Dates

I am horrible at remembering dates - birthdays, important dates, etc.  I just don't operate that way.  I especially don't remember years.  If  I am lucky enough to remember a birthday I certainly don't remember the year.  I know the year Jack and Julia were born and the year we were married (but only because I drilled it into my head so I wouldn't forget).  I remember things by events or what was happening at the time.  So I found it interested when I came across an article noting the ten year anniversary of the Columbine shooting.  We were living in Littleton at the time and it rocked the community to the core.  I had my young son who I though we were raising in an extremely safe area.  This was also the year I decided to become a catholic.  I had decided long before the shooting and the church we were attending had several members who were directly affected by the event.  So then it came to me that I will have been officially Catholic for 10 years this Easter.  It took an entire year of classes.  God walked me through every single step of the way - like I was a 2 year old and he was spoon feeding me.  I heard him louder then.  I heard him in songs on the radio - while driving and asking him question the lyrics presented the answer.  I saw him in the face of young Jack.  I even saw him through circumstances within the Columbine shooting.  My decision to become Catholic was completely my own.  John was raised Catholic but he never once pressured me to become a Catholic - nor did his family.  I may never remember the year it happened but I certainly wont forget the surreal and amazing night that it became official at the Easter vigil.  We were lighting candles outside of the church and as we were talking about the Holy Spirit a great wind came and blew them out and then the electricity went out in the building.  Our entire ceremony (it was 3 hours long) was performed by candlelight and the church was extremely quiet so we could all hear the priest without a microphone.  Towards the end of the service he spoke of the "light of the world" and all of the lights in the church came on.  Freaky, I know, but it was just a confirmation to me that he was there.   I don't believe Catholicism is for everyone but it is for me.  God chose it for me and I listened.  I am happy I did.