I'm hoping it has a Pavlov's Dog effect.

VBS went well! It was very busy, but quite fun.

The planning for the other VBS in San Antonio is still in the works. We leave in less than a week, so now is when all of the kids finally start to turn in the things that were due a month ago (much like I always did in high school... sorry past youth ministers). Getting ready for that trip plus Jason being out of town should keep me pretty well occupied. At least in the office.

I visited Ben in Sweetwater this past weekend. I saw a rattlesnake, a horse almost ate my head, visited a giant windmill, heard cows mating (maybe a cat too... not sure), and saw Inception so I feel like the trip was well rounded. Everyone I met was really nice! And I guess seeing Ben was ok too... Joke. It was a wonderful trip, and I was sad to leave (but that's the last time all summer!).

The museum in Merkel, Texas. All of the signs and the museum itself were labeled as "Whoa! Merkel!" and I have no idea why. But I found if funny enough to take a dangerous driving picture of it while I left town.

I don't think anyone but me or Ben would find that picture interesting or funny, but 1) I still think that blogs without pictures are interesting and 2) it was the only picture I took during my visit, and it was definitely a picture worthy visit. I just fail at taking pictures ever. I should work on that!

- Steph

Nooo, Corey with a C.

This week is VBS here at Legacy. 

By day, i'm a youth intern. By night, a children's intern.

During my office hours I plan a VBS for the Junior High Mission Trip to San Antonio. I'm basically planning the whole thing alone as far as our time at Urban Connections goes. Crafts, games, puppet skits, veggie tales movies and snacks. I am even holding the meeting with the junior high kids and their parents all by myself, Jason will be out of town. So far i've got the schedule for the day, the Bible lessons and most of the games picked out. The parent meeting isn't until Sunday so i've got some time to get everything together (enough time to update a blog, obviously). I like working with kids so i'm excited for the trip. Also, i've participated in more VBS's (VBS-i? Weird plural) than I can count, so I feel like this is a job I can definitely handle.

In the evenings, I help kindergartners tie-dye shirts and talk about how cool everything they say is. VBS is way more fun when you get to talk to the kids, they really do say the darnedest things.

Last night while helping the 5 year olds tie-dye (side note, I didn't know this would be my job until halfway through the night, so I was wearing jeans and a white shirt... whoops) there were 2 boys named Corey standing next to each other in line. Confusing. Trying to figure out a solution to the name situation, this conversation occurred:

Stephanie: Hi Corey! *Both turn and look at me* Umm... have both of you had your shirts done yet?

Corey #1: Yeah, the bald guy has mine. I want blue.

Corey #2 (simultaneously with Corey #1): Nope. I want red.

Stephanie: Ok awesome! Let me take your shirt Corey.... what is your last name?

Corey #2: Mullins (or something with an M, i'm bad with names)

Stephanie: Can I call you Corey M.?

Corey #2: NO. Corey. With a C. CCCCCorey. Not an M.

Stephanie: .....i'm sorry! I'm silly. Of course it's with a C. I'm going to call you Red Corey since your shirt is red, and your friend will be Blue Corey. How does that sound?

Corey #1 and #2: I don't care.

Stepahnie: Great!

I then made some comment to myself about them joining gangs in the future. While the preacher was, unbeknownst to me, standing behind me. Don't worry though, he laughed pretty hard. It should be a pretty fun week. I love VBS. Kids singing is one of the funniest/cutest things ever.

This is when all of the kids got on stage for the "biggest chorus ever" during the opening. I wish i'd taken a picture when the stage was all set up, it looked pretty cool. I'll try to get one of the market place sometime this week. (I just feel like blogs are more interesting with pictures).


I am now off to lunch. By that I mean I am going to the library to eat my homemade sandwich with the secretaries and children's minister. I have no idea what the men of the office do for lunch on most days. 


- Steph

Pursue Ignition?

Remember that Zenith/Cornerstone recap blog I mentioned about 3 years ago?

This is it.

(I know at least 3 of you just started singing a song)

Rather than just ramble on about the minor details of both camps for pages (which we all know I am capable of...) i'll just tell my feelings about how the camp tied together.

During youth group time at Zenith, Jason had everyone tell the group something they want to work on over the summer that they learned about over the past week. Despite a huge list I could have named, I went with serving sacrificially (I think we had learned about that in the last class of the day, or the lesson we just heard). I really like helping people... usually. There are just some times I do not want to. Usually I try to power through and suck it up, but I want to be better at not thinking about myself all the time.

This was my group at Zenith... Group 11!

That was Thursday night. Cut to Sunday afternoon... Cornerstone.

I was still REALLY tired from Zenith. I hadn't had a chance to catch up on sleep or even do my laundry. I was seemingly the only person on the planet who had not seen Toy Story 3 (which was wonderful - don't worry I got to see it eventually). Despite the great week at Zenith and wonderful weekend, all I wanted to do was, well, nothing for a while. But the campers were arriving.

One of my least favorite activities ever is learning new names. I'm just not good at it, and it's an important task. At Zenith, I only had to learn 5 new names. This week, I had 17. And none of them had watches, clocks or phones. Or knew where they were going on campus.

Remember that scene in Evan Almighty about praying for patience then getting an opportunity to do so, not just the sudden onset of patience? ... Yep. Barely 3 days after saying I wanted to be a better servant, an entire week full of opportunities was given to me.

Through the haze of no sleep, Cheez-Its, talking to 13 year old boys and OC Caf summer food, I did not recognize this until Thursday during group time with the Cornerstone kids. But I thought it was sort of cool to see the turnaround on that little request I made. Good thing i've got another month (an another mission trip with the jr. high kids) to consciously work on it some more.

Cornerstone Group - 3!

Cheesy/lame.... maybe. But this is my blog.

Here are some pictures to distract you from how long that post was...

This is how my host family spends their evenings. Or boggle. I've only seen the tv on twice all summer! They just like hanging out with each other, it's cute.

This is very close to THE purple room. My dream room. I will have a purple room in my house one day. Also, how had I never been to IKEA before? It's a land of dreams... and it smells of cinnamon.

Cow Appreciation Day. Where we dress like idiots all in the name of free food.... How much more American do you get? However often I mock it, this day is like Christmas to me.

#5 12 piece with a coke, waffle fries and chik'fil'a sauce. Mmmm. It was delicious. And I ate the whole thing, BY MYSELF.

(PS I hope all of you know what i'm referencing right now... it's surprisingly not an episode of friends.)

Wow that was lengthy. I should do some real work now. I say that hoping that Jason has not discovered my blog, ha.

Have a wonderful day, and thank you for updating your blogs so I have something to creep on.

- Steph