High School Mafia

O.K. well last night was Kelly and I's first night with the youth group. We went to the G.Y.M. and mingled with the teens and stayed for the praise and testimony time. It struck me as very similar to an F.B.I. undercover agent infiltrating the Mafia. Please don't be an idiot and think that I truly believe Grace Church's youth are at all like the actual Mafia. Although my lil friends the social infiltration is close. When entering this world you have a few options on gaining the trust of the group.

Option 1: The quick option - You get bold and go right to the head of the line. You find the social leader and try to relate. You look for sports, shows, sense of humor or basically anything you can find to get a niche'.This is difficult because typically the social leader has their set of friends and they rely on them for all the humor or niche's. So this is a precarious option to say the least. The last thing you can do is try and fail. The rules that all your lil pep talker people have told you in the past is not applicable here. Try and failing when infiltrating is the kiss of death. You look very desperate and these teens will label you and well my friends labeling in this setting is like "going away" in the mafia setting.

Option 2 - The slow an steady wins the race option - explains itself. You work at getting a teen that you can relate to and build from there. There are no bold moves just find one that may think your funny or cool. This can be challenging also because there are not many gray haired cool 36 yr. old guys around. "Whys the old looking guy think hes so funny over there - and why is he volunteering here?" That could be a problem. I can see me standing next to my 25 yr. old looking wife and them saying. "Is that his wife or daughter." I would just have to find the one teen to get my option rolling. The mafia equivalent would be a good solider, that puts in their time and gets promoted steadily.

Derek had the best advice when we originally met about us helping out. Just be there and be there consistently and that will work best. I would imagine he knows what hes talking about. I do highly doubt he has compared his youth group to a mafia organization.
Heres an option - I pray that God will use me in any way to minister to the teens. Trusting that His Will will be done. Its more effective than my options and makes more sense. I guess I enjoy talking about the mafia a little to much!

Later

Weekend chat

This weekend was a blur! I took the team to San Angelo, Texas for two games on Saturday. We left at 6:30 a.m. and returned at 11pm. We won both games (exhibitions) and thats exciting but the trip wore me out. So what do I do on Sunday? Bring two teams in to town to play against my team and squeeze in two campus tours for the high school girls that have come up. Another 9am - 6pm day of soccer. Its not really that its hard work (coaching) its simply that I'm out in the sun the entire time. This is not Hawaii so the ocean breeze is not really the air that we're breathing during this brillant Spring weather. Its more like hot wind blowing a lot of red dirt. Good times had by all. So I'm burnt, back hurts from standing the entire game and if I never talk again I would be very happy. Talking to all those people put my personality into over drive. I watched Lost the other day and Desmond's vow of silence was a very attractive thing. How long do all of you think you could go without talking? Wouldn't it be fun to try? I have discussed my philosophy about this before but lets review. Just think how many problems that we have created by talking. Plus you would have the most mysterious vibe about you? I had a girl on my team that was very quiet and got great grades. I thought this girl is like a wise old Monk (if monks were women). My friends I know now why she never talked- she couldn't buy the common sense enough to start a car. Bless her heart. Wouldn't it be fun to go to a social gathering and not say a word. Just simply listen and nod. You would have to find a way to avoid questions which would be a game in and of itself. Grab your hamstring(thats on the back of your leg - Alyssa) when someone asks you something and hold a finger up as you walk away. Act like you have something hot in your mouth and swiftly jog for water. Act like you can't hear the question then look to the other end of the room like someone else called you. I need to actually try this stuff. It sounds like it could really work.

Later

About time!

Finally we have reached a point to which someone in T.V. land met with someone else and decided to make Jeff Trimble's show more interesting. I am so thankful this person told Lost to get the story back to the entire cast and not just Jack/Sawyer/Kate/and the "others". I'm also happy they had the foresight to put Alyssa and Ben Turner in the cast as extras. Haven't seen them in a scene yet but I know their adding to the show. Lets also give a big shout out to nursing 24 back to life. I think we all have seen the clever story lines and twists and are expecting them every episode from this show. So I recognize the challenge. Its fun that they now are bring it a little more and I am genuinly intrigued for the first time this season. Lets please keep anyone from talking with Amazing Race. They have it figured out - once again - so none of you clowns bother them over there. Apprentice and Survivor we're getting what we expect so well done. Hopefully they will pick it up a little but they have me right now.

Later

How's Life?

Things have been going well here. We are finishing up with our spring season at MSU. The girls are doing well and we have only a few more practice games before the end of the season. The Spring record doesn't count for anything - just a training time.
My boys are doing pretty well. Alec is doing better in school (listening and with school work) so we are proud of him. The boy is a reading machine and still loves the gymkata class he does. Hopefully he will never apply what he has learned for the benefit of evil. I love comic book talk! Evan is doing well at school and is playing baseball and soccer right now. His schedule is crazy and we have to watch that he doesnt get to spread out and can enjoy laying around sometimes. He does well at both which keeps me sane - I have a tendency to get a little wrapped up in competition. I'm not sure of any of you knew that or not. Owen is Owen. I'm not an expert on the ins and outs of the one year old child but he looks pretty happy to me. I get to spend a long lunch with him everyday (off-season benefit) and I really enjoy that time with him. Its good just to spend time with any of the boys. At the conference Kel and I went to they talked a lot about spending one on one time with your kids. I need to start doing that a little more consistently.
Kelly and I have decided to start getting involved with a secret cult. Just checking to make sure your paying attention. We actually are going to work with our Church's youth group. We are going to start off just mingling and socializing with the group then work ourselves into more of an active role if Derek (youth pastor) needs. I really am excited about doing this. I like working with that age group and certainly have the maturity and intellect to function on a level with them if not below them.
Hey kids thats all I have for you right now. Oh, Surviror MSU (year two) is about to start again. They have renewed my contract as the host once again. I will let you know how it goes - it starts Friday.