Live from Chicago!

So I am in Chicago on our last full day here. Jeff is at a media/technology workshop right now. That is all a foreign language to me so I opted to stay here and read/blog/and possibly take a nap depending on how long it takes me to write this post!

This is truly a blessing from God that we were able to come here. Jeff won the tickets to come here and our church is so supportive and awesome to help us get the rest of the way here! We have heard some great speakers, gone to some very insightful workshops/Q&As, and heard some fantastic worship bands. By the way, it is now my goal to be in the Gungor band. (not really...but I can dream right?) I mean its always been my life long dream to play the cello, now I shall add "in the Gungor band" to that "play the cello." Anyway, I have never heard such unique, intricate, and precise musical talent and it also be worship at the same time. Cool stuff!

Anyway, I just wanted to make a bullet list of a few phrases/points that have stuck out to me this past weekend. (And I might add more later since we have 2 more worship sessions)

• "Lock-ins are the worst idea in the history of youth ministry. I don't even know who came up with that. Apparently someone from hell." -Louie Giglio
• Youth ministry could potentially be the stalling of immaturity. Just because youth ministers have always been know as the "fun, light hearted, game-playing, dont know what they are talking about" people doesn't mean we cant go home and take this generation of youth to a intimately deep understanding of who God is!
• "Everything that teenagers are looking for in life...Jesus already is. Therefore, we don't have to try to make him relevant...because he already is!" -Doug Fields
  
• "Adolescence is no longer a life-stage...its a life-style." -Brian Berry
  

Also, I attended a workshop that discussed how to balance the youth ministry world without neglecting your family. There were lots of practical tips and ideas that I got from that. But more than anything, it was just SO reassuring to be around couples and other parents who understand what it is like to maintain these 2 worlds at the same time.

This has been such a relaxing and fulfilling time. BUT I am SOOOO ready to go home. I miss Colin and Carley so stinkin much. We have been skyping them every night...and seriously I think that almost makes it worse! I can see them but I can't touch them! Its such a tease. Like there was one time that Colin kept trying to grab the webcam at my parents house and I told him 3 times to stop. That mommy instinct kicked in and I actually swatted the computer screen thinking I was popping his hand! Yeah...that was embarrasing. I just tried to act like there was a fly on the screen.

But really...I cannot wait to hug and kiss my kids. Im ready to go back to the chaos. I'm even ready to go back to those 20 screaming 5 year olds. I'm ready to hear "Mrs. Stapleton!" 5 thousand times a day again. And Im definitely ready to see those teenagers again. Yes...those teenagers that apparantly speak a different language than me and think the word "poop" needs to be somehow inserted in every conversation. Someone has to love them, right? I'll try!