Devoted is becoming a big, scary word

I have been actively trying to not think about church camp.  My goal is to not dwell on it again until at least December.  So, of course today is the day that I find Student Life Camp 2011 information on my desk.  It was not so much SL's fault.  I have been slowly digging through the pile of stuff that has ended up on my desk, and I was bound to make it back to what was put there in August.  Today was that day. 
When I first saw my nifty little Devoted CD Rom, I decided to put it away.  Then, I put in the computer instead.  Next year's theme is "Devoted."  From what I can tell this is mostly in response to a study by Dr. Christian Smith, Professor of Sociology at Notre Dame.  He is also the director for the National Study of Youth and Religion.  This study began in 2001, and the findings were recently released.  I've scanned most of it, and we'll be discussing it pretty consistently for awhile as I really get into it.
What has me concerned is this idea of helping teens, teaching teens, forcing teens, whatever verb you want to use here teens to be "devoted."  There is obivously no magic solution here, no sure fire equation or perfect plan.  Thus my concern.
But more than that, the elements that seem to be so important to developing devoted teens, no matter the religion or philosophy, are, at best, weak in our society.  How many parents are devoted to anything themselves?  How many other adults are not only devoted, but are actively trying to share that with teens?  How much is the "Christian Culture" (the problems with those two words is a whole other blog serieis) screaming out that this generation is the most godless, the most immoral, the most rebellious?  What have we, as the religious devoted, done to encourage the same in the next generation?  More specifically, where is it that we as the American Christian devoted are failing, as we watch where those outside our faith are being successfull?  Are we that blind, are we missing the point, or does it even have anything to do with us?
I've no answers today, this is just  a process I am starting to work through.  But, I am concerned, and that word, devoted, may come to haunt me in the coming weeks.

Trying this again

I've done the whole blogging thing before.  And I was horrible at it.  Blogging was what I did instead of studying.  And that was the only time I did blog.  No exaggeration there.  So I am somewhat timid about doing this again.  I want to for a couple of reasons.
1) I have a few friends that no longer live near me, and their blogs tell me so much more about what is going on in their lives than a status update.  I can actually see what they are learning, how they are doing, what they are doing and why they are doing it.  I want to share with them the same way.
2) I am learning and exploring and want to share and be shared with.  Isn't that the whole point of blogging?
3) I have a genuine fear that I am losing the ability to write.  I find it harder to spell correctly, I catch myself using shorthand and incomplete sentences when it is not acceptable.  I am forgetting basic rules of grammar simply because I don't use them.  We are changing that today.
4)  Penny keeps saying she is going to start a blog, and I think it is funny I  beat her to it.
There you go.
Now, every good blog I read has a running joke or theme.  I am starting one today.

Reasons I would be a horrible member of a mega-church.
#1-You cannot put theatre lighting in a room and expect me not to want to wander to the light board (and push buttons).  Kick me out from there, and I will try to find a way to sneak onto the cat walk.  You can forget me paying attention during the song service.  The moment those robot lights start flashing, my focus is complete and unbreakable.  I want to watch the lights.  I will watch the lights.  It's been proven, multiple times.  Call me simple, I don't care.  Those things are awesome and entertaining.