Hippie Mystery Supper

Being a youth advisor will stretch you way beyond your comfort zone at times.  It will humble you, frustrate you, bless you, and most of all…the Holy Spirit will teach you again & again that the only one whose opinion matters is His.

Well, I’m just gonna come right out and admit that the dress-up events stretch me waaaay beyond my comfort zone, although that zone has diminished a bit in the past three years.

J

That’s what I love about these youth, though.  They all have very different personalities, different likes & dislikes, different gifts & talents, different comfort zones, and yet, they’re really flexible.  How awesome is that?! 

So, hippie mystery supper it is.

The youth cabinet planned, designed, and executed the event.  They did an awesome job!  The food was delicious, and the decorations totally set the stage.  They put a lot of themselves into the event, and we had a blast!

The tables were decorated by the committee…even down to the Kool-Aid tinted glass jars.  They left markers on the tables for everyone to entertain themselves a bit while they waited to be served their next course.   

 

 

 

 

 

Malinda & Josiah created the VW van, while others added to the props.  The balloon flowers were a cool idea, and a photo booth was just fun.
 

It’s hard to be serious when everyone’s slurping off their plates without silverware; eating dirt pudding and creamed corn with fingers only, and picking up macaroni & cheese one noodle at a time.  It’s a little extra amusing when a youth gets all their silverware, napkin and a slab of butter for one of their courses.  Out of the entire group, only one person actually got their butter with their roll.
 

 After the meal, a now-you-have-it-now-you-don’t game ensued in the youth room.  Pillow pets, candy, gum, chips, etc. were among the gifts unwrapped.

A short game of 'toss-the-marker-onto-the-tray' that TJ dreamt up.  Love how the most fun things don't cost anything!  :)

Then, back down to the gym for a cardboard bus race.  Way.too.funny!!!!  The youth broke into teams & decorated large cardboard boxes. They put funny sayings on their boxes, and one team even installed headlights.  J   Then, they picked 2 members of their team to enter the obstacle race.  TJ demonstrated how they should run the race.  Twice.  That started the hilarity just a bit.  On your mark.  Get set.  Go.  Each group ran individually, and were stop-watch timed.  Oh my goodness…watching their feet below the boxes was really amusing.  Some ran into chairs.  Some ran twice around the wrong chairs.  Three of the guys decided to squeeze together into 1 box, and from the get-go, you could just see the fall coming.  It was an epic slow-motion sort of fall.  Feet started getting in front of themselves…the box started tilting…and slooowwly pitched forward with three sets of feet in the air.  I was video-taping each one, and trying so hard not to laugh out loud, but the raucous laughter behind me was hilarious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We re-watched the videos Sunday morning with the youth – who knew it would be even more funny the second time around?!?  Especially ‘cause you could keep re-playing the fall. ;)

 
It’s always a bit embarrassing and funny seeing yourself, and watching my legs try to keep up with Darrin’s in our box 'bout tickled me to pieces!  I just held onto his back belt loops for the final sprint.  TJ & Emily looked flawless, and totally beat the rest of us advisors.  And Richard & Jennifer..well, as Jennifer put it..it’s hard to run when you’re laughing like crazy!
  
So thank you to the cabinet, and also a shout-out to the parents who helped behind the scenes a bit!  It was a very memorable and fun evening!  J