The best part of my ministry week is, by far, the 120 minutes or so I spend every Tuesday night with a group of 14 8th grade guys. And, the fact that my co-leader really does most of the hard work (like planning the lessons, communicating with parents, etc.) makes it even better!

Like most junior high small group gatherings, ours is ALWAYS a hodge-podge of unrelated conversations. Last night was no exception. Here, in no particular order and not confessing how much time was spent on each topic, is a partial list of what we talked about last night as we gathered together in our host home:

- English teacher attire: Specifically one who prefers fancy blouses with yoga pants, sandals and socks.
- The discussion of appendix removal (one of our guys had his removed last week) followed by a 5 minute appendectomy video on YouTube.
- Italian speed walkers using performance enhancing drugs.
- The parable of the unforgiving servant.
- The cute girl in math class and the temptation to “multiply”.
- Jelly Beans
- iPhone apps we’d like to see….of the hilariously absurd sort.
- John 3:16 and the reason people hold up that particular passage on signs at sporting events.
- Scripture memory tips.
- Whether or not dinosaurs would make good pets.
- And after we were finished…after we closed in prayer…we watched the appendectomy video again.