And other duties as assigned...

They're at the end of every youth minister's job description, just five little words. By comparison, one would think those five little words wouldn't mean much having followed the previous 1,000 words. One would think the bulk of a youth minister's job would reside in those first thousand.

You'd think, but you'd be wrong.

How many times have you found yourself doing something in the name of ministry that you're pretty darn sure wasn't in the job description you were given at your time of hire? We've all got those stories - our days are filled with moments that make us laugh, cry, and scratch our heads in confusion, all because we love our congregation's kids and families and are committed to planting the seeds of faith no matter the cost.

"And Other Duties as Assigned" is a new project I am starting. I'd like to compile stories from our experiences as youth workers - full-time, part-time, volunteer, parent, Sunday school teachers and coordinators, etc - stories about moments when we are clearly working under the "other duties as assigned" section of the job description.

You know the stuff - spending an afternoon hanging white Christmas lights in the ceiling of Fellowship Hall and turning it into something that looks more and more like a scene straight out of a John Hughes' movie... Storing 20 pounds of uncooked spaghetti noodles in your office (next to the handheld Sumo-wrestler spray-fan, which is sitting on top of the "Dating, Jesus, and You" curriculum book from 1977)... Constructing an entire stage backdrop from PVC piping... Playing Legos and watching cartoons in a hospital waiting room with the younger brother of a youth who was just in a terrible car accident...

Like I said, our days are filled with moments that make us laugh and cry. Moments that make us go, "Really, God??" Moments that make us go, "Thank you, God!" This blog will start out as a place for us to share those moments. I have an idea of where I'd like this to go, but we'll see where God leads. For now, I hope you enjoy coming here. I hope you leave feeling that you are not alone in your moments.

Peace!