Could potlucks be the answer?

          So we found out that the best solution to our "consumer youth" dilemma was, in fact, potlucks! Having the kids commit to bring a certain part of the meal each week not only helped them to take ownership of the meals and the meetings, it also improved their fellowship time as they all pitched in to help prepare the meal, got them to show up on time (this is huge for our group!), and totally unexpectedly but most excitingly: it improved overall attendance! If the kids have a responsibility in the meeting they are actually way more likely to show up! In the past we have been lucky to have four kids show up on any given night and were really excited when those four started being more consistent. In the last two weeks we actually added two more kids who we hadn't seen in a loooong time, just by asking them to bring something for dinner! Amazing! The kids have even started helping plan the meal for the next week, this time with some humorous results. This week when we started handing out parts for next week's dinner all the kids seemed to want to bring dessert, so we came up with a really fun compromise: we will start this Sunday's meeting half an hour later so everyone can eat dinner before they come and then all the kids are bringing desserts for our "Ultimate Dessert Potluck"! How nifty is that?

         Another really awesome result of all this is increased participation in the Bible study. I know it sounds silly that food would change the dynamic of Bible study, but hear me out. I think it has to do with the increased fellowship time while the kids prepare the meal. They are becoming more and more comfortable and open with each other so they are not as nervous when it comes to discussing difficult topics in our studies. They were really curious and talkative and VERY involved during this week's Bible study where we began exploring who Christ is and what purpose he serves in Grace. The kids asked some really thought-provoking questions, even getting into the complexities of the trinity and Jesus humanity versus His divinity. They were really thinking this week and for the first time in months Hubby and I left the meeting feeling God's hand in it all and being assured that God's Spirit was really moving and working on the hearts of our kids. Often times we leave meetings feeling frustrated and confused, but this week was so different. 

My favorite time of year!

          It's Shoebox time! I love filling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. It is my single most favoritest church activity ever! I would fill 50 shoeboxes if I could =0) It's just so much fun. This year our small church managed to put together 35 boxes, some of them literally busting at the seams. We even had a youth fun night where all we did was fill shoeboxes and write letters to the kids who will receive them. Honestly, I think I would get such a kick out of getting a shoebox stuffed with fun little items for Christmas. I was thinking of doing that for my family this year. Just let me loose at the dollar store and LOOK OUT! 

Trying Something New

          One thing Hubby and I have been struggling with since we started working with this youth group is what Mike Pilavachi also mentioned having to overcome when he first began in youth ministry-namely how to get the kids to switch from a consumer mindset to a servant one. It is very disheartening when we do something special, like bringing the kids McDonalds one night for dinner, and instead of them thanking us for doing something special they complain that we should have brought Burger King instead (that one just floored me, I almost had to leave the room to compose myself). To solve that specific problem we are no longer supplying food, but having potluck meals instead, where each kid has to bring something to contribute (this week we're having a barbecue). Another thing we are trying is to get the kids doing more volunteer work. We serve at a feeding kitchen quite often, with the kids being the main servers, which they always seem to really enjoy and they are so gracious to the people they are serving. It's like they're totally different kids when they have a ladle and a casserole in front of them. Last night we tried out something new that might become a monthly event. We got a small group of kids together at about 5:30 and put together bag lunches (sandwich, water, and apple). Then we took them to one of the nearby downtown areas to pass out those bagged meals to the homeless. The kids really rose to the occasion, not only handing out the food but praying for people they met (with a little encouragement, admittedly) and taking time to talk and get to know some of them. We were very proud of them =0) The only problem we ran into was that, in our area, it is a lot harder to find homeless people than one might expect. We know they are there, but the sad thing about where we live is that they are trying really hard to just get rid of them instead of helping them, which makes them hard to locate and help unless you really know where to look. The kids that came with us last night were really excited that they got to help out and I think it will go a long way in helping them to see outside of themselves and into the eyes of a hurting world that needs them. If you have any other ideas that might help us we would love to hear them. We could use all the help we can get!

My Beef With Hollywood

          If I listed all the concerns I have about hollywood this would be a very very long post, but I'm just going to talk about one. Why is it that when child actors reach a certain age where they can start appearing in more than just after school specials and as the sassy little sister/brother, they have to "break out" by taking on roles where they are either serial killers, sleeping around (and revealing ALL), smoking, swearing, and being...what's the term they use nowadays? Edgy. It seems like that's what happens to all the great child actors I used to know and love. They grow up being heroes to impressionable kids a few years younger than them, and then they go and do something totally contrary to what people originally started watching them for, with those same impressionable young minds still watching and being impressed, all in the name of "maturity." Tell me if I'm totally off base here, but when was taking your clothes off in front of the entire world a sign of maturity? Last I checked it was a surefire sign of the "terrible twos" and the reason my husband has to shout "naked baby alert!" every time we're at the beach (because inevitably there will be a naked two-year-old running around screaming sweet freedom while his Mom chases after him/her with the diaper and the pair of pants they buried in the sand a mile back). I know this is starting to sound like one of those "what's wrong with youth today" rants, but what it's mean to be is a question: What is wrong with role models today? And more importantly: Who is telling them this is right? Who is influencing these kids to go down this road? Take, for example, Kiera Knightly. I used to absolutely love her movies. I thought she was so fun, and beautiful, and I was never ever embarrassed to watch her movies with my mom. I loved how in every "making of" feature they always talked about her mom constantly being on set and watching out for her and keeping her grounded. Everyone seemed to have a great deal of respect for her mother, and so did I. I remember telling my husband once that Kiera Knightly was someone who, if I had just happened to meet her, I would have liked to be friends with. Nowadays I don't even go to her movies by myself, let alone with my mother. In fact I have a deep mistrust of her movies now and always check "kids-in-mind" before checking them out for myself. What happened? It seems like now that she's an adult all her movies have some sort of really graphic sex scene (at least one, sometimes more) or really suggestive situations, and one magazine cover was gushing about how awesome it was that she cursed like a sailor. Where did the change happen? Who is it behind the scenes that is egging these kids, some now adults, to become "edgy" so people will "take them seriously as actors"? I've heard that phrase so many times now in interviews with previously squeeky clean stars gone wild. Their excuse is that they do it so people will "take them seriously"...seriously? Maybe I just don't get it. What do you think? Am I just ranting or is this a serious problem? And if so, what can we do about it?

So Burnt Out...

          I try so hard not to get burnt out, that inevitably I do it anyway. I guess it just comes with the job, but it happens so often, and at the most inconvenient times, though I guess any time would be inconvenient, wouldn't it? And I never even realize I'm burnt out until it's way too late. Like today for example. I tricked myself into thinking that I was doing really well and my attitude was positive and everything was going great, and then this morning happened and confirmed what Hubby has been telling me all along-I'm stressed. I woke up in the grouchiest, iciest, painfully angriest of moods this morning and guess who got the full brunt of it? Bingo-poor Hubby. We have since made up and my mood has warmed considerably and I am in more of a daze than anything. I could really use a nap. I should have really seen it coming. The signs were all there, but I was in denial. I haven't slept an entire night through for the last two weeks. Bleh! Well, they say that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, so I'm on my way. Pray for me, please? And Hubby. He's been pretty stressed out too.

Ultimate Sorry

          Last night at youth group we only had two kids show up, so we decided instead of playing spoons like we had originally planned, to play Sorry, which is perfect for four players. Hubby and I just bought the game last week and played it a couple of times just the two of us and it was really boring, in my opinion. It went by way too fast and we hardly ever actually ran into each other, so it was not as competitive as we had hoped. However, with the full four players the game somehow lasted over an hour! We were running into each other, switching places, thwarting plans, and bumping people back to start at least once a turn. I got way ahead and had three of my players in the home circle and one in the safety zone before anyone else had even two players at home, yet somehow I managed to come in dead last! The kids were absolutely having a blast, thanks in part to Hubby's vengeful play tactics (he was so smug when he won, I wanted to throw my soda at him) and several cans of Mountain Dew (at 7pm! I think their parents hate me at bedtime =0). So remember this kids: 2 is better than 1, and 4 is awesome! Yeah, something like that. I seriously don't know who had more fun, us or the kids. 

I Voted

          I just did my civic duty and voted. It felt good to get that out of the way and now I can sit back, relax and see what happens. It's all in God's hands, so whatever the outcome I will praise Him and keep living the way He tells me to. Good luck to everyone else as they vote, I'm praying for you!