Do my shoes smell?

Here is another fabulous story from Junior Youth (4th-6th grade). This story is not about the boy that I have been writing about but is about a girl in the group. I must begin with some background for youth group so you can understand it easier. The order of events for Junior Youth is Lesson, Snack, Game. Depending on if students behave they get snack and a game. Depending on how long it takes us to get through our lesson, the students get a snack and game. So with that out of the way, here is the story.

It had been a rough day for all the students but 2 of them to behave. They just didn't want to sit in their chairs, pay attention, anything...they just wanted to talk and talk and talk...and not about our lesson. Suffice to say, it took us about an hour to get through our lesson(youth group last 1.5 hours) when it usually takes us about half an hour max. So, we got done with the lesson and they had time for a small snack. After they got done with their snack, they started to get ready to leave. I asked them to all sit down because we needed to have a little chat about their behavior that day. So, we were having a pretty improtant discussion...we were talking about what they had done wrong during the day and so on. I look up kitty-corner across the table one of the girls has both of her shoes up to her nose and she is smelling them. Here is what went through my mind when I saw this...What the? Gross! Of all the things that you could do to not pay attention to me while we are having a very important discussion why are you smelling your shoes? This is what I actually after I got her attention, "could you pay attention please"

I went home after youth group and told Lisa about it and we sat on the floor of our kitchen laughing so hard. I love 4th graders

The Fight

A high school student and I are starting a discipleship group. We met for the first time yesterday and we are reading "The Fight", by John White. It is an awesome book about living a Christian life. I read it 6 years ago when I worked the Summer at Cedar Campus. I remember it having a huge impact on my relationship with Christ and I am hoping it will have the same impact again, and for the student that I am meeting with.

Yesterday we talked about what happens when you accept Christ. How you go through an awesome change that you may not know is happening, but is changing your life. We talked about how God has Justified us and that God know views us the same way that He views Christ. It was an awesome thing to be reminded of. God looks at me, you, all that have accepted Christ as their Savior just the way that He view Christ. Man, what a thought.

We also talked about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. That He is our Counselor, Teacher, Reminder, Brings us Truth, Convicts us, and Glorifies Jesus. I never really think about the Holy Spirit very much... I know that He is there, but I never really think about Him...I concentrate more on the Father and Son parts of the Trinity. But it is the Holy Spirit that works through me and in me to do my Ministry, to Guide me in my life...to do all the things that I listed above.

Thank you Holy Spirit for how you move in my life and affect me.

So I am hoping that I will grow closer to God through this and that my discipleship partner will grow through it too.

our weekend

Lisa and I were able to get away this weekend. It was great. We went to Mackinaw City, which was pretty much deserted, besides some people who were there for a hockey tournament. We had a wonderful relaxing time. We watched a lot of cable...it is a luxury for us when we go on vacation...we ate pizza, went to a nice restaurant and movie... did lots of fun stuff. It was a great weekend.

Lisa and I also were able to talk about my job and get refocused on some things and even talking about where God is taking me in my carreer. It is not something that is clear, but God has been showing me in the past year where some of my strengths are.

So all in all, we had a great time.

"It's Mutiny" and "accepts it right of the back"

Telling the story from Junior youth group reminded me of two more stories about the same child. So here they are

One day we were playing freeze tag (for some reason the students love this game) and the same boy who asked me about the other half of the battle was running around yelling "IT'S MUTINY!" I don't know why but he was. He did this for about 10 minutes and then comes over and asks me, "Paul, what does mutiny mean?" I smiled and explained to him what it meant. He looked at me and said, "Oh, that's not what I thought." He then took off running and started yelling "IT'S MUTINY!" again.

Last week we were studying responsibility and I was having the students draw a picture of someone being responsible. The same boy, who was sitting next to me, drew a picture of someone who had broken an expensive vase (that cost $100.01) and has accepted responsibility for breaking it. So, while he was drawing it, I asked him what he was drawing. He said, "A kid broke a vase and he is accepting the responsibility right off the back." "Off the what?", I said. He replied, "Off the back!" I didn't have the heart to tell him that it was "off the bat", but it was one of the funniest things ever.

I know that I will have a ton of stories about this student. He cracks me up every week. I love him. Stay tuned for more stories

if knowing is half the Battle then what's the other half?

Two weeks ago in Junior Youth, which is composed of 4th-6th graders, we were talking about knowledge and why it is good and stuff. And I said, just as a joke, that "knowing is half the battle" (you know...the G.I. Joe slogan) and a 4th grade boy who I love dearly looks at me, and as if written in a script, says, "What's the other half?" I smiled and said, "Looking good." He looked at me with a very confused look on his face and said, "Really, I thought it would be something like being nice?" I replied, "No, it's looking good." All I got was a confused look from him. It made me smile all day...I still smile and laugh everytime I think about it.
Which makes me think...I hope that this boy will not take that as truth...That knowledge and looking good is how you when the battle. Oh well...we'll just have to see won't we.

My First Post

So, I have a blog now. I don't know how often I will post or even what I will write about, but here I am conforming to the rest of you.