Bah on Bowling!!!

I was very frustrated tonight because not 1, but 2 bowling alleys in our lovely Kalamazoo area told me that they had open bowling for the youth group, and then when we go there- could not provide the promised service. URRRGGHG! If you can't guarantee it, don't lie to me and say you can! Eventually, we just decided to go back to church and had pizza and played "Hide and Go Seek" in the dark in the church, which everyone seemed to really enjoy, and was free compared to expensive bowling. It was also cool to see them let their guards down and just have fun, even if they were "cool" teenagers.

It was also an important night because we had 10 students tonight. Relatively, this may not seem like a lot, but always before we had 4 or 5, so we doubled our numbers in one night. Next week will be the real tell though, when its not a fellowship night, but a real night when there has to be a lesson, and more of a structure. It would be nice though to be able to play games that involve more than teams of 2. This also changes some of the philosophy of how I will pursue this ministry. I can already see some cliques that form, and some of that is natural, but I can already see where I need to use caution and care.

I was also VERY proud of Bree Roskamp, because she had the guts to get up there and plan and lead the lesson for the night. She had hand-outs, structure, and even took prayer requests. She admitted that she felt very nervous, especially since people didn't volunteer very many answers, but I think just that she felt passionate enough about this to get up in front of everyone spoke more than any words that she could have said.

Words of the Night

"Shigs" and "Peeps" (Same meaning- and no its not the marshmellow sprinkle covered Easter treats)

Any guesses?

Jane's Party and Bekah's Gig

This week has been crazy for me, and I'm enjoying a day today where I can catch up on cleaning and blogging and homework and the many other things that I have had to put off. I've been listening to music and inviting people out to a movie tonight- which right now I'm reconsidering because of the massive amounts of snow that have been falling thoughout today. I was going to go the grocery store, but instead I have stayed ensconced in the cocoon of my apartment. I'm not looking forward to digging out my car later.

However much I may complain about busy-ness, a great many of the things that I'm busy with are things that I choose to participate in, and really am very blessed to be able to do. One ofthe things that I really enjoyed this last week was Jane's Going Away Party. She gets to lounge around in Australia for 4 months and 80 degree weather, so we all got together to tell her how jealous of her we are. She does have to take classes, but still Surfer Guys and sunny beaches are sounding pretty good right now. It was a surprise party, and Stacie brought her to the apartment where the party was, since they had been at Bible Study that night. I was blocked when we surprised her, but from what se said and seeing her later, it seemed like she was really surprised. She is such a wonderful girl, I am really going to miss her, even though I haven't had the chance to get to know her that well yet.

Another fun thing I did was go up to Holland on Wednesday for Bekah's Gig. I was proud of the number of us that managed to make it up from Kalamazoo, even if- for various reasons- we took entirely too many vehicles. I enjoyed the chance to hear the montage of songs about Hope, and to enjoy the heated leather seats of the Jetta. That is definetly a perk that if I can afford it, I would love to have in my next car. (That all depends upon my eventually getting a job that I can support myself with, of course.) Now, if only they can make a car that has cooled seats in the summer. Bekah did a great job- she sang some of her own songs, as well as a few by Carol King, which we used as a chance to become spontaneous backup singers. Her show was in the Kletz in Hope's Campus, and I had some high quality caffine there. After the show some of us went to a certain infamous bar in Holland. Bekah recommended this Rasberry Ale and I actually enjoyed it, even though I usually don't enjoy drinks that are near the realm of beer. The combination of caffine, alcohol, heated seats, and unique conversation made for an interesting ride home, but thankfully Scott was driving, so I didn'thave to worry about paying attention to where we were going. (Okay, I just read back over what I wrote, and I sound like a semi-literate 9th grader, but right now I don't have the time to change this)

I forgot!

I just realized that I haven't mentioned how the Youth Group Kick Off, and the subsequent week went. The day of the Kick Off I was very stressed because I also had the Small Group Buffet that day as well, and it seemed like people only wanted to use the posters on my table for coasters, and at one point people were standing on both sides of my table talking to each other, and completely blaocking any chance that anyone would have to talk to me about my ministries. I was so thankful when Scott and Charlie mentioned going sledding that day. I was really debating whether or not I should go, with having to be back at church at 5, but then I decided that I really needed the time to myself and to take my mind off of all of the stress of the day. I had so much fun out there- even if I did end up getting pushed though a bush and launched over a jump by some people who shall remain nameless. It ended up being just me, Greg, Scott, and Charlie because Kate and Melinda were going to come late, but ended up getting lost and when I had to leave for church, Charlie was driving around in his parents Mini-van looking for them. Apparently, they got there eventually.
I felt bad because I got to church a couple minutes late and Mary ended up waiting for me, and staying at church while I ran to the stre to pick up a few last minute supplies. But I know that if I hadn't gone sledding I woud have gone crazy that day, and I am very thankful that someone as competent as Mary was there while I had to leave. We only had 5 students for the Kick Off, but God knew that it was the perfect number for me to handle that first night. I feel so blessed, because I feel like the students that were there were a great mix of ages, and they all seemed to have a great deal of eagerness for the idea of havig a youth group. It intimidating that so much has been entrusted to me, but I have faith that God must have some plan in mind, because I know that it is His Will that I am doing this. (Incidentally, I'm feeling really strong and bold because I'm listening to "My Deliverer" by The Ragamuffins right now, which is a great song to encourage and energize) Last week we had only 4 students, but one of them was new, and though I was afraid that I had overwhelmed her, she seemed really excited about group, and asked if she could come back every week and even volunteered to bring snack one week. I think that it also helps that so many people have been so encouraging, from students to parents, to completely unrelated people who have somehow heard that I am the leader of this group. So thank you, if you are one of these people.

SNOW!!!!!

I know that snow is beautiful and a gift from God, and I do appreciate the chance to experience it, but I'm really ready for it to be over with by now. The other morning I was late for work all because I couldn't get into my car. The shield over the lock on the driver's side is missing, so if any dampness gets inside it, the thing inevitably freezes up. So, finally I move over to the passenger side, and I manage to turn the key, only to discover that the whole door is frozen shut. I do eventually get it open, but by that point I was late for work, and annoyed at my car. It really is a good car, and I have always wanted to have a Jeep, and I know that there are many people out there with no car, but sometimes all of the little annoyances of a used car, who's warranty is still under litigation by the Grand Jury of the Cayman Islands gets to me. Oh well- someday- probably when I don't have this car anymore, I can send in my old repair recepits and get a couple hundred dollars- tough luck for now though.

The snow is still coming down, and I am supposed to go up to M89 tonight for a movie with Stacie and some others. I hope that it ends soon, or at least by the time that we get out of the movie, so we don't have drive home through the dark and snow.

Night

The dark,
Hushed
lake sleeps.
Slowly I walk,
The sand,
Sighing under my feet.
I approach the water and slide-
Into the silvery coolness
My head slips beneath the ripples
Into a world of shadows.
The dry shell of life’s cares-
Slips silently off my shoulders
As the seaweed,
Caresses my skin.
Mutely, I stroke through the dark-
Till I edge into the molten reflection
Of the still,
Noiseless, face from above-
I am free.

Quote:

A friend on the phone recently- "some of us admire you." The sentiment is appreciated, but it does rather make me sound like a painting on a wall in some boring museum.

Christmas Eve

I know that this is really late, but I haven't had much time to blog recently. Suffice it to say that the program went wonderfully. Everyone remembered their lines- and people laughed in all the rght places. Also- Rob made a lot of connections in his portion of the service that we didn't even concretely mean in our writing. It just shows how God works even through what we think are random events. After the service and we had finished cleaning up, I drove home with a mixture of emotions surging though me- part of it was joy at how well things had gone, but another part of me was saddened by the "death" of our characters and for the loss of the fellowship that we experienced as we practiced and prepared for Christmas Eve. My CD player was on the fritz- as usual- so I was driving back to my apartment singing some random Christmas carol when I saw a sight that brought tears to my eyes. Lighting the way through the Winchell neighborhood were hundreds of luminaries down the main roads and off ont the sides. I may be a silly female to be moved to tears at these kind of things, but the moment was one of those times that come up unexpectedly and just show you the absolute Infinity of God and the wonder of the earth He created.