In an unprecedented move, we hosted Wyld Life on Wednesday this week because of so much going on with the Junior High later this week. Tonight was Old People Club, a convenient opposition to last time's Recess Club.
It was a bit of a struggle for the kids to dress up as old people but our leaders plus Maddie Myers did a tremendous job. 8th grader Maddie even brought candy in her purse to share just like her grandma always does. Abby, Jackie, Hayley, Maddy, Mariah, Ryan, Kocher and KCraig all showed up to hang out with our kids tonight.
In just a few minutes the garage was packed with kids milling about finding leaders for "old people" bingo. They had to ask questions like "What's the best advice you've ever received? What are two things on your bucket list? If you could have 50 pounds of anything other than money what would you pick? If snow had a flavor what would you want it to be?"
I was thrilled about this revival of this group of 8th grade girls-- I've missed seeing Maddy, Emma, Sarah, Milly, Kaylee, Erin and Angela here at Wyld Life. They're goofy and crazy and I loved getting to lead their small group at the end of the night.
We started things off with a game of Memory Loss Prevention. The kids took turns flipping over pictures of things like hearing aids, motorized wheelchairs, a cane, a grandma driving and a grandpa break dancing. Once they discovered pairs we took out those pictures. I loved seeing them all take turns around the circle and screaming to help each other out when they remember where something was from an earlier turn.
You know that old people love hitting up places like MCL and Golden Corrall for the Early Bird Special. We invited some friends up to face off in eating some favorite old foods. Ben and Julia were blindfolded (poor eyesight) while Sammy and Audrey put in ear plugs (hearing loss). Ben and Julia were fed tapioca pudding, fig newtons and prune juice. Yummy right?
Audrey and JP dominated the Early Bird Dinner and ate their way to victory. I spent the night going by Gertrude, but my friends call me Gerti. My old friend Maddy and I love those prunes, they help keep you regular.
I love when Kocher gets the opportunity to share some of her dance history with all of us. She split up the girls and boys and then had the boys come over and ask a girl to be their partner. Always the larger group, some girls got to partner up with each other.
Ryan and Alex demonstrated the dance routine and taught all of us the steps. There was some "left-right-together" and some "behind-right-front" and a little "spin-your-partner-back-together."
Before Maddy and I taught the kids the Prunie song, everyone got the opportunity to eat one. We know how they were all hoping to check "eat a prune" off their bucket list tonight. Prunes get a bad rap, but we discovered they're really just like giant raisins.
No matter how hard a prune may try he's always getting wrinkles. A baby prune is like his dad but he's not wrinkled half so bad.
We have wrinkles on our face. But prunies have them every place. No matter how hard a prune may try he's always getting stewed.
Little seeds inside the prune, is it May or is it June? Whatcha doin' Prunie? Stewin? Hmmmm?
Ryan gave the Club talk tonight about rest. When he asked if we ever feel exhausted or wish we could take a nap after school everyone threw up their hands. We know about being tired and overscheduled. It's common to be physically tired but we can be socially, emotionally or spiritually tired too.
Ryan shared some of his favorite verses with us. Isaiah 40:30-31, "Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." and Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Our small group time at the end of the night is one of the parts I always look forward to. Tonight we got to talk about helping our friends through rough friends and finding rest with Christ. I love when girls ask questions about stuff they don't really understand yet and we can wrestle with that together. Ultimately that's what Young Life is all about. The costumes and games are a blast, but we're here for the relationships--our friendships with one another and our relationships with Christ. I'm confident that even when I can't see it, God is working in the hearts and lives of these kids.
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