I realized yesterday that I had not updated my blog in two weeks! What's up with that? Well, school is in full swing, BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) has started up again and I've had lots of Calligraphy and Apparent Project stuff keeping me busy on top of that. Plus just the normal "mom" stuff. Sitting down to blog just hasn't been on the top of my list. Until today.
Last weekend (on Jarod's ACTUAL birthday) his youth group went to Universal Studios for the Rock the Universe event. Now, as you know, I am a complete Disney fan so I had not been to Universal in 15 years. But Jarod asked me to go along and I wasn't going to pass up a weekend riding roller coasters and listening to our favorite Christian bands perform.
Visiting Sponge Bob with Dariel, Chase, Cliff and Joe
I love this pic of Jarod enjoying Newsboys. We were on the front row - could see the guy spit. That's cool, ya know.
It's funny - when I was Jarod's age, I loved concerts! My first concert ever was Farrell & Farrell and DeGarmo & Key. Ya - Google that one!
I was about Jarod's age. I remember it being soooo cool to see these bands Live! I spent the rest of my teenaged and early adult years going to concerts. You could get in to see Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and even Petra for less than $10 a ticket.
Now when someone comes in town, I think - ya - no. I can think of so many other things to spend that money on. Okay - so Russ and I did see Michael W. Smith with the Jacksonville Symphony this past Christmas but that was a special treat and only the two of us went! I could have bought groceries for the cost - or filled my van with gas, TWICE or......!?
I digress.... I say all of this to say that Russ has taken Jarod to concerts before, but I have not been with them. It was such a joy watching Jarod get excited, sing, fist pump, clap and worship along with both Newsboys and Tobymac (his favorites). I think it was one of the highlights of my weekend. That and the fact that he wanted me right there next to him!
I LOVE that he loves Christian music. Songs that worship our Lord with band members that don't glorify themselves and the things of this world, but point their fans to Christ. There is already so much stuff out there for him to fight against, it's great to know that positive music is blaring through those ear buds on his iPod.
On Saturday, the group got him a special birthday cake and we all had lunch together before heading over the park again. I'm so excited about the youth group at our church. It's a great group of teens who love to have fun and learn more about Christ together. For so long, Jarod has been our little guy who hangs out with the youth trying to fit in. Now he does. He is one of them and it was so neat to watch that dynamic all weekend.
Joe, Cliff and Chase with Jarod
These guys are great. I hung with them all weekend.
The whole group.
Jarod is a way cooler surfer than me!!!!
The rides were absolutely awesome! I think we rode The Mummy over and over! But we finished the weekend off with this:
Absolutely worth the two hour wait! 167 ft drop!
It doesn't get much better than this kind of craziness -
Whoo hoo!!!!
What an awesome way to finish off your birthday! 13 will definitely be one for the memory books!
4 comments:
What a fun trip. Looks like awesome mother/son bonding time. Never enough time for that.
Awesome!
And...I seem to recall that I also saw Ferrell & Ferrell and DGK in concert in the 80s...was it at the Florida Theatre? And did we go as a group somehow or did I just also go but separately? Fuzzy memory but all of those concerts were so much fun back then!
Betsy :)
Yes Besty! Florida Theater. I went with my youth group at the time but I know we all went to several concerts together as our own group! Great memories! Russ and I laugh about all the things we used to do together and were not even interested in each other. God's plan is funny sometimes!
:) I looked up Farrell & Farrell on You Tube because I couldn't remember what songs they were known for...now I have People in a Box stuck in my head. ;)
I think Russ Taft was my first concert -- neat because that's where we got the name His Medals from.
I treasure the fact that I got to see Rich Mullins three times. The last concert was in Gainesville in the early 90s at a church. It was such a small venue that we all got to meet him after. Super neat!
Betsy :)
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