It is a well known fact that my roommates and I have seen more than our fair share of weddings these past few years. As one of my roommates was getting ready this morning to attend yet another one, we were commenting (okay, rather, sarcastically mocking) the choice to get married the day before Valentine's Day. My roommate is in a relationship and I was asking her if she felt like it was putting a damper on her romantic weekend. Instead, she responded: "I'm more ticked that they are ruining my President's Day (aka long weekend)".
Ah, yes. That's how we roll around these parts these days.
Not that we aren't saps for a good wedding. During the Mass, I always contemplate the readings and the vows and unite my prayers with the couple. I am always happy for them. I don't let my cynicism slip into the Rite (I save that for the reception ;)
So Valentine's Day has kind of become the same cynical opportunity. I'd like to think that even if I was in a romantic relationship, I would still recognize the commerciality, Hallmark monopoly of it. It's not like the commerciality of Christmas- a holiday that still has HUGE religious importance. I'm sure St. Valentine was a cool dude, but...I also don't think he will feel neglected if I sit at home watching Arrested Development DVDs instead of singing hymns or something.
This year, though, Valentine's Day does fall on a Sunday, so there is a higher significance attached. I am going to have to get off my butt and get to Mass ;) Curious as to what Jesus might be telling me this Valentine's, I looked ahead at tomorrow's readings. I was DELIGHTED to find that they are rather cynical and twisted themselves (well, maybe cynical isn't the right word. BUt lovey-dovey, chocolately gooey, they are not ;)
Jeremiah 17:5-8 "Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth."
haha- YES! This is what I'm talking about. I like LAVA WASTE and CURSED-ness on my Valentine's Day ;)
But all kidding aside, I was relieved to read this reading that assures us that- as cheezy at seems- Jesus really is our ultimate valentine (I know, I know...I vomited a little in my mouth as I wrote that. Not because of Jesus, but because of the cheeze factor. I'm getting soft...). This reading is a single girl's assurance that only Jesus can truly satisfy. We have to trust in Him before we can trust in anyone else.
The Gospel is the Beatitudes which are beautiful for their paradox. It's not the straightforward John 3:16 where Jesus straight up says He loves us. It's the ol', blessed are those who are PERSECUTED. Blessed are those who MOURN. The kingdom of God is hard! Not all "rainbows and butterflies" to steal from a Maroon 5 song.
I was- if you can believe it- actually hoping for some readings a little more sweet and sugary (I have, afterall, started to acknowledge how adorable BABY PANDAS are. GETTING SOFT, I tell you!) And this isn't to say Jesus doesn't work this way. He obviously does woo us and knows the best way to love us. But the valentine's day cycnic in me appreciated the TRUE challenge of love presented to us in the readings this weekend. Love is TRUST. Love is challenge. Love is paradox. And I am thankful to Jesus for this reminder.
It's almost like Jesus is TRYING to keep me tough... I don't know how I feel about this. I'm still going to be eating chocolates regardless. You can count on that.
Peace,
Julia
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Most of you probably have heard about the #snowpacolypse (to use a Twitter-ism) that hit DC and apparently is coming back for more tomorrow. I know that I've bragged in the past about being from a place that can endure snow and it being no big thing for a couple feet of snow to fall. Well, this time, the snow has left me "Speechless" a la Lady Gaga (LOVE THAT SONG).
Once again, I faced the storm with friends. This time, I was the trap-ee (? I blame Twitter for my made up words) and was "stuck" with a few friends at someone else's house. It was kind of a planned isolation. We knew the storm was coming. But I don't think any of us were truly prepared for the amount of snow and the number of hours we were trapped together.
72+ hours, people!!
But I wouldn't have had it any other way. For one, my house actually lost power and heat while I was trapped, but our friends' place had it the whole weekend. AND the friend who was hosting us really thought about food and took really good care to make sure we were all well-fed and taken care of the whole weekend.
We joked about taking "snowwives"- in case this truly was the apocalypse (clearly, it was just an excuse for the guys to tease us)- and becoming an isolated commune of sorts, but as someone who has lived community a time or two, I was really impressed in how we each took on our own roles and tried to anticipate one another's needs. (Now, no doubt, if we would've been stuck there any longer we might have killed each other, but for three days, we ROCKED that community living ;)
When you are stuck in a house for 72+ hours with people, you have a conversation or two, and one of our conversations throughout was about the book "The Five Love Languages". I myself haven't read the book, but I found it interesting to hear what the five professed love languages are and how each one of my friends applied different examples of each.
Apparently, the five ways to express love as proclaimed in this book are: gift-giving, acts of service, verbal affirmation, affection, and spending quality time. We definitely saw a little bit of each this weekend, and it did give me hope for the work God is doing in all of our lives.
My friends also sure do know how to have a dance party :)
I didn't make it to Mass this weekend, but I wish I had, especially reflecting on this week's readings. The first reading was incredibly convicting: ("For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips.." How did Isaiah know I watched Jersey Shore all weekend??!)
And the Gospel is another message of hope. I try again to place myself in the scene as Jesus gets into Peter's boat. Just thinking about how you feel when someone you love comes to pick you up to take you someplace (a #snowparty, perhaps? ;) or how I would feel if Jesus came to spend quality time with me (Quality time is one of my love languages, I've decided, btw...)
And doesn't Jesus speak all the love languages? With the whole "gift-giving" example of Jesus over-flowing the apostles' nets with fish... Such a beautiful gift. Jesus is spending time with his apostles in the boat, with the people, and exceeding the apostles' reward for their labor- all to prove His love.
Love you all! Pray for us in DC- we are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. I just don't know how that is possible in any way. It's a little freaky the whole rationing food, living with bare necessity thing...but also good for community building, I suppose :)
Peace,
Julia
Once again, I faced the storm with friends. This time, I was the trap-ee (? I blame Twitter for my made up words) and was "stuck" with a few friends at someone else's house. It was kind of a planned isolation. We knew the storm was coming. But I don't think any of us were truly prepared for the amount of snow and the number of hours we were trapped together.
72+ hours, people!!
But I wouldn't have had it any other way. For one, my house actually lost power and heat while I was trapped, but our friends' place had it the whole weekend. AND the friend who was hosting us really thought about food and took really good care to make sure we were all well-fed and taken care of the whole weekend.
We joked about taking "snowwives"- in case this truly was the apocalypse (clearly, it was just an excuse for the guys to tease us)- and becoming an isolated commune of sorts, but as someone who has lived community a time or two, I was really impressed in how we each took on our own roles and tried to anticipate one another's needs. (Now, no doubt, if we would've been stuck there any longer we might have killed each other, but for three days, we ROCKED that community living ;)
When you are stuck in a house for 72+ hours with people, you have a conversation or two, and one of our conversations throughout was about the book "The Five Love Languages". I myself haven't read the book, but I found it interesting to hear what the five professed love languages are and how each one of my friends applied different examples of each.
Apparently, the five ways to express love as proclaimed in this book are: gift-giving, acts of service, verbal affirmation, affection, and spending quality time. We definitely saw a little bit of each this weekend, and it did give me hope for the work God is doing in all of our lives.
My friends also sure do know how to have a dance party :)
I didn't make it to Mass this weekend, but I wish I had, especially reflecting on this week's readings. The first reading was incredibly convicting: ("For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips.." How did Isaiah know I watched Jersey Shore all weekend??!)
And the Gospel is another message of hope. I try again to place myself in the scene as Jesus gets into Peter's boat. Just thinking about how you feel when someone you love comes to pick you up to take you someplace (a #snowparty, perhaps? ;) or how I would feel if Jesus came to spend quality time with me (Quality time is one of my love languages, I've decided, btw...)
And doesn't Jesus speak all the love languages? With the whole "gift-giving" example of Jesus over-flowing the apostles' nets with fish... Such a beautiful gift. Jesus is spending time with his apostles in the boat, with the people, and exceeding the apostles' reward for their labor- all to prove His love.
Love you all! Pray for us in DC- we are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. I just don't know how that is possible in any way. It's a little freaky the whole rationing food, living with bare necessity thing...but also good for community building, I suppose :)
Peace,
Julia
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Media Moment
Blame it on the Grammys. Blame it on the Snow. Blame it on the al-al-al-coho...
ahem.
For whatever reason, I have been blogging and Tweeting (using Twitter) like it's my JOB lately. And it kind of is. I do use and monitor both for the organization i work for too. So call it an occupational hazard :) But I've been realizing lately (and the Media Studies geek and me wonders why) that I have formed closer relationships with friends who read my blog, twitter feeds, and/or gchat with me on a regular basis.
Now, I was friends with these folks before all this social network business began, and I certainly have plenty of best buds who are TERRIBLE at even email! ;) But I am making the case that social networks- when used somewhat regularly- bring people closer together and add an extra level to that friendship. There is almost an added trust there because we connect with them on certain issues, have common interests already AND then they care enough to read about our thoughts regularly ;)
Hopefully, your friends in 'real life' match your values and interests and challenge you in real life too! I know my friends that also use Twitter and read this blog alot, we meet up often and chat on the phone frequently too. I think that person-to-person connection is SO important (and honestly why I fear internet dating a bit. Is it the same when you MEET through these means of communication? idk. I'm open to hearing arguments for and against.)
As in everything, there needs to be a balance. And I'm just trying to keep myself in check. I was just wondering if I was being bias because of the instant gratification I receive when someone "comments" or texts or "tweets" me right away. Certainly one of the great things about relationships IS a knowledge that a person is ALWAYS there for you. But I will argue, social networks- when used in a healthy way- CAN offer you that extra connection and bring people together in a real, not just artificial/surreal way ;)
I think of all my friends who have found a connection to people through blogs or internet dating (maybe I AM talking myself into this internet dating as I speak...but who am I kidding? I ain't got extra bucks for ANYTHING these days. Just happy hour ;) and they are good people who have healthy relationships. And I have friends who read this regularly and it honors me to have people think what I have to say has value. Or even better, that they AGREE! (Though I am CERTAINLY open to friendly banter now and again. In fact, I enjoy it ;)
But I am certainly aware of the danger in developing relationships SOLELY online. I think we can also read TOO much into someone's emotions online if we don't know them in person too. Also, there is the reality that some people create personas online and are very different in real life (I can barely figure myself out, let alone an alter-ego! Doesn't that take so much ENERGY?!) Which brings me, too, to think that we can't just be tied to our phones and computers. We need to be sure to give attention to people when we are with them in person and not let our Tweets or gchats get in the way (guilty, guilty! Keep me accountable people! I don't want to be that girl!)
Anyhoodles, thanks for indulging me in my justifying of my overuse of modern media ;) HA! And for reading, of course. Thoughts?
Oh! And Happy Feast of St. Blaise ;) WHERE WAS MY FEAST DAY UPDATE, huh?? ;)
Who is St. Blaise, you ask? You know, the patron of sore throats guy....
Seriously, "Thank you for being a friend"- Golden Girls style ;)
Peace,
Julia
ahem.
For whatever reason, I have been blogging and Tweeting (using Twitter) like it's my JOB lately. And it kind of is. I do use and monitor both for the organization i work for too. So call it an occupational hazard :) But I've been realizing lately (and the Media Studies geek and me wonders why) that I have formed closer relationships with friends who read my blog, twitter feeds, and/or gchat with me on a regular basis.
Now, I was friends with these folks before all this social network business began, and I certainly have plenty of best buds who are TERRIBLE at even email! ;) But I am making the case that social networks- when used somewhat regularly- bring people closer together and add an extra level to that friendship. There is almost an added trust there because we connect with them on certain issues, have common interests already AND then they care enough to read about our thoughts regularly ;)
Hopefully, your friends in 'real life' match your values and interests and challenge you in real life too! I know my friends that also use Twitter and read this blog alot, we meet up often and chat on the phone frequently too. I think that person-to-person connection is SO important (and honestly why I fear internet dating a bit. Is it the same when you MEET through these means of communication? idk. I'm open to hearing arguments for and against.)
As in everything, there needs to be a balance. And I'm just trying to keep myself in check. I was just wondering if I was being bias because of the instant gratification I receive when someone "comments" or texts or "tweets" me right away. Certainly one of the great things about relationships IS a knowledge that a person is ALWAYS there for you. But I will argue, social networks- when used in a healthy way- CAN offer you that extra connection and bring people together in a real, not just artificial/surreal way ;)
I think of all my friends who have found a connection to people through blogs or internet dating (maybe I AM talking myself into this internet dating as I speak...but who am I kidding? I ain't got extra bucks for ANYTHING these days. Just happy hour ;) and they are good people who have healthy relationships. And I have friends who read this regularly and it honors me to have people think what I have to say has value. Or even better, that they AGREE! (Though I am CERTAINLY open to friendly banter now and again. In fact, I enjoy it ;)
But I am certainly aware of the danger in developing relationships SOLELY online. I think we can also read TOO much into someone's emotions online if we don't know them in person too. Also, there is the reality that some people create personas online and are very different in real life (I can barely figure myself out, let alone an alter-ego! Doesn't that take so much ENERGY?!) Which brings me, too, to think that we can't just be tied to our phones and computers. We need to be sure to give attention to people when we are with them in person and not let our Tweets or gchats get in the way (guilty, guilty! Keep me accountable people! I don't want to be that girl!)
Anyhoodles, thanks for indulging me in my justifying of my overuse of modern media ;) HA! And for reading, of course. Thoughts?
Oh! And Happy Feast of St. Blaise ;) WHERE WAS MY FEAST DAY UPDATE, huh?? ;)
Who is St. Blaise, you ask? You know, the patron of sore throats guy....
Seriously, "Thank you for being a friend"- Golden Girls style ;)
Peace,
Julia
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Check Up on It!
Ah, another subject post heading from my girl, B(eynonce;) Girlfriend rocked it at the Grammys and even pulled out some old school Alanis in her performance (ahem- it was the year of pretending we are in a different decade at that Awards Show this year, apparently. But that is a different post for a different blog which I have actually already written on my popblog when my friend Laura and I attempting live blogging during the Grammys! Also another post for another time: that whole experience! Who knew blogging could be so exhausting??)
Anyways...
What may we be, you ask, checking up on as it were today?
Well, it's the Feast of the Presentation for one! Yeah, that totally snuck up on me too. Whoops! I need like a birthday alarm or a Facebook reminder for Feast Days...can some of you techies work on that for me?
As I was stumbling across some Twitter feeds (LOVE the Twitter. It's kind of a problem) I saw some reflections for this feast. A brief one from Our Sunday Visitor got me thinking because they took the angle of Perseverance.
Now I don't know if you know this, you may not- but perseverance is my middle name people. Oh yes. I may go kicking and screaming, but I persevere, gosh darn it!
Which begs the question- is it perseverance if you are whiny about it? Hmmm...I think we should ask St. Paul that one. He was the king of perseverance and not that he was whiny so much, but he definitely was aware of his faults and made that known. He acknowledged that he had 'thorns' and that he 'did the things he did not want to do' but still wanted to 'run the race' as I have posted as my theme for this blog. (And my LIFE, people. I'll tell you what- it's a race. And I don't run much- especially now on account of the disc- but I pick it up to a jog now and again.)
Anyways, anyways...captain distraction today. I apologize.
The Presentation. Perseverance. "How do they go together, Our Sunday Visitor?", I wondered.
Then I thought of the scene of the Presentation. You've got Mary and Joseph taking the Baby Jesus to the temple. So they are there. You got Simeon and Anna who have been waiting a lonnnnnggggg time to see Jesus.
Okay, so now I'm starting to get it.
Simeon waited faithfully for the promise of the Messiah to be filled. So did Anna. And God rewarded them- albeit YEARS later- by allowing them to be present at this important moment in the Holy Family's life. Okay, so they were definitely... perservant? Not a word. But you know what I mean.
And then there's Mary. She in this passage (Luke 2:22-40, btw) gets the message from Simeon, who re-tweets it from God (see what I did there? ;) that her heart will be pierced by a sword. And so we know that Mary's life will, too, be one of heartache and require perseverance. Probably also could've called it when the Angel Gabriel made his announcement to her.
And of course, Joseph. My friends and I learned on our retreat this past Jan. that he HAD to be patient and compassionate and faithful and trusting with God's plan. And he was the most human of that trio so you know he was persevering for sure!
So I suppose the messages are "good things come to those who wait" a la Simeon and Anna and we are in good company in having to persevere with Mary and Joseph. Of course Christ Himself kept HIS eyes on the Father and His love for us always kept Him going. :)
All of this makes me ask: What kept Simeon and Anna going? What keeps ME going and persevering? What makes me think things are going to be worth the wait?
Maybe the example here that God keeps His promises....just in His own time.
Happy Feast! And let me know if you find one of those Feast Day reminder/timer things. I need at LEAST a few days notice ;)
Peace,
Julia
Anyways...
What may we be, you ask, checking up on as it were today?
Well, it's the Feast of the Presentation for one! Yeah, that totally snuck up on me too. Whoops! I need like a birthday alarm or a Facebook reminder for Feast Days...can some of you techies work on that for me?
As I was stumbling across some Twitter feeds (LOVE the Twitter. It's kind of a problem) I saw some reflections for this feast. A brief one from Our Sunday Visitor got me thinking because they took the angle of Perseverance.
Now I don't know if you know this, you may not- but perseverance is my middle name people. Oh yes. I may go kicking and screaming, but I persevere, gosh darn it!
Which begs the question- is it perseverance if you are whiny about it? Hmmm...I think we should ask St. Paul that one. He was the king of perseverance and not that he was whiny so much, but he definitely was aware of his faults and made that known. He acknowledged that he had 'thorns' and that he 'did the things he did not want to do' but still wanted to 'run the race' as I have posted as my theme for this blog. (And my LIFE, people. I'll tell you what- it's a race. And I don't run much- especially now on account of the disc- but I pick it up to a jog now and again.)
Anyways, anyways...captain distraction today. I apologize.
The Presentation. Perseverance. "How do they go together, Our Sunday Visitor?", I wondered.
Then I thought of the scene of the Presentation. You've got Mary and Joseph taking the Baby Jesus to the temple. So they are there. You got Simeon and Anna who have been waiting a lonnnnnggggg time to see Jesus.
Okay, so now I'm starting to get it.
Simeon waited faithfully for the promise of the Messiah to be filled. So did Anna. And God rewarded them- albeit YEARS later- by allowing them to be present at this important moment in the Holy Family's life. Okay, so they were definitely... perservant? Not a word. But you know what I mean.
And then there's Mary. She in this passage (Luke 2:22-40, btw) gets the message from Simeon, who re-tweets it from God (see what I did there? ;) that her heart will be pierced by a sword. And so we know that Mary's life will, too, be one of heartache and require perseverance. Probably also could've called it when the Angel Gabriel made his announcement to her.
And of course, Joseph. My friends and I learned on our retreat this past Jan. that he HAD to be patient and compassionate and faithful and trusting with God's plan. And he was the most human of that trio so you know he was persevering for sure!
So I suppose the messages are "good things come to those who wait" a la Simeon and Anna and we are in good company in having to persevere with Mary and Joseph. Of course Christ Himself kept HIS eyes on the Father and His love for us always kept Him going. :)
All of this makes me ask: What kept Simeon and Anna going? What keeps ME going and persevering? What makes me think things are going to be worth the wait?
Maybe the example here that God keeps His promises....just in His own time.
Happy Feast! And let me know if you find one of those Feast Day reminder/timer things. I need at LEAST a few days notice ;)
Peace,
Julia
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