NYMC Day 1 and 2

So I've not exactly blogged "through" the conference but I'm reporting this morning. So far the conference has been fantastic! Like last year, the seminar set up has provided much more time for interaction with other youth workers and gives the leaders of the seminar plenty of time to share their thougths too. The 5 volunteers that came with me are also having a good experience. This conference does not over-value the lead youth person.

The awards for the last couple days:

Most frustrating moment: Having the ramp to the GW Parkway blocked, forcing us to go in to DC and figure our way around back to it.

Best quote from our team: "I love buttons" - Corey Brooks

Funniest moment: The Skit guys Saturday night. Sandy, and his laugh, were in rare form

I'll report more when I can. Full report should come within a week of getting back. Gotta get in there for the morning worship time!

NYMC

Last year's National Youth Ministry Conference was by far the most helpful Youth Ministry conference I have been a part of. I was able to spend time with fellow youth workers, be blessed by some great worship sessions, and was a part of an incredible training/learning seminar with Mark Devries. Oh yeah, Colleen and I hung out with Kutless at the airport, well we talked to them there.

This year I'm taking 5 of our adult volunteers. First Baptist has what's called "First Baptist Foundation", or something like that. They distribute funds to minitries for projects and needs that are one time events or special, unexpected needs. This year they have graciously provided funding for these adults to be a part of the conference experience as well as funds that will enable some of our student leaders to go to California for the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry Student Leadership Conference in July!

I'll blog each day I'm there to give a recap of the day's events and such. If you see me there, say hi.

Beautiful kids

A break from really adding to my blogs and twitter has been necessary because of the change in our family.
So far Naomi has done well with Laurel. She loves on her all the time and gets upset if she has to leave Laurel to go somewhere or go to bed without giving Laurel "big hugs and kisses". At the same time she is still 3 and still a challenge. It's more of a challenge now because of the added responsibility of Laurel. I can't imagine having to be a single parent.

Laurel is doing well, but only sleeping at 2-3 hour segments right now. I'm hoping she moves on to longer sleep times at night, and so does Colleen. I want to thank everyone who has congratulated us on our beautiful little girl.

Soon I'll post pictures from a little daddy/daughter date Naomi and I went on last week...Disney on Ice.

More family pics

Laurel Catherine Cope

Wednesday Wonderings

I wonder...

Who had the idea of using tissue from dead people for live people

What innovative technologies will make our lives "easier" this next year

When the Bengals will hire a GM

Where Colleen and I will go for our anniversary...in May

Why Manny Ramirez just doesn't go ahead and sign with the Dodgers already!

How life will be different with 2 girls

If my daughters will ever compete with each other

Cool Opportunity

So I am now a Purpose Driven Youth Ministry State Mentor for Virginia. Basically it's focused on the mentoring of other youth pastors both in a one on one setting and also as a community of workers. I'll help out "rookie" youth workers in my area and connect them with other youth workers. I'll host a couple gatherings for youth workers, we'll mentor each other and try to hammer out how we can implement the 5 purposes in our ministries. It's a great group to be a part of, I participated in one when I was on the Eastern Shore and it was, by far, the most productive time I've had with other youth leaders. Another piece of the position is to be available to youth leaders in my area that might be beginning to implement the purposes. My ministry is open to those who want to come "check it out", not because we do it the way everyone should do it, but because it helps to see what else is happening around you and the feedback is always appreciated. I'll also post a blog each week on http://pdymcommunity.com

I'm excited about being a part of this. I like the idea of sharing ideas and thoughts on youth ministry and helping others as I can.

Wednesday Wonderings

I wonder...

How bad traffic will be around here on Tuesday

What I'll do all weekend at the Ski Resort when I can't ski

When it will snow here

If I'll be able to play church league softball in the summer

Who will serve as interns with the students this year

Where Colleen and I will go on our next date? Any suggestions?

Why the pizza guy thinks he comes to our house every week

Wednesday Wonderings

I'm skipping the usual wonderings and I'll focus on one thought this week.

I wonder what worship in heaven will be like. Any thoughts?

Trying something new

So I'm trying out a new "craze"...Twitter. If you know me you know that I am not one for trying stuff very often (especially not food). So here's how it works. I update it from my phone or computer and it sends that info to whomever is "following me". Basically it's like a mini blog. I want to see if it will come in handy for working with students or if it's just another thing to keep up with. If it's the former I'll stick with it, if it's the latter I'll chunk it sometime. Check it out here:

http://twitter.com/JeffreyMCope

Wednesday Wonderings

I wonder...

Who invented All Night youth events

What makes people passionate about their faith

When Yahoo will open up their fantasy baseball leagues

Where Naomi and our soon to be born daughter will go to college. My suggestion is California Baptist University.

Why bbq sauce makes my tummy feel funny

How people can be so gullable to think that blowing themselves up and killing innocent/non combatants is actually pleasing to God.

If USC will beat Penn State by 20 or 30


A guy I went to high school and college with recently had a bad dirt bike accident. His family set up a blog to keep people informed and the results have been amazing. The Press-Enterprise published an article about social networks and prayer. Check it out. I think it is amazing when there are thousands of people praying as one.

http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_S_prayerblog30.3d0ddf9.html

Wednesday Wonderings

I wonder...

Why the Bengals keep winning when they had a shot at a top 3 draft pick

Who else the Yankees will sign

What Naomi will like best this Christmas

When I'll get to go to a game at the new Yankee Stadium

Where I'll be on inaguration day

How jealous Red Sox fans are now

If it makes them feel better to say CC and Teixeria are bad players...they would have loved to have

Wednesday Wonderings

I wonder...

Why professional athletes ever say it's not about the money

Which professional athlete EVER took less money to go somewhere or stay where he was

Where teams get that kind of money from

When the Dodgers will make a move that makes sense...like resigning Furcal

Who is qualified to be an agent, if my girls ever go pro in something...I'll be their agent

What people in the rest of the world think when some American playing a game makes as much as their GNP

How tall my girls will be

If they'll be interested in soccer

A Prayer Need

I heard through the grapevine abotu a guy I knew in College who had a major injury. If you have a moment, please pray for them.

http://prayforthelamberths.wordpress.com/

Elf Copes

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Update and Wednesday Wonderings

So everyone is back to normal. Colleen is hydrated again and eating solid foods. I actually got my stiches out Monday and am finally down to a small ace bandage along with the brace. No blood clots for me. I'll start Physical Therapy soon. Naomi had some friend sover this morning and they all decorated gingerbread houses, wish I could have been there to watch her, she is adorable.


I wonder...

What I would have ever learned about World War 2 without video games

Who thinks it's weird to have a soon to be preseident that smokes. With all the info out there about cancer it's amazing anyone still smokes, it's like playing russian roulette with a fully loaded gun...you are gonna lose.

If you saw the tool on ESPN.go.com that shows what the highest paid baseball players make compared to yoru salary and how many years you would have to work to make their annual salary.

How many people are excited about American car companies making huge gaudy cars, that nobody is buying, with our tax money

When our daughter will really arrive. The C-Section has been scheduled for Janaury 31st, but these little ones have minds of their own

Where I could go and have a better church family (pretty much nowhere, this one has been amazing, especially this past week or 2)

Why God is so patient with humanity

24

This past week was a little crazy. It kind of was just a blur for the whole week up until the last 24 hours. After my surgery on Saturday I was pretty much out of it until I stopped taking the Percacet. the pain wasn't bad and the meds made me dizzy so stopping taking them wasn't a problem. The "fun" has really been in the last 24 hours though. Friday Colleen had an appointment check up at 10:30am, Naomi had a follow up appointmant at 11:10am and I had an appointment to look at some bruising on my leg at 12:30, in Maryland. SO we ran around like chickens with our heads cut off. We have set a date for Colleen's Cesarian, January 31st, 2009. Our 2nd daughter will be born then unless she has plans of her own! Naomi wouldn't pee in the cup like they needed so Colleen will have to take a sample to them on Monday or Tuesday. After my appointment I was ordered to get a blood clot test later in the day, at 5pm. So we made it home long enough for Colleen to grocery shop and Naomi to nap. My test came out normal but I have another follow up this Monday and get my stiches out this next Friday. Colleen woke up sick last night and has been in and out of the water closet all morning. We were kind of laughing about it, I guess Naomi has to take care of her parents this weekend!

Under the knife

Tomorrow is the day I go under the knife for my ACL replacement. Just in time, my knee went out again this morning. It sounds so yucky when it happens, like I injured t all over again but really it is just collapsing because it doesn't have the support it needs.
I think churches and ministries within churches are like that. You can lose an important piece and for awhile be fine but eventually it will collapse. You can try to just grin and bear it but in the end reconstruction is the best long term solution rather than walking through ministry/church life hoping it stays stable.

Wondering on Wednesday

I wonder...

What it will feel like having a dead person's body part in my body

If I'll throw up after the surgery like I did on my last knee surgery

When people will stop asking for a college football playoff...it's not coming, too much $$$ involved

Why we call Lebron James "King James"? He hasn't won anything yet nor is he an old translation of the Bible

Who gave him that nick name, hopefully not himself

Where the next soccer game I play in will be

How people decide where to go to church? Based on the preaching? Music? Stuff they have for kids? Location? Affiliation? Time of services?

People

Don't you think it's interesting how many different kinds of people there are? Beyond color and race and culture you have another layer of personality. In my job I interact with lots of different people. Some people wear me down. It might be because they are needy, difficult, confusing, or just a bit annoying but there are some people who drain me. Then there are those who seem to do just the opposite. When I am done with my time with them I feel more energized, more motivated than before I was with them. And the funny thing is that those people who fill me up are not just "energetic" people. They fill me through their thoughtfullness and their wisdom as much as they just "pump me up" to do whatever it is I am doing.

When I think about those kinds of people I think about which one I am to others. If you are taking notes, I want to be the one that energizes, encourages, and empowers and not the one that drains, confuses, and annoys.

We see a parallel to this in the Bible...the Pharisees and Jesus. The "religious leaders" held people down. They delighted in bullying people to fit in to the mold they had created. They criticized without reflection and refused to believe that there was any other viable truth than the one they were selling. When we look at the life of Jesus he was an encourager, a filler of people. He did challenge people but in a way that made them look inward and evaluate their life and their heart. That's the model I want to follow. I'd ask but I think I would be a little afraid of the answer...who am I to you? Critical, draining and annoying or encouraging, challenging and filling?