Oh Nuts

  More often than not, I feel like many phrases have been ingrained in our society for a long time. A good example is a common phrase, "Boys will be boys." But what is that even supposed to mean?  Photo by Ben Sweet on Unsplash Quite often, the phrase is used to explain the behavior of men and boys when they do something that other people disagree with. Unfortunately, it has been like that for a long time, and it doesn't seem like much has changed, especially when you look at current politics, sexual harassment, etc. I don't know what others think about the phrase. Still, I believe that it needs to leave our vocabulary and that people need to work on themselves and how they respond and react to different topics where that phrase is used.  A current example of how the phrase "Boys will be boys" could be used is the recent Johnny Depp/Amber Heard Trial. While I didn't follow any of the hearings, it shows how the phrase could be used to throw the blame on ...

  Is the customer always right? Some people out there would answer that question with a resounding yes. Others might answer it with a hard no. But which is the correct answer to that question? Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash . Edited by me It would seem like yes, and no is the correct answer. Part of this is because some people like to create a scene and use their emotions to make people feel sorry for them. Since it is a bit of a classic question, it seems like it will be around for a while. Often the phrase is used by customers when they claim that something was entered wrong during a purchase, whether at the grocery store or a restaurant. But whatever the case may be, the customer isn't always right unless it is a legitimate claim.  Although I have rarely come across "Karen's," and their need always be correct, I know they are out there since I work in retail and have encountered some annoyed/upset customers. Of course, no one is perfect, but we still need ...

  “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” - JFK, January 20, 1961 Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. - Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863 We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.   - The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1776 O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand. Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation! - The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key,  September 14, 1814 Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind but now I see  - Amazing Grace, John Newton, 1772 “Give me...

  “Christian life is a retreat. We are ‘not of this world,' just as Jesus Christ is ‘not of this world’ (John 17:14). What is the world? It is, as St. John said, the ‘lust of the flesh,' that is, sensuality and corruption in our desires and deeds; ‘the lust of the eyes’, curiosity, avarice, illusion, fascination, error, and folly in the affectation of learning, and, finally, pride and ambition (1 John 2:16). To these evils of which the world is full, and which make up its substance, a retreat must be set in opposition. We need to make ourselves into a desert by a holy detachment. The Christian life is a battle … We must never cease to fight. In this battle, St. Paul teaches us to make eternal abstinence, that is, to cut ourselves off from the pleasures of the senses and guard our hearts against them … it was to repair and to expiate the failings of our retreat, of our battle against temptations, of our abstinence, that Jesus was driven into the desert. His fast of forty days pr...

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ―  J.R.R. Tolkien,  The Lord of the Rings photos by me

Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every other name. - PHIL 2:8-9 taken by me "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. . . . There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that: Death." - J. R. R. Tolkien

Even though I have many favorite quotes I already knew which one I was going to use for this post. I came across this post when I put it as the background on my computer. When I first had it as my background I hadn't really read it until I was on my computer several weeks ago and I really read it. "Don't change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you." This is my favorite quote because it is true in today's world. In today's world we have to look a certain way and dress the same and have clicks, but we are better then that. Because no matter what anyone says I am not going to accept the world's standards for how I should look, act, and think, for myself. If I did that I wouldn't be true to who I am as a person. When we are all thinking and acting the same, who will turn the world into a better place? Instead of following the rules set by today's society create your own rules and change the wor...

If they mean the name of a real business, then I have nothing because I don't run a business. Being a part-time nanny doesn't count. But it they mean the name of your blog and the story behind it then I at least have something there. Since I don't have a personal business to run I am going to go with the meaning of the name behind my blog. "Ask Jesus what he wants from you and be brave." - Pope Francis The name for my blog is taken from the above quote by the pope. And I believe that it is so true because no matter what we face in life we have to be brave. Because it we aren't brave then who would stand up for what is right? When I am not posting about knitting projects that I am currently working on, recipes or photography, I try to write posts that make people think. By writing and sharing those posts I am stepping outside of my comfort zone a little. So even if we are comfortable with doing and sharing many things there are many different ways for ...

Never lose an opportunity to tell someone "I love you." Never lose an opportunity to give someone a hug. Never lose an opportunity to help someone in need. When you miss an opportunity to an act of kindness, who knows if it will ever happen again. "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting."  - Unknown I came across this quote when a friend of mine shared it with a picture they had posted on Instagram. When I first read the quote it reminded me that even though life is full of missed opportunities, God always turns it into something beautiful. As it says in the quote beauty is God's handwriting, so when we are disappointed over the opportunities that we have lost God shows us that there is beauty in everything around us no matter what. He also shows us that there are more opportunities for us to do. Even when we miss an opportunity to help someone, remember that God always has other opportunities for yo...

At this very moment someone is sad. At this very moment someone is happy. At this very moment someone is dying. At this very moment someone is born. Every moment of every day someone is doing something. No matter what part of the world you are in, someone is always doing something. Good or bad it is still something. But is it the right something that we are supposed to be doing at that moment? Knowing what God wants me to do with my life is something that I have a hard time accepting, because I don't know what it is that I am supposed to be doing. Recently I came across this quote that I have had saved on my computer for a while and it fits with accepting that God knows what he is doing with my life. "You are where God wants you to be at this very moment. Every experience is part of His divine plan." Because someone else had put the text on a picture, I put it as the background picture for my computer so that I have it as a constant reminder that God knows what...

Especially if you don't remember asking for it at all. Earlier this afternoon Amanda and my mom were going out shopping together and I apparently told them to bring something back. Even if I don't remember saying something they did and brought me back a surprise. When they were at Hobby Lobby my mom found this sign <= and decided to get it for me. Since it was a surprise I made me think of the quote from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," that I used as the title for this post.

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." Though I don't know who originally said it, the above quote is something that I have heard my whole life. Sometimes I feel like it is very true. The idea for this post came around a week ago, during a talk that I was listening to on the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. In the handout that was passed out after the talk, there was several sentences that stuck out to me about what our vocations are in life. It was also part of the inspiration for the post that I wrote on St. Catherine of Siena . We all have a different vocation in life, sometimes we know what it is and sometimes we don't. The only person who knows what each person's vocation in life is God. Sometimes it is hard to understand what it is we are supposed to do in life, but we have to be patient and trust in God. In the reflection for the talk that I went too, the first sentence that jumped out at me was " St. Joseph did not clai...

If I am already kind to others and show courage, why do I still need to remember to that? It is one thing to say that we are kind, or that we have courage. But it is another thing to actually live those words out. There are many different ways to show that you have courage or are kind and to actually live them out. When you say that you do those words often do you really know what they mean? Here are the definitions of Kindness and Courage that are found in the American Heritage Dictionary : kind·ness    n. 1.  The quality or state of being kind. 2.  An instance of kind behavior:   Your kindnesses won't be forgotten. cour·age    n. The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.  By reading over the definitions for these words you know have a better understanding of what they actually mean. But how would they be put into pr...

--1-- I finished the pillow last week. According to my siblings the pillow is the first project that I have finished in a while. It is only like that because I was trying to make a blanket with yarn that was really hard to use and figure out. And I already started working on the second pillow and I will post one or two pictures when I remember too do so. The yarn that I am using for the second pillow reminds me of cotton candy. --2-- School is going good so far. This week and last week I just had my speech class and starting on this coming Tuesday my two online classes are starting. One of my online classes is a continuation of a class that I took back in the spring, so it shouldn't be that hard and the second online class is just learning about the ins and outs of Microsoft Word. One thing that I like about my Speech teacher is that she has been doing activities in class that help us with listening.  --3-- A couple weeks ago I was at the library in town and ...

--1-- Since it's been over a month since I did my last 7 Quick Takes I decided to do another one. I am also doing it because I couldn't think of anything else to really post about that would make a long enough post by itself.  --2-- Last week after I had put this post up on my blog, I randomly decided to check the audience views to see how many different countries were viewing my blog. Needless to say I was very surprised to see all of the page views that I had from Romania. Normally the US is on top with a couple other countries underneath.  <--- That is from Sunday when I checked the page views again to see if anything had changed at all.  --3-- With school starting right around the corner, literally, because it starts on Tuesday for me, I thought I would do something for one of my quick takes. Last week I bought the books that I need for the three classes that I am taking this semester and I was thankfully able to save m...

When we hear the word joy we immediately think of something that made us very excited and happy. Or you could have thought of the little blue haired character from Pixar's "Inside Out." But what one thing that you might not think of when you hear the word joy is an acronym. Now after reading that last sentence you are probably wondering how there is an acronym in a three letter word. Well many years ago I saw the acronym written on a post it note and hung up in a bathroom and it has been something that has stuck with me since then. And the acronym for joy is: J esus, O thers, Y ourself...and it is something that we should try to follow out. While I might not be doing a good job of it, I have tried to follow it every day. Whether its, in the morning, afternoon, or evening, or even if you do it through out the day, we need to take some time out of our busy schedules each day for Jesus. While it might be hard at first and take time, just trying to take time out of...

--1-- This week was my spring break. Even though break started off with a round of snow, this week hasn't been that bad. Especially since I consider my spring break to have started on Friday last week, since I am only going two days out of the week.  --2-- To start of my break, on Saturday afternoon, Aaliyah, Rosie, and I went with some of Aaliyah's friends to the movie theater to see "Cinderella." We all loved it. Then in the evening, Amanda, Yavi and I went out to dinner with some friends to celebrate Amanda's birthday. After dinner, since Amanda and two of the friends we went out with hadn't seen it yet,  we decided to go to the movie theater down the street to see "Cinderella." Even though I had just seen the movie I still enjoyed it. --3-- Tomorrow I am going out swing dancing. There is a ballroom about an hour away from where I live and they regularly do swing dancing there and tomorrow is their annual Swinger's B...

--1-- Tuesday was a lot of fun because of the very dense fog. It was really annoying to drive in, especially when I had to deal with an intersection that is near my house. The nice thing was that in town and a decent area around my house were de-fogged on my way home from school. The fog in between was still dense and annoying. Of course the fog decided to stay around until Wednesday morning. But I was fin with the because I didn't have to leave the house until the afternoon. --2-- Besides having fog all day Tuesday and a part of Wednesday, we have been having some really nice weather. It's finally warm out again!!!! Though there is one day so far next week that is in the 40's, but it is still warmer than 0 degrees out which is nice for a change :) --3-- Last week I mentioned that I was going out with Amanda and some of my cousins to celebrate my birthday. It was a lot of fun.  --4-- This weeks inspirational quote :) --5-- The new...

--1-- Since it has been a while I decided to do a 7 Quick Takes post today. I also decided to write this at the lovely hour of 1:00 o'clock in the morning, but that is only because I couldn't sleep. When I got up my original plan was to try and get some homework done, but that didn't happen, because of something called the internet. But that is just life. --2-- I am really loving the current forecast that we have for next week because it is going to be up in the 50's!!!!! Super excited about that, because it means that spring is finally starting to arrive and not hiding anymore.  --3-- Earlier this week I was looking at phone cases and I found this Doctor Who case  on Etsy that I really like. I found this phone case as well and it made me think of Amanda since she owns the most books out of all of us. Then there is the cool LOTR phone case . Of course the adorable Captain America and Thor phone cases are too cute not too share.  --4-- ...