DJ

Destination Jesus (DJ) #12 was great this weekend. Despite the blizzard last week and more snow on Friday and Saturday, all 744 teenagers showed up (plus tons of adults!) All the seminarians from the Diocese of Lafayette were there, including the deacons who will become priests in June (except the one who is studying in Rome!) Deacon Dan, who is baptizing Baby Pack on Easter, did the vocations talk on Sunday morning and did a fantastic job.
I got to help mom in the sacristy, but didn't wear myself out too much. I also got to see lots of people I haven't seen for a while.

The kids were exceptionally well behaved and reverent this year, especially during the Eucharistic procession. The Eucharist is exposed in the monstrance in the middle of the gym all weekend, and on Saturday night, they tell the story of the woman in the bible who touched Jesus' robes and was healed. Then, Fr. Richard carries the monstrance around to every single person in the room and we all get to touch the robes. We were in the very last row, and Baby was relatively quiet during the whole procession (I think the music was putting her to sleep!) But when Jesus got close, she started jumping around like crazy - just like John the baptist - she was happy to be close to Jesus!

The best part of the weekend for me was mass on Sunday with the bishop. ALL the seminarians and Knights of Our Lady (very reverent and trained altar boys), were up there, the music was so beautiful, and the bishop gave a great homily. They played my very favorite song, Blessed be Your Name.

Here are the lyrics:

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed be your name

Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in Lord Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name when the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s “all as it should be” Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering Blessed be Your name

You give and take away You give and take away
My heart will choose to say Lord, blessed be Your name


Last year at the DJ mass on Sunday, I had been diagnosed with endometriosis, had my first surgery, and had just had my second shot of Lupron a few days before. We had been trying to get pregnant for over a year, and still didn't know if it would happen. When they sang this song during that mass, I really prayed the lyrics. I decided that I would praise God whatever happened in my life, even "on the road marked with suffering." After that I felt a great sense of peace.

Then, in June, on our 4th anniversary, I took my very first positive pregnancy test. I knew I wanted to tell Ken that night and I was so thankful that I got to give him this gift on our anniversary! I had Ava and I was driving to Babies R Us to get him the bib that said "Daddy is my Hero." It was still just so surreal, and I was the only one who knew. When I turned on the radio, Blessed be Your Name came on! It was amazing.

So, they played that song on Sunday, exactly a year later, and I just cried all the way through it. I'm so thankful to God for this blessing.