Another Extremely-Long-Awaited Update

Hello again, to anyone who has not yet given up on my blog. After thinking to myself for weeks and weeks on end that I should post some reflections here, creating occasional posts in my head, and declaring to myself several times that "Yes, today I will sit down and write something," I have finally decided that perhaps the best way to avoid long gaps between posts is to strive not for stunning content, but rather for regular postings of short updates.  Saltando (jumping over) the many and sundried  stories that have filled my days since January, which I hope will be the subject of later posts, I will give a brief update on this weekend. Yesterday, I really struggled to reign in my anger with a group of unruly youth group kids, whose constant interruptions prevented me from explaining the faith lesson associated with our bracelet-making.  Several times, unfortunately, I raised my voice perhaps a bit more harshly than necessary, but each time, I made an effort to come down again and continue attending with patience. I really want these kids to learn both 1) how to show respect for others and 2) some key tenets of the Catholic faith.  I'm thinking perhaps I need to concentrate on #1, so as to better be able to accomplish #2. This post is already taking more time than I should really spend on it, as I must finish up a lesson on phonetics (a class I'm taking online, not a lesson plan). However, I think I learned that I also need to be more thoroughly prepared for explanations of future activities and give additional thought on how to delegate the more mature children to be involved in helpful tasks, so they don't get bored or discouraged. And, though I was somewhat frustrated, there were several moments of elation, for example, when I realized they were actually remembering the symbolism of the bracelets we made (involving some of the sacraments). My older youth group was not as unruly, but were rather unresponsive, as is sadly the norm. I'm anxious to find ways to get them more involved and to avoid preaching at them--they get enough of that from our overly-pedantic priest and their school teachers, surely.
On another note, today was Pentecost.  The disciples received tongues of fire, inspiration and gifts from the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "My peace be with you." The disciples were commissioned to do Jesus' work on earth. Not that it's at all connected with Pentecost, but I feel that I was granted some sort of special grace today, as I had the opportunity to talk to an old friend (online--thanks be to God for the internet), whom I thought I had lost some time ago. We apologized to each other, we talked about funny coincidences, we explained the past, we shared where we are now, and I realized just how much I had missed his sense of humor, his friendship. I thank God for the chance to talk to him, and I hope this is not the resolution, but rather the renovation of our friendship. A line from the psalm from today seems fitting to describe my current state: "Bendice al Senor, alma mia" (Bless the Lord, my soul).