Catholic or Christian?

Today, I went to one of my favorite places- Chick-Fil-A- even though I am kinda leaning toward vegetarianism/veganism- I am hooked on chicken nuggets- thanks to my daughter! So, I ordered my usual (well, I don't eat nuggets but once a week- so that my meat intake is less than 5% of what I eat!) which is their sweet tea- yes- they make the best- and I milk it for all it is worth- I get refills during my stay at the mall- I love going to our mall- I do all my pics there at Ritz (only place I will go for my Nana pics), get my nails done, eat at the food court, walk, get Pandora- there is always something to do there.
Anyway, I order my tea and the girl that waited on me(who knows me as a regular!)asked me what church I go to- that took me by surprise- umm, is my scapular showing or something? I said "oh, St. Cecelia". She said, "Oh". Then after retrieving my bendy straw for me (gotta have a bendy straw!)she said, "Is that aCatholic or Christian Church?" Whoa! I said, "it is Catholic Christian!" As soon as I heard the question, I knew I had a subject for the 'ol blogaroo- set up the soapbox people, I am getting ready to preach.
Ok, as you may know, I am a Catholic convert. I was Protestant for 44 years of my life- 20 of those very active at my former church, where I was employed- having 3 different positions at different times, where my babies were born and raised and which I truly did love with all my heart. I did not become Catholic on a whim. I did a lot of research and KNEW it was where the Lord wanted me. I view my old church very lovingly along with all my good friends, who are still there. I did not become Catholic to denounce my Christianity, but too embrace it even more. CATHOLICS ARE CHRISTIANS!!! Jesus started the Catholic Church. (Do you know what the word 'Catholic' means? Universal- ONE!!Jesus started one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. It makes so much sense to me.) I am not a Theologian, but it didn't take long for me to realize that the Catholic Church has the real fullness of the Christian faith. It is beautiful, peaceful, loving... I have been Catholic for 9 years now and everyday- everyday I say to myself- I love being Catholic. (Do you know what the word Protestant means? To protest the Catholic Church- when I found that out, it was like Protesting the church Jesus started- ugh! Did I really want to do that? AND the Protestant Church was mainly started because the King of England wanted a divorce!) I will have to admit that I always had a problem with the whole "born again" wording and the "saved" references. Don't get me wrong- everyone needs to recognize their need for salvation, but the Catholic terminology and belief really makes more sense, at least to me. But that is topic for another blog.

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Would Jesus have had a Facebook?

On my way to Mass Sunday morning, I heard an interesting question on the radio. Would Jesus have used Facebook if He had it back then? To myself, I answered- YES, HE WOULD HAVE! The commentator said yes too. He would have used, email, internet, text messaging- any method He could utilize to proclaim God's word. So, I started thinking about it some more and I have thought about it already to some degree, as I try and post very positive and in some cases "Holy posts" on my blog and on my Facebook statuses. BUT, I felt encouraged to be a little more "vocal" shall we say! I love hearing some good practical words as it gets me really ready for Mass.

Speaking of Mass- I woke up yesterday morning and decided "I am going to sing with the choir this morning". During the summer, you just come early to Mass and it is very informal at St. Cecelias. I have been wanting to join the choir for 7 years now! Ever since I left my old church and became Catholic- I just never did, but it was one thing that I really, really missed doing.

It was pouring on my way to church and at one point I thought about going back home it was so bad, but then I just kept driving- I just felt like I "had" to sing! God wanted me there, I really felt like that! So I pull into the parking lot at St. Cecelia's and that street becomes a flowing river in a downpour. I got soaked! I waded through and almost fell! I made it across and I felt like the people on the stairs to the church, who were waiting for the rain to subside and they actually had umbrellas- probably thought I was a crazy person! The bottom of my dress was soaked! I am sure my mascara was everywhere else on my face,except my eyelashes. I went into the Ladies room and turned on the hand dryer to dry my dress- my sandals were little puddle holders. I am drenched. Then after my drying off efforts I went out to the sanctuary and wouldn't you know, nobody was sitting in the choir area. (I forget the guy's name on the guitar,who leads the 9:30 choir, but I love his voice- always liked him when we went to Lifeteen Mass when we first became Catholic)- he wasn't there either! Oh, well, I thought, I will just go to my usual spot on the other side of the church and I will just pray or something since I am so early. Finally, the guitarist (what is his name!?) arrived and I went back to that side and sat down. Nobody was in the choir chairs! What the heck, I decided to just go up and ask him if I could "join" and he said sure! I said, well, I don't want to sing by myself and he said, "well with the rain, you just might be by yourself"! I sat down and thought- what have I gotten myself into? Then a young girl named Mary sat down and I was so relieved. We ended up being the ONLY ones in the choir! We moved to the middle in the second row. I LOVED it. It was so much fun! I don't think anyone heard us, but I had a great time. I will definitely do that again! Come on people, JOIN THE SUMMER CHOIR!(When I got home, I noticed that my mascara was,indeed, a little misplaced.)

My 7th Year in the Catholic Church!

As we enter into Holy Week, I thought I would take this time to do a little celebratory post! It was a little over 7 years ago that I began my journey into the Catholic faith. In all actuality, it was probably a lot longer ago than that, but actively, consciously- just over 7 years. Prior to this time, I was attending a Southern Baptist Church that I was very happily active in. I had been in this particular church for almost 20 years and all my children grew up in that church. I taught Sunday School, Children's Choir, I was a secretary and I also was the kitchen manager for a couple years, cooking dinners and weddings and catering every kind of event you can imagine.

We were homeschoolers (youngest graduated in 2007) and we were in co-ops and sports groups with several Catholic families. I will have to admit, I was in awe of them. Not only were they fantastic people with more children than I would have the courage to have, there was something ultra wonderful about the way they were in terms of their faith. It was deeper, it was sacred, it was different than what I had.

If I was ever one of those Protestants that thought Catholics were in a cult and "weren't saved"- all that would have been dismissed by knowing these families.

So intrigued was I, and so determined was I to "prove" my faith was the "same" (didn't we love the same Jesus?) that I began to study this wonderful Christ-given entity, The Catholic Church.

I studied on-line, got in touch with an old friend that I had heard became Catholic (I figured she did because her husband had been) because something told me it wasn't just because her husband had been a Catholic. This friend sent me the Catechism, and all kinds of books and set me up to speak to a Priest! Wow! Another Catholic friend took the time (she had 9 children!) to go out to lunch with me and answer all my questions and just be a great witness to the faith. I can't not mention another Catholic friend of mine that I had known by this time 10  plus years-she was also a very good example to me- such great faith and love for the Lord.
All the books and tapes were awesome and speaking to Father Frank probably changed my life, BUT, honestly, really honestly, I didn't have to read but a few paragraphs in my first studies to really know that I should be Catholic.

Sure, I had a few little obstacles like the whole Mary issue. Now, I have to laugh. Issue? Mother of God?? Come on! (Yes, I have a statue of her in my yard and several in the house). Praying to Saints? HUH? No, it isn't praying to saints like praying to God, but to ask intercession. Ok, that works. Communion- the Eucharist IS Christ? Oh, wait, my God can do anything, right?
I still have trouble with incense, but that is just my high intolerance for smells, not for using it.
The first time I entered the Catholic Church, I was so in awe of the peace, the quiet, the total reverence. As my friend had told me long before this "you are Catholic in your heart".
(By the way, did you know that Catholic means Universal, One? Isn't that what the Lord would want? ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH? Yes, I think so!)
I don't think religion is man-made. I believe the Lord gave the authority to Peter (the first Pope!) to carry on HIS church. The Catholic Church has withstood so many obstacles, but has remained, why? Again, God's authority! I even learned Protestant meant Protest-er against the Catholic Church- Christ's church. Did I really want to protest that?

So, on December 3, 2003 my son and I were baptized into the Catholic Church and my husband followed shortly after. We were all Confirmed at the Easter Vigil 2004 and my youngest daughter converted in 2007. I love being Catholic!

God Bless and have a wonderful Holy Week!

Never a Dull Moment

This could probably be the title of many a blog! Anyway, Baby Boy got into a car accident yesterday. He was running an errand for work and on his way back, he had turned into the parking lot and was getting ready to turn right- into his parking spot when a car behind him passed him- on his right side!! What the heck? I can only imagine he thought Baby Boy was turning left instead? I don't know. So, anyway after he hit BB, he lost control of his car (or maybe he had already?) and hit a parked car (co-worker of BB). Hubs came down to "help" and they ended up managing to drive the car to the repair shop. (No towing on our insurance). This is the 2nd time BB has been in an accident in 1 and 1/2 years! The last one a policeman hit him (just pulled right out, on the chase in a speed trap and didn't have his lights on- in a area under heavy construction- pitch dark. Neither time was a ticket issued- the first one, I suppose because it was a cop and the second time because it happened on private property! I guess the best place to get into an accident is in a parking lot.
Hopefully, the car won't be in the shop long...


Family stuff- My Lil Sis is preg and mentioned using my middle name for one of the middle names of her baby should it be a girl. This sounds all nice and everything, but my middle name happens to be one that has been passed down from my Grandmother to my Mother, Mother to me and me to my first daughter and her to her yet unborn, possible daughter (she isn't expecting yet though) so that didn't sit well with my DD#1. So, I went to bat for her to my sister (after a big family blow out email blitz with everyone expressing their opinions). I told my sister that yes, she could name her baby whatever she wanted, but to chose that particular name when it really upset my daughter (they are just 11 years apart) wasn't a good thing and could she reconsider. We all went back and forth- I don't know why she wanted that name- but she managed another name! Anyway, I was glad. Of course we haven't had a girl on this side of the family in almost 25 years (9 boys!) so it will be interesting to see what plays out.

Lent- today is the first day of Lent! I can't believe it! This will be my 5th Lent and I am hoping to make a better Lent than the last couple of years. I went to Mass and didn't have any meat today. I usually try hard to not eat meat every Friday of the year as a self-denial thing. It sounds easier than it is. We didn't celebrate Lent in my previous denomination, and I don't know why. Everyone can benefit from some Penitential, self-denial- we are so into ourselves, aren't we? In addition to the no-meat Fridays (and today, Ash Wednesday (well yesterday by the time this gets published) I want to try and not eat junk (want to be better at that everyday anyway- Lent is a good time) and attend at least one more Mass a week (or Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which is really a great gift, too). I haven't plugged into a church that much, attend one particular one most of the time, but go to others in the area as well. I miss being involved somewhat. I was so involved in my other church, it got to be too much. I guess that is what is holding me back. I feel like I have totally moved to another state or something!

I LOVE being Catholic!!

Praise Be to God!
Grammy

this and that

I haven't posted for awhile, but I do a lot of thinking about what I really want to post. I do enjoy "blogging"- reading others especially.

Thriftiness- We are doing BOGO coffees and using 2 $1 coupons- even my hubby is excited about it. I figure over a year's time, this system could save over $200 just on coffee, so that makes me happy about couponing again, which I started a bit more seriously a couple of months ago.

Thrift store finds- I went yesterday before Super Bowl and found a couple of good things. A brand new "tart" burner (hubs doesn't want me burning candles anymore with the A/C on, so) I bought this for $2.50 (also bought a couple of those warmer things since I have a ton of candles.

Church- went to Mass Saturday night for Vigil Mass- went to a different church (friends were going to a homeschool event there, so figured I would meet up with them (I am a homeschool alumni mom) it was very nice- thinking about going there permanently as the Church we attend now (our sponsors went there before we converted 5 years ago) is very far away- I love it though as we had all our first sacraments there- even our renewal/convalidation ceremony. I just need to feel more connected- have just been attending Mass and not getting involved with anything- I miss it (very active at my old Protestant church).

Going to be spending a few days at Little Mama's (my daughter's house). My son in law had a death in the family- his father's best friend for over 50 years- like an uncle to him- suddenly died while playing cards on a Saturday night. Very sad, but my son in law has a peace about it in something that happened as he was thinking about him and it all. We just never know in this life, do we? He was a Catholic and I am sure faithful- I got to meet him when my daughter got married. He was a sweet man and we had a good time with him. I have been thinking of his wife- I know I take my hubby for granted sometimes, and I can't imagine going through what she is going through right now. God Bless her.

Gotta go to bed.

Praise Be to God!