to holiness; we have to climb down to wherever they might be and shine a light for them, shout for them, hold their hand, and smother them with love until they can't take it anymore and they just have to ask "What is it that you have that makes you so strong and joyful? Because I want it. Whatever it is."


God's Will can get us into some pretty hot water. But it's in that hot water that we have an opportunity to actually share in the suffering and salvation of Christ. When we witness to people; when we share our stories and love with them, we make ourselves vulnerable to them, and that can be scary. Are they going to think I'm being pretentious or condescending? Are they going to think I'm stupid and weak for relying so heavily on a God that I can't even see or touch? But by overcoming that, we are an active and important part of Christ's plan of salvation. So love out loud sisters! Don't be afraid to be bold and beautiful, it's what you were made for.


Keep it real!
Emily

Being awesome...

Hello, my wonderful friends :) I've been so busy lately and completely out of ideas as to what to write about. As per usual, doubt is my biggest enemy, so pray for me, because I pray for you all the time!! I love being a christian. As C.S. Lewis said:

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

It's like having both a strong ship to get me places, and a bright beacon to show me the way. There are few things in life that are as sure and steadfast as God's church. His law and love never change, they are always there- connected (for sure) but also beautifully independent of one another. If we truly love God, we do as he asks (like when you truly love a person- you do anything for them no matter how hard it might be). But even when we don't, He still loves and forgives us. It's such a simple thing. His laws are so concrete and unchanging... The world tries to convince us of otherwise, of course. The world wants us to view God as a bendy reed that will sway and change with our likes and dislikes. The world wants us to view God as a submissive motherly figure that will come at our command and do exactly as we ask. But that is such a broken view, and we lose so much when we think of Him and treat Him  those ways.

The Father is the perfect way to picture God, because what does the father do? He instructs, he reprimands, he ALWAYS loves, and he ALWAYS protects. He is not someone to be called upon to suit your fancy, and, as head of the household, his station demands a certain amount of fear, and large amount of respect. Fathers are constant, they never change. The way they feel about your outfit today is the same way they'll feel about it tomorrow no matter that Italian Vogue has to say about the subject. The same is true with God. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. So often, people view Christianity as being outdated. Like is needs to be modernized or something, but, to me at least, that dosen't make any sense whatsoever. God never changes, so why should His church?

The world will run off and change around and try to keep you interested with all it's pleasures and lies but (and I know I'm not alone in this), I don't want that. You know how when you put an outfit together you ask yourself "Is this OK for what I'm going to?" and before you say something or act you (I hope) ask yourself whether or not it's OK for where you are and who you're with? Know what I mean? The trends of style and conduct change so often in society that you are always left to wonder what's appropriate. Well I'm glad God's not like that. I'm glad that He is totally separate and above the changing times. I'm glad that no matter what, when I give of myself to others- no matter how they receive it- God is totally OK with it. I'm glad that every time I speak in defense of someone who can't defend themselves- even though it might not be very well accepted- God is pleased with it.

Because He never changes, neither does my code of conduct. Something that wasn't OK with God 12,345,678,656,789,234,523 years ago, still isn't OK with me. I love being a Christian, because all my decisions are basically made for me. The world wants us to see that as being a very oppressive frame of mind, but I think it's the kind of thinking that sets us free :) with God doing all the decision-making, I can focus on loving Him, loving my neighbor and being generally awesome. And defiantly I don't see anything oppressive about being awesome.

I hope you guys are having a great summer!! You are all beautiful and you inspire me!! Much love :)

Keep it real,
Emily

P.S.
I'm reading a book by Jane Austen right now called Mansfield Park, and I think it's affecting my writing. I'm sorry if it's a little bit formal for a while, "you write the way you read" I always say!

Where you at?

Hello there :] I graduated this past Sunday and I feel like God (sitting in the driver's seat) is FLOORING IT! Grad parties and bonfires and just plain hanging out... I feel like if I don't go to every party or I skip out on a game of cards, that I'll miss something really important. After a week of "making memories," I realize that, as great as swimming and bike rides and late-night-talks are, MeTime is far more important. I'm going away to college, and when I think about it- I am completely unprepared. I don't mean that I don't have my books or pens or things like that. I mean emotionally and intellectually. I hardly know myself at all!

If I run out of money and I can't eat, will I ask a friend for food or act like everything is OK and end up really sick?

What do I do if I need my Dad to proof-read a paper (my Dad ALWAYS proof reads for me) and he's 400 miles away? Will I break down? Will I get so homesick that I quit school?

When I apply for summer internships in the city, how will I handle living completely on my own?

My biggest fear is (sorry for the cliche) that I'll write a check my butt can't cash. My parents built me tough, and I know I can handle anything with God's help, but I also need to spend more time learning my emotional and intellectual limits, and I think you should too. In the summer, it's easy to make you life a whirlwind of activity. I know how it feels, you just can't keep still! You want to be talking or running around or seeing movies- I get it. But spend a little but of time in prayer, asking God to help you know yourself. You may not feel any different, but He's working in you when you don't know it. Also, ask the Holy Spirit for help in ever decision that you make. Be like putty in His hands and he'll form you into something great :]

Keep it real,

Emily

Here's your cheesy video clip of the day :] I've been in a Hercules mood lately, I think he's my new favorite Disney hero.

Oh Hey!

Hey guys :) As we get closer to moving away for college, we're often tempted to pull away from people. However, I'm here to tell you "DON'T DO IT!" It's ever too late to get to know someone- you never know how God will use that relationship in the future. Keep mixing it up, guys! Keep spreading the love! Now is DEFINITELY not the time to judge or exclude people. We've only got a couple months left. Make em' count!

I love you guys! I know there's going to be a lot of partying going on guys so remember- Keep it REAL. A relationship built on any kind of dishonesty won't last.

Keep it real,
Emily

I'm made of wax, Larry. What are you made of?

Today, I had the immense pleasure of making a new friend at the St. Josemaria Institute who showed me a great video of St. Josemaria explaining how to "enlarge your heart." He put it into such simple terms that I HAD to share it with you:

“When we get to know someone well, we notice how they act, their way of speaking, even the pitch of their voice. Everything lodges in our heart and we imitate it without realizing it. If we draw close to Jesus Christ through the Sacraments, through constant, daily conversation with him, we start imitating Jesus almost without realizing it. What heart could be bigger that Christ’s? What could be more immense than the immensity of his love? ... You already know that we have to draw close to Christ, We have to follow him closely, and talk with him, becoming his friend. And to become Christ’s friend we have to visit him, converse with him, get closer, look at him with the eyes of our soul.”

My sister likes to make up random, catch phrases like "What of it!?" and "Whadayadoin?!" and repeats them every chance she gets. Once, when we were playing Clue, she kept calling Professor Plum "Plum-Dog Millionaire" and now I instinctively call him that whenever I play! She comes up with some weird phrases, and because we live together, I use them too- along with a bunch of other weird habits that I'm too proud to mention. But seriously, I want to live my life the way St. Josemaria describes above. I want to be such good friends with Jesus that I imitate him without realizing it.

I know that individuality is important. Being yourself is vital. However, it's just silly to think of ourselves as totally outside everyone's influence. It happens without us knowing it or acknowledging it. For example: You go out in the sunlight, and the UV rays do rude things to your skin whether or not you want them to or not. What Josemaria and I are suggesting is that you put on a bit of SONblock. Spend time with Christ, studying his word, talking to him, and (most importantly) listening to him. That way, when you walk outside your door in the morning, there's a buffer between you and the world. Does that make sense?

I've been having a terrible time sleeping lately so send one up for me! And I'll send one up for you too. Anything specific? Comment below :) Love you all!

Keep it real,

Emily

P.S.

Here's the video of St. Josemaria. He's spanish (if you can't tell from his name) so there's subtitles, but it's definitely worth a little extra work. I think it's awesome how we have an actual video of a guy who is now a saint... legit.

Teachable moments

Life is full of teachable moments...

Betchya didn't know

This week is National Backyard Games Week (on my honor, I did not just make that up). Score! I don't know about you guys, but I've been looking for an excuse to waste a couple days playing bags and ultimate frisbee with my friends... Any other "backyard game" ideas? I need one for every day (May 23-30) so leave lots of comments!

Happy National Backyard Games Week!

Keep it real,
Emily

P.S.
May 25-31 is National Solidarity With People of Non-Self-Governing Territories Week (seriously, I can't make this stuff up)... Any ideas for that one? Wondering what other important national hollidays and observances you've been ignoring? www.brownielocks.com

OMG The Rapture!!!

Ok, it's been a long night, so I'm going to make this short and sweet: The man who calculated that today will be the rapture did so by "decoding the Bible." However, the Bible says quite plainly that we need to "keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Therefore, the very fact that someone thinks the world is ending May 21st at 6:00, is proof to the contrary. That's all I have to say about that.


Stay safe today, guys! All the graduation ceremonies around here start this weekend, so CONGRATUATION :) Is there something you've been putting off until the last possible moment? Well, welcome to the last possible moment!


Keep it real,
Emily

Your point being...

Do you ever feel like the people who you never actually talk to, have the most to say about your personality? I think it's a pretty common annoyance for girls. I've been running into it a lot lately and I don't really like the way I've been handling it- I get sassy and say something sarcastic like, "Oh, you know that because we talk all the time and we're such good friends. Thats why you feel qualified to share that with everyone. Oh I get it." And then they stare at me, and I can tell I've hurt their feelings. I correct people in the most rude and uncharitable ways sometimes it really blows my mind. Here's a wise phrase I'm considering tattooing to the palm of my hand...

Once for all, then, a short precept is given you: Love, and do what you will: whether you hold your peace, through love hold your peace; whether you cry out, through love cry out; whether you correct, through love correct; whether you spare, through love do you spare: let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good. -St. Augustine

A lot of times, the root of my speech is pride, not love, and I end up making myself look even more ridiculous than I already do. Pride breeds ignorance, and ignorance breeds a bad day. Love breeds humility, humility breeds joy, joy breeds awesome :) The choice is clear and simple. Root your actions in a true, selfless love for God and your neighbor, then do whatever you want. I know right? I said it was simple, not easy.

I love you guys! How are you doing? Need prayer? Need anything at all? Comment below and my friends and I will storm Heaven for you. Please pray for my friend Brian, he's in basic training right now! He's going to be a chaplain's assistant.

Keep it real,
Emily

Yeah, why is that?

Here's your Youcats for today! I'm going to start skipping some numbers soon, so go out and get your own so you don't miss any tasty nuggets of knowledge! You can purchase your own copy at On a Wing & a Prayer.

#5: Why do people deny God exists, if they can know him by reason?

CCC: To know the invisible God is a great challenge for the human mind. Many are scared off by it. Another reason why some do not know God is because they would have to change their life. Anyone who says that the question about God is meaningless because it cannot be answered, is making things too easy for himself. [37-38]

This passage dosen't have a youth-translation, but I think that's because the CCC puts it pretty plainly. Plus, I'm sure we can all think of a few more reasons why people deny God's existence as well.

#6: Can we grasp God at all in concepts? Is it possible to speak about him meaningfully?

CCC: Although we men are limited and the infinite greatness of God never fits into finite human concepts, we can nevertheless speak rightly about God.

     In order to express something about God, we use imperfect images and limited notions. And so everything we say about God is subject to the reservation that our language is not equal to God's greatness. Therefore we must constantly purify and improve our speech about God.

Well that was humbling... And really hard to wrap my head around... God is so great, that we don't have words to describe it. I know we've all heard that a million times, but really think about all that fact entails. Imagine everything that everyone has ever known. Imagine that knowledge as a really big bubble. God is everything inside that bubble and then WAY MORE. Blows my mind...

I hope you're all safe! Pray for those who go hungry tonight- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. May our Lord satisfy them in the way that only He knows how :)

Keep it real,

Emily

The Shadow of His Wings

I'm reading a book right now called "The Shadow of His Wings" by Fr. Goldmann, and I'm telling you now that you need to buy this book, and you need to read it as fast as you can because it is MIND BLOWING! It's the story of Fr. Goldmann's life (stop right now because I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING). I don't normally like biographies either, especially ones about people who lived decades ago, but this is the exception. He was born in Germany before WWII, got drafted, was in the SS, was kicked out of the SS, was taken prisoner, put in trial, sent to nasty POW camps, and ding-dong-ditched death like... 20 times. He went through so many crazy things and survived it all because of prayer and faith. Sick of reading books that make faithful people look like idiots? Well then this is the book for you... 

Great, great, great book. Read it. Right now. Why are you still looking at this? I just told you to read "The Shadow of His Wings." Get out of here! Go get the book!

Washin' my hands of it

Ugghh! Do you ever look back on the last few days and wonder “how the heck am I still standing here?” I have. Lately, my life is completely BEYOND my control and I’ve faced one depressing revelation after another. At the same time, I feel totally fine. It’s like there’s this crazy storm raging around me and my enemies are coming at me from all sides, but I’m safe in one of those houses made completely out of concrete. I can see everything happening to me, but none of it penetrates my soul. Is that weird? I don’t think so. I think that sometimes, when things don’t work out the way we want them to, we feel obligated (maybe subconsciously) to react, but when you really think about it, you don’t have to. It is what it is, whether or not you form an opinion about it. So why not just be cool?

I watch way more television than I should. Like the CW shows that are all drama and craziness. And whenever something doesn't work out well for one of the main characters, they freak out, cry, get drunk, drive away, crash into a bridge railing and almost drown in a river (that was a scene from One Tree Hill in case you haven’t seen that show). And so I’m sitting there on the couch, watching this all unfold and thinking to myself, “Holy drama, Batman! You’re 17 years old! Get a grip!” I mean really?! I know that some of you have some real tragedies in your lives, and I don’t mean to be insensitive to that at all; it actually helps to illustrate my point.

Tragedy: A loved one passes away unexpectedly.

NOT tragedy: The boy you really like got another girl pregnant.

Tragedy: Your father loses his job and as a result, you lose your home.

NOT tragedy: Your best friend betrays you.

It’s OK to be sad about it, that’s natural. However, underneath that sadness, remember that the Bible says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Weeping may endure for A night. Singular. One night. After that, let joy and healing do their job. God wants us to surrender the real tragedies in our lives, so think how much he wants us to let go of the NOT tragedies as well.

My sister and I have a saying. Whenever something particularly dramatic or disappointing happens, we rub our hand together and say “I’m washing my hands of it. I need not concern myself.” I know it sounds stupid, but it actually helps me. So when your teacher completely roasts you in front of the whole class, or someone you used to be close to starts rumors about you, wash your hands, my friend. You need not concern yourself.

Keep it real,

Emily

I just got back from the gym and I'd like to make a shout-out to my followers!

You're the best :) 

Wait... What?

Hey everyone!! I got my workout notebook for my volleyball team at college today and I am so excited!! but more on that later... I hope you're all having a great day! Here are your Youcat passages for today...

#3 Why do we seek God?

CCC: God has placed in our hearts a longing to seek and find him. St. Augustine says, "You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." We call that longing for God 'Religion.' [27-30]

     It is natural for man to seek God. All of out striving for truth and happiness is ultimately a search for the one who supports us absolutely, satisfies us absolutely, and employs us absolutely in his service. A person is not completely himself until he has found God. "Anyone who seeks truth seeks God, whether or not he realizes it." -St. Edith Stein

I agree wholeheartedly with St. Augustine. Whenever I wander away from God, I can feel my life get more and more shaky. I have trouble focusing on more that a couple projects at a time, I worry all the time, I can't keep my emotions straight, and before someone gave that quote to me, I couldn't put into words exactly how I was feeling. It was restlessness. And once I knew how to fix the problem, once I took a good chunk of time and set it aside to rest with God, everything in my life became much more calm :)

#4 Can we know the existence of God by our reason?

CCC: Yes. Human reason can know God with certainty.

     The world cannot have it's origin and destination within itself. In everything that exists, there is more than we see. The order, the beauty, and the development of the world point beyond themselves toward God. Every man is receptive to what is true, good, and beautiful. He hears within himself the voice of conscience, which urges him to what is good and warns him against what is evil. Anyone who follows this path reasonably finds God.

This is a really deep thought. One that I don't completely understand, but I'm trying and you should too. Think about the things that make you, you. Not your hair color, or height, or weight or anything like that, I'm talking about the things that don't come from your DNA. For example, your conscience. Think about where that is rooted. Then follow that thought alllll thhhheeeee waaayyy through until conclusion and then let me know what you came up with in the comment box below!

Sunday Funday!!

Sunday night is family night at the Buss household!!

We eat dinner, play games, watch movies, and Haley cuts our hair :) It's probably my favorite part of my week!

Hope y'all are having a great day!! I love you all! Be safe!

Keep it real,

Emily

Starting off strong

LOL cat of the day curtesy of icanhascheezeburger.com

Alrighty! Like I said before, the Youcat is set up in Q&A format. So they ask a question, they give you the answer from the legit Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), they tell you where you can find that answer in the CCC, and then they translate that answer into something that connects with our generation.

Youth Catechism number ONE! They start it off with the most important question that you probably can think of:

#1: For what purpose are we here on Earth?

-CCC: We are on earth in order to know, and to love God, to do good according to His will, and to go someday to heaven. [1-3, 358]

     To be a human being means to come from God and to go to God. Our origin goes back farther than our parents. We come from God, in whom all the happiness of heaven and earth are at home, and we are expected in his everlasting, infinite blessedness. Meanwhile, we live on this earth. Sometimes we feel that our creator is near; often we feel nothing at all. So that we might find the way home, God sent us his Son, who freed us from sin, delivers us from evil, and leads us unerringly into true life. He is "the Way, the Truth, and the Light." (Jn 14:6)

Well that was rather simple, I think. I know the system wants us to believe that we're here to leave OUR MARK on the world. The system wants us to stamp "I was here!!" on every surface we can reach. But that's not what we're called to do. As christians, out stamp should say "Christ was here!!" and "Love was here!!" Interesting... Now for number two!! Another good one...

#2: Why did God create us?

-CCC: God created us out of free, unselfish love. [1-3]

     When a man loves, his heart overflows. He would like to share that joy with others. He gets this from his creator. Although God is a mystery, we can still think about him in a human way and say: Out of the "surplus" of his love he created us. He wanted to share his endless joy with us, who are creatures of his love.

WOAH!! I've always loved this piece of Theology. It's cool to think of myself as a "creature of love." I think that'll make a great Halloween costume this year! Anyway, we are here because God wanted people to lavish his love over. It's not like he needed company- he had the Son and the Holy Spirit. He wanted to make us, he wanted to love us. Isn't it great when someone chooses to be nice to you, as opposed to being forced to out of necessity, like they're using you. God's not just using us, he's choosing us. Every day. No matter what. I think that is the coolest thing ever.

So share the love, little love creature!! Have a great day!!

Keep it real,

Emily

The Youcat!

Here's your LOL cat for today; curtesy of the witty folks at icanhascheezburger

ALSO, I wanted to tell you guys about a great book I'm reading. It's called the Youcat, and it's available on Amazon.com and ignatius.com. It's the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) only it's filled fill comentary that helps youth to understand it, and connect it with their lives. Here's a little piece of the forward written by Pope B16: "Many people say to me 'the youth of today are not interested in this.' I disagree, and I am certain that I am right. The youth of today are not as superficial as some think. They want to know what life is really about." I thought that was awesome because that's what my blog is all about! It's about rebelling against the system! The system wants us to sit around and look up the best way to do our make-up. The system wants to make us look like superficial jackwagons! Well, I am not a superficial jackwagon, and neither are you.

The Youcat is written in question and answer format, so I'll share a coupe every day, and you guys can leave a million comments!

Keep it real,
Emily

Bitten...

Hey guys!! I'm so sorry, I've been so lazy lately! There's no excuse, I know that, and I'm fixing it righ meow! I promised myself when I started this blog, that I was going to commit to it, and I've been putting it off for stupid reasons. Do you have anything like that? A goal you set for yourself, that you've lost sight of lately? Maybe a new year's resolution that's fallen to the way-side? I know my problem, my numero UNO distraction is Facebook. I say to myself "I'll write after I go on Facebook," and then I sit online until my eyes get red and itchy, and THEN I tell myself I'm too tired to do it. Dumb. That is dumb dumb dumb. I love to write and this blog is an opportunity for me to get involved in something I really love. Why do I choose creeping on people that I don't actually talk to over working towards my dreams? I can't believe it's taken me this long to recognize what the root of my problem is. Laziness is a HUGE obstacle that I think a lot of us struggle with, so I searched around for some tips on overcoming laziness and getting in control of your life, and here's what I found for y'all:

>>Lists
      Lists are great. When you have a written copy of all the things you need to do in a day (even the little things like when and what you're going to eat), it's like having a little person there with you; shouting at you to "GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER! YOU'VE GOT STUFF TO DO!" Plus, if you're like me, then you have a really hard time even remembering when your birthday is, lists help with that too. They help you to keep track of your time so it dosen't sneak out the back door on you. It dosen't have to be real fancy or even detailed at first. Practice right now! Grab a napkin (or the back on an envelope or whatever you've got. Anything but your mother's walls will do), and a pen. Write down the things you need to take to school tomorrow, what you're eating for breakfast (eating really does help improve your mood), and, if it normally takes you a while to choose, what you're wearing to school. Just start with planing your morning, then try planning what you're doing after school. Take it one day at a time, and next thing you know, you'll have mastered your time.
>>CHOOSE
     You need to choose a time to wake up. Not "oh somewhere between 6:00 and 7:30," I'm talking about an actual time that you can program into an alarm clock and NOT press the snooze button thirteen times when it goes off. When you set a time for waking up, it makes it easier to do the next things I'm going to suggest: Choose a time to eat breakfast. Choose a time to leave for school. Choose a time to leave after school. Choose a time to do your homework. Choose like five times to take breaks. Choose times to exercise, eat, sleep, creep on facebook, feed your pets, take a shower. Whatever else you feel is necessary, CHOOSE when to do it, and then stick to it! Your life is not subject to the whims of fate, my friends. I don't particularly care when you choose do those things, but you should. You need to take control of your day, and you do that by choosing a schedule for yourself.
>>Prune
     I don't mean the fruit that helps you poop, I mean like when a tree-cutter hacks off branches that are harming a plants growth for one reason or another. Everyone we spend time with, and everything we do has some sort of an affect on us, and it's important to know what those affects are. Examples: Creeping on my ex-boyfriend's facebook makes me sad. Running makes me happy. Online shopping makes me guilty. Reading makes me relaxed. Laughing makes me feel amazing. Gossiping makes me feel rude. Take a second and look at a couple things that you spend a lot of time on. How do those things affect you emotionally? Will they help you to reach your life's goal? If you want to be a doctor, if helping people people makes you really really happy, then wouldn't your time be best spent volunteering in a nursing home or talking with ER nurses instead of playing COD for hours? I'm all for doing things "just for the fun of it," it's important to spend time with your friends just being goofy. But that being said, I don't want to look back on these years and think that I was wasting all my time. Does that make sense?

So that's what I've got for you tonight :) Take control, eh? The weather's breaking, so get outside and spend some time in God's beautiful creation! Spring is a time of new beginnings. What's your new beginning? Comment below!

Keep it real, ladies,
Emily

PS
Congratulations to Nicole Collins for getting her Masters degree :) I always knew you could read!

the belle of the ball!

Hey girls!! My prom is this weekend, and with all the stuff us ladies go through to get ready for this dance... It's a wonder we make it to the dance! I don't know about you guys, but when I'm picking out a dress, going tanning, getting my hair done, or having someone do my makeup... THAT'S when I feel the most insecure. Why is that? I'm not going to tell you not to wear make up or pretty dresses, I am going to tell you that if you are laying in the tanning bed thinking "if this dosen't work, I'm NEVER going to be able to pull off that dress," (which is exactly what I thought a couple days ago) then you need to stop. We shouldn't lean on makeup and dresses and stuff like that to feel pretty.

Get ready, because I'm about to give you the cheesiest line ever (there's nothing wrong with cheesy!!). Beauty is on the inside!! I know, I know, lame right? But think of it in reverse. A girl can wear all the eye-liner she wants, but if she's a shady individual, then THAT'S what she'll be remembered for, THAT'S what people see. Next year, your date, your friends, your mom and your dad aren't going to remember what dress you wore, they're going to remember your beautiful smile, your intoxicating laugh and your encouraging words. I know that the system wants us to believe that we have to shock and awe and make a scene in order to be remembered, but I have just one thing to say about that, my friend. FALSE. People remember the person who told them they were beautiful on a day when they felt utterly unattractive, they remember the girl who had their back on the dance floor, and made them feel included.

So hold your head high girl! Be a best friend, tell the truth, and all that jazz! That dress is beautiful, and your makeup is flawless, but without you, they're just a lifeless pile of fabric and chemicals.

Travel safe, everyone!! Christ loves you so much :)) and so do I!!


Keep it real,
Emily

P.S.
Enjoy your song of the night! It's called "Love Like Crazy" by Lee Brice

Adz

This is why I should not be allowed to watch television! Ads like these get me every time!

I hope you all are having a great day!! Travel safe, everyone!!

Keep it real,

Emily

Setting my heart right

Hey guys!! I hope your day was great, and you're finishing the school year like a CHAMP! If it wasn't, or you're not then you're in luck! There's still time left to fix it, don't worry. I often allude to major mistakes that I've made in my past. I like to use my experiences to help you with whatever you're struggling with. (Like the little kid in this video, we learn from people who've "been there." A lot of life's most important lessons are learned through mistakes, but that dosen't mean they have to be our mistakes. I learned quite a few things watching my sisters mess things up, brush themselves off, and keep going. Anyway, I'm off point.) What I'm trying to say is that I've left some major issues on the path behind me, and somedays (like today) they really try to call me back. I catch myself going over the same situations in my mind, and I feel my heart tear open a little bit again. I talk a lot about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and moving forward. Forward, forward, forward. All the time. And I stand by that, never try to go back. But there is something to be said for pausing where you are, if just for a moment, to allow yourself to heal. To take time and ask Jesus to pour His love over your wounds, and then stay still so He can do so. If you're in a place in life (and I am right there with you), where everything is just confusing you, and you feel like you're lost in translation, you should take time to pray for healing. There is ALWAYS time to heal. If you need to cancel some plans for an hour while you spend some time in the quiet, just you and the Lord, do it.

As always, I have a great sports metaphor to help explain what I'm trying to say: Being a volleyball player, I've rolled my ankle more times than I care to admit. I think ankle sprains are the trickiest kind of injury. Sometimes, you just need to push through it for a couple hours, ice it, and you're ready to go tomorrow. Other times, you need to ice it, and take the week off, playing on it will only make the injury worse, and you'll end up lengthening your time in the sidelines when it finally catches up to you (because it always does).

Am I making sense here? If you're feeling me, then say a prayer for me tonight as I ice my twisted ankle, and I'll say one for you too. Keep smiling ladies! I think the best way to praise God is to make someone's day when yours is going horribly.

Keep it real,
Emily

I calls em' like I sees em'

I'll admit, I don't know very much about politics. Correction. I don't know ANYTHING about polotics. But I do know a few things about pride. A lot of times, my pride runs away with me, and I don't try to stop it. I jump into the arms of Pride and it carries me far away from what I need most, so I like to think of myself as an expert on the life-altering affects of pride in a persons life. As I'm sure you know, Osama Bin Laden was recently killed by the US special forces (with or without the help of Pakistani officials, I don't know. Everyone seems confused about that). I won't argue, this man is responsible for evils done all over the world, and has claimed leadership over the group of men who attacked the Towers in 2001. Justice should be served, and while our men in uniform were carrying out that justice, Bin Laden lost his life. From what I've seen and heard on the news, our men and woman behaved HONORABLY when faced with the defenseless corpse of the worlds most wanted terrorist (no surprise here). But for us to be over here lighting off fireworks and celebrating is disgustingly PRIDEFUL. I listened this afternoon as a news anchor talked about how he wished he could have been there and what he would done if he had been, and I thought, "Oh my gosh, I hope people in other countries don't take this as an example of what Americans are like." But that only leads me to ask, What kind of people are we?! Are we the kind of people who think that it's ok to treat one person one way, but it's totally not ok to treat someone else the same way? I'm not saying we should bury him in Arlington, but we should definitely treat him like a human being.

"In the face of a man's death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men, and hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred." -- Vatican statement on the death of Osama bin Laden

This whole thinking of  "what's true for you, isn't true for me," needs to stop. Those things that are right, and good, and true, ARE right, and good, and true for EVERYONE. No exceptions. You don't get to change the rules of decency around to suit however you feel at the moment. That's relativism.  Thinking that we are wise enough to pass judgment on ANYONE. That's pride. We as a country need to realize that everyone on earth is human, and we all answer to the same God. We are all subject to the same law. Whether or not we choose to accept it, we are called to abide by it.

Keep spreading the love guys, lead by example. In the water's of life, every rock leaves ripples. Where are you going to throw your rock?

Keep it real,
Emily

Check it out!

Good morning everyone! A friend of mine eMailed me a link to this excellent blog: 7 Habits of People Who Live With Radical Trust In God, and reading it really helped me to re-focus (which is something I need to do embarrassingly often). So check it out and let me know what you think! #5 struck me the most. What about you?? Comment below!

I hope you guys are having a great day! I took a strength class at the YMCA this morning, and I feel like I'm about to bump into the walls when I walk, so I think I'm going to kick it in a sitting position for the rest of the day. You and your family are in my prayers!

Keep it real,
Emily

P.S.
Here's your lolcat of the day. curtesy of icanhascheezburger.com, enjoy!

There Be Dragons

THIS is the movie I have been wanting to tell you about!! Normally, I wouldn't endorse a film I haven't seen myself, but I've done my homework, and it's really important that we all come out to support this movie, because it opens this weekend (May6)! Now, the reason that faith-based movies (normally) turn out to be so lame, is because they are way underfunded. They can't afford to hire the best actors and directors, simple as that. However, "There Be Dragons" was far from underfunded. Antea 3 Films and Mount Santa Fe came together and spent $35 million producing this film. With that money they were able to afford a director named Roland Joffé (check out his IMDb page here), who directed big-name movies like "The Mission," and "The Killing Fields." FUN FACT: When asked, Roland discribed himself as a "wishy washy agnostic," but has since said that this film has changed the way he views religion. I think thats pretty cool. Anyway, I looked up some interviews on Youtube, and I thought that some of his comments were very moving, check it out... 

So I suppose I should tell you a little something about the plot. From what I've learned on IMDb, rottentomatoes.com, and from a couple people doing promotion for the film (I told you guys, I did my homework), it tells the story of a man investigating the life of St. Josemaría Escrivá. Along the way, the investigator becomes entangled in, not only St. Josemaría's history, but his own as well. "There Be Dragons" is a story about forgiveness and redemption, and that, my friends, is something we can't hear enough about. St. Josemaría Escrivá is the main character, and is completely real; however, the supporting characters are not. This film is BASED around the true account of St. Josemaría's life, but all the other characters are fictional.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of seeing priests and clergy playing the bad guy. I'm sick of christians always being the butt of the joke. We need to support this film. It's only opening in the really big theaters, but if we all go see it, and bring a couple friends, then the smaller theaters will be able to carry it as well. To find a theater near you, go to their official website. 

Remember St. Josemaria, and check into his life a little. I love the way he dealt with life and the people around him, he was truly amazing... But more on that later. I'm really excited to see this movie and I'll be sure to post my review once I have!! I hope you guys are safe tonight! You're all in my prayers :) Keep it real, Emily

A little late-night revelation

I'm up super late tonight because I'm a lector at mass tomorrow morning, and I just now remembered to go over my reading. I know I said I'd post about a great new movie today, but I wanted to share this with you instead (and now you'll just have to keep checking back! Is the suspense killing you?):

1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hopethrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,kept in heaven for youwho by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.In this you rejoice, although now for a little whileyou may have to suffer through various trials,so that the genuineness of your faith,more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,may prove to be for praise, glory, and honorat the revelation of Jesus Christ.Although you have not seen him you love him;even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This. Is some beautiful writing. Did it make your heart burn within you? If it didn't then I suggest you read it again, more slowly. This is how I know that Jesus must have been the most wonderful person ever. He was the Word made flesh. There are so many parts of the Word that are absolutely beautiful, like this one. There are passages that explain emotions that I can never put into words. There are also parts of it that are really intimidating, and mysterious. Since all of these adjectives (beautiful, loquacious, intimidating, mysterious) can be applied to the Word, then they can also be applied to the Word made flesh. Jesus. So He must have been beautiful, loquacious, intimidating, and mysterious. He must have made peoples' hearts burn within them. I just love being a Lector. It forces me to look deeply into scripture. I think I've discovered a new hobby. How great would it be to feel my heart burn every morning? Pretty great. Any ideas as to where to start? Leave me a comment!! Whats your favorite chapter or verse?

Much love, everyone!! It's Devine Mercy Sunday! Pope John Paul II is being beatified today!! Party on!!

Keep it real,
Emily

Movie Review: Prom

Prom wasn't that bad! It was totally predictable, but really? What do you expect from a Disney movie? I was a little worried at the beginning, because I thought I was going to have to sit and watch a girl get played the entire time (Don't you hate it when that happens? When the audience knows something, but the character is totally oblivious? That frustrates me so much), but she catches on pretty quick, and she's not all dramatic about it, and she dosen't throw herself a little pity party, she just picks herself up by her bootstraps and carries on. I really liked that. The movie was basically about accepting who you are and rocking it. I'd give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars (because, lets face it, Disney movies almost never have good actors). I hope you guys go see it and let me know what you think!

Check back tomorrow to learn about a spectacular movie that hits the theaters next weekend!

That's a sorry excuse you have there, ma'am

A couple months ago, my friend Henry*, went through a really tough break up. He had been dating a girl named Diane* for a few weeks, and even though they weren’t together for that long, he took it hard. A couple weeks after the split, he was giving me a ride home, and I don’t know how, but the conversation turned to Diane and what a terrible person she was. I’ve noticed that, a lot of the time, when guys are about to actually share how they feel about something, they start it off by trying to be as macho as possible, so I just looked out the window and waited for him to say what he actually wanted to say. When he did, I about fainted. He was talking about a flower (for goodness sakes! A flower of all things!) that he had pinned to the visor in his car. It was the boutonniere from the last school dance that he went to with Diane. He couldn’t bring himself to part with a couple of wilted, ugly old plants wrapped in some nasty old ribbon. I told him “Henry, you do realize that that” pointing to the flower “is a boutonniere, don’t you? It’s not a person. It’s not your dog. It’s a thing, and you don’t need it. You’re not going to get back together with Diane right?” He agreed, but left it there. “Throw it out the window. Do it. Do it do it do it. Don’t treat things like people.”

I don’t know about you girls, but I’ve got a purple shoe box hidden away filled with a bunch of stuff I don’t need. Letters, CDs, a SWEET book that I made for him to take to college with him... And I know that some of you might have a similar box of stuff. Maybe it’s not from an old boyfriend. Maybe it’s stuff that reminds you of something you miss, like an old school or house or something. When I go through my box of stuff, I’ll admit, sometimes it reminds me of the great times, but mostly, it brings back all the regret and my heart just gets heavier. We aren't meant to carry our past around in a purple shoebox. We’re not meant to rifle through it every now and then and think of what might have been.

With so many sad songs about loneliness and regret and guilt, it’s easy to wallow in the past, but we need to fight against that mentality. Jesus is with us in all of those times when we want to shut out the world. He’s waiting patiently on the other side of the wall we build around ourselves every time we’re hurt. He wants us to change the radio station when that sad song comes on, and say “Ummm no, I don’t think I’ll feel like crap today. I think I’ll feel loved instead.” He wants us to realize that a box of stuff is not a legitimate substitute for an actual relationship. The devil will always try to warp your memory and try to make you feel worse about it, but it’s over. It’s done. All those terrible feelings of the past. Guess what? They’re still in the past. You’re right here, and they can’t touch you. You belong to Jesus Christ, and He says, “No satan. You can’t have this one. This one’s mine.” 

You’re all great!! Send one up for the people suffering in the aftermath of those crazy tornadoes in the midwest! Sleep well! Keep it real, Emily

*Names have been changed to protect my friend's pride.

Traveling in style

"It’s a dangerous business going out of your door. You step onto the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
– J.R.R. Tolkien

After a few summers in the rural midwest, you learn that, unless you want to spend three months bored off your rocker, you need to do some traveling. Wheather it be to a different state or city or neighborhood, you need to get out of the house.  With summer rolling in hot on us (pardon the pun), I thought I'd share my top ten things to remember when going out of your door. In no particular order...

Número de diez: Choose your bag wisely. If you have a one-shoulder bag then you'll spend the whole day switching shoulders, but if you use a back pack, you need to make sure that it's always zipped, lest you fall pray to pick-pockets. If you choose to wear a fanny-pack... Well that's very unfortunate, and I'm sorry.

Numéro neuf: I know I sound like your mom (your mom is smart so I don't really mind that much), but when you're packing, think of every possible situation and prepare for it. Example: You're going to Chicago and there are lots of fountains to play in, so you're probably going to want to bring another pair of socks or flip-flops. No one likes squishy shoes all day. Think about it.

Numero otto: Eyes peeled. If you don't know about all of the dangerous people in the world, then you should think about watching a couple more episodes of Criminal Minds. Not everyone you come into contact with is a sociopath, but not everyone you come into contact with isn't a sociopath either.

Líon na seacht: When traveling in a group, pick the most present-minded person, and just have them bring the camera. I can't remember a trip where someone didn't lose their camera, and with facebook, your group really only needs one anyway.

Numer Sześć: (Isn't it cool how I can count in all these languages?) If you have a debit or credit card, bring that, and only a small amount of cash. If someone steals your card, you can call and have it cancelled before anything major happens, but your cash is gone forever.

Nummer Vijf: (Just kidding, my cat can speak more languages than I can. Hooray for Google Translate!) If you have a super fancy phone, laptop, iPad or something like that and you just cannot be separated from it (no judgments here, I treat my laptop like it's my child sometimes), wait until you get where you're going before you take it out of your bag. People don't normally get mugged for their phone, but if you're waiting at the train station, playing Angry Birds on your iPad, that's a different story. Don't think of it as your macbook, think of it as $1,000-$2,000 when it's sold on eBay. People have been attacked for less. Just saying.

Nummer Vier: Don't listen to your music. Instead, pay attention to what the people around you are saying and doing. Jack Johnson's voice is like chocolate :) but the voice of the guy next to you is quieter, and possibly, more deadly. And on a lighter note, if someone wants to get past you and they're saying "excuse me," you won't be able to hear them. Rude, my friend, rude.

Номер три: If taking public transportation, bring along some extra deodorant. People normally don't smell the greatest when traveling, but when the guy next to you turns and says "do you smell that?" you can rest assured it's not you.

第二: What happens in Vagas, does NOT stay in Vagas. The same goes for Mexico and New York and your neighbors house and just about everywhere else. If you don't want someone to find out you did it. Dont do it.

Namba moja: (I saved Swahili for last because I think it's the best language ever) Travel with a group. If you're like me, and you don't know many people who want to take a pilgrimage to Holy Hill with you, reach out to someone you don't normally hang out with, or ask a family member to go with you. It might be lame to go to the museum with your grandma (not my grandma, of course, she's the best :) love you, grandma!), but it's BEYOND lame to end up in a bad situation because you didn't have anyone to watch your back.

So there you have it, ladies. Top ten things to remember. Print them out. Frame them. Have them tattooed on the palm of your hand. Whatever you feel is necessary.

You guys are great! Say a special prayer for all of our troops and the young men and woman who enlist every day to keep us safe.

Keep it real,

Emily