Call Me Crazy - Melissa Waldrum

I guess this must be a gift that I have because most people would think I’m crazy if I tried to tell them these stories that I am about to share.  However I must speak frankly when I tell you that everything I am about to share is true.  The names and identities have been changed to protect the innocent, but the stories are true.

It all started about four years ago when I started working in youth ministry.  The kids were around the ages of 13-17 and I just loved working with them.  I opened my home to them for fellowship, and shared my vehicle and my time by picking them up for youth group and taking them home.

When I was approached by my youth leader and asked to head up girls' night I was pretty happy about that, but what would I do with them?  Stressing over trying to find things to do with them I realized something very valuable. If you give teenagers a chance to be who they are and put a little faith in them, you might really be surprised what you see.   I really believe that teenagers today just want a chance to hang out and be themselves They aren't really looking to get in trouble they just don't have enough alternatives to keep them out of trouble, but thanks to a few fun noodles, a green blanket, and some ice blocks, we never ceased to have and enjoy good clean fun even though we never had any money.

I can remember a Sunday afternoon after attending church I grabbed my portable barbecue, a green blanket, some hot dogs and a few kids, we headed to Lime Street park where for the next two hours each teenager took turns wrapping up in the blanket and hopping around the park until they fell over. I just sat back and watched how they really didn't care how silly they looked they were having fun.  Even recalling one young man who's name will not be released, hopped so far across the grass that he hit the small wall and toppled right over the ledge onto the other side. Thankfully no injuries were reported.

Another time I had the girls over at my apartment, I think about seven of them, I stopped at the dollar tree and purchased foam fun noodles and glow sticks, These girls loved every minute of being able to beat on each other with these fun noodles and not hurt each other. They wore their specialized glowing jewelry with pride as we danced around to music in the dark and laughed the whole time.

Later, there were incidences reported of marshmallows being shot around the house, (of course this was my home and I gave permission don't try this stunt at home without permission) and some crazy kids with their youth leader were even seen sliding down hills at a local park on an ice block. Yeah these were events that my own parents would have frowned on, but nevertheless it happened. Sure, lots of people discriminated against my ideas of fun, some of the older people looked down their noses when seeing us sliding down the hills, or shooting marshmallows, but I don't regret it. 

In this day and age it seems that we tend to overlook the imagination of a teenager.  I never would have really seen the potential in my green blanket at the park that day.  In fact, I, in my adulthood, looked at that blanket as an opportunity to spread it out and take a snooze, the kids saw it as a “green burrito” that could bring them hours of entertainment.

Many people today have had bad experiences with teenagers and do not value them as respectful, responsible young adults, but I must say that I have not experienced that on a regular basis.  I think that teens today just want a little quality time spent with them, a few silly moments, and someone to take the time to share life with them, Sure they all have their off moments and need to step back and make sure they’re within healthy boundaries, but for the most part, they just want an opportunity to be themselves.

I guess that must be why I am in youth ministry.  I'm not a perfect person, I make mistakes just like the next person, but in this thing called life I love to help others have the time and space they need to be who God has created them to be. Sometimes we are still working on areas but if we are diligently seeking a chance to mature and become responsible, I think we need to have equal moments of being silly, and having fun.  So many times the enemy robs us of those fun moments, and he does it for a reason.  Call me Crazy, but I think he just wants us to be logical all the time so we miss out on the joy of this life and finding happiness in even the simplest of things.  He is faithful to meet us right where we are at if we allow him to. From needing to be more responsible in school or work, to working on our attitudes and maintaining healthy balance, to just letting our hair down and enjoying life, God will provide the things we need.

Even if there's no money for Disneyland, or iPod’s, or fancy name brand clothing, God, through us can help us locate the child within and build on it. Life's hard, and times are hard but God is a Good God, we sometimes just have to see him through the simple eyes of a child.  They can teach us a lot about how to lighten up, and enjoy life.