Back on the Road

I feel the need to begin my entry today with an apology for taking such a lengthy break from posting.  I, like many of us, became overwhelmed with the stresses of the school year, distracted by the amazingly warm weather, and simply overtaken by life in general.  I admit that despite my greatest efforts, I unfortunately fell slightly off the God wagon for a few weeks and began to allow myself to get caught up in the petty dramas and insignificant worries of everyday life. As upsetting as this is, my sabbatical from this column and my choice to let God work His way to the bottom of my “to do” list has resulted in my personal realization that God really can be the ultimate source of relief.

Junior year, the high school experience as a whole, and even life can be summed up in a short and easy six letter word: stress.  This stress can be, and for some of us is, all consuming.  It works its way into every part of our lives and invades our every thought and can even cause us to remove ourselves from things, activities and people whom we love.  We may not even realize that it is slowly taking over our lives until it is too late to stop it and the damage has already been done.  We allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in tomorrow’s test or the game this afternoon or the SATs next weekend that we forget that there is a way out.

The way out is God. We are all so incredibly lucky because even though we sometimes stray from Him and His wants for us, He will always welcome us back with open arms.  Just like when the father in the story of the prodigal son (which I know we have all heard a thousand times in mass, during retreats, and on the announcements) welcomes his frivolous son back to him and does not even question his past, God will always want to take us back.  God waits by the window, searching for our straggling bodies to come hobbling down His road and the second He sees us He acts as if we had never left Him.  He immediately works to lighten our load and does all that He can to relieve our stress. His presence alone can be enough to calm our hearts and ease our minds.

By venting to Him about the issues that are causing us anxiety, stress, and pain, we can alleviate our suffering while simultaneously developing a closer relationship with Him. Believe it or not, God truly does want to hear what is going on in our lives whether it is good or bad, and will always provide you with a solution to your problems.  And if you ask Him, He will provide you with the endurance to study for your test, give you the strength for your game, and calm your nerves about the SAT’s.  God truly is a remarkable wonder if you let Him be.

“And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 

1 Corinthians 10:13

Rocky Roads

At this point in our lives, the vast majority of us can agree that we can tell the difference between right and wrong.  We can all state with confidence that we can tell the difference between something that is good and something that is bad without much effort, however, a significantly smaller group of us can truthfully state with confidence that they always act on their knowledge. For example, we all know that it is better to eat an apple than a piece of cake, but when presented with the choice, cake tends to win the battle.  We all know that including that girl who does not have many friends is the right thing to do, but when the time comes to invite her into a conversation we tend to turn our backs and choose to ignore her endless attempts to contribute.  We all know that talking about a ‘friend’ of ours behind their backs will eventually damage their reputation, but nevertheless, when we hear stories of her less than angelic behavior, we feel the need to spread them like wildfire. My estimate is that more than 99% of us are guilty of all or some of these omissions of right and that 99.9% of us knew we were doing the wrong thing at the time and chose to do so anyway.

This unfortunate fact can typically be brushed off by convincing ourselves that, ‘hey, I’m only human,’ that ‘I am allowed to make mistakes,’ or that ‘I will try to do better next time.’  But the truth is these excuses for our actions are simply not satisfactory.

As Christians, we are called to always better ourselves and constantly try to live the way God intended.  Although, we are only human, and yes, we are allowed to make mistakes, repeating the same offense day in and day out is not okay.  We cannot go about our day wearing a cross necklace, a saints bracelet, and carrying around a bible in our backpacks, if we are going to constantly and consciously do the wrong things and make choices that are not conducive to a Christian environment.  The occasional slip is nothing to fret over, but when we spend six days a week doing the wrong things and only one doing the right, while simultaneously calling ourselves followers of Christ, we are not only disobeying God, but we are also being hypocritical.

We must truly make an attempt to live the way we think.  We must follow what we have been taught, and act upon what our conscience is telling us.  When we are confronted with a situation where we have the option to choose right over wrong, we can no longer choose to do wrong simply because it is easier at the time.  We can no longer put off doing right until that elusive tomorrow which never seems to arrive, and we can no longer ignore the effects of our actions.  The only way we will be able to achieve this goal, and make it past this roadblock we have encountered, is by practicing doing the right thing.  It is going to take a lot of effort, and it will most definitely involve some seemingly awkward situations, however with practice we will all become better at choosing to do right.  By consciously making the decision to do the right thing and by holding ourselves accountable when we do the wrong thing, eventually doing right will become second nature.  Through working to do good, we will all become better friends, better siblings, better children, better Christians, and over all better people.

    “learn right from wrong by practicing doing right” Hebrews 5:14

Leveling the Roads

Balance. One simple word that captivates all that we as teenagers strive for but can never seem to attain.  The concept of balance seems to be so trivial and should, in theory, be easy to understand and live out, however, fining a happy medium between tests and teammates, clubs and community service, family and friends, proves to be one of the greatest challenges we face. 

Because of our hard working attitudes, determination to succeed, and our subconscious programming to never settle for anything less than perfection, we tend to focus too hard on the small things that we forget to look at the greater picture.  If we take a second to step back from our routine, and think about our lives, many of us will find that they are truly unbalanced.    

Whether we focus too much on how we are doing in school, or how we are going to make it to all of our after-school activities on time, or even how others think of us, we are all leading unbalanced lives.

Although it may not seem like a major issue at the moment – maybe you see no problem with spending countless hours obsessing over something that will most likely be insignificant in the grand scheme of life – it is something that eventually becomes a serious problem.  When we focus too much on one aspect of life, we forget about all of the others.  This leads to serious losses in various parts of our lives, especially our relationships. 

Unfortunately, our relationship with God is the first that typically goes.  Since we do not see God directly on a day-to-day basis, it can be easy for Him to get pushed into the recesses of our mind by all of the things that are taking over our lives and causing them to be unbalanced.

It is in the recesses that God sits and waits for us to not only realize that we are missing out on a major part of life, but also to pull Him out, dust Him off, and ask for His help.  No matter how swamped we may seem and how deep of a hole we have dug ourselves into with our unbalanced life, God is always there to throw us a rope and tow us out.  It is through Him that we can figure out a plan to get back on track and it is only with His guidance that we can live a balanced life. 

This balanced life is one that will elevate our stresses, allow us to remember the truly important things, and remind us not to sweat the small stuff.  We will find ourselves at such peace, that we will wonder why we ever chose to worry endlessly about such trivial events as we did days, months or years ago.  It will help us to live out God’s word, and be role models for those around us who have yet to call upon Him to help them sort out their priorities and even out their lives.  Ultimately, by leading a balanced life, there is nothing that will be able to hinder our relationships, our priorities, or our attitudes. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"There is a time for everything, and a season for all activity under the heavens:

A time to be born and a time to heal,

A time to tear down and a time to build,

A time to week and a time o laugh,

A ime to mourn an a time to dance,

A time to scatter snoes and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to keep and a time to throw away,

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak,

A time to love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace."

Guiding Lights

As the days get colder and the darkness of night creeps up through our windows so quickly, the need to stay warm and have a perpetual light is more and more eminent.  We find ourselves reaching for a warm blanket, cozying up by the fireplace, dreaming about the sunny days of summer.  In these winter months we are willing to do everything possible to maintain the comforts of light, when ironically, we ourselves have the potential to be lights. 

Just as the light from a bulb, candle, or fireplace, provides us with clarity, comfort, and at times joy, the light from our hearts has the capability to provide others with the same exact feelings. 

As Christians, we are each called to be the light of the world and to share this light with each and every person we encounter daily.  In John 8:12, Jesus proclaims that He is the “Light of the world” and that all who follow him “will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Since we are all called to live as Jesus did, we, too, are lights of the world.

Just as a burning flame attracts attention and illuminates all things in a room, being a light of the world causes us to have the same effect.  No matter how dim or bright we are as lights, we will have the ability to expose things that are otherwise being kept in the dark, by doing so we will gain notice from others and our flame will be able to grow brighter. 

Being a light can at times be a challenge.  Sometimes we will feel as though we are strong torches, illuminating the way for crowds of people, while at other times our light may only be enough to guide a single person.  This may seem discouraging, however we must remember that no matter what, God will never let our flame be entirely extinguished, and that as soon as we ask Him to make our light stronger He will.

So no matter how dim you believe your light may be, remember to keep it burning and continue to light the way for others and provide them with the courage, clarity, and compassion they deserve!

 

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

Oh, Brother

Throughout our travels, we encounter hundreds upon hundreds of people.  Some we simply pass by, others we consider our acquaintances, and there are a select few we truly value as friends. Within this category of friends, however big or small it may be, lies another subcategory labeled siblings. 

            The idea of our sibling being considered a friend may seem like a stretch, especially because, whether they are older or younger, we have most likely all fought with our siblings more than anyone else in our lives.  This fighting however, not supports the argument that a sibling is a friend, but proves it almost entirely.  The reason there is perpetual feuding between siblings is because a sibling is the one person who knows us better than anyone else.  Therefore they are able to see us for us and call us out on things we are doing wrong. This ability, although many times preformed tactlessly, allows a sibling to inadvertently show us how to be better people.

            The bond between brothers and sisters is so unique, that it simply cannot be replicated or replaced by other people.  Because the bond between us and our brothers and sisters is so uniquely strong, we are always able to get over the arguments that we have with each other, grow from them, and learn about ourselves and one another.  A friend, no matter how close, will never be able to have the full and complete disclosure a sibling is inherently able to have with us. 

            It is for this reason that God created us with both siblings and friends. Although there are can be many similarities between the two, a true friend will always like you for who you are, whereas a sibling will always love you.  This means that even though your brother or sister will always love you, they will definitely not always like the person you have become.  Luckily, it is only a brother or sister that will be able to fully explain to you why, and help you to change and evolve into the person both they and God want you to be. 

Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, but a brother is born for adversity”

What's Around the Corner?

How many times have we been told to not worry? For some of us it might only be every once and a while, before a major event or prior to stepping out of our comfort zone, but for those of us chronic worriers, the phrase “don’t worry about it” is a staple of everyday life.  But whether we only worry every once in a while, or worry every day, the truth is the burden of worry affects each and every one of us.

 In reality, life lends itself to worry.  With all of the stresses that we encounter, worrying about what will happen next or how things will play out may seem like a natural human instinct.  However, sometimes our worries get so out of control they not only impact us physically by giving us clammy hands, butterflies, and the occasional case of Restless Leg Syndrome, but they can also manifest themselves in other ways. Without even realizing it worrying can have effects on us both emotionally and spiritually.

With so many things going on in our busy lives, it  is very easy to become distracted.  When we worry, the probability of us being distracted skyrockets. We miss all that is happening now because we are so focused on everything that might, or might not, happen later.  We get so caught up in our future lives that we forget to live our current ones.  The distractions caused by worry are completely unnecessary though, simply because the concept of worry itself is not one that is essential in our day to day lives.

Although worrying is second nature to all of us, this instinct is really just a mechanism to avoid trusting in God’s plan.  When we trust that things will work themselves out for the better, that whatever happens was meant to be, and that no matter what God will always be with us, there is no reason to worry about next week, tomorrow, or even this afternoon.  If we trust that we have been set on the right path by a skilled guide, who not only knows the path ahead, but who created it, we can be relived of the burden of worry.         

By fasting from worry and focusing on trust, we are able to better experience all that is on our path.  Since we do not know what we will encounter on the road ahead, we must trust that it has been placed there for a reason.  By trusting that any and everything we face in our lives is manageable in God’s eyes, we will feel absolutely no need to worry about what the future holds.

This kind of abundant trust is not something that will happen overnight.  Like a dilapidated and overgrown garden that takes time to be revitalized, fully trusting in God will take time to achieve. We must give ourselves some time to weed out the worry growing in our hearts and plant new trust in its place.  Worry, like pesky weeds, will occasionally creep back into our hearts and try to encroach upon our growing trust, nevertheless, like a careful gardener we must catch the worry weeds and take them out as soon as possible.  By doing so, we will eventually be able to have a pristine garden of trust, free of worry and all of the negativness that come with it.  

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them … Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

Ignoring Stop Signs

We, as students, as women, and as humans, have the tendency to schedule our lives away.  We are constantly going - always looking ahead at the next thing on our endless list of tasks that need to be performed in the, much too short, 24 hour, day.  Schedules are, of course, an essential part of everyday life, but when we start to plan not only hours, but days, weeks, and even months in advance, a problem starts to arise.

We forget to take time to stop.

It is vital that we take time out of our busy lives to stop.

Stop talking.  Stop moving. Stop planning. Stop thinking. Stop everything. And just be still. 

Many of us probably think that being still is overrated.  We think that we can do it all – see the world, experience everything, and manage it all on our own.  However, we are merely humans, and cannot be anything more, therefore we are unable to be everything, do everything, and see everything, whether we take the time to be still or not. 

It is important that we take the time to acknowledge that we aren’t able to do everything and that by trying, we are not only missing things, but we are ignoring what God wants for us.  God does not want us to constantly plan our lives; He wants us to live them.  And as contradictory as it may seem, in order to lives our lives to the fullest and according to God’s plan, we need to stop them for a few seconds every now and again.  In other words, we need to be still in order to get back on track with God and hear what he wants for us. 

This concept itself may seem easy initially, however, it is one of the hardest things we, as Christians, are called to do.  At times, it can seem almost impossible to totally halt everything in our lives, even if it is only for a few brief moments, but it is at the times when we are busiest that we need to make time to be still. Letting ourselves be still can seem pointless and a waste of time, especially because there are so many things that we think need to be done.  Just forgetting about them for a second can be one of the greatest challenges we face. 

However, with great challenges come great rewards, and this reward is most definitely great. 

By completely being still we are able to fully open ourselves up to God and all of His wonderful gifts.  We are essentially saying “Here I am God. Show me where to go.” When God sees this, He not only hears us loud and clear, but will always show us exactly what we need.  He will allow us to see all of His creation in a new light, and enjoy all that we have been missing.  When we take just a few moments to be still, we are able to see the majesty of the world around us, the beauty of its creator, and a glimpse of the future. 

There is a whole world right under our noses and we are missing more and more of it every day.  So today, make it your mission to stop missing out on your life, and take a minute to be still.  All it takes is 60 seconds out of your day to sit somewhere quiet, shut the doors to your brain, and open the ones to your heart. Whatever God allows to invite itself into your newly open and still heart is exactly what He knows you need.  So don’t just accept it, but use it to live your life the way He wants you to. 

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”