Scalping For Jesus

The above picture is about the Corn Maze - a previous youth event that I wrote about below.

I'm always a bit behind with this blogging thing. Well, it's cuz my goal isn't to be daily and punctual, so who cares.

But last Sunday night was another episode in youth ministry. I had bought 30 tickets well ahead of time for this concert that was happening because they were 7 dollars cheaper than buying them at the door and I thought for sure the kids would love to go to this and I'd have no problem selling these tickets.

Well, I finally convinced 19 kids to sign up. Then last minute 10 of them backed out again and I was left with 21 tickets to sell or make the church eat up all of that loss.

I was a bit stressed.

So I went early to the Aliance church and I sold 19 of my tickets at the door!!! I was so proud of myself!!! And, it wasn't technically scalping because I didn't sell them for more than what the concert was selling them for at their doors. I was selling them for 15 and they were selling them for 20.

The concert was pretty good, but I was a bit bitter for being there. I was offered a free ticket to The Phantom for that evening from someone in our church, but I couldn't go because I had to go listen to Christian Screaming Bands with a bunch of teenagers.

But then I kept it in perspective - "Hey! I get paid to go to concerts with cool fantastic kids" And then I thought - "Yeah - that's cool"

And I tried really hard not to think about "The Phantom" all night long.

New Adventures In Jr. High

You know - many people have gotten in trouble over blogs and the wrong people finding them. I know a friend who is a teacher whose student's parents found her blog and she got in trouble.

If you ever get offended by stories let me know and I'll be more discrete.

The problem is that when you're a teacher or a youth worker - you have so many good stories because you're constantly watching the awkward teenager show. Yeah- it's quite the show. You laugh - you cry - you scream - you find a corner and you rock in the fetal position at times. It's got all the elements of good drama.

Latest episode in Adventures with Jr. High is we went to the corn maze.

So I'm thinking "A giant maze of corn - how hard can that be? We're going to be finished it in half an hour and then what am I going to do with the kids for the next hour? I hope they aren't bored.

Yes - these were all of my thoughts previous to the corn maze.

Well - this maze was huge and one hour into the maze it was dark, cold, and I was desperately lost in a maze of corn.

It was 9:00 and I had to get the kids back to parents by 9:30. And I was still desperately lost in a maze of corn.

Did I mention it had been raining for two weeks and we were also falling everywhere and kids were getting covered in mud?

I frantically started calling parents telling them not to come to pick up until 10:00.

I had visions of us searching the corn maze until 10:30 and still not finding the pastor's son or the kid who came for youth group for the first time.

Why them - because if you're going to injure or loose a kid it's probably going to be the pastor's son or the kid who came for the first time whose mother doesn't know you. It's just Murphy's Law.

miracle of miracles!! Everyone found their way out of that corn maze by 9:20.

And I guess the kids had been all stressed out because I had told them that they had to be out by 9:00. I was pretty impressed that they were listening and being conscientious.

Other dramas did ensue later. I guess two of the 6th graders chased a 7th grader with a stalk of corn and he called them a very bad word and I'm still working that one out. I tried to explain to the 7th grader that that was how 6th grade girls flirt and they probably think he's hot. I think that helped a bit. But now both parties are going to be writing apology letters to each other.

Especially because I told the kids strictly not to pick, pluck or throw corn. I told them that there were security cameras in the ears of corn and if they got caught little oompa loompas would come and devour them.

Two kids later asked me if that was true.

um.......

Winter approached

It's been raining for about a week and a half now. And it's been cold. I am praying that it stays dry tonight because we're supposed to be going to the Corn Maze with all of the youth. And I really don't want to switch another youth event again last minute.

I'm trying to keep perspective with this whole winter thing.

As I was driving to Saskatoon this last Sunday night to go see my parents who are here now on a furlough from Bolivia, I tried to think of reasons to be excited for winter. It was really hard to think of anything. But I found two reasons.

1. I get to wear all of my boots again. I love boots. I am slightly Imelda Marcos when it comes to shoes.

2. Northern Lights.

But I'm nervous I'm not going to be able to see them in Edmonton. Last year when I lived in Southern Alberta I never saw them. But I had the mountains so it made up for it.

As I was driving to Saskatoon the Northern Lights were out and dancing. I noticed them as soon as I drove past North Battleford.

Man I love Saskatchewan skies. The land is pretty boring, but the sky is a constant light show - even during the day. People who say Saskatchewan is ugly just forgot to look up.

Pay it Forward with Jr. High

So we were going to go and serve homeless people food tonight. Then they canclled on us.

Then we were going to go and play with old ladies in a nursing home. They also cancelled on us.

So what to do on a cold and rainy night? Last minute?

Movie night.

Yes - Movie Night with Jr. High

It's amazing how when you pick the mildest movie you can think of with a really good moral to the story - you suddenly realize how many swear words are in it.

And then when Helen Hunt starts walking around in her bra for a brief 5 second eternity and the pastor's son happily starts yelling "Oh Yeah!" you suddenly realize you just commited youth pastor suicide.

Then suddenly you realize that your happy bibbity boppity little flirty 8th graders are snuggling with the oppisite sex on one of the couches.

Then you realize there's some sort of deal been made between two of the 8th grade boys who at very regular intervals are switching places on the other couch so that they can have a fair share of sitting by one of the cute 8th grade girls. (That was very nice of them to share - I'm glad their parents taught them those values)

And then you have the couch of ernest good Christian 7th grade girls who are completely disgusted with the snuggling couch and completely annoyed that everyone else is talking so loud they can't listen to the movie.

Then off sulking in the corner you get the really depressed and bitter 9th grader whose friends are all in Sr. youth but she can't join them because she's still in 9th grade. And everytime another giddy 7th grader giggles she gets closer and closer to slitting her wrists.

And at the end of what seems like movie eternity - the main character sees the amazing results of his random acts of kindesses. And just as everyone is about to settle into emotional cusions of warm fuzzies - the main character gets stabbed and dies.

There is dramatic pause.

The Jr. Highers actually listen. There is uncomfortable wriggling. The youth pastor (me) tries her hardest not to get emotional as two lone tears go streaming down her face.

After drawn out moments of anquish - one young 7th grader pleads for the video to be stopped before everyone sees him cry.

Understanding his dimema - The youth pastor ends their anquish by pressing pause and then tries to make a strong but touching plea for the Jr. Highers to make a difference in their world (Hoping beyond hope that they forgot the swearing in the movie and the scene with the bra)

Even though - in the end when their parents asked what they did that night - they'll most likely remember snuggling on the couch, the multiple times they heard sh_t, and Helen Hunt in her turquoise bra

The End.

Living Stories

I'm Reading Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis" at present. The section I just read was how the stories in the Bible are actual stories of history but they are also real for today.

It's stuff that happens every day.

It's OUR story!

For instance... Adam Eve. How many of us have always read that story as a history account and as a theological basis of our faith, but we've stopped there.

"Ok - so that's when "the fall" happened and that was the first Adam and then the world needed the second Adam (Jesus) to redeem us from having separated ourselves from God."

Ok - true, but ,wow, - most of the power is gone if we just view it like that.

This is our story folks. We are Adam and Eve everyday. We mess up. We separate ourselves from God. We make crap decisions. We want to be greater than God. Self absorbed. Glorified. We disobey. We let the end justify the means. We make idols of ourselves.

My favorite story is about Moses seeing God's back and experiencing the extreme holiness of God. I pray for that in my own life. Show me your back God!! Show me the glory of where you have been so I can understand more clearly the glory of what will be and that it is possible.

Or the story about Esther and Mulan and Jael. They are my "Mulan stories." Women kicking ass cuz God chose them and believed they could.

I think I learned to read literature like that and sometimes I forget to read The Bible like that. I learned a lot about human nature, relationships, mistakes people make, the ability for societies to rot and ruin, love, politics etc.... from reading literature because I was taught by really great teachers to apply it to my life. I think reading great literature makes you wise for the present because you transpose the lessons of the characters to yourself and those around you.

How much more so for the Bible?

Come out Come out Wherever you Are!

I forgot something - long time ago there was someone commenting on my site named Dave. Do I know a dave? I really don't think I know a Dave. Well, I must because Dave is a pretty common name and I meet people constantly. But the identity remains nebulous.

I was trying to convince my sister that it was her boyfriend. I told her I was pretty sure her boyfriend was more interested in reading my blog than msning with her. But I guess there aren't any computers for him to check in on in Gimley MB. So I guess I couldn't play home wrecker.

Better luck next time

I'll get you next time gadget - muah ha ha ha ha

Urban Beauty

There is something remarkably georgous about brake lights/ traffic lights illuminating puddles in a rainstorm.
Stunning liquid hues against inky asphalt.

Like a Fish Needs a Bicycle

1 Bono 3:18
" A Woman Needs a Man Like a Fish Needs a Bicycle When She's Trying To Put Her Arms Around the World"

My roommate Tiffany and I were joking about our Savior complexes that we can sometimes be guilty of.

" Ah - Everything rests on my shoulders!!! I must save the world - I am the only person on this planet who could get this job done - And if I fail all will be destroyed!!!"

So then I brought up my favorite line from a U2 song. And it was just funny how profound it was to us (or at least to me). I felt like we were sitting in a pot smoker circle going "Yeah dude - that's deep - Yeah! DEEP"

But what's with the Savior Complex! I have often wondered if everyone in this world feels as chosen and driven as I do.

"Kendra Fehr - Princess of the Universe!!!! Fighter of injustice!!! Preacher against whatever is raging her at that moment. (Walmart, environmental Injustices, Sweat Shops, Child prostitution) Proselitizer of Art and Jesus!!!"

And am I just ridiculously pretentious and high on myself? Why do I think I'm so chosen?

I seriously think I'm going to live in million more countries yet and I seriously think I'm going to be fighting for the weak and teaching people about things that will save their souls (Jesus), lives (aids, nutrition, life skills) and make their lives richer (art).

That's why a guy just stops being interesting to me as soon as I realize he'd crush this journey. I want to be Brangelina! But Christian and not a home wrecker.

I seriously think I'm going to do really influential things and that everything I do needs to make a difference and contribute.

Why do I just assume this about myself? And I realize that there's a line to be crossed here. I believe the "Savior Complex" is when we stop trusting Jesus to do his will through ourselves as his vessels and we try to save the world on our own- this is not good.

I think growing up with watching my dad, growing up in the mission field, and going to school with a bunch of rich ambitious Bolivian kids created a lot of this "I'm going to lead things and run things and do things to Save the World. I'll fight against Injustice and I am Chosen" feeling in me. I'm thankful I grew up in that type of envioronment. But I think just growing up in the Word of God made that true in my life.

I'm thankful to have that type of truth in my life from the Word of God.

I do believe that God has made each human being with a purpose and that everyone is created to contribute for good (and most importantly to live to Glorify HIM).

I need to assume this about others, I need assume this about my kids in the youth ministry. If I believed everyone around me had as much potential as I believe I do and that they could have that type of desire for change and influence in the world. If I could instill that belief in them - then I would be creating little fingers of change even beyond myself.

Now that's exciting. I think I know what I'm talking about on Youth on Friday.