I have very little time to think let alone think enough to write these days. But today is quiet at the coffee shop as my youth who come normally are all busy and can't make it today. No matter though, I still come, and get some work done.

Sunday is our big carnival at the church. I've spent the month thinking about it, I even dreamt about it last night. I dreamt that there was no candy to hand out to the little kids which was quite the bummer. So of course I sent a reminder email to my youth to bring candy on Sunday. We do a TON of work to get this whole event planned and prepared. I'll be busy all day Saturday and Sunday for sure. I can't wait until the weekend is over.

My junior high youth are in charge of the games. It makes for an interesting time for sure. Then the senior high puts together a "haunted" area and this year will be a pirate ship. Of course they decided to go and be completely and totally elaborate. But it should be really cool. One of my adults built a coffin for us to use and that will be beyond cool. I can't wait to see it because he's really put a lot of effort and work into it.

I will hopefully get some great pictures of what they come up with.

I started to plan into 2008 today because I was feeling ok with Sunday's plans. I might regret that, but it is good to get a start on next year. Before I know it, it will be summer and I'll be headed to Costa Rica with the youth and families of the church.

Almost every day I have a point where I realize that the way things have turned out have really been nothing short of perfect. I have awesome students who are really eager to be helpful and to learn. I am definitely blessed by the position I'm in.

I finally finished Contemplative Youth Ministry, and there was a section that really struck me hard about why those who are called into youth ministry sometimes end up there. For youth ministers to relate to their students on a level that they need, often the youth minister needs to come to a level that is open and honest and seeking to be with Jesus. For many of the youth ministers I know, this is the only way that they can truly seek to be a follower of Christ. In other situations they are tough, seem like they have it all together and are "super" Christians. When they are with their youth, another story develops. It is one of compassion and yearning to be open and honest. It is one of vulnerability. It is one of seeking to be with the youth and present with them in such a way that it in turn changes the soul of the youth director.

I was struck by this notion and can see that within me for sure. When I am with my youth, I am alive, I am vulnerable, and I am seeking to not only teach them about Jesus by trying to be an example of Christ, but I am trying to reflect the Christ that I see in them right back at them. That is the part of my job that I love. Those brief yet precious moments of seeing a youth realize that Christ is within them and alive. Those moments makes the stress in my life worth it.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 4:00 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.