There is a different breeze blowing in Mandan, North Dakota. You step out of the house and take a big, deep breath of Spring! It's apparent in the green grass peeking through the snow drifts in the yard. The lakes of melting snow that cover the streets speak of warmer days ahead. The temperature tempt you to open the windows and let in some fresh air.
We have had a long, hard winter. North Dakota is known for it's tough winter weather. We are hardy by nature and know what it takes to come through the 8 months of winter unscathed. However, I, for one, am tired of winter and everything that comes with it! I had the bedroom window opened while napping last Sunday and it was great to hear the sounds of the neighborhood children riding bikes on the sidewalk outside my house. My cat, Monster, lay in the window surveying her kingdom. Even she seemed to know that Spring was in the air.
Knowing that Spring is right around the next bend, I feel confident to speak out against all for the evils of winter. I know that we have a rain/snow storm forecast for next week, but I'm throwing caution to the wind.
The things I will not miss about winter~
1. Shoveling every cotton pickin' day. Enough!
2. Bundling up in 17 layers of clothing before leaving the house. I can't wait for the day when I walk out the front door without so much as a jacket.
3. Only 9 hours of daylight a day. I'm like a plant - if I don't get enough sunlight, I wilt.
4. Dealing with the car -- scraping windows, getting it started, keeping it running. Yuck!
5. Ice. Driving on it. Walking on it. Trying to stop on it. Basically not a good time.
6. No fresh vegetables. I struggle to enjoy tomatoes that have been strip mined in Texas. Give me a tomato warm from the sun any day of the week!
7. Wind Chills. Cold is cold. Knowing it's 40 below with the wind chill makes it feel colder.
8. Always having a backup plan in case of a snowstorm. It's nice to set a date and know that barring a hurricane, earthquake or tornado, the weather will not stop you from having your event.
9. Spending 25 minutes trying to decide what to wear. I consider myself "low maintenance". I don't obsess about what to wear. However, I found myself trying to weigh the benefits of wearing extra layers by my final destination. Work -- probably OK with just one layer, Church - better go with two layers. Filling up with gas -- best go for a snowmobile suit and a face mask.
10. Waiting for the puppy outside. Lucy didn't seem to notice that it was 25 below. She would wander around in the yard sniffing and eating snow until her feet were too cold for her to walk into the house. Lucy doesn't have good time management skills and hadn't taken care of the reason she was outside in the first place. This meant yet another trip outside to see if you could frostbite my entire face. She didn't seem to care.
Spring is a wonderful time. Bird sing, flowers bloom, trees get their leaves and kids look forward to a long summer vacation. Our spring is so short -- get out an enjoy it while you can. After the long winter, spring is even sweeter this year.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
An Action Packed Weekend
As I set off with my youth and chaperones for a weekend event at Jamestown State College, I felt the traditional jolt of adrenaline as I prepared for a weekend with lots of activities and little sleep. I wasn't disappointed!
Registration is always a bit chaotic, as both Conference buses and 14 vans arrive at the same time and attempt to check in. These events are planned down to the smallest detail, but as with most things that involve more than 10 people, it can be a bit wild. Our Conference Conference Council on Youth Ministry adults and youth are some of the most patient on the planet, always willing to help carry bags, sleeping bags and other assorted accessories that are deemed necessary by junior high girls. They did a fine job getting us through the hubbub and escorted to the sleeping areas. The girls sleep in the old gym area with two locker rooms in the basement. One locker room serves as the girl's shower area and the other locker room is dedicated to the adult women. Our Safe Sanctuary policies dictate that youth and adults cannot use the same shower facilities at the same time. Safety first, convenience second. The girls got the girl's volleyball locker room with two couches, candles and a flat screen television. It smelled of girls ~ powder, fruit scented grooming tools ~ and was as clean as a whistle. The women's locker room, however, is the boy's wrestling locker room and it did smell like boys. No offense men, but girl's are just prettier smelling. There were no doors on the bathroom stalls and it had half-open locker room doors with various male sports equipment.
The weekend went very well. The worship band was fantastic and the speaker had a great message that tied into our Conference Youth theme very well. He had many interesting stories about various youth and adults going on mission trips to build homes for people that lived in cardboard boxes or had no shelter at all. Those stories always made me feel a bit inadequate as traveling to an underdeveloped county is so far outside of my comfort zone that I need a satellite to see it from here! God bless those called to this ministry field. I'll pray for you and support you financially, but I'll do it from home!
The first night in the sleeping area is always a little loud. It's the first night away from home and whispering soon turns to giggling, which turns to chaperone's instructions to pipe down. I slept pretty well, waking up early enough to get out of the showers before the majority came down.
Saturday was beautiful in Jamestown and the afternoon was spent playing in the gym, walking outside, and, if you were under the age of 15, throwing snowballs at unsuspecting people as they walked outside. This melt would provide hazardous later!
I spent a lot of my weekend doing CCYM tasks ~ helping with paperwork, fielding questions from adults and junior high kids, helping with worship planning, writing a melodrama and praying throughout the weekend that the adults and kids from my church would stay healthy and safe until we returned home. I spent time with my church people and we were enjoying our time at The Crossing.
Saturday night after a beautiful communion service, the EMT taking care of our group of 250 mentioned that we had girls in the sleeping area who were green and throwing up. I warned my girls to stay far away from them as their fate would be similar. An female chaperone walking back to the sleeping area slipped and broke her ankle. She had an open fracture, which is pretty ugly, especially because she is a brittle diabetic. They had to flight her out to Aberdeen, SD by helicopter Saturday night. I was awakened at 4:15 a.m. to run to the grocery store to pick up Pepto Bismol, Gatorade and Sprite as we had more green, vomiting girls. By morning, some of the women in our sleeping area were sick and praying for death. I really pitied them, as they had a 6 hour charter bus ride to get home. We got our kids up, gathered our stuff and fled the sleeping area for the refuge of the vans. Hosed down with hand santizer, we cautioned them to stay away from anyone turning any shade of green.
We took off after a wonderful closing worship with a message reminding us to be salt and light to a world in need of God's love. Amazing!
The weekend, despite all of the unexpected drama, really was refreshing for me. I love to worship with youth, especially junior high youth who aren't too inhibited to be silly. I felt myself being filled up in order to be a more effective youth worker and a more effective Christian in the midst of youth and adults who need to understand that God loves them, and there is nothing they can do about it!
Registration is always a bit chaotic, as both Conference buses and 14 vans arrive at the same time and attempt to check in. These events are planned down to the smallest detail, but as with most things that involve more than 10 people, it can be a bit wild. Our Conference Conference Council on Youth Ministry adults and youth are some of the most patient on the planet, always willing to help carry bags, sleeping bags and other assorted accessories that are deemed necessary by junior high girls. They did a fine job getting us through the hubbub and escorted to the sleeping areas. The girls sleep in the old gym area with two locker rooms in the basement. One locker room serves as the girl's shower area and the other locker room is dedicated to the adult women. Our Safe Sanctuary policies dictate that youth and adults cannot use the same shower facilities at the same time. Safety first, convenience second. The girls got the girl's volleyball locker room with two couches, candles and a flat screen television. It smelled of girls ~ powder, fruit scented grooming tools ~ and was as clean as a whistle. The women's locker room, however, is the boy's wrestling locker room and it did smell like boys. No offense men, but girl's are just prettier smelling. There were no doors on the bathroom stalls and it had half-open locker room doors with various male sports equipment.
The weekend went very well. The worship band was fantastic and the speaker had a great message that tied into our Conference Youth theme very well. He had many interesting stories about various youth and adults going on mission trips to build homes for people that lived in cardboard boxes or had no shelter at all. Those stories always made me feel a bit inadequate as traveling to an underdeveloped county is so far outside of my comfort zone that I need a satellite to see it from here! God bless those called to this ministry field. I'll pray for you and support you financially, but I'll do it from home!
The first night in the sleeping area is always a little loud. It's the first night away from home and whispering soon turns to giggling, which turns to chaperone's instructions to pipe down. I slept pretty well, waking up early enough to get out of the showers before the majority came down.
Saturday was beautiful in Jamestown and the afternoon was spent playing in the gym, walking outside, and, if you were under the age of 15, throwing snowballs at unsuspecting people as they walked outside. This melt would provide hazardous later!
I spent a lot of my weekend doing CCYM tasks ~ helping with paperwork, fielding questions from adults and junior high kids, helping with worship planning, writing a melodrama and praying throughout the weekend that the adults and kids from my church would stay healthy and safe until we returned home. I spent time with my church people and we were enjoying our time at The Crossing.
Saturday night after a beautiful communion service, the EMT taking care of our group of 250 mentioned that we had girls in the sleeping area who were green and throwing up. I warned my girls to stay far away from them as their fate would be similar. An female chaperone walking back to the sleeping area slipped and broke her ankle. She had an open fracture, which is pretty ugly, especially because she is a brittle diabetic. They had to flight her out to Aberdeen, SD by helicopter Saturday night. I was awakened at 4:15 a.m. to run to the grocery store to pick up Pepto Bismol, Gatorade and Sprite as we had more green, vomiting girls. By morning, some of the women in our sleeping area were sick and praying for death. I really pitied them, as they had a 6 hour charter bus ride to get home. We got our kids up, gathered our stuff and fled the sleeping area for the refuge of the vans. Hosed down with hand santizer, we cautioned them to stay away from anyone turning any shade of green.
We took off after a wonderful closing worship with a message reminding us to be salt and light to a world in need of God's love. Amazing!
The weekend, despite all of the unexpected drama, really was refreshing for me. I love to worship with youth, especially junior high youth who aren't too inhibited to be silly. I felt myself being filled up in order to be a more effective youth worker and a more effective Christian in the midst of youth and adults who need to understand that God loves them, and there is nothing they can do about it!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Weekend Plans
I am leaving on Friday for a weekend trip with my sixth, seventh and eighth grade youth. Our church Conference is hosting a rally for middle school students on the Jamestown College campus. Jamestown College is less than an hour and a half from home, which is good for several reasons. Reason #1, middle schoolers tend to be a bit more on the homesick side and having to drive 45 minutes to meet mom and dad in the middle is far better than 4 hours. Reason #2, when I return home on Sunday having gotten 5 hours of sleep the entire weekend, I can be in bed asleep by 12:30!
I have the privilege of serving my church as a Youth Worker. Love my job! I also sit on the Conference Council for Youth Ministry. This means I have extra responsibilities during this event. I run the bookstore for youth workers and students. I also teach two clown workshops and present our songs at Saturday evening worship. Piece of cake! I have been clowning for 15 years and could do it in my sleep --- and I have!! I have two brave adults from our church coming along as chaperones. These women are among the few who will give up their weekend to accompany our seven kids to a college campus, sleep on the floor in a gym with 200 other girls, eat in a cafeteria, shower in a locker room and come home smiling! God bless them!
I travel with my youth group kids about six times a year and have the packing for these events down to a science. I have an air mattress that inflates in about 45 seconds and I couldn't travel without that baby. I bring sheets instead of a sleeping bag as it never fails that the girls sleep in the gym with the "Screaming Heater of Death" and it's 92 degrees all night! Flashlights are a must when stepping gingerly over sleeping bodies to go to the bathroom. They also work well for identifying noise makers, penny throwers, and fake coughers after lights out! Flip flops are necessary when showering in the locker rooms. A bag for wet towels is always a good idea. And my special secret stash of chocolate that make me the envy of every chaperone and, when necessary, makes a good bribe.
Space is always a premium when traveling with teenage girls, so I try very hard to instill in them some basic rules of packing:
1. We are not going to a remote Arctic outpost for months -- we are going to be gone for 48 hours. Leave the 17 pairs of shoes, 23 of your 30 outfits and half of your hair accessories at home!
2. Do not pack your money in your suitcase. Lisa will not be a happy camper if you get out of the car for lunch and ask her to unpack the trunk so you can get your lunch money!
This event will feature those giant inflatable games, which are a blast! The middle schoolers think that they have died and gone to heaven when they enter a gym full of these giant toys. Adults need to be cautioned, as one of last year's chaperones broke her arm while racing on the obstacle course. I once got my long hair caught in the bungy cord during a racing game. Let's just say that hair should be securely fastened to avoid a similar fate.
The best part about these rallies is the worship. They always have amazing praise bands and you learn new praise choruses every time you go. My absolute favorite part of worship is taking part in the kids' uninhibited praise. They dance, they form conga lines, they raise their hands and have a blast praising their God. I always come back refreshed and spiritually fed!
We leave on Friday evening and will return home on Sunday about noon. By 12:30 p.m. I will have turned off the cell phone, pulled the shades and given Lucy a big bone. As I settle into my comfy bed, I will give thanks for my weekend and thank God the next one is two months away!
I have the privilege of serving my church as a Youth Worker. Love my job! I also sit on the Conference Council for Youth Ministry. This means I have extra responsibilities during this event. I run the bookstore for youth workers and students. I also teach two clown workshops and present our songs at Saturday evening worship. Piece of cake! I have been clowning for 15 years and could do it in my sleep --- and I have!! I have two brave adults from our church coming along as chaperones. These women are among the few who will give up their weekend to accompany our seven kids to a college campus, sleep on the floor in a gym with 200 other girls, eat in a cafeteria, shower in a locker room and come home smiling! God bless them!
I travel with my youth group kids about six times a year and have the packing for these events down to a science. I have an air mattress that inflates in about 45 seconds and I couldn't travel without that baby. I bring sheets instead of a sleeping bag as it never fails that the girls sleep in the gym with the "Screaming Heater of Death" and it's 92 degrees all night! Flashlights are a must when stepping gingerly over sleeping bodies to go to the bathroom. They also work well for identifying noise makers, penny throwers, and fake coughers after lights out! Flip flops are necessary when showering in the locker rooms. A bag for wet towels is always a good idea. And my special secret stash of chocolate that make me the envy of every chaperone and, when necessary, makes a good bribe.
Space is always a premium when traveling with teenage girls, so I try very hard to instill in them some basic rules of packing:
1. We are not going to a remote Arctic outpost for months -- we are going to be gone for 48 hours. Leave the 17 pairs of shoes, 23 of your 30 outfits and half of your hair accessories at home!
2. Do not pack your money in your suitcase. Lisa will not be a happy camper if you get out of the car for lunch and ask her to unpack the trunk so you can get your lunch money!
This event will feature those giant inflatable games, which are a blast! The middle schoolers think that they have died and gone to heaven when they enter a gym full of these giant toys. Adults need to be cautioned, as one of last year's chaperones broke her arm while racing on the obstacle course. I once got my long hair caught in the bungy cord during a racing game. Let's just say that hair should be securely fastened to avoid a similar fate.
The best part about these rallies is the worship. They always have amazing praise bands and you learn new praise choruses every time you go. My absolute favorite part of worship is taking part in the kids' uninhibited praise. They dance, they form conga lines, they raise their hands and have a blast praising their God. I always come back refreshed and spiritually fed!
We leave on Friday evening and will return home on Sunday about noon. By 12:30 p.m. I will have turned off the cell phone, pulled the shades and given Lucy a big bone. As I settle into my comfy bed, I will give thanks for my weekend and thank God the next one is two months away!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
In the Bible, when people would have certain diseases, it was mandatory for them to yell "unclean" so people wouldn't get too close and become infected. Call it early infection control - it must have been marginally effective. Obviously more effective than our current illness inhibitors - looking at someone and noticing a watery look to their eyes, a red nose, a cough that sounds like it comes from their toenails and wondering if they are contagious.
Apparently I came in contact with someone recently who was ailing with a vile germ. On Tuesday, I woke up with a stuff nose and a little bit of a sore throat. No big deal! I took some tylenol, sudafed and vitamins and off I went to conquer the world. Wednesday dawned too early as most of my night had been spent searching for tissues in the darkness and ticking off the cat! I felt pretty crummy, but the show must go on. It took me longer to get ready for the day, but I bravely walked out the door clutching a box of tissues. Through our Wednesday church programs I tried to keep my distance and politely avoid people that looked healthy. Wednesday night the cat slept elsewhere and the puppy was left to endure the night with me as I tried to find a position to sleep where at least one nostril was unplugged enough to breathe.
Thursday morning I woke up, raised the white flag and called the doctor. At 11:00 a.m. I presented myself at the front desk of the clinic and squeaked out my name. I sat alone in a corner of the waiting room, waiting for the nurse to call my name. I knew I was in trouble when my doctor walked into the exam room and proclaimed, "you look bad". He must have been sick the day they taught bedside manners in med. school. My eyelids were red and swollen due to a sinus infection. I was wheezing from a nasty case of bronchitis and got a nebulizer treatment. I always feel like the Cheshire Cat when I suck on the nebulizer tube and see the mist go out the other side.
A quick trip to the Pharmacy and $175 later I was at home in bed, where I stayed for three days. I received many concerned calls and kind offers to bring over soup, fetch groceries and pick up supplies. I hunkered down and slept. My new satellite had been installed two weeks earlier, so I had 150 channels to beat the boredom. Even that held no appeal the first day or so.
Sunday, I officially returned to society. I felt 75% better, but it did feel good to be out among the living. I was still tired after showering and getting dressed, but that was one of the most strenuous activities on my agenda for the day.
I am still pretty exhausted and can't wait to hit the hay at a decent hour tonight -- maybe 8 p.m. I'm sure that I will be more appreciative of the days when I feel great after being sick. Right now, not so much. I definitely will have more compassion for my red-nosed, coughing, sneezing friends who cross my path. However, please forgive me if I keep my distance.
Apparently I came in contact with someone recently who was ailing with a vile germ. On Tuesday, I woke up with a stuff nose and a little bit of a sore throat. No big deal! I took some tylenol, sudafed and vitamins and off I went to conquer the world. Wednesday dawned too early as most of my night had been spent searching for tissues in the darkness and ticking off the cat! I felt pretty crummy, but the show must go on. It took me longer to get ready for the day, but I bravely walked out the door clutching a box of tissues. Through our Wednesday church programs I tried to keep my distance and politely avoid people that looked healthy. Wednesday night the cat slept elsewhere and the puppy was left to endure the night with me as I tried to find a position to sleep where at least one nostril was unplugged enough to breathe.
Thursday morning I woke up, raised the white flag and called the doctor. At 11:00 a.m. I presented myself at the front desk of the clinic and squeaked out my name. I sat alone in a corner of the waiting room, waiting for the nurse to call my name. I knew I was in trouble when my doctor walked into the exam room and proclaimed, "you look bad". He must have been sick the day they taught bedside manners in med. school. My eyelids were red and swollen due to a sinus infection. I was wheezing from a nasty case of bronchitis and got a nebulizer treatment. I always feel like the Cheshire Cat when I suck on the nebulizer tube and see the mist go out the other side.
A quick trip to the Pharmacy and $175 later I was at home in bed, where I stayed for three days. I received many concerned calls and kind offers to bring over soup, fetch groceries and pick up supplies. I hunkered down and slept. My new satellite had been installed two weeks earlier, so I had 150 channels to beat the boredom. Even that held no appeal the first day or so.
Sunday, I officially returned to society. I felt 75% better, but it did feel good to be out among the living. I was still tired after showering and getting dressed, but that was one of the most strenuous activities on my agenda for the day.
I am still pretty exhausted and can't wait to hit the hay at a decent hour tonight -- maybe 8 p.m. I'm sure that I will be more appreciative of the days when I feel great after being sick. Right now, not so much. I definitely will have more compassion for my red-nosed, coughing, sneezing friends who cross my path. However, please forgive me if I keep my distance.
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