Summer is almost here!

Summer is right around the corner! For some, it may already be their summer break!

 

Isn't it exciting!?

 

I know I'm excited. A lot of times school and work just seems to jumble together and we feel like we just need a break. During the school year we tend to feel like school is our life, it takes up the majority of our time and then we have to study, or do homework, or work, or do our chores, etc. There's always something.

And then, as summer rolls around the corner we're thinking "hmm, finally! a break! Time to relax!" am I right?

So then the first couple weeks of summer we're all kinda lazy and don't really do much. You know the routine, hang out at home, order some pizza, kick your feet up, watch a couple movies, read a book. Sounds good, right? 

Let's face it. If all you're doing is lying around the house, you're likely to get bored. I know I do.

How about put you open schedule toward something? See where I'm going with this? No point in slouching around the house boring yourself to death! Get out and enjoy yourself! Spend some quality time with family and friends. See where God is calling you to! I'm not saying that you should move to Africa and give all you own to the poor (Unless, of course, God is calling you to that. Then by all means follow your Father to where ever He leads you!)! My point is, make a difference with the life God gave you. If you are stuck inside, say you don't have a ride or everybody's busy. The best thing to do is to spend some of that free time in prayer. Say a rosary. Pray for those you love. Discern God's vocation for you. 

This summer my youth group is going on a mission trip in Michigan. In the past we've gone to the Carolinas, Texas, our own home town, and a couple other places, never out of the country. Most people, when they think of missionary work they think of the people who go to Haiti, Africa, the Philippians, etc. That's awesome that people do that! I actually have a friend who did that (funny thing is I met her at a mission trip in North Carolina). But, where I'm going with this is that you can be a missionary in your own home town, in your day to day life. Christ can work through you no matter where you are; He could be working through you right now!

It's the simple things that often make the biggest difference. My first mission trip My crew was painting for an elderly woman. She had lung problems, she was paralyzed from the waist down, her daughter had heart troubles but on top of all that she was the sweetest person. It meant so much for her that we were painting and making her house look pretty. She enjoyed the company and she loved being able to talk to us. There were 6 people in my crew so we would rotate who did what. One person would spend time talking with our resident and keeping her company while the other 5 painted. On one of the last days, while I was talking to her she told me that us spending time with her and talking with her meant so much more than the painting did and that she really enjoyed that we offered to pray with her.

Always remember that no matter how small an action seems, you could be being Jesus to someone. As my youth minister likes to say, "Be Jesus with skin on!" basically, be Jesus to others, you never know who's going to need Him more in that moment.

God Bless you!