What did you do today?

I did a lot today, including climbing a mountain.  On the mountain behind camp, past the repelling send-off, up another 150-200 feet, is a bunch of crosses sitting on the very top of the mountain.  So me and a few others decided to go check it out.  What transpired and resulted from the next 50 minutes of our life, through all the snow, ice, dirt, crawling, spontaneous snow ball fights, and hoping we don't slide down a mountain to our death, was in a word: awesome.  I'm pretty sure it's best view possible around here (although I'm hoping Property Staff tells me otherwise) and it was lots of fun making the trek.  We had great conversation and challenged our bodies in ways that none of us lazy bums have done lately.  

I didn't bring my camera cord, so you'll have to wait 10 or so more days to see them.  But it was incredible.

I hope you did something extraordinary today.  If you didn't, do it tomorrow

Second Impressions

I walk past the same view of the mountains at least 3 times a day, and every time, the look different.  I'm looking at the same view of the same mountains, yet God causes my eyes to see something new and spectacular concerning His creation.  (I'll spare you having to look at these *similar* pictures, I think it's one of those "you gotta be here" type things).

One of the things I appreciate about being here for New Staff Training is reevaluating and re-thinking several aspects of Jesus and ministry that I have previously considered "mastered" or "no longer worth long periods of thought."  God has so much out here for me and the rest of staff - that has been so abundantly obvious over these few days we've been here.

God has so much out there for us all, all the time, in every place.  That's cool.

Frontier Ranch

To the few, the proud, the...readers of my blog,

Not sure how many of you are out there still (if you are, leave a comment and say hi!).  I've been doggin' it on the blogging front as of late.  Life has been happening a lot lately and blogging about it hasn't really been the priority.  Anyways.

Right now I'm sitting in the designated computer lab at Frontier Ranch, imo the most beautiful Young Life camp there is.  There isn't a cloud in the sky and the sun really illuminates the snow-peaked mountains in the distance.  Kind of like this (going left to right):

I'm here for New Staff Training.  There's over 240 people here for a week training for new staff (thus the name).  It's great.  I'm going to try and update my blog with random stuff and pictures while I'm here.  Thus far, it's been awesome being right in the middle of such beauty, as well as awesome fellowship with 240+ like-minded people.  

Here are the top 3 (slightly) embarassing activities that resulted in me short of breath:

3. Walking up a 20 foot hill

2. Playing a game of ping-pong (though it was very competitive)

1. eating breakfast this morning (I was really hungry)

Snowed in

In my current living arrangement, I have to park in the street.  Not a good thing when it snows 8 inches.

  

Old Man Oakland

During my 4+ years as a Young Life leader, I've met a few people that have thought I was younger or older than I was at the time.  My freshman year in college, some high school kids thought I was the father of small child I was walking around with (who happened to be Luke Granger).  I've also been mistaken as either a junior or senior in high school several times.  And then just this past year, a sophomore in high school.  And now, just this past Sunday, this conversation happened with a Red Barons coach of one of our younger teams as we watched the 8th grade team play:

Coach: So do you have a boy out there playing right now?

Me: Umm no...I just graduated from Michigan State.

Old enough to be the father of a 13 year old?  I've never been more honored.

Wow

The new MacBook

What Teachers Make

First things first: Shan and I tried this pumpkin seed recipe this weekend and they turned out GREAT.  Highly recommended.  

During pre-game at our football game Sunday, I was asking one of our players about his weekend.  In typical  8th grade fashion, most of his answers were pretty vague, so I kept asking more questions to really figure out what was going on.  He then said, "Dude, you're just like Tom Brokaw."

What caught me off guard was not his attempt at mocking me, but that he even knows who Tom Brokaw is.  So I asked how he knows about him.  His reply:

"You ever watch South Park?"

Me: "That's how you know about him?"

TV loving 8th grade boy: "Yeah, South Park's taught me most of the stuff I know."

Uh oh.

It was surprising to hear this, but I suppose I shouldn't be all that shocked.  TV offers a lot of information, which is awesome as long as its true.  Which I also suppose is not always the case.  So for all my friends that are teachers or will be teachers, you've got your hands full.  Thank you fighting the every day battle to teach kids.  You make a difference every day.