Hey hey!
This week, I wrote a guest post for my buddy Carl Jones! It was the first in a series called "If I Was Starting Over in Youth Ministry"
You should go check it out, and read the rest of his guest posts from this week!
You can find that post right here!
Tom
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
I Used to Know Somebody
I've always found it kind of interesting how people can just walk away from everything and everyone they know and love. Weather for practical reasons like a move, or for more emotional, personal reasons, people come and go. I find it strange, though, that some people are able to do this without any hesitation, to just pack up and leave everything behind.
What I find even more interesting is that even without any intentionality, it seems that people walk in and out of our lives all the time. Sometimes they do so without leaving much of an impression, but other times they grow to be big parts of our lives and still manage to disappear eventually.
This week I've really been thinking about the people in my life who, for one reason or anything, aren't really around any more. I suppose when you're involved in any kind of student ministry, it goes without saying that you won't be around that group forever- young people move on eventually and whether it's a job or university in another city or just circumstance, they drift apart, at least physically. I think there's something really beautiful, though, about being able to maintain a relationship with the people you leave behind, even if that's just sending letters or emails, or a Skype call here and there.
In God's Kingdom, we are one body together with all his people, and that calls for some kind of communication at least! I think that's what I love so much about social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter- their ability to act as a sort of virtual carrier pigeon between friends and family make it so much easier for us to stay together when we're apart.
That being said, here's a shout-out to all of you who read this blog who I don't see on a daily basis! Thanks for doing your part to keep in touch with what's going on in my life! I would love to hear about yours!
And I'll leave you with that, a song about the bitter sting of broken and lost relationships, to encourage you not to leave anyone behind ;)
Blessings,
What I find even more interesting is that even without any intentionality, it seems that people walk in and out of our lives all the time. Sometimes they do so without leaving much of an impression, but other times they grow to be big parts of our lives and still manage to disappear eventually.
This week I've really been thinking about the people in my life who, for one reason or anything, aren't really around any more. I suppose when you're involved in any kind of student ministry, it goes without saying that you won't be around that group forever- young people move on eventually and whether it's a job or university in another city or just circumstance, they drift apart, at least physically. I think there's something really beautiful, though, about being able to maintain a relationship with the people you leave behind, even if that's just sending letters or emails, or a Skype call here and there.
In God's Kingdom, we are one body together with all his people, and that calls for some kind of communication at least! I think that's what I love so much about social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter- their ability to act as a sort of virtual carrier pigeon between friends and family make it so much easier for us to stay together when we're apart.
That being said, here's a shout-out to all of you who read this blog who I don't see on a daily basis! Thanks for doing your part to keep in touch with what's going on in my life! I would love to hear about yours!
And I'll leave you with that, a song about the bitter sting of broken and lost relationships, to encourage you not to leave anyone behind ;)
Blessings,
Friday, June 22, 2012
I Won't Give Up
Hey everyone!
So, for those of you who follow this blog regularly, you probably know that I've been looking into moving out this Summer and living in intentional Christian community with a couple of the other leaders from Emmaus Youth Group. You probably also know that stuff has been kind of up in the air with all of that for the last little while. Well, over the weekend, things became a little more clear (and a little more confusing, all at the same time!)
Basically, we had gotten super close to signing a lease on a really nice apartment in Verdun, but the landlady required our parents cosigning the lease because we're students. I thought we had things sorted out, but then one of my potential roommates decided to back out at the last minute, and now I am out of options. The other roommate would have been one of the female leaders, and while I don't think there's anything wrong with mixed gender housing situations if it's a group of at least 3 people, I do think one-on-one would be really difficult to pull off and probably seen as inappropriate. So in the end I have no roommate lined up for September.
Due to extreme circumstances, I can't stay "home" beyond the Summer either. But I can't rent an apartment on my own, and there's no options as far as roommates are concerned. So it looks like my best option will be what I've decided to call "Functional Homelessness"- I'll technically have no home address, with my mail being sent probably to the church office or something, and I'll be couch-surfing at various homes for an undetermined amount of time until I can find a roommate with rich parents who are willing to co-sign the lease. (This is of course assuming I don't somehow find a place I can rent all by myself that's totally perfect and doesn't require a co-signing parent)
I am so blessed to have already had a couple of offers from people. I will of course keep you all posted as things come up, and please continue to pray for the situation "at home"- that there would be peace in my parents' hearts and that they would come to know the Lord in a cool and personal way.
All that being said, I'm super excited to also be able to share with you this week's new Cabin 9 video! Hit subscribe, like it, follow us on twitter @cabin9music, and feel free to leave requests/recommendations in the comments!
Blessings,
So, for those of you who follow this blog regularly, you probably know that I've been looking into moving out this Summer and living in intentional Christian community with a couple of the other leaders from Emmaus Youth Group. You probably also know that stuff has been kind of up in the air with all of that for the last little while. Well, over the weekend, things became a little more clear (and a little more confusing, all at the same time!)
Basically, we had gotten super close to signing a lease on a really nice apartment in Verdun, but the landlady required our parents cosigning the lease because we're students. I thought we had things sorted out, but then one of my potential roommates decided to back out at the last minute, and now I am out of options. The other roommate would have been one of the female leaders, and while I don't think there's anything wrong with mixed gender housing situations if it's a group of at least 3 people, I do think one-on-one would be really difficult to pull off and probably seen as inappropriate. So in the end I have no roommate lined up for September.
Due to extreme circumstances, I can't stay "home" beyond the Summer either. But I can't rent an apartment on my own, and there's no options as far as roommates are concerned. So it looks like my best option will be what I've decided to call "Functional Homelessness"- I'll technically have no home address, with my mail being sent probably to the church office or something, and I'll be couch-surfing at various homes for an undetermined amount of time until I can find a roommate with rich parents who are willing to co-sign the lease. (This is of course assuming I don't somehow find a place I can rent all by myself that's totally perfect and doesn't require a co-signing parent)
I am so blessed to have already had a couple of offers from people. I will of course keep you all posted as things come up, and please continue to pray for the situation "at home"- that there would be peace in my parents' hearts and that they would come to know the Lord in a cool and personal way.
All that being said, I'm super excited to also be able to share with you this week's new Cabin 9 video! Hit subscribe, like it, follow us on twitter @cabin9music, and feel free to leave requests/recommendations in the comments!
Blessings,
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Sorry about inactivity (again)
Hey gang,
Here's another one of those posts where I apologize for falling off the radar for a little while and explain what's been going on to keep me so occupied..
I'm currently looking for an apartment to move into with Simon and Ali, two of the other leaders of Emmaus Youth Group. It's proven to be an interesting experience and we thought we were getting super close with this one place, but now we're not so sure anymore, and we're still hunting. The past couple of weeks have been spent meeting with the current tenants, and the landlady, convincing parents to co-sign leases, and so forth. A seemingly fruitless labor, for the time being.
That, coupled with intense amounts of work at Hazelaid and tons of planning for the last couple weeks of youth group, my life has been kind of hectic and all over the place.
Expect a new Cabin 9 video some time next week though! And hopefully I will have time to write a bit more once planning for our Summer Retreat is through :)
Blessings,
Tom
Here's another one of those posts where I apologize for falling off the radar for a little while and explain what's been going on to keep me so occupied..
I'm currently looking for an apartment to move into with Simon and Ali, two of the other leaders of Emmaus Youth Group. It's proven to be an interesting experience and we thought we were getting super close with this one place, but now we're not so sure anymore, and we're still hunting. The past couple of weeks have been spent meeting with the current tenants, and the landlady, convincing parents to co-sign leases, and so forth. A seemingly fruitless labor, for the time being.
That, coupled with intense amounts of work at Hazelaid and tons of planning for the last couple weeks of youth group, my life has been kind of hectic and all over the place.
Expect a new Cabin 9 video some time next week though! And hopefully I will have time to write a bit more once planning for our Summer Retreat is through :)
Blessings,
Tom
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Cabin 9- Good Riddance
Hey everyone!
Cabin 9 is a two-man act starring myself and the amazingly talented Tim Blais! We just started a Youtube channel, where we will hopefully a video every week or two, with songs and whatnot. Also we have fake voices! It's great! Anyways, without further ado, I present to you Cabin 9!
I figured out how to embed the video! Yay! I'd love to set up some way of having this page just link straight to each new video, but I'm dumb when it comes to these things, so I'll probably just keep doing this! Yay!
(and in case you can't see the embedding video, here's the URL)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyaKOt9orG4&feature=plcp
Hit favorite, like it, share it, whatever! There's more to come and it will (hopefully) get even better over time!
Cabin 9 is a two-man act starring myself and the amazingly talented Tim Blais! We just started a Youtube channel, where we will hopefully a video every week or two, with songs and whatnot. Also we have fake voices! It's great! Anyways, without further ado, I present to you Cabin 9!
I figured out how to embed the video! Yay! I'd love to set up some way of having this page just link straight to each new video, but I'm dumb when it comes to these things, so I'll probably just keep doing this! Yay!
(and in case you can't see the embedding video, here's the URL)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyaKOt9orG4&feature=plcp
Hit favorite, like it, share it, whatever! There's more to come and it will (hopefully) get even better over time!
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
I'll be back soon, I promise
Hey internet!
I have not forgotten about you! I know I usually try to crank something out every Monday, but I have been super busy and didn't get a chance yesterday. I did, however, prepare something kinda fun last night that I'll post here fairly soon, so keep your eyes open for that! Until then, you should read some of my archives, there's some awesome stuff in there!
Cheers,
I have not forgotten about you! I know I usually try to crank something out every Monday, but I have been super busy and didn't get a chance yesterday. I did, however, prepare something kinda fun last night that I'll post here fairly soon, so keep your eyes open for that! Until then, you should read some of my archives, there's some awesome stuff in there!
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