Thanks, mom.

Sacrificial giving.
That's what I'm used to from my parents. They give and they give and they bless me with with unlimited gifts of love and time and things.

Clint has taken on a leadership role in our church's youth group. Somehow this became a family project, as none of us want him to fail in this role. We've been supporting his efforts as much as possible, including late night, last minute runs to Kinko's for photocopying or hosting the youth at the cabin for a retreat.

Yesterday's event was a photo scavenger hunt. The group was divided into 2 teams, each with parent drivers and a transport vehicle. The idea was to take creative, inventive photos of your team in various locations around town. The catch was, (think of the "Friends" sitcom's opening sequence) you needed to take a couch with you. And take pictures of the team with the couch...

This is why I appreciate my mom sooo much. She graciously, no maybe forcefully would be a better word, offered the youth her couch. My dad was surprised that they were giving away a perfectly good piece of furniture - but seeing it was for the kids, he gladly drove it over.

Their family room now has a bare spot where the love seat of my teen years is missing. It had solidly held that location for about 30 years. All my dating took place on that couch. (Dating = watching TV for 7 years.) The grandkids had their sleepovers on that couch.

And now the youth of Murrayville have memories of an evening with that couch as well: