We had a great time this fall at our High School Fall Retreat. This year's theme was "ROCK ON" and in true ONE Student Ministry fashion we did it up right! We spent some time away in small groups, dressed up like rock stars, had an incredible time with God in worship & message. Not to metnion, we partied like rock stars with energy drinks and a 20 foot limo to give us that rock star edge! The students said it was our best fall retreat yet and I think I agree with that.
Life is so amazing. Anja gave her heart to Jesus at bedtime prayers a few weeks back. To which we have had a lot of God conversations in our house lately...
1. "Dad you're nice, mom's nice, Magnus's nice and God's nice."
2. "Why does it take so long to get to heaven?"
3. "Hi God. Hi God. Hi God. Hi God." (as she turns her head looking everywhere around the room as she heard recently that God is "everywhere."
4. "Mommy, do they have little girl princess pajama's in heaven and little girl toys in heaven?" (as Anja is contemplating spending an eternity in heaven to which Heidi replied, "They have the best ones ever" and Anja giggles with excitement)
5. "God's bigger than all the spooky bad people." (as Anja is contemplating halloween and its holiday history)
6. "When I get to heaven I'm going to ask God to show me how He makes it rain...I like the rain."
7. "Dad, how can God be in my heart and be in heaven at both times?" (as Anja contemplates God's omnipresence)
8. "Are you going to be in heaven because you have to be there with me" (as Anja calls some of her friends after she gives her heart to God to which one of her friends said, "you're wierd Anja")
9. "...and then Jesus married the princess and they lived happily ever after in the big, big castle." (as Anja was putting the finishing touches on one of our bedtime Bible stories)
10. "I want to marry God."
Ummm, I have nothing more to say...ok? I didn't make time. There.
The picnic was outstanding and well done on so many levels. As a pastor, I walk away from those events totally pumped about RVC, what we've done and where we are going! When you think of famly picnics you think of the relationships you haven't seen in a while and you get to simply catch up on what's been happening. To all of you who I "overtalked" my welcome, I personally wish you all a thank you and there's more where that came from. You think of the wierd uncle who wears black dress socks and bermuda shorts who everyone gets nervous around because they think that he's going to say something wierd or do something crazy like dance with a plant (I had one of those wierd experiences yesterday too...you know who you are). You think of how you appreciate your family and friends and it's one of those reflective moments. We only get together once a year and I had to stop last night and just look around at all the RVC faces. Some of you I know your story. Some of you, I only see at a distance in service. But we are together and that's special to us as pastor's...to have all of the church together to honor God. I love our RVC family picnic and maybe next time I can baptize in my speedo or at least a snorkel mask to change it up...wait, I just realized something, I'm the weird uncle everyone gets embarrassed about. And I'm OK with that.
On your left, take a look at the pictures that I took of some obscure Costa Rican shots. I will have some ministry shots coming soon as we put them together. Again, I like taking pictures so if you don't get my eye, you don't get it. But for those of you that do...
I missed my family. Being gone for 10 days to Costa Rica seemed longer than I thought it did even though I got more sleep on this trip than I did at home as my newborn is still eating like a sumo wrestler and keeping us on a bottle feeding schedule similar to that of a small baby elephant. It was good to be home as Heidi was at the airport waiting for me which was great to see her and she kept everything going in the youth department while I was gone. I came home to a "welcome home daddy card" drawn on my garage floor complete with rainbows and butterflies that would rival the guy who paints with the afro on PBS as Anja has some wicked artistic ability. I walked upstairs and did the "daddy peak" on the kids as I looked at my son sleeping thinking "I wish I was him right now" (except minus the wetting myself in my pants at will part) and then I peaked on my daughter sleeping and noticing how much she looks like heidi at night while she's sleeping. I walked away thinking it's good to be home and where's the nearest pizza place that's open at 2 in the morning because I'm so incredibly sick of rice and beans. Pura Vida.
Well, I'm in Costa Rica and it's a fantastic time! We have arrived safely, crossed over the "Mountain of Death" as it's called here by the locals and have arrived at our little town to minister to over 2,000 students which we are forcasting. We did programs and ministry to over 500 students already and the week is just getting started. It's so rewarding to do missions with our students as I get to see them share the Gospel and serve people. We heard a story today about a local kid who started a Bible study when he was 17 in his living room. He was far away from God and living in the Costa Rican "ghetto" when God got a hold of him. He received a miraculous passion for his neighborhood, his friends and now he is a youth pastor in his local church here in our area and is leading a youth ministry of 1200. It's amazing what God can do with one life...I wonder what God is going to do with our students?
Last night was a great night as a youth pastor. I walked into my house at about 12:30 am after a night of incredible worship, challenging message and a time with students and leaders that would make any other youth pastor jealous as we have one of the best youth teams in the country. We had just spent the last 20 minutes after the message worshipping at the end when I looked over and I saw a kid who I had met earlier that week at our newcommers reception with his head bowed down and his face buried in his hands as he seemed to be doing some serious praying. I walked over and asked him if he would like me to pray for anything. It's at that moment that he began to tell me about how he loves track and has some serious promise as a track star. Then his eyes welled up with tears as he said, "But that's not what God's calling me to do. I think I'm supposed to be a teacher." He began to tell me how he is supposed to bring encouragment to other kids in the schools and help them see God through him. I said that I as a youth pastor, we as a youth team and we as RVC will do whatever we can to encourage him to fulfill his vision. His calling in life revealed; his purpose found. He'll never have to wonder what he's supposed to do with his life. I love those crystal clear moments with students.
Since I've had kids, I have grown to love taking pictures. I have an uncle who is a virtual professional at the photography business so maybe it's in the genes. You'll notice my "polaroids" section at the left. I call them that because it keeps it nostalgic and dates me as someone who is in his mid-thirties who had to live through the era of taking instant pictures that didn't involve mega-pixels but involved a 2 minute development process of a camera spitting out a picture while making a buzzing, whirring noise and watching a bunch of goofy looking people attempting to blow on their picture or flap it in the air "to make it develop that much faster." Yeah, you really did look as silly as you thought you did with your jaw dropping with the words "this is so cool" coming off your lips. So I've attempted to capture moments with my camera and posted them to your left for your viewing pleasure...
I've decided to try another means of using my blog. I'm going to write shorter entries and try to give some more daily reports. I've realized that I like to write...like to write long blogs. Some of you make these subtle comments to me by saying, "I read your novel-I mean your blog the other day and...." OK, I get it, you are annoyed at it's length. What can I say, I'm a storyteller and I love to write...extra long and don't forget that some of you are "long-winded" so maybe we could just say we're even but I'm long winded as well so let's chuck it up to a lose/lose for both of us when it comes to us over-communicators (oh, and did I mention I've got a knack for run-on sentences or no or at least I think I do but that might be just me or no or...).
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