August 2011
2 posts
What we try to do at camp
This will be the last post this summer about Youthfront Camp South. If you’re tired of hearing about camp, I apologize. If you’re tired of hearing about my life outside of camp, you’ll just have to wait until next summer ;-)
Tomorrow we share our last day together. Cabin leaders finished up on July 30th and we have had the last week and a half with our eastern orthodox friends...
July 2011
1 post
Summer
Today is July 5, 2011.
It’s nearly impossible to believe that the first six weeks of my second summer directing at Youthfront Camp South are over. The staff here are wonderful people. We found ourselves feeling like we had known each other for years after a few short days together. After two weeks of orientation, we welcomed nearly 700 young people into this environment. I often tell people...
April 2011
2 posts
Merton, Awareness, Service, Kitchen, Life
Well this will be a mixed bag for sure.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to help lead a retreat for a handful of youth workers at Youthfront Camp South. This came at the end of a busy and exhausting week, and even though I was facilitating the worship times including a lectio divina and an awareness practice, it was as much a time for me to retreat as it was for those attending. Saturday...
March 2011
2 posts
Super Quick Update
Wow, it’s been too long since I updated. A full-length one is coming soon. But, below there’s a link to an article I wrote for Immerse Online. Immerse is a youth ministry journal that several friends are contributing to and collaborating on. It’s really good stuff! I, however, do not consider myself a writer by any stretch of the imagination, so when I say it’s good stuff,...
My Article for Immerse Online →
February 2011
2 posts
Life is Feeling Good
Today was a very full day. I took the day off from Youthfront and my dad came over to help me begin a huge house project. In short, Jessica and I have decided to remove the wall between our kitchen and dining room. This will create more counter space, and open our place up a bit. It’s super exciting and super time consuming! In the end, we hope to have a few new cabinets and countertops, a...
January 2011
1 post
Tonight
Things I have done tonight:
1) Watched Winnebago Man, a documentary about Jack Rebney. If you are not offended by swearing, I’d highly recommend it. I found this movie to be really touching. I cried (which is not unusual as far as films go). In short, a man comes to wrestle with a phenomenon that is entirely foreign to him and somehow both embraces and rejects said phenomenon but remains...
December 2010
2 posts
On the Road
This fall has been far busier than I anticipated. At Youthfront, we have tried to focus our recruiting efforts primarily in the fall so that winter and spring can be dedicated to interviewing and hiring summer staff, and preparing for camp. That means I’ve been on the road quite a bit. Here’s my travel log since the first week in November:
November 2 - Bethel University, Minneapolis...
October 2010
4 posts
Making Music
After doing all of the pressing yard projects, cleaning up rooms, getting up to speed on emails, bank accounts, little work projects, making pies, etc. etc. I finally forced myself to go upstairs and play music. I spent about an hour and a half last night working on what I claim to enjoy most. It’s really true though. I’m sure there’s things in your life like this. You’ll...
WatchMaking music again…or at least getting my feet wet.
My Amazing Wife and a Loopy Video
Had you asked me if being married to a nurse meant that I saw her in the trenches helping people 7 months ago, I would have said “no.” Now I would say “yes.” Jessica and I were on our way home from an Easter celebration last spring when we witnessed a horrible motorcycle accident. She was among the first on the scene to try and help the person. It’s tough to remember...
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September 2010
3 posts
Breathing Again
The last 40 days have been quite spectacular. On August 17th, Jessica and I left for France along with her parents Mike and Vicki. Our trip had two major stops: Taize France, where one of the first protestant monasteries exists, and Cheltenham England where the Greenbelt festival takes place each year. Below you’ll see pictures, but first a video of the Friday evening prayer time at...
WatchI had to kind of sneak this video. I didn’t want to distract anyone.
August 2010
5 posts
Summer Stories
It’s amazing how fast the summer went. There’s far too many experiences to tell about in a blog post here, but below you’ll find a few videos of a few things I got to do. The first one is Jessica and I headed out to one of our favorite spots, the pergola, to catch a sunset. It’s a beautiful place near our prayer labyrinth at Youthfront Camp South that faces west and looks...
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July 2010
1 post
On A Roll
Today was one of those days where I felt like I was enriched by participating in really good conversation. These days happen every now and then, and usually they make me wonder why I feel the way I do at the end of them. I’m not sure if it’s something with my personality or human makeup, but there are days when I’d rather not have lots of conversation—where conversation is...
June 2010
1 post
Week One
Since I’m new in this role, I thought I’d just write a quick update about what’s going on here at Youthfront Camp South.
This week has been amazing so far with a host of different elements at play. I’m amazed to see how everything works in concert and how every element of camp from the teen staff program to the water slide, the evening experiences to the lines in the ...
May 2010
1 post
Return to Camp
Yes. The time has come. For the last two days I have been working here at Youthfront Camp South where I will serve for the first time as Camp Director this summer. Jessica is still up in the city working at Research. These next couple weeks are important for me to get ready in the office here and also outside with some projects at camp. Don’t get me wrong, I love my office buddies at...
March 2010
5 posts
Weather Wha?
As evidenced in our couple shorts below, the weather was AMAZING here in KC on Thursday. Jess and I went on a long motorcycle ride through old stately neighborhoods, ate barbecue, and soaked up the sun. Today, we wake up and there’s 8 - 10 inches of snow on the ground! What is happening?
I told our friend Tom who is moving to KC soon that anything anyone says about the weather here is...
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I'm getting $500
So, today in a random convo, Jessica confidently stated I’d someday have some crazy medical condition. Even more confident I’d not have to endure such a thing I made a bet with her. I’ll let the video do the talking.
I also realized our blog is somewhat medically focused. Leading up to this, it’s castration for Brooklyn, and now something of cystical nature I can’t...
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January 2010
9 posts
Brooklyn - man parts
Today we woke up at 6:40ish to take our bunny Brooklyn to the vet. It’s the day that all male pets fear. CASTRATION DAY. Here’s an interesting thing: the veterinary hospital actually calls it castration for males, which seems quite visceral and old school to me. For females, however, it is eloquently packaged as an Ovariohysterectomy. Just thought you might be interested. They say you...
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Colorado
From Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 we were out in Colorado at the family cabin in Alma. Alma is a cozy little town, and it’s also the highest in the United States at 10,355 ft. Don’t believe me? This is the most reputable source for all research. In the winter, we usually ski for a couple days and lounge around. This time out it was my ma and pa, brother and sis-in-law Jeremy & Laura, and...
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December 2009
23 posts
Top 9 in 2009
I’ve never tried this, but I wanted to write a bit about my favorite artists this year. They are not necessarily in order, but are close, and not necessarily releases just from 2009, but they are certainly ones that have been my personal soundtrack this year. Enjoy, and let me know what you think.
1 - mewithoutYou
Aaron Weiss (singer, shouter, lyrical mastermind) has been an inspiration to me and my friends for years. mewithoutYou has gone through so many wonderful metamorphoses since their beginning. They are true East Coast personalities with a delightful human-ness. Always see them live. Their release this year It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright is...
2 - Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab and lead singer Ben Gibbard has always been impressive to me. Lately I’ve been super inspired by how Gibbard crafts his songs. The one below, Little Bribes is a really creative and fun expose on the city that never sleeps…that is Vegas of course. They released 2 EPs this year, The Open Door which has some gems on it, as well as a live show at The Palms in Vegas. I can only...
3 - Mute Math
Find me a more creative, more energetic, or more surprising live performance than Mute Math. I will call you a liar. I will always listen to Mute Math. Letterman called drummer Darren King “a monster” on his show in 2007. He is amazing to watch. Mute Math released Armistice in August of this year, and it ranked #2 on iTunes. I saw them at the Beaumont Club in Westport in October....
4 - Coldplay
I don’t know…I mean it seems like an obvious choice. Maybe it was playing it at the Altar Field every Thursday @youthfrontcamps last summer, or just watching these live videos and the millions of people that Coldplay has traveled the world to play for. There seems to be something transcendent about their performances and their music. I haven’t yet seen them live, but it’s...
