This is a learning experience...

The title is a phrase I am borrowing from Steve Foss. I have seen him the last two weekends and will see him this coming weekend as well. His presence in my life is one of the many blessings I have experienced since moving back to SD.

On Saturday we had Boys Night Out. A grand total of 3 high school boys showed up. I also had 3 adult males there - so that's a good ratio. The final group of three included me and the couple who owned the house. The size of the group did not limit the fun, however. It was a great night and I enjoyed spending time playing games and getting to know these young men. Hopefully the next time we have the event more will come. In time, though... in time.

At youth on Sunday, I got to play an electric guitar for the first time. The praise team consisted of me and the pastor's son who is an accomplished musician. He decided it would be better for him to play the drums - and I would play guitar and sing. That's sort of a lot of pressure, but I think it turned out well. I was having fun. Felt a bit like a rock star with the electric guitar. He put some effect on it for the song "It is you" by the Newsboys which made it sound really cool.

Other highlights - we did communion with grapes and wheat thins as a way to remember we are all in this Christian journey together. One student came up to me later wanting to know more music by Brandon Heath because I played "Give Me Your Eyes" during our offering time. The students are banding together to help a former youth pastor from this church who recently found out he has a form of cancer. I hope that if I needed help like that someday that they would feel inclined to do for me what they are doing for him.

I told someone today that the more I do this job - the more I find I must do. The more I learn, the more I realize I have yet to learn. I think if there was a lesson that characterized my life that would be it. No matter how much I know - it will only open doors for me to learn more. I came into this job knowing very little - so I have many doors to go through.

The Journey: Senior High Youth Rally

I had a not so subtle hint from a friend that I should post about my weekend at the High School Youth Rally - and to my own astonishment - I'm writing it already!

Every year the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church holds two rallies for its youth - the Senior High Rally now called "The Journey" is in the fall. The Middle School Rally "The Crossing" is held in March. I would say spring, but this is the Dakotas - you just never know. For example, it is October, but when I awoke Saturday morning - there was some snow on the ground. Welcome home, Katie.

So, Friday I packed three girls and their stuff into my little car. I had one cancellation due to illness, so that allowed me to drive my car to Mitchell rather than the church van. I drove the church van around Milbank on Thursday and let's just say God had His hand in providing a way for me to NOT drive that van! Anyone who knows me knows I dislike driving large vehicles - so there you go.

We had to make a stop in Arlington so I could pick up my sleeping bag at my parents' house. Oops! But one of the girls decided to actually leave the vehicle and meet my parents and my dog. The other two girls opted to stay in the car and become mutes for the rest of the trip. They communicated mostly through a serious of smiles and smirks with the occasional rolling of the eyes. Although I attempted to crack the code - I've never been very committed to studying languages... especially languages of teenage girls with attitudes.

The actually youth rally went well. I recognized many of the youth workers from working at the camp. I had a lot of people look at me, cock their head to one side, scrunch up their face and say "I know you from somewhere, don't I?" Even so, I was by myself for most of the weekend. The kids had lecture times, small group times, arts village times, option times, eating times, etc. I did not have to attend the small group or option times, so I spent that time staring off into space, or bothering my old boss Steve. He was there to promote Lake Poinsett Camp, so I did my part to help. I also did volunteer to help lead the scripture drama section of the arts village - which was enjoyable as well. It is so easy for me to forget how much I loved and still love theater.

One other small story from this weekend. We stayed at Dakota Wesleyan University and slept in their gym. On Saturday night, the football team returned victorious and needed to put their equipment away. Well, just so happens that the girls from our event use their locker rooms for showering, etc. So, I stood out in the hallway partly directing girls to wait for their showers until the football players are gone and partly waiting myself since the adult women bathroom area was also a locker room. So, there I was standing in the hallway holding my pajamas and toothpaste, etc talking to another youth worker from ND. We were trading college experiences. She dated a jock - I read books. She dated a track star - I read books. She married another track star - I read books... and so on. Then I look up and see a familiar face - a guy who graduated from USF. We don't know each other well, but I remembered his name and before I knew it I called after him. It was very evident that he didn't know me. I introduced myself and after a momentary pause the lightbulb went on in his mind and he said, "Oh yeah! You were really smart, right?" I'm still not sure how one responds to that... awkward.

Today we returned in the early afternoon. I have spent the rest of the day firmly planted on my couch watching the beginning of Robin Hood Season 2. I highly recommend this show. It is British, well-written, a mixture of action and comedy and did I mention Richard Armitage is in it? Oh yeah. :)