Star
Wars : Episode III

While buying tickets for “Revenge of the Sith,” the teen worker behind
plexi-glass said, “You’re going to love it. It ties everything
together. You’ll understand the complete saga.”

I’ve got to admit the young dude was right. The answers were revealed.
Such as…

Scripture says that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He
has all the answers. He knows the outcomes. 1 John 3 says we will
become like him. Do you think that means that one day we will have all
the answers?

Here’s a brief checklist for upcoming trips…

1. Determine the cost. Check the
prices of hotels, airlines, buses, rentals, fees, etc. Don’t
let an unforeseen cost hurt the trip or take out the budget. Look in
the phonebook and call all the businesses that relate to your activity
and compare prices. If possible ride out to their lot and check out the
rentals personally to make sure their “good deal” isn’t a bad deal for
you.

If your planning will require rental away from home, use a travel agent
or do your own research online with a company like Travelocity
(www.travelocity.com). Companies like these will allow you to compare
prices between several companies providing the same service.

2. Acquire all necessary forms
and have them signed. What forms are needed for the trip
you are taking? Medical release forms? Permission slips? You will want
to get signatures, insurance card numbers, and a notary seal in some
cases. Check your state laws to determine exactly what forms you need
for each trip. If not expressly stated on your form, you will also need
emergency phone numbers, medication allergies, and any other
information a parent may feel is needed to protect their child in the
case of an emergency.

3. Use commitment contracts. Hold
teens accountable by specifically stating the do’s and don’t’s of the
trip. Make a list of all requirements and have teens and parents sign
the contract. This type of commitment will help deter surprises and
statements like, “I didn’t know it was against the rules to pull the
fire alarm at the hotel.” A commitment contract lets parents and teens
know that trips are not “do what I want” outings.

4. Check maintenance on all
transportation. This may come as a shock to most of you, but
I’ve actually heard about a few church vans and buses that broke down
on a trip. Can you believe it? Even more amazing is that the ministers
in fault actually admitted that they didn’t get the vehicles checked
out before leaving town.

Don’t wait until the last minute to get gasoline, oil, tires pumped,
etc. Most church vehicles have enough problems to warrant being in the
shop for a week, so plan ahead and keep maintenance up to par. We have
enough headaches on the trip without having to worry about mechanical
problems.

5. Collect money. I know
most of you couldn’t believe that some church vans break down, but I’m
going to take a risk and tell you something else you might not believe.
Some teens sign up for events and then back out a couple of days
before, leaving the church with the bill. To prevent this from
happening to you, require teens pay up front before they are allowed to
register for an activity or trip.  Let it be known that the money
is nonrefundable and if a teen drops out, the money is still needed to
pay for the spot for which they registered.

Members get the other five on the list here…

http://www.teenlifeministries.com/site.php/arti/read/checklist_for_trips/