The Light and Serious

I hope everyone is enjoying their July so far!

In the past week I've post on the Ink Desk and over at Catholic Stand, and wanted to share the articles for all those interested.

Over at the St. Austin Review's "Ink Desk" I wrote about my difficult decision to add a country song to my iPod in the post "Sex, Drugs, and Country?".

On a more serious note, I wrote about the approaching reality of martyrdom for Catholic Stand; the article is entitled "From Bed to the Public Square".

Have a great weekend, everyone, and God bless!

A New Feature

Hello Readers!

Hope everyone is finishing up school strong, or enjoying their summer break beginnings!

I have several topics I'm planning on posting about in the coming weeks, but I would also like to add a new blog "feature"- which requires your help.

Every Friday is going to be "Q&A" Day, where I'll answer one or more questions submitted by readers.  You can submit these questions as comments- just makes sure you note that they are for "Q&A Fridays" so that I do not publish them as regular comments, but save them for official posting.

The questions can range from religion and politics to movies and music: I'm ready to answer anything.  Please, if you aren't Catholic, feel free to use this opportunity to ask about the aspects of Catholicism which bother you, or which you've never understood.  Important questions will always come first.

Hope you all will participate!  If I don't have any questions to answer from you all, I'll tackle some common misconceptions about Catholics in the world today instead.

Happy Thursday, and God bless!

I'm Back Again!

Hello dear followers!

Long time, no "see"!  I apologize sincerely!  My computer had a blocking system which disabled me from being able to access my editing dashboard; now that the problem has been resolved, I will be able to update things here more regularly!

Quite a lot has happened in the last few months of my absence.  We have a new Pope- first of all- the wonderful Pope Francis.  The Gosnell case surrounding Philadelphia's House of Horrors has finally begun to receive long-overdue media coverage, especially now that he has been found guilty of first-degree murder, though the heart-breaking case in Cleveland has now become front-and-center.

There are some long-awaited movies coming out, and some interesting topics on the horizon, so I thank you all for your great patience and invite you to continue to follow me as I attempt to tackle as much of the upcoming news as possible!

God bless!

Reboot

First of all, Happy All Saints' Day everyone!!!

Now, down to business.

My life is finally beginning to slow down, and so this neglected space will once again be receiving some attention.  I still would like to, eventually, return to the schedule that I re-introduced back in August (and then became too busy to keep).  My goal is to be on this schedule by Advent.

Also, I plan to do a little blog updating, so I may be messing with different looks, backgrounds, fonts, etc, so do not be alarmed if "A Catholic Teen's Perspective" starts to shift appearances.

Thanks to my followers for hanging in there with me; I was thrilled to see that I gained a few readers despite my spotty posting.  I sincerely hope that you all will enjoy the increased activity in the coming months.

I hope everyone has been having a great Ordinary Time, please take time to research before you go vote (for Romney) this week, and get ready for the reboot of my blog!

Patience Needed...

...as I continue with the craziness of college preparations and pro-life work this October.

After this month, life slows down, and I will once again have time to post here.

So please, just bear with me until the end of this month!

Thank you!

(In the meantime, check out my nine-part series on the state of the world and other political reflections, which provides good "food for thought" during these weeks leading up to the election:
"We're Selling the News" series: Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine)

Upcoming...

As you all have most likely guessed, I've been up to my neck with things to do, and hence this blog has been neglected.  The promised report on illegal immigration is still in the works, and will be published this week.  But, I wanted to take the time to promote a website/newsletter beforehand, so you all will have something to read when I'm not posting! :)  Thank you for your patience and God bless!

A Slight Delay for an Important Issue

Hello All!

Just wanted to let you know that the "Tidings Tuesday" post is going to be delayed to Thursday.  I am working on a big article in illegal immigration, and do not want to post it without having time to do the proper research, as this issue is extremely important.

Thank you for your patience!

St. Maximillian Kolbe, pray for us!

Bringing It Back!

Hello Dear Readers!

I know I have been way behind in my news reports and media reviews, so I'm bringing back the blog "schedule" that I used for a little while last year with some slight modifications.

Here is the schedule layout.  The dark green and dark pink days are days that alternate each week, meaning one week I do a music review, the next a movie review, etc, while dark blue days are every week:

Music Mondays (I review an album or a handful of single songs)
Tidings Tuesdays (I relay the facts concerning a recent news story and then comment on it)
Witty Wednesdays (I share a quote from a Catholic figure and write a short reflection on it)
Theatrical Thursdays (I review a movie)
Free Fridays (My day off- no posts this day unless necessary)
Saintly Saturdays (I share the "Cliff-Notes" version of the life of a Saint or "Blessed" and why they are important in our lives today)

Sunday is a day of rest, and I plan to spend it that way, unless a special feast day or news flash requires attention.  Hopefully I will stick to this for a while, and you all will enjoy it.  I think it will help my posts become more varied, hence having "something for everyone", along with restoring the original purpose I had in mind when I created this blog.

Anyway, this will start next week.  I realize that I do not have a book review day in the schedule; I will post literary reviews on days when I do not have another post scheduled, yet still have the time to write. And if eventually you feel you would rather have a regular book day than one of the days above, comment and let me know.

May God bless you during the rest of this week!  Stay cool!

Chivalry

To start my posts on the role of different genders in society, today's post is about chivalrous behavior in men (ladies, I'll be posting about our roles as well!). This is a Code of Chivalry, something the majority of men used to follow in the Medieval Times:

• To fear God and maintain His Church 
• To serve the liege lord in valour and faith 
• To protect the weak and defenceless 
• To give succour to widows and orphans 
• To refrain from the wanton giving of offence 
• To live by honour and for glory 
• To despise pecuniary reward 
• To fight for the welfare of all 
• To obey those placed in authority 
• To guard the honour of fellow knights 
• To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit 
• To keep faith 
• At all times to speak the truth 
• To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun 
• To respect the honour of women 
• Never to refuse a challenge from an equal 
• Never to turn the back upon a foe

I posted the whole list because all of the points are valuable, but I've highlighted in bold the three I want to talk about in depth.

1. To fear God and maintain His Church
• This is the first in the list because it is the most important. A knight should always, first and foremost, strive to bring honor and glory to his King, and to seek to serve Him in everything. Being faithful is not, as some would say, a girlish virtue. On the contrary, the most faithful person to ever walk the Earth was Christ, the ultimate role-model for everyone, but especially for men. Second to Christ in the male Saints is Joseph, who was so strong and honorable in the Lord's sight that he was chosen as Christ's foster father! A couple more examples, St. George- a literal knight-who in legend killed the dragon, St. Michael the Archangel- the warrior of Heaven- depicted as a strong, manly soldier with wings; the list is endless! These great role models of the faith were anything but feminine! When did young men develop such a dangerous misconception?
2. To refrain from the wanton giving of offence
• I chose this one because it is a problem I have seen in many teen guys. They think that cursing and the telling of crass jokes is cool, and somehow makes them more of a man. But it doesn't take a strong person to follow the crowd. No, displays of honor have always been greatly admired and helped one advance in society, and more importantly in the eyes of God. A man who speaks justly and acts respectfully is a man to be praised.
3. To respect the honor of women
•  Ah, yes! To be a gentleman! Oh, how this modern culture has ruined their young men! The feminist movement is to be blamed, in my opinion. But, for now I only want to address gentlemanly behavior. First of all, to go along with #2, nasty and disrespectful talk should never be used, but especially when in the presence of women! There used to be a law against it! Common courtesies, such as holding the door, the man taking the first steps in a relationship, the guy going out of his way to make the lady feel special, these are all things that women used to take for granted. Now, I'm overjoyed to receive even a hint of this kind of behavior! I must praise the Christendom gentlemen for this- I've never felt so respected and honored than when around the guy counselors at that college. A foul word did not enter my ears, if in need of help I was soon assisted, and I believe the male campers-as they took up the same behavior- became proud of their ability to flatter us by simply showing us consideration!

Guys, do not underestimate the power of chivalry! It is a cultural art that seems to be on the verge of being lost, but it is up to you to revive it! Take up the challenge, be a man and go against the lower standards of today's culture. Put on the armor of a knight, and learn to embrace the code of chivalry. I can guarantee that the ladies, and more importantly the Lord, will be impressed!

And may God bless all of you!

For "Code of Chivalry," click the blue words.

Picture:Chivalry- Frank Dicksee 1885.

 
 
 



 

 

 

Response to Comments!

Hello!

I just wanted to let everyone know that when they leave a comment that requires a response, you can find it as a comment on the same post. Because of the way Blogger works, the only way I can respond is as if I were also a reader commenting on a post.

If there is an issue that requires further response then a comment will allow, please leave an e-mail or mailing address (if you feel comfortable).

Thank you!

God Bless!

Apology and Promise!

Hello Everyone!

I'm so sorry about the long delay between posts. As we settle into our new house, we are still working on getting an internet connection that is available regularly.

Tomorrow I promise to post about my fiction and non-fiction book I read this month!

Thank you for your patience!

God Bless!

Final Days

Today is my last full day in this house. I have lived here for about eight years, and so many things have changed. When my family moved into this house, we were four with a dog and a cat. I was just starting second grade, my little brother was just starting kindergarten. Now, as we move out, we are six with two dogs. I am a rising junior in high school, and my brother is graduating eighth grade tonight! I look back on all of the wonderful memories I have here and smile. The move is going to be bittersweet. I am very excited about our new house- but can't help but feel a twinge of sadness. 
As I was reminiscing, I noticed that all of my fondest memories are of the little things. The big events were amazing, of course. But, the most precious moments are the times when I was swimming in the pool, and as I came up for breath our (deceased) precious dog would run over and lick all the water off my face with her warm, sticky tongue. Or when I woke up on Easter morning, looked out my window, and saw a blue jay fly past as I stared in child-like wonder at all the little, plastic, brightly-colored eggs littered throughout the yard, poking out behind fence posts and sitting on the batting tee. Or running around the backyard, jumping off the wooden barrier around the playground in the warm afternoon sun.
Yes, I'm going to miss this place. But, I'm thrilled to turn a new page, to start a new adventure. And as Bilbo said from The Lord of the Rings, "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't kick your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to," I'm ready to be carried down a new road, a fresh start. And, if I begin to fear- I know I can find hope in the fact that God will be there at my side, shining His light through the darkness, that I might hold fast to the narrow path.

May God bless all of your new adventures as well! :)

Summer Goals

School is out and my family and I are about to move to a new house! We'll still be in the same city, but on the opposite side of town- so it's going to take quite a bit of adjusting.

This was my last year of "going to school." For the next two years, I am going to be homeschooled! This is a big change for me, since I have never been homeschooled. And the junior year of high school is not exactly a normal time to start such a different method of learning. Nevertheless, my family and I are embarking on many new adventures!

Now, with any new situation comes challenges. Summer brings more free time for me, which means I now have to decided how I am going to spend that time. Will I use it all for myself, or will I use it to grow closer to God? And in this new neighborhood/house. Will I strive to bring Christ's light to others through the way I reach out to my community, or will I refuse to branch out and selfishly remain withdrawn?

I believe in goal-setting, but I have a horrible tendency to set many huge goals, feel overwhelmed, and not accomplish any of them. So, I'm going to tell you all about a few of my goals for this summer. Some of them are just for fun, some are serious. But hopefully posting about them will keep me accountable and maybe help you all get an idea of what you can do this summer also!

Summer Goals:

1. To pray every morning as soon as I wake up and every night before falling asleep for a reasonable amount of time (aka, not five minutes).
2. To make an effort to be more helpful around my house- complaining less and doing more.
3. To read at least two new books a month, one non-fiction and one book of choice (then review them here for all of you!)
4. To get in shape, working out every day in some way.
5. To spend time outside every day (in hopes that I will get a good tan!)

These are just five little things, but they could make a big impact if I stick to them! What are some of your summer goals? I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing! And I'd love to hear from you! :)

God Bless!


Clip Art from Microsoft Office Clip Art.



Updates!

Hello Everyone!

As you've noticed, the background has changed again! The color remains white for it is still the Easter season, but a couple hints of red (they're actually flowers) foreshadow the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

The second update is on the Links page. I finally added the promised links to Mary information, and re-arranged everything on the page to alphabetical order by topic.

Thanks! Have a blessed Memorial Day!

Advanced Apology

Hello Everyone!

It's crunch time at school as Finals approach! I am going to try my best to post here semi-regularly, but I'm going to have to ask you to please be patient with me if I go a few days without posting.

Thank you very much! :)

God Bless!

The New Look!

Hello Everyone!

As you have probably noticed by now, the blog has received a make-over!!! This is mainly because my mom (and then my dad) said the former background was boring. But, after experimenting with different looks and talking to my mom about it, I've decided to change backgrounds in accordance with the liturgical calendar! Every time I change, I'll explain why I chose the particular image/ color.

This background is not white, but it shows the sunrise. I chose this background for Easter. Just like the start of a new day promises a fresh start at life, so does Christ's rising from the dead promise the possibility of new life with Him. And in Christ, we can place all of our hope- for He is even more faithful and dependable than the rising Sun...



Image courtesy of Brian Jekel

The New Blog Schedule!

Hello All!

I've been looking at the poll results to see what everyone wants me to write about more often. And, after really thinking about how to incorporate everything, I made a new schedule for this blog. Here it is:

• Music Mondays (This will be once every other week, and I will review a music album.)
• Tidings Tuesdays (I will weigh in on a news event-tell the story and give my opinion. I would like this to be every week- but I'm going to have to ease into it first, so please be patient!)
• Witty Wednesdays (I will find a really cool quote from a Catholic (most likely an author) and write a reflection on it. Again, I would like this to eventually be every week...)
• Theater Thursdays (movie review every other week-the week I don't do a music review)
• Free Fridays (My day off! No post!)
• Worry-free Weekends (I will post anything I feel like- often encouragement like what I have been posting lately)

Now, like I said above, I would like to eventually do these as often as I planned. But, I'm going to need a little time and patience to get used to posting this often. So please bear with me!

I know the names sound cheesy, but I think this cool be really neat! I'm going to try it for a while, and then I'll hold a poll to see how everyone likes it!

I hope to have the first music album review tomorrow!

God Bless!

Leave me comments!

Good Afternoon Everyone!

It's great to see that you all are participating in the poll!

I would really like it if you would leave me some comments after reading a post. Even if it's just to say you liked it, or maybe you have a suggestion, didn't like it, or want to see me review/ talk about something different. Anything!

Feedback is greatly appreciated, so please do comment!

Thanks!

What This is All About...

Hello Everyone!

This is the first official launch of my blog. Here, I will be posting all sorts of things, from my opinions on current events to movie reviews.

There are a few things I need you, the reader, to do.

1. First, subscribe to my blog! :)
2. Post suggestions! I'll review movies, books, and music. Just request it, and as long as I'm allowed to see/read/listen to it- I'll review it!
3. If there's anything you would like to see me cover, let me know!

This is going to be a very unpredictable blog. Depending on my mood, what's going on in the world, and what movies I'm watching- you never know what I could be writing about each day!

So, I hope you enjoy all the surprises I hope to have in store for you!

Autumn Approaches!

As autumn approaches, do not miss the opportunity to capture the atmosphere.