Thursday, Day 5

Part of work today included a weekly meeting with Berto, the leader of Shine, our Thursday evening youth gathering. He and Karissa are expecting their first baby in about a week. I was pleasantly SURPRISED that not only had Berto read our mutually assigned homework, but that he came in eager to discuss it. This is major for him, since reading is a challenge for him. His passion for life is always a boost to me. I pray, Lord, that you will bless the gathering tonight, and that you will capture the hearts of the mid and senior high students who are seeking you. You had brought Marilyn to my mind a few times today. What might you be doing in her life, Lord?

I made a trip to Natividad Hospital to drop off some of the paperwork for the substitute chaplain position I will begin on June 18. Erica was quite helpful in guiding me to the correct offices. I was also able to see Nathan, Pastor Frank and Father Larry in a spontaneous meeting in Nathan's office. Even though we had no formal business to conduct, I found it interesting that all four of us happened to meet up at the same time. A bit of a SURPRISE, I thought.

I woke up this morning thinking about this evening's baccalaureate service at St. Mary's Church the Alisal Trojans class of 2008, of which our second daughter, Victoria, has been a vital part. Over the last few days, she has been working diligently on the senior slide show for the reception to follow. It makes us proud to know that she puts her whole self into everything she does. Balancing her own commitment over against others who aren't quite as eager can sometimes be a struggle for her. The service was brief, and even shorter for us, since we arrived late. I was thankful to know that Alisal still honors the baccalaureate tradition, as many schools have discarded it. God, guide this class of 2008 into a growing knowledge of your goodness and grace.

After returning home from the service, the kids were really chatty in the kitchen as mom and I watched a bit of the Travel Channel. Then we gathered together and reviewed some of the training notes for our Youthworks Trip to Mexico coming up at the end of the month. As part of self-awareness and place awareness, we learned about the importance of being grateful for any food served to us. We had a few laughs, which was fun.