Confession

I love the Sister Act movies. Yes, even the second one. I don't just mean I appreciated them when they came out (the first one was way back in middle school for me). I mean I excitedly change the channel from a favorite TV show if they are on. There's something about the combination of Whoopi and Maggie Smith that is so so delightfully odd that I love it.

In the second film, Whoopi's Sister Mary Clarence has the dubious challenge of teaching the music class. The line she uses on the exuberant youth (much like our teens), is that "If you want to be somebody, you've got to wake up and pay attention."

Conversations are floating on the web about making sure our youth and Church are awake and paying attention. But are we?

Since WYD is going to pull me out of the office for two weeks in August and I'm then taking time off to recover, I'm trying to do all of August's work this month. My to-do list is a pad of paper. I've used more Post-Its to remind me of things than I thought possible. The teen leaders have worked together and set our calendar for this year. There are all the usual programs and a few new things to prepare for those first weeks of September.

With all the busyness to deal with, am I awake? Am I paying attention? Yes, I am well caffeinated and checking off things on that list. But am I awake to the movement of God in my life and the lives of others? Am I paying attention to the people, not just the programming?

It is far too easy to let ourselves become inundated with the work and to lose sight of the people. It is even easier to lose sight of God.

So tomorrow, instead of working on NCYAMA at home all day and adding to the pilgrim booklet I'm making for our group for WYD, I'm going to the zoo and Chick Fil A with a friend and her girls. When I get home, I'm sure I'll settle in at my laptop for a bit, but first, I will remind myself of the joys of friendship and the wonders of God's creation - especially the one month old elephant who apparently is quite the class clown at the Toledo Zoo.