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? :)

Happy New Year! {And 5 Ways You Can Make this Christmas a Jolly One!}

HAPPY NEW YEAR:

I know, I know, you're probably thinking it's not the New Year. But for the Church it is! Yes, in case you didn't know the 1st day of Advent is the "New Year" of the Church. So happy New Year! Made any resolutions?

Just like we would for the January 1st New Year, we should make resolutions for Advent and the rest of the Church year as well. Here are some examples of something you could consider working on this year.

1. A little something called prayer: It's actually pretty scary how we abandon our prayer. Prayer is our main communication with God and we still throw it aside! Most of the reasons are laziness, laziness and more laziness. Believe it our not, our world is the definition of sloth. So, here are some tips to boost up your prayer life!
     -Spend 5 minutes a day with God, and once you feel comfortable gradually increase the number.
     -Read from the Bible {everything you need to know is in there, I pinky promise}
     -Take time to listen to God, not just talk to Him.

2. Working on broken relationships: God made people so that we can love each other and God more fully in this life. And things get hard, I know. So find one person that you despise and pray for them everyday. Even though it's tough, focus on trying to be nice to that person.

3. Evangelize: In other words, SPREAD THE WORD (haha, get it in other words and then spread the word... never mind :) ) Talk about Jesus with other people. And don't forget to tell others that Christmas is about CHRIST not the presents and Santa and all that great stuff.

I would suggest picking one main thing and persisting. Start small, then get bigger. Have fun with it! Remember, all God wants is your love and affection. :)

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FIVE WAYS YOU CAN MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS A JOLLY ONE:

Who doesn't like the Christmas season? The carols, the frantic shopping, the clean scent of peppermint... it is just very beautiful. Here a few tips on how to make this Christmas the best yet.

1. Spend it with family and friends: Who better? You always will have the time of your life when you are spending it with the people you love. So get together with some friends. Have a baking party, or gift exchange. Back away from all the frenzy and just relax with those people you trust./

2. Bake: Whether you like to bake or not, the taunting smell of gingerbread or fresh baked cookies is too hard to resist. Baking is a fun way to spend time with a family member and make something delicious! Here are a few Christmas recipes to get you started.

"Best" Sugar Cookies (No chilling required):
Martha Stewart Vanilla Cupcakes:
Homeade Hot Chocolate: ...

3. Decorate!: Nothing better than hanging up Christmas stockings and trying to put up the Christmas tree. Make your room festive by printing out free Christmas printables, making a chain out of construction paper, and my personal favorite, Christmas stars.

Free Christmas Printables
Christmas Star Tutorial

4. Give: Although I love receiving gifts, giving is equally awesome too. The feeling you get inside cannot be described, and it really make your day. So if you are broke, like me, here are some DIY gifts you can make this Christmas.

DIY Mint Scrub
DIY Hair Bow
DIY Mason Jar Goodies

Mason Jars:  They are my favorite for giving! Here are a few ideas of what to fill your mason jars with.
-Cookie, cake, or hot chocolate mix.
-Manicure set- nail polish,  nail file, cotton balls, etc.
-Sewing set- needle, tape measure, small pieces of fabric
-Candy!

5. Keep in mind the reason for the season!: So many things fog up our beliefs during Christmas. Although it is fun to receive and give, light up the house with lights and write wish lists to Santa, we have to keep in mind that Jesus  is why we celebrate Christmas. Along with all the other goodies, we should take some time to remember and thank Jesus for coming into this world as a little baby to save us from sin. Don't forget to go to Mass on Christmas or Christmas Eve! At the end of the long day of unwrapping presents, eating and having fun with your family, thank God for everything that happened on Christmas, especially his son, Jesus Christ.

Have a very merry Christmas and happy New Year!
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? :)

Happy (late) Thanksgiving!

It seems like I'm late for everything. Well, at least this is only a day late. :) Just wanted to tell you guys that I hope you have had the happiest Thanksgiving ever! Mine was very fun. I woke up, went to Mass, stayed late talking to friends (and flying airplanes in the main area :) ) going home, baking pumpkin pie, then EATING it. Yum. Who doesn't love pumpkin pie?!

But through all the eating, laughing and having fun with family-ing, we have to remember to be thankful.

Shocker, I know.

But think about all the blessings you have! Food, clothes, shelter. Then get more specific. Crisp fall days and cool starry nights. Grandma's yummy rolls and fuzzy knitted blankets. I bet some person in the world doesn't have that advatange to a wonderful grandma like that.

When I was little, my mom literally forced me to write in a Gratitude journal when I was complaining. And I hated it! (I really am not a journal person) but it taught me two things. One, to not whine when Mom was around and two, take joy in the little things.

I saw this really cool thing on Pintrest (if you want to follow me my username is ~Maddie J~) and it was like a really cool mason jar filled with little scraps of paper. And what you would do is beginning on January first, you would take a piece of paper, write the date, and one specific thing you were thankful for that day. (it has to be specific! not like food, water, etc.) How cool is that? So the next year you can see all the good things that happened to you! Cool craft to try over Christmas break!

So, I hope you are thankful for your many blessings! Happy Thanksgiving and get ready for the Christmas season (it's creeping up on us!)

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? :)

All through Christ,
Maddie

Lookin' for the Good Things in Bad Times

Sorry that some of you have to see the same thing twice! I had to do a little editing, so there are some changes. The story is still the same though! Enjoy!

I am grateful that I haven't experienced much sadness regarding death in this short life of mine so far. I mean, some distant uncles, cousins, etc. have died in the past that I barely even knew. My grandpa died a few years ago, which was hard, but that's about it for the death range. But a recent event changed that, and opened my eyes to what some people in the world must be going through on a day to day basis.

Recently, David*, a young man who had a lot of  talent, friendliness and faithfulness passed away in a tragic car wreck. He was in the musical I am currently performing in, Tarzan. David was one of the two people who played Tarzan, since the show was double cast. None of us got to say goodbye.

It's amazing to think that just a few short days ago, I saw him practicing on stage his scenes, singing out with all the talent he had. Just one glance on his face told you that he loved what he was doing. It is such a shame to see his talent not present anymore. I remember distinctly thinking , "Gosh, he's so good."

I didn't know him that well, but I talked to him a few times. He was very nice and kind, and loved to laugh. All those that knew him commented him on his friendliness, kindness and devotion to his passions.

When we found out, the whole cast and I were at dress rehearsal. Our director told all of the cast to go into the theater and sit with our parents. It was then he broke the news. Immediately I started crying. I couldn't believe it, I kept saying it was a dream over and over again in my head. How could something so tragic happen to us? What I mean is, you hear about sad stories of young kids dying in accidents all the time, but you never think of it happening to you in real life. In other words, it was a major, major shocker.

But one of my favorite things I love about the theater I go to is that since it is Christian, we can proclaim God wherever and whenever. So my director started singing a worship song that goes
"You're all I want/You're all I've ever needed/You're all I want/ Help me know You are near/.
I was so choked up, I couldn't sing. In fact, it made me cry even harder. Our other director also reminded us through tears to not be bitter at God. It's not His fault. Deep down, I know it's not. Everything happens for a reason, whether it's good or bad.

After that we all spread out and hugged each other. It was the most sad, happy, heart-warming, depressing, amazing, God-moment full time I have ever experienced. No one had any limits. We all were hugging each other, crying into each other, comforting one another. I bet I hugged every person in the cast at least three times. I was there for quite awhile. In that hour or so, our cast bonded more than any other event in the whole show process. It was beautiful.

The kindness and remembrance of David didn't stop there. The next few days we all were still comforting, crying, and bonding even deeper. We decided that every show would be dedicated to our fellow, beloved castmate. At the end of every performance, after we would do our company bows, we will point up to the sky, thanking God, then point up to the sky again and yell, "For David!"

Every time I say that, I can feel David and God smiling down upon me and the cast.

You've probably heard the saying "Everything happens for a reason." Even if you don't realize it at the moment, everything does. It's true. No one would want a young, talented teenager to die from a car wreck. But it happened, and we can't do anything to bring him back. So it's our job to focus on the good things that are coming out of it. For one, our cast is getting closer and closer with every show. Another, people from all over the USA are coming together to pray for David, therefor getting closer to Christ.

In any horrible situation: death, injury, etc., always look towards the good things.
I will never forget David. I know none of my fellow cast members, his family, friends, and all others that knew him will. But we all love the same God, and we all know we will see David again. In fact, he's watching our show from the best seat in the house, right next to our loving Lord.

Look for the good things. Comfort your friends. Don't be afraid to cry- it's human. As hard as it is, it's there for a reason. To make you stronger. To strengthen your relationship with God and others.

The good things are there, whether you see them or not. Take a moment to brush off the grief and the weight of what's happening in your life, and open up to God and His loving mercy and beauty. I guarantee you, you will fell a little bit better. :)

Open up your heart, and your eyes for those little good things out of all bad times.

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? :)