Tomorrow

Tomorrow is our first lock-in. I pray that it is a success. Here are a few things we are wanting to do and or happen:

• Connecting with students we normally don't connect with.
• Learn to be more relational with students.
• Getting to know another youth pastor whom we are co-opting this event with.
• Getting to hang out with leaders that normally don't do "these" types of events.
• Pretend to be exciting about staying up till sunrise.

Fun for days....

I suck!

For the past few days I have been slacking on my quiet time. I have been working like a mad man trying to update our new website, organize the Lock-In, develop a ministry profile on myspace, and I have placed my time with God on the back burner...I suck! It's weird how much a person feels (off or different) when they don't have that time. What is even more interesting it the fact that I promised myself to use this time to grow and spend quality time with Him. Yet, it was the first thing to go...I suck! I'm sure that everyone goes through this, but having a mild case of ADHD, I seem to be more susceptible to it. I know "excuses are lame" but, today I'm leaving and having my quite out under some ancient oak tree. God here I come...

Okay...it too cold...Starbucks it is....God here I come...!

The Monster House

When I was a kid, my friends and I would dare each other to go and knock the the door of this house. I never had the guts to and neither did my friends. We would always get as close as the stairs that lead up to the front door and then bolt for our bikes that were nearby. This house is infamously known as the haunted house on Cummings Valley road. Although I can't be sure if it is really haunted or not, I know that it has that evil feel to it, and with fog it makes this place even more creepy.

Pictures of a misty morning

Here are some pictures I took this morning. They are just random pictures of Tehachapi and my neighborhood. It's going to snow tonight. God help me!

Thailand Update

For the past few weeks I have been trying to learn some conversational Thai for my trip in July. It is extremely hard to learn!!! Being a tonal language it contains five tones that with a simple sound can mean five different things. It requires more application within the masculine tones as well as the feminine tones. I have to be careful not to use the feminine. This is going to take some time!

The Tehachapi Coffee (Gossip) House

So in Tehachapi there are a lot of families, well to do ones. They drive Ecalades, Hummers, and Lexus'. Nevertheless, within all the money that some people have, sin still manifests itself in different ways. As Tehachapi tries to employ the image of a safe, clean and a growing city (or should I say town), there still is this need to GOSSIP! As I sit here in this coffee house, I can hear (without straining my ears) all of these mother hens talking about kids they don't like at the high school or the middle school. I can hear about the dislike about certain teachers and boasting of their students in regards to sports. This coffee house has become a beacon for stay at home mom's to come and talk wild smack about people. I want to puke up my breakfast bagel sandwich. Tehachapi has lost it's innocence...

The Lock-In

For ages I have been against lock-In's of any sort. I couldn't believe that people (or should I say youth pastors) would actually lose their minds within such an event. Now, I find myself promoting our very first Lock-In. I am so excited about this event, I had to take my ridlin. I pray that the students will find an environment that is loving, fun, caring, exciting and a place the they could call their own. Okay, so here are the details:

• Ice Skating at Ice Town
• Game works in Ontario
• Xbox & DDR till the cows come home
• Junk food that would make Willy Wonka cry

Please keep us in prayer!!!

The Tehachapi Update

The day is slowly lingering and I am in a state of trying to find something productive to do. I did find this box that had some old pictures and CD's. I can't believe that actually listened to some of them. The temperature has risen to the grand high of 42 degrees! I am now officially looking for a job as a glass cutter...I'm that cold!

Working in Tehachapi

Okay, so I know that I'm supoosed to be on vaction, but a vaction in Tehachapi is quite boring. So, I'm now sitting a little coffee house working on church stuff. The best part is the free WiFi and FREE COFFEE!!! Its still extremely cold -current temp. is 34 degrees! Pictures are on the way.

My Early Years

Today as I was cleaning out my office came across an old box of papers and books. To my surprise there was a notebook of my very first youth ministry position. I had taken notes, wrote down thoughts, and frustrations within this notebook. What is funny, is to see how much I have changed in my thinking and perception of youth ministry. As I was reading "what was I thinking" was going through my head. Wow...so much has changed! I will never forget my humble beginings...wait I'm still in humble beginings.

JH Christmas Party

Last night was our annual Junior High Christmas party. Here are some highlights and lowlights:

Highlights

• We had a good band play
  
• Plenty of food
  
• 6 foot burritos
  
• Eggnog chugging contest
  
• Huge turn-out (I think we had 65 people)
  
• Cool time to hand out with students
  
• Some parents brought hot coco and cider
  
• The White Elephant gift exchange
• Great leader/volunteer support
  
• Most of all...the students had a safe, fun, and memorable time
  

Lowlights

• It seems that every student was suffering from ADD, ADHD, & Turrets.
  
• Leadership miscommunication
  
• Spilled cider
• No one puked during the eggnog chugging contest...sad day
  
• An awkward moment (that's all I'm going to say)
  
• The lack of interest in the band from the students
  
• I didn't get to hand with the students as much as I had wanted to
  

Overall, a great night…I’m glad it’s over!

Thailand

This summer I get to go to Thailand for study. It's going to be an incredible trip, although, the language is rather hard to understand and learn. Nevertheless, I'm forcing myself to be able to hold a coherent conversation with someone while I'm there. I just picked up some books on Thailand and some maps...now I have my winter break reading material.

My week at a glance

This is my week, for those of you who are faithful readers:

• Finals (they should be realitivly easy, but everytime I state that, I end up failing)
• Junior High christmas party on Wednesday, I'm already looking forward to 9pm when it ends
• Christmas shopping on Friday
• Coffee with some of my most awesome friends
• A Wahoo's run
• Mailing out Christmas cards
• Working on my music (my CD will be out in 2007)
• I'm going to go hiking Saturday morning to have my devo time (should be really cool)
• Clean my disgusting apartment (my roommate needs to take a class on picking up his crap)

Seems like a lot stuff in one week, but trust me, it will get done!

Starbuck Don'ts

Coming from the horse's mouth, here are a few things that Starbuck employees hate about customer habits:

1. Not knowing the menu and taking eons to order.

2. Hassling employees about company policies that they have no control over.

3. This is the most important one- people who LICK the whipped cream, caramel, etc. before leaving the receiving bar! Do not even make eye contact. Quite disturbing... in fact don't even have your straw ready.

4. The most frequent occurring annoyance is people who STARE while the bartista is making the drinks. They know what they are doing folks, and more importantly you don't!

Thanks Ashley!

Book Question

Can anyone recommend a good book on JH/HS student counseling?

Favs and Loaths

here are few of my favorite things...

• Antique books
• Middle school ministry
• Morning fog
• Church history
• Coffee
• My dog (Ba'leigh pronounced "Bay-Lee")
• Synthesizers
• My family
• Thai food
• Sci-fi novels
• Journaling
• Haggis
• Languages
• Coffee
• Adults with ADD/ADHD
• sarcastic people
• Working with awesome friends
• My heritage (Irish and Spanish-yeah that's right, I can sing and dance)
• Chinese food
• Hiking and taking walks by myself

Things I loath...

• Traffic
• Ignorant people
• People who cry about EVERYTHING (get some thick skin)...okay maybe not so much
• Sleep
• Turkey stuffing
• Fake people
• Abercrombie and Fitch
• Not having coffee
• Library fines
• The sound of ice being crunched inside someone's mouth
• People who lie
• The French (just kidding....:.)
• Professor's who take forever to grade assignments
• CRV taxes for anything that comes in a bottle, plastic container, etc.
• Foul language
• Not having health insurance
• Expensive gas

What are some of your favs and loaths?