Life with Rudy

Random Catch Up

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Ok, so I haven't really blogged a "full" blog in a while. To be honest, I kinda lost the motivation to blog over the last little while. Even though there's been plenty to blog about. Thus, this post will be rather random about whatever pops in my mind that's happened the last while. Hang tight, this is gonna be a long one.


I've lost count on how many times this has been that RudsPlace.net has been made over. Sad, I know, but since I've changed to my current update method, I've yet to find a cross browser look that I like. The last two looks either didn't work with FireFox or Internet Explorer for some reason. Thus, this is another attempt. Hopefully this one will stick with me until the end. (fingers crossed).


Glenn Newman said something on the opening night of YB2 that rang true the whole week. He said, "I'm here to mess you up." Man, you couldn't be more right with that one.

For me, that's exactly what camp was - a week that messed me up. Every moment of the week it was like God was shaking me to my senses, and opening my eyes for so many things that I didn't realize before. Just about the whole way through every sermon and teaching session I found myself saying stuff like "I've never looked at it that way before..." or "wow, I've never thought of that..." I couldn't write things down fast enough, because before I got one revolutionary point written down, something else would pop out at me, and there I was trying to remember everything just long enough to get it on paper. So much information, so little ink.

Monday night, Pastor Glenn talked to us about the REAL message of Jesus. I just cosumed this message as much as I could, because to get to camp, not really knowing what to expect, and be thrown into a semon like this on the first night is a big thing. After his message, where He talked about a Jesus who OUT Accepts, OUT Loves, and OUT Forgives, it caused me to analyze myself, and ask myself if I was really trying to be like Jesus. Night one of growth.

In the morning sessions, Pastor Brad Noel brought some amazing teaching that will not soon be forgotten. Tuesday morning he talked about worldviews, and how we all have them. God has blessed this guy with a whole lot more knowledge than I have, and I think it's safe to assume, unless God works a miracle, than I'll ever have. But in my experience, many "smart" people can only have conversations with OTHER "smart" people. Not Pastor Brad. Along with knowledge, God has blessed this guy with the gift of great communication skills.

Tuesday night we heard about the great role model John the Baptist in "The Headless Witness", and learned about not being bitter even when God doesn't answer our prayers. Wednesday morning Pastor Brad continues the "Journey into Truth" teaching the truths about Homosexuality, and reflecting on Pastor Glenn's words about how we must love EVERYONE - even Homosexuals. Wednesday night Pastor Glenn delivered a sermon like only Pastor Glenn can deliver it on Sexual Standards. We laughed, some probably cried, most were heard gasping every now and then, and I'd say all (at one point or another) fell very silent at some of the harsh but very true realizations that were said. We were told very plainly - "Lights on, clothes on, sitting up right!" and yes, we even found out that "men can't handle boobies." At the end a committment was made by just about everyone there, to maintain high standards when it comes to the opposite sex.

Thursday Morning Pastor Brad dealt with more "today issues" like Abortion, Social Drinking, Gambling and Dating. (Even after Pastor Glenn's sermon the night before.) Personally, he answered a lot of questions that have been lingering in the back of my mind for a while during the three morning sessions that he did. Pastor Brad is a great man of God to say the least, and I very much enjoyed what he had to say.

Thursday night was follow up on Tuesday, with more teaching/preaching (I assume there's a difference) on Prayer. I say it was a follow up, because Tuesday night after the sermon, a couple of us went back to our room and reflected on some of the stuff we'd just heard. We started asking questions that none of us seemed to have a definite answer for. It was beginning to look like that sermon just confused us more than helped us, but Thursday night, Pastor Glenn answered some of those specific questions that we asked each other in private, just two nights before. That's what proved to me that what this guy was saying up there was not from him - God was giving him instructions straight from the throne room.

And finally, the last service of an amazing week happened on Friday night. In my experience from other retreats and stuff, and from what people have told me about camp, Friday night is always considered the “big” night. It’s the night when the floodgates usually break open, and people remember camp based on that ONE night. It’s supposed to be the final blessing of the Holy Spirit you get before you go home. This year? Not gonna happen.

As Pastor Glenn said, unless we took what we learned this week at YB, and applied it when we left, then we just had a full week of a “funky feeling.” The last night Pastor Glenn challenged us to support the leadership of our youth groups. He gave a call for all youth pastors who were there to come to the front, and had their youth groups gather around them and pray. This was possibly one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen. Pastor Glenn told us if our youth pastor or leader wasn’t there that week, then to choose the youth pastor closest to our community. As we went and prayed with one of the youth pastors I could feel the weight of this guy’s burden. I knew then some of what it means to be a person in his position. God showed me his heart, and I found myself crying out to the Lord to be with him, to strengthen him, and to guide him. After I thought about it afterward, I realized that I was passionate about his youth ministry growing, and I didn’t know anything about it. All I knew is that God was about to do something great not only in the life of the youth pastor we prayed for, but in the lives of the people of this province.

Besides the amazing speaking and teaching (again – if there’s a difference) we were blessed beyond anything to be led in worship every morning and night by Matt Howlett and a worship band consisting of people from across the province. I can’t get into everything, but the band were passionate about worship, and passionate to lead people into worship. Their amazing talents were used for the glory of God, and that’s what matters most.

And finally, I’ve gotta give props to the awesome recreation of the week. Pastor Matt and Kayla Joy did an awesome job bringing everything together thanks to the help of a few more people, and the spirit of healthy competition was evident throughout the whole week.

Looking back, it's hard to believe that this was my very first year at a Youth Breakaway event. I've been to all but one YC, and everyone I talked to that's been to both kept saying "Rudy, YC is great, but camp is amazing." Well, they all didn't say those exact words, but you get the picture. But the point, is that what all of them said was right: camp is a growing experience unlike anything I've ever experienced. Just like YC, to some, it gets the wrong impressions, but when I got there on Monday and met some of the people who were at YB for the "fun" of it, I talked to them on Saturday, and you could tell that they had experienced something that week that made them realize that Camp goes much, much deeper than just a week to get away.



For Labour Day we went to Corner Brook for a relaxing weekend at the Comfort Inn. Sunday morning we attended Corner Brook West Church, and Sunday night we went to an open air held by Corner Brook East. Both services went great. Had wireless High Speed internet all weekend too, so that just added to the enjoyment.



This is probably the cheesiest movie you'll ever find. But I love it. It's a great movie! I'm not sure if I've blogged about this before, but even though the lip syncing is terrible, and it's very predictable and corney, I have to admit that this at least on my top 20 list of Favorite Movies. I bought the DVD while in Corner Brook this past weekend. Sad? Maybe. But it's a good movie!


Season Three of HOUSE, MD. Premiered last night. Everyone know how big of a HOUSE addict I am, so needless to say I've very, very excited. Shaping up to be a great season, and I think we're going to get a lot of surprises this year. Last night, my mouth was open in shock, and my arms were in the air with excitement. It's unpreditable. Just thinking about it now gets me excited!! I couldn't find the season two DVD at Wal Mart but I'm looking again tomorrow. They were sold out, but buddy said they'd be in again Tuesday. That was Yesterday. I want it!!


Craig Sharpe made it a lot farther than he should have. That's all I'm going to say. My guess is we're getting a repeat of last year, but no one there can be as big as Rex and Melissa were last year. Craig won't get a record deal from Sony/BMG too if he comes in second. Eva won't go Platinum. Chad should have won it, but a lot of things would be better if I ran them.

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