Camp Log pt. 2

Now that I'm wide awake (in reference to being really tired when typing last night), I will continue with what I was trying to talk about.

God checks my homework. He reminds me of my parents by always looking out for me. Makes me feel like a child, not just any child, but a child of God. When I would be really stumped, not knowing the answer to a problem, racking my brain would prove fruitless, I would ask my parents for help; and they would help me understand the problem. Then there's Steubenville West 2007 where I've got all sorts of problems and racking my brain and thinking really hard proves fruitless, I ask God for help and I ask Him to send the Holy Spirit into my life to guide me. Guess what, God did. I opened myself to Him, acknowledged that I did not know everything, and He helped me in more ways than I could possibly imagine.

This weekend, God acknowledged me in the form of a good friend who's growing into a great friend. God spoke through this person with words of affirmation. He said that he noticed the little things I did, being proactive and helping others and doing things without being asked. God knew that its been awhile since I've been thanked or acknowledged for doing good, and He wanted me to know that He's still watching. I really want to thank this person for his words because they really meant a lot to me, I never knew anyone noticed. It also felt good to know that people enjoy listening to me and what I have to say, and that I somehow tell my words in an unique way, I never knew.

I expected the weekend to be different, more faith centered, but it seemed more like a time to be childlike, have fun in the forest, and get to know each other a lot more. In some ways it was like spending a weekend with God and not asking Him all these theological, philosophical questions, but more like spending the weekend with Him and just chilling, sharing our lives with each other, and growing in our friendship. It's just like we're taught, we don't go to heaven as a ME, but as a WE.

My first Interfaith mass at UCI was amazing. I got to read the petitions and enjoy praising God through song. Fr. John Francis, in my first time meeting him, really wowed me with his words and his homily. It really felt good to listen to a priest who really knew his stuff and involved the congregation. There was maybe 50 of us there and he would call out people by name during his homily (which I thought was amazing and very effective use of his words). He talked about the symbolism of the cross and Jesus' sacrifice on it. He told us that it was considered by people of that time the most humiliating thing that could happen to you would be to die on a cross. The readings were really good too, even though Jesus was God in man's form, He did not consider Himself an equal to God. That really made me realize that no one is equal to God, not me, not the priests, not even Jesus, but that God is all-powerful without equal. Mass done right is a mass that I can really enjoy and really put my entire focus on and that's how I felt this Sunday. I can't wait to go back to GL and share with them. =)

On a lesser note, the test I studied for yesterday was today. I went to bed early, but woke up late and there was no parking at Cal State Fullerton (I'm beginning to hate that campus) so I ended up 15 minutes late to class and having less than half the time to finish the test. Last night I felt really ready to do well on this test. After being rushed and taking the test, I know I did really bad. I've got to work hard to improve my grade in World Religions to attain the straight A's I'm going for this semester.

I'm livin' the life of a king 3=P