Funny things kids say...

Hello Bloggers! I hope you're doing well. I'm sorry that I haven't been up to date on posting, it's been a little bit rough lately, and I've been totally slacking, so for that I'm sorry.

There's tons going on here. I'm choosing not to post all of it, cause really, I still need to think it through, but basically in the last month, I've been told by a parent that I do not meet their expectations and I'm a disappointment. Surprise surprise. I've spoken with the pastor, who's informed that I'm doing a good job, but still, I fear that this will not die and start to turn nasty with the mother. I hope not. Please pray for me. At most, I figure, if I'm not pissing someone off, I'm probably not doing my job so well.

I named this blog something different though, cause I get so much humor from listening to the things the kids say to each other....

So this one teen is talking to the other teens about how he's not wearing tee shirts any more and how he's doing his own laundry now and how his mom is shocked by that. It was funny. Later on I asked him why he wasn't wearing tee shirts any more and said, "Em, cause I'm a man now".

I tried not to laugh, but it's been the highlight of my week.

Keep fighting the good fight.

Youth Ministry Almost Five Months Later

Hello Faithful Readers! Thanks for reading. Jen and I have been lacking on posts, but we've made the commitment to get back to posting again. With that, I figured I'd give an official post, with a youth ministry favorite...highs and lows. So, in just five months, I'm able to say I have a high and a low for the week.

Low for the week: Other than the obvious low being that the entire office staff (including me) got the 24 hour stomach flu, I have another more ministry related one: Parish (staff) politics.

I knew they existed, but you're never really sure how much until you're in it. We're making renovations happen to our office, which means people have to move. I don't but my space might be shared. This of course leads to talk about who's going where, who has more space, why this person can't move there. Really, I'm just trying to not have my youth room trampled upon... I know this doesn't sound politics related but it all is. I'm a firecracker and i think that the rest of the staff is not used to someone who's so free about what she thinks...This is good and bad. I listen and I listen well, which means that everyone tells me their scoop. I just want for everyone to stand up for themselves, say when they have too much on their plate and learn to say no! Being Catholic does not mean being a doormat.

High for the Week: Although I could name a few (like going out to lunch with the associate director of youth ministry for the Diocese, or going out to lunch with Deanery 2 YMs) an obvious Holy Spirit moment takes the cake....The High for the week is about the Holy Spirit putting words into my mouth that must be heard.

This week at our Sr. High Session we talked about the Epiphany and what it meant for God to put the star in the sky, about how stars give off light, how God used common things to help us know his love and of course, that the wisemen brought Sweet Jesus to the world. I had litebrites set up all over the room (they could win them if they answered questions correctly), which were cool and really the whole session was anointed. During my catechesis, I talked about how proud God was that his son was born and that because he wanted to show us Jesus, he put a star in the sky. What I say was: BOO YAH! God put a star in the sky. Now, this excited the teens of course...and they absolutely loved it. BOO YAH is right....God is BOO YAH! The Holy Spirit gave me that moment to make the connection with them. I love when he gives me little gimmicky things to say so that He seems more accessible to them.

Later on that night, we decorated wooden stars (they were meant to represent one way that we can always find Jesus when we're lost, and how we're meant to be his light to the world) and I thought many of them would write Matthew 2:2 on their stars, or something of the like, but what do they write....BOO YAH! It was awesome. I know it might not seem that way, but any moment, when they get it is just glorious.


If you're interested in this session, I'd be more than happy to email it to you. It was pretty FLY!

Promise to post more regularly...I'll pray for you. Pray for me.

St. John Bosco, Champion of Youth, pray for us.

Parish Politics

When I first started in youth ministry, I naively said "I don't believe in parish politics". Now I say "I don't like parish politics".

I think dealing with others is one of the most frustrating aspects of ministry, ironically. As John Beaulieu said to me the other day "the Church would be great if not for it's sinners".

Politics amongst the staff and in the parish are a reality. It's why I started this blog, in a way, to deal with the issues that would often arise. There are parents who want things a certain way, volunteers who have done it this way for 20 years, a pastor who has way to much on his plate, but may still feel the need to tell you how to do your job, a liturgist who is God (no, really!!) and the secretary who, lets face it, you had better be always on her best side.

Leadership Journal has a good but short article on politics. I think one of the things they are dead on is that our lives must be above reproach. We are watched at all times. Even when we want to gossip or agree with something that may be against the pastor we have to hold our tongues.

I have known many youth ministers who have inadverdently shot themselves in the proverbial foot because they became to enmeshed in the politics. You have to hold your tongue. Find a place outside the parish to relax and deal with the pressure. Pray like mad. Choose right. Read the article.