VBS Pictures

Here are some pictures from VBS. The bottom is a picture of Sharon working hard, laboring really, on the float for the parade. The middle is the guys "working on the float". The top is a picture of the Worship Rally and the little girl on the left is the girl who came with me. Everyone does an amazing job with decorating. Our theme was the Arctic Edge and the verse was Joshua 1:9 "I command you--Be strong and couragous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Good one to remember.

VBS 2006 Is in the Books

Wow! What a week it's been! We had our Vacation Bible School this past week. Months and months of praying and planning and preparation came to fruition and it was amazing. Our church went through a rough time this past winter where we lost quite a few families, so we all wondered what VBS would be like this year. Well, it started out great for me when, on Tuesday, a little girl that I had brought (background: she used to be one of my students then I got to know her mother a bit and have kept in touch...she comes from a pretty discouraging home life, let's just put it that way) trusted Jesus. We were driving home and we started talking about the Lord and she was asking some pretty heavy questions, which led directly to the gospel. The VBS curriculum uses the ABC's to explain the Gospel: A-admit that you are a sinner, B-believe that Jesus is God's Son and came into the world to take away our sins, C-confess your faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord...these are a great and simple way to explain the Gospel...I even use it as a guide in talking to adults! Anyways, it was precious to know that she is now securely in God's Hands and He promises that He'll never let her go and that He's her Protector and Defender and Heavenly Father now...she's definitely going to have to learn to lean on Him more than most other children her age. In all, we had 16 kids trust Christ which is just precious. It reminds me how simple the Gospel is. We adults make it so complicated and think and question (not that it's wrong to really think and question the reality of what we believe. I think that's a good thing!) and have to have doctrines to explain and understand everything about the ways of God...what a joke! He says: "How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods!" (Romans 11:33) Children just believe. However, I also think it's interesting and testifies to the working of the Holy Spirit drawing people to God that some kids don't make the choice to accept Christ. It seems to make it clear that it has to be the work of God for us to understand. Some of the kids in my room (I taught 1st/2nd graders) knew right away that they were sinners and that they needed Christ to take away their sins. Others didn't really get it. And it didn't make a difference what type of home they came from, whether a family that took them to church or not. It was the work of God.
Anyways, I'll stop babbling=) It was an awesome week. But now comes the tough part: some of the kids that you just want to take home with you go back to what I consider depressing home lifes. So discouraging and negative...not a lot of hope there. But, I'm so thankful that they came and got to have a taste of and invitation to the hope that "never disappoints".

I Feel Like a Woman!

I have been so encouraged lately reading a couple of different blogs and websites. One way or another, I've found myself having uncommonly large amounts of free time this past week! I have a creeping fear that I'm TOTALLY forgetting to do something and utter madness will ensue shortly.
Nonetheless, as I said, I've been really enjoying reading these blogs and websites and they all have to do with being a woman and femininity. Now, I am far from being a tom-boy and really never was. However, I do find myself at times thumbing my nose at the idea of caring how I look. I think "I'm not trying to impress anyone, who cares?" While the purpose of taking an interest in how I look is not to impress people, but rather to honor them. Follow me here, I know this may sound weird. But, I'm sure people much more appreciate my presence as a woman when I've taken some time on my appearance as opposed to when I show up in cut-off shorts, a t-shirt and my hair pulled up in a I-haven't-taken-a-shower-since-yesterday bun. (Not saying I went to a church council meeting like that Monday night, but I might have...). When I actually take the time to, say, shower, put on a little make-up, and put on real clothes, it can tell people that I care and value being with them. It's a way to honor them and honor the Lord in doing so.
Then there's the whole "domesticity" thing, which is so far beyond me. I really did think I was pretty domestic, but bringing year number four of living on my own to a close has definitely revealed a different story. I have NO cooking skills and, this may sound crazy, but NO grocery shopping skills. I have no idea how to buy foods to have on hand for guests or visitors. As I usually just shop for myself, it's cheap to just buy the staples, but then I have nothing on hand to feed my ocasional visitors. Normal people over the age of four don't eat peanut butter as their staple food!
OK, so I know that much of this may not make sense...maybe it's the latte I had with my mom earlier this evening. Really though, I have so many thoughts rolling around in my head right now, you're getting a glimpse into my crazy mind. This is everyday life for me! Whoa...focus. So, anyways, all of these things are fresh on my mind because as I read about womanhood and femininity, I cry out for it! I WANT to be a feminine woman. I believe all of us women do, because deep down, we were created by God distinctly as women...to love beautiful things, (my mom was just pointing out the other day how women feel fabrics while they're shopping...men don't do that!), to enjoy being prettyfied (like that new word?), to thrive in their homes, to enjoy having doors opened for them and chairs pulled out and coats taken for them (my dad's great at this!)...all of these things that our society says we should look down upon with disdain because they are signs of "weakness". NO! They're signs of fitting into the mold God our Father made for women when He created us and that we intuitively long for.Women shouldn't feel ashamed for wanting to be women and be feminine.
Well, I'll stop here, before my computer explodes. Thank you for listening. This was a great time of processing and thinking out loud for me. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about this later, and if anybody reading this has some helpful tips for the whole "cooking and grocery shopping" thing, please comment and let me know!
I'm off to go put together some ideas for a children's sermon on manners...I have some thoughts and thanks on this topic too, that I'll share on a later post.
Love you all!
ps--here are the links to the blogs and the website. Check them out!

http://www.reviveourhearts.com/

http://girltalk.blogs.com/
http://solofemininity.blogs.com/

Hey, It Works!

I wanted to try posting a picture and see if it works. Looks like mission accomplished! I'll publish more later. Now, I really must get to some VBS work!

Let's Catch Up

Wow! So, I know it's been a while since I've last posted on this thing...now that it's been so long, the thought of catching up on lost time seems overwhelming! So, here's my best shot at the hi-lights:

1-went to Devner for the conference--the conference was pretty good, mainly a group of people who are giving new names to things that good teachers have instinctively done for years (however, note that I didn't necessarily include myself in the "good teachers" category, so the conference was good for me). We had lots of free time to walk around Denver and enjoy no humidity and no bugs! We also got to go out to Red Rocks and the burial site of Buffalo Bill Cody for an afternoon. Good times. Red rocks was amazing although we didn't get to sing or dance on stage. And Buffalo Bill Cody's museum and burial site...well, really, what can be said about that?! Seriously though, what made the trip really great was spending time with my mom. I really enjoyed that (and I'm not just saying that because I'm pretty sure you read this mom!)

2-got back on Friday and the 4th of July weekend began! Spent some time with my friend Brandi on Saturday, then went down to my parent's house for their annual 4th-on-the-2nd of July party. Sat out on my parent's deck and watched a great fireworks display down on the beach on Monday. And by Tuesday, the actual 4th, I was so whooped, I truly didn't care what happened. (I also got to baby-sit my favorite 1 year old, Calen, Monday and Tuesday!!)

3-Worked on putting together a float advertising Vacation Bible School, then walked with the float in our town's RiverFest parade today. We passed out over 1,000 flyers! The float turned out SOO cute. We had a polar bear riding the float and dancing, and played the karaoke track to "Ice Ice Baby"...it was great watching the kids (and slightly more mature "kids") dance as the float went by. Again, good times.

4-Went to Calen's first birthday party. She had her own little cake and ended up with icing in her hair, all over her face, down her legs, and all over her clothes. It was great. She got lots of great toys and clothes, but I think she loved the baby doll I got her the best, of course! I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure I heard her say her first phrase: "Aunt Jessica, you're my favorite!" hee-hee

So, there's the past two weeks in a nutshell. And, with my powers of prediction, I can pretty accurately tell you about the next two weeks...VBS, VBS, VBS, VBS! It starts on the 17th. Until then, there are signs to be painted, sets to be decorated, and lessons to be prepared. There's also kids to pray for and still more foot work to get into some of the local neighborhoods. As my friend Brandi puts it, by the first week in August, we'll all be sitting on a couch, leaning to one side, and drooling. I think she might be right on the money on that one! As for tonight, I think I'm going to work on painting some signs and watch a documentary on Lewis and Clark. Good times.