Letting The Devil In

Since we have moved to our new house four months ago I can't find my Bible.  Have I really looked for it?  Not really, I did find my other Catholic Bible and it's fine I just like my other one better.  I really need to get back on track and read it like I was doing I am noticing that my thinking is off, my moods are off and I've let the devil in my head and he is telling me lies as usual.  Now that I've realized what is going on with me I need to get back to the things I know I should be doing.....praying more and reading my bible.  We do attend Mass every week and I am still an EM, but I've slacked off in doing the right thing as far as my faith.

While talking with my husband he has been feeling the same way I have been feeling I told him that we both need to pray more and get back to reading the Bible on a regular basis.  It's crazy how if you let up on your prayer life, the devil finds a way to get in your head and mess with your thoughts, feelings, demeanor. Well starting tonight, the devil is no longer allowed in my head, heart, or house!

Hopefully things will change in a big hurry!

Long Time

And again it's been forever since I"ve posted!  I guess buying a house and trying to get things put in their place has taken up most of my time.  I am still serving as an EM and am liking it more.  We have a big EM meeting coming up on October 8th. I am signed up to go but not sure if I will make it.  That is the week I have friday off and we might take a day trip to my hubby's home town.  He has to clear up some stuff from his mother's death.  It will be nice to be done with all of that.  Of course if his mother knew he became Catholic she would be having a fit, she didn't like Catholics not really sure why someone would not like a Catholic just because of their religious choice, but whatever....she is one that needs to be prayed for! Hopefully in the future I will be better at posting!  I just need to remember to do it! (Good lucky to me on that one!)

Long Time No See

I can't believe that I have not posted since May! A lot has happened since then! My hubby became Catholic on Easter, we finally bought a house and have just moved in. We are by no means settled in yet but we are getting there! Our cats (we have three Siamese) are not all the way OK with the house. The youngest one Phin is doing fine it's the older 2 that are having a hard time especially my cat Chloe she will be 12 years old this October. We knew she would be our problem child!

On the church front we are still at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.  We missed church 3 weeks in a row due to our very slow move.  I just loved going to confession and telling Father we had missed 3 weeks in a row....he was understanding but I got a Hail Mary and an Our Father for it and my husband only got an Our Father!!!  He said it was because he did his face to face....I didn't, I won't, it will never happen!  I am old school give me the closet!!!!!

Here is another omission, I have not been praying at all!!!!  I don't know what is wrong with me.  I got into a huge texting fight with my sister who is absolutely nuts!!!  She is so vindictive she needs major help. Well that has prompted me to start with prayer and end the day in prayer so maybe that is why this whole thing started with her.  Anyway anything that gets me where I should be is a good thing!

Our Last Class

Today was our last RCIA class....yes we already have had our sacraments but the class went on until today for anyone that wanted to come of course we attended all of them.  It was kind of sad it was ending but we made a ton of new friends because of it!  Of course our faith journey is still an on going thing.  You never stop learning and I have found that each Mass I attend there is always something new to take from it.  I must say my religion is very important to me and to my hubby who is still learning the ropes.

I have reduced my EM duties to once a month. I have found I'm not as excited about it as I first was but will continue until my three years are up.  I would not mind subbing for people once in awhile, but I'm not a big fan of it most of the time I guess it depends on the Mass and who is serving with me. I have a big problem when others don't pitch in after Mass to clean up don't know why that trips my trigger since I always do go back to help.  I should be a better person and let it go but for whatever reason I'm not doing that right now.....time will tell.

More Eucharistic Ministering

Yesterday I got an email from our Liturgical and Music Coordinator he wanted to know if I would be interested in serving the 8:30am Mass on May 1. Of course I accepted because I just hate to be pigeon holed into 5:00pm on Saturdays only.  I have to say that this should have come a long time ago I had been asking for this since February!!  I wish they would not assume that just because I attend Mass most of the time on Saturday that it is the only Mass I go to.  I like to change it up once in a while. Besides I really liked going to 8:30 Mass on Sunday it gets me up and going for the day and I would not have a problem changing it around so that I would attend that Mass more!

Today I got an email from one of the guys that did some of the RCIA classes I guess they have taken all of the EM's and assigned us a specific Mass time and now we have an EM leader who will keep in close contact with his group via email, phone, and at Mass.  I guess they want to make sure that we new EM's serve our once a month?  I don't see how this is helpful?????  I kind of wondered if this might have come about because I was signed up for several Masses and then declined all of them. It doesn't really matter they can't make me do it, but I will full fill my obligation. I am one of those people that have to finish everything I do....which is a good thing I think!  I guess I will just have to see how this plays out.

A Little Disinchanted with being a Eucharistic Minister

Well I've been Eucharistic Minister four times now and I'm not sure how I feel about it.  I have a real problem with some of the people that come up for the bread/wine.  Some of the older people do not look you in the eye and they barely squeak out an Amen much less bow.

Another aspect of distribution of communion is the lack of people that help out after Mass.  There are 12 of us serving and only one or two of them go back to clean the holy vessels.  I had two mother/daughter duos that stood in the back room with dry towels chit chatting and not doing any washing/drying/putting away of things, then when we were done they just left.  I was outraged how lazy and what kind of example they were setting for their daughters.  This last Saturday I did serve as EM but refused on purpose to go back and help since those others didn't do a dang thing last time I was not going to be put in that situation again.  I left after Mass.  I'm sure I shouldn't be complaining about this but it just burns me to a crisp.  I should just offer it up and move on.  And eventually I will. but I took myself off of the list to serve as EM I will only be doing it once a month until my three years of service is up.

O Lord, please help to let this go and move on.  Help me to move on and do what you command me to do and if it is to be EM more than once a month then lead me to that.......

Eucharistic Minister......Loving It!

I have served as a Eucharistic Minister twice now, once at the Easter Vigil, which was very special because I got to distribute to my hubby as it was his first communion, and at Easter Sunday Mass.  I chose to distribute bread once and wine the second time.  I'm not really a fan of the wine. I thought alternating bread and wine would be a nice thing to do even though I'm not really a fan of the wine.

I've signed up for the next three weeks to distribute and from then on every other week.  I really like to do it but I don't want to "hog" the positions, I need to let others have a chance at it.  I just hope I'm not in a group like I was last Sunday we had 6 people helping to wash, put away or set up for the next Mass, the only problem with that was 5 of the ladies stood there talking and only two of us drying, putting away, and setting up.  People need to fulfill their duties and not heap it on a few others.

We are back to going to 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday night and I love it!  We are back with our friends!
This is exciting to me because my hubby finally gets to get in line for communion!  No more moving out of the way for him!  I am so proud of him to go through the classes to become Catholic!

It's Official!

Chris received communion for the first time from me!  How special that was!  It was my first time being an Eucharistic Minister.  A couple of  big firsts for both of us!  We are so lucky to have each other!  I am so proud of my hubby for all the hard work he did to become Catholic.  I was so happy that his family showed up to see this happen for him!  I told him that my parents would be so proud as well, especially my Mom who was a convert as well.

I was so lucky to have great parents that gave me my spiritual foundation.  Without them I would have never gotten this far.  I became an Eucharistic Minister because I wanted to serve, and I know it would have been something my Mom would have been doing......I now see a lot of her in me.  Thanks Mom and Dad.....I am so appreciative to you both.

Tomorrow Is The Big Day!

I can't believe that tomorrow my hubby will become Catholic! We have been waiting for this for almost a year.  I still can't believe that this is happening!  He is excited about it, but I think I'm more excited for him.

It is also a first for me because I will be distributing communion for the first time as a Eucharistic Minister.  I am surprised I'm not nervous about it but I'm not. I guess there is really nothing to be nervous about.  I am also serving at tomorrow's 9:00am Mass and that is supposed to be the biggie, the one everyone attends, maybe on second thought I should be nervous....nah all will go well.

I will post pictures of the newest Catholic tomorrow!

Holy Week....We Are Getting Closer!

Last night we had rehearsal for the Easter Vigil and it went pretty good! I really wish they would have told us where the families are going to sit so that I could co-ordinate my Eucharistic Ministry duty to the section the family is sitting in hopeful it will be on the side we usually sit. We are so excited for Easter Vigil to get here, it can't go fast enough,  I have Thursday and Friday off which works out great for me I have a thousand things to get done!

I did get to talk to Matt about not being able to sign up to be a Eucharistic Minister for times other than 5:00pm Mass he said he was having trouble with the system and that my numerous emails had not gone unread.  That made me feel better! Unfortunately, I don't need to sign up for any other Mass since we are done with RCIA.  Oh well, maybe it will be fixed before we know it.

Tomorrow Never Comes

Just got an email saying there will not be a class after Mass tomorrow.  It would have been our last RCIA class, actually I am glad we don't have to go! We do have rehearsal on Monday for the Easter Vigil.  I'm not sure why we need this but whatever!  I do have thirteen people coming for Chris's sacraments....The more the merrier!  His son might be home for this so we are excited.  I didn't think it was going to be a long Mass but from what everyone has been saying it sounds like it's going to take a couple of hours to get through.  I also get to be a Eurcharistic Minister for the first time at that Mass, there will be a bunch of first times that night.  I'm excited can't wait!

Only One More Class....

My hubby has only one more RCIA class which is on Palm Sunday....we are so looking forward to his acceptence into the Catholic Church. He made his first confession this past Saturday night, and we were able to see all of our old friends we usually sat with when we attended 5:00 pm Mass. It was so nice to see them again can't wait to worship with them after Easter!

My hubby opted to do a face to face confession!  Being a cradle Catholic all I have ever known was having my confession heard in the "closet", and to this day I still go to confession with the screen between me and our priest.  My hubby said it was a piece of cake....he said he would do face to face confesstion always!  Good for him....I will NEVER be able to do that!  I am glad that he has no fear of confession and my hope is he will go often.

We have decided that we will be going to Holy Thursday Mass so he can see what things are like, I went to Catholic school so all of this is old hat to me but it's all new to him. He is excited to learn more about his religion, I have to love that!

He will be receive his sacrements at the Easter Vigil which is at 8:00 pm on Saturday the 26th.  We sent out invitations and I was getting nervous we wanted them to RSVP ust by yesterday.....boy they waited till the last minute!!!  His dad, sister & her hubby, a cousin & his wife, my brother and our sponsors will be there. He has another sister that didn't even have the descendancy to let us know they were NOT coming...but that is the kind of person she is. I'm sure she would go up in flames if she crossed the threshold of the church.  I know that is not kind but this person is just plain evil. She has had numerous affairs and I'm sure her husband has done the same or so I've heard.  As you can tell I don't like her and she doesn't like me! I find it hard to see Christ in her or her husband.  So much sin between the two of them!  I guess I need to try and pray for them that would be the Christian thing to do.

Anyway we are excited about Easter and everything that goes with it.  I also get to distribute communion for the first time at the Vigil and I am so looking forward to doing that!  I'm so excited to be an Eucharistic Minister I've signed up for the next month of Saturday Masses and a few of them in May.

Deny Yourself

All of this Lenten season I've been listening to Matthew Kelly's series Best Lent Ever....today's posting hit me like a ton of bricks....it was about denying yourself, even the secret little things you do in private to deny yourself!  It is worth listening to!  Best Lent Ever Deny Yourself.  I book marked it so I can go back and listen to in the future. I wish I could post the video here but I can't figure out how to do it! LOL!  Not so techie these days!

Half Way Through Lent

 I can't believe Lent is almost over....it seems like it went so fast.  This year I gave up 2 things....I gave up complaining and I've done a pretty  good job of it.  I also gave up my favorite ice cream bar. That is going well since I can't buy them until Easter!! My hubby gave up swearing.....not going so well, but at least he tried!

We are looking forward to Easter because of two things, Chris will become Catholic and receive his sacraments and I will be distributing communion for the first time! Lots of firsts. I will be glad when his classes are over we only have 2 more of them. It will be nice to get back to "normal" and go to 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday.  I miss my friends!!

What Lent Means To Me

Lent is a time of preparation, and reflection.  It's my favorite time of the year. It's a bigger deal than Christmas at least in my home when I was growing up.  Although I didn't really like having to give up candy for 40 days, the older I got the more I appreciated just what Lent was for.  We went to Stations of The Cross every Friday, not so much when we were older.  This year we have gone to two of the SOTC. They don't do it like I remember as a kid but that is OK....change is good (or so they say).

I feel sorry for all of those people who are not Catholic, we have so many rituals and traditions that are so beautiful and so many opportunities to connect with Jesus. I have talked to others who are not Catholic and they don't do much for Lent, of course they go to Easter services but the 40 days that lead up to Easter for a Catholic is chalked full of things to do.  This is the way it should be...more opportunities to praise and worship Jesus.  How lucky I am to be Catholic and belong to a wonderful church!

Stations of The Cross

My husband signed us up for the Stations of the Cross at church tonight.  He will be carrying the cross and I will be carrying one of two candles.  I think this statement is true....converts make the best Catholics!  He is so excited about becoming Catholic, he has four more weeks until he makes is first communion and gets confirmed.  I think I am just as excited for him.  I have to say I do love my religion and I can't imagine being anything but Catholic!

Another Catholic Milestone For ME!

I am now a Eucharistic Minister!  I took the class on Tuesday and I am ready to distribute the Body and the Blood!  I have been wanting to do this for the four years but couldn't until I was confirmed.  I really do love my faith!  I have signed up for Easter Vigil, when my husband's RCIA class is received into the Church.  I'm very excited about my new journey!

It's Official!

This morning at 8:30 Mass I finally became a complete Catholic!  I was confirmed with three of my class mates.  Wow what a feeling to finally get confirmed!  I've been waiting for this for 44 years!
My brother and a very close friend of mine came to see this happen along with my hubby.  I so appreciate it!!  After Mass they had a little reception with cake which was unexpected.  It just feels good to have that one part of my religion done.  I will be taking an Eucharistic Minister class so that I can distribute the Body and the Blood....that should happen sometime this week or next depending on Matt. I am very excited to make another step closer to Jesus.  I love this journey that I'm on and the next big thing is my hubby being received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil....the count down has begun!

Tomorrow Is The Day!

I am so excited.....tomorrow I finally get confirmed and will be  complete Catholic finally!!!  Been waiting for this to happen for a long time!  My brother and a good friend are coming to support me along with my hubby.  He gets it all on March 26th at the Easter Vigil.  He is also so excited for me and for himself!
Can't wait!!!

Eucharistic Minister Training

I just got an email letting me know that I have been put in the class for Eucharistic Minister training!!!  The classes start five days before my conformation on February 2nd.  Everything good happens in February!  What a great birthday gift!  I am so excited and can't wait!  I love my religion, I love the church we belong to and I love the people there! I think this is the most excitement I've had in a while! It sure feels great to belong to something so wonderful!

Three Weeks!

I only have three more weeks until I am a Complete Catholic!  I am so excited!  I will be getting confirmed with two of my classmates. They will be receiving first communion as well. Matt our liturgy and music minister and Bob who's entire family is Catholic except for him.  It can not go fast enough for me.  This is what I've wanted for a very long time, you could say a dream come true!  My hubby will be receiving his first communion at Easter so he's not far behind me!  I will be glad when all of this is over.