St & Sh had their last day yesterday. The dinner they had last night was pretty low-key. No major speeches or tears or anything. I really think they are ready to move on and although I’m not really ready for them to leave, I’m really happy for them. I still was tearing up last night leaving the church thinking about them leaving. Especially after hearing the interview with the new prospect was not promising. But I’m trying to trust that this is going to work out.
youth group
Tonight will be tough
Tonight is the last youth group meeting with St and Sh. I am going to be a blubbering mess. In fact, I’ve already been a blubbering mess once today. I was chatting with her today and she told me to check the new church’s web site, that they had posted their picture as well as a little note St had written to the congregation. That set the tears off.
I think the youth tonight are doing a presentation and party for him and I hope it’s done in a funny way because if it’s done in a serious way, I seriously won’t be able to see after I’m done crying tonight.
Weekend catch-up
Wow, that was a pretty busy weekend.
WW Day 11 or 12
I’ve been holding steady all weekend despite having to use Flex Points for two days now.
Saturday
Saturday was pool day. We got in and out of the pool from about 10 that morning to 3 that afternoon. Scott and I were working on getting the water clean. Turns out our filter had parts that were broken, causing sand to come out of the filter thing and also we needed chemicals so although the water is a little cloudy still, it’s a clean kind of cloudy now if that makes any sense. Word on the street is this is the hardest year “pool people” have seen trying to keep a pool’s water clean, so I don’t feel so bad that we haven’t had crystal clear water since filling the thing up back in June.
Saturday was Heather’s birthday so we had dinner at my Mom’s, took the kids to IL’s and my sister and parents and us all went to see Bourne Ultimatum. Wow, that was a great movie. I’ll have to post a separate review on that.
Sunday
Sunday our church choir was having a spaghetti dinner fundraiser after church. After all that, we came home and swam again. It was definitely a “pool weekend”. With temperatures here hanging around 100, there wasn’t really much else you could do. Yesterday evening we took the girls with us to a surprise outing with the youth group to a church member’s house. Can’t really say just house though, more like ponderosa or something. They live on 14 acres of land. They have a log cabin which is fixed up as a retreat type thing with a big screen tv, pool table, etc. They have in ground pool with a 13 foot deep end with an attached little pool house where you could change/use the restroom. They had a frisbee and volleyball net set up. It was really, really nice.
Lexi was having a time with the diving board. Everyone would clear out when it was their turn. They’d see Lexi walk up and say there’s “daredevil” (they learned quickly she is no stranger to water) and she would jump off that board, trying to hold her legs up like the big kids to do a canon ball and jump right in. Emma was much more timid. She’d walk to the end of the board, hold her nose and sort of fall in. That’s the way it is with them though. I’m just glad they both aren’t scared of water and even went off it at all.
We had around 50 people go altogether and besides one leader about break her nose when someone dived on her right after she jumped off the diving board and then someone that pushed our pastor who doesn’t know how to swim in the deep-end and people had to jump in with all their clothes to literally save his life, it was a really good time. Yes, some very serious close calls but honestly the rest of the time was enjoyed by all and I’m sure we will be invading their “house” again for another outing.
Knights game/NewSong concert
I planned the Knights game for the youth group last minute. I mentioned it to our youth council at our meeting Monday and then mentioned it to a few youth on Wednesday. I had a youth call around to some people Thursday to see if there was interest. By Friday, we had about 26 people going and I reserved tickets.
We ended up having a really, really good time. The girls were absolutley fascinated by Home the Dragon and even when he wasn’t in sight, they watched the game. That is of course between all the eating. By the end of it, they had had a little bit of chicken, hot dog, cotton candy, funnel cake, ice cream and slushie. Yeah. They were full of sugar. They also had a merry go round and slides and air jump thingies I let them go on for a little bit. Even after the game (which we won) NewSong came out and set up in front of first base and gave us a great concert. It was 9 by then and Lexi stayed in my arms and fought sleep, but in a sweet way. Emma stayed with Scott so we both got to enjoy the concert. It was actually almost like a small worship service which was really cool out in a baseball stadium. A lot of people had left after the game and everyone had moved over to the stands in front of first base. Nate Sallie was there doing most of lead singing, not sure if he’s actually part of NewSong or not. We left around 10:15 or so and they weren’t even done yet. I think everyone had a really good time and I’m glad we went.
Ramping up
Hadn’t really planned on it, but I think this weekend is going to be busy. Tonight I think we’re going to try to go see the Charlotte Knights and the the NewSong concert with a couple youth. Tomorrow morning we might help with a local block party with the church. Tomorrow is also Heather’s birthday and she wants us all to get so Bourne Ultimatum together. And then Sunday the pastor is taking the youth to some surprise location. So I think today is the calm before the storm. Or at least it seems calm to me…I’m at the office today and it’s so quiet here!
proud as a peacock
Well, first of all, bible study wasn’t fabulous. Mrs. Drama Couple continued to chat through some of it although she did offer less extremely random comments. And then the DVD player messed up on a clip I was trying to show so bummer.
However, we did talk about joy and “joy cometh in the morning”. I think it was perfect timing and they really needed to hear it. And I needed to hear it. We talked at the end of the feeling of joy…where your heart thumps and swells until you have to act on it. And let me tell you, I felt joy tonight at youth group.
The youth band members played and several of the youth stood in for St as singer. There were bumps in it. The singers had not practiced with the band so they relied mostly on their familiarity with the song to know when to come in and sometimes they were late and by the end of the song you were like, ok, quit playing so they’ll quit singing! But I can not tell you the immense joy that bubbled up in my heart to see those kids stand on that stage and the ones in the audience, standing and singing praises, just like St taught them. I wanted to clap and leap for joy at their commitment and strength and bravery. They want this youth group to work and they’re willing to make it work. I could. not. have been prouder of a group of kids, I literally got choked up. Sh couldn’t even stay in the room she was just in tears of pride and sadness and so many mixed emotions I know she has. And then 2 older teens stood up and delivered the lesson and it was about faith. Faith in God and faith in the youth group and how the youth group needed to move on and it’s not about St, it’s about God and making sure our community is reached and our youth group presses on. Another sweet young man got up and gave his testimony of his salvation and his parents getting divorced and then remarrying 3 years later after God restored their relationship. It was so sweet. I’m just so proud of them. Towards the end, the 2 guys leading tonight were sort of floundering, just chatting trying to take up time since they had gotten done so quickly, so St got up and gave them another pep talk. And in closing he prayed and right in the middle of it, he said help us realize that night comes but the morning is sure to follow and joy comes in the morning. Isn’t God just so cool like that?
For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for a life-time; weeping may tarry for the night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5