Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 December 2007 11:21:58
Clock watching on a Friday afternoon is pretty commonplace, but last Friday I was watching it more than usual. Our office officially closes at 4.15 on a Friday, but as long as someone on the team is staying to the end, everyone else is free to go at 4. Having made a last minute request to have Monday off, I figured I should clear a couple of things up so that they weren't outstanding for someone else to sort in my absence, and just like that my plans to get out at 4 disappeared. Still, out the door at 4.15, and now just had to go buy some bits and pieces for the youth cell Christmas party, get home, prepare a parcel to be passed, have some dinner and get to M's house by about 7ish.
Well, I just about made it. I put the oven on and phoned my good buddies D and S, who lead the older group who we were going to be sharing the party with, to ask if I could get a lift with them. I figured that would buy me an extra 20 minutes or so to wrap this ridiculous parcel. "We're planning to get to M's for about half six," D told me. "Right," I said, "better put my dinner in the oven now then." To which D replied, "why, are you not making pizzas with the rest of us when we get there?" Oh, how I wish I could remember these little details a bit more...
Anyway, we arrived at M's about quarter to seven, and set about sorting out the bits that needed sorting out. Which for me meant getting this parcel up and running. In each layer of newspaper I put a chocolate lolly, with a forfeit wrapped tightly around the stick. With a little help from S, the parcel was soon wrapped and ready to go. Meanwhile, D was making a start on the pizza base mix, and M and our other leader C were prepapring the goody bags (with Bible verses and appropriate gifts) for all the youth to take away. There's always one who turns up early, and it's usually the pastor's child; this was no exception, as we had to try and keep him out of the kitchen while we finished up the preparations.
Before too long, all the others had turned up, the Now That's What I Call Christmas CD was blaring out all the classics, and a couple of the group had decided it would be really funny to keep taking photos of me whenever I wasn't expecting it; I swear at least half the photos taken that night were of me looking gormless (it doesn't take much effort). Pizzas were duly made and eaten, and some strange and impressive dance moves were demonstrated in the kitchen. Once we'd all eaten, it was into the lounge for games.
First off was Stealing Santa, a variation on the traditional Secret Santa format, where everybody is given a number, and then person number one opens a present. Number two then has the choice of opening a present, or taking number one's present; if they steal, number one opens another present. Then number three has the choice of stealing from either of the first two, or opening something else; people can keep stealing (but not from the person who just stole from them) until someone decides to open a present instead of steal. The upshot of this is, of course, that the higher your number, the better chance you have of taking something you really want. It was a lot of fun, especially when there were certain presents lots of people wanted.
Then it was pass the parcel time, and it quickly became clear there was a flaw in my plans. The forfeits were to be unwrapped in a specific order, but somehow I'd managed to reverse the order by accident. However, as they were wrapped so tightly around the lolly sticks, I ended up unwrapping half of them for the youth anyway, so I got to blag it a bit. It all worked out kind of OK in the end.
Then before we knew it, there were parents arriving to take the youth home, and as we cleared up the discarded wrapping paper off the floor, we noticed how quiet it was. The youth are great, but they can be so loud. Everyone had had a good time though, so no complaints.
Having reached the end of our first term with the new youth cell, I'm still enjoying it, and bein stretched by the whole experience. I can see God doing things in their lives, and it's a privilege to be a part of that. What really touched me, though, was a text forwarded to M, C and me on Saturday night from a mum: "you are all so amazing with the kids. Thank you so much for all your effort and making them so welcome." Makes it all feel worthwhile when you know your work is appreciated...