Warning: This blog entry has NOTHING to do with Germany or my spiritual Journey.
Today is the 2nd anniversary of the best prank ever pulled on Barry Russell.
If you know Barry Russell, you know that he is not one to provoke. He often threatens to retaliate with a flaming bag of poo. This isn't just a threat. I happen to know of a prank battle that was concluded with this demonstration. However, this prank was just too good to resist and the result was worth more than a million bags of flaming poo!
It all started 2 weeks prior to the anual youth group ski trip. As usual, Jordan, Amanda Jo, and Taylor were hanging out with me and Sam Ridgeway. I believe the credit goes to Sam. She mentioned the idea of pulling a prank on the ski trip. Immediately, we told her that it would have to be really good if it was going to be worth the trouble. Barry hates pranks and we knew he would be annoyed. So, instead of planning something messy, we decided it would be fun to play up the whole relationship thing that seemed to happen on every trip.
Typically, there are at least a handful of relationships that begin and end on the ski trip. The 5 of us decided that, on the trip of 2010, Jordan and Taylor would be the hot new item.
If you don't know these people, you are probably thinking: "why would THIS be a great prank?" The answer to that question is not simple, but I will do my best.
Jordan Coleman was kind of known as the East Lake catch. He had/has great hair, muscles, guitar skills, a big heart for Jesus, and he had led worship for the past 5 years. Any Jordan Coleman relationship was already news, but this one would be BIG news. Taylor Winesett was a youth intern that was/is loved and respected by all. Like Jordan, Taylor is one of the hotties everybody can't wait to see matched up with another "righteous fox" (credit to Adrian Dupre).
Yet, as great as these two individuals are, there is no way they would ever date. They are good friends, but that's it. Convincing others would be hard and would require a lot of planning.
I told Jordan and Taylor to lay low throughout the weekend. Instead of acting affectionate they were often seen walking together, enjoying light hearted conversation. I never made a big deal of it. Instead, I gave little nudges to the other leaders. I whispered things like, "those two sure are hanging out a lot lately" every time I had the chance. Yet what really triggered the rumor was a conversation between me and Amanda Jo, on speaker phone. We knew that gossiping teenagers were listening. So, when Taylor and I called Amanda Jo, we had her ask Taylor why she wasn't in the hot tub with Jordan. As planned, Becca Leboeuf heard everything and Taylor and I quickly turned the speaker phone off, pretending to try to keep the information contained. Sure enough, Becca ran down stairs and told Nikki about the interaction right away. All we had to do then was wait.
On the way home, we stopped at Arby's. One final conversation with a few hints and nudges helped Nikki Russell to put all of the pieces together. When the light bulb went on, she went nuts! She joined Taylor in the bathroom and began jumping up and down with excitement. When news got to Trevor, he was so excited that he (literally) kicked his feet in the air. Soon, everybody knew. Becca helped a lot with that one :-). Thanks for being on our team and not even knowing it Becca!!
The newly discovered relationship was the big news all of the way home.
Barry began the teasing right away, but we weren't sure that he was really convinced yet.
It wasn't until the next work day that we knew our plan had worked and Barry had been convinced.
I received a frantic phone call from Taylor on my cell. She needed some quick advice because the entire church staff was congratulating her on her new relationship and offering her all kinds of sincere advice. Barry had beaten her to work that day and told everybody about their relationship. When Taylor got there, she was pulled into offices to be given all kinds of lectures about taking things slow. One pastor even told Taylor that he and his wife had prayed for their relationship that morning.
You would think this was a great retaliation on Barry's part. If he had known that everything was a lie, this would have been the perfect way to get Taylor back. Yet, that isn't what happened at all. Barry was fully convinced and so ALL of the pastors were convinced. Taylor ended up having to start the staff meeting with a confession that everything had been a lie. It was awkward, but still worth every second of the charade.
Barry Russell, you was fooled!! We got you!! You fell for the lamest, most obvious, prank of all time!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Don't Presume. Don't Despair.
Don't Presume. Don't Despair
This is the message I gave my Yearbook students today.
I felt that they needed to hear this message on the first day, because we are starting this semester off in a great place compared to last year. However, we are still behind on some major aspects of the process. I didn't want the classes to get too comfortable and presume that everything was on track. I also didn't want them to be feel defeated because of the obstacles we need to overcome.
The title of this blog, and of my lesson, was actually the title of a message Dr. Murray gave this fall at CIU*. When I took Dr. Murray's message and re-purposed it for my class, I had no idea how it would impact ME. Of all days, today was the perfect day for me to chew on this message.
Right in the middle of my preparation for Yearbook class and Art Appreciation, I got an email. The email was from the accounting department at TEAM. They were writing to inform me that my account was incredibly low and that if I did not gain more support in the next couple of weeks, my paycheck would be reduced until further notice. That may not be a huge set back for some people. For me, this was the last financial straw. I was already in the middle of a big loan crisis with two creditors. My school loans became un-deferred and I didn't have the money to make payments. This email from TEAM means that I won't be able to make those payments and I may possibly have too little to pay my bills in Germany.
So, in the midst of feeling inadequate to teach this new course, I received news that left me feeling helpless. I have officially entered the phase that I have anticipated since I got here..... brokenness. I left school as soon as I was able today. I did something that I haven't done in a long time. I simply laid in my bed and cried. I cried physically and I cried out to God. Then I did something else that I haven't done in a while. I spent a significant amount of time on my face before Him.
That's when it happened. God brought Dr. Murray's words back to my mind. Don't Presume.
When I came to BFA I had just won a huge battle. I had raised the money I needed to get here. It was clear that my victory was from the Lord and not of myself. However, when I got here I moved on to other worries and presumed everything would just work itself out. I got lazy in many ways. As a result, I did not receive the extra financial support that I needed to obtain. So, today I sat there feeling defeated. Thankfully the second command in that sermon title now strongly rings in my ears; Don't despair!
Today's reading from My Utmost for His Highest was about receiving from the Lord. While the passage in Oswald Chambers' book was referring to salvation, it reminded me of the truth. Everything I have is from the Lord. All I can do is receive from Him. I can't keep trying to do this on my own.
Verses I had been pushing to the back of mind all day flooded my mind and gave me the comfort I so desperately needed. Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 6:28-34, and Psalms 121:1-3.
I am still learning my lesson. I will try not to presume. I will not despair.
Instead I will depend on the Lord. I will receive from Him and I will stand strong in His grace (2 Timothy 2:1-3).
*The message was on Joshua and the two battles of Ai. Dr. Murray began his message by reminding us of the story of the battle of Jericho. He then continued to preach about the fatal disaster of the first battle of Ai, which followed that victory. Achan had taken some silver coins and a gold bar from Jericho, clearly disobeying what God had commanded. His sin, and Joshua's underestimation of Ai, led the Israelites to a quick reality check. 3,000 men went to destroy AI. 2,963 returned to Joshua defeated. 36 died in battle.
Don't Presume.
After praying to God, Joshua was let in on Achan's sin. So Achan and his family were stoned. Joshua then received wise counsel from God about the battle. He gathered 30,000 of his greatest warriors, devised a plan, and moved into battle with his army. God gave them victory over Ai. They took of the entire city and were permitted to keep all of the plunder.
Don't Despair.
This is the message I gave my Yearbook students today.
I felt that they needed to hear this message on the first day, because we are starting this semester off in a great place compared to last year. However, we are still behind on some major aspects of the process. I didn't want the classes to get too comfortable and presume that everything was on track. I also didn't want them to be feel defeated because of the obstacles we need to overcome.
The title of this blog, and of my lesson, was actually the title of a message Dr. Murray gave this fall at CIU*. When I took Dr. Murray's message and re-purposed it for my class, I had no idea how it would impact ME. Of all days, today was the perfect day for me to chew on this message.
Right in the middle of my preparation for Yearbook class and Art Appreciation, I got an email. The email was from the accounting department at TEAM. They were writing to inform me that my account was incredibly low and that if I did not gain more support in the next couple of weeks, my paycheck would be reduced until further notice. That may not be a huge set back for some people. For me, this was the last financial straw. I was already in the middle of a big loan crisis with two creditors. My school loans became un-deferred and I didn't have the money to make payments. This email from TEAM means that I won't be able to make those payments and I may possibly have too little to pay my bills in Germany.
So, in the midst of feeling inadequate to teach this new course, I received news that left me feeling helpless. I have officially entered the phase that I have anticipated since I got here..... brokenness. I left school as soon as I was able today. I did something that I haven't done in a long time. I simply laid in my bed and cried. I cried physically and I cried out to God. Then I did something else that I haven't done in a while. I spent a significant amount of time on my face before Him.
That's when it happened. God brought Dr. Murray's words back to my mind. Don't Presume.
When I came to BFA I had just won a huge battle. I had raised the money I needed to get here. It was clear that my victory was from the Lord and not of myself. However, when I got here I moved on to other worries and presumed everything would just work itself out. I got lazy in many ways. As a result, I did not receive the extra financial support that I needed to obtain. So, today I sat there feeling defeated. Thankfully the second command in that sermon title now strongly rings in my ears; Don't despair!
Today's reading from My Utmost for His Highest was about receiving from the Lord. While the passage in Oswald Chambers' book was referring to salvation, it reminded me of the truth. Everything I have is from the Lord. All I can do is receive from Him. I can't keep trying to do this on my own.
Verses I had been pushing to the back of mind all day flooded my mind and gave me the comfort I so desperately needed. Philippians 4:4-7, Matthew 6:28-34, and Psalms 121:1-3.
I am still learning my lesson. I will try not to presume. I will not despair.
Instead I will depend on the Lord. I will receive from Him and I will stand strong in His grace (2 Timothy 2:1-3).
*The message was on Joshua and the two battles of Ai. Dr. Murray began his message by reminding us of the story of the battle of Jericho. He then continued to preach about the fatal disaster of the first battle of Ai, which followed that victory. Achan had taken some silver coins and a gold bar from Jericho, clearly disobeying what God had commanded. His sin, and Joshua's underestimation of Ai, led the Israelites to a quick reality check. 3,000 men went to destroy AI. 2,963 returned to Joshua defeated. 36 died in battle.
Don't Presume.
After praying to God, Joshua was let in on Achan's sin. So Achan and his family were stoned. Joshua then received wise counsel from God about the battle. He gathered 30,000 of his greatest warriors, devised a plan, and moved into battle with his army. God gave them victory over Ai. They took of the entire city and were permitted to keep all of the plunder.
Don't Despair.
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