tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58019265758513837192024-02-02T01:05:50.353-06:0012romans Connecting faith, life, and love. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-31802131988175070692015-02-09T13:41:00.000-06:002015-02-09T13:41:56.580-06:00Growing in Trust during PregnancyI'm pretty sure time goes by more quickly when one is pregnant...at least that is what it seems. With every passing day I get closer and closer to our due date. At 31 weeks of my pregnancy, it is now single digits for the weekly countdown until baby James is here (unless, of course, he comes early or late). 9 weeks to go! And so much to do!<br />
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As I have been reading different materials and constantly thinking about this baby, I have been reflecting on the different stages of becoming a parent. I'm sure others will have different experiences, but as a first-time mom, this has been my journey so far:<br />
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<i><b>First Trimester</b></i></div>
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The first months were coupled with excitement and also worry. Aaron and I weren't surprised about the double lines on the pregnancy test, but we were excited. At the same time I was also worried about miscarriage; I know of a lot of women who have had miscarriages, and while the books say it isn't that common, it seemed pretty frequent in my world. Because of that, I was nervous about telling a lot of people at first, but I also knew that if anything did happen, they would be of great support if needed.<br />
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<b><i>Second Trimester</i></b></div>
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The "middle" months came with joy, unbelief, and impatience. I'm sure the joy part is pretty obvious...we're having a baby! The unbelief part was "I cannot believe an actual baby is growing inside of me!" And the impatience came with waiting to see the baby bump grow and not look like I just ate too many donuts. During the second trimester we also had the official ultrasound and found out we're having a boy (James Henry). I also started to feel him move around, and those kicks and punches continued to get stronger.<br />
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<b><i>Third Trimester</i></b><br />
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As I entered the final months of this pregnancy, the joy and excitement are still there, but the worry came back when I got further into the reading of my pregnancy books..."what if he is stillborn? what if he is born prematurely? what if he isn't healthy when he is born? what if something happens after he is born?" And then I realized that all I can do is trust the Lord with the life and health of our son. <br />
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Trusting God and in His will has to be a continuous part of our lives, and yet it gets more difficult during various transition times. Some "trusting moments" came easily, such as deciding to transfer to <a href="http://www.smumn.edu/" target="_blank">Saint Mary's University</a> without ever stepping foot on the campus and joining <a href="http://echo.nd.edu/" target="_blank">Echo</a>, knowing I could be placed in a location far from home (let's be honest, I thought I'd be placed in the Midwest, so of course I jumped right into the program).<br />
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Reading the letter from Notre Dame stating my apprenticeship was going to be in Fort Worth, Texas was not my finest "trust moment." I cried. But then I came to accept it and knew God had some great plans for me down there! Other times when trust came with great difficulty was when long-term relationships ended, but at least now I can look back on the experiences to see how I have grown and what it taught me.<br />
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Now that I'm married with a child on the way, I feel like I need to trust God even more, and this is the most difficult trust. I don't often think of terrible situations about Aaron being taken from me through unexpected accidents or whatever else, but they occasionally creep into my brain because tragedies do happen. And it's scary to think that the life that we created together, our son, could suddenly be taken away. But we don't know the plans God has for us and all we can do is trust in His will and that the Lord will provide for whatever happens. Easier said than done sometimes, but I think the more we say it the more we'll believe it.<br />
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"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit." - Jeremiah 17:7-8</blockquote>
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"When you pass through the water, I will be with you; in the rivers you shall not drown. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned; the flames shall not consume you." - Isaiah 43:2 </blockquote>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-28442394684978494492015-01-11T23:45:00.000-06:002015-01-11T23:45:37.311-06:00Rebel With A CauseI'm a rebel youth minister. Watch out world.<br />
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I'm currently in my fifth year as a (paid) youth minister at a parish. The first four years I was down in Texas, but now I'm ministering in Minnesota. While some things are different between the two dioceses I have worked for, other things stay the same. Like having to do a "self-protection" safe environment class for faith formation/youth group.<br />
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If one were to survey youth ministers across the country, I'm sure they'd tell you that this is their least favorite session to teach. And I will bet that the main reason why it is their least favorite is due to the lessons and materials provided to us by whatever company was contracted by the diocese for the safe environment sessions (i.e. Virtus, Keeping Children Safe, Protecting God's Children/Called to Protect, etc).<br />
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Of course we (the youth ministers and faith formation coordinators) understand the importance of this lesson and why we have to do it...but the material provided to us that the diocese wants us to use is terrible. TERRIBLE! If they want teens to actually learn something, there needs to be major changes...perhaps they should consult people who actually work with youth!?<br />
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I use the material provided more as a guideline for my safe environment self-protection lessons, I never teach "from the book" for this session. The material I had in Texas is actually better than what I was given in Minnesota (it's not a good sign when the material keeps referring to high school students as children), so I used that as the base material for talking about boundaries (and sexual abuse). But if we're going to teach a self-protection class, then we need to teach that their sexuality is something worth protecting.<br />
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Tonight I gave this session to my sophomore (Year 2) Confirmation group and the first talk I gave was an introduction to the Theology of the Body with an emphasis on the dignity of the human person and that everyone has great worth and value. This is something that should probably be talked about all the time with them...but it isn't. So I wanted to reach their hearts first and my hope was to give them an understanding of why we teach this session and why it is important. This is the kind of information that needs to be added to the lessons provided, and it is why I will never administer the plans as they were written. Yes, it's more work for me to re-write a lesson, but it is worth it...the teens are worth it.<br />
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After the session tonight, the catechists/table leaders kept praising me on what a great lesson it was and they thanked me for the material I covered. It certainly is great to receive affirmation, but I give all the glory to God, for it is through His inspiration that I was able to say what I did tonight.<br />
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I know I didn't go into great detail on what I taught, but if you're a youth minister and interested in the lesson plan I did, contact me and I will send it your way!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-74232095810989012752014-12-10T23:06:00.001-06:002014-12-10T23:06:24.379-06:00Traditions, Old and NewGrowing up I always loved Christmas, and I definitely have my parents to thank for that. They made it such a special time of year: finding the perfect tree to cut down and decorate, baking cookies and teaching us how to put the right amount of sprinkles on them, watching Christmas movies and singing the songs, and of course the excitement of St. Nicholas and Santa. It was the traditions that our family had that made the holiday season come alive. My brother and I were so excited about the gifts Santa brought that we started waking up earlier each year to open our stockings and then wait for our parents to wake up to unwrap the rest of the presents under the tree. It started off at 6am, but soon turned to 5am, and when we were a bit older, excitement still coursed through our veins on Christmas eve/morning that we were out of bed by 2am opening our stocking gifts. That usually resulted in sleeping on the couch, but I'll always cherish those times spent with my brother. We know who left the gifts under the tree, but it was still magical and the gift tags still read "To: Lisa, From: Santa."<br />
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Every Christmas we had the same routine of attending the 5PM Mass, spending the night with my dad's family munching on a buffet of goodies, opening our gifts on Christmas morning, and then spending the remainder of the day with my mom's family. Last year was the first Christmas I was not home in Wisconsin, instead I spent it in Texas with my husband of three weeks. And it was weird. Mass was different than what I was used to, plus we had to sit in the parish hall, and my husband had to work on Christmas eve. On Christmas morning I woke up early before he came home so I could still make the morning magical; our apartment was set up perfect and I had breakfast started. It was enjoyable, just different.<br />
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This year we live in Minnesota and once again we'll be able to do the "normal" routine of Christmas celebrations. But we don't know if every year will be like this one, and it likely won't be the same. We're starting our own family and we'll need to come up with our own traditions for Christmas (and Advent). I know that it will be a special time for our own children, but we also want to keep the focus on Jesus and not just the "magic of the season." I don't know how we'll make that happen yet, but it's exciting to think about. Change is difficult and I would love to stick with the familiar celebrations, but as a new family things will be different.<br />
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What are your traditions you have started with your family?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-24496932460378951362014-12-02T15:30:00.000-06:002014-12-02T15:41:12.634-06:00Intentional Advent<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm baaaaack! I thought Advent would be a great time to start blogging again, so here we go!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every year at the beginning of Advent I always have a glorified vision of what the season will look like for me and my spiritual life. I romanticize the prayer time, thinking it will be lovely to spend it in front of our beautiful tree with some candles lit and my mind set on the Nativity of our Lord. In reality, I always wonder where Advent went and feel guilty about the lack of prayer that ends up happening. Right now the home is a mess and our tree is only half decorated. My husband and I are both exhausted; he began a new job a couple weeks ago and I have a baby in my womb zapping my energy here and there. And of course let’s not forget about all the extras fighting for space in the calendar: grocery shopping, Christmas shopping, doctor appointments, Christmas parties, and extra work commitments.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all know how busy December is and throughout Advent we </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> take time to calm our minds and hearts and focus on prayer a little bit more. There are so many Advent resources out there that, at times, even trying to figure out what we want to do for this beautiful season can be overwhelming. So maybe instead of creating some grandiose plan for the next four weeks, I need to take Advent day by day. Perhaps my prayer time will be different every day, and some days it might be 5 minutes, other days I can spend 30 minutes with Scripture, soaking in the presence of the Lord. No matter what, it needs to be intentional. That’s what Mary’s pregnancy was all about, it was intentional on bringing forth the Savior of the World. It’s ok if our prayers aren't glamorous and we don’t get in that full 30 minutes or an hour of prayer time. We need to do what we can, and as long as we’re being intentional about it, we won’t feel guilty. Because sometimes you just need to go to bed at 7:30 PM with dirty dishes crowding the sink and your Bible unopened that day.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite our busyness, let us intentionally focus on the Lord and on the joy and peace this season brings. Every day may our lips proclaim "Come, Lord Jesus" and our hearts rest in His love.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-67730638930707502732013-03-05T16:54:00.000-06:002013-03-05T16:54:13.652-06:00Prophetic Priesthood and CelibacyI read a great piece on why priests are male and celibate. I'll be honest, the <a href="http://wordonfire.org/WoF-Blog/WoF-Blog/March-2013/Spirituality-The-Prophetic-Nature-of-the-Male-Celi.aspx">article</a> did a better job of explaining celibacy than it did for why women can't be priests. The author's main argument for that was the natural differences and how males and females complement each other. There are many more reasons than that and I was hoping he was going to go into them. Oh well.<br /><br />The article, written by Fr. Damian J Ference, can be found on the Word On Fire blog <a href="http://wordonfire.org/WoF-Blog/WoF-Blog/March-2013/Spirituality-The-Prophetic-Nature-of-the-Male-Celi.aspx">here</a>.<br />
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Back to the celibacy issues...here is the paragraph that really struck me:<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPhwu5D-7tDkd56bofk5Oh-BJSZO-y-8e9ah0HxaPNj0uigeaHP-OSMVS9qed_xujy_ac4jWivpe3RWl9SR0mYLftiVyJ0zdZdPfOrQreZHqbbmxaYU_5JhR8CHRZBj5RleWbCEX7Waah/s1600/061203_priest_generic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPhwu5D-7tDkd56bofk5Oh-BJSZO-y-8e9ah0HxaPNj0uigeaHP-OSMVS9qed_xujy_ac4jWivpe3RWl9SR0mYLftiVyJ0zdZdPfOrQreZHqbbmxaYU_5JhR8CHRZBj5RleWbCEX7Waah/s320/061203_priest_generic.jpg" width="320" /></a>Celibacy stands boldly in the face of a fallen world as a powerful witness that there is more to life than sexual pleasure, and that there is more to sex than just pleasure. A healthy celibate priest (or religious or layperson) becomes a prophetic sign that points to a much deeper and more satisfying reality than can be contained in the material world. In the spirit of St. Augustine, the healthy celibate reminds us that our hearts are restless until they rest in God, no matter how much sex we may have to try and fill them up.</blockquote>
I'll be honest, I haven't thought of that before. I've never had an issue with the celibacy of priests, I think it's a beautiful thing. When discussing the issue with others, my main argument for celibacy is that they are married to the Church. They enter into a sacrificial role, giving of their lives to serve the Church and to give greater glory to God.<br /><br />Priests live radical lifestyles. They have chosen, for themselves, a life of celibacy. If you told the "average Joe" that there is more to life than sex, he'd probably give you a funny and disgusted look. Our world has made sex a normal part of life. It is no longer sacred and is often an act that is defiled. The "hook-up culture" runs rampant in high schools, college, and what people try to pass off as their "adult lives." Reading articles and comments about casual sex, whether the people are in relationships or not, saddens my heart.<br />
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I doubt we will ever go back to a time when sex was seen as a sacred act reserved for marriage, but maybe we can create more reverence for it than there currently is now. And that is why it is so important for priests to remain celibate. They are the world's example that there are more ways to love than just sex! Another line from the article: <i>“He’s happy, and he doesn't have sex. How is that possible?”</i> Sex has become trivialized and most people find it a waste of time to talk about abstinence and purity because "everyone will just do it anyway." That is not true; the more we discuss chastity, the more it becomes ingrained in the hearts and minds of teens and adults. It worked for me.<br /><br />The article also related celibacy to marriage:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
And this is not to say that celibacy somehow downplays the beauty and power and holiness of marital love. But the witness of the healthy celibate is a reminder to married couples that their marital love must always be celebrated as a participation in God’s love, and make present the love between Christ the Bridegroom and his Church in order to be truly satisfying.</blockquote>
As a person who will be entering into the sacrament of matrimony in nine months, I find that quote beautiful. Sex is not about pleasing your partner, rather it is to be an expression of true love and, as stated, a participation in God's love. The act of love for a priest is his celibacy. The act of love for husband and wife is sex. And yes, it is very difficult to wait, but that wait is definitely worth it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-61537254468503210432013-02-27T23:05:00.005-06:002013-02-27T23:18:53.401-06:00Farewell, Papa!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today Fr. Ron chose to say the Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Benedict XVI, and that is when it became real to me that he would no longer be the shepherd of the Church here on earth. Eight years is a relatively short time for the papacy, but Benedict XVI left quite a legacy. I have a stack of books of his written work, almost all of it published while he was pope. He led us with a gentle spirit, yet legitimate concern for our spiritual welfare.<br />
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Fr. Ron gave a wonderful homily about Pope Benedict. He mentioned how, as a boy, Joseph Ratzinger was very shy, but had the courage of his own father to stand up for Truth. And his whole papacy has been about fighting the relativism so prevalent in our world today. There <i>is</i> a Truth and Jesus is it. He always encouraged people to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As I listened to Fr. Ron reflect on this point, I thought about how it seems people today are <i>afraid</i> to have a personal relationship with Jesus. They're afraid of that encounter they could have with the Risen Lord. But why? I know I can find myself sometimes skirting around my own prayer life. Are we afraid we could change!? Are we afraid of the unknown? Afraid we might see an image of the Blessed Virgin in our toast the next morning? What keeps us from that relationship?<br />
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This Lenten season has been about strengthening my prayer life. I have begun almost every day with Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. I find comfort in praying that way and see it as a way to get back on track. Some mornings my thoughts are quite distracted or I'm pressed for time, so my prayer doesn't seem as genuine, but it's still there. The mornings when I take time to actually have a conversation with God and express myself are the best ones.<br />
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This morning the Pope tweeted: "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">If only everyone could experience the joy of being Christian, being loved by God who gave his Son for us!" </span>We can only experience that joy when we are in true relationship with the living God and acknowledge His presence in every moment of our lives. In his last Wednesday audience, Pope Benedict said he felt the presence of the Lord with him every day of his papacy. Can we say that about our normal, everyday lives? I'd like to acknowledge that same presence. Maybe some days we have to look for it, but joy and peace are a simple prayer away.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-41240595866207118822013-02-13T00:11:00.003-06:002013-02-13T00:11:59.342-06:00Into the DesertAnother year, another Lent. I can't recall any memorable Lents from years past, but I do know I enjoy the season. It is a time to step back and step into the desert with Jesus. For all of us that means something different, especially what we need to step back from. In years past I have viewed numerous lists of creative things to do for Lent or even thought of my own, and I would always want to take on too many things. I would want to pray the Liturgy of the Hours more and pray the rosary more and make time to read spiritual readings, and of course get in more reflection time. Well, it does become too much and it's easy to "fail" at what we want to do for Lent.<br />
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This year I'm keeping it quite simple. I'm looking forward to it, yet dreading it at the same time. For Lent 2013 I will be waking up earlier in the morning and using that time to pray. I am <i>not</i> a morning person, so this will be a sacrifice of my time, but I'll also be adding in more prayer. And coffee. It will be difficult; even this morning I didn't get out of bed until an hour after my alarm first went off. But I believe it will be fruitful. I will be stretching myself to grow, but in that growth I will become a more balanced person. I'm hoping that praying and reflecting in the morning will better prepare me for the day and also set my mind toward God.<br />
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Blessings on your own Lenten journey, whatever you have chosen.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-81642781496777553552013-02-10T01:28:00.000-06:002013-02-10T01:28:06.195-06:00Sunday Gospel Reflection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Sunday's Gospel couldn't be any more perfect for the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. And the Church didn't plan it...this is just the way the calendar falls this year!<br />
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We have heard the story over and over about Jesus preaching to a large crowd and then telling Peter to "put out into the deep and lower your net." Peter was probably tired, since he would have been up very early (or all night) fishing and had no luck with catching anything. I'm sure he thought Jesus was a little crazy...it's the middle of the day, no way are they doing to catch anything. But Peter was obedient to a man he barely knew and to his astonishment he hauled in an amazing catch of fish.<br />
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When we're tired and fed up with our work, how often do we say to Jesus, "but at your command I will..." We all lead busy lives and can be tired and frustrated after a long day, and because we're tired we don't take the time we need to pray. I know I'm guilty of it. Before we can do what Jesus asks of us, we first need to listen, which we all know is the toughest thing to do. God doesn't shout at us or give us great signs; He stirs our heart in silence.<br />
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Lent is approaching quickly, a wonderful reminder for all of us to enter into the desert once again. So often we want to be like Peter and say "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful person." But Jesus responds to all of us, "Do not be afraid." This Lent, do not be afraid to put out into the deep and cast your nets. Do not be afraid to leave things behind and follow Jesus. Do not be afraid to put God first and things of this world second.<br />
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Jesus didn't say "It's alright to sit on your couch and drink beer all night, I'm sure you'll make it to Mass on Sunday." No, he said "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-50502578463703965162012-12-17T17:01:00.002-06:002012-12-17T17:08:09.451-06:00Joy Amid Tragedy?Up until yesterday, I didn't have time to sit down and really reflect on what happened on Friday. My excuse is that I was busy and didn't have time to read the details of the story. All I knew was that there was a school shooting and the victims were innocent children who were 6 and 7 years old. Tragic and sad? Yes. But why read more and reflect on it if I'll get sad in return? And that is exactly one of the many problems we have in this country.<br />
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Our deacon talked about it at the end of his homily on Sunday, and that's when it really struck me. 27 lives taken right before Christmas. Their families can't get them back. Their families will be suffering grief and mourning the loss of their loved ones while the rest of the world celebrates this usually joyful time. And I thought to myself, how crazy that this happened right before Gaudete Sunday...the Sunday of Advent when we're supposed to be rejoicing and focusing on joy and the coming of Christ. And the songs we sang at Mass today were about God's goodness. Good can come from anything...but it will be difficult to find the good in this.<br />
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After an event with middle school youth, I finally sat down at my computer at work and read up on the tragic events of last Friday. I became teary eyed thinking about all of it and also hearing about the brave teachers and administrators of the school. They are certainly martyrs. The reality of the event slowly started to sink in. After getting into my car and driving, I just wanted to cry, but held back for my safety on the road and for my trip to the grocery store. I didn't want to look at people, but I did and offered a smile, and everyone smiled back. Small signs of hope and joy.<br />
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We can choose to let it affect us or we can choose to ignore it, and I think all too often people choose the latter. It's what I did at first, but then I remembered that we're all connected and if we don't let this break our hearts, then what will? We cannot become complacent in the world we live in, staying inside of our own little bubble and thinking things can't/won't affect us. But we can't hide. We cannot become emotionless robots. Change only comes when we love, not when we fight and argue over rights and who is to blame. Our world is lacking in love, and it all begins at home. Unfortunately tragedies will happen, whether from nature or mentally ill individuals, but we have to come together as one human race for comfort and to find peace once again.<br />
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"At dusk weeping comes for the night; but at dawn there is rejoicing...You changed my mourning into dancing." Psalm 30:6, 12<br />
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"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy." John 16:20<br />
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God has made promises to us through His written word. "Joy" appears numerous times throughout Scripture, even paired with mourning. We can keep faith and take hope in these words and promises. Life is difficult, no one ever said it would be easy, but if we seek it out and seek God, we can experience joy.<br />
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<i>Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.</i><br />
<i>May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.</i><br />
<i>Amen.</i><br />
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Below is a poem I found on Facebook:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38,<br />
When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.<br />
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.<br />
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.<br />
They were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.<br />
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.<br />
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.<br />
"This is heaven," declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."<br />
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,<br />
But Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.<br />
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.<br />
Then he opened His arms and He called them by name.<br />
And in that moment was joy that only heaven can bring.<br />
Those children all flew into the arms of their King.<br />
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,<br />
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.<br />
And as if He could read all the questions she had<br />
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of Mom and Dad."<br />
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below,<br />
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.<br />
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,<br />
"Let my power and presence re-enter this land!"<br />
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools"<br />
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"<br />
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.<br />
"Come now my children, let me show you around."<br />
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran,<br />
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.<br />
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,<br />
"In the midst of the darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA</blockquote>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-75829632481077743922012-12-12T14:59:00.000-06:002012-12-12T14:59:18.530-06:00Awesome Video about MaryThe folks at Busted Halo have done it again! I love their videos and their newest is "Mary in 2 Minutes."<br />
Check it out!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j7AQGyqtoK0?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-75726183825500331962012-11-12T21:52:00.001-06:002012-11-12T21:52:08.742-06:00JPII on PrayerLast week a new (rather, new to me) quote from Bl. John Paul II was brought to my attention, and now I'm slightly obsessed with the quote because it is so true:<br />
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"Every day dedicate some time to conversing with God. This is a sincere proof of your love for Him, for love always seeks to be near the beloved. This is why prayer should be put before everything else. Whoever does not understand this, or does not put it into practice, cannot excuse himself by saying he has no time; he has no love."<br />Bl. JPII, Homily on April 7, 1987</blockquote>
It makes perfect sense! And those words also hit home; how many days have I gone through the motions without taking time to stop for prayer? Or think that because I went to daily mass, I'm set for the rest of the day? I am not a morning person, so the thought of prayer right when I wake up isn't really processed by my brain... but after reading that quote I've been starting off my mornings with some prayers of gratitude and intercessions. Faith and keeping up our prayer life can be difficult especially in our world that is driven by "being busy" with everything. And working for the Church doesn't always help either because I plan lessons and prayers and am surrounded by Catholic stuff all day, that I just want to crash and relax when I get home, not feel like I'm doing work. I know other youth ministers feel the same way... which is why it's so important to remember these words of JPII and ground ourselves in prayer and in that love relationship that God desires of us.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-8667566036234000382012-10-10T21:18:00.000-05:002012-10-10T21:18:14.967-05:00Have we lost Courage?Today I had a high school bible study and we read Acts 3-4. We discussed a variety of things concerning those chapters (and the previous ones), but in the end we focused on courage and being bold in our faith. After Peter and John were arrested for proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, I'm sure a lot of followers were fearful they, too, would be arrested. So they all prayed for boldness in faith and in preaching it.<br />
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I asked the group who or what is an image of courage for them, and they didn't have many answers... have our youth become complacent to what real courage is? Heck, courage in general? Do they not have anyone in their lives who stand up for something, or do they just not realize courage when they see it? The first two people who come to mind for me are my brother and my friend John, who both served in the military and did tours in Iraq. I have high regard for our brothers and sisters <a href="http://12romans.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-salute-to-our-troops.html" target="_blank">serving in the military</a>. But even praying outside of Planned Parenthood clinics is an act of courage. Those who defend the faith do so courageously.<br />
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When asked what they could do to be more courageous, one high school senior said that nothing comes to mind because today we aren't asked to die for our faith. He mentioned it's only little things we do. He didn't realize that even doing those little things can be seen as acts of courage (until I mentioned it to the group). We did talk about praying before meals out in public; about half the group does so on occasion. It is in the little things that we can be courageous. Heck, sometimes I feel that even wearing my cross and miraculous medal around my neck is an act of faith that some might look down on.<br />
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How do we teach this generation about courage? We listened to the song "Courageous" by Casting Crowns, and the lyrics that stick out to me are: <i>We were warriors on the front lines, standing unafraid, but now we're watchers on the sidelines, while our families slip away</i>. We have forgotten the real reason for Church and worship and I know I even have times of complacency in my own life. It's time to be courageous.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-25391802080532801182012-09-24T16:43:00.004-05:002012-09-24T16:43:43.802-05:00The New KidAs another year of Sunday Night Youth Group starts up we are blessed to have a new group of youth, as well as our returning students, join us on a faith journey. And similar to most youth groups, some youth want and choose to be there while others are coerced or forced to attend by their parents. The youth in the latter group often open up eventually and start to have a good time, while others continue to sit in the sand on the shore, refusing to get their feet wet by the tide.<br />
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This year we have two brothers who are new to the program. One is a freshman and the other is a sophomore. Turns out their parents recently went through a divorce and they changed/transferred parishes. The younger brother seems content with being at youth group and is talkative with new people. The older brother...he's a different story. For the sake of this (public) blog, we'll call him Jonah, because I'm sure the only thing he wanted to do on the first night was run in the opposite direction.<br />
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Our first youth group was three weeks ago. Jonah sat by himself at a corner table with his arms crossed. If you asked him any questions, he would only shake or nod his head. We played some games and did ice breakers that night, but since there were 40 other youth present, I don't know how much Jonah participated. When the night was over I wasn't sure if he had a learning disability or if he just <i>really</i> didn't want to be there. As you already know, it was the latter. I wanted to make it my personal mission to break him. Ok, not in a bad way, but to make him feel welcome and to get him to realize that we want him at youth group.<br />
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Week two rolls around and Jonah, once again, sat at that corner table. During "gathering time" I approached him in another attempt to strike up a conversation. I asked about his week but didn't get much of a response. Then I told him I liked the cross he was wearing. He said "thanks." Then I asked where he got it from and he told me the parish they were previously at gave it to him as a going away gift. I was so amazed that he spoke that I became the speechless one. I was ecstatic! At the end of the night we learned that the small group that Jonah was in got him to laugh. Another joyous occasion!<br />
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I don't know all the details, but I think his mom told him to try out youth group and if he didn't like it at all, then he wouldn't have to keep going. Well he came back last night for our third week. This time I was at the sign-in table and greeted him with a big smile. We also did something different...we split all the youth into groups and asked that they go to their assigned table right away for dinner (instead of eating with the same people they always eat with). We want the youth to get to know each other better and we think it worked quite well. Jonah actually went to his assigned table (and asked where it was). I don't know how involved he was in the meal conversation, but I'd like to hope he was involved a bit. During Br. Ron's talk, Jonah was very engrossed in the story about St. Joseph of Cupertino. I had Jonah in my small group for the discussion questions. I couldn't get a response from my questions except for head nods, shakes, and shrugs. But once we started talking about Homecoming words came out of his mouth. I also found out he likes baseball. At the end of the night I thanked him for coming and told him I was glad he came out. I also made just a random comment, "oh, <i>that's</i> where your name tag is!" (since it was on his pants and not his shirt) and he actually smiled. On the inside I definitely looked like this:<br />
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So then I was thinking...I'm trying to make Jonah feel extremely welcomed and that he is wanted here at youth group...but we should be doing that for every youth! In small ways we do, but we should go out-of-the-way for every youth, not just those who don't want to be there. Youth are looking for community and for a place to belong. We should be welcoming each and every youth and thanking them for coming and telling them that we are happy they came out that night. I do a general "thank you, glad you came" thing, but we need to personalize it. I'll be sharing these reflections with the youth group team and I hope that together we can put fort an amazing effort at making each youth feel like they are wanted there on Sunday nights, whether they already know it or not. While it helps to have awesome lessons, fun games, and engaging praise and worship, sometimes the most important things at youth group are the small things: feeling welcomed, laughter at a joke, bonding that happens over dinner. By creating a safe space for our youth, we'll get them to come back and to eventually open up.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-7491684164016231302012-07-30T11:46:00.000-05:002012-07-30T11:46:05.996-05:00A Salute To Our TroopsLately I've been reflecting on how our current troops and veterans are under-appreciated. I used to never give a second thought to our military men and women except on holidays honoring them. But then my brother joined the National Guard and he was sent to Iraq. I know what he did over there in general, but I'll never know the full effects of his tour there. And recently I've become great friends with a guy who was a Navy Corpsman and also served with the Marine Corps. He did three tours in Iraq and while he's more open to talking about it than my brother, there's still so much myself and others simply will not understand. And he even said he's just now realizing that.<br />
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I can't justly compare it to my time in Echo, but there are similarities in that only the 17 of us in Echo 5 will understand our bond and love and all the crazy things we experienced in our two years of the program. Even if some stories are shared about our troops overseas, we will never understand. And unfortunately, those effects of their service run deep. Our veterans are struggling when they come back, and knowing and caring about two of them breaks my heart thinking about their hardships.<br />
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Yes, sometimes I question the reasons for our US presence overseas, and yes, these men and women freely choose to enter the military now and know of the chances of going and serving a tour in the Middle East. But despite your own opinion on our military and the wars we're fighting, these men and women risk their lives and livelihood. And coming back home they risk the chance of ever having a normal life. I'm not trying to say we should "feel bad" for our veterans; what I'm trying to convey is that we all need to be more understanding and respectful of them. And thank them often.<br />
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Even those who are still in the military here in the states continue to serve their country with right duty and honor. The other day I came across a story about a marine who stood guard at the hospital room of a dying 12-year-old boy. That is honor. That is a true hero. That is what it means to be an American. Yet so many people have lost that... You can find the full story here: <a href="http://www.modernamericanheroes.com/tag/sgt-mark-dolfini/">http://www.modernamericanheroes.com/tag/sgt-mark-dolfini/</a><br />
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At Country Jam, a three day music festival in my hometown, the country music artists did a great job of honoring and saluting our troops. They gave them shout outs, had them on camera, even brought them up on the stage at times. And Trace Adkins played one of his newer songs, Semper Fi, a song honoring the Marines. After the song, my brother said it didn't do justice to what the Marines actually do for our country. I think it's still great that they still write songs like that though.<br />
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To all those who have served, are serving, and will serve our country in one of the branches of the military, thank you. I don't say it enough and I don't pray for you all enough, but I hope to start doing so now.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6NMxiGHnlbk?rel=0" width="640"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-63747305127055590352012-07-26T17:06:00.001-05:002012-07-26T17:06:06.770-05:00Recognizing VolunteersI always knew it was important to recognize our volunteers, no matter what sort of organization you're a part of, but I didn't realize the full impact until a couple weekends ago.<br />
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Every summer we attend DCYC, our Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference. Throughout the weekend awards are given out to youth and adults who have committed their time to youth ministry at their parish. Last year I didn't give any awards to my parish youth, so this year I decided to do so. Three went to high school youth who have been very involved in youth group this past year; they're always reliable and want to do more. I also gave a "Light of the World" award to one of my chaperones, a mom who has been a great help with my middle school youth ministry. Earlier in the summer I thought of giving her a gift card as a thanks for all she has done, but I think this award meant way more.<br />
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When her name was called out on Sunday morning, she was so surprised! She said she was going to cry because she was so honored. I don't think she did, but I was fighting back tears of joy at seeing how happy she was. I have been so blessed to have her support and volunteer time, but I probably didn't show my appreciation enough. That morning was definitely a reminder of the importance of recognizing and appreciating our volunteers. They do things because they want to and would volunteer even without recognition, but we still need to show our gratitude. Without our volunteers we wouldn't be able to do anything! So from the bottom of my heart, whether you volunteer at a church or different organization, thank you for all you do.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-72558526445179127872012-07-03T17:34:00.001-05:002012-07-03T17:34:40.919-05:00BraveLast week I saw the new Disney/Pixar movie "Brave." The only thing I knew about the film beforehand was that it is not your typical princess movie. The wild-haired protagonist wasn't looking for a prince charming, rather she sought out independence and freedom. Now I'm a fan of "traditional princess" movies, but I gave this a shot and thoroughly enjoyed the movie.<br />
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Here's a great review of the movie by a Word on Fire contributing author. There are some spoiler alerts, so be aware, but it has great lessons in it and I will definitely use this for a youth night some time!<br />
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<a href="http://www.wordonfire.org/WoF-Blog/WoF-Blog/July-2012/Film-Brave-Shooting-for-her-own-hand.aspx">http://www.wordonfire.org/WoF-Blog/WoF-Blog/July-2012/Film-Brave-Shooting-for-her-own-hand.aspx</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-66124098318561778332012-06-22T23:10:00.000-05:002012-06-22T23:13:04.769-05:00Faithful SimplicityToday a <i>Catholic Update</i> article was placed in all of our mailboxes at the parish titled "Faithful Simplicity" by Susan K. Rowland. I wish I had received this a couple of weeks ago, then maybe I wouldn't have wore myself out and given myself a cold from being busy and stressed out!<br />
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The author talks about how the topic of "simplicity" has become quite popular over the years, which shows that our lives have become far too busy and complicated. Isn't that the truth! I can admit that even I love articles about organizing or "simplifying" my life!<br />
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"We cannot have outer simplicity in our homes and schedules without inner simplicity. And, if we are at peace inside, if we lean on and learn to trust God for our needs, our outer lives will reflect that."<br />
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Rowland gives five tips for simplifying:<br />
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1. "Start by keeping a simple, 15-minute, morning prayer appointment with God."
I always have intentions of doing this, but my morning always seems to slip away from me. I'd like to actually try, perhaps it's best to have accountability prayer partners for this!<br />
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2. Find out what "faithful simplicity" means to you. In the article she listed questions to help people try to figure it out, such as: having less clutter around the house? less to do? buying less? getting your finances under control? going out less and enjoying relaxation at home more? seeing friends and family you have been too busy to fit in? saying no to things you don't care to do?<br />
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3. "Ask a friend to help you clear your clutter...then reciprocate by doing the same at your friend's home." They'd have to be a really good friend to help out with something like that!<br />
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4. "Start a stream-of-consciousness journal...writing about your emotional issues gets a lot of anger and confusion out of your head and onto a harmless piece of paper. Writing about your worries is a great life-simplier. This exercise can help you clarify problems, or it may simply allow you to vent and let go of anger."
I'm a big fan of journaling, it definitely helps me see how I overreact but also lets me see how I've grown over the years.<br />
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5. "Get rid of old projects...give these things away to a thrift store or toss them out." Some people are great about finishing every project they start...others, like me, aren't the best! I always want to finish things, maybe if I just had more time! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-19138043039567459602012-06-19T16:56:00.002-05:002012-06-19T16:56:53.331-05:00What's Your Habit?Today I finally got around to reading the Spring issue of <a href="http://issuu.com/instituteforchurchlife/docs/churchlifespring2012/15" target="_blank">Church Life</a>, an online magazine put out by the Institute for Church Life through Notre Dame. I haven't finished all the articles (I got caught up watching cute YouTube videos like<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BXLR-eY9QM" target="_blank"> this one</a>). What I did read was a great article on prayer by Larry Cunningham. He was one of the professors I had during my summers at Notre Dame for Echo.<br />
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One line that stuck out to me was, "For the Christian, prayer is not a discrete act done now and again. It is a way of life." How many times do we make it a single act done once in awhile, perhaps when things are rough? It is difficult forming the habit of prayer, but once we do it, we come into the act of "remembering God" easily and keep Him at the forefront of our minds and hearts.<br />
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Larry gave these practical tips for developing the habit of prayer:<br />
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<ol>
<li>Begin each day by remembering God and asking for grace for that day.</li>
<li>Cultivate the spirit of gratitude for the gifts we have received.</li>
<li>Remember others, especially those in need, and "lift them up" before God.</li>
<li>One small gesture is to sign ourselves with the sign of the cross; it is both an act of faith in the Holy Trinity and a prayer which says that we do all things "in the Name."</li>
</ol>
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On the first day of the summer class I had with Larry, he told us the simple act of remembering God was prayer itself. I was definitely a fan of that statement! Sometimes it's the simple things that will lead us into habits. Another youth minister I know would tell people to begin the day by quoting from one of the psalms: "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad." On days I don't want to get out of bed, that simple sentence helps motivate me to get up and start my day.<br />
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I know I've mentioned the Liturgy of the Hours before on this blog...it's something I used to do all the time in college, but I also had my friends to keep me accountable in praying it with them. It's more difficult when you don't have that community to pray with (in physical terms, of course we are never alone in our prayer). It's definitely one of my favorite forms of prayer because it brings peace to my day, whether it's morning, evening, or night. Here's to starting that habit again and making prayer a way of life!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-78691940611850650752012-06-10T22:28:00.000-05:002012-06-10T22:28:15.357-05:00What is Normal?Today during Mass, one of my prayers was "God, can you please help my life return back to normal?" But then I realized I wasn't sure what that meant! Are our lives normal? Can they ever be normal? If we're truly living them to the fullest, it seems not. But then again...what is normal? For some, doing crazy things like climbing mountains or white water rafting are normal! As a single woman in her mid-twenties, I don't think I have reached "normal" yet. Things change so often: situations with my job, friends, even my weekly schedule. Maybe change is normal and I simply have to pray for guidance and wisdom to sort through all of it.<br />
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And then again, maybe I don't want "normal" because that's when things can become boring...and who wants that!?<br />
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Just some thoughts for today...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-15696399107168024812012-05-13T17:47:00.003-05:002012-12-17T17:27:33.993-06:0010 Reasons I'm a Youth Minister (in Texas)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes we all need to remind ourselves of the reasons why we're in the jobs we are, whether it is your first choice job or your last choice. There are positives in everything. Here are ten reasons why I'm a youth minister. There are probably more, but I thought I'd start somewhere. And they are in no particular order!<br />
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1. Salary: Despite what some people think, I am paid for my job! I know it's not true across the country, but at least in Texas one can make a living and get all those bills paid.<br />
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2. Never go hungry: There always seems to be food around! All too often it's junk food and should be avoided, but it's there. Today, some breakfast leftovers from Friday turned into my lunch. Plus as a youth minister I always have a stash of snacks for youth group.<br />
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3. Conference Opportunities: My parish pays for me to attend awesome conferences, like the recent NCCL I attended in San Diego and the upcoming NCCYM in Orlando! The conferences motivate me, fire me up, get me networking with others across the country, and I get to see new sites.<br />
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4. It's what I love: I get to do what's most important to me, living out and sharing my faith. 'Nuff said.<br />
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5. Flexible schedule: While I do have to work some nights and weekends, I also get the luxury of sleeping in the days I work until 8 or 9pm. And Fridays and Saturdays are my off-days. Sometimes I wish I had a 9-5 job...but I don't think I'd be very happy there.<br />
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6. "My kids": I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I love working with high school students (and middle school is growing on me). They constantly remind me why I do what I do, and I love laughing with them. Today (on Mother's day) one of my teens said something about being pretty sure I'm not a mom, and I said the only "kids" I have are those in youth group!<br />
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7. Wonderful co-workers: They have my back and I've got theirs. We are the only ones who knows the true ins and outs of our parish life and we're there to vent to one another, but also to support and build up each other. And since I'm the youngest, sometimes they act like motherly figures, which I don't mind too often.<br />
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8. Never a dull moment: There's always something to work on, from publicity to planning, calendaring events to meetings, I do it all! It's also <i>very</i> overwhelming at times, but I cannot say I have a boring job. Some weeks it's like I have 10 jobs: Teacher, athletics director, web developer, publicity marketer, human relations, human resources, secretary, the list could go on...<br />
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9. Chance to be creative: Whether it's in lessons, talks, or bake sales, I love being creative in what I do and how I present things. I'm always up for trying new things in youth group.<br />
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10. I had a great youth minister when I was in high school and she is the reason why I wanted to become one. She nurtured the relationships she had with us, shared her faith, and taught us the important things about being Catholic and praying. That's what I want to do for the youth here and I believe I have a really good start. Thank you, Mary! You were a true inspiration!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-88117635354252831522012-05-11T17:32:00.001-05:002012-05-11T17:32:08.543-05:00Sun, Sand, and NCCLThis past week I attended NCCL - the National Conference of Catechetical Leaders - hence, the lack of posts. I have so much to think about, it's ridiculous. Especially how we can integrate the "modern world" into our faith lives (let's face it, everybody is already there and 5 steps ahead of the technology that parishes use), but at the same time, give them experiences of Christ.<br />
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I was able to get to the beach in San Diego one afternoon - wow, was it ever peaceful! It was nice to relax, but now I'm getting super stressed again. I think after this Sunday I'll be able to calm down and reflect on the conference more. This Sunday I'm selling roses after all the Masses as a fundraiser, but I haven't gotten many takers from teens to help out yet...oy.<br />
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I'll post more later, just wanted to give an update!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-82949431849616528442012-05-01T17:52:00.001-05:002012-05-16T18:04:20.005-05:00A Terrific Tuesday!Today was an awesome day!<br />
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First of all, I finished the Hunger Games trilogy at 3:45am. I wasn't the biggest fan of how it ended, but it's alright. The books were fabulous and I feel as if I didn't do them justice since I whipped through them so fast because I always wanted to find out what happened next!<br />
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Bible study was fun; we didn't read the bible today, I let them talk about their weekend. Sometimes 8th grade girls just need to talk and an adult who listens. :)<br />
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There was a Groupon for Rangers tickets today, so I've got another game scheduled to go to! I bought tickets for 5 other friends and myself. I'm super pumped for May 15th! <br />
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And then at the grocery store, the cashier pegged me for a senior in college, until he saw my drivers license I had to pull out for the $5 wine I bought. That always makes a girl feel good!<br />
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Tonight is the first time in awhile that I have all to myself and I'm excited for the night in! I'm pumped to make dinner (my own version of chicken cacciatore) and to go on my run. Probably run first, and then dinner. Currently I'm contemplating the idea of taking a quick nap first, I was falling asleep at my laptop earlier! Three hours of sleep isn't very much to run your day on...oh well!<br />
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It's been a great day with a relaxing evening in sight. Just thought I'd share! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-31744021613177018492012-04-29T16:52:00.000-05:002012-04-29T16:52:24.100-05:00Nouwen on WritingThings have been a little hectic, but now that the 7th grade Leadership retreat is done and tonight is the last official youth group session until the Fall, things should be winding down for the summer (whatever the heck that means for youth ministry!). So anyway, posts have been a little sparse. But today I simply want to share a quote from Henri Nouwen. I receive a daily e-mail with one of his quotes, and this was from yesterday:<br />
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Writing can be a true spiritual discipline. Writing can help us to concentrate, to get in touch with the deeper stirrings of our hearts, to clarify our minds, to process confusing emotions, to reflect on our experiences, to give artistic expression to what we are living, and to store significant events in our memories. Writing can also be good for others who might read what we write.<br /><br />Quite often a difficult, painful, or frustrating day can be "redeemed" by writing about it. By writing we can claim what we have lived and thus integrate it more fully into our journeys. Then writing can become lifesaving for us and sometimes for others too.</blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-18592076052667299012012-04-24T15:24:00.003-05:002012-04-24T15:24:23.260-05:00National Princess WeekThe Target Corporation has started a new tradition...they have created a "<a href="http://www.target.com/c/brand-shop-National-Princess-Week/-/N-56g3t?ref=sr_shorturl_princess" target="_blank">National Princess Week</a>." It's kind of a neat idea, although most likely just a ploy to get dads to buy Princess things for their little girls. I know some people aren't the biggest fans of the obsession with Disney Princesses, but I think we can use it to our advantage.<br />
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In one way, with the commercialization of all the Princesses, it has led every little girl to believe she can be a princess. It doesn't matter where she grew up or what her family life is like, all she needs is a dress. Or maybe just shiny shoes. Or a simple paper crown. I had "Cinderella shoes" when I was 4; they weren't anything special, just shiny white shoes I wore for Easter! But they made me feel special.<br />
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A princess should carry herself with dignity and respect. As those little girls grow up, they lose sight of that. They trade their beautiful gowns for low-cut tops and their crowns for hook-ups with guys. What happened in-between? Were they told they could never actually be a princess? Or did they come to think the idea was silly? When I was in high school I was told I was still a princess because I am the daughter of the King of Kings. How cool is that? And today I still want to find my Prince Charming!<br />
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While Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Cinderella, and the others all have their struggles, they do make it look easy to be a princess and fall in love with your prince. But we can look beyond the stories and fairy tales to our own lives. We don't have to give up being a princess because it's something that is only for little girls! There are a lot of positive messages we can give girls today about being a princess. It's time to write our own stories (or for the guys, help co-author them).<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5801926575851383719.post-43565642865191936812012-04-08T00:38:00.002-05:002012-04-08T00:38:40.768-05:00Why I'm Catholic: The TriduumWhile the rest of the world goes about their normal weekend festivities, our Church blesses us with the holiest three days of the year and we are called to participate in the services that are so rich in tradition. These three days, the Triduum, have become a special part of my life ever since college.<br />
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Growing up I had no idea my dad attended the Holy Thursday Mass, and I didn't really know it existed. We always attended Good Friday together, and then either the Easter Vigil or Sunday morning Mass. When I was home for Easter one year, I went with my dad to the Holy Thursday Mass. It was then when I realized the holiness and power of the three days; they're not three separate liturgies, but one! How awesome is that?! And at all three we are given an intimate way of sharing in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. A reflective look at how he served others while he was here and his very purpose for coming to earth, to become a victim for us, to conquer death, so that we might have eternal life with God. Wow.<br />
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Now I will not miss these three days for anything. The Triduum, to me, is a great reminder of how we are to live our lives and who we are to live our lives for. I'll admit, I even get a bit upset when I see people posting status updates about all the "fun things" they're doing over the weekend. I want to hit them in the head and remind them of this solemn time. Ok, now granted I went to Red Lobster with some friends on Good Friday...but we still kept our meal very simple (we split everything) and we were at church for almost three hours, I think that deserves some good fellowship and food, no!?<br />
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These two songs are absolutely beautiful. Both by Matt Maher. The first one works up to the great climax of the song when he is questioning and proclaiming, "O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? O Church come stand in the light, the glory of God has defeated the night...our God is not dead, He's Alive, He's Alive!" Those words put a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. Our God is so amazing - which leads into the next song. It's about the amazing thing it was that God became man. The line that gets me in this song is, "Oh glorious, beyond all measure, <i>bending low to wash His traitor's feet</i>, people just like me. Why would a king do such a thing?"<br />
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Happy Easter! He is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LTPyRsXBHyg" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09976032424505414385noreply@blogger.com0