Life Is Worth Living

Just wanted to share a link.  EWTN has released 24 hours of audio from Archbishop Fulton Sheen's 1950s radio show, Life Is Worth Living. It's MP3 format, so it should play in just about any audio program, or MP3 player.  http://www.bishopsheen.excerptsofinri.com/

So much to be thankful for

First of all, I want to do a shameless plug for my good friends over at Lectio Divina Catholic Books & Gifts in Winchester, VA.  They just recently relaunched their website, and it's much more dynamic, and they're working to get their entire inventory set up for ecommerce.  I am very humbled to have been a part of this project, and it was a great chance to use my tech savvy talents to help glorify God.  Please check them out, and give them your business.  These are good people, and having their testimony and the resources of their store available to me helped me immensely in my conversion to Catholicism. 

Yesterday we went for the ultrasound, and we saw our baby girl for the first time!  Yes, I said "girl".  The ultrasound tech was as close to 100% sure as she could be, but said to hang on the receipts just in case.  

Scriptural Rosary

Lately, I've taken to saying the full Rosary every day.  I shoot for doing the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries every day - on Thursdays, or if I know I'll be able to set aside time, I add the Luminous Mysteries in as well.  But one trouble I've always had with the Rosary was keeping focused - my mind tends to wander, and I wasn't mediating on these events in the life of Christ.

I found a really nice pocket Scriptural Rosary book, and that's done wonders.  The selection of verses from scripture really help me stay on task, and some have been very moving.  It only cost about $5 - if you have issues with your mind drifting, I highly recommend getting a similar book and keeping it with your Rosary!

The Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the heartbeat of our baby

It's been a busy couple of weeks at our household - Sharon's been battling morning sickness off and on, but appears to be just about over the worst of it.  I can tell from how tired she is that I'm definitely getting the much easier end of this baby making deal.  I can only imagine what a toll growing another human being can take on the body.

So much, so soon

I am a bit embarrassed by the fact that I haven't posted since May.  So much has happened in my life, and I had really hoped to be more active on this blog.  Sharing the good that has come with embracing Christ is important to me, and I feel a little guilty keeping it all to myself!

Embraced by the Spirit

It's been just over a month since I came into the Church, and I couldn't be happier with where I am at the moment.  I've heard of "convert zeal", and I'm sure that's a part of reason I feel so happy, but I think it's evolving into something much deeper than that.  There's just something about knowing you're exactly where God wants you to be - I definitely feel that at my parish.  I've made so many great friendships through my involvement with the Catholic Church.  The one I value most of all, however, is my friendship with Jesus Christ.

One of the happiest days of my life

It's hard to believe Easter Vigil has come and gone already.  And I'm now a member of the Catholic Church.  It's ironic - the first Catholic service I ever went too was Easter Vigil at Sacred Heart two years ago.  If you would've told me then that two years later I'd be coming into the Church myself, I would've said you were crazy.

Today's the big day!

Well, this is it.  I want to say today my journey ends, and I reach my destination, but I know it's only beginning.  I'm so excited about Easter Vigil, I can hardly contain myself.  There are so many thoughts I want to express right now, but I just can't seem to get them out in words, so I'm just going to ask all who read this to pray for me, and all who are coming into the Church tonight.  The adversary has been waging a full scale assault on the Church this Holy Week, and the faith of some has already been shaken.  The good news is, it's a desperation act.  He wouldn't go to these lengths if not for the fact that he know's he's already lost.  He's just trying to take as many souls down with him in defeat as he can.

Bless you all in your journeys as well.  Amen.

First confession follow-up

I went to confession yesterday, and it really want's that bad.  I found that I wasn't all that nervous,, but it was more like a feeling of intense anticipation that I really can't describe.  I went during regular hours, and made the offer to everyone that came in after me to get in front of me, since it was my first time and I might take a while.  One nice lady in her 60s said to take my time - she had converted when she was 19, and remembered the anxiety she had over her first confession, and that she'd be praying for me. 

First confession

Today comes a moment I've been simultaneously looking forward and dreading.  I'm making my first confession this morning.  Being a convert, I have to confess all my mortal sins going back to the age of reason (around 7 or 8).  I just turned 31 yesterday, and have been a heathen the vast majority of my life.  Soooo, that's a lot of sin to confess. 

Counting the days, counting my blessings

2010 is going to be a truly landmark year for me.  I'm getting married in June.  I'm going to be confirmed and come into communion with the Church at Easter.  It's amazing how those two things are so similar.