The Start of a New Year

It is officially back-to-school time, and many of us are getting used to new routines.  Even though faith and Youth Ministry are certainly a year-round, things change around here as the school year start up again.  For one thing, it is a whole lot more lively around St Luke with all the kids back at St Luke School.  Even if I get immersed in work and lose track of the time, I know when 3pm hits, because I can hear all the kids singing, laughing, and yelling as they come piling out of school at the end of the day.  And of course being focused on high school students means that the routine changes here in the Youth Office as school begins again.
Almost as much as New Years, the beginning of the school year seems to be a time of resolutions.  It is a time of new beginnings, and we promise ourselves we are going to be braver or more organized or get more sleep this year.  I find that I often get trapped in the anxiety of trying to plan the coming year perfectly: anticipating the problems that may arise, planning expertly around school schedules, trying to get the word-out, and deciding how everything is going to fall.  So at this time of the year, more than ever, I have to remind myself that God is truly in charge and that the best thing I can do is pray and remember to trust in our Loving Creator.
Happy New (School) Year Everyone!