Rick Nier...Woo!

It was 10 months of planning. It was 7 fundraisers, over and again holding out our hands for help. It was many announcements filled with details. It was many conversations with teens, letting them know this trip would be a good one. It was countless reminders for payment deadlines. It was answering many phone calls, offering the same details already given in the announcements. It was long hours looking for another leader to go along. It was lots of phone calls making sure all of our lodging was set. It was letters, emails, phone calls, all communicating the packing list for parents. It was the drive for 7 hours in a church van with no FM Radio, as if any teen still listens to FM Radio. Oh wait, the teens all brought their iPods, so they can’t hear me anyway. It was one week of sleeping on a concrete floor, using an air mattress you were sure worked before you left. It didn’t matter, because you’d be up at 6am anyway. It was 7-8 hours each day of doing work for are

May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. ~Psalm 119:74 Pay attention to the order. First, people fear God. Second, they find joy by looking at me. And why? Because I hope in the same God. Now, I tell my wife all the time how much joy she should find in me. She just nods her head while never actually seeming to pay attention. She's cool like that. I have this idea that I bring mirth and merriment into any room upon entering, but I suppose that may not be entirely true either. But it could be true. The writer of this song certainly hoped so. Not because he would get something out of it. He feared God. They feared God. Shouldn't two people who fear God be able to find joy in one another? I think so, but we shouldn't put the tweet before the status update. (Aren't we a little beyond horse and carts?) Our insignificance does not mean unimportance. It does not mean we lack a role in this great big play. It simply means

The quietness is about to get loud. The silence will be no more. Like the half hour discussed in Revelation before the seventh seal is broken, things are about to start happening. I like to tell people that news of my demise has been greatly exaggerated. Not that anyone was talking about my demise...unless, of course, you heard something? The point is, I have more to Woo about. I have more questions to ask. I have more scriptures to point out. More ways to tell the world how it's not about me. I liken it to that moment when my wife's headache is about to totally go away, when all my children decide to burst through the door. It's not about me...but I'm back to regular posting. You've been warned!

If a twig snaps in the forest, and even the animal that caused it didn't hear it, did it still make a sound? You may not realize it, with all the talk of being insignificant and focusing on others, but I do have dreams about what this blog could be. Most weeks I forge ahead, knowing this is good writing practice. You might not even notice, but I'm going to break from my regular blogging schedule around here for the next couple of weeks. Youth Ministry and life in general are about to speed up and rather than blog ahead, I'm going to take a break. If you miss me, go and catch up on some old posts you haven't read. I promise I haven't gotten any funnier in recent months. Otherwise, enjoy the break. I'll be back mid-July, with plenty of stories and sarcasm. Try not to weep openly when people ask why your face is so downcast.