Leaping for the Liebster Award!

April 11, 2013 by Lara Patangan 34 Comments

I admit I am not used to winning awards.  Sometimes if I am having a really bad parenting day I will give myself the Worst Parent in the World award.  Other than that, the last time I can remember getting an award was in high school when I got Most Improved in PE II.  Really, I did. It felt like a back-handed compliment to go with that back-hand serve I knew nothing about — a dubious honor memorialized with a certificate.

My boys already have a room full of trophies.  My husband has an attic-full.  But alas, I have an award, and it’s cute and pink and has a heart in the middle.  So I am ever grateful for 1catholicsalmon for the nomination.  Living the Gospel message, the way of Love is a moving tribute to Pope Francis on this site, so check it out.  The reading and pictures used tie in beautifully.

It’s nice to be recognized by a fellow Catholic blogger and really I am grateful to everyone who takes the time to read this blog.  For six months now, each of your comments and likes have been a reward in itself.  They may not be cute and pink like this one, but they definitely make my heart full.

The requirements for accepting this award are:

1) Post the Liebster award graphic on your site: 
2) Thank the blogger who nominated the blog for a Liebster Award and link back to their blog.
3) The blogger then writes 11 facts about themselves so people who discover their blog through the Liebster post will learn more about them.
4) In addition to posting 11 fun facts about themselves, nominated bloggers should also answer the 11 questions from the post of the person who nominated them.
5) The nominated blogger will in turn, nominate 9 other blogs with 200 or less followers (We’re guessing for our nominees) for a Liebster award by posting a comment on their blog and linking back to the Liebster post.
6) The nominated blogger will create 11 questions for their nominated blogs to answer in their Liebster post.

11 Facts about myself:

1. I love animals and animal prints.
2. I practice yoga so I can be agile like a cat.  (Not really, I just said that to freak you out.  I do it because it makes me feel good.)
3. My nieces call me Aunt Fab–as in Fabulous.  My secret fear is that they will accidently call me Aunt Flab. How traumatic would that be?
4. I am addicted to Words With Friends.  Past addictions include but are not limited to: backgammon, Scrabble, Uno and Doritos.
5. I hate flying and don’t do roller coasters – but I will happily hold someone else’s stuff while they get tossed upside down and sideways.
6. When I pray, I always begin with Dear Jesus…
7. I love being outside and working in the yard.
8. I have been blessed with the most amazing friends.
9. It makes me sad when I think about people who don’t believe in God.
10.  I like to go to estate sales and like old things and old people; but don’t like that I am getting old.
11. I think being kind is simple and often can’t understand how the world got so complicated.

Here are the questions I was asked to answer:

• What inspired you to start blogging? 

I was turning 40 and had recently learned about our call to do spiritual and corporal works of mercy so I decided I would do them and spend the year writing about my experiences.  I think the fact that I am so ordinary, that I struggle with sin and human weakness, but also love God and want to do good with my life makes it relatable.

• Religious leader you admire?

Of course I am going to say Mother Theresa, although it seems sort of cliché.   But really how can you not love her?  The simplicity of her life had profound meaning and left an indelible impact on humanity.  She really and truly imitated the life of Jesus and she remains a phenom for doing so with the plainness of a pauper and the servitude of saint.

• Do you think having pets changes you?

I have always had pets so I don’t know that it has changed me as much as it is simply a part of me.  To me they are a comfort and joy; the perfect accessory to both my home and heart.

• Is family important and why?

I think of both the family I was born into and the one my husband and I created.  One shaped me and the other one I shape. One taught me what it was like to be loved unconditionally, and now I share that with my children.  Family is a legacy of unconditional love which passes from one generation to the next and at its source is one Father who epitomizes love.

• Do you pray regularly?

Yes, every night.

• Why is your Christian witness important?

I never even read a blog before I started this one, and doing this has been an utterly humbling experience in terms of both highs and lows.  But ultimately, I only want to do things that matter with my life.  God matters.  People matter.  In the end, this blog may not matter. But the fact that I can stand witness to the goodness of God and the hope of mankind — even if it’s only for a year of my life, is an honor that will always matter to me.

• Do you think Jesus’ message is radical?

Heaven’s no!  It’s so simple and so significant.  Jesus wants you to love God above everything and love your neighbor as yourself.  That’s it – one sentence.  It isn’t always easy to do.  So we struggle with it and that’s okay.  But it’s a message of goodness and love that is well worth the effort.

• What’s the favorite habit of your parish priest?

I don’t know him well enough to know any of his particular habits.  I hate to skip the last question but…Mercy me! I’ve got work to do!

Blogs I nominate for the Liebster award:

1. http://mylordmyfriend.wordpress.com/

2. http://contemplativehomeschool.wordpress.com/

3. http://themotherofnine9.wordpress.com/

4. http://playfulmeanderings.wordpress.com/

5. http://mereinkling.wordpress.com/

6. http://memoriesofsalvation.wordpress.com

7. http://dailymomprayers.wordpress.com/

8. http://jacquelynchen.wordpress.com/

9. http://thepledgeofkindness.com/

10. http://godschick.wordpress.com/

Questions for the award winners to answer if they wish to:

1. How do you think the world would be different if everyone practiced corporal and spiritual works of mercy- ie. feed the hungry, comfort the sick, forgive offenses etc. ?

2. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?

3. What is your favorite biblical scripture?

4. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

5.  What are the top three attributes that you think a Christian should have?

6.  Why do you blog?

7. How do you stand as a witness for God?

8. What is the nicest things that someone has done for you?

9. What was your favorite television show growing up and what is it now?

10. If you could be king/queen for the day what is one thing you would require everyone to do?

11. What do you love most about God?