Chick Flicks and Disney Heroes!

This weekend I had a good old fashioned slumber party with some friends! We ended up watching Love, Actually (which is one chick flick I actually love!) and I really do feel like I should share the following paraphrased conversation...

KM: Wow, I never noticed before, but that guy is like the real-life version of Aladdin, maybe that's why I've always thought he was cute...because I love Aladdin!!

H: Oh my gosh, you're right...he is totally Aladdin!!

L: Aladdin is really cute for a cartoon character...but is it weird that the cartoon I always had a crush on was Robin Hood?

K: Yeah...I can see that!

H: Wait...wasn't he a fox?

L: Yeah he was!

(Then K high-fives L for her awesome taste in cartoon crushes!)

Then after much giggling and talking about boys we went to sleep.

After we woke up, lounged in jammies and finally got ready for the day we ended up going to see New Years Eve (aka the movie that every actor EVER has a part in)

It was pretty cute...the only part I really didn't like was the part where the rude teenagers sitting next to us were talking and not even trying to whisper.

One of my favorite actors, Matthew Broderick, had a tiny little cameo...which was made even better by the fact that his character's name was 'Mr. Buellerton'!!! Lea Michele (Glee) sang her little tush off, Ashton Kutcher played a version of himself, and there was a plot twist that I almost didn't see coming...

And the best part: Zefron!! I don't care how old I get, Zac Efron will always be dreamy!!

"what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Well first of all...I don't want to grow up. So that's simple. I specifically chose a career which would be severely hindered by my 'growing up'. In order to work with youth, I need to remain young...
When I was in college and I finally declared a major (religious studies) I spent a great deal of time thinking about what I could do with that major. Spending summers helping out at my home church, and later, working at camps...I really found a passion for working with kids and teenagers. I enjoy spending time with them and teaching them about the Bible and 'that Jesus guy'. I really like my job.
Except...
There is one question that every youth director in the history of youth directors gets asked, and last night it was my turn. In fact, when rating yourself on the Jon Acuff scale of youth-tastic-ness* being asked this question is worth 10 points of youth-tastic-isity. The question is:
"Are you ever going to become a real pastor?"
Because I work in the fantasy world of Never-neverland...well, I guess I kind of do since I refuse to grow up anyway. But my job is very real, and very important.
About a year ago I was at a youth worker's extravaganza and I sat down and had a beer with one of my former youth directors who is currently a "real pastor" in Wisconsin, or Minnesota or one of those Lutheran-y states in the middle of the country. He told me that he used to get asked this question alot. His response was "I'm already a real pastor". He hadn't yet been through seminary. He wasn't allowed to consecrate the elements, and with his blue goatee, I doubt our pastor ever let him actually get up in front of the congregation and preach...but doing ministry, even if it is with youth, is a real job. Providing pastoral care for teenagers is a real thing. No, I haven't been through seminary, and right now I am not feeling any call towards ordination...but my job is very real, and really important.
Right now I am very happy in youth ministry, and while I have thought about getting my masters in Youth and Family Ministry...I have no future plans to become a "real pastor"...it's not my choice anyway

*oh...and beeteedubs-I got a 78!

Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen...

Day 12-An episode you’ve watched more than 5 times I'll spare the blah blah blah...any and every episode of Pushing Daisies...easily; also the episode of Ugly Betty that Aaron Tveit is in...because he's so gosh darn dreamy!!
Day 13-Favorite childhood show. Full House was the show to watch until I was 8, and it went off the air.
But man, that show taught me so much. I will never forget how to spell success because of Danny Tanner's mnemonic device (double the 'see', double the 'ess' and you will always have success!) I think somewhere, my parents still have the VHS we taped the series finale on. Y'know, when Michelle falls off her horse and gets amnesia? That was intense!
Since we did 12&13 today...I'd like to take a moment to talk a little bit about twelve and thirteen year olds. I am sick of the question 'who else will be there?' Although, I don't necessarily blame the kids here, since just as many parents ask me that question as my students. It's just really frustrating. There is an event coming up that I have to register for by this Friday and I'm still getting 'SoandSo will only go if whatsherface will be there.' I don't care who will be there, I just need to know how many will be there by this Friday...

What happened?!?

Some nights, last week for example, amazing things happen in the youth room at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.
Some nights...are tonight.
Last week, we had incredible discussions, my students were focused and engrossed. I had them each bring in an article, comic strip or song lyric that deals with religion in one way or another but isn't necessarily from a religious source. One of my girls brought in a political cartoon that had us talking for a good fifteen minutes, sometimes even debating, with my students asking questions that I couldn't answer. It was incredible. Even our tangents were on the ball. I did very little talking, which is always a good thing, because that means the students are carrying on the conversation without me. I was so proud.
Tonight it was like I had a whole different group of kids. It's like someone took my insightful little darlings from last week and replaced them hyperactive look-a-likes. Don't get me wrong, I love my students, they are so full of energy and have a way of simultaneously keeping me young and (on nights like tonight) giving me gray hair. We didn't even get to Bible study tonight. I could tell during highs and lows that I didn't have them. So we tried to recap what we've been talking about in Acts, and I tried to get them to calm down enough for us to at least have a conversation, just a catch up, but one of my girls couldn't stop giggling the entire time, and the boys all wanted to play sardines the whole time.
Let's pray that next week we can find our focus and can get "our Jesus on"...well...we're in Acts, so it's more like getting "our Paul on"

Teenagers...you give them an inch and they swim all over you...

Heads Carolina

It's the third Thursday of the month, which can only mean one thing...NETWORK LUNCH!!
I love network lunch day! Once a month, I get together with a handful of other youth directors in the Channel Islands conference of the Southern California Synod of the ELCA and we eat, talk about life and ministry and commiserate with each other about how junior high kids can be little punks sometimes.
There is something about talking to people who have the same job as you that just clicks. I can talk to my friends about work all I want...but until you can share in the frustration of planning a totally cool event and having no one show up for it, or having to scramble at the last minute to find a male chaperone for a lock-in...you just can't 'get' my job.
That, and some of my friends think I'm certifiably insane to opt to spend my time with teenagers...
I love all my friends dearly, but the network...them's my peeps!
And once a year all the youth directors of all the conferences of all the synods of all the regions of the ELCA are invited to one big party called 'The Extravaganza'. Which is awesome-sauce.
You get to learn about how to teach young'uns about 'that Jesus guy' and how to be good at your job. Plus, it's good renewal for those of us who spend most waking hours with students to have a week of being an adult around other adults. Fun adults. Who act like teenagers...
Last year the 'E' was in Charlotte, NC...and it was my first one ever and it was amazing and I loved it and I can't wait to go to the next one.
And I have a point, I promise...
I bought this mug at the airport...ha!
...yeah...not a very good point...