• Went to New York on Monday to work with some guys like Kevin Murrell from Northway on a middle school camp for this summer.  It should be awesome.
• Went to the city on Tuesday and got to see Sugarland (country music) doing a concert out by central park.
• Froze to death…it was so cold out there.
• Got tickets to get on the David Letterman show that aired Tuesday night we got shafted being on TV though.
• Super pumped about Sunday as I will be talking about Real Change.  We have our students doing worship, we have the skit from UNITED and it should be a good Sunday.
• Playing the boys tonight.
• SNOW!

Interesting little scramble of panic happening in Nebraska right now due to their “save haven law” which allows parents to drop off children at hospitals if they can’t care for them, without being charged with abandonment. the law extends to 17 years-old. but as lawmakers are working to lower the age to 3 days old (that’s quite a change, but apparently reflects the original intent of the law, which was to provide for infants whose parents don’t think they can care for them), a small number of parents are actually flying their teenagers into nebraska to drop them off before the law gets changed.

I don’t know what version this is in or where I found it but I love how it says it.

Eph 6:11 “So put on the full armor of God…”

“Don’t take it personally.” That was the advice an old pastor gave to a young pastor. “Don’t take what personally?” the younger man asked. “Don’t take it personally when you’re attacked and opposed in ministry. It’s not about you. You’re in a battle; it goes with the territory.”

That advice is relevant for all believers. a solider in a war gets shot at. His feelings don’t get hurt when that happens; he doesn’t take it personally; he knows it comes with being in combat.”

Part of being in ministry is being able to take the good and the bad…this is a constant struggle for me.  I wear my emotions on my sleeve, but if I am going to make it.  If any of us are going to make it than we have to realize that this is all part of the battle.

Today marks the one year anniversary of Aaron Kilmer’s death.  I debated for days on whether to write about this or not but I think for the health of our students it is important.  The worst thing to do is to pretend it didn’t happen.  Death is something that all of us are concerned with.  Some are fascinated by it others are scared of it.  I feel that there are some that don’t even ponder it and the reality that it holds in all of our lives.

Aaron’s death has left a legacy in our youth department that forever changed me.  There is not a week that goes by that Aaron is not in my mind or in my heart.  I wonder if there are other students out there that feel like Aaron felt.  Aaron’s death was not in vain in fact if anything it was an eye opening reality check for me and others like me who work with teens that it can happen to anybody.

Aaron was so respected and well liked.  He was passionte and he had a servants heart like very few I have ever met.  His smile was contagious and so was his energy that he probably got from all the energy drinks he consumed.  An infectious laugh and a heart so big and so accepting.  Aaron has taught me to live differently.  He has taught me to look out for other students who feel the way he did.  He has taught me to value every student that walks through our doors.  He has taught me to understand that life is precious.

I know there are some in our youth department who didn’t know Aaron and then there are those who’s life was changed becuase of his legacy.  May we continue to remember Aaron and students like Aaron who need our love and acceptance and who need a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on.

God, would you be the Kilmer family this weekend and all through the holidays as they are faced with the reality of an anniversary.  God would you give them comfort knowing that Aaron is with you.  God would you give them peace. Give them understanding.  Give them an ability to process and find joy even in the most diffiuclt of cicumstances.  God thank you for this family and for the legacy of “live different” life that Aaron had lived.  May others come to find life through his death.  Amen

I read a quote today on Mark Batterson’s blog that he took from Seth Godin’s book called Purple Cow.  It says, “If you aren’t remarkable you’re invisible.”  That quote is powerful and has so many hidden truths.  Working with students I see them fall into depression and frustration with their life because they feel that when you look at them they aren’t remarkable, they are invisible and because they are invisible they are useless.  I know this is not the same context that Mark or Seth were using it in, but it does make me ask that question.  How do we make students feel remarkable?

From a marketing standpoint, people can’t attend what they don’t know exists.  I still say that our youth department is one of the best kept secrets in the Delaware Valley.  However I don’t want it to be a secret, I want others to shout it from the rooftops.  I want people talking about life change.  I want people looking to Jesus.

How can we make our youth department and our church remarkable?

Just a few clips of my message from our UNITED on November 8th. Message title was God’s Extreme Makeover.

This was done at our UNITED on November 8th by our youth staff.

This game called run is so addictive…you can run straight or use the side walls.  Space bar and arrows are all you need.  Watch how many times you start over and your welcome for the insanity.

My wife will kill me but I had fun with this…look how long the light is red.

I broke down and got a new myspace account to stay in touch with some of our students who I was not getting to connect with in other avenues.  My URL is: myspace.com/rgeiger47