Day 2: The Jet Lag

This picture pretty much gives a description of how everyone felt for the first part of day 2.  

The group woke up at 7 o' clock sharp to hit up the cafeteria. After a great breakfast, which continues to impress, we all headed to Wake up with Wayne.  

Wayne Kerr could tell everyone was a little tired so he initiated a morning back rub to help wake everyone up.

After we had finally woken up, well most of us at least...

we split up for our small group discussions.  

In our small groups we talked about Psalm 139 and how God knows things we think or do even before we do them.  

Small groups lasted about 30 minutes before the guys and girls went their separate ways for a group talk.

Our speaker talked about the church and how it is like a revolution.  He went through a couple stories where families had suffered extreme tragedies but were able to show the love of Christ and forgiveness to the people and families of people who committed those crimes.  Instances like those are quite unusual but that's what happen when we use love as our weapon towards the sin around us.  Because when it all boils down to it, if it is a revolution, there is a battle between good and evil, us and sin, heaven and hell; And through Christ we can defeat this evil.  Reminded me of a Christian Hip-Hop song talking about Jesus' return.  Click for a listen.

We had some group discussion, grabbed some lunch and got ready for "church time."  Church time is where we have some free time to plan our own events with the youth group.

We played a game similar to capture the flag.  In short the goal of the game was to get as many nerf darts from your side into a bucket on the other teams side.  

 The game begins

Team attack!

Abby on the move

Dave and Elizabeth

Jack and Noah

Everyone surround the bucket!

Erin made a new friend.

 Apparently the game worked because everyone was fairly sweaty and thirsty afterwards, so we hit up the  swimming pool.

Then came the basketball tournaments.  We had four teams in all, 3 boys teams and 1 girls team.  

Connor, Elijah and Noah, the NBG (Nothing but Game) had a rough day, but played well considering it was their first time participating in the Edge tournament

Wyatt, Bradley and Luke Densmore, AKA The Chubby Bunnies lost their first game, won their second and advanced all the way to the quarterfinals where they lost 10-8 on a shot at the buzzer.  Once again, very impressive for the first time participaters.  

Erin, Victoria, Elizabeth and Abbi Merck or "The Bandana Bandits," won the first two games and made it to the semifinals before losing 4-0 to a very good opponent.  It didn't help that we couldn't get a shot to fall.

Last but not least, Tate, Hank and Jack also known as Space Jam made a deep run in the tourney.  After losing their first game they rebounded and won 3 in a row, putting them in the semifinals. 

 In the semis they overcame a four point deficit in the final minute to tie the game and send in to overtime.  In OT their opponent knocked in two quick buckets making it 8-4.  With under a minute Hank put in a layup, which narrowed the lead to two points.  Jack had a shot at the buzzer that missed and they ended up losing by two.  Sometimes it's just the way the ball bounces.

Regardless I was extremely proud of everyone who participated.  They did a great job.

After dinner the students went to the front lawn where they played a game, which resembled that of Fear Factor.  

The report I received was:  Bradley, Elizabeth and Jack had to eat baby food and Erin Jackson held a pickled pig's foot inside her mouth for about 5 minutes.  I wasn't sure if I should have been proud, impressed or disgusted.  So i tried to convey all 3.  

I continued to be amazed by the job Wayne Kerr does with the worship 

Wayne Kerr and The Edge go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly.  

He engages the students and gets them hyped up.  He then proceeds to slowly ease the students into a time or praise and worship that is both meaningful and enjoyable.

They love it.

The speaker tonight talked about how God seeks out a personal relationship with us.  The relationship is out there for us to pursue and that a relationship such as that can be a very powerful thing.  

There will be pain and troubles from the ridicule we may receive from being a Christian and from the sin we struggle with. 

 A relationship with God is also practical.  We must continue to come to God to help us conquer our sin.  

Personal, Powerful, Painful, Practical. 

The four P's.  Then we ended the service very fittingly with In Christ Alone, which is a response meant to comfort us in a world full of sin that brings us down. 

After our group discussion the counselors went and found hiding places around the campus and the students had to search for us.  Once they found us, they could have ice cream.  I hid under a tree, which was pretty secluded.  I went unfound by our group for about 30 minutes until Luke and Conner Hadden found me.  

While we were eating ice cream Dave brought to my attention something happening not far across the lawn.  Hank Johnson had been laying in the grass for about 20 minutes already, but when I looked over he was surrounded by 13 girls, laying down beside him.    

Hank loves the ladies

I was impressed.  So Tate and I decided to lay down beside him to see if he had found a truth in how to get the attention of girls.  Believe it or not...he's onto something!  Some girl walked over and gave me her ice cream sandwich.  Who knew it could be so simple.  only Hank.

Tate probably didn't receive as much attention as he would have liked.

#ForeverAlone

#JustKidding

Day 2 was long, awesome and exhausting.  I am not quite sure how anyone has anything left in the tank but we always seem to keep moving forward at full speed.  If Day 3 is anything like Day 2, the kids are in for a treat.  Your prayers are appreciated! Keep them coming!  Signing off for now.  Bedtime.