This is the eighth of ten blogging installments from my life-changing summer in Milwaukee. In this recap I review my seventh week of programming. Be sure to check out my postscript thoughts at the end! A logical place for such thoughts.
If you’ve missed any of previous recaps, flash back to Week 0. Also, check out what a camera crew produced when they visited our site during Week 9.
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It’s fair to say that Week 6 was my toughest week of programming thus far. Tougher even than Week 1 when we hardly knew what we were doing half the time. So I was a little apprehensive going into Week 7. But it couldn’t possibly get any harder, right?
Week 7 was definitely a refreshing week with some incredible new youth. I sensed a deeper connection with the students this week and that made my soul glad. I just love these passionate kids that roll in each week; I wish I’d possessed their passion at their age.
I visited one of the nursing homes this week and got to reconnect with one of the residents that I hadn’t seen since Week 1 or 2. That made me happy to see her again, though I wonder if she even remembered me. They were having an ice cream social while an accordionist played “The Pennsylvania Polka.”
Groundhog Day anyone?
My weekend got off to a nice, wealthy start when I went glow bowling with my fellow staff and some of our community / church members. We were told at the start that if the magical orange pin was ever randomly set as the lead pin, and we bowled a strike in that situation, we could spin a money wheel and nab whatever prize we landed on.
Well wouldn’t you know that on one of my rolls, after I’d already let go of my ball, I realized the lead pin was of the orange variety. And wouldn’t you know, my ball was crashing directly into it, and hey, lookee there, I just got a strike! I got to spin a money wheel and won myself $2. Hot dog!
Oh, but just wait. Several turns later I happened to notice that orange bin glaring at me from the lead position once again. I laughed because I said there’s no way–
Yup. Another orange pinned strike; I couldn’t believe it. Everyone was applauding in awe as I strutted up to the money wheel once again. And this time I won a bit more than $2. Quite a bit more, actually.
Try $50. Yes, I won $52 playing glow bowling last night. WHAT.
I never win anything like that. Maybe it’s silly, but I look at something like that and sense God whispering for me to hang in there just a little bit longer and that He’s got my back.
Our YouthWorks endgame is becoming more and more realized with every passing day now. We’re at the point now where we’re collecting post-summer evaluation forms from all our ministry contacts. We’ve also started filling out end-of-summer packets so that next summer’s YW-Milwaukee crew is well-armed with all the most vital info. It’s crazy; we’re really winding down.
I realize this post had almost nothing to do with my actual YouthWorks week, but hey, some variety is good.
To be continued…
TMZ PS: Ah, glow bowling. My favorite. Still can’t believe I won $52 with two perfectly timed strikes and two lucky spins of the wheel. Little blessings, and one of those standout moments from my many various non-YW functions in Milwaukee. Week 6 was rough, but I daresay those last three weeks that followed, starting with Week 7, was the greatest three-week stretch we experienced in Milwaukee. Had been truly wondering if I’d ever see that nursing home resident again, so it was definitely a joy to reconnect with her at the ice cream social.
Gosh I miss Milwaukee.
First, Groundhog day- hilarious movie. Second, you should bring the facial hair back. Third, I love when God gives me little things to remind me that I am never apart from Him. How incredible that God would bring along orange pins or all green lights as a way to show His presence!
A string of green lights is another cool little God-moment of bliss. Refreshing autumn breezes, another.
And hey, No-Shave November is right around the corner!