My weekend

Sixth Grade youth group retreat.
Words are not going to give this weekend justice.

Nothing can make you feel younger or older then you are faster than 12 pre-teens. http://twinpines.gospelcom.net
A really great camp for kids and reteats!

These are some great kids. It was terrific getting to spend the weekend getting to know them. These are some of the kids that Kaite is going to spend the next 6 years hopefully hanging out with and getting to know better. They were sweet and polite, and rather easy group.

I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the youth group activities. It has been nearly 6 or so years since Jim and I taught youth group at our other church.

I got to play more flashlight tag, keep away games, tag games, shuffleboard, "nuke um", basketball and hockey than any 37 year old should do in one weekend.

I got to hike longer and higher (these kids too me up a nearly 45 degree slope for "the perfect picture" - not once but twice!) than any 37 year old should do in one weekend. Crawling would define some portions of the hike better than "climbing".

I got too little sleep on a harder cot than any 37 year old should sleep on for two nights.

I can barely move. My legs are sore from hiking. I have bruises on my left arm from hockey. I have scratches on my legs from running through a pricker bush in the dark last night playing flashlight tag.

But - I wouldn't have rather been anywhere else this weekend.

I got to start each morning off stepping out onto the deck to have quiet time, watching the birds in the trees with a view of the valley all the way into NJ.

I got to laugh more than ever. Enjoy the sunshine. I got to see kids that were just thrilled that adults wanted to hang out and play with them. I hiked with, and talked to these kids. Asked about them. Chatted with the girls about the boys and how they are going to come to realize that boys to stupid things, act before they think and will never be easy to understand.

I got to see, through my tears, Kaite take her first communion and actually understand what it was all about. Wow. She said it was sad and exciting all at one time.

I got to help to start the process to help these kids into a phase of their life that is going to be very rough. I got to see them realize what a good friend is, and how important a circle of good Christian friends is going to be to help them navigate the years to come. These kids are straddling such a huge chasm between their childhood and adulthood. They want to be so mature, but I was amazed how quickly they jumped at the chance to play with the play-doh the pastor used for the potter-clay illustration.

Our church is very blessed to have a children's pastor and youth pastor that sincerely care about these kids, and what challenges lie ahead. They know that these kids need to connect and make friends in order to stay in the church and youth group, and how important this is going to be in helping to make good choices later on. They care enough to go out of thier way to get that message across to as many as possible.

It was a "coincidence" (but those of you that know me know I don't believe in them) that I had the opportunity to experience this weekend. I believe it was God's guidance. Since Jim and I have joined the church, we haven't really "settled" into a niche. I have been praying for God to help me to know what purpose I have there. Maybe this is it. I don't know. Youth orientation is next Friday nite. I will see where I may fit into the picture.

For now - This old "dude" is very happy to have been able to keep up but is going now to soak in the hot tub and take some advil.