find us on facebook

Hi to anyone who may read this blog: I am not using the blog anymore as a communication tool. Please see our SLDM Youth Ministry facebook page: it is "St. Louis de Montfort Youth Ministry" you just click on "like" and you will be a fan of the page and will get all of the latest news and info on all of the happenings here at St. Louis de Montfort.

umm...

Umm...feeling bad for not posting on the blog since February. Yikes! My only excuse is that I use facebook so much to communicate with the teens in the program and now some of the parents, too.
I feel bad if someone came to check out the blog in the meantime. They probably were like, "umm...nobody maintains this thing!"

I am going to remind myself on my planned to post to the blog at least once every other week. Feeling better already. :-)

blessings,
Kelly

February is LOVE!

It's that time of year again, Valentine's day is a week away.
Today, Valentine's Day is one of the major holidays in the U.S. and has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are "valentine"s. The "valentines", as Valentine's Day cards are better known as, are often designed with hearts to symbolize love. The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest valentines was sent in 1415 AD by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife during his imprisonment in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum. There may be doubts regarding the actual identity of Valentine, but we know that he really existed because archaeologists have recently unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to a Saint Valentine.

When I think of love and Valentine's Day one of my favorite passages is the famous portion of first Corinthians...
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I ave the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

God, with your help. all of us can strive to emulate the love in 1 Corinthians.

have a blessed and loving Valentine's Day.
Kelly

2010 is here!

Hello New Year! Ready or not we are in a new decade...2010 has arrived. I hope you have had a great break from school during Christmas and New Year's and are ready to get back into the school groove (to all you students).
As for me, I am in the midst of undecorating, organizing and cleaning at home and in the Youth Ministry office. Even though it can be a pain, there is something satisfying about getting organized and putting things back on track.
Let's make sure that as we start off this New Year we remember the most important aspect of our life...our faith in Jesus! Let's all make a resolution to live out our faith and be the best person we can be.
blessings,
Kelly

Celebrate!

Good Morning! A thought for the day from a reflection I read...

This day, and every day, is a chance to celebrate the life God has given you.

Give thanks to the one who has offered you more blessings than you can possibly count.

hugs & smiles,
Kelly

Joy, smiles & happiness!

I hope you are all enjoying this 2nd week of Advent. Last night the 3 day Parish Mission with Sister Anne Smollin concluded. I hope you took advantage of this wonderful opportunity to be inspired by such a terrific speaker. I want to share a few things I learned from Sister Anne this week:

4 Ways to bring healing & happiness to your life:

• laugh (put it in your day! Get a laughing buddy)
• cry (crying gets toxicness out of us)
• yawn & stretch
• touch (we need 4 hugs a day to survive & 12 a day to grow)

10 Commandments of joy & humor

• be yourself
• laugh at yourself
• have some fun every day
• smile
• make mistakes
• look for surprises
• stay open
• forgive
• relax
• celebrate everything we can

These are just a few nuggets of the wisdom she shared with us. I took pages of notes each night. As some of the teens who attended said to me, "Sister Anne rocks!"

blessings,

Kelly

1 month Anniversary!

So, it's the 1 month anniversary...of what you ask? Umm, well, umm I see it has been 1 month since a posted a blog! Oops. I guess this is proof of a couple things.
1. Time flies
2. If you don't keep your focus on things, you can forget about them
That's pretty much it. I remember to do alot of things in my life and feel pretty good about how I am organized and keep on top of tasks and my "to do" lists. However, in this case I dropped the ball.
I'll try to work harder at a post once a week.
blessings & Happy Advent,
Kelly