Be Better - 2015

As we ring in the New Year in just a few hours, everyone is thinking about what they are going to do in 2015 to improve their lives. "I'll work out every day!" "I am starting a diet!" "No more caffeine for me!" and other such statements are commonly heard in the days leading up to the New Year celebrations.

But how many of us are choosing resolutions that we will stick with? Resolutions that will actually help us to be better friends, lovers, parents, people, or servants of God? Or resolutions we will actually stick to? When thinking about what I wanted to commit to in 2015, I put my relationship with God as the main goal of each resolution, and I found ways to remind and encourage myself so I would be more likely to follow through on each of them.

Here's my "Be Better" list for 2015:

1) Read the Bible in a year - I've wanted to do this for a long time, but never committed! I found a great reading plan online (it was very difficult to pick from all the options) that seemed to be the most sensible, flowing, and easy-to-read in terms of how the readings were divided up. Starting tomorrow I'll dive into that project!

2) Pray every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to sleep - I struggle with this every single day. I wake up, check my email, scroll through some form of social media, then get going with my day. My aim is to replace my daily social media scroll with prayer. Whether it is ten minutes or one minute, just taking this time every morning and night to work on my relationship with God.

3) No more cursing - This year I have been fortunate enough to have a great influence in my life when it comes to my language, Liv. I've never heard a foul word cross her tongue and she has inspired me to be better with my own language. Gained from a few years of dating a sailor, my bad language is a negative trait I cannot wait to be rid of, so this year I am making a conscious effort to cut out that harmful vocabulary.

4) Be more conscious of my consumerism - I just cleaned out my closet a couple days ago and I am ashamed of my shopping problem and the excessive amount of clothing I have in my closet. I filled three garbage bags full of over 100 articles of clothing or accessories that I will be donating in an effort to not only get rid of my own excess, but also to give to those in need. In addition to that purge, I have also made a commitment to not buy any clothes, shoes or accessories this year. I imagine this will be the most difficult of my resolutions, but I hope to use the money that I will save on clothes a bit more wisely.

5) One hour of exercise every day - The standard New Year's resolution. Where this one differs for me is that my resolution is based in the fact that our bodies are temples for God. We are to treat our bodies well and keep them healthy, which is why a better diet and exercise are part of my resolutions this year. When we neglect our bodies or feed them junk food, that is like allowing our churches to become dusty, disarrayed, and rundown. Our bodies are temples that God created and we should treat them with respect.

There you have it! My "Be Better" list of resolutions for 2015! What are your resolutions for 2015?

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ~1 Corinthians 6:19

Pax,

Kay

The Feast of the Holy Family

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I spent a few days with my family, though most of them were sick the whole time, but overall it was a great time. Speaking of family...after celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family, the perfect family unit of Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

Spending many days in a row with family can be quite exhausting and frustrating,

My little cousin and I at our family celebration

especially when we forget the reason for the season and get all grumpy. I undoubtedly rolled my eyes many a time throughout the past few days as I was frustrated with someone or someone else was in a bad mood, etc. Today's homily provided me with a great new perspective.

The beginning of the homily this morning essentially pointed out the irony in celebrating the Holy Family in today's world when many of our families are broken in some way, shape or form. Divorce, poverty, death, addiction, and a variety of other ailments cause cracks in our families. It is odd to celebrate a family of perfection when we are all so broken.

But when you think about it, though Mary, Joseph and Jesus were individually perfect, it did not mean that their lives or their family were perfect. This family went through struggles just like any other. They were refugees in a foreign land, Mary became a widow and Jesus lost his earthly father, Jesus was unemployed, so he and Mary faced poverty and hunger. Their lives were not easy. Their family was just as broken as many of ours.

The IC Chapel

Jesus spent all of his time with the broken people. No matter how poor, sick or damaged people were, Jesus gave his life to them and for them, and he does the same for us. When God looks down on us, he doesn't see perfect little families, he sees broken families, just like his. He see us with all of our problems and despite our iniquities, he still loves us.

Why is that? Because when we are faithful, we have a special relationship with God, just like Mary, Joseph, and Jesus all had a special relationship with God. The secret of the Holy Family was their faith and their relationship with God. No matter what struggle they faced, they stayed devoted to their relationship with God and he helped them through it. So the next time your family is together and problems arise, remember your relationship with God and trust that even if he does not make the problem disappear, he will help you through it. 

"This is my family...it is little and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good" ~Stitch, Lilo and Stitch

Pax,

Kay

Fashion Friday 12/26/14

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I got to spend time with my family and bake, so my day was great!

I find it so hard to keep to a routine during breaks and holidays, so this post is going up later than I wanted it to, but nevertheless, here it is!

This week's Fashion Friday is all about Jamberry Nails! Jamberry is an incredible company that makes nail wraps in tons of designs and colors. Now I know what you're thinking, "Oh, nail stickers" or something like that, but these are so much more than stickers!

Jamberry Nail wraps are not like other nail "stickers" because these are made with vinyl. This gives them extra durability that makes them last two weeks-or longer, depending on when you feel like changing them.

The wraps are heat activated and so easy to apply. And the best part? No waiting around for your nails to dry! The second best part? They won't chip! I am the girl who gets a manicure then completely destroys her nails within an hour of leaving the salon. When I wear Jamberry nail wraps, I can do dishes, open bobby pins and all the other nail-chipping, every day tasks, without messing up my nails!

You can buy Jamberry Nails online or host a party and get tons of hostess rewards! Did I mention that each $15 set has two applications? That's a month worth of nails for only $15! Quite the bargain if you ask me!

I hope you enjoy the rest of the holiday season! 

Pax,

Kay

Fashion Friday 12/19/14

Happy Friday, All! With this day comes the end of the fall semester for my university. As our students head home for break, we are celebrating Christmas! Today's fashion post is about how to boldly dress for the holidays while at the office - without using a Christmas sweater!

The picture above shows me and one of my RAs and fellow blogger, Alex (check her out at Radiating Sunshine). She looks fabulous in the ever-classic sweater dress and I went for bold green pants! I promise I didn't wear the Santa hat all day, just for the Christmas party! I hope you can find many ways to dress festively during the holiday season!

Pax,
Kay

Rite of Acceptance

On Sunday I got to participate in the first public ritual on the pathway to Catholicism!

Me and fellow RCIA-er, Steph

This ritual, called the Rite of Acceptance, is a process by which catechumens and candidates are welcomed into the Catholic Church.

One of my favorite things about Catholicism is the abundance of symbolism - odd for a person who prefers to deal with straightforward and logical thinking! This rite was full of beautiful symbolism from beginning to end. The very beginning of the ceremony was my favorite because all of the catechumens and candidates stand outside the main doors to the chapel and knock on the door three times before entering. This symbolized our request to enter the church, both physically for the mass and metaphorically as future members.

Steph, Anne Marie and me

After we entered the chapel and walked to the front, we are asked a series of questions that essentially allow us to state our intentions to receive the sacraments required to come into full communion with the Church. Our sponsors (shout out to J), are asked if they are ready to help and support us as candidates and catechumens. Once everyone has answered the questions about their commitment to the process, the priest does a series of blessings on each of the catechumens and candidates. Here are the  (found on the website for the Archdiocese of Baltimore):

"Receive the sign of the cross on your forehead. It is Christ himself who now strengthens you with this sign of his love. Learn to know and follow him.

Receive the sign of the cross on your ears, that you may hear the voice of the Lord.

Steph's sponsor, Paul, Steph, Deacon Eric, Me and J

Receive the sign of the cross on your eyes, that you may see the glory of God.

Receive the sign of the cross on your lips, that you may respond to the word of God.

Receive the sign of the cross over your heart, that Christ may dwell there by faith.

Receive the sign of the cross on your shoulders, that you may bear the gentle yoke of Christ.

Receive the sign of the cross on your hands, that Christ may be known in the work which you do.

Receive the sign of the cross on your feet, that you may walk in the way of Christ."

The whole ritual was truly beautiful and a wonderful welcoming into the Church. I am so thankful for the wonderful people who have been part of this process!

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. ~Romans 15:7

Pax,
Kay

Showered with Love

What a tough week! I was so overwhelmed that I didn't even get to do a Fashion Friday post! This week seemed to drag on forever and at one point I really did not think I was going to make it through the week. Just when I had given up on experiencing any good things this week, I was showered with so much love from my friends!

Me, Liv, and J at Holy Grounds

As previously mentioned in some of my posts, I have always loved Christmas, but apparently I am a hard person to buy gifts for, so people would always complain to me about how difficult it was to find a present for me. This year, I have been truly blessed with a group of amazing people who know me better than I know myself. I received some of the most thoughtful gifts in the past couple of days and my heart is overflowing with love and gratitude.

As excited as I am about these awesome presents, I am even happier about the love behind each and every one of them. One of the most important lessons I have learned on my faith journey is about loving people. We are called to love everyone with our whole hearts and I see people trying to live their lives with love every day. It is not always easy, but all we can do is try our best.

Me, Kae, and our Secret Santa gifts

Love can be expressed in many different ways. While receiving gifts may seem selfish, it is less about the receiving of the gift than it is about the feeling behind giving the gift. Yesterday's gift exchange was filled with excited anxiety as we all watched one another open carefully thought out gifts. These were not purchased for obligation nor to just give someone a gift and walk away, these were physical reminders of a beautiful friendship and overwhelming love.

Whether you express love through giving gifts, hugging people, doing favors, or saying kind words, make sure you fill your holiday season with that behavior. Our actions have much more meaning when they come from a place of true care and love for one another.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
~1 Corinthians 13:13

Pax,
Kay

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Tomorrow, December 8th, marks the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, so I decided that today's post would be all about Mary, the Mother of Jesus!

I have always been interested in learning about Mary's role in the Catholic Church because to non-Catholics, this devotion can be very confusing and is easily misunderstood. When we learned about Mary in RCIA a few weeks ago, there was a lot

of clarity brought to my understanding of Mary - but everything we learned was from the Catechism, and while the information was fascinating and important to know, doctrine is not the most emotion-inspiring. Knowing that the Feast of the Immaculate Conception was just around the corner, I asked J to talk to me about Mary because she has a deep love for and connection to Mary that is inspiring.

Before I get to my conversation with J, I want to share one of the clarifying pieces of information that I have been told in regards to Catholicism. The Immaculate Conception does not refer to when Mary conceived Jesus by the Holy Spirit, but rather that Mary's conception was immaculate. Immaculate, meaning free from mistake/free from sin, means that Mary was born without original sin. Why? Because God knew that she would one day give birth to Jesus, and in order for the Son of God to become man, he must do so in a perfect manner, one free from the stain of sin.

When J was talking to me about Mary, one of the first things she told me about was when Jesus announced Mary as Mother of the Church. In John 19:26-27, Jesus says to Mary, "Woman, behold, your son." then to John, "Behold, your mother." We then discussed how Mary is the mother of everyone in the Church. She is not only the model of purity and womanhood that all women should strive to replicate, but she is also the person we can go to for guidance and intercession.

Though Mary was born without sin, she was still human, not divine. Therefore we go to her not because she has the power to make things happen, but to ask for her intercession so that she will go to

Jesus on our behalf. Why do we need Mary to do that? Because Jesus does what his mother tells him to do - evidenced by the wedding feast at Cana and Jesus' first public miracle. Mary told Jesus to act, and so he did. Because of that relationship, we can go to Mary when we need a little extra help getting our prayer to Jesus.

Mary is fully human, and therefore someone that we can relate to more easily than we could to Jesus as a divine being. As your mother, my mother, everyone's mother, we can reach out to her in times of joy, sorrow, need. By reflecting on her life, we can find comfort and guidance toward being more faithful, pure and building our trust in God. Mary suffered greatly, but continued to trust God's plan for her son, and for the whole world. She remained faithful and filled her life with actions to glorify God. Mary is a great example for every human being to turn to in troubling times because she will always point us back to God.

He said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. ~John 19:26-27

Pax,
Kay

Fashion Friday 12/5/14

Hello again all! It's time for Fashion Friday! This is one of my favorite outfits from this week...and actually one of my favorites of all time! When I don't know what to wear, I grab this, throw it on and instant classic! Many times when I wear this I hear things like "You look like a character on Mad Men!" or, when I do twists in my hair, "You look like the girl in the Notebook!" Hope you like this look!

Candid photos aren't my favorite, so ignore the awkward facial expression! Dress; Tommy Hilfiger, Sweater and Tights: GAP, Belt and Shoes: maurices.

Have a great weekend!

Pax,
Kay

The Advent Challenge

On Sunday's post I mentioned "The Advent Challenge" that Liv and I were planning. We have officially begun and thus far it has been incredibly successful!

So what is "The Advent Challenge"? Great question! The Advent Challenge is a set of goals and

My Advent Challenge Journal

habits that Liv and I set for ourselves during this time of preparation. Sunday's gospel reading was definitely an inspirational reading to kick off the Advent season with. Mark 13:33 "Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come." This is one of the truest statements to ever reach my ears. We never know when Jesus will return to us, and for this reason we should ALWAYS be prepared for that day.

The object of the Advent Challenge for me and Liv is to help us be prepared for that day, every day of our lives. Liv and I tend to struggle with remaining positive during trying times and keeping a loving and kind attitude toward everyone in every situation, so for this year we decided to focus our challenge on love, joy and positivity.

1) Read and reflect on scripture every day! Not only does our place of work give out devotionals, the Internet is a great tool for finding different Advent readings and reflections outside of the standard mass readings. Reading and interpreting scripture is not always the easiest task, especially if you've forgotten some of what you learned in your Theology classes, so I always try to leave plenty of time for figuring out what the verses mean contextually and for me in the modern world.

2) No negativity. Whatsoever. Literally. Any time we catch ourselves thinking negatively, about a situation, a person, the day, or whatever, we implement tools to turn those thoughts into positive things. For example, when we are face-to-face with an event that is stressful and incredibly challenging, instead of being scared out of our minds, we step back to try to approach the event from a different perspective. Is it really as bad as you believe it to be? Is it a problem that can be solved? What steps can you take to get through it?

Additionally this positivity applies to people. Every day we cross paths with people who make us deeply frustrated and sometimes we have the urge to complain about them. Through this challenge, every time we catch ourselves thinking or speaking negatively about someone, we must stop and immediately list three positive things about the person. Saying "They have nice eyes" does not count. The positive statement must be of equal weight to the negative one!

3) Write a quote or prayer in your reflections every day. For me these have been positive or inspirational quotes that give me a little boost to keep going every day! I also filled my journal with some of my favorite verses or positivity quotes for a surprise when I open my journal every so often.

My "I am thankful for..." cards

4) Write down one thing you are thankful for each day. I typically do this throughout the day on the little cards I made and look at them again at night so I go to bed grateful for the things in my life!

In addition to that, I have my own personal Advent Challenge. Advent is a time of preparation, not necessarily sacrifice, but some of my every day behaviors interfere with my ability to really prepare my heart, mind and soul for the coming of Jesus. With that in mind, I decided to sacrifice doing social networking on my phone. I almost never get on social media when I'm at the computer, but whenever I'm bored I open up Facebook and scroll through my feed or something like that. So I moved all my apps to a folder tucked away on the very last page and in the place where those apps were located before, I put more thoughtful and productive apps like my "Prayers" app.

Its not too late to get started with a challenge of your own! Also check out Alex at Radiating Sunshine to see what she's doing for Advent this year!

Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come! ~Mark 13:33

Happy Advent!
Kay

The Blog Swap!

One of my staff members, Alex, has been serving as my blogging mentor for about a year now. She is the author of Radiating Sunshine, a great blog about being a resident assistant, life in college, product reviews and more! She and one of her other blogging friends, Meg, hosted a blog swap, where followers got paired up with other bloggers, got to know each other, then swapped gifts!

I got paired with an incredible lady named Natalie, the author of Polka Dots & Pampers! The pairing was completely random, but Natalie and I had so much in common - particularly our love of fashion. Natalie's blog is all about two of her favorite things, fashion and being a mom!

Natalie sent me the sweetest bundle of gifts and I am so thankful for her thoughtfulness and for the opportunity to get to know her!

Cute multi-colored rings

Some notecards

A little chevron notebook and weekly planner 

A Vera Bradley cosmetic bag to hold it all together

All my blog swap gifts!

Special thanks to Natalie for swapping with me and to Alex and Meg for hosting the swap!

Pax,

Kay