Awake My Soul

I'm planning on going to Memphis for the Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival. The lineup just came out yesterday, and not only the Cougar himself (John Mellencamp) will be the headliner, but also Mumford and Sons will be playing...along with a slew of other awesome bands.

I focus on Mumford & Sons because I went to Target yesterday and picked up their album Sigh no More. It's a great album (I highly recommend it). There's this song called "Awake My Soul" on the album. It just made me think. The lyrics follow:

Awake My Soul
(from the album Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons)

How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes
I struggle to find any truth in your lies
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know
My weakness I feel I must finally show

Lend me your hand and we'll conquer them all
But lend me your heart and I'll just let you fall
Lend me your eyes, I can change what you see
But your soul you must keep totally free

Awake my soul, awake my soul!

In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
Where you invest your love, you invest your life

Awake my soul, awake my soul
For you were made to meet your maker

I just think that this is a great song for pondering. The words that strike me are Where you invest your love, you invest your life.

Sometimes, we allow "these bodies" to become our focus and we lose our sight, our vision, our focus on the eternal and allow that focus to alter onto the present, the here, the now. While it's important to focus on today, it's also extremely important to focus on the eternal. It IS possible for us to put too much stock in the here and now, in the things of the earth. We must be vigilant and keep our souls awake so that we can invest our love and our lives in the eternal...not the earthly.

Through prayer and the sacraments, Christ gave us a way to keep our souls awake. We must remember the importance of regular reception of the sacraments, especially that of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. In these ways, Christ remains present to us and within us and we are allowed the ability to keep our souls awake. Otherwise, we become too invested in life here on Earth and lose our focus on eternity, after all our souls "were made to meet [their] maker." When we meet Him, will we be able to say we invested our lives in our love for Him?

My First Shower....

I'm not talking about hygiene, here...I'm talking Weddings!!

I had my first wedding shower this past weekend. My mom, dad, sister, and little niece joined us up here in Arkansas for it. We had a grand visit! It was the first time I had actually seen my parents (or anyone in my family, really) for two weekends in a row since I went to visit them in St. Croix almost 4 years ago!

We had dinner Saturday evening at PF Chang's (one of my faves!!) with my cousins and our friends, Shawn & Julie, for my birthday. My mom even got me a new shirt to wear for the shower on Sunday as a gift.

Sunday, my future in-laws (how fabulous they are...I might add) gave me a wonderful shower. There were all kinds of gluten-free goodies to eat and the cake (which was beautiful!) was all gluten-free!! It was nice being somewhere where I could eat more than just fruit, for a change!

We got some amazing gifts from our wonderful friends and family.

Here are a few pics...

My Godchild, me and my sister
Me and My sister

Me and the future husband (after the shower)

I had a great time with the friends and our families spending time together! It was wonderful. I'm so very blessed and thankful for the family I have and the one I'm marrying into! The Lord has blessed me abundantly!

After the Trip...

As for the trip this past weekend, it went fantabulously! We made really good time on the way down, even though we stopped twice instead of our usual one. We made it in just under eight hours. Not bad. (AND the future in-laws still like me ;))

It was an exhausting trip because we were only there for 36 hours - and were out and about for most of the waking hours. I did, however, FINALLY purchase my wedding dress! I found the one and we got it and there will be just a few minor alterations to make it mass-friendly and, therefore, perfect.

I'm so excited! It's all beginning to come together, and I'm realising that I will be a married woman in just a few short months! I'm so happy to be spending the rest of my life with the man whom God put on this Earth for me to share life with and help each other get closer to Him. I never thought I'd find him, but God is so good and has blessed me well beyond what I deserve. Praise be to God!

On the Road Again...

So, we're heading down to Louisiana this weekend, actually in about 10 hours. I tend to be slightly impatient. I'm not one of those people who enjoys riding in a car on an interstate for 8 hours, especially when it comes to seeing my family. When we drive down there, I want to get there. It isn't a joy-riding experience, it's simply a means to an end. For the record, I DO quite enjoy 'road trips' when there are stops planned at particular places when there is time to stop, but on a quick trip like this one where there isn't much time to spend with the family, the quicker the trip, the sooner I get to see my family and the more time I get to spend with them. For example, when Scott and I travel down there, we usually stop once to top off the tank and grab something quick to eat (if we don't have something packed up already).

This trip, however, will be what Scott terms "a lesson in patience" for me. This is the first trip where we're going down to Louisiana with his parents, who enjoy taking their time and like to stop several times. Needless to say, I've packed up the portable DVD player and about 6 movies to watch to make it go by more quickly.

We'll see how that goes... It most probably be an exercise in patience for this most impatient person. The Lord sends opportunities our way to work increasing those virtues we need to work on. I just need to allow His grace to enter into my soul and allow Him to work through me to increase my patience. (Believe me...I need a LOT of help in this department!)

Pray that my future in-laws still like me as much after this trip as before! ;)

A Posting...

I've only just realised how long it has actually been since I've written a blog update. I'm terribly ashamed for having waited so long, but you know how things get around Thanksgiving...then Christmas comes along...then the New Year...then St. Valentine's Day. I can't believe it's already mid-February.

At least things are beginning to settle down a little despite being super busy. I've started another semester of school on top of being engaged, meeting to workout regularly, holding a part time job, babysitting here and there, and planning a May wedding. It's crazy busy!!!! (but I love it!) I'm going to be marrying the exact right man whom I have no doubt in my mind God created for me to spend my life doing working to fulfill the Lord's Will with.

Well, I'll just let this one be short so that it's known I haven't abandoned this blog...I just took a small hiatus and shall return (hopefully) to post again soon! ;)

November Rain

It's already only just the second day of the month of November, and already we're seeing the dreariness of the month. In fact, for the past 2 days I've had to check outside to make sure that we are, in fact, still in Arkansas and didn't somehow magically appear in London during the eve of all hallows.

Despite the dreary weather, we have two beautiful feast days to celebrate here at the beginning of the month, both of which we celebrate the beauty and joy of the life to come. Perhaps the weather is a perfect metaphor for what this earthly life is in comparison to what it will be when our day comes.

The feasts of All Saints and All Souls remind us that those who have gone before us are no longer subject to this life which binds us all; they have become more living than we in this life could ever be and remind us that such is to be our destination if we persevere in faith. We celebrate with the hope of one day joining the Saints, known and unknown, who came before us and ask for their prayers that we may persevere in faith become “the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.” Rev 7:14 Ora pro nobis!

At All Saint's we pray for those who have gone before us; those souls in the process of being cleansed prior to entering heaven. We pray that their process of cleansing will be sped so that they will sooner see God face to face. We pray: Eternal rest grant unto them, oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen. Dona eis requiem.

Wishing a blessed All Souls day to all. And GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!

Where to Begin?

Because I have shamefully neglected my blog for so long, I thought I'd do a run down of why I haven't been blogging recently.

I just started back to school in August. I'm working on getting some prerequisites for a Respiratory Therapy program. So, after my already 8-hour long day for four out of five days, I add on another 4 hours of school and/or school work. When I'm finished with that I meet Sarah at the gym 3 out of 5 days for our 3-day-per week Couch to 5K training and lifting weights on the other days. When I'm not doing that, I've been working back at my old job to make some extra money.

When I get home, I pray my rosary and go to sleep. No time for the frivolity of writing blogs, but I'm taking the time to write one this morning.

We went for a visit to my parents earlier this month. It just so happen to coincide with the LSU-TN game (for which we were able to get tickets). That was interesting. It was so great, though to be back in Death Valley (right next to the student section and band)! Ahhh...the sea of purple and gold surrounding us....man, that's a peaceful easy feeling right there!


Upon our return, Sarah and I started the Couch to 5K program, and we are now on the third week of the training program, even though I did do the 5K mud run this past weekend. (as seen below) Love that race!



We've been working out 3 times/ week increasing our running along with the training program guidelines. It's not easy, but it's helping us to get into shape! Hopefully, we'll do a 5K in December for time (and fun, of course!)

Well, that's pretty much all I have time for today...more to come soon. Promise!

REMEMBER TO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE! Don't let other people make these decisions for you. VOTE TUESDAY, 2 NOVEMBER!!!