June 25, 2008

We are on track for WYD and Steubenville. WYD Pilgrims....I can't think everyone enough for getting me your waivers in time. There are still some stragglers. Can you please get them to me this week? I have to put your info in a spread sheet and then make copies to leave here at the office. I need to get things out of the way ASAP so I can be prepared next week, if anything comes up. I can't believe its almost here. WYD. Yikes! I have a lot of Padres tickets available, if anyone wants to go, I have to pay for them either way, so please, if you or anyone in your family can make it, please contact me right away.

June 20, 2008

I am feeling better this week. Things are looking up. Last week, we paid off our remaining balance for WYD by helping one of our parishioners at her home. So I had a huge sigh of relief. Thank you to all of you who have expressed their thanks and support. It means a lot to me. If you haven't please check out Jordan's post on the youth forums under Sunday night youth group. Youth, when you get a chance, please respond I need that re-assurance that you are going to step up. Things are getting better. Thank you to the youth who have been stepping up and turning in things on time now. I really appreciate it. If anyone can help me on Friday, that would be awesome, or Monday. Either one. I need some help in catching up and jumping ahead for World Youth Day. If you can, just e-mail me or call me and let me know when you are available. Since WYD is quickly approaching and I have Steubenville only a couple of days after I get back, I have to be prepared for it before I go....and I leave in two weeks. Yikes!!!!! Help!!!!

June 9, 2008

Thank you to those who sent me uplifting e-mails. I have been feeling down, but I feel a little better today. However, I wish this past Saturday, that people who said they were going to show up for our game would have....I wanted to take the day off, but since we had the Volleyball, Soccer, Potluck, I didn't....I think the most disappointing thing was the Hispanic Community seeing that I had no one when they moved it just for us....I hope this doesn't happen again. I feel like a lot of people are letting me down lately. Please continue to pray for me.

June 4, 2008

Today, is a blog entry that is a little more down than usual. I feel a bit of mixed emotions, FRUSTRATED is the big one. Youth, if you only knew how much additional time I spend making phone calls and following up on payments, waiver forms, etc. Please, when you say you are going to do something, I would ask that you take that seriously. If you can't do it, please contact me, don't wait for me to call you three or four times until I get a hold of you. It's so frustrating and disrespectful. As a result, I cannot perform my other duties to the best of my ability and end up working more hours than I should. Please remember, I have family, friends, etc. of whom I would like to see also. Lately, I have been working a lot with little or no personal time. I'm not writing this to make you feel bad, I just want you to understand my perspective. As a result, I have to now enforce strict new deadlines and I'm sticking to them....No one is signed up until they have all the forms filled out and money. If you miss the deadline you can't participate. No matter what. Sorry, but you guys have left me no choice.

Parents...I ask for your help, prayer and support. The youth have been really distracted. Probably because of finals, graduation, etc. They aren't communicating to you about things when I ask them too and they talk the entire time we are holding meetings. We will be discussing this briefly on Sunday night with the youth group. It is one thing to be disrespectful to me, but to my volunteers who give generously of their time. That's even worse and I would like to keep my volunteers happy. They are all good kids, but need to be reminded of this every once in a while.

I apologize for the down entry today, I just felt like it needed to be said. On a positive note. World Youth Day is about a month away!!!! Check out our summer activities. The next one is this Saturday from 11-4pm. Please join us for Volleyball, Soccer and a Potluck. Bring the family, but let me know so I have enough plates, forks, etc.

May 30, 2008

Yesterday I watched many of my High School Youth walk up to the stage and get their Diploma as graduates of San Pasqual High School. It was bittersweet. We shouted really loud for each one, I hope you heard us. :) It was strange being at San Pasqual...as I realized I graduated from there 10 years ago now...WOW! How the time has flown. That and I just turned 28 yesterday! Yep, you heard me, the big 28! Yikes. How crazy is that? Time passes by so quick. It didn't even feel like my Birthday either. Hard to explain, because I can't explain why, but I didn't have that same feeling like I always do on my Birthday...Could it be because I'm getting closer to the dreaded 30???? Nooooo! Next year, I'm having a so long to my 20's party and the next year, it will be "Forever 29". :)

May 20, 2008

Not too much to report today. I am starting to catch up on a few things. Finally!!! I'm also starting to work on the schedule for Confirmation next year as well as activities throughout the year. I finished school on Friday. Yay! I have 3 months off. I'm excited because that will help slow things down a bit. Next week is a big week. All my seniors are graduating. :) :( Goods and bads. It is my first graduating class to be with me the entire time since I started volunteering a few years ago. Its bittersweet. I hope they are all going to the Senior Retreat. We have a lot to talk about and some good activities. Please continue to pray for me and my family. Thanks!

May 12, 2008

I can breathe...Confirmation is over. Congratulations to all our newly Confirmed. Just a few more things to get out of the way and I will feel fully relieved. Everyone going to Steubenville, I need your payments ASAP...It would help relieve some of that stress. :) We have sooo much coming up. If you plan on doing any of these summer events, you should your form in soon. It's online now under "document downloads". These events are first come, first served.

May 5, 2008

Today I had my parent meeting for all Confirmation students, and it was the last day of class. I feel a little better now. I have some breathing room...I had a good turn out for the meeting, tonight, thanks to all the parents that showed up...However to my Youth - Please give your parents information that I give you. Many never give the papers that I send out. Anyway, after Sunday is over, I will feel so relieved. I will have on year of classes under my belt. Also, I have almost all of the World Youth Day payments in, so I can focus more on improving and expanding my ministry...Oh, and some days off too!!! What are those anyway, someone remind me...LOL.

April 25, 2008

It's been a while since my last post. Its been pretty busy. World Youth Day has consumed a large chunk of this month. Hopefully soon all that will be over with final payments being due this month. My nieces are also in town and I have been spending time with them as well, since I rarely see them. They live in North Carolina and are 3 and 1 1/2 years old. Summer activities are coming up soon. I can't wait. Sign-ups are coming soon. Keep and eye out for them.

April 7, 2008

We had 43 attending the Lock-in. That's the most we ever had. It was a lot of fun and my volunteers were awesome. Thanks everyone! There are a lot of things going on in Youth Ministry. Make sure you check them out under "Youth News". I had to teach a class today, Confirmation 2. I hope I got through to them. I did what I could, but I only found out I was teaching about two hours before class. Oh well, God guided me to where I needed to be I think.

April 1, 2008

Things are looking good today. We have as of the time of this posting 36 youth attending the Lock-in, usually we double what we get by the Monday before the Lock-in, so it might be a lot bigger. Either way, I'm excited about the great turn out. Sunday was our large group meeting, many things didn't go our way. I think "sparky" was trying to prevent us from the positive things that we were presenting to the youth...but we beat him. I presented all of our summer activities to the youth and honestly, I didn't expect the reaction that I got. I thought they would be like "That's cool", but no big reaction. Instead they were screaming and clapping. It was awesome! That means I must be doing something right, its been a challenge being a new youth minister and learning things as I go. There have been a lot of challenges, but I've gotten through them and now I am starting to see the rewards of all my hard work. I pray everyday that I can get the youth more involved and get them excited about their faith and fellowship.

If there is anyone out there who can play for our ministry, myself and my volunteers, I would appreciate it. As a youth minister, I am constantly battling "sparky" aka satan, because he doesn't want me to succeed. My volunteers experience the same thing. Please pray for us if you can so that we can continue to bring, smiles, laughter, and faith to these young people.