Today is the feast of St. Faustina Kowalska. Besides my patron saint and confirmation saint, I have a special devotion to St. Faustina for two reasons: 1. Ever since I was little, my favorite picture of Jesus is the Divine Mercy picture, which, without St. Faustina's apparition, would not exist. and 2. St. Faustina was born in Poland, one of my favorite countries. (I am somewhat Polish myself, and I get to go to Poland next year for World Youth Day!)

Here is a boring but interesting video about St. Faustina from Catholic Online. Click here

And here is a website for a short description: Click Here

I Share my Name with a Christian Singer

       I like to listen to songs on Spotify. One day I typed in my first and middle name (Abigail Grace) into the search bar and found that there is a Christian singer who shares my name! Of course, being as curious as I am, I clicked on the songs, and found one that I really liked. It is called "Here is Our God." Now I wish I could show it to you via YouTube or something, but it must be quite new, since it is only on Spotify, unless you want to buy it via iTunes. I suggest you listen to it through Spotify if you have an account, though.
       Also, I looked up the lyrics, but they're nowhere to be seen. No even through Spotify. So I listened to the song piece by piece and wrote down the lyrics myself. This I can share with you, and so I will:

"Here is Our God"

by Abigail Grace

The earth and stars are bowing down to Christ

 Who is clothed in white

The glory is bestowed to him who died

So you may live

And he is coming soon

                                                                                      

The clouds will rule back

Saints fall down to worship

The sovereign king

And we will dance and sing

Here is our God

Clothed in majesty

Here is our King

Who has set the captives free

Here is Jesus, our Savior

He has set us free from death

Alleluia all praise to Him

Our Redeemer who has washed our sin

Oh alleluia all praise to Him

Our Redeemer who has washed our sin

Oh alleluia all praise to Him

Our Redeemer who has washed our sin

Here is our God

Clothed in majesty

Here is our King

Who has set the captives free

Here is Jesus, our Savior

He has set us free from death

The Government is Falling Apart

       Many people probably look at this title and exclaim, "What? Why would the government be falling apart?" Well, it certainly doesn't seem this way. But really, it is happening, again. First I want to talk about something everyone should know is wrong: murder. The Declaration of Independence says that every man has the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. So, since everyone has the right to life, murder is against this. It is wrong, it is evil, it is illegal. Yet, some people think it okay to kill. I'm talking about mothers. Not just any mothers, but mothers who are pregnant with a live human being inside their wombs, and think it okay to get rid of this being and throw him or her away. How should this be okay? From the moment of conception, this fetus lives. Within 18 days, this little being has heartbeat! Here is a clip from a website about the growth of a fetus:

       "Did You Know?  18 days a baby's heart begins to beat  43 days brain coordinates movement  7 weeks a baby can hiccup  8 weeks organs can function  9 weeks has permanent, individual fingerprints  10 weeks can feel pain  12 weeks a baby can smile, suck their thumb and make a fist  Over 2 million couples wait to adopt– including children of all races & those with special needs Any textbook will confirm what every doctor knows: LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION"--"Did You Know?" The Facts About Life (2012): Pro Life Across America. Web.

       So since this fetus lives and breathes, then how can it be okay to have an abortion? Maybe someone says, "Well an abortion is okay because it's not murder." Well, yes it is murder. The definition of murder is "the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another."--Google Dictionary  And one of the definitions of death is "the permanent ending of vital processes in a cell or tissue"--Google Dictionary Since at 18 days, this fetus has a heartbeat, then to physically stop this heartbeat, by abortion, is murder. By not letting these innocent babies have the right to Life, we are going against our Declaration of Independence that our Founding Fathers made for us. The U.S. Government is going against what its Founding Fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence! These Founding Fathers had to win the Revolutionary war against the British and they founded our government. So why are we going against this? This is not going to make our governmental system better, in fact it is destroying the system, not to mention millions upon millions of innocent lives! And we think this is okay! How can we be so cruel to think that any kind of murder to born or unborn can be okay? It can't.

       Some mothers might say, "It's my body, so I am allowed to do anything I need." Well this is a lie. It's not your body, it's the body of another human being. So no, you do not have the right to kill this being. This baby is in your body because you have been chosen to become his or her mother. That is an honor. It's a gift. Don't throw that gift away. This baby is a resemblance of you. He is your son. She is your daughter. If this daughter could speak, she would say, "Why are you going to kill me, Mommy?" Don't make your baby want to say this. Please...don't have an abortion. There is a better option. People are waiting to adopt. Don't throw your baby away.

World Youth Day 2016

     

       I'm raising money so I can go to World Youth Day next year in Krakow, Poland! I have never been anywhere outside of the United States besides Peru, when I was nine. I'm excited, not only to be at World Youth Day and see Pope Francis, but also because I can visit Poland, which will be very special to me since I am somewhat Polish, my last name being Kalinowski. The fee is very high, but I have been doing a good job with fund raising, so I believe in myself.

Market Square in Krakow, Poland

Here is a prayer for all youths attending World Youth Day this year:

God, merciful Father, 
you have revealed your love in your Son, Jesus Christ, 
and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, 
We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every human being." 
Entrust particularly 
of young people from all nations, peoples and languages. 
Keep them safely in the intricate paths of 
the contemporary world 
and give them the grace of a fruitful experience 
World Youth Day in Krakow.

Heavenly Father, 
make us witnesses of your mercy. 
Teach doubting, faith, 
hope resigned, 
love frigid, 
forgiveness and joy guilty sad. 
Let the spark of merciful love, 
which You lit in us, 
become a fire transforming people's hearts 
and renewing the face of the earth.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us. 
St. John Paul II, pray for us. 
Saint Sister Faustina, pray for us.

California State Fair

         I went to the California State Fair yesterday. It was really fun. Since we didn't feel like wasting $40 every time we went on one ride, we did all the free stuff. For example: we went to a cooking show and explored all the exhibits for animals, plants, art, and other cool things. We saw a motorcycle show where the guys did back flips on their motorcycles after they went up a huge jump and landed on another ramp. It was scary watching those people! I mean, there have been accidents with these types of things, and I am not a person who wants to witness one. Next we saw some Chinese acrobats. Those people are really strong and muscular. One guy stacked up about fifteen chairs and the top one was tilted. He did a one-handed handstand on the top of that contraption!
        The main reason we were at the fair is to see the 8:00pm concert that we bought tickets for. This concert was Britt Nicole, one of my ultimate favorite artists. She's a Christian pop singer/songwriter. She's really into her faith. She kept saying things like: "With God, you can do anything." and "Give your troubles to Jesus." and things like that. It was an amazing concert. I really liked it.
         Here's a song that she sang last night. She said she wrote this song for her mother. Her mother always had dreams and things she wanted to accomplish in life, but her responsibilities of being a good wife, mother, and keep the house and all that made her feel like she couldn't follow her dreams. This song is called Walk on the Water:  Click here to listen

Devotion to the Drops of Blood Lost by our Lord

Devotion to the Drops of Blood Lost by our Lord Jesus Christ on His Way to Calvary 
 

St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, with St. Matilda and St. Bridget, wishing to know something of the Passion of Jesus Christ, offered fervent and special prayers. upon which Our Lord revealed to them:

To all the faithful who shall recite for 3 years, each day, 2 Our Fathers, 2 Hail Marys and 2 Glory Bes in honor of the drops of Blood I lost, I will concede the following 5 graces:

1st: The plenary indulgence and remittance of your sins.
2nd: You will be free from the pains of Purgatory.
3rd: If you should die before completing the said 3 years, for you it will be the same as if you had completed them.
4th: It will be upon your death the same as if you had shed all your blood for the Holy Faith.
5th: I will descend from Heaven to take your soul and that of your relatives, until the fourth generation.

Blessed by His Holiness Pope Leo XIII in Rome, April 5, 1890.

Life

       Life. Life is a gift. Lives vary, no two are the same; each is unique. Many people have a "dream life", but not everybody actually fulfills it. Some dream lives have to do with fame. A lot of people want fame. There is so much to be famous for. Singing, composing, dancing, acting, writing, painting, speaking, directing, producing, and heaven knows how many different sports and inventions people are famous for. All of these things have goals in life. For example: an author wants a Newberry medal, a singer wants to win a Grammy awards, an actor wants an Oscar's, a football team wants to win the Superbowl, a soccer team wants the World Cup, a scientist wants a Nobel Prize, an astronaut wants to go to the moon, and every so many people want an Olympic gold medal. Then there are the people who don't do anything amazing. Who see everyone around them doing one thing that they're really good at: piano, gymnastics, soccer, etc. and they're in their room trying to figure out what life is for them. These people around them were destined for the things they do. They were born to do them. They started so young. That's what gets a lot of people. "If the neighbor started soccer when he was three, how can I ever be a good soccer player starting at fourteen? There is no hope." or "Oh man, Taylor Swift started crafting songs at age 5, and released an album at 16. I'm 16 now, how can I ever catch up to her?" There is a certain motto going around in people's heads that goes: "If you don't start at a young age, you'll never catch up to the famous people." What if this is the same way with the faith? St. Therese of Lisieux was a good girl all the time, and started her "Little Way" at a very young age. She was destined for sainthood. How can we, people of 18 and 37 and even 69, ever catch up to that? This is the wrong way to think.

• Andrea Bocelli didn't start opera singing till he was 34,
• Julia Child didn't even learn to cook till she was almost 40, and didn't launch her popular show till she was 50
• Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing as a columnist in her 40s, and the Little House on the Prarie books were written in her 60s
• Martha Stewart wasn't the Martha Stewart we know till she was 30
• Famous artist Claude Monet didn't start really painting till he was about 40
• And St. Augustine was not always a saint. He did some bad things in life before he eventually converted. Click here to see more.

       So you see, it's NEVER too late to make a fresh start with God. Besides, even if Taylor Swift and other people did start young, it doesn't matter. Don't compare yourself to others. God made you who you are. Here is a song by my favorite singer that shows that EVERYONE is important: Click here

Babies

       I love babies, they're amazing. My favorite activity is babysitting. It's so fun to watch them grow up. My first younger sibling is Elise, who is four years younger than I am. I  don't really remember when she was a baby, but I have some memories of when she was one and two. After Elise, came Sarah, who was born with strawberry-blonde hair. I remember when Sarah was just learning to crawl. I was so excited for when she could learn to walk. I wanted her to be able to walk up the stairs and see the house, because at that time, she was just scooting around downstairs. But when the walking time finally came, she started getting into my stuff and messing up the house. That's when I realized that I actually liked it better when she couldn't walk. :) After Sarah came Michael, my only little brother. He came six weeks "early" as they call it, but I like to say he arrived exactly when God wanted him to. Since he wasn't necessarily due till the next six weeks, though, he was very small and only about four pounds. I used to put him in the doll cradle because he fit perfectly. :) After Michael came Anne, who was born about a week after her due date. She was the biggest baby my mom had, being nine pounds, ten ounces. She broke the record which was set by me, actually, being nine pounds even. I love having baby siblings. Now Anne is four, and we don't think any more will come, but you never know. ;)
       I want to share a video that my older brother Brandon put on youtube of my sister Anne when she was about one and a half. She is saying her night-time prayers with my mom. I think it's adorable, so I have to show you. She repeats after my mom for the "Now I lay me Down to Sleep" prayer, and then they do "God bless" our family. My mom goes down the list: Brandon, Leah, Abby, Elise, Sarah, Michael, Anne. You just have to watch it. :) Click here

     

Mary of Nazareth

     

           In the book Mary of Nazareth by Federico Suarez, the author states, “Every life becomes a great and passionate adventure when God takes possession of a soul and when a soul is willing to cooperate fully with God…When we make our will one with the will of God, when we let God take  possession of us, life gains a purpose and is worth living.” This book is about Mary, the most perfect saint, and how we, ordinary sin-stained souls, can imitate her by being silent and still so we can hear God’s calling for our lives. Although Mary was conceived without sin, there is still hope for sinners like us.

            In the first chapter, Suarez talks about the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said that she would become the Mother of God. At first, Mary had doubts, for she was not married, and therefore could not conceive. But Gabriel said that with God, nothing is impossible. Mary’s reply was, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38) As soon as Mary accepted her vocation to be the Mother of God, “the Word was made Flesh.” (John 1:14) Just as God had plans for her, He has unique plans for everyone else. We need to listen to Him and accept that vocation. Just think, what if Mary refused this vocation? Or what if she was too busy to stop and pray? Then Jesus would not have been born. All the miracles Jesus worked would never have happened, and all the lives He changed would never have changed. He would never have been crucified and never would have resurrected, and the gates of Heaven would never have been opened, all because of Mary’s ignorance. So since Mary did accept this vocation, all these wondrous things did happen.

            Great things are destined for everyone, which is why it is important for us to accept our vocation. However, before we can accept our vocation, we need to know what that vocation is. This is why it is important for us to listen to God: pray and meditate, stay silent and calm, and open our ears for Him. We need not only to hear Him, but we must also listen and understand what He says. Then we can accept and follow through.

            Part of God’s plan for us might be confusing and not make sense, but this is where we need to just obey without question, because God knows what is best for us. In the middle of chapter four, Suarez talks about how Mary obeyed without hesitation, so she is the perfect role model for us. After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple and since we do not know how long they stayed in Bethlehem, but maybe they got a house there, and maybe that is when the magi came. Mary must have been quite surprised when she heard their story and saw the gifts they brought for the Child. Suarez mentions that Mary probably went to sleep thinking of all these excitements and surprises of that day. Then she was awakened by Joseph, who told her they must flee into Egypt to get away from Herod, who desired the death of Jesus. How surprising this must have been to Mary! First she hears that Herod wants to come and kneel before her Son, and now he wants to kill Him. But Mary does not question. She gets up and follows Joseph into Egypt. This is just one of many examples of Mary’s humble and obedient self. 

Here is a really good song that I love: Click here

A Special Love

        In one of my Religion classes I learned about the Holy Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We know that God is the Father, and Jesus, the Son. Who is the Holy Spirit? A dove? No. The Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son. And later, I realized, it's similar in a family! What I mean is, the husband and the wife love each other so they get married. Later, they start having children. Well, they could not have children if they did not love each other. So the child is the conclusion of the parents' love for each other. Which means that every child is the love between the mother and the father!
       We all need love. Without love, there would be no life. If we are the result of our parents' love, then without that love, we are nothing, we do not exist. Now, since we know we need love to exist, and we know that God, (as the Holy Spirit) is Love. Then the conclusion is that we need God to exist. It all comes down to that!
       We all need God. We do! People who think they can live without God are lying. "I don't need a God," one might say. Uh, yeah you do! Look, without God, there would be no world because He made it. There would be no people, no you, no food, no animals, no water, there would be nothing. Here is a clip from the movie "God's not Dead" that I would like to share with you about the existence of God: Click here

                                               We need love. God is love. We need God.

Here is a song that I really like about how we need God: Click here

God is Amazing

Consider life in the early 1700's...colonial days. No electricity: no sewing machines, no washing machines, no electric stoves/ovens, no microwave ovens, no refrigerators, no dishwashers, no cars, no lightbulbs, no computers/TV's/iPods (etc.)

Then: 1752: the lightning rod, 1794: the cotton gin, 1833: the sewing machine, 1844: the telegraph, 1858: the burglar alarm, 1873: the typewriter, 1876: the telephone, 1879: the incandescent lightbulb, 1880: the hearing aid, 1888: the Kodak camera, 1889: the diswasher, 1892: gas-powered car, 1902: air conditioning, 1903: airplane, 1926: the rocket, 1927: the television, 1932: defribrillator, 1965: the minicomputer, 1972: the video game, 1983: the PC, 1999: the Apple iMac (slot loading), 2001: Apple iPod (1st generation)

Then come more generations of iPods and iMacs, then come the iPads and the iPod touchs and the iPhones and the iMac laptops and the tablets and the kindles and the cameras and the phones and the flat sceen TVs and the solar-powered stuff (etc.)

It started off slow, the inventing process did, then the 21st century BAM: in just a few short years, we have everything we have today. Every day, something new is invented. We already got to the iPhone 6 and the Tesla electric cars!

Technology is amazing and ever-growing. Just think: newspapers are so old-fashioned, we have news channels now. Dictionaries are no longer needed with Google and online Dictionaries. The internet is where most people get stuff from. If you want to learn something, look it up on the internet. Just imagine, the people who set up websites and such, someone somewhere learned that information without the internet. What I mean is, the internet didn't just up and know everything. People have made websites and things of what they learned and put it on the internet for everyone to know. So, just think, the internet tells us, but who tells the internet? That's what I mean. History from before the Native Americans can be found online! The internet is amazing, isn't it?

God is like the internet. He is all-knowing. Only, He knows much more. He knows of not only the days of millions of years ago, He also knows of the days of millions of years to come! (The internet can not yet do that, now, can it?)

The internet is a great way to "advertise," because everyone sees it. That is why we need to advertise only good things, and stay away from bad advertisements. God has plan for everyone.

He has a certain mission for each person. That mission is found in the Bible. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says, "Go therefore, into all nations, and make disciples of men." Our mission is to make disciples of men. Get everyone to follow Jesus. Evangelizing souls.

We can use the internet to do this. Actually, the reason for this blog is such. Many Catholic websites are available to access, for example: Catholic Online. Let's help to set the world on fire for Jesus and the Catholic Church. That reminds me of my favorite song by Britt Nicole: Set the World on Fire. What Britt says in this song is exactly what I am talking about now. Click here

Sources I used in coming up with the timeline of invention: 
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/telephone/timeline/timeline_text.html
http://www.theappletimeline.com/

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all those mothers who gave us life! I would like to fill up this post with all good things about mothers. I love you Mom!

TV can be Convincing

       I am in North Carolina this week. I flew here on April 21st and I'm flying back home on May 9th. I'm visiting my aunt and two cousins, Tommy (2) and Penny (9mo.) I love being here, but what I want to mention is something about TV. My aunt and I watch Hallmark channel: movies, mysteries, and such. But on live shows (meaning not recorded) we get stuck listening to commercials. Commercials commercials. It's amazing how much people can believe what they see. Medications, weight loss programs, food, cosmetics, cars, etc.
       You know I'll bet that half of all the commercials I've ever seen were either about medicines or weight loss programs! A long time ago (Renaissance period specifically) people who were "plump" were admired, it meant that they had enough money to feed themselves. Skinny people were looked on as poor. Now it's upside-down.
       Well anyway, that's not even what I wanted to talk about today. (I'm a writer, sometimes my fingers take over and start typing on their own. :) What I wanted to talk about is a certain commercial that really bothers me. It is about an IUD. I do not know what that means, but I do know that whatever it is, it is something that women can get inserted to prevent pregnancy. Birth control. I feel bad for those who believe in it. I pray for those who use it.

Dear Lord, everyone has a light in their hearts. Some use it, some hide it, some don't even know it's there, and some don't even want to find out. Tell them of Your path, O God, and show them the Way. Please let Your Light shine through people so that they can see the Truth. Please also, let everyone see that life is beautiful. Because You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen.

Here is a song by Britt Nicole:Click here

Death is the Beginning of a new Life

          Recently, there have been a lot of deaths in the family. My grandfather (my mom’s dad) was on a fishing trip. He was walking around in the halls at night and slipped and fell. Hit his head and had a seizure. The boat took three hours to get back to land and to a hospital. The thing is he was on a blood thinning medication, so he lost a lot of blood. This was far from home. The hospital flew him to a hospital in Los Angeles California, where he lived. He was unconscious. We drove down there from Northern California. During our visit, he passed away in my Grandma Becker’s arms. She was, and still is, devastated. He died on November 27, 2010.

            About half a year later, my great grandfather (the father of my Grandma Becker) suddenly passed away of old age in his sleep. The following year, his wife, my great grandmother died also of old age. This was hard for my Grandma Becker, having lost her husband and parents in two years.

            On Thanksgiving Day last year (November 27 2014, the death anniversary of Grandpa Becker, my great grandma on my dad’s side passed away. (my Grandpa Kalinowski’s mom) Her funeral was recently.

            The next month, my aunt died suddenly. (my mom’s older sister, and Grandma Becker’s oldest daughter) This was probably the most devastating for my Grandma Becker, having lost her husband and mother and father and now her daughter. My Aunt Amy apparently had a brain tumor that no one knew about, and she suddenly died on December 11, 2014. Everybody quickly flew out to Tennessee, where she lived with her husband and three children. Her poor children and husband. I can’t imagine what they must feel like. 

     Even though He may take some people, God is not doing this as a punishment. He loves us and the ones He brings into His Kingdom. Those of us on Earth are just not ready yet. This song, by Chris Tomlin is about following Jesus to Heaven. click here

About my Family

     I like to consider myself a good babysitter because when I was younger there was always a baby in the house. And if that one grew up, another one came. I loved it. I still love it. My youngest sibling will be four in May, her name is Anne. She’s fun to be around. The next one, Michael, will be six in July. He and Anne are great friends. They play with their little princesses and knights figurines. Sarah, the eight year-old is next in line. I think she’ll be a chemist when she grows up. She’s always mixing up the shampoo and soaps and lotions together. She likes to be outside. We live out in the country (in Northern California) on five acres, so there’s plenty of room to explore. Elise is eleven. She’s more of an artsy type. Sewing, cake-decorating, drawing, that kind of stuff. Then there’s me. But I’ll just skip over me for now and come back later. My two older siblings, Leah and Brandon, are freshmen in college. (They’re not twins, in case you’re wondering.) Leah is eighteen. Oh my goodness, she’ll be nineteen in April. She went to a college in North Dakota (University of Mary), it’s pretty cold out there compared to California! But she likes the school. Brandon, the oldest, is twenty years old. He went to San Diego for college. (John Paul the Great, or JP Catholic University) This is a film production school. He wants to be a film director. That’s why he took a year off, to do some filming. He is the one we all go to when some technical difficulty arises.  Finally, we come back to me. Well, like I said earlier, I love babysitting, skiing, volleyball, swimming, and vaulting. My favorite animal is a horse. (too bad we don’t have one ) It’s hard to describe my personality. I’m a mix of everybody I guess. Growing up, particularly when I was about five, with Leah, I would play tea party or dolls. With Brandon, we’d do magic shows or play hospital and wrap Grandma in toilet paper. With Elise, since she was only about one year old, we would jump in her crib and pretend it was a castle. We lived in a little house on a little yard in a little neighborhood. We moved to the country when I was six. I loved living there in the neighborhood, even though I probably wouldn’t now, with so many more people in the family. But it was great in that little neighborhood. I have many good memories of it. My older siblings always took great care of me. One time Brandon and I went on a walk together over to the dead end of the court. Right before the end though, there was a house with a very large dog that always barked at people. That dog was my worst fear. Brandon and I would always walk a little bit faster when we passed that house. :) 

Patience is a Virtue

     I took a lifeguard training session this week. Yesterday I passed all four tests: the lifeguard skills tests, the lifeguard written test, the CPR/First Aid written test, and the CPR skills test. I applied for a job as a lifeguard at the city pool for this summer. I haven't yet gotten my interview, but I am preparing for it.

The reasons I believe that I will be a good lifeguard are:

1. I am a good babysitter: I am good with children, I adore them! I am focused and attentive. I find dangerous things on the floor before the baby puts it in her mouth, and I'm not the kind of babysitter that plays on her phone the whole time. (For goodness' sake, you're there to play with the kids, not be on your phone!) 
2. I am responsible: I get my homework in on time, I am not late to meetings...well, that's not true, but I wouldn't ever be late if I knew how to drive myself places...(one more year, Abby, just one more year :) 
3. I am good at enforcing rules: when I babysit and the kid is playing with a knife, I take it away. :) I do not let the children take advantage of the fact that their parents are not there, but I am not mean about it either, I play with the kids, and they like me. 
4. I am quick to spot danger. (Same thing about the dangerous stuff on the floor that babies like to eat.) So if someone is having a hard time swimming, I can help them before they start drowning. Prevention is important.
5. I am patient. If some random person is mad at me for telling him not to dive in shallow water, I won't yell back, this would only make things worse. I stand my ground and calmly reply that he might hurt his head if he dives there. I would explain the rules and why they are dangerous, instead of just bossing people around. If they see the reason for the danger, they will understand the reason for the rule.

     Number five reminds me of something. This is what we, as Catholics need to know. For example, when I went to the Walk For Life in San Francisco last year, there were a few protesters (as usual), but they were shouting mean things at us. What did we do? We kept on walking. Not one person yelled back. Not one. We fight for what's right. We speak life.

This reminds me of a song by TobyMac: Click here

Defend Life

        It's Good Friday, the day Jesus died. Lots of people die every day around the world. It's important for us to pray for the dead, especially the poor souls in Purgatory. Some people die from disease, others from lack of food or drink, some die by drowning, still others from old age, and some people die just because someone else doesn't want them. This is murder, and it is very sad. There is a law protecting this, because we all know murder is very bad. 

        However, murder has become legal. Yes, murder of the precious baby inside a mother's body is legal. This is called abortion. And about 1.21 million babies are aborted per year. Why is this legal? I do not know. People do not see how this murder, but it is. Some may say a fetus is not a baby, but I say it is. It breathes, it has a heart beat, it eats, it lives. There is a human being inside a mother's womb. How can one say there isn't? 

        In the Constitution of the United States, "all men are created equal," and we have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." We have the right to life. Everyone has the right to live. Why take away God's greatest gift (life) from one who has just received it? 

        These babies are too young to speak for themselves, so we need to speak for them. We need to show these mothers that what they carry is not a burden. It is a gift, and no one should be selfish enough to throw away a gift from God. So let us pray for an end to abortion on this Good Friday, when Jesus died for our sins.

        This prayer for the aborted babies, I received from Catholic Online:

Heavenly Father, 

Thou hast given us the gift of freedom 

to love and to follow in Thy ways and commands. 

Some parents choose to abuse this freedom 

by destroying the gift of life 

which Thou hast given to their offspring. 

Please forgive those who destroy human life 

by aborting their unborn babies. 

Give these unborn children the opportunity 

to enjoy Thee for all eternity, 

if it according to Thy ordinance. 

Assist me in being one in solidarity with Thy little ones 

by taking to heart the words of Thy Son, 

"whatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine, 

you did for Me." (Mt. 25:40) 

Therefore, allow me today, Father, 

to adopt spiritually an unborn child 

and to offer my prayers, works, 

joys and sufferings for that little one, 

so that child will be able to be born and live 

for Thy greater honor and glory. 

We pray this in Jesus' name, 

in union with the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever.

Amen.

        Here is a song that I really love. The Afters are a Christian band who sing this song. This song, about how life is such a beautiful gift from God can be found in the movie October Baby:

Click here

The World is Connected

     I take a theology class with the other high-schooled kids from our homeschool group. (There are four high-schoolers including me, and I am the only girl.) Anyway, in this theology class, the book we use is actually a confirmation preparation program even though we all already got confirmed. But this program is by Matthew Kelly, if you’ve ever heard of him. He’s a good Catholic speaker/writer. Here is one of his videos about how the world is connected: https://player.vimeo.com/video/92516100

     Here is a good song for inspiration. Francesca Battistelli is a great Christian singer. Click here

About Me

     Hello again! So, about me: I am the third of seven children. I turned fifteen years old in February and I love babysitting, volleyball, skiing, swimming, and vaulting (gymnastics on a horse). I am homeschooled, as I have been ever since first grade. I am currently finishing up my freshman year. My favorite subject is the fiction writing class I’m taking. 

     I like listening to music, (#Spotify) and there are a lot of wonderful Christian songs that I love. Here's one of them:  This is one my favorite singers, Britt Nicole. This song is what she wrote during a very hard time in her life when her parents were divorced, and she converted to Christianity. Click here

Welcome

     My name is Abby Kalinowski and I am proud to say that I am a Catholic! This blog is about my life. I hope it's interesting! :) I have no idea where to start, so I'll start with a Bible verse that spoke to me one day.        

           "Put your neck under the yoke and let your souls receive instruction; it is to be found close by."--Sirach 51:26 

     If you're out there, and you're a Catholic too, you know how difficult it may be, to stay true to your faith. But let me tell you this, which you probably already know: God is always with you.

     I would like to share a beautiful song with you: Click here

                                                 May God bless every one of you!