This week has included the first of four major events in a month time period. It was going to be an insane month, just heightened by 9 days after it ends comes my last day at the church.
VBS got off to a rocky start for me, a little too insane but all fun. Traveling to 5 countries is a bit more complicated than I originally planned on, but creatively fun also. The week was a bit emotionally draining at first as I needed to tell people I am leaving, why and not pretend I'll be around for VBS next year directing again.
Each day got better and better, I saw a peak of the sunset on Tues and a full blown gorgeous sunset on Wedn (see last June's VBS posts for sunset significance). Yesterday was the end... and I had a bit of conflicting emotions. Glad its over, and now onto the next event, but at the same time I can't believe after working on it for the past 6 months that it's over.
I don't yet know the impact VBS had on the kids, that can't be measured right away, but I know they had fun. We instituted a bring-a-friend and each get a prize incentive this year to encourage the kids and reach out. As one area coordinator put it, we do enough work for 80, let's see if we can't get more. One of the coolest things was a Erica came as a friend of one of our regular church members. The next night Erica brought her brother Brian, he had heard her talking about it and wanted to 'watch', and got sucked in. The next night, which was the last, Erica & Brian each brought a friend. I don't even know that to say about it.
The next leg of the month has me going away for the weekend, a clean up day at the church then off to Creation Music Festival.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Monday, June 19, 2006
A Hour
In a hour from now VBS starts for the second night. Last night was just chaos, and not controlled chao. There became not enough time for all the little final details as others who I expected couldn't make it here on time. Plus somehow I had forgotten about all the last minute questions, from everyone. Despite all this the kids had tons of fun, learned about Ruth's loyalty and probably didn't realize anything wasn't perfect :)
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Surreal
After returning from vacation the time has been surreal at the church.
It is now public information that the end of July is my last day here and is slowly getting out.
I still dread telling people and all the questions that follow. Some people have been completely shocked and the first thing out of their mouth is "why".
Simply because there is a difference in philosophy for youth ministry and we are no longer a good fit which we agreed
Please pray as I discern where God is leading me and I serve faithfully here and don't shut down.
I'm going to leave this up for a week and take the message down, if you want to talk to me, I'm around... find me. :)
It is now public information that the end of July is my last day here and is slowly getting out.
I still dread telling people and all the questions that follow. Some people have been completely shocked and the first thing out of their mouth is "why".
Simply because there is a difference in philosophy for youth ministry and we are no longer a good fit which we agreed
Please pray as I discern where God is leading me and I serve faithfully here and don't shut down.
I'm going to leave this up for a week and take the message down, if you want to talk to me, I'm around... find me. :)
Rest of the Trip
We headed on Monday morning and saw more of Nashville, mainly Opry Mills (a huge mall). I have seemed to do something new everytime I have visited there. Then we headed west to Great Smokey Mountain National Park :) I had advocated for this to be on our itinerary and they completely surprised me with the amount of time we spent there, and as we left the park they gave me a card and let me know the park was my b-day present. It is gorgeous there as we drove along the river at the bottom of the mountain, and drove the windy hills to overlooks. We got a short hike in near the Gaitlinburg entrance and had spent much more time there than planned on or scheduled, with no complaints from me.
Tuesday we kicked it into high gear on the road, hit the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel before traveling the Jersey Turnpike, through NYC and back home for all of them.
Tuesday we kicked it into high gear on the road, hit the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel before traveling the Jersey Turnpike, through NYC and back home for all of them.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
The Wedding
A holy day.
I was feeling a little weird about not attending a worship service. Last time I did that was over a year & a half ago and my following week wasn't the same. When you work for a church, the choice to attend worship is not made every week but part of your calling. To change that is weird, just like any routine, not that worship should be a routine, but sometimes it is.
Instead it was more of a Sabbath than I have had in a while.
Following breakfast, the day started off with a time of prayer for the bride & groom, as they had requested. I so want to copy and do that when it's time for my weedding, it's so intentional and sets God as the focus from the beginning. After I go to head to the pool, do laps, tan, enjoy the hot tub and read my Journal for Student Ministries that I have been saving to relax and enjoy.
The wedding was beautiful and elegant, a very classy CT wedding, in Nashville, which we later learned is hard to do. The pastor from her church preached and i wished I felt I could have taken notes. It was the most solid Biblical sermon I have heard for a while, speaking about not just the relationship between a man and woman but extending it to relationships between people.
For the reception I got to help inform all the guests about assigned seating and watch the shock come over their faces. Every time I visit the south I realize how much of a northerner I really am, and this was no exception. I take our customs for granted, as I could see they did from the looks bestoyed on the teens giving them their assignments.
Ever since I went to a wedding with my grandma I decided there would be nothing glass or metal at my wedding to bang in order to make the bride and groom kiss. Grandma had banged on the glass with her silverware every five minutes so they would kiss and it went beyond cute to obnoxious. However at this wedding after a couple times of the banging the dj let everyone know that in order to get the bride and groom kiss you needed to get up and sing loudly a song with the word love in it. Only one table took the challenge. I could handle that.
I haven't been outdanced by guys in a while, actually ever. It was a blast and strange at the same time.
I was feeling a little weird about not attending a worship service. Last time I did that was over a year & a half ago and my following week wasn't the same. When you work for a church, the choice to attend worship is not made every week but part of your calling. To change that is weird, just like any routine, not that worship should be a routine, but sometimes it is.
Instead it was more of a Sabbath than I have had in a while.
Following breakfast, the day started off with a time of prayer for the bride & groom, as they had requested. I so want to copy and do that when it's time for my weedding, it's so intentional and sets God as the focus from the beginning. After I go to head to the pool, do laps, tan, enjoy the hot tub and read my Journal for Student Ministries that I have been saving to relax and enjoy.
The wedding was beautiful and elegant, a very classy CT wedding, in Nashville, which we later learned is hard to do. The pastor from her church preached and i wished I felt I could have taken notes. It was the most solid Biblical sermon I have heard for a while, speaking about not just the relationship between a man and woman but extending it to relationships between people.
For the reception I got to help inform all the guests about assigned seating and watch the shock come over their faces. Every time I visit the south I realize how much of a northerner I really am, and this was no exception. I take our customs for granted, as I could see they did from the looks bestoyed on the teens giving them their assignments.
Ever since I went to a wedding with my grandma I decided there would be nothing glass or metal at my wedding to bang in order to make the bride and groom kiss. Grandma had banged on the glass with her silverware every five minutes so they would kiss and it went beyond cute to obnoxious. However at this wedding after a couple times of the banging the dj let everyone know that in order to get the bride and groom kiss you needed to get up and sing loudly a song with the word love in it. Only one table took the challenge. I could handle that.
I haven't been outdanced by guys in a while, actually ever. It was a blast and strange at the same time.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Nashville Arrival
Nashville is definitely in my top 5 US cities to visit and every time there is something new to visit. This time it was the suburbs.
After arriving and meeting the bride & groom, we were off to relax, attempt a nap and get ready for the rehearsal dinner. I have never been to a non-family wedding where I haven't known anyone and it was extremely weird at first to explain who I was, it would have been easier if I was someone's date.
Thankfully everyone at the rehearsal dinner thought it was cool (however weird) that I was there as the 2nd driver and I quickly became one of the crew... with the teens and young adults in the bride's family, as much as adult can be. As C disappeared to the store I had decided to join their table and get to know them. I finally got to meet some of C's youth guys who I've heard about, plus the Florida cousin and the ever unique and engaging bride's brother. I wasn't at their table for too long, however in that time the conversation was ALL over the place even to the point of words being defined, mainly "Lunder".
After the festivities that night we got to see another great part of TN, the Walgreens! It was so absolutely exciting, the biggest thing to do in the suburbs!Yea, it was pretty standard, even the same layout of the one at home. Not a typical Nashville night but that will have to be another visit.
After arriving and meeting the bride & groom, we were off to relax, attempt a nap and get ready for the rehearsal dinner. I have never been to a non-family wedding where I haven't known anyone and it was extremely weird at first to explain who I was, it would have been easier if I was someone's date.
Thankfully everyone at the rehearsal dinner thought it was cool (however weird) that I was there as the 2nd driver and I quickly became one of the crew... with the teens and young adults in the bride's family, as much as adult can be. As C disappeared to the store I had decided to join their table and get to know them. I finally got to meet some of C's youth guys who I've heard about, plus the Florida cousin and the ever unique and engaging bride's brother. I wasn't at their table for too long, however in that time the conversation was ALL over the place even to the point of words being defined, mainly "Lunder".
After the festivities that night we got to see another great part of TN, the Walgreens! It was so absolutely exciting, the biggest thing to do in the suburbs!Yea, it was pretty standard, even the same layout of the one at home. Not a typical Nashville night but that will have to be another visit.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
More of the story
www.banshe1211.blogspot.com
C is blogging about the adventure also, see her's for more details and the other perspective.
C is blogging about the adventure also, see her's for more details and the other perspective.
The Road
I finally got picked up 6+ hours after the others began the trip, with me getting the next driving shift. All was going well until exiting the PA Turnpike to get on Route 81, and the wheel got tight on the exit ramp. Looking up at the dashboard I saw the oil lamp light was on. Not quite knowing what was going on except there was a MAJOR problem, I calmly informed the owner of the problem and there was a rest stop to pull into (thank God!). After determining the car was on overload and had stalled, everything extra was turned off and unplugged, and we hit the road again.
I finally got to a new state- West Virginia, although the road was boring. There is not much to see on some of major highways other than alot of trees and the road. The most exciting part was the speed limit going up to 70 mph, and a bizarre turtle corossing the road, and not a small turtle but the size of a couple basketballs, just mosying across the highway.
I finally got to a new state- West Virginia, although the road was boring. There is not much to see on some of major highways other than alot of trees and the road. The most exciting part was the speed limit going up to 70 mph, and a bizarre turtle corossing the road, and not a small turtle but the size of a couple basketballs, just mosying across the highway.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
