Looking for a Good Catholic Highschool

I have a pretty cool selection of good Catholic high schools where I live. And of course, I have to make a hard choice...eventually. Thankfully, I still have about a year and a half yet, but it is never too early to make decisions. :)  So here are a few tips on finding a good high school that will fit your needs, and of course, wants. :)

1. Be open: You may have this one high school that has been in your mind since Junior High. And I'm not saying that's wrong, but just be open to other options because you may be impressed. Go to a few different high schools and compare them. Find out which one you would feel most comfortable at. Even if one high school is completely ruled out, look at the website anyway to compare to others. If you are like me, you already have a high school picked out for you by your parents. But it still is a good experience to check other schools out.

2. Research: Oh I know, your favorite thing to do in your pastime. :) But seriously, it wouldn't be a bad idea to look up your school online, or go to an open  house. I would definitely recommend going to an open house so you can see what really happens in the school, not just what they say on the website. Take some time to make a chart and compare all the schools. Look up their mission statement, how many credits per subject for graduation, and some of the clubs/sports/etc. that they offer. Make the list neat and readable. :)

3. Ask current students what they think: If you know someone that is currently attending (wow that sounds so formal) a high school that you are considering, ask them a few questions about the high school! I am sure they will be happy to answer. If you are really feeling creative, sit them down and have a interview. :) Nothing better than getting an opinion on someone who is actually participating in the schools academics and activities.

4. Talk with your parents: Have a good ol' chat with your Mom and Dad about what high schools you want to go to. List them your pros and cons, and what you want in a high school. Trust me, they also want the best for you (although it sure doesn't seem like it sometimes) and they will be overjoyed to help. Also remember that even though it's your high school, it is a family decision.

5. Look at the programs and activities they offer: This is kind of a no brainer, but still it is good to get it out there! One school might have a better art program than another. Another school may have a better college prep. Just keep in mind that you might want to try something new when your in high school, because you are pretty much a new person. :)

6. Talk to the Big Guy Upstairs: God always wants to hear from you and he sure wants in on your big decision! Take some time to talk it over with Him, and make sure that you let Him have some say also. You want it to be your top priority to see that the school will help you become the best person that God created you to be. Its hard to compare, I know, but really think about it over with God.

So those are a couple of good starters to help you with a big choice. There are waaaaay more things that you could do, but hopefully these things will start. My number one thing that is helping me is a T chart comparing all the schools. I hope that will help you as well!
Good  luck, my friends! :)

All through Christ,
Maddie

Questions, comments, concerns or just want to leave me a note? Add a comment to this page, fill out the Contact Form to the right, or send me a quick email to randommusings13@gmail.com! I would be happy to reply! (Note: if you leave a comment, anyone could see, but if you send me an email by the form no one but you and me will. :) )Want to stay up to date with all of my posts? Just enter your email into the follow by email box to the right. It will update you whenever I have posted an update to my blog! Very handy, right? :)

Love is...

Love is giving someone a helping hand.
Love is putting others before yourself.
Love is making cookies for your neighbors.
Love is standing up for what you know is right.
Love is treating everyone with kindness.
Love is staying faithful.
Love is doing the hated dishes just because your brother needed to study.
Love is smiling at someone.
Love is laughing at jokes... even if they are corny.
Love is wonderful.
Love is the feeling you get around a person. (well, sometimes)
Love is like a growing balloon.
Love is fixing the scars.
Love is wiping away the tears.
Love is sitting through a wedding while the preacher goes on and on, just for the bride/groom. :)
Love  is never letting go.
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love is never-ending.
Love is God.

All through Christ,
Maddie

Questions, comments, concerns or just want to leave me a note? Add a comment to this page, fill out the Contact Form to the right, or send me a quick email to randommusings13@gmail.com! I would be happy to reply! (Note: if you leave a comment, anyone could see, but if you send me an email by the form no one but you and me will. :) )Want to stay up to date with all of my posts? Just enter your email into the follow by email box to the right. It will update you whenever I have posted an update to my blog! Very handy, right? :)

8 Pictures to Brighten Up Your Week

(I am going to focus on doing smaller posts every week and then one big post every month. Hopefully it will work! :) )

Personally, I love quotes. They are just so... inspiring! :) It is really cool when you find those few quotes that really hit you hard, and make you think about life. (and some random other stuff too.) So here are my favorite quotes that I have stumbled on. (Most of them are on Pinterest. Man, that site is handy.) So enjoy these pictures and the new week!

All through Christ,
Maddie

Questions, comments, concerns or just want to leave me a note? Add a comment to this page, fill out the Contact Form to the right, or send me a quick email to randommusings13@gmail.com! I would be happy to reply! (Note: if you leave a comment, anyone could see, but if you send me an email by the form no one but you and me will. :) )Want to stay up to date with all of my posts? Just enter your email into the follow by email box to the right. It will update you whenever I have posted an update to my blog! Very handy, right? :)

Answering those Hard Questions | Explaining your Beliefs to Protestants

The other day I had a couple of my friends over. It was a really big event for me since I don’t have friends over that often. (you could tell that it was a big deal because my room was sparkling clean. :) ) I had the whole night planned out: one of my friends Sally* would come first, then my two other friends Rachel* and Grace* would come over an hour or two after. So when my friend came we immediately escaped into my room to talk. (I could really talk all day! J) Any who, we got to the topic of religion. I knew that Sally was a Mormon. Some of my friends were also of other denominations. I am pretty comfortable talking about my religion… but sometimes you know you feel a bit… awkward. They ask you questions that you would never think about in real life since they are so second nature to you. Like, “What is your belief about Heaven?” my friend asked me. That was one of the questions that kind of caught me off guard. So I told her that I, as well as other Catholics, believe Heaven is a place for the ones who’s soul is pure (either right when they die or after Purgatory) and where we meet Jesus face to face and spend the rest of eternity in. I told her that Hell was a place for the people who were aware of God, but openly decided to go against Him and His mercy. They chose to not follow God. Lastly, I told her Purgatory was a place that people stop after death to purify their souls so they can be pure to see our Lord.

After I finished I pretty much assumed that Sally would have the same opinion, but I was proved wrong. She drew this pretty cool diagram and told me how she was taught there were three levels of Heaven. Celestial (the highest), Terrestrial (the middle) and Telestial (the lower). A certain group of people would go to either depending on their lives, if I heard her right. She also said that she believed that only fallen angels went to Hell, not humans.

Although I didn’t agree with her, I found it interesting. What we agreed upon is that all denominations believe in the same main thing: Jesus is our Savior and He died for us so that we may have eternal life. The other details, (Heaven, Communion, saints, etc.) are a little different depending on the denomination. Each one has a different opinion of those details, therefore separating each branch of Christianity.  

That night, I learned a lot about the Mormon religion and about my beliefs as well. That night prepared me for questions that other people might have about the Catholic religion in the future. It can be awkward when people ask you question, especially when it is asked with a tone. But what I love about Sally is that we both talked so openly about our faiths and we didn’t criticize each other. But I can’t say that everyone is like that. Some people will make fun of you, or say “That is totally wrong. It goes like this…” But you have to stand strong in your faith, and try to educate your friends the best you can on your faith. And if you aren’t a hundred percent sure on a topic, make sure you tell them that! For example, the Eucharist. When you in Mass, we don’t second guess our beliefs in the Eucharist or not understand what it means. But when you are confronted about it with another fellow Christian, it gets kind of hard. How do you explain?

For starters, we belief that the bread and wine is Jesus’ real Body and Blood. We do not see it as a symbol, a gesture, or just something pretty to look at. We believe that it is really and truly the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. We go to Mass every week to receive the Eucharist. The Eucharist is considered a sacrament. A sacrament is a gift given from God through Jesus to give us a share of His grace.

Whenever you are asked a hard question, start out simple. If even you don’t know what you are talking about, stop! Just tell your friend that you aren’t for sure.

If you really aren’t sure, make sure you know for future reference! The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is the place to go if you have any questions about our faith. All the questions and answers to anything about our faith are in there. If you don’t have the CCC at home, here is the link to the online version. http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/index.cfm (I might actually do a guide to reading the CCC, and maybe the Bible. Hey, we all need a refresher once and awhile! J If you want a guide, just let me know through comments!)

You can always talk to your parish priests. Confession is a good time to ask any questions that might confuse you about your faith.

Also, please remember that I am not a Catholic scholar or priest. I may not be 100 percent correct, but I have answered the questions to the best of my ability. J

So if you ever have that really curious friend, you will be prepared! It is a great time to evangelize, and you are also preparing yourself for the future.

All through Christ,

Maddie

*= All names are changed for privacy purposes.

Questions, comments, concerns or just want to leave me a note? Add a comment to this page, fill out the Contact Form to the right, or send me a quick email to randommusings13@gmail.com! I would be happy to reply! (Note: if you leave a comment, anyone could see, but if you send me an email by the form no one but you and me will. :) )
Want to stay up to date with all of my posts? Just enter your email into the follow by email box to the right. It will update you whenever I have posted an update to my blog! Very handy, right? :)