If you listen to heavy rock or metal music, it doesn’t mean you’re rebelling against God.
If you get piercings and tattoos, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a bad Christian.
If you watch horror movies, it doesn’t mean that you’re a satanist. 

The trick is finding balance, and moderation in these things.  To have a relationship with God, and talk to Him about these things.  Consider His Word and His Laws before making decisions.  That is being a good Christian.

If you find that something is hurting your relationship with God, evaluate it.  Is the music making you depressed? Are you perhaps putting permanent profanity or negative messages on your body? Are you becoming scared of evil spirits or skeptical about death and eternal life? 

Talk to God about the things you surround yourself with. He’ll listen, and He’ll understand.  Spiritual maturity is knowing when to separate yourself from things that are separating you from God.  It’s impossible to stay out of the world entirely, because we are human.  Being a part of the world not entirely wrong, but remember that our mission is to bring God’s Word to life in the world. 

If you’re feeling depressed because of a song, or scared because of a dark movie, talk to God. It will make you feel closer to Him. Just how sometimes moving away from home makes you want to run back to your parents’ arms, discovering how scary the world is makes you want to run back to God’s arms. 

Being a good Christian is about knowing when enough is enough, about knowing what’s going to tempt you away from God, and about discovering how to use the world that God gave us to grow closer to Him. It can happen in ways that you least expect, just as long as you’re open to allowing God into your heart.

The assignment instructions said it should be directed at an audience who opposes the honoring of Saints and believes Catholics to be idol-worshipers. 

Hm..Now how do I cover Saints, reverence paid to the Virgin Mother, Holy images, and Relics in 600 words?

Huh. Well, least Tumblr gives me inspiration and practice. :)

My six-year-old brother made this card for me for Confirmation.

No words. <3

Rehearsal today. :) 
Getting Confirmed next Sunday. Soo exciting!  

I’m more nervous this time than I usually am..I think this Lenten season I’ve been a bit more aware of my short-comings than normal. Plus, I have a few minor things that I feel rather odd confessing. Ah, well. I know I will feel better afterward! :D 

I have a few saints in mind, but all the saints are so wonderful that I just can’t seem to just pick one. 

I have always loved quotes by St. Augustine. He was a very intelligent person, and I would love to have that sort of insight and understanding about the faith as he did.

Another saint I have considered is St. Benedict. I admire him for growing up in dark times, then leaving the distractions and going off to live alone to reunite with God. Then, when he started monasteries, and gathered people together in the name of the Lord to work and pray, and just be happy…I would love to be able to get people together and make a difference like that. Along with admiring the original St. Benedict, I also admire Pope Benedict XVI.

Above all, I really admire Blessed John Paul II. His forgiveness, his ability to speak in public, his ability to kindly handle rough situations, his love of learning… Everything about him is just the definition of awesome! He’s not a saint yet, though, so I can’t use his name… I’m considering using the name St. Caroline (she is pretty cool, too!) so that it can point to John Paul II, as his name before he became pope was Karol. I’m not sure if that is all viable, though.. I don’t understand the process of picking a confirmation name very well.

Any input or comments from you fellow-Catholics? :)

There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit which we receive at baptism. We are told that we must work and trust in God in order to perfect these gifts. 

There are also seven days in a week.

I have decided that each day of the week I will work to perfect one of these seven gifts. Hopefully, the good habits I develop on Monday will rub off onto Tuesday, and the good habits I develop on Wednesday will rub off on Thursday, etc. This is what I will try and work on for the rest of Lent, if not the rest of the year, if not the rest of my life. :) 

Today, I am going to practice brotherly love, and work against envy. To rejoice in my friends’ triumphs and to be genuinely happy about their achievements. :)

I know that I said I will be fasting from Tumblr on Fridays during Lent, but I just wanted to announce a quick update on the condition of my choir director’s son, whom I have asked you all to pray for these past few weeks.

 He has a bad colon disease which is causing his colon to bleed and disintegrate. He has been in the hospital for several weeks now, which has cost him a lot of pain and his family a lot of stress. Right now, he has a low blood count but its not enough to require transfusion. Tomorrow he will be going through a minimal procedure, and the doctor will observe his colon to see if it has healed. We’re all hoping that he will be able to advance his diet to liquids, be taken off of IV steroids, and sent home with home health care. Hopefully, all goes well.

I ask you all to continue to pray for him and his family — especially his mother; she just hasn’t been herself at all lately.  

God Bless you all. (: