The Transgender Agenda Vs. Women

More and more everyday I see men putting on heels, slapping on some makeup, and calling themselves a woman. And every time I see it, my heart sinks. Are these really the qualifying factors of a woman? Am I nothing more than the makeup I wear, the dresses I put on, and the long hair on my head? Today it is as simple as putting on some girly clothes, decorating your face with makeup, and there you have it, you've turned a man into a woman.

This is exactly what the Transgender Agenda is instilling into our society. They want us to believe that a woman is nothing special, that she does nothing that a man can't do, and it boggles my mind how more women are not outraged by this. Isn't that what we've been trying to tell the world for so many years? That us women can do MORE?

Well I will tell you right now, I am MORE than this.

I am a woman. By God's amazing grace I have the ability to create life in my body and let it grow for 9 months. I have the organs to provide all that is needed for growing a baby. I can give birth to human life through a process I know men could never even dream of handling. I can nurture a baby and be its sole nourishment for months and months on end.

A man cannot do what I do. He will never be able to carry a baby with his God-given organs. He will never be able to provide nourishment unless he buys it from a store first. He can put on a dress and makeup all he wants, but it will never give him the power to do what God has allowed women to do.

I will never let the beauty of a woman be so beaten down that all it comes down to is a costume and make up. Stand up for women, and show the world that you are more. The Transgender Agenda is making a mockery of womanhood, and I will fight until the day I die to preserve the beauty and dignity of woman all around the world.

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We Should Want Heaven for the World

Today I wanted to tell you about St. Maria Goretti, a young martyr from Italy in 1902. When Maria was 11 years old, her 18-year-old neighbor, Alessandro, attempted to rape her. She screamed and said, "No! It is a sin! God does not want it!" and went on to say that she would rather die than submit. When Alessandro heard these words, he went on to stab her 14 times.

Maria was found laying on her kitchen floor, and was rushed to the hospital. Through almost 20 hours of excruciating surgical procedures with no anesthesia, the effort was hopeless. The stab wounds were too awful to heal. In Maria's last moments of life, a priest had asked her if she forgave her attacker Alessandro, and her last words were, "I forgive Alessandro Serenelli...and I want him with me in Heaven forever."

Wow. What beauty.

Many of us want Heaven for ourselves, for our families, friends, and loved ones, but how many times have we said that we want Heaven for our enemies? It is a hard thing to do, no doubt, but it is a beautiful and holy thing.

Maria Goretti not only forgave her killer, but she wanted a beautiful eternity for him as well. She wanted the absolute best for him, and nothing less. And it is even more incredible that this was only about 24 hours after he had stabbed her while she sat in excruciating pain.

So let us remember that we should want Heaven for not only those we love, but also for those that are hard to love. We should want it for all those that don't know God. We should want it for all those that claim they do not want Heaven. We should want it for those who have wronged us. We should want it for the angry, the sad, and for those who hurt. We should want it for the murderers, thieves, and the imprisoned. 

We should want Heaven for the world. 

               Below is a picture of Alessandro Serenelli, a changed man, praying to St. Maria Goretti. 

                             He repented while in prison, and lived a holy life until the day he died. 

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External and Internal Perfection

We live in a world where perfection is of utmost importance. We have to have the perfect job, perfect car, perfect house, perfect cookie-cutter life. When we put this all together, we create our external perfection.

We all strive for this external perfection in one way or another. It's human nature to want to seem "put together," like we've got life all figured out. But in reality I think we can all agree that we probably put more effort than we should into making our lives seem perfect to those around us.

Perhaps we should wonder, though, where is this external perfection going to get us in the end? Where is all of it going to go once we leave this earth? I'll tell you plain and simple, it's going to stay right where you left it. The second you take your last breath, all of your material objects will become obsolete. They will mean nothing to you anymore, and they will do nothing for you. Your fate will not be determined by your car, your house, or your "stuff." Instead, it will be determined by something much more important, something much more crucial to your well-being. Your internal perfection.

Kindness, love, generosity, charity. These are the qualities that will ultimately determine our eternal life. We are all going to be standing at those pearly gates one day and we will be asked, "But how kind were you? How much love did you give? Did you give until you could give no more?" And we will have to answer each and every question with brutal honesty.

We will not be able to say, "But God, look what I have achieved. Look at my house, look at my car, look at my bank account." Our external perfection means nothing to God unless we have used it to benefit someone else. Did you use your house as a shelter for others? Did you use your car to complete good deeds? Was your bank account used to give to charity? If not, then your external perfection has gotten the best of you.

So let us strive for internal perfection, not external perfection. Let us strive for perfection in our hearts, not perfection in our houses. Let us strive for perfect kindness, not perfect paychecks.

In the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "Remember that when you leave this earth you can take nothing that you have received- only what you have given."

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Submission and Love in Marriage

Submission is such a feared word among both men and women today. It is viewed as a sign of weakness, a sign that "you can't hold your own." However, to be able to submit to another person is a quality that takes so much strength and fortitude, it is hardly a sign of weakness. 

Submission plays a big part in marriage as I have learned in the past few months. I remember when the priest quoted Colossians 3:18 during his sermon at our wedding. Those dreaded words came out of his mouth echoing through the church:

"Wives, be subject to your husbands." 

I can just imagine what was going through the minds of those sitting in the pews who are not so religious, and I'm sure it went something like this:

Woman: "Are you kidding me?! She should not have to subject to him! She is not his property. How dare they say that."

Man: "Yeah man! What I say goes. This guy knows what he's talking about! I'm going to use this line next time."

But what they failed to hear is the next verse which is of utmost importance.

"Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter towards them."

Women, do not think you have the short end of the stick here. You may be thinking, "Why do I have to break down and submit to him, and all he has to do is "love" me?" But I think we all know that loving someone, especially when you don't particularly feel like loving them, is hard work. 

These men are not getting off easy by any means. God does not say to them, "Love your wives only when they're making you happy." No, it simply says to love. He must love you when you're being difficult, he must love you when you're moody, he must love you when you're mad. And I give men props for this, because I know how I can be, and I know how other women can be, and let's just say that we can be quite scary sometimes. 

Yes, girls, the verse does still say to submit to your husbands. Allow him to be the head of the household, let him make the final decisions on what is best for the family. And if you love him as you should, your submission will not seem so difficult. But remember, men, while you are making these decisions, you must do it with supreme love for your wife. If you love her with your whole heart, you will make decisions with her in mind. 

Submission and love go hand in hand, for there cannot be one without the other. It takes both to make a couple grow together through life's trials and tribulations. 

Marriage is no picnic, my friends, but with genuine effort and love from one another, it can turn into something truly beautiful. 

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Balance: Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin

I find that, as a Catholic, the hardest thing I struggle with is balance. It's hard finding a good balance between when I should pray and when I should play, when I should relax and when I should work, but most of all, I find balance is quite hard when it comes to sticking up for my faith.

Balance is quite important when it comes to the Catholic faith. First and foremost, Jesus tells us to "Love your neighbor as yourself." It's one of the two Great Commandments, and it's a requirement for Heaven. Yet Jesus also tells us to not fall into the ways of the world for we are suppose to live in the world, not of the world. We are not suppose to conform to what society deems as "normal" when it actually goes against the rules that God has laid out for us. But it's hard sticking up for your faith without seeming as if you're condemning someone or severely judging them for their actions.

So the question is, is it really possible to love someone while also speaking against what they do and the lifestyle that they live?

It really is possible, but it takes balance. I struggle with this so much because it requires a great deal of discipline, so much that I feel I will spend my entire life trying to perfect it.

One thing that has really helped me as I try to find this balance in my life is learning exactly what to judge. I read something once that said you can judge someone's actions, but you cannot judge their intentions. There is nothing wrong with making a conclusion about a situation or a lifestyle that someone chooses to follow. What you can't conclude, though, is that their intentions are evil.

We are not given the ability to read the hearts of others. That job is solely for God and God alone because only He knows the true intentions of each and every person on this earth. If you speak against something, speak against it with a gentle disposition. Speak against it because of how much you love God, not because you just want to tell someone what they're doing wrong. If that is too hard (and with our human nature, it definitely can be sometimes) choose to lead by your life example for this will show others more than words ever could.

In the words of St. Augustine, "Love the sinner, hate the sin."

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Motherhood: One year later

Grace has her first birthday on Saturday, and I still can't believe it. One year ago I started a new journey as a full time mother, and I have loved it every step of the way. Now although it hasn't been without its trials, it has undoubtedly been the best year of my life. Motherhood is a constant battle of messy diapers, tears, and "No, Grace. No, don't touch that," but it is also a constant reward of smiles, kisses, and hugs every single day.

I wanted to take some time to write down the things that my little Grace has continued to remind me in this wonderful past year. While it is known that parents are the role models for their children, I find myself everyday thinking that I should actually aspire to be more like Grace. It is so true that children look up to their parents, but I think us parents need to take some notes from our own children as well, for Jesus Himself says in Matthew 18:3, "In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven."

Actions speak louder than words.

Although Grace cannot communicate verbally, the love that radiates from her actions speak louder than words ever could. Words can't even describe how I feel when she looks at me from across the room and just smiles. Not a word is spoken, yet I feel like she has said a thousand words in just one smile. What if we all looked at each other and just smiled more often? What if we just gave each other a little acknowledgement that "Hey, I see you, and it makes me happy to see you." Maybe all it takes is a little more smiling to make this world a better place. Let someone see that you are happy to see them. It's one little action, but it could change the world. It changes mine every single day.

Laughter is the best medicine.

If Grace falls and bumps her head, it's only natural for her to start crying. But as soon as I pick her up and play a quick "peek-a-boo" with her, or even just tickle her a bit, that crying is automatically substituted for her adorable laughter. Suddenly, that bump doesn't seem so bad anymore. I think we could all use a bit more laughter in our lives. So let's not dwell on the bad things that happen to us. Let's learn to move on to the happiness, because there really is so much to be happy about.

Forgiveness.

We were all born with an impeccable ability to forgive, but as we get older it somehow becomes harder and harder. We begin to hold more grudges, and our pride keeps us from moving on. Grace is my daily reminder to always forgive. She forgives so easily, as we all should. When I take something away from her she is incredibly upset. She looks at me, cries, sometimes even screams, but about .2 seconds later she's climbing onto my lap and giving me a hug. It melts my heart. In her eyes I have "wronged" her, but her love is bigger than that. Her love overpowers any anger that she could have.

Simplicity

Eat, sleep, play. Grace's daily schedule reminds me of how simple life could really be. She is so content with such simple items, and it is a reminder that there really was life before technology. She helps remind me to turn off the T.V. and pick up a book, turn off the music so I can kneel down and pray, turn off my phone so I can sit and write. Technology is not a necessity, it is just a luxury. We would definitely survive without it, and we may even be happier if there was just a little bit less of it.

Grace has literally been my "saving grace." She pulls me closer to God and makes me want to be a better person. I never knew that I could learn so much from a child so small, yet here she is, twenty pounds and showing me the path to Heaven. So thank you, Grace, for the never-ending love you continue to show me along with reminding me of what's truly important in life.

So what's my end consensus on motherhood, you ask?

10/10: Would definitely recommend.

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The Best Jewelry is Modesty

"Dress how you want other women to dress around your husband."
~Kim Doebler

Modesty. That crazy, forbidden word. 

The use of the word has significantly depleted since the 1800s, and nowadays it is synonymous with prude, goody-good, potato sack. Little did you know the word prude actually comes from the French word prou, meaning "good and worthy."

Now even though I'm not dressing to find a husband anymore, modesty will continue be a goal of mine until the day that I die. I still want others to see me for what my mind can do, not for what my body can do. I want to dress in a way so that other men to know how much I love and respect my husband, and I would never want to give another man the opportunity to look at me like I'm a piece of meat.

A couple of months ago I vowed to dress in a way that shows my feminine qualities while still holding true to my views on modesty. For me, pants and shorts just don't fit into these categories anymore. Pants these days are so skin tight that they fit more like spandex than they do pants, shorts are so short that you might as well not be wearing anything at all, and leggings, while they "cover" your legs, are nothing more than an extra layer of skin suctioned to your body.

The only thing that makes me feel like a woman anymore are skirts and dresses that at least come down to my knees or lower. Knee length is perfect because I can walk around and not have to continuously pull down my skirt to make sure nothing is showing. I can pick something off the ground and not worry if my skirt is going to fly up. And last but not least, skirts just make me feel pretty, and I absolutely love that feeling.

It's human nature to want to be respected by others, but the only way a woman can expect to be respected by a man is by respecting herself first. So many women think that they should be able to wear anything they want and still receive the respect that they somehow believe they are entitled to. Respect is earned. Let a man see you for the mind you have, and give him the opportunity to respect your heart and soul first. I love that when I met my husband, he respected me for my mind and soul, not for the body that I have.

You do not have to reveal your body to the public to make a statement of your confidence. Instead, reveal your dignity to the world to show the confidence that you truly have. Prove to the world (and to yourself) that you can attract a man's attention by the virtues that you possess and the love that you hold in your heart. You are more than the body that you have, so let a man's first impression of you be the mystique of your heart and soul. Let him come back wanting to know more of your mind, more of what's in your heart, more of the love that you hold. 

Now I'm not saying dress in a potato sack. There is nothing wrong with dressing to impress or dressing with a figure. But dress with a dignity that leaves a man wondering what else you have to give. 

Let his eyes be attracted to your soul, and he will respect you with the love that you truly deserve.

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A Letter to my Baby Tiny Up Above

My dearest Baby Tiny,

Just ten short weeks to know you, and ten short weeks to love you with all my being. You were the life and love within me. Now you are my life and love from up above.

Your little soul was too strong for this world, your little heart was too good. But now there are bigger plans for you with God, plans that are filled with happiness, joy, and love.

Although I wish with all my heart to be the one to cuddle you and kiss you every night, I will gladly give that task to God. Now you will love Him just as I would have hoped you would, and in return He will show you more love than you ever thought was possible.

Only time will cure the absolute emptiness I feel with you gone, but my dear baby, you are in God's hands now, and what a great set of hands that is to be in.

Until we meet again,

Mama

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The Infamous "But" Catholic

We all know at least one, and you might be guilty of it as well. Unfortunately, I shamefully know that I have. What I'm talking about is the infamous "But" Catholic. These people have a reputation of using the word "Catholic" and "but" in the same sentence, and in this day and age, they're probably not too hard to come by.

Common phrases of a "But" Catholic:

"I'm Catholic, but I have sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend."

"I'm Catholic, but I use contraception."

"I'm Catholic, but I just don't go to church on Sundays."

"I'm Catholic, but I think abortion is a woman's choice."

"I'm Catholic, but I support gay marriage."

Pretty much any sentence that starts with "I'm Catholic, BUT...." probably means that you're actually not Catholic. I think first we have to start by getting rid of saying "So-and-so" Catholics. There are no such things as "Liberal" Catholics, "Conservative" Catholics, or even "But" Catholics. You're either Catholic or you're not. And if you're going to be Catholic then my goodness BE Catholic.

Now this is something I definitely had to learn the hard way. So many times I wish I could go back and slap myself in the face for calling myself Catholic and then doing things that were blatantly against my Catholic faith. Because seriously, what's the point of calling yourself Catholic if you're not even going to follow it?

I think what many people don't understand (or don't want to understand) is that Doctrine in the Catholic Church is not simply a compilation of suggestions that we may choose whether we will or will not follow or believe. They are actual rules that say "You MUST believe and follow this in order to call yourself a Catholic."

I'm telling you right now, ditch the "But" Catholic mindset. Let's get away from "I'm Catholic, but..." and start saying "I'm Catholic. Period." It may not be easy, but my goodness it will be worth it.

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