2nd 8th grade Night

Lesson Topic: 8th grade night - Family Relationships
Attendance: average
'Fun Factor': above average
Volunteer Involvement: average
Music: way above average
Lesson Quality: average
Length of Lesson: 25 mins
Student Response: average
Favorite statement of the night: "Action of the week" (They came up with an idea of what to do that week to apply the lesson)

We had our second 8th grade night last week Wed (click here for info about the first one). The kids did yet again a great night. The band really rocked and I was very happy with how the night went. The lesson went a little long and some of the points were shared a little to often. Didn't get any pictures to show but it was a great night.

Book Report – Youth Culture 101

Oh my, it has been over a month since the last book report I did. These last two book’s (Youth Culture 101 and Without a Doubt) have been a hard read for me. Well worth it but still very hard.

Walt Mueller’s book Youth Culture 101 made me smile, nod my head in agreement, get angry, become saddened, and it made me cry. I could share a lot about this book (I highlighted different sentences and statements in over 50 pages) but I’m going to stick to my “two key thoughts that really jump out at me” rule.

The first thought really wasn’t about youth culture but about a wise man (Walt) - who has been through most of the fathering of adolescents - sharing with a young man (me) who is just starting out with fathering an adolescent (My daughter will turn 12 this year , be in 6th grade, and in our middle school group). Walt shared many important thoughts and sum-ups in the last chapter of this book. But the one thing he wrote that really jumped out at me was this, “I’ve found that my investment of time in knowing God’s Word has been the very thing that’s guided me through the deep waters of parenting.” As a soon-to-be father of a full-fledged adolescent the Word of God becomes even more critical in my life. I praise God He was already doing that in my life when He took me through “My Historic Retreat.”

The other thought was how he dealt with media. His research was broking down into digestible chunks of data that was not easy to read but defiantly important to know. I knew media is a big player in kids lives but the magnitude and the closeness of its power hit me hard just over a month ago. I surveyed my 11-14 year old kids to see what they spend most of their time on. Hands down the kids are watching TV. Over 50% of the kids in my group watch over 10 hrs a week of TV. Walt said it well, “Media is not only at their [adolescents] fingertips: it’s woven in and through the fabric of who they are.” Media is and will continue to influence every aspect of our adolescent’s life. Media is creating things like the “False view of reality” or “the boring life syndrome” in our kids lives. We can’t ignore it or allow it to just go on influencing out kids lives - we need to engage it. “The more aware we are of the media scene as a whole, the more easily we can guide our teenagers through these influences on behavior and lifestyle choices.” Walt summed it up best this way, “Now is the time…to teach teenagers how to control the media, rather than allowing the media to control them.”

I have already used different parts of the data in this book in many of my teachings to kids. I’m sure I will expose my sponsors and parents to more of the data. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” James 1:5. I know that I need more wisdom from God so that I can be the best father and middle school pastor that I can be and Youth Culture 101 is some of that wisdom from God.

Simple Thoughts

I'm waiting for a couple 8th graders to come over to work on the message for this Wednesday night and I thought about a few things:

1) This coming Wednesday night our second 8th grade night. I got to hear the 8th grade band practice a moment ago and they sounded great. Should be awesome night (like the last one).
2) This coming weekend (Jan 26&27) will be my 6th winter retreat with IMPACT. I'm so excited.
3) I sure hope that I will have some time this week to take my wonderful wife out on a date. Haven't had a date with her in over 2 weeks.
4) We will be starting a new series next month called Value Pak. I had a group of middle schoolers help with the creative aspect of the month. It's going to be a fun event.
5) We will also have a parent's night (Feb 20) happening next month. I hope more parents come to this one.

Fun times with Daniel

If you read blogs or material for middle school/jr hi ministry very much you probably have come across this picture. The caption is "only in middle school" and I so agree. But yesterday in Sunday School at New Covenant Bible Church my four year old son did one better. He decided that a child's potty would be interesting to put on his head. Well it got stuck. My wonderful wife was contacted by the poor childcare worker that they needed her help. After much pushing and pulling and Daniel's left ear getting rubbed a little more than he would like it came off.

After my wife told me what happen I asked, "did you get a picture?"

Nope, rats! Oh well.

I talked to Daniel that night and his first comment was, "the next time I do it dad make sure you rub my right ear since it didn't get hurt" - oh Daniel you live in another world. I'm sure this is just the beginning.

Meanest mom on the planet

A youth volunteer sent this article out to me and I thought it was a very interesting read and would enjoy any thoughts you might have. Here is a little taste of the article:

“It was early last month when Jane Hambleton of Fort Dodge found the bottle under the front seat of her 19-year-old son's pride and joy. Her next move was a call to The Des Moines Register's classified advertising department: OLDS 1999 Intrigue Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for 3 weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet.”

and here is where you can find the whole article: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880108039#gslPageReturn

what do you think?

HT - to Charley S

I-tunes - party shuffle

I have an interesting selection of music I like to listen to in my I-tunes list (click on the logo to go to the I-tunes web site). I saw on a number of blogs (like marko's and kurt's blog) that they will put a shuffle list on their blog of random songs they have. I thought I would share a list of mine. My goal of doing this is to see - as time goes by - if I'm listen to the same songs to much (I've been told I do). Here they are:

Santorini - Yanni - Ultimate Yanni Disc 1
Changed - the Katinas - Roots
Maestro - Hans Zimmer - the Holiday
Evenstar - Bayakdarian, Isabel - The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
Nostalgia - Yanni - Ultimate Yanni Disc 1
Running Time - Yanni - Ultimate Yanni Disc 2
Where Are You? - Phantom Sheriffs - The ultimate Trance Party
You - Britt Nicole - Say It
Breathe of Life - Chandra, Shelia - The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
Bootstrap's Bootstraps - Klaus Badelt - Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl

Prayers this last month - Dec 07

This last month of 2007 was a very relax and enjoyable month. My simple prayers seem to reflect on that.

I've been asked where these prayers come from. They are just my simple prayers I say and type up after my daily time with the Lord.

I pray that these might be of use to you as they are to me:

Lord, thank you for sending your son, you are the one God.

Lord, I'm at a loss of how to be able to be the leader you wish me to be - I need you!

Lord, keep opening my mind and heart to your truths but may I be humble and simple as this happens so that you may receive all the glory.

Lord, my I be found taking care of my family members through the good and bad times - always!

Lord, may my life here be all about you and not about pennies.

Lord, may your grace abound in me.

Lord, open my eyes to see what I must run towards and may I run with everything I've got.

Lord, my life can be full of trouble and for you I'm willing to go through it. But Lord I still need you so bad. Help me pls.

Lord, I don't want to do anything to your word that isn't what you want it to say but I do want to make it simple for middle school kids to use and understand, help me Lord.

Lord, may my words and my acts be the same in your eyes and other's eyes.

Lord, my you find me being temperate, w/dignity and wisdom, may I have a healthy faith and love. May I endure all things for you.

Lord, help me to always be focused on you and not me. Be "I AM" in my life.

Lord, may the common faith we Christians have in You move us to do even more for your kingdom.

May I be sensitive to the that fact that You marked me to be your servant Lord, help me to love what is right and hate what is wrong.

Lord, you are the answer for all that we go through, help me to see You daily.

Lord, open my ears to hear everything I need to hear from you so that I might believe fully in all that you want.

Help me Lord to understand what I'm to understand, to know that you are always renewing me on a daily bases, thx God.

Lord, open my ears to hear your Word clearly. May I never get into the bad habit of not listening!

Lord, help me see your truth and heed it for myself. But may it not stop there, may I share it with the flock you have called me to love and give hope to.

Lord, thanks for sending Jesus to be higher than any human priest to take care of my sin.

Thanks God for being there for us - that you have set up life for us to get to know you firsthand.

Lord, pls keep working in my life that I might be all you want me to be.

Lord, help me to see your ways so that I might survive and trust you and not quit.

Lord, may you find me always seeking you in everything I say and do.

Lord, may I never sacrifice a lifelong gift for my short term appetite.

Lord, I want to honor you with all that I do - in my home and outside - help me Lord!

Lord, may I always come before you and keeping my life in check so that lust and sin will not take hold, ever.

Lord, open my eyes to see what I must see to honor you with this life - I don't want to be a corpse - help me be faithfully working for you.

Lord, help me to stand by keeping me on my knees.

Simple Thoughts

Here are some thoughts about this past year in the Eades home.

1) Wow, I haven't blogged in a very long time - been enjoying the family to much to blog

2) We are working on a family newsletter, should be ready by the end of this month

3) 2007 was a great year of memories - just read this blog and you will see

4) After all that snow and ice we are in the 40s today and rain - say good-bye to the snow (booo) and ice (yea!)

5) Our small group is starting up again - can't wait to sink my teeth into God's Word with this group again.

- I should be putting more blog post on by the first of next week. :)