It has started.
This afternoon, while browsing for some q-tips at the Super W, I heard a grandma say to her granddaughter, "Be good, Santa's comin'." She had the sweetest, most Texas grandmotherly tone, but it struck me as silly and got me thinking as I decided between walmart-brand and Johnson & Johnson. What if I told a child in my kindest, most Katie-like voice, "Be good, Jesus is comin'." Wouldn't that be a little more accurate? But you have to admit, it sounds a lot more ridiculous. To all of you parents out there, please test this on your child for me and let me know how it goes.
11.21.2005
11.06.2005
Back from a wonderful, quick trip to Echo Valley, part of the HEB Encampment in the Texas Hill Country. Highland held their bi-annual family retreat, and I took Carlee & Jolee as my family. We were only there for about 23 hours, but we did lots of playing, swinging, eating, canoeing, worshiping, laughing, and fellowshipping. People thanked me for bringing them, but it was truly the treat for me. Once again, pictures from my weekend...
11.04.2005
Nickel Creek
On Thursday afternoon Kaylynn, Jamey, and I drove to Dallas and went to see Nickel Creek. Though we had tickets, there were no assigned seats... or any seats at all. So we had to wait in line for an hour to get in, then wait an hour for the concert to start, then listened to the opening show (Martin Sexton) for an hour, then NC for 2 hours. That's 5 blessed hours of standing. But it was well worth it!!! I had never heard Martin Sexton before, but I now own one of his albums. And NC was amazing as always. They are so wonderful live and never disappoint. Now that I have seen them 4 times in concert and in random places around Nashville, I feel like we are old friends... minus the Christmas cards, phone calls, or general acknowledgement.
These pics aren't the greatest, but not too bad since we were so close! Hope you enjoy! :)
These pics aren't the greatest, but not too bad since we were so close! Hope you enjoy! :)
10.30.2005
Papers... Greek... ministry... Fall Festival... service hours for SPM... mentoring groups... work... Nickel Creek concert (ok, that is fun, but it still takes time)... church retreat... too many things take precedence to blogging right now.
However I just read a great post on children and Halloween. Not having kids myself, I really don't feel one way or the other about the holiday. I've heard both sides of the story, and I just haven't really sat down and thought through it. I don't have a "theology of Halloween." But I really like what this dad has to say about the night and his two-year-old. Hope you enjoy, too.
Brooklyn Church Plant
Oh, and I'd also like to share a joy with you. I just received an email from a fresman at ACU. He wants to teach our 5th grade class. Not help, not assist, not substitute-- he wants to teach! I rejoiced aloud when I read his email. It may sound like a little thing, but it is huge to me. Thank you, Lord!
However I just read a great post on children and Halloween. Not having kids myself, I really don't feel one way or the other about the holiday. I've heard both sides of the story, and I just haven't really sat down and thought through it. I don't have a "theology of Halloween." But I really like what this dad has to say about the night and his two-year-old. Hope you enjoy, too.
Brooklyn Church Plant
Oh, and I'd also like to share a joy with you. I just received an email from a fresman at ACU. He wants to teach our 5th grade class. Not help, not assist, not substitute-- he wants to teach! I rejoiced aloud when I read his email. It may sound like a little thing, but it is huge to me. Thank you, Lord!
10.20.2005
I will not allow you to tell me who I am and who I am not.
I will not allow you to tell me what I am or what I should be.
I will not allow you to tell me what I should or should not do.
I will not listen to your lies. I will not listen when you tell me that I am too young, too busy, inexperienced, or only a girl.
I will not even look at you when you wear the masks of my friends and family.
I realize that by my proclaiming this, you will now only work harder to convince me of your lies; I know that you will become even trickier and try to catch me when my guard is down. And the only thing I can say to that is good luck. You will not hurt me nor destroy me. Because I am already dead. I have died to Christ. So when you are attempting to harm me, you are only fighting the Lord. And let me tell you- you have nothing on Him.
I will not allow you to tell me what I am or what I should be.
I will not allow you to tell me what I should or should not do.
I will not listen to your lies. I will not listen when you tell me that I am too young, too busy, inexperienced, or only a girl.
I will not even look at you when you wear the masks of my friends and family.
I realize that by my proclaiming this, you will now only work harder to convince me of your lies; I know that you will become even trickier and try to catch me when my guard is down. And the only thing I can say to that is good luck. You will not hurt me nor destroy me. Because I am already dead. I have died to Christ. So when you are attempting to harm me, you are only fighting the Lord. And let me tell you- you have nothing on Him.
9.30.2005
Most of you know that my job has drastically changed within the past month. I am still technically the children’s ministry resident; but my job has morphed into the role of the interim children’s minister. My wonderful boss, mentor, and friend is no longer the children’s minister as of a few weeks ago. Needless to say it has been a tough month. My lack of blogging has come from the absence of words, not really knowing what to share or how to share it. In this post I will do my best to share the tension and growth that is going on in my mind and heart.
This morning as I sat at my desk and looked at my list of things to do, weekend calendar, and the pile of work & projects growing on my desk, my heart started to race. Then a little reminder popped up from my Outlook calendar that I had a meeting in 5 minutes. My heart began to race a little faster. I knew I wasn’t nervous about anything; I decided that this is what a panic attack must feel like. Now I know that it was not really a panic attack, but it sure wasn’t a feeling of control or balance. I went to this meeting still feeling very dysfunctional. It ended up being a good meeting, but my mind wasn’t with them the whole time. I decided then that I would ask for help in the form of a student worker.
Later this afternoon I talked to my new boss about getting some more help for our office. He was very receptive to the idea, but expressed concern for my stress. After talking about the factors contributing to the stress, he asked me if I could point to one thing that was causing my stress. I wish I had had a few minutes to think about this question. If so I probably would have come up with a very calculated, careful, professional answer. Instead I said, “I hate politics. And I feel like that is what my job has turned into.” I went on to say that in no way was I expressing that I wanted to leave my position or that I wasn’t still very committed to the ministry. I just tried to help him understand that I was frustrated in the new process that I am having to learn. I’m sure it is something that, inevitably, every minister- or working professional- must learn; it is just something that is causing the most frustration and stress for me at the present moment.
Tonight as I studied with friends at a local coffee joint, the conversation turned towards creation and the fall—basically systematic theology. I won’t go into our whole conversation, but the idea was brought up that we are on this earth to be conformed into Christ’s likeness. That idea went off like a firework in my head. Here I am learning how to be a politician, when I could be doing much more productive things that would transform me into the likeness of Christ.
It seems odd to me that right as my job is requiring much more of me, I am being presented with many more opportunities for service in our community. I am a big fan of Examen— acknowledging the things in your life that give you life and take away life. As I reflect over the past couple of weeks, my being at work wears me out, and sleep is what I look forward to most in my day. However over the past week, I have had trouble going to sleep on the nights that I come home from the Red Cross shelter. Last night after coming home from handing out sack-dinners to the homeless & hungry around Abilene (some tents not a mile from my place), I had to stay up awhile to let my mind process and contemplate the things I had witnessed. I came home energized and went up to the shelter to touch base with the people I have come to love there.
What I value in the discipline of Examen is that it is learning to see & acknowledge the presence and working of the Lord in both the things that give you life and take away life. He is with us always, in the good and the not so good. I have certainly witnessed this in my life lately. Though going to work is not my favorite thing, I often feel a strong presence of the Holy Spirit in my mind and heart. Too often lately I have kept my emotions together and used kind words, when my attitude was not one of kindness. That has the Holy Spirit written all over it. I would have broken down weeks ago without the Lord’s strength and abundant blessings of peace and calmness. My prayer throughout this whole ordeal with my job, throughout my experiences of being drawn toward social justice opportunities, and throughout my juggling of these things with my grad classes, has been that I will be transformed through the renewal of my mind, and that the Lord will give me wisdom in my inner being. The classes that I have right now are filling my head with all sorts of knowledge, but what I need most right now is wisdom deep within my soul. The wisdom to discern these experiences, and the renewal of my mind that I may change as a person and minister as I process these experiences.
“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
This morning as I sat at my desk and looked at my list of things to do, weekend calendar, and the pile of work & projects growing on my desk, my heart started to race. Then a little reminder popped up from my Outlook calendar that I had a meeting in 5 minutes. My heart began to race a little faster. I knew I wasn’t nervous about anything; I decided that this is what a panic attack must feel like. Now I know that it was not really a panic attack, but it sure wasn’t a feeling of control or balance. I went to this meeting still feeling very dysfunctional. It ended up being a good meeting, but my mind wasn’t with them the whole time. I decided then that I would ask for help in the form of a student worker.
Later this afternoon I talked to my new boss about getting some more help for our office. He was very receptive to the idea, but expressed concern for my stress. After talking about the factors contributing to the stress, he asked me if I could point to one thing that was causing my stress. I wish I had had a few minutes to think about this question. If so I probably would have come up with a very calculated, careful, professional answer. Instead I said, “I hate politics. And I feel like that is what my job has turned into.” I went on to say that in no way was I expressing that I wanted to leave my position or that I wasn’t still very committed to the ministry. I just tried to help him understand that I was frustrated in the new process that I am having to learn. I’m sure it is something that, inevitably, every minister- or working professional- must learn; it is just something that is causing the most frustration and stress for me at the present moment.
Tonight as I studied with friends at a local coffee joint, the conversation turned towards creation and the fall—basically systematic theology. I won’t go into our whole conversation, but the idea was brought up that we are on this earth to be conformed into Christ’s likeness. That idea went off like a firework in my head. Here I am learning how to be a politician, when I could be doing much more productive things that would transform me into the likeness of Christ.
It seems odd to me that right as my job is requiring much more of me, I am being presented with many more opportunities for service in our community. I am a big fan of Examen— acknowledging the things in your life that give you life and take away life. As I reflect over the past couple of weeks, my being at work wears me out, and sleep is what I look forward to most in my day. However over the past week, I have had trouble going to sleep on the nights that I come home from the Red Cross shelter. Last night after coming home from handing out sack-dinners to the homeless & hungry around Abilene (some tents not a mile from my place), I had to stay up awhile to let my mind process and contemplate the things I had witnessed. I came home energized and went up to the shelter to touch base with the people I have come to love there.
What I value in the discipline of Examen is that it is learning to see & acknowledge the presence and working of the Lord in both the things that give you life and take away life. He is with us always, in the good and the not so good. I have certainly witnessed this in my life lately. Though going to work is not my favorite thing, I often feel a strong presence of the Holy Spirit in my mind and heart. Too often lately I have kept my emotions together and used kind words, when my attitude was not one of kindness. That has the Holy Spirit written all over it. I would have broken down weeks ago without the Lord’s strength and abundant blessings of peace and calmness. My prayer throughout this whole ordeal with my job, throughout my experiences of being drawn toward social justice opportunities, and throughout my juggling of these things with my grad classes, has been that I will be transformed through the renewal of my mind, and that the Lord will give me wisdom in my inner being. The classes that I have right now are filling my head with all sorts of knowledge, but what I need most right now is wisdom deep within my soul. The wisdom to discern these experiences, and the renewal of my mind that I may change as a person and minister as I process these experiences.
“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
9.23.2005
Hi friends,
A few of you know that my life has encountered some changes lately. More on that later… Until then, here's my weekend and my current i-Pod favs.
Friday:
Work
Bodyflow
Work
Nap
7:30pm, Dancing in Oplin
12am-4am, Red Cross (helping Rita evacuees)
Saturday:
Working at church
Studying
Donald & Dave’s for some fellowship
Sunday:
Church
Leadership team meeting/lunch
Studying
Small group
Top 10 Songs on my I-Pod:
1. Open Skies- David Crowder Band
2. God Save the Queen- Greatness in Tragedy
3. Gravity- Allison Krauss + US
4. The Blues- Switchfoot
5. Yearn –Shane & Shane
6. Doubting Thomas- Nickel Creek
7. Songbird- Eva Cassidy
8. Mr. Curiosity- Jason Mraz
9. Better Together- Jack Johnson
10.Simply Nothing- Shawn McDonald
I hope you have a great weekend! I am really looking forward to mine!
Peace to you-
A few of you know that my life has encountered some changes lately. More on that later… Until then, here's my weekend and my current i-Pod favs.
Friday:
Work
Bodyflow
Work
Nap
7:30pm, Dancing in Oplin
12am-4am, Red Cross (helping Rita evacuees)
Saturday:
Working at church
Studying
Donald & Dave’s for some fellowship
Sunday:
Church
Leadership team meeting/lunch
Studying
Small group
Top 10 Songs on my I-Pod:
1. Open Skies- David Crowder Band
2. God Save the Queen- Greatness in Tragedy
3. Gravity- Allison Krauss + US
4. The Blues- Switchfoot
5. Yearn –Shane & Shane
6. Doubting Thomas- Nickel Creek
7. Songbird- Eva Cassidy
8. Mr. Curiosity- Jason Mraz
9. Better Together- Jack Johnson
10.Simply Nothing- Shawn McDonald
I hope you have a great weekend! I am really looking forward to mine!
Peace to you-
8.31.2005
So often we hear of awful things that human beings are doing around our country and around our world. Today I learned that a friend of mine, a youth minister, was beaten up very badly here in Abilene. Last Friday night he saw two girls on the side of the road with their hood up. When he pulled over to help, two men appeared- it was a set up. Thirty minutes later they were gone with his wallet and cell phone. Luckily they didn't take the right keys for his car, so he was able to get home. From what I understand he is bruised and cut up pretty good, but he is going to be ok- physically. He has an amazing wife and two very young daughters at his side, but I can't imagine what is going on in his mind. Then later today I was standing in the drink aisle at HEB, getting some things for church tonight. There was a family in front of me, and the little boy was holding onto the handles of the shopping cart with his feet resting on the cart as well (like we all did when we were kids). This was obviously slowing his mom down, and she yelled at him to get off. When he didn't, she decided that the best way to handle this situation was to hit his little fingers that were holding onto the handle bar. Not slap them- a balled-up fist hit. Then he let go and just held onto the back and sort of just slid with his bottom. Instead of stopping the cart to remove him, she also thought the best move was to kick him... and she proceeded to kick him all the way down the aisle as he yelled for her to stop, and he finally moved when they got to the end of the aisle. I was supposed to be deciding between Coke and Dr. Pepper, but the world suddenly slowed down and I couldn't move as I watched this whole scene.
All you have to do is turn on the news to know that humanity is messed up. And I have been in some very broken places since I've been in Abilene. But the people I have seen are crying out for help. A mother who hits her young son- not out of rage, but out of pure annoyance- and 4 people who sit at home and plan an attack on a helpless person are the kind of people that I forget I live with every day. The ones who are crying out for help are the people that my heart is turned most towards. God give me a heart of Christ-like compassion that is not only compelled to help those who can't help themselves, but also to those who do help themselves in the most vicious ways.
All you have to do is turn on the news to know that humanity is messed up. And I have been in some very broken places since I've been in Abilene. But the people I have seen are crying out for help. A mother who hits her young son- not out of rage, but out of pure annoyance- and 4 people who sit at home and plan an attack on a helpless person are the kind of people that I forget I live with every day. The ones who are crying out for help are the people that my heart is turned most towards. God give me a heart of Christ-like compassion that is not only compelled to help those who can't help themselves, but also to those who do help themselves in the most vicious ways.
8.30.2005
Hello friends. Contrary to popular belief, I am still alive. Let's just look at my little hiatus from blogging as a summer vacation. And now that school has started back up, let's hope the blog will as well. :)
I had a wonderful summer! At the beginning of the summer, I had a few plans to look forward to, but I mostly planned on working. Instead things kept coming up, and I began having to schedule work into my week! Instead of just going on and on about the things I did, I thought it would be fun to make this post a "scrapbook" of some of my summer events. Hope you enjoy!
As mentioned previously in this blog, in May I traveled to California for the first time and attended a Women in Ministry conference and the Pepperdine Lectureships. I had never seen a picture of the campus before going, and I don't think this picture does the campus justice.
_____
A major part of my summer was the adjustment to working my first full-time job. I am now the Children's Ministry Resident at the Highland Church of Christ. (No pictures of our building on the web- this was the best I could come up with!)
_____
One of my best friends from high school, Carrie (Graves) Catt, married her best friend in May. I also wrote about this in a previous blog. It was so fun to catch up with friends at her reception that I hadn't seen in years!
_____
In June I took a short course (one week, 8am-5pm everyday) at ACU. I took Romans & Galatians with Dr. Ian Fair. Though the days were long, I enjoyed the intense study of the Word and loved Dr. Fair.
I didn't take a camera to class, but here is a loverly picture of our Bible building.
_____
At the end of June I took a very special trip to Houston. An amazing couple from Highland offered to fly me down to Houston to visit the Lane girls. The timing really could not have been better; it was the week that Kerri went in for her liver biopsy.
During the few days I was there, the girls and I went to Astroworld, spent an afternoon ice skating (their first time!), spent evening swimming and watching movies, and visited a couple of museums. In this picture we are sitting in giant teeth at the medical museum!
_____
In mid-July Erin & Carrie (my two dearest friends from Temple), Chelsea (my best friend from ACU), and I took a girls' weekend in Austin. I hope that this trip becomes an annual event; we spent just a couple of days eating out, shopping, swimming, and enjoying great conversation! In just a few days, I'll add a picture here....
_____
One of the events that I had planned back in the spring for this summer was a week of Learning to Lead camp at ACU. I went to this camp one time growing up and hated every minute of it!
But my week as a teacher for the 4th & 5th graders was such a blast, and I hope I get to do it again next year. As you can see, I had a pretty fun group of kids.
_____
I closed out July by singing in the wedding of Sarah Dean and Russell Smith. Sarah was a good friend of Will's at ACU, and we became friends after moving here last fall. I had so much fun singing with this group of girls...
... She also made the mistake of asking me and Lindsey to serve the groom's cake. It sure was good! 
_____
August began with Highland's annual high school retreat, Crossover. This year's theme was "Jesus Brings the Funk!" We learned that Jesus can only bring true joy... or funk, if you will.
Unfortunately you can not see the awesome outfit I bought for $5 at the Thrift House- rust-colored flared pants with a flowing, flowery shirt. I'd be happy to loan it to anyone who would like to borrow it.
Part of our weekend included a service project. Our group went to a deserted office building that was recently bought for Faithworks, a faith-based personal and career development program associated with Highland.
In this picture I am cleaning toilets with my new friend, Sally- a refugee from Liberia. This sweet girl has seen much worse in her lifetime than a clogged-up, rusty toilet.
_____
Just a week after the retreat, I began packing up my room at my parents' house and moved into a duplex just a few blocks away, closer to ACU's campus. Kaylynn drove down from Kansas and once again became my roommate. We are loving our new place, though still trying to make it "home." I'll have pictures of our place within the next week.
_____
School started last week, and this past weekend Kaylynn and I attended the graduate school retreat for first-year students. Though I started the program last January, I am still considered a "first-year" student.
At first I was not too excited about going, but now I am very glad that I went. We met lots of great people who quickly became our friends and will be our classmates for the next few (or more) years. 
_____
And finally, the most exciting news I can report at this moment is two-fold. Today I officially changed my degree: I switched from the Masters in Christian Ministry to the Masters of Divinity. Yep. Graduation is a mere 7 years away. And what better way to begin life as an M.Div student than with a new computer?
I purchased a Powerbook last week- my first major purchase of my life. I am typing on it this very moment. Isn't it purty?
_____
Well, friends, that's about it. Thanks for stopping by. I imagine that you were quite surprised to find a post from me. I am quite surprised at how late I have allowed myself to stay up and finish this post. Come back next week, and hopefully I will have added a couple more pictures. Who knows, maybe by next week I'll even have an entirely new post up! At any rate, here's to new posts, patient friends, God's goodness, and Greek paradigms, on which I have a quiz in 11 hours. Goodnight!
I had a wonderful summer! At the beginning of the summer, I had a few plans to look forward to, but I mostly planned on working. Instead things kept coming up, and I began having to schedule work into my week! Instead of just going on and on about the things I did, I thought it would be fun to make this post a "scrapbook" of some of my summer events. Hope you enjoy!
As mentioned previously in this blog, in May I traveled to California for the first time and attended a Women in Ministry conference and the Pepperdine Lectureships. I had never seen a picture of the campus before going, and I don't think this picture does the campus justice._____
A major part of my summer was the adjustment to working my first full-time job. I am now the Children's Ministry Resident at the Highland Church of Christ. (No pictures of our building on the web- this was the best I could come up with!)_____
One of my best friends from high school, Carrie (Graves) Catt, married her best friend in May. I also wrote about this in a previous blog. It was so fun to catch up with friends at her reception that I hadn't seen in years!
_____
In June I took a short course (one week, 8am-5pm everyday) at ACU. I took Romans & Galatians with Dr. Ian Fair. Though the days were long, I enjoyed the intense study of the Word and loved Dr. Fair.
I didn't take a camera to class, but here is a loverly picture of our Bible building._____
At the end of June I took a very special trip to Houston. An amazing couple from Highland offered to fly me down to Houston to visit the Lane girls. The timing really could not have been better; it was the week that Kerri went in for her liver biopsy.
During the few days I was there, the girls and I went to Astroworld, spent an afternoon ice skating (their first time!), spent evening swimming and watching movies, and visited a couple of museums. In this picture we are sitting in giant teeth at the medical museum! _____
In mid-July Erin & Carrie (my two dearest friends from Temple), Chelsea (my best friend from ACU), and I took a girls' weekend in Austin. I hope that this trip becomes an annual event; we spent just a couple of days eating out, shopping, swimming, and enjoying great conversation! In just a few days, I'll add a picture here....
_____
One of the events that I had planned back in the spring for this summer was a week of Learning to Lead camp at ACU. I went to this camp one time growing up and hated every minute of it!
But my week as a teacher for the 4th & 5th graders was such a blast, and I hope I get to do it again next year. As you can see, I had a pretty fun group of kids._____
I closed out July by singing in the wedding of Sarah Dean and Russell Smith. Sarah was a good friend of Will's at ACU, and we became friends after moving here last fall. I had so much fun singing with this group of girls...
... She also made the mistake of asking me and Lindsey to serve the groom's cake. It sure was good! 
_____
August began with Highland's annual high school retreat, Crossover. This year's theme was "Jesus Brings the Funk!" We learned that Jesus can only bring true joy... or funk, if you will.
Unfortunately you can not see the awesome outfit I bought for $5 at the Thrift House- rust-colored flared pants with a flowing, flowery shirt. I'd be happy to loan it to anyone who would like to borrow it.Part of our weekend included a service project. Our group went to a deserted office building that was recently bought for Faithworks, a faith-based personal and career development program associated with Highland.
In this picture I am cleaning toilets with my new friend, Sally- a refugee from Liberia. This sweet girl has seen much worse in her lifetime than a clogged-up, rusty toilet._____
Just a week after the retreat, I began packing up my room at my parents' house and moved into a duplex just a few blocks away, closer to ACU's campus. Kaylynn drove down from Kansas and once again became my roommate. We are loving our new place, though still trying to make it "home." I'll have pictures of our place within the next week.
_____
School started last week, and this past weekend Kaylynn and I attended the graduate school retreat for first-year students. Though I started the program last January, I am still considered a "first-year" student.
At first I was not too excited about going, but now I am very glad that I went. We met lots of great people who quickly became our friends and will be our classmates for the next few (or more) years. 
_____
And finally, the most exciting news I can report at this moment is two-fold. Today I officially changed my degree: I switched from the Masters in Christian Ministry to the Masters of Divinity. Yep. Graduation is a mere 7 years away. And what better way to begin life as an M.Div student than with a new computer?
I purchased a Powerbook last week- my first major purchase of my life. I am typing on it this very moment. Isn't it purty?_____
Well, friends, that's about it. Thanks for stopping by. I imagine that you were quite surprised to find a post from me. I am quite surprised at how late I have allowed myself to stay up and finish this post. Come back next week, and hopefully I will have added a couple more pictures. Who knows, maybe by next week I'll even have an entirely new post up! At any rate, here's to new posts, patient friends, God's goodness, and Greek paradigms, on which I have a quiz in 11 hours. Goodnight!
7.05.2005
Hi friends,
I am going to post this email from Kerri for those of you who also read that blog. We are having trouble with hers, so I want to put this out there for those who have been following along with her story:
OK, i don't know how to "share" this news without just typing it out in black and white. The results are in from my liver biopsy and it is melanoma. I know you have questions, and i do too! We're setting up appointments to go talk with the "earthly powers that be" at MDA and i will see what chariots and horses they have to offer. But i gotta tell you that...that's not where my faith is. So, please keep praying, as i know you have been and i will e-mail you after my Dr.s appointment which is tomorrow and Thursday. My main concern is Carlee and Jolee and that i be as honest as I can without scaring them, so join me in prayer for that, please. Will i sound ungracious if I ask you not to call? There is NO privacy at our little apartment and I will promise to e-mail you when i know anything at all, besides what you already know. Thank you for loving us and respecting our lives. I am fine, no better than fine. I am blessed beyond imagination with the peace and faith that is His gift to anyone who desires it.
Putting my faith in the Ultimate Physician, i remain,
Kerri
Last week I went to Houston to spend time with these precious ladies: Kerri, her daughters, Carlee & Jolee, and her mom, "Mimi" or Marilyn. The girls (C&J) and I had slumber parties at my hotel room, swam, went to Astroworld, ice-skating, watched movies, and swam some more. We had a fantastic week, but this week will be a bit different. Please join me in praying for them as they hear this news and prepare for the next steps. I typically would never do this, but... there has also been a fund set up for them through Highland. If you have a few extra dollars burning a hole in your pocket, then this would be an excellent way to bless a family in need. I'd be happy to share more info. about that with anyone who is interested.
What a gift it is to be a part of the body of Christ!
I am going to post this email from Kerri for those of you who also read that blog. We are having trouble with hers, so I want to put this out there for those who have been following along with her story:
OK, i don't know how to "share" this news without just typing it out in black and white. The results are in from my liver biopsy and it is melanoma. I know you have questions, and i do too! We're setting up appointments to go talk with the "earthly powers that be" at MDA and i will see what chariots and horses they have to offer. But i gotta tell you that...that's not where my faith is. So, please keep praying, as i know you have been and i will e-mail you after my Dr.s appointment which is tomorrow and Thursday. My main concern is Carlee and Jolee and that i be as honest as I can without scaring them, so join me in prayer for that, please. Will i sound ungracious if I ask you not to call? There is NO privacy at our little apartment and I will promise to e-mail you when i know anything at all, besides what you already know. Thank you for loving us and respecting our lives. I am fine, no better than fine. I am blessed beyond imagination with the peace and faith that is His gift to anyone who desires it.
Putting my faith in the Ultimate Physician, i remain,
Kerri
Last week I went to Houston to spend time with these precious ladies: Kerri, her daughters, Carlee & Jolee, and her mom, "Mimi" or Marilyn. The girls (C&J) and I had slumber parties at my hotel room, swam, went to Astroworld, ice-skating, watched movies, and swam some more. We had a fantastic week, but this week will be a bit different. Please join me in praying for them as they hear this news and prepare for the next steps. I typically would never do this, but... there has also been a fund set up for them through Highland. If you have a few extra dollars burning a hole in your pocket, then this would be an excellent way to bless a family in need. I'd be happy to share more info. about that with anyone who is interested.
What a gift it is to be a part of the body of Christ!
7.01.2005
6.22.2005
Lane girls
I'd like to begin by giving a shout-out to Jennifer and Katey... "Sorry it took me so long to post. The post I was working on just seemed pointless when I finished it, and this one is much more important than that one. Thanks for your encouragement!"
This picture is of my dear friends & sisters, the Lanes. From L to R it is Carlee, Kerri, and Jolee. My mom took this cutie picture of them just before Kerri left for surgery in Houston. You may recall from my last post my writing about babysitting some angels... and here they are. I wasn't lying, was I?
Next Monday, June 27th, I am flying to Houston to stay with the Lane girls for a few days. Kerri's doctors decided to give her a treatment for her melanoma called Interferon, and it requires her to live in Houston until mid-July. However today Kerri received some different news. They have found some "unidentified spots" on her liver and in the nodules of her breasts from some recent scans. Her doctor will biopsy these spots soon, but she has had to put her current treatments on hold. The decision to even go through with the Interferon took a few weeks for the doctors to decide, and now that these treatments have been put on hold, she is entering another period of waiting.
Waiting periods are hard enough for anyone, but sweet Kerri is having to put on a brave face as a single mom with her 2 young daughters. Kerri truly delights in the Lord and continues to blow me (and everyone else) away by her strength and faith during this time of trial. Please join me, my family, and our family of faith at Highland as we petition the Lord for our sister. Also I humbly ask for your prayers, as my time with them next week will be so special, but also very difficult.
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:20-22
This picture is of my dear friends & sisters, the Lanes. From L to R it is Carlee, Kerri, and Jolee. My mom took this cutie picture of them just before Kerri left for surgery in Houston. You may recall from my last post my writing about babysitting some angels... and here they are. I wasn't lying, was I?
Next Monday, June 27th, I am flying to Houston to stay with the Lane girls for a few days. Kerri's doctors decided to give her a treatment for her melanoma called Interferon, and it requires her to live in Houston until mid-July. However today Kerri received some different news. They have found some "unidentified spots" on her liver and in the nodules of her breasts from some recent scans. Her doctor will biopsy these spots soon, but she has had to put her current treatments on hold. The decision to even go through with the Interferon took a few weeks for the doctors to decide, and now that these treatments have been put on hold, she is entering another period of waiting.
Waiting periods are hard enough for anyone, but sweet Kerri is having to put on a brave face as a single mom with her 2 young daughters. Kerri truly delights in the Lord and continues to blow me (and everyone else) away by her strength and faith during this time of trial. Please join me, my family, and our family of faith at Highland as we petition the Lord for our sister. Also I humbly ask for your prayers, as my time with them next week will be so special, but also very difficult.
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:20-22
5.31.2005
Hello blog friends! It seems that at least once a week I talk to or hear of someone who reads my blog. It’s sort of weird to think about that since most of you do not post comments. Then again I read lots of blogs each day and rarely, rarely comment, so no hard feelings. But if you do read this, take a second and say hello! Then I’ll visit your blog (if you have one) and get to read your deep sentiments.
So my job status moved to full-time on May 1st, when I was in Malibu. It’s a beautiful thing to be on the beach for your first week of full-time work. I highly recommend it. Then I came back and babysat for the week for maybe the two sweetest girls I have ever met! They are 5 & 9, and their precious mom had to go to Houston to have surgery at MD Anderson. We had a fun week watching Arthur (the cartoon!), having picnics in the park, singing along to “Annie Get Your Gun” in the car at the top of our lungs, reading books & praying before bedtime, and having conversations one could only have with a 5-year-old who talks like an 8-year-old. As much as I loved hanging out with them and playing mommy for the week… it reminds me that babysitting is awesome birth control. I am not ready to be a mom yet. I’m not ready to get others ready for school or make big decisions, like what to have for dinner or what TV shows to let them watch. I’m not ready to teach them how to be kind, selfless, Godly, a peace-maker, disciplined, forgiving, patient… I still haven’t learned these things.
I was planning on writing about my job, but my fingers typed in another direction. More about the job next time...
So my job status moved to full-time on May 1st, when I was in Malibu. It’s a beautiful thing to be on the beach for your first week of full-time work. I highly recommend it. Then I came back and babysat for the week for maybe the two sweetest girls I have ever met! They are 5 & 9, and their precious mom had to go to Houston to have surgery at MD Anderson. We had a fun week watching Arthur (the cartoon!), having picnics in the park, singing along to “Annie Get Your Gun” in the car at the top of our lungs, reading books & praying before bedtime, and having conversations one could only have with a 5-year-old who talks like an 8-year-old. As much as I loved hanging out with them and playing mommy for the week… it reminds me that babysitting is awesome birth control. I am not ready to be a mom yet. I’m not ready to get others ready for school or make big decisions, like what to have for dinner or what TV shows to let them watch. I’m not ready to teach them how to be kind, selfless, Godly, a peace-maker, disciplined, forgiving, patient… I still haven’t learned these things.
I was planning on writing about my job, but my fingers typed in another direction. More about the job next time...
5.16.2005
IMG_8630
My sweet friends mentioned before from the May 7th post. Carrie's wedding was this past weekend! You can see more pics by clicking on "princesskt82".
5.15.2005
Within a period of one week in April our family lost two very special friends. Bob Gorsline and his family have been friends of ours since our early days at S. 11th & Willis. We even lived for a few years in Temple at the same time, and I went to school with his children. Back in February Bob and his wife flew down to Abilene from their home in Washington to watch their freshman and senior daughters in SingSong. We had them over for a BBQ along with our other dear friends, the Smiths. On April 2nd my parents received a call that Bob had died suddenly of a heart attack while moving boxes into his new house. Bob and his wife had just purchased this house in order to be closer to the church they were planting. One week later our sweet friend Becky Smith, also in our home for SingSong, won her 3-year battle with cancer and went to be with our Lord.
Bob was one of the kindest men I have ever known. He and his wife’s visit in February was the first time I had seen them in at least 8 years; yet you would have thought that it had only been a week since the last time we’d seen each other. He hadn’t aged a day and still told the cheesiest jokes! However his cheesiness was only a reflection of his pure and gentle heart. Bob’s job had something to do with computers, but his passion was introducing people to the Lord and helping them form a relationship with Him. Such a quiet and humble servant; a testimony to his life is that his children will continue to live lives of ministry, each in their different vocations. Thank you, Lord, for bringing Bob & his family into my life. Thank you for the relationship my family formed with his, and may his life on earth continue to touch others as he now experiences new life in You.
Becky Smith was a wife to Steve and mother to Christopher and Laura. She had the heart of a servant and lived it out by showing hospitality to others. When I was in high school our youth group attended Central Texas Teen Summit in College Station for a few years in a row. Once or twice the girls from our group stayed at the Smiths. Each morning held new delectables. Cereal was always an option, but only if you weren’t a fan of warm muffins or waffles with fresh fruit. When I graduated from high school Becky and Steve drove up for my graduation ceremony. I received many, many graduation presents year, but I can only recall a few of them. Becky gave me a purple (ACU) flower-covered (she was a horticulturist) box filled with sewing supplies. She knew that being away from home meant that I would no longer have the luxury of living with someone (my mom) who could sew buttons, patch holes, and mend hemlines. It wasn’t until almost 4 years later that I would actually put those items into use, but I will never forget the thoughtfulness that went into picking out the box, tiny scissors, colored threads, assortment of buttons, shiny needles, and fabric glue. She also gave me a soft, purple chenille blanket for my dorm room. When I was in high school she spent a lot of time at our house in Temple. I never thought twice about it, but later I caught onto the fact that her and Steve’s marriage was on the rocks. There is no reason to go into gory details, but praise be to God, He saved their marriage in 2003, just 2 weeks before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Someday if I get married, I know that when the inevitable hard times come I will remember Becky and Steve, the awesome love that came after the storms, and the undeniable power and strength of the Lord. Father, thank you for showing me your beautiful face through Becky. May I remember her hospitality and love as I minister to families and children.
__________
I wrote this piece about a week ago, but have only had time to post it just this evening. And tonight we received another call about the death of a close friend, Dr. Preston Goforth. The Goforths and our family moved to Temple around the same time back around 1987. We went to church together, lived around the corner from each other, and David (their son) & I were in school together from 5th grade through high school. Mrs. Goforth came home to find that Preston had already passed, so this was extremely unexpected. David had just left for Colorado for the summer, and Doug (their son who is a year older) is finishing up finals in podiatry school and preparing to get married in 2 weekends. Please, please be praying for this precious family. The boys were so close to their father; the guys all shared a love for the outdoors, hiking, biking, etc. I'm sure I'll have more to come about this; my heart is breaking for them, it's hard to even think at this point.
Bob was one of the kindest men I have ever known. He and his wife’s visit in February was the first time I had seen them in at least 8 years; yet you would have thought that it had only been a week since the last time we’d seen each other. He hadn’t aged a day and still told the cheesiest jokes! However his cheesiness was only a reflection of his pure and gentle heart. Bob’s job had something to do with computers, but his passion was introducing people to the Lord and helping them form a relationship with Him. Such a quiet and humble servant; a testimony to his life is that his children will continue to live lives of ministry, each in their different vocations. Thank you, Lord, for bringing Bob & his family into my life. Thank you for the relationship my family formed with his, and may his life on earth continue to touch others as he now experiences new life in You.
Becky Smith was a wife to Steve and mother to Christopher and Laura. She had the heart of a servant and lived it out by showing hospitality to others. When I was in high school our youth group attended Central Texas Teen Summit in College Station for a few years in a row. Once or twice the girls from our group stayed at the Smiths. Each morning held new delectables. Cereal was always an option, but only if you weren’t a fan of warm muffins or waffles with fresh fruit. When I graduated from high school Becky and Steve drove up for my graduation ceremony. I received many, many graduation presents year, but I can only recall a few of them. Becky gave me a purple (ACU) flower-covered (she was a horticulturist) box filled with sewing supplies. She knew that being away from home meant that I would no longer have the luxury of living with someone (my mom) who could sew buttons, patch holes, and mend hemlines. It wasn’t until almost 4 years later that I would actually put those items into use, but I will never forget the thoughtfulness that went into picking out the box, tiny scissors, colored threads, assortment of buttons, shiny needles, and fabric glue. She also gave me a soft, purple chenille blanket for my dorm room. When I was in high school she spent a lot of time at our house in Temple. I never thought twice about it, but later I caught onto the fact that her and Steve’s marriage was on the rocks. There is no reason to go into gory details, but praise be to God, He saved their marriage in 2003, just 2 weeks before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Someday if I get married, I know that when the inevitable hard times come I will remember Becky and Steve, the awesome love that came after the storms, and the undeniable power and strength of the Lord. Father, thank you for showing me your beautiful face through Becky. May I remember her hospitality and love as I minister to families and children.
__________
I wrote this piece about a week ago, but have only had time to post it just this evening. And tonight we received another call about the death of a close friend, Dr. Preston Goforth. The Goforths and our family moved to Temple around the same time back around 1987. We went to church together, lived around the corner from each other, and David (their son) & I were in school together from 5th grade through high school. Mrs. Goforth came home to find that Preston had already passed, so this was extremely unexpected. David had just left for Colorado for the summer, and Doug (their son who is a year older) is finishing up finals in podiatry school and preparing to get married in 2 weekends. Please, please be praying for this precious family. The boys were so close to their father; the guys all shared a love for the outdoors, hiking, biking, etc. I'm sure I'll have more to come about this; my heart is breaking for them, it's hard to even think at this point.
5.07.2005
Thank you to everyone who has read and/or posted comments on my blog over the past few weeks. If you look at my previous posts, you will notice that I never receive many comments. So it came as quite a surprise when I found out that another website had listed my site on their forum. All of the comments have been both encouraging and challenging to me, and I appreciate the time each of you took to share your heart.
This past week I have been in California at Pepperdine for a couple of conferences. On my flight to Malibu last Saturday, I began working on a new post. I decided to write about relationships. Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to give dating advice, I just thought I’d share how relationships have shaped the last few weeks of my life. After typing for a bit on a Word document, it went to 2 pages. I love to read blogs, but when people put super-long posts on their sites, my eyes tend to cross and I give up! So I’ve decided save your corneas and to just share my stories from the past month one post at a time. They will not be in chronological order (I am too random for that), but I promise to write more than once a month.
On April 16th I traveled to my hometown of Temple to help throw a “personal” shower for one of my best friends from high school, Carrie. This was my first bridal shower to help throw, and boy was it personal. (I don’t really understand the fun of throwing personal, a.k.a. lingerie, showers for women who are already in a sexual relationship with their fiancé… this one was such a blast because of Carrie’s strong commitment of purity to her Lord.) Anyway, during this short weekend I stayed with and spent time with my other best girlfriend (since 3rd grade!), Erin. Carrie is getting married in May, and Erin is marrying her high school sweetheart in October. Both of these men are crazy about their brides-to-be and even crazier about the Lord. I am very honored to be a bridesmaid in both weddings and to be a part of such a significant event in their lives. However it only makes me more grateful for these last few times of hanging out as single girls. We have so many silly and precious memories from church events, camps, choir classes, musicals, and Friday night slumber parties. Though we have moved in different directions since graduating in 2000, my relationship with these young women is still very special to me and I pray that it will continue to thrive through the years ahead.
Next up: Goodbye, Bob & Becky
This past week I have been in California at Pepperdine for a couple of conferences. On my flight to Malibu last Saturday, I began working on a new post. I decided to write about relationships. Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to give dating advice, I just thought I’d share how relationships have shaped the last few weeks of my life. After typing for a bit on a Word document, it went to 2 pages. I love to read blogs, but when people put super-long posts on their sites, my eyes tend to cross and I give up! So I’ve decided save your corneas and to just share my stories from the past month one post at a time. They will not be in chronological order (I am too random for that), but I promise to write more than once a month.
On April 16th I traveled to my hometown of Temple to help throw a “personal” shower for one of my best friends from high school, Carrie. This was my first bridal shower to help throw, and boy was it personal. (I don’t really understand the fun of throwing personal, a.k.a. lingerie, showers for women who are already in a sexual relationship with their fiancé… this one was such a blast because of Carrie’s strong commitment of purity to her Lord.) Anyway, during this short weekend I stayed with and spent time with my other best girlfriend (since 3rd grade!), Erin. Carrie is getting married in May, and Erin is marrying her high school sweetheart in October. Both of these men are crazy about their brides-to-be and even crazier about the Lord. I am very honored to be a bridesmaid in both weddings and to be a part of such a significant event in their lives. However it only makes me more grateful for these last few times of hanging out as single girls. We have so many silly and precious memories from church events, camps, choir classes, musicals, and Friday night slumber parties. Though we have moved in different directions since graduating in 2000, my relationship with these young women is still very special to me and I pray that it will continue to thrive through the years ahead.
Next up: Goodbye, Bob & Becky
4.04.2005
I am not a feminist.
I am very glad that God made me a woman, but I’ve never been one to stand up for myself on the basis of my sex. This is one reason that I have had a hard time becoming passionate about being a woman in ministry. Don’t get me wrong- I am extremely passionate about being in ministry. But my passion and drive does not come from my being a woman. During my undergrad years, I wrote a couple of papers about the role of women in the church. I knew the issues, the right scriptures to use and how to use them, but I never liked what I wrote. I have never felt that our reasoning behind women having a public role in the church is strong enough. Too often I have heard Galatians 3:28 being used to justify women’s roles in the faith community. Though this is a wonderful statement by Paul… I have never felt empowered by his words. Maybe it’s just me. Then there’s the whole justification of Paul’s letters’ argument and reasoning- the idea that the culture was different then, and since our culture is different now we need to catch up with the times. Now while I will not disagree with this thinking, it still seems that something is lacking. If our purpose in placing women in public roles within our churches is only to catch up with the times, then I’m afraid we need to open our Bibles and study again God’s calling to his daughters.
Basically this really is a conversation that I try to avoid. However the reality is that I am a woman in ministry. And I need to have some answers before I begin interviewing and my church leaders ask me these sorts of questions… Well I finally heard something in my class last week that I can rally around, I can jump on board, and I can finally say, “YES! I am a woman in ministry, hear me roar!” (Ok, maybe not that dramatic, but you get my drift…)
In my Introduction to the New Testament class we studied and discussed the Pastoral Epistles. The first half of the class was just looking at the similarities and discrepancies between these letters and other of Paul’s letters. This involved discussing the genre of the letters, the setting in which they were written, and some of the wording that is distinctive to the Pastorals. Needless to say this discussion did not give me goosebumps. At the end of class Dr. Thompson is good about asking what the book we are studying says to our churches today. It was decided that just as Paul was calling the churches in Ephesus and Crete to be attractive to their culture, God is calling today’s faith community to be attractive to our culture. When I first heard this, I wrote it down (because Dr. Thompson agreed with the answer), but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I am a process-thinker; therefore I listen for a while, go away and think about it, then have a response…
“Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent… Tell the women to be reverent in their behavior…”
These are a few of the things Paul had to say to these churches regarding their women. So if these letters are more than just checklists for the assembly, then I want to know what Paul is actually saying to these churches. And as I re-read his words, I understood why he is calling these communities of faith to be attractive to the surrounding society. It is more than just a call to look like their culture in order to blend in or to trick them into thinking that the church isn’t set apart. These letters are about being missional. In their time women did not have a voice, so why would others want to be a part of a faith community that is giving women authority? Paul is saying, “The only way you can be missional and reach out to those around you is if you are attractive to them. And you will never be attractive if there is not order in your church.” So now I want to know if Paul’s calling to these communities of antiquity is applicable to our churches today. And the answer is… YES! The calling has not changed, only our culture! God is still calling us to be attractive to our culture in order to be missional. Why would a woman who has been given strength in her world want to come into ours if she is only coming to a place that tells her to keep her thoughts and gifts to herself? We will never be a missional people if we do not start to look a little more like our culture. And, of course, this does not only apply to the women’s issue. Our world is multi-racial, -cultural, -generational, socio-economically diverse... we have a long way to go.
So if my reason for going into ministry is only to further the cause of women in the church, then I do not want to be in vocational ministry. But being a woman in ministry in order to be missional is something that I can grab a hold of and run. I can be passionate about being missional. If my being in ministry as a woman opens the doors of our faith communities a little wider, then I am all OVER being a woman in ministry!
I am very glad that God made me a woman, but I’ve never been one to stand up for myself on the basis of my sex. This is one reason that I have had a hard time becoming passionate about being a woman in ministry. Don’t get me wrong- I am extremely passionate about being in ministry. But my passion and drive does not come from my being a woman. During my undergrad years, I wrote a couple of papers about the role of women in the church. I knew the issues, the right scriptures to use and how to use them, but I never liked what I wrote. I have never felt that our reasoning behind women having a public role in the church is strong enough. Too often I have heard Galatians 3:28 being used to justify women’s roles in the faith community. Though this is a wonderful statement by Paul… I have never felt empowered by his words. Maybe it’s just me. Then there’s the whole justification of Paul’s letters’ argument and reasoning- the idea that the culture was different then, and since our culture is different now we need to catch up with the times. Now while I will not disagree with this thinking, it still seems that something is lacking. If our purpose in placing women in public roles within our churches is only to catch up with the times, then I’m afraid we need to open our Bibles and study again God’s calling to his daughters.
Basically this really is a conversation that I try to avoid. However the reality is that I am a woman in ministry. And I need to have some answers before I begin interviewing and my church leaders ask me these sorts of questions… Well I finally heard something in my class last week that I can rally around, I can jump on board, and I can finally say, “YES! I am a woman in ministry, hear me roar!” (Ok, maybe not that dramatic, but you get my drift…)
In my Introduction to the New Testament class we studied and discussed the Pastoral Epistles. The first half of the class was just looking at the similarities and discrepancies between these letters and other of Paul’s letters. This involved discussing the genre of the letters, the setting in which they were written, and some of the wording that is distinctive to the Pastorals. Needless to say this discussion did not give me goosebumps. At the end of class Dr. Thompson is good about asking what the book we are studying says to our churches today. It was decided that just as Paul was calling the churches in Ephesus and Crete to be attractive to their culture, God is calling today’s faith community to be attractive to our culture. When I first heard this, I wrote it down (because Dr. Thompson agreed with the answer), but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I am a process-thinker; therefore I listen for a while, go away and think about it, then have a response…
“Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent… Tell the women to be reverent in their behavior…”
These are a few of the things Paul had to say to these churches regarding their women. So if these letters are more than just checklists for the assembly, then I want to know what Paul is actually saying to these churches. And as I re-read his words, I understood why he is calling these communities of faith to be attractive to the surrounding society. It is more than just a call to look like their culture in order to blend in or to trick them into thinking that the church isn’t set apart. These letters are about being missional. In their time women did not have a voice, so why would others want to be a part of a faith community that is giving women authority? Paul is saying, “The only way you can be missional and reach out to those around you is if you are attractive to them. And you will never be attractive if there is not order in your church.” So now I want to know if Paul’s calling to these communities of antiquity is applicable to our churches today. And the answer is… YES! The calling has not changed, only our culture! God is still calling us to be attractive to our culture in order to be missional. Why would a woman who has been given strength in her world want to come into ours if she is only coming to a place that tells her to keep her thoughts and gifts to herself? We will never be a missional people if we do not start to look a little more like our culture. And, of course, this does not only apply to the women’s issue. Our world is multi-racial, -cultural, -generational, socio-economically diverse... we have a long way to go.
So if my reason for going into ministry is only to further the cause of women in the church, then I do not want to be in vocational ministry. But being a woman in ministry in order to be missional is something that I can grab a hold of and run. I can be passionate about being missional. If my being in ministry as a woman opens the doors of our faith communities a little wider, then I am all OVER being a woman in ministry!
3.17.2005
I'm not going to lie to you... I'm in class right now. It's the second and last weekend of my Ministry to Children course. Wireless internet is a beautiful thing.
My spring break in Nashville was wonderful! I got to spend time with some of my favorite people, ate at some of my favorite restaurants, saw some famous faces, and came to some priceless realizations. The last time I was in Nashville was back in the fall. I hadn't been back in Abilene too long, and I was really missing my friends and families in Tennessee. When I was there the only thing I could think about was how I wanted to be back. This time was different. When I visited the children's classes, it was SO good to see the kids again (especially the ones that remembered me!). Last time I was there I still considered them "my" kids. This time I realized how much I missed "my" kids at Highland. Coming back on Sunday I was actually anxious to get back to work. I'm starting to see my purpose for being here and, instead of running from it, embracing it.
There was one thing, however, that was making me not want to come back to Abilene too quickly. Over the break I spent some time studying for my very first graduate school exam for my New Testament class. Of course I always could have studied more, but I did spend a good number of hours studying for it. I took it this past Monday morning, and afterwards felt like I did better than I initially thought I would do. I felt like I probably barely passed it, and if I got anything higher than a D, then I would be jumping up and down. In class on Tuesday our tests were given back to us. I made an 85! When Dr. Thompson gave it to me, I just looked at it for awhile, thinking surely he hadn't added the points up right. I can't tell you what it did for my ego. Lately I've been feeling like I am not as smart or "deep" as the other students. My weekly posts never sound as educated as the rest. Maybe I am not cut out for graduate school. But getting a nice B on a very hard test made me feel like I really can do this. I didn't start jumping up and down until after I left the classroom.
Thanks for your continued prayers for my dad. He came home from his second trip to the hospital on Tuesday- also his birthday. Well I better get back to listening now...
My spring break in Nashville was wonderful! I got to spend time with some of my favorite people, ate at some of my favorite restaurants, saw some famous faces, and came to some priceless realizations. The last time I was in Nashville was back in the fall. I hadn't been back in Abilene too long, and I was really missing my friends and families in Tennessee. When I was there the only thing I could think about was how I wanted to be back. This time was different. When I visited the children's classes, it was SO good to see the kids again (especially the ones that remembered me!). Last time I was there I still considered them "my" kids. This time I realized how much I missed "my" kids at Highland. Coming back on Sunday I was actually anxious to get back to work. I'm starting to see my purpose for being here and, instead of running from it, embracing it.
There was one thing, however, that was making me not want to come back to Abilene too quickly. Over the break I spent some time studying for my very first graduate school exam for my New Testament class. Of course I always could have studied more, but I did spend a good number of hours studying for it. I took it this past Monday morning, and afterwards felt like I did better than I initially thought I would do. I felt like I probably barely passed it, and if I got anything higher than a D, then I would be jumping up and down. In class on Tuesday our tests were given back to us. I made an 85! When Dr. Thompson gave it to me, I just looked at it for awhile, thinking surely he hadn't added the points up right. I can't tell you what it did for my ego. Lately I've been feeling like I am not as smart or "deep" as the other students. My weekly posts never sound as educated as the rest. Maybe I am not cut out for graduate school. But getting a nice B on a very hard test made me feel like I really can do this. I didn't start jumping up and down until after I left the classroom.
Thanks for your continued prayers for my dad. He came home from his second trip to the hospital on Tuesday- also his birthday. Well I better get back to listening now...
3.08.2005
3.07.2005
Belly laughs are some of my favorite moments in life. I consider myself to be a pretty silly, ridiculous person, so I laugh often, but rarely does a good, hearty belly laugh come out. Since arriving in Nashville the belly laughs just keep on comin'.
Today was a very relaxing day. I introduced Katey to the amazing Puffy Muffin, which was fabulous. This afternoon I spent time with one of my favorite people, mentor, and second father; we had great conversation about ministry and life. I am a blessed girl to have experienced ministers in my life who will sit and talk with me about the journey and adventures of life in ministry. Tonight I been treasuring time with my girls in B-5. It really makes me excited for Kaylynn (and hopefully Megan) to join me in Abilene in the fall. In the midst of joking and laughter tonight, it seems that I have been conned into leading Bible majors chapel at Lipscomb on Friday. I led it once last year, but my sources tell me that there are less people this year and the most riveting sermon came from a guy who struggles with English and told mostly jokes. Surely I can compete with that. Last time I spoke I read my favorite children's book, "Pageland," and that went over pretty well. I think finding spiritual application in "Walter, the Farting Dog," another literary success, would be a stretch, so I better visit Davis-Kidd tomorrow to find something else. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
I'd like to give a shout-out to Kaylynn, who is turning the big 2-3 tomorrow. We will be celebrating at Mafioza's with 2-for-1's.... slices of pizza, that is. Hope your day tomorrow is a blessing to you. Whatever it may hold, may you rejoice and be glad in it.
Today was a very relaxing day. I introduced Katey to the amazing Puffy Muffin, which was fabulous. This afternoon I spent time with one of my favorite people, mentor, and second father; we had great conversation about ministry and life. I am a blessed girl to have experienced ministers in my life who will sit and talk with me about the journey and adventures of life in ministry. Tonight I been treasuring time with my girls in B-5. It really makes me excited for Kaylynn (and hopefully Megan) to join me in Abilene in the fall. In the midst of joking and laughter tonight, it seems that I have been conned into leading Bible majors chapel at Lipscomb on Friday. I led it once last year, but my sources tell me that there are less people this year and the most riveting sermon came from a guy who struggles with English and told mostly jokes. Surely I can compete with that. Last time I spoke I read my favorite children's book, "Pageland," and that went over pretty well. I think finding spiritual application in "Walter, the Farting Dog," another literary success, would be a stretch, so I better visit Davis-Kidd tomorrow to find something else. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
I'd like to give a shout-out to Kaylynn, who is turning the big 2-3 tomorrow. We will be celebrating at Mafioza's with 2-for-1's.... slices of pizza, that is. Hope your day tomorrow is a blessing to you. Whatever it may hold, may you rejoice and be glad in it.
3.06.2005
I have not been in Nashville 48 hours, and already it has been well worth the 13 hours in the car with my dear friend Brad. Friday night I came home to B-5 (my apartment for a blessed year and a half) and my sweet girlfriends who live here. Saturday morning Kaylynn and I took a walk around Green Hills: went to the bank, the library, and the post office. Then we had some Baja Burrito for lunch, where we saw Twila Paris! Thankfully Kaylynn is like me and doesn't go crazy when she sees celebrities, so we just smiled to ourselves and kept eating our chicken tacos. Also saw some ACU guys there. Random. Saturday afternoon Kaylynn went out with a friend, so I had some time to myself. My Nashville family, the Grays, loaned me their extra car for my time here. Now you may be thinking to yourself- "wow! an extra car?!?" This is the car that their daughters REFUSE to be driven to school in. It's a silver Lincoln that the girls call "the herse." But it's actually pretty luxurious, and I am just grateful to have wheels while I'm here. Saturday night we went to Chili's for some dinner. I know, I come all the way to Nashville to eat at Chili's? But my good friend and upcoming artist, Alan, was working and i wanted to see him. So that was fun. Then we went to Brad's house and watched Lost in Translation.
This morning I went to Woodmont for their second service. Last time I was here, back in October, when I walked in the door, my thought was "I'm home!!!" But this time I felt like a visitor. Even though I was swarmed by my beloved brothers and sisters, it made me realize that Highland is becoming more and more like my home. So that was good. But it was still great to be with some of the families that are such a special part of my life, and to see the kids that helped shape me as a children's minister. After service I went over to Otter Creek to meet Jessica, my best sister who I got to know in Australia. We had some lunch at the ever-yummy Mazatlan!! Then this afternoon I have been visiting with Katey Earles, who has recently moved to Nashville from her hometown of Abilene.
I have about 3 hours until my next set of plans begin, and a nap is sounding good. Hope everyone out there is enjoying your spring breaks as much as I am enjoying mine.
This morning I went to Woodmont for their second service. Last time I was here, back in October, when I walked in the door, my thought was "I'm home!!!" But this time I felt like a visitor. Even though I was swarmed by my beloved brothers and sisters, it made me realize that Highland is becoming more and more like my home. So that was good. But it was still great to be with some of the families that are such a special part of my life, and to see the kids that helped shape me as a children's minister. After service I went over to Otter Creek to meet Jessica, my best sister who I got to know in Australia. We had some lunch at the ever-yummy Mazatlan!! Then this afternoon I have been visiting with Katey Earles, who has recently moved to Nashville from her hometown of Abilene.
I have about 3 hours until my next set of plans begin, and a nap is sounding good. Hope everyone out there is enjoying your spring breaks as much as I am enjoying mine.
3.02.2005
By the way...
I am still coming to Nashville! At the beginning of the week I was iffy, but my parents told me yesterday to go on. They both know how much I was looking forward to going, and how much my soul needs to go! Brad tells me that we are leaving at 4am on Friday, so I guess we'll roll into Nashville before dinnertime. A shout-out to Megan for arranging my schedule for me!
More tomorrow...
I am still coming to Nashville! At the beginning of the week I was iffy, but my parents told me yesterday to go on. They both know how much I was looking forward to going, and how much my soul needs to go! Brad tells me that we are leaving at 4am on Friday, so I guess we'll roll into Nashville before dinnertime. A shout-out to Megan for arranging my schedule for me!
More tomorrow...
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
The surgery went very well, and as I type my dad is still out like a light. The tumor was incapsulated in an inflammatory cell, which is why he has been running so much fever. It was pressing on his intestine, but not attached, so it was really easy to remove, and everything else looks great. They have no idea what it is, and even the Hendrick pathology dept. took a look at it and weren't sure. So it is being sent off somewhere else and we'll know something by Friday or next week. I can't wait to see my dad after church tonight!
I am so grateful to each one of you that reads my simple blog and has been praying for my family. I will update again when we know more about this crazy thing. Blessings to you!
The surgery went very well, and as I type my dad is still out like a light. The tumor was incapsulated in an inflammatory cell, which is why he has been running so much fever. It was pressing on his intestine, but not attached, so it was really easy to remove, and everything else looks great. They have no idea what it is, and even the Hendrick pathology dept. took a look at it and weren't sure. So it is being sent off somewhere else and we'll know something by Friday or next week. I can't wait to see my dad after church tonight!
I am so grateful to each one of you that reads my simple blog and has been praying for my family. I will update again when we know more about this crazy thing. Blessings to you!
2.28.2005
Good news! Well, no news is good news at least. My dad had an MRI today that did not show anything new or different, which is definitely great. Earlier today we thought he would have a laproscoptic biopsy tomorrow, but instead they are just going to do surgery on Wednesday at noon. Then they will send the tissue out to be tested. My dad looks great and is pretty much feeling fine. We have had LOTS of visitors, phonecalls, and prayers. The sweetest thing to me has been his students that have come by to visit. One came and prayed with him, another brought him a teddy bear. The past couple of days have been very scary, but the Lord has granted us peace of mind and heart. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers!
Hi guys... today I am posting to once again petition your prayers. My dad has been in the hospital since late Saturday night, because of a tumor the doctors found in his abdomen. My mom is doing a great job of keeping updated information on her blog, so I will let you get all of the information there (her link is "Mom" under "Good Readin").
Because my dad was admitted around midnight on Saturday, I didn't go to bed until around 2am, then didn't get to sleep until about 3:45am. Then I had to be at church the next morning at 7:45am to warm up with my praise team. Once people at church found out about my dad, they said, "Why are you here?!? What are you doing here??" And though I was very tired and anxious about my dad, there was no place on Earth I would have rather been. At first I tried not to cry in front of people, but when we were up singing "My Only Hope Is You" the tears started streaming. Too often we go to church and put on our happy face mask, but yesterday was not the morning to do that. I was surrounded by my brothers and sisters and prayed over again and again, then later was able to carry those prayers and love back to my parents. How do people deal with tragedy and grief outside of the body of Christ?
Thank you so much for your prayers and I will post again soon with an update.
Because my dad was admitted around midnight on Saturday, I didn't go to bed until around 2am, then didn't get to sleep until about 3:45am. Then I had to be at church the next morning at 7:45am to warm up with my praise team. Once people at church found out about my dad, they said, "Why are you here?!? What are you doing here??" And though I was very tired and anxious about my dad, there was no place on Earth I would have rather been. At first I tried not to cry in front of people, but when we were up singing "My Only Hope Is You" the tears started streaming. Too often we go to church and put on our happy face mask, but yesterday was not the morning to do that. I was surrounded by my brothers and sisters and prayed over again and again, then later was able to carry those prayers and love back to my parents. How do people deal with tragedy and grief outside of the body of Christ?
Thank you so much for your prayers and I will post again soon with an update.
2.14.2005
To my blog family in Nashville-
I am coming!! My job requires me to take 2 weeks off and because my trip to Haiti was canceled, I get to come see you! The lovely Brad York is letting me ride with him. We will probably leave early Friday morning, March 4th, and knowing how fast Brad drives, we should be able to make it in time for some Baja Burrito for dinner! Then we'll return on Sunday, March 14th. I can't wait- spring break can't come fast enough! Miss Megan Hackler will be handling my schedule, so please let her know if you'd like to arrange for a visit. :)
I love you and can't wait to see you all!
I am coming!! My job requires me to take 2 weeks off and because my trip to Haiti was canceled, I get to come see you! The lovely Brad York is letting me ride with him. We will probably leave early Friday morning, March 4th, and knowing how fast Brad drives, we should be able to make it in time for some Baja Burrito for dinner! Then we'll return on Sunday, March 14th. I can't wait- spring break can't come fast enough! Miss Megan Hackler will be handling my schedule, so please let her know if you'd like to arrange for a visit. :)
I love you and can't wait to see you all!
2.10.2005
Today was the first day of my second grad. school course. It's called "Ministry to Children", and taught by Dr. Samjung Kang-Hamilton, Dr. Mark Hamilton's wife. One of our assignments before class was to read John Westerhoff’s Will Our Children Have Faith? WOW! This is a must-read for anyone in ministry. He wrote this book originally in 1976, but it was revised in 2000. The only changes he made for the revision were updates at the end of each chapter. Though his updates were helpful, I found the majority of his thoughts and challenges to be timeless. This is a book that I will read over and over again throughout my ministry. Here’s some good stuff from Westerhoff:
“We can teach about equality in our church schools, but if our language in worship excludes women, if positions of influence and importance are held only by men or those from upper socioeconomic classes, or if particular races are either implicitly or explicitly excluded from membership, a different lesson is learned.”
“Because God is in relationship with all persons, we cannot be in full community with God unless we also identify with and seek the good of all persons… The Gospel is a social Gospel, a worldly Gospel, or no Gospel at all.”
“True conversion – authentic Christian life – is personal and social life lived on behalf of God’s will in the political, social, and economic world. The converted life is a revolutionary existence over against the status quo, a life committed to a vision of God’s coming community of liberation, justice, peace, whole community, and the well-being of all people.”
“To transmit faith to the next generation is to include them as participants in all the community’s rituals… [Rituals] make possible harmonious communal life and help people to make meaningful transitions in their lives.”
“There is no way we can say for sure if our children will or will not have faith, but of one thing we can be sure, they will never have faith unless there is a community of faith for them to live in and be influenced by.”
Challenging, eh? And these are just a few of the topics. While Westerhoff is exploring the faith of our children, these ideas are applicable to any ministry. In fact it is a call to bring all of our individual ministries together. “What? No touchy my ministry!” Sometimes I feel like this is how leaders feel about their ministries. Give it up! We are called to live in community and to not only serve others, but to also serve one another. What would it look like if individual ministries sacrificed their personal goals in order to serve the faith community? What if children’s ministry gave up Wednesday night curriculum for a month in order to assist the outreach ministry in serving meals? What if the adult ministry encouraged Bible-class attendees to give up their class for a semester to teach children’s classes? What if the worship ministry gave up loosened the reins and allowed the youth ministry to plan and lead a Sunday morning service? I could definitely be wrong about all of this, but these are just some thoughts from my ever-challenged mind and heart.
“We can teach about equality in our church schools, but if our language in worship excludes women, if positions of influence and importance are held only by men or those from upper socioeconomic classes, or if particular races are either implicitly or explicitly excluded from membership, a different lesson is learned.”
“Because God is in relationship with all persons, we cannot be in full community with God unless we also identify with and seek the good of all persons… The Gospel is a social Gospel, a worldly Gospel, or no Gospel at all.”
“True conversion – authentic Christian life – is personal and social life lived on behalf of God’s will in the political, social, and economic world. The converted life is a revolutionary existence over against the status quo, a life committed to a vision of God’s coming community of liberation, justice, peace, whole community, and the well-being of all people.”
“To transmit faith to the next generation is to include them as participants in all the community’s rituals… [Rituals] make possible harmonious communal life and help people to make meaningful transitions in their lives.”
“There is no way we can say for sure if our children will or will not have faith, but of one thing we can be sure, they will never have faith unless there is a community of faith for them to live in and be influenced by.”
Challenging, eh? And these are just a few of the topics. While Westerhoff is exploring the faith of our children, these ideas are applicable to any ministry. In fact it is a call to bring all of our individual ministries together. “What? No touchy my ministry!” Sometimes I feel like this is how leaders feel about their ministries. Give it up! We are called to live in community and to not only serve others, but to also serve one another. What would it look like if individual ministries sacrificed their personal goals in order to serve the faith community? What if children’s ministry gave up Wednesday night curriculum for a month in order to assist the outreach ministry in serving meals? What if the adult ministry encouraged Bible-class attendees to give up their class for a semester to teach children’s classes? What if the worship ministry gave up loosened the reins and allowed the youth ministry to plan and lead a Sunday morning service? I could definitely be wrong about all of this, but these are just some thoughts from my ever-challenged mind and heart.
2.08.2005
I want to share about an experience I had on Sunday. Marianne is a lady who attends Highland with her family, and is also a friend of my parents from 11th & Willis days. She has had cancer for (I think) 5 years now, and has been as close to death as possible a few times in recent months. On Sunday her family asked that communion be brought to her house. However Super Bowl Sunday parties seemed to be of more importance, so only my parents, me & Lindsey, and another 11th & Willis friend, Greg, showed up to share in this holy meal. Gathered around the meal was Marianne, her husband (who also lost his 1st wife to cancer), her brother and sister, their daughter, and us. We sang hymns, Greg shared some thoughts, and then Greg and I served the meal. I tore a piece of bread for each person, and Greg held the juice so that they could dip their bread into it. While Marianne did not remember who we were, she sure did remember her Lord and the sacrifice that was made for her. During the meal, her husband held her as she whispered through her tears, “I don’t deserve this… I don’t deserve this.” I have had some delicious, memorable meals in my lifetime, but this meal by far was the most precious. This is what being family is all about. This is what the body of Christ is all about. I want to be a part of a family that values the importance of this meal.
2.03.2005
This past Saturday I attended a talk given by Dan McVey at Highland about Islam and Christianity. I became interested after my dad told me about Dan speaking in his Bible class at church. I have never had much exposure to Islam or Muslims, so I thought this would be a good thing to go to. Let me tell you- I took over 4 pages of notes!! Here are some things I found interesting:
-Something we, as Westerners, may not understand is that in many Islamic countries, there is no separation between church and state, or religion and culture. Something that many Muslims do not understand about Western culture is that religion and culture ARE separate. Therefore they look at our TV shows, our music, our wealth, and see this as Christianity. This clears up a lot of Usama's demands of the US after 9-11 (stopping debauchery, immorality, etc.)
-People of honor/shame cultures (many Islamic countries) believe that if you leave the realm of the Islam culture, then it is okay to take part of that new culture. This explains why the 9-11 hijackers visited strip bars one night, and flew in the name of Allah the next.
-(a common Muslim belief) "A sin that is not known is 2/3 forgiven already." Yikes!
-We as Americans and Westerners value and have come to expect our freedom in every aspect of our life. Freedom is not an important concept for Muslims. So when we tell our Iraqi friends that we are making them "free", they might not be quite as excited about it as we would be.
-Americans have very short memories. I would never accuse my Hispanic friends of killing my ancestors in the battle of the Alamo, nor would I accuse my English pals of not allowing us our freedom!! However Muslims have lllloooooonnnngggg memories. Dan said that when he visited an African village made of up Muslims who had never been outside of a 10-mile radius, they were able to recount the names and dates of the Holy Wars and the violent acts of Christians towards Muslims. Therefore we look at the Gulf War and our current situation and not see a whole lot of correlation. But they look at these wars and think back to the crusades.
-Why would a person convert to Islam? (especially true for African-Americans): 1) a sense of anti-establishment, justice, 2) simple, orderly, concrete theology for life, 3) Christianity does not offer equality... maybe in theory, but not in practice when our churches are so culturally and racially diverse.... Jesus died in suffering, then his disciples lived in suffering v. Mohommed died in victory, then his people followed in conquest and victory
-Christian martyrdom is rising, but it is rising in the places of the most concentrated Christianity... therefore martyrdom is a very effective evangelism.
-So how can we bring Jesus to Muslims?
1) DON'T use the term "Christianity"- carries too much historial baggage
2) gospel is to be preached in historical terms, not theological terms and debates (because they WILL win those debates)
3) just let the Bible speak for itself, and let Jesus speak for Himself... don't try to explain every little thing (I think this goes for any evagelism)
4) this is a spiritual (not intellectual) war
5) we have to remember that Satan is the enemy, not our Muslim brothers and sisters
6) our job is not to convince, but to show Jesus
Well these were just the things I found interesting. Sometimes when I have experiences like this that are so completely different from my life norm, I wonder if God is preparing me for something. Like maybe I'll have a chance to reach out to Muslim children or have Muslim neighbors. Just makes me wonder...
-Something we, as Westerners, may not understand is that in many Islamic countries, there is no separation between church and state, or religion and culture. Something that many Muslims do not understand about Western culture is that religion and culture ARE separate. Therefore they look at our TV shows, our music, our wealth, and see this as Christianity. This clears up a lot of Usama's demands of the US after 9-11 (stopping debauchery, immorality, etc.)
-People of honor/shame cultures (many Islamic countries) believe that if you leave the realm of the Islam culture, then it is okay to take part of that new culture. This explains why the 9-11 hijackers visited strip bars one night, and flew in the name of Allah the next.
-(a common Muslim belief) "A sin that is not known is 2/3 forgiven already." Yikes!
-We as Americans and Westerners value and have come to expect our freedom in every aspect of our life. Freedom is not an important concept for Muslims. So when we tell our Iraqi friends that we are making them "free", they might not be quite as excited about it as we would be.
-Americans have very short memories. I would never accuse my Hispanic friends of killing my ancestors in the battle of the Alamo, nor would I accuse my English pals of not allowing us our freedom!! However Muslims have lllloooooonnnngggg memories. Dan said that when he visited an African village made of up Muslims who had never been outside of a 10-mile radius, they were able to recount the names and dates of the Holy Wars and the violent acts of Christians towards Muslims. Therefore we look at the Gulf War and our current situation and not see a whole lot of correlation. But they look at these wars and think back to the crusades.
-Why would a person convert to Islam? (especially true for African-Americans): 1) a sense of anti-establishment, justice, 2) simple, orderly, concrete theology for life, 3) Christianity does not offer equality... maybe in theory, but not in practice when our churches are so culturally and racially diverse.... Jesus died in suffering, then his disciples lived in suffering v. Mohommed died in victory, then his people followed in conquest and victory
-Christian martyrdom is rising, but it is rising in the places of the most concentrated Christianity... therefore martyrdom is a very effective evangelism.
-So how can we bring Jesus to Muslims?
1) DON'T use the term "Christianity"- carries too much historial baggage
2) gospel is to be preached in historical terms, not theological terms and debates (because they WILL win those debates)
3) just let the Bible speak for itself, and let Jesus speak for Himself... don't try to explain every little thing (I think this goes for any evagelism)
4) this is a spiritual (not intellectual) war
5) we have to remember that Satan is the enemy, not our Muslim brothers and sisters
6) our job is not to convince, but to show Jesus
Well these were just the things I found interesting. Sometimes when I have experiences like this that are so completely different from my life norm, I wonder if God is preparing me for something. Like maybe I'll have a chance to reach out to Muslim children or have Muslim neighbors. Just makes me wonder...
1.21.2005
This has been one extraordinary week. Most people use that word to describe amazing, awesome, grand things, but I pretty much mean not ordinary. And in the midst of this week, I seem to have lost my debit card. People keep saying, “Think back to the last time you used it,” but this week is such a blur that the days are running together, and I don’t remember even having used it this week. Oh well.
I would write and give updates about how the rest of our 6th grade boys, 8h grade girls, and Julie Folwell are doing, but Mike and Val have given much better explanations on their blogs. (Look under Good Readin’ for links.) Praise God that we are hearing good things from their doctors!
Wednesday was the funeral, and (if I can say this) it was the best funeral I have ever been to. Long, but planned so well and touching even for people who didn’t know him. Wednesday night all of the adult and youth classes met together for service, but we decided to still have children’s classes. I went out and bought teddy bears for the 4 Bourland children (1st grade brother, and 3 young cousins), and that night our K/1st grade children hugged these bears and prayed over them. My dad videotaped the whole thing, so when we give them to the kids, they will be receiving tons of hugs and love from all their church buddies. Then our 2nd-5th kids put their handprint on posters for each of the children, and wrote such sweet cards to them. I did pretty good with keeping my emotions together throughout the week, but that night watching our kids pour out their love to these kids- I lost it!
Another aspect for me through all of this was that Shelley (our children’s minister) was out of town. She left Monday morning and came back just in time for church on Wednesday. We didn’t get to talk before she left or while she was out of town, so everything was pretty much left up to me. Before I could even ask for it, the Lord definitely poured His infinite wisdom into my head, and guided my mouth, hands, and feet. He also sent amazing people to surround me during this (shout-outs to the Becks, Suzetta Nutt, Suzanne Rowe, Laura Herridge, & Steve Hare), and offered their help as I prepared for Wednesday. From Monday to Wednesday, I kept wishing Shelley had not left and was here. But by the end, though it would have been great if she had been here, I realized what an incredible opportunity this was for me to grow leaps and bounds as a minister. And, let me tell you, I did. Though no tragedy is the same and has to be handled different than others, this was just one of those learning times that I will carry with me throughout my walk as a children’s minister. I am so grateful for my volunteers Wednesday night who surrounded me as I wept through my words before class started. I am thanking God for this body of Christ that will hold precious Brock, Lane, Peyton, and Logan. And I am also grateful to be a part of the Lord’s family, who came together from all over this planet to lift up the Bourlands, Copes, Bennetts, Lemmons, Perkins, Childers, Johnstons, Folwells, and the rest of the Highland youth family to the Lord during this time.
I would write and give updates about how the rest of our 6th grade boys, 8h grade girls, and Julie Folwell are doing, but Mike and Val have given much better explanations on their blogs. (Look under Good Readin’ for links.) Praise God that we are hearing good things from their doctors!
Wednesday was the funeral, and (if I can say this) it was the best funeral I have ever been to. Long, but planned so well and touching even for people who didn’t know him. Wednesday night all of the adult and youth classes met together for service, but we decided to still have children’s classes. I went out and bought teddy bears for the 4 Bourland children (1st grade brother, and 3 young cousins), and that night our K/1st grade children hugged these bears and prayed over them. My dad videotaped the whole thing, so when we give them to the kids, they will be receiving tons of hugs and love from all their church buddies. Then our 2nd-5th kids put their handprint on posters for each of the children, and wrote such sweet cards to them. I did pretty good with keeping my emotions together throughout the week, but that night watching our kids pour out their love to these kids- I lost it!
Another aspect for me through all of this was that Shelley (our children’s minister) was out of town. She left Monday morning and came back just in time for church on Wednesday. We didn’t get to talk before she left or while she was out of town, so everything was pretty much left up to me. Before I could even ask for it, the Lord definitely poured His infinite wisdom into my head, and guided my mouth, hands, and feet. He also sent amazing people to surround me during this (shout-outs to the Becks, Suzetta Nutt, Suzanne Rowe, Laura Herridge, & Steve Hare), and offered their help as I prepared for Wednesday. From Monday to Wednesday, I kept wishing Shelley had not left and was here. But by the end, though it would have been great if she had been here, I realized what an incredible opportunity this was for me to grow leaps and bounds as a minister. And, let me tell you, I did. Though no tragedy is the same and has to be handled different than others, this was just one of those learning times that I will carry with me throughout my walk as a children’s minister. I am so grateful for my volunteers Wednesday night who surrounded me as I wept through my words before class started. I am thanking God for this body of Christ that will hold precious Brock, Lane, Peyton, and Logan. And I am also grateful to be a part of the Lord’s family, who came together from all over this planet to lift up the Bourlands, Copes, Bennetts, Lemmons, Perkins, Childers, Johnstons, Folwells, and the rest of the Highland youth family to the Lord during this time.
1.17.2005
I hate that it took such a devastating tragedy to get me to blog again, but oh well. Tonight I petition your prayers. A suburban full of Highland youth group kids, mostly or all middle schoolers, turned over on the way back to Abilene from Dallas. One young boy, Brody Bourland, was killed. Many others were injured, including one who was life-flighted to Cooks Children's Hospital in Ft. Worth, and a few others were taken there later. One of the boys injured was Chris Cope, son of Mike Cope. He is in Cooks with broken ribs. And that is really all I know right now. I'm sure over the next few days and weeks, Mike will update his blog with better information. (See below for Mike's site.) Please be praying for the Bourland family, Jim Hinkle & Sarah Campbell (youth ministers), and all of the Highland youth group and their families.
