We Survived Planet Wisdom 2011!!

Each January we travel as a high school youth group, well part of us anyway, to a conference somewhere about 2 hours away. Last year our youth pastor and his staff hosted, for lack of a better term, their own for our group of 30 or so students. This year we attended Planet Wisdom!Most of us had attended Planet Wisdom before as middle schoolers so we left with excitement in hearing Mark Matlock speak, laughing at the Skit Guys and worshipping with Dutton.


To stay in typical Thus Far fashion I've highlighted the weekend in pictures!

Van ride!!! No words can describe a van ride with 13 students, it is an experience sacred enough for only those who dare.

Some of my favorite people are in this photo, with Alex on the far right being a girl I've known for years and just found out on this trip, that she is originally from New Hampshire!!!!

And here is a little argument going on regarding who is better the Celtics or the Magic.

Waiting outside the conference, this would be 2 of my small group girls and my Justin wearing a borrowed pink hat- love that boy!

Some atmospheres lend to certain behaviors and games. For instance on any road trip a game of Mafia seems to break out on the van ride and then late at night before bedtime; when we get into any conference center this game breaks out. Not sure what it's called but it involves two people standing face to face and doing their best to force the other person to take a step with only the use of their hands.

Scotty seems to win the most.

Inside the conference.

Lunch on Saturday can get crazy. Here is Vaughan and Scott climbing a tree; please know that we care deeply for our students and don't let any crazy behavior take place; these two boys, one being my own, are expert tree climbers.

After the conference we helped break down the stage. While the conference was great we really want our students to have a heart for serving, for helping. So with no benefits attached our group of 30 stayed to coil up cords, break down tables, clean all trash in the theatre, box up the stage lighting, roll up the back drops and wheel all equipment into their tracker trailer.

Although it looks as though they are waiting around this group was waiting for instructions on how to break down and box up that whole beam of lighting they are standing next to.

When all was said and done I realized that the couple in charge of the technical Planet Wisdom stuff are good friends with the family who I have been praying for, a family I know through the blogging world one they know in flesh and blood life. You can click on the "Praying for Joanne" button on the top left of my blog to read more about that.

We also were told that the breakdown crew times their breakdown after each conference and with the help of our group they did it in record time. Our kids are that good, just sayin'. Praise the Lord.

I believe it is because our students are use to serving, they are use to looking at a situation seeing what needs to be done and doing it, asking what they can do next, listening and then doing it! Now some students still need a little work in this area but they're getting it.

Here's a view of the theatre from the stage perspective.

And of course what would any Planet Wisdom trip be without some sort of vehicle issue.

So that's it.

Another Planet Wisdom has come and gone, another weekend where I pray that God touched students lives to live differently. To understand the attributes of God, that He is:

All Powerful,
All Knowing,

in Control of everything,

Present Everywhere.

That He is:

Holy,

Just,

Loving,

Merciful.

And why that matters.

Why does that matter and how does it effect how they live on Monday morning when they trickle back into their regular lives.

How does it effect me? us?

As a Christ follower do I fully get this? Food for thought.