Updates... With 48 Days To Go...

The new prom dress arrived today... It fits beautifully! (Yea!) We will be listing the one that doesn't fit on e-bay this week. I know, a lot of you are wondering why I didn't just go to a store and have her try dresses on... I remind you I live in one of the most beautiful middles of nowhere you've ever seen! To put things in perspective the nearest Target is a 40 minute drive away... As is the nearest Starbucks! Normally we'd take the two hour trek to Portland to do something like prom dress shopping, but with the wedding and youth group keeping us so busy we are forced to rely on the Internet...

As far as the RSVPs and my dilemma, I like the suggestion of asking someone else to inquire of local people. One suggestion I've had for out of town guests is to call/email and see if they are going to need help with accommodations. Mid-Coast Maine is a very popular summer destination, so it is a reasonable question to ask. Next wedding we will request a quicker RSVP cut-off date.

The following is the resolutions to the parent issues I asked everyone about earlier this week. (See HERE) 

As for parent issue #1: We (Paul) had already decided that we were not going to compromise on the age limits. We have had quite a few issues with this family in question and although we do plan to sit down with them one again and explain our position, we are chalking this relationship up to a "you can't please everyone" situation. I can almost guarantee even if we resolve this so that everyone is happy (unlikely) there will be another issue before long. (But I shall pray that this won't be the case.)

As for parent issue #2: There really is not much we can do here. We (actually "I" since this is a single mom) do plan to sit down with her and let her know how this is negatively impacting our goal to grow the female attendance at youth group, and that it is really inappropriate for her as a parent to register for youth events under our church's name then treat it like a private, invitation only event. We also spoke with our pastor about this and he plans to back us up if she signs up for anymore "youth events" under our church's name, letting her know that only we are "authorized" to do so... I am also praying this will go well.

Parent issue #3: As for the card game... Paul considers this a non-issue. We are not there to "parent" the teens in our care, but to reach their hearts for the Lord... He really truly believes we need to do our job, and let the Holy Spirit do his. That being said, he did think it might be helpful to do a devotion (separate from their regular lesson) on what influences they are allowing in their lives, without singling out any one influence in particular, but giving them a blanket over-view. We are also keenly aware that this parent in particular sees evil almost everywhere. By her own admission they would not let their son's play with Harry Potter Legos at their cousin's house in an effort to keep evil influences away from their boys and disapproves of the Veggie Tales since "they water down the Bible." I am not judging them for this level of caution, but we can't run a student ministry that will seek and reach the lost with that level of extreme caution.

We have actually had a few other issues crop up since I typed the first post Tuesday... We really think the enemy is doing some of his best work this week to exhaust us emotionally, but it is having the opposite effect on us at this point... One of the attacks was a bit personal... One of the kids claims he heard Katy and Jed say something that led him to believe they were living together and having premarital sex... Rather then talk to them or even us, he went home and told his mom this as if it was a fact... She then (out of concern) spoke to a few other people who a couple of brought this "accusation" to the attention of the pastor. This isn't the first time our family has been gossiped about and not even the first time it was a hurtful rumor attacking our daughter's character, but it is frustrating. This is also Katy & Jed's last week at youth since they are leaving to join a more adult oriented study (besides it was time) so it was hard to find out this rumor was spreading... We plan to address it head on at youth this week and we will be "clearing things up" with the parent in particular and plan to pointedly ask her to recontact anyone she spoke about this to and clear it up (and ask them to do the same). Bottom line, we will not allow the enemy to drive us from our calling!

As for wedding stuff... I still feel way behind schedule on most fronts... So I must be doing it right, since it seems like everyone tells us they felt that way the whole last couple months!

Thanks for listening,