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Jesus Trusts ME?!?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by RRMM

This morning at the Wednesday morning Mass with some of the teens from our youth group, Fr. Joy made a very interesting point in his homily. He said that Jesus had to trust his apostles and disciples, that they would carry out the mission he had left for them.

Jesus had to trust others. He had to trust those he was teaching and guiding.

  Jesus had to trust.

Trusting is a very human thing. It’s something that we have to constantly work on and make a concerted effort to have. We work to have trustworthy friends and spouses. We pray that we might be able to trust in the Lord, in His plan for our lives. Many of us struggle with trusting due to things that have happened to us throughout our life that have broken our ability to easily trust.

And, yet, Jesus had to trust, too. Jesus, who was God, who knew how it would all turn out, had to work on the very human act of trusting in his followers. Read More

Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself…Or Maybe Do

Posted on February 29, 2012 by ymkbird

I’m a little nervous as I sit down to write this blog today. I’m nervous because although these thoughts have been rattling around in my brain for a few days now, I’m fully aware of the implications of embracing them. Putting them in writing makes them real and makes me accountable to them.

There are times, when good enough, isn't really good enough.

I am a wife and mother with 3 kids, a side scrapbooking business, a blog, volunteer work, and a full time job in ministry who just finished a Master’s degree. I keep myself pretty busy, and I enjoy each and every part of my life (except laundry). One of the downsides of having so many things going on is that I drop the ball – a lot. I frequently feel like I don’t spend enough time with my husband and that I need to be more attentive to my children when I am home with them. I often feel guilty that I don’t make at least one Holy Hour each week in our city-wide perpetual adoration chapel and that I don’t get to daily Mass more often. I wish I could polish our youth ministry nights a little more and that I could make the time to get to more of the teens’ sporting events.

Now, let’s be clear about something. I am not a perfectionist (just ask my husband). My Dad taught me a motto a long time ago that I have been very comfortable with for most of my life: Perfect is the enemy of good enough. At the time he was talking about business plans and project meetings, not motherhood and ministry, but I’ve adapted it to fit a lot of different areas of my life. I’m a good enough mom. I’m a good enough wife. I’m a good enough youth minister. I’m a good enough housekeeper, and I’m a good enough Catholic.

What are you waiting for?

Posted on February 27, 2012 by joesuperdad

Resolution time?

I know, I know. Its not New Years time right now. But as we approached Lent, and people were all bandying their Lenten resolutions about, I was thinking of how it felt like New Years resolutions all over again. I, and I’m sure you, heard all the usuals. No snacking. No chocolates. No ice cream. More prayer. Daily rosary. Daily mass. No facebook. Writing letters. The good thing with all of these is that they’re good. They are decisions and changes that can have long term and awesome impacts on us. But why wait? If they’re good choices, good changes that can actually matter, make us better, more holy people, why wait an extra week or so, go all crazy one day, and then get Ashes and all of a sudden act like we mean it now?

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

Posted on February 23, 2012 by RRMM

I have a really good friend who, in my opinion, understands what it means to be bold.

Bold move, little fish.

My dear friend, Nicole, is a truly remarkable young Catholic. She was raised in a Catholic household and had public schooling through college. While she was at the university, she developed a close group of Protestant friends and found great community, spiritual growth, and accountability with them. She attended church with them and remained connected to Christ throughout college. (This is not an uncommon scenario for many Southern Catholics, as they are generally in the minority in their faith throughout their life.)

Though Nicole never stopped attending Mass, she came to a realization that though her Protestant friends were great and had helped her in her faith journey, what she really needed and was desiring was close CATHOLIC friends who understood her ever deepening love for the Mass and the Sacraments.

However, she found, like many young Catholics, that our parish didn’t provide a young adult community and what was available in the diocese wasn’t exactly a fit for her. And, so she prayed for guidance from the Holy Spirit on where to find community.   Read More

Why I’m Not Giving Up Facebook or Twitter for Lent

Posted on February 22, 2012 by ymkbird

When I started out on Twitter a little over a year ago, I had one goal – to be witty. Just about everything I posted was hoping for a re-tweet, a reply, or at least a laugh.

Facebook was different because I’m a youth minister, and Facebook is my primary mode of communication with teens. I have lots of teens and former teens who are friends on Facebook, so I am always careful to watch what I say and how I say it.

But Twitter, well, Twitter was my “adult” world. I could be a little more snarky and sarcastic and push the envelope a little more because all my followers (at that time) were adults. I didn’t even tell my teens that I had Twitter because I didn’t want them to follow me – I didn’t want to have to watch what I said all the time. I wanted to be witty and funny and flirt with the line of appropriateness.

Tweets that make me laugh. Now, when you're done reading this blog, go read a book...

Last March, someone I look up to and admire greatly said to me, “I love following you on Twitter – you’re always so funny!” The euphoric pride I felt was quickly (and thankfully) smashed by a spiritual director who asked me how the Twitter persona I had so carefully crafted was leading me closer to God.

So, when Lent rolled around last year, I decided to give up Twitter and spend some time re-evaluating how I was using this particular social media tool. I was back full force after Easter (hopefully) still witty, but also much more conscious about how I was using this technology to bring glory to God rather than to myself. It wasn’t hard to do, and the Lenten fast served it’s purpose – with unexpected benefits. I found myself being much more open about my personal faith on both Facebook and Twitter.

Unfortunately, the change also had some unexpected drawbacks. I don’t get re-tweeted as much any more or get very many funny replies to my tweets – though those are relatively minor consequences and have become less important to me. No, the biggest and most unexpected drawback has been the rejection I’ve experienced.

The “Modern” Family

Posted on February 16, 2012 by RRMM

The Cast of “Modern Family”

I admit it. I’m a bit of a TV junkie. I am. I just really like TV. There’s so many interesting and entertaining shows to choose from.

Though I probably know more about what’s on HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, and Nick Jr. than a normal person should, I don’t just enjoy shows that are on the science and learning (or kids!) channels. I also enjoy a lot of the sitcoms and a few dramas on network television. One of the shows we enjoy in our house is Modern Family. Read More

What moves you, and what makes you be moved?

Posted on February 15, 2012 by joesuperdad

We’ve all heard the cliches about hard work. You get out of something what you put into it. Pray like it all depends on God, work like it all depends on you. Hard work equals success. Talent only gets you so far. Luck is the residue of design. Let me know of others – I’m sure there’s lots more out there.

Yes, this is more about my running. But more than about my running. When I run, I am praying. Every morning, within my first few steps, I am giving God that run, that morning, that day… my life.

The view at my 10-mile race last Saturday (from Checkers AC pictures of the race)

LENT: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Posted on February 14, 2012 by RRMM

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 
When we sacrifice many things
 And forgo the chicken wings
 And maybe give up beeeeeer! 
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  

The majority of Catholics don’t exactly share my sentiments about Lent. We generally have childhood memories of cheese pizzas and mac & cheese on Friday nights (or, as with our house, orange roughey or tuna). We remember somber days, going to Stations of the Cross, venerating the Cross and extra long Palm Sunday Masses.

My most vivid Lent memory from childhood was the hardcore parental move of NO TV for all 6 weeks of Lent. Yup, all of it, including Sundays. I don’t know how my parents didn’t go nuts with us 5 kids and all our “boredom.”
Read More

I get tired DRIVING 20 miles… har har har!

Posted on February 10, 2012 by joesuperdad

Yesterday, I took an easy jog. Today, I took a just as easy jog. Tomorrow, I race. I love running. I love running hard. I generally am bored with the easy jog days, but I can’t run hard every day. Racing? I love it. And I hate it. It’s all I’ve been thinking about today, to be honest.

This video illustrates conversations I have about once each day:

I am a runner. Long ago, that statement meant something to me. I had what I look back upon now as “a lost decade” of running. It wasn’t lost in all areas – I grew tremendously in my faith, we had 4 awesome daughters, I had the privilege of witnessing countless teens grow in their faith, and I was married to the Wifey of the Universe the entire time. So it was a great decade – just not for running.

A few years ago, I refound this important part of myself. And people shake their heads at me. They think me crazy. The don’t get it. They think it’s about exercise. Or that we’re just dumb. And then I hear all the jokes. (Some of which are included in the video above.)

Real Life Romance

Posted on February 10, 2012 by RRMM

Romantic movie poster

Recently, a few of the girls in my youth group were talking about how they were planning to see the new movie The Vow which is coming out this weekend. As they were all agreeing on how romantic the concept of the movie is and how much they are going to cry when they watch it, one of the girls said, “I wish things like that happened in real life.”

I proceeded to tell them that the story of “The Vow” is, in fact, based on a real life couple, and that there are people who actually are committed to their wedding vows.

It saddens me to think that many teens and young adults (and, heck, even adults!) live under the assumption that people can’t or don’t have marriages that are good, happy, beautiful, and romantic. They see and experience unhappiness, broken marriages, relationships with no commitment that never lead to marriage and eventually fall apart, etc. They find it hard to believe that someone could actually live the vows they make at a wedding. Read More