There are moments in life when you know that your next move, your next decision, could change the course of your life forever. Tomorrow is one of those days for me. This path of ministry that Coy and I have been on never ceases to surprise us with new trail heads and unexpected challenges. However, something I wasn't expecting was for God to slowly rebuild some things that were lost in me a few years ago. And God, being God--was able to do that without me even knowing, slowly and faithfully rebuilding a calling in me.
For the first time in a long time, I am content. I am happy. I am expectant about the future, even if that future doesn't turn out as I hope. Tomorrow could change everything--what a gift it is to live in trust.
Tuesday
The People of Sparks
I just finished reading The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. One of my students brought me the sequel yesterday to borrow. I get excited about small things (like borrowing books from teenagers). It's been a good reading month for me and I feel closer to my students as I journey with them through the stuff they read. All of the reading has really led to fun thoughts and some different curriculum ideas that I'm going to create for our fall middle school program.
If you're a youth worker/ pastor/ volunteer I can't emphasize enough the power of reading. The Bible is a good start, then make room for teen reads...add in some awesome leadership books and you'll be good to go.
Here's a quick summer list:
The Twilight Series - Meyer
The City of Ember - DuPrau
The Clique Novels- Harrison
Invert Books (MYFRIENDS by Johnston and Oestreicher is awesome.)
Confessions of a Pastor- Groeschel
Deep Ministry in a Shallow World - Powell
Soul Searching - Smith
If you're a youth worker/ pastor/ volunteer I can't emphasize enough the power of reading. The Bible is a good start, then make room for teen reads...add in some awesome leadership books and you'll be good to go.
Here's a quick summer list:
The Twilight Series - Meyer
The City of Ember - DuPrau
The Clique Novels- Harrison
Invert Books (MYFRIENDS by Johnston and Oestreicher is awesome.)
Confessions of a Pastor- Groeschel
Deep Ministry in a Shallow World - Powell
Soul Searching - Smith
Wednesday
Gas prices made me do it.
Yes, I did it.
I pedaled a Razor scooter home from work today. It's been in my office for a few months (I'm really not sure how it got there. Things like that happen often in a youth ministry office). Anyway, something compelled me to ride it home.
It wasn't too bad, with only one super difficult part--carrying it for a long spot because there was no sidewalk...just sand and grass.
I learned two things from my Razor journey today.
1) We shouldn't underestimate the muscular stamina one needs to skate. My right leg is numb from balancing and my left leg is numb from pushing off (what do you call that anyway?)
2) I know why skaters don't wear flip flops. To say that I need a pedicure after today's journey would be an understatement and a scary sight for any pedicure professional. I'll wait a few days for my toenail to fall off and then get some work done.
Cheers to skaters and young Razor lovers, my Hurley hat is off to you.
I pedaled a Razor scooter home from work today. It's been in my office for a few months (I'm really not sure how it got there. Things like that happen often in a youth ministry office). Anyway, something compelled me to ride it home.
It wasn't too bad, with only one super difficult part--carrying it for a long spot because there was no sidewalk...just sand and grass.
I learned two things from my Razor journey today.
1) We shouldn't underestimate the muscular stamina one needs to skate. My right leg is numb from balancing and my left leg is numb from pushing off (what do you call that anyway?)
2) I know why skaters don't wear flip flops. To say that I need a pedicure after today's journey would be an understatement and a scary sight for any pedicure professional. I'll wait a few days for my toenail to fall off and then get some work done.
Cheers to skaters and young Razor lovers, my Hurley hat is off to you.
Tuesday
Vampires.
So I've been reading the Twilight book series by Stephanie Meyer. Too many of our teenagers were reading them for me not to know what the big deal was. Now I know. The books are good. And by good, I mean, they are well written, perfectly postured to the teenage mind (even more so toward the female mind in my opinion), thrilling, page turning, historical, legendary, romantic, and filled with real life family tension that any person can identify with.
My knee jerk is to say that the series isn't much different than other mythical writing (The Mists of Avalon, The Lord of the Rings, Prince Caspian). Each brings it's own villain and fantasy to the imagination. However, the Twilight series is so different from the normal fighting scenes of Lord of the Rings...there is a romantic element that may be far more powerful than the vampire subject.
How many girls wish for a type of relationship where you would sacrifice ANYTHING to be together? It's a pretty strong premise. I'm thinking maybe it's not vampires we should be worrying most about (since they don't exist) but our daughter's overwhelming need to feel deep and sacrificial love (hmmm...I wonder where they can get that?).
Parents ultimately need to make the choice about this series and their own children's involvement reading it. I'm just curious as to how many other youth workers are having this conversation? I'm trying to picture how this discussion is going to look in the small group circle, guards down, Doritos and Oreos in hand.
If you're a youth pastor or worker, or a parent of teenagers, pick up the first book and join the discussion. You'll be glad to be prepared. (the movie comes out 12.12.08)
My knee jerk is to say that the series isn't much different than other mythical writing (The Mists of Avalon, The Lord of the Rings, Prince Caspian). Each brings it's own villain and fantasy to the imagination. However, the Twilight series is so different from the normal fighting scenes of Lord of the Rings...there is a romantic element that may be far more powerful than the vampire subject.
How many girls wish for a type of relationship where you would sacrifice ANYTHING to be together? It's a pretty strong premise. I'm thinking maybe it's not vampires we should be worrying most about (since they don't exist) but our daughter's overwhelming need to feel deep and sacrificial love (hmmm...I wonder where they can get that?).
Parents ultimately need to make the choice about this series and their own children's involvement reading it. I'm just curious as to how many other youth workers are having this conversation? I'm trying to picture how this discussion is going to look in the small group circle, guards down, Doritos and Oreos in hand.
If you're a youth pastor or worker, or a parent of teenagers, pick up the first book and join the discussion. You'll be glad to be prepared. (the movie comes out 12.12.08)
Saturday
Do what I do.
There's a point in one of my daughter's Elmo videos where a cartoon lady begins her "Itsy Bitsy Spider" routine by saying "Hey kids! Just say what I say and do what I do!" These simple instructions obviously help children get the concept of following a leader. Sounds harmless enough, right?
Except when your kid starts "saying what you say", and "doing what you do"! Kirra is only 15 months but she has caught on to things that I never thought she might be paying attention to. Take pushing a stroller for instance, we sometimes let her push the big stroller for a few minutes when we go for walks. Or the way she laughs like me by putting her hand over her mouth and tilting her head back dramatically like a full fledged adult. Yesterday she stopped to put the brakes off and to put them back on again. She's been watching. Today she picked up a magazine and started "reading" it out loud to her friend Stitch. Right now, as I type this she is sweeping the kitchen floor. It amazes me the amount of absorbtion that's going on (and not just in her diaper!).
She also learned a lot of behaviors on vacation. It was such a huge blessing to us. We were able to spend ten days together as a family. We've had so much change in our lives over the past two years that we haven't had a chance just be...to breathe...to be intentional about loving each other without the hovering demands of bills, selling a home, work, laundry...I'm sure so many of us need this time away. I needed to withdraw and to disconnect. The fabulous side effect of taking a cruise vacation is that you don't have cell phone service (unless you want to shell out the big bucks when you get home), you don't have to worry about any kind of transportation (unless you get a cab during port days), and you don't have to worry about e-mails or keeping anything else up (including the cleaning and laundry). I feel so lucky to be able to have this gift.
Vacation is very much an affluent capability (even for those of us who fall in the middle) and it occurred to me that most of the world's population can barely afford to eat, let alone travel to get away. For some, there is no "getting away". As I thought about this I made a committment in my heart to find balance as a person who has all she needs, to remember the poor and the one who has no means of withdrawing, the one who suffers each day for whatever reason.
This is something I hope our daughter picks up as she mimicks our everyday life. I hope she sees more than casual magazine reading and shopping excursions. I hope she sees parents who give more than they take. As she picks up on how to brush her teeth and comb her hair I hope she picks up on what matter's most, loving each other.
Except when your kid starts "saying what you say", and "doing what you do"! Kirra is only 15 months but she has caught on to things that I never thought she might be paying attention to. Take pushing a stroller for instance, we sometimes let her push the big stroller for a few minutes when we go for walks. Or the way she laughs like me by putting her hand over her mouth and tilting her head back dramatically like a full fledged adult. Yesterday she stopped to put the brakes off and to put them back on again. She's been watching. Today she picked up a magazine and started "reading" it out loud to her friend Stitch. Right now, as I type this she is sweeping the kitchen floor. It amazes me the amount of absorbtion that's going on (and not just in her diaper!).
She also learned a lot of behaviors on vacation. It was such a huge blessing to us. We were able to spend ten days together as a family. We've had so much change in our lives over the past two years that we haven't had a chance just be...to breathe...to be intentional about loving each other without the hovering demands of bills, selling a home, work, laundry...I'm sure so many of us need this time away. I needed to withdraw and to disconnect. The fabulous side effect of taking a cruise vacation is that you don't have cell phone service (unless you want to shell out the big bucks when you get home), you don't have to worry about any kind of transportation (unless you get a cab during port days), and you don't have to worry about e-mails or keeping anything else up (including the cleaning and laundry). I feel so lucky to be able to have this gift.
Vacation is very much an affluent capability (even for those of us who fall in the middle) and it occurred to me that most of the world's population can barely afford to eat, let alone travel to get away. For some, there is no "getting away". As I thought about this I made a committment in my heart to find balance as a person who has all she needs, to remember the poor and the one who has no means of withdrawing, the one who suffers each day for whatever reason.
This is something I hope our daughter picks up as she mimicks our everyday life. I hope she sees more than casual magazine reading and shopping excursions. I hope she sees parents who give more than they take. As she picks up on how to brush her teeth and comb her hair I hope she picks up on what matter's most, loving each other.
Wednesday
10 Years
Coy and I just returned from our 10 year anniversary vacation. I'm trying to get caught up on life here at home and also trying to get my sleep pattern straightened out. When I do, I'll be sure to blog about some of the funny experiences we had in L.A. and in Mexico. Kirra was an amazing little traveler. She is so perceptive and flexible. We couldn't believe how good she was...more on all of that to come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)