Musings of Late

With the new year, I have found myself musing over a few things. Partly due to the fact that burrowing into a spare comforter on my sofa is the only thing I want to do when it is 4 degrees outside, partly due to the exhaustion of the winter service trip, and partly due to the realization I've been in the youth & young adult ministry game for 8 1/2 years all at the same parish.

First, I would just like to share my general displeasure with the whole 4 degrees thing. You should never be able to use one hand to share the temperature. Okay, glad I got that off my chest.

I have spent the last two weeks going through the topic of stress. It is exam time and with multiple schools feeding into the youth group, that means several weeks of absolutely stressed-out kids. Factor in those who missed a few days (due to their school starting earlier than every other school) for the service trip and then those who leave on March for Life, and I am surprised no one has spontaneously combusted.

However, I am hardly one to cast stones when the subject is stress and worry. (If you knew me in the week before and during the service trip, you'd be understanding this!) When I ducked my head into a co-worker's office yesterday and she asked what I was doing, I said preping things on God and stress. Her response, "What do those have to do with each other?" My reply, "Nothing! That's the point." It was a flippant exchange we had as we both were getting a bit loopy (it is also budget time here in the parish and several major events on the horizon in the next two weeks).

After mulling the idea over, I realized that is the whole point. When we stress and worry, we are doubting God. If we truly believe we are children of God and truly believe what he said in Matthew 6.25-34, then what are we doing getting caught up in stress and fear and worry?

Besides giving me the core of Sunday's youth group message, this has given me much to ponder. I am far too quick to wallow in worry. I stress far too easily. Besides the sad seperation this causes between God and me, it also affects my interactions with others. It can also become a downward spiral that is challenging to break out of. The endorphins of stress and procrastination can become a substitute for the love of God. And that is no way to live.