Blake Thompson daht NetI'm just saying….

Well, last Sunday was Bob‘s last Sunday. Now he’s headed to be a District Superintendent for the Starkville District. I guess if you gotta go somewhere, Starkville is a great place to go. So this Sunday will be an “off” day of sorts in the way of having a pastor, but then July 1st is Mitchell’s first Sunday here as our pastor.

We hate to see Bob leave. He was a great man to work both for and with. He’ll be missed. But I think Mitchell will be a great man to work for and with as well.

BUT…big news this week was that Tracy, the Associate Youth Minister that worked with me turned in her letter of resignation. So in the next couple of weeks I’ll be flying solo for a while. But I hope we’re able to get the position filled before school starts. I think that it would be important to have the two responsibilities divided between me and them Jr. High and Sr. High. The way things were with Tracy and me was that it was almost a complete overlap in most responsibilities.

Do you think it’s best to split responsibilities between Jr. High and Sr. High?

[tags]youth ministry[/tags]

Popularity: 5% [?]

Appetizer
Name a funny habit you have.
I like to eat Cap’n Crunch with every meal.

Soup
If you could instantly know how to play a musical instrument, which one would you pick?
Probably guitar. That way I could wow some people w/ my new skill. And maybe even fill in some Sunday nights when we don’t have someone to lead worship.

Salad
How long is your hair?
I keep it short in the warmer months. So much that I started shaving it w/ clippers last summer. It’s easy and cheap.

Main Course
When was the last time you forgave someone, and who was it?
Eh, it happens daily. And I think people forgive me daily.

Dessert
What is your favorite kitchen appliance?
The freezer. It keeps my ice cream from melting…

Popularity: 4% [?]

Matt Jackson asked me my thoughts on comparing Student Life summer camps and BigStuf summer camps.

I’ll start off by saying that I think that both are top notch organizations and you can’t really go wrong with either. I’ve carried groups a bunch of times to the Student Life Tour and never was disappointed. And one year we went to the Student Life camp at Covenant College.  With BigStuf I went as a college leader back in 1994, and then I’ve carried a group of my own every year since 1997.

Again, you can’t go wrong if you’re trying to decide between the two. BUT…if I was having to choose between the two, I’d probably choose BigStuf (I guess I have since I’ve gone 10 years in a row!)  But here are a few thoughts:

• I think BigStuf is the best combination of teaching, worship, and fun. It’s located right on the beach @ Panama City Beach with lots to do literally right out side the door of your room. With Student Life, their camps are spread out all over the country in some really good locations. It was beautiful on top of Lookout Mountain when we went.
• The schedule at BigStuf is a lot more relaxed than the schedule at StudentLife. At Student Life breakfast starts at 6:45 vs. 7:30 at BigStuf. And BigStuf breakfast is not mandatory. Most of my students go, but not all. Also the first “meeting” of the day is 9:15 at BigStuf vs. 8:15 at Student Life.
• There is more free time at BigStuf as far as the afternoons. But this year our “free time” was full of the tournaments our church was involved in. We did quite well in Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, and Basketball. But that was our “rec” time. At Student Life, there are scheduled recreation times where everyone participates. And afternoon free time seemed much shorter.
• At Student Life there were quiet times in the morning w/ your youth group where they were more individual times in the afternoon at BigStuf. I see the value in both of these…
• Each camp has a time for your church group scheduled in there.
• Student Life has the kids split up in to “Family Groups”. BigStuf does not. I think it’s kinda cool that Student Life does that. And they have adults from church groups to lead these. Cool stuff.
• Both camps have good teachers and worship leaders. I’ve actually seen some of the same teachers and worship leaders be at both camps during the same summer even.
• Randy Hall and Lanny Donoho are both visionary leaders w/ a great camp. Both guys have done exceptionally well with what God’s built through their efforts.
• Student Life does seem to be a little cheaper, but not tons.
• I’m not sure about all of them, but I notice that at some of the Student Life Beach Camps you have to drive to and from the meeting place and the hotel. At BigStuf…it’s all w/in a couple of hundred yards.

Anyway, I think they both have the edge in different departments. One thing Matt asked about was the Mission Experience that Student Life has in some of its camps.  BigStuf does not have that as a part of their program, so they’re absent of that.

And I don’t want it to sound like I like BigStuf better just because there is more free time and you can sleep a little later (though it is nice). But the one year I was a Student Life, the overall schedule seemed a little too tight. Like you were always moving from one thing to the next w/ hardly a break. But some people really like this because it wears the kids out and they get to sleep quicker at night!

But…either way you go, you can’t go wrong. Both are being used by God to touch the lives of both students AND adults!

Popularity: 6% [?]

So after all is said and done. After all the heat and sweat. After the long balls and double plays… After two days of baseball that set records and rejuvenated a fanbase that had been grumbling for years now.

Mississippi State is headed back to Omaha! Yes, this team that was said to have no pitchers and started many freshmen through out the season. This team who was picked last in the SEC…not just the SEC West, but #12 out of 12. This team that battled injuries caused both on and of the field is the first team to have it’s ticket punched for the CWS.

They held off the Clemson Tigers again today. Mitch Moreland had a fantastic weekend as hear earned MVP. He used to come to my former youth group. Was a good kid then. Now he’s a great young man. But it wasn’t just Mitch. It was the whole team.

So now that leaves us with some questions:

• Who will leave and who will come back? Moreland & Easley were both drafted. Easley is gone I expect. Moreland might want to return (he was drafted in the 17th). Jeffrey Rea returned and now he’s getting to go to Omaha. But depending on what happens the next couple of weeks. What will Moreland have to accomplish?
• What will the lineup be? It seems that Polk has used a different lineup almost every game the last three weeks. But whatever he’s been doing, it’s seemed to have paid off lately.
• Will the hitting continue? We had some great bats early on in the season. They tailed off, but they returned when we went to Tallahassee.
• Pitching depth…will it emerge? We pitched 4 guys in each of the last two games. We’ll have to go much deeper to advance in the CWS.
• What will Polk do? Lots of people were grumbling and really dissatisfied w/ him during the season. Some called for his job. But he’s managed a team to the point where they’re right where everyone in college baseball wants to be. Is this his last hurrah? Is this just another year as he keeps on coaching?

MSU Baseball is fun…no doubt about it. Oh, and that record that was set yesterday for Super Regional Attendance

Popularity: 7% [?]

Mississippi State Baseball has been an odd bird lately. Last year they started out undefeated deep into the season. Climbed all the way to #1 in the nation. Then dove. Like they ran out of gas and the propeller broke and they got filled with lead. They took a nose dive that kept them from even making the SEC Baseball Tournament.

Then they started the 2007 season without many people giving them much credit. Although there were expectations within their own clubhouse, the media picked them to finish LAST in the SEC West. But after a decent non-conference schedule/record the Bulldogs had climbed into the polls and had some good weekend showings against SEC competition. But even with finishing 2nd in the SEC West…it seemed that things were just not clicking. The last few weekend and the two-and-done showing in the SEC Tourney left a lot to question.

Everyone knew they wouldn’t host a regional. Would they even win a game in one? Ouch…they get to go to Florida State. A team with the best home field record in the country. Most figured State would beat Stetson and get beat by FSU. Thankfully none of the players thought so. State went 3-0 winning the regional. And some luck happened when the Dogs were able to host the Super Regional instead of having to travel to Clemson.

Again, most people outside of Mississippi thought that Clemson would have a victory first game w/ one of the top pitchers in the nation (he was just drafted #4 in the first round of the MLB Draft). But after some shaky first innings and a cramping pitcher, Miss State put it together and brought the Clemson Tigers to their knees with a 8-6 win.

Nothing is a given. There is still at least one and maybe two games to be played. But this group of Bulldogs has followed their own dreams despite what a lot of people outside of their dugout thought about their chances. Their ONE GAME AWAY from making it to the Mecca of college baseball….Omaha.

I wonder if Tony and Perry are keeping up?

[tags]Mississippi State, Clemson, CWS, Omaha, college baseball[/tags]

Popularity: 6% [?]

Well, I’ve been back for 2 days now. And no posts. I’ve been catching up on life. We made it back Wednesday night and I went to be early for the first time in a week. Early being about 11. I was usually up to 1:30 or 3:00am at BigStuf…and wouldn’t trade it. But yesterday was catching up on receipts and budget stuff and some odds and ends at the office.

Today is a day just to be around. Went to the gym already. Now about to listen to MSU play Clemson in the Starkville Super Regional.

But…BigStuf. I  will give a day by day redux over the next couple of days.  But a few general observations:

• Again, from my experiences there is not another camp around as good as BigStuf. They have the best organization, teaching, worship, and location to make a complete package.
• The BigStuf interns are Godly college students that really make it happen. Whether it’s running tech, leading groups, managing the rec tournaments, or working in the store…they make it happen. And w/o them camp really just wouldn’t be possible.
• Lanny Donoho‘s vision for camp is a good one
• Brian Pirkle and Sheila Benton know how to organize and administrate. They are the backbone of BigStuf.
• Barry stayed away…got cloudy a few times and saw a few drops. But no real showers, much less storms.
• We carried 68 people and brought all of them back. There might have been a few I wanted to leave…just kidding.
• The BigStuf Band was good as always.
• I learned some new songs that are STUCK in my head. But it’s not a bad thing. More on them later.
• I continue to be impressed w/ Jared Herd.
• Louie Giglio‘s 2nd talk made me cry. Dude is a conduit for God. No doubt.
• Our volleyball, basketball, and ultimate fris teams did well. Advanced far. But didn’t win it all. But it was the best showing we’d ever had.
• Reggie Joiner has a very wise and strategic mind when it comes to ministry. His adult leader meetings were great.
• Taking a charter bus is almost always the best way to go. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Most def.
• Maurice is the best bus driver ever.

That’s a quick overview. Will try to go day by day w/ the next posts.

[tags]bigstuf, youth trip, panama city beach, xp3[/tags]

Popularity: 5% [?]

So I’m all packed. I think everything is in order. Tomorrow morning I’ll wake up to my cell phone and grab a shower while it’s still dark. I’ll drive to the church and get there in time to unlock and begin to set up a few tables in the gym. I won’t doubt it if a couple of people beat me there. I plan on getting there around six and six thirty is our meeting time.

But after that…it’s wide open. The bus should get there a little before 6:30. Hopefully we can get everyone checked in, forms figured out, and prayed over before 7am. If it doesn’t happen…no huge deal. We scheduled in some cushion time.

But the anticipation is growing. I talked to Matthew Creekmore last night. He grew up in my old youth group. Now he’s a BigStuf Intern. He’s been setting up the stage area and all the bells and whistles down there. He says it’s very impressive. Can’t wait to see it.

I’m just hoping Barry is nice to us while we’re down there.

Oh, and I hope to give you some video!

[tags]BigStuf, church camp, Louie Giglio, Jared Herd, Reggie Joiner, Panama City Beach, Barry[/tags]

Popularity: 4% [?]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXth2coN92M[/youtube]

This is one of the most hilarious videos I’ve seen in quite a while.

Done by some of the guys out at Saddleback.

Popularity: 4% [?]