Louisville trip

WOW, what a blast. From the drive up, to the first song we sang.Here of course is Sam, fellow Young Life leader. I believe I will be spooning with him later on in the evening when I go to sleep. Of course, not on purpose....This is a picture I captured of one side of the room of people. It is awesome because there is so much energy, and God is so ALIVE In these people that are close to my age and just like minded. It is such a powerful thing to be a part of. Our group, like our area people ended up at Applebees, and we ate desserts, and it was really fun and awesome. God has showed up in a big way. I felt lead to give a toast. So I took a glass and got everyone's attention, and explained that ever sense I got involved with Young Life, I have been able to be accountable to the things I want in life, and have just grown so much by being able to be around people that are the same as me, or at the start, were the same as what I wanted to be. Very cool, very good for me to say. Response was excellent from one girl. I explained how I had never heard of Young Life, and then I got super involved, she said she needed to hear that. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, I constantly learn to listen to God when he tuggs. AMEN.

teeth, Young Life, and preperation

Today I got into the dentist. It was a pretty awesome process actually. Yes, I take pictures of myself while I am in the dentist chair. I had quite a good chat with a lady in the waiting room as well as the lady who cleaned my teeth. To be perfectly honest, I think that I could have a good conversation with just about any person who agrees to talk with me. Really, anyone. The cleaned my teeth, then he grounded a little bit down because I have been having some pain in the upper part of my gum. Turns out, there was a little place on my upper tooth that my lower teeth were catching on. It was causing all kinds of disruption. GOT ER FIXED THOUGH!! He grounded that bad boy down and now I am good to go. My mouth feels so much better now. Nothing but smiles here, nice and clean smiles.

I didn't have a chance to go to Snider (school I do contact work at) to see all my friends, because of the dentist appt. By the way, I called the dentist to re-schedule my appt, I was expecting at least a 2 or 3 week minimum. She tells me, "can you make it here at 11:20?" I said yes, budda bing, budda boom teeth being cleaned within 2 hours of phone call.

After dat, I went to YOUNG LIFE!!! Which got me in a really good mood.Even though I am constantly left out because I am quite different (personality wise, taste in music wise, everything wise) I always feel kind of left out with my fellow YL people. They are either married with children, or extremely different. I still love um though. They make amazing people, and are awesome vessels for the Lord. For that I tip my hat to. Like this skit that Tom (left) and Ryan (right) put on for the kids. Cheezy, yet awesome.

I stayed after and chatted with kids for a bit. We gave the cross talk, and it was powerful for me. It is always powerful for me. BUT, I have the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, so it is a bit different for my eyes to watch something like that.

When I left, I headed over to my friends house Josh & Tony, where Jeremy (all people going on ski trip) was there all getting their gear ready. I wished I had my ski's so badly, but I can be patient.I have known these guys for quite some time. I use to run with them in high school when I made bad decisions in life. They don't have Christ as the center of their lives, and the 12th (ski trip) is going to be a great witnessing opportunity. I just always feel so much more comfortable around my non-Christian friends. I can be myself, which is usually kind of crazy. Well, it is actually extremely crazy. That is my personality. My friends who know me best refer to it as, "The Mikey Experience." I am always on the edge. Loving God, but just an intense personality. When I am around my Christian friends, I always feel like I am holding myself back a little bit. Like I have to live up to a standard. It is strange, but I love all my friends.

G'Night!!

check this out

I can't believe it happened again, but it totally happened again. I was at school in one of the computer labs that I don't usually go to, and I completely without a doubt had dejas vous. I want to know how this happens. If anyone can offer insight into this extrodinary event, I would greatly appreciate it and probably sleep a little better at night.I was sitting next to my friend Sharon (girl in the red), when I was typing in the google search bar, "The Golden Rule" and she was talking on the phone. Just liket that.....BAM!!! I felt as though I had been in that situation before, whether it was from a dream or what, I could not tell you. But this keeps happening to me. IT IS SO STRANGE!!

Young Life was awesome tonight. The kids had tons of energy....probably not as much as me, but who could top that amount anyways.This is a picture of Ashley Vongunten giving the "talk" tonight. She did an awesome job. The kids were super focused on what she was saying, and she said it with such confidence. It was over Jesus and the samaritin woman at the well. It was just another insight into the life of Jesus. She did wonderfully, and I think the kids pulled a lot from it. I was totally fixated on what she was saying. It sure is cram packed in there though.

When Young Life was over, I did something that was kind of out of character for me. I needed to just get away from people for a bit. I don't know why exactly, but I just felt I needed to. So...I went to the movies. I went to go see Max Payne at Rave Motion Pictures in Jefferson Pointe. I had some good talks with some of the workers there, and it was really good. The movie....THE MOVIE WAS AMAZING!!It really did the video game justice. Yes, this movie is based off a video game I use to play when I was in high school, so I really appreciated a lot of things in it that you wouldn't be able to fully appreciate if you had not played the video game. Like the slow motion bullit scene. Yea, I was all over that scene. I felt special. :-)Did I mention that I went to go see this movie alone? It was good too. I just needed to get away for a bit I suppose. And I say, "need" very lightly. I just wanted too I suppose.

G'Night!!

today is motivate Saturday

Saturday, ohh Saturday you did me well. Indeed today was much needed, both for inspiration and motivation in Christ. Young Life is very rewarding and without a doubt part of God's play of early ministry in my life. But, like any commitment, it can be difficult to get past the initial PUSH into action. So, today served as a great reminder for why I am involved with YL, and gave me the extra PUSSSHHH I needed to get involved and stay seeking kids. We started out at 10AM this morning at a committee members house on the South side of town(the rich side of the South part of town). We had this big beautiful house to use for Saturday and Sunday morning. We did a lot of meeting time as a group. It was the people that are involved with the school I am in, and then a group that we referr to Young Life SOUTH. They go to schools south of Fort Wayne, and yea are close but not in the same school as me. Great group, and glad to have them around. It was really quite awesome how God showed up during praise time, talk time, all time, and renewed my spirit and spurred me on in that good yummy feeling God sort of way.

I tried to get one of the girls to snap a picture of when we all went to an open field near a church to play the Young Life Cup! But, she either didn't, or forgot. It was a blast though. We played 4 innings of wiffel bal, followed by 4 innings of kick ball. It was a close call too. But, my team was down by one. I did get an amazing double play after missing a vital catch. I totally redeemed myself.
After the Young Life cup, we had some time to kill, so one of the Juniors at Snider was playing in his band at a local coffee shop near by. We went and stopped by to have a listen. They were so good, it the music wouldn't have been so loud, I would have recorded some of it so you all could have a listen. It was like a mix between Sigur Ros, and Bright Eyes. No lyrics though. Very emotional, and at times had a very industrial feel to it. I LOVED IT!! Landon, the kid that goes to Snider is leaning over all the way to the right. I think he was adjusting something on his foot pedals or something. They were so rocking good though. Seriously talented and right up my alley for a genera of music I really appreciate and enjoy listening to. So, as soon as the set got over, we went to an independent film that was about American Teenagers. The film was called.....American Teen. I think everyone who has ever been a teen, or anyone who has a teen should see it. Yea, that means everyone should see it. Especially Hoosiers. The film was a documentary on this group of High School kids that went to Warsaw high school. A film crew just followed them around, and had full access to every part of their lives. The school is like less than 45 min away. I have been there before, and the film was just all too familiar in every way. I GIVE IT TWO THUMBS UP!God is good, God is great, and I thank him for this day.
:-)

YL up & running

I woke up this morning at 8:30 I believe. Church doesn't start until 10:30, but I wanted to get some things done and go to church and then go to school and study before I had to go to a meeting on the South side of town (I live on the North), where the very first Young Life gathering would be held. I ended up sleeping in way to long, and not even going to Pathway like I wanted to. I did get over to school for maybe an hour and 45 minutes, but didn't accomplish much. I liked the meeting, although my heart was not in it completely. I really wanted to be at Dave church because my friend George finally agreed to go with me, and I was extremely excited. But, I had to call and tell him that I wasn't going to be able to make it this week/take him because of this first YL, start off the year assembly of old and new leaders. It was a good meeting because it was motivating and set the pace if you will for the year to come. I dunno, I should have been all in it though.

It rained some more today, I so enjoy driving in the rain though. I just don't like it when people crash because of poor vision or slippery conditions. When I am able to drive without any of those things happening though, I really love it to death.

After the meeting was over I high tailed it outa there to make it over to Collateral. I wanted to be with my brothers, and get some church in. So I did, and we were going over MOSES. I guess they are going to start a small study on Moses. Guess I just can't get enough of that guy. ;-) Anyways, we went over Exodus 2-4 in brevity. This is what I walked away with.
Collateral, Moses, grace, mercy, willingness, power through Grace.

• Moses wanted to fight against God and His will for him. But you have to make major adjustments in your life to join God in what he is doing. Moses had to make some extreme changes in his life and heart in order to get in God's will. There was nothing special in or about Moses. He was just willing to accept God's challenge and will in his life. Once he accepted it, God did amazing things through him.
  

When collateral was over I went to Kroger with Matt and Brad and Brad got some food before we went over to Nick Hudsons house. Nick and his wife had put the children to bed, and we gathered, made some frozen pizza's and ate them. All the while enjoying each others company and conversation. It was really nice, and healthy. Mentally and spiritually healthy for me.

You gotta try this

Hint(Click the picture to enlarge it in a separate window)
Hint 2(it's the blinking that really brings it out)

This really is super cool. My grandma sent me this picture along with some other illusions in an E-Mail, and I just had to share it. Do exactly what the instructions say, it really works good on a white or near white colored wall. Doesn't have to be a huge surface. But when you are concentrating on the 3 dots, don't let your eyes wonder, and you will really see it good. I didn't think it would work, but when it did I started laughing because it was so clear.

Today was jam packed, but it was so good. I woke up, went to work, and then school, THEN, I went to Snider again for some contact work at lunch time. I LOVE IT! I got my butt back to school and studied, studied, studied for an upcoming test in my OLS class. As soon as I was done studying for the day, I went to work and then home. Once home I ate and STUDIED THE BIBLE!! A bit of Genesis, talking about Jacob's kiddo's, and talking about mercy, and some other awesome traits. I'm not sure how much I am suppose to talk about the actual lesson plan. The main leader guy said that all the lesson plans are copyrighted, and so I will have to ask about that next Monday. I can say this, the Holy Spirit will show up every time you sincerely want it to. When I was done with BSF reading and writing, I went to the YMCA and worked out till it was about closing time. Now, I am extremely tired and just bet I will be able to sleep AGAIN, like I did last night. I really did sleep super well last night, and dreamed, and it felt good. I did watch about 25 minutes of some T.V. when I was riding the bike at the Y, I dunno if that counts though. Anyways, G'Night!