We played a bunch of rowdy games last night at youth group, as is the usual order of things. Some of the kids had found tape with which to give themselves faux warpaint before putting trashcans over their heads for the backwards relay race. TJ asked if I would wear some, and, shocked that I said yes, he flew back upstairs to get the roll. We had fun with the games and only a handful of kids were bleeding by the time we went back to the sanctuary to sing.
The best, and sadly shortest, time of the night was when Jon had the kids sit all clumped together on the floor, and the leaders gathered around them and listened as they talked about the things that they are struggling with most and we were able to pray with them. I have really grown to love this group of kids and am constantly humbled by how much they are teaching me.
Then as we were waiting for the rest of the kids' parents to show up, Larissa and I brought out cushions and taught everyone to do dive rolls and two-person sommersaults. It was very, very fun until Larissa and I really got going, ran out of padding, and I cracked my coconut on the ground. Man, is my neck sore!