"No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.  "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 than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?  Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?  Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.  If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry and say, 'What are we to eat?' or 'What are we to drink?' or 'What are we to wear?'  All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.  Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.

Matthew 6:24-34

Yikes.  These were the words spoken during the Gospel this morning.  And also, the words we discussed on Wednesday evening at CCD.  Father spoke a lot of worry and anxiety this morning in his homily, and it struck me.....we all worry (even though He tells us not to) about lots of things -- big things, little things, etc.  And somehow, even though we live life, we sometimes worry more the older we get -- at least about different things.

Yesterday, I took the girls to the mall.  While I was waiting for them to try things on, I watched a little girl dancing in the tri-mirror beside me, singing a song asking, "Why did you talk about me?" and then looking in the second mirror, and then the third, saying, and you, and you?  to the other mirrors....obviously, she had a worry on her mind....

It seems like teens have lots to worry about -- are they wearing the "right" things?  Are they doing the right things?  Have the right friends?  etc etc etc......it's a time to figure out for them a sense of who they are and what they want to be....a fun time, I think....although I'm not sure they always agree!!!

Young adults are trying to figure out how to make life work on their own -- in college, in their apartments, in their new careers -- and lots of worries -- will I find new friends?  How will I succeed without my parents (I hope our kids ask this!  LOL); will I find a job?

People our age (29 or so!) have much different worries -- how are our kids doing?  Are we raising them well?  Did WE make the right career decision?  and even starting to think -- I'm I doing the right things so I can retire when I want to?

Then I think about people my parents age -- what do they have to worry about?  Well, things like, did I live my life right so that I will get into heaven?  Are my kids doing well?  Are they successful?

So, my question is this:  why do we worry so?  In the scripture above, God tells us NOT TO WORRY!!!  He says, "But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

He's telling us He will take care of us.  Why don't we trust him? 

I suspect, especially in my own life, that it's a control issue :) ......I tell my kids all the time: "Let go and let God." meaning, quit trying to manipulate the results to get what you want -- if God wants it to happen, it will.  If He doesn't, it won't.

I promise to not always write about my kids on here, but I want to mention two of them tonight, because I think they both have done some pretty neat letting go recently......

Last week, at solo and ensemble, Sarah was part of a couple of vocal ensembles (and a solo and also did a flute ensemble, but I want to mention the two vocal ensembles here) -- she performed both, but the second one they were not able to get judged because of a rule (discovered too late) that stated people couldn't be in 2 seperate ensembles....(not really sure of the rule, and it really doesn't matter....) but anyways, she performed both of those vocal ensembles today at the band and choir concert....and had solos in both.  For those of you that know Sarah, she is very quiet....or so you think :) -- I had so many people comment to me after her performances today that they didn't know she had it in her!  I told a few people that Sarah has lots to say -- but she will never be the one to pressure you to listen to her.  She has given me a great gift in life -- because I've learned that I just need to sit back and listen to her.  She's got a great perspective, but she's not going to be the one to force it on anyone.  And worry?  If she was worried up there about singing those two solos, she didn't show it one bit.  *Insert proud mama smile*

The second thing I wanted to mention was a decision that Emily is working on making.  Her and Becca are excited to be going this fall to the National Catholic Youth Conference, which will be held in Indianapolis, IN.  This conference is held every two years, so each high schooler gets to go twice.  The first time, she was chosen to be a youth reporter and got to interview the MC for the event, along with many presenters, and even got ahold of our Archbishop and did an interview with him!  This event draws 20,000 people, so this was a pretty big undertaking on her part.

Well, this year, she wants to apply to be an animator.  Animators do many things at the conference, from doing liturgical dances, to acting out various skits.  It's definitely an "onstage" moment if you can get the chance.

However, upon examining the paperwork, she realized that the training weekend, if chosen, would fall on the same weekend that she wants to go to the youth conference at Franciscan University in Steubenville.  No choices, either she can make it or not.  I asked her what she was going to do, and she looked at me and said, "I'm going to apply to be an animator.  I want to go to Steubenville, too, but I don't know what God wants me to do.  I figure if I'm open to both, He'll choose and I will do what He wants."

Wow.  I was stunned.  No anxiety there.  Just open to His choices. 

I hope she always stays that way.  I'm so very proud. 

Until next time,

Pam