Prayers Appreciated

Quick update on me...

Last week was not a great week. I had my Social Part A (essay) diploma, and it went poorly because I did not understand the welfare state properly. Now I'm going to have to read Social through the summer in case I need to retake the Social exam (I'm not going to know my results until late July). Then there was my Math Mock Diploma, which I wasn't able to study much for, and it was also hard. I'm not expecting a very good mark this afternoon from that...

Friday evening and Saturday afternoon were my sister's dance recitals. As some of you probably already know, I gave up dance this year to do choir - and then school got in the way so choir practices went out the door. Watching the dancing and being backstage in the dressing room area with my sister for brief periods of time made me realize how much I miss dancing. I miss the challenge of just stretching a little harder to get to that next goal. I miss the small talk with the other girls in my class. I miss the thrill of waiting your turn to go on stage. I miss a few old friends that I only have time to quickly smile at when I take my sister to her dressing room twice a year. I even miss those terrible ab exercises that had all of us groaning.

But I don't think I can go back. I left a year ago, and plus, I'm going to be going to college, and that takes a lot of money.

I can't do this...but whatevs. :P

Sunday. The feast day of St. Anthony, the patron of our parish. We did another procession using the same route that we did for our first ever Corpus Christi procession a few weeks ago (there'll be a post about that coming when I finally get a break - that and my graduation ceremony). I love processions, but the choir was at the back (I was with my family because we arrived late again) and we couldn't even hear them. So..we were just walking along like.....well, we were just going for a walk. I thought that I might as well say the Rosary to make it a little more prayerful, but these two ladies behind us were talking the whole time, commenting on the houses and blah blah blah.

Father was at the very back with one of the altar servers. Comment about this particular altar server...the first time I saw him was at my sister's First Confession. I saw him walk in and talk to this lady (who happens to have a beautiful voice - she sounds like an angel when she leads a decade of the Rosary)...and for a second, I thought Skandar Keynes was in our church. xD I almost make myself cry from laughing when I think of that now. :P

This week, I've got my other Social diploma on Tuesday (meaning my last chance to improve my total mess-up last week) and my Bio diploma on Thursday (my chance to perhaps get my Bio mark up into the 90s). Math diploma is next week. All I know is...I wish diplomas weren't 50% worth of my entire mark. IT. IS. SO. NOT. FAIR.

So last week has left me feeling tired, longing for summer, and nostgalic for past days. And perhaps, if you prodded me for a while, you'd get me to admit that I'm also wishing for a better future. *wink*

Prayers are appreciated. Especially for my diplomas.

Thank you.

(Oh, and make sure to check out the giveaway.)

St. Gregory Barbarigo

(1625-1697)

Ordinary Time: June 17th

St. Gregory was born on September 16, 1625, and he died in 1697. His family lived in Venice and were held in high repute by the people there. He was the fourth son. He excelled in his studies at an early age, and became interested in diplomacy and statesmanship. He knew Contarine, the Venetian ambassador, and went with him on at least one ambassadorial mission.

After he was ordained a priest in 1655, he organized care for the plague-stricken people of Rome. In 1657, Pope Alexander VII made him the first Bishop of Bergamo. He was a leader in promoting the reforms of the Council of Trent. He visited parishes, organizing the teaching of Christian doctrine, and also worked with seminarians and clergy to raise their standards. His work was so respected that in 1660, he was made the Cardinal of Padua.

St. Gregory was extremely interested in higher education and worked for the development of seminaries and libraries. He established a printing press that printed pamphlets for Christians under Moslem rule. He was active in laboring to bring about a reunion with the Greek Church. St. Gregory took part in five papal conclaves (for the election of the Pope) and was a candidate in three of them. It is recorded that his congregation thought him to be a man filled with wisdom.

Source: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2013-06-17

Daily Minute Meditation

Accepting God's Answer

We often like to claim we don't know what God wants when, in reality, we do and we just don't like His answer to our question.

Russian parliament passes homo propaganda ban

Russian parliament passes 'gay propaganda' ban

By Anna Smolchenko

AFP

The Russian parliament on Tuesday passed two controversial bills that impose jail terms for people promoting homosexual "propaganda" to minors and those who offend religious believers amid fears the measures will be used to persecute the opposition to Vladimir Putin.

Ahead of the vote, gay activists staged a kissing protest outside the parliament but they were outnumbered by several hundred supporters of the bill, some carrying religious icons.

A police spokesman said around 20 were detained in ensuing scuffles.

The bill against "homosexual propaganda" to minors sailed through the State Duma lower house of parliament in a 436-to-0 vote with one abstention. (...)

Full article: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/russian-parliament-gears-pass-gay-propaganda-ban-082453200.html#7206Cwe

Funnies of the Day

Calvin and Hobbes
Peanuts
For Better or For Worse
Garfield
FoxTrot Classics
Pickles

A Musical Post to Celebrate

To celebrate what? Scribble's second birthday, of course! And while you go on a journey listening to some of my favourite music, make sure to check out the giveaway. Enter it. Please.

Il Volo - Il Mondo

OUAT Soundtrack - Rumpelstiltskin in Love

Avril Lavigne - Remember When

Andrea Bocelli - Canto Della Terra

ROTK Soundtrack - The Chalice Passed

Lana Del Rey - Young and Beautiful

 Jonathan & Charlotte - Chi mai vivrà per sempre?

Narnia Soundtrack - To Aslan's Camp

Happy Birthday to...

...my blog! Can you believe that I've been blogging for over two years? Two years ago, I had to start a blog for Grade 10 Social Studies. Two years ago, I decided to start my LOTR blog, Pasword to Middle Earth. And exactly two years ago from today, I began this blog.

It has been an amazing journey. I can't say I'm a different person, but I've certainly changed from that fifteen-year-old girl. I've learned many things and have become a little more mature. I've made many new friends, some of them who have become very good friends.

And for that, I want to thank you. I want to thank you for reading my posts, commenting, and being patient with the stupid posts. Your comments made me smile, sometimes excited or jubilant. You have been a part of my growing through high school.

This is why I am pleased to announce - my very first giveaway! I only have two items to give away at the moment because of my busyness due to school, but I may have another item coming later on. (For now, just assume I don't.)

Here are some comments about the giveaway:
1. Decide which item you want to win. Only go for one, please.
2. After I tell you that you win an item, you will contact the person on Etsy whose shop you won that particular item from.
3. The two people have been so generous to donate an item(s) are my friend from school, Eleanor Brownlee, and Wanda Eash.
4. To increase your chances of winning, you can do as many of the thing on the list below. Some of the items you can do more than once - I will let you know by that item if so.
5. How do I know that you have done the item on the list? You let me know in a comment. Don't worry about there being a lot of comments for when you do an item every day - that's the point. ;)
6. If you have any questions I haven't answered, PLEASE ASK!
7. I understand that school is still going on, so the giveaway will go on until July 13th. (Meaning I will not accept any comments after the time I get onto my computer on the morning of July 13th.)

Here are the things you can do to win an item:
1. Post a comment telling me which item of the two that you wish to win. This enters you in the giveaway, and gives you one point. (You do not have to have a Google account to be able to do this.)
2. Make a blog post encouraging your followers to enter this giveaway. Include a picture of the item you want to win. Make sure to post a comment with a link to your post! (For those people who don't have blogs, a direct link to a Word Press, Instagram, or any of those other blogging/website things will work. Just make sure to ask me first if the website you want to use counts.) 5+ points
3. Post about the giveaway on Twitter, FaceBook, or Google + with a link to this giveaway. Please give me the direct link to your post (ask me if you don't know how to). You can do this every day. 2+ points for every post
4. Whose item do you want to win? If you like Eleanor's, go "favourite" her shop on Etsy. If you like Wanda's, heart her shop on Etsy. 3+ points
5. Favourite either Eleanor's item or Wanda's item from the giveaway. 1+ points
6. Like some of Eleanor's or Wanda's items on Etsy, and tell me which items you liked best that you saw in her store in a comment. 2+ points
7. Follow this blog (this one is a give me if you're already following). 3+ points
8. Comment on any post on this blog or any of my other blogs, and post a comment giving a link to the post you commented on. You can do this every day, but one comment per day only. 4+ points
9. Follow me on Twitter, Google+, YouTube, and/or Pinterest. 2+ for each one
10. Comment and/or like on any of my videos on YouTube. (If you commented, please give me your username in the comment you make on this post telling me about it.) 1+ for each comment/like/both
11. Say a decade of the Rosary for my intentions of diplomas or my general health. ;) 2+ for each decade

Remember to comment on this post telling me about each thing you did for the points to count!


And now, for the items!


First of all, I have a lovely bracelet from Eleanor Brownlee.

"It is an adjustable bracelet made from acrylic, glass and fossil stone beads. Strung on a wire that will hold its shape permanently."

Eleanor's store on Etsy is Turnaround Ranch.


Next, I have "2 domino rings; one features St. Catherine of Laboure and the other is of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. Both are adjustable.  The dominoes measure 1/2" by 1" from Wanda Eash.

Wanda's store is Two Crafty Mules. If you are interested, you can also check out her blog or her Facebook page.