Category: My Life

Books, Babies, Beliefs: blog swap with Bek!

~ Laura ~ Leave a comment

Once upon a time Bek found my blog through Live Action and started commenting on almost every post. Naturally, I wondered who in the world this person is, so I checked out her blog and started commenting on almost every post (but she’s much better than me at that). We don’t really know how it started, but we’ve been exchanging long emails for months now. And when I say long, I mean we have beaten any previous record for email length which is sayin’ something. It has been so much fun talking about tons of things with a wonderful person who shares many of my passions and beliefs.

We decided to  do a blog swap, so we put together interview questions and both answered them all. Below are Bek’s answers, and mine are over on her blog! Please welcome Bek by commenting and visit her blog to check out my answers!

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1. Introduce yourself! What’s something you want these readers to know about you? What’s your favorite color? Favorite book? Favorite animal? Secret talent?

Hey! I’m Bek, and I’ve been blogging for just over 5 years {wow, I feel old!}. Laura’s readers should know that I am an avid reader of books and blogs, that I’m a WhoLockian {you’ll get it if you get it}, and that I love Jesus a whole lot. My favorite color is hot pink. My favorite book rotates frequently and I usually have at least 4 favorites at any one time {current fiction faves: “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss, “Code Name: Verity” by Elizabeth Wein, and “UnWind” by Neal Shusterman}. My favorite animal is one that I don’t have to clean up after, and I’m definitely a dog fan over cats. A secret talent that you readers may not know is that I can crochet. I’m working on the Doctor Who scarf right now, and if you have requests, please let me know!

2. Bek and Laura are both involved in the pro-life movement. How did that start for you?

My sophomore year of high school, I took a worldview class that studied in-depth abortion and proponents’ arguments, and I learned about the violence being done to babies and their mothers. During that class, I went to a Lou Engle conference and participated in some LIFE sieges. In college, I would wear their bracelets and put the tape on my college laptop. After graduating, I started volunteering at a local crisis pregnancy center. I can see myself directing a center in the future, and I know that the pro-life movement is making great strides for life! Some of my favorite organizations are Save the Storks, And Then There Were None, and Care Net {where I volunteer}.

3. If you could only eat one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?

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Ice cream, hands down. That has to include gelato, of course, because reasons. 🙂 My favorite flavor of ice cream is choc chip cookie dough, and gelato is definitely hazelnut {tastes like Nutella!}.

4. Alright, break out the granola! Is there a hippie recipe or idea that you want to try but haven’t because you’re afraid of disaster/body odor/explosions?

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I’ve read of several different “make your own deodorant” recipes, but I am scared to go down that path, not gonna lie.

5. Bek and Laura have been learning about each other’s faith practices. What’s something you learned from the other person that surprised you?

I’ve been surprised by how tightly connected the Catholic community is! Making friends in different parishes, helping each other research theological questions, praying for one another – this is a fantastic community, and I never knew that!

6. If you could have a dinner party with any three guests, living or deceased, who would you invite?

Sir Winston Churchill, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Deborah, the judge from the Old Testament… and probably Jennifer Lawrence + Nicholas Hault, because she is my woman crush and he is my man crush…. I suck at limiting parties!

7. What is one of your favorite quotes?

Humorous: “I’m so happy I could scalp somebody” – Mark Twain, when his wife agreed to marry him
Inspirational: “Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

8. If you could have a super power for a day, what would it be?

Probably flying, so I could go visit all my friends around the world really easily.

9. What’s something really hard you’ve done?

I did ballet for 15 years, and pointe was really, really hard. Also, sharing a room with all three of my sisters was an adventure that was difficult at the time.

10. What’s something you’ve learned recently?

I’ve recently learned that friendships can be strong even over email 🙂 I’ve learned that it never hurts to ask. I’ve learned that Birdy’s albums are both incredible and can be listened to over and over.

11. If you had a choice, what would you want to be remembered for 250 years from now?

I’d want to be remembered for helping end abortion by offering practical solutions to crisis pregnancies.

12. What are some of your hopes & dreams for your future?

Just some? Okay, I’ll try and just share some: I want to live in a house with a wrap-around porch. I want to adopt children, both domestically and internationally. I want to see abortion outlawed in my nation and state {Washington state’s laws are stricter and older than Roe v. Wade}. I want to finish my doula certification and support laboring women have the birth they want. I want my future children to know and follow the Lord.

13. What would an awesome day consist of for you?

Sleeping in, reading, a chai latte, hanging with my friends and sisters, walking to the beach, a bonfire, and then no alarm set for the next morning!

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Bek is a 25-year-old Washingtonian who loves Jesus, family and friends, chai lattes, books, and blogging {obviously!}. She writes about her faith, her funny life stories, and the fantastic adventures of becoming a certified doula. When Bek is not blogging, she’s reading, watching Doctor Who, and thinking up alliterations for blog posts.

Thanks for swapping blogs, Bek! It’s been so fun to chat with you.

To Life,

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P.S. One last reminder to check out her blog!

Yes, you ARE beautiful

~ Laura ~ 3 Comments

““You are beautiful, whether you know it or not.”

“We are all beautiful.”

“Everyone is beautiful to somebody.”

It’s cheerful stuff. It builds the self-esteem, makes people feel valued, and spreads joy and happiness across the internet.

It’s also b**ls**t.”

Have you seen this article making its waves around social media? I’ve seen lots of girls post it online saying things like “Read to the end. I think this is really important.” “Someone speaks the truth!” and things of that nature.

And I think it’s a bunch of baloney.

The author assumes that by “beautiful” we mean physically appealing. He says that the world owns the term and we need to let go of it – that it’s useless and only has to do with our physical make-up. By that judgement, people with tumors (like he said) and the guy making a weird face in the article would not be beautiful.

But I challenge that view.

Are you telling me that neither of these people are beautiful?

The definition of beautiful tells us that it means:  possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc., excellent of its kind, wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying. It’s true that many people today use the term beautiful to indicate curb appeal. Yes, that’s dumb. And I agree with how the article ended:

“I want to tell you something, whoever you are. I don’t know if you’re beautiful, funny, smart, friendly, musical, caring, diligent, athletic, or anything else about you. All I know is this:

You are valuable.

You are important.

You are interesting.

You are worth loving.

So forget about “beautiful”. It’s become an ugly word anyway.”

But as I read the article and saw people talking about it online, I simply don’t agree with what they are saying: that telling someone they are beautiful is lame because it’s just saying how sexy they are or how visually appealing their body is.

Enter the document “The Feeling of Things, the Contemplation of Beauty“.

In this document I read for my Christian Moral Life class last semester, Pope Emeritus Benedict wrote about how beauty has something to do with pain. Plato explained the encounter with beauty as the “salutary emotional shock that makes man leave his shell and sparks his enthusiasm by attracting him to what is other than himself”.

Gosh, let that sink in. It makes me think about sunsets and the moment when you stare into the night sky and only stars stare back at you. When you’re holding a content baby and they just smile at you. When you see an athlete finally accomplish something amazing they had worked toward for a long time. When a person who has a handicap walks or does something society said they would never be able to do. You know what? Those are beautiful moments. And there is not another word that describes them so well.

Did any of those moments have to do with a visually appealing person?

Um, nope. Not really. Athletes are pretty sweaty. And babies give a tangible meaning to all types of bodily exports.

There are all kinds of situations and people who attract you to something bigger than yourself – to truth and beauty Himself. Some of those people might have bodily deformities (like the above pictures). Some of those people are normal people with bumps and lumps and pimples and freckles.

So yes. You are interesting and important and valuable and worth a whole lot. Really, you are. I could write a whole post on it (and sort of already did).

You have the ability connect your fellow human beings to something bigger than yourself – to pierce our hearts so deeply that we cannot help but be drawn to this deep sense of something awesome.

And that, my friends, is beautiful.

 

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Graduation

~ Laura ~ 2 Comments

Graduations remind me of how awesome people are.

Now I’m talking about high school graduations here because let’s just face the fact that kindergarten graduates aren’t about to take over the world.

Ready to take on the world . . . not quite yet.

Graduation is such an exciting time. You’re looking forward to college or a “real” job. Everything is new and look! Independence! It is as fun as it looks (but it’s still nice to come home).

You have opportunities ahead of you in a time where you’re able to be spontaneous. I’m talking about 2am doughnut runs and jamming to Let it Go in the Walmart parking lot sort of spontaneous here. Aiming high, folks. From someone who’s in the middle of that: it rocks. The whole world is at your fingertips and it’s your time to grow into the person you are meant to be.

You’ve got all these crazy adventures to look forward to and enjoy. But at the same time, you have responsibilities.

Ugh. Right?

No!

It’s not that bad, people.

Remember when you were little and all you wanted was to be grow up because it looked so cool? Well guess what? Now you are. We’ve all got lots to learn, but in the eyes of society you’re now an adult.

Except for when you’re in a haunted house . . .

And with that comes bills you have to pay, relationships you have to work on, and other people you have to answer to. You have to earn your way in the world now, graduates! It’s probably not going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it.

There is so much you can do with your life. Right now we’re young and independent and learning, so take the time to work on becoming the best version of yourself. You have talents and gifts that God gave to you specifically for a reason. Hopefully you have an idea of what those gifts are to be able to use and develop them. If not, start volunteering and reading about potential jobs and talking with people! Especially if you’re going to college, there is no better time in your life to work on who you are and what you’re made of. It’s a time to solidify your beliefs and dream big,

You’re about to embark on a new adventure, and here’s what I have to say: always give 100%. At least you’ll have a good story if it was a bad idea. And if you give 100% in the everyday important things, you’ll be going places in no time.

Your whole life is a story yet to be told. Regardless of when you graduate (next year, next week, or 20 years ago), it’s your job now to give back to the world and make it a better place. Life is one big adventure, and with companions by your side, and God to guide you, you’re in for the ride of your life. Literally.

So hold on! Adventure is out there. No matter who you are or where you are in your life, you are meant for greatness in whatever you are doing. Own your adventure.

 

What My Sophomore Year Taught Me

~ Laura ~ 3 Comments

Freshman year taught me many things. This year? It did not fail in this department. At all. Looking back to last August, it’s hard to believe how much I’ve experienced and learned. Here is my attempt to put into words what lessons God taught me through the opportunities and challenges he put before me.

whatmysophomoreyeartaughtme

And since there are 7 things here, I’ll link this up with Jen at Conversion Diary for 7 Quick Takes this Friday. 

Invest in friends and listen to them.

I am so thankful for this time in my life because the whole world is at my fingertips. I can go to Mass, see friends, and go to fun events everyday. But this also makes it easy to get caught up in doing ALL THE THINGS and not really focusing on any one of them. Sometime this year I made a conscious effort to listen to people more and talk less, and it’s something I am grateful for. Everyone has a story to tell, and it is a privilege when friends invite you into their lives by sharing a bit of their hearts.

Forgive, even if you can’t forget.

I’ve learned to bite my tongue when needed (not that it happens every time). I’ve experienced how much it hurts to be . . . hurt. And I’ve discovered the power in forgiving others, even when you don’t want to. Even when you’re hurt by something or someone, being able to move on with my life gives me the freedom to not let issues people have or things they say define how I live. But let me tell you: it’s much easier said than done.

Organization = sanity.

A messy desk makes me more stressed out. And the condition of my room reflects the state of my mind (most of the time). So, maybe keep your space cleaner, eh? Definitely a work in progress . . . 🙂

You don’t know their stories.

Everyone has a story, and you don’t know everyone’s (not that I ever thought I did). You can’t assume why a person did or said something. You just don’t know. Even when you think you know the person well enough, people change. You don’t know their motivations. Remember that. Assuming the best of others frees me from the plaguing thoughts of how rude they were. It forces me to focus on how I should respond differently in the future, not how they should treat me differently.

TV is a complete waste of time.

Ha! You may disagree. Granted, I did watch a bit of Duck Dynasty in the beginning of the year. We’ve watched a few movies. I watched some Nanny 911 last semester. But did any of that make  me a better version of myself? Not really! Without a tv at school, I don’t miss it. Nor do I think about it often. My life is better without the distraction of tv. I do watch YouTube videos quite often, and every once in a while I’ll use Netflix. But it comes down to the fact that ain’t nobody got time foh dat. I’ve got better things to do with my time.

You get what you put into something (duh).

It feels delightful to earn a good grade in a hard class. And it’s not something I have much experience in with college so far. Sure, I’ve gotten good grades. And I’ve taken hard classes. But the two together? That’s when it gets serious, folks. For some reason I made the decision to work hard in my Christian Moral Life class and guess what? It worked. I did well in the class, learned SO MUCH, and can confidently say: you get what you give.

Ya’ll need to lighten up.

Life is just better when you stop and smell the alfalfa, folks! It’s the moments when you stay up until 2am just talking because you can. Or jamming sessions on the way to Walmart. Or cooking for people. Or walking barefoot on campus when the weather is nice. Or getting to know someone better. These are the moments we treasure, and seriously: who has time to waste on things that don’t matter? It’s nice to consciously recognize this and be thankful for the little things. Who remembers the nights you get enough sleep anyway?

 

NAS: If you were called to the religious life . . .

~ Laura ~ 3 Comments

Linking up with  Jen and Morgan 🙂

It’s lots of fun to write about common topics with lovely Catholic young ladies! This week’s topic is:

While most of us feel called to marriage, it is important to see the beauty in all vocations! If/when you were discerning religious life, which communities interest(ed) you? What do you see as the positives of that vocation?

A couple weeks ago we talked about the vocation of marriage, so I love that we treat vocations equally and talk about religious life as well.

Like I said in that post, I always assumed that I would grow up and get married. Obviously. Isn’t that what everyone does? I do have an Aunt who is a sister, though, so the idea was not completely foreign. It just wan’t something I sat down and prayed about and thought long and hard over.

Then I came to a small-ish Catholic college.

You see, a good majority of the people who drop out of school here go into the religious life. We just had a few girls who are entering soon crown Mary at our May Crowning ceremony. And at our spring talent show (sort of) event last year this happened.

 

Ha! I really love my college. BTW: those were the 4 guys entering the seminary after graduation.

It’s so beautiful to see young men and women on FAYAH for the faith and so joyful in their vocation around here. There are monks everywhere and sisters too. Then there are awesome and holy married couples.

And us Catholic girls are like:

Look at all the holiness!

And then we’re like:

Oh my gosh. What am I doing with my life?

Getting to witness all these awesome people can leave a person confused . . . but I still felt confident. Then I went on spring break with the Missionaries of Charity and I thought “This is so awesome! Look how hardcore the sisters are!” And I wondered. “God, are ya trying to tell me something? ‘Cause I’m gonna need to be hit upside the head if this is your plan!” It was weird. And kind of terrifying.

But then I prayed and got over it. Yup, still a vocation to marriage.

Now don’t think I’m treating this nonchalantly. Vocations are a big deal. Being here has made me realize that much more. But I cannot tell you how much beauty I see in families. It inspires me to see parents sacrificing for their kids and spouses. And don’t even get me started on kids. I love babies (just ask the ladies I live with), and someday hope to have my own. I certainly hope that desire does not come out of selfishness.

When I think about it, I can see the beauty in the religious life. And oh my. Have you seen picture of sisters WITH babies? Go google it. I’ll wait.

Moving on . . .

Seeing people give up everything to become a bride of Christ is inspiring. And it’s a powerful witness to the world of the joy an authentic Catholic life brings. If God were to slap me upside the head with a religious life vocation, I would most definitely look more into the Sisters of Life and the Missionaries of Charity. The MoC give up literally everything and run after God with reckless abandon (in a good way) and I just love the ministry of the Sisters of Life (need I say more?).

Religious life is a beautiful vocation (and I predict that I’ll know several sisters after graduation) but honestly that’s just not where my heart is. Discerning really forced me to look at the aspects of each vocation and then my talents/gifts and consider all things together. And all things considered, marriage is where I feel more drawn to and made for.

So at this point, I can’t wait to see classmates become sisters so they can be my babies godmothers! 😉

How beautiful is this? Sisters WITH a baby WITH a St. Therese relic (baby's middle name) - look at that joy!
Just an example of what I’m talking about!