One reason why I STILL work with the youth

I’ve been pretty pooped lately with everything that’s been going on. I’ve taken on the role of sunday school teacher in addition to being a fellowship leader. I was a bit stressed about it, seeing how I have to plan twice as much as before, and that I’m the one (and my co-leader Jerry) that’s responsible for giving the kids a strong foundation in the Word. Lately, I’ve found that my patience has run extremely low with many of the kids, but after having the following conversation with one of them over AIM, I’ve thought about my attitude a bit more.

High schooler: lets try n win fellowship award agen enxt year
Me: the theory is that the most losing team always wins that award
High schooler: ic
Me: we win it pretty much every year
Me: hahahahahaha
High schooler: thts cool
High schooler: we have more trophies
High schooler: lol
Me: hahah
High schooler: i our team is maturing
High schooler: dink*
Me: hopefully
High schooler: i learned a lot this year
High schooler: i liked it wen u tied sofball into ur maranatha lessons
High schooler: i dink all of maranatha should have C team
High schooler: so u can giv us lessons about our sportsmanship
High schooler: lol
Me: thanks, i appreciate it
Me: haha
Me: character does come out a lot clearer in sports
Me: but not just sports
Me: the more you hang out with people in different settings, you start seeing different sides to them
Me: it’s hard to tell things about a person just by seeing them in church on sunday
Me: cuz it’s real easy to say all the right things when you just have to answer the sunday school teacher
High schooler: yep
Me: i really do want to plan more outside activities
Me: but jerry and i are so busy
High schooler: i noe
High schooler: i dink ive found my friends at church now
Me: i’m happy to hear that
High schooler: i dink dis years maranatha fellowship will b the ppl ill hang out wit in my life
High schooler: i c ppl comin to church
High schooler: so its pretty rewardin
High schooler: the cool thing was they bonded well wit us
High schooler: i think the games u make will give us a closer relationship
High schooler: u noe how men dun relaly like to talk
High schooler: or supposedly
Me: hehe
Me: one thing tho
Me: i wanted to say
Me: thanks for prayin
High schooler: my philosphy is, sports n activities reallie helps a friendship
Me: i think you’re right
High schooler: cuz its juss not comfy talkin to ppl tht u dun noe
Me: yeah
High schooler: but if u play n communicate wit them subtly, itll b better
High schooler: like (edit:one of the guys)
High schooler: he was really quiet
Me: not today
Me: haha
High schooler: but after the game, he felt more comfy
Me: did he say that?
High schooler: i can tell
Me: or you could tell
Me: ok
High schooler: he didn’t say nething b4
High schooler: he n (edit: another guys) was shy
Me: but we didnt have anything before
Me: hehe
High schooler: juss talkin
High schooler: its hard
Me: yeah
High schooler: but the games was like a icebreaker
Me: yep
Me: but i think we’re gonna run out of games
Me: haha
Me: so if you got any
High schooler: i dun dink icebreakers r good until it takes like 30 minutes
Me: let me know
High schooler: or at least
High schooler: so football
High schooler: im serious
Me: football for 30 min?
High schooler: all the freshmen loves footbal
l
Me: that’s it?
High schooler: at least 30 minutes
Me: freshman guys maybe
High schooler: cuz now, we got enough to play like 4 on 4
High schooler: some of the grls will play
Me: nerf maybe
High schooler: (edit: some sophomore girls) will play the real footballs
High schooler: the sophomore grls should shoe how its dun
Me: hehe
Me: we’ll see

First off, I don’t know how they write papers when they’re so used to spelling things like that. Secondly, I usually hate AIM, especially talking about things of substance, because things always gets muddled up somehow. Third, why am I still up at three in the morning? Don’t know, but I haven’t been able to go to sleep at night. Maybe that’s why there’s all these changes on this site. Anyhoo, I shared this with Jerry and he was pretty encouraged by it as well–said it made him want to be more patient and to keep on helping out with maranatha. Just goes to show that old people still need encouragement.