The Lenten Season

-A heart shaped cloud we saw on the way to church :)

I've realized that in the past year and a half I've lost touch with my faith. I mean, even when I went to a catholic school I wasn't that religious, it just so happened I had to pray every day in class and go to mass because it was mass day at school. Sometimes I feel like I only practice Catholicism because its the only religion I know, and I take comfort in the tradition and familiarity of it. Of course that's why. I believe in it to an extent, but I don't quite follow the church documents, or believe that a church should have as many specified guidelines as the Catholic church does.

But. This Lenten season has made me feel a little bit different. I guess I've never really needed God as much as I do right now, or least, I haven't asked Him for as much as I have lately. On Ash Wednesday I went to Interfaith on campus, where they held a couple masses and gave out ashes. The inital reason I went was because I wanted to get ashes and be in solidarity with the other Catholics on campus. I also honestly wanted other people on campus to notice and try to figure out why I had a black smudge that vaguely resembed a cross on my forehead. I know, that kinda makes me seem like I'm looking for attention. But its kinda funny.

It was weird though, cause again, I am not that religious, I just practice Catholicism cause its the only way I really know how to pray and believe in God. When I went to mass, it felt like I was fulfilling some part of me that was missing. Again, not that religious to begin with. Maybe it was just comforting. But still...this was different. The priest's Homily (oriental asian catholic--haha. I thought he was filipino at first but I think he was actually vietnamese) was the usual Lent speech,'this is a season to better yourself, practice self control, and become closer to God and dadadadada...' (haha I actually never end my quotations with 'dadadadada...' in free writing or outloud. I thought I'd try. I don't really like it).

But he also said something I really needed to hear. I don't remember it word for word, but he basically was saying that the emphasis of this season is really on the 'closer to God' part. He said that, its not so much about commiting to your Lenten promise of giving up sweets or whatever, but mostly about trying to feel like you have the willpower to do that. Feeling like you have God's willpower, and love in you. That's what that whole Lenten promise/giving something up for Lent thing is all about. Feeling like you can achieve to some extent the power that the Lord had when he rose from the dead to forgive our sins. Wait, a better way to put it--feeling like Jesus was strong and died for us in order to give us the strength to live through everything in our lives. The priest also said something that actually made me feel less shitty about myself and the fact that I really haven't been strong for God. He said the way to feel closer to His strength is to really believe and ask Him to stay with you and be in your heart. Allow Him to put that strength in you and and believe that you have it. Yeah, that doesn't just mean, 'person: God, make me strong. God: K!' It means, going through your life and believing you can do the things you think are hard because you were created with a strength and greatness that only God could've enborn within you. Its about faith. Which I have totally been lacking in my 20 years of half-assed Catholic practicing.

So I even went to church again last Sunday, which I think I will try to do every Sunday during Lent. The priest had a really funny Pee Wee Herman-ish twang in his voice, so it was hard to focus on his homily at first. But when I got past the funny voice thing I listened and really liked his homily too. He was talking about a politician whose campign slogan was "Say what you mean, mean what you say, and get the job done." The message here was obviously, be honest in your intentions and really make an effort. Which is something that Lent really focuses on too. I feel like this is God telling me like..."Dude. Its OKAY. Just do whatever you want, I'll make it happen, and you'll be happy."

I'm not a by the Bible kind of Catholic. But I do feel really connected to God sometimes. I mostly just pray for things, and try to live morally. I think thats good enough. I feel like going to church and listening to more homilies just makes it better for me. That I don't HAVE to be a by the bible, bible study kinda person to feel close to God.

On another note, I've given up facebooking in class for Lent. Maybe I should also add giving up everything that distracts me in class for Lent. I am also trying to get back into exercising so I don't break my back (yes that makes sense, I have to strengthen it in order to feel better), and making a conscious effort to put myself out there and get out of this stupid shlump I have been in for too long.

k. Probably the most religiousity you'll get from me. Well actually no, maybe there will be more.
:)

(: iAdventuros de Las Roomitas! :)

So. Welcome to my Grotto. I have conformed (if you can say there are enough people on blog sites that it is conformity) to the blogger world!!

I'll start this off with a little segment I like to call, "iAventuros de Las Roomitas!" in which I will document my various adventures with my lovely hispanic roommates! Hahah. I'm so lame. We constructed a sort of sophomore year bucket list that we intend to dominate before we move out of good 'ol 29284.

The plan for today was to go into West Hollywood to try Millions of Milkshakes, which is a milkshakes &more place that has a lot of celebrity-created drinks. After we were gonna go into Toluca Lake to stalk some Disney stars' houses (you can guess which ones yourselves. We are not giving out any information. We do not know anything.), and hope to possibly run into/see someone famous.

But before that we had to take Marissa to Urgent Care (don't worry she's okay). On the way there, I almost ran over a biker who was totally not riding in the bike lane. Not my fault. OH and he was going straight in a right turn only lane. SO not my fault. We get there, there were lots of magazines, Marissa had to give a tube full of blood, and then we went to Rite Aid to get her pills/ perscription and got Subway while waiting. Fun stuff! :)

Eventually we leave at around 1-1:15 to go to West H-wood. This time I almost kill a pedestrian using a crosswalk. (Totally my fault). On the way there, we notice my Yahoo! Maps directions are shit so we decide to go another way, then get stuck in traffic...yay. Oh! Andd I loved the weather today, because it looked like a bunch of angry gray clouds were gonna get together and do some damage but it turned out to be quite a beautiful sunny day.

Anyways, on the freeway while having a discussion on Christianity, God, and His 3 parts, a car with the license plate '1mesiah' passes us. Huge coincidence much? After a few more minutes on the freeway we realize we were really freaking far away from where we were supposed to be, so I make the random decision to switch to a random freeway and we actually end up in the right place- we decided it was an act of God. So we drive into Hollywood, get lost, I have yet another 'car vs. pedestrians' moment, in where I stop on the crosswalk on a red light, and the bitch-LA pedestrians not-so-kindly let me know its illegal by not-so-lightly tapping on the back of my car and giving me a "learn to drive dumbass" look (My fault. But they didn't have to be so mean about it..).

While lost in Beverly Hills, we see a girl who we are pretty sure was Kelly Kapour (Mindy Kaling) from The Office eating lunch. She had a lot of makeup on, and when she noticed us stare at her she looked down in a ,"omg don't draw attention to me" -way(you know, as opposed to a "why the eff are those weirdos staring at me" -way). We FINALLY got to Millions of Milkshakes, kinda got owned by our good but intensely sweet milkshakes, and tried to find a bathroom. Lots of fails, then went to a library (with like the sketchy-est looking readers I've ever seen..but I don't want to judge) and found an extremely confusing bathroom system. And probably every version of the Great Gatsby ever.


The drive from M.O.M. to Toluca Lake was quite difficult as well. (Yahoo! Maps suck). I get a little lost, have a 'car vs. car' moment (TOTALLY my fault, nothing bad happened), and we eventually get to Toluca Lake. The houses were SO pretty. We take pictures, find Miley's house, and then try to look for the J-bros' house. One house looked like it could've been theirs', so we stopped to look at it for a second. I saw the curtain in the window move, followed by their porch light suddenly coming on. Thenn the owner came out, gave us the scariest freaking "wtf are you doing staring at my house" look, and we bolted. After a long yet relaxing drive back from our escapades (which involved playing the number game, would you rather, and rating celebrities), we get back, and Cynthia finds online that: JOHNNY DEPP and Nick Jonas were in the Hollywood/W. Hollywood area today, aandd Joe Jonas was seen walking out of a house in Toluca Lake today. Hoolllyyy SHIITT why didn't we see nobodayy??



Whatever. It was a good day. And Cynthia may have pinpointed the J-Bros' exact home (but don't worry she won't go all crazy stalker on them and try anything weird to meet them). OHH and we ended the day going to an Olympics party, where we dressed as a country and watched the Olympics and drank. I was Jamacia. Marissa was Canada. Cynthia was France. I put my hair in little braids, put a beanie over it, put a Jamacian flag on my shirt, and wore Jamacian clothes and a peace sign necklace. Marissa wore red and white and put a maple leaf on her shirt. Cynthia wore red white and blue and a beanie that looked french. We looked cute.



It was a good day. Some things I learned? Yahoo! Maps suck, I need to stop trying to kill people when I drive, and we should really look at our surroundings more when we're in LA. Mkay well I am really freaking tired. Goodnight! :)




-Possibly Kelly???