Overflow Christmas Party

Tonight we had our Christmas party. It was a success. At least I thought.

She night started with two name the Christmas songs with Acronyms and one with pictures. Cassie lead these games.

Then we had announcements. DYC Feb 13th-16th deposit due Jan 18th. Matamoras Missions trip June 18th-28th and last announcement no youth group or impact groups the next two weeks.

We played a game I called what happened next. We watched some internet video's that I downloaded and I paused it a certain times and gave options on what was going to happen next. It was a hit.

Next Julia lead the group in a gingerbread house making contest.
Classic house went to: Eve Runner up: Brittany
Most creative: Angie Runner up: Jordan and Shane
Best of the worse: Katie Runner up: Daniel

We finished the night playing game Christmas movie quote game. I found quotes of Elf, Christmas Carol, Grinch, and Christmas story. They were to say there quote and find the people that had quotes from that same movie and group together. In there group they were to answer some questions about themselves.

Announcements: A-
Games: A
Volunteer participation: A
Lesson: N/A
Fun: A
Ciaos: B
Worship: N/A

Last two weeks

So it has been a few weeks since my last blog. I have got behind on what is happening around her in fridged Idaho. So I am going to give you the last two weeks in reverse.

12/14 It snowed yesterday at church. I didn't go outside because last time it snowed I recieved a snowball to the ear from a high schooler. (sierra) It only brought, about 1/4 where we live. Church went well and pauls illustration tieing Michael phelps to Boaz made me miss the olympics.

12/11 I was able to spend 24 hours with stevo. He came down from Courdelane. We played some World tour, did some christmas shopping and went hot tubin. It was great to see him. It is amazing how you can see someone and remember how much you miss them.

12/8 and 12/10 I help coach 6 high school girls to present two abstinence presentations to about 200 middleschoolers each time. They spoke on Media Influences and Linking Drugs to Sex. They did awesome and will be leaders for years to come.

12/6 During the weekend one of the girls that lead our missions trip in New Orleans came down from Spokane. (she is attending Moody Bible up there) It was fun to have her come down. On saturday we had 6 children come over to decorate cookies and watch movies with us. They were all ranging from 5 years to 1 year. Paige helped out a ton with all the little ones. She would make a great summer intern. So if you know of a great church that is looking for an intern please let me know. I am trying to convince her to serve here.

12/2-12/3 Youth groups this week went well. We talked about the supremecy of Christ. We listened to the Chris Tomlin song "God in this city." We played some name game with putting randome cards together to make a poker hand. But each person had two cards and needed to connect up with other people. We also played the game that you put the celebrity on the back of the person and they can only ask yes or no questions to figure out who it on there back.

11/29 We got back to lewiston and decorated for christmas. I told cassie that I wasn't going to help if we decorated before thanksgiving. She said that as soon as we got back from thanksgiving we would. So we did. The house looks great. It took me a week to get the outside lights perfected.

11/27 We had thankgiving at Cassie's aunt and uncle's house. The entertainment was a brown lab puppie, the little girls and Colby. The puppy was so cute and so lazy and soft. The little girls were also so cute. They played with all of us from a frizbee to a back rub for me.

11/25-11/26 Cassie and I were able to do some sight seeing in Nashville. We went to the country music hall of fame and Studio B. We also went to the Opry. I have a new appreciation for country music after all of that. It was a great time. We really liked Nashville.

Country Beat Down

Tonight I was hanging out with Cassie and our friend Shane from Ellensburg in Nashville. We went to dinner and walked around downtown Nashville. We went into Souvenir shops and our last stop was to go to the Tubbs Music shop. In there was lots of country music and photos of famous country stars. Up to this point everyone has been so friendly to us. Finally as we were leaving and cassie bought the DVD Gospel journey of Johnny Cash, I showed cassie the Diamond Rio CD (because we are going to the Opry tomorrow to see them).

The girl behind the counter said that "they are a good band."

Cassie chimed in about how I do not like country. "

I defended myself by saying that "I was forced to listen to country as I road the bus for 3 years in high school."

Cassie said "he will listen and doesn't mind it.

The girl behind the counter said "What do you like? Let me judge you."

"I like Johnny Cash"

"Everyone likes Johnny Cash, who else?" as she mocked me.

(Then it took a turn for the worse.) "and Garth Brooks" I replied

Then she looked me in the eye and said the most mean thing that I have ever heard from a complete stranger. She said "your a d*#$@% bag!" She started hillariously laughing at me.

I was so taken back. I thought that I should defend myself now to accept approval of a complete stranger. (An issue that I have and working on) So I said that "I also like Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler."

Now the guy behind the counter put his head into his hands as if I just gave in the most horrible news ever. The girl replied with disgust and dismay "I can't believe you just said Kellie Picker. Anyone other than Kellie Picker!"

At this point Shane was ghost white because he hadn't said anything and was afraid that he would be put down also. Since he is also a non-country guy.

So I left and wanted to curl up into a ball, suck my thumb and rock back and forth. Still to this point I do not have any cleaver combacks. Ughh!

Coming soon:

what I am implementing after this week of NYWC.

Tank of Doom

This last week Heather (our lead pastors wife) has had surgery with a gal blatter removed and for further tests. Paul and heather needed to go to Seattle to get checked out to see what is going on with her. Since I heard they were going I asked Paul "how I could help?" He asked me to take care of his fish. We in the office have teased that it is the "Tank of Doom" and I have heard through the wall the toilet flushing more often than usual. I am sad to announce that last night 4 of the fish didn't make it. So I cleaned the tank and put in some new water and during staff meeting two more pasted on. I am afraid to go into paul's office since the evil empire song rings in my head. Da Da, Dom, da da dom, da da dom. The fish that are left are fighters and are looking strong but there is one that is breathing but more floating than swiming. This is what the tank looks like. 5 Gold fish and one sucker fish remain. Stay tuned to how the rest of the drama unfolds.

Overflow (11-11)

This week we talked about Worship. What do we worship and how we are to worship. We talked about what the world worships, what it means to worship through song and finally how to worship through our actions. We looked at Matthew 6:19 not to store up treasures on earth, Psalm 98 to make a joyful noise all the earth, and Romans 12:1-2 to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. The students did a good job of following along. We had a smaller group due to work, Mr. LHS and Homework. We did two madlibs as our games. Which turn out to be some really funny stuff.

Annoucements: B+
Lesson: A-
Fun: C+
Orderliness: A-
Overall: B

CrossCulture and Discipleship (11-9)

CrossCulture is the Jr high + parent sunday school. It is currently being taught by the Morgans. They are leading the group through a series on Creation vs. Evolution. This week we talked about the connection between science and the Bible. We took a survey, we made up ideas how an object could have been made without a creator and we finished by making paper airplanes to proove a point that they have a creator.

Discipleship is the high school sunday school. We are currently studying big words of the Bible. We looked at Atonement this week. Atonement means to make amends. Christ made amends when he Died on the cross. We looked at Leviticus 23:27 and the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). This is study is piggybacking off of the last two studys of Propitiation and Expiation.

CrossOver (11-5)

This month we are speaking about Worship. Tonight we discussed what worship means and how that word applies to singing. We talked about Paul and Silias singing in jail, singing together and different ways to express that. To give our full attention to God. To show worth to God.

Next week we will be discussing "worship and the world." We will be talking about how the world influences us to worship material possessions.

Two weeks I will be speaking on "Worshiping God with your body." Romans 12:1-3

Tonight we played $1000 bill exchange. http://www.thesource4ym.com/games/mixers.asp The kids loved it. Tonight was also the debut of Mario Kart at the basement. This is a great way to keep students hanging around and a way for us to connect with them. This goes great with Guitar Hero II

Annoucements: B
Fun: B-
Orderlyness: C-
Message: C+
Overall: B-

Choctober Slip-n-slide (10-29)

For the colmination of a month of talking about how God is like chocolate we had a outreach oportunity. We met at the church for youth group. We did a skit "The Fantastic Fable of the Prince and the Chocolate Chicken" http://www.gralf.com/html/choco.htm this was a silly skit but it brought home the point that we need Christ. I gave an invitation to accept christ. The students did a great job bringing their friends. They brought 6 new people to the group. Then we went out to the back 40 where I had set up the 100 foot long slip-n-slide. Once we got out there we put the chocolate onto the slide. I bought 5 gallons of Hersheys chocolate syrup but that was not enough. So I would buy about 25 gallons at least. It worked but we needed to add some water to the chocolate. The kids still loved it and still had fun. Since there was not enough chocolate the kids didn't slide far. I slid the farthest. About 90 feet but the farthest student slid about 25-50 feet.

Next month we will be studying "Worship. Giving out full attention to God."

Overflow (10-28)

This was our last week to talk about Giving Thanks. I spoke on the Luke 17:11-19 passage about the 10 Lepers that were healed by Jesus and the one that returned to thank Jesus. A
Samaritan thanked a Jew for healing him. We discussed how the one was not just healed physically but also spiritually. The emphisis on the message was are you a situational Thankful person. Do you choose to be thankful all day or are you thankful when you think about it. A Quote we used was:
“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward
Games we played was the $1000 bill exchange. http://www.thesource4ym.com/games/mixers.asp

Lesson: B+
Announcements: B
Fun: B
Overall: B

Break in

This morning I got into work at 8:15ish and I was greeted by Paul, two cops and a office that was ransacked. Our church was broken into last night. Three monitor's, a lap top, two easy share camera's, Ipod and just when you think it couldn't get worse but it did! They took a thumb drive. Yesterday Cassie had a conversation with Jason that was going to set up her computor up to church network and continplated leaving her laptop in the church but then changed her mind. I also have been leaving my lap top at the church but took it home to get onto my facebook and myspace.

So all that to say Paul and I spent the day getting the church back into order. As much as we feel violated by this set of people we are choosing to pray for them. (Matt. 5:44) Please join us praying for these people.

These people have been hitting churches all over our valley for the last 6-8 months. The police have not been able to catch them.

CrossOver (10-22-08)

This week the jr highers and I talked about Chocolate Love. I talked about how if you were to have chocolate on a empty stomach it will be hurtful to you. We will not statisfy the hunger pains. I tied in how Christ is the only one that can satisfy. People try to fill that with relationships, material posessions, and achievements.

Annoucments: C+
Message: B
Worship: B+
Fun: C-
Overall: B-

Impact Group

On ever other Tuesday night our high school ministry has a Home groups. We entitle them Impact Groups. My group is 4 guys that are such a joy to hang out with. They are fun, random, deep, and sincere. We are going through the YS small group book "Starting." This is a great book to go through with students. The guys that are in my group are hard to get through a whole chapter in a hour and half meeting. Discussions of accountablity, encouragement, hope, faith, and discipleship. I recommend this book to anyone.

Discussions questions have been anywhere from "what has been your biggest hurt in life" to "why is it hard to believe in God?"

My guys have come to a consenses that we all have times of doubt and questioning on if God is real or not. I told them that it is ok to think that and to continue to read the Bible to search to know what they believe. They listened but itis up to them to follow through with that. Our relationship with God is personal. My job is to point students in the right direction. Each of us have a choice to search for the truth or to turn our backs. What are you going to do?

Quest (Jr high Retreat)

Here I am back after a great weekend with the Jr. high Students at a District run retreat entitled, Quest. We go to a beautiful location called Lake Retreat, in Ravensdale, WA. The theme this year was "Snap Shots." It was if you were to take a snap shots of different parts of your life and put it into a scrap book what would it be and would God be proud of it. Most of the students that we brought said they would like a better scrap book. They had a vision of what a cool scrap book would look like but weren't sure how to get it. Over the coarse of the weekend the students answers were answered.

Our Students loved the Blob, Paintballing, Worship, Stories by Dave (Main speaker), Purity seminar by Erik w/a K, and Identity seminar by Shawn VanDermark.

The students all came home wanting more. They wanted the weekend to be a week long. They are already dreaming of it for next year or how they are going to be able to stay in Jr high longer. So I have comprised the Top Ten reasons the jr highers can come back to quest next year.
10. Flunk a year of school.
9. Come back next year as a youth leader.
8. Ask mom and dad to hold them back a year OR two!
7. Make fake ID to say they are younger than they really are.
6. Sneak into another jr high students bag.
5. Transfer to another alliance church to attend another year.
4. Join the NEW reality TV show Erik w/a K's new BFF
3. Learn to play an instrument to join the "Not Us" band.
2. Stay in the jr high group their freshman year.
1. To build a fort in the paintball coarse and wait until next year.

(All data is comprised of what our Students said this weekend)

CrossOver 10-15-08

This month in CrossOver are theme is "Choc-tober" We are looking at how God is like Chocolate. Last week we talked about how Chocolate is encouraging. That we all need to be encouraging to one another.

Tonight we talked about "Don’t Be a “Chocolate Only” Christian!" We looked at Neopolitin Ice Cream and how each other the flavors are how we are at peace with someone. The Chocolate is peace with God, Vanilla is peace with others and the Strawberry is peace with ourseleves. I opened up a box of ice cream and cut it in three pieces to illustrate that they are connect to one another. We looked at the greatest commandment and how righteousness leads to peace verse.

We broke into small groups to talk about what is easier to get along with and what flavor/person is harder to get along with.

We played balloon/ pop/ flinch and balloon volleyball.

Announcements: C+
Lesson: B+
Games: B
Fun: C
Overall: B-

Overflow 10-14-08

Tonight was the first night of youth group this month. The theme was give thanks. We talked about how we don't always thank God for all the abundance that he has given us. The challenge was to do something with what he has given us. To don't waste your life. We played interlocking circles for a mixer and indoor Hockey. The annoucements were Manly Man night and Mocha club.

Annoucements: D+
Lesson: B
Small groups: B-
Games: C
Fun: C-
Overall: C

This is My life

In the 90's a band named Switch Foot had a song that was entitled "This is My life." This song has been a favorite of mine for awhile even though the radio stations over played it. This song talks about who are you going to be? I am hoping that this blog shows where I am today and where I am going. This will also be a place to show the growth that God is doing in my life. I don't want to be someone that is set in his ways. Or someone that doesn't grow. Each day the Lord is working in my life and most days I do not see it he is. To steal a title of a book (that I haven't read) I do not want to waste my life. I would like to make the most of it. Not for myself but for the Lord.