Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Christmas recap

What a fun Christmas in Iowa. Lots of snow. Really cold!


Before we left, our family openned presents. This is what Jen got me:


SO FUN! Dude, I could have used this my whole life! I'm notorious for getting lost! We even hit a detour on our way up to Iowa and the Garmin proved to be indispensable.


My guilty pleasure gift: Jen's parents got me the Watchmen graphic novel. Wow. Finished it last night. It'll be interesting to see the movie in March.

Monday, December 29, 2008

The face of slavery in America

This is Shyima Hall. 19. At the age of 10 she became a maid for a family in Egypt. The family moved to the US and brought thier slave with her.



This morning I found this article on Yahoo about children sent to the US as maids. Some of them my daughter's age. The article is saddening and disturbing to read how these families treated this girl, how her OWN family treated her!





While home in Iowa last week I read this article about a man in Des Moines being convicted of the trafficking of two girls. One was found in a strip club. The other in DC...training to be a prostitute. (If you are familiar with Covenant House, it's hard not to connect the issue of slavery with some of our own politicians, but that's a whole other issue.)


I wonder how much of this goes on right here in Wichita...under our noses.

I can't help but wonder how teens can make a difference. Did those two girls from Nebraska ever go to church somewhere? Did they have an opportunity to connect with other teens?

How many other kids are being sold into slavery, right here in Kansas? In the Mid West? In the US?

How can our students make a difference in the lives of kids like that today?

Students have to have thier eyes openned to the pain going on around them. They need to see that they can make a difference...a LIFE difference in the relationships they make.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Volunteer Christmas Gifts

If there is a year that I can be accused of fully geeking out, this would be it.


Here is what I'm giving my volunteers for Christmas and my reasons why:


1. I want them to have something that will remind them that they are TRANSFORMING lives. They are doing nothing short of amazing!
2. While they are transforming young lives, they are being transformed as well.
3. I'm giving them an autobot. The autobot stayed to protect the humans from being killed by the decepticons. So too, our volunteers are protecting our students from being destroyed as well.
4. According to the bio, Ironhide has been injured many times...but never destroyed. So too, especially working with middle school students, man it can be tough. and there will be times when we are damaged. But we won't be destroyed.
I don't know whether the last reason makes we want to puke out of it's lameness or churchiness. Nevertheless, I really hope they feel encouraged and be reminded of how much I appreciate them.
What did you do for your volunteers this year?

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Merry Christmas Grandma!!!


2008's BEST photos of the year

Wow. Go here for 40 of the year's best pics. this is only part 1 of 3. Some of these pics will make you smile. Some of them will break your heart. Some will amaze you.


"Lightning bolts appear above and around the Chaiten volcano as seen from Chana, some 30 kms (19 miles) north of the volcano, as it began its first eruption in thousands of years, in southern Chile May 2, 2008. Cases of electrical storms breaking out directly above erupting volcanoes are well documented, although scientists differ on what causes them. Picture taken May 2, 2008. (REUTERS/Carlos Gutierrez) "


Friday, December 12, 2008

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Visiting Middle Schools

Every week me and one of my youth coaches (Bob, he's amazing!) tries to hit one of our middle schools to visit students at lunch. There are many weeks where this feels forced and like a task I "have" to do. But everytime I'm reminded that it is really meaningful for students.

This last monday Jen went with us and we visited a middle school and we had a great time. We spent maybe 30 minutes there.

Yesterday one of the mom's saw me at church and said, "Thank you so much for visiting the kids at school. The first thing they said when I picked them up was "Bob and Jen and Ken came to lunch today and it was so awesome!!!! and they went on to share about all the stuff we talked about.

Last year I went to a school to visit a 6th grader on his birthday. I went to a local supermarket, bought a $1.49 giant cupcake...went to school...saw him in the lunch room...gave him the cupcake...made some small talk...and left. maybe spent 5 minutes.

(I would have hung out longer but the student didn't want to leave his table of buddies and there wasn't any room for me. and at this school they have special tables where you can get up and go hang out with a visitor during lunch. but he clearly didn't want to.)

Then I got this email from his mom:


Ken,

Thanks for taking time from your day yesterday to surprise John at school for his birthday! He loved your visit and the colossol cupcake. I could never have gotten away with a middle school visit, even if it was his birthday, but you pulled it off!


The last time I did High School Ministry, I did tend to get the feeling of not feeling wanted by the students. Now, it could have been my lack of relationships with them, but I wonder if it was a "I can't believe my youth pastor is checking up on me at school" kind of thing. When I was in HS I LOVED it when my youth pastor came to hang out. but I'm a dork like that.

For any of you who work with HS...do you visit schools? Do you get a better response than I did a couple years ago?

Wow. Very cool.

Saw this on Mark's blog. very moving.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Thanksgiving pics

Ah...thanksgiving with my family in ABQ...it was really good.


See the rest of the pics here.
























Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Two GREAT sales for Youth Ministry Products

First, Simply Youth Ministry busts out with thier White Elephant Sale of 40% off hundreds of resources. It started yesterday and goes till tomorrow.

Then I get an email that YS is doing 50% for 50 hours! Good night! (No matter what you buy, put in the coupon code "YSELF8") It's actually 41% off anything electronic...still a great deal.

When will the "Big 3" catch on and start selling cars like this when they have to move product?

definitely a great time to pick up some great resources!