Oh, my aching back.

I somehow got roped into being the youth director at our church. It isn't because I have a particular talent with youth. It isn't because I exude energy and enthusiasm. It isn't because I have a passion for it. It is because nobody else would do it. One thing I've learned as a preacher's wife in a small 200 member church, it doesn't matter what you WANT to do, you fill in where they NEED you. That's your job. You could sing like Luciano Pavarotti but if they have enough singers and lack a piano player you will play piano (even if your piano repertoire consists of Mary Had a Little Lamb and Chopsticks).

Ok, fine. It's kind of fun to be jack of all trades. I enjoy working with the youth, but I don't think I'm particularly good at it. I don't have the crazy, enthusiastic, imaginitive personality it takes to effectively do the job. BUT, I figure I'm better than nothing.

So, last night I planned and held a Youth Easter Egg Hunt/Field Day/Hot dog cookout. I planned relay races, hid 300 plastic eggs, and built a bonfire to cook hotdogs. It was fun, but the kids were HYPER and I had to YELL to get them to hear me. I'm not particularly good at yelling, either.

Me, being childless except for the one that is -5 months inside me, learned a few things. First, teenagers cheat. You have to watch them like a hawk. We gave a prize to the person who found the most eggs at the Easter Egg hunt. Two kids thought they'd be smart and put their eggs together, hence getting the most.

Teenagers also bend the truth. One girl didn't want to play so she said she had asthma. I of course let her sit out. Then when her mom came to get her I learned her SISTER has asthma but she is fine.

We had one race called the Egg Race. The kids had teams of four, and they held the handle of a plastic spoon which had a raw egg on the other end. They were to race to the other end and back without breaking the egg. Most of the eggs ended up in their intended place but I believe one or two were deliberately thrown at me. I can't be sure.

All in all, the kids had a blast, so that's what mattered. And I learned that kids come out as defenseless babies for a reason. It gives you time to get used to them before they become teenagers.

Question: Have you ever done anything you are not comfortable doing just because no one else would do it?