I am not the one to partake in watching reality TV shows, especially on MTV the network that is home to shows like “The Real World” and “Jersey Shore” but recently a show caught my eye. My sister had been watching “Teen Mom” a reality show which actually does a decent job of showing teens the struggles of trying to go to high school, hang out with friends, and raise a child. The show that premiered afterwards was called “If You Really Knew Me.” The show follows high school students in different cliques as they participate in “Challenge Day” in an effort to build community and tear down injustices faced in school. Basically it is a lot like our character retreat which we facilitate for thousands of middle school students every year! (In fact we have been doing some of the activities they do in the show for years now.) The major activity is the teens break into small groups and tells the rest of the group “If You Really Knew Me, then you would know…” And usually the teens are shocked by learning about the struggles that their classmates are going through and how it relates to the struggles they also carry.

Right away two things jump into my mind. The first is that to resolve their problems they build a new community of friends who deal with the same issues, no matter whether they are popular, a jock, or a geek. But I promised I would not devote three straight blogs to this idea.

The other thing that jumps into my mind is how grateful I am to work in ministry. Because as I do the same activities to build community and tear down stereotypes, We here at TYME OUT also get to share Christ’s message with our retreatants.

At one point in my college days (when I was studying political science before switching to theology) and a friend asked me how we (any governing body) could truly solve the world’s injustices; that no matter what resources we “threw” at a particular problem it would never be completely solved and we would also be neglecting thousands of other problems. How could we “Be The Difference.” As I became frustrated with politics and drifted closer to my ever increasing desire to know more about religion and faith. The answer started to come clearer. We are called to Be Christ to others, to Love like Christ. But how can we love like Christ (HE had this whole divinity aspect that we lack). And in reality we can never Love everyone like Christ did. But we can do our best everyday. Blessed Mother Teresa talked and lived this idea. It is impossible for humans to change the entire world, but through our smallest actions we can share Christ to others and that has the ability to change the world. Below are some quotes from Blessed Mother Teresa:

“It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.” -Mother Teresa

“In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.” -Mother Teresa 

These past two weeks have helped me reminisce on my childhood with grandparents. The week of July 25-30^th Margie, Andrew, and I were leaders for Reach Out/Reach In. Reach Out/Reach In is a volunteer experience in local Milwaukee organizations, with reflections, and other community building activities. Margie and I took a group to St. Ann’s Intergenerational Center. The facility has daycare for 6 week old babies to 4 year olds, summer camp for older kids, activities and socializing for adults with disabilities or dementia, and then also a place for those who are elderly or frail. We had a great group of high schoolers: Kelly, Julia, Kate, Martina (Marty), Ben, John, Nathan, and Cody.

While there the students helped out with the daycare in the morning and then helped with activities for those with disabilities in the afternoon. At the end of the day on Tuesday a man named Tom showed up just as we were leaving. He eagerly wanted to play his harmonica for me. I told him I had to go but I would find him the next day. When I came in on Wednesday, they said he wasn’t there. However, at the end of the day … there was Tom. I quickly realized that Tom was upstairs with the clients who were older in age. I promised I would visit him the next day. Promises are huge with me and anyone who knew me from my childhood knows I am drawn to adopting grandpa’s since I lost mine at an early age. Thursday I snuck upstairs to talk to Tom. What an amazing man. I learned that at the age of 10 he fell down the stairs and injured his back. At the age of 12 he had surgery and with hard work was determined to walk again. His gentle demeanor was humbling. I snuck to his side again on Friday. I can’t wait to go back and see him again.

Then this past weekend I helped out on the Grandparents/Grandkids retreat. Seeing the middle schoolers with their grandparents was priceless. I have never seen a group of grandparents so young at heart. My favorite memory is of Bill Thompson on the floor dressed up like a king and roaring like a lion. I am brought back to the innocence as a child I once felt. So often we think that innocence ends just like it is said, at childhood. However, after seeing these grandparents, I am reminded that that innocence, playfulness, and pure joy can follow us throughout our whole life.

I am truly blessed by the work I do, the opportunities I am able to participate in, and the people I meet.

August has already been a busy month for us here at TYME OUT. Besides the many improvements to our facility and the preparation for this fall's upcoming retreat season, we have also been working on putting together a newly designed and innovative website. If you are reading this, congratulations...it means that you have found our new blog and have already seen the great improvement in our web design, navigation, and content. But what you may not have noticed are the different features that we have added to our site. Now on our new site, we have added a page for youth testimonials, facility rental information, registration forms, current and past newsletters, the North Lake Country farmer's market, as well as a virtual tour of our facility.

Please have a look around on our new website and share with us what you think! We hope that it will be easier to use and locate information as well as be appealing through the use of multimedia.

Also, because this is my last blog entry and last day being the summer intern here at TYME OUT, I just want to write a quick note to say goodbye and thank you to all the staff members and volunteers I have met since working here. I remember my first week when I interviewed all the staff, one thing that I heard repeatedly was that the TO staff are like a big family. I didn't understand it then, but I understand it now. After only working here for three months, I feel like I am apart of the TYME OUT family. It's going to be hard to say goodbye, but I just want to thank you for everything I have learned, all the friendships and memories I have made and will not forget, and the inside jokes that we have laughed about (and will continue to laugh about whenever a uncle kracker song plays!).

Thank you for everything, and don't forget to continue to look around our new website!

This past week (July 25^th - July 30^th) Margie, Becca, and I had the opportunity to participate in Reach Out, Reach In: A Mission Trip for teens from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to help those in the Greater Milwaukee Area. There is one thing about Mission Trips and Retreats alike that I have found interesting: People love the atmosphere they find themselves in and promise to take some of it with them when they return home, but sure enough when they return home they eventually pick up their normal routine again. The very thing we love most about being on Mission Trips and Retreats is the same thing we need to sustain our Catholic Lifestyles: Community.

When immigrants, especially Catholic immigrants, settled in America they built their homes and business next to other Catholics (and those of the same nationality.This led to the formation of ethnic parishes. Members of these churches carried their community out into the streets and helped one another in all aspects of their lives: from sharing meals, to driving to work/carpooling for school, to babysitting, to celebrating holidays! But in modern times we have lost this sense of community and have developed this sense that "I" must do everything with minimal help from others. When traveling we use to rely on the hospitality of others, not on finding a hotel room for ourselves.

This is why going to Church is still really important in the lives of Catholics, it is the community: to be there for one another, to pray for one another, and celebrate the sacraments with one another. But not only is our attendance at Mass important, but our involvement in many different aspects of parish life; both spiritually and socially. Things like serving on Youth Board, attending Youth Group, Young Adult Groups, Adult Formation, Fish Fries, Parish Festivals, etc. It is important to not only use these events to grow ourselves, but to also share our gifts and talents for others. You never know, someone at your parish may have the expertise you have been looking for or vice versa. You may even find your future spouse there (if you have not already). Imagine having that feeling we enjoy so much on Mission Trips and Retreats everyday because you are participating in such a rich Catholic Community!

Imagine spending a full twenty-four hours with your grandson or granddaughter playing games, praying together, eating delicious kid-friendly meals, and enjoying the company of other grandparents and their grandchildren. Last week, we had the delight of doing just this on our annual Grandparents and Grandkids Overnight and our theme was the Magic of Stories!As we came together Sunday night, we remembered many of the important stories of our faith and how they teach us who we are in God's eyes. Grandparents spent time with their grandchildren talking about favorite family stories and hopes for the future. We created a prayer-story-web together the next morning and did an art project in line with our theme. The overnight included so much more, but we can't give away all the secrets! The pictures will give you a taste! We have one more Grandparents and Grandkids Overnight this year on August 8-9. Grandparents with their 10-12 year old grandchildren are welcome to join us. Space is still available and this program is accessible to all Christian denominations. I hope you can join us in the future! Please call us at 262-966-1800 for more information.