by Rick Cheek
Have you ever been backstage at a big event, concert, or rally? Have you ever gotten to meet someone really famous? Maybe someone you wanted to be like?
Growing up, I was a huge Royals fan. Someone I looked up to was Frank White, second baseman for the Kansas City Royals. On and off the field he was someone I admired, someone who was both a gentleman and a scholar, so to speak.
Much to my surprise, I actually got to meet him one day at the grand opening of a retail grocery store in Topeka. I was not disappointed. Having a conversation with him was like talking to someone you’ve known your whole life. He was genuine and polite and really made my day.
I recently read an article by Jeff Goins called “How Stuff Robs Us of Those We Love the Most.” As parents, youth ministers and workers in the vineyard, we have a tendency to let the everyday stuff rob us of what’s really important.
Take our cellphones, for example. Sometimes we let technology rob us of valuable time with our family and/or friends. Have you ever left your cellphone at home and in a panic went back to get it?
I’ve done it at least a half dozen times. But a couple times, I just left it there. And you know, it wasn’t the end of the world. I survived the day without it. It’s so much more important to focus on people and relationships than that message or email that most likely can wait.
In Goins’ article, he talked a lot about clutter. How many rooms of our home or our heart are cluttered with more stuff than we know what to do with?
Letting go of clutter is hard, especially within our interior life. It’s easier to hold a grudge or hold on to the past than to let go and forgive. A good confession can be just what we need to declutter our interior. When we declutter there, it could make decluttering the home that much easier. With Lent just around the corner, it makes perfect sense to start there.
This Feb. 26, we are hosting our Junior High Youth Rally at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg — with Kyle Heiman from Popple, the Mikey Needleman Band and Mike Debus — from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., ending with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.
Our focus this year is letting God into the backstage of our hearts — clearing out the clutter and making room for Jesus, family, friends and important people in our lives.
Our theme this year is: “Backstage: Staging Your Heart.” How often do we let God backstage to our hearts?
Contact your parish youth minister or youth office to find out how you can sign your son or daughter up for this amazing day celebrating backstage at Prairie Star Ranch.
