Reflection

During Lent we look into our hearts and see how we can improve to become more holy. My picture for today is of both my kids. They are a reflection of me and how I conduct my life both the good and the bad. This Lent I have been praying more about how to better raise them and be the example God wants me to be and be more of a REFLECTION of HIM.

God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer. ~Mother Teresa 

Eucharist

Receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is such a wonderful gift, that as Catholic Christians I think we take for granted. We don't always grasp the AW and WONDER in the SACRAMENT.
The Holy Eucharist is a SACRAMENT and a SACRIFICE. In the Holy Eucharist, under the appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received. The whole Christ is REALLY, TRULY, and SUBSTANTIALLY present in the Holy Eucharist. We use the words "really, truly, and substantially" to describe Christ's presence in the Holy Eucharist in order to distinguish Our Lord's teaching from that of mere men who falsely teach that the Holy Eucharist is only a sign or figure of Christ, or that He is present only by His power. Christ gives us His own body and blood in the Holy Eucharist: first, to be offered as a sacrifice commemorating and renewing for all time the sacrifice of the cross; second, to be received by the faithful in Holy Communion; third, to remain ever on our altars as the proof of His love for us, and to be worshiped by us.

Faith

Ahhh teenagers. I try to talk to my teens about the Catholic church and encourage them on their journey; but sometimes it's so hard to not say WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND???? One knows there is a GOD but with all the different religions out there they doesn't want to take a stand on any of them. Instead it's  WELL I DON'T KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE, and the other one says they JUST DON'T BELIEVE in anything. It breaks my heart and I will continue to pray for their conversion and to bring them to Mass with me.

Today my son and I had a chance to have a long talk about faith and what he knows to be TRUE. He asked questions,  I asked questions and the answers were very close. I think he's a afraid to take that LEAP OF FAITH especially when others around him could care less.  I do in my heart believe both kids will allow God to embrace them and will walk in the Faith. It's always seems so much easier to go about life with out any "rules". Continued prayer is always welcomed.

     

Test

Right now in my life I know I'm being TESTED on so many different things but they seem to be associated with one big life changing event. Divorce. There are times where I should bite my tongue and times where I just want to give up. I am so thankful for my parish, and knowing my voice in this is being heard and that I still am a Catholic and in good standing with the Church. I know the kids and I will come out of this, sure with many tears and a few scars but with the Lord holding us we are traveling on the right path.

I'm not saying divorce is the way to go when things get hard I still don't want this but I have no say in the matter. Thankfully I'm equipped with family, prayer and the Church.

Virtue

Today's photo challenge is VIRTUE. This was a hard one to come up with as far as getting something that portrays VIRTUE on film; and then it hit me. My teenage daughter wears a tank top EVERYDAY. What a tank top? How is that have anything to do with VIRTUE? Well let me tell you. She wears one under her regular tops everyday. She makes sure everything that needs to be covered is covered. She has a ton of them. It's kind of fun to shop for them too, we found a store that has them for $1 once a month so we search for any colors or patterns that she doesn't have yet. She makes sure they are the right color to match the top she would wear with it. Best of all she is the one who thought to do this. It is so much apart of her style that any regular top we do buy we make sure she has a coordinating tank to go on under it.

Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. 40 days to examine my life. To Pray. To Fast. To Give Alms. Yeah I know I should be doing all those things anyway, and I do but this is the time to check myself. Not for a day or even a week but for 40 days, to change me for the better. To do more in LOVE with GOD and to THANK HIM in ALL that I SAY and DO.
As a way for me to document my journey this Lent I joined a 40 day photo challenge. I know that doesn't seem very life changing but it's just a part of what I'll be doing this Lent. Today's word is DUST. I grabbed my camera and started taking pictures but nothing conveyed what I wanted until I went to the front door and turned around and saw what people see when they first step into my home. An old vanity passed down to me from my Mom who got from one of her sisters.

The hole and the dust kind of symbolize my life. I know with the Lords guidance and my working hard all will be healed. So I thought I was done with my DUST photo challenge, but GOD had other plans. As I was walking into the office I saw my Bible by the computer, with guess what on it. Yep DUST. I immediately started dusting my Bible, and then it HIT me to take a picture. There is a reason for the hole and dust in my life, and the way to fix it is to open the Bible and pray.
                                                  

8 days

It's amazing what just 8 days did to me and my family. I had so many plans and ideas for this blog and then 8 days after my last post my world turned on it's head. Well really it kicked me down and set me on my ass. I don't want to get into the details just yet, but for those who thought I'd just take it and run away, think again. All that has happened has made me stronger and more determined. And best of all my kids know I will always be in their corner and will be working on making 2014 a GREAT year and the rest of our lives for that matter.
I do still have a few ideas for this blog. 1) the name will stay the same. I am Alisha Buggins to those who know me and well my story is the Juice that keeps me going. So Bugg Juice is here to stay.  2) As I've been picking up my life I've realized I have been hording recipe cards but was still making the same old thing so I've decided to try at least 3 new dinners a week.
I hope you join me in this new chapter of my life until then I want to wish you a very blessed new year.