Spirituality Creates Leaders or Why Hanging Out With Teenagers is Beneficial to Their Spiritual Growth

I have been reading Sacred Thirst by: M. Craig Barnes. I never thought I would be interested in a book like this, but my husband had me read a chapter out of it -- then I wanted to read the whole thing! I was reading this today while I was getting a pedicure. I though it was very thought provoking and may help encourage those who work with youth. The following is part of what I read today:

Churches can't simply put young men and women in front of crowds and expect them to lead. The church itself must set before its young people great heavenly visions. In youth groups today all across the world, teenagers are being confronted with a holy purpose for their lives.
...it takes a number of different voices to really declare the gospel so we can hear it. Teenagers need to hear it from someone who knows how to hang out.
God did not simply throw holy words down to us from heaven but allowed the Word to become incarnate, to become flesh, in Jesus Christ. So also do we mold the lives of young leaders, not just with our many right words, but by being God's incarnational witness to them. We spend time, and even waste time with them. We confront them, in their coming and going, with our own commitment to Jesus and His living water, the Holy Spirit. We cannot make them believe, but we can at least make it clear that we believe.
As they come to believe, and continue struggling with unbelief, ever so slowly a holy purpose begins to shape their character. It takes their lives, and they know deep down that they were created for sacred purposes. Then, someday, they will lead us close to God's hopeful future.

Frankly, I think this applies to more than just reaching teenagers. I know there have been Christians in my adult life that have hung out with me and that have encouraged my belief. And these have been the same age as me and older than me and younger than me. God certainly isn't limited to using ANY ONE of ANY AGE in my life.

ALOHA HAWAII !!!

Friday we are flying to HAWAII!!!








Friday night Saturday night and Sunday night we will be staying in a hotel on this beach!!













Christmas Eve through New Year's Eve we will be on this ship!!!















Tomorrow I'm getting a pedicure and packing shorts and capris!
All I can say is, "AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

FRIENDS

Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times..."

I've been thinking about what my friends mean to me and what they bring to my life. Here are some of my thoughts. I'm sure that it is probably not conclusive.

Pete: My bestest friend EVER.
I can talk to him about ANYTHING.
I love that we so so many years of memories together and, Lord willing, will have many more.
For more detail on this guy see this.
Dave & Barb: A couple who REALLY get my sense of humor! So refreshing to me.
Wonderful to talk about my faith with.
Offer great advice on how to live out that faith.
Have been through hard stuff and can empathize with anyone.
Cheryl: Tells me I'm a good mother especially when I don't feel like it.
Accepts me in her home no matter what she's in the middle of doing.
Great buddy for a LONG car trip.
Never run out of things to talk about.
Loves my kids.
I love her kids and her grandkids.
Dan: Helps answer hard questions.
Asks hard questions.
Points me to the Bible.
Loves my kids.
Zach: Fun to hassle and be hassled by.
Doesn't hesitate to answer any crazy question I come up with.
Is serious about his Christian walk.
Fun to include in our family activities.
Has a great laugh and crazy sense of humor.
Karen: Someone I can share prayer requests with and KNOW they will be prayed for.
Patti: Long time friend.
Always a friend no matter where we live.
Fun to talk with on the phone.
Jackie: Helped me survive the ex-pat life.
Drove me all over Singapore and could park that Toyota van anywhere!
Introduced me to quilting.
Understands what it's like to be an expatriate and the struggle to repatriate.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13

Winter!!!

Isaiah 1:18 - Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow.

It is definitely winter here in Minnesota! Here's a look out our bedroom window. Sadly, there are no birds feeding at this feeder. A few days before the first big snow we had it was very windy and somehow the top blew open. Yep, then it snowed and filled up with snow. I tried to put some bird seed in it today, but it's all frozen at the bottom! Sorry birds! Maybe if it warms up a bit and we have some sunny days it will thaw out.






Here's another pretty winter picture out our window of the neighbor's tree. Maybe that's where the birds are eating!







Megan and the Victorian Carolers from the high school sang at church this past Sunday morning. They sing Christmas Carols accapella. Not a great picture, I know, but my flash doesn't reach very far!

Thanksgiving Weekend

It's been a great long weekend. So nice to not have to get up early for several mornings in a row.

Caleb drove the 8 hour trip on Tuesday and got home about 1 a.m. It was good to see him and hug him. He made the trip okay. I'm glad he can drive that by himself.

Wednesday we went to lunch at the Coffee Co. and then Megan went to give blood. Later in the afternoon Zach came over and the "kids" watched The Office on DVD while I baked and cooked. I was making chicken noodle soup (Caleb had told me he wanted some of my homemade soup), Monterrey Jack bread, butterhorn rolls, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce -- things for dinner that night and for Thanksgiving the next day. Wednesday night we had small group and had the yummy pumpkin pie that I made from my mom's recipe. After the small group left we watched the end of Pride and Prejudice and more of The Office with the kids. When we came upstairs to say good-bye to Zach, we saw that it had been snowing!! Zach helped clear the sidewalk for us by rolling in the snow! What a goof! It was a fun night and fun beginning to the weekend.

Thursday we headed down to New Ulm for Thanksgiving dinner with the Stuk family. Zach came along with us. The food at the Stuk's was very yummy. I may have to roast a turkey just to have the leftovers here. I love turkey. Barb's stuffing was very similar to my mom's. After the meal we watched a football game. Well, I basically sat in the same room and enjoyed the company. I don't really watch football. But it was a fun, relaxing time to hang out. Then most of the people played "Aggravation". Barb and I took advantage of the time to talk. We all had pie to top off the meal.

After giving Zach's car a jump, and he headed to Iowa to spend the weekend with his family, we drove home. Pete, Caleb and Megan and I went to see a terrific movie called August Rush. It's a great movie about music, love and hope. We all enjoyed it very much.

After the movie we spent some time as a family talking about what we are thankful for. Caleb said he is thankful for God getting him through this tough year and for his family. Pete said he was thankful for me and that my heart is okay. I am thankful for the support the church family has given me through these health issues. And I am thankful for new friends we have in the Stuks and Zach. Megan said she is thankful for God providing friends for her this year.

Friday was a slow, relaxing day. Three fourths of us slept until 10:30 or after. :) Boy that felt good. Megan worked at 3 and Caleb hung out with his friend, Jeremy most of the day. Pete and I went to see Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Cute movie.

Saturday - another wonderful morning of sleeping in. Caleb actually set his alarm for 11 a.m. I thought that was pretty funny. Saturday we spent most of the day getting the Christmas decorations out, putting up the outside lights, and setting up the Christmas tree. Not quite done with that yet, but hopefully today or tomorrow. Pete and Caleb and Jeremy watched KU loose to Mizzou. :( I watched White Christmas. After Megan got home from work, she and Caleb finished decorating the tree and we spent some time talking about the Hawaii trip and then some sweet family prayer time. It's been so long since we have done that. I can really see spiritual maturity in the kids.

Today was a wonderful morning in church. I always like that. The morning was complete with one little girl showing us pictures of a bald eagle her parents rescued, another one talking her fun 21 month old language, and another giving me a hug. That last one usually acts like she doesn't want to talk to me, but today she came and gave me a hug and talked to me a bit. What a highlight!

We had lunch at the newish BBQ place in town. Caleb headed back to Lawrence about 2 p.m. (it was soooo good to have him home!) We'll see if he can match the 8 phone calls he made on the way here on Tuesday! :)

Why I Love My Husband

*he treats me like a queen
*he will drive an hour and a half to take me to the doctor, take notes and translate with rational answers when my head is swimming with too many thoughts

*he will shop with me for the afternoon
*he loves me and the kids unconditionally - what more could I want?
*he leaves sweet messages on my blog
*he shares ice cream with me
*he is a man who loves Jesus
*we have years of memories together
*co-parenting
*joy together in watching our children grow into adults (daughter) (son)
*he gives me random kisses and hugs when he is home
*he washes the dishes for me when I have a killer headache
*he is my bestest friend ever!
*he's really cute :)
*he is a man of character, integrity, and commitment
*God gave him to me to love
*he is an EXCELLENT pianist
*he has a fun sense of humor
*he gets my sense of humor
*he is a great provider for our family
*he works hard at his job
*he loves to make me happy (& he does!)
*I love to make him happy
*he is MY man!

Church

Oh how I love church. I love meeting with God's people. I love loving on my brothers and sisters and letting them love on me. And oh how I love to sing God's praises. This morning I had the privilege of singing on the worship team. And one of the cool things about that is as I was singing, my sweet husband was playing the piano. I love to hear him using his gift to praise God.

We are blessed to be able to sit under the teaching of such a "real" preacher. He's not afraid to show his shortcomings, his tenderness, and his love for God and His word.

And then a fun way to top off a great morning is to have lunch after worship with friends. And today we got to meet some new friends. Just a great ending to a wonderful morning.