I've been a tad lazy over the last year. Around this time last year I quickly halted my going-to-two-churches and serving in a handful of ministries at my old church routine. I made the shift to St. Tim's entirely. And as I most certainly missed those people and ministries the very millisecond I left them, I have to admit I also felt a tremendous feeling of relief. For nearly two and a half years I threw myself at them non-stop. Some weeks I never came home. I was SO dedicated to them, I don't think friends and family realized why I was constantly saying 'no' to invitations out to a movie or dinner. I was truly 'too busy.'
I decided I needed a long break before I let myself get so involved again. And rightly so, as I have needed to focus on wrapping up my studies as well as trying to build up a little bit of savings and investments. Not to mention flipping my world as I had always known it upside down so quickly. I knew very few people at my new church and even less of the ministries I would actually be useful too.
How quickly a year changes things. I meet at least 4 new people at every mass I go to. I know countless wonderful, God-loving, Spirit-filled couples/families I could only aspire to be like one day. I know at least 60% of the ministries available at St. Tim's (we have over 40 so I'd say that's fair) and what their missions are. So I feel pretty comfortable.
Along with taking long vacations, vulnerabilities are quickly exposed. It's so easy to get in the habit of sleeping in, staying in your pjs all day, not going to work (talking figuratively here). Sad to say, some of those vulnerabilities have been attacked as I haven't been so involved. In combination with a 'honeymoon' phase of being newly Catholic and finishing up my degree, my spiritual life has been wounded. No, I'm not on drugs. No, I haven't skipped mass. But my reading time has been cut down from 30 minutes a night to about 10. My praise and worship time downsized to travel time to and fro work, school, and church. My prayer time from full blown Rosaries and devotionals to a decade and a 'free-styler' as I like to call them. To many of the older generations reading this, they may say 'that's great for a young person." But for me, it's tremendously sad. That longing has been welling up to be completely and totally connected and over committed again.
Guess what. The time has come. =0)
I am more than thrilled to say I attended my first SVDP (St. Vincent de Paul) meeting the other night. The stories that poured out of people that were in true need of just a little extra help and encouragement overwhelmed me with joy to know that I have joined a genuinely humble and wonderful group that strive to serve God worldwide. Out of all the ministries I've looked into, by far this is the most amazing to me. They are THE place to go when 'you just don't know where to go.' I have a feeling this mission will quickly connect my lifesong back fully to Christ.
Getting in even more over my head, one of those amazing couples (the ones I hope I'm like with my husband someday) got me interested in Parish Council. At first, I just thought, sure! What the heck! Tack that on too! Because you have to be elected to it and I figured no one would vote for a 21-year old, I didn't think I'd have a shot. But go figure, everyone is rooting for me. Even people I don't know. They want me. They want youth. They want fresh ideas. They want someone with a heart to love and serve God. If that's what they're after....I'm their girl. And the more I think about it, the more I think I'd be great for it and it'd be great for me.
All this and I've decided to submerge myself into learning a handful of programming languages. I am truly convinced I am not happy and thriving unless I'm full to the brim with things to do, people to see, and places to be!
On a closing note, I firmly believe God blesses those who are out for Him and are willing to take one for the team. Let me state, while I have my moments of weakness and I screw up now and then, I am willing to take on less sleep and more responsibilities if it means putting a smile on His face. Putting God on the backburner will always catch up to you. I'm just glad I caught it before the pot caught fire. Instead it seems the only thing that caught the flame was my heart. I'm all yours...now and forever...
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