A few, fun photos

The Importance of Story

I know I've talked about it a lot, but I'm still pondering A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller and thanks to the NYG last week, it's been brought back into the forefront of my mind. Matt Popovitz spoke at the gathering and talked a lot about story... about the story that we're living, that God is using to tell the gospel.

Also that night at the mass event, there was a time of memorial for those groups who had lost youth group members or leaders since the last gathering. Most of you know that in 2008, we lost both a student and a leader within three months. We also have two other students who have lost parents (one this past year and another as an infant but through terrible circumstances). As the tribute began, I watched as my students stood, arms around each other, supporting one another.

I was struck then how powerful is the story of God. His grace, goodness, love, compassion.

How God has worked in the lives, the story of these students. How he is continuing to work good. How he is using, molding, strengthening and shaping them to be his story to others.

The Stretch

The thing about committing myself to doing hard things is that, well...

They're hard.

There are unforeseen results and challenges and risks.

Not to mention that when you put yourself in places where change can happen, you run the risk of change stretching, molding and growing you like no other.

And though it's scary and life is rushing at me faster than I could imagine, life is still full and the stretching, though painful, is still worth it, God's presence still very present.

And that's enough for now.

Recovery

Man.

National Youth Gathering was awesome.

I'll post pictures and highlights soon.

But today, I'm back in the office and trying to figure out this thing called "routine."

More soon.

Travel Itinerary

New Orleans:

Ride bus with lots of high schoolers
Laugh
Catch up with college student Jessie
Make one hundred inside jokes
Play cards
Eat terrible fast food
Arrive in New Orleans
Cut out mustaches and affix to skewer sticks for district booth
"Test" said mustaches
Meet crocodiles and alligators on the swamp tour
Also: talk like crocodile hunter on swamp tour
Mississippi River cruise with the WI district
See the KRIZ!
Initiate the 2010 Cajun Riverboat Dance Party
Take jumping pictures all around New Orleans
See S.Sarah
See Zeal
See 100 other people, friends, family
Scare youth with my enthusiasm for seeing old friends
Walk, Walk, Walk, Walk
Attend mass events with my youth
Follow Big Barbie
Worship with SoulFire
Bible Studies
Serve the City of New Orleans
Eat Po'Boys, Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya
Wear matching shirts all week long
Attend final Mass Event, say goodbye to friends
Return to OKC

Reunion-palooza

I have a really hard time keeping my expectations in check.

Before most trips, while packing, I have a little dance party to try to contain my excitement(you think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not).

Every three years, my job, via the the National Youth Gathering, gives me the opportunity to see some of the people most dear to me. College friends, childhood connections, random people that I know and love, old OK district people, etc.

I love it.

It just hit me today that in about 72 hours, I will be in the midst of most of the Lutherans that I know and love.

Let the apartment dancing commence.

If you're going to be around the NYG, look for big barbie. That's my group and chances are, I'll be close by.

Greek to Me

The High school students with which I work formed a praise band last year and have been selected to lead prayer and praise for our hotel (about 800+ students) at the 2010 National Youth Gathering taking place in New Orleans this week.

With that, I've been the primary contact person, so it's fallen to me to talk to the people that need talking to and organize the things that our group needs so that they can do what they're supposed to with minimal confusion.

I might mention that my role in leading the praise band falls somewhere between fangirl and occasional roadie.

When the NYG people called me this week to talk about sound needs this is what I heard:

NYG Man: Now, I've got 7 zip zorps and 3 wibble wobbles to plug into your hokey pokeys. Do you think this will be sufficient?
Me: (long pause while I try to figure out the best way to say that I have no effing clue) Can you email that to me so I can double check?

Yeah, I'm a total pro.

Song of the Week

Ingrid, you are always timely.

Baby you've got the sort of laugh that waters me
And makes me grow tall and strong and proud and flattens me
I find you stunning, but you are running me down
My love's too big for you my love
My love's too big for you my love

Messiah OKC Middle School Lincoln Trip

Our Middle School Trip to the Hippie House.

Quotable

Many thanks to the girgismelson for reminding me about this from Sex and the City (and NOT the travesty that was SATC2)

"Samantha: "You know, being scared is not an easy thing for men to admit"

Miranda: "So what? They get a medal for correctly identifying a feeling? We do that all day long. I feel pissed off. TA DA!!" - Miranda Hobbes

Honesty

So, I've got this big trip with my high schoolers in about a week (do not remind me how much I have to do, I'm avoiding it).

The trip is in New Orleans and prior to Friday, I owned two pairs of shorts. So, I went to Old Navy and this is what transpired:

Me to dressing room lady (DRL): How do we feel about these shorts?
DRL: Very cute! You are totally rocking them.
Me: I'm going on a trip to New Orleans
DRL: Awesome! Yeah those are fine.
Me: I'm 28, and I'm going with high school students. As an adult.
DRL: (looks over shorts) Oh honey, no. Try something else.