I was commenting on how I could easily place this as one of the top trips I've had the pleasure of being a part of during my student ministry career. The group of students and leaders was perfect. The drive was a blast. The memories we created were priceless. There was lots of laughter. There was significant conversation. Great worship. Quality teaching. The list goes on.
After our meeting I headed downstairs and find a little card in my mailbox. I open it up and find $250 of gift cards for Best Buy. Apparently we won "Youth to the Booth"! I don't even know what that is. But I do know there is no complaining here.
After fighting the temptation to stuff the cards in my pocket (hey...I'm just being honest!) and say it was my reward for yet again giving up an entire weekend of my life to be stuck in small spaces with students , I started wondering what on earth we would spend it on.
I missed out when United was here in 2004 because I didn't like the tickets I was given during my first phone call to Ticketmaster. And then the game sold out before I could even find a second batch of tickets.
You better believe that this date is marked on the calendar!
I spent the weekend in Calgary with 7 students and 2 of my leaders at Legacy Youth Conference. All in all it was a great weekend. Good speaker. Good music. decent food. Great memories. Lots of laughs. And now I get a couple of days off to try and recover. How do I do that?
Speaking as someone who has always been skeptical of the whole "coaching phenomenon", I think this is a great idea! (Probably because it's striking a chord in my world.)
I'm glad to see people like Marko investing more into youth workers than just "How to make your games grosser and bigger".
I'm terrible at praying. I pray too little. I pray too weak.
I'm self-conscious when I pray. My brain slows down. My words jumble together.
Two weeks ago I made an agreement with someone that we would pray for each other (and our families) for the following week. I knew I'd have a terrible time remembering to keep at it every day. Yet, I knew I needed to do it.
So I quit coffee.
Every time I was tempted to head to the staff room to fill up the cup or to grab a Coke from the fridge I remembered to pray.
Then on the 11th day I caved and enjoyed a French Vanilla from Tim Horton's.
My prayer life...much like the rest of me... is a work in progress.
I meet the Youth Pastor stereotype of having a goatee.
However, I do not grow it to be cool. I grow it out of necessity.
You can only be asked the question, "Where's your Youth Pastor?" so many times before your confidence is shattered.
I know you didn't ask for it, but here's some little known facts about the fur on my face that you might find interesting:
I started growing it in July 2006 because I thought it would be a fun change of pace for someone who has rarely ever needed to shave more than twice a week. (And one of those weekly shaves was just so I could say that I shave more than once a week.)
Yes, I do trim it. (Usually after someone mentions that it looks like my chin threw up.)
Most guys see my beard as an accomplishment. Random guys comment "Nice beard" or "Cool...how long has that taken." Most females think it's gross and say mean things about it.
My wife tells me that she doesn't mind it. But I think that's because it makes me look older. (Women apparently do not like being seen as old or older.)
Yes, it does trap food. The worst culprits are ice cream and pie.
I usually get a couple of comments at church each week about it. Most of those comments revolve around how to remove it from my chin.
I do have people ask if they can touch it. Seriously...and I don't understand this one. Why?!?! But, if you must, I prefer you ask before you try and grab at it.
My old intern Ryan used to love pulling at it to see how many hairs he could pluck out. I think he once got 5 and I may have shed tears. This is why I don't like people grabbing at my chin.
Erin & Becca have placed berets in it on different occasions. They usually don't last long.
It has been braided...just not properly.
One of my students offered to make it into a dreadlock. (Yes, singular.)
I got called Senor Goatee by a little girl on the Island in the Sun.
I tell people it will come off as part of a fundraiser for a youth group missions trip. (Or maybe for me to attend NYWC in the fall. Maybe I could swing both...so start saving and make me an offer.)
In our staff meeting yesterday I was highlighting our recent trip with some of our high school students to Calgary to be a part of Legacy Youth Conference put on by Ambrose University College.
