Hellooo blogworld! Life has been crazy lately, hence me not writing. Well, this morning I have time, only because of my wonderful husband. Listen to what he had up his sleeve: this weekend is the family Christmas on my mom's side, so we had planned on coming to this side of the state for the weekend. A few days ago, Caleb told me he had a proposition. Naturally I asked what it was, and he said that if he got a certain amount done on the house, we could leave a day early, and he would have a surprise. Needless to say he got the stuff done at the house that he wanted to, and yesterday we left town around 1:30. What was my surprise? Two days of shopping at the Birch Run Outlet Mall, and an overnight stay at the hotel on the complex. So, right now, I'm sitting on a king size bed, and sipping hot tea in comfy clothes writing to you all, and Caleb is reading a book in the jacuzi tub in our room. Not going to lie, I feel like a princess =) We shopped last night, so after we get ready and check out of this hotel, we've got more shopping to do and then we will head out to see my family. This weekend is off to a great start!
Overall, we've been crazy busy. There's work on the house to do, we had to move out of the other house, stuff at church, work, Christmas activities, etc. Last week we took the youth group shopping, the Tweens swimming, and this week, we were going to take the youth group ice skating, but due to the power outage scheduled (that we were never told about.. haha) that fell through. Instead, we had everyone come to the church for dodgeball tournaments, playing on the wii, games, and snacks, and the afternoon turned out great. They say one of the most important things in ministry is the ability to be flexible, and over the past few months I've been learning more and more about that truth. I had never thought about the application of it before, but someone in our staff meeting the other day mentioned that us being flexible allows God to do what HE needs to do in us and our students, regardless if that is what we had planned. Besides, who are we to stand in His way..?
Our first Christmas together was great. It was busy, but we're used to the business of life, so that part didn't surprise us. Christmas eve day was spent at my parents house for me, as my brother from Missouri was here. It was fun for all five of us to be together again. Later that night, my family and Caleb's family all attended the Christmas eve service at our church, which was a good time. Then Caleb and I went to his parents to open gifts and didn't get home until after midnight. We opened our gifts to each other, and turned in about 2:30am. Christmas morning came early, and we headed to my parents to open gifts at 7am. After that, we were at church by 9:30am, and ate dinner at Caleb's parents' at 1pm. Then to my grandpa's for Christmas dinner at 3:30pm. We got home around 8pm and were spent.
So, sitting here in this hotel room, with the whole weekend ahead of me, I'm thankful for the opportunities to do everything I have been able to do. See my family, spend time with my husband, and in Caleb's words; "have some R&R" (which, I figured out means rest and relaxation). It has been a busy year, but a good year, and I can't wait to see what God has planned for us for this year. As we finish out the year, we reflect on a few of the big things; our wedding and life started together, purchasing a house (without debt!), traveling to Seattle, our ministry involvement, getting to spend time with family... we are blessed beyond measure and very thankful. There are so many other things big and small that have happened, I don't mean to exclude them, but I just can't write the whole list here. I hope you take some time to think back about this year, what you're thankful for, and start preparing your mind for the coming year. Don't forget to count your blessings.
I hope your Christmas, New Year, and any other holiday you celebrate, is a time of blessing for you and your family. To God be the glory!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Christmas Trivia!
Ready for some interesting trivia?! Do your best to answer the questions, and then look to the comment underneath the post; I'll put the answers there. Good luck!
1. What Christmas plant is "Viscum" used to label:
-Mistletoe, Holly, Ivy, or Sage ?
2. The name of Scrooge's dead business partner:
-James Willcot, John Mantis, Jacob Marely, or Jimmy Booth ?
3. Which author made the remark "I gave them for Dinner a Piece of rost Beef and plumb Puddings – and after dinner half a Pint of strong Beer apiece. ":
-Philip Larkin, James Woodforde, Samuel Johnson, or Evelyn Waugh ?
4. Who tried to steal Christmas from the "Whos of Whoville" in the 1966 cartoon based on the Dr. Seuss Story?:
-The Grinch, The Snowman, Hattie Jacques, or Ian Holm ?
5. What was the film called in which Peter Auty sang Walking in the Air?:
-The Grinch, The Snowman, Hattie Jacques, or Ian Holm ?
6. What Christmas food is made from "marsh-whorts":
-Stuffing, Sweet Potatos, Marshmellows, or Cranberry sauce ?
7. Which ocean is Christmas Island in:
-Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, or Arctic Ocean ?
8. Who wrote the poem, "The Cultivation of Christmas Trees":
-Paul Thereaux, Walt Whitman, James Joyce, or T S Eliot ?
9. Which continent is the turkey from:
-South America, North America, Europe, or Australia ?
10. In which author's novel is it "always winter but never Christmas":
-C S Lewis, John Masefield, Jacob Marley, or Sherlock Homes ?
(Above is the link where I found this quiz and many others if you want to explore and try some more trivia!)
Leave a comment and let me know how you did!
1. What Christmas plant is "Viscum" used to label:
-Mistletoe, Holly, Ivy, or Sage ?
2. The name of Scrooge's dead business partner:
-James Willcot, John Mantis, Jacob Marely, or Jimmy Booth ?
3. Which author made the remark "I gave them for Dinner a Piece of rost Beef and plumb Puddings – and after dinner half a Pint of strong Beer apiece. ":
-Philip Larkin, James Woodforde, Samuel Johnson, or Evelyn Waugh ?
4. Who tried to steal Christmas from the "Whos of Whoville" in the 1966 cartoon based on the Dr. Seuss Story?:
-The Grinch, The Snowman, Hattie Jacques, or Ian Holm ?
5. What was the film called in which Peter Auty sang Walking in the Air?:
-The Grinch, The Snowman, Hattie Jacques, or Ian Holm ?
6. What Christmas food is made from "marsh-whorts":
-Stuffing, Sweet Potatos, Marshmellows, or Cranberry sauce ?
7. Which ocean is Christmas Island in:
-Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, or Arctic Ocean ?
8. Who wrote the poem, "The Cultivation of Christmas Trees":
-Paul Thereaux, Walt Whitman, James Joyce, or T S Eliot ?
9. Which continent is the turkey from:
-South America, North America, Europe, or Australia ?
10. In which author's novel is it "always winter but never Christmas":
-C S Lewis, John Masefield, Jacob Marley, or Sherlock Homes ?
(Above is the link where I found this quiz and many others if you want to explore and try some more trivia!)
Leave a comment and let me know how you did!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Concerts, Family, and Christmas
I don't have much time today, so I'll keep it short and sweet!
I'm pretty behind in my posts this month. But I'm pretty behind in everything this month is seems. Less than a week from Christmas, my shopping is far from done, we don't know what we're doing with the families yet, etc., but we DO get to see my brother and his girlfriend! They're coming up from Missouri, and we can't wait! We also get to see some of Caleb's family from Seattle and Kentucky around Christmas. Then it's a family Christmas on my mom's side over new years, and then we get to fly out to Washington D.C. for a weekend to take part in the baptism ceremony of a cousin's son because we were asked to be godparents. Busy busy! We also just got back from the other side of the state for a Christmas party on my dad's side. Loads of fun!
Something else we've recently done is hosted a concert at our church. The band 33 Miles and Master Illusionist Harris 111 joined us to celebrate their Christmas tour. It was a great night and they put on a fantastic show. It was also a great outreach event for our church, as the gospel was shared. Anyway, here are a few pictures.
P.S. Happy 25th Birthday to my wonderful brother! Love ya!
Coming up this week: we're taking the youth group shopping for a day up north, we're taking the Tweens to the college to swim and play in the rec room, and all the Christmas stuff that I can't remember. Like I said, busy busy. So, if I'm not back before then,
I'm pretty behind in my posts this month. But I'm pretty behind in everything this month is seems. Less than a week from Christmas, my shopping is far from done, we don't know what we're doing with the families yet, etc., but we DO get to see my brother and his girlfriend! They're coming up from Missouri, and we can't wait! We also get to see some of Caleb's family from Seattle and Kentucky around Christmas. Then it's a family Christmas on my mom's side over new years, and then we get to fly out to Washington D.C. for a weekend to take part in the baptism ceremony of a cousin's son because we were asked to be godparents. Busy busy! We also just got back from the other side of the state for a Christmas party on my dad's side. Loads of fun!
Grandpa as Santa, handing out gifts
Something else we've recently done is hosted a concert at our church. The band 33 Miles and Master Illusionist Harris 111 joined us to celebrate their Christmas tour. It was a great night and they put on a fantastic show. It was also a great outreach event for our church, as the gospel was shared. Anyway, here are a few pictures.
Very blurry, but this is all of us girls with Harris 111
My sis, her friend and I with Jason and Chris (33 Miles)
Me with the guitarist - he's from the band Pocket Full of Rocks
Me with the drummer - he's also from the band Pocket Full of Rocks
P.S. Happy 25th Birthday to my wonderful brother! Love ya!
Coming up this week: we're taking the youth group shopping for a day up north, we're taking the Tweens to the college to swim and play in the rec room, and all the Christmas stuff that I can't remember. Like I said, busy busy. So, if I'm not back before then,
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Three 2x4's
I know it's been a long time since I've written, but this blog has been brewing for over a week and a half, and I think it's finally time to let you know what's going through my mind.
For the past few months, I've been struggling with some issues that I wasn't quite sure how to deal with. I was getting so frustrated that I would just come home and want to cry. I vented to Caleb almost every night, and every night I would tell him that I didn't want to be frustrated, I didn't want to be angry, I just wanted to handle these situations in a way that would be pleasing to God. After many conversations with a dear friend, conversations that she and her parents had had (we shared many of the same frustrations), conversations with my mom, and even a few with the assistant pastor, I had a thought.. instead of changing those who I was dealing with, why not change myself...
So, I started to be more aware of what God might be wanting to teach me through this. I had been doing consistent devotions, so I just started to focus more, and spend more time alone with my Jesus. Not long into this process, I was looking at pictures from a friend's honeymoon and something caught my eye: on the back of some random guy's shirt.. "(2 Peter 3:18).. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..". I stopped as the thought hit me... grow in grace ...it was like a 2x4 smacking across my head. Hm.. coincidence?... Not a chance. While looking at some other pictures, I noticed a comment someone had posted in response to someone else's frustration; "(1 Cor. 13:4) ..love is patient, love is kind..." I think that many times we only apply verses like that to our spouses or other family, and even though my issues weren't with Caleb or other family, this also hit me like a 2x4. Once again, not a coincidence. ...Maybe the first step in dealing with my frustration and issues was to grow in grace and remember that love is patient and love is kind. Well, I got my answer two days later, and growing in grace, and being patient and kind definitely was a good first step. In dealing with the people and issues first hand, I found that the issues didn't seem as pressing, and the people I was dealing with started to realize why others were getting frustrated. "Wow," I thought, "..grow in grace... love is patient,... love is kind.." This is crazy. But not really.
That Friday I had the privilege to stop by my friends office while I was at work and tell her about this experience. She was excited to see how God was working and we joked about being smacked on the head by 2x4's. Little did I know, I still had another one coming. Saturday morning I was curled up on my couch with my Bible, reading in Matthew 12. I read about how the Pharisees were trying to find anything to accuse Jesus of, and when He addressed them (because He knew what they were trying to do), it was like I got hit with another two by four. "(v. 34b) ...for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." I stopped and stared at the page, and started laughing. "Wooooow," I thought, "..once again, not a coincidence." So, I sent my friend a text message, to which she replied, "lol God is just loving on you this week!" Ha... nooo kidding! So, there's a second step for me.. remembering that my mouth will speak what my heart is full of.
I put all three verses into effect the next day at church and while helping at youth group, and with them running through my head I was able to deal with the things going on in a way that was much more effective than just getting frustrated. I was even able to explain some of the frustrations of the group to someone. I was pretty excited to see God work. The quote about being the change you want to see was affirmed, and I realized that changing myself is sometimes a better option than trying to change others. After all, I got the chance to learn how to grow in grace, really love people, and let my patience level expand.
God is good.
For the past few months, I've been struggling with some issues that I wasn't quite sure how to deal with. I was getting so frustrated that I would just come home and want to cry. I vented to Caleb almost every night, and every night I would tell him that I didn't want to be frustrated, I didn't want to be angry, I just wanted to handle these situations in a way that would be pleasing to God. After many conversations with a dear friend, conversations that she and her parents had had (we shared many of the same frustrations), conversations with my mom, and even a few with the assistant pastor, I had a thought.. instead of changing those who I was dealing with, why not change myself...
So, I started to be more aware of what God might be wanting to teach me through this. I had been doing consistent devotions, so I just started to focus more, and spend more time alone with my Jesus. Not long into this process, I was looking at pictures from a friend's honeymoon and something caught my eye: on the back of some random guy's shirt.. "(2 Peter 3:18).. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..". I stopped as the thought hit me... grow in grace ...it was like a 2x4 smacking across my head. Hm.. coincidence?... Not a chance. While looking at some other pictures, I noticed a comment someone had posted in response to someone else's frustration; "(1 Cor. 13:4) ..love is patient, love is kind..." I think that many times we only apply verses like that to our spouses or other family, and even though my issues weren't with Caleb or other family, this also hit me like a 2x4. Once again, not a coincidence. ...Maybe the first step in dealing with my frustration and issues was to grow in grace and remember that love is patient and love is kind. Well, I got my answer two days later, and growing in grace, and being patient and kind definitely was a good first step. In dealing with the people and issues first hand, I found that the issues didn't seem as pressing, and the people I was dealing with started to realize why others were getting frustrated. "Wow," I thought, "..grow in grace... love is patient,... love is kind.." This is crazy. But not really.
That Friday I had the privilege to stop by my friends office while I was at work and tell her about this experience. She was excited to see how God was working and we joked about being smacked on the head by 2x4's. Little did I know, I still had another one coming. Saturday morning I was curled up on my couch with my Bible, reading in Matthew 12. I read about how the Pharisees were trying to find anything to accuse Jesus of, and when He addressed them (because He knew what they were trying to do), it was like I got hit with another two by four. "(v. 34b) ...for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." I stopped and stared at the page, and started laughing. "Wooooow," I thought, "..once again, not a coincidence." So, I sent my friend a text message, to which she replied, "lol God is just loving on you this week!" Ha... nooo kidding! So, there's a second step for me.. remembering that my mouth will speak what my heart is full of.
I put all three verses into effect the next day at church and while helping at youth group, and with them running through my head I was able to deal with the things going on in a way that was much more effective than just getting frustrated. I was even able to explain some of the frustrations of the group to someone. I was pretty excited to see God work. The quote about being the change you want to see was affirmed, and I realized that changing myself is sometimes a better option than trying to change others. After all, I got the chance to learn how to grow in grace, really love people, and let my patience level expand.
God is good.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
It's Beginning to Look...
...a lot like Christmas in the Nordine household!
Today I had time to wrap a few gifts, put some bows on our tree, and get a tree skirt..
..And make cookies!
Caleb got home about a minute after I dropped the last cookie onto the wax paper and as I turned around to do something the thought occurred to me that I should probably tell him they're not ready yet. As I turned to tell him, I saw his finger in his mouth, chocolate on his lip, an empty spot on the paper where a cookie used to be, and a guilty look on his face.. complete with a mischievous smile =] Life is good.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Beehives Mentioned in "Recap" (Previous Post)
Here is the first one. This was found by the sliding door in our dining area. It was built around one of the plumbing pipes and is the size of a basketball.
This is the second one that was found right above a set of kitchen cabinets, next to the sliding door. It is also the size of a basketball.
I am sooooo glad neither of these nests were active!
Our Tree Is Up!
Today I finalized and sent out our December newsletter for youth group. Yesterday I made new attendance sheets, sign-up sheets for our three extra events next month, and hung posters advertising the Middle and High School retreats in January. And tonight, I get to be with a group of K-2nd graders at AWANA. Some things just make me grin.
Something else that made me grin was putting up our Christmas tree yesterday. I didn't decorate it, but it's prelit, so it still looks bright and cheery! I also wrapped Caleb's Christmas gifts, and put together a gift for my sister. We still have some shopping to do, but I am totally loving the start of this Christmas season. The only thing missing is snow. Yes, it is almost December, and we still don't have any snow here on the west side of Michigan. I'm not exactly complaining.. but it just doesn't seem as Christmas-y without it.
Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this wonderful season and having a great day! More to come soon!
Something else that made me grin was putting up our Christmas tree yesterday. I didn't decorate it, but it's prelit, so it still looks bright and cheery! I also wrapped Caleb's Christmas gifts, and put together a gift for my sister. We still have some shopping to do, but I am totally loving the start of this Christmas season. The only thing missing is snow. Yes, it is almost December, and we still don't have any snow here on the west side of Michigan. I'm not exactly complaining.. but it just doesn't seem as Christmas-y without it.
Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this wonderful season and having a great day! More to come soon!
Our tree (I don't have a tree skirt yet, but I'm sure I'll add one soon!)
Once we transition houses we'll decorate the tree =) But as for now, I'm satisfied with simply having a lit tree gleaming in the living room.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Recap
Scenario: I'm sitting at church working the homeless shelter, wide awake while my husband is sleeping on the couch, and watching an episode of Walker. I'm so tired, but I can't fall asleep. Besides, someone has to be awake. So I guess I'll fill you in on what happened since I posted last.
Wednesday we picked my sister up from school and headed to my sister and I's hometown. It was great to be home and see everyone again, it's been a while since I'd been there. Thursday dawned with the usual festivities; people stirring around the house, getting up and around, EARLY. Because we were in a different house we woke up early, in part due to the fact that our air mattress had deflated also =] But we got ready and went to my grandparents' house. After dinner, we went to my other grandparents' house. And then after that we went to Caleb's grandparents' house. It was a late night to say the least. We got back and went to bed, and got maybe two hours of sleep before we got up for the black Friday sales.
Saginaw was filled with all the hustle and bustle you'd expect it to have, but without the fights and other things commonly associated with black Friday sales. We got our treasures, spent wayyy too much time shopping, and then decided to grab some breakfast. A new Ihop opened last month, so we went to that (even thought it was packed!), and then headed home. It was good to be able to spend some time with family that I don't see often, and good to relax. We haven't done much of either lately. Around 4pm we started our trip home, and with two extra stops we got home later than usual. After we got everything put away we crashed. I was asleep less than a minute after my head hit the pillow.
Today we had planned to get up early to start our work day on the house. Caleb wanted to be at Lowe's by 7am, but at 8:30, and half asleep, I heard him telling me to look at the clock. 7am wasn't a reality, but it did feel really good to get some sleep. I was worried he wouldn't get any sleep this weekend, so that solid nine hours eased my mind quite a bit. So he got up and got to the house in a hurry and the day started from there. My sister-in-law and I put in insulation while everyone else did their thing. The guys downstairs ended up finding two basketball size bee hives IN the walls of our house. They were neat to look at, but I'm glad no one was living in the house when the hives were active. Those bees would've been nasty to fight with. We had to leave the house early to get ready for the shelter tonight. We don't have many visitors, and there are more of us staying as volunteers than as visitors, but it was an ok night. As this day winds to an end (err, yesterday, I guess), I'm definitely ready to get some sleep.
Tomorrow will be filled with stuff also. We have church, and then I'm sitting at the table to sell tickets for our 33 Miles concert next month. After that I think Caleb is going to work at the house and I'm not sure what I'm doing. We have a leaders meeting and then we're taking the youth group bowling.
Crazy busy. One day, weekends like this will really catch up with us. One day =] As of now, I think we're going strong. We'll see how long that lasts. Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving was as great as mine was. Have a good Sunday and rest of the week!
Wednesday we picked my sister up from school and headed to my sister and I's hometown. It was great to be home and see everyone again, it's been a while since I'd been there. Thursday dawned with the usual festivities; people stirring around the house, getting up and around, EARLY. Because we were in a different house we woke up early, in part due to the fact that our air mattress had deflated also =] But we got ready and went to my grandparents' house. After dinner, we went to my other grandparents' house. And then after that we went to Caleb's grandparents' house. It was a late night to say the least. We got back and went to bed, and got maybe two hours of sleep before we got up for the black Friday sales.
Saginaw was filled with all the hustle and bustle you'd expect it to have, but without the fights and other things commonly associated with black Friday sales. We got our treasures, spent wayyy too much time shopping, and then decided to grab some breakfast. A new Ihop opened last month, so we went to that (even thought it was packed!), and then headed home. It was good to be able to spend some time with family that I don't see often, and good to relax. We haven't done much of either lately. Around 4pm we started our trip home, and with two extra stops we got home later than usual. After we got everything put away we crashed. I was asleep less than a minute after my head hit the pillow.
Today we had planned to get up early to start our work day on the house. Caleb wanted to be at Lowe's by 7am, but at 8:30, and half asleep, I heard him telling me to look at the clock. 7am wasn't a reality, but it did feel really good to get some sleep. I was worried he wouldn't get any sleep this weekend, so that solid nine hours eased my mind quite a bit. So he got up and got to the house in a hurry and the day started from there. My sister-in-law and I put in insulation while everyone else did their thing. The guys downstairs ended up finding two basketball size bee hives IN the walls of our house. They were neat to look at, but I'm glad no one was living in the house when the hives were active. Those bees would've been nasty to fight with. We had to leave the house early to get ready for the shelter tonight. We don't have many visitors, and there are more of us staying as volunteers than as visitors, but it was an ok night. As this day winds to an end (err, yesterday, I guess), I'm definitely ready to get some sleep.
Tomorrow will be filled with stuff also. We have church, and then I'm sitting at the table to sell tickets for our 33 Miles concert next month. After that I think Caleb is going to work at the house and I'm not sure what I'm doing. We have a leaders meeting and then we're taking the youth group bowling.
Crazy busy. One day, weekends like this will really catch up with us. One day =] As of now, I think we're going strong. We'll see how long that lasts. Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving was as great as mine was. Have a good Sunday and rest of the week!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Turkey and Shopping.. aka Thanksgiving
Tonight is one of those nights that no matter how hard I try to clear my mind and go to sleep, I can't fall asleep for anything. My husband sound asleep next to me, and I lying there wide awake... that has become too familiar of a scenario. So here I find myself in the kitchen, in my slippers, sweater, and extra warm pants (its really cold in this house at night!), with a cup of sleepy time tea. I sure hope it works tonight.
This weekend is going to be a whirlwind for sure, so I'd like to get enough sleep tonight that it tides me over and I don't get too worn out. Tomorrow we head out across state to my hometown for a few days. While there, we will see most of both parents' sides, and my husbands grandparents on his moms side. That will be Thursday, though. Tomorrow promises me lots of laundry and packing until we pick my sister up from school and embark on our three hour drive. Friday will be interesting.. Caleb's family has always went shopping on black Friday, and due to their excitement, I went last year as well. I was across state, so I went to a different shopping town than they did, and the two experiences couldn't be more different. Where I went was as calm as could be. People weren't stealing things out of each others carts, fighting, going crazy, etc. I was in an out of most stores in under a half hour. But Caleb's experience on the other hand, was pretty... intense. He was standing in line in one store while watching a man a few lines over drink a fifth of rum. When confronted by the authorities, this man proceeded to try and fight with the cops, complete with throwing a few punches. Really? Is it really worth that much? I couldn't believe some of the stories I heard. Last year during a conversation with my older brother, I told him I was thinking about doing the black Friday shopping and he very enthusiastically asked me why and what I was thinking. He told me that people get killed, trampled, fight, etc., and I told him that I just wanted to experience the madness. He told me I was nuts and to be careful. Well, now I'm hooked. Maybe its because the town I shopped in wasn't the typical madhouse, but either way, Caleb and I will be two of the crazy people shopping early Friday morning. And, just to clarify, we'll be shopping on the other side of the state, the town that wasn't a crazy madhouse =)
Something to keep in mind while reading this though, is that the only reason we know when black Friday is, is because of the holiday that it proceeds; Thanksgiving. This year as you celebrate, think about the things you are thankful for; family, friends, a home, food, clothes, freedom, and so many of the other things we take for granted so often. Thanksgiving is too often associated with a meal where many of us gorge ourselves, and not to be thankful for the little things. So this year as you overload on turkey, potatoes, and pumpkin pie, be thankful for the other little (and big!) things you have been blessed with. I'm so excited to be able to see my family. Being thankful for them is something I have definitely done more of since I moved three hours away. All of a sudden I couldn't drive across town, or some short distance, and see them. Our time together is limited to a few short hours every few months. Let me tell you, that was an adjustment. So, this year as I prepare to see them for this holiday, I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to travel, for the opportunity to be able to spend time with them for yet another holiday, and for the opportunity to just relax in an atmosphere that brings back so many good memories.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Stay safe and warm, and have a truly blessed and thankful weekend!
This weekend is going to be a whirlwind for sure, so I'd like to get enough sleep tonight that it tides me over and I don't get too worn out. Tomorrow we head out across state to my hometown for a few days. While there, we will see most of both parents' sides, and my husbands grandparents on his moms side. That will be Thursday, though. Tomorrow promises me lots of laundry and packing until we pick my sister up from school and embark on our three hour drive. Friday will be interesting.. Caleb's family has always went shopping on black Friday, and due to their excitement, I went last year as well. I was across state, so I went to a different shopping town than they did, and the two experiences couldn't be more different. Where I went was as calm as could be. People weren't stealing things out of each others carts, fighting, going crazy, etc. I was in an out of most stores in under a half hour. But Caleb's experience on the other hand, was pretty... intense. He was standing in line in one store while watching a man a few lines over drink a fifth of rum. When confronted by the authorities, this man proceeded to try and fight with the cops, complete with throwing a few punches. Really? Is it really worth that much? I couldn't believe some of the stories I heard. Last year during a conversation with my older brother, I told him I was thinking about doing the black Friday shopping and he very enthusiastically asked me why and what I was thinking. He told me that people get killed, trampled, fight, etc., and I told him that I just wanted to experience the madness. He told me I was nuts and to be careful. Well, now I'm hooked. Maybe its because the town I shopped in wasn't the typical madhouse, but either way, Caleb and I will be two of the crazy people shopping early Friday morning. And, just to clarify, we'll be shopping on the other side of the state, the town that wasn't a crazy madhouse =)
Something to keep in mind while reading this though, is that the only reason we know when black Friday is, is because of the holiday that it proceeds; Thanksgiving. This year as you celebrate, think about the things you are thankful for; family, friends, a home, food, clothes, freedom, and so many of the other things we take for granted so often. Thanksgiving is too often associated with a meal where many of us gorge ourselves, and not to be thankful for the little things. So this year as you overload on turkey, potatoes, and pumpkin pie, be thankful for the other little (and big!) things you have been blessed with. I'm so excited to be able to see my family. Being thankful for them is something I have definitely done more of since I moved three hours away. All of a sudden I couldn't drive across town, or some short distance, and see them. Our time together is limited to a few short hours every few months. Let me tell you, that was an adjustment. So, this year as I prepare to see them for this holiday, I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to travel, for the opportunity to be able to spend time with them for yet another holiday, and for the opportunity to just relax in an atmosphere that brings back so many good memories.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Stay safe and warm, and have a truly blessed and thankful weekend!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Quite The Experience
As I drove to work this morning, I was watching the sky and wishing I wasn't running late so I could drive through the beach and see the lakefront and lighthouse. But, hitting the snooze button two too many times and feeling sluggish was making me run late. As I looked up, the sky was painted with bright colors and looked like cotton candy on one side of the avenue that divided town, and a vivid orange and yellow with streaks on the other. It was gorgeous. Definitely a morning that made me wish I had my camera in my purse and wasn't running late. Oh well. It was a good morning anyway.. I woke up to a kiss, a warm shower, stole a hug and was out the door. Now I can see the sunshine reflecting off the light green painted walls in the atrium outside of the office and it makes me smile.
Well, today we are going to our first (I'm sure of many) hockey game of the year. We promised my sister we would take her to at least one game this year, so I'm sure there will be more. Tonight we are doubling with another young couple from church, and I can't wait. Hockey is one of my favorite sports to watch, so I look forward to the season starting =) Our drive will be about an hour long, so as soon as I clock out and get home, we're going to pick them up. It'll be good to get away for the night. We've been stressing out about the house more than we'd like to, and working on it quite a bit the past two weeks. So having a night off will be good for us, and it'll be good to have a night out with another couple our age.
Other than that, this weekend promises to be busier than usual. Work and hockey tonight, and tomorrow Caleb is taking two guys to do all the fall clean-ups for the lawns he takes care of. I'm not sure what all I'm doing tomorrow, probably catch up of some housework, and maybe fun, we'll see. Then tomorrow night we're pulling an all-nighter at church to help with the homeless shelter. Its at our building for two weeks, and both weeks we'll be staying Saturday night. This weekend though, I'm curious to see how it'll go because I meet with the deacons after the service on Sunday about membership. I'm sure I'll be loopy and out of it, and nauseaus, so that'll be fun, ha. I'm not sure if we're helping, but Sunday afternoon some people are putting up decorations. Then we have a leaders meeting and a mystery event for youth group. This will be fun =) I can't say what we're doing until after Sunday night, but the staff is excited and we have some good plans for our students.
Sooo all that said, we're doing alright. A bit stressed here and there, and quite busy, but so goes life. We're learning a lot about remodeling a house, working with other staff, the known (but not fully believed) fact that life is expensive, and you've gotta do what you've gotta do.
Life is quite the experience =) Haha.. have a good day everyone.
With love,
Us.
Well, today we are going to our first (I'm sure of many) hockey game of the year. We promised my sister we would take her to at least one game this year, so I'm sure there will be more. Tonight we are doubling with another young couple from church, and I can't wait. Hockey is one of my favorite sports to watch, so I look forward to the season starting =) Our drive will be about an hour long, so as soon as I clock out and get home, we're going to pick them up. It'll be good to get away for the night. We've been stressing out about the house more than we'd like to, and working on it quite a bit the past two weeks. So having a night off will be good for us, and it'll be good to have a night out with another couple our age.
Other than that, this weekend promises to be busier than usual. Work and hockey tonight, and tomorrow Caleb is taking two guys to do all the fall clean-ups for the lawns he takes care of. I'm not sure what all I'm doing tomorrow, probably catch up of some housework, and maybe fun, we'll see. Then tomorrow night we're pulling an all-nighter at church to help with the homeless shelter. Its at our building for two weeks, and both weeks we'll be staying Saturday night. This weekend though, I'm curious to see how it'll go because I meet with the deacons after the service on Sunday about membership. I'm sure I'll be loopy and out of it, and nauseaus, so that'll be fun, ha. I'm not sure if we're helping, but Sunday afternoon some people are putting up decorations. Then we have a leaders meeting and a mystery event for youth group. This will be fun =) I can't say what we're doing until after Sunday night, but the staff is excited and we have some good plans for our students.
Sooo all that said, we're doing alright. A bit stressed here and there, and quite busy, but so goes life. We're learning a lot about remodeling a house, working with other staff, the known (but not fully believed) fact that life is expensive, and you've gotta do what you've gotta do.
Life is quite the experience =) Haha.. have a good day everyone.
With love,
Us.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Connections
Last weekend our Tween Ministry kicked off for the year, and my husband and I had the privilege to plan the event. What did we plan for these fourth and fifth graders? A lock-in! We hosted a lock-in in the spring, and were pleased to have eleven students. This year we were hoping for the same numbers if not more, and our eyes and hearts kept opening wider and wider as student after student entered the front doors. We ended up hosting twenty five students! How awesome is that!? As they kept arriving, I'll admit, I got slightly nervous for a minute until the excitement overtook the emotion of nervousness. I felt a gentle tug on my heart strings as I realized we would get to minister to these twenty five students, twenty of which were not regular church attendees! I got the shivers too =) So, what did we do from 6pm to 10am? Crazy, crazy things.
After we realized that we knew only five of the students' names, we decided to play the name game (my mother in law calls it 'whop-em!'). We arranged couches in a big circle and then we went around the circle saying our names. We did that about three or four times (after all, twenty five students and four leaders... wow, thats a lot of names!). Then Caleb got in the middle and explained that a person would say their name and then someone else's, while the person in the middle with a 'whacking stick' (rolled up papers covered in duct tape) would try to get to the person whose name they had said and try to whack them on the knee before they said their name and then someone else's. Learning and recalling almost thirty names within five minutes is hard to begin with, let alone having pressure put on you. But, it was a blast and we learned each others names in about a half hour =) Mission accomplished. Next, we played 'Have You Ever'. In this, one person stands in the middle and says 'have you ever ____" Those who have done whatever they said have to get up and switch chairs with someone that is not next to them. The last person left standing without a chair then has to repeat the phrase and attempt to find and empty seat. This gets crazy and loud, and we even had some tears due to rug burn from running and bumping into someone else. However, a paper towel with cold water on it seems to have magical powers with this age group.
After the first two games, we took them upstairs for some dinner. We had pizza, chips, brownies and a punch made from 7-up and green hawaiin punch. I didn't think about it then, but the children's ministry director pointed out that this meal may have been the first meal that some of our students had sat down with others to eat in a very long time. In our busy lives, a lot of families eat on the go most of the time. It was really cool to see how these kids interacted throughout dinner, though, and got to chat and banter back and forth. As they finished up we got questioned what the next game would be, and moved into the atrium for some balloon tag. We gave them each a balloon and a string and told them that the balloon had to be blown up larger than an ostrich egg, and then tied to their ankle. We then proceeded to yell 'go' and try to stomp each others' balloons. This sounds corny (but not as corny as the next game!), but its actually quite amusing. Some kids have strategy.. haha.. they'll hop up and down on one leg the whole time with their balloon in the air so it doesn't get popped. Others will literally just run around the boundaries the whole time without stopping. Then there are those who jump in stomping.. we had a lot of these students. It was fun to watch them.
The next game, the corny one I mentioned above, was a sock grab. We had them pull their socks so they were only on their toes, put their feet up in the air, and then after 'go', they had to crawl around on their hands and knees grabbing each others' socks. I figured this was pretty cheesy, but it was fun. Its actually challenging to try and grab someone else's socks while making sure no one behind you grabbed yours. This game didn't last more than two rounds because of hurt knees though, so we played 'Link Up Tag' (Ameba Tag). In this, two people stand side by side with an arm looped into their friends arm. Someone is being chased, and when they link up arms with someone, the person on the other side of the person they linked to has to run. This lasted a really long time, and got crazy when we added a second chaser and runner. But it was super fun.
My favorite game, though, would have to be the classic 'Sardines'. In this game, all the lights are turned off, and two people hide somewhere together. Then everyone has to try and find them, but not let others know that they have found them. When they find the hiders, they have to hide with them. So - the challenge is to find a place to hide thats hard to find and can fit as many people as are playing the game. The kids were hilarious. Not only did I have them asking me where Caleb and a helper were hiding, but I had two girls attached to each arm that were terrified of the dark. So, the second round of Sardines I took one of those girls and had her hide with me. We chose the very back corner of the darkest room. She was freaked out to begin with, let alone it being pitch black. But after sitting the corner of a pitch black room for a while, her eyes began to adjust and she could make out where the door was. So we talked for a bit, and after being quiet for a minute she told me she wasn't scared anymore, because 'it's just a big, dark, empty room.' That was a proud moment for her. The funny part was, that a few of the other girls opened the door, looked in the room, and said, 'no, she wouldn't be in here, its too dark for her, she would be too afraid,' and she promptly gasped and started giggling. After her giggle fit, we talked about how she had proved them wrong, and then people started finding us. But the minute the lights came on, she was up and trying to find whoever had said she wouldn't be there. She wanted to make sure they knew she had proved them wrong =) haha..
So, after all those games, we gave them some time in the game room, got ready for bed, popped in an episode of Veggie Tales and said goodnight. It was passed midnight, and they were tired; most of their bedtimes were around eight, so they were tuckered out. In the morning, we had breakfast, cleaned up, played another game, and then they left. As we reflected on our time with them, we couldn't help but be amazed by our God and students. Not only did we see them bond with each other, but with us as well. Some of them would've told us their life stories if we would've had time. Thats good though, because we want them to know that they can talk to us about anything. We even had a few students tell us about their home lives, and other things going on. Some of these students were homeless, some come from families with drug involvement, some from houses of neglect or abuse, and so on. And we get the privilege to minister to them through this ministry. It was an amazing and eye opening sixteen hours, and seeing the impact of just one night, we've already started planning the event for next month.
Keep these students in your prayers, to God be the glory!
After we realized that we knew only five of the students' names, we decided to play the name game (my mother in law calls it 'whop-em!'). We arranged couches in a big circle and then we went around the circle saying our names. We did that about three or four times (after all, twenty five students and four leaders... wow, thats a lot of names!). Then Caleb got in the middle and explained that a person would say their name and then someone else's, while the person in the middle with a 'whacking stick' (rolled up papers covered in duct tape) would try to get to the person whose name they had said and try to whack them on the knee before they said their name and then someone else's. Learning and recalling almost thirty names within five minutes is hard to begin with, let alone having pressure put on you. But, it was a blast and we learned each others names in about a half hour =) Mission accomplished. Next, we played 'Have You Ever'. In this, one person stands in the middle and says 'have you ever ____" Those who have done whatever they said have to get up and switch chairs with someone that is not next to them. The last person left standing without a chair then has to repeat the phrase and attempt to find and empty seat. This gets crazy and loud, and we even had some tears due to rug burn from running and bumping into someone else. However, a paper towel with cold water on it seems to have magical powers with this age group.
After the first two games, we took them upstairs for some dinner. We had pizza, chips, brownies and a punch made from 7-up and green hawaiin punch. I didn't think about it then, but the children's ministry director pointed out that this meal may have been the first meal that some of our students had sat down with others to eat in a very long time. In our busy lives, a lot of families eat on the go most of the time. It was really cool to see how these kids interacted throughout dinner, though, and got to chat and banter back and forth. As they finished up we got questioned what the next game would be, and moved into the atrium for some balloon tag. We gave them each a balloon and a string and told them that the balloon had to be blown up larger than an ostrich egg, and then tied to their ankle. We then proceeded to yell 'go' and try to stomp each others' balloons. This sounds corny (but not as corny as the next game!), but its actually quite amusing. Some kids have strategy.. haha.. they'll hop up and down on one leg the whole time with their balloon in the air so it doesn't get popped. Others will literally just run around the boundaries the whole time without stopping. Then there are those who jump in stomping.. we had a lot of these students. It was fun to watch them.
The next game, the corny one I mentioned above, was a sock grab. We had them pull their socks so they were only on their toes, put their feet up in the air, and then after 'go', they had to crawl around on their hands and knees grabbing each others' socks. I figured this was pretty cheesy, but it was fun. Its actually challenging to try and grab someone else's socks while making sure no one behind you grabbed yours. This game didn't last more than two rounds because of hurt knees though, so we played 'Link Up Tag' (Ameba Tag). In this, two people stand side by side with an arm looped into their friends arm. Someone is being chased, and when they link up arms with someone, the person on the other side of the person they linked to has to run. This lasted a really long time, and got crazy when we added a second chaser and runner. But it was super fun.
My favorite game, though, would have to be the classic 'Sardines'. In this game, all the lights are turned off, and two people hide somewhere together. Then everyone has to try and find them, but not let others know that they have found them. When they find the hiders, they have to hide with them. So - the challenge is to find a place to hide thats hard to find and can fit as many people as are playing the game. The kids were hilarious. Not only did I have them asking me where Caleb and a helper were hiding, but I had two girls attached to each arm that were terrified of the dark. So, the second round of Sardines I took one of those girls and had her hide with me. We chose the very back corner of the darkest room. She was freaked out to begin with, let alone it being pitch black. But after sitting the corner of a pitch black room for a while, her eyes began to adjust and she could make out where the door was. So we talked for a bit, and after being quiet for a minute she told me she wasn't scared anymore, because 'it's just a big, dark, empty room.' That was a proud moment for her. The funny part was, that a few of the other girls opened the door, looked in the room, and said, 'no, she wouldn't be in here, its too dark for her, she would be too afraid,' and she promptly gasped and started giggling. After her giggle fit, we talked about how she had proved them wrong, and then people started finding us. But the minute the lights came on, she was up and trying to find whoever had said she wouldn't be there. She wanted to make sure they knew she had proved them wrong =) haha..
So, after all those games, we gave them some time in the game room, got ready for bed, popped in an episode of Veggie Tales and said goodnight. It was passed midnight, and they were tired; most of their bedtimes were around eight, so they were tuckered out. In the morning, we had breakfast, cleaned up, played another game, and then they left. As we reflected on our time with them, we couldn't help but be amazed by our God and students. Not only did we see them bond with each other, but with us as well. Some of them would've told us their life stories if we would've had time. Thats good though, because we want them to know that they can talk to us about anything. We even had a few students tell us about their home lives, and other things going on. Some of these students were homeless, some come from families with drug involvement, some from houses of neglect or abuse, and so on. And we get the privilege to minister to them through this ministry. It was an amazing and eye opening sixteen hours, and seeing the impact of just one night, we've already started planning the event for next month.
Keep these students in your prayers, to God be the glory!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Hear Me Roar
I recently became aware of an annual women's conference and was reading some of the material on it's website. I came across a pamphlet for a biblical womanhood study and was skimming through it. One of the weeks is titled: Hear Me Roar. Of course it made me laugh, because in the household I grew up in, we always joked about the quote 'I am woman, hear me roar.' But then another thought hit me:
'Hear Me Roar' may seem like it's a woman's motto, but there are factors in a womans mind that give her rights to roar: she is seen as the weaker gender, she feels trampled on or unloved or disrespected, , or people just aren't listening.. roaring might be her only way of communicating that people will hear her. Or, to be honest, some days she might be 'having a day' and not care. We all have those days when we're grumpy or just don't care.
But, I guess my main point is that women may roar, but we all do sometimes. Men feel the need to react when denied attention, love, and respect, just as women do. It's just funnier to hear about women roaring than men roaring.. that's where I think the funny little slogan came from =) As women, we just need to keep in mind that we are being transformed, and that a gentle spirit and quiet inward beauty (1 Peter 3:3-4) are worth much more in God's eyes than many of the things that irritate us or make us 'roar' here on earth.
I don't want to roar. Yes, I want to stand up for myself, but the thought evoked when someone mentions a woman roaring is generally negative. I don't want to be that way. I want to be broken by God. I want to have a gentle spirit and quiet inward beauty. I want to be submissive, but not trampled on. I want to be the woman God intends me to be. If I have to roar, let me roar, but for the right reasons.Not being sure of where that thought came from, I sat back in my chair and thought for a minute. All the jokes about women roaring, yes, they are negative. Sometimes we think women like to control things, and sometimes we think women just like to 'pull the woman card' on anything possible, whether it be for excuses or even just equality. But the thing is, we all like to be in control, and we all pull the gender card for equality or the right to do something. 'Hear Me Roar' isn't necessarily a bad thing in some situations. Just because we're women doesn't mean we should let ourselves be trampled on, we need to stick up for ourselves. BUT, we are called to be submissive, just as men are called to love and respect us just as we respect them. It runs full cicle. Truth is, that we lose our temper, get angry, say things we shouldn't, etc., but we're human. We're not expected to be perfect. By God's grace we can inch closer in that direction as we model our lives after His, but we're definitely not perfect. And we don't need to be, because He is.
'Hear Me Roar' may seem like it's a woman's motto, but there are factors in a womans mind that give her rights to roar: she is seen as the weaker gender, she feels trampled on or unloved or disrespected, , or people just aren't listening.. roaring might be her only way of communicating that people will hear her. Or, to be honest, some days she might be 'having a day' and not care. We all have those days when we're grumpy or just don't care.
But, I guess my main point is that women may roar, but we all do sometimes. Men feel the need to react when denied attention, love, and respect, just as women do. It's just funnier to hear about women roaring than men roaring.. that's where I think the funny little slogan came from =) As women, we just need to keep in mind that we are being transformed, and that a gentle spirit and quiet inward beauty (1 Peter 3:3-4) are worth much more in God's eyes than many of the things that irritate us or make us 'roar' here on earth.
Awareness
As you may have read, last weekend we took thirteen high school students to a leadership retreat. We knew it would be good, but we had no idea how the weekend would actually go. Going into the weekend, I felt like I knew the girls we were taking, and that we would have a great time, and we did. But, so much happened in that weekend, and this last week, that it's crazy.
Here's a bizarre thing: the van full of high school students was relatively quiet on the way to camp. That is unheard of, and made Caleb and I a bit curious on how the rest of the weekend would go. So, as tradition goes, we blared Jesus Freak (by DC Talk), Relient K, some other bands, and made our way to camp. The retreat kicked off by a chapel session focusing on how to use the Bible for relationship advice, and the traditional root beer floats afterwards. Then we hung out in the game room and eventually made our way to the cabins for the night. That night marked how the rest of the retreat would go for me.
I was almost asleep when I heard someone crying. Thankfully another student knew the student better, because I didn't know what to say. I just sat there and listened and prayed, and wondered like so many other people, how things that shatter and turn our worlds upside down can happen to those who are seemingly the least likely candidates. The next morning after chapel, I got to talk to most of the girls about some things going on in their lives, and spent the afternoon getting to know them better. I've only been out of high school for three years, but I forgot how hard it really can be sometimes. These students are up against so many things of this world, that they struggle just to know wrong from right, let alone live out their faith. And the fact is, that so many of them do! So many times this weekend I was proud of these girls (and boys) as I listened to what was going on in their lives, and the lives of others that effected them, and how they handled situations.
The rest of Saturday was pretty fun. The whole camp played steal the bacon, with real cow parts (i.e. eyeballs, a liver, a heart, and a tongue!) which was disgusting, but they had a blast. For some of them, letting go and actually getting into the game to have fun was a challenge, but they did well. Whether it was just grabbing the innertubes or an actual cow part, all the students who were able to do so participated. After dinner, they played the game of life, which was fun, and altogether new for me. Certain leaders sold houses, others cars, some were bankers, there was a chaplain, a mutual bond seller, etc., and our students had a list of things they had to complete. I think it was a great idea to have them play this game, even if it wasn't for real. If anything, they gained some insight on how life works, and what its like to be an adult.
After chapel that night, I got to have some good conversations with some of the girls again, and they continually opened my eyes. They amaze me, and even in some of the stuff I learned, I hurt for them. The next morning went well with breakfast, chapel, and the ride home. The students we took are amazing young adults, and they had good responses in chapel, small group discussion, and interactions all weekend. What grabbed my attention even after the retreat was the response we had at youth group Sunday night. Family Issues and dysfunctional families were the topics of discussion. So many students came to talk to a leader afterwards. During my time with these students, I gained even more of an insight into some of the lives of our students...
The fact is: our students are going through insanely hard issues. If an adult says, 'oh, it's just a phase, you'll grow out of it' do you really think they know what's going on or how to handle it? To the students, it's a way of blowing them off and telling them that the adult doesn't care. That can shatter a student. Remember all the drama you experienced in school? All the mean comments, back-stabbing, and not to mention the family issues of sibling problems, divorce, abuse, neglect, etc. These students need us! I've learned so much in the past week about what is going on in some of the students' lives, and these are only the students in the youth group I help with. Imagine what some of the other students are going through who aren't coming forward and talking. Who knows whats going on. Either way, our students are on their way to adulthood, they're our next generation, and they, like everyone else, have real issues they're going through. We can help, we just need to be aware of their situations. How? Gain their trust, and talk to them. Let them know that they can confide in you, that you absolutely love them and want to help them in any way. You can make a difference in their life.
Here's a bizarre thing: the van full of high school students was relatively quiet on the way to camp. That is unheard of, and made Caleb and I a bit curious on how the rest of the weekend would go. So, as tradition goes, we blared Jesus Freak (by DC Talk), Relient K, some other bands, and made our way to camp. The retreat kicked off by a chapel session focusing on how to use the Bible for relationship advice, and the traditional root beer floats afterwards. Then we hung out in the game room and eventually made our way to the cabins for the night. That night marked how the rest of the retreat would go for me.
I was almost asleep when I heard someone crying. Thankfully another student knew the student better, because I didn't know what to say. I just sat there and listened and prayed, and wondered like so many other people, how things that shatter and turn our worlds upside down can happen to those who are seemingly the least likely candidates. The next morning after chapel, I got to talk to most of the girls about some things going on in their lives, and spent the afternoon getting to know them better. I've only been out of high school for three years, but I forgot how hard it really can be sometimes. These students are up against so many things of this world, that they struggle just to know wrong from right, let alone live out their faith. And the fact is, that so many of them do! So many times this weekend I was proud of these girls (and boys) as I listened to what was going on in their lives, and the lives of others that effected them, and how they handled situations.
The rest of Saturday was pretty fun. The whole camp played steal the bacon, with real cow parts (i.e. eyeballs, a liver, a heart, and a tongue!) which was disgusting, but they had a blast. For some of them, letting go and actually getting into the game to have fun was a challenge, but they did well. Whether it was just grabbing the innertubes or an actual cow part, all the students who were able to do so participated. After dinner, they played the game of life, which was fun, and altogether new for me. Certain leaders sold houses, others cars, some were bankers, there was a chaplain, a mutual bond seller, etc., and our students had a list of things they had to complete. I think it was a great idea to have them play this game, even if it wasn't for real. If anything, they gained some insight on how life works, and what its like to be an adult.
After chapel that night, I got to have some good conversations with some of the girls again, and they continually opened my eyes. They amaze me, and even in some of the stuff I learned, I hurt for them. The next morning went well with breakfast, chapel, and the ride home. The students we took are amazing young adults, and they had good responses in chapel, small group discussion, and interactions all weekend. What grabbed my attention even after the retreat was the response we had at youth group Sunday night. Family Issues and dysfunctional families were the topics of discussion. So many students came to talk to a leader afterwards. During my time with these students, I gained even more of an insight into some of the lives of our students...
The fact is: our students are going through insanely hard issues. If an adult says, 'oh, it's just a phase, you'll grow out of it' do you really think they know what's going on or how to handle it? To the students, it's a way of blowing them off and telling them that the adult doesn't care. That can shatter a student. Remember all the drama you experienced in school? All the mean comments, back-stabbing, and not to mention the family issues of sibling problems, divorce, abuse, neglect, etc. These students need us! I've learned so much in the past week about what is going on in some of the students' lives, and these are only the students in the youth group I help with. Imagine what some of the other students are going through who aren't coming forward and talking. Who knows whats going on. Either way, our students are on their way to adulthood, they're our next generation, and they, like everyone else, have real issues they're going through. We can help, we just need to be aware of their situations. How? Gain their trust, and talk to them. Let them know that they can confide in you, that you absolutely love them and want to help them in any way. You can make a difference in their life.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Strengthening The Core Of Our Leaders
Well, this is the big weekend. The first of three retreats we will be taking students of our youth group to up at camp. This weekend is a leadership retreat. When we announced the retreat, we emphasized the leadership aspect, and told our students that this retreat is for those students who are really focused on their relationships with Christ, and this retreat would be to grow. The 'fun' retreat is in January. Not that this retreat won't be a blast, we just wanted to stress that it will be more focused, and will be for the students who really wanted to step it up. We have thirteen students going and four leaders. I'll be the leader in the girls' cabin (there's nine of them!), and then the two guy leaders, and our interim youth pastor with the four guys. We'll also have two girls from a different church (who used to go to our church before they moved) hanging out with our girls, so that will be fun.
The retreat is advertised as ' "Feed Yourself" How to study God's Word .' These students who are going on this retreat have shown us that they really want to step up and be student leaders, just by wanting to go on this retreat. They know it will be challenging, but they're up to it. I hope that it really strengthens them to their core, and they do learn how to better study God's word in a way that will be more beneficial to them.
Please pray for these students and us staff as we embark on this weekend. Pray that the students' hearts and minds will be open and clear to what God is going to teach them. And pray that as staff, we will be open to our students' needs and questions, and that we will be used in any way possible. Our focus is our students, and we can't wait to see what's in store!
The retreat is advertised as ' "Feed Yourself" How to study God's Word .' These students who are going on this retreat have shown us that they really want to step up and be student leaders, just by wanting to go on this retreat. They know it will be challenging, but they're up to it. I hope that it really strengthens them to their core, and they do learn how to better study God's word in a way that will be more beneficial to them.
Please pray for these students and us staff as we embark on this weekend. Pray that the students' hearts and minds will be open and clear to what God is going to teach them. And pray that as staff, we will be open to our students' needs and questions, and that we will be used in any way possible. Our focus is our students, and we can't wait to see what's in store!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Harvest Party Was A Success!
Every year our church puts on an annual harvest party. Some years, it has been on halloween night, others it hasn't. This year it was. I'm not sure how and why it was started, but it is definitely a great alternative if you live in a community where you don't want your kids out on halloween night. It lasts for two hours, and is filled with games, candy, cider, donuts, and this year there was a cardboard maze and bounce house. It's also one of the largest outreach events our church puts on.
All in all it went great. There weren't any issues that came up, no one got hurt, and everything went smoothly. Quite a few of our youth groupers stepped up and ran the games in addition to setting them up before. I was very impressed at how many of them would volunteer their time at something like this while they could be out with their friends on halloween night. It definitely showed us some initiative and their desire to serve, which is very cool.
I didn't get many pictures because my camera battery died, but here are a few:
All in all it went great. There weren't any issues that came up, no one got hurt, and everything went smoothly. Quite a few of our youth groupers stepped up and ran the games in addition to setting them up before. I was very impressed at how many of them would volunteer their time at something like this while they could be out with their friends on halloween night. It definitely showed us some initiative and their desire to serve, which is very cool.
I didn't get many pictures because my camera battery died, but here are a few:
My sister and two of our cousins made this Sunday at youth group
Caleb was a carhartt model (he changed into clean clothes basically, because he got out of work just in time to make it there) and I was a make shift cowgirl
Shenanigans.
Due to my lack of a scanner, this is a picture of a picture we had taken:
My sister, me, and Caleb
("A mess," "a cowgirl," and "a carhartt model")
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thoughts After Youth Group
Tonight I find myself asking, "would God be pleased with my frustration about ____" and this time I'm really not sure. I think that it was righteously based, but I never know the extent where it becomes worldly instead of righteous.
A few of our students tonight were really hard to work with. I'm used to them, of course, but something about tonight was just different. We were setting up for our church's annual harvest party that is tomorrow (on halloween), and there was so much going on. We had students working on different projects in the fellowship hall, in the foyer, etc., but we had more students than projects. That was interesting. It was crazy to try and direct them to what needed to be done when we were running out of stuff for them to do, and the ones doing something asked questions while were trying to keep the others out of various accounts of mischief. Seeing this made me question how to instigate relationships between our students that are in high school and middle school. There are some awesome friendships, but some of them function more along the lines of the older student being an instigator to get the younger one in trouble. Our goal is that our students wouldn't do that.. but instead the older students would be an example. That's how everyone thinks it's supposed to go anyway; regardless if the relationship is created at church or not.
Working with the students is great, I'm just not quite sure how to communicate effectively to them in a way that will create not only respect amongst themselves and leaders, but also an understanding in our material and that we want them there and love them. There's a fine line to walk between being their friend and being an adult that's in charge. Sometimes I don't think either side knows how to walk that line effectively. It's definitely a learning process.
Our staff is also fantastic. We've been having meetings before youth group to lay the whole night out ahead of us and get our game plan. It's also a good time to relay messages about what we've done throughout the week involving our ministry, give a heads up about certain stuff, and all get on the same page. It's hard though, especially when some of the leaders can't make it, talk the whole time, talk over each other, or we just don't stay on task. We have a limited amount of time, so focusing is one of the hardest things for us =] There's so much to talk about, but we just can't fit it all in. We're working on that.
Like I said, it's a learning process. I just hope that my lack of knowledge during that process doesn't hinder or harm the growing of any of the students in any way. Some of the things we encounter get so frustrating... I could go on and on, but that would do nothing except stir up more thoughts of frustration and make things fester, and I don't want to do that. I don't want to be frustrated, and besides, who does? No one. I'm just trying to take everything in stride and remember that it doesn't take much for righteous anger or frustration to turn into bitter, hateful, worldly frustration or anger. Our focus is our students, not each other. We just have to learn how to connect with these students in a way that is helpful to them. And as staff, we need to learn how to connect with each other in order to dismiss some of the things that come up before we even encounter them. We need to learn how to keep our mouths shut, our ears open, and to have/keep a heart of understanding. We're all learning.
A few of our students tonight were really hard to work with. I'm used to them, of course, but something about tonight was just different. We were setting up for our church's annual harvest party that is tomorrow (on halloween), and there was so much going on. We had students working on different projects in the fellowship hall, in the foyer, etc., but we had more students than projects. That was interesting. It was crazy to try and direct them to what needed to be done when we were running out of stuff for them to do, and the ones doing something asked questions while were trying to keep the others out of various accounts of mischief. Seeing this made me question how to instigate relationships between our students that are in high school and middle school. There are some awesome friendships, but some of them function more along the lines of the older student being an instigator to get the younger one in trouble. Our goal is that our students wouldn't do that.. but instead the older students would be an example. That's how everyone thinks it's supposed to go anyway; regardless if the relationship is created at church or not.
Working with the students is great, I'm just not quite sure how to communicate effectively to them in a way that will create not only respect amongst themselves and leaders, but also an understanding in our material and that we want them there and love them. There's a fine line to walk between being their friend and being an adult that's in charge. Sometimes I don't think either side knows how to walk that line effectively. It's definitely a learning process.
Our staff is also fantastic. We've been having meetings before youth group to lay the whole night out ahead of us and get our game plan. It's also a good time to relay messages about what we've done throughout the week involving our ministry, give a heads up about certain stuff, and all get on the same page. It's hard though, especially when some of the leaders can't make it, talk the whole time, talk over each other, or we just don't stay on task. We have a limited amount of time, so focusing is one of the hardest things for us =] There's so much to talk about, but we just can't fit it all in. We're working on that.
Like I said, it's a learning process. I just hope that my lack of knowledge during that process doesn't hinder or harm the growing of any of the students in any way. Some of the things we encounter get so frustrating... I could go on and on, but that would do nothing except stir up more thoughts of frustration and make things fester, and I don't want to do that. I don't want to be frustrated, and besides, who does? No one. I'm just trying to take everything in stride and remember that it doesn't take much for righteous anger or frustration to turn into bitter, hateful, worldly frustration or anger. Our focus is our students, not each other. We just have to learn how to connect with these students in a way that is helpful to them. And as staff, we need to learn how to connect with each other in order to dismiss some of the things that come up before we even encounter them. We need to learn how to keep our mouths shut, our ears open, and to have/keep a heart of understanding. We're all learning.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Blog Creeping
One of my favorite things to do when I'm at a computer with extra time is what I call 'blog creeping.' Its kind of like creeping on Facebook, but I don't actually know anyone whose blog I've across. Anyway, I go to my blog and click next blog. I read, click next blog, and so on. I've come across so many concepts, stories of joy, stories of hurt, and many others. It's so cool to see how different people are, and how they share what's on their mind via the world wide web =] Some of my favorite stories and posts are ones I read of people who live in the southern states of the U.S. There's just something about southern hospitality that warms my heart, and challenges me to be as warm as those who are in the stories.
I also recently went to the tracking page for my blog and was suprised to see that in the last few months the pageviews on my blog have exploded in numbers. I was also surprised to see that people from many different countries are letting me share my stories and posts with them. How cool! I think about what I've shared and hope that it made someone smile or helped them in a way that maybe I'll never know. But I don't need to know.
For those who read this blog, thank you for letting me share a tidbit of my life with you! And for those of you who are coming across it now, thank you for reading, I hope you come back to read more!
Thanks everyone, have a blessed day!
I also recently went to the tracking page for my blog and was suprised to see that in the last few months the pageviews on my blog have exploded in numbers. I was also surprised to see that people from many different countries are letting me share my stories and posts with them. How cool! I think about what I've shared and hope that it made someone smile or helped them in a way that maybe I'll never know. But I don't need to know.
For those who read this blog, thank you for letting me share a tidbit of my life with you! And for those of you who are coming across it now, thank you for reading, I hope you come back to read more!
Thanks everyone, have a blessed day!
Broken Girl
I was sitting at work doing what I do, and this popped up in the right hand column on youtube. I had never heard it before so I thought I'd take a listen. I was shocked at how powerful this song is. There are so many girls out there that have been broken.
They need to know there's healing, there's a man who won't hurt them, and a man who will be the love of their life.
They need to know they are beautiful gems created for a purpose, and they will always be beautiful.
They need to know they can give up their fight with the past, give it to someone else, and be free from it. They can be made whole again.
This song tells them that. If you know any girls that would benefit from hearing this song, please share it with them.
"Broken Girl" by Matthew West
Look what he's done to you - It isn't fair
Your light was bright and new - But he didn't care
He took the heart of a little girl - And made it grow up too fast
Now words like "innocence"- Don't mean a thing
You hear the music play - But you can't sing
Those pictures in your mind - Keep you locked up inside your past
This is a song for the broken girl - The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world
You are - Hear me when I say - You're not the worthless they made you feel
There is a Love they can never steal away - And you don't have to stay the broken girl
Those damaged goods you see - In your reflection
Love sees them differently - Love sees perfection
A beautiful display - Of healing on the way tonight - Tonight
A beautiful display - Of healing on the way tonight - Tonight
This is a song for the broken girl - The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world -You are
Hear me when I say - You're not the worthless they made you feel
There is a Love they can never steal away - And you don't have to stay the broken girl
Let your tears touch to the ground - Lay your shattered pieces down
And be amazed by how Grace can take a broken girl - And put her back together again
This is a song for the broken girl - The one pushed aside by the cold, cold world - You are
Hear me when I say - You're not the worthless they made you feel
There is a Love they can never steal away - And you don't have to stay the broken girl
You don't have to stay the broken girl
Intentional Connections
God's grace continues to amaze me. It's hit me more in the past few weeks than it has in a while, but it has been a very eye opening experience. I'm realizing it more in the little things I've been doing; little things for Caleb, others, the tedious little jobs at the office, etc. Most of all though, I've been realizing it in the realm of ministry involvement.
The Tween ministry kicks off three weeks from tonight with a lock-in filled with crazy games, fun, food, and a chance for us staff to really get to know some of the students. Caleb and I planned the event, and when I talked to the director on Wednesday, she was just as excited as we were about the events getting underway. I can't wait to start! Youth group has also been going well. I forgot what it was like to be in middle/high school until I started to get to know some of our students better. Middle/high school is a crazy time, and as many times as students say adults don't understand them, I'm willing to admit that sometimes I don't even understand their issues. Praise God though, I've been able to answer some hard and deep questions only because I was trusting I would be given the words that the student(s) needed to hear, and I was. Getting to know some of the students and their parents has been fantastic, and it makes me thankful for the youth pastor I had growing up. He made a huge impact on me, whether it was a quick conversation, a question answered, or some tough love when I was out of line; he was honest, and didn't sugarcoat things. I intend to do the same with our students, because life is brutally honest, and nowhere near sugarcoated. These students teach me something everytime I get to lead small group, have a conversation, or am even around them, and I love that. It's so easy to just sit back and help instead of be intentional in your actions around these students. They're only a few simple years from being them same age as I am, but I've learned so much since high school, and being intentional is a way that I hope to relate even better to them. They are amazing, and I hope that each of them feel that way based on how our staff not only treats them, but ministers to them in words. Being able to share in their struggles, concerns, and even them giving us an insight into their worlds and minds is an awesome thing. I love the opportunities to be able to connect with these students.
The AWANA program is another ministry that I'm involved in, and I work with K-2nd grade. These children are more wonderful than I can explain. I've been learning so much from them, and learn more every single week. Seeing their face light up when they pass a section because of saying a Bible verse correctly is one of the coolest things. I'm so lucky for this opportunity to share in their learning, and be able to be there and see them smile, cry, have fun, and sometimes even be frustrated. Every emotion has a purpose, and it's a learning process on how to handle all the different emotions we encounter with these students. At the beginning of the club year we had a few very young students in our group, and verse time was challenging almost to a point of frustration. But, we kept plugging away at each section with these students, and week by week, a little more comfortable each time, they opened up, started talking more, and now even come to club prepared with a section to recite! One of the things I strive to do in my actions is show them that we are ecstatic that they are there. Whether it be a smile, a conversation, or a simple question, I try to let each of them know they matter and we are interested in their lives. I try to be as intentional as I can, even when its frustrating. These students come from all kinds of families, so I think we need to be as intentional as we can in everything we do during the short hour and half we have them each week. That, my friends, is more challenging that I ever would have thought. But I love working with them. Its brightens my day to see them in public, and even more so when they tug at the shirt of who they're with and tell them I'm their friend from club, or I help them at club. Some even run right over to give a hug. That makes it so worth it; to know that I've made such an impact that a student will willingly go out of their way to say hi. We can make a difference in these students' lives.
It has almost been too easy for me to be intentional in relationships with students, and challenging when I think about being intentional in other relationships. The ones that come to mind are mainly with my husband and family. How can I be intentional in my relationships with them to show them God's love and that they matter? We all know ways we can do that, but doing those actions or speaking those words are so much more challenging. We are around these people more, we know their stories, they may have hurt us, etc. And yet we are called to love them like Jesus loves us. We are called to show them the unconditional love of Christ. Easy? Of course not. But learning and growing is part of the amazing process that brings us not only closer to those involved in the relationships, but also Christ. He'll help us, we just have to take those steps. So, in my relationships at home, and around other family, friends, etc., the urge to be intentional will be there, I just have to act on it. Will you act on it too? I hope so.
The Tween ministry kicks off three weeks from tonight with a lock-in filled with crazy games, fun, food, and a chance for us staff to really get to know some of the students. Caleb and I planned the event, and when I talked to the director on Wednesday, she was just as excited as we were about the events getting underway. I can't wait to start! Youth group has also been going well. I forgot what it was like to be in middle/high school until I started to get to know some of our students better. Middle/high school is a crazy time, and as many times as students say adults don't understand them, I'm willing to admit that sometimes I don't even understand their issues. Praise God though, I've been able to answer some hard and deep questions only because I was trusting I would be given the words that the student(s) needed to hear, and I was. Getting to know some of the students and their parents has been fantastic, and it makes me thankful for the youth pastor I had growing up. He made a huge impact on me, whether it was a quick conversation, a question answered, or some tough love when I was out of line; he was honest, and didn't sugarcoat things. I intend to do the same with our students, because life is brutally honest, and nowhere near sugarcoated. These students teach me something everytime I get to lead small group, have a conversation, or am even around them, and I love that. It's so easy to just sit back and help instead of be intentional in your actions around these students. They're only a few simple years from being them same age as I am, but I've learned so much since high school, and being intentional is a way that I hope to relate even better to them. They are amazing, and I hope that each of them feel that way based on how our staff not only treats them, but ministers to them in words. Being able to share in their struggles, concerns, and even them giving us an insight into their worlds and minds is an awesome thing. I love the opportunities to be able to connect with these students.
The AWANA program is another ministry that I'm involved in, and I work with K-2nd grade. These children are more wonderful than I can explain. I've been learning so much from them, and learn more every single week. Seeing their face light up when they pass a section because of saying a Bible verse correctly is one of the coolest things. I'm so lucky for this opportunity to share in their learning, and be able to be there and see them smile, cry, have fun, and sometimes even be frustrated. Every emotion has a purpose, and it's a learning process on how to handle all the different emotions we encounter with these students. At the beginning of the club year we had a few very young students in our group, and verse time was challenging almost to a point of frustration. But, we kept plugging away at each section with these students, and week by week, a little more comfortable each time, they opened up, started talking more, and now even come to club prepared with a section to recite! One of the things I strive to do in my actions is show them that we are ecstatic that they are there. Whether it be a smile, a conversation, or a simple question, I try to let each of them know they matter and we are interested in their lives. I try to be as intentional as I can, even when its frustrating. These students come from all kinds of families, so I think we need to be as intentional as we can in everything we do during the short hour and half we have them each week. That, my friends, is more challenging that I ever would have thought. But I love working with them. Its brightens my day to see them in public, and even more so when they tug at the shirt of who they're with and tell them I'm their friend from club, or I help them at club. Some even run right over to give a hug. That makes it so worth it; to know that I've made such an impact that a student will willingly go out of their way to say hi. We can make a difference in these students' lives.
It has almost been too easy for me to be intentional in relationships with students, and challenging when I think about being intentional in other relationships. The ones that come to mind are mainly with my husband and family. How can I be intentional in my relationships with them to show them God's love and that they matter? We all know ways we can do that, but doing those actions or speaking those words are so much more challenging. We are around these people more, we know their stories, they may have hurt us, etc. And yet we are called to love them like Jesus loves us. We are called to show them the unconditional love of Christ. Easy? Of course not. But learning and growing is part of the amazing process that brings us not only closer to those involved in the relationships, but also Christ. He'll help us, we just have to take those steps. So, in my relationships at home, and around other family, friends, etc., the urge to be intentional will be there, I just have to act on it. Will you act on it too? I hope so.
Monday, October 17, 2011
The Days I Just Can't Win..
It's been an interesting few days. It was a great weekend, youth group went great, I got voted in as an intern at our church, and today was pretty good. However, in the past few days there have been some frustrations that I just haven't been able to shake. They've changed my attitude and mood, and that frustrates me even more. Tonight I found myself scouring the pages of my Bible for anything that hit home. I found quite a bit.
"Fear not, for I am with you, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous hand" -Isaiah 41:10
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" -Hebrews 11:1
"..you will seek Me and you will find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" -Jeremiah 29:13
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" -Philippians 4:7
Well, I guess these verses are for the days when it seems that I just can't win, like tonight, and last night. I don't understand whats going on, or why things happen the way the do. I don't know how everything will work for a positive outcome, and I don't always know how to react and sometimes don't react to situations in the way I should. But I believe what these verses say, and thats enough for me. Even when its hard.
"Fear not, for I am with you, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous hand" -Isaiah 41:10
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" -Hebrews 11:1
"..you will seek Me and you will find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" -Jeremiah 29:13
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." -Romans 8:28
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" -Philippians 4:7
Well, I guess these verses are for the days when it seems that I just can't win, like tonight, and last night. I don't understand whats going on, or why things happen the way the do. I don't know how everything will work for a positive outcome, and I don't always know how to react and sometimes don't react to situations in the way I should. But I believe what these verses say, and thats enough for me. Even when its hard.
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Facebook Era
Hey all. I'm sitting here, diligently checking my Facebook for any news of my friend who is in labor. She went in yesterday, and still hasn't made much progress, so please keep her, her baby girl, and her husband in your prayers! In checking my Facebook every so often, I've had the same thought over and over; "as great of a tool as Facebook can be, how have we let it become one of our main tools and sources for information?!" And, really, we have.
Think about this: how often do we hear things like, "Is it Facebook official?!" or actually call someone to wish them a happy birthday, or even send them a card instead of shooting a message to their inbox via Facebook cyber world? Hardly ever. Not very long ago, we never would have even dreamed of the capabilities of the internet or social interaction websites. We had the postal system, then the telephone, then computers and internet, and cell phones... and everything keeps getting more complicated, but somehow making life easier for us. Probably too easy. Back to Facebook, here are a few staples of what we use it for that show how it has become such an important piece to many of our lives:
How can we use Facebook in good ways other than just keeping in touch with friends and family? The first way that pops into my mind is: ministry! Why? Because I use it when I'm in the youth office thinking about what we will be doing Sunday, or to shoot a student a message saying we missed them at youth group and hope to see them next week. Its crazy how we can use it as such a tool! We also have a youth group 'page' where we, as staff, post announcements, encouragement, reminders, etc., and students can post things also.
It has become so easy to interact with people without even being in the same place. Facebook is a fantastic thing, whether it be for keeping in touch, using it for business, activities, etc. I just think that we need to keep an eye on how long we spend with our attention consumed in these kinds of things. There are still plenty of things to do isntead of sit in front of a computer screen! Go outside, take a hike through some woods, go for a walk, a swim, a bikeride, etc.... and THEN we can come back and post a new album of pictures for people to creep on! Haha...
Think about this: how often do we hear things like, "Is it Facebook official?!" or actually call someone to wish them a happy birthday, or even send them a card instead of shooting a message to their inbox via Facebook cyber world? Hardly ever. Not very long ago, we never would have even dreamed of the capabilities of the internet or social interaction websites. We had the postal system, then the telephone, then computers and internet, and cell phones... and everything keeps getting more complicated, but somehow making life easier for us. Probably too easy. Back to Facebook, here are a few staples of what we use it for that show how it has become such an important piece to many of our lives:
- Employers use it not only for their institutions, but also to see what prospective employees (or current ones) are like outside of work
- Relationships being 'official' only once they're changed on Facebook
- Happy Birthday messages
- "Poking" someone instead of just saying hello
- Sending a message instead of a letter
- Instant messaging while surfing the internet
- The status feed: "everything that you need to know that happened since you logged on last"
- Keeping in touch with relatives and friends
- Announcements (i.e. births, deaths, achievements, etc.)
- Electronically viewing picture albums (also known as "creeping on people".. haha)
- Creating and inviting people to events (i.e. open houses, jewelry parties, birthday parties, etc.)
How can we use Facebook in good ways other than just keeping in touch with friends and family? The first way that pops into my mind is: ministry! Why? Because I use it when I'm in the youth office thinking about what we will be doing Sunday, or to shoot a student a message saying we missed them at youth group and hope to see them next week. Its crazy how we can use it as such a tool! We also have a youth group 'page' where we, as staff, post announcements, encouragement, reminders, etc., and students can post things also.
It has become so easy to interact with people without even being in the same place. Facebook is a fantastic thing, whether it be for keeping in touch, using it for business, activities, etc. I just think that we need to keep an eye on how long we spend with our attention consumed in these kinds of things. There are still plenty of things to do isntead of sit in front of a computer screen! Go outside, take a hike through some woods, go for a walk, a swim, a bikeride, etc.... and THEN we can come back and post a new album of pictures for people to creep on! Haha...
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Spiders, Adventures, and Ministry
So, I'm sitting here eating soggy Ramen noodles and reading everyone else's new blog posts. I'm not sure how I managed to make my noodles soggy, but I will say that I didn't finish them because of that. Unappetizing. I bet you're hungry now ;) Ha, anyway, so today has been interesting. Why? Well, my husband woke me up with a phone call asking what a brown recluse spider looks like, I got to talk to my dad to wish him a happy birthday, I worked in the church office for a bit, and I got to see a friend who just got back from a crazy around-the-world adventure. Ready for explanations..? Hope so.
That phone call from my husband.. well, for one, I was asleep, and when my phone started blaring it scared me enough that I about jumped out of bed. He asked what the recluses look like, and my typical response to his question was to ask why. He then told me that him and his boss found a spider at the shop, captured it, and left if locked in the shop... in a Gatorade bottle. Ha. So, I hopped online to look up brown recluses. (I don't mind spiders, as long as they're not on me, so thats why he called to ask. I'm also an advocate that if a spider isn't hurting you, leave it alone. They are great bug patrol, as they eat many bugs that we don't want around.) What I found was this: in Michigan, we aren't likely to encounter a brown recluse because they are mainly found in desert areas, and much further south in the U.S. Five sure characteristics of a brown recluse are: six eyes (instead of eight like most other spiders) in pairs of two (that means two rows with four columns), no spines on their LONG legs (hair - yes - but no spines), uniformly colored legs, a body no more than 3/8" in length, and a solid colored abdomen. If you find a spider that you think is a brown recluse, check these five characteristics, because it is most likely not a recluse, and they are hard to identify due to the fact that there are many different types. Also, on many recluses, they have violin shaped markings. So, at the end of this explanation, we come to the conclusion that the spider they found was not a recluse, because it had red on its legs =] Mystery solved, but here's the link to a great website with good information about spiders if you ever have any questions:
spiderzrule.com
Wellll, as I said earlier, its my Dad's birthday! =] I won't tell you how old he is, but I will tell you that he is an amazing man. So amazing, that I held true to the saying about how the man a girl marries has big shoes to fill because he has to take up the role of taking care of her. Not many girls can say that these days, and I am proud to be one of the girls that can say that! Happy Birthday Dad, I love you! <3
Today I got to see a good friend of mine, and an amazing woman. She has an awesome testimony and is chasing after God with everything she is. She and a friend from college recently went on an adventure across the country chasing God. They wanted to serve people, love people, get closer to God, and experience His will in taking care of them like never before. I was only able to listen to her stories and talk to her for about an hour, but in that one hour she told amazing stories about God's grace, provision, and ability. She is on fire like never before - and that is so cool to see. They traveled for just over a month, saw nineteen states, and were able to take part in some really cool experiences. She had the opportunity to witness to someone on the streets in San Francisco for multiple hours, and TOOK IT! There were many sharing opportunities seized, and much growth as a result of that. Praise God for these experiences! They took many pictures and some videos, and are working on making a movie from them as soon as possible. Please pray for these two women as they just returned from their trip, and will be adjusting to a normal life yet again. Also, pray that their experiences from their trip will not stop impacting them even though their trip is over.
It's Wednesday! That means its AWANA night! In about two hours I will be helping get stuff ready for check in, and then be listening to Bible verses, stories, singing the Sparks song, and playing some crazy games with K-2nd graders =] and I will love every second of it! I thoroughly enjoy helping in our Wednesday nights ministries. Seeing the lives of children impacted is one of the greatest and most rewarding things. Please pray for these students! Our unit is fruit of the Spirit right now, and they seem to be liking it - I just hope they're learning also. Two hours.. and counting down.. ;)
Anyway, I guess its time to toss the rest of my soggy noodles.. Have a good night!
That phone call from my husband.. well, for one, I was asleep, and when my phone started blaring it scared me enough that I about jumped out of bed. He asked what the recluses look like, and my typical response to his question was to ask why. He then told me that him and his boss found a spider at the shop, captured it, and left if locked in the shop... in a Gatorade bottle. Ha. So, I hopped online to look up brown recluses. (I don't mind spiders, as long as they're not on me, so thats why he called to ask. I'm also an advocate that if a spider isn't hurting you, leave it alone. They are great bug patrol, as they eat many bugs that we don't want around.) What I found was this: in Michigan, we aren't likely to encounter a brown recluse because they are mainly found in desert areas, and much further south in the U.S. Five sure characteristics of a brown recluse are: six eyes (instead of eight like most other spiders) in pairs of two (that means two rows with four columns), no spines on their LONG legs (hair - yes - but no spines), uniformly colored legs, a body no more than 3/8" in length, and a solid colored abdomen. If you find a spider that you think is a brown recluse, check these five characteristics, because it is most likely not a recluse, and they are hard to identify due to the fact that there are many different types. Also, on many recluses, they have violin shaped markings. So, at the end of this explanation, we come to the conclusion that the spider they found was not a recluse, because it had red on its legs =] Mystery solved, but here's the link to a great website with good information about spiders if you ever have any questions:
spiderzrule.com
Wellll, as I said earlier, its my Dad's birthday! =] I won't tell you how old he is, but I will tell you that he is an amazing man. So amazing, that I held true to the saying about how the man a girl marries has big shoes to fill because he has to take up the role of taking care of her. Not many girls can say that these days, and I am proud to be one of the girls that can say that! Happy Birthday Dad, I love you! <3
Today I got to see a good friend of mine, and an amazing woman. She has an awesome testimony and is chasing after God with everything she is. She and a friend from college recently went on an adventure across the country chasing God. They wanted to serve people, love people, get closer to God, and experience His will in taking care of them like never before. I was only able to listen to her stories and talk to her for about an hour, but in that one hour she told amazing stories about God's grace, provision, and ability. She is on fire like never before - and that is so cool to see. They traveled for just over a month, saw nineteen states, and were able to take part in some really cool experiences. She had the opportunity to witness to someone on the streets in San Francisco for multiple hours, and TOOK IT! There were many sharing opportunities seized, and much growth as a result of that. Praise God for these experiences! They took many pictures and some videos, and are working on making a movie from them as soon as possible. Please pray for these two women as they just returned from their trip, and will be adjusting to a normal life yet again. Also, pray that their experiences from their trip will not stop impacting them even though their trip is over.
It's Wednesday! That means its AWANA night! In about two hours I will be helping get stuff ready for check in, and then be listening to Bible verses, stories, singing the Sparks song, and playing some crazy games with K-2nd graders =] and I will love every second of it! I thoroughly enjoy helping in our Wednesday nights ministries. Seeing the lives of children impacted is one of the greatest and most rewarding things. Please pray for these students! Our unit is fruit of the Spirit right now, and they seem to be liking it - I just hope they're learning also. Two hours.. and counting down.. ;)
Anyway, I guess its time to toss the rest of my soggy noodles.. Have a good night!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Christians Compared to Pumpkins
I saw this quote a few minutes ago reading through my news feed on Facebook (what a fantastic tool Facebook is, let me tell you!). It sounds funny, but its applicable, and true.
Being a Christian is like a pumpkin! Who would've thought..
A woman was asked by her coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?" She replied, "Its like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes all doubt, hate and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you for all the world to see!"What do you think? Neat analogy, huh? If you've ever thought you couldn't be compared to a pumpkin, I guess you're wrong.. haha. But think about it, its true! God picks us, brings us to Him, washes us, removes things from our lives, molds us into who He created us to be, and puts His light inside us for the whole world to see. How fantastic is that?! But it doesn't just stop there - He continues His work in us. Philippians 1:6 - Being confident of this, that He who created a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ. Once we are His, He does all those things mentioned above, and then changes our lives dramatically. He continues working on us, our lives, relationships, hearts, etc., and won't stop. We can push Him away, ignore Him, try to run, but He's always there with us - because we are His. He picked us! In Psalm 139 David writes about how God knew him when he was "wrought in the lowest places of the earth," and when he was in his mothers womb, God knew every day of his life before he was even born. God knows us, loves us, and chose us.
Being a Christian is like a pumpkin! Who would've thought..
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Sick Pictures (Pun Intended)
You know when you go to the doctor and they tell you that they're sending your tests to the lab, and they'll call you back if anything comes up? And you know that sinking feeling in your stomach when your cell phone goes off and the screen tells you that its someone from the doctors office? Yeah, I got that sinking feeling yesterday afternoon when my phone went off, and it was the doctor. Come to find out, I really didn't have strep, but some other infection that they don't see often. I was told to immediately stop taking my current antibiotic, and that they would write me a new prescription. Sooo after a weekend of thinking I was getting better and starting to feel better, I was unhappy to find out that I hadn't been getting better, and was in fact contagious the whole time, because whatever I had was immune to the first antibiotic I was on. I guess thats why I felt worse yesterday morning when I woke up, and why I left class early today. Oh well. I just hope the new stuff they gave me works fast!
To brighten my mood, I tagged along last night when Caleb drove up north to do some yard work for one of his customers. I'll go with him to help occasionally, but yesterday I took my camera and a book instead (by Caleb's suggestion!). I did help with some of the work, but the majority of my time was spent taking pictures. The "cottage" (biggest cottage I've ever seen!) is complete with a separate guest house, hot tub, and a trail of stairs leading to the dunes and a few hundred yard walk to beautiful Lake Michigan. I was hoping to get some pictures of the changing trees along the lake, but the shoreline was lined with green trees instead of the yellows, oranges, and reds like I had hoped. I was still able to get some gorgeous pictures of the lake and such though, so I was happy.
Here are a few of my favorites =)
To brighten my mood, I tagged along last night when Caleb drove up north to do some yard work for one of his customers. I'll go with him to help occasionally, but yesterday I took my camera and a book instead (by Caleb's suggestion!). I did help with some of the work, but the majority of my time was spent taking pictures. The "cottage" (biggest cottage I've ever seen!) is complete with a separate guest house, hot tub, and a trail of stairs leading to the dunes and a few hundred yard walk to beautiful Lake Michigan. I was hoping to get some pictures of the changing trees along the lake, but the shoreline was lined with green trees instead of the yellows, oranges, and reds like I had hoped. I was still able to get some gorgeous pictures of the lake and such though, so I was happy.
Here are a few of my favorites =)
Friday, September 30, 2011
Beginning of Fall
It is in fact the last day of September, and even though fall is my favorite, I have to say that I wish this summer would've been longer. It went way too fast for my liking. October brings Halloween and decorations, pumpkin lattes (mmm..), warm clothes, hot cider, blowing leaves, and lots of other fun stuff. It also brings many different kind of illnesses that are contagious, which I will catch at least one of. Oh wait, I already have... =[ Yesterday during class I found myself rather uncomfortable with lots of aches, a throbbing headache, a stuffed nose, and a sore throat. We also had to go out of town yesterday, so that wasn't fun. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, the Olive Garden, and I was so miserable that all I could eat was half a bowl of soup and half a breadstick. I called it pathetic. I did finally find some jeans that fit me though, so I was as happy as a sick girl could be. Anyway, I didn't go to work today, and by noon I found myself looking at my throat via flashlight in a mirror, only to find what I was hoping not to see... white blotches. Usually those mean strep for me, because I get it almost every year, so I started to call the doctors office. They were on lunch so I waited, and finally gave up because I knew their lunch was over, so I just went in. Luckily they were able to fit me in to see someone. The strep tests came back negative for now, but they're letting the cultures grow for a while longer. However, there are quite a few different things going around right now, and the doctor couldn't tell me which one I have. She gave me antibiotics and sent me home. You know, I really don't care what I have, I just want it to be gone - and not come back. So, after 48hrs I should be well on my way to feeling better, and hopefully up and going again, instead of sitting around the house all day. We'll see. And hopefully Caleb doesn't catch what I have. I doubt he will - he has an amazingly strong immune system! (Its just not fair..haha) Maybe I'm just too much of a germ freak...
Anyway, other than that the week has been pretty good. I got a B on that test I thought I failed, and we have the opportunity to retake it because a lot of the class did actually fail. I got to do a lot more office work at church this week, with making the newsletter and doing many other office things, and connecting with students. They are fantastic, and we're going to have a great year. I've also been trying to brainstorm some creative couples' halloween costumes for Caleb and I for the annual Harvest Party this year. Last year we went as Bob the Builder and his friend Wendy, so this year we're not sure. There are some pretty funny ones online, but they're also pretty expensive. I like inexpensive =] and it would also be nice to not have to buy them, and use whatever resources we already have. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!!!
Below are a few photos I took today. I just couldn't stay inside any longer, and I wanted to post a few pictures for the beginning of fall in west Michigan. Enjoy
Our North Breakwater Lighthouse at about 7pm on a windy day. Waves up over the breakwall, sun peaking through the clouds, dark water. Caleb's favorite quote for views like that is "This is why we live in Michigan."
Anyway, other than that the week has been pretty good. I got a B on that test I thought I failed, and we have the opportunity to retake it because a lot of the class did actually fail. I got to do a lot more office work at church this week, with making the newsletter and doing many other office things, and connecting with students. They are fantastic, and we're going to have a great year. I've also been trying to brainstorm some creative couples' halloween costumes for Caleb and I for the annual Harvest Party this year. Last year we went as Bob the Builder and his friend Wendy, so this year we're not sure. There are some pretty funny ones online, but they're also pretty expensive. I like inexpensive =] and it would also be nice to not have to buy them, and use whatever resources we already have. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!!!
Below are a few photos I took today. I just couldn't stay inside any longer, and I wanted to post a few pictures for the beginning of fall in west Michigan. Enjoy
The trees in a nearby state park
The leaves that blew down in our yard during the windstorms yesterday and today
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tough Stuff
This past week has made me completely nuts.
Besides my normal schedule, I had another paper to write, exam to study for, and more homework to do. Caleb's schedule, plus him working at our new house, and not seeing him has took its toll. Also, this week, I'm doing more for work, hurt my knee, and am trying to figure out how to not let the frustrations that got to me last weekend, get to me again. Let me tell you, its quite the project. So, today I got home after my exam (which didn't exactly go as well as I hoped it would..) and was on good 'ol Facebook. A friend of mine just posted about having an off day, and I was quick to respond with some encouragement off the top of my head (and Google, man, I sure love Google!). A few minutes after I posted, I realized those Bible verses applied directly to me too, and my struggles this past (and current) week. Here's what I had written:
2 Corinthians 12:9 - But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness"..
Isaiah 41:10 - "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous hand"
Ephesians 3:20 - "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.."
Bask in who He is.. and may your day get much better!
Bask in who He is.. and may your day get much better!
After I read them over a few more times, I realized that if I had just went to my Jesus last week when I got frustrated, it wouldn't have been as bad as it was. Its crazy how anger and frustration can make a person go nuts. These verses helped think through it now though. The first one is a favorite for me. Its such a sweet reminder that God's grace is truly sufficient for us, because even though we are so very weak, His power is perfect, and we are held in the palm of His powerful, loving hand. The second one is so wonderful to think about; the God of the universe is ours, yes ours!, and He has not only told us that, but also promised to strengthen, help, and uphold us. We can't slip out of His grip.. it just doesn't work that way, He won't let us go. What a promise! The third became a reality to me when my life started started to change drastically, after I had asked God to make me His, fully. He is SO able to do so much more than we can ask or think! He's the God of the universe, how can He not?! In the book of James, we are told to believe it can happen when we ask God to do something. I had asked, and waited, and waited, yet I didn't lose heart. Knowing that God is so amazing, and that He will work all things for the good of those who love Him, I knew that even if He didn't answer directly, I would get an answer that was best for me. And I did. He answered exceedingly abundantly beyond what I asked, and I am so thankful for that. Basking in who He is.. easier said than done, I know. But when we fully focus on God, who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing, it is so much easier to put off the day around us (good or bad!) and truly just live in Him and His wondrous glory.
So, as I face the rest of my week keeping these in mind, we'll see how it goes. I know there will be things people do/say to me that I have no control over, but that's their problem, not mine. As I look ahead to See You At The Pole (tomorrow is National See You At The Pole Day, if you didn't know that. People will probably be meeting at your court house flag pole around 7:30 am if you want to participate in lifting up our nation, and many other things in prayer!), AWANA, class, planning youth activities, and more, I'll have some more comfort.. and truly bask in who my Lord and Savior is.
May you do the same
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