It’s been an incredibly fun month. Jan and I have been helping the youth group at church plan and prepare a special Valentine’s Banquet for the entire congregation.

And it happened last night.

(Even though we missed Valentine’s Day by a few weeks – we still hit the month of February – and that’s close enough for this year!)

These kids amazed me.

Absolutely amazed me.

Together we planned a sit down meal for 100 that they cooked and served and cleaned up.

You haven’t lived until you help a group of teenagers make Oreo Ice Cream dessert and cheesy potato casserole in a tiny church kitchen!

Then they created an evening of entertainment full of laughter, inside jokes, and old-fashioned fun.

Every rehearsal left me gasping for air because I was laughing so hard.

At our last dress rehearsal I was laying down on the chairs crying from laughter, unable to speak.

All month I watched these kids take on responsibility and carry through – finding costumes and props, working out the skits, planning and buying decorations, learning lines.

And yesterday I was privileged to watch those kids serve.

 

They moved chairs, set up tables, decorated, practiced – all with great attitudes and a lot of humor.

When the guests arrived, those kids hustled to get them their food and drinks.

When the last guest had finished eating – they moved tables, set up chairs and prepared for the entertainment.

And then they performed like never before.

I sat in the back of the darkened church, holding Jan’s hand and laughing as if I had never seen these crazy skits before.

And crying tears of joy.

It was good we called it a Valentine Banquet because my heart was incredibly full.

I love those kids.