Reason #15,639 Why I Love Working With Teenagers In Student Ministry

I had a student send me this via e-mail, and asked for anonymity if I used it in a public forum. Well, The Diner is a public forum so I'll honor the request. Although, once you read it you'll wonder why this student wanted it to be so...but I know writers (especially poets) and they tend to believe the reality that there is *always* a *better word* and you never *finish* but you find as good a place as any to *stop*. They also lean toward the belief that no one would care what they write because they don't think it's very good.

Combine those realities with the normal insecurities that teenagers have and, well, that's as good an explanation as any as to why this student wants it to be anonymous. Anyway, here's the work--about the end result of our hot and sweaty service mission to the folks of the Gulf Coast of Mississippi still feeling the effects of Hurricane Katrina:

Transformation--by Anonymous

Perfume turned into bug spray
Carpet turned into dirt
Sandals turned into work boots
Makeup turned into sweat
Clean turned into dirty
Dr. Pepper turned into water
Laying around turned into work
Perfect hair turned into ponytails
Shorts turned into jeans
Sleeping in turned into 5:30 Am
Air conditioning turned into humidity
But…
Silence turned into laughter
Singing turned into worshiping
Comfort zones turned into trying new things
Judging turned into understanding
Highland Village turned into reality
Listening turned into interpreting
Texting turned into conversations
Shyness turned into being yourself
Taking things for granted turned into being thankful
Separateness turned into unity
We turned into a family

Some days I just laugh when I remember I get paid for this gig.

And, I'm about six minutes from starting a CBC student ministry writer's collective blog. Would you guys come visit there if we put it together?