Worshipping... I wonder if God is tapping his toes....

Sunday nights are our High School student ministry group.  One hundred + geeky, awkward, cool, athletic, brainiac, artistic high schoolers come to either experience the God they know and love or are curious and want to find out why some students they know LOVE going to church!  

There is hangout time, a talk which is always given in a way that high schoolers can relate to, cool videos used for announcements that the high school pastors, directors and even volunteers participate in.

And then there is music.  Awesome, solid, rockin Christian music!  This isn't your typical hymn music!  I get the pleasure of taking pics of our Worship Team and last night was awesome!  If you didn't know better, you would think you were at a concert.  The lights, the music, the jumping on a speaker by one of the high school musicians... it was a concert alright, a concert for God.  I wondered as I was witnessing this time, if God was up tapping his toe to the beat.  Maybe snapping his fingers and maybe, just maybe, when no one was looking, He stood up and danced!  

A New School Year Already?

Still my favorite picture of my girls

Excuse me while I sit in a big heap of laundry and cry!  And as I look at my blog, June was the last time I posted anything.  Trust me, this should not imply that my life has been boring in any way.  Quite the opposite in fact.  But more on that later.

Another new school year.  Makes me happy and sad at the same time.  Emily is a Junior at the University of Georgia, Sarah is a Senior, Sarah is a Senior, Sarah is a Senior.  I feel like if I say it enough times, it will sink in.  And Lizzie is a Sophomore.  

Emily stayed in Athens this summer which meant that we saw her a total of a week the entire summer.  This was split into two visits.  This was probably God's way of preparing me for the inevitable.  Little does he know (but really, of course he know, he's God.... ) that no amount of preparation will be enough.

With the start of each school year, we all make new goal, kind of like the New Year.  My goal is to make healthier snacks for the girls..... wow, typing that sounds really kind of lame but in my mind it's fabulous!  

I want to be more organized and prepared for Sarah's last year of high school and her grad party, etc.  I think with Emily I spent the entire school year in denial and not believing the little girl who stood in the kitchen and looked me in the eye and said, "Mom, I plan on going away to college....."  I was more numb her Senior year, one of the unfortunates of being the oldest, now I've learned!!  Bonus for Sarah and Lizzie!  Sorry Em!!

And as I say each year and it never happens, but I feel compelled to say it anyway..... my goal is to be more organized in my home!!  I'd love to be able to keep "my office" (ha!) "the room off the living room" door open at all times. As we speak, the door stays shut, if one must use the printer, you go in, stay on the only visible path on the floor, copy and leave.  Shutting the door as you leave.

It's no wonder I never complete things.  As I sit here typing, I keep thinking of the things I need to do.  Flights and hotels I need to book, things I need to get to the dry cleaners and then Sarah says, "Can you bring me Sushi today?"  

The saga continues..... and I love every minute of it!

Letter to my graduating senior.

The first question I have is, "how did we get here so fast?"


I swear it feels like last week when your dad and I brought you home from the hospital.  I remember looking at you and thinking that this moment would last forever and you would stay wrapped up in a blanket in my arms.  I'm not quite sure how 18 years literally flew by but it did.  


I had read that when your child reaches their Senior year in High School, they become, at times, hard to live with. They are trying to separate themselves and to assert their independence.  I read that this transition makes going off to college easier on the parents!  This is a true statement to some degree!


Please know that I am so happy for you and I'm so excited for this new chapter in your life!  My brain knows this but my heart feels something different.  


I will try and explain what is going on inside my head and heart.  In my head I know that this is the next step in life and you are going to grow on many levels.  When you complete your first year of college, you will be a different person than you are now.  You will understand this in time.  In my head I know that you are going to have challenges and there will be decisions you are going to have to make on your own and this is a part of growing up.  In my head I know that you will probably fall on your face a few times and have to get up and figure it out on your own and that this too, is part of life.  


Here is what is happening in my heart:


Every time you leave for school, I know it's one day closer to graduating and another day closer to college.  I want time to slow way down.


I realize that it's your last dance, or prom or homecoming and I just want to cherish that moment.  So if I tell you that I want to take more pictures, don't get mad, please know that I'm savoring the moment and I want to be able to look at the pictures over and over and over.


I know that you are over the edge excited about leaving for college but know that when you say, "I can't wait for my freedom!", while my head says, "it's ok, it's normal", my heart feel something different.


Your senior year, in particular is very emotional for me.  While I am planning for your Graduation, Grad party, College, etc., I will have more moments of reminiscing.  If you walk into a room and I'm sitting quietly looking through old things of yours, don't think this is silly or dumb.  Come sit with me and let's look through it together.  If I get a bit emotional, give me a hug and try to remember that you've been under my roof for 18 years and it's been my job to raise you, to take care of you and yes, prepare you for this time.  While I've been busy preparing you for this time, I've forgotten to prepare myself.  But I feel that as a Mom, we are not ever prepared.  


I will talk more about when you were a baby, toddler, young child.  Don't think this is silly or dumb but understand that my heart is wanting to go back to those moments and sit a while longer.  


I will cry.... a lot.  Don't take this as all bad.  I will be crying because yes, I am so incredibly sad that I blinked and you were off to college but I will be crying because I'm happy for you!  I'm happy for your accomplishments and I'm happy for the person you are and for what lies ahead for you.  


If I walk into your room and sit on your bed, welcome me.  Talk to me about your day, your thoughts, your fears, your joys.  Remember that for me, I know that when you are off to college, I won't be able to do this.  My heart needs this.  Our relationship will be better because of it.


Remember the things we taught you when you are faced with challenges because there will be bigger ones in college.  Remember your morals, your values and your integrity.  Hold on to those.  Remember that you ALWAYS have a choice.  Remember that the choices you make can and will be positive or negative and you determine that outcome.  Take responsibility for your choices.   Pray.  Don't blame others. Pray.  Look past the moment.  Pray.  Be a leader.  Pray.  Be a friend.  Study.  Study some more.  


Because of the internet, much of what you do will be posted in some social media.  Choose wisely.  Ask yourself, "Do I want this showing up in a few years?"  "How do I want others to perceive me?"  "Do I want a potential employer to see this?" "Do I want my grandma to see this?"  "Do I want my high school pastor to see this?"  Think before you post!  You will thank me, I promise!


Most of all, have fun and enjoy these years because as you will see, they will fly by all too fast!  You will make lifelong friends during your college years.  You will have some amazing opportunities come your way.  Enjoy them!  Take advantage of them!  










  

Hello Flu....

I'd like to start by saying that I will be 50 this year (I promise this has nothing to do with that!) and I've NEVER had a flu shot.  Nope, don't need it.  When I came home from taking Sarah to the doctor this afternoon, I told Eric that I would be standing in the flu shot line!!


This is how our last several days have gone:


Friday:
 Lizzie runs 102* fever all day


Saturday:
 Sarah wakes up, says she doesn't feel well.  I took her temperature and it was 100.4*.  To top it off, she was taking the ACT test.  Eric and I look at each other..... Sarah says she will go.  She has been taking the online prep class and taking prep tests and had been gearing up for this day!  We pump her up with meds, give her some and to take and tell her the exact time to take them.  I drop her off and watch as she shuffles to the room.  It was 7:30am.  At 12:40pm, she calls and says she is done and feels terrible.  When I pick her up, she proceeds to tell me that she threw up three different times...... yes, you read that right.  I about died, I felt so bad for her.  First of all, I would have thrown the pencil in after the first time throwing up!!  No way would I have stayed which really says a lot about the two of us.  She is clearly better than me!  
Lizzie woke up, came downstairs to the kitchen and Eric said the next thing he knew she was passed out on the floor!!  (This took place while I was taking Sarah to the ACT)  He got her up and got her upstairs..... what the heck!  But I have to tell you, miracles do happen!  There was a school dance that night and God healed her.  I'm certain that all of her friends being there had nothing to do with it..... I did bring her Panera home for lunch and I think that was actually what healed her.  And with the cost of items at Panera, it better have!  She felt 100% better after eating Panera!  We let her go to the dance for 2 hours.
When Sarah got home, she went straight to bed.  That is where she stayed until Sunday morning!


Sunday:
Lizzie felt much better but has a persistant cough
Sarah still feels bad and achy but got caught up on A LOT of TV!


Monday:
Lizzie goes to school coughing....
Sarah goes to school for an hour and comes home


Tuesday (today)
Lizzie goes to school still coughing
Sarah goes to school for an hour and comes home.  We go to the doctor this afternoon.  They rule out mono as she doesn't have the symptoms.  They did a quick strep test and it was negative but they will send it to culture.  Looks like the flu bug is the winner!!!  


In the meantime, I've been pumping myself and the girls up with Esberitox which is basically a supercharged Echinacea!  Get some!!  


Here is another thing I've found out.  These kids drink after each other at school!  From their water bottles!  Gross!!  Germs, germs, germs!  Please tell your children to NOT share their water with their friends!  I don't care if their friend is about the pass out from heat stroke!  Well, that could be an exception.... but then tell your child to not redrink from it!  Ugh!


That's it, we're getting the flu shot....

Five Christmas parties, church and life crammed into one fantastic weekend.

As I sit at my kitchen table on a Monday morning drinking a cup of coffee I'm able to reflect on this past weekend.  I will say up front that I would do this weekend all over again!  I will be the one waiving my hand in the air with a smile on my face when asked "who would like to host not one, but two Student Ministry Leader Christmas parties?"  Oh, and they are on the same weekend!  Oh, and so is your Women's Bible study Christmas party.  Oh, and so is the Jr High Christmas party (at church).  Oh, and so is the High School Christmas party (at church).....

Ready, set, let's go!

I absolutely love hosting parties at our home.  We have the room, we have a great set up in our basement and we have teenagers we are able to "employ" to "work" the party.  Keeping Emily focused on her job was a challenge as she clearly inherited the gift to gab from me!

Friday: Velocity (High School) Leader Christmas party

The tables and chairs were set up (4 tables, 32 chairs!), the turkey, stuffing and gravy were heating up as people started arriving!  Each person brings either a side dish or desert and of course, a White Elephant gift!  The food was amazing and being able to sit at a table with seven other people who you typically see in spurts because we are interacting with students, was priceless.  What I also love about this group is that we range in ages from 20 something to 40 something.  Some of us are too close to being in the 50 something category but we won't go there.... we'll enjoy the 40 something category!  We all come from different walks of life but the one thing we have in common is we love God and we love high school students.  I know I speak for others as well when I say that 1) I am continually amazed that God would use me to lead students 2) I learn so much from students and to see their passion for God and want to grow in their relationship with Him is amazing 3) To walk along side students in their journey of life with their struggles, their fears, their mistakes, their successes, their failures, their smiles, their love of mission trips, watching them grow from Jr High students to watching them graduate and much more.  So many things that will literally bring you to your knees with joy and sadness, none of us would trade or walk away from.  Each leader, I know, would say that through the good and the bad, the smiles and the tears, we wouldn't miss any of it!!
Sorry, got off on that little tangent, back to the party and now on to the White Elephant exchange!  We gather our chairs and sit in a circle with all the gifts in the middle of the floor.  We each draw a number starting with 1 and ending at 25 and await our turn to choose or gift or steal someone elses!  This game was going along nicely until Zach arrived late and as the last person was to go says, "will this make a difference" and pulls out a Starbucks gift card he brought for the game...... the entire room went silent... what had been a rather nice game suddenly turned.  The love of coffee in this group is unbelievable.  Adam and I were scheming on how we could trade/steal/beg/borrow to get the gift we wanted and that Starbucks card turned us into evil/manipulative people!  Thank goodness it was frozen after three turns!
The party that was to end at 10pm lasted well past 11pm and honestly, could have gone longer.  Such great people, such fun, so many laughs and as I reflect on the night, it makes me realize that we shouldn't wait until the Christmas party to get together as a group..... I see another party being planned in my head!

Saturday: My women's bible study Christmas party

I am fortunate to be part of women's bible study that is truly a family. I believe we've been doing studies together for 3 years.  I say this unknowingly because it feels like we've been together for years!  We came together as a very mixed group in ages from twenties to sixties and everywhere in between!  What a blessing it is to be doing life with women of all ages and life experiences!
One of the ladies in our group is a teacher in Milan, Mi. who spoke to the school guidance counselor about our group adopting a family for Christmas.  We were fortunate to receive a family with 5 children!  We got their "wish list" and the excitement began!  E-mails going between the group of "I'll take this child" "I've got mom covered" "let's add some family gifts also", etc.  On Saturday we arrived at Elise's home to begin our wrapping of gifts!  Listening to the chatter, laughter and the excitement felt in the room was magical!  We were all beaming just picturing their faces Christmas morning!  The parents decided that they didn't want their children to know about the gifts and plan on putting the them under the tree to awaken to Christmas morning!!  I can only imagine the looks on their faces!!  Every item on the family's wish list was purchased and then some!!  Mom, Dad and all five children will have everything they wished for!! 

away we go!

wrapping delight

We loaded the cars and headed to the home of our adopted family.  We stopped at Bob Evans and picked up dinner and pie!  Dad had taken the kids for a drive because of the surprise so we were greeted by mom who is such a sweet lady and couldn't believe the amount of gifts bestowed upon her family.  Clearly overcome with emotion, we all hugged her, told her what a blessing it was to each of us to do this and invited the family to Christmas Eve service.  We then left and headed to our group dinner!  When we arrived at the restaurant, Valerie told us that the Dad had called her, overcome with emotion himself and said that this was more than they could ever had imagined and how thankful that they were.  We all smiled, knowing we had been just as blessed by this event!  I know I speak for us all by saying, I can't imagine life without this group of ladies and I'm incredibly thankful for what they mean to me!

Thankful for these ladies and the ones that couldn't make it!

Sunday: Three parties in one day!  Wha hoo!

What better way to start off your Sunday morning than with 6th, 7th and 8th graders than lots and lots of sugar, games, music and overall fun?!!  Our junior high group at church is called Rustproof and I have the honor of leading a group of 8th grade girls who I've had since they were in 6th grade!  It has been such a pleasure watching them grow, change, mature, struggle with life, etc.   I love each of them as if they were my own and tend to fuss at them from time to time like they are!  Unfortunately for them I'm not one of the cool high school leaders but they continue to return week after week so it works!!

 

We left church and headed home for:

Rustproof Leader Christmas party!!

Thankfully we had Friday night to use as a guide for this leader's party!  We had 28-29 leaders descend upon our home with appetizers, sides and deserts!  Again with our turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, we enjoyed spending some quality time with each other that we typically don't get to have.  The great thing about Rustproof is we have adult leaders and high school leaders.  To listen to the high school leaders talk about what an impact it's been on them to lead is so nice.  To be in the midst of their own high school struggles, peer issues, etc, they have a heart to make a difference in a younger students life!  I can't tell you what a heart warming thing this is to see and to hear.  We had our White Elephant game and this was a bit intense!  There were definitely "prized" gifts people wanted and many were "stolen" from each other until they were frozen!  Who knew that someone elses "stuff" could be anothers treasure! 

And then it was time to head to:

Velocity High School Christmas party!!

This was the only Sunday in the month of December that the high school group met. It was another party filled with lots and lots of sugar in the form of cookies and hot chocolate!  There was a DJ, games, worship and a talk.  There are a couple of hundred students that come to Velocity on Sunday nights.  Why this is an amazing thing is because these students have to want to come.  It's every Sunday evening so there isn't a parent saying, "come on, we're going to church!"  They want to come and learn about this guy we call God and how He can help them through their life filled with doubt, peer pressure, confusion, happiness, accomplishments, etc.  Tim Tebow his huge right now.  You've heard about him unless you live under a rock, and in that case, you probably wouldn't be reading this.... Tim is vocal about his faith in God and for a high schooler to see that makes a huge impact when it's so easy to fall off track.  I've been fortunate to lead a group of 11th grade girls that I've lead since they were in 7th grade!  I'm thankful to be part of each of their lives and to hopefully make a small impact.  I tell people that I've learned more from them than they will ever know and I'm forever thankful that God put our group together!  It was no mistake!

I will finish up with a video I took.  I was talking to someone, turned around and a line dance was taking place.... only in our church!!  I will say that although the parties were fantastic and spending time with other leaders was great, the end was the best.  When I got home Eric was reading in the living room.  I sat down and we started talking.  One by one, each girl came downstairs at different times.  We ended up having great conversations and laughs!  I remember thinking, "This is what it's all about.  Family"  So from my own family to my church family, I am forever thankful for each of you and what you bring to my life.  I am a better person because of each one of you.

http://youtu.be/FSJw4npq7GA