Who am I called to be?

This question has been on my mind the past few days, and tonight at mass this was discussed in the homily.

SO-who am I called to be?

I am called to be myself.  I am called to be a Godly person. I am called to be the best Christian that I can be. I am called to be the best trumpet player that I can be. I am called to be the best sister, the best daughter, the best granddaughter, and the best cousin that I can be. I am called to be the best friend that I can be.

I am not called to be the best trumpet player in the world...I am called to be the best trumpet player that I can be. Even on the days when I feel like I'm the worst trumpet player ever, I remind myself that there will always be someone worse than me and someone way better than me somewhere in the world. The only thing that matters is that each time I pick up the trumpet, I am working to be the best musician that I can be.

I am not called to be the next saint...I am called to be the best Christian that I can be..to share the love of God with others...to help those in need...to give back to the community...to live out God's plan for me. While there are many days that I question why I am in a certain situation, I have to remind myself that it is part of God's plan, whether I like it or not. If it is a part of His plan for me, He will help me through the rough waters.  I am here on Earth because He has a plan for me.

I want to remind each and every one of you to strive to be be the best that you can be. Live your life for Him, and He will help you reach your dreams.

A Blue Uniform

While some may not like police officers, I do. I respect those who wear blue. I respect those who wear blue because they are the ones who protect us.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Conference with my dad, who at that time was a Deputy Chief for our city police department. At the banquet, the organization honored the families of those (in IL) who had lost their lives that year. While the families were being honored, it really hit home that everyday when my dad went to work, he put his life on the line.

Police officers protect out community 24/7. We may not like police officers becuse they give speeding tickets and other fines, but that is their job. Their job is to protect and serve our country and the people. So when you get a ticket, don't think police officers are mean, because the officer that gave you the ticket was just simply doing his/her job: to protect the people. Even when an officer is inside working at the desk, his/her life is still on the line. Officers working in a station still face the chance of a person coming into the station and attacking/shooting them. 

The men and women who wear blue don't just work normal twelve hour shifts.  They are usually at the station before their shift starts and many have to stay after to finish up reports. Or perhaps they took a call a half-hour before the end of shift..they can't just drop everything and go home..When an officer goes home after shift, they have to be prepared to go back in if an emergency were to happen.  Even though they may work twelve hour shifts, they always have to be prepared to protect the community.

The men and women who wear blue have families. They are the son or daughter of someone, they are the spouse of someone, or even the parent or grandparent of someone. If your mom or dad was a police officer, wouldn't you want them to come home at night? For the families of the men and women wearing blue, they have no idea if their loved one will come home safely after each shift.

There are so many things I could say in regards to how people treat police officers, but I'm not going to.  I just want to remind everyone to respect those who wear blue.  If you are driving and you pass a police vehicle, don't be afraid to smile and wave.  If you are out and about and walk past a police officer, tell them thank you.  If you hear someone talking bad about the police, ask them to stop. Remember that the men and women wearing blue have families.

All officers, at any level, put their lives on the line to keep the people of our communities safe. So next time you see a police officer, make sure to thank them for their duty and service to the community.