Higher Things Day 4

Thursday is the last full day of the conference and it is always packed with stuff. I taught my breakout session for the second time - better than the first time, of course! I ran out of time, though, and had to rush a bit at the end. But it was good. Good questions and comments from the kids.

The preaching all week has, as usual, been outstanding. It is a pleasure for me to be able to sit and be fed. And so often! A couple more pictures of the chapel:

And then, being our last night here, there's lots to do during free time. One of the fun things was called "Bumper Ball." What's that? It's this:

You put on a giant inflatable ball and run around crashing into other people while trying to play soccer and score goals. What happens is not so much soccer, but trying to crash into people and knock them over!

Yes, that's me tumbling to the ground!

Each game was to either three goals or seven minutes, whichever came first. I thought to myself, "Seven minutes? That's not very long." But when you're inside one of those bubbles, it is! I was really tired at the end of the time.

Then I was encouraged by the girls to jump into the pick-up basketball game next door. 

Yeah, that was a good idea . . . trying to go with a bunch of kids a THIRD my age! But it was fun. Even though I'm going to be sore for the next few days, I'm sure.

I also got to meet a fellow SELC Pastor from the Chicago area and talk to him a bit. I was also stopped in the hall way by a man who wanted me to know that he logs onto our Morning Prayer on the web every once in a while, when he can. Wow! That's kind of cool.

So today we have Matins, the final plenary session, lunch, and then the closing Divine Service. And you what the best part of that will be? Me not assisting, but getting to sit between my kids for the service. That doesn't happen often enough. Then the long trek home . . .