NYWC, last full day

Leaving later today (Sunday), probably around 4pm or so. It's been good, relaxing, fun, challenging. Weird to think that this is my tenth convention.

Saturday was fun. Slept in a bit then went to the morning general session. Phyllis Tickle was the main speaker and I was excited to hear her speak again. I first got a chance to hear her at an Emergent Convention about four years ago. Great stuff. She did another good job this time. Really made the case for a big shift in the way we do church by looking at the various 500 year cycles of the church. Amazing to look through church history and see how there are these major shifts that redefine everything we do and how we do it. I think she probably made the best case for the legitimacy of the emergent church movement that I've heard (without really mentioning it). She did it with humility and with great information and development. Good stuff.

Went to Chris Folmsbee's Stories, Signs, and Sacred Rhythms seminar. Good, as expected. It's been fun to get to know Chris a bit more with him speaking at our district retreat last weekend. He's definitely taking his ministry in a good direction, at least in my opinion and hey, that's what a blog is all about.

Got to go back to Landmark Diner for dinner with Jeff, David, Shoup, and Jennifer. Service wasn't great but I'm pretty sure our waitress had about 15 tables so it gave us about 2 hours to eat which was nice. Good burger, good cheesecake, and good conversation.

Came back to the room afterwards to read for school. Now I'm just doing the blog thing. Three entries in three days. That's some kind of record for me.

I'll be going to the morning general session and then to Jeanne Stevens seminar on conflict. She usually does a good job and I really think this will be good for me to hear. Several things I've come across this weekend have emphasized our need to listen to the Holy Spirit and allow the Spirit to move in the lives of students, to not just push things on them. I want to get some perspective on balancing allowing the Spirit to deal with people and situations and stepping in to deal with conflict when necessary. I'm worried about how some of the girls in the group are treating each other and I'm not sure how to address it; how much to pray and allow God to convict them and when to put my foot down and say enough is enough. They are such a great group of girls but can get petty and mean sometimes (which in and of itself is realtively normal but seems to have increased a bit lately) and it's just not healthy. I don't think that any of them want to be that way but it's so easy to get carried away. I pray about it frequently and pray for wisdom to guide them in the way of Christ. Grace, mercy, and forgiveness are key to any community moving in a healthy direction and I pray that those things will reign in ours.

Looking forward to getting home and having the week off. Used some vacation to get Monday through Wednesday off to spend with my wife and kids. I miss them a bunch. Then we're on to Orlando for Thanksgiving with the family and Disney World Friday through Sunday. Can't wait for Ethan to see Mickey Mouse. The kid dances every time the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse comes on TV and points and babbles incoherently when Mickey comes on the screen.

I think Ethan may have said "I love you daddy" on the phone today. He's still not really clear but definitely progressing and the syllables were there so I'll take it.