Labor

The school year--it has come again. And for us as teachers and for you as students, this is symbolized by the national holiday for which we all receive a day off before we nose dive back into the thick of it: Labor Day.

Last night at meeting we did a lot of self-exploration. Some of it was how society defined us (and, let's face it, society doesn't always do an awesome job of defining us), and some of it was how we could be said to define ourselves. One of the main ways that people tend to define themselves in our society is by the work that we do: the labor. You are students. I'm a teacher. Some people are mechanics, others are airline pilots; some are writers, some are singers, and some are athletes. Whenever you ask a person "who are you?" their job tends to be one of the first things they give out.

And there's something to be said for that. Like we said last night: everyone brings different gifts to the table. Our jobs are a way of differentiating from one person to the next. It tells you immediately what you're good at and in what ways we can help one another. "I teach your children, you fix my car. I grow crops, you manufacture computers." It's all circular.

When you think of "the workforce," you probably think of something far away that old crusty people (like...20 year olds, ack!) are a part of, not as something that pretty much everyone is going to join someday soon. But, one way or another, all of us are going to be called to serve each other. In one way or another, we are all called to use our own personal gift for the good of someone else. And there's something really special about knowing that you, and only you, are capable of doing the work you are called for in the way that you're called to do it. Only you have that unique set of traits and talents that can be used to glorify God in your own individual way.

Each person's work is unique to them, and so, this Labor Day, we should take the time to really appreciate the work that has been done for us over the years that had brought us to this point in our lives today. From our mothers and our fathers, to our teachers and our bosses, to those waiters and waitresses who give their time to get us our grub, to the mechanics who enable us to roam the world and the IT consultants who enable us to explore it within the comforts of our own homes: let us take this time to nourish a healthy respect for every person's individual talents, and their willingness to give it back to the world; and let us ready our own talents and gifts for the world for when we're ready to be a part of the workforce that helps us so much.

Remember: NO HIGH SCHOOL MEETING on Sunday, Sept 4th. Have a relaxing, blessed Labor Day!

Much love,
Ceci Galvin
Youth Director

Know Thyself

LAST WEEK'S CHALLENGE:
Go out of your way to do something nice for someone you don't know well, even if that something is simple or small.

Many thanks to all who came out for the Youth Group Kickoff last night on Aug. 21st! Lots of smiling faces and fun personalities, and it was wonderful to see everyone having at least one person to talk to by the end of the evening. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other, even if only peripherally, and found that a lot of us had some quirky, funny, or serious things in common with one another.

As we go forward in our series, something to think about as we get to know each other is how well we really know ourselves. And not just what the latest Buzzfeed quiz tells us about ourselves, but who WE really are. What makes you uniquely you? What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Do some exploration into those 4-Corner questions you were asked last night. Some of us moved when we were asked if we worried about what people thought of us, or if we considered ourselves awkward, smart, funny, or forgetful. Why? What makes us that way? Why would The Big Man choose those specific traits to give especially to you? How well do we really know ourselves?

Next week, join us as we do some self-evaluation, and brush the tip of the iceberg that is "the self." And let's not forget that there's always Someone around who knows us better than we could ever hope to know ourselves...

"O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

You understand my thought from afar.

You scrutinize my path and my lying down,

And are intimately acquainted with all my ways."

~Psalms 139:1-3

Much love,

Ceci Galvin

Youth Minister