You Know When You Match

You know you're the wife of a youth pastor when you wear matching outfits with an 8th grader...on purpose.

You know when you're the wife of a youth pastor when you feel like you must explain certain outfits to the ladies at morning Bible Study, "I have youth group tonight, that's why I'm wearing...." Not that I've ever done this....

A few weeks ago, one of our students told me, "I got new Converse--they are orange!" I told her, "I have orange Converse!" Then, it was almost as we didn't even have to finish our thought--we both knew we had the same t-shirt...and we knew what had to be done. "Let's Match!"  Yea! It was fun and I felt special and loved. I hope she did, too.

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.

You Know with "That's Nice."

This just happened.

You know you're the wife of a youth pastor when he tells you, "I just picked up some raccoon poop from the back yard for an object lesson tonight." And you reply nonchalantly, "That's nice."

True story.

You Know When You have Your Own Voice

You know you're the wife of a youth pastor when he gets sick, you teach his lessons at youth group, and then discover your own voice.

Recently, Nathan got sick over a weekend.  The bug came on quick Thursday afternoon and didn't leave until Monday. I found myself offering to lead both JH and HS youth groups, so he could stay home to rest and heal.  Both times, I found out he was going to take me up on my offer about an hour before youth group was to begin--he always holds out hope that he can make it!

For the Junior High lesson, I took Nathan's outline that he had prepared and did my best to teach from it.  It went ok.  But, I realized it wasn't a topic that I had any current passion for--I delivered the lesson, filled up the proper amount of time, shared relevant life stories and even used the proper object lesson involving vinegar. I was using my mouth, but his voice to teach from God's word.

When Sunday night came around and I realized Nathan wasn't feeling any better, I volunteered again to share with the students. This time I knew that I needed to share from my heart and not just from his lesson plan.  I was able to use the verses that he had chosen for the night, but I put my own twist on it--from what God had been speaking to me over the past few months.  I would sum it up as, "The darker the world, the brighter we shine." I loved every moment of it (well, after the first few minutes of being very nervous) and I'm thankful I had the opportunity to use his theme, yet have my own voice.

Photo: me and my healthy hubby on last week's HS Mission Trip

When you Think You've Seen it all

When you're on a Junior High Retreat and you think you've seen it all...and then realize you haven't seen it all.  And when parents/friends/relatives/church members ask you how the retreat went, you don't even bother to explain some of the crazy, sad and amazing things that happen and just say, "it was great! (which it was but no one has time to hear all the details and you feel a bit like Jesus' mother, Mary, where you just store up and treasure these moments in your heart)."