Master, to whom shall we go?

I am THE MOST nostalgic person ever. I save old pictures and letters in boxes and look through them on rainy days, remembering fun times with my friends and encouraging words they've given me. I get emotional just looking at my current laptop wallpaper because I love my sweet best friend Cali so much:

Miss you, Cal!

 So anyway, I love nostalgia and memories. There's this app called Timehop that brings up what you posted on social media on this day 1,2,3, or however many years ago, and for people like me, its so much fun. Today on Timehop, one of my favorite Bible verses came up because I had made it my Facebook status 2 years ago when I heard it for the first time:

 

 

When I first heard this verse (John 6:68), I was a freshman at OSU, trying to figure out what college was all about. "How do I be Catholic in college?" was a major question on my mind, along with, "why do I feel so alone without all of my friends?" Being lonely is a rough feeling, and we all experience it at some point--the beginning of this new part of my life was the first time for me, and all I wanted to do was be sad about it. I really missed my best friends from home, and I just wanted to go back to them. I wasn't thinking about loving the Lord, but about the loneliness I was feeling. 

 

To provide some context, John chapter 6 is the Last Supper, more importantly the bread of life discourse. This is when Jesus is telling his disciples that He is the bread of life and by eating His flesh and drinking His blood, we will have eternal life. Many of the disciples found this hard to believe and left, returning to their former way of life (John 6:66). Jesus turns to the twelve and asks if they are going to leave as well, which is when Peter gives the response that so profoundly spoke to my heart two years ago. It made me feel sad for those who had left. They were probably a little sad to be leaving as well...I would be sad if one day I decided to go back to how I was before following Jesus. But I felt as if Jesus was asking me this question as well, which made my heart fill with love and compassion for Him. I realized that there are so many things that I could have done because I felt as if I was alone and being Catholic was "getting harder" because I was getting older. And how many people, when they get to college, stop going to church and stop following Christ because it suddenly takes more responsibility on their part? I knew that Jesus is the Truth and nothing could ever take the place of that. Just like Peter, I realized that there was no beating eternal life, and after everything I had been through with Jesus, there was no way I could leave Him now.

 

When being a Christian gets hard, when I (so foolishly) start to think that I could be having more "fun" doing what I want with no regards to my faith, I think of this verse--where else could I possibly go, what else could I possibly believe in, that is better than what Christ has to offer? Life in Christ will involve suffering, but it also leads to eternal life.

 

Every year around this time, I remember this verse. Just 2 days ago I wrote in on the top of my calendar so I could remember it when school, work, and life start to get busy.

So that's my favorite Bible verse. I hope everyone's school year is off to a great start! Mine sure is! #kakidoesthings

The Best of Summer 2014

Today starts my third year of college! Summer is almost officially over, (it will be over when I go to my first class, which isn't for a few more hours) and I wanted to do a highlight reel of the most exciting things I did this summer.

 

I got into kayaking! It was really fun. I met some nice hipsters and saw some turtles.

I worked at a day camp for 3-6 year olds. They were sourpatch kids if you know what I mean...first they were sour then they were sweet. Then they were sour again, and then they were sweet sometimes. But it was fun...it kept me busy and entertained, that's for sure.

Meagan came home from Europe! I love my best friend more than I can explain, so I was so happy to get to see her this summer.

Collin asked me to be his girlfriend! *swoon.* He left for drum corps, but then he came back and we basically partied all summer. In this picture, we were in Dallas and had just eaten some AWESOME queso.

These pictures are from my New York/New Jersey adventures. My aunt and uncle live right by the beach in New Jersey so my family went to visit. We also spent a day in New York City (bottom right, I'm standing on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building). The best part of this trip though was the FOOD. The "pretzel nugs" (Top right) and pizza (bottom left, in case you don't know what pizza looks like) were out of this world. Not pictured is the AMAZING philly cheesesteak I had in Philadelphia (Oh yeah, we went there too). The cheesesteak was probably my favorite thing we had on the #foodvacation.  

I took a roadtrip to Austin with Collin to visit Cali. Cal has been working at a camp all summer and I missed her a ton! But she was doing big things and I'm so proud of her. On the way home, Collin and I seriously befriended a baby giraffe. As soon as we walked up to his barn he came right to us and let us pet him! And that was before we gave him any food ;) But even after we fed him he still wanted to hang with us and let us take some selfies with him. I also got to visit Brittany in Dallas when she was on her way home from The Pines. This sweet friend is so great. We met last summer when we were both working at the greatest catholic camp in all the land and I am so glad we've stayed friends!

 

Honorable Mentions not pictured: Summer softball, Catholic girls night, causing a scene at Whataburger when I was surprise-reunited with chase, and dancing at Billy Bobs!

 

I'm all moved into my house in Stillwater and so ready for a great year. Its already off to a great start--I love my roommates and my friends and I can't wait to start my job as a research assistant for one of my favorite professors. Hopefully it will be a great year of doing things. Go pokes! Bye summer 2014!