Confirmation Retreat

**Actually made April 10,2005**

There really is NO WAY I can describe how this retreat has effected me. Seriously, for once, I can say that I have gone through a "life-changing" experience. Never have I felt so "clean" as I am right now, not to say that I had a dirty soul before, but now I feel that the whole world has been lifted off my shoulders.

I'll just skip to the most critical part of the retreat, which was Saturday night. It was about 9:30 and we had just gotten finished performing skits of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, my group was fortitude and we did the BEST hahaha! But, as soon as we finished, the retreat team sat us down at our tables and brought in a box. Because my brother had the same retreat last year, I knew exactly what was in the box.

On my first year retreat, we wrote a letter to ourselves, from me to me. On our second year, we wrote a letter to Jesus. This year, we wrote another letter to Jesus. Anyways, in this box, there were envelopes filled with letters. I was one of the only few who knew secretly what was already in the box. The box was filled with letters from our loved ones, most of us it was our family. I opened the first letter, it was from my little cousin who is only about 6. And who would have thought that out of the flower that she drew me, a Bee would come out and sting me in the eye? Gosh, my tears were rolling down my face. All I had to read was, "To: JayJay From: Sammy(my baby cousin)." And that was it, I started balling. I had gotten letters from my cousins, from my Ninang(Godmother), one from each of my parents, and one from my brother and sister.

I CAN'T explain to you exactly how I felt while I was reading those letters. Before, I have cried because I was sad, I have cried because I was mad, but NEVER have I cried tears of joy. Yea sure, I have had a lot of happy moments in this life of mine, but it's not likely that you would see me cry in front of my friends just for hanging out all day...It's not easy holding in your tears in front of your class; but I couldn't keep it to myself. I have the letters still, but I'm afraid that If I open them, I'll just start crying again...Let's move on to the next activity we did that night.

Our next subject was about something called AW-GUH-PAY. That's how you pronounce it since I don't know how to spell it. Basically, lets just say that it's a different kind of love. To better explain it, the retreat team read us a story called, "I'll Love You Forever." I'm sure most of you guys have read this little nursery rhyme. If not, well, maybe you'll remember this little melody, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." Well, that's how they told us what awguhpay was. Soon after that, we were kneeling in front of the presence of Jesus just praying and listening to other people's prayers.

Maaaan, I can go on and on and on about this retreat because I'm not even close to done yet about what we had done! I'll just end this by saying that I feel like a brand new person, now I have already taken MOST of the hate out of me. I want to make ammends with my enemies if I have any, and to reconstruct better bonds with friends and family. I want to do so much more too, but for those who know what I'm talking about, I want to "PERSEVERE." And one more thing for those who know what I'm talking of, "Rise and shine, and give god your glory glory. Rise and shine, and give god your glory glory. Rise and shine, and give god your glory glory! Children of the lord!" hahaha...Let's go party yea?

-(^_^)/ "Peace Be With You"