Cookies and Young Ladies

Yesterday was a great day :) Well, it was a full day. Tuesdays are my off day, when there is a regular week. We decided to go shopping for some Christmas presents and other essentials like more diapers and wipes for the boys. But we had to be back at our house by 2:30 or so. This made for a short day of shopping, seeing as it was an hour drive one way. (Plus we had to eat lunch during this time, too) So, shopping was good - didn't find everything, but got a good bit. (and we're thinking about doing something a little different this year with presents anyway.)

Back to why we had to be back home at 2:30. We had some of the girls from the church coming over to make cookies. My wife had invited them over after school for a few hours to make some cookies and then said cookies will be delivered later this week (tomorrow, I think). One of the girls had come over earlier and helped pick out 6 different cookie "type" recipes. When all was said and done, we had 12 girls and one other youth coach in our kitchen making various cookie items. My goal/job for the afternoon was to watch our two boys and the other two boys so that the women would not have to worry about them. In the end, one boy was sent to his grandma's, one fell asleep and the other two ended up playing in the kitchen. :) So I gradually ended up in the kitchen helping to make the cookies.

It was a really good afternoon. The two adults got to interact with the girls outside of "class" and build some relationships. Even though there is only one high school in this county and all the girls go to the same school, they do not all hang out together. So, it was a chance to have more mixing of the "groups" (so to speak). Plus, for me as the youth minister, I got to interact with the girls outside of class in a group setting. I don't get to really build relationships with the females of the group outside of class (and that is fine with me), but I think it is good to build relationships. The women youth coaches are the ones who will be able to really minister to these young ladies, which is why I tried to stay out of the kitchen.

A few other thoughts on yesterday:
1. From what I heard, I missed a lot of funny stuff.

2. I got to interact with a few of the students that haven't always liked me in the past. And things were good. (not that I think everyone needs to like me) But I wanted to have some positive interaction, so they know I'm not out to get them.

3. My wife and I were cleaning up afterward for about 2 1/2 hours. (the joys of ministry)

4. I think I'm going to try this with the guys next week :)