weekly

May 15, 2008

Hey everybody, it’s Thursday and here’s the weekly:

- F2F – join us this week as we say goodbye for a while to our dear friends Lyndsay Harwood and Seth Boner (you know what that means…a cake that may or may not have their picture on it). Also we’ll start up a 3 week series that’s going to lead us into the summer called “Taking Shape.” It’s gonna be good fun.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Pizza Hut Cards –$$ or cards due back ASAP.

May 15, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That’s Funny?

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
1 Timothy 4:12 (MSG) “And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
This chapter, from "Generation Change," by sixteen-year-old Zach Hunter, offers you ideas on how you can make a difference in the lives of others with the simple gift of clothing.

CLOTHING

In our culture the clothes we wear say a lot about us. People invest a lot of time, effort, and money on clothing. We want to look good, and we judge other people based on how they dress. People sometimes assume that if a guy is wearing this kind of jacket or those shoes, then he must be that kind of person. Or someone might say, "I need to ask her where she got that!" (This is hypothetical, guys, just bear with me!) How many decisions do we make about people because of how they look, even before we meet them?

A Bible teacher of mine once told me about a time when an elderly woman at the church was upset because a young man came into church wearing a baseball cap. She was outraged--and probably made a judgment about the kind of person he was. My teacher reminded us that we as Christians are the church, so it's actually more accurate to say he was wearing a hat on the church rather than in the church. But either way, because of the woman's judgment, the young man left the church and didn't come back.

If I'm being completely honest with myself, I have to say that I sometimes make judgments about people based on what they wear or how they look. I know there are some people who never have anything nice to wear. You know how it feels to get a new shirt or pants. And the confidence you feel from knowing you look good? Imagine never having that feeling. Not only that, but imagine that the clothes you do wear don't even protect you from the wind, rain, cold, or sun.

What if you only had one pair of shoes, and they had massive holes in the bottom? Or what if, like millions of people, you didn't have any shoes at all? It would be really easy to cut your feet, and they'd be vulnerable to infection and disease. How can we care so much about whether we are wearing the latest style, when other people have nothing at all to wear? For many people in our world, it's not about choosing which pair of shoes to wear, it's about having any shoes to wear. It's not about whether to wear a collared shirt or a T-shirt, it's about having a shirt.

I'm not trying to make you feel guilty; but I think it's important to understand that clothing is much more than a fashion issue for many people. For someone in America, having a suit, even an old one, could mean the difference between getting the job or not. A clean shirt and jeans could build the self-confidence of a high schooler living in poverty. A new pair of shoes could literally mean an extended life for a child in Africa.

Jesus even talked about how when we clothe the poor it's as if we've done an act of kindness to him directly. We'll talk about that passage from Matthew 25 a bit more in the next chapter. I think being part of Generation Change requires that we rethink some of the things we take for granted, and how much and what we do with our money is one of them.

CHANGE IT: SOLES 4 SOULS

The mission of Soles 4 Souls is to impact as many lives as possible through the gift of shoes. This organization takes donations of gently used and new shoes and delivers them to people who don't have any. Soles 4 Souls dispatches shoes to 16 different countries around the world. You can support their work by donating your own shoes, hosting a shoe drive at your school or church, or volunteering your own time. Check out www.soles4souls.org.

CHANGE IT: YOUR TURN

"Undie Sunday"

This is a pretty cool idea (with a pretty funny name) that can involve every age group. For a homeless or very poor person, new underwear can be a luxury. Most thrift stores and clothing distribution centers don't have stacks of underwear. I guess used underwear is not something most people feel good about donating! Schools and churches around America have been uniting on Undie Sunday each March to solve this problem. Families are encouraged to purchase and donate new underwear that is distributed to people in need. Since 2006, more than 155,000 pieces of NEW underwear and diapers have been donated.

Check out what else they're doing at www.dignityuwear.org.

BUY ONE, GIVE ONE

Here's a very simple idea to discourage materialism. It goes like this: For every pair of shoes you buy, you give away a pair of shoes; for every pair of pants you buy, you give away a pair of pants, and so on. Instead of accumulating more and more stuff, you think purposefully about what you buy, and give things away instead of hoarding. The practice encourages us to buy less and give more, helping us be more grateful for what we have and more conscious of materialism.

BRAINSTORM FOR CHANGE

- Take the extra buttons that come with your shirts and assemble sewing kits to help people in other countries mend their own clothing, and get paid to mend clothes for others. Send these to Extreme Response or a shelter in your area. (For more on Extreme Response, see the chapter on Friendship.)

- Make baby blankets out of fleece. You can find lots of patterns for fleece-fringed blankets online. My brother's class did this when he was in first grade--it's really easy. His class donated their blankets to a crisis pregnancy center.

- Have a Toasty Fingers and Toes drive and collect gloves and socks. Then take them to the homeless shelter and give them away yourselves.

- Many cities do a "Blanket the City" week in which people drop off blankets at many different stores. The blankets are given to the homeless and people living in shelters.

- Go to a thrift store and buy up a bunch of coats in various kid sizes. They're usually priced really well so your money will go a long way. Then arrange with a school in an impoverished area to distribute the coats to kids who don't have adequate clothing.

- Custom T-shirts are printed for many races, fairs, and other community events. Often there are many shirts left over and no way to sell them. Contact the organizers to see if you can have them donated to a shelter or thrift store.

- For a couple more great clothing-related ideas, check out Style Your Soul in the Creativity chapter and Princess Closet in the Friendship chapter.

**
Taken from "Generation Change" by Zach Hunter, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=585
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
I think it’s time to revisit this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vk4_2xboOE
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ Countdown to Prince Caspian: Find out everything there is to know about the upcoming Narnia movie.
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/

~ FlamingNet: Your place for reviews and recommendations on past, present, and future preteen, teen, and young adult books (written by and for teens)
http://www.flamingnet.com/

~ Perpetual Bubblewrap: Waste some time
http://www.urban75.com/Mag/bubble.html

~ The Hunger Site: Click to give free food
http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
Jimmy Carter is the first U.S. President to have been born in a hospital.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Beware of doubt--faith is the subtle chain that binds us to the infinite."
~ E.0. Smith

"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light."
~ Helen Keller

7. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
Ancient orators tended to Babylon.
Nope!

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Thu, 05/15/2008 - 12:42.

May 5, 2008

Hey everybody, hope you’re doing well, here are a few announcements:

- F2F – yesterday was the end of our Q & A series, we talked about how being silent and getting away from all the distractions in our lives and just listening to God is a great way to connect with him. This Sunday there will be no F2F because it’s Mother’s Day so make sure you get that homemade card or coupon book made before then. We will start back up on May 18th with some exciting things leading into the summer!
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Pizza Hut Cards –$$ or cards due back by May 4th – that’s last week so make sure you get those in as soon as possible.

May 5, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That’s Funny?

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
Mathew 14:23 “With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.” (MSG)
- In this passage, Jesus takes some time to get alone and spend some time in prayer.

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
In honor of Mother's Day approaching, we wanted to get you thinking a bit about your family, and what you can do to make it even better. Here are two excerpts from "My Family" that can help you take steps to improve your family.

NOTICING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS' NEEDS

Picture this: You come flying in the door from a friend's house, and all you can think of doing is getting to the TV because your favorite show is just about to start. Homework's done, chores are done enough--there's nothing stopping you! You take the long way through the kitchen to grab a cold glass of milk. And there, sitting at the table, is your older brother (just substitute another family member if you don't have an older brother). He actually looks like he's been crying--and you've never seen him cry. He doesn't even respond to you entering the room. Do you:

a. Say, "Hey, crybaby! Want your baby bottle?"

b. Tiptoe through, hoping he won't say anything so you can get to your TV show?

c. Stop and ask him, gently, what's going on?

Well--we know you're not dumb, and you know the last answer is the "good" one. But, really, which is the one you would probably do?

The reality is: We all have needs--all the time. Some people are better at hiding them (so, for example, it might be more of a challenge to figure out what your dad's needs are). And some people have a crazy idea that having other people help them means they're weak. But most people, most of the time, really love it when people notice their needs--you sure do!

If your mom's had a long and tiring day and you still expect her to wait on you like a servant, you're not noticing her needs. If your dad has had to work around the house the last three weekends, and his need to clean out the garage for your mom's new storage plan is keeping him from the football game on TV he really wanted to watch, volunteer to help him get it done quickly!

When you notice needs people have and do what you can to meet those needs, you can make such a huge positive difference in your family!

NOT-SO-RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

Everyone loves nice surprises. They make us feel special, noticed, cared for, and valued.

When you do unexpected things for your parents (or your siblings), you'll blow them away. This can totally change things in your family, making an okay family pretty great, or a great family even better.

Here are some ideas:

- Leave a note in your mom or dad's briefcase that they'll find at work--one that says something you appreciate about them. You could leave this note on their pillow if they don't go to work.

- If you aren't very good at doing your chores without being asked, starting to do so can be a huge surprise gift to your parents.

- Offer to wash the dishes even if it isn't your job or your turn.

- Clean up a room that isn't your job to clean up. Or clean up the garage or the backyard (if you have one!).

- If you have a little brother or sister, tell your parents you'd like them to have a night out, and you'll baby-sit (without getting paid).

- Buy a small gift for a parent (or both of them, or a sibling), just to let them know you were thinking of them. Remember, it doesn't have to be expensive to be special.

- Send your mom or dad an e-mail or text message, just saying, "I love you."

- Go to one of the many Web sites with free e-cards (e.g., www.hallmark.com or www.americangreetings.com) and send a free card. Again, just use this to tell them you love them, or to thank them for taking care of your lazy butt!

- Leave little sticky notes saying, "I love you," and "You're a great mom (or dad)," all over the places in your house where they spend their time (on their bedside clock, on the mirror in their bathroom, on the steering wheel in their car, and so on).

- Make something as a gift--like a picture or a craft. Giving something you took the time to think out and make for them is an extra-special surprise for most parents!

Taken from "My Family" by Mark Oestreicher and Kurt Johnston, copyright 2006 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=324
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian which comes out on May 16th.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmQAuBRMu6M
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ Free Rice: Learn new words while you help feed hungry people around the world
http://www.freerice.com/

~ ArcadeCow: Play free arcade games
http://www.arcadecow.com/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
The Atlantic Ocean is saltier than the Pacific Ocean.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Families are like fudge--mostly sweet with a few nuts."
~Author Unknown

"In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future."
~Alex Haley

7. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

Nope!

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 12:39.

April 28, 2008

Howdy folks – hope you all have a tremendous week, good luck with sporting events, plays, and everything else you have going on this week. Here are a few announcements:

- F2F – we are coming to the end of our series Q & A based on the issues you guys suggested. Last week you taught each other what it looks like to follow Christ, this week we’ll think about how we can connect with God on a daily basis.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Pizza Hut Cards –$$ or cards due back by May 4th – that’s THIS WEEK.
- May 3 – Camp Barnabas Prep Day – All persons going to Camp Barnabas should be at the church from 11 AM to 2 PM
- Read more about Davis’ Album here - http://joshsabo.blogspot.com/2008/04/dreams-of-distant-future.html

April 28, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That’s Funny?

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
Last week we celebrated Earth Day and Arbor Day...but the reality is that you can make choices to help save our planet every day of the year. So we're continuing on with our "Green" theme this week.

DETECTOR GADGET

One of the certainties of our current world is technology. There are always new gizmos and gadgets. There are iPods and laptops and DVDs and CDs and PSPs and mp3s and cell phones and plasma screens and...the list just continues to grow. In this world there are always new technologies. And the way we relate to them has a huge effect on the environment.

I am possibly the least tech-savvy teen in North America. I literally can't turn on my brother's computer. Of course, that may be because my brother built the computer himself using parts from several salvaged computers with three separate operating systems--but still, I should at least be able to turn it on.

I'm also one of those people who believes talking to technological devices will actually make them obey me.

Mom: "Who are you talking to, Emma? It's six in the morning!"

Me: "Er, the toaster."

Yet even with my high level of incompetence, I still manage to have my guilty technological pleasures. My brother and I actually have a deal about certain mindless TV series that we like to borrow from the library. I won't make fun of his shows, and he won't make fun of mine. Moderation in everything, right?

As long as it really is moderation.

My latest technological "guilty pleasure" has been playing Spider solitaire on my computer. Random, I know. But because I spend so much time writing on the computer, I often feel as if I deserve a little break. And I spend most of those breaks playing this game. But I've realized recently that what I meant by "little" isn't actually so little.

Let's do a bit of arithmetic. I usually let myself play two or three games of Spider after I finish a page of writing. Each game takes about ten minutes. During summer vacation, I've been writing about five days a week--with a goal of writing seven pages a day. I have about 10 weeks when I'll be free to write this summer vacation. So that's 50 writing days times seven pages per day--350 pages. But if I play just two or three little games after every page, that's between 700 and 1,050 games of Spider solitaire. Multiply that by 10 minutes per game and divide by 60 minutes in each hour...Okay, if you've been zoning out until now, here's where you should focus back in again. Because the bottom line is that I'll play between 116.67 and 175 hours of a mindless computer game just this summer vacation. It's like I've spent a full week of my vacation--five to seven complete 24-hour days--doing nothing but playing this little game! Imagine what else I could do with that time.

Maybe you don't play Spider, but you might be surprised how much of your life gets taken up by similar random things--and in our day, those things often involve staring at a video screen. Take TV commercials as an example. By the time the average American turns 20, he or she will have seen more than a million commercials. Most Americans spend a full year of their lives watching television ads. Not TV in general: just commercials. For some reason, a year of my life doesn't feel like a little time spent watching what advertisers tell me I need--it seems like a lot more time than I want to spend.
THREE SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THE WORLD THIS WEEK:

1. Instead of playing an hour of video games or chatting online, spend that time planting some flowers or plants (it'll help the environment, make things look prettier, and use zero electricity while you do it!).

2. Spend time outside. Pick up some trash on the street and throw it away.

3. Clean out your closet and recycle papers and magazines, and donate the clothes and things you don't use anymore.

**
Taken from "It's Easy Being Green" by Emma Sleeth, copyright 2008 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=584
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
People – be careful when you are playing with swords, seriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCdbwXeqV-k
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ WireTap: Ideas and Action for a New Generation
http://www.wiretapmag.org/

~ Your Environment. Your Choice
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/teens/index.htm

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
Beavers can swim half a mile underwater on one gulp of air.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money."
~Cree Indian Proverb

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb

7. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
It was raining cats and dogs. There were poodles all over the road.

Nope!

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Mon, 04/28/2008 - 12:29.

April 22, 2008

Hey guys – this is the last week to sign up for Big Stuf so make sure that you get your deposit and all your forms in, here are a few other announcements.

- F2F – we are in the middle of a series called this Q & A based on the issues you guys suggested. Last week we talked about alcohol, this week we’ll talk about what it looks like to follow Christ.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th. Final payments due June 22nd.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Pizza Hut Cards –$$ or cards due back by May 14.
- May 3 – Camp Barnabas Prep Day – All persons going to Camp Barnabas should be at the church from 11 AM to 2 PM

April 22, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That’s Funny?

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
Ephesians 5:15-16 “So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
AREN'T ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?

We've both worked with middle school students a long time, and this question is one that we've heard over and over again. It's a good question. One that deserves an answer: NO! Now, that may sound a bit harsh, but it makes total sense when you stop to think about it.

Almost nothing in this world is "all the same." When you go to Baskin-Robbins to get ice cream, the flavors aren't all the same. You have 31 different types of ice cream to choose from! Starbucks sells all kinds of coffee. You can get a one-dollar cup of plain ol' stuff or pay five dollars for one with mocha, caramel, and whipped cream. Try going to a bike shop and saying, "I'd like to buy a bike, please. Any bike will do since they're all the same." The mullet-headed, nose-pierced, bike-shop-owner dude would look at you as if you looked weird or something.

Religions aren't all the same, either. They may have some things in common, but they aren't all the same. Some of the ways religions are different from each other include what they teach about God, what they teach about Jesus, what they teach about getting to heaven, and what they teach about the Bible. There are other differences, but those are the biggies.

Another question we hear a lot is, "Are all religions true?" Again, another good question that deserves an answer: NO! The reason all religions can't be true isn't just because they're different. Different types of coffee are still true coffees, and different ice cream flavors are still true ice creams. The reason all religions can't all be true is because they all hold different beliefs that they claim as truth...beliefs that are totally opposite from each other. If beliefs about the same thing are opposite from each other, they can't both be true.

A simple example is how somebody gets to heaven. Christianity says that heaven is a free gift. Many other religions believe a ticket to heaven must be earned. Christianity believes that the gift of heaven is given to us through Jesus, God's Son. Many other religions believe that Jesus was a good guy but wasn't God's Son and has nothing to do with heaven. How can both be true?

Another difference between Christianity and other religions? Christianity isn't just a religion. Most religions make a big deal out of making sure you say the right stuff, do the right stuff, and stay away from the wrong stuff. Most religions focus on looking good on the outside. And while Christianity holds outward behavior as important, it's not the most important thing--it's about friendship with Jesus. And a true friendship with Jesus doesn't have a whole lot in common with religion.

Taken from "My Faith" by Kurt Johnston and Mark Oestreicher, copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=323
**
Taken from "Conversations with Jesus" copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthsp This month we celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day. In honor of these days, and because we think you can do something to help, we're going to spend the next two weeks focusing on how you can help save our planet.

WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

There is a mistaken impression that God gave us this world to do whatever we want with it. Right after Adam and Eve were created, God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth" (Genesis 1:28, NKJV). People sometimes think that because humans were granted "dominion" over other living things, that gives us the right to do whatever we please. But that word "dominion" really includes a responsibility to care for the planet. And in the years after they were expelled from the garden, more rules were given to the Hebrews about how they were to take care of nature, with specifics on everything from how to harvest a field to the humane treatment of domesticated animals.

The president or prime minister of a country has dominion over that country. He or she has been appointed to oversee the running of the nation. Does that mean these leaders can do whatever they want? All checks and balances aside, if government officials hope to be reelected, they can't just do anything they choose, serving only themselves and ignoring the needs, wants, and opinions of the people who elected them. Because of the trust countries put in their elected leaders, government officials have a greater responsibility to serve the nation than ordinary citizens. As one of my closest friends is always saying, "To whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48, NKJV). Or, as Uncle Ben from Spider-Man paraphrases the Holy Book, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Because we are God's people, we are "presidents" of nature. The Creator of the universe has elected us to look after the world he has made. Does this mean we can do whatever we want? On the contrary, it means we have a huge responsibility to care for his creation. The earth is a precious gift we've been asked to care for, not an entitlement. Just because it was my turn on my big brother's scooter didn't give me the right to destroy it.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that, because you are young, you don't have great power or great responsibility. We teens have a huge influence on our nation. Our parents are moved by our passion; younger kids think we are the coolest thing since sliced bread. We can use that influence for God. If we are on fire, the world will follow. Our generation is a generation that can change the planet.

THREE SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THE WORLD THIS WEEK:

1. Pack an after-school snack instead of buying one from a school vending machine. By purchasing a larger bag of your favorite treat and bringing some each day in a reusable container, you avoid the waste of unnecessary packaging.

2. Turn off your computer at night or whenever you won't be using it.

3. Get potted plants for a classroom and volunteer to keep them watered. Not only will they look nice, but they'll also clean the air for a less polluted indoor environment.

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This guy is maybe not the smartest dude on tv.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5woNs9WRE
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ How to be a Kid Environmentalist
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Kid-Environmentalist

~ Friday, April 25 is World Malaria Day. Bite Back.
http://www.biteback.net/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
A group of kangaroos is called a mob.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Don't blow it--good planets are hard to find."
~Quoted in Time

"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry."
~Thomas Fuller

7. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
You didn't hear about the three big holes in the ground? Well, well, well.

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 14:25.

April 17, 2008

Howdy folks, I present to you the weekly:

- F2F – we are starting a new series this week called Q & A based on the issues you guys suggested. Last week we talked about denominations, this week we’ll talk about issues related to alcohol.
- This weekend I’ll be talking grace at a retreat Western Oaks youth group is doing. It will start at 6 PM at Centennial Park if any of you guys are interested in coming and hanging out for a little bit.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th. Final payments due June 22nd.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Sonic Cards – We will be selling Sonic coupon cards for $5 each. For every card you sell $5 will be credited to your account.
- Pizza Hut Cards – These cards are similar to the Sonic cards, they sell for $10 each and for every card you sell $6 is credited to your account. $$ or cards due back by May 14.
- Boxes of Candy Bars – Sell a box with 52 candy bars in it and you will have $32 applied to your account.
- May 3 – Camp Barnabas Prep Day – All persons going to Camp Barnabas should be at the church from 11 AM to 2 PM

April 17, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Uh, That’s Funny?

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
1 Corinthians 10:24 “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
AREN'T ALL RELIGIONS BASICALLY THE SAME?

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Video of the week this week comes courtesy of Mrs. Betsy Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN_LPTNQEqM
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ Search for lyrics to your favorite songs
http://www.lyrics.com/

~ Create your own Jackson Pollack painting
http://jacksonpollock.org/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
Most dreams last only 5 to 20 minutes.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you."
~Author Unknown

"He who praises everybody praises nobody."
~Samuel Johnson

7. UH, THAT’S FUNNY?
There was a guy who was fired from the orange juice factory for lack of concentration.

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

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Submitted by joshsabo on Thu, 04/17/2008 - 14:42.

April 9, 2008

What up my people, good tidings to you (what in the world does that mean? I’m not real sure but hey there it is), here’s what’s going down in the CBC youth world:

- F2F – we are starting a new series this week called Q & A based on the issues you wrote on note cards last week. Last week we talked about Adam and Eve, this week will talk about denominations and why they exist and how we should view them.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Sonic Cards – We will be selling Sonic coupon cards for $5 each. For every card you sell $5 will be credited to your account.
- Pizza Hut Cards – These cards are similar to the Sonic cards, they sell for $10 each and for every card you sell $6 is credited to your account.
- Boxes of Candy Bars – Sell a box with 52 candy bars in it and you will have $32 applied to your account.

April 9, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Parting Shot

1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
SAFE SEX

TOPIC: Setting proper sexual boundaries

MAIN SCRIPTURE: "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." (Song of Solomon 8:4)

OTHER SCRIPTURES: Psalm 119:9; John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Ephesians 5:1-20; Hebrews 13:4

WHAT JESUS MIGHT SAY TO YOU:

I see the sexual messages society repeatedly tries to pound into your head. Society wants you to think that sex is simply a physical act, that there's nothing wrong with premarital sex. Don't believe it.

I'll get straight to the point: Premarital sex is sin. I'm not trying to make life miserable for you, but your heart isn't ready to handle the intimacy of a sexual relationship. Awakening your heart before the time is right will have devastating effects--including in your life with the person you eventually marry. Trust me.

So let's construct some boundaries together before you pass the point of no return:

1. Invite me into your relationships. I didn't come so you would have an unsatisfying life; I came so you might have an abundant life. And besides, I'm present in all your relationships--don't you think it's about time you acknowledge me in them? Make me an active part in your conversation, and you'll discover a spiritual dimension of your relationship that few couples enjoy.

2. Don't ask how far you can go. When you do that, you're looking for ways to get around me. Instead stay far enough from the boundary that you won't have to ask that question. (Of course, asking me for a little insight doesn't hurt.)

3. Take time to get to know the other person. Usually when a premarital relationship becomes sexual, the two people stop exploring each other's hearts.

4. Do things in groups. This will go a long way toward preventing you from placing yourself in compromising positions.

5. Ask your friends to help you stay pure. They're an important line of defense.

You have a lifetime of enjoyable sex ahead of you. Don't put it in jeopardy by prematurely exploring it. And remember: If you've already explored, I love you just the same as I always have--just ask for my forgiveness and start your life and relationships anew.

Love, Jesus

SUMMARY CHALLENGE: Jesus wants you to enjoy a lifetime of sex--but he doesn't want you to lessen the joy by having sex before you're married.

Taken from "Conversations with Jesus" copyright 2006, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=319
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Welp…this is cute. aww
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZB0no_RCMs
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ Scientific (?) Experiments with Twinkies
http://www.twinkiesproject.com/

~ Color a Picture
http://www.coloring.com/pictures/choose.cdc

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
In ancient Rome it was considered a sign of leadership to be born with a crooked nose

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Love is the great conqueror of lust."
~C.S. Lewis

"The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost."
~G.K. Chesterton

7. PARTING SHOT
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Wed, 04/09/2008 - 11:08.

April 2, 2008

Hey there folks, hope you’re having awesome weeks, here are some things that you need to know;

- F2F – we are starting a new series this week called Q & A based on the issues you wrote on note cards last week. This week the talk will be called Adam and Eve/Their Story/Our Story. Over the next few weeks we’ll be hitting on topics ranging from different denominations to alcohol to what it means to have a relationship with God.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Sonic Cards – We will be selling Sonic coupon cards for $5 each. For every card you sell $5 will be credited to your account.
- Pizza Hut Cards – These cards are similar to the Sonic cards, they sell for $10 each and for every card you sell $6 is credited to your account.
- Boxes of Candy Bars – Sell a box with 52 candy bars in it and you will have $32 applied to your account.
- April 5 – Lincoln Memorial ½ Marathon Water Table – those of you who have volunteered need to be at the corner of 7th St and Cook by 6:30 AM, our water duties should be over by 8 AM at which point we’ll go get some breakfast. I’m expecting Taylor, Paige, Jenna, Amy, Scott, Brewberry, Autumn, Alexis, Maria, Mason and Chelsey. If you decide you can’t help out let me know ASAP. Also, if you’d like to help let me know too because that would be great.
- April 6 – Invite your parents to Face 2 Face, Wade will be a leading a workshop and a time for parents to connect with one another.

April 2, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Parting Shot

===========our|sponsor===========
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MAKE DISCIPLES?

Before Jesus left his disciples he said to them, "go and make disciples of all nations." It was a command for everyone who follows Jesus. But what does it mean?

In "Duplicate This!" you'll learn the foundations of discipleship and what it means to make a disciple, and you'll be equipped to walk with your friends as they learn what it looks like to follow Jesus.

Learn more about "Duplicate This!" here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=581 =================================
1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
WHAT DID JESUS MEAN WHEN HE COMMANDED US TO EAT HIS BODY AND DRINK HIS BLOOD? (ALL ABOUT COMMUNION)

It must have been an incredible sight to watch Jesus preach. John 6 details a real-life meeting between Jesus, the disciples, and 5,000 witnesses.

Can you imagine? They sat on a hill, Jesus at the bottom, the disciples sitting at his feet listening to every word out of this miracle healer's mouth. He was already gaining quite a reputation for being a man who could perform miracles over nature, and he even claimed to be able to forgive their sins.

The Bible doesn't describe the message. We don't know if Jesus was preaching about following God or about a husband treating a wife with respect. What we do know is that he was setting the stage for something great!

The message was about to end, and Jesus leaned over to Philip and said, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" (John 6:5).

He knew what he was doing (verse 6). The Bible says he already had a plan. He was testing Philip to see what the disciples' response would be. I suppose you can infer that he was ready to really put their faith to the test.

Crowds of people were following, but did they really believe Jesus could perform a miracle this big--feeding 5,000 people? (Actually, in Jesus' time, 5,000 referred to the number of men only; there could have been double the amount if they counted women and children.)

Can you imagine Philip's face when Jesus asked him where to buy bread? To Philip, it probably seemed as if Jesus were commanding him to go and find the money, the restaurant, and the catering company to deliver the food; and surely the crowd was getting hungry.

I don't know if you've ever seen a crowd go into a feeding frenzy, but if they were anything like American crowds, Philip knew they were about to have a problem.

They didn't have the money to feed all those people. They didn't have the resources even if they had the money. There wasn't a place where 10,000 people could sit down and eat all at the same time. What was Philip to do?

You've probably read the story before. If not, check it out in John 6. Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish and prayed to God to supply their need. The Bible records that the meal was so bountiful the disciples picked up the scraps and filled 12 baskets with the leftovers. It was a miracle over nature.

The next day, Jesus began to teach the disciples about bread that would keep you from going hungry (verses 32-59). He gave them a history lesson of the Old Testament Israelites in the desert and reminded them of God's provision in their hunger by miraculously placing manna in the desert every morning for them to eat.

Then he recalled the miracle just performed in front of their eyes, as if to say, "Hey, guys, if I can provide you with physical food, don't you think I can provide you with spiritual food?" He says in John 6:53, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood; you have no life in you."

He was making a point. You have physical hunger, but you also have spiritual hunger. If I can feed your physical body, don't worry--I'll take care of your spiritual body as well.

The New Testament is full of wonderful analogies of bread and water as sustenance for our bodies, as well as Jesus' provision and their meaning in our spiritual lives. Jesus even ends his three-year earthly relationships with his disciples by conjuring up an analogy of bread and wine as it relates to his body and blood.

WHY DID JESUS BREAK BREAD WITH THE DISCIPLES BEFORE HE WENT TO DIE?

Just like baptism, the other sacrament you can find in almost every church in the world is communion. It's the time when they pull out the silver offering plates full of broken crackers and grape juice--or whatever format your church uses.

Growing up, my pastor always used to tell us about how we are to remember Jesus by eating his body, represented by the bread, and drinking his blood, represented by the grape juice. And although I think remembering Jesus' death on the cross is vitally important, I don't think it's just Jesus' death that's cause for this ceremony.

Jesus took his disciples into an upper room to eat the last supper.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." --MATTHEW 26:26-28

What if he wasn't trying to tell the disciples to remember the event of the crucifixion merely for the event itself? What if Jesus was actually trying to communicate that the spiritual sustenance was about to be poured out? He commanded the disciples to remember--but remember what?

WHY DO WE "DO COMMUNION" TODAY?

I think communion is one of those things we need to take a look at and ask ourselves if it's necessary to do it like we've always done it.

Imagine for a minute you were about to give someone the gift of eternal life, but you were going to have to face the most excruciating torture known to the world to this point in order to give it. If she accepted your gift, would you want her reflecting on the sacrifice, or the gift?

I think Jesus wanted us to use communion as a rallying cry, not as a memorial. He wanted us to remember his sacrifice, sure; but I think he smiles down on us when we approach his throne with a joyful attitude of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving. Don't we have a holiday like that?

Isn't Thanksgiving the time when all our families gather around one common table of thanks? We make certain foods to remember the pilgrims and their voyage to America. We give thanks for all the blessings we've had during the year, and often those blessings include loud, funny stories. Sometimes they even help us recall embarrassing moments. We tell jokes. We have serious talks. We sit around and remember--remember for the sake of our family here in America.

I wonder if communion should be the Christian Thanksgiving feast. What if we all gathered around a table and took communion like we eat Thanksgiving dinner? We remember the good times, we recall the sacrifice, and we celebrate the fact that Jesus came to die so we could live. Wouldn't that be cool?

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNION?

- Who are those free from sin?

- Who has received eternal life through Jesus?

- Who is set free from their old sinner selves and reconciled to a righteous God?
- Who has experienced God's grace?

- Who has accepted God's forgiveness?

- Who is living an abundant life because of Christ's death?

- Who is making disciples?

- Who is obeying Jesus' commands?

- Who really loves Jesus?

I suppose there's your answer.

**
Taken from "Duplicate This!" by Andy Braner, copyright 2008, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=581
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
From a group called Improv Everywhere – they do cool stuff, in this video they get a bunch of red head’s together to protest the Wendy’s logo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoPmd_wc7s8
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~Famous Hoaxes Throughout History (just in time for April Fool's Day! psych)
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/history/before_1700

~Find cool places to volunteer
http://www.coolworks.com/volunteer/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
More redheads are born in Scotland than in any other part of the world.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"In the Kingdom of God, service is not a stepping-stone to nobility: it is nobility." ~T.W. Manson

"Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed, not by strength, but perseverance."
~Samuel Johnson

7. PARTING SHOT
A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital. When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was a nurse said, "No change yet."

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

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Submitted by joshsabo on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 14:45.

March 26, 2008

Hey everybody, hope you’re enjoying your spring break (if you’re not there yet – hang in there). Here are a couple things to be aware of:

- F2F – Approaching Easter – This Sunday we will finish the Approaching Easter series by talking about our response to Easter.
- Joy Box – Our sacrificial offerings in the Joy Box will be going toward providing clean, healthy drinking water for a community in Africa. Think about what you could sacrifice so that you could give money toward this cause.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Sonic Cards – We will be selling Sonic coupon cards for $5 each. For every card you sell $5 will be credited to your account.
- Pizza Hut Cards – These cards are similar to the Sonic cards, they sell for $10 each and for every card you sell $6 is credited to your account.
- Boxes of Candy Bars – more information coming soon.
- April 5 – Lincoln Memorial ½ Marathon Water Table – those of you who have volunteered need to be at the corner of 7th St and Cook by 7 AM, our water duties should be over by 8 AM at which point we’ll go get some breakfast.
- April 6 – Invite your parents to Face 2 Face, Wade will be a leading a workshop and a time for parents to connect with one another.

March 26, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Parting Shot

===========our|sponsor===========
WHO WAS JESUS? A GOOD MAN? A LUNATIC? GOD?

There's little question that he actually lived. But miracles? Rising from the dead? Some of the stories you hear about him sound like just that--stories. That's why Lee Strobel--an award-winning legal journalist with a knack for asking tough questions--decided to investigate Jesus for himself. An atheist, Strobel felt certain his findings would bring Christianity's claims about Jesus tumbling down like a house of cards.

He was in for the surprise of his life. Join him as he retraces his journey from skepticism to faith. Like Strobel, you'll be amazed at the evidence--how much there is, how strong it is, and what it says.

Learn more about "Case for Christ" here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=93
=================================
1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
Philippians 1:29 “There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting.”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
WHAT DID JESUS DO AFTER EASTER?

In 1963 the body of 14-year-old Addie Mae Collins, one of four African-American girls tragically murdered in a church bombing by white racists, was buried in Birmingham, Alabama. For years family members kept returning to the grave to pray and leave flowers. In 1998 they decided to move the body to another cemetery.

But when workers went to dig up the body, they returned with a shocking discovery: The grave was empty.

Understandably, family members were terribly upset. Cemetery officials scrambled to figure out what had happened. Several possibilities were raised, the main one being that Addie Mae's tombstone had been erected in the wrong place.

In all of the discussion, however, one explanation was never proposed: Nobody suggested that young Addie Mae had been resurrected to walk the earth again. Why? Because by itself an empty grave does not prove a resurrection.

It's one thing to conclude that Jesus' grave really was empty on Easter Sunday (see chapter 8). While I knew that this was important and necessary evidence for Jesus' resurrection, I was also aware that a missing body is not conclusive proof by itself. If I were going to believe that a dead person came back to life, I'd want more evidence.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Even the persistent myth that Elvis is still alive wouldn't have gained any momentum without the occasional report of an Elvis sighting. What I needed to know was, were there any Jesus sightings after his death? And if so, were they any more believable than the Elvis sightings reported in those tabloids you find in the checkout lane at Target?

500 EYEWITNESSES

The sighting witnessed by the greatest number of people at one time is reported by the apostle Paul, who wrote this in a letter to the church in Corinth:

What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time. Most of them are still living.

What catches my attention is that last sentence: "Most of them are still living." (You can read it for yourself in 1 Corinthians 15:3--6, NIrV.) Paul either knew some of these people or else he was told by someone who knew them that they were still walking around and willing to be interviewed.

Now stop and think about it: Would you include a statement like that if you weren't absolutely certain that these guys would confirm that they really did see Jesus alive? I mean, Paul was basically inviting people to check it out for themselves. Would he have said this if he wasn't confident they'd back him up?

EXAMINING THE ALTERNATIVES

All the evidence in the Gospels and Acts--incident after incident, witness after witness, detail after detail--was extremely impressive. But couldn't there be some plausible alternatives that could explain these apparent encounters with the risen Jesus?

Possibility 1: The Sightings Are Legends

If you've ever gone off on some adventure and come back with stories to tell, you know how those stories can grow bigger and better with each retelling--especially if there were a lot of people involved to add their own variations. The rapids you encountered on a whitewater rafting trip, for example, in memory seem more treacherous, the paddling more heroic, and your tumble out of the raft positively death-defying.

Maybe that's how the reports of Jesus' resurrection appearances got going. Maybe the accounts are merely legends that grew up over time.

One argument in favor of this possibility is the fact that the accounts become more numerous throughout the Gospels: Mark records no appearances; Matthew has some; Luke has more; and John has the most.

Possibility 2: The Sightings Were Hallucinations

Maybe the witnesses were sincere in believing they saw Jesus. Perhaps they accurately reported what they saw. But could they have been seeing a hallucination that convinced them they were encountering Jesus when they really weren't?

The biggest argument in favor of the hallucination theory, as far as I'm concerned, is that hallucinations are more common than resurrections. It's generally easier to believe that someone is hallucinating than that someone came back to life.

Possibility 3: Wishful Thinking

You probably know people who almost always manage to see what they want to see, to spin a situation to suit what they already believe. Like the guy who's convinced he's God's gift to women: a girl can walk past him without so much as a glance in his direction, and he'll turn to you and say, "She wants me!" Or the group that thinks their band is on the verge of breaking into the big time, even though they've never gotten a gig outside their own garage.

Maybe Jesus' followers were so set on seeing Jesus rise from the grave that they talked themselves--and one another--into believing it had happened. People who accept this possibility will tell you that stranger things have happened in the name of faith.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

If you're into logic, or history, or theology, you probably find all these lists of eyewitnesses and arguments for and against Christ's resurrection pretty gripping.

But if you're not into any of those things, you may be wondering, "What difference does it really make whether Jesus showed up and proved he was alive to a bunch of people who are now dead themselves?"

And that's a good question.

Because if Jesus' resurrection doesn't have anything to do with life today, does it matter whether he rose from the dead or not?

Encounters with Jesus 2,000 years ago may be the stuff of theology, but encounters with Jesus today--now that could make me sit up and take notice! And that's exactly what a professor named J.P. Moreland claims to have experienced.

We were bantering about football and whether his team (the Kansas City Chiefs) or mine (the Chicago Bears) had any chance of making it to the Super Bowl (probably not) when Moreland casually mentioned, "You've forgotten a whole category of encounters with Christ, you know."

After taking a second or two to shift gears from football to evidence for Christ's resurrection, I finally said, "I give up. What encounters do you mean?"

"It's the ongoing encounter with the resurrected Christ that happens all over the world, in every culture, to people from all kinds of backgrounds and personalities," he said. "They all will tell you that more than any single thing in their lives, Jesus Christ has changed them."

Moreland leaned forward for emphasis. "To me, this is the final evidence--not the only evidence, but the final confirming proof--that the message of Jesus can open the door to a direct encounter with the risen Christ."

"I assume you've had an encounter like that," I said. "Tell me about it."

"I was a cynical chemistry major at the University of Missouri when I was confronted with the fact that if I examined the claims of Jesus Christ critically but with an open mind, there was more than enough evidence for me to believe it.

"So I took a step of faith in the same direction the evidence was pointing, by receiving Jesus as my forgiver and leader. And I began to relate to him--to the resurrected Christ--in a very real and ongoing way.

"In three decades since then, I've had hundreds of specific answers to prayer, I've had things happen that simply cannot be explained by natural explanations, and I have experienced a changed life beyond anything I could have imagined."

"Wait a minute," I protested. "Lots of people in other religions experience life change, too. Isn't it dangerous to base a decision on an experience you can't prove?"

"Let me make two things clear," Moreland said. "First, I'm not saying, 'Just trust your experience.' I'm saying, 'Use your mind calmly and weigh the evidence, and then see whether your experience confirms that evidence.' Second, if what this evidence points to is true, the evidence itself begs for an experiential test."

"An experiential test?" I repeated. "Define that."

"The experiential test is, 'He's alive, and I can find out by relating to him.' If you were on a jury and heard enough evidence to convince you of someone's guilt, it wouldn't make sense to stop short of the final step of convicting him. And for people to accept the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus and not take the final step of testing it experientially would be to miss where the evidence is leading."

Which, of course, leads to the obvious question: are you open to taking that step?
**
Taken from "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel and Jane Vogel, copyright 2001, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=93
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
From a group called Improv Everywhere – they do cool stuff, check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxuo
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ Experiments with everyone's favorite Easter candy
http://www.peepresearch.org/

~ Make a hat out of Duct Tape
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Duct-Tape-Top-Hat

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"The seed dies into new life and so does man."
~ George MacDonald

"Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us."
~ John Stott

7. PARTING SHOT
Jesus loves you.

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Wed, 03/26/2008 - 15:21.

March 19, 2008

Howdy folks, there are a ton of announcements so read them carefully also pay special attention to the “Something for your heart” section – it’s one of my favorite articles to read during Holy Week.

- F2F –NO F2F THIS WEEK- enjoy Easter with your family and come out to the Bowling Fundraiser at 8:30.
- NCAA March Madness Challenge – go to http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/group?groupID=34207 and fill out a bracket then join the group CBC YOUTH and enter the password central. Winner gets: a couple cds (one of those being Dave Barnes' new cd that is coming out April 1), a sweet trophy, and a $15 giftcard for Buffalo Wild Wings and the person that comes in last place gets: a sweet trophy and some breath mints. You have to fill it out by tonight or it will be too late!!
- Joy Box – Remember that one of the disciplines we are practicing during Lent is almsgiving. The things that we fast from should free up some of our money to give to transform the lives of other people.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits. Forms and deposit must be in by April 27th.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- March 26 – Cosmic Bowling Fundraiser – this Sunday (Easter) 8:30 – 11 PM at Strike N Spare West – cost is $15 which includes shoes and all the bowling you can do – in order to have a portion of the fundraiser money applied to your account you must come and bring a friend.
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Sonic Cards – We will be selling Sonic coupon cards for $5 each. For every card you sell $5 will be credited to your account.
- Pizza Hut Cards – These cards are similar to the Sonic cards, they sell for $10 each and for every card you sell $6 is credited to your account.
- Boxes of Candy Bars – more information coming soon.
- April 5 – Lincoln Memorial ½ Marathon Water Table – those of you who have volunteered need to be at the corner of 7th St and Cook by 7 AM, our water duties should be over by 8 AM at which point we’ll go get some breakfast.
- April 6 – Invite your parents to Face 2 Face, Wade will be a leading a workshop and a time for parents to connect with one another.

March 19, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Parting Shot

===========our|sponsor===========
WHO WAS JESUS? A GOOD MAN? A LUNATIC? GOD?

Learn more about "Case for Christ" here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=93
=================================
1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
Seven Days to Live
What can we learn from Jesus' last week on earth?
by Bill Hybels
When some celebrity dies—such as Princess Diana or Sonny Bono—filmmakers often scramble to put together a documentary that examines the last hours or days of that person's life.
What if you knew you had only one week to live? What actions, what priorities, would be captured on film?
Passion Week—the last week of Jesus' life, before he faced a criminal's execution on a cross—was an extraordinary week. Jesus knew he was going to die in seven days. He knew it would be an excruciatingly painful death. But there's much we can learn from what Jesus taught and from how he acted in the week preceding Easter Sunday.
Saturday
The weekend before his death, Jesus stayed at the home of three of his closest friends in the small town of Bethany, about two miles outside Jerusalem. These people weren't among his 12 disciples; they were personal friends—Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus chose to spend his last days of freedom with them.
Throughout Jesus' teaching ministry, he emphasizes the importance of community. Jesus continually told all who would listen, "You were created for community with God and others. You were created with a yearning to know and be known, to love and be loved, to serve and be served, to celebrate and be celebrated."

What are you doing with the one and only life God's given you?

Have you found this kind of community in your life? It's more than good relationships with your family. You need an inner circle of friends who are fellow believers—just as Jesus had—with whom you can be honest, with whom you can "do life" together.
Sunday
On Palm Sunday—six days before Jesus' death—people lined the streets, waving palms as he entered Jerusalem. It was the first-century equivalent of our ticker-tape parades for heroes down the streets of New York City.
Jesus' popularity was at an all-time high; his teaching had astonishing power. Jesus had changed people's hearts and healed them physically. He'd even recently brought someone back from the dead! By far, Jesus was one of the most popular people in the entire Middle East.
But everyone who lined the streets had a different reason for waving those palms. Some were political activists; they'd heard Jesus had supernatural power, and they wanted him to use it to free Israel from Roman rule. Others had loved ones who were sick or dying. They waved branches, hoping for physical healing. Some were onlookers merely looking for something to do, while others were genuine followers who wished Jesus would establish himself as an earthly king. Jesus was the only one in the parade who knew why he was going to Jerusalem—to die. He had a mission, while everyone else had an agenda.
A couple of weeks ago, I spent some time between flights looking at books on spirituality in the airport bookstore. I discovered things haven't really changed in two thousand years. People are still trying to push their agendas for what the power of God can do. What about you?
Monday
On this day, Jesus did something that shocked people. Known for his love, gentleness, and humility, Jesus came into the temple, saw all the little arcades set up for commercial business, and cleaned house. He overturned the merchants' tables and kicked them out of the temple. People had never seen this side of Jesus before.
Why did Jesus act with such passion? Because he saw worship at the temple in Jerusalem going awry. Jesus knew he had to straighten out the situation before he died, was resurrected, and returned to heaven. The message of his transforming power was going to be left in the hands of worshiping communities. Jesus couldn't afford to have any church get distracted and caught up in questionable activities. They alone would possess the message that would change the world. Jesus sent a signal: Don't get sidetracked. Stay on target. Stay on the mission of spreading God's love.
Tuesday
Jesus taught from early morning till late at night. When the sun went down on Tuesday, his earthly teaching was done.
As dusk approached, Jesus taught the parable of the talents. In those final moments before his teaching ministry came to an end, he told his listeners, in essence, "You have one life. That's it. Some of you have all kinds of gifts and abilities; some of you have less. But don't squander the one and only life God's given you; do something noble and great with it." How poignant it is that as Jesus talked about this, he knew his life was almost over.
Jesus also spoke about the day of reckoning. But Jesus referred to the day when all moral accounts will be settled. He taught that when that day comes, either people will pay for their evil by being separated from God forever, or they'll be rewarded for having accepted Jesus' payment on the cross for the evil they committed. \
Wednesday
Most scholars believe this was a day of solitude for Jesus. He was doing the most important thing he could—getting alone with God. As he quieted himself, he heard the still small whisper of his Father say, "You're on a mission, and it's going to be difficult, but I'm asking you to endure. I'll be with you."
Some would call it a wasted day. Others would say it was a day that gave Jesus strength to do what he needed to do.
We live in a culture that no longer values solitude. We go from one meeting to the next, one deadline to the next, one activity to the next. Too often we fail to quiet ourselves enough to hear what God would say to us—if only we were listening.
Thursday
This day, Jesus took a normal Passover meal and changed it forever. All the arrangements had been made, but then the foot-washer didn't show up! The disciples came to dinner with dusty feet, and stood around asking who messed up the arrangements. It never dawned on them that maybe one of them could humble himself to do that for anybody else.
Jesus came, took off his robe, put a towel over his arm, filled a basin with water, then knelt down and started washing the disciples' feet. They couldn't believe it! The Son of God, the Savior of the world—and he had the humility to wash their feet.
In today's words, here's the lesson: True fulfillment never comes from a life of self-gratification. The way to the top in God's economy is through serving. It's finding God's mission for your life and engaging in it. It's finding people you can humbly serve in daily, down-to-earth ways. And when you find God's purpose for your life and pursue it in a spirit of humility and servanthood, your heart spills over with love and gratefulness.
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, and when he was done, he said, "Now, you go out and live this way."
Friday
On Friday, Jesus voluntarily submitted to be nailed to a cross.
The Bible says at noon the skies got dark. There was an earthquake. The temple veil was torn. People suddenly realized that when Jesus cried out, "It is finished," and then died, he was no ordinary man.
Jesus was taken from the cross, prepared for burial, and put in a tomb.
Thankfully, the story doesn't end there. But what follows next—Saturday—is most difficult of all, because it's the day between the promise and the fulfillment of the promise. Jesus had predicted he'd be crucified, and that he'd rise from the dead. He was dead all right. But would he come back?
On Sunday, Jesus burst forth from the tomb exactly as he'd predicted. The guards at the tomb saw him, went back to tell the officials, "He's alive!" and were paid to keep quiet about it.
Jesus appeared to more than 500 people—cynics as well as believers—before he ascended into heaven. There was no question about whether or not Jesus was resurrected.
I once spoke to a Muslim who knew I was a Christian. He said, "How come you won't convert to Islam?" I said, "'Cause I won't follow a dead guy. It's that simple. Your prophet Mohammed is in the tomb. How can you get behind anything where the leader, the founder who claims to be something, has no evidence for being any different than any other man?" Jesus Christ is the only religious leader whose tomb says "unoccupied."
With his resurrection, Jesus proved he is the Son of God. And by what he did during his last week alive, but most importantly, on Easter Sunday, your life—and your eternity—can be changed forever.
Bill Hybels is senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois.
Saturday: John 12: 1-11
Sunday: John 12: 12-19, Mark 11: 1-11
Monday: Mark 11: 12-19
Tuesday: Mark 11: 20- the end of Mark 13
Wednesday:
Thursday: John 13, Mark 14: 12-72
Friday: John 19, Mark 15
Saturday: John 20 and 21, Mark 16
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Brian Fellows – SNL – this is pretty funny stuff courtesy of Scotty Kinkade
http://www.zippyvideos.com/9516046754102066/snl_-_brian_fellows_devil_go...
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ Sheepherding: Test your reflexes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/reaction_version5.swf

~ Send a SpoonTone to a friend
http://blizzardfanclub.com/spoontones/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
If you shake a can of mixed nuts, the larger ones go to the top.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
"Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection."
~Watchman Nee

"If the [resurrection] happened, it was the central event in the history of the earth."
~C.S. Lewis

7. PARTING SHOT
Fill out your bracket – right now!

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 15:13.

March 12, 2008

Hello everyone – I hope you are all having great weeks. Here are some things to be aware of:

- F2F – Approaching Easter – Last week we talked about our need to die to seen and God’s willingness to raise us from the dead. This week we are going to do something a little different and go through the stations of the cross. It will be a more contemplative experience to help prepare you for Holy Week.
- Joy Box – Remember that one of the disciplines we are practicing during Lent is almsgiving. The things that we fast from should free up some of our money to give to transform the lives of other people.
- Big Stuf – July 5th – 11th in Panama City Beach, FL. Forms are available now so get them filled out and turned in along with your $50 deposits.
- Big Stuf fundraisers – The awesome mentors have done a great job putting together some fundraiser opportunities for Big Stuf:
- May 31 – CAR WASH – 9 AM to 3 PM – it will be held at Ace Hardware on Wabash Ave. The amount applied to your account will depend on how many hours you are able to volunteer. Come help and invite as many friends and family members as you can!
- Sonic Cards – We will be selling Sonic coupon cards for $5 each. For every card you sell $5 will be credited to your account.
- Pizza Hut Cards – These cards are similar to the Sonic cards, they sell for $10 each and for every card you sell $6 is credited to your account.
- Boxes of Candy Bars – more information coming soon.
- April 5 – Lincoln Memorial ½ Marathon Water Table – those of you who have volunteered need to be at the corner of 7th St and Cook by 7 AM, our water duties should be over by 8 AM at which point we’ll go get some breakfast.
- April 6 – Invite your parents to Face 2 Face, Wade will be a leading a workshop and a time for parents to connect with one another.

March 12, 2008
Contents
1. Memorization - Verse of the Week
2. Something for Your Heart
3. Video of the Week
4. Surf Report
5. Forgettable Fact
6. Potent Quotables
7. Parting Shot

===========our|sponsor===========
SERVE GOD BY SAVING THE PLANET

Our planet is no longer the paradise God created. In "It's Easy Being Green" you'll learn how to honor God in the choices you make and you'll begin to understand the impact those choices have on the environment. Sixteen-year-old Emma Sleeth will help you see how you can make a difference at school, around the house, and all over the world.

Learn more about "It's Easy Being Green" here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=584
=================================
1. MEMORIZATION VERSE OF THE WEEK
John 11:25 - 26 “Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

2. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

This morning, my dad talked to a class full of fourth graders about the environment. He spoke with the class by speakerphone--one of my younger friends from our faith group in the last place we lived had set it all up. Erin was excited about sharing one of her favorite adults with her friends. And that adult was really excited about talking to the kids.

Now you have to understand: My dad speaks about the environment all the time. He has meetings with the head of the Sierra Club, preaches in churches with 10,000 members, and rubs shoulders with some of the most knowledgeable and influential scientists who are researching climate change. He's been followed by camera crews and interviewed on national radio programs. So you might not think he'd be all that excited about speaking by phone to a classroom of elementary school kids.

But when I came into the kitchen a few hours after everyone else had gotten up (I'm a teen, okay?), Dad was practically bouncing off the walls, waiting for the class to call. He didn't even want to toast his English muffin, because it might take too long and he wanted to be done eating when the phone rang.

When dad got off the phone, he said the class was awesome. He always says that if you talk to kids like adults, they'll respond. Nobody likes being talked down to, no matter how old they are. Kids always want to know, "What can I do? What can I do?" instead of wanting to change other people. My dad is convinced that this desire to work on our own personal habits before trying to get other people to change is what's really going to help the ecosystem. And he loved that the kids were all happy to comply with his request to give his young friend Erin a hug for him because he lives too far away now.

Obviously, it's been a while since most of us were in fourth grade. But as I think about Dad talking to Erin's class, I believe there are a few ideas we can learn that apply not only to our younger friends but also to us "big kids" in high school or junior high.

The first is that most adults really love interacting with kids--and vice versa. There is something exciting about youth. We might not be famous, we might not have all the answers, but young people have an energy and passion that is contagious. And when it comes to saving the earth, that energy can help get others excited about joining in.

Dad's talk with the fourth graders also reminds me that there needs to be respect and cooperation across generations in order for us to have a greener planet. Dad didn't talk down to the kids, and when it comes to serious issues like the environment, we teenagers don't need--or want--some oversimplified "environmentalism for dummies" version. When we are enthusiastic and mature about environmental responsibility, we'll learn more and get more respect.

Those fourth graders are also a reminder that so much of caring about the environment is taking personal action. There's a reason why "Be the change you wish to see in the world" is such a popular saying--it's because it works. If we want things to be different, the best place to start is with our very behavior.

Finally, the hugs those kids were glad to offer my friend Erin are a reminder that everybody loves (and sometimes even needs) a little encouragement. The environment is a big issue, but it's not a depressing one. It's so important to encourage each other and to focus on positive changes we can make. And like the fourth graders my dad spoke with, one of the places where we can join together to make a big difference is at our schools.

TEN STEPS TOWARD A GREENER EDUCATION

There are some very simple things you can do to make your school education kinder to God's creation. Some are purely personal changes, whereas others may take more organization, approval, and support from friends and faculty. Here are just a few:

1. Always write on both sides of your paper. If you use composition paper, make sure to use college-ruled. That one change alone can save hundreds of pieces of paper each year.

Because I'm a lefty, I hate to write on the right-hand sides of notebooks--the binding, wire, or rings get in the way. But that doesn't mean I can't use both sides of the paper. A class usually doesn't take up a whole notebook worth of paper. I can take notes for one subject on the left hand side of each page in the notebook, and then flip the notebook over for another subject, where I can again write on the left side. It works out great. Also: If you have teachers who give handouts with writing only on one side, save them when the class is over and use them in your computer printer or for scrap paper. Most teachers don't mind if an essay is turned in on the other side of a crossed-out science article. (All paper from binders should be recycled at the end of the year.) You can also use both sides of posters. When teachers take down student posters at the end of the year, they'll usually let you snag the ones with information on only one side so you can use them next year.

2. Walk or ride the bus to school. If neither of these is an option, carpool.

3. If your school isn't already recycling paper and soda cans, you can help get it started. You just need to get permission to put a cardboard box next to the trash can in each classroom to collect paper. Organize a few friends to help you collect the boxes on a regular basis--preferably friends who have driver's licenses so you can take the paper down to the local recycling center. You should research before starting anything that involves recycling refundable bottles--there are often rules about what kind of collection receptacles can be used for that. At our school, we were only allowed to put barrels inside if they were metal ones specifically made for recycling cans--but even just having plastic barrels outside makes a difference.

4. Encourage your school to buy two-sided printers for the library or any other place where the printer is used a lot. When it was time to replace the printer in our school library, the head librarian decided to take the leap and get a double-sided printer as well as a converter kit for the other printer in the library. Together they cost less than $1,400, but the library saved more than three times that in paper costs in the first year alone! Numbers talk: $1,400 invested; $4,500 saved. That printer paid for itself in less than four months, and it'll continue to save money (and trees) for as long as it lasts. If you do a little research and present the numbers to your principal or someone else who has responsibility for making the decision, you're much more likely to get approval.

5. Have your school get recycled paper for all its copiers and printers. Paper that's 100 percent recycled can cost more; if your school isn't willing to go all the way, 30 percent recycled paper costs no more than "regular" paper. Unlike the recycled paper of a decade ago, today's recycled paper will go through printers and copiers fine, and won't cause any more jams or problems than the paper your school is probably using now. Since 30 percent recycled paper costs no more than the paper your school is already buying, it's usually easy to convince your administration to make the switch. However, you might be able to go one step further and combine this project with the printers--using some of the money saved from double-sided printing to pay for the slightly more expensive 100 percent recycled paper.

6. Along the same lines, paper towels and toilet paper made from recycled paper can usually be bought in bulk at the same price as products made from unrecycled paper. Just a few years ago, this was not the case, but companies are changing their prices so it isn't more expensive to be environmentally friendly. Just get some numbers together, figure out who, you need to talk to, and propose a switch.

7. Schools can purchase other environmentally friendly devices that--like the two-sided printers--will easily pay for themselves over time. It's possible to purchase "energy misers" that can be installed on vending machines to save energy. These cost about $125, and make it so the machine goes into partial hibernation when it's left unused for a long time. (There's a similar device for water fountains that, for instance, can shut off the cooling device overnight.) Just figure out roughly how long it will take for the energy saved to pay for the device. If your school doesn't want to make the investment, but has vending machines where the food doesn't need to be kept cold, see if you can get permission to turn them off (unplug them) at a certain time after school so they won't be on all night. Maybe you or a friend who lives near the school can be in charge of walking over and unplugging the machines before the school gets locked up for the night, or maybe a custodian can do it as part of the evening routine.

Exit lights have to stay on at all times, but they don't have to use as much energy as they're probably using now. Replacing the lights in the signs with LED bulbs will pay for itself in no time and then just keep saving--both energy and money. The same is true of getting compact fluorescents for all the lights in your school.

8. Often, schools don't turn off computers each night. This seems like a simple thing, but computers that are always left on use a TON of energy. If your school doesn't already turn off all its computers, offer to spend 10 minutes each day turning on all the computers in the computer lab in the morning and turning them back off again after school. Contrary to urban legend, turning computers off once a day will not harm them; in fact, it will extend their life as well as greatly reduce the amount of energy they use.

9. Start a collection-and-exchange program at your school. Our school has a room devoted to a clothing exchange--students bring in gently worn clothes they don't wear and can pick up others they will wear. In the same room is a box of used three-ring binders that are still in good shape--students who can't afford binders or don't wish to purchase a new one can pick one up anytime. If this kind of permanent exchange program isn't possible at your school, at least see if you can do a prom-dress swap. There really aren't too many other occasions to which a prom dress can be worn, and, even if people go to more than one prom during high school, they often don't wear the same dress twice. So collect formal dresses near the end of the year and make them available to other girls to wear. Girls, what are you really going to do with a frilly dress in your closet other than let it hang there? Suits can also be collected, though my experience is that people are more likely to donate dresses. (The suits we did collect were snatched up immediately.) This is a great project for the National Honor Society or another service organization at your school to take on. Before collecting the dresses, make sure you've arranged for a place (a willing teacher's classroom will work) where you can store and display the dresses.

You can also collect used cell phones and printer cartridges. These can be recycled, usually with a refund. Money raised from these collections can be used toward other environmental projects, perhaps to provide the initial investment in things like energy misers or two-sided printers, or to buy trees to plant on the school grounds.

10. Cafeterias are another great place to make environmental changes, though it can be difficult because of regulations and costs. It's often possible to convince school cafeterias to serve vegetarian meals and purchase local food. Getting real plates instead of Styrofoam ones, metal utensils instead of plastic ones, and washable cups instead of disposable ones can be another goal. Some schools even compost their food waste. If you can't convince your school to make big changes, don't give up. You can bring your own lunch in a fabric bag or lunchbox filled with environmentally friendly food choices in washable containers. Although it's great to get other people to change, you can make a difference simply by walking the walk.

WRAPPING IT UP

Taking care of God's creation can begin with small steps at your school. Pick your projects, don't lose motivation or get bogged down in bureaucracy, and remember who is guiding your efforts. Everything you do to save the environment is really part of your witness, showing the world how much you love God by respecting the gift of his creation.

Remember, God is on your side. He will help you when you try your hardest to help the world he created. As long as you take advantage of all the resources you have, and work with all the people God provides (Christian and non-Christian), you'll do great.
**
Taken from "It's Easy Being Green" by Emma Sleeth, copyright 2008, Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission. Order the book here.
https://shop.youthspecialties.com/store/product.php?productid=584
**

3. VIDEO OF THE WEEK
One of my all time favorite songs – courtesy of Mr. Matt Wertz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAG0hl51R8s
* If you know a good video and want to share it, let me know.

4. SURF REPORT
~ The 2008 Hip-Hop Songwriting Contest
http://www.essence.com/essence/takebackthemusic/index.html

~ Snow Drift: Get rid of those winter blues with this chill game
http://www.miniclip.com/games/snow-drift/en/

5. FORGETTABLE FACT
99% of people cannot lick their elbow.

6. POTENT QUOTABLES
“You just tried to lick your elbow didn’t you? And you were unsuccessful.”
~ Josh Sabo

"May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future."
~Irish Proverb

"Be kind to those that meet you as you rise, you may pass them again as you fall."
~Irish Proverb

7. PARTING SHOT
Dinkin’ flicka. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dinkin+flicka)

Grace and Peace to you, have a great week. josh

Posted In

weekly

Submitted by joshsabo on Wed, 03/12/2008 - 12:24.

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