I've been promising this post for a while, so I thought I'd go ahead and write it. Secretly, in the world I've my mind, I'd love to write a blog of nothing but top 10's; it's my analytical nature.
Top Ten Things I Got from the NYMC:
1. Family is First
2. Be-with Mentoring
3. Email is for Old People.
4. Breakfast works for busy kids.
5. Let your kids lead.
6. Lead your kids.
7. Media is useful.
8. CPYU.org
9. Sackchairs.com
10. Your life will teach more than any sermon.
Some of these things, I already knew, and the NYMC reinforced them. Others of them, I learned more about. Some were novel for me and made the NYMC completely worth every dime! Ask me about something and I'll give you more detail.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
A Piece from My Youth Newsletter
Control Issues Anyone?
As I write this, there are some things in my life that are in limbo. Decisions that are going to be made – that I have no say in. I DO NOT like it.
Why don‘t I like it? Because I just assume get things my way – all the time. As a matter of fact, earlier today, Richard and I were at Staples looking at chairs for our little office area. They’re cheap little college-type desk chairs and they had them in four colors: black, bright blue, bright pink, and purple with green and yellow flowers. None of them matched our earth-tone living room, so I thought we’d go with the cutest one: purple with flowers. Richard, of course, wanted black, but was willing to compromise with the blue (which would have looked awful in our living room). So I turned to Evelyn and Riley and asked them which chair they liked, they’re girly-girls, so I was confident they would side with me. And they did. Richard was out-voted and I’m sitting on a chair that is purple with green and yellow flowers as I write this.
So I used my womanly art of manipulation to get what I wanted. Oh sisters! How many times have our husbands, brothers, fathers, boyfriends, etc. given into our artful attempts of manipulating? We’re soo good at it! And we get it honest: our mother, Eve, was the first to pull this trick. Remember the apple? I feel bonded to Eve in knowing that she too struggled with being in control. Isn’t that what the fall of man was really about? Eve wanted to know – everything – and she was willing to manipulate to get it.
The truth is that God isn’t like Adam (or Richard). He doesn’t give in to our attempts at manipulating Him: whining, bargaining, debating, pleading. God is God. He knows what is best for us.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11). God’s plans for us our so much better than any plans we could make, even when they don‘t seem that way in the present. So as I slowly, painfully, learn to surrender my control to God’s control, I want to encourage you to join me.
P.S. Ask me, and I’ll let you know what God’s answers to the "limbo decisions" were.
As I write this, there are some things in my life that are in limbo. Decisions that are going to be made – that I have no say in. I DO NOT like it.
Why don‘t I like it? Because I just assume get things my way – all the time. As a matter of fact, earlier today, Richard and I were at Staples looking at chairs for our little office area. They’re cheap little college-type desk chairs and they had them in four colors: black, bright blue, bright pink, and purple with green and yellow flowers. None of them matched our earth-tone living room, so I thought we’d go with the cutest one: purple with flowers. Richard, of course, wanted black, but was willing to compromise with the blue (which would have looked awful in our living room). So I turned to Evelyn and Riley and asked them which chair they liked, they’re girly-girls, so I was confident they would side with me. And they did. Richard was out-voted and I’m sitting on a chair that is purple with green and yellow flowers as I write this.
So I used my womanly art of manipulation to get what I wanted. Oh sisters! How many times have our husbands, brothers, fathers, boyfriends, etc. given into our artful attempts of manipulating? We’re soo good at it! And we get it honest: our mother, Eve, was the first to pull this trick. Remember the apple? I feel bonded to Eve in knowing that she too struggled with being in control. Isn’t that what the fall of man was really about? Eve wanted to know – everything – and she was willing to manipulate to get it.
The truth is that God isn’t like Adam (or Richard). He doesn’t give in to our attempts at manipulating Him: whining, bargaining, debating, pleading. God is God. He knows what is best for us.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11). God’s plans for us our so much better than any plans we could make, even when they don‘t seem that way in the present. So as I slowly, painfully, learn to surrender my control to God’s control, I want to encourage you to join me.
P.S. Ask me, and I’ll let you know what God’s answers to the "limbo decisions" were.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Where does it end?
I'm not a teacher and I'm not an economist. But I do work with teenagers and have children of my own. So I have to ask the question of where it all ends?
I mean this idea of constantly improving education and the race to keep up with every other country. I already witness with the kids I work with this desire to always be on top - always be more involved - always have one more thing to add to their college applications - and then their resumes. We're quickly transforming what should be 18 years of childhood into fast paced race to finish line. It's sad. There's a push to keep our children in school longer, start them earlier, and teach them more. But WHY?
I believe the failures of our educational system are directly linked to the failures of our politics. People are TAUGHT in this country that being an American means you're entitled to certain things. You're entitled to eat when you don't work; you're entitled buy things that you can't afford; and you're entitled to have someone else educate your children. But as watch my 4 month older utter very clearly: "Ah-goo. Ah-boo," and listen to my just-turned-two-year-old count and name her colors and point out letters that she knows, and when I listen to my three-and-half year old ask my husband, "Daddy, how was work today? Was it hard making money out there?" I KNOW that it is imperative that education starts at HOME! Are we going to take our children from the birthroom to classroom, 365 days a year, for 10 hours each day?
I don't know about you but as a CHRISTIAN I want to be primary influence in my children's lives. No educator will love my children the way I do. I want to teach my daughter's that their value is in CHRIST, not in how much information our very flawed educational system can cram into their heads.
(I promised another blog on the youth conference, and it's still coming. I'm still marinating what I learned).
I mean this idea of constantly improving education and the race to keep up with every other country. I already witness with the kids I work with this desire to always be on top - always be more involved - always have one more thing to add to their college applications - and then their resumes. We're quickly transforming what should be 18 years of childhood into fast paced race to finish line. It's sad. There's a push to keep our children in school longer, start them earlier, and teach them more. But WHY?
I believe the failures of our educational system are directly linked to the failures of our politics. People are TAUGHT in this country that being an American means you're entitled to certain things. You're entitled to eat when you don't work; you're entitled buy things that you can't afford; and you're entitled to have someone else educate your children. But as watch my 4 month older utter very clearly: "Ah-goo. Ah-boo," and listen to my just-turned-two-year-old count and name her colors and point out letters that she knows, and when I listen to my three-and-half year old ask my husband, "Daddy, how was work today? Was it hard making money out there?" I KNOW that it is imperative that education starts at HOME! Are we going to take our children from the birthroom to classroom, 365 days a year, for 10 hours each day?
I don't know about you but as a CHRISTIAN I want to be primary influence in my children's lives. No educator will love my children the way I do. I want to teach my daughter's that their value is in CHRIST, not in how much information our very flawed educational system can cram into their heads.
(I promised another blog on the youth conference, and it's still coming. I'm still marinating what I learned).
Monday, March 2, 2009
National Youth Ministry Conference
Wow! Wow! Wow!
This is going to be a two part (or more) post. This one is going to be just me writing, rather randomly. The next post will be me writing some thought-out thoughts about the conference: it may take me a few days to process everything that happened in the last three days.
First off, if you're in youth ministry (in any capacity) we'll be in Chicago in 2010 and are inviting you to join us. This thing was awesome . . . uplifting, educational, informative, inspiring. Wow! Doug Fields, kudoo's to you, you put really put together the conference you dreamed of. Down to earth, practical, knowledable, Godly, honest people. Wow!
It's all so overwhelming right now. I really want to write about everything, but I just can't write now.
This is what God told me:
"Go deeper, they'll go with you.
You're messed up. You're BELOVED.
Richard will be going into full-time ministry, before you planned."
The first and last thing scare the heck out of me. The middle just made me cry.
We also have a lot of work to do. It's frustrating for me to know what I need to do to have a successful youth ministry, but feel like I don't have the time to do it. So I have a lot of prayer work to do.
This is going to be a two part (or more) post. This one is going to be just me writing, rather randomly. The next post will be me writing some thought-out thoughts about the conference: it may take me a few days to process everything that happened in the last three days.
First off, if you're in youth ministry (in any capacity) we'll be in Chicago in 2010 and are inviting you to join us. This thing was awesome . . . uplifting, educational, informative, inspiring. Wow! Doug Fields, kudoo's to you, you put really put together the conference you dreamed of. Down to earth, practical, knowledable, Godly, honest people. Wow!
It's all so overwhelming right now. I really want to write about everything, but I just can't write now.
This is what God told me:
"Go deeper, they'll go with you.
You're messed up. You're BELOVED.
Richard will be going into full-time ministry, before you planned."
The first and last thing scare the heck out of me. The middle just made me cry.
We also have a lot of work to do. It's frustrating for me to know what I need to do to have a successful youth ministry, but feel like I don't have the time to do it. So I have a lot of prayer work to do.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Political Ramblings
So I'm a Republican. The more I understand what the different parties stand for the more I realize that I'm almost as Republican as one person can be. One may think this is because I'm a moral conservative, but it really doesn't have much to do about that. Here's why I'm for the GOP:
1. Why does our government get to own words? Retarded. ORGANIC anyone? Oh, wait, can I even say unless the USDA says it is?
2. Why can't we go out and hunt wild game whenever my family needs food to eat? I understand that certain parties would take advantage of this . . . but landowners should have certain rights.
3. I pay to fix up my property - invest in it - work hard to make it what it is - and then have to pay more property taxes to pay for children of welfarians to get an education. Step back and think about how much of our lives the government controls our lives. It's scary.
4. I believe in hand-ups - not hand-outs. I have experienced absolute, desolate third-world poverty. And I saw happy children in the midst of it. The truth is people who are given things without having to work for them feel entitled. ENTITLEMENT LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS!
5. Richard and I responsibly borrowed money and live in a basement! We have three children and live in a two bedroom 850 sq. ft. flat roofed basement (that I really do love) because we were RESPONSIBLE. And now we're going to pay (through either higher taxes or inflation) for all of those other people who bought houses that they couldn't afford. I AM BITTER!
However, today I got a taste of some good that can out of government aid. I was talking to a student at the school where I teach. I'm guessing she is 30-something. A divorcee, with two pre-teen girls, she also has a young son with her current boyfriend. She had two other children who died during or right after childbirth. And last year, she had cancer. Her boyfriend who finished his degree while he stayed home taking care of their son and her when she was being treated for cancer, can't find a job, so he's taking care of the little boy while she goes to school. Where would she be if it wasn't for some of the programs we have to help families like hers? But more than I feel sorry for her, I respect. She works so hard.
By the way, I'm not opposed to taxes. I gladly pay them:)
1. Why does our government get to own words? Retarded. ORGANIC anyone? Oh, wait, can I even say unless the USDA says it is?
2. Why can't we go out and hunt wild game whenever my family needs food to eat? I understand that certain parties would take advantage of this . . . but landowners should have certain rights.
3. I pay to fix up my property - invest in it - work hard to make it what it is - and then have to pay more property taxes to pay for children of welfarians to get an education. Step back and think about how much of our lives the government controls our lives. It's scary.
4. I believe in hand-ups - not hand-outs. I have experienced absolute, desolate third-world poverty. And I saw happy children in the midst of it. The truth is people who are given things without having to work for them feel entitled. ENTITLEMENT LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS!
5. Richard and I responsibly borrowed money and live in a basement! We have three children and live in a two bedroom 850 sq. ft. flat roofed basement (that I really do love) because we were RESPONSIBLE. And now we're going to pay (through either higher taxes or inflation) for all of those other people who bought houses that they couldn't afford. I AM BITTER!
However, today I got a taste of some good that can out of government aid. I was talking to a student at the school where I teach. I'm guessing she is 30-something. A divorcee, with two pre-teen girls, she also has a young son with her current boyfriend. She had two other children who died during or right after childbirth. And last year, she had cancer. Her boyfriend who finished his degree while he stayed home taking care of their son and her when she was being treated for cancer, can't find a job, so he's taking care of the little boy while she goes to school. Where would she be if it wasn't for some of the programs we have to help families like hers? But more than I feel sorry for her, I respect. She works so hard.
By the way, I'm not opposed to taxes. I gladly pay them:)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Some thoughts on ministry
I have to admit . . . I tend to go my own way. Not that I don't read, educate, learn and grow every day, but I'm not the type of person to jump on band wagons. I do what works for me. So needless to say, if I'm not the type of person to do fad diets, the latest parenting approach, yada, yada, yada, I'm certainly not the type of person to jump on ministry fads either.
The truth is that the church has been around 2000 years without me, and will continue to be around until Christ returns. So I'm not too worried about keeping up with the latest ministry trends.
But I thought I should take time to define my views on ministry.
While I've been working in youth ministry since I was involved in youth ministry, I really only count my last three years, since it's where I've had the opportunity to experiment. When I started at Calvary there were 5 kids in the youth group who were all juniors and seniors. So I prayed for them, and let them go. I turned my attention to a group of 5 6th graders. Is this right? Isn't it my job to reach all of the kids in the church? It's not that I don't encourage them to become involved, invite the, love them . . . I just didn't focus on them. I'm a stay-at-home mom and since I've started this job I've had two more babies! I cannot successfully nurture every child involved in the church. I would have quit by now. So that's my first stance in ministry . . . I accept that I cannot reach everyone.
Now to the five 6th graders. They're freshmen now. All five are still involved in the church. One is non-committal, one does not attend youth meetings, three are what I consider my core group. I know all of this sounds crazy unsuccessful! And you're thinking that I'm an idiot. But bare with me.
Those three, I disciple. I pray for them. I encourage them. I am confident that they have a personal relationship with Christ. I will predict that in the three years that those three girls have left in high school . . . our group will experience exponential growth. Why? Because they are sharing their faith with their friends!
My job for the next three years will be to let them lead, nudge them when they need nudged, encourage them when they're down, challenge them when they need challenged.
As far as the church as a whole is concerned? DO WHATEVER IT TAKES! I don't have a facebook page for my youth group because they don't use facebook! I text message my kids on the Saturday nights before we have youth group to remind them. That works! Before that, I sent them postcards. That worked! What if every Saturday night you got a text message from the pastor asking you to attend church?
Okay . . . this is no literary masterpiece but just ramblings.
The truth is that the church has been around 2000 years without me, and will continue to be around until Christ returns. So I'm not too worried about keeping up with the latest ministry trends.
But I thought I should take time to define my views on ministry.
While I've been working in youth ministry since I was involved in youth ministry, I really only count my last three years, since it's where I've had the opportunity to experiment. When I started at Calvary there were 5 kids in the youth group who were all juniors and seniors. So I prayed for them, and let them go. I turned my attention to a group of 5 6th graders. Is this right? Isn't it my job to reach all of the kids in the church? It's not that I don't encourage them to become involved, invite the, love them . . . I just didn't focus on them. I'm a stay-at-home mom and since I've started this job I've had two more babies! I cannot successfully nurture every child involved in the church. I would have quit by now. So that's my first stance in ministry . . . I accept that I cannot reach everyone.
Now to the five 6th graders. They're freshmen now. All five are still involved in the church. One is non-committal, one does not attend youth meetings, three are what I consider my core group. I know all of this sounds crazy unsuccessful! And you're thinking that I'm an idiot. But bare with me.
Those three, I disciple. I pray for them. I encourage them. I am confident that they have a personal relationship with Christ. I will predict that in the three years that those three girls have left in high school . . . our group will experience exponential growth. Why? Because they are sharing their faith with their friends!
My job for the next three years will be to let them lead, nudge them when they need nudged, encourage them when they're down, challenge them when they need challenged.
As far as the church as a whole is concerned? DO WHATEVER IT TAKES! I don't have a facebook page for my youth group because they don't use facebook! I text message my kids on the Saturday nights before we have youth group to remind them. That works! Before that, I sent them postcards. That worked! What if every Saturday night you got a text message from the pastor asking you to attend church?
Okay . . . this is no literary masterpiece but just ramblings.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
I am definately lax in my blogging, which may serve as an idea of what the rest of my life is like. Ah! I have to admit that I never finished Mere Christianity. I also have to admit that while I stayed with the first two books, the third started going over my head, and I veered away from it. I also haven't been doing my scripture memorizing or yoga! And those are supposed to be my top two priorities. Well, besides making sure my kids get fed.
I guess I should put a disclaimer in here that the reason yoga is so high on the priority list is because I've learned that I'm a better wife, mother, youth worker, etc. when I'm in physically good shape. So it's a priority that I have in order to meet my other priorities.
I can partially blame the lice, which I think are finally gone! I spazzed out completely.
So here I am: wondering why I have no self-discipline. Back to my beginning blog making my spiritual life a priority in order to nurture the spiritual lives of others. Grrr. I am so thankful that God's grace is sufficient for me.
I am excited though that our home church started a devotional series entitled Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, so I will be blogging about it some! I'm going to be leading a group on radical hospitality: which is really one of my spiritual gifts:)
At the church where I'm the youth leader, we've also implemented a ministry team (I know that we should have had one for ions) and have some exciting stuff going on there. My honest prayer for all of these things is that I'll find someplace (that exists outside of cyber-world) where I can have authentic friendship, fellowship and accountability.
I guess I should put a disclaimer in here that the reason yoga is so high on the priority list is because I've learned that I'm a better wife, mother, youth worker, etc. when I'm in physically good shape. So it's a priority that I have in order to meet my other priorities.
I can partially blame the lice, which I think are finally gone! I spazzed out completely.
So here I am: wondering why I have no self-discipline. Back to my beginning blog making my spiritual life a priority in order to nurture the spiritual lives of others. Grrr. I am so thankful that God's grace is sufficient for me.
I am excited though that our home church started a devotional series entitled Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, so I will be blogging about it some! I'm going to be leading a group on radical hospitality: which is really one of my spiritual gifts:)
At the church where I'm the youth leader, we've also implemented a ministry team (I know that we should have had one for ions) and have some exciting stuff going on there. My honest prayer for all of these things is that I'll find someplace (that exists outside of cyber-world) where I can have authentic friendship, fellowship and accountability.
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