Retreating...

I spent the weekend with 32 high schoolers and 8 adults in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.  It was noisy, sometimes crazy and awesome all at the same time.  These students are full of life and energy...sometimes lasting until early in the morning.  Teenagers get a bad rap from most of the world...they can be really tough, that we all know, but they can also be so real and transparent.  And if you spend enough time with them, you'll find that they really are alot of fun to be around.  {And easier to get along with than a lot of adults that I know!}  

You will get quite an education when you spend 3 days with a large group of teens and adults cohabitating in a small space.  

For instance, this weekend I learned the word "potable" {pronounced poh-tuh-buhl}.  It means "drinkable water".  How have I lived this many years and never heard this word? 

I've been drinking it for some time now, and I had no idea.

Also, I am very familiar with the need to keep our environment clean by recycling our cans and plastics.  I know about the little recycle symbol placed on our recyclables...but I never knew that there is such thing as a Kosher symbol.  Some of our students work at a candy shop and informed me there are symbols on their packages for their Jewish and other Kosher customers.  I never knew.  I don't plan on eating Kosher ever, but at least now I know.

Another thing....9 years ago when I started working in Youth Ministry it was never even considered an option that our students would want coffee in the morning.  But now, they're all drinking it.  

And I don't mean decaf.  

They drink the hard stuff.  

Black, with about a hundred sugars.  

I don't remember exactly when it happened, but it did.

Makes me feel a little wimpy for drinking my first cup at 30. 

I feel I should warn their parents to start stocking up on these now...

We spent a lot of time PRINKING this weekend. 

Praying+thinking=prinking

Not to be confused with the former definition of prinking:

"to dress oneself very carefully and in a finicky manner"

or the Urban Dictionary's definition of prinking:

"Pre-Drinking"

The act in which one cosumes alchohol prior to attending an event at which alcholic beverages may or may not be served. Often popular with university or college students who can't afford to buy too many drinks at a bar..."

I have never heard of ANY of the forms of this word.  

The last being particularly STUPID

 {Seriously?  "Let's drink alcohol BEFORE we go get drunk??"}  

I prefer the PRINKING we did in the book of Philippians.  

There's some cool stuff in that book.  You should check it out.  You can do so while wearing your favorite sassy outfit and I would even recommend doing it before heading out to get sloshed at the local bar.

Prinking...it's a favorite pastime of mine....

Even better when done with this particular group of people...

Love you guys!