Mashramani 2012

Hello Everyone,

Have you ever felt like you had one of those weeks that just went by in a flash? Yeah, that was this week for me. I can't believe that is already saturday evening!

Last Sunday Audrey Sarah and I decided to go and hang out on the sea wall. The three of us hadn't been out together in a while. It was one of those epic nights where you spend the entire time laughing and talking about stupid or funny things that you've done. It really reminded me that in life it's really important to laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine.

It was one of my friends birthday's this week so I ended up baking a cake on monday night. I find that every time one of my friends ends up having a birthday I end up making cake. I guess that at least I am working on my cake baking skills. :)

Tuesday at school I had a very laid back day because thursday this week was going to be a holiday. I don't like to get one set of students to far ahead of the others so I try to do something that is educational but still fun. I asked the students if there were things they wanted to learn about the internet and we ended up having a really good discussion/demonstration hour. It's really important to keep professional distance from your students but I reminded myself that it's just as important to show my students how I really do care for them. People are more willing to learn from you if they know you actually have interest in them. I think this is why some missionaries completely fail. If you are just trying to convert or persuade someone about a religious belief because you think it is right you are not doing it right. When you are trying to really convince someone of something they need to know that you are doing this because you believe it is best for them. If someone doesn't understand that you really care for them then you'll never get anywhere past the surface. I mean that's why you blow off people in the street who are trying to tell you about Jesus... would you blow off some guy who was pushing you out of the way of a car about to hit you? No - because that would save your life. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else - but it is my food for thought.

This Thursday was Masharmani which is the celebration of Republic day here in Guyana (42nd).  I was very excited to have the day off and enjoy some time in the sun. I went out to see the parade around 12:30 with Audrey and Meg and we walked around on the road until about 5 pm when we walked back home.  Least to say it was a good break from the week. It's kind of like the fourth of july parade plus a huge tailgating party all around it. Still doesn't fit - but it's pretty fun. One of our friends has a website where he puts up pictures he has taken during different events - here is the link to the page which has the mashramani pictures. Mash Pictures  If you click on the second page you can see Audrey Meg and I. I am warning you now that some of the costumes are a little Mardi Gras ish so don't be shocked by any pictures! If only you could actually see all the crazy dancing that goes on! :)

Other than just partying this week ;) we also began Lent. On Wednesday we once again began our annual journey of fasting, praying and alms giving into lent. To be perfectly honest I sometimes don't like lent. I guess the reason for that is because I always begin lent with good intentions and always feel like at the end of lent I've succeeded but don't feel any different. I feel fulfilled when I spend the extra time in prayer and giving alms but still don't understand the fasting. Then on Ash Wednesday I heard a homily that changed my perspective about lent. He talked about how when we are physically hungry from fasting we can associate that with the hunger that our soul has for God. I had never thought about it that way and it really hit me deep. My soul yearns for God and sometimes I just don't understand that. Having a physical yearning for something can help me to remember that I yearn for God if I turn my fasting into a prayer. 

Lent isn't just for Catholics and we can all take this time to really try and focus ourselves on the Lord before he comes at Easter. I got this in an e-mail about living your best lent ever so I thought I would repost it all for you.

Remember even if you just find one small thing to focus on this lent that brings you closer to God you are still one step closer. Every marathon begins with a single step and we can't forget that. Be faithful and take things one day at a time. And as my grandma reminded me in her e-mail to me this week we are never alone - Keep close to those who love you because they will encourage you in doubt.

Love always,

Ashley Ann



REPOSTING: YOUR BEST LENT EVER
Our only purpose today is to help you begin your Lent well, so you can have Your Best Lent Ever. We saved a really, really, really good insight for last.

1. NOW FOR THE...CONCEIT
Let us begin with...a conceit. Huh? A what? What is a "conceit"? As some of us may recall from English class in the olden days, a conceit, according the fourth definition of the third meaning of the noun in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, is (drumroll):

"an organizing principle"

A Lent well-lived needs an organizing principle. May we suggest that your conceit for Lent this year--your organizing principle--be to:

Go. For. It.

GOING FOR IT
Go For It! We only have so many years on this earth, and to waste a Lent is just plain subpar for a believing Catholic. Challenge yourself this Lent. Choose extra-difficult mortifications. Give up your very favorite things. Fast more often than ever before in your life. Commit to prayer or Mass or Good Friday devotions like never before in your life. Do not fall for the sadly common temptation to slide into this worldwide season of extraordinary grace like a wet towel into a hamper. By the way, you know the pope is going to kick petard this Lent. This is the only time of year when it is, in fact, a good idea to be more Catholic than the pope. Pope Benedict XVI practically invented the Conceit. He was going for it over eighty years ago.

So plan today, right now, to look back on Easter Sunday with the wonderful sensation of knowing that you did your very, very best to grow closer to Jesus.

CRACKERJACK, SURPRISE-INSIDE SUGGESTIONS
Some of you are psyched. Some of you are groaning. Others are nodding (hopefully in agreement, not off into sleep). Many stopped reading after the word "conceit." Now, for some suggestions. Please forgive us for listing some of the "usual suspect" suggestions. Our goal below is to make you tremble in fear: "Oh no, not that! I can't give up that!"

Yeah, we (and you) are looking for the Perfect Oh No Not That to give up because this year, our conceit is Go For It. And remember, there is no prohibition from doubling up, or choosing three, five, or seven things this Lent (Your Best Lent Ever!). We know that many of you have been intending to get off your duffs and do several of the following for years (and even decades--you know who you are).

We can only offer this bold encouragement because we are weak, slothful, wimpy, selfish, lazy, prideful, ashamed, and cowardly, like everybody else. Here are some suggestions to get into the spirit of Go For It:

1. Pray the Rosary every day.
2. Receive Communion at Mass every day.
3. Go to Confession every Friday.
4. Pray the Family Rosary every day or once a week.
5. Pray in silence 20 minutes a day.
6. Make a Eucharistic visit every day.
7. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet (at 3:00 PM) every day.
8. Fast on bread and water one to three times per week.
9. Read a spiritual book.
10. Give a painfully large donation to charity.
11. Give a donation to charity instead of buying something for you.
12. Pray "Jesus, I love you!" in the first waking seconds of the day.
13. Listen to Catholic CDs.
14. Do something major to improve your marriage.
15. Volunteer anywhere: at your kid's school, homeless shelter
16. Visit a home for the elderly
16. Give up something you absolutely love, crave, or spend time on, or that annoys the people you love, including:

-television or your favorite television show
-television before a certain hour
-television after a certain hour
-coffee
-diet soda
-donuts
-hamburgers
-chocolate, and anything with chocolate flavor
-all snacks or desserts
-movies, Netflix, movie rentals
-the Internet
-texting
-Facebook
-following your favorite sports team
-video games
-celebrity magazines
-golf (an objectively grave moral evil) (only kidding)
-booze
-watching golf on TV
-a destructive, irresistable "friendship"
-foul language
-picking your nose
-sports radio
-satellite radio
-music radio
-talk radio
-restaurants
-driving when you could walk
-sleeping in late on the weekends
-sleeping an "extra" ten minutes in the morning
-fast food drivethroughs
-not cooking breakfast for your kids
-shopping for clothes or food
-text messaging
-not stopping by your neighbors to say hello for weeks
-failing to visit or call your "not close by" relatives
-soap operas
-the beach (for those of you lucky enough to have one nearby)
-fishing, hunting, four-wheeling, skateboarding
-some of your "alone" time doing any hobby
-your absolute favorite, passionate hobby (aha, you just fainted!)
-nagging your husband (you know who you are)
-nagging your wife (she knows who you are)
-interrupting others
-not smiling when you arrive at the office
-knitting, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku
-knitting? (you addicts understand)
-cigarettes, cigars, gum, and phony "candy" breathmints
-cellphone calls in your car on the drive home
-bluetooth headset (harder than you think)
-fantasy football, basketball, or baseball
-eat your vegetables (even you adults)
-betting on March Madness
-gossiping at work--say something nice instead
-stealing "little stuff" from your employer, including time online
-relations with your spouse (on certain days or weeks)
-thinking about yourself when you wake up or go to sleep (pray instead)
-thinking about yourself when you drive (pray instead)
-buying anything you don't need