Final collage of 2013

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the year 2013 - for all it's foibles and perfection.

Thank you for the year 2014 - for all it's perfection and foibles. 

But most of all, thank you for always being here through 2013 and 2014.

Lord, we ask that you bless us with much love, happiness and health in the New Year. 

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Desde cuando! Nov's collage 2013

Hello!
Heavenly Father, thank you for always being by our sides, even when we think you have abandoned us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Okay, so I've had this collage ready since, you guessed it, November. For some reason my publisher (me) didn't publish it on time. But hey, it posted before the end of the year, so it's all good.

I am currently working on December's collage, and will post before the end of tomorrow, God willing. :0)

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." 

Mother Theresa

Oktober's treats 'n trix

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the health of my family and friends, and of myself. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Oktober's collage is especially large and much more colorful than my other collages so far.

For some reason I am unaware of, I have been receiving the magazine's "Self," "Cosmopolitan," & "Redbook." I think they are a leftover from some order I made some darn where, lol...anywho, it has been fun cutting and tearing these >revistas< (what magazines are called in Spanish) and using them to describe my month. Esp "Cosmo," since I think that mag is just TRASH. There must not have been better choices of any kind for me to chose it, OR, I was relishing destroying it, LOL. Possibly both.

(btw, at the top of the collage I accidently cut-off what it says, "sweat like a pig, to look like a fox.")

 

The trix of this month were serious: Mamasita Sweet Potato had a stroke on 10/30/13. I got home that afternoon/evening and MSP was acting pretty confused and her face looked like it was sagging on one side. Her words were slurred as well. I thought she probably had a stroke, but she was refusing to go to the hospital. She called Carlton on the phone and immediately he could tell something was wrong as well.

He came over and for about 45 min, maybe longer, certainly felt longer, we tried to convince her to go to the hospital.. She was adamantly refusing. I think the HS began working, though, because then she told us she'd go to "PermaCare," but not the hospital. We agreed to take her. When she left the room to change, Carlton turned to me and said, "You know we're going to take her to the hospital, right?"

 

And that's what we did. She was furious when she realized where we were taking her. She stayed in the hospital for about 3 days and then was moved to a rehab center. She was in rehab about 4 days, working on her speech. Thanks be to God she is still mobile, and can move all of her limbs. She is continuing to work on her speech as you read this and she's getting better every day. She hadn't been taking her meds and the consequence of those actions were severe, but not too too damaging, PTL.

 

This stroke is a pivotal moment for me too: Mom is now more than enough for me to handle; she needs much more attention and care.

We've lived together for 10 years, and I'm in need of a break.

Carlton & I are in the midst of changing residences. He has a Nov 1st 2014 deadline to find a home - not an apt - and mom is to move in with him.

I may/may not sell my house this Spring, or in the Fall of next year. (still deciding; my house is a lot of room that I may not need once it's just Tobe's and me)(a duplex with a tiny yard would be a better fit - no lawn, please!) (but I do like my house...)

Ultimately, it's ALL in GOD's hands! Prayers for everyone!

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

09 2013

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for all you do for us. Continue to bless and guide us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

September  was the epitome of "wordle." LOL


"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Has August come and gone already?!

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for anointing our lives with goodness. Prayers for those who have asked for my prayers, and for peace in Syria. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

August has one of my favorite feast days in it: the Assumption of Mary, Aug 15th.
For my Protestant brothers and sisters, this is the day we Catholics believe Mary's earthly life ended, and when she was taken, body and soul, into Heaven. She didn't suffer through old age, or die; she was carried straight to Heaven. This is how special the Blessed Mother is in God's eyes.
I feel especially close to Mary since my father brought my mother a statue of the Blessed Mother when I was born; she sits in one corner of my bedroom. At the other corner in my room I have a framed picture of Mary with Jesus in her arms. She is my mother - she is our mother. :)

August rushed by me.

Time to return to work.
I felt anxious the week before the students arrived; this isn't uncommon for educators. We're as excited as the students are, lol.
During morning prayers I read the short biography of St Joan Antide-Thouret.
Her bishop asked her to take charge of a school. "At first she doubted her capacity for such a responsibility, but the bishop reassured her, "Courage, virtue, and trust in God are what are required, and it seems to me that you have these qualities." I felt as if God were speaking to me directly, and I was encouraged.
It was also within this month where the Lord began teaching me the understanding of the phrase, "Having faith in Christ."
I was talking to Jesus, like I usually do,
And I started thinking, "When will I really start having Faith in You?"
Jesus laughed beside me. I got the sense He's been waiting for me to ask myself this question.
"Ok, Jesus, what does it mean to Have Faith in You?"
"Well, when you are worried about something, say a prayer about your issue, handing the outcome to Me, then forget about it. Ask for My Grace to help you stop obsessing over the situation; I will take care of it. Faith means leaving your worry to me. You will know you have Faith when your thoughts are unoccupied with the issue. The "free time," the lack of worry creates allows you to concentrate on My Will in the Present Moment, which are the most important moments of your life."
Simple enough - when practiced often - and with God's grace, I'm getting better.

This month's collage is a collection of the above thoughts.

 

The top picture is a depiction of the story of Jesus walking into a town as a funeral procession is happening (Luke 7:11-15)NIV. Jesus learns that the only son of a mother, a widow, had died. Jesus feels pity for the woman, asks for the procession to stop. He raises the boy from the dead and gives him back to his mother. I love this story!

At the bottom of the collage is a picture of Jesus calling his mother to himself (the Assumption).

On the other side of the tree under the words "Blessed Among Us," is the title St. Augustine. I placed this there because the street parallel to my school is St. Augustine. :)

St. Augustine is the son of St. Monica. He was quite the hellion in his youth. He abandoned the faith his mother adored and threw himself into the world: drinking, drugs, sex. St. Monica continued to pray for his conversion, which eventually did happen. I feel like St Augustine guards our school. :)

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

 

Seventh month's collage, 2013

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for always being in our lives - in the friends and family around us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

July had some high-highs, and some low-lows.

Thanks be to God, it ended on a positive, uplifting note.

My mom was in the hospital with kidney stones the latter part of the month; she had lithroscopy, shock waves essentially, to reduce the size of the stone, so it would be easy to pass.

In fact, mom was in the hospital on the same day she gave birth to me all these years later!

Mom's stone was 9 mm and I weighed 9 lbs, 9 oz, strange, right? 

Mamasita sweet potato had to endure pain worse than giving birth (I've been told)! Fortunately, the stone has passed; unfortunately, mom's pain didn't subside.

I took her to a gasterologist, and the doctor said she has diverticulitis; she's now taking antibiotics for it, and appears well on her way to recovery, though she still has some aches. Thank you to all those who have been praying for mom; please continue to pray for her continued health and well-being. Thank you,

God is good, all the time!

Also, my childhood friend drove 10 hours to spend time with me and to celebrate my birthday.

I am so blessed!

 



 

The photo of this month's collage wouldn't come out lighter - coincidence? There are no coincidences.

It was a dark month. 

 

Toward the bottom of the collage is the music sheet for the song, "We walk by Faith."

I drew an orange sun with red rays coming out of the center - this is on the lower right side of the collage.

I colored the rest of the background yellow.

 

The Good Samaritan was in the readings this month, and I must give a happy thank you shout out to my good friend R, for personifying a Good Samaritan toward me. May God bless her always.

 

There are three scenes I put on the collage just because I like the art.

The first one is above the orange-red sun, and it is a depiction of the scene of Mary, Martha, and Jesus. Mary sitting at Jesus' feet, and Martha getting food ready for Jesus and his companions to eat. Mary made the best choice, to sit at Jesus' feet.

The second picture is the angel of death at Passover.

The third one is towards the top right hand corner; Moses has his hands wrapped about the tablets, looking up at the pasted words, "July 2013."

 

Above the Good Samaritan depiction is a blessing for a sick person.

I dedicate this prayer to my sweet potato mamasita.:

Lord Jesus, our Saviour and our brother,

listen to our prayer and look with love on Mamasita sweet potato,

Visit her in this time of sickness,

and fill her with the gifts of your Spirit,

that she may have the courage to carry your cross

the strength to believe in your love,

and the faith to persevere in hope and prayer.

Restore her strength

and bring her back to full health.

Lord Jesus, unite our prayer to your own

and present it to God most high.

To God be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

---Blessings and prayers for Home and Family

 

The scripture I hand-wrote in-between the pasted scriptures, is Philippians 4:9, "Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you."

One the upper right hand-side are scripture passages containing peace.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

 

The silent sadness*

Heavenly Father,
This is the hope I have for my tears: that they may be united with Christ's suffering, and "for the sake of His sorrowful passion, (that God) have mercy on us & on the whole world," as the words of the Divine Mercy prayer implores our Lord and Savior.
I know too that the depth of one's sadness can also be a measure of one's capacity for joy.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

A tremendous heart-felt thank you to my friend Mary W.
I read her blog the other day; she spoke to the fear she had when her doctor told her there was a "thickness in one of her breasts," to which she later found out was nothing, PTL; but that experience, and how she expressed her fear, gives me the courage to put these words on my blog and be vulnerable to my readers.
So thank you Mary!
& to Mary, the Mother of our Savior, a very reverent thank you, because when she was told that a "sword would pierce her heart" for the suffering she was to receive on seeing her only Son crucified, she gave us a model of how to handle intense anguish - putting our faith in God's will.

The "lacerations" I feel from my depression* provide me with colossal more compassion for the legion of atrocities both in the world and on a local scale, than if I didn't suffer from the little d.
I'm less judgmental of others and more open to forgiveness.
I'm actually happier after walking through my winter.
I find I also understand the word Love - as a verb - better.

 

Never underestimate the power of agony.

 

Our world has a compulsion to feel better, happier, and offers a plethora of imbecilic things to satiate not only our insecurities, but all the dark places in our souls no one wants to talk about, or even acknowledge, and this is not the correct way to deal with our "sacred suffering!"

I'm warning you world, I do want to feel bad! LOL

Feeling bad puts feeling good in proper perspective.

Next time you feel yourself low, feel the low. Thank your emotion, learn from the emotion, and then cheer up again, as this is a temporary state of being.
If you feel yourself severely decumbent and for a longer than usual period of time, seek help, yes, but also feel the lowness. Seek to learn from the subjacent and don't be so quick to dismiss the lowering; if you cling to your torment you just might find some terrific insight about yourself, or the world around you, or draw yourself closer to Jesus.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

June 2013

 

Heavenly Father,

Bless all those traveling this summer with safe journeys to and from their destinations. May the souls of the 19 firefighters who perished in the wildfires in Arizona rest in peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

 

June's collage came together smoothly and easily. 

June has been a month of...

REST.

Waking up at nine in the morning is such a luxury!

During the school year, I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready to go to work.

Funny, during June, I don't even slightly wake up around the 5 - 6 a.m. hour, LOL.

I've given up trying to sleep until noon, like I did when I was in my late teens and early twenties; just doesn't happen anymore, I'm happy to say.

A few days after I was done with work, I realized how perfectly tired I was and how much downtime I required.

I want to learn how to swim! I've put this off for far too long..."Get hip," is a pun on swimming. The phrase "Pave the way to good health," = swimming.

The picture behind the cut-outs on the collage is a picture I drew of a sun rising/setting on the ocean. I crave the beach and pray I make it to warm waters sometime before August this year, preferably in Florida.

"See the signs," is a phrase that I've taken literally, because I have been looking for ''signals'' as a way of discerning God's will for my life, my relationships, career, love life...God does send signs - keep hope alive! Be sure you're alert to them, they are all around us. *Just as a silly example, there is a particular person's name I am praying for discernment on, and I saw a street with this name; I took this as notification that God is hearing my prayers.

In this particular collage, I did add some political words: DOMA - because of the Supreme Court's landmark ruling that marriages between people of the same sex are legal and binding. With a couple of caveats, of course; this is all good if  you live in a state that allows those unions. If you move from a state that recognizes same-sex marriages to a state that doesn't recognize your connection, you lose any benefits you may have had in the pro-same sex marriage state.

The other 'political' word: Mandela; he is in critical health right now with pneumonia. Everyone is praying he recover.

Then there's the tattle-tale: Snowden; he is currently residing in Russia's airport. His passport has been revoked, but Putin has refused to release him to the US. Without a passport Snowden can't travel to Ecuador, which is where he was heading. 

Snowden is a mixed bag of thoughts for me;

I think he thought he was doing a good thing by telling the citizens of the US that our government is spying on us;

but I think it was a terrible idea for him to leak US secrets about our allies and enemies.

This collage is longer than the others, and besides me writing in these political words at the top, I also have the phrase "Making a difference with students." Then there's this photo:

 

 which didn't come out as clear as I'd like, but hopefully you get the gist; there's an angel pointing at the person laying under a tree with one arm; the other arm is pointing away.

The biblical interpretation could be, "Get up and walk, your father has healed you," or "Be on your way, someone awaits you..." Holy words to be sure.

Now here's my interpretation: "Get up you lazy bum (meaning me) and stop wasting summer by doing nothing!"

With God's blessing, July is going to be a busy month! >wink<

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

"May" I have this collage???

Hello HF,

Please bless all those seeking employment with positions worthy of their time and talent, all to give You greater glory! Thank you for all your blessings in our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

 

This collage has more drawings than my other collages, but this isn't intentional - the "nature" of the collage itself created this design.

I'm hoping I'm "invoking" a feeling with these portrayals rather than writing a script for the reader to follow.

The brown bluffs I have drawn (look super close and you'll see them) represent obstacles God's grace helped me overcome.

Just like the apostles were showered with the HS (depicted in the effigy to the left and in the replica above this one of the apostles gathered together) and Christ returning to His Father's side (portrait on the right), so too, I asked for the HS to rain/reign over me and for Christ to be by my side; gratefully, both answered my cries.

God is good. All the time.

I mean the term 'bluff'  as a pun, as in the idiom "calling your bluff"; i.e. I can realize the reality of the bluff for the challenge it is - which is a growth opportunity - and sharpen my character in positive ways on its edges, or allow myself to fall from the borders and lay beaten at the base. I choose the former.

The lack of space between the hills represents God's persistent nudging for me to stay faithful in Him; He did not allow the valleys to be very wide before I reached the top of the mountain once again.

The delineation of two women in the middle of the collage represent Mary and Elizabeth.

The HS works for us through the support of good friends.

I love the bible story of how Mary, after she was blessed with Jesus in her womb, hurries to help her cousin Elizabeth; this after Mary learns of her cousin's pregnancy. The baby leaps in the womb of Elizabeth when Mary's greeting is heard. The HS filled the baby's heart with joy.

My ACTS sisters in general, and ACTS sisters R and S specifically, along with my friends~colleagues V, J  & M were Marys & Elizabeths to me. With all of these wonderful friend's prayers of encouragement and gentle instruction, I made it through various hardships.

I am the child in Elizabeth's womb, and my friend's words filled me with courage.

God has blessed me with the opportunity to apply what I've learned on a new campus.

My current school doesn't have the registration numbers at this moment in time to warrant a full-time school counselor for the 2013-2014 school year; and even though principals can use money from their budget to fund a counselor, my principal didn't want to allocate money for my position.

He thinks the enrollment numbers will rise in August/September and that the district will provide the cash for a full-time counselor, without him having to raid school funds.

So God has blessed me with a different school.

At the top of the collage is one of many psalms which gave me the vim to endure a few iniquities that occurred this past year.

Once these offenses were corrected - yet another example of God's perfect timing - I was given the freedom to interview at another school.

I interviewed and was offered the position the next day.

How good God is, all the time!

On the collage you will also notice the black and white typed words on the piece of paper next to the psalm. This is a prayer for mothers, who are specifically celebrated in May.

My mom has had to endure my complaining - God bless her for listening too!

And then of course, my favorite 'thing,' a brightly shining Sun/Son.

I colored the sky a dark blue, but if I'd had a light blue marker, I would have used that color instead.

However, the dark blue fits perfectly with how miserable this month was; happily though, the thirty days ended on an excellent change of venue for me.

PTL

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

April's collage

 Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all tests of character and for helping me pass those tests. In Jesus'name. Amen.

 

I think this collage has more pictures in it than previous collages.

Probably because this month has been more of a visual mental ride, rather than words seeping inside my head and leaking out onto the 'canvas.'

The picture at bottom of the collage is one of my favorites: the story of Jesus telling his apostles, then just fishermen, to put their nets into the water because they are going to catch some fish.

The men had been on the boat all night long fishing and hadn't caught anything, so of course they are skeptical. But when they follow Jesus' guidance, wow! The nets are filled with fish - almost to the point of breaking the net - but it holds. How easy life would be if we too just followed Jesus' guidance!

Although the word is cut-off, the words at the bottom say, "Radiating tension." Work this year has been radiating tension. I purposely put these words at the bottom, though, because I feel they are going to 'slip off the page,' and new, positive words, are going to take their place. Can I get an AMEN? Amen! Thanks. *wink*

The words in another phrase that got cut-off are "Voyage of discovery." meaning: my first year as a school counselor. I am praying for many voyages of discovery! And not just in my career.

ARE YOU READY - boldly placed in the middle of this collage - is a question I ask myself everyday. Am I ready to do God's will? Am I ready to be the child of God I am asked to be, every day, and in all situations? Am I ready...the questions are endless, but with God all questions, bold or otherwise, are easier to bear.

The two dark question marks, which I added in marker, symbolize some questions I'm specifically having about staying at my current school, or seeking a new school as a school counselor...among other questions, of course.

At the very top of my collage 'priority list,' are the words, Honoring the kids, Hello, Spring, Asian. Other words at the utmost of the collage are: Festive Finale, and "A Monument of good deeds," Irresistible, and "go & do."

Yes, this collage represents my April 2013 nicely.

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

How do you like your new job?

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for blessing me with such wonderful and caring colleagues. You know who to bring into our lives & when. Glory and praise to you always, Lord! In Jesus' name. Amen.
I ask myself sometimes, "Is school counseling what I thought it would be?"
Yes.
And no.
My brother told me he didn't think my job was worth the pay (but when do we ever think we're paid enough for what we do?!) because he saw me 'getting squeezed from the top as well as from the bottom.'

Meaning, of course, that I 'have to' deal with administration (i.e. my principal, 'the top'), and staff (i.e. teachers, 'the bottom').
One of the many functions of being a capable school counselor, is to create a bridge between positions loftier than mine, and positions secondary to mine, all of which demand things from me.
Sometimes those demands are completely opposite each other, and sometimes they are the same components, but they all wanted their stuff yesterday. LOL

Because of the 'upper' and 'lower' stresses of my job, I am hugely grateful for the amazing support of my assistant principal and our testing coordinator; if it weren't for their friendship, as well as a loving, merciful & mentoring attitude, I would be flying haphazardly, learning moment-to-moment how to navigate the elevated expanses and the baser domains.
My God-send of an AP always reminds me/us, "We are family."

Then there are the students.
The real and only reason I became a school counselor was for them.
The students make the tug-of-war between administration, staff and me, worth it.
As long as I keep my eye on the student's benefit, all else aligns itself, and the world is an adventuresome place.

SO, to answer the question I started this blog with, "Yes, the job is what I thought it would be - I do get to counsel with students one-on-one and in small groups, and yes, we talk about academics, but we also talk about family and friends; topics Í didn't have time to explore in a classroom setting. I also appreciate being in the classrooms and discussing various themes whole group. I pray I am doing my best by them too- encouraging them and giving them positive feedback, as well as reality checks.
And no, it isn't what I thought it would be, only because I didn't really understand the magnitude and depth of the Principal's power over a guidance program. Who knew?!"

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

I couldn't make these titles up if I wanted to...!

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the many blessings in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Yesterday I was perusing a singles website;  these are just the first ten captions I read:

1. "Caution! All around man here!"

2. "I don't pretend to be someone I am not"

3. "No women from Oklahoma please"

4. "Trabajo" (work)

5. "Well here I am come and see"

6. "Do women's check their message on here"

7. "Get to know someone before you judge"

8. "I'm done. going to see where life takes me now"

9. "A sucker for your pucker; click to add to cart"

and lastly,

10. "keeping 100 at all times" ???

And these are my choices? I don't think so. I'm happily single, thanks.

This information comes to you courtesy of an USA survey, on Feb 5, 2013.
I thought the men's list would be more sex and physical related; the women's list deal more with money.
I'm glad I'm wrong - it's good to know that both sexes seek something more substantial in their mates than just physical and material.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

March's collage

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Resurrected Son. In Your name, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Amen.



March's collage is the biggest one I've made yet.

I didn't do this intentionally; a box arrived in my office, I nabbed it and broke it down. :)

Reflecting on the size of the box now, though, the size makes sense.

Lent is a behemoth time for Catholics and the size of the collage should imitate that.

Most of the images at top represent what Lent means to me.

Off to the left are the weeks of Spring Break, but I should have put the week before Easter. This is the holiest of weeks, afterall.

Although my brother did have a stroke during this week. He's better now, thanks be to God. But it was a scary time - my brother is way too young.

But God is as close to us as Hello and he's constantly, "Sculpting in clay," if only we would allow his hands to sculpt us.

Dr. Seuss books were read for a day throughout the district.

The slogans "Resting easy," & "Ït's not that bad," fell to the bottom of the collage unconsciously, but here's what I think it signifies; we're to put our faith in God. Only when God is fully in charge of our lives are we able to "Rest Easy,"and know things aren't that bad.

Even when we have terrible fights with our loved ones.

Envisioning Christ taking care of our most difficult relationships, humbly placing our problems at Jesus' feet, is when the real work in ourselves, and in the other person, can begin.

He is Risen!

February's collage

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all your blessings, even the blessings of and in sorrowful times. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 



February's collage found me musing on Lent, as it started in February. The middle picture you see here is an artist's rendition of Christ in the desert. Note the devil's hand in the picture, at the bottom left side where Christ is crouching. The woman who is blowing hearts to Christ is my way of telling Jesus thank you for the great sacrifice of crucifixion he made for all of us.

Some of the other things you'll find are the words Aware and Awakenings. I'm reading a book on Self-esteem and the author has some interesting 'sentence stem' exercises he offers as a way to increase awareness, consciousness, really, and that's always a good thing. These words highlight what I'm learning from the book. (more on the book later)

You can kind of see the words "Marriage Success." I posted this because marriages hold a special place in my heart. I pray for the strength of marriages, as they are extremely important to society. I find myself quoting Clinton's book, "It takes a village."

I also posted "Marriage Success,"as a way of opening myself to God, and asking Him to find a mate for me.

The man standing on the stones, with the tree behind him, off to the right, the words underneath him say, "Away with you Satan." Again, referring to Christ's time in the desert, but I think it's also appropriate we remember to tell Satan this when he's luring us away from Christ's path for our lives. Jesus was tempted by the enemy, why shouldn't we be? We need to be asking for God's help in those times of stress, from those alluring things the devil shows us. I often forget to call on Jesus in those crucial moments, and I think it's mostly because I'm in the 'fight or flight' mode with anxiety. I'm getting better though! Becoming much more aware! AMEN

Overall, I'm pleased with the way this collage turned out and I'm learning to use larger words and pictures, as this saves me time, especially when I don't have a lot of time to spend on the collage, and also because larger words get my point across. :)

I haven't found a palette for March yet, but I know I'll be coloring the background green.

Oh, I don't think I've told you this dear reader: I've been coloring the backgrounds with markers; the backgrounds I use are mostly white, but I color them because in my minds eye, the months have colors to them.*wink*

January's was blue, in case you were wondering. :) 

 

 

 

"If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!" St. Catherine of Sienna

 

The Brief Wonderous ... a book review

I was given this book as a Christmas gift and read it off/on for the last few months. I was intrigued with the title, and a little sad too, because you know the main character is probably not going to 'make it.'
I finally finished reading it today.
It dragged toward the end, and I was actually hoping the character would die soon because it was enough already! LOL
The main character, Oscar, is a bit of a dork - he even says this about himself, not just me - and a HUGE nerd. King of nerds. Nerdiest of nerds. Oscar is overweight and the author attributes these two issues as reasons why he can't get laid. Which, to the writer, is the 'heaviest'of Oscar's problems.
Oscar is extremely depressed, but doesn't seek help, nor does his family try to abet his pain. I guess they think he'll 'snap out of it'. He snaps, but to take his life; he survives his attempt, but his family still doesn't do anything to remedy his situation.
Oscar has a close relationship with his older sister, Lola, though they hung out more before they go to college. Their friendship reminded me of my brother's and my relationship, but only in the closeness. Lola's character fades as the novel unravels.
Interlaced throughout the novel is background information on the history of the Dominican Republic; specifically when Trujillo is in charge of the country.

The author does an excellent job of telling the reader all the diabolical things that happened during Trujillo's reign. Trujillo was an atrocious and obnoxious man, same as all dictators, and at times I felt the information added to the story, and other times I just ignored the footnotes. Once I hear about tortures, I don't need to be told several times, or to whom he did them, how often, etc.
I think the author was piecing together his own past, and that's a noble mission, but it's important to keep in mind that the reader may not understand all the references, nor will the reader understand the references as you want them to...and that's where a good editor is needed.
The narrator talks about grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., to give a broad picture of the setting. A heavy undertaking, and he navigates it well,even if there are "major explosions in his telling and confusion in finding where the bodies are..." (literary speak for confusion, craziness, and general mayhem)
There is lots of sex in this novel. Well, they use the term f---ing', and that's what sex appears to be to Dominicans. There are moments of tenderness, but the f-ing is the point.

I enjoyed the writer's references to comics, the Marvel universe, Watchmen, and other obscurities that I didn't recognize, but appreciated nonetheless.
The author handles matter of the Spiritual realm without any respect, which annoyed me, even though it is ascribed to creating a miracle.
Oscar is due a romantic soliloquy, and he's given his moment. The author's view of romance is evident in Oscar's words; although minimal assaugement for all the men in the book who cheat, beat, and treat the women in the book as if they were toilet paper.

January's collage

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your many blessings, and please continue to let your grace fall upon us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

I've decided to create collage's to commemorate each month this year.

Below is January's collage.

I'm using various types of cardboard - recycling shoe boxes or any kind of discarded cardboard I find in/around the house.

Most of the pictures and words are taken from "Give us this Day';"a Catholic religious magazine. Some of the words are from the ASCA counseling magazine; the 'material'I used were from things that said "January,"on them.

I worked on this one throughout the month, frequently inspired by words or pictures I wanted to add.

A few of the words are inspirational, and others are "Holy Spirit," led. By this I mean the HS wanted me to have a word of encouragement, or focus on a particular word, or meditate on the meaning of the word/picture, or incorporate the word into my spirit, etc.

For example,  the word "Shine," and "bright/brightly," showed up often, and in a cluster, but from different places.

I've always enjoyed the collage medium - mostly because I feel it is a good outlet for my type of personality, which is abstract random. (If you'd like to find out what your personality style is, go to Check your personal thinking.)

I haven't decided if I'm going to get the pieces framed. Mostly because I haven't decided where I want them to hang. One idea I had was hanging them up in my room, or in the garage. In the meantime, they will be in my office.

I'm already working on February's. In fact, words and phrases for February came at the end of January, lol. I feel like this means that February is ready to get going!

 

 

This collage is actually longer than this, but it wouldn't all fit in my camera phone's frame. Oh well, you get the vibe...I think. *wink* 

***new kind of blogging***

Heavenly Father,
Bless my words as I write this blog; to give You greater glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Conversation between Carlton & I Friday night @ dinner:
"Did you read my blog?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"It was okay."
"Why doesn't my blog appeal to you?"
"The things you write about don't interest me. I don't need to read about mom's bday, I was there. You sound like a fourteen year old girl. Bff & all that other stuff."
"?!!! So what would you like me to write about?"
"You're an insightful person. When I read your blogs I don't hear that insightful person."
"You know, some people take 'insightful' for being judgmental."
"That's not what I mean. You reflect on things. You think about things deeply."
"There's a vulnerability that comes with that and I'm not sure I'm comfortable writing about those things, but I guess that's what makes a good blog. No fluff."
"Who are you writing for?"
"Myself, mostly."
What I didn't say to him was, 'Like you, I don't think most people read what I write, but if I had an audience, I think it would be my Facebook friends.'
"Well then, write about what you think about."
"Well ok then. I'll start with a blog about this conversation."

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Positive notes



 

Heavenly Father,
Bless all eyes reading this blog.
Prayers for special intentions;
-hope for family and friends who have entrusted me to pray for them;
-prayers for the ailing;
-homeless;
-hungry,
-all those who have no one to pray for them;
-for the unemployed;
and for the spirits of souls locked here on earth, that we may all be allowed to see the light of your face.
Lord, I know you hear my continual pleas of mercy for
-atheists;
-agnostics;
and the oppressed, and I am truly grateful.
I thank you for
-all prayers answered;
and unanswered.
For peace;
-in our world;
-in our families;
and in all our relationships.
Bless us to keep our eyes on You, always. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Dearest reader,

 

LOL

 

In case you can't see the words written on the paper, I have made mom and I "Good Things Happen 2013," jars.
 

I got the idea from FB.

Mom and I have already put in notes, and plan to read them this NYE, so we can remember all the wonderful things that happened this year. :)

Happy New Year, everyone, may it be our most sanctified yet!

 

I found this quote from JPII when I was looking for a replacement quote of Mother Theresa's words I have at the end of each blog entry.

(Too long to put at the end of every post, me thinks, but certainly worth posting. I really like what JPII says, so I may re-think not posting it.)

It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.

It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”
― Pope John Paul II

Amen! PTL!