View from the Window

I'm a fan of windows.

That last post from Matthew Kelly had me constantly thinking about being re-sensitized to the fact that every day if a gift from God.   

 

As I was driving home from dropping off two friends at their dorms, I opened my car’s windows to the cool rain rushing down and kissing the earth.  I stuck my hand out I smiled like a goof as I imagined Jesus kissing my hand through the rain and cool wind. Meanwhile Audrey Assad was playing and I thought about love being planted deeply.  JPII’s words ring so true about where our deepest desires come from:

"It is Jesus in fact 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 provokes 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 hearts 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 grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal."

It’s so comforting to know where everything comes from; it’s so nice to know that there is a way, a truth, and a life.  It’s so sweet to know that there is a perfect love that exists for humanity.  While I can only experience little cute dates while I’m alive on earth, I am so happy knowing that I can one day participate in the wedding feast where my heart will truly understand in total fullness about where it came from and where it reaches.  Sweet apokaradokia.  

Love planted deeply becomes what it ought to be.

 

~Esa Cita

Where is Truth?

From Matthew Kelly’s book, The Rhythm of Life:

When God was creating the universe, some of the angels were discussing where they felt God should hide the truth.  One suggested the top of the highest mountain.  Another offered the very depths of the ocean.  A third thought that the farthest star would be best.

God heard their discussion and said, “I will hide the truth in none of those places.  I will hide the truth in the very depths of every man and every woman’s heart.  This way, those who search humbly and sincerely will find it very easily, and those who do not will have to search the whole universe before they do.”

~Esa Cita

epi

The end is near, it's SO near.

My epidemiology final is in the morning, and then I have four days until statistics.  So close yet so far. Ahhhh!!! 

Wiki races, Mass, unhealthy snacks, prayers, I love you's and good-byes...finals week at college is always such an event.

Back to studying.

~Esa Cita

Study Break

On Sunday, I got to Mass before anyone was at the chapel yet and sat down in a pew.  The sun's rays went through the glass doors and windows and onto the floor.  I had to smile because it was beautiful, it was good.

This morning, I turned in my final paper for a class I've been waiting to end.  It was relieving to check it off.
At noon, I went to Mass and prayed.  It was beautiful, it was good.
This afternoon, I went to a beautiful park, ate strawberries, got hugged by the warm sun, and hung out with great people.  It was beautiful, it was good.
Today, I went to pizza hut with the bible study gang for the last time with all of us; it was beautiful, it was good.

Now, I do my stats homework.  Guess I should make that beautiful, and good.

~Esa Cita

El Papa :)

~Esa Cita

Pizza Thoughts

Linda de mi vida

Pizza's in the oven and the future is in my thoughts.

More specifically, my final paper, my finals, summer plans, and the fall semester are on my mind.  This transition period tends to be the awkward, waiting-yet-celebratory stage where uncertainty and excitement meet for drinks and throw ideas at each other.

I don't know what the next few weeks hold for me, but I do know that I cannot wait to give life my all this summer.

This time, I am trying something new instead of what I've normally done for the past two years.  The security and the many nice aspects are behind me now, and I can't wait to find new fabulous experiences again.

After speaking to a good friend about accountability and goals for the summer, I couldn't wait to get home to make my list, check it twice, and plan superbly on thriving.

What can I do? Where can I go? What can be better?  Summer goals are such fun to make sometimes. 
However, there's only so many things I can plan on.  The rest is just life and whatever comes around.  Here's to life!

~Esa Cita

To make myself feel accomplished...

Finals:
HEAL 350 - Final Paper
GCH 405 - Final Paper

GCH 412 -  Exam, Final Presentation

STAT 250 - Exam, Final Online Junk Stuff
ECON 103 - Exam

I get to cross them out when they are completed.  You got this Cita, you got this.

~Esa Cita

Sanctification

Don't say: "that person bothers me."  Think: "that person sanctifies me."
-St. Josemaria Escriva

Dear Monday,

You sanctify me.  You sanctify me very much.  In fact, you sanctify me so much that I may just sanctify you.  We can be sanctification buddies.  We can bring a whole new meaning to the saying "saints have saints for friends."  I wouldn't even mind making you a martyr if  that's possible..as long as it brings you sanctification and ultimately salvation.  I'd do it just for you because I know that would be for your greater good, just as all loving friendships should be.

Compiling the end..

Stop and Stare.

 As I compile the end of my semester, I will write a few random thoughts that I'm thinking lately.

• Beautiful things grow in silence.  In my life, I can see that this is true in prayer, studying, learning, speaking, conversations, and in overall relationships.  Silence has proven to me not to be a killer, but a nurture-er(sp?).
• Lack of constant Facebook was ever so lovely this past Lent, mostly because it brought more silence to my thoughts.
• My best friends surprised me early Friday morning with Brooke Fraser's newest album, Flags. 
• I woke up at 5AM Friday to watch the royal wedding.  We celebrated with English muffins, English morning tea, a magazine on the royal couple, ice cream and princess diaries the night before, and of course spoke English the entire time.  I slept through much of the wedding, and from the looks of the couple at some points it looked like they wanted to as well.
• I stayed up until 2:30AM to watch JPII get beatified!!!! I slept through the majority of it as well.  There's a pattern with the whole staying up thing....I'm quite the old lady these days.
• I haven't slept on a bed since Wednesday night due to festivities.  I can't wait for tonight! I shall celebrate my bed.
• My FOCUS candidates had their "party of knowledge" for FOCUS 101. I am bursting with pride for them! My beh-behs are awesome.
• This upcoming week is my last week of classes. Then it's finals, and the new chapter begins. :) My last summer as a college undergrad shall begin!  I am planning some lovely summer plans, and cannot wait. :)
• Today was my lil bro's birthday. We went to Chuckie-Cheese's, got some ice-cream cake, and went home to celebrate.  The grandparents and my uncle came over. I love the occasional family time on Sundays.  Don't get me wrong, Sundays with my community is awesome, but blood family time sure is lovely.

Now time to go back to comparing healthcare systems.

~Esa Cita