The Famous Ones

It's really cool to hear and read about Christians in the world that are living their faith even though they are famous or what not.  Like I have said before, I have been watching these cute 'kdrama' shows out of Korea.  Watching to much tv is a bad habit, but it led me to read about a few nice Christian leaders in various Asian countries.

My first interest in Asia started when I had an awesome Catholic geography professor at LSU freshman year that had lived and researched in China.  He shared the most amazing pictures and excitement about the beauty of the country.  Being a history teacher myself, I would love to learn more about the culture and history and geography.  But my first love is Christ, and their are so many people in Asia that I fear have not heard the true message of Jesus Christ. 

I would love to go there if God will's it one day and maybe do a little missionary work.  In the mean time, I will pray for Christian leaders like Kim Hyun Joong to seek the Sacred Heart of Christ and be a true witness to Him.

Saint Anna Pak Agi pray for us!

The Feast of the Annunciation

I was driving my way back to Florida yesterday and couldn't attend mass like I wanted too for this feast.  I really miss the reverence in the Catholic Churches in Louisiana.  There is reverence here in Florida, but you can tell sometimes that it doesn't seem very deeply rooted.  Here is a photo of the Children with Our Lady of Fatima at my church in Louisiana that I used to attend.  The flowers are always rotated and kept up so well.

My 100 Things...

Inspired by the pictures down the 2nd grade hallway and the possible onset of a midlife crisis or just plain insanity.  These are 100 things I might like to be when I grow up starting with the least desirable, but possible occupations.

My 100 things I want to be when I grow up…

100. Tarantula caretaker

99. Bill O’Reilly intern

98. Gum scraper

97. Kindergarten teacher

96. Mail person

95. Foot massager

94. Obama intern

93. Cocaine inspector

92. Moral Relativist

91. Wedding Planner

90. Outhouse Checker

89. Mariana Trench diver

88. School counselor

87. School principal

86. Nun

85. Mel Gibson”s ticket writer

84. Explosion videographer

83. Volcano Explorer

82. Circus cannon projectile

81. Slum investigator

80. Hurricane Scientist

79. Envelope licker

78. Britney Speer’s back-up dancer

77. IRS Agent

76. Clay pigeon retriever

75. Conspiracy theorist

74. Pig slop processor

73. Cow mucker

72. Coffin maker

71. Phone book deliverer

70. Herpetologist

69. Purple People Eater

68. Incan Sacrifice

67. Daycare poop wiper

66. Malaria vaccine tester

65. Skywriter at a Rifle Festival

64. Construction manager

63. 1980s Historian

62. 1970s Historian

61. Bowling Ball Shiner

60. M&M color separator

59.Glue sniffer

58. Paper inspector

57. West Coast Rap Star

56. Dental spit vacuumer

55. Butter churner

54. Astronaut

53. Comic Con Door welcomer

52. Karaoke singer

51. Drunk Saints football fan

50. Stephen Colbert intern

49. Drunk Premier League fan

48. Crash test dummy

47. Photographer

46. Restaurant critic

45. South Park illustrator

44. Bulgarian Gypsy

43. Divet replacer

42. Shakespearian actor

41. Crawfish peeler

40. Graphic designer

39. Regular Bum

38. Danube River boat operator

37. Neoclassical Architect

36. Beach Bum

35. Cat Groomer

34. Golfer with an awesome handicap

33. Irish bartender

32. Sunglasses examiner

31. Printer

30. Dog Groomer

29. Theologian

28. Manga artist

27. Restoration painter

26. Book Publisher

25. Modern Historian

24. Marine biologist

23. Retro Furniture restorer

22. Beer taster

21. Oceanographer

20. Wine critic

19. Professional Tennis player

18. Muscle Car repair person

17. Copy Editor

16. Museum Director

15. Horse caretaker

14. Nonprofit PR manager

13. Coffee sniffer/taster

12. Software programmer

11. Teacher

10. Baker of any sort

9. Patisserie baker

8. Coffee Barista

7. Philanthropist

6. Stage actress

5. Painter

4. Full-time missionary

3. Poet

2. Musician

1. Full-time writer

Galactic Catholic Universe Photo of the Day: Florida State Fair

The Changing World

The world seems to be changing so fast for me to catch up with.  I am very much the type of person that could live happily without a cell phone or television.  I do love the internet though and it has helped me to have a more global view.  If you read my blog, you know I am interested in going to South Korea.  It seems that country is booming with different types of industry.  It would be even cooler to visit or work there and try to bring more of the Gospel of Christ. 

I have always had an interest in different countries and their people.  There are many saints I have read about and their countries.  I wish we had more American saints.  Many saints are those that have died as white martyrs or red martyrs.  Maybe one day I will get to visit South Korea and Asia, but for the mean time I will listen to the fun kpop and pray for those suffering from the earthquake and tsunami.

Prayer for Suffering in Japan

Dear Blessed Virgin Mary,

You told countless saints, "Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am you Mother?"

Virgin gentle in mercy, Health of the sick, Morning Star, shine the light of your loving view upon those who are struggling with despair around the world.  Comforter of the troubled and Refuge of Christians embrace the survivors of the tsunami in Japan and wrap them in your arms as you would hold the child Jesus.

Help all of us turn to you now.  Intercede for those souls whose time it was to meet the face of Christ.  Through your motherly intercession heal our hearts and guide us into the fullness of God's Love and Mercy. In Jesus' Name. Amen

The Litany of Loreto

The Will of God

 

Saints are amazing in our Catholic history because somehow, no matter what sinful, crazy stuff is happening in the world, they do the will of God.  The Gospel of Matthew urges us to also do the will of God.  I understand the sincerity of following through with the will of God, but I fall short when it comes to applying it and knowing what it is.

I don't think the Saints really knew if they were completely fulfilling the will of God.  If they are any type of human who loves the Lord, most of the time they were probably chastising themselves for raising their voice in a poor tone and worried about the mandate for loving thy neighbor in all ways.
 

God teaches us vain and selfish creatures to mainly love Him and love our neighbors.  There are detailed aspects to this in the scripture but the overriding theme of life seems to be, "What am I supposed to be doing for our Lord?"  This is the question that is just a daily question. 

For myself, it is a frustrating question.  All of the little things matter and they matter to God.  It is His will to be concerned with the details and love, love, love.  The frustrating part comes in for all the things that we have no control over.  The world in my view today, is disgusting.  I am 33 and even though I know many disgusting things have gone on for centuries, it has disgusted me as a history teacher and it disgusts me as a participant in this present time.

I thought for a minute today that, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have lived in the 1950s?'  Not that the things happening now would be any different but just in secret.  So I am charged with living in this time period and I am called by the will of God to live with joy and a shining Light of Christ for all to see.  Seems pretty darn impossible and I have very little knowledge as how to move past the enumerable barriers that want to break the spirit.  (I admit I have been discouraged by persecutors)

This is where one of the most important phrases that Christians can know comes into play for me.  "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Matt 6:26  Last week's Sunday reading is a reminder and a connection to the life that God the Father calls us to live no matter the conditions.  It's not the value that God puts on our beings so much as the distance He will go to provide for our every spiritual and physical need.  


Therefore, I can only assume that the small duties that Christ calls me to do, to know the Father are those that are God's will.  As for the limitations of my sin and the call to sainthood, I try to remember that God the Creator will try infinite ways to help me make right decisions and by the Holy Spirit, do His will. The world of deceit will always crumble before the righteousness of truth that is Jesus Christ the Savior.