Ponderings and a Prayer Request

It's midnight.  I'm mellow tonight.  It's a combination of today's happenings and the music I'm listening to right now.

Today was Arrival Day for Super Summer Staff.  I was in the Jackson area so I basically just crashed the party and hung-out during Registration, Dinner and the opening worship event for staff.  I've been a part of Super Summer since 1992 or 93.  I missed the year Kim had her Double Lung Transplant (98) and again in 07 (World Race), 09 (Ukraine), and 10 (Haiti).  And this year I'll be at StudentLife in Daytona Beach.

Super Summer is the best camp I was ever a part of.  Why?  The Leadership is pretty much all Mississippi Youth Ministers.  Guys and girls that are in the trenches everyday working with teenagers.  They serve the kids at Super Summer like they are their own kids...which of course, they are.  The second element is the students themselves.  They are just always top-notch.  The last element is the small group leaders.  Many of them (most of them) grew up going to Super Summer.  Most of them are in college and most of them are simply outstanding young people.  I guess I could mention that the worship leaders and speakers are consistently amazing.

So tonight I got to hang out with youth ministers I've known and worked with since the late 80's!  I saw kids that were once in my youth group who are small group leaders.  I saw Executive Staffers that I knew when they were students at Super Summer.  They are all world class.

After my visit with them I stopped by the hospital to see some friends who are keeping vigil over a loved one in ICU.  I performed the wedding for Amy and Stevie back in 08 and now Stevie's 30 year old brother is fighting for his life with a broken neck and no feeling in his arms and legs after a diving accident on July 4.  To say I'm in a sober mood right now would be an understatement.  If you've never had a loved one in an ICU, in critical condition with tubes and wires and monitors and only able to step into the room for a few minutes every several hours....well, I rather hope you don't have to do that.  Ever.  I hurt for them.

I'd love for you to join me in prayer for all of them.  For Brian, that God would perform a miracle.  He's to be thanked for Brian receiving the great care he's receiving...but he needs more than that.  I pray for him to regain full function and live the rest of his life as a living testimony of God's greatness and goodness and power.  I pray for the family that's waiting.  For peace and comfort that's out of this world, for employers and friends and co-workers and teachers who are patient and graceful towards the family who, despite the fact that life goes on and there are obligations to be met, really have more consuming thoughts right now than work, class, cutting the grass and all that stuff.  I pray for friends to rally around the family and just be there.  No words are necessary really.