Monday, July 4, 2011

The Holy Spirit is moving!

Hello Blog Readers,

Happy 4th of July! We here at Love Begins Here hope that this day brings you a chance to offer up some prayers of thanksgiving for the great gift of freedom and spend some quality time with your loved ones. I know the Core Team has spent a few days off doing just that. Before we totally switch gears to the awesome 35 Middle Schoolers coming our way to Baraboo tomorrow, we wanted to share a few reflections from High School Week 2!

Interspersed with these notable quotations from our evaluations will be photos from the car groups. These small groups provided for much fun, some spontaneous stops along the journey and a community to share the experience of service with throughout the week.


LBH is many things. It means a conscious choice to embrace Jesus. It means the beginning of a joy that remains constant and burning within all present. It means songs from our lips and our hearts. It means my cow and roundabouts and mulberries. It means inspiring people doing inspired work. It means hard work. It means the greatest of rewards. It can mean whatever it is made to mean, and we made it to mean everything. Love begins where love is given. Love begins here. - Erin, McFarland


In response to the question: What in your life might change as a result of your experience on LBH this week? Pray more. Love people. Serve them. Make more turkey meatloaf. Eat a lot of bacon. Rosary. Go to Kwik Trip more often.


To me, Love Begins Here means that anyone can spread the joy that is Jesus Christ. It means that a bunch of high schoolers can work to change lives and spread that joy. Love Begins Here means that anyone can bring love to others, no matter where they are or who they bring it to. - Dan, Madison


I have learned that although people need help all over the world, sometimes people in your own community are the ones who need the most love. Whether it's pulling weeds for them or just sharing a smile, any act of kindness is an act of love.


I've grown to appreciate our Catholic faith, our Blessed Mother, the Saints and the Trinity. After this week, I will try more to find Jesus in every experience and in more people. I will also become more aware of myself as a living tabernacle.

(This car group was missing Blaine, Susan & Ana who all had to duck out before the photo session!)
 
All in all, we had a marvelous week filled with so many blessed opportunities to serve our neighbors in the Madison Diocese. A special shoutout to Shileng (Christ the King's - McFarland) Youth Minister, Alex (a CtK Catechist), and Jessica (Sacred Heart's - Sun Prairie) Youth Minister. It was a blessing to have you all on board. We look forward to seeing most of you more often this summer.

With that, please pray for us this week as we welcome 35+ Middle Schoolers to Baraboo for a week of local, life changing work on the Mission Field!

Happy 4th of July,
Lindsay