Modesty Makeover: Soul Edition "Modesty of the Heart"

Hello friends!
I have returned with my heart sweater as promised AND added some Disney into it.
Also, I can put my videos in again!!!! 
BOOYAH!!!!!!

Have a magical day!
Your Sister In Christ,
Dani

These Things Take Time

It is amazing (and scary!) how fast-paced our world has become.

In one month, you achieve a level of expertise as to whether something was worth your money or not.

In two weeks, you will have abs that rival Taylor Lautner’s (apparently?)

In one day, you can receive a letter from across the country.

In two minutes you have a hot meal ready to be consumed.

In a few seconds, you have archives of information at your fingertips in the form of THE INTERNET.

It all happens so fast, each moment flowing to the next at a rapid and almost manic pace. We live in a society where instant gratification is the norm, but what happens when we have to wait? All of a sudden, each moment becomes a chore and is filled with discontent. We often become bored and/or frustrated, leading us to just give up. This is so sad because when we rush, we give up and close our eyes to the beauty that God has planned for us. Take a flower for example. When the seed is planted, it still looks like a cup of dirt. In fact, it looks like a cup of dirt for a while. Look:

  Yep, not very pretty and pretty boring. Then it starts to sprout, and you have a tiny glimpse at the potential this seed has to become something beautiful. It is a green sprout for a while, growing a little bit each day.

After what feels like an eternity of green sproutness (why yes dear spellcheck, I am aware this is not a word by your standards) there is a bud! Finally, it is now obvious that something beautiful is about to bloom. It is right on the verge, you can see it happening REALLY soon!

This doesn’t happen overnight though. This too, takes time. FINALLY, after days of slow and agonizing growth that tests anyone’s patience, a beautiful flower has bloomed. It is no longer a cup of dirt, but has changed into something truly beautiful. 

While it has a beautiful ending, it did start with a rather boring beginning as a cup of dirt, and it stayed that way for a long time. If we stopped watering the cup of dirt, however, and gave up on it, we never would get to see the beauty it has to offer later on. Often we do exactly this with many trials in our lives. I hear a lot of my friends say “I prayed, but it didn’t work so I stopped”. This honestly makes me want to cry. God has beautiful plans for us, and He always has! We just have to wait! I really love this verse from Jeremiah, because it really sums this whole thing up “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). WOW! God has an AMAZING future planned for us! This future is going to be a more beautiful flower than we ever could have imagined. The best part is that it is growing RIGHT NOW! God has planted the seed within you, because He knew His plans for you before YOU WERE EVEN CONCEIVED. Sometimes, it may look like life is a cup of a dirt, but we must remember what that cup of dirt will become. We just have to give it time to grow. The most beautiful things do not come right away. The yummiest meal is not made in minutes (despite what all the advertisements claim). The happiest marriage does not come within seconds of meeting someone. These things take time. We just have to remind ourselves that and trust God AND in His timing. Our God is limitless; therefore He cannot be bound by time. Let us not limit Him by giving up when He does not “satisfy our timing” but rather let us trust in Him to reveal to us the beauty He has planned for us according to His timing.

Keep trusting!

Your Sister In Christ,

Dani

Modesty Makeover: Soul Edition "Modesty of the Body"

Hello world!
I have managed to incorporate Legally Blonde into my modesty video and IT WORKS!

Also, I am now able to put the video in! Here it is!

Have an amazing day!
Your Sister In Christ,
Dani

Simply, Beautifiul

I was once on a walk with a boy I had started seeing, when we walked past a jewelry store. He turned to me and said, "If I ever get a girlfriend (hint...hint...) I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of time and money there". I frowned, turn to him, and said "Not  necessarily. I will let you in on a secret: Girls, well girls like me at least, don't actually like that stuff. Maybe once is okay, but we prefer simple things, like a note or a picture". He smiled, looking somewhat relieved, and we kept walking. The same boy later commented on how beautiful girls are with no makeup. Simply, beautiful. In both cases, simple is beautiful, but society pushes the other direction. Why is it that, when deep down we really find beauty in simplicity?  Personally, I am a huge fan of simplicity. In my mind, the most beautiful and profound things come in the most simple of ways.  For example, the birth of Jesus. This birth was the most beautiful and the most profound, but it did not come in a lavish castle or a prestigious hospitals, but rather in the simple stable. Imagine, a king, born in the poverty of a stable. Yet it is so beautiful, depicted constantly in every medium from yard decorations to paintings. A truly beautiful sight, here is one of my favorites:

I feel so blessed that I have been able to see God's beauty and love in the most simple of ways. While I like to joke about how I wish He'd send me a lit-up billboard with the answer, I wouldn't trade anything for the simple beauty He sends me. It amazes me that when I am struggling, He can send me a simple red rose as a sign of His immense love, reassuring me that He has a plan. It is so simple, yet so beautiful. I think that perhaps with society, we tend to over-complicate things with doubt. We do not want to believe that God talks to us that simple, because He is so powerful. Yet that is what makes it so beautiful! All that love and majesty can come in the most simple of the ways, like the birth of Jesus, the best gift God ever gave man. We just have to open the eyes of our hearts by trusting Him. It's like it says in Luke 11: 11-12 "What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?". God is sending His love and His beauty to us in the most simple of ways, we just have to be open to see it. He will not give you harm, just pray for an open heart and eyes to see the beauty He is sending you. For me, He sends roses. How does He show you beauty in simplicity?

Keep it simple!
Your Sister In Christ,
Dani

Modesty Makeover: Soul Edition "Modesty of the Eyes"

Hello friends of the Internet!

Sorry I am a day late, but here it is! The Modesty of the Eyes video! Modesty of the Eyes can help you AND others! DOUBLE WIN.

Since it will not let me insert the video again, DOUBLE SADNESS, here is the-
NOPE JUST KIDDING HERE IS THE ACTUAL VIDEO! Scratch the double sadness, TRIPLE WIN!

...Most awkward video thumbnail yet? I THINK YES!

Have an amazing day!

Your Sister In Christ,
Dani

Gosnell Trial: A Very Uncomfortable Reflection

Normally how my blog posts work is I write them in Adoration, and then think about them a little bit more before I post them. I had originally written one on hope, but last night I felt like God was calling me to write about the Gosnell trial. At youth group earlier that night, I had spoken with many girls about how happy we were that Gosnell was found guilty, as well as how horrified we were at the atrocities he committed. We are all very passionate about life and God’s creations, so naturally this topic struck very close to our hearts. We were also celebrating the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, so it was a great day, like Catholic Memes depicts:

When I got home, I decided to read the article about Gosnell’s conviction. The first one that popped up in Google search was one by the New York Times. As I began to read it, however, my smile faded because of this line “Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty when the trial moves into the sentencing phase next Tuesday” (Hurdle and Gabriel). I reread this line over and over and could not believe it. They want the death penalty as the sentence for a case over the violation of the right to life? Why would that be right? Does that make us any better than him? This led me to a very uncomfortable reflection. I firmly believe that what Gosnell did was indescribably horrible and sinister, and that he was justly convicted. I do not believe, however, that the death penalty is the answer. We do not have the right to dictate the value of life, whether that life be innocent and young or sinful and old. Those babies that Gosnell murdered were creations of God, but at the same time so is Gosnell. As Catholics, we believe the death penalty is wrong. In Evangelium vitae, Blessed Pope John Paul II addresses this issue, explaining that the death penalty is unnecessary, and it is very rare that a case would be justified to do so. In order to be justified, the case would have to entail that the only way to protect human society would be to kill the criminal. Therefore, this is extremely rare. There is no need to kill Gosnell in order to protect human society. If he is sentenced to life, then he will be in prison, and therefore unable to inflict harm on another baby. Gosnell is also approaching the end of his life at age 72. My hope for him is that in his time in prison his heart will be converted and transformed. I pray that he is able to see his sinfulness and that he will repent. I pray that he will come to know Jesus, and that through this he will live his last days as a vessel of light and love of the Lord. If he is sentenced to death, he will die in darkness and in sin, which I really do not want to see happen to anyone, even a criminal. As the Bible says in Luke 15:7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Think about how much joy there would be if Gosnell, who has fallen deep into darkness and sin, had the chance to repent and convert his heart to Jesus. He will not be able to do that if he is put to death, but if he is put away for life, he will have the opportunity to do so. As Catholics, we are pro-life. Pro-life encompasses more than just babies, but all creations of God, including convicted criminals. I ask that you all join me in prayer that Gosnell’s life will be spared by being sentenced to life in prison, and that he will come to know God’s love and forgiveness.

Keep praying for the right to life for ALL,

Your Sister In Christ,

Dani

Modesty Makeover: Soul Edition "Modesty of the Ears"

Hey guys!
So I am afraid the Internet has conquered me on this one... I can't seem to insert the clip here, but I do have a link to my BRAND NEW MODESTY VIDEO which contains a crafty metaphor! Well, crafty in my opinion at least.


JUST KIDDING I HAVE CONQUERED THE INTERNET! Well, enough to put the video in here!

Have a beautiful day!
Your Sister In Christ,
Dani

"It's a Love Story, Baby Just Say Yes"

Taylor Swift's single "Love Story" has sold over 8 million copies since its release in 2008, which is likely due to how easy it is to relate to the song. The song outlines a typical love story that many young girls and women (like myself!) dream we can find. The song was released during my freshman year of high school, which was when I began my quest to find this love. A few Taylor Swift albums and several break ups later, I finally realized I was doing it wrong and was making it harder for myself to find that love. When I listened to the magazines and the rest of pop culture, my search for real and authentic love got harder, and the weight of that stress got heavier, like the size of a HORSE (likely too late foreshadowing). Like this:

Clearly, he misinterpreted what they meant by take the horse. Likewise, society often misinterprets what love is. Love is often depicted as something based on feelings and emotional highs. While feelings are great and all, they are temporary. Who wants a love story to end with "and they all lived happily for two weeks"? "Yeah! I want this, this is what I have always dreamed of!" SAID NO ONE EVER. We want a love story that ends with "they all lived happily ever after", and one that will last forever. We want someone to love us through good and bad, which is not based on feelings, but on choice. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church dictates, "Love is the free, self-giving of the heart" (CCC 2346). That is true love. That is the love we want to find. For a long time, I bought into the false promises society makes about love. Not too long ago, however, I heard an amazing homily about real love. The homily was about how God is the true love story. This was a really weird experience for me because my music book that day had a drawing of a thumb's up that said "Yes!", which I had noticed during the opening song. At that point, I found it a bit weird, but when the priest began the homily about God being the true love story, it got even weirder. It was such an odd thing, that out of all the music books in the church I could have gotten that day, I had the one with the "Yes!" drawn in it while the priest talked about the true love story. It was so weird, but mind-blowing and awesome at the same time. I realized that day that in order to get that love story that Taylor Swift sings about, I needed to say yes to the true and original love story. God is the ultimate expert on love because He is love. It mentions this right in the Bible in 1 John 4:8 'The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love". When we say yes to God, we say yes to the true and original love story that God created for us. When we say yes, we are able to love as He has called us to. In John 13:34, Jesus calls us to "love one another as I have loved you". So how do we do this? We will never be able to love the way He loves us, but I found two handy dandy parallels that will help us love like He calls us!
Parallel Numero Uno:
God: Loved us before we were even conceived.

Us: Love your spouse before their identity is revealed to you. We can pray for our future spouse! We may have met them already, or we may not have. Pray for them before you know them! We all need prayers and grace, and I just get so excited thinking about my future spouse! I find it amazing that he could be out there somewhere still, or that I may have already met him, but our hearts just haven't realized this calling yet. So exciting!

Parallel Numero Dos
God: "[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" 1 Corinthians 13: 7-8

Us: God's love never gives up on us, no matter how dark things may seem! Likewise, we should never give up on neither of the love stories. If you feel as if you are starting to lose hope in finding your future spouse, write them a letter! I have found that when I write him a letter, my future spouse seems more real to me, and it gives me hope. I am actually saving all of my letters for him to read when we get married. I am so excited! If you feel doubt about the true and original love story, open up your Bible. Pray. Look at the cross, and remember how much He loves us. He loves us so much that He died for our sins! Listen to this song, it will help you remember that (it always helps me!)

The true and original love story is the most beautiful love story of all time (WAY better than Twilight). When we say yes to the true love story, we are then able to love in a more powerful and sincere way.
"Don't be afraid...It's a love story, baby just say yes"

Happy loving!
Your Sister In Christ
Dani

Modesty Makeover: Soul Edition "Modesty of the Mouth"

Hey guys!
The new video in the series has been posted! Why I say "golly" will be revealed! Tune in here!

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God Bless!
Your Sister In Christ,
Dani