Sunday, September 11, 2016

"I feel like I'm pulling out a light saber."

My friend Ben Battaglia has started something awesome. Along with Justin Ryder, this duo is producing an unofficial Young Life podcast on a weekly basis called On The Frontier. They're exploring all the frontiers of Young Life, interviewing guests, pulling in interesting content and embracing their own passions. This is awesome. You can listen on the website or through itunes on your phone. I support starting in episode 6 with an interview with home girl KCraig. 


Since Lauren had baby Annie a week ago, we've been missing eating lunch with her every day in the teacher's lounge. Friday we resorted to Face Timing her so she could still kind of be there. See her propped up against the lunch box?


Varsity FBC shirts are out and about-- our new favorite shirt that we never want to take off. "It's just so versatile!" Ellyn told me. Stay tuned this Fall for the FBC shirt order.




Friday night I found myself at the HSE v Fishers Mudsock game in the stands with Johnna Myers, her daughters Morgan and Mallory plus some of my fav 8th grade girls. There was plenty of room to friendship bracelet, we were smack in the middle of the sports arena and the company couldn't have been better. Possibly the greatest football event in history.


Saturday was a day for adventure. Little did we know when we woke up that a dream would be coming true. Little did Smelko know that it was even a dream of hers yet. Last Spring Break, Cassidy and her sister visited the World's Largest Ball of Paint. I've been wanting to go ever since.


What started as a baseball has been painted since 1977. Nearly 40 countries have participated in painting a layer, all 50 states and 8 books of visitor signatures. Every group of painters is recorded on a disposable camera and most people sign the wall of the Ball of Paint room. 


The ball was blue when we arrived and Maddie picked red as the next color. Smelko, Maddie and I each got a roller and we started painting.




When we finished the red coat we each got a certificate for our participation in the project telling us what layer of paint we were. What a time to be alive.


Saturday night was the night of birthday parties. As a Young Life leader it is a privilege to get invited to birthday parties, to get to celebrate with these kids and their families. First I went to Mallory Myers' for her 14th birthday. I'm even more obsessed with the Myers family at this point and wish I could move into their house. One of the most wholesome and rocking birthdays I've been to in awhile, there was kickball, trampoline jumping, walking tacos, a bonfire, a rat trap, tree climbing, Mom's the Bomb cake, presents and a whole lot of laughter.


Next I drove across town to Cassidy Ogan's birthday. The highlight of the night has to be a toss up between Capture the Flag around the house and Reece's S'more's. It was hype. I love that Cassidy brought together her groups of friends that don't usually get to interact. On your birthday having all of your people in one place is the best thing.

Part of my gift to the girls was a canvas-- Mallory got one of the verses that helped her through her surgery this past summer and Cassidy got the coordinates to Wilderness Ranch in Colorado. Both girls have rooms covered in art and I'm honored to add to their collection.


Sunday morning Hools and I met with our friend Jess early at church to give her her first bible. We showed her how to look things up, what the red words mean and found some of the first verses from The Purpose Driven Life. God is so good.


Sunday afternoon I got to be part of Tara Bender's moving crew as she loaded up a truck at her old house and then unpacked a few miles away just South of Broad Ripple. If you're going to move-- these are the people you want helping. Smelko and I got to hang out for the 2nd day in a row and reminded Alaina (my guide from Wilderness) how awesome it would be if she moved here. 


Emily Glanders lives right up the road so I stopped in at her house for a quick chat. Lucky for me, JoJo woke up from a nap while I was there and I got to hold her-- easily one of the best parts of the day.

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