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.