If i stayed up for another 4 hrs 45 mins I'd have been up for a full 24 hours. eek. but today was oh so much fun. well it actually started last night at oneYouth and continued today at oneYouth conference.

so i'm not gonna say what we did... although most of you won't know what oneYouth is. basically it's the five youth groups of turramurra combining for youth on friday night, and this time they decided to have oneYouth conference, which ran all day today (saturday).

So this morning we had worship and seminars and then headed out to tuzza high to fix it up. basically gardening, landscaping, cleaning and painting chairs and tables and whatever they needed.

But what I really wanted to write about is what impacted me about the day. it was so awesome everyone coming out to do something for the community, and not just that, but the sense of community between everyone that was there was so tangible. you could go talk to anyone, or ask anyone to do anything, and guaranteed they'd be happy to speak to you and help you out with whatever you needed for the task you were doing. and it didn't matter that we were all from different youths and churches - it just made it all the more fun. so many new people to meet and interact and work with, and half the time you didn't even introduce yourself; it just felt like you already knew eachother and were already friends. God's kingdom - the ultimate community. nothing awkward, just friendly, beautiful people who are all in for loving others with their actions.

even though tuzza high has gone through a pretty good transformation in some parts (although there's still a lot left to do - next year?) it's not the end result of what we can see that made it worth it, but seeing the youth of this area giving up their saturday to come together to enjoy the day with eachother, and ultimately to worship God by serving others - not so that they could get the credit and praise, but so that other may know the love of Jesus that is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling that makes you feel all nice inside; but love that is so passionate and real, that it gets its hands dirty doing things for others, and desires deeply to see others' lives transformed. I hope that the youth go away from today with a desire to continue to serve others, to show love through the way they live their lives in the everyday. We don't need our youth leaders to organise special days to give us the chance to serve - we should be looking (and praying) for the opportunites everyday to show the world the amazing love and hope we have. And it doesn't take something big.

I like this quote, and I think it sums it up pretty well:-

"We can do not great things, only small things with great love. It is not how much you do but how much love you put into doing it."Mother Teresa

And in the end, that's what it's all about.