I'm Still Alive

Yes, I am still alive out here. I've had a few posts floating around in my head, but haven't gotten around to finishing them. Christmas craziness, general business, a lovely cold, and a bit of laziness thrown in. So I will try and get some out this week!

Yesterday was another wonderful day, again confirming how much I love being Catholic. I went to my old church for their children's Christmas program. It was a lot of fun to see a bunch of my kids and get all kinds of hugs! But there was just something missing. It isn't the same.

Then right afterwards I went to the Communal Reconciliation Service at my parish. It was such a different experience. There is this great sense of preparation and anticipation. We are getting ready for Christmas, for the coming of Jesus. We are cleaning house. And we are getting excited, it is almost here! I love stopping to really enjoy Advent, really enjoying this time of preparation and anticipation instead of jumping right into Christmas, it makes it all more meaningful!

A few valuable things I discovered last night. I think my second confession was more nerve wracking than my first. Maybe because the first time I spent forever playing phone tag with Monsignor and then he said come in a hour, so there wasn't much time to be nervous. Or maybe because the first time you are supposed to be nervous and not supposed to know what to do, but this time I'm supposed to have more of a clue. Also, I learned that when you go to service like this, it is better to go get in line quickly! Otherwise, you have to stand in line and think and get more nervous!

In all, it was a good experience. I'm not even sure who I confessed to, it was a priest from somewhere else. I told him that this was only my second time, so he asked if I was a convert. He told me it was good that I was coming to confession and that coming about once a month was a good thing. And of course there is nothing like hearing those words of absolution and knowing I'm clean!

I LOVE being Catholic!