Vacation

Sunset on Silver Lake
My dad and stepmom

My brother Paul, sister-in-law Heather, Pavianna and Jacob

Ken and Betty with dad and Val

Lighthouse on Lake Michigan

Riding the dunes in dad's Jeep

Sunset on Silver Lake

Hangin' at the campsite

Randy, Dave and Paul

Me and my brother Matt giving his "I'm sad to leave my big sis" face!

Beautiful Heather

Matt on the knee board

Pavi

Jake and Uncle Randy

Dinner with Jim and Lana

I've been trying to get caught up on life since we got back from vacation so I'm behind in getting these pics out. We had a fantastic time with my family in beautiful Michigan. The first couple of days were flat out COLD and the last few were chilly but sunny. I really should have packed more sweatshirts but it gave me an excuse to buy a new, super cute one at Silver Lake. :)

We enjoyed some time on my brother Paul's boat and watching him and my brother Matt use the knee board to ski. They said the water was actually pretty warm but the air sure wasn't. We also hit the dunes in my dad's Jeep and his buddy Ken's H3 Hummer. It was kinda funny....whenever we had the Hummer on the dunes, people would stop to watch and see how it did on the gi-normous hills. It did fine, thank you very much!

There is nothing like eating outdoors and sitting around a campfire! We always have a fire at the end of the day and make treats and just talk the night away. We had church Sunday morning at the campsite with some worship choruses sang acappella and our friend Dave bringing the message.

I was so frustrated to not only get several calls about work but my phone reception was terrible. But one cool thing was that whenever I got a call from the Florida church, I had NO problem with reception and was able to interview without service interruptions! Hum....is that a sign?

One of the best parts of vacation was spending time with my niece Pavianna and nephew Jacob. What GREAT kids they are! Pavi is going to be a 6th grader and Jake a 3rd grader. They were so much fun and even though Jake didn't remember us from last time we were there we really connected.

My brother Matt is an absolute nut. I think there is definitely a family gene shared by Matt and Keaton! Matt was only with us one day and then caught a ferry that took him across Lake Michigan back to Milwaukee where he lives with his girl, Christine. They are talking marriage and I reminded him his big sister is a pastor....hint, hint!

I'm so incredibly thankful for my dad. I didn't get to grow up with him but I know he is probably one huge reason that I am a Christ follower today. He got saved right after he and my mom divorced and he prayed for me even though he didn't have contact with me for many years. After we were reacquainted when I was 16, he would send me letters with scriptures and testimonies of Christ's love and forgiveness. He planted seeds that were watered and harvested by others. He and I had a private conversation about the past and feels so much regret over how we were separated for so many years. But I'm just thankful we have each other now and I know that it all "worked together for the good." (Romans 8:28) He blessed me so much with some words of encouragement and he told me how proud he is of me. Thanks Lord!

The night before we left, we had dinner with some of our best friends, Jim and Lana. Their anniversary is two days after ours so we celebrated together.

News

I know my quick blog caused some curiosity. Here's the scoop. I mentioned before that I have started sending resumes nationwide. It's one of those things that I did not really think there would be a lot of interest but am getting some good responses. One in particular is very exciting and scary at the same time. I had a phone interview with a church in Port Charlotte, FL before I went on vacation that went pretty well. He said the associate pastor would call back in a few days. True to his word, they both called for a second interview while we were in Michigan. It was interesting to interview for a children's pastor job as I was driving the back roads of western Michigan sight seeing and talking on the phone! Several phone calls later and after they contacted my references, they have invited us to come and meet the staff and try out. Eeeek! We are flying down on August 8 (after all the staff is back from vacations) and will return to Des Moines late Monday night the 11th. They are planning a staff picnic and some meetings, tours, and I'll preach on Sunday. I flux between excited and nearly throwing up! The timing is good since it will be after camps and Randy will have just finished his classes! The tickets are bought and the itinerary set!

I don't really want to leave Iowa but I do want to be wherever God can use me best. My family is being so incredibly supportive and happy for me. My husband is willing to go and I can't begin to relay how much that means to me. Please pray for us. It is a HUGE decision and has so many layers of change. This may not be the one but so far, it's feeling pretty good.

A Quick Hello

Just a quick post to say we're back and had a wonderful time even though several of my team members forgot I was supposed to be on vacation and kept calling me with work questions!! I have lots of pics and details to share and some pretty big news, too. More tomorrow as I am dead tired!

Blog Break

T minus about 15 hours until VACATION!! I'll be taking a blog break and I'm sure I'll have tons of pics when I get back. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my siblings, especially my brother Matt who isn't as close to the Lord as he used to be. I really want to minister to him and just catch up on life. We are expecting a pretty important call next week so pray I have some cell phone reception out in the woods of Michigan. If not, oh well, it'll happen. Now...back to peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies, apple, pumpkin and pecan pies and Scotch-a-roos. No, I'm not eating them, just baking them!

Not to Be Outdone By Her Brother

Here she is...my beautiful, slightly crazy daughter! She makes me laugh and keeps life interesting. Micaela always has a slant on life that makes you think, laugh or enter into a great debate. She is passionate about Jesus, missions, music, family, travel, art, comedic movies, and her friends. She loves dark chocolate, green tea frappachinos from Starbucks and could eat out every day of her life. Nobbies, it so happens, is a family addiction! :) I'm soooooo glad to have her home for the summer. Sorry about the sleeping conditions, Mic!

The Ways of the Lord

The ways of the Lord never stop amazing me. Yesterday, I was driving to drop off the van for an oil change and God spoke to me about an old friend who I had heard was recently very sick. I thought, boy, I better obey the Lord right now and call and see if she's okay. I caught her at home feeling much better after a bought of food poisoning. I thought that the Lord prompted me to call her so I could minister to her, but I was wrong.

Our conversation came around to the possible life changes Randy and I are facing and it was she who ministered to me. She reminded me of some scripture verses that I needed to hear and some Godly principles that applied to the way I have been feeling. She spoke in such an encouraging and loving way that really lifted my soul. She had experienced some of the same types of challenges I have and her wisdom blessed me to keep focused on what God is doing...not what man is or is not doing. She also reminded me that if people are motivated by anything other than God's will, that it will be revealed in due time.

Yesterday was also a day of confirmation that change was coming for sure, not just maybe. But I will not fear, nor worry. I will not dwell on woulda, coulda, shoulda. I will look forward to what God has in store, knowing He is in control, not surprised by situations, and has a way better plan than me! I'm so thankful listened to God yesterday even though I thought it was for another reason.

Happy Anniversary

It's a few days early but I wanted to post an anniversary message to my incredible husband, Randy. Our 28th wedding anniversary is this Saturday, June 21....the day we are leaving for vacation. I remember our "wedding" like it was yesterday. I'll spare you the whole story but we eloped one Saturday morning in the tiny little town of Elk Point, SD where there is no waiting period after you purchase a license. Randy's sister and husband went with us as witnesses. We got married about 9:30 AM, drove the 45 minutes back to Sioux City, went to my baby brother's baseball game, visited Randy's mom at work, had dinner with Randy's brother and wife and then went to the tiny mobile home we had rented for our "honeymoon." Some of you may be thinking, "How lame?" but I wouldn't change that day for anything.

Randy is a rare man. He is the most supportive and encouraging husband EVER. We have been through so many trials together and had some rough spots in our relationship but I can always trust that Randy will hang tough and be the man of God he is meant to be. I learned a long time ago that I can trust him.

Happy Anniversary my hunky man! You have endured a lot these past three years with all the changes in my jobs, knee surgeries, finishing college, selling our house and moving...you deserve some sort of large obnoxious trophy or at least a wad of cash! Here's to 28 more wonderful years! I love you.

Grrrrrrr!!

I saw a bumper sticker today that REALLY ticked me off! It read, "I'm a Christian and Pro-Choice." Are you kiddin' me?

Seven Days 'Til Michigan!

I can't wait...seven days until we are on our first vacation in almost six years! It's gonna cost a boat load in gas money but oh well, at this point I don't care. I just want to get away and see my family. I'll get to see my siblings who I haven't seen since the last time we were there. I'm super excited to see my three nieces and two nephews, too. We'll be camping, jeeping on the dunes and hanging out at the campfire with my dad's best friends for the last 35 years. We'll play a lot of washers, Uno, and Skipbo and of course EAT! Doesn't that sound like a wonderful vacation? It's camping my style...in a motor home. HeeHee!

We'll take a side trip to see my buddies Pastor Bud and Laura in their new church that is only about 45 minutes from where we will be camping! Maybe we'll do Sunday morning service there. We usually have church together at the campground, which can be very cool with the other campers watching. Either way, we won't miss worship while we are gone.

My husband loves Michigan so much, I wouldn't be surprised if he job hunts while we are there! If I said "let's move to Michigan" my usually calm, steady husband would pack at the speed of sound!

Pray our van runs well...she's gettin' a lot of miles on her. :)

Back From Family Camp

Family Camp was fun! It was good to see some old friends and make some new ones, too. The attendance was down a little due to all the weather and flooding in some areas. The campground was pretty sloppy but that's part of the whole experience of being "back in the sticks."

I had about 25 kids at each of the five services and Sunday School and they were a wonderful group of very sweet kids. Some were kids I knew from JBQ and a couple from other camps. We have a new camp manager who had three of his four children attend my services. They are back in the Midwest after living in Kentucky for several years. Great family!!

I'm a little tired today as I'm out of practice. I have not done multiple speaking services for awhile and I sure could tell in my voice. It felt great to be "Pastor Lori" this weekend and I think the messages were well received and the kids did great remembering all five of the Big Ideas. We had some awesome prayer time....nothing like praying at an altar with kids. They are so honest and are open to the things of God in ways that most adults hold back from.

Last night, I preached on Hebrews 12:1 and finishing the race. I showed a video clip about a young man named Ben Comen. He is an extraordinary high school kid who is the living definition of perseverance! Ben ran cross country even though he has severe Cerebral Palsy and has the stiff and painful joints that come with the disease. In our spiritual race, we may meet with obstacles but we press on and remember our Big Idea ~ I will finish the race!

Searching for Direction

It seems as though God may be making some changes in our lives once again. Have you ever had one of those seasons in your life where EVERYTHING seems to involve drama, decisions, tough choices and stirrings of your heart? Randy and I have come to the conclusion that we cannot limit God to using us just in Iowa. For the first time in my life, I am okay with the possibility of God moving us to some new place. I have always said I would be obedient to whatever God had for my life but I always had this little "but" that was said under my breath....but keep us in Iowa. I'm not packing a U-Haul just yet, maybe He wants us here...I'm just sayin'!

The things I DO know for sure are that I miss pastoring with all my being. Yes, I know God can and is using me as a nursery coordinator but it is not my passion. I DO know that God has a wonderful plan for me and Randy as it says in Jer. 29:11. I DO know that God will provide any and all resources that are needed. I DO know my kids are cool with whatever God has for us because they understand obedience and passion. I DO know I have the best husband in the world who says he'll go wherever God wants me to pastor! Thanks babe! I DO know that IF God chooses to move us, I am going to have get used to flying so I can visit all the wonderful friends we have living in Iowa and all across the US. I DO know that right now, I have perfect peace and I haven't felt that for awhile.

Our Beautiful Jordan

Saturday afternoon, Randy and I went to see our very special friend, Jordan, in her first dance recital. She was AMAZING!! We were so proud of her. Not only did she remember all her steps, she remembered to look out into the audience and smile, too. Sometimes I almost forget she has Down Syndrome because to us she is a typical seven year old little girl but she has to work harder than most and always excels! Not only was it her first recital, she had the added distraction of knowing her newest baby brother was going to be born any minute! My friend Angela gets the "Mother of the Year" award as she was determined not to miss Jordan's debut even though she had been in labor with number four all day long and was having contractions every four or five minutes!! She sat close to the exit and as soon as Jordan's group finished, they headed back home for the birth of Jace Eric Sustala! What a day for them! Jordan was the star of the show, by far the cutest ballerina and a new big sister. Wish I had a closer picture of her but take my word for it...she was adorable.

It's weekends like this one that keep me focused on why I am a children's pastor. I could easily get distracted with all the hard things that come with ministry but getting to be a part of the lives of the families you touch is priceless.

Party, Game and Dedication

We had a great weekend starting Friday night with one of "my kids" graduation party. I love to see all that the kids I have had the opportunity to minister accomplish through high school. We went to Monica's open house and got to catch up on all her news. She is going into nursing, which doesn't surprise me as she is a very compassionate person. She was awesome in Junior Bible Quiz...one of those kids that could memorize scripture as easily as some of us walk.

After the open house, we headed to an I-Cubs game courtesy of the Simpson College alum. It was a beautiful night for baseball. With our tickets, we each got $5 to spend at the concession stand! Nothing like a dog from the ball park! Good thing we had $10 towards our purchase...$16.50 for two brats and two diet cokes!! They also had fireworks that night.

Saturday at noon, we headed to Big Creek State Park. We had some more beautiful weather for a very important event. I had the honor of doing a baby dedication for one of my close friends, Jenn. We worked at the school together. She had her second son, Garrett, one year ago. It was great to see all her family again and get to be a part of such a personal celebration. I love to do baby dedications and it's even better when you are close to the family.

Family Ministry

I have had some great conversations with some folks lately about family ministry and family type services. I have always felt like if I am to be an effective children's pastor, I need to minister to the whole family and empower parents to be the spiritual leaders of their homes. I found a new children's ministry blog that had the best quote! Family events are awesome and can be done in a way to truly make a difference in living out their faith but events for just the sake of having them gets old fast.

Henry Zonio said this about family ministry, “We need to help families to allow God to change the entire story of their family rather than just giving them events or block quotes that they insert into their current story.”

That is a powerful statement. I want to minister in a way that helps people to live out their faith every day in practical, intentional, and evangelistic ways. I want to help them change their story!

Gotta Rant

I haven't had a good rant for awhile so here ya go. We just landed on Mars. Every time I hear about this kinda stuff, I get HOT. We spend millions and millions of dollars to travel in space and I personally think it's a huge waist! Oh, I know it's cool that we have the capability to do those things and that people are so incredibly smart to figure it all out but come on! There are tons of starving people, homeless children, people without health care and disasters all around us and we are spending money to scoop up some sand on Mars to see if humans have ever been there. I don't care! I know the Word says we will always have the poor but it just seems inhuman to spend all this money on space travel when we have kids in our city who will go to bed hungry tonight. I'm just sayin'.....

Family Mission Statement

I thought this was a great idea. I saw an article in Sunday's Des Moines Register that caught my eye. It talked about how more families are writing mission statements for their families including goals and areas they want to grow in and have accountability such as physical, mental, spiritual and emotional growth. I thought it was very cool, especially as your kids get to that pre-teen stage of life. If families talk about expectations, goals and their values, I think it is more likely to be a reality. A written mission statement can be displayed in a prominent place where you can have a daily reminder of where you are all heading in life. Kinda goes back to that empowering mantra that we talked about in parenting class..."In our family we......"

Graduation

Ta-Da...The Graduate!
Randy, Micaela, our niece Amanda

My dad graduated!!

Oh my, it's so exciting!

I did what?! Finally finished?!

Our good friends the Lively family minus one.

Pastor BBopp, Kathy and kids

The May family...look at my sweet Adele!

Shera and Olivia LOVE Mister Randy!Our good buddies...The Kimmer Clan

Me and Becky...we're so cute :)

Michelle, Keaton and MicaelaOur pastor, Dave and Elli Beroth and friends Dan and Jeanne Moeckl

Nate, Shanna, me and mini Nate, Aidan

I am so proud of my hunky husband! We attended his commencement service at Simpson College on Saturday morning. He received his BA in accounting after many years of taking classes here and there. Not only did he finish, he did so with incredible grades. Our niece, Amanda, was able to go Indianola with us and cheer Randy on. The speaker was kinda boring and focused on "saving the planet", which is all good, but not what I think of as a graduation speech. It was a beautiful day!

We had an open house for Randy Saturday night and it was great to see so many of our friends come out and honor him. We had about 50 people, tons of food, and lots of memories shared. I tried to get pictures of everyone who came. This is just a few!

Happy Birthday Jenn

Today is my buddy Jenn Adair's birthday. Jenn and I met at church and hit it off right away. She is an amazing woman of God who is growing in her relationship with Jesus in giant steps. She is one of those people who commits with her whole heart and soul and always does her best. She is a great wife to her husband, Shawn and a terrific mommy to Colby and Cale. She LOVES her pooch, Maggie, a long haired Dachshund. The whole fam is huge Cubs fans, which in my book rocks! Jenn has a super fun spirit and everyone instantly loves her. She has been a huge blessing to her niece, Ashlin, and loves her as her own. She was one of my drivers during my surgery recovery and even helped clean my house! That's a good friend! Have a wonderful birthday, Jenn! I love ya bunches!

Amazing Technology for the Kingdom of Christ

I am LOVING Facebook. I'm having so much fun networking with other pastors from all over the world. I just had a live chat with a health care pastor from south India! How cool is that? I have pastor "friends" from Pakistan, England, Australia, several places in Africa and all over the US. I try not to spend too much time fiddling around with it and I get a little annoyed with all the application things but to connect with other believers from so many different places is like traveling to somewhere you may never be and feeling that the family of God is massive and spreading. It's good to realize there are so many different types of ministries in places that are incredibly "dark" and not be so focused on my small contribution in the Kingdom. The common thread of Christ weaves us together in a way that erases boundary lines and cultural differences and knits us together in this tapestry for the salvation of the world. Very cool.

T.A.L.K. Networking Group

I'm not sure if I have ever blogged about the children's pastor networking group I belong to but I should be! It is a great group of Central Iowa people from all different denominations that have one common thread; we all love and minister to kids. T.A.L.K. stands for teaching and loving kids. Pastor Brian Bopp (BBopp) is the founding inspiration and he asked Sherri Stufflebeem, cp at First Federated, and me to be co-leaders for the group. We meet the third Thursday of every month September through May. BBopp was a part of a group in Lexington, Kentucky where he pastored before coming to Iowa two years ago.

Each month, we discuss a different topic such as technology, holiday services and programs, VBS and summer activities, object lessons and games....you get the idea. The churches involved take turns hosting and then giving a tour of their children's facility. Of course, we include praise reports and prayer needs and find ways to encourage each other in what we do. Children's pastors are a part of a relatively small tribe so we stick together, share resources and sometimes equipment and borrow each other's ideas.

Last Thursday we met at First Federated and shared ideas for games and object lessons. We always bring our lunch and fellowship first and then have our meeting. It was such a fun time laughing about some of the crazy, messy games we have gotten ourselves into over the years. I always leave refreshed, encouraged and inspired with new ideas. We have about 60 people on our e-mail list and average about 10-12 at the meetings, depending on who can break away that day. We invite anyone who works with kids to join us!! You do not need to be a full time pastor to come to T.A.L.K.!

I love how we care for each other and no one sees denominations or doctrine. It's a bummer to take summers off but who has time for extra meetings during all the summer activities? Keep us in mind next September when we restart and join in the fun! If you want to receive e-mail minutes from the meetings and reminders of our meeting times and dates, just leave a request in the a comment and we'll get you on the list! Enjoy the pics of our game ideas!

I'm Gonna Spread the Joy...Not the Jam

That was our Big Idea today in chapel at Des Moines Christian School. I've said it before...I LOVE doing chapel at DMC! It was sad to think that it was the last time for this school year but Mr. Lambert said I could come back next year!

This year, DMC has focused all their chapel time on building healthy relationships and "Joyfulness" is the topic for May with the scripture verse being from Romans 15:13; "May the Lord of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The Big Idea comes in as there are a lot of things that can jam up a relationship; jealousy, anger, selfishness, misunderstanding, etc. So we want to spread the joy, not the jam!

I spoke of the joy we can have in truly knowing our family and friends so in our relationships we can use that knowledge to bless and help them. I used the example of how I know more about my friend Amy than just her height, address and what color her eyes are. I love her more than that! In knowing her well, it brings me joy to minister to her needs. I said if I knew she was stressed out and having a bad day, a call to take the girls for awhile, plus a nice Starbucks beverage and some new fancy paper for the craft room would be just what the doctor ordered. I should have added a little Barry Manilow playing in the background!

Jesus was more than our Savior...He was a real friend to those around him. He knew Peter so well that when Peter acted before thinking, Jesus knew just what to say to him to make him listen. Jesus knew Thomas was a guy who didn't believe just everything, he needed proof. So when Jesus rose from the dead, He had to show Thomas the scars on His hands to get Thomas to believe. And John...this one speaks volumes. Jesus knew John so well that He totally trusted John to take care of His mom after He died. He told John, "Behold, your mother." You just don't trust a casual friend to take care of your mom!

We can be friends and friendly but how much easier would it be when ministering to the lost if we took time to learn something more about someone than just their name and where they live? There is true, boundless joy in having relationships that run deep with caring and trust. HEY ~ What's the Big Idea? I'm gonna spread the joy, not the jam!

Just for Fun

Thursday afternoon, I was invited to DM Christian's Preschool program where Lisi stole the show! She knew every word of every song and the girl has some great pipes! You can't get much cuter than preschoolers! My buddy Colin was announcing he needed to potty. One little girl had a melt down because she had a sweater on and announced quite loudly that she was just too hot! Rachel C. was taking care of Colin and his sister Ana that day and she said he wasn't too happy that he couldn't wear his Spiderman outfit. Welcome to parenthood! Good times.

Friday night, Randy and I went to a dinner put on by the Division of Adult Learning at Simpson. Great food and a fun time of celebrating the accomplishments of these folks that work full-time, have families and still are able to do college! We are soooo proud of Randy. It was cool how each of their own advisers spoke about each graduate personally. You could tell the advisers really got to know the students.

Saturday, Keaton and I had a few errands to run and we ended up at one of our favorite places, Nobbies. Now you need to understand something. This is a store that gives children's pastors goose bumps...chicken skin, if you will. It's just got cool stuff! We always make the most of any time together and boring errands can be made into pee-your-pants laughter. Who knew hats could be so entertaining. Helps that it is Keaton wearing them. :)

Dreaming Big

I had a great meeting yesterday with my partner in crime, Pastor BBopp. He is so great to work with and a VERY creative thinker. He and I had a dreaming time together as we brain stormed about possible ministry paths. It's been a long time since I was in a meeting that I was so excited about. We are praying for some big things that will take a move of God and some hard work to accomplish. It's definitely one of those Mark Batterson quoting moments, "Pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on you." BBopp is always saying that I am strong in areas that he is weak so I guess we compliment each other's ministry styles.

I haven't broke the news to him yet, but another thing that God is showing me is that we will need three nurseries by this fall when people rally back to church after the summer slump. Hope I don't scare him too bad. :) I'm just chasing lions.

Sacrifice

Sacrifice - what does that word mean to you? I think of giving up or going without something that means a lot to me or gives me pleasure. We all have experienced sacrifice but I heard of an example this week that was very inspirational. A college girl's softball game on a lovely spring day takes an unusual turn. After hitting an over the fence home run, Sara, from Western Oregon realizes she missed tagging first base and makes a quick turn to tag the bag. As she does, she tears her ACL and drops to the ground in horrible pain. The coaches and ump realize if she cannot run and they use a pinch runner, it's ruled a two run single. (There was a runner at second and third base.) If her teammates even touch her, she will be ruled out. Mallory, the first baseman for the opposing team, Central Washington, asks the ump if she can help her. Of course he was shocked by the question but stated there was no rule against it. So....the first baseman and shortstop proceed to pick her up and carry her around the bases and carefully help her tag each bag with her good leg and carry her to home plate. By helping this injured girl, the opposing team gave the others enough runs that they lost the game. Now that is a sacrifice that you don't see happen too often in our competitive world. The parents of those girls should be so proud. It really should be a "normal" reaction but the world is what it is - selfish on most ends.

In the big scheme of things, this isn't huge but what if more people behaved this way? BTW ~ Mallory won the player of the year award!

Taking a Survey

I got to thinking that as a person who hasn't taken her child to a church nursery in over 20 years, maybe what I think is crucial isn't to everyone else. So...I'm taking a survey. Leave me a comment with the top three or four things you look for when visiting a church nursery, you know, the things that are non-negotiable. Thanks for your help in this unscientific survey. Just want to always be on the right track. :)

That Time of Year

Graduation time....It always makes me reflect about the impact of children's ministry. I have done this pastor thing long enough that some of "my kids" now have kids themselves and we have seen many graduations! I always get sentimental about them and have that bit of pride in how well they all have turned out and just hope I somehow was a blessing in their lives. There is a large group graduating at our former church, Berean Assembly of God, and they were such a fun group. I look at these particular kids and they are all so talented, smart and creative but best of all are using their gifts and talents in serving Jesus. Way to go guys...the Lord has wonderful plans for each of you. We'll be stopping by as many open houses as possible and rejoicing with them!

Happy Birthday Adrian

It was my buddy Adrian's birthday yesterday. Adrian is one of the sweetest gals you'll ever meet with an infectious laugh and passionate heart. She is a wonderful mommy to two precious girls and knows how to treat her amazing husband, Drew. Adrian understands the importance of family, who affectionately call her, Addy! Hope your birthday ROCKED, my friend! Love ya!

Good Day

The nursery split went awesome! All of my team did a great job, the kids loved the new table, parents were super positive, the Bumbo chairs came in handy, and the lesson time was so fun. We had all but one of our previous week visitors return, which was very exciting because I was worried the chaos of the week before may have scared them off! I recruited three new volunteers this week and a fourth to join us after May. I'm anxious to see how our summer ministry sign up went yesterday. Our children's programing changes a little with summer time and so we were looking for additional team members. Praise God for when a plan all comes together! Next Sunday....Baby Dedication! :)

New Home

We are so excited for our friends, Becky and Paul, as they moved into their new home Friday! We stopped by to see if we could be of any assistance but, of course, Becky was pretty on top of everything and had a lot done already. The house is so pretty, warm and inviting. Love the carpet color, appliances and counter tops. Of course, Becky is an artist at heart and has a great eye and taste. The boys were so cute showing us their rooms! Jaden picked the smaller room so he could have the view of his new school where he'll go to kindergarten in the fall. Ethan is getting so tall and talking so much more. He's not the baby anymore. :( Happy new home guys! May God bless your new place with love, happiness, and many opportunities to use it for ministry to seeking and hurting people. Hope we'll be moving sometime soon, too.

Odds and Ends

Did you see the Ellen show the other day with the seventy year old gentleman that went back to 1st grade to learn how to read? Oh-my-lan-ta...I cried at that one! So sweet and the teacher was awesome. Ellen gave the teacher 25 lap tops for her class and a group who encourages people who show great leadership gave him $10,000 and gave the teacher money for library books. Very cool.

My darling friend, Adele, and her mommy, Sandy, brought me a May basket! My one and only this year. I sure enjoyed that pop corn but loved the surprise visit more!

I stopped at KFC to try one of their Snacker sandwiches. Now I know they are a snack and only 99 cents but come on. The piece of chicken on it was the smallest chicken strip I have ever seen. I'm just sayin'! It was literally 2 inches.

My physical therapist tried to get my muscle next to my knee cap to "fire" better by taping it somewhat pushed to the side and then had me do some of my exercises. Her plan flopped and caused me to be super sore! Grrrrr...it was doing great until then. She has been so awesome so I can't be too upset with her! I only have a couple more sessions and I'm done. I still struggle with steps but mainly because I'm afraid to trust the new knee and I shouldn't....it works fine.

Randy's graduation is coming up May 17th! I tried to send everyone an e-invite so if you didn't get one to the party, let me know!!! We want to celebrate big. The party is at our apartment party room from 5 - 8 on Saturday the 17th. We'll have food so come hungry and the kids are welcome! Let me know so we have plenty of eats. In the mass e-mail, I could have missed someone important so forgive me and call or leave a comment! We are so proud of him, I sure wished his mom could have been here, too. Come for a few minutes or stay all night.

I have had a lot of fun with Facebook. I belong to a couple of groups that have given me opportunity to talk to other pastors all around the world. It's awesome to get a message like I did today from a friend in Kenya who felt led to pray for me. I have friends from all around the USA, Australia and China, too. So cool to have "family" members everywhere and to know there are people across the globe praying for each other and the cause of Christ.

Have a great weekend!

It's Here!

The toddler table arrived so we had to break it in last night. The kids were so funny....they looked at me like "What are you doing to me?" but really liked it once they figured out it involved Gold Fish crackers. Now for Sunday....