Senior Week

     How do I express the way I felt as the seniors graduated last week? Is there a fitting tribute to seniors each year as they graduated?
     Last week at church we honored the seniors as we have in the past by honoring them with a breakfast. We, as a church, wanted to do more. So we had the graduates come down during prayer time in the service so family, friends, and church members could pray with them and pray for them. I had a great viewpoint. I was able to pray for all of them and was able to see the looks on their faces. I even felt a couple of their tears fall on my hands.
     On Wednesday we allowed the seniors to speak to the rest of the youth and share what youth has meant to them. That was great....what happened next is what really stuck with me. There were a lot of tears. From the seniors, from the other youth, and even from me. All the youth hung out and just talked and there were a lot of hugs and talking with the graduates. I hope is was a meaningful time for everyone involved.
     Then at graduation to see five of our youth sitting on stage and speaking (or singing) during commencement.  How cool was that?  Then to see all the youth go across the stage as their names well called.
     I know we honored the seniors throughout the week but I feel like the one who has been honored over the last three and a half years to see this group grow in their faith and in their leadership of our youth. I have learned so much from then and hope they have learned just as much from me and from each other.

Good luck on this next chapter
Kevin

The Hours Are Long.....

     I was asked on Sunday if I would do the devotional for United Methodist Men this week.  I knew how much "busy" work I had to do today.  Being that I don't like saying no I decided to share the lesson I shared with the confirmation class this week about how I got into ministry.
     One phrase about ministry during that discussion stuck out.  We refer to them as Boydisms.  It is one of Boyd's best quotes, maybe the ultimate quote of wisdom: "The hours are long, but at least the pay sucks."  I knew then ministry was not about the money, and I still know that today.  We don't do it for the money, if we did we would be seriously misguided in more ways than one.  First, in most cases the "big time" money isn't there and second (and more importantly) that should not be a determining factor on why we do ministry.  Every year our youth or our church pay money for our youth to go on a mission trip and work.  We actually pay to work.  This is because we are in ministry and ministry is not about going on vacation, it is about serving wherever we are.  Which makes the price for us well worth it.  Yes, a lot of times the hours are long, and yes most of the time the pay "sucks."  And you know what, I wouldn't change it for anything.
     The experience for me, for us, and for others far outways the cost.  Mission trip is always the best part of the year for me at our church.  There is always something awesome that happens for me and for our youth on that trip.  And every year, I can't wait to go back again.

grace&peace
kevin

PS-and for those youth reading this, I will gladly do 20 pushups for using the word sucks twice...make that 30 pushups.