So, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything. I guess I’ve been pretty busy. There’s been a lot of cool things going on down town-concerts and what not. I have been enjoying the awesome weather outside and truly relaxing. It’s nice.
Today my Pastor gave the last message in his series on Galatians and it was really good. One part that got me thinking was when he said: “So many people want to live with God, but aren’t willing to make the commitment”. He was talking in relation to people living together before they are married and it really hit me. It makes sense. In thinking about in relation to one’s relationship with God it is easy to just “live” with God...with the idea of God, with the blessings of God, but it’s a lot more difficult to make the commitment to follow God. It’s one thing when you live WITH something and another when you live FOR something. Attitude must change, actions must change and thoughts must change. How much different would life be if we stopped living WITH God out of habit and started living FOR God like it was all we needed?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
say "yes"
This morning I had to go to a memorial service for a wonderful man from my church. His name was Paul Piazza and he was truly an inspiration! It was really great to hear people speak about his life There was this one woman who was his friend for life who spoke and it really touched me. She said that her life is truly a testament that there are no coincidences in life. She was good friends with Paul growing up and then they moved away and lost touch, but she ran into a member of his family who told her how sick he was. Immediately she made a vow that Paul would be part of her life again. She said that the one thing that she wants to make clear to everyone is that life is about saying “yes” to God in every area. She had a choice to walk away from that conversation and not contact Paul, but she would have missed out on a huge blessing and Paul would have missed out as well.
This really makes me think because there are so many opportunities throughout every day to say “yes” to what God has planned and I don’t always do that. How many times do I walk by someone in the grocery store and not even think about it as an opportunity to say “yes” to God. Paul was just living his life and we were blessed to be a part of it. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone and we can either start saying “yes” to God in every area, seeing everything as an opportunity from Him, or we can continue to walk with eyes closed to the possibilities God constantly lays before us.
I know Paul heard “well done, good and faithful servant” and I want to hear that in the end. Paul was never worried about his physical sickness, but he was always conscious of improving the condition of his soul. We all have something to learn and saying “yes” is the first step!
This really makes me think because there are so many opportunities throughout every day to say “yes” to what God has planned and I don’t always do that. How many times do I walk by someone in the grocery store and not even think about it as an opportunity to say “yes” to God. Paul was just living his life and we were blessed to be a part of it. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone and we can either start saying “yes” to God in every area, seeing everything as an opportunity from Him, or we can continue to walk with eyes closed to the possibilities God constantly lays before us.
I know Paul heard “well done, good and faithful servant” and I want to hear that in the end. Paul was never worried about his physical sickness, but he was always conscious of improving the condition of his soul. We all have something to learn and saying “yes” is the first step!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
cooooool
WOW!!! Ok, so I just started this blog today and it's pretty sweet (thanks, Jerome) and things just got sweeter!! For graduation my brother and future sister (his fiance) bought me macjournal software. It is a place that organizes journal entries and it is supposed to be able to publish entries into blog format. I had been keeping a journal intended for blogging, but didn't have a blog to publish them on. Furthermore, I didn't really know HOW to publish them to a site through the macjournal thing. Thank God for google...I figured it out and that is why I have 3 entries written prior to today (the birthday of this blog). YAY! I'm excited about this! Right now I am writing on my macjournal software and it will send it to my blogging site after I'm done!! Technology is cool!
Thanks for helping me get the site Jerome, thanks for getting me the macjournal software Jack and Jenny, andddd thanks to google for helping me put these two things together!
On that happy note, this new blogger is going to bed!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Pat Holahan Day!
So yesterday my parents through me a graduation party and it was a lot of fun. There were a lot of people there and it was nice to see everyone. People from Geneseo came, neighbors from when I was a little baby came and it was a great time. I guess the thing that I was struck by was the ease with which people socialize. There were so many people that I couldn’t really talk to everyone at every second of the party and I was worried that people wouldn’t have a good time because everyone didn’t know each other, but it was actually really great to see my friends from different parts of my life come together and enjoy one another. What a blessing.
Today is the 5th anniversary of my grandmother’s passing. She was a wonderful woman. We called her Nana and I still can’t believe she has been gone for 5 years. I remember the day that she passed away. It was the end of my sophomore year of high school and I had my last final. As I was getting ready to leave the house I saw my mom pull in the driveway. I knew that since she was supposed to be at work there was something wrong. I can still hear her say “Honey, Nana died last night”. My brother, mom and I immediately got in the car and drove to her house where the rest of my family was holding hands encircling her bed and praying together. She wasn’t in her bed anymore, the ambulance had already come, but we still felt her presence. I had to go take my final and my mom came in with me because I couldn’t stop crying. I cried through the whole final and Nana must have been with me because I got an A.
It’s weird to think about because a couple of days before she passed she was sitting in our front yard celebrating my brother’s graduation. I was inside when she left and I never got to say goodbye to her that day, but I know that I’ll be saying Hello again when I see her in heaven. Today my family got together for mass and breakfast and we’re having dinner together tonight in honor of Nana. She would be so proud that we all made it to church on time and that we all still get together all the time. She was always proud of her 6 kids and 14 grandchildren and I know she’s looking down today with a smile on her face because it’s her example of love that has kept us close even after she was taken from us. Death is a heavy thing and it’s never easy, but today we celebrate Nana’s life and what she meant to us...I love you, Nana. She taught us so much and I will always remember her ability to throw a party and today we’re throwing one for her.
Today is the 5th anniversary of my grandmother’s passing. She was a wonderful woman. We called her Nana and I still can’t believe she has been gone for 5 years. I remember the day that she passed away. It was the end of my sophomore year of high school and I had my last final. As I was getting ready to leave the house I saw my mom pull in the driveway. I knew that since she was supposed to be at work there was something wrong. I can still hear her say “Honey, Nana died last night”. My brother, mom and I immediately got in the car and drove to her house where the rest of my family was holding hands encircling her bed and praying together. She wasn’t in her bed anymore, the ambulance had already come, but we still felt her presence. I had to go take my final and my mom came in with me because I couldn’t stop crying. I cried through the whole final and Nana must have been with me because I got an A.
It’s weird to think about because a couple of days before she passed she was sitting in our front yard celebrating my brother’s graduation. I was inside when she left and I never got to say goodbye to her that day, but I know that I’ll be saying Hello again when I see her in heaven. Today my family got together for mass and breakfast and we’re having dinner together tonight in honor of Nana. She would be so proud that we all made it to church on time and that we all still get together all the time. She was always proud of her 6 kids and 14 grandchildren and I know she’s looking down today with a smile on her face because it’s her example of love that has kept us close even after she was taken from us. Death is a heavy thing and it’s never easy, but today we celebrate Nana’s life and what she meant to us...I love you, Nana. She taught us so much and I will always remember her ability to throw a party and today we’re throwing one for her.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Say what you need to say...
So, I went to a conference on ministry the other day and it was a really great time! I had a lot of fun learning about different things, especially from well renowned pastors and authors of theology. My eyes were open to the importance of understanding what I believe and really being able to apply to every area of my life. I need to look at this “break” from work and school in my life as a time to discover myself and really spend time applying the discipline I know I should have to my everyday life. There’s a song by John Mayer that really hits me and causes me to bring to question the actions I take or neglect to take daily.
So many times we set aside our feelings and suppress what we really think is right in order to feel comfortable, but I don’t want to get to the end of my life and wonder what it would have been like to say what I think. One of the workshops at the conference was about the Theology of the Cross in an age of prosperity and suffering. The idea that we want to learn how to better help those that are suffering has to start with the recognition of such people. If we go on living without acknowledging the injustice all around us than we will never really put into action the idea of helping those in need. Why? We won’t find them if we don’t even think about the existence of injustice first.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sick of talking a big game and not doing anything...myself and others. I do it too, but I’m beginning to see that it takes more than just the understanding that there are people less fortunate than I am. Jesus walked WITH these people, Jesus ate WITH these people, wherever they were he was too. There is a need for people who are willing to open their eyes and then DO something about what our eyes encounter. Say what’s on your mind, but say it with the intent of putting action behind the words. I’m learning to do this too.
“Say”
Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so-called problems,
Better put 'em in quotations
Say what you need to say
Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you'd be better off instead,
If only you could...
Say what you need to say
Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You'd better know that in the end
It's better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again
Even if your hands are shakin
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open
Wide heart...
and say what you need to say
So many times we set aside our feelings and suppress what we really think is right in order to feel comfortable, but I don’t want to get to the end of my life and wonder what it would have been like to say what I think. One of the workshops at the conference was about the Theology of the Cross in an age of prosperity and suffering. The idea that we want to learn how to better help those that are suffering has to start with the recognition of such people. If we go on living without acknowledging the injustice all around us than we will never really put into action the idea of helping those in need. Why? We won’t find them if we don’t even think about the existence of injustice first.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sick of talking a big game and not doing anything...myself and others. I do it too, but I’m beginning to see that it takes more than just the understanding that there are people less fortunate than I am. Jesus walked WITH these people, Jesus ate WITH these people, wherever they were he was too. There is a need for people who are willing to open their eyes and then DO something about what our eyes encounter. Say what’s on your mind, but say it with the intent of putting action behind the words. I’m learning to do this too.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Couch Potato
Here I am...sitting on the couch. watching 10 years younger and thinking about life. I graduated from college a couple of weeks ago and I really don’t know what my next step is in life, but I’m trying to take some time and figure that out. It’s not easy to not do anything...I’ve been working and going to school for the last couple years and now I’m not working. I graduated with an English degree and I love to write, but where do I belong? I’m just trying to take one day at a time and learn something new each day. Today my mind is stuck on the idea of excuses. I’m reading a book by the reverend Tim Keller called “The Reason for God” and the one thing that I am constantly confronted with while reading it is that people always have excuses.
I’ve had excuses for many things in my life...I don’t want to hang out with someone, but I don’t have anything to do, so I make up an excuse...I forgot to call someone when I told them that I would, so I make up an excuse. The list goes on and on. I guess if I think about it, the bottom line of excuses is that people are lying when they make up excuses. Excuses are nice ways of lying or denying the truth. So, my point is to address the excuses people have when confronted with the idea of religion.
My pastor gave a message on Sunday about the difference between Isaac and Ishmael, looking in Galatians. I was really stretched because it caused me to think and a few close people in my life came to mind when listening to the message. Basically, Isaac is the son that is promised the Kingdom, while Ishmael is not. Looking deeper, Isaac represents someone who truly understands the love he should have for Jesus and Ishmael represents someone who is morally sound out of obligation and not love. So many people have the excuse that they can’t measure up and they have a lot to do before Jesus would accept them, but it’s not true. That is one of those excuses that is covering up something else because the truth is not in the statement. It is not about being perfect morally because if it was Ishmael would be the one receiving the promise. Instead, Isaac is rewarded for his love. One must only recognize a need for a Savior and understand what Love truly is. The Bible says that God is love and to live in love is to live in God. There is no need to clean up before you come to church...just be open to Love.
I’ve had excuses for many things in my life...I don’t want to hang out with someone, but I don’t have anything to do, so I make up an excuse...I forgot to call someone when I told them that I would, so I make up an excuse. The list goes on and on. I guess if I think about it, the bottom line of excuses is that people are lying when they make up excuses. Excuses are nice ways of lying or denying the truth. So, my point is to address the excuses people have when confronted with the idea of religion.
My pastor gave a message on Sunday about the difference between Isaac and Ishmael, looking in Galatians. I was really stretched because it caused me to think and a few close people in my life came to mind when listening to the message. Basically, Isaac is the son that is promised the Kingdom, while Ishmael is not. Looking deeper, Isaac represents someone who truly understands the love he should have for Jesus and Ishmael represents someone who is morally sound out of obligation and not love. So many people have the excuse that they can’t measure up and they have a lot to do before Jesus would accept them, but it’s not true. That is one of those excuses that is covering up something else because the truth is not in the statement. It is not about being perfect morally because if it was Ishmael would be the one receiving the promise. Instead, Isaac is rewarded for his love. One must only recognize a need for a Savior and understand what Love truly is. The Bible says that God is love and to live in love is to live in God. There is no need to clean up before you come to church...just be open to Love.
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