Connection Reflection

(click above for a slideshow of pictures from the event)

Every summer, our junior high students have two opportunities to connect with a part of the Dallas community that is a little bit outside of their comfort zone by hosting a Christ centered day camp at a place called the Vickery Wellness Center. The event is called "Connection" and it's always an eye-opening, challenging 3 days for our kids. Since I get to spend 72 hours straight with junior highers, I also get to have my eyes opened to a few things...

Am I Almost Creepy Old Youth Pastor Guy?
I took three 8th grade guys with me all day on Tuesday to deliver and set up props, sound equipment, and food for the camp. We had a blast and made tons of memories. One thing that stuck with me was when they said, "You're old. Now that you're a dad you can't play video games." I realize some people will take this the wrong way, but I truly feel like every year I keep doing this job, I get just a little creepier.

Christian Cussing
From talking to kids at different times during the trip, I discovered the following "statistics" related to cussing over text messages: Christian girls from private Christian schools do not cuss over text message nor do they tolerate cuss words being sent to them. They only delete texts to make space, never to hide anything from their parents. Christian girls from public schools rarely cuss over text message and regularly tolerate cuss words being sent to them (mainly from boys). They regularly delete texts to hide them from their parents. Christian boys all cuss over text message and go to great lengths to hide every word they write and read from their parents. What a mess.

You Got Fish Spanked
We bought a whole fish (face included) to put in a blender for one of our skits at the day camp. The 8th grade guys decided I should make a video of myself hitting strangers with the fish and declaring, "You got fish spanked". Sounded like a good sequel to You Got Took. Only junior high kids know what junior high kids think is funny...so I'll be taking their advice and running the idea by Bode on Monday.