happy GIVE THANKS day!

I hope all of you had an amazing Thanksgiving Day! Whether you were traveling, with family, sitting at home, cooking, not cooking, watching football, helping clean-up, doing service work - whatever you were doing - whether one of these, none of these, or a combination of these - I hope you had a great day and took some time out to think about what you are grateful for!

I am thankful for my family, friends, having proper food and shelter, and definitely all of YOU! I never would have imagined being so happy in a town so far away from family and friends (yes, I am a wimp when it comes to moving - I guess that's because I lived in the same house for about 21 years!), but I am super happy being in Fairmont. I even felt a tinge of sadness as I drove out of town Monday afternoon...I was happy to be heading north to visit family and friends...but I was also sad to realize that I won't see some of you for a few weeks! (due to Thanksgiving and being in Ohio for a conference the majority of next week)

Now - some passages that include giving THANKS!

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. - 1 Chronicles 29:13

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever. - Psalm 30:12b

I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among throngs of people I will praise you. - Psalm 35:18

And the most memorable...when Jesus gave thanks to the bread he broke...for us to remember his sacrifice for us...

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. - Luke 24:30

I-See Help

I hope all of you are taking some time this week to think about what you are thankful for!! One thing I'm thankful for is nice people. Those people who go out of their way to help others and make other people's lives easier...

I have an embarrassing story regarding someone who helped me out yesterday, which definitely started my day out well.

I was staying overnight Monday in St. Cloud after visiting a friend on my way home for Thanksgiving...my friend had to work at 8 a.m., and I was going to run to Target...but Target was like 2 blocks away...and it opens at 8...but we had to leave at like 7:50...so I had a good 10 minutes to waste before I could get into Target.

I decided that I could be extra lazy and just turn on the defrost and wait for that to clear the frost off of my windshield. I sat there listening to music with the defrost on and the wipers on the lowest setting possible, and then a guy came down and was scrapping off his truck that was 2 cars down from me. I was a little self-conscious about sitting there with the wipers on...and what this guy would think about it...but I decided that I would never see him again and it didn't matter.

I sat there with the wipers still on the low setting, and my windshield was about half cleared....when all of a sudden the guy was standing next to the windshield on my driver's side motioning with his ice scrapper in a gesture asking if he could help me out. I cracked the window a bit and said, "Yeah, thanks!" (what was I going to say? "No, it's ok, I'm just wasting time and being lazy. I actually have an ice scraper in my backseat")

So the guy helped me finish clearing my windshield, and I said thanks again...and he mentioned that it might be time to invest in an ice scraper (in a nice tone). Although it was still a little early to go to Target...I left anyways, since I would feel bad to still sit there after he'd helped me! Either way, it put a smile on my face because of his surprise help...and who knows - he could have been running late for work, but he still took the time to help me out. So nice.

Alrighty, I'm going to head back to hanging out with my fam. I hope all of you are enjoying your days off!!

a.place.to.ease.my.burdens...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"

"I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me."

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

"Christ gives me the strength to face anything."

"I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength."

In case you haven't figure it out yet - these are various translations of Philippians 4:13…I think this passage in the Bible is full of SO MUCH hope - and I like hope…a lot…it sort of sets us Christians apart…because we have so much to hope for and to hope in.

This verse reminds us that we can all be changed by giving up our struggles to God. Some of you may notice a certain calm around me (maybe - I'm not sure if that comes across or not)…and that's not because I'm a calm person or don't have anything to worry about…but it's because I always have God in the back of my mind and am constantly asking for his help. Unlike my younger days when I would only "call" God to pray…I am now in a constant awareness of God. I try to see him in everything and constantly recall doing my best to live out a Christian life (although I know I lack in so many ways). I remember being in high school and I would have some thought about God…only to realize that I hadn't even THOUGHT about God in more than a few days….now, I can't even recall the last time that I WASN'T thinking about God.

This week has been a very trying week for a lot of people - a lot of events and things have been going on…and people have been worn very thin both physically and mentally. I hope that all of you will get some time over the next week to relax and refocus yourselves…and while you are trying to gain your energy back - recall this verse - and hand your struggles over to God - for he will give you strength.

Youth Minister Confessions - Part I

I don't have many confessions, so unless you give me some more ideas...I'm kinda at a loss.......

Anyways, I've been thinking a bit lately about my elementary school days (mostly because I've been seeing a lot more elementary school kids in the past few months than I have in years), and it reminded me of something really funny from when I was in elementary school! (yes, I can remember that far back)

So, when I was in 1st/2nd grade-ish, I was always a good kid and said some prayers before going to bed. I'd do the sign of the cross...say my prayers...and then sometimes I'd forget whether or not I had done the sign of the cross at the END of my prayers...and to me this was a big deal.

Why would this be a big deal you ask? Well, first off, everything seems to be a big deal to young people, and secondly - I understood the sign of the cross as if it was the phone to God...so in other words: the sign of the cross to begin praying was like "dialing" and the sign of the cross at the end of the prayer was like the "hang-up."

So I'd sit there worrying about whether or not I had "hung up" with God, since I didn't want to worry him with my other thoughts after praying I guess (that, and I'm supposing that I didn't want to constantly be in 'prayer mode'?). Pretty ridiculous, I agree.

So I would do another sign of the cross to "end" the call, and then I'd worry: "Well, what if I had hung up - now I just redailed." So then I'd do another sign of the cross, but then I'd think: "Wait, what if I hadn't hung up before and that last one was the hang up? Then I just called again" I'd go back and forth like this for who knows how long, and who knows how many signs of the cross I would do while worrying about this - until I'd finally get to the point of saying: "Ok, God, I'm going to do one more sign of the cross and this is the hang up, ok??" Then I'd finally drift off to sleep with a mostly clear conscious...although I would still be worrying about whether or not I had finished my 'call' to God...

Oh elementary age children - so silly. I hope you got a laugh out of that story. :) Have a beautiful Thursday! Jr High - there's a 5-2 Meal for all of you from 5:30 to 7 tonight at the Parish Center!

Final 'joke' of the day - I guess that I viewed Mass as the God version of a conference call? Hahahaha - I am such a nerd. Rim shot and cymbol crash for that one please.

Wow. That was amazing.

I went to Les Mis last night and it was AMAZING! I have actually never seen Les Mis and I really had no idea what it was even about....but I absolutely loved the production that the high school put on! So great! Way to go guys! Your hard work and dedication really paid off! And we had about 24 or 25 people from SJV in it! I was so proud!

I was also really impressed with the story line, and I hope that everyone who saw it or is in it kind of paid attention...there were a lot of great instances of grace! (7th and 8th graders...we've been going over this a lot in our faith formation classes......) I loved at the beginning where the priest "buys" Jean's soul and then how Jean completely turned away from his thieving life (not like he was really a greedy thief in the first place). Of course, maybe it's was just Taylor's portrayal that made me see a positive change in Jean's character. I also loved how Jean released Javert when he could have easily killed him and have been rid of his 'troubles.' Javert even admits that it was Jean's "right" to kill him. Obviously, this act of kindness really shakes Javert to the core, and rather than go against his beliefs of what is the right thing to do (arrest Jean) - he instead chooses to sacrifice his own life in order to save Jean's life. As I said, this was my first time actually seeing the whole story line, and I was really impressed. I'm also 90% sure that you guys made the person sitting next to me cry, but I'm not positive on that, since it would have been rude to have looked over at her.

Of course, I'm not going to lie, Marius and Cosette's love-at-first-sight thing kind of made me gag. Although that would be wonderful if we could just look at someone and have that type of devotion the instant we saw them, that's just not how romantic love works. For romantic love, you need to have more of a foundation than just a glance. From what I've heard, parent's feel this instant love towards their children, and obviously God feels this kind of unconditional and powerful love for us...but in this whole "Romeo and Juliet" kind of set-up - it just made this story less believable for me. Either way, amazing job Craig and Linnea! You made me believe that you had that 'instant' surreal love.

Everything has been absolutely crazy this week, and I'm guessing that the majority of you don't have much time to check email (much less breath) - so I haven't been too concerned that I have been missing sending a few blogs.

Finally - who else is excited for DCYC this weekend!? I am stoked! And I'll be even more stoked once we're there and all of the preparations/planning is FINISHED! Woohoo for 1:00 on Saturday!

p.s. I just couldn't resist using a High School Musical picture today...obviously, your musical is much more respectable than this "musical" - but it was like 90% of the pictures that popped up through my Google search, and I just couldn't resist....

psalm.31

Psalm 31
In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I trust in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.
My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, "You are my God."
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.
Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.
In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.
Praise be to the Lord,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Love the Lord, all his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.

we put the 'fun' in dysfunctional...?

Well, I'm going to try my best to discuss today's topic, but I'm not sure how well I will be able to explain it…for some reason, I don't feel like my head is on straight this week in order to make my thoughts coherent…oh well.

Anyways, while participating in the adult Bible study at Teen CBS this week, someone was discussing their family and their home life…they were drawing a very nice picture - one of a family that really loved each other and did their best to make each other happy and to support each other. While I was sitting there hearing this, it made me wonder about how other people feel who don't have this "perfect family" image in their head of their home life…or if the "perfect family" this person was describing is true or if this person's children would have something different to say?

This blog is not about to rip on my family, because I love my family, and it is not going to tear down someone else's family, but I guess I want to say that every family has problems and has issues…and when you're within the family - you view things a lot differently than those on the outside. I remember when I was in elementary school and everyone thought my dad was the coolest person, but I didn't - because that was an age when I didn't think my parents were cool...and he was my dad, and when I went home that meant that we had rules and chores and such - whereas my friends only saw this guy who loved to give out hugs and high fives and joke around…I think a lot of us know that even if we have parents who like to joke around and have fun - that doesn't mean that every subject or discussion is a light-hearted, laughing manner.

We can't choose our family, and sometimes when I see some of these people that we are reaching out to through our ministry, I worry about what discussion of a "perfect" appearing family can do to some of these troubled people? Often this person we are trying to help probably doesn't feel very connected to their family, and I would imagine that they would feel inferior hearing about these other "perfect family" scenarios. I know I always used to feel bad when I would hear people bragging or talking about something so cool in their family…and it made me think that I wanted to be a part of that family…because I would see what I DIDN'T have rather than what I DID have.

You might see how you don't have very supportive parents or how you don't have parents who are active in their faith…but what you're not looking at is what you do have. Maybe your parent isn't as supportive because they are working so hard to make ends meet and to ensure that you have food on the table? Maybe they want to have a more active faith, but they are not going to realize that until their child reminds them of what they truly believe? There may be a lot of things about your family that you do not know - I know there are a lot of facts about my family's more recent history that I haven't heard about until I was in college…and lots of times it is just because I hadn't asked about it before and my family didn't think that it was a big deal to mention it.

It took me growing up a little to see what I had rather than what I didn't have…and I think that sometimes we need to be more supportive of our friends who only see problems in their family life and to help them to see the good in their family life. All families have their own issues…no family is perfect…and there's always that "black sheep" of the family…but you can't choose your family, while you can choose how you respond to them and what you choose to do in your life to make your family better.

Take some time tonight to flip through the Old Testament…I can guarantee at some point you're going to find some 'dysfunctional' families. Like with the first family - Adam and Eve's family - when Cain kills Abel, or in Genesis 22, when Abraham attempts to sacrifice Isaac before God tells him not to! Think about that story! How would you feel if you were Isaac? A little freaked out is my guess, after all, your dad just tried to sacrifice you (no matter how appropriate his reasonings), and someone might have said to Isaac: "Your dad is so cool. He is one of the great father's of our religion!" But I'm guessing that he would have replied something like: "Yeah, and because of that I was almost killed by his hand." The outsider may have then said: "Yeah, but you weren't, and now you're going to be remembered as his son!" but my guess is that the trauma of that event would be enough to stick under Isaac's skin and give him some serious trust issues for awhile.

So let's recall that the "grass is not always greener on the other side" and remember that we all are family through our faith as Christians: "There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." - Ephesians 4:4-6

the "cool" list

Several of you have already heard some of what I will be discussing in this blog over the past week - so I apologize if I'm running off your ear about this - I'm just very shocked by this observation (since I feel like I should have noticed it sooner). Also, I'm not sure if I explained this extremely well, so sorry about that also. :)

I hadn't really thought much about the differences between my life in high school and my life now…I know there are differences, but I still feel like the same person and I don't feel like I have changed a ton in regards to my personality. Over this past week though, I have realized the GREATEST change in my life between high school and now - and it's a very simple thing - it's how I see the world in relation to myself.

While in high school, there were social circles and I knew how I ranked with certain people or groups by how they treated me. I would feel bad, ignored, or unliked if I didn't get called about something or I wasn't included when someone went somewhere. I noticed who did talk to me, who didn't talk to me, when they talked to me, or how much they talked to someone else instead of me…and it all goes back to how much I felt like I fit in. I'm surprised that my brain could even handle noticing all of these details - they are pretty mind-numbing if you ask me, and I'm guessing that I was probably able to multi-task and remember a lot more in high school compared to now, since I was apparently able to notice both what WAS happening as well as paying attention and keeping score in my own mind of what was NOT happening in my life.

These days, I am much more content. I don't take things as personally - such as not being included in an invite or being called about something going on - I take things as they are and I more often notice what I have rather than what I do not have. The greatest reason for this change is due to the growth of my faith in God during my senior year of high school as well as continuing to learn and grow during college. After hearing it enough, it finally really sunk in that God loves me just the way I am (and he loves each of you just as YOU are). I also was able to get to know amazing friends who are also very committed to their faith, so I became very secure in these friendships since we agreed on extremely meaningful subjects - our beliefs! Therefore, when I wasn't invited to something or wasn't told about something that happened, I didn't take it personally anymore, because I had strong enough relationships with these friends to know that their not telling me was not done in order to exclude me or to pay me back for something I had done 'wrong'. I'm not sure if I can even fully explain what I mean, since I think growing in your faith and finding people in your life who you fully trust can only be experienced and not really explained.

I'm not sure if I am just different from 20-somethings in this idea of feeling secure in myself or not, but I can tell you that I am a lot happier now that I'm not double checking all of the time whether or not I'm being found worthy of certain people or social circles. Even better than that - I'm not sad anymore if I am excluded from a social circle, because I am happy with who I am. If someone leaves me out of a conversation, I don't take it personally, and if someone leaves me out of something that I feel like I would have been helpful for, I shake it off and move forward (and maybe act earlier next time in order to change it).

The world would be a much better place if we didn't have these social circle wars happening during our lives…if we could all be happy with who we are and how we are growing as people…if we could all feel like we had a friend or at least family who loved us unconditionally…and wouldn't the world be a better place if we would all do our best to be servants to others, to look at ourselves as lower than others (rather than saying "at least I'm not as bad as that person"), to take action with what we CAN change and to move in a new direction for things that we CANNOT change…maybe then no one in the world would feel inadequate. Above all of this though, is to recall each morning that there is a God who loves us unconditinally for who we are...and I pray that each of you feels that unconditional love daily.

Quote from Jesus in Luke 9:23-27
23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."

We.Are.A.Generation.Of.Hope.

Through some of the talks that I have gotten to listen into…I have heard multiple adults say that they do not envy high schoolers today. Several have said that you couldn't pay them enough to go back to high school and others have mentioned how they do not understand how today's youth are able to withstand so many of the challenges they face. They have mentioned how busy high schoolers' schedules are, how much pressure there is in social settings... and some have even mentioned how they 'understand' high schoolers falling into the pressures of this world and why they sometimes forget about or ignore their faith (due to the many outside pressures).

Listening in on these discussions has been very interesting to me. Although I do agree with them that high schoolers do have a lot to face these days…I also think that by making good choices and by surrounding themselves with supportive people - high schoolers can have a positive high school experience while also growing in and following their faith. There are a lot of things in this world that are tempting teenagers in our current culture…tons of objects that are being marketed and tons of media outlets that are teaching horrible morals. However, I do not think that the struggles high schoolers face today are truly "different" from what all of our ancestors have gone through and lived through in the past. Didn't any of these adults that I'm hearing say these things pay attention during history class? There have always been wars and varying social classes and murder and deceit and blackmail and manipulation...I don't think that there is any more of these problems in the world today - just the way that these problems are occurring is different. We have new technologies, new mediums, but it doesn't mean that this generation is facing more challenges than any of the past have experienced. There have always been problems, and these problems grow and lessen in cycles, but that doesn't mean that today's generation faces any extra problems that have not been around for centuries - just the technologies for it are different.

Sometimes when I have heard adults talk like this - talk about how difficult/horrible life is for the under-20's of this world - I can find myself despairing...I find myself questioning how I am going to survive living through all of the turmoil that these adults have somewhat promised will occur...but once I get out of their mindset and their fears of the new forms of problems...I recall that there is still hope, there is still love, and above all - there is still faith.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

How far....

How far can a person be pushed before they break? How often can a person be told that they are wrong before they finally give up their fight? How beat down can someone be for their beliefs before they finally abandon their beliefs? How far is too far? What is the limit?

Better yet - how often is it the hope of the attacker for their target to fall? For their target to fold without a final breath left for argument? For their target to be completely and utterly defeated? How many of the people doing the "beating" truly want this? And to go even further - how many of the attackers then have mercy and compassion on the attackee once they see the utter destruction they created? Then the attacker offers apologies and kind words to build that person back up - but when the person offering this help was the person doing the attacking...how should the attackee respond to these apparent acts of mercy? Does the attackee thank the attacker for their change of heart? Thank the attacker for deciding to show compassion? Or treat their attacker continually as an attacker and not trust the new acts of mercy?

How often has each of us been on either side of these hypothetical questions? Surely, we have all at one time been the attacker and at one time been the attacked. How far was too far for us to be pushed? How long did it take you to break down against the apparent wave of opposition against you and your beliefs? How often have you attacked others to try to get them to change their mind? How hard did you tease or joke or yell in order to get them to concede? To get them to deny what they believe? Have you seen destruction when you have done this? Have you recognized this destruction and then felt remorse for your actions? Once you saw them crying or saw how depressed they were - did you change your mind and decide that maybe their beliefs weren't so bad that you had to completely destroy their ideas in the first place?

I've been listening to a wonderful song that talks about how we need to stand up for our beliefs…to stand our ground…if you know your reasonings and your beliefs - stand your ground. It's always ok to have discussion…and our ideas can change…but trying to bully against someone because they are supposedly in the minority is not right. I love this quote from St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words." I happen to believe that our actions speak much louder than words…I also think that our actions are more persuasive than our words…since words get in the way of our actions - we can gain hostility from people and take on being the 'attacker' with words…where as with actions…if we show actions of love…and listen to others and let them know that their words matter…in the end, the person we are trying to help will often listen to us all the more. They will see what we have in our faith…and they too, will be willing to listen to and to understand our perspective.

There have been many times in my own life when I have been beat down...I can barely recall a time in my life when I wasn't being targeted for one of my decisions in some way, shape, or form...so trust me - for any of you out there being targeted - there is hope, and you can come through it stronger and more confident than before. Please feel free to contact me whenever you feel like you are an attacked person or even an attacker...having a sympathetic ear to listen to your story is always a way to build yourself back up after you have felt defeated.

Here are the some of the words of this great song and a link to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Spqw8FHbxY&feature=related or else there's a softer remix at: http://www.purevolume.com/superchick and click "Stand in the Rain" (this has a little less guitar…drum…etc)

"Stand in the Rain" - Superchick

She never slows down.
She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone,

feels like its all coming down
She won't turn around
The shadows are long and she fears if she cries that first tear,

the tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain

She won't make a sound
Alone in this fight with herself and the fears whispering if she stands she'll fall down
She wants to be found
The only way out is through everything she's running from

wants to give up and lie down.

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, whats lost can be found
You stand in the rain

Skepticism

Building off of yesterday's blog……

It truly is during our high school years that we make a decision about our faith…because once you leave home and head off to college - you either are a Christian or you are not. By that, I mean you're either going to live it or you're not…you're going to choose to become part of a church and live a lifestyle that reflects a Christian life or you're going to not get involved with a church and choose to experiment with your lifestyle.

Today's youth are being asked to make huge life decisions while in high school - decide your career choice, decide your plan after high school (college or not), decide what you have faith in, etc. These are all big decisions, and what I find a bit ridiculous is the fact that many of our parents and grandparents seem to think that what we decide during our high school career will be what we universally decide for the rest of our life! They think that if we choose to be a photographer, that we are going to be a photographer forever, and they think if we accept our faith, that we will have our faith forever, which is sometimes sadly not the case - and vice versa - if we do not accept Christianity during high school, it doesn't mean that our hearts cannot be changed in the future…

Although in the not-so-distant past, a career choice out of high school was a common event -- that is totally not the case today. People are changing their jobs and careers all of the time! When I was in high school, the statistic was that people had an average of SEVEN careers in their lifetime! SEVEN! I've already gone through like 2 or 3 different 'careers' according to that statistic - and I'm only 24! Anyways, I'm getting off of the subject….

I'm not surprised that I have witnessed many of my friends find their faith and then question their faith and then find it again within a relatively short amount of time. During high school and during college is when a lot of soul searching happens - these years (high school and college) are kinda when you form into who you are going to be. Yes, people change, but I think a lot of how your later years go depend on what occurs during these formative years. High school and college are the years when you really become an adult, whether you choose to be responsible or not and whether you choose to accept your new 'adult' status or not.

I'm also not surprised when someone questions their faith (and, to avoid getting too negative in this blog, I do want to add that I do my best to be supportive in helping them to regain their beliefs)….and here is some of my thinking behind why teenagers doubt their faith…. Let me paint a picture:

You're a kid. Let's say 4 or 5. Everything makes sense. You know the Easter Bunny exists, you know Santa exists, and you also know, without a question, that Jesus exists (no - Jesus is not equal to either of those previously mentioned characters - I'm just using this to make a point). You also know that Jonah was in a whale for 3 days (how cool) and you know that Daniel was thrown into a den with lions and survived! (amazing! I want a pet lion!) You know all of these things, and you know other things too - like that mom and dad love each other unconditionally - just like how they love you - and how you will never have to live without your parents or grandparents, because you don't yet know the sting of death.

Let's go down the road a few years…and you have learned (spoiler alert) that the Easter Bunny isn't real and that Santa doesn't really exist. A lot of kids also have gone through the pain of divorce, and they learn that the love they saw in their parents wasn't real for some reason…and along the way death comes also, and we learn that we will have to live without someone important in our lives. With all of these realities coming at us - it doesn't surprise me that sometimes our foundation in our faith can get shaken a little…we learn all of these things when we're young, only to have our parents or teachers or other influence tell us later that these stories they used to tell us are completely false and were purely for entertainment value. They continue to say that what we have learned at church is real, but I'm sure that many youth question what they have heard - because isn't it natural to be a bit skeptical once you've learned that you've been deceived so many times?

I'm not saying that we should stop letting kids believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny, and I'm hoping that my words don't get too misunderstood with this blog…but I think it shows a good reason why we need to take on a NEW conviction about our faith during our teen years. We learn so much once we stop believing in these "fairy tales" and we get thrown into the "real world." The world without any nice stories of a man who gives us free gifts just because he can and without a large bunny that wants to give us a free scavenger hunt once a year for his eggs…but yet, we need to figure out a way to cling onto our faith stories that involve walking on water and being saved by a sacrifice that was made almost 2,000 years ago.

Everyone who is reading this blog has a choice to make…a choice to make their faith a concrete piece of their life and a REAL piece in their life, or to choose a path of indifference and skepticism.

Matthew 18:1-5
"At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me."'

A Life Decision at 15 or 16?

Ah! I cannot believe that it is November already! Crrraazzyyyy! Time flies so fast! Yikes.

Anyways, I'm going to write a few blogs this week regarding taking "ownership" of our faith. Today, I'm going to just share a story about my own Confirmation process into the Catholic Church.

I'm sure that all of you have had partially the same experience as I did while going through my Confirmation classes - there was ALWAYS someone in the class who could really care less about what was happening during class…who didn't want to be there…and who you knew was only there because their parents made them go through with being Confirmed in the church. I'm pretty sure that almost every Confirmation class has at least one student that doesn't really take his or her Confirmation into the church seriously…maybe there are some classes that stand out from the rest and truly do have all members wanting to become fully initiated into the church…but my best guess is that this is not often the case.

While going through Confirmation with my own peers, there was one girl who I knew was pretty much just going through the classes because her mother was making her. Her mom had always been super involved in the church and even taught a class every year. During our Sophomore year (aka our final year of classes), her mom started homeschooling the girl in our grade, and then, with only a few months left of classes - this girl dropped out of being Confirmed with us. She chose not to be confirmed!

Some of my classmates looked at this and thought that it was pointless to drop out with so little left to do. Some thought she should just go through with it, regardless of whether or not she truly believed in what our classes were teaching us - they thought she should just go through with being Confirmed in order to appease her parents.

I did not share their point of view.

Although it saddened me that this classmate of mine didn't believe in what we had been taught and what we had been practicing for our whole life at that point…I respected her very very very much for the fact that she took Confirmation SERIOUSLY. She actually listened during the classes, she knew that being Confirmed meant that she would become a fully initiated member in the church and that she would now be an adult in the church. She looked at these things, knew them, and also knew that she was not ready to make that commitment to the Catholic church at that point in her life.

She took the humility that came along with dropping out of our Confirmation class (which surely occurred with our classmates not understanding her reasoning to not go through with it - regardless of whether or not she believed in Christianity - and her mother was surely embarrassed that her daughter rejected the faith that she (the mother) was obviously very involved with), she took this humiliation in stride - took it and stood up for her own beliefs - saying that she did not believe in Christianity and was not prepared to become a fully initiated member of the church.

I have so much respect for this girl - because even though we were 15 or 16, she recognized what kind of a commitment she was truly making with Confirmation…and she truly took the time out to consider that in her life. For all of you still in Faith Formation classes - take time to truly delve yourself into Christianity and to learn as much as you can, take your classes seriously, so when the day comes for you to be Confirmed into the church…you can stand tall in front of our Bishop and say, "Yes, Jesus is Lord."

I encourage you all to read Acts 2 today…if you don't have a Bible handy, here it is in electronic form:

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17" 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
22"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope,
27because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
29"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
35until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.