My ministry at the church has two really busy times - Lent and Vacation Bible School. As you may remember, Easter found me with a cast on my thumb, having torn the ligaments in my hand while clearing the temple on Good Friday. For those keeping track, no surgery is needed yet and the doc and I agreed I would stick to healing the lame and curing the blind. His idea, not mine!
Vacation Bible School is an intense week of music, crafts, games, stories and snacks that is amazing, awesome, chaotic and wonderful. We begin each night at 5:30 p.m. with a nutritious, delicious supper served by our forever-faithful kitchen ladies. Music cranks up at 6:15 p.m. and the kids go to each station to learn the bible story for the evening in different ways. Through games, movies, crafts, songs and even the snacks they eat, they learn about Jesus' love and how to live it in the world. Not a small task when you are talking about three year olds through fifth graders! We finish up at 8:45 p.m. each evening and the church building empties like rats from a sinking ship as moms and dads try to instill some form of bedtime to their overstimulated, sugared children. By 9:00 p.m. I'm standing in the middle of an desolate sanctuary wondering where the evening went. This is one of my favorite weeks of the year!!!
Our church does Vacation Bible School with flare! We meet the Sunday before and transform our church into whatever theme we are doing that year. This year is Crocodile Dock, set in a bayou. This has been a leap in brain power for me. I've never been to a bayou to my knowledge. The closest I have come is watching "Forest Gump" when Forest goes to meet Bubba's mama and buys a "shrimpin' boat". We'll see what we come up with. I believe that we'll have lots of fishing equipment!
During VBS, some of the rules of decorum are suspended as standing on the pews in the sanctuary to sing loudly is an acceptable practice and it's perfectly OK to dance in the middle of worship. I've been directing VBS for more than 10 years and love taking part in the uninhibited worship of preschoolers, watching teenagers try their hands at children's ministry and seeing God's light shine in the eyes of a new believer. I bet that God loves VBS!!
Preparation for VBS starts months before the big week. Recruiting volunteers, collecting supplies, choosing crafts and lots of prayer go into these five days. A majority of my work is done by the time VBS starts. When Monday rolls around, I need to be available to trouble shoot, fill in the holes and put out fires where needed. By Wednesday, I will have someone crying on my shoulder. By Friday, the adults will be planning a post-VBS unwind at the Dairy Queen.
As for me, I have come to accept that nothing happens at my house during the week of VBS. No cooking happens (I stock up on microwave entree's and frozen pizza), no laundry gets done (except VBS wardrobe and accessories) and I wonder if I should put the puppy in foster care. My expectations for cleanliness drops dramatically. I leave the house by 7:30 a.m. and arrive home after 9:00 p.m. every night. I am so tired by the end of the week I think that the Carebears visit during the night while I sleep.
I love my job. Where else are you allowed to play, sing, dance, shout and even cry all in the course of three hours?!? When I get to present the salvation message on Thursday night, my eyes get misty and I choke up with the knowledge of the incredible love these children are given by their Creator. Why do I deserve to be the one who gets to tell them how God has a plan to spend forever with them as their very best friend? Who else gets to do this?
On August 3rd, the music will be cranked up a couple more notches at Mandan UMC and the air will be filled with the sweet sound of praises lifted to the King who allows fearless kids shine God's light. Stop by if your in the neighborhood. Just follow the music...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Bad Idea
In retrospect, I should have known better. I'm not sure what came over me. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Live and learn, I guess.
Last night was a beautiful summer evening in Mandan. Warm enough to be out in shorts and shirt sleeves and not so hot that you sweat just by thinking too hard. We are only granted about 2 weeks worthy of truly beautiful weather, and I wasn't going to waste the time indoors.
A little background will be helpful. I have a golden retriever puppy named Lucy. She is 20 months old and looks a lot like Duke from the Bushes Baked Beans commercial. Lucy weighs about 90 pounds and she is a big dog. The vet says that she is not fully grown yet; I'm consulting someone to make a saddle for me. However, inside the body of a giant beast lives the heart of a hamster. Lucy is a huge chicken. Everything scares her - lawn mowers, motorcycles, umbrellas, laundry hanging out on the line, people wearing hats, people not wearing hats.... you get the idea. My brother's family has taken to calling her Scooby Doo as she is afraid of everything and really likes Scooby snacks.
I do not encourage her timidity. It decreases her quality of life and is dangerous for her. She once bolted while I had her out on a walk and ran haphazardly through traffic until I caught up with her four blocks later. It's a miracle she wasn't hit by a car. The scary culprit -- a man seeding his lawn. I try to give Lucy "safe" scary experiences in hopes of helping her understand that everything in the world is not scary.
Last night, I decided that we would venture down to the free concerts in the park at Dykshoorn Park in Mandan. I wasn't sure who the entertainment would be, but, hey -- it's free and it was a beautiful night to be out and about. I found a parking space right across from the park. True, I don't live far from the park, but Lucy is afraid of the traffic on Main Stree and I wanted to have a backup in case my plan misfired. Good plan.
She was scared when I parked the car and the traffic was whizzing past us. I got out my car and then got Lucy out of the car. When Lucy is scared, her ears get plastered to her head, her tail ges between her legs and she walks crouched down as if the sky is going to fall down at any minute. Not a pretty sight for a beautiful dog who should be walking tall with her head held up. We got safety across the street and found a place way behind the rest of the crowd. As I sat down and settled in, Lucy was visibly shaking. She put her paws on my knees and looked me in the eyes as if to say, "I'll do anything if we can leave right now!" I reassured her that she was doing fine and she was a good girls and put her four paws back on the ground. After a while, she seemed to settle and even enjoyed an older couple who came to pet her and tell her she was pretty. What girl doesn't love that!
I thought I was home free until.... the train came. The train runs right on the edge of the park. You can see the color the eyes of those people riding on the train - you are that close. They didn't sound their horn or call attention to themself. They just rolled past. Lucy started to head for the street and pull against her leash like a puppy possessed I got down on my knees and tried to calm her with soothing words. This was my big mistake. Lucy took off and the next thing I know I'm being dragged behind a hell-bent hound as she makes for the street. I'm sure that the sight of me being dragged on my stomache behind a huge dog was entertaining for the rest of the crowd. I, however, was not having a good time. I eventually was able to stop her and get back up, but she was so panicked that she was frantic. She was jumping and pulling against her leash and discovered my dreaded secret. She is stronger than I am. Not good.
Just when I thought we would both be pulled into traffic, an angel was sent straight from heaven in the form of my friend, Deb. She had stopped to visit at my house and finding no one home she decided to see if Lucy and I had gone to the concert. I find this amazing as I have never gone to the concerts before last night. Praise God!!
She could tell from across the street that things were headed South and rushed to my aid. As I surveyed my scraped knees and dirty arms, she calmed Lucy as she shook against her pantleg. We decided to stay a bit longer to give Lucy a chance to settle and left before the last song to give us some breathing room. Deb took Lucy by the leash and off they ran toward the car. With Lucy tucked safely in the backseat of the car, she seemed a little less scared and we headed home. Once out of the car and her own backyard, she was the galloping, goofy puppy that I know and love. I was exhausted, but she seemed unscathed.
Today, I consulted a sage who told me to proceed in baby steps. Walk her a block from traffic. Walk her along the sidewalk on Main Street. Then proceed slowly to the Park. She needs to face her fears and get past this bump in the road. I want her to walk with her head held high enjoying the breeze and stopping to sniff the roses. Until that day comes, however, I'm thinking about investing in some knee pads.
Last night was a beautiful summer evening in Mandan. Warm enough to be out in shorts and shirt sleeves and not so hot that you sweat just by thinking too hard. We are only granted about 2 weeks worthy of truly beautiful weather, and I wasn't going to waste the time indoors.
A little background will be helpful. I have a golden retriever puppy named Lucy. She is 20 months old and looks a lot like Duke from the Bushes Baked Beans commercial. Lucy weighs about 90 pounds and she is a big dog. The vet says that she is not fully grown yet; I'm consulting someone to make a saddle for me. However, inside the body of a giant beast lives the heart of a hamster. Lucy is a huge chicken. Everything scares her - lawn mowers, motorcycles, umbrellas, laundry hanging out on the line, people wearing hats, people not wearing hats.... you get the idea. My brother's family has taken to calling her Scooby Doo as she is afraid of everything and really likes Scooby snacks.
I do not encourage her timidity. It decreases her quality of life and is dangerous for her. She once bolted while I had her out on a walk and ran haphazardly through traffic until I caught up with her four blocks later. It's a miracle she wasn't hit by a car. The scary culprit -- a man seeding his lawn. I try to give Lucy "safe" scary experiences in hopes of helping her understand that everything in the world is not scary.
Last night, I decided that we would venture down to the free concerts in the park at Dykshoorn Park in Mandan. I wasn't sure who the entertainment would be, but, hey -- it's free and it was a beautiful night to be out and about. I found a parking space right across from the park. True, I don't live far from the park, but Lucy is afraid of the traffic on Main Stree and I wanted to have a backup in case my plan misfired. Good plan.
She was scared when I parked the car and the traffic was whizzing past us. I got out my car and then got Lucy out of the car. When Lucy is scared, her ears get plastered to her head, her tail ges between her legs and she walks crouched down as if the sky is going to fall down at any minute. Not a pretty sight for a beautiful dog who should be walking tall with her head held up. We got safety across the street and found a place way behind the rest of the crowd. As I sat down and settled in, Lucy was visibly shaking. She put her paws on my knees and looked me in the eyes as if to say, "I'll do anything if we can leave right now!" I reassured her that she was doing fine and she was a good girls and put her four paws back on the ground. After a while, she seemed to settle and even enjoyed an older couple who came to pet her and tell her she was pretty. What girl doesn't love that!
I thought I was home free until.... the train came. The train runs right on the edge of the park. You can see the color the eyes of those people riding on the train - you are that close. They didn't sound their horn or call attention to themself. They just rolled past. Lucy started to head for the street and pull against her leash like a puppy possessed I got down on my knees and tried to calm her with soothing words. This was my big mistake. Lucy took off and the next thing I know I'm being dragged behind a hell-bent hound as she makes for the street. I'm sure that the sight of me being dragged on my stomache behind a huge dog was entertaining for the rest of the crowd. I, however, was not having a good time. I eventually was able to stop her and get back up, but she was so panicked that she was frantic. She was jumping and pulling against her leash and discovered my dreaded secret. She is stronger than I am. Not good.
Just when I thought we would both be pulled into traffic, an angel was sent straight from heaven in the form of my friend, Deb. She had stopped to visit at my house and finding no one home she decided to see if Lucy and I had gone to the concert. I find this amazing as I have never gone to the concerts before last night. Praise God!!
She could tell from across the street that things were headed South and rushed to my aid. As I surveyed my scraped knees and dirty arms, she calmed Lucy as she shook against her pantleg. We decided to stay a bit longer to give Lucy a chance to settle and left before the last song to give us some breathing room. Deb took Lucy by the leash and off they ran toward the car. With Lucy tucked safely in the backseat of the car, she seemed a little less scared and we headed home. Once out of the car and her own backyard, she was the galloping, goofy puppy that I know and love. I was exhausted, but she seemed unscathed.
Today, I consulted a sage who told me to proceed in baby steps. Walk her a block from traffic. Walk her along the sidewalk on Main Street. Then proceed slowly to the Park. She needs to face her fears and get past this bump in the road. I want her to walk with her head held high enjoying the breeze and stopping to sniff the roses. Until that day comes, however, I'm thinking about investing in some knee pads.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Going Once, Going Twice.... Gone
I have a secret. Nothing that would make my Staff Parish Committee groan or my poor mother blush. No, it's completely legal and absolutely moral. I love auctions.
For those of you who are not familiar with this custom, it's pretty simple. A family decides that they have too much stuff. Maybe their folks have passed away and the kids really don't want to take all of the folks' excess and add it to their excess. They call up a person who speaks a language that is only partially understandable, lug their stuff outside and put it on trailers. Some items are put into boxes with nonrelated items and then they invite people to rifle through their belongings. People are given bidding numbers. Men stand around talking about the weather; women congregate around the youngest baby and share childraising secrets. The Auctioneer picks up the nearest box of stuff and away they go!
Now the fun begins. You wait until the auctioneer goes to the lowest possible bid price and then you raise your hand, nod your head and bid until the price goes out of your range or everyone else decides you want the valuable merchandise more than they do. Sold! You go pick up your newly acquired stuff and the process repeats itself over and over until everything is sold.
I went to my first auction of the season yesterday and I remembered why I enjoy them so much. I like keeping my eyes peeled for treasures. It's fun to watch two women go after the same teapot and see one of the women concede. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Who needs reality television?!?
My eight year old nephew, Samuel, seemed very confused by the whole process when the auction got rolling yesterday. He told me, "I don't understand what he's saying." I replied that no one really does, it's the numbers that are important. I'm not that auctions hold the same thrill for children under the age of 16.
There are a few things you should now if you are a first time auction attendee.
1. Never nod your head as an answer to any question or raise your hand to demonstrate to a small child next to you how high your junior prom date was. My father almost bought a horse that way once.
2. Beware of the boxes. If they can't get a bid for a box of "valuable merchandise" they will just keep adding boxes until someone will give them a quarter for all of it. These boxes may hold antique silverware OR carpet squares from the mid 1970's.
3. Always visit the lunch service. In our neck of the woods, you are sure to sample some of the best kuchen you have every eaten and the sloppy joes are all the sloppy that you can handle. Take a fork!
4. People in my part of the country are very respectful to leave the bidding to famly when an heirloom. Outside collectors are sure to get some icy glares when outbidding Cousin Nellie for grandma's quilt.
5. Get there early to inspect the auction items, get a good spot to enjoy the auction and wear sunscreen.
I am auction-going again tomorrow. Who knows what I could find? I'm in the market for a couch, chair, kitchen table and/or chairs and a snow blower. I am confident enough to stand my ground during even the most furious bidding and know when to shake my head and pull out when prices go to high. I've got my Coppertone SPF 80 and some money for the food vendor. I love that I live in a community that guarantees that I can go away empty handed and still feel happy that I've spent the day outdoors with my neighbors doing something important. I've helped another family through the process of downsizing their parents' estate with respect, some laughter and a nod of the head.
For those of you who are not familiar with this custom, it's pretty simple. A family decides that they have too much stuff. Maybe their folks have passed away and the kids really don't want to take all of the folks' excess and add it to their excess. They call up a person who speaks a language that is only partially understandable, lug their stuff outside and put it on trailers. Some items are put into boxes with nonrelated items and then they invite people to rifle through their belongings. People are given bidding numbers. Men stand around talking about the weather; women congregate around the youngest baby and share childraising secrets. The Auctioneer picks up the nearest box of stuff and away they go!
Now the fun begins. You wait until the auctioneer goes to the lowest possible bid price and then you raise your hand, nod your head and bid until the price goes out of your range or everyone else decides you want the valuable merchandise more than they do. Sold! You go pick up your newly acquired stuff and the process repeats itself over and over until everything is sold.
I went to my first auction of the season yesterday and I remembered why I enjoy them so much. I like keeping my eyes peeled for treasures. It's fun to watch two women go after the same teapot and see one of the women concede. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Who needs reality television?!?
My eight year old nephew, Samuel, seemed very confused by the whole process when the auction got rolling yesterday. He told me, "I don't understand what he's saying." I replied that no one really does, it's the numbers that are important. I'm not that auctions hold the same thrill for children under the age of 16.
There are a few things you should now if you are a first time auction attendee.
1. Never nod your head as an answer to any question or raise your hand to demonstrate to a small child next to you how high your junior prom date was. My father almost bought a horse that way once.
2. Beware of the boxes. If they can't get a bid for a box of "valuable merchandise" they will just keep adding boxes until someone will give them a quarter for all of it. These boxes may hold antique silverware OR carpet squares from the mid 1970's.
3. Always visit the lunch service. In our neck of the woods, you are sure to sample some of the best kuchen you have every eaten and the sloppy joes are all the sloppy that you can handle. Take a fork!
4. People in my part of the country are very respectful to leave the bidding to famly when an heirloom. Outside collectors are sure to get some icy glares when outbidding Cousin Nellie for grandma's quilt.
5. Get there early to inspect the auction items, get a good spot to enjoy the auction and wear sunscreen.
I am auction-going again tomorrow. Who knows what I could find? I'm in the market for a couch, chair, kitchen table and/or chairs and a snow blower. I am confident enough to stand my ground during even the most furious bidding and know when to shake my head and pull out when prices go to high. I've got my Coppertone SPF 80 and some money for the food vendor. I love that I live in a community that guarantees that I can go away empty handed and still feel happy that I've spent the day outdoors with my neighbors doing something important. I've helped another family through the process of downsizing their parents' estate with respect, some laughter and a nod of the head.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Trip to the Water Park
Sunday dawned clear and slightly less windy than the previous day. My friend from high school and her children were guests at Casa Del Rhodes. The kids are six and eleven and after an hour of being quiet and sitting still, they were ready for an adventure. Destination: Waterpark.
I could fill up an entire blog about my feeling toward swimming suits. Suffice it to say, I am all for bringing back the bathing suits of the 30's which covered you from neck to toes.
We were finally ready to head out - swimsuits on, sunscreen applied, bags packed for two or three days in the wilderness. I have only been to the waterpark once since it opened eight years ago, so I had to be prepared for anything!
We got checked in, found some space to call our own and hit the water. It was only about seventy-five degrees on Sunday so we approached the water with some trepidation. The first couple of seconds were brutal; after a while it wasn't too bad.
We spent the next six hours floating along the lazy river, getting out to watch the children come down the slides and getting back into the lazy river. The kids were pretty fearless. I was impressed. I tried the slides once with a member of my youth group. You sit on a tube and head into the darkness. The tube shoots down the slide in the darkness and you aren't even sure which end is up. Sounds like fun? Neither do I! I was plenty satisfied to cheer on the children and thank God they didn't need adult accompaniment.
After six hours, we packed up our exhausted, damp group and headed home. After Chinese take-out and showers, we were ready for bed. I had sufficiently burned parts of my body not covered by my swimsuit and slathered on the "blue goo" with aloe and lidocaine.
The kids had a blast, which really was the goal. My friend and I enjoyed floating around the lazy river talking and savoring a beautiful summer day. Another memory to tack in my mental scrapbook. Good times!
I could fill up an entire blog about my feeling toward swimming suits. Suffice it to say, I am all for bringing back the bathing suits of the 30's which covered you from neck to toes.
We were finally ready to head out - swimsuits on, sunscreen applied, bags packed for two or three days in the wilderness. I have only been to the waterpark once since it opened eight years ago, so I had to be prepared for anything!
We got checked in, found some space to call our own and hit the water. It was only about seventy-five degrees on Sunday so we approached the water with some trepidation. The first couple of seconds were brutal; after a while it wasn't too bad.
We spent the next six hours floating along the lazy river, getting out to watch the children come down the slides and getting back into the lazy river. The kids were pretty fearless. I was impressed. I tried the slides once with a member of my youth group. You sit on a tube and head into the darkness. The tube shoots down the slide in the darkness and you aren't even sure which end is up. Sounds like fun? Neither do I! I was plenty satisfied to cheer on the children and thank God they didn't need adult accompaniment.
After six hours, we packed up our exhausted, damp group and headed home. After Chinese take-out and showers, we were ready for bed. I had sufficiently burned parts of my body not covered by my swimsuit and slathered on the "blue goo" with aloe and lidocaine.
The kids had a blast, which really was the goal. My friend and I enjoyed floating around the lazy river talking and savoring a beautiful summer day. Another memory to tack in my mental scrapbook. Good times!
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