Random things you probably didn't know about me

1. My favorite show on T.V. is Lost-I haven't missed one episode yet!

2. I like to play video games-especially racing games!

3. My favorite Christmas movie is Family Man with Nicolas Cage.

4. I like to eat Hot Tamalie candies over my popcorn. It's soooooo very good.

5. When I need time to myself to de-stress I cook or bake sweets.

6. My favorite sport to play is basketball.

7. I prefer Cherry Pepsi to Cherry Coke and yes James knows!

8. I worked at Silver Dollar City, an amusement park, as a scarecrow doll maker.

9. I'm related to Isaac Newton. I know what your thinking, "That's why she is so intelligent!"

10. I lived in the same house as Pastor Kris in Riverton, Kansas where our dad's were pastors. (No, we didn't live there at the same time!)

Stay tuned for more random things about me! I know your excited!

Diary of a Children's Pastor Entry #2

As Christmas approaches soon, I am reminded of just how blessed we are this year. If anyone listens to 98.9 Joy FM you know what I'm talking about. Every day they have a story about a family in need and people call in to say they will buy whatever they need. My heart is touched over and over again as I hear the radio announcer say that all the families needs have been met becuase someone decided to call in. It's so easy to get caught up in the Christmas season of getting, getting, getting, and getting more. I have found myself wanting all kinds of things as I walk through the stores. I'm so thankful that my God reminds me at these times that my family has EVERYTHING we need. We are in want of nothing. My son and daughter are healthy, they have clothes, shoes, coats, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in. My husband is healthy and he has a wonderful job. I am healthy and I have a wonderful job. God prompted me to call in on Monday to provide two pairs of pants and snowboots for a little seven-year-old boy. The radio announcer was talking about this family of five and how their twelve-year-old daughter has cancer in her legs. The doctors took out 9 inches of her femur and put in a metal plate. She was doing good and just a couple weeks ago they found out that the cancer has spread to her lungs. The family is struggling becuase the mom can't work and the kids need winter clothes. Such a heart breaking story but the story is not over, the family is reaching out to God for strength and hope. God has provided for them through different people in the community. What a comfort to know that our Heavenly Father is taking care of this family. This is what Christmas is all about: giving, sacrificing, and loving others. Please reach out to someone this year and give, no matter how big or small. Your heart will overflow with thankfullness. I know mine did!

Diary of a Children's Pastor: Entry #1

I'm starting a new series of blogs that tells about my wonderful, surprising, and sometimes overwhelming job of being a Children's Pastor. Here goes nothing!

I just love getting to know the kids in my ministry. I love seeing them in the halls at school, at the mall, or at Wal-mart and they come up to me and say hi! That's my favorite part! I enjoy being a part of their lives not just at church. I'm finally getting to the point in my ministry where I can look over at what I am doing and I can correct what needs to be corrected or improve what needs to be improved. I'm also, surprisingly, learning most of their names. The key word being most. This last Sunday I was blown away by the eagerness of my 5th and 6th graders to help me out wherever I need it. I had person after person come up and say, "What can I do to help?" I just feel so blessed to have kids who are so willing to serve, and I want that attitude to stick with them as they grow up. I'm learning so much about what my role is in these kids' lives. I'm not just supposed to tell them how to live, I need to develop a relationship with them and support them in the lessons they go through in life. Kids need to experience a life lesson to truely understand what lesson is to be learned. In my own life I need to set the example to them of how to be a light in a dark world. How can I tell them to read their bible every day if I don't? How can I tell them to make the right choices in life if I don't?This is what God has been saying to me lately, so I think I'm probably learning a lot more than my kids are on Sunday mornings! Well, that's it for today. Stay tuned for entry #2. I know you are all on the edge of your seat!Hey, check out my link to KidMo, the program I'm using in KidZone!
http://www.kidmo.com/shop/clip.aspx?series=kidmo&productid=10122

Turkey, Football, Family, and Beefstick

That pretty much sums up my Thanksgiving in four words! I ate way too much food (especially mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes), watched more football in three days than I have my whole life, had a great time with my dad, and listened to my son say every two minutes, "Hey dad, I want some beefstick!" My dad came up from Branson, Missouri to spend Thanksgiving with us. My kids especially were excited because Grandpa is like their human jungle gym. It was really nice to spend more than a day with my dad which is what we usually do. We showed him around Muncie, went to Johnny Carrinos, and had his favorite dish, Italian Nachos! If you haven't had this flavorful treat for your tastebuds you are missing out! Soooooo good! A few things my dad really liked: Main Street Coffee, football, homemade chips at the Chocolate Moose, football, the movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, football, throwing my kids on the love sack, eating beefstick, and yet more football. If you don't know what the love sack is, just picture the biggest bean bag you have ever seen, double that, and put memory foam inside. Oh yes, it's comfy. One thing I do need to say, "What happened to KU!!" I was so pumped to watch the game and they just couldn't pull out their best stuff. Frustrating! I've been a KU fan ever since I can remember, mostly their basketball team. This year, though, their football program came out of nowhere! It was awesome! So, as you can see my weekend was full of football, food, family, and don't forget about the beefstick! What could be better! Maybe a little less football next time and if I see another beefstick I think I'm going to puke!

Dear God,

How many of you start a prayer like this, "Dear God . . . ." or "Dear Heavenly Father . . ." ? I do it all the time, that's just the way I was always taught and have always heard growing up. In the movie, Evan Almighty, Evan Baxter starts to pray and he says, "Dear God" and ends it saying "Love, Evan". Sounds like he's writing a letter to God, not much feeling, just trying to get what he wants from God. It's a hilarous clip but it got me thinking. Why do we pray like we're writing a letter to God? It kinda seems too formal if you really think about it. James was talking about this the other day and he said all he says is "God, you are awesome" or "God we love you", come before him humbly and with thanks. I think God wants us to talk to him like he's our best friend becuase that's ultumately what God should be to us. Someone we go to constantly, someone we love, someone we can count on, someone who will pick us up when we are down, someone to lean on, someone to praise, and someone who loves us unconditionaly. Considering all this, I decided to start praying without saying "Dear God" and I have to say that it's helped me to be real before him. No formal words, no pretending to have it all together, just me and God. He knows my heart but he wants me to yearn for his presence. Try this little experiment and let me know if any thing is different about your prayer life. Please don't think that if you say "Dear God" he won't hear you, I am just saying be real before God and you will be amazed at what he shows you.

God's Great Love

A man was overheard in a psychiatrist's office saying, "Make me sure there is a God of love and I shall go away a well man." Isn't that what we all desire deep inside of us? To make sure there is a God who loves us, despite ourselves. I was reading Embracing the Love of God by Richard Foster this morning and I realized that I don't really understand how much God loves me. I have felt God's love many, many times and there are even times when I have actually felt him right beside me. But, it's the daily reminding that he loves me with an incredible love that I struggle with. Foster tells how when God told Moses, "You shall say to them, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you . . ." he was basically saying "When I look at you I smile and I want you to know that." God smiles when he looks at me? There are so many days when I really doubt that. How can God smile when I get upset with my husband or get mad at my kids? But, HE DOES! This love is deeper, larger, more vast than we can comprehend. In spite of our child-like understanding, he makes this beautiful love available for us to feel and share with others. That's tough, sharing this kind of love with others and looking at them the way God looks at us. Richard Foster describes this love beautifully, "When we love and feel and experience God's love we cannot but love ourselves. This kind of self-love is nothing like the cheap form of narcissism peddled in our culture. It is a genuine, comprehensive kind of love that is based nothing of what we do but on who we are." Who we are in Christ is what our focus should be and that's the hardest for me to get. It's a slow process for me, but I feel like God is showing me bit by bit who I am and how much he loves me. Enough of my rambling, I better sign off. I pray that God shows you too just how big his love is

Fun with the Teshuva

BOOMIN'

I got to go the Toby Mac concert with the Teshuva last week! I know your jealous! I LOVED IT! It was awesome! I think the best part about the trip was getting to talk with the youth. I haven't really been able to be at youth group to get to know everyone yet, so this was the perfect time. I especially got to know Tasha a little better. I love this part of ministry, really getting to know people. My favorite is the one on one time. It's funny because when you start a new job there is always a little hesitation on both sides. I didn't know anyone and they didn't know me, but now James and I really feel like we are connecting with the youth in our ministries. It's a great feeling! I'm amazed at how God can help you connect with certain people and put different people in your path at just the right time. I really feel like God came before us and prepared the hearts of everyone to be open and loving toward James and I. The church and the people have been such a blessing to us, I can't even begin to express how grateful we are. Thank you to everyone who has opened their homes and hearts to us in large and small ways. Wow, I sound so cheesy and mushy right now. Anyway, here's some pictures of the concert for all of you who missed it!