You Know When Barbie is Along for the Ride

You know you're a youth pastor's wife when Barbie has been riding along in his truck for a month. 

Our Junior High Youth Group has a strange tradition.  It started years ago and has continued on--some memories are hard to shake!   When we take our group to the snow, a Barbie head always comes along.  She is our 'target' at the bottom of the sled run and sledders aim to knock her over when they get to the bottom of the hill.  Weird, I know--but at least the tradition with the hot-dogs and bananas has been laid to rest--it could be worse.

It had been a year or two since we've had the chance to aim for Barbie (two years ago, Barbie had been lost and last year we had no snow!) but this summer, my son found a Barbie head at a garage sale.  $.25 later we were back in business!  Barbie successfully completed her 2016 mission and has since been riding around on the floor of my husbands truck.  It might seem odd to have her there, but until he takes her out, there she lays.  When I ride along, and see her grinning up at me, I'm reminded of fun times and the power of tradition!

You Know When you live in Reality

You know you're the wife of a youth pastor when you live in alternate realities.

This last weekend, I had the joy of spending three days with 41 JH Students/Cooks/Staff on a Winter Retreat. It was a blast!  We had one of the greatest group of kids one could imagine--no drama, no dating couples (yeah--that could have impacted the drama level), great attitudes, intense questions and meaningful conversation...I could go on.  But back to the reality part...

People say that working in youth ministry keeps one young.  I'd like to think this is true.  Friday night a few of the girls asked how old I was and I replied, "I don't tell my age, you have to guess." When they guessed my age (based on my youthful appearance of course) a decade younger than my actual age, I hugged them and claimed them as my new BFF's.  One blissful night of living in my alternate reality.

Then. Saturday came.

I heard the voice of a JH boy from across the room, "Mom!.....Mom!...."  I ignored it. Surely, that voice wasn't calling for me.  After all, I recognize the voices of my own children, and that was not either of mine that were there (not that I COULD have my own children in the JH group--you know, being in my 20's and all).  AND I was still reveling in a blissful reality of endless youth...it just wouldn't be possible to have someone to need me as a mom or to call me mom.  But...."Mom!" still came.  Yep, it was for me.  I was needed. As "Mom." It made me smile and I realized, I was perhaps even more happy to play the role of "Mom" for this student for the weekend than to maintain my false idealization of unattainable youth.

Sometimes reality isn't so bad after all.

Here am I participating in a youthful activity this weekend.

Our amazing group!

 With the staff--all young at heart.