The saint that I chose for my confirmation saint is Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. I chose her because of her story. The story of her conversion to Christianity and her extraordinary holiness was an inspiration to me when I was searching for saints. She was the first Native American Saint in the United States of America and Canada. When she was four, she contracted smallpox which left her face disfigured, impairing her eyesight, and depriving her of her parents.
So, since then I’ve never been very religious. This experience has life changing, even regarding my personal beliefs in everyday life. Did it take my family and totally destroy me at the time? Yes, but I feel as though it made me look at life in a different, better way.
Guillaume Machaut’s Notre Dame Mass is important to music history because it is the first known setting of an entire mass to polyphony music. In “Agnus Dei,” the two lower voices sing a theme based upon a rhythmically altered Gregorian chant, known as cantus firmus. Its ternary form and polyphonic texture is common in sacred music and is also seen in the “Kyrie” in Palestrina’s Pope Marcellus Mass. The harmonies of the “Agnus Dei” include stark dissonances, hollow-sounding chords, and full triads.
After this, I began going to church more often, around once every month. However, my faith journey took a big turn once high school came around. I decided to go to Bellarmine. This opened up a completely new door to me, teaching me the ways of God and the goodness of people.
Upon beginning this assignment, my main issue was finding a historical site worth writing about. I did not want to be stuck with something typical or predictable. I wanted to try and find a site that was of significance to American Politics and to the community that it resided in. I have always held a strong interest in civil rights and the difficulties of the minorities to gain equality in America. I also knew from previous studies that the churches often held a great amount of influence in the progress of the African American people when fighting for that equality.
My family is good friends with a man in India, Nashod, who, though his experiences were very different, was also chased by Jesus and hounded by Him throughout his entire life. This man experienced miracles, visions, and strange coincidences multiple times, and they eventually led him to my father, who could explain the Christian faith to him. Uncle Nashod’s story, as well as other miracles my family has experienced, has strengthened my faith whenever I experience a moment of doubt. Not only do they prove to me that the Lord is living and active, they also are a reminder that, though he is all powerful and greater than we can imagine, He is also has love for us that is greater than we can dream.
My whole life changed the time I was surprised with a kitten. Ever since that day I knew that I had responsibility of nurturing a living creature that would change my life drastically. It all began one glooming misty morning sometime in the mid of May. I was getting ready to head off to school at around seven to eight am. I was all dressed and ready to head out when I had gone to put on my suede taupe buckle boots; which i had just gotten, to reveal that the left foot pair was missing.
As well as how I cannot take things for granted because others are less fortunate and they do not even have the opportunities and amenities I am able to have. This gave me a new understanding of how others have to survive from day to day. From my first mission trip experience, I have gained a new understanding of how far your actions can go and how important it is to show care and compassion to others whether you know them or they are complete strangers. Danny Thomas once said, "Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.
After we were done for the night, I couldn't wait to tell Lisa what had happened. I didn't know it was called being saved, I just knew that something amazing had happened. We spent the rest of my time at college house that night praying, thanking him for his glory, and for finding me when I needed him most. The rest of my night, I spent calling my family and friends and telling them the amazing news. From that moment on I have been fully devoted to my faith.
I met my best friend some time two springs ago, late April early June, and they turned my life around. I never even recognized it at first and I never could truly understand what I’ve done for him, but we have our only little rag tag family now sort of, Friends that help each other and support each other like siblings. To this day the realization of my own salvation is a shock, looking back and realizing the change and everything that’s happened and that I can truly admit and accept that I’ve been saved.
I never knew how many people in my life has been through what I have been through. It makes me happy to help others, not only am I helping others but I’m helping myself become stronger as a person and stronger in my faith. Every time I tell my story to others I try to tell people about how at first, I wanted to fall away from God but then realized that God is who held my hand through it
C.S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christ, like I believe in the sun- not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.” I have used this quote as a guide for myself throughout my journey to finding the Lord. Putting my faith into someone “intangible” and having faith in Christ has not been an easy task for me, given I was not raised in an extremely religious household. However, I was about fourteen when I discovered God’s word, felt my heart swell with happiness, and fell in love with Christ. That day changed my life entirely, and completely changed my outlook of the world.
A greatest game designer that I must mention. “Miyamoto often talks about his childhood as providing a firm starting point for his design processes”( Dewinter). Shigeru Miyamoto is known as the “Father of Super Mario”. He advocates "happy games", so not all works attract graphics, but more are game mechanics. Mario 's fun music and well-designed scenes make the entire game feel like a private playground.
Self-Assessment Reflection Recognizing that I am a flawed person with limitations, biases, and anger is difficult to accept. Understanding that these flaws, left unexplored, will affect my ability to be an effective counselor is both stifling and freeing. I am not perfect, but I have the power to change my belief system in order to be more accepting of others.
When I made my first communion, I wore a white dress with all the other little girls in my class, and had a big party with my family afterwards where I was given gifts of well-wishes and love from my family. However, like with many young adults, when I grew older I began to question my faith. My religion classes became more complicated than “Jesus loves you” and “treat others as you would want to be treated”. Religion became more and more political, and as I grew older, I began to question what I had been taught.
