Another year in review

With 2010 coming to an end I can say what a year. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows...In every high and every low. though the calm and though the storm. God has been there! Let  me share with you some highs and lows of this past year. 

The highs 
Being on CORE. 
Gaining stronger friendships with what I see as life long friends. 
Learning what my vocation means...and what God was talking about a long time ago about being a "Father"...and to learn I have been following it...some day I promise I will LIVE it 
Going to Disney 
The Beatles being on Itunes (as a Beatles fan this is HUGE)
Staying together with Michelle for another year. (biggest blessing I have on a day to day basis)
My dad getting like way better than this time last year. 
Embracing my Nerd like tendencies
Getting my first Job 

The lows 
My dad being super sick. 
Having the lowest GPA I have ever gotten 
Divorce.
My Grandpa getting worse 
Not having a lot of money 


In 2010 I have seen a lot more highs than lows...I am truly  blessed to have all of you in my life...I am truly blessed to have health and live in a free nation!


May your year be blessed and my you have a lot of good times +


With LOVE, 
Afro-Bobby 


Remember these words of a famous song of this time of year:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And never brought to mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And auld lang syne! 


The refrain is my favorite:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne


This year remember to take a cup o' kindness give something back, and pay/pray it forward 


LOVE EVERYBODY!!!

What I learned at VBS

A quick explanation: this was written to go out about a week after heroes camp, but it had to be shelved for awhile aka over five months later (waiting for a picture that never came the picture above is not it). But the lessons are still there and I guess it all happens on God's time really.

For the Past three years I have done some kind of Heroes Camp review. But this year is a little different. Some how this year I felt more apart of VBS (Vacation Bible School) than ever! It was a great feeling it might have to deal with being 20 years old, or maybe the way I approached it, or just knowing more adult people in the church that I respect and that I have their respect. To look back the first year I can say I learned a lot about playing with other musicians and I figured out how to write out capoed chords, but other than that I was very detached because of football practice, there were some days I couldn't be there, when I was there I had to have to guitars electric and acoustic (outsides and inside, really it was only because i just had got my new epiphone Les Paul and wanted to try it out. Another reason was that I just thought that could work, it didn't because I had to go get my electric every time we went to the church after a long day outside. I learned quite a bit about the Heroes and how the whole thing worked but still we were told when we had to play, what we had to do, and that just has to deal with the person in charge. But any way it was fun but I wasn't sure if I would keep doing heroes camp just because I felt awkward some times during the week, I felt like Some of the other people helping with music that are apart of our church band didn't really see the point in me being there. The next year it was just Our music director Matt Andreski, Kay Metzler, and Myself. The songs were so much easier and more fun to play I felt more connected because I had to miss one day, instead of 2 or 3. I felt Matt and I were on the same wavelength and understood what we were bringing to the table. fast forward year later.....


This year the Heroes were Abraham, Zacchaeus, Moses, Mary and of course our hero of heroes Jesus. We had new leadership in Tara Synder, and she did amazing!  The Music was quite easy but the highlight of the week had nothing to do with music. It deals with a one and half year old named Grayson, He is the Child of Jennifer Hudas, she teaches in Green and was helping in snack. She couldn't watch Grayson and help with snack mostly because the time didn't allow for it. They were suppose to have babysitting like they have had in the past, I guess no body volunteered to do it. She had a few different people watch him at first. Then I was in the PAC (Parish Activity Center), because we weren't doing music and it just seemed like a good idea to stay and help with some thing. So i went to snack, and saw that some help was needed down stairs, first I helped Tammy Boyea wash celery and then she cut it. then I was just talking to a teen Sarah Schlosser and her friend; whose name I do not remember and an older lady, that now I forget her name. I saw that a teen Sarah was trying to look after this little guy, his mom had to leave and help with snack, Grayson got out of her arms and chased after his mom, and ran into a door and bounced off of it practically. No blood that was a good thing. I sat down in the main room of the PAC and he started handing me teddy grams. I picked him up and set him on my lap and he seem to respond well to me, I continued talking to Sarah and her friend (again I don't remember her name). We went up to the snack area and his mom asked me if I could babysit during Heroes Camp the rest of the week. He wasn't there Tuesday, and Wednesday on account of how divorce works :(. But Thursday I didn't know how it was going to work, was he going to sit still, was he going to listen, or would he be all over the place. It worked out amazingly, he loves music and just sat there and listen watched my hands move the strings bend and put his hands on the guitar. This might be daunting to some people but for me it was really cool! I made some great memories and got to know some teens really well, I also got to learn the easy parts of Fatherhood, the holding and saying no, making a child smile. The thing that got me most is how close I got Gracen, over three days. He grew on me He has two older siblings that also were very cool Gabe, and Gianna. When Jen thanked me, I told her it was my pleasure and an honor (It really was).

It was a great week were the music didn't seem to matter as much that is all a blur to me really. Besides Red group breaking out in song when they weren't suppose to do music on Thursday, because of taking the group picture. They all got tickets for that. I learned some things I didn't know this week, I got to talk to some teens. I got pretty good at Core to teen ministry with people I didn't know. This past week was awesome! Praise Jesus for People stepping up to lead Heroes camp and be great examples!


So I guess what I learned in VBS was about Life and how to hold a young toddler, how to talk to kids, which yes is some thing I have forgotten over my teenage years, and a very short preview of parenthood!


**************************************************************************************************************

Fast foreward about a month later at Funfest. I had seen Jen, and her kids along with meeting her Parents. Of course that means I saw Gracen, and it was wonderful...he was still cute and all. Then it hit me, I need to write a song. A song for Grayson. Now, up until that point I thought I was done writing songs for people who I had met, and love songs (though I love them I have written at least 50 in three years). I was happpy with just writing worship for awhile...even that was getting manganese  But after I learned a bit more about the situation, and such it occurred to me that this song had to be written. I can't give anything no money, I can't fix things, I can't do much....I can love, and that was enough for a few weeks. In the long run I might not see him more than for a week once a year, and sporadic Sundays though out the year. I am a song writer and a person all I have is wisdom passed down from my father and his before him. Since Gracen's dad isn't willing to give him his wisdom I will give him mine.
Here are the lyrics:

Grayson's Song

Little Guy

I know your young but you already know this world is right and life ain't easy
I am 20 years old and I still don't have all the anwsers
All I got is some wisdom pass down to me I pass it to you

All ways better yourself don't take a step back
Hold your ground don't give up give some thing back
If you fail pray, and get back up God will provide he will provide
Be a simple man don't cheat on anything, love your Wife, and your God
Try work, hard, and do the best your can


When your my age you won't remember all that you gone though before you were 2
Remember God's always there and he is taking care of you


All ways better yourself don't take a step back
Hold your ground don't give up give some thing back
If you fail pray, and get back up God will provide he will provide
Be a simple man don't cheat on anything, love your Wife, and your God
Try work, hard, and do the best your can


Bridge
Grayson this is all I can give to you
All I have these words of wisdom
Pass down to me, I pass them to you


All ways better yourself don't take a step back
Hold your ground don't give up give some thing back
If you fail pray, and get back up God will provide he will provide
Be a simple man don't cheat on anything, love your Wife, and your God
Try work, hard, and do the best your can


ad lib end
ex:
(Your mom she loves you I can't speak for your dad,
I know that you are young but....)

~Bobby

I might be obessed but he is my role model...

I am a super fan of Bob Rice, his music has just spoke to me since I 1st heard it. Then I heard him speak, and then read his writings. I even saw a show on ETWN with him on it called Catholic Compass. It was all about youth ministry before the Life Teen year began, and I learned a lot. When I started thinking about getting on Core and into youth ministry, I felt like it would be great to have a role model though I have one at Q of H, some one to look to and say if I need some one "famous" to look to that is who I would look to. Like Some one saying the Beatles influenced them, but they never met The Beatles. The difference is I met Bob Rice, I didn't have my camera... :(

Anyway, coming off the retreat...I felt really good about my teaching, how I did it, how the retreat went, and I felt God was telling me that this could be my future, being a youth minister...I can't really argue with God, I trust some day his plan will happen. As I have posted the retreat was awesome! I checked Bob Rice's web site just to see if he had posted anything new, and he posted this blog. Again, it felt like he was speaking directly to me.  This blog gave me a lot to think about. Most of the time when we with of "successful" youth ministers at least I think of the people where their Job is to go around the country and speak. You can't force that though, God qualifies you to do so, would it be great to be one of those people? YES!, will it happen God only knows...I can say I am following my vocation, and some day, God may call me to be a ym. I don't see my self saying no to that!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had a number of young people ask my advice on how to “do what I do”, namely, being someone who travels around the country/world as a speaker or be successful at playing music/making CDs, etc. My first response, which I think is the most important, is: I’m probably not as “successful” as you think! It’s hard to gage what “success” means in ministry, because God’s definition is so different than the world’s. As Mother Theresa once said, it’s about “faithfulness, not success.” But I think one way to define it is that you get an opportunity to do what you love to do, and in turn you make enough money off it to support your needs. If that definition fits, then I’m grateful to God that I’m “successful.” But if you’re looking for a “I’ve conquered the world, I’m the best in my field,” then no—you’ll have to ask someone else. I’m more than happy to share some advice I’ve learned along the way. My advice comes from my own experience and, though two people’s experience will never be the same, I think the principals behind them are foundational. My faith journey really took off in high school when I started attending my local youth group. If you met me in high school, I don’t think you’d peg me as someone with obvious leadership qualities. I was socially awkward, naive, and at times would say insensitive things. But the Bible is filled with under-qualified people who God transforms to do His will. I was certainly one of those people. “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.” I became very active in my youth group. I attended everything. And I tried to bring what I learned into my everyday life. This is an important step that sometimes people tend to skip! They hear the Good News and want to proclaim the Good News without realizing it’s most important to live the Good News. In today’s Office of Readings, St. Gregory the Great wrote, “Whoever fails in charity toward his neighbor should by no means take upon himself the office of preaching.” Good advice for all of us. As I got older in youth group I began to volunteer for anything I could do to help people come to Christ. When I got to college, I’d spend summers at Christian Camps and volunteered for a local youth group in the area. I never had a big ambition about it, I just wanted to help people spread the word of God’s love. Then someone from Steubenville saw me doing these kind of things and asked me to come help out with the Steubenville Youth Conferences... and they paid me! I would have framed the check, but I really needed the money :)



I moved to Steubenville to do youth ministry, but also to learn more about my faith. Though I never thought I’d get a Master’s degree in Theology, I was excited to learn more about what it means to be Catholic. That wasn’t new for me: all along I would read books about understanding the Bible, I’d ask lots of questions to priests and youth ministers, and I bought the Catechism the day it came out and read it cover to cover. Now I’m excited to work on my PhD. The faith is so simple and yet there is so much to know! Never think you know enough, whether that be as a speaker, a songwriter, or a musician. The people who are really successful are the ones who are really smart and work hard to get better at what they do. From working the Steubenville conferences I started getting asked to speak/play music at other events. Now here’s where my story differs from some other people I know. There came a point where I realized that, with a little work, I could probably do this full time and make a decent living at it. That was the direction God called some friends of mine (like Steve Angrisanno or Matt Maher), but that’s not where he called me. I liked the day job. I loved being a youth minister and now I love being a college professor. Though there was a part of me that was excited about being on stage and traveling more, I felt more peace about not doing it as a full time profession, but as something I do on the side. I feel that was from God, and God really blessed that decision. So that’s how I got to “where I am”, wherever that is! So to sum up what I’ve said, I think I can share the following five pieces of advice:










1)Remember that it’s not about how talented you are. God doesn’t need your talent, He wants your heart.


2)Make sure you are living the Gospel before you start preaching about it. (That doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, or else no one would be able to preach! But it does mean that you are seeking holiness, you repent when you fall, you love those around you.)

3)Say “yes” to every opportunity that you can to help others share the Gospel.


4)Keep getting better at what you do: continue to learn about the faith, practice being a better speaker, be a better musician, etc.


5)Just because you have an opportunity to do more doesn’t mean you should take it. The devil can open doors, too. Discern God’s will through prayer, not circumstance.


6)Don’t be ambitious. Don’t treat one ministry opportunity as a “stepping stone” to another. Every opportunity to share the Gospel is the best opportunity. There is no difference to God between an audience of six thousand or six. Each soul has infinite value. God will put you in the places He wants you to be, and remember that He has a different definition of “success” than you do. And PS, you don’t need to wait for an invitation to share the Gospel—there are plenty of people around you who need to hear about God’s love! Speaking of love...


7)Love the people you meet. Hands down, the coolest thing about traveling around is the crazy cast of characters that I get to know! I guess this ties in with the previous point. Just like you shouldn’t treat an event as a stepping stone, don’t treat people like “good business contacts.” We’re all brothers and sisters in Christ, trying our best to share the love of God. Some people you will like more than others—that’s just human nature. But in the end, we’re all sacrificing a lot to do the same thing.


Hope that helps! I’ll throw an invitation out to other folks in the ministry world to see what they have to say about it, too.

And two more pieces of advice:

Not just friends, but family

With the close of my 1st retreat as a full time Core member finished and spending some days of reflection upon it. I thought how could I honor my Family. So many times in emails we refer to each other as Family. It is very true, we get into disagreements, say things we don't mean, get annoyed with each other, pick on each other, but at the same time we encourage each other, we can just look at each other and start laughing... We also see a lot of each other! We are family, and my extended family doesn't always feel like a family. It is sad but true. I am so blessed to have a family like this, along with Michelle's family, that I can rely on when I need some encouragement!
Today I want to give an affirmation to all of my Core family!


Paul Dillick: Paul, we have had some great times, and some disagreements about little things. But I am blessed to work with a ym who has a passion and a joy for what he does. I have learned so much in our short time together thus far. Who knows what is going to happen in the coming years but I think it can only get better. You are doing a great job as the y.m. so far, keep up the good work.


Susan M. aka Mom: Mom, you have totally been a Mom the past few years when I have needed one, and it was my pleasure to be in small group this past retreat. I am glad you were able to give me things to work on in small groups. Your kids are great, and it is really a reflection on how you and Joe have raised them. You are truly a blessing for our Core family.


Jenny P.: Jenny, it has been great to be able to work with you so far this year. I can honestly say that the Game Plan For Life small group is where I first really got deep in my faith,  you were my small group leader along with Matt Orn. Thank you for being a great Core all these years.


Beth B: Thanks for your years of service in the youth ministry at QofH. You have a great ability to get the teens to listen and pay attention some thing that I love to see. You have inspired generations of kids, and some of them are now on Core.  You have been great helping me along the way from a teen to a Core.


Todd W.  You have added a lot to Core this year so far. It was great to be able to work with you on this retreat. I can't wait for all the Life Nights and fun moments we have left. I am glad I had Tyler in Small group, and I can tell you have done a great job raising him! It was great to play opposite of you during the skit. I can dance circles around you...

Marie G. Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii MAAAARRRIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! You have been awesome on Core this year. And I know some times you feel that you might have betrayed St. Mary's, but God has a plan....A reason why you left there and came here, you might not know that plan yet, but I am sure it will make sense some day.  I am really glad you have come to Queen of Heaven, and have been so great at teaching but making it fun. I was honored to play Satan in your skit...it isn't that I was Satan, but that there was no panic that I ad libbed half of the skit.


Mike S: It is a blessing to have you on Core, I am very glad I am able to learn from you. I am excited for the years to come. Thank you for running our sports ministry I know soon the numbers will take off. Then we might have to have 2 games going on at once. :)


Sue B: Sue,  it amazes me the way that you have grown though the years on Core, I remember your 1st year and you were timid about doing that. Because you signed up to be the support of the support. Now, you have really become a very important part of the family. It is great that you can deal with Nate easily, some times it is a struggle for some of use.


Vicki F: I am glad you finally made it on Core, it is great to have you as a part of the family. Though you might be shy, a lot of Core started out that way. Then they got less shy. It is just going to take Time. Great job this weekend.


Charlie E.: Charlie, it has been great to get to know you better from the past couple retreat, especially this one. I am glad that you are still on Core; I can understand why you wanted to take a step back and let Brendan get used to Life Teen.


Ben S.  Ben, our friendship reminds me of the beginning of the tale of two Cities:
"IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
I know we have had our rough times, but we have gotten though them...and learned from it. I am glad we are back on track, I am sorry some times I can be bullyish, I it is a habit sort of, just say no...It is great to work with you on Core...You were the best defensive player on the Field during the game on Saturday, NFL Caliber. I can't wait for the years we have left to work together!


Janet W.: Great Job this weekend! I am glad that we were able to find the burning bush, it added to the adoration even if I don't really like it, it happens not to be about me :).  I am sorry I wasn't there for your session, I had to get ready for adoration music and such. I am sure it was great!


Russ V. : Russ, if any one has grown since starting on Core it is you. I remember your 1st retreat, where you might of told some inappropriate jokes to a few teens. To being a strong Core member that the teens listen to and respect, and don't just see you as a friend. You are a great man of God, and it was great to be apart of your session


Chris M.  Critter, you surprised me this weekend, in a very good way. I wasn't sure just going off some of the Teen Core issues that arose. If you would do a great job and you did. Keep up the good work. It was great to have the connections that you have, and it was great to see you doing really good relational ministry!

Kris W.: Great Job this past weekend, I loved how you got all the teens down on the floor and had them listen that way, it was diffrent. I love being able to work with you on Core, you are so easy to work with! I am glad that you do all the service projects and the Money, I have no idea how to do that stuff. So, luckily we have you.


Father Dave: Every Great program stems from the support of their Priest, and it is great to have a Priest that supports us 110%! I love your homilies not just for retreats, but for every mass. Thank you for supporting Life Teen with so much vigor. To even go on our white water rafting trip, and try to be at Life Nights.
I am  that you really are apart of Life teen and not just a Figure Head! Thank you for your years of service at QofH




Mike Boyea: Dude, Boyea! Thank you for helping me so much along the way in the transition from teen to Core. I am so glad that you have come back to Queen of Heaven; I used to look at the church directory and see the "Changing Gears" retreat picture. For some reason you always stood out to me.  I used to think "hmm I wonder why he isn't on Core anymore, he looks like he could of been awesome." A few years later that same guy was down stairs...then in the same small group I was during the Unstoppable retreat. I learned soooo much from you that retreat. I honestly think you came back for a reason and you are living that reason now.  I can't say thank you enough for asking me to be your assistant for the spring retreat last year. It gave me a vocation that I am living and loving. We make a good AV team, because honestly with out you I would still be lost.  Thanks for letting me make bald jokes.  Your wife and kids are so awesome; Bridget and Gretchen are great little sisters! You truly are my brother from another mother....and decade for that matter :)


Retreat support: You all did an amazing job this weekend. It was awesome, and I can't wait for the next retreat. You all are in my prayers


I love my family!
Afro Bobby

Virtuous Reailty

In today's society  we live in a reality that doesn't feel very virtuous. Every movie seems to have a sex scene, or at least 1 bad word. This past weekend I was apart of a retreat that explored is that the reality or is there a virtuous reality.


So, I am going to give a quick breakdown, share some memories, and just reflect on this awesome retreat.


So there are 7 virtues in the Catholic Church.
Faith
Hope
Love
Prudence (wisdom)
Fortitude (Courage)
Justice
Temperance


This was my first retreat that I had a hand in planning a lot of it. It was different that just being an adult on the retreat, totally different than "Teen leadership" aka Teen Core, and really different than just being a retreaten (person on the retreat).
Mostly because:
I had a small group (Ft. Fortitude!)
I ran all the AV and did all the work for it (it was worth while)
I had a session (which was amazing)


For the first time, I was an adult in a small group, the other Core with me was Susan M., our group from the get go was very connected and all seemed to want to be on retreat. We made the room into a fort and our virtue was Fortitude. Hence Fort Fortitude. I know for me, some times I talked too much, and made some rookie mistakes.  It was awesome to have the grow in relationships with teens this weekend, I had 1 teen in my group I didn't already know. It was refreshing to really be able to go deep in small group, even though a teen lost her (Sarah Schlosser) voice. There wasn't one person who wasn't willing to share some thing in the small group.
I saw some of the biggest transformation in teens I wasn't sure about. They were all awesome! I have gotten feed back from parents, that said "My Son was so happy to have you as one of his small group leaders, and he might even go to the spring retreat!"


Because this retreat was a Hollywood theme it was kind of AV heavy, and though we tried to use both screens, but 1 projector was  broken, and 50 feet is a long way for a signal go travel though a cable (we will get it next time).  I tried to have some thing on the screen at all times, and music playing when it was meal time.

In the past we would have Sent Forth (our ministry band) do the music for adoration. I am a firm believer in every one has their gifts. And for S.F. doing the music for adoration 2 times a year just didn't seem to be one of them. So I "asked" if we could just use canned or recorded music. Some people liked the idea others didn't. But we did it anyway, and it went really well. All the songs were very appropriate, and there were a lot of people singing to Our Lord. But looking back I wish I would of started with the Prepare the Way/Lay it down combo from Bob Rice's CD "You Came to Me".
It would of been perfect for the way we did it, but God had other plans, and the spirit moved in my heart to just do Lay it down by Matt Maher. Everything was going great, it was truly powerful. Then the song I love you lord started to play during the procession. At the end of the song I forgot I put a random Picture of a puppy, it looked cute and it made me smile. Well Kris Wagner saw it and started laughing, and a lot of other Core were laughing. I just looked up and said God you are funny, very funny. It was one of my favorite moments of the retreat.


I am going to put some of my teaching in this blog. To explain when you are up on the stage, sometimes you just say what is on your mind, it is the Sprite running though you.


Fortitude





The movie “facing the Giants” is all about Fortitude. As we saw Brock is a Leader and Captain on the Team.  He wasn’t very courageous though, he did not know how to use the gifts God had presented him. He relied on himself, instead of finding his strength in God. He only thought he could get to the 30 yard line, but he got to the end zone. The bible says that God will not put you though anything you cannot go though. I am not saying it is bad to rely on your friends and family when you are going through a tough time, they cannot bear your cross. There is only one man who can, He is on the cross right now. Without God’s strength we have none. You have to lay it all down at God’s feet, that is where are fortitude comes from, Amen?


Do you all take care of your temple, that is right we are temples of God. The bible says so. Our Temple is a place of honor and a way to praise God. You can work out, by walking, running, lifting weights, eating right.


You can’t just do it physically but spiritually as well. One of the best ways is to go to the sacraments. Go to Mass, Adoration, and Confession. You don’t have to go by yourself either. The Bible says that if two more are gathered in his name He will be there. If you need a ride or someone to go with, call up a Core Member. It is a part of our job as youth ministers to get to the sacraments. You could join another church ministry other than Life Teen, Like the Little Rock Bible Study, The Choir, help at PSR, or the Pro Life Group. We are blessed to have so many ministries at this parish you can join. Take advantage of it. The last thing you can do is to fine a devotion that works for you. There are a lot of different ones you can do, The Rosary, Divine Mercy, praying a litany, Liturgy of the Hours, Finding a saint do the devotion they did. One of my fav. saints is:

St. Max. Kolbe was born in 1894 in Poland and became a Franciscan.  Before his ordination as a priest, Maximilian founded the Immaculata Movement devoted to Our Lady.  After spending time starting many monasteries across the world he had poor health and returned home. In 1936 he returned home because of ill health. After the Nazi invasion in 1939, he was imprisoned and released for a time. But in 1941 he was arrested again and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. On July 31, 1941, in reprisal for one prisoner's escape, ten men were chosen to die. Father Kolbe offered himself in place of a young husband and father. And he was the last to die, enduring two weeks of starvation, thirst, and neglect. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1982. His feast day is August 14th.

In Mary’s life she showed fortitude a lot. One of my Favorite stories in the bible is the Nativity story. Take a minute and think about all the ways Mary showed fortitude. 1st off she had carried a baby for nine months which is a feat in itself, I don’t know how women do it. She was between 14-17 years old, Joseph and her were supposed to have a special Jewish marriage where you don’t make love. I am sure there was a lot of gossip going around. She also had to travel to be counted in a census, that Cesar was having every one do. So she had to travel on a donkey. Then there were no vacancies, she had to go to a manger. There were cows, sheep, chickens, straw. Then she gave birth, with no drugs, epidural, nothing to ease the pain. She did not know who was going to be there. But she trusted God, and had the fortitude to do it.




The opposite of fortitude is giving up; there was a time in my life where I thought about giving up. There was a time in my life I had hit rock bottom. I was in middle school and a lot of things were changing in my life. My parents’ marriage was falling apart, my grandma had just died of lung cancer, but I blamed myself. My mom also had a surgery that put her in a lot of pain. I was getting in fights at school, acting out in class, and the principals’ office was my second home. I stole, lied and cheated. I felt like God wasn’t there and I had nothing left to give. A million times I thought about ending it all and killing myself. I thought of everything from putting a bullet in my head, to cutting my wrist to even jumping off a tree and breaking my neck. I struggled for two years, but I am way over it, I found my strength. What I am saying is there is hope; there is a place that you can find strength, and it is right here. At Queen of Heaven, it has become a second home for me. Suicide is never the answer, the people you will meet here can help you though everything you can face. The Core here are some of my best friends, I learned over my four years that my strength my courage lies in God.




This retreat opened my eyes to a possible career path, I am not going to transfer schools and major in it,  but if I ever get the chance I would take it! I feel that God has made me to great things for him. I grew a lot as a Core member this retreat and it has been unbelievable. I even had a teen who I didn't even know, come up to me and ask if I could burn her a CD of some of the music from this weekend....How could I say no!


You are my prince of Peace and I give my life to you,
~Afro Bobby


p.s. here is our theme song Prince of Peace as sung by Bob Rice

Life Teen...thus far

Hello friends,

I am sorry that I haven't blogged in the past month. School is crazy, Life Teen has been time consuming, PSR is well PSR. In short I have been busy. After the Retreat this weekend I will once again Blog.
The Fall retreat is this weekend and well I will put my teaching up, and something awesome as ussal.

Check ya later,
Afro-Bobby

I want you.....but

When it comes to the trinity and religion in general you can't just have peices. often we think we can have parts. I want a Little grace, a little forgiveness, put in some prayers from the saints. I don't want to give anything though, I don't want to give my self to Christ I don't want to give my time to be on Core or teen Core but I want to be there and up there, I want to come to 1/4 of the retreat because my school made it to the State Championship. Some times I catch my self praying Jesus I love you but...I also love this. Then I stop and say but Jesus I really love you. In today's post modern culture, we see this a lot, a lot of buts. We believe in religion, some of the doctrine, not all of it though.

Think about the Story of the rich young man in the Bible, he walks up to Jesus and asks I have all this money, all this power, all this fame. What do I have to do to follow you and Jesus says: you know the commandments, sell everything you own. But when he herd this he became very sad and walk away because he was very rich.

That is how a lot of us are but it isn't money it is sin. Jesus I want you but I just don't have the time to learn who you are, or I want to go on that retreat, but there is a big game coming up that I can't miss, everyone is going to be there it is my last year and I am entitled to do what I want when I want to, I am a senior. I want to help you guys out I am just not willing to give up my Wednesday nights to help. I love you wife, but I also love looking at porn.

St. Paul put it this way:

Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24)

To really be passionate and Christen you have to give up the desires you have and live for Christ. Tom Booth, a very successful Catholic worship leader, when he was fresh out of high school said in prayer, I don't care where you send me Lord, as long as it is not in Youth Ministry, well he is also was in youth ministry before his music broke.  

You cannot be like a divided plate where your corn and beef don't touch, or Religion and personal life. You have to let them go to together and truly follow Jesus

~Bobby

Purgatory

First off I want to apolgize that I haven't been blogging recently, my computer is on the fritz, and I hate typing on netbooks, there fore I have been in a sticky situation, my dad's girl friends laptop also wasn't working properly. Now it is so I am using a diffrent computer. Also school has started so I have that to deal with...just an fyi the new blogs will prob. be posted Monday and Wensdays and possiable Friday...those are my super short days.


Anyway, like I stated in the Blog about Heaven. I started this because of a question posed by a Teen which was simply "What is Purgatory?"
The Catechism simply says:
All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.


'The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:
As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. (1030-1031)


That is really a lot to take in. Let me break it down easier. Purgatory is a place for people who died in the good grace of God (no mortal sin) but still have some veinal sin, and need to be cleansed in a holy bath with the holy sprirte.
What is mortal and veinal sin?
Mortal sin is sin that kills your chairity and your chances of going to Heaven if you do not repent
(CCC 1861)
Veinal Sin weakens charity and stops the progress of exercieing the virtues and practices of good, it is a temporal punishment. It doesn't break the covenant with God. (CCC 1863)

You can't go to hell from purgatory only heaven. It is a infront not and inbetween.
So because it is an infront, you can't go to hell from it.


Another way of thinking is it is a "Holy Bath of the Holy Spirite" You are getting the last bit of sin off of you so you can go up to see Jesus.
That is a quick look at purgatory
~Bobby

Heaven...the happiest place not on earth

After talking to a Teen in Life teen Sarah Schlosser at The Fest, I had my 1st Core "home work" given to me by a teen. We were talking almost all things Catholic, vocations, prayer, and purgatory. In the Midst of anwsering her question which was basically what purgatory is. I thought how cool to be a 3 part series on Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory.  

I am going start with Heaven, the Happiest place not on Earth.

A lot of people have there "version" of heaven. For some people it is just a paridies that you go around and talk to your friends  from earth, hang out, and have fun. Other People it is just a place, they aren't sure what it has to offer but you get to meet Jesus. When I was young I imagined Heaven as a place where you see all the generations of your family, like a family reunion, and you spend the rest of your days learning about them. Anytime you hear some one who has had a vison of heaven it is like mass with evey one present, God at the Head with Jesus, and the Holy spirit next to him.

If you are looking for a blog that says, Heaven looks like this, it smells that this, and this many people are here. This is not one of those post, nor will there ever be a post like that unless I go to Heaven come back and can right that post.

To understand Heaven we have to look in the Bible and the Catechism. The bible doesn't say Heaven is like this or that, hence all the intereptaion. But we can look at what Church teaching and the Bible says about Heaven.  Lets start with how you get to Heaven, The Catechism  says this about Heaven, Those who die in God's Grace and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God For ever, for they "see him as he is," face to face (CCC 1023). Now, we learn from a young age that the only way we can go to Heaven is though Jesus, if Jesus was not born (the incarantion), did not die on the Cross (the Crucfixion), and the after 3 days rose (the Resurrection) we could not have eternal life, in other words Jesus "opened" Heaven to us...He partners  in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will...in othe words heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ (CCC 1026). So to anwser the first part Heaven is a place for Christ's followers.
In the Gospel of John 14:2 it says "In my fathers house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, I would have told you that I am going to perpare a place for you."

Heaven is also a place where God shows us his true self, all the the mysteries get anwsered. The Catechism states "Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man's immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. 

Heaven is a place where God shows us his true self and for those who died in God's "good graces", and for people who followed Christ. For people who might of not died in God's "good graces", and need to purified, there is Purgatory. We will explore that next

~(Afro-)Bobby

Waiting

The title is simple and the thought simpler. Most of our lives we spend waiting for some thing or things. School to start or end. For Christmas, our birthday, Movies, a CD and Books to come out. I can be very impatient  (ask Michelle). Part of it is our world and post modern Culture is all about instant gratification, what I can get now and fast. The other part is I just don't like waiting. I think it is a waste of time, I really don't like lines because we wait, wait and wait. One thing that was great about the premier of Eclipse is there was no waiting they just let us go in and get seats in an already almost full theater. Don't get me wrong some things are worth waiting for, because when you get it; it means that much more. That is one things a love about prayer, you pray, then you have to wait for the answer. Reading this you are probably thinking one of 2 things. WOW he hates waiting in a line but loves waiting for prayer, or  this almost has no point it does I promise.

Waiting for prayer is different when you pray, I think God takes some time and sees what you really need and then gives it to you. When you conquer a sin that you have been praying for to end, praying for help, and praying for the grace to conquer it, then you do it feels much sweeter because you know God won't put you though anything you can't handle...and you handled it, with his help of course. I remember when I started playing guitar, and I just wanted to get to the being good part, I would try and play a B chord, which is a more advance barre chord,  and I would pray Jesus just make me good at playing the guitar, i want to serve you with music. Now I really started playing when I was a freshman.  I just finished my first year in college and I gave up trying to play the B, or any real adv advanced  chord. I would look at the chord charts and hear a voice in my head saying, my fingers don't bend that way,  that chord is impossible. I would just get discouraged and try to make it simple. One day I said you know what I am going for it, and I was able to play a B with no problem. I listened to a voice that was waiting. Waiting for me to fail, wanting me to turn my back and say no, i will just play 4 chord songs the rest of my life. Jim Beckman wrote a book, it is called "God, Help Me: How to Grow in Prayer". When I went to Stuby my senior and last year. He had just published this book. He was talking about these 3 voices we hear in prayer and life. Our voice, God's voice, and the Enemy's  voice. This last one bothers me but think about when you are praying. When I was praying after the open house for Core, to see if God is really calling me to be on Core. I heard all 3 voices, 

One said "You know, you are too young for this, no reason to do it now you have a lot of sins you need to work on before you can be that guy." 

Another said " Well you have wanted to for so long, you seem to know what you are doing, you might be good at it."

The other said "You are one of my beloved sons, I called you to this, this is my will, my plan, and do my work."

This isn't made up I was in adoration and this is what I heard.  It wasn't hard for me to figure out which one was which; and who to listen to, If you are a teen there is a few things you need to know about Core, we don't have all the answers, we sin, and we are just people. People who also have to ask question, Ms. Frizal on Magic School Bus said you have to ask questions to get answers, how true. 

~Afro-Bobby

 

The Fest

The Fest Sunday August 8th. It was really awesome. It was the 10 year aniversary for the fest and it is only gotten bigger, since it is a free event I am not surprised about that though.
 The sun was shining, had some great friends there, awesome teens, and great little kids, brothers and sisters! I spent almost all my time with mike tammy and there little girls (Bridget and Gretchen). I ended up holding them for a bulk of the time, which wasn't a bad thing, it was hot though so I couldn't do it all the time. The band line up was pretty awesome between the Afters, Matt Maher, and Newsboys. It was the most rockin' I have ever seen Matt Maher, it was amazing, it is the 3rd time I have seen him and this was in the top 3 
;-).  What else can I say besides that Mass was amazing also...over 15,000 people gathered to worship at the Mass. 


~Bobby

Who I am

A lot of times I seem to try and be a super hero. Mostly because I don't stop when I start on a project; I keep going until I have finsished. This past summer has been mostly spent either with Michelle, taking my dad places because he couldn't drive (he was really sick check back for blog on that), or working on life teen stuff.  When I say most of it spent on LT stuff I mean for the past 3 weeks, I have done 55 wmv files for praise and worship. I had the question asked why would this be important, can't you just click slides and yes you can. But our tech people aka Mike Boyea and I, like these better or at least I do. They are convenant. Any one can have the flash drive they are all on and click play and they are all ready to go. They worked great for the retreat this past spring. I thought "well I could tottally do these and we can have all Catholic artists singing the p&w, for the most part it is. But I also have an inate ablity to do ministry, as a teen I was very good at it and most of it dealt with the tools I used. I had 3 things, a bible, a guitar, and a open ear to listen. Though we had other teens beside me it some times seemed like new teens looked at me as some one that would listen. My last spring retreat I spent an extra hour when the guys couldn't sleep talking using my guitar being very real with other people about my faith and my faith walk.  I have so far seemed to do a good job of this as a CORE member. At the same time I got used to this persona as the go to teen, when a Core needed some thing I was the go to guy. Instead of a guy named Bobby I was Bobby "super teen core", when I was burnt out it was a role or persona. 

Some times when we would go off site for a retreat when it came time for the start of the retreat and we would get there at 3 right after a long day of school to setup. I would be drained, in the spring we gave so much as "teen core" that we were burnt and we spent the last 5 mins. either trying to be excited or faking it.  They would say "OK, remember what we talked about be excited and engergetic!"  But ussally more people spent more time going though the motions, this isn't just a Catholic thing this is a People thing. Every one puts on a face in some situation if it is at a family party or even a day of school. We walk in with a face, a persona. 

How do we change this and that is though prayer, when you pray, pray for a change in your sprirte and heart to be who God wants you to be, shake yourself and live as he intended. You have to not only trust yourself but trust God, that he will give you that person and it will be enough. the prayer of St. Teresa of Avila:

 Let nothing disturb you,

Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

God alone suffices in everything, he is enough he will give you enough, he is the giver of life!

Bobby

Afro-Bobby

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As most of you know Paul Dillick is now the Life Teen Coordinator. He is great at doing it, we have had a few meetings about my role is going to be. So far it is web master, help with teaching small group, retreats, podcaster, and be Queen of Heaven's Afro Greg, aka 

Afro-Bobby. I add the dash just for fun. So I am going to share the story on how all this came about. when I graduated Life Teen, I left knowing I was going to be on core some day, I had felt the call. It seemed important to take a year and breathe realize what I would have to do in college and get some other stuff together. Then in the middle of February I was talking to Mike Boyea and his awesome family after a Life Teen mass. Mike asked if I would like to be his assistant during the retreat, learn the ends and outs of what goes on. Help him, take  some pressure off of him.  I of course said yes, not knowing what I was in for. After I heard the call, and it seemed to be noticed that I had heard the call.

After the open house Paul and I had some great discussion and started on the web site. We also talked about podcasting and having Life night teachings, movie, book, and CD reviews. And that is how Afro-Bobby was born. I am really embracing this, with the Afro, and the personality it is really just a character that will have a media friendly program, things that Fr. Thom always thought would be good but we didn't have the people that had the time. 

I am very excited for this year in Life Teen things are changing, and I love the family that we have on core. It is going to be a great year!

~Bobby 

I Shall Be Healed

Like the last post showed I am a big BR fan, I have almost everything he has ever recorded and happen to be waiting for Back yard Galaxy- Drive-Thru Jesus, I ordered it and it is taking forever (OK it has been a week). I should say it feels like it is taking forever. I got Bob's most recent CD I Shall Be Healed for my birthday, it came out a week before and had to buy it via digstation.com. But I was stoked, for a few reasons

1. I had been waiting for this album all year long. 

2. It was all recorded during my last Steubanville (as a teen)

3. It is Bob Rice

4. I previewed every song like 10 times before I even got the CD

This CD is Bob's lighter side. If you want a rocking' you can play it with your non religious friends or like I did in the Weight Room then this is not your CD, Shining Like the Son is that kind of CD, Any way it is 8 tracks of  Adoration type Music, all but 1 song Bob wrote, and it just has a great feel. The lyrics are just amazing and catchy. Every one who I have given a copy to have loved it not just because it is Bob Rice, but because you can feel the real presence of God on this album.. It shows it isn't all about jumping up and down and being crazy. I knew before this conference that Bob would be soon putting out a new album, and it might be live, i think via his website. He recorded probably 30 songs the entire weekend, so really this is just a show of things to come aka an EP but it is still great. I hope he comes out with some thing soon that is a longer CD that has more of the upbeat craziness that is Bob Rice.  

I think it would be some what ostentatious for me to review the Album, because you know I will say every song is amazing and that Bob Rice is the King of All Catholic Music. I will just say that there will be a QofH Life Teen Podcast that will have a great review by me and hopefully some other people. I can tell you right now that this is one of Bob Rice's best.