Yeah I know it’s Tuesday.   Consider it like Lost’s ripple in time.  So who knows what day it really is?

Highlights – Not real sure I had any “highlights” but it was a good week of life.  1. Our Super Bowl party was pretty fun.  Appreciated the family that hosted us.  Though I’m not a Cardinals fan, I really wanted them to win.  Appreciated what Tony Kornheiser from Pardon the Interruption said, “People are going to say the Cardinals lost it.  But they didn’t – they won it.  But then the Steelers came back and won it again …”.  Third best Super Bowl ever.  2. Spoke at a different youth group at another church this weekend.  I think most of us were blessed by the night 3. We went to a memorial of a friend that died two years ago, and there was a nice spirit there. .  4. North Jersey Cohort meeting – good people.  5. Deepening some friendships some through great conversations, others through stress.  6. I got to rest a little this week.

Reading –  Finally finished Metavista: Bible Church and Mission in an Age of Imagination (review coming soon).  Re-reading Dan Kimball’s They Like Jesus But Not the Church.  Just started, Inspiration and Incarnation by Pete Enns.  And trying to catch up on all the great blog posts I’ve missed in recent weeks. 

Listening to – Nothing new.  Podcasts from Relevant, Mars Hill and a terrific one with Ed Dobson the other week and I loved Fermi Project’s latest with Jon Tyson. Also really enjoyed Homebrewed Christianity’s podcast with Richard Rohr.   Cleaned the Fireside Room (the youth room) while listening to Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks and Bringing It All Back Home.

Youth Ministry Update –  The last two weeks were midterms for my Senior Highers, so youth group was a little more relaxed.  One week I showed the “Making of Miss HIV” which is a documentary about an AIDS beauty pageant (more info here).  I almost didn’t show it because it featured the Newsboys (and I know how that sounds but they did record a song called, “Breakfast in Hell” and they’ve used the same set list for the past 7 years.  I feel like I’m in one of those Foster’s Beer commercials where the word is different even though it’s the same language.  Let me try – “Repetitive”, It’s American for “boring”).  Where was I?  Oh, well the Newsboys’ participation on this project was great and I was moved by it.  I may even buy their new cd, Take Me to  Your Leader.

Last week we watched Invisible Children’s “Sunday”.  All of our students were pretty moved by it.  Some inquired what we could do.  I encouraged us to be faithful with the opportunities afforded us and while I didn’t want this to be a commercial for our mission trip this summer (we’re building new cabins for AIDS/HIV victims in Nassau after attending YS’s DC/LA), I think some caught to one I meant.

Looking forward to (but with a bit of anxiety) – 1.  Beginning our next Sr. High Series, They Like Jesus But Not the Church video curriculum.  2. “Pastor-Parent Night” this week.  Some call it dancing through the minefield but in past years.  My frustration has been some “questions” and “concerns” can be made privately and in a way that demonstrates Christian love as opposed to what seems to be an attempt to embarrass you in front of parents.  So far, it hasn’t been bad and in truth, I have enjoyed some fruitful discussion and it’s an opportunity to share about our mission trip.  So I guess we’ll see.