It's just my junk

We all have junk in our heads. This is mine.

Archive for the month “November, 2011”

24 Nov 2011

Thank you

Have you said thanks? The USA is celebrating Thanksgiving. A time when we eat a lot, watch football and tell everyone we know thank you
I sit wondering what makes this Thursday different than any other Thursday through out the year?
We’re encouraged to take a minute to say thank you. I want to challenge you to take every Thursday to say thank you. Here are some suggestions: your parents (living or deceased),family, brothers and sisters, kids, work, fellow employees, your boss, neighbors, warmth, happiness, the right to choose, for your staff (paid and volunteer), for simply youth ministry and other places that provide awesome material to use, for software that makes our jobs easier, and for Jesus.
Friends, please don’t wait till it is too late to share, show and be thankful. Life is way to short to wait.

Thank you for all you do in the trenches

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24 Nov 2011
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Survivor

I am watching Survivor on CBS right now. It is a show that has been on for a very long time. They take 18 strangers, one cool and friendly host, one island with two (sometimes three) separate living spaces called tribes. They will compete for prizes and life on the island. If they lose a challenge, they are kicked off the island and show. The contestants will eventually work down to three or four and compete to win a million dollars. The show itself isn’t to exciting since the main principle is to cheat, steal and do whatever you can to win.
However, there is an interesting people dynamics that I really am intrigued by, the people interactions. They are required to live within a confined space with very little food or luxuries and play an emotional yet strategic game of survivor.
I think we all experience minor survivor shows throughout our lives. For example,
The Junior High Relationship… Peer groups are important, finding a life long spouse, making the team, being popular
The Senior High Relationship… Similar as the Junior High with an added pressure to determine your future life, employment etc.. during your freshmen year.
The Dating Relationship…how much of the real you do you share and when, how much of your childhood is shaping or corrupting your view on relationship.
The Employee Relationship… how can you move up the corporate ladder, do you choose to be morally and ethically right and lose out, how much time do you spend at the water cooler.
The Parent Relationship.. how many kids do we have, how do we make time for the marriage when the kids need stuff, how can you keep up with the neighbors.
I could go on and on
So how do we as Christ-Followers manage to keep our faith, witness and survive? That is a great question and tension we need to navigate through until we die. I think we can learn throughout the experiences as we maintain solid relationships with other believers, be in the Word of God (Bible), and keep yourself accountable to God and a few people who care enough to call you into action when it is nessessary.
Great blessing to you and keep Surviving!!

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12 Nov 2011

Time to play!

I am sitting in the local library watching 15 students all less than 11 years old, including two of my children, play Nintendo over the Internet against a sister library in another area. Yes it took the librarian a few minutes ( with the kids help) to set up the games but they are all playing and having fun. They had students pre- signup to play, show up on time and take turns playing for one hour, then the tournament begins. We are competing against them in a random race for the most wins. They will use two players and we will use two players. It is a genius idea and one the local youth ministry most likely way under utilizes.
Here is a challenge, find a friend who works with youth, get a game system and compete… Maybe. The winner gets a trophy that can be shared by the winners, I don’t know what prizes you want to share or if it is even needed but the good fun that can be shared is something often missing from our world today.
Good luck and have fun competing for Jesus

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11 Nov 2011

SImply Amazing Teaching Resource from Simply Youth

Simply Youth Live Material
I wanted to encourage you to check out this tool.. It is too good to keep to myself.
I use four of the teaching LIVE modules in my Youth Ministry and it saves me so much time in planning, prepping and presenting. I haven’t come across anything so good and usable in my 18 plus years of doing Youth Ministries… Please do yourself a favor and check this out. It is worth your time.
Please let me know if you have any questions.

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10 Nov 2011

Plan ahead

I think one of the most under used and need tools of the youth worker is simply to plan ahead…. I know! I know! I am struggling with this myself.
But taking a step back how can your ministry, life, family and day be improved by a simple plan? Steps to success:
1. I created a calendar for 2012 and added my logos and information to the document using 2010 Microsoft Publisher. Hey use a template they provide for Free!
2. Add Key events you know will occur, such as Sunday School, Youth Group, Mission Trips.
3. Add some deadlines and dreams
4. Continue to update and tweek it a few months out. working on January in October.
I try to add key deadlines, special announcements etc to make sure I am setting my ministry, and parents up to win.
It is a challenging cycle to begin but your life, and ministry will be so much more manageable and balanced.
Now… I have to go… time to work on that calendar…..uggh

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