Miracle Monday: Subtle Ways

I had a theology professor once in college who said something that has stuck with me and played a role in my life. I forget the exact context of the conversation, the topic of the class that day. The class itself was Christian Ethics...quite an interesting class, very thought provoking. But what he said was powerful. He said that when we pray for someone, God does not just reach into their lives and do a complete 180. He works more subtly. He may cause them to hear something or see something, or have a friend talk to them or even ask a simple questions that gets them thinking. It's these little subtleties that can become life changing.
I've always liked that idea, it goes along with God reaching out through the people around you. Why am I going on about this? Simple. I'm pretty sure I had one of those moments last Sunday. My good friend B texted, a very simple "mass tonight?". I hadn't been in about two weeks. I also didn't have any reason not to go. So I agreed, and I went. And it was wonderful. We had a great community when we were in college, but we really are separate from that community now. We're no longer students, so we're welcome, but not really involved. The church we went to was wonderful, and they have a great young adult community. I was excited, really excited to be back at mass, and it instantly felt right, it felt like home. And I've missed that. I've been a bit absent on the faith side of things recently. (note: after the bf and I dwindled on going to mass...we started having problems..not immediately, but soon after. Coincidence? I think not)
B and I went to the young adult dinner social after mass last weekend, and had a great time. We started with this new young adult women's book club last Monday. I'm so incredibly excited. And it's a GREAT book. I love this wonderful group of women already, and I can't wait for tonight's meeting.
It's a little, subtle miracle, but for me it's life changing. I'm feeling more alive than I have in a while. I think I've found what I've been looking for. And all it took was a simple text from a good friend asking "mass tonight?"

Inspired by Miracle Monday hosted by Beth over at A Mom's Life. (I'm excited to have something to participate with this week. I love reading her Miracle Mondays.)

Fly Me To The Moon

I met the parents. I also met the family friends who are like grandparents, and most of the non-university desert group. The verdict? Everyone likes me. :) I'm so excited, it was a great weekend. Got some quality "me" time on Friday and Saturday morning before we drove out to see his desert friends' baseball game. A couple of them coach a little league team. It was quite a fun game, lots of laughs, even though we lost by a run or two. The important part is that the kids had a great time, and that's what really matters. We spent a few hours just hanging out at his friend D's house, they showed me some video from their desert trips. Hopefully I'll go out with them next season. My cousin and I may join on some river trips, as it is now "river season". Sounds fun to me. :)
I got to drive the bf's truck a little on the way home. I drove it offroad too (shh, don't tell my mom) It was lots of fun. Drifting is a different experience when you're the one driving and the truck is ridiculously long. (F250 crew cab, extended bed) I even got to satisfy a ridiculous sushi craving too, which was amazing. Since we were near his house, we went by the place just around the corner and took it back to my apartment. It was SO delicious. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
The clouds lifted and the sun shone Sunday, which made for a great trip to the Farmer's Market. I got lots of delicious things to eat. Bananas, cucumbers, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, tangelos, mushrooms, kale and avocados. And I got spinach and strawberries at Henry's on the way home. I've been living mostly on fresh produce, it's absolutely delicious! (don't worry, I'm eating plenty of protein too) I was a little bit nervous while we were walking over to the car show to meet the parents, but I needn't have worried. They were wonderful! We had a lot of fun looking at classic cars, and his parents treated us to lunch at the diner afterwards. It was delicious. I tied a cherry stem from my Shirley Temple into a knot with my tongue. (but didn't tighten it enough so it came undone pretty fast)
After a delicious lunch we walked down to the book fair/art fair/flower show that was going on in the park down the street. The bf and I both got a few books. Total? $6. Not too bad considering we got 6 books. I can't wait to read mine, I just have to finish the library books I got last week on my walk with my friend B. I'm FINALLY reading the 7th Harry Potter book. I went so long without spoilers, until I edited my friend's thesis about a month ago. It was a great thesis, but now I know what happens in the end of the Deathly Hallows. But I didn't mind, because the paper was amazing. (just don't tell him he spoiled me, he'd feel terrible!)
The weekend wrapped up with 7pm mass. The bf came with me, and later suggested that we go together every weekend, which let me tell you, is a BIG deal. It's super exciting. :) Mass was interesting. There were some sirens outside, and partway through Father Mike's homily, Monsignor walked VERY quickly up the aisle and whispered to Father Mike, who then told us we would continue, but first he needed everyone to gently file out of the chapel and go up to the parking lot. Then the alarms started. We could see smoke and sparks over the roof of the building. Turns out some idiot freshman caught a couple palm trees on fire from the bridge between the two sides of the res halls in the two buildings. Luckily there was no structural damage, but it was quite an ordeal. After hanging around in the parking lot for a good 25 minutes, we continued mass in the main Church housed on our campus. Father Mike began with, "so, back to the question, why are we here?" Cue laughter. "To escape the fires of hell." We about died laughing. At the end of mass he said that no one could ever say he never gave a fire and brimstone sermon. Cue clapping and laughter. Quite the eventful mass, definitely came home with a story...and plans to go to Church with my bf every weekend. Too cool. Seriously.

The photo, as you might have guessed, is from the car show Sunday. I liked the way it looked like it might fly off at any moment. There were a lot of cool cars, and everyone was super friendly and chatty. It was a beautiful day, and his family really liked me, which means a lot to me. Oh, and we're 2 weeks official today. :)

Photo specs:
~taken April 20, 2008
~setting: full auto, flash did not fire