Austin: city of bats, live music, and long days...

I have survived!

This is my cry of joy on this Tuesday afternoon. Trust me--last Tuesday, survival didn't seem possible. I put in a 16-hour day of printing, packing, and preparing for the first of the four Youth Specialties' conventions I'll be attending this fall.

My expectations were all askew. I was consistently asking "How many applications do I take?" "What does the display board need to say?" "How am I going to transport a kayak, paddle, pump, display board, snowboard, skate board, ice axe, application packets, job descriptions, 3 computers, a projector, and rock gear in the luggage of 5 staff, two of which do not live within driving distance?" Last Tuesday was a long day.

But this Tuesday is a good day...and in reflection, this weekend was a good weekend...so here's why:

1. Youth Specialties' Conventions are fun.
   No matter what. It's a bunch of youth ministry folks gathering together to cut loose, network, and get some R&R. There's plenty of interesting things to be stimulated by: a man on a 10-foot unicycle, comedy sketches, live music, fun new faces.
   
   
2. YD Staff are fun.
   This weekend, I spent quality time with four of my staff, both in the booth, in the hotel, and eating out. It's fabulous for me to get to know the staff and their hearts for our ministry better! These conversations inspire me to be more passionate about the work we're doing.
   
   
3. Austin is fun.
   Texas has never been high on my travel agenda, but Austin certainly boasts some unique characteristics. It has the world's largest bat-watching location (on the bridge by my hotel.) It's the home of Stevie Ray Vaughan. It has lots of amazing outdoor concert venues. And--it has a fantastic independent record store, bookstore, and whole foods store. (It's also the home of University of Texas, so I considered it wise to not run around in a Troy Smith jersey and Brutus Buckeye mask singing the OSU fight song.)
   
   
4. Recruiting staff is fun.
   While it's not fun to talk to a hundred people in a row who have no interest in adventure ministry, the Northwest, or job opportunities, it's so refreshing to have a conversation with someone who loves the Northwest, loves relational ministry, and is a self-prescribed "REI Junkie." There weren't as many of these conversations as I would have hoped, but at the end of the weekend, we have seven serious leads for full-time staff and seven more moderate leads for full-time staff. This is nothing to scoff at, and I look forward to following up with these individuals this week. It's also encouraging to return home and tell our staff about these leads...
   
   
5. Old friends are fun.
   On Wednesday night, I walked into my hotel only to be greeted by Ashley Clark, a good college friend whom I hadn't seen since she graduated in 2002. We screamed and hugged and shared several good conversations about ministry. It had been a good long many years since we'd prayed together in our small group in Gerig Hall and worshipped at Upland UMC. It was certainly rejuvinating to see a familiar face.
   
   
   
6. New friends are fun too.
   On Friday night, I was at the peak of my exhaustion when I passed a message board where someone had posted an ad requesting fellow concert-goers to a woman with "Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin-like sound" at a sweet venue called Threadgills. My heart burst at the idea of seeing a great alt-country concert in the live music capital of the U.S. So, even though I was exhausted and hate meeting new people when I'm exhausted, I called. And I met Clay--a complete kindred spirit who pretty much loves everything that I love. A youth worker from Tucson who made a discouraging night of exhaustion one of my most fantastic evenings on recent record...maybe ever.

So, go to Austin, see live music, recruit new staff, and you'll come home exhausted, but encouraged. That's the story.

And now, no longer these 10 day spurts between blogs. I have missed you.