Been Gone Been Busy

We are finally back from our trip. It really was fabulous.

Since we have been home we have not sat still. It seems that summer is even busier for us than the school year. It is a good busy though. We spend most of our time ministering to our youth rather than having to be at the office all day. We welcome this time of the year.

It's been hard the past two days. A young man in the incoming senior class passed away. It was a terrible accident at work that claimed his life. We had only met him a few times but he seemed like a great kid.

A lot of our kids have been majorly impacted by this. Most of them are in the band and he was a trumpeter. They have all been numb. Some have actually shown their emotions but most are pretty quiet.

It is breaking my heart as well. This takes me back to all the people I lost in high school and how hard it was then. I wasn't even as close to those people as these kids are. As I keep losing people in my life, close or not, I am reminded how short and unknown life is. I want to shout from the mountain tops how important it is to have Christ and you just can't wait...

What God Has For Us

So far, so good. God is really working in our group and preparing the hearts of those around us. We have had our problems but nothing major. I was starting to think I should have stayed home because it's hard with Jolie, trying to watch out for the kids and do what it is we have come up here to do. I prayed the entire way up on Sunday. I needed God to give me a peace since I wasn't going to be able to go back home. He is faithful. He did.

Our experiences have been overwhelming. Sunday we could see the Spirit moving across the churches as we sang. It was so powerful I could barely keep myself from crying much less finish singing. I have never been able to keep myself composed when God moves that strongly.

Yesterday was no different. Our group split into to smaller groups to do different projects. The group I was in went to a ball field. We handed out bottled water, balloon animals, painted faces, and made snowcones. It was so much fun. The kids were great. We didn't have to get on to anyone for just sitting around. They were very willing to do whatever we asked.

One of the most awesome things that happened was something that God planned that we didn't know about. When we got there the man in charge of the team organizations came to us and asked if we would be willing to help him out. They have a game for mentally and physically challenged students. They don't keep score or play by the official rules. They just let the kids hit the ball and run bases. Usually there are volunteers who help the kids but they didn't make it. They asked us to instead. It was fabulous. The youth had a great time. I am so touched by these students that I cried when I found out about this opportunity. I am still tearing up now just thinking about it.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for us today.

Please Pray for Us

We leave in a few minutes to go on our choir tour/mission trip. It should be quite the adventure since we are taking Jolie with us. I am sure we will have a wonderful time. Our students are ready. Well, at least 90% of them are. It's that last 10% that need the prayer, not that all of us don't.

I am ready to be on the road. Unitl we return, may road of life be kind or at least have little bumps.

Episode III

Oh yeah, we went to see it. I thought it was awesome.

Of course, as always, I cried. I held it together until the end. When Anakin said he hated Obi Wan and he replied that he love him cause he was like his brother, I lost it. I finished the movie wiping my eyes with my shirt since I forgot my tissues in the car and those theatre napkins will eat the skin right of your face if it is not coated in the grease from their popcorn.

It fulfilled all of my expectations and tied every thing together. We were still talking about the little details long after we left to go home. You know he was going to turn bad but you just gotta feel sorry for the guy. I mean could he have been messed up anymore?

We didn't go to the 12:01 show though. When you have a 2 year old it's just not that easy. Not to mention Al had to be up at 5 something to go to a Bible study. We did go in the afternoon on the first day, however, so I still feel like a loyal fan. We had no lines to stand in since we ordered our tickets two weeks ago and we got there an hour early.

The only thing that is bad is that Jolie won't be able to see it for a long time. It would just be to scary for her. She will have to stick to the other 5 for now. She currently watches at least one of them per day when we are home. She is the coolest little kid.

We will be having a Star Wars marathon when this one comes out on DVD though. We will probably have one before then as well since we have some students who have never even seen the first ones. A few don't even know much of the story. It doesn't make me feel old though, I wasn't even born until after the second one was out.