Just small bumps

This week wasn't as stressful as the last one. The only bumps I had to get over this week were giving my second meditation at Youth Group and going to the High School retreat this weekend. My talk on Esther went pretty well. I keep going over so I am desperately trying to cut down my talks, but I'm not sure how to fit everything in that I want to say. It was really cool this last week to see the kids really paying attention to and getting involved in the story when I was telling it. To be fair, Esther is a pretty gripping story and I do my best to be a good story-teller and not pause or stop or mumble, but it was almost like I was looking out at a crowd watching a movie that they were totally into. Afterwards one of the high school girls sought me out to let me know that she really enjoys my talks so far. I guess she thinks they're interesting and likes that I try to break it down into different points. That was really a great moment for me. It really kind of makes me feel better about the whole going into ministry decision. When I was really young I wanted to be a writer and I always thought it was because I was a dork and read all the time, but I think now that it may have been because I love to tell stories.

Right now I'm just hanging out at the church until we leave for the weekend. All week long the rest of the staff has been telling me that they are going to be praying for me. I'm worried, but I'm not all that worried. Mike tried to tell me that my new name was "Jungle-gym" because the kids were going to be all over me (mind you, these are high-schoolers which is a little weird) but I just keep telling him that they're going to get bored when they realize they actually can take me down in under 3 seconds. Hopefully some of my more laid-back personality will rub off on these kids. If not, then hopefully I'll at least get a wicked cool looking scar from all the abuse I'm going to take.

There are times when I really miss Bluffton (ok, so that happens more often than not), but it is experiences like this weekend that make me realize that being in Pittsburgh is a once in a lifetime opportunity...unless they decide to throw money at me and bring me on full time. Mike keeps trying to convince me to come back for summer camp staff, but it would be a significant pay cut from my last two summers, plus I've invested so much of my sweat, blood, and tears into my own camp that it would be a shame to give it up. Who knows what God has in store though. One day at a time, though.

Pray for me this weekend.