Got this book on sale today! Hopefully, will provide a lot of tips to help us live The Frugal Life. Any tips y’all have for saving more?
Word of the Week
teratology - n. originally, the study of monsters. today, the science or study of monstrosities or abnormal formations in organisms.
Today at Mass, something wonderful happened. I felt like I was going to begin crying at any moment, numerous times. For whatever reason, today I felt God’s love on me, in me, and stronger than I think I’ve ever felt before. Walking up to receive the Eucharist, I was shaking, my heart felt as if it was going to beat out of my chest, and I felt like I was going to begin crying. It felt so wonderful, so amazing, and unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I couldn’t believe it!
Attempting to explain what happened to me today is hard, as all my words don’t seem to even compare or do any kind of justice. After I received Him, I prayed for all my loved ones to know this feeling, for it to stay, lingering, as long as possible, and for everyone really to be close enough to God to feel this way, or better.
I used to have a strange fear of Heaven, after I converted. I became Catholic after a prolonged absence of God in my life, where I was the textbook definition of atheist. Not like those who say they are atheist, but then profess how angry they are at God for whatever reason (how can you be angry at something you don’t believe in?), but I just truly did not believe in God, whatsoever. After I converted, I thought Heaven was a terrifying idea, like Utopia. Utopia is impossible here on Earth, and I just couldn’t grasp that Heaven would be any different - that in order to have Heaven, God somehow took away our freewill once we got there.
I now know differently, of course, but today I just imagined this was a small taste of what Heaven was like, and I almost laughed right out loud at how foolish I had been to be afraid of it before! God does not remove our freewill, He loves us eternally for who we are, regardless. For this, I am so amazingly grateful.
I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year, and is now at home resting and recuperating this weekend. Sorry this post is a little late! I would love to say I spent my NYE partying and generally causing a ruckus with my friends, but alas, 99.9999% of my friends are halfway across the country, and I passed out before it even hit 11:30!
I didn’t even get to make any resolutions!! Nothing, nada, zilch. No New Year’s kiss either, though Jared was awake and may have kissed my forehead in my sleep.. All in all though, I am starting out this year with the belief that 2010 will be infinitely better than 2009.
What were your resolutions this year?
Word of the Week
Almost missed an entry for this week, or maybe I did miss it… At any rate, here’s your word:
lockrums - n. ideas that aren’t very popular
Everyone has a signature piece of their wardrobe. Some wear high heels 24/7, others jeans that hang as low as their knees (this one I will never understand), but nonetheless, everyone has something. For the longest time I couldn’t ever figure out what my thing was (other than wearing profuse amounts of black), until a few days ago someone mentioned my black ribbon. Yes, that one in my mouth up there!
For years and years now I’ve sported this black ribbon, or a similar ribbon. Even in high school, I believe I donned the ribbon a small number of times. Six years later and it’s taken hold as a staple of my daily attire!! The person who made the comment about my ribbon said, “You know, you don’t see many people wearing ribbons anymore.” And well, huh, guess he was right, you really don’t. So, what’s your signature item?
Renaming the blog..
When I first started this blog, I came up with the name in less than ten seconds and I knew from the start I’d eventually be changing it. Changing your blog name (and url) can be confusing for your followers, but luckily I don’t have too many of those yet. I hope by the time one feels right, I’ll have more though! So, update whatever you need to, because Straight on til’ Mourning is now becoming So Darling Dear. The URL will change to the new name in roughly a week. New year, new blog name!
I gave in. I wanted the reindeer antlers. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas (Eve) tomorrow! I’ll be working, unfortunately, but after that it’s cookies, cupcakes, a few presents here and there, and a lot of prayer and reflection.
And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. - Luke 2:10-14
While the fiancé and I were out doing some last minute Christmas shopping, we decided to stop by Panera for a quick bite. (FYI, their new mac & cheese is so tasty!!) As we were eating, we were hearing names called out for other orders and one of the names hit me, “Grace.”
Earlier this month I had done a lot of thinking about the topic of grace, and while my thoughts are still in a seemingly perpetual limbo on the matter, my brain somehow stuck to it. I asked him what names, if any, he’d had picked out for any future daughters we may have, and he named off a few. I asked about Grace and he said he loved it. Only God knows if we’ll have children, let alone a girl, and if we’ll end up naming her Grace, but I think this was perhaps a gentle nudge to revisit the topic of grace and especially in this Advent season (as it comes to a close), I feel it’s doubly important.
So, what are your thoughts on grace? God’s grace, the name Grace, falling from grace, etc. - spill it all! I want to know.
