I'm not gonna talk about that thing er'body else is talking about...(Quick Takes)

I'm linking up with Kelly at This Ain't The Lyceum   to give you this week's quick takes.  Are you ready?

I'm not gonna talk about that thing er'body else is talking about.  Rather, I need your help, I'm hoping at least 9 people who read this blog can pray about helping...

In one month I will be taking 12 teens to a Catholic Youth Conference in the Archdiocese of Detroit.  It is called RAINBOW. I went when I was a teen, I went as an adult volunteer for a youth program and I also went as a Youth Minister for many many years.

(insert funny paul story on the anniversary of his death... One year he went with our youth group to chaperone.  There was a kid who was um, a little more than a little misbehaved.  The teens 'punishment' was he had to stay by Paul's side all weekend... I don't think he minded)


This conference has lots of advantages (I'll explain them in the Quick Takes), BUT it is costly for two days.  I have committed to *trying to match sponsors up with young people.  I am looking for 9 people who will donate $100 that will help to defray the cost of the conference for our young people.  It was a gamble trying to do it this way...

BUT, I know I have people who read the blog who are invested in the faith of young people... and I know I have people who read the blog who have the means to donate $100 to sponsor a young person to attend this conference, so I thought I would give it a shot.

Here's a little more information.

(one)

You should do this because you will know you are sending a young person to a conference where they will meet with other young people of faith.

Our culture is crazy hostile to teens who choose to live as Catholic Christians.
It's hard.

I often say in talks, one of the bravest things a teenager can do is live their faith in 2017.
This conference allows young people to have a moment where they are with people of shared faith, kind of a reprieve from the 'war' they generally fight.

(two)

\The Eucharist is there.
My group always spends time before the Blessed Sacrament each day in prayer.
We will pray for you and your intentions by name during that time.
Jesus likes the prayers of teenagers...like, a lot.

(three)

Things are expensive (as you know).

I remember when I was a teen how much I wanted to do, but being one of six kids it was crazy hard to afford ministry events.  Life changing events.
But the generosity of strangers often allowed it. I often accessed scholarships to attend things I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.
Maybe you did to?  And maybe this is your moment to give back for someone who helped you along the road?

(four)

If you have the means to help out financially, that's awesome. 

I will give you the name of the teen you will be 'sponsoring'... you can pray for them.

You can maybe pray for them long after the conference.  It will be a spiritual bond with a young person who you may never meet, but who's life you can potentially change.

(five)

We will give the teen who you are sponsoring your name and address.
They will write you and tell you about their experience.
You will have a tangible way to know how your sponsorship helped a young person grow in faith. 

(six)

This conference has wonderful speakers/workshops, a Mass with the Archbishop, and plenty of time to bond with one another in an environment of faith.
It's a Catholic Party... and my gosh, who doesn't want to Catholic party?!?!?!

(seven)

If this is something you might be into, you can email me (marywilkersonym (at) gmail (dot) com) or you can message me on 'the facebook'.

I will give you the parish address and how to send a check that will sponsor a young person. I will ask for your address in return so the young person you are sponsoring can write you and tell you about their experience. 

Let's do this...

Take a moment, 

pray about it... could God be calling you to help these young people?!?!?!?!?

$100 to sponsor a young person to attend a Catholic Conference in Detroit for the weekend.

We will need a firm commitment (and preferably the donation) by February 11th... are you in?

If not, no worries.  But would you pray for us!?!?!?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

The reading doesn't have to stop here, head on over to http://thisaintthelyceum.org/ to read more quick takes!

I was a real piece of work today...

It's been a minute since I've written a good, solid, bloggin' PDA about my husband, so if you're the type that gets annoyed at these types of things, you're gonna wanna just skip this bad boy.

Today, I have been a piece of work (shocking, I know). I was really sick last night and into the wee hours of this morning. At 6:30 am, I woke up my husband, Aaron, and made sure he understood he would getting up with the kids, changing them and feeding them. I rolled out of bed before he left for work, super cranky, begging him to work from home (which is really not a nice thing to do, to be honest, because I know he would if he could).

I followed that with texts throughout the day telling him how hard it was to feel so bad and have to care for the kids. At 5:30, he was suppose to be home but wasn't. I text to see where he was, and he said he was stuck in traffic. He didn't get home till six. Now, SAHMs know how each minute longer than the minute due home can feel like an eternity, couple that with me feeling like crud, I was fit to be tied when he got home late (through no fault of his own). When Aaron finally walked in the door, the first thing I said to him was ,'don't talk to me'. I followed that by going into my room with a bit of a door slam. Mind you, him not being home was not his fault. After letting me simmer for 10 minutes, he opened the locked door (oh my gosh, I lock my door when I'm mad at him, like a CHILD) laid on the bed and told me he was sorry he came home late, and he knew it was hard to be with the kids and run the house when I feel so bad. By now it was 6:15 pm. I came out of the room, and begged him to go get me some chicken noodle soup, which he did (please remember he was only home a half hour by this point). He got back from getting me soup at 6:40 pm, and I had the nerve to tell him he took to long getting the soup.

PLEASE NOTE- I never realize fully how irrational I am until I think about it later.

I responded to his kindness of getting me soup, by telling him to please 'sweep the floor' before he left.

"Left?" you say, "but where could he being going?"

Aaron had to leave the house at 6:45 pm to go to a committee meeting at the Parish I work for that he sits on so he could take something off my plate.

So now it's 8:25 pm, I've laid on the couch and ate my soup. I've taken a long, hot shower. I am getting ready for bed yet, and he's not even home.

I've been a real piece of work today blogger friends. And I'm feeling really guilty. I married the best of the best. The type of servant who begins serving at 6:30 am and doesn't stop until 9:30 pm. I don't deserve the gift God gave me in a husband but I'm gonna try to be better tomorrow. Because he deserves better, even when the kids are kind of cruddy all day, and I feel sick.

Boo, you're the best boo in the whole wide world, and I don't want you to think, despite my terrible behavior, that I've forgotten that.

AND, he's the most handsome.