taking it a little slower

this is part of the ropes course. it has actually started to rain out there and it's turning from brown to green!!!

i'm at home alone right now with the back door open and it's raining outside. it's pretty nice: kind of cold, hard rain falling, a little windy. this has been the first weekend in a while that i haven't been crazy busy. i don't quite know what to do with myself. there's no youth group this tomorrow (finals week), i'm not teaching sunday school, and everyone is at home studying this weekend... or that's what they say they're doing. so i've spent today catching up on some reading, had lunch with one student, and laying around the house talking with the teammates. and tomorrow i will actually go to Church and sit inside the auditorium and be a part of the worship experience. and after that i may go out to lunch and maybe, just maybe take a Sunday nap or read some more. unbelievable, i know! this is not my usual weekend. it's weird.

i read some wonderful blogs about youth ministry and how many organizations are slowing things down this holiday season. one youth pastor suggested that we take some time to personally celebrate and enjoy this advent season. i totally plan to do that. i'll also be ordering cheer uniforms, planning the next semester of youth group, preparing for a trip to America, recruiting camp counselors, planning a staff retreat, choreographing a cheerleading routine, making up cheers, working on the ropes course, and entertaining my FAMILY! i will probably find some time for personal advent celebration. and thankfully there are sweet things like podcasts of my home church where i can listen to the advent sermons.

i'm coming to America!!!

a few weeks after Christmas, sometime in January or the first of February, i'm planning a trip Stateside. this is mainly for the summer camp staff retreat in Rome, GA. i'm also going to try to do some recruiting of camp counselors, personal support fundraising, attend a conference or two, and see family and friends. here's how you can help: i would LOVE to talk to any college students you may have an audience with. we really need quality camp counselors for summer 2010 who love God, love kids, and want to see Africa. do you know anyone like this? would they be interested in serving with us this summer? let me know and i'll be there!

also, i still need to raise some significant personal financial support. do you have a church gathering or small group or sunday school that might be interested in hearing about this ministry and how they can help? again, I will be there! :)

i'm also thinking of attending a youth ministry conference in Chicago. know anyone in Chicago who'd like to house me for a few days? ;)

and i would LOVE to spend time with YOU. so as soon as i know my official travel plans i will let you know and we can get some time together.

i'm looking forward to being in Georgia and seeing family and friends and enjoying the Southeast. i can almost taste chick-fil-a sweat tea now...

AND THE COUNTDOWN IS ON for Rhonda's trip to Africa. that's right, folks, my mom and sister arrive on SUNDAY night. unbelievable. i'm wayyyy excited, but trying to have an "i'll believe it when i see it" attitude in case something crazy happens and she doesn't make it. i will have pictures and updates. Kenya isn't ready for my family. it's gonna be awesome. haha! this is us right before i left Georgia on Easter this year. looks like i was really happy.