All Was Well

This post is in honor of the one year anniversary of the end of an era. Harry Potter will always be my first love. The series brought me into the world of imagination and amazing writing. I only pray that one day my children will have such an amazing thing as Harry Potter. It is the truest love story I’ve ever seen.

1. If you went to Hogwarts which house would you be sorted in?

On Pottermore I was sorted into Hufflepuff and I think it’s fitting, but I would love to be a Gryffindor. When reading and watching I always thought I would be a good Gryffindor.

2. Have you ever been to the HP midnight release?

I have never been because Harry Potter has always been a family thing and well my parents go to bed early.

3. What did you think of the Deathly Hallows?

I haven’t read the book yet, but it was amazing! Honestly, I think they’re my favorite movies.

4. How many times have you reread the books?

Once, I am in the middle of the first book and read part of Goblet of Fire when it was given to me for my birthday. Unfortunately I have since lost my copy.

5. Whose death was the saddest?

All of the deaths were hard on me, but four really stick out.

-When I saw Dumbledore die I was crushed. He wasn’t just a man filled with wisdom he symbolized growing old, but staying childlike.

-Lupin because I always felt connected to his character. He reminded me of a wonderful religion teacher I had that was always there to talk to.

-Dobby was the hardest on me because Dobby was everyone’s friend. I love Dobby because he just exudes happiness and purity.

-Snape because I was loyal to him from day one. When Harry first looked at him I knew there was something more. I still sympathize with him.

6. If you went to Hogwarts would you rather have an owl, a cat, or a rat?

Even though I own cats I love owls. They are the most intriguing creature.

7. What do you think of the movie Half-Blood Prince?

            I have a love hate relationship with the movie because it was brilliant, but Dumbledore :(

8. What do you think of the Deathly Hallows being split in two?

           It gave people time to appreciate the beauty of the series and properly grieve.

9. Have you read the Tales of Beedle the Bard?

I want to so badly; it’s on my Amazon wish list begging to be purchased.

10. When did you first become a Potter fan?

At an Easter egg hunt I picked up the golden egg, which won me a top prize. Among the prizes was a VHS tape of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This was the first time I had encountered Harry Potter and my love was instant.

Favorite…

11. Female character?

I’d have to go with Luna Lovegood. She is one heck of a character and with all her quirks she’s wiser than all of them.

12. Male character?

The twins because they are just too amazing. I love them so much.

13. Professor?

Professor McGonagall because Dame Maggie Smith did her the utmost justice and she is a completely developed character with lovely detail.

14. Death Eater?

Bellatrix Lestrange, of course, because she is insane and twistedly funny.

15. Magical creature?

House Elves, Pestrals, and whatever Buckbeak is are all my favorites.

16. Spell?

Lumos & Nox or the one for apparating because all three are great. 

17. Quote?

“You’re a wizard Harry!”

18. Place?

Hogsmeade or the Great Hall

19. Weasley?

Molly.

20. Couple?

Hagrid and Madame Maxime.

21. Which of the hallows would you want and why?

         I would want either the cloak of invisibility or the stone.

-Cloak: I could do so much with this cloak. I could travel for free and see every corner of the world. I could hide from bad guys, if you know me at all I am way to paranoid!

-Stone: I would bring my grandmother back so she could settle things and give her kids what for. And it would be nice if we could have one last slice of sugar cream pie after a game of 500 Rum.

Lent

When I was younger I hated Lent because I always had to give something up. So instead of giving up chocolate, which I love, I would give up hitting my sister or something silly like that. Now I realize how much I was missing.

Lent is a 40 day season in the Catholic church that remembers Jesus' fasting and temptation in the desert. The whole point of giving up something is to prayerfully sacrifice something just like Jesus did. 

So instead of looking at Lent as something I had to do I now look at it as something I should want to do. Just like my prayer life Lent should be for personal growth. And Lent doesn't have to mean giving something up, you are allowed to add something.

This year I tossed around a lot of ideas, but I kept coming back to adding some exercise. I decided to add yoga and bike riding to my life. It really tied in nicely because my research paper in English class is about the risks and benefits of yoga. It's always funny when things tie in.

But if you're still trying to figure out what to do for Lent here are some suggestions.

1. Facebook: This site can flood your life with some very unnecessary drama. By giving this up you'll quickly learn how much you depend on it and who your real friends are. OR You can make a resolution to post a quote, song lyric, photo, or some other sort of inspiration. You may never know how much someone needed to read that quote or hear that song.

2. Texting: This is a favorite among my friends because as a society our people skills are going down hill. Giving this up is a must try at anytime because we are all way to reliant on technology. OR As a family, give up texting at the table. My mom does this when the kids are over and I do this when my friends and I are out.

3. Food: It is so common to give up food, candy or soda, but what if you vowed to try new food. Since moving out I try two new fruits, vegetables, or cheeses per month. It is the greatest thing I have ever done. I learn so much about other cultures and develop a wonderful appreciation for the food I am blessed to have.

Remember, it's not about the quantity of the sacrifice it's the quality.

It's Not Forever

Recently my high school lost a graduate and a current senior in a car accident. The other driver was drunk and walked away without a scratch. When my friends and I heard about it we couldn't say a word. There was nothing to say. Two wonderful people were here and then they weren't. The response was astounding. Facebook was covered with well wishes and condolences. The crash site was adorned with flowers and gifts a few hours later. 

Grief is a funny thing. Plain and simple, it sucks, but it's necessary. If we don't allow ourselves to cry we can't move on. Through my grieving process I learned a few things.

     1. God really does have a plan.

          He decides who comes home and when. We do not have any control over God and we never will. To us it may seem unfair, but He needed them to come home.

     2. Justice will be served.

          The man who did this will get what he deserves, but that is all out of our hands. If the earthly court's decision is less than deserving, God will judge. I have no right to judge or condemn that man. He has to walk knowing what he did. Hopefully he can see the error of his ways and repent appropriately.

     3. There is still a reason to live.

          There will always be a part of you with them and vice versa. You cannot escape the hold they have on you. A piece of them is locked inside your heart. They become a part of you anfd your life. So you must live on.

Be happy for the time you spent together. Be hopeful for that moment when you'll meet again. Be alive because they want you to go on.

To all those angels, enjoy your time in peace and watch over us.