Realizations

"To share what one has is nothing if one does not give oneself..."

GREAT FEELING: This past week I pushed myself to get back into the habit of going to daily mass again. Man I miss going to daily miss, I had forgotten that wonderful you get by going to errday. Especially when you go in the morning, its the best way to start off your day. THe past couple of lenten seasons that was one of the things I offered up, by going ot daily mass errday. Although it was hard getting up, it was juss nice feeling starting off your day w/prayer and with Jesus. I really love daily mass at St. I cuz I think they have the best morning time...830am. It's not real early, nor is too late either. On top of that the homilies are really good, especially this past week.

HUMILITY: Two characters in the story of the crucifixion, Peter and Judas. Both character end up denying Jesus at some point. Juss like we do, but who are we Judas or Peter? The difference between was Judas denied Jesus but his heart remained clouded cuz of his pride. However Peter understood Jesus and was able to let go of his own pride. The question is who are we going to be like? Peter or Judas? In our own daily lives we are going to fall but the key is to come back w/humilityand ask for forgiveness. This is what lent is all about denying ourselves and walking w/Jesus to the cross so on easter we can share in the ressurection and all the glory that comes with that.

DIVINITY: On top of that sometimes I think we forget that Jesus was human as well as divine. That he went through emotions and struggles himself. How he must've felt when he was betrayed by two of this own friends, especially judas. Feeling lost, cuz of the one you trusted and loved betrtayed you. Yeah Jesus felt all that cuz of his humainity but the nice thing is that he forgives cuz he's God in his divine. No matter how hard we try its hard to forgive. Though we can receive consolation through the cross. Allowing forgiveness gives us freedom, peace yet we cant do it on our own. We need his grace to get through it. Jesus forgave them as he was getting nailed to that cross, 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do.' We need to forgive so we too can share in the glory of the ressurection.

LOVING IT: Even though at times my job is so tiring, I've come to begun to love it. Yes the beginning was tough with not knowing what to expect. On top of that having a hard time adjusting from one place to another. However, the kids are great they make me smile. This past week at work Ive juss been humbled. WOrking in a low income neighborhood says a lot, it goes to show that even though I may not have the richest skool w/all the resource I have something unique and special with these kids. Its all bout the simple things that please them, I had asked them what makes them happy? One girl goes cuz my mom is buying me a new box of crayons, another one said, 'cuz I dont have my name on the board.' Then I have my new filipino kid who realized the importance of family and how special they were to him. My coworkers are great, they're real chill and cool to talk to. Ive made this second grade buddy this past week in this second grade class Ive been observing in. He's a cute little tangon kid who I was told made a total 180 change in behavior. Thas great, I think for most of the kids all they need is juss someone to love them and give them attention.

THE FIRSTS: This past year has been a celebration of the firsts. First time moving to a new parish, first time helping out in a youf ministry, etc. Coming to holy family has been a first as a whole. Anyway, so I celebrated holy week here at holy family, it was a really nice experience. They go all out w/the liturgy when they celebrate these events. Thursday the washing of the feet was juss boootiful. Even though I didnt participate in it, I was getting this tingly feeling all inside of me. Friday the stations of the cross play hmm well I was expecting it to be real dramatic, turns out it was more like a musical. For the first time in 3 years, I missed st. lucy's passion play. Ended up going half way through easter vigil mass to help out tito rudy w/the power point. Man I want a apple notebook! Easter Sunday went to sPv w/the fam for mass but I wasn't feelin it. I didnt feel like Christ had really risen, so I went to holy fam right after. Yup that was more like it, the singing, the clapping, this was place to be. I love this parish, I havent even been here a year and yet it feels like I've known errone forever.

LUNCH VISITS: I had lunch w/Fr. Paul last tues. it was great seeing him. I think the last time I had seen him was christmas eve. Its always funny going out to eat at restaraunts w/him. Anyway, its too bad he isnt too happy at this parish in hunington. Apparently the pastor is real dictator over there wanting things his way only. I cant imagine working for or with someone who is like that. I often wonder wha would things be like if stayed at sPv. I wouldve missed this whole other world out here. Those were the days, time flies by like no other. The augustinian spirit is sure missed at sPv.

THE PASSION: So on tuesday, with youf min. core we watched the Passion of the Christ movie. I forgot how graphic the movie was. Thtat was the first time I've seen in it since the movie came out 3 years ago. However at the same time it was good reminder of Christ's love for us. A love story of betrayl, forgiveness, and errthang else in between. On top of that it moves to help remember to see the face of Christ through errone. I mean if Christ can die for those who hurt him and nailed him to that cross, so can we show kindness and compassion to those who irritate us. Though I tell you patience is certainly one virtue I lack. Praise God for reminders on how to love and be patient, even when its hard.

ROSCOES & SHOPPING: Last sunday, keturah picked me up and went shopping at the beverely center. Well she went shopping, I juss went along for the ride. Its a nice place not to mention expensive stores. I was told that sometimes you can run into celebs over there, ha too bad it didnt happen. At up agaisnt the wall I saw that they carried one of my favorite brands...triple 5 soooooooul! A brand that is hard to find out here and usually carried back east, hEnce the name triple 5 soul nyc. After spending sometime shopping, we ate at roscoes chicken and waffles out there. My first time it was aiight, I guess I was expecting it to be reaallll bomb. THough it wasnt, it tasted like any other fried chicken, probably errone hypes it up cuz when do you eat chicken w/waffles @ the same time you know?

YOUNG ADULTS: It looks the youung adult ministry is finally getting themselves established. There was a transition meeting last wed. from the interim core to the new core. It brought back ol memories from serving in SH. The change is nice to brand new faces step up and take a leadership position to help make this ministry going. My cousin being one of them, I was suprised to see that she had joined the core, though its nice to know she's getting involved. Interesting thing I realized is that many of them on core are coming from all kinds of different parishes in the archdiocese. They have a lot of projects lined up for them already, which is great to see and really getting themselves out there and going. Hopefully they can recruit more people to come out and join their community.

EASTER: Easter sunday came and went, nothing too spectacular. Thas wha it seems like happens at all family gatherings now a days. Its hard to believe some of my older cousins are getttnig married, or are married and or starting their own families. I remember the days when familly gatherings were like hs cliques, ha by age group though. Nice thing is that we still my grandpa and grandma alive to celebrate the holidays. It seemed not to long ago, one easter sunday we were swimming in my backyard, ha so much for that now.

MOVING PARTY: Helped the moyas last week move to their new house. It felt like a relief effort ha we had a lot of people out there. I thought it was going to take forever but it ran a lot smoother then I had anticipated. Moving is hard, especially when you have a grip of stuff. THough I think the key element in moving w/anything is being organized. Ill give it to the moyas they were effcient by slowly packing and moving things in sections rather then doing errthang at one time. Helped make the moving party run a lot easier. I hate moving when nothing is organized or ready to go. I was beginning to look around at my own house thinking the things we would have to take if ever we had to move. Hijole we have a grip of junk in our house, too bad there isnt enough space to store all of it.

GETTING HOTTER: The weather is slowly warming up w/a little bit of wind. Its actually starting ot feel like spring/summer. In the beginning I hate the daylight savings time, but as progress on w/it I end up enjoying it. Nice seeing the sun still out at like 630-7pm. Ive been wanting to go take a trip to the beach lately, but havent exactly made the effort in going out to do that. Too bad I dont have a body like errsher to walk around in ha! Anyway, I hope thas the last of the rain for a while. I hate when it rains cuz it cuts out 15 min. of my lunch period at work in the morning. On top of that I cant sleep in and listen to the rain drops fall from the roooftop ha.

TODD SMITH: The other day I purchased the todd smith CD, it's pretty darn good. Im feeling that one track called 'asile' with 112 on it. Most of the songs have featured artists on there, from jlo to 112 to jamie foxx. To me its well worth buying, so if youre in the area stop by your nearest best buy or target and cop that! haha There are some other interesting songs on myspace as well. Its funny the things you can learn on there. For example I didnt know that guy sway that was on amercian idol use to be part of the drop n harmony.

INVITES: I juss had to post this interesting run in before I sleep. Making the most out of my day off(last monday), I had gone to mass at sPc as well trying to go to confession. After being there all nite I still didnt even make it they shut the doors on me oh why?! THas another story thought, anyway, so sitting in the bacjk where I was sitting was this young guy probably a little older than me. After mass was over I had seen him move up to inside the church area to pray the rosary and chapelt. He stayed for the rosary and chaplet throughout the whole time I was debating whether to invite him to the young adult ministry or not. So after praying he walks outside, and I go outside and well stopped him.

WHAT HAPPEND: Told him that I was apart of a young adult ministry @ holy fam and thought maybe he might be interested in checking it out. Turns out he use to go holy fam, back in the days when they had the youf group there. In fact he knows nicole and some other people who were apart of that group. Well he told me he would like to go but wed. nites are bad nites for him cuz thas his training nite or something. He usually goes to mass then works out or runs afterwards then goes to gracey academy for jit su. Talk bout hardcore! Cool guy though, he told me maybe when he's lazy or something he'll come by and check it out. He seemed interested though, its not often you find young adults especially males who go to daily mass and stay for the entire rosary and chaplet.

So I found this on someone's myspace blog...thought it was quite interesting.
HAVENT LIVED: Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived.” – William Parrish (Meet Joe Black)

FINDING THEM: How can you be certain you'll find them?
-Personally, I don’t think anyone should ever feel certain about finding someone because you will never know when and where you’ll meet this person or will your paths should ever cross?

IF YOU DO: And if you do finally find them, are they really the one for you or do you only think they are?
-In my opinion, I don’t think it is about finding the RIGHT person for you nor even thinking if they are the right one. It is about CONVINCING one’s self and KNOWING that you are ready to be the RIGHT person for him/her. Besides, what makes an individual think that he/she deserves to find the right person? Love is all about risks, it is only up to you who should decide weather or not you’re willing to give everything for this certain person without expecting anything in return.

NEVER APPEARS:And what happens if the person you're supposed to be with never appears, or does, but you're too distracted to notice?
-Again, there is no telling and guarantee if this person will ever walk into your life. And if they do appear, it will be impossible for you to miss it, despite all the distractions otherwise it was never meant to be.

DESTINY: Then let's say God puts two people on Earth and they are lucky enough to find one another. But one of them gets hit by lightning. Well then what? Is that it? Or, perhaps, you meet someone new and marry all over again. Is that the person you're supposed to be with or was it the first? And if so, when the two of them were walking side by side were they both the one for you and you just happened to meet the first one first or was the second one supposed to be first?

CONCLUSION: -When two people find each other and fall deeply in love is far more than LUCK but the work of FATE and DESTINY in its finest. For as we all know that GOD has a reason for every event in our lives, good or bad. (I would see “somewhere in time” for that one, ha). And if we are worthy enough to find and have someone to be with for the rest of our lives, that moment should be cherished to the full extent for you will never know when it’s going to end. Also, when you are deeply in love and in such a state of CONTENT and SATISFACTION… I would assume you should NEVER worry about finding someone else when our significant other leaves us and the world behind.

CHANCE: And is everything just chance or are some things meant to be?
-I believe everything around us is a chance… a chance to make the most of our lives, a chance to be happy, a chance to love, a chance to make mistakes and learn from them, down to having a chance of winning the lottery… It is all up to our own selves to make it last and just wait and see if they were meant to be… we’ll never know until it was set and done…

I love spring break!!

"My life begins right now..."im done, im out God bless!