Summer Job - week 8

This week found me, Sarah (intern), Cody and Blake all at Falls Creek for the youth. 

Why all of us? Because we are a team. 

T- together 

E- everyone 

A-accomplishs 

M- more

The theme was love. Talk is cheap, love not in words but in action! 

Ed Newton brought the word from I John in night services. He's an adoption advocate, gospel teaching guy- we loved him!

and check it out he's a runner! 

Brad Clay brought the nightly devotion and they too were about holiness and confession and loving in action not just words. 

I cooked with the lovely Jana Loveall

and her husband....

All my clothes smell like bacon. 

It comes with the job.

I really enjoyed the kids. 

Guess what Shelby was doing....

Rolling with the bags and Bibles.

Sticking by my side lego style. 

Children wise Sarah did Wet and Wild with team leaders on her own....we'll have to check in on how the story of the great fish catch and slip and slide went. She was an awesome addition to our group at camp. We sat down last Sunday and went over some evaluation questions- she continues to grow learn and be so teachable, so glad we had the summer to really get to know her heart and abilities. She is quite flexible with serving in a lot of different rolls. I see her marrying and serving along side a minister in a lot of different areas. Blessed will that man be who finds and fights for her! 

Next week is dance camp and the registration has closed, we are doing t-shirts again which prove to be crazy. word out - find a good t-shirt person early in ministry, it will make life easier. But I do think the dance camp will be good. We have 3 classes and over 30 signed up. Different but a good program. We'll disclose all the details next week.

Carrying a friend's bag

I found myself carrying someone else's bag this evening.

 It wasn't while she was going to the bathroom or trying on clothes it was as she watched the flight nurses prepare her baby to be taken to Oklahoma city following a mid afternoon car wreak. 

We ran this morning together, the route of an upcoming race. 

Anxious to talk since we hadn't seen each other in over a week. 

Got our problems out in open air, left them to the Lord, prayers for healing, change, courage. 

We parted ways. My day mostly spent cleaning house, hers at work. Till a phone call. 

The kind of calls you don't want. 

The kind of calls that alter the rest of the day,

or the rest of your life. 

I was torn, Cody went first, no concrete news and I hated to take the kids to emergency room chaos. 

But by 5 I was on my way, kids in tow, to be with one of the best friends I've ever had. 

To cry with her, to hug her, to just be there. 

The first view was of Kasidy-

 she was bet up. Cuts, dirt, swelling, bravery. 

Next came Kerri- 

she was mom, poised, with purpose, confused from an onslought of xrays and scans, beautiful in her green I heart Port Aransas shirt and jeans and blond hair, courageous.

Next was Azya- 

swollen eye , cut ear, itty bitty body on a big bed, bathing suit still on, dependent. 

The first words I heard were that Azya had a skull fracture and they are mediflighting her to OKC. Precautionary cause Duncan doesn't do head injuries. 

Tears. Embraces. "It's gonna be ok"s 

Family, friends, visitors, staff, calls, texts, vending machines. 

Then I was given a purse to hold. 

As I stood I realized it was Kerri's purse  and I moved aside as they cleared the room for Azya to leave.

To carry another's bag is a privilege.

 It means your in.

 It means I trust you.

 It means I need you.  

It means you have a friend.

I handed it to her and walked with her out to the car. She, with her daughter and son in law headed north to the hospital. The rest of the story is yet to be known but we'll get through it.

 Together.

My bag carrier: In praise of Shelby

It's been VBS week and if you've never directed that, it's a new level of tired. I don't even want to think about VBS for at least 6 months.

I think every believer ought to at least once in their lives go overseas and worship in a different country with the believers there and direct VBS, just once. And change a baby's diaper in the nursery- now there's a worship experience.

This is about Shelby.

I met Shelby when she was in the 4th grade. A kid at camp. Gone to Velma school most her life.

She sat with me some during church over the years and she's always been around.

Everyone loves her. Everyone.

Her family gave her a surprise 18th birthday party at the country club this year. (Shelby's advice since turning 18- don't go to the casino's they are so addicting)

I have learned a lot this week from Shelby.

I have been wanting a massage for over a week, eagerly prayed I'd win won at the race door prize deal the other day- got a hat instead. Guess the Lord thought I needed that instead.

Tuesday afternoon before we started - Family Fun Days ( our VBS) she came over and gave me a shoulder massage for 15 min. It was exactly what I needed. To sit, be still and rest a minute.

She always carries my bags. All of them, seriously. She takes the numerous tote bags from my shoulders and carries them. She bares my burden. She helps me carry the load of serving as children's minister & mother to 3 on Sundays when the husband is elsewhere.

She's become a great Sunday School worker. Honing her scissor cutting skills and holding baby skills. They love her too.

But what hit me especially this week is how she lives this one out in front of me....

Proverbs 25:27 Just as it is not good for one to eat too much honey it is not good for many to think of all the honors he deserves.

In my pride I tend to dwell on what I deserve.

Lord, I did ...........for you. I did ..............for .............. and they didn't even..................or so and so got all the credit.............

I will stop or I'll embarrass myself in revealing my heart. But Shelby, is continually asking to help me. Never expecting anything in return. She serves with a clean heart out of joy. And she has fun.

What really got me last night is in all she does helping and serving me she wrote a letter thanking me for being her friend. If I'd worked that hard I'd be complaining but she is offering thanks.

She has the gift of service for sure, with a good dose of mercy. She cried with Cady Tuesday night as she was in pain from an ear ache. She's growing in her faith walk and even repented when I confronted her on complaining too much about her English teacher last year. She was baptized this year too. So when the believers all get to heaven with the King you'll get to meet her too.

And thank the Lord there will be no tote bags in heaven for her to carry!

God thank you for Shelby's example, if she can serve you humbly do it so can I.

Cooking through Ruth

I've been carrying this tote around the last 5 weeks.

I am studying the book of Ruth (it's a small book in the Bible). I've shared my adventures, rather enthusiastically, with several groups/people I love. 

1. My Sunday morning girls- we met on sunday mornings and have cried and laughed, smiled and prayed and dug deep....I LOVE these girls. 

2. A friend from college. We've met at McDonald's, the Library, her house, my house, the park....

3. And then I had the bright idea to cook through it. In Kelly Minter's Bible Study

 She has not only great perspective and good writing, it's got music to go with and...... RECIPES!

Here's what we did -

Invited anyone who'd listen to a sunday night gathering in a kitchen. 

I had a simple handout each week, it included the recipes we were cooking, the week/chapter we were reading (there are 4) , additional verses to look up/ books to check out/ further reading and ideas for ministering to others through feeding (working at the Velma food bank, kitchen team, feeding those who've had surgery/babies/deaths, feeding our families/friends)

We stood around a large bar, I enter mixed reading the chapter and discussing it with the steps of creating the recipe. 

week 1 theme- opposite of the famine that Naomi was in- "The bounty of Summer" We made  recipes using tomatoes/veggies and a watermelon ice. 

week 2 theme- " Crock Pot Meals" chapter 2 highlights Ruth and Boaz's first meeting and her incredible work ethic and since some of us were returning to working/school that week we did meals for the working woman 

week 3 theme- chapter 3 ends with Ruth having taken a big risk and then having to wait, we went the opposite with "Quick Meals"

week 4 theme- "How sweet it is" chapter 4 ends with a wedding , a baby and a beautiful display of God's redemption of man (you know he made us then Eve sinned, we needed saving....) And ends not with Ruth but with the Lord - getting the glory he deserves, it's so not about us or her. We did all desserts . And they were all from the book. Here is the one she said we must try...Banoffi Pie from England

you can get more info about the study I did at kellyminter.com and the recipe to this wonderful English pie with homemade whipped cream with coffee , bananas and toffee! Yum (you have to scroll down a bit) 

The website also has videos. 

The ladies simply read the book of Ruth during the week, I was the only one going through the study, I of course invited them to buy it. 

They brought their stories, and they were amazing (one shared of forgiving her mother in law, spending sweet moments with her daughter that just went to college, one made us cry and cheer when she organized her first funeral dinner for a tiny baby boy's family)

they brought things they found online or in their study Bibles, we had some kids join us & we always ate what we made :)

I'd do this as a retreat for other churches,  I loved it!

Our Home- the revolving door

Well we are settling in to a more summer break pace after 5 weeks of intense church activities. I still can't believe it's over and I survived!

T-shirt: ministry summer 2010 survivor.

More on that later...

What I love about my home is that there are no totebags involved. I love to travel but I love home. I love my knives. I missed my knives cooking in Alabama. I love my "office". I love my spices. I even love the neighbors.  

I am eager to finish the "story of us"- my goal is to finish by our anniversary, I have 3 weeks. But before I do I have thoughts on my home and the revolving door that may be installed later this summer.

Just Kidding (jk) on the door. The last 2 nights I haven't gotten in bed before midnight. I have had guests. And they've all been boys. Some of them stunk, (the ones under 12 :) But I am not complaining. I always wanted a house full of boys. Not that I mind my girls, I just always wanted more than one boy. ????? So are we done yet? As in family complete? Hummm?

So we entertain A LOT. I cook  A LOT, and I LOVE it. We used to be cool and  young. Now we get so excited when teenagers want to hang out with us. Silas is only 3 years away from teenager. We are parents now not cool big brother/sister. It's an inevitable shift.

I am currently going through this book

With these people

What I love about this book is the honesty and wit of the writer and the recipes. She is hitting on something I've been pondering since the cooking through that cook book in Jan/Feb. Feeding people is Sacred Business.

It's over the dinner table or on a couch and double chase that we delve into deeper relationships and stronger faith. Around those we cry over lost dogs or sick grandparents and rejoice over Jesus' gift of forgiving our sins and new life or a new move and an upcoming mission trip.

The day before we left for Alabama was crazy. My doorbell rang no less that 10 times- (no lie, I counted) And they weren't neighbor kids.

  We have a lot of Indian outlaws around here, the cowboys are on it. Protecting the cowgirls like they should.

So one special guest was the girl on the left.

She and I go way back. You may remember her from here. 
I was in her wedding in October. She married a guy in the Air Force and has been in Abelene, TX. She came to tell me they are getting sent to England before November. Scarey. Exciting. We needed to talk. I am so glad she came.

She was after the plumbers & Ronnie. And a couple of sweet people bringing snacks for our trip.

The girl on the right is Hill Billy. I took her to camp years ago. I'll never forget how all her friends tried to convince her to be saved. They learned you can't make people follow Jesus, no more than I can make someone love me. Jesus draws people to himself. And you can't resist him. Some try but I don't know why- Peace with God is a beautiful thing. Well when the Lord started drawing her she came, and last year she felt led to go on a mission trip to England. We've been praying all year for her. She got back 2 days ago and I can't wait to hear all about it.

Then after she left this guy showed up.

And we just happened to have food. The salsa that day was horrible. Too much pepper.

His last words to us before he left were, "Hey I can help this fall, where ever ya need me, with kids or stuff" The next day when Cady forgot her glasses in Velma as we where headed to Gulf Shores, Al we called and asked if he wanted to come bring them and join the trip. And he came! Cady will never forget it.

The day was good, fun and hopeful, then I got a bad call- someone was giving up and going back- long story but I cried in bed that night. I cried because I couldn't make her believe and trust God for more. More than what she can see. God waits to be wanted. I cry because I have been there too- stuck between what you see and know and a promise of something more but not sure if it's worth the leaps of faith and loss. So we pray. Pray for God to change her heart. Only he can.

Tomorrow I will post a favorite deep dish pizza recipe Cody has for our parties with "the customers" (that's what our kids call the people who come through the revolving door).

My Week

Let's start with with last Sat. Oct 25-

wake up to Charis coughing like a seal

5 calls to the three of our closest family for a get together for Charis' birthday

Burn CD for friends having to work the weekend

ice Charis cake and cupcakes

drive to Duncan, trick or treat on main street

take Cd to friends

birthday party with cousins

Walmart run with 3 kids- yikes

Oct. 26

Charis' 1st birthday! we made it! yea!!! still coughing

make a bow for the cute birthday dress

sunday school, coffee, nursery duty- cupcakes with toddlers????what was I thinking???

gifts from our church family, they are so precious to us

the first cake devouring with dad
nap for Charis, mom reads her new Kingsbury( I actually finished 2 books this week)

ga's, ra's women's bible study- I love my traveling buddies (week 5 stepping up, beth moore)

Oct. 27

Shyann here by 7:30,

kids out the door by 8

piano lesson by 9

on our way to norman for dr. apt. by 10:30

Dr. Fox affirms my diagnosis - Charis has croupe, gets on steriods - yeah

check on Cody's Christmas present, it's not going to work- argh!

head home , girls sleep, I council a friend about a family situation and a different friend about her daughters interest in heaven's actual place in the universe

3:30 kids home, lessons start preparing for a recital- calling all kids/parents/etc.

4:00 Shyann gone home

6:00 chips and cheese for dinner, dad's away at a conference

7:00 we are practicing guitar and reading books , no tv!!

8:30 time for some kingsbury- fame I think was the book

Oct. 28

with Shyann and Charis we hit duncan for a car load- envelopes for my dad, 30 pumpkins for Wed. night, walmart trip (of Course), all the while talking on the phone!

one lesson at 5, Cody comes home, not too happy to see a house full of neighborhood kids

make 6 dozen cookies for church the next night

I have visions of cleaning my house but my feet can't seem to move once I put the kids to bed

Oct. 29

meet other moms at 8:30 to unload pumpkins and set up for that night

work on info sheets for family night at church, we are sending packages to orphans in India, wrap a shoebox, find newspapers, knives, all the while on the phone (Kathy -sorry if the minutes go over this month, people are in need)

3:30- 6 students, 3 kids, 1 shyann, 1 husband at one time- what to come over???

5:00 last student, cook dinner (fish sticks and mac and cheese) while listening to the looney tunes theme song- she nailed it!

6:00 head to church for a family night and pumpkin carving

8:30 wow, what just happened? 25 families came and had an awesome time- parents and kids are getting saved- everything went smoothly

we go over it with the fam while watching the pumpkins shine

Oct. 30

Recital day, shyann's back (the almost 2 year old I keep)she sleeps from 7:30-noon, working all day on recital programs, putting youtube videos with the kids songs for a multimedia theme song recital

11am boy Charis is quiet- omg, the worst mess of all 3 kids- purple food coloring paste all over her and the kitchen floor! I'll laugh one day

at 2pm I walk with my favorite neighbor and we catch up over our lives (much to talk about)

3:30 kids are back for lessons

5:30 make shift dinner and parent teacher conference

6:30 hit the church for the recital to find many already there, so much for practicing before

check the technology agh, we had all the videos preset and had to refresh theme....5 guitars to tune, pre performance jitters, the people kept pouring in.....had a great recital! I love my students, thank you Cody for watching the kids

8:30 time for more kingsbury- on forgiven by now

Oct. 31

sleep in , day off? really ?

7:30 dad calls, when ya'll leaving? did you the envelopes? where are we going to meet

8:30 on the road to Cody's mom's surgery in Edmond ( north of OKC) reading kingsbury , it's getting good!

10:30 visit with nana pawpaw and their friends (ours too) kids get tired of the hospitol

11- lunch with my parents for mom's birthday (monday) dad finally gets those envelopes

12:30 hit lifeway, wow Charis is doing great, she's such a go with the flow kid

1- back at hospitol, chase Charis around the waiting room, get word nana's good head to Lowes, check prices on wood for a project we are sponsoring in the morning

then we check at a smaller store....

4:30 are home and Cody wants t o go to duncan and trick or treat at the churches- get kids dressed up, I guess we'll have candy for dinner....( boy did the hotdog at Bethel hit the spot)

fyi walmart on halloween is empty- great time to shop

8pm home boys go the the home football game, girls in bed, mom takes a bubble bath and finishes another book , I think I'm addicted

and then Saturday Nov. 1st

how did we make it though this week? only by the grace of God- I spend some time telling him how much I love him, he tells me about himself as well

cereal, cartoons, clean house? nah, we'll put it off another day

9 am head to a local widow's home to put in a porch- I organized it for our ladies Bible study mission project, we got the guys there and they did most of it , we painted, moved lumber, got drinks, food, supplies and put in an shower wall.....God bless Sylvia and all those cats...

2pm wow Charis is a good baby, done more mission work in her first year of life than most of our church members- oh our car wouldn't start, just an inconvience....

3-4 try to relax a bit

4- trick or treat party at friends house

5:30 trick or treating in our town- a big deal, hundreds of kids

7:30 the party moves to our house for some football, go sooners!

9 pm who would believe this kind of week? I must write it or I'll forget it all! I love my life, don't get me wrong but I need some r & r.....see ya

I apologize for the space but after this week and spending the last hour trying to upload the same pictures, I am fed up with blogger.com and publishing no matter what it looks like - argh!