Life Update

I realize I have been absent from the blog for far too long. It is usually an indication that I have been incredibly busy and this time is no exception. Here are the highlights of the last couple of weeks. Completely random, but here goes:

• Three weeks ago I reffed a crazy adult league game at a YMCA on a Friday night. I did not know that the two teams playing had a "history", something I wish I had known before. Things were going ok until the second half. There was a collision between a goalie and a female player. After a short break to remove the player from the field, the two teams began chatting. Within a couple of minutes we had a bench clearing melee on the field. It was nuts. Players punching and tackling each other, fans on the filed. It was crazy and unsettling. The police showed up and escorted the teams off the field. Crazy night.
• About two and a half weeks ago I realized that my passport was expired. Not good if you are planning to go to Ghana at the end of July. I feared my trip was in jepardy because I have to send the passport to DC to get a VISA stamp, something I have never had to do before. It looks like things have worked out well, and the trip will happen without a problem.
• Two weeks ago, Brendan Byers, a college student from App St. who used to be a part of our youth ministry in NC, moved in with us to spend the summer as a youth intern at Catalyst. He hit the ground running and is far exceeding my expectations. I knew he would do a good job, but he is doing much better than good. So glad to have him around this summer and to be able to mentor him in his first ministry experience. Truthfully, Sprang is doing most of the mentoring and I think it has been good for him as well.
• Last Sunday (the 6th)- we piled into the Sprang's minivan with our kids, both Sprangs and Ryan Moriarty and headed East. We drove for 12 hours before arriving at my parents house in Huntsville, AL. The kids and I stayed there and after a short night's sleep the other four moved on to Adrian, GA.
• The band led worship at a youth camp in GA and I got to hand with my kids at my parents for a few days.
• It was great to hang out with AM and K-man. My parents have a pool and we spent hours in the pool together. AM actually swam across the pool with floaties or anything . She was scared out of her mind, but she did great.
• K-man was born to swim. This kid has no fear of water. In fact, I wish he feared it a bit more. He was jumping of the diving board canon ball style and loving every minute of it. He had on a special floating vest but Heather told me that he has since shed the vest and is actually swimming on his own.
• One of the coolest part of the trip was getting to hang with my niece. I have never been able to spend more than a day or day and a half with her and so she is not really familiar with me. That is a cost of ministry and I hate it sometimes. I want my kids to know their cousins, and I want my niece and nephew to know and love us. It was great to play with her in the pool, take her to a movie and hear her call me "Uncle Levi" over an over.
• My mom gave me one of the coolest gifts she could ever give. She saved many of my soccer jerseys over the years and had them made into two quilts for me. I must admit I cried as I looked down and saw my first jersey I ever wore. I don't talk about much these days, but soccer was a HUGE part of my life. My dad and I sat and talked about specific games, teams, goals, etc.. for a long time. Good times.
• There were tough times on the trip as well. The reality of sin and addiciton has become very real for some folks in my family that I love and care for very much. My family shared some stuff with me that just broke my heart, made me angry, and simply weighs on my heart. That is the beauty of family that loves each other, we get to celebrate the good times and hurt in the bad times with those we love.
• While I was in Alabama my sinuses went nuts on me. First I had a ton of "drainage" that made my voice low and throat sore. Then came the sinus pressure and congestion. Not fun at all. Thankfully, I am starting to feel better.

I guess that pretty much wraps up the last few weeks.

Sunday Recap is coming soon....