Total Consecration

Yesterday was quite possibly one of the best days of my life. Not only was it utterly hilarious and enjoyable, but it marked the beginning of 34 days of holiness, devotion and sacrifice. I'm incredibly excited.

Over the next month, together with the wonderful Christine and Katrina, I will be embarking on a journey which I have no doubt will bring me closer to God. The three of us yesterday began our Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary in the way of St. Louis de Montfort, which will consist of 33 days of intense prayer and preparation and, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, end with a total devotion of self to Jesus through Mary. 

This beautiful way of consecration is something that I am incredibly excited about. Unnaturally so, and I think my intense and ecstatic anticipation of the 12th of December may be God's way of telling me that he intends for me to grow immensely in holiness and faith, learn many things about Him and become much more aware and adoring of His Will. I really cannot stop smiling. It's wonderful. 

Things that were amazing about yesterday (I've divided this into two categories. The former, things that were amazing and holy and beautiful about yesterday, is serious and contemplative. The latter, things that were delightful, hilarious, or just exciting, is maybe not so serious or contemplative.)

Things that were amazing and holy and beautiful about yesterday

• Having arrived at the church half an hour earlier than expected (see note about bus), I was able to visit Jesus in adoration, followed by a liturgy of the word and holy communion, and then five decades of the Rosary. Unexpected and beautiful surprise.
• Christine and Katrina and I went down to the newly reopened beach (pretty much oil-free) to begin our consecration, and were able to start this time of prayer on the sand, in the semi-sun, with a view of the water and our hearts set on God. It was so beautiful.
• Messages in the sand: Christine & Kate & Katrina 4 Jesus 4 EVA, an icthus, love heart, crosses and many others. Plus a game of tic tac toe.
• The fragrant path of imagination, as beautifully drawn by Kelly and inspired by St Frances de Sales, St Teresa of Avila and St Ignatius of Loyola.
• An amazing meditation about heaven.
• Reading the truly wonderful Philothea by St Frances de Sales

Things that were delightful, hilarious, intriguing or just plain exciting about yesterday

• Catching the bus BY MYSELF for the first time and not being too scared of the cigarette-smoking, dreadlockey people.
• The bus arriving at my stop fifteen minutes late but arriving at the church half an hour early. I think I may have misread the bus schedule
• My hand falling asleep as I prayed the Rosary
• Christine, Katrina and I not being able to make it through a single song of Marian devotion, due to our inability to remember the words and/or the tune beyond the first verse of any of them
• The notion that maybe we're not actually moving forwards, but walking on the spot while the world rotates backwards. Easy to trick your brain into believing and quite dizzying.
• Maria's fairy names for all of us. Maria= Rosetta Katrina= Dandelion, Christine= Fawn, Kate= Buttercup, Bernadette= Bluebell, Kelly= Peachblossom.
• Maria wearing my boots.
• Going under the underpass where there weren't any cigarette-smoking, dreadlockey people. Thank goodness.
• Steve Jobs. :-)
• Eating an entire giant pixie-stick between the three of us.
• Finishing the pixie stick by pointing out Bubbles' window because it didn't fit inside
• Glen's discovery that napkins go on your laps so maybe that's why they're called napkins. Wait a minute.......
• Churning our own butter for Kelly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Drinking iced tea whilst wearing wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses under the cherry blossom tree and quoting Catherine Tate's posh people
• Climbing a tree- or maybe staying in place while the world moved downwards.......
• Girls Group where only two people showed up.
• Presenting Kelly her butter. Most exciting thing of the day.
• St Frances de Sales strangely frequent references to honey bees

 Thing that wasn't quite so amazing, holy, beautiful, delightful, hilarious, intriguing or exciting.

Getting Sunburnt.

Thank you God for yesterday. Thank you God for today. Thank you God for life.