Homework

I am done with homework. I am tired of looking at it, I am tried of doing it. I want to go ride my bike and be free, but there is still more homework to do. That Sucks!!!

Grrrrrr.....

So, for the past few days it seems like everyone (including me) is in a horrible mood, stressed beyond belief and about ready to kill everyone that they come in contact with. It is ridiculous how attacks come from every direction and when that happens we don't know how to respond. I think that everyone in my house needs three days alone...including the kids. We all need something to rejuvenate us and calm us down. We tried ice cream (usually works for calming nerves) it just made us think about how fat it is going to make us. Tried walking, just made us more tired; tried talking, we just get frustrated when others don't understand. It is a sad time and there is definitely something trying to bring us all down...let me tell you.

So all that I have to say now is Grrrrr....that is how I feel. Grrrr......

Hebrew

Tomorrow is my first Hebrew test. I just want to confess to everyone that I am terrified. This is not coming easily to me and I am not great at memorizing things. Needless to say, I have been studying and am going to continue studying, but I don't know how much good it is really going to do.

Thoughts on Volunteers

Over the past couple of weeks we have been talking about how to get our volunteers more involved in our ministry. We have been throwing ideas around and talking about how to make them feel more comfortable with each other and with the kids. How do we make our volunteers feel more wanted and needed? How do we get them to be more involved with the students than just being chaperons? Here are a few of our thought, or what we are thinking of doing.

Volunteer Meetings
We have decided to have monthly volunteer meetings. What do these meetings look like? Well, we are thinking of more of a community time, not a teaching time. I think so many times when we are thinking of volunteers we think that we need to train them in how to handle kids, what to say in situations and and how to be a part of their world. People know how to relate to other people. We don't need to train them all the time. I think that making the volunteers feel like a wanted group of people will hopefully make them feel more like coming around and spending time with the students. Creating a tight knit group of people that know each other and care about each other is the key.

I think that also in these meetings we need to make sure that our volunteers realize that they are capable. They are capable of relating to the students just as much as we, the staff, are. We need to make sure that they realize that as long as they are real with the students the students will be real with them.

These are just some random thoughts. What do you think? Any thoughts on volunteers?

Microtrends

I ran across a link this morning to an article dealing with the changing microtrends in America. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20630522/site/newsweek/
I found it very interesting, yet I am left wondering if it is completely accurate and if it is what is the impact on my life and the lives of the students in my ministry.

The article is actually an overview of a book entitled "microtrends" by Mark Penn. The trends that I found to me most interesting are trends such as mothers in their mid thirties being the largest group of video game addicts, the resurgence of knitting among teens and the fact that most people who are tattooing themselves these days are upper and middle class. Tattoos are no longer for the inmates and deadbeats. Because of these changing trends in America the face and shape of America is changing. Kids are over the video games and are trying to find new things to do, people in general are reinventing themselves. Americans today are no longer willing to be put into boxes, they are stepping out and trying new things. Why is this happening? What has caused this change in our culture, society and way of life?

I think that it really all boils down to a statement that Penn made regarding the rise in left handedness in America. He says that the rise in left handedness has occurred because of the fact that we are allowing student to be who they are. We are no longer forcing them to be right handed. We are no longer forcing them to always conform to the rules, we are allowing more freedom.

"The result, writes Penn, is a more permissive culture. “A society that tolerates people working with different hands is also likely to tolerate a lot of other freedoms.”

Looking at our culture over the past few years we have become more permissive and now "tolerate a lot of other freedoms", but at what cost? What has this tolerant culture done to us and our kids. What is the result of tolerance on Society at large?

I am not saying that we shouldn't be loving and accepting of others, but at what point do we stand up and say,"that is enough". I think that the line has become blurred. The line of acceptance and non acceptance is no longer visible and it is affecting not only us, but the youth and children of today. They are confused and are looking for definition in their lives. The growing acceptance of the past few decades has caused our youth to actually go the other way. We have seen a resurgence of the past with people in the mid to early twenties. They have been going back to traditional mindsets of family and society. Not to say that this is the right way to go, but a balance needs to be found. We need to decide where the line is, our kids need definition and we need to help.

Down for the Count

Waking up this morning I thought that I was down for the count. I woke up stressed, stressed about ministry, family, life, work and finances. I felt lost, confused and completely done. I was ready to throw in the towel, call it a day and get in the car and go home. All the way back to California where things seemed alot easier. Then I had a a talk with a friend. He made me think. When are things ever easy if they are what we are really suposed to do? He made me realize that God wouldn't bring me here and then leave me, that he wouldn't just throw me out here and then say, have a nice day. There is a reason and He will provide. Sometimes we have to withstand the forces of things we don't understand that are trying to steer us in a direction other than where we should be going. There are many things that don't want me here, don't want Youth Dynamics to work here in Arlington, that don't want students reached for God and they will do whatever it takes to stop us. Today I am standing up against it knowing that I have been called here and that God is leading. I am no longer in control I am letting Go and holding on for the ride.

Sign on my car?

So, this is super frustrating, In the past 3 weeks, I have received 2 speeding tickets. The first one was in Cali on my way here to Washington. I was coming out of the Grapevine, going downhill, trying to keep up with Katelynn and everyone was flying by me. Somehow I was the one who got the ticket. Super sucky way to begin my trip to Washington.

Then this morning on my way into work I was stopped again. Now I was going 75mph. I totally thought that it was a 70mph zone and thought that I was totally safe considering everyone around me was going the same speed. I was mistaken. I guess going to flow of traffic isn't what you do around these parts. I am still so used to going 75mph so that you don't die. The cop wasn't the most pleasant man in the world either and told me to pay better attention. This seriously sucks. I am actually going to contest this one and see what happens. I mean it isn't like I have a ton of extra money to throw around. I need to put gas in the stinking car.

It's Gonna Happen

Alright for those of you that have actually been reading these blogs I am going to update on my support status. As of now I am still at 50%. I know sounds a little slack considering the fact that I need to be at 80% by Tuesday to start working with the kids here when school starts on the 5th. That means that I need to raise another $900 per month.

I don't know I have been stressing about this and then just came to the realization that it is ok. It is going to happen. I mean I went from 14% to 50% in a week. God can do anything. I believe that he brought me here for this purpose and that He is going to make it happen. I have sent out more letters and I am talking to some more people. This can happen...I know it.

Please be praying that this will happen that the funding will come through and that I will be able to begin working with these kids. I can't wait to really begin doing ministry.

Two Weeks In

Alright, well I have now officially been here in Washington for two weeks. It kinda hit me yesterday how much my life has changed over the course of such a short period of time. Let me elaborate a little.
In Orange County I woke up at 5:30am almost every morning left the house by 6:30am and was at work by 7am. I worked all day at Lakeshore carrying things, moving things, dealing with people and working my butt off. After leaving at 4pm I would get in my car and drive the 25 miles to Fountain Valley where I would then lead Bible Study, have meetings, have girls nights. Whatever the event of the night was. After this I would be exhausted on the way home. I would be home generally sometime around 10pm and then work on my lesson for the next night, homework or just crash. (Just a side note... I am not complaining...I loved my life, friends, church and job, most of the time).

It is interesting how things have changed...
I now don't have to be up until around 8am and can go into the office sometime around 9am, but it is not a requirement. I go to work with two people instead of a bazillion and we have fun. On Wednesdays around noon I go hang out with kids. It is pretty cool. I am actually home for dinner at 6pm and somedays I just work from home. Things have calmed down alot.

Things have changed in other ways, too. I only know a couple of people here. I miss my close friends so much, I miss bike rides to the beach with Katelynn, I miss talking to Lizzy and I miss coming home to my Grandma's smile every day. I miss Pastor Guy and his great sermons and I miss my kids on Sunday mornings. I miss Brighton and his sprinkle donuts and my little buddy and his big hugs. I miss the family of my church, the 10 grandmas I had, 8 moms and more dads and big brothers than I can count.

I have to say that just because I miss things I am not doubting that fact that God has brought me here, that this is His will and that there is a purpose. This is a big change and with big changes come big adjustments. Let's just say that I am adjusting.

I'm here

Well, we made it to Washington. I officially live in Washington State now. That seems so weird to me. No more So Cal. It is going to be interesting, but exciting. I will keep you posted, but wanted to let you know that we made it.

31%

As of today I am 31% funded. It is going to happen. I have to believe that and have the faith that God is in control. It is interesting to me how many people know that it is down to the wire and are still not sure. I don't know I can't expect people to rush to give money, but I have to admit that today I was stressed beyond belief. I didn't even know where to start in terms of calling and packing and all the other things that need to happen. Right now I just need to let go and let God have control. Oh, and I can't find my work key either. I am afraid of what my manager is going to do when she finds that out. Good times.

One Week

I now have one week. One week before I move to Washington. I am excited, yet am afraid that it might not happen. At this point I am 20% funded and I need to be at 80% to go to Washington. I know that there are at least 10 people who are going to commit to helping me, but what the amount is? I have no idea and that is the problem. It could either get me to 80% or not. The question is could I still go and find a part time job until all the funding comes through? I have to be either in Washington or in California on August 20th to start school. I mean I have been given a scholarship. I have to be somewhere. It makes the most sense to me to go and start school so that I can be in Washington and not have to wait for the semester to end. I don't know. Right now I have to believe that God can do anything. I know that He has called me to go there, I know that God can do more than I can ever imagine.

Getting Close

Well, it is almost time. Time for me to move from Orange County, CA to Arlington, WA. Four weeks and I drive away to a new place, new experiences, and new people. I have to admit that I am scared to death, yet I am strangely excited. There is so much though, so much that I realize has to happen in the next four weeks I am afraid that it isn't going to happen. I am afraid that my funding isn't going to come through. I mean I know that God can do anything. I know it is going to happen. I have to believe that it is going to happen, but there is still that thought of "what if" in the back of my head. I have come to realize how many people I am going to miss and yet I still know that it is the right thing to do. I mean sometimes the right thing and the hardest are the same.

Off to Camp

Well, at 6:00 am I am off to camp. We are going to Jeness Park for the week. I am super excited. I love camp. I know it is for the kids, but I love it, too. I am a little worried about this camp because I have a couple of students going who are a little more high maintenance than the ones that have gone in the past. I really hope that it goes well and that I have the patience to love on them. I am still excited though and know that it is going to be a great week. It is my last summer camp with this group of kids though and I am sad. I am ready though to have a great time and relax a little.

Power

The power just went out. Good thing I have an alarm on my phone or else I could have missed church in the morning. It sucks though because everything that I need to print out for tomorrow I can't print. It is a little creepy, too having the power out. Hopefully it will be back on in the morning because I would really like to be able to have good hair for church. Sorry about the randomness of this.

Laser Tag

So, we took the youth to laser tag last night for our first Wed night of the summer. For the first time in the bazillion times we have gone I actually ranked. I took fourth place. It rocked!!! I destroyed and took them down. It was great, now for Boomers tomorrow night I think that I can take them in the Go Karts, too. I have to say that I love my job.

Body Builders Part II

Today was day two of my Body Builders fundraising training. After yesterday, I thought that fundraising was an impossible task, that what I felt called to do was just a dream and not a possibility. I left today encouraged, uplifted and ready. Today God worked and reaffirmed the vision, the passion and the purpose that was so strong in me a few months ago.

It is interesting to me how God works through people that we don't even know to influence us and to affirm us. Today at the training God worked through two people, it was truly amazing how two separate people committed to helping support this ministry. One monthly and one with a onetime gift. The money isn't the thing that hit me though, it was their affirmation of the passion I feel for youth. The idea that they believed in me and what God called me to do so much that they wanted to make it happen. The crazy thing is that I was just sharing about YD. I wasn't looking for anything. WOW!!!

I now believe that this can happen. I feel affirmed of the calling on my life and completely fired up about going to Washington. I am excited. I am excited to invite people to join my team and not because they are going to be giving money, but because they are going to be able to serve by supporting a ministry that is completely driven by God and His vision. I am also excited about creating relationships with the people that will be joining my team and ministering to them, personally.

Body Builders

I just got home from my first day of fudraising training and am left with more questions and more stress than I was in the first place. I am left wondering if it is really possible to be ready to leave by August? If it isn't should I take a semester off from school or should I go to school and then leave after the end of the semester? Should I quit my job and take the leap of faith completely devote the next couple months to support raising? There is so much to think about, so many questions. Anyone have any thoughts or ideas?

Out of our Control

It's a funny thing to me how things that are so out of our own control are able to frustrate us so easily. I don't really understand why things that shouldn't elicit any emotion at all can conjure up emotions from so deep within. I don't quite understand, but I do know that emotions have a purpose. I just need to learn how to take the emotions of the moment and give them up and allow God to help me work through them instead of trying to do it all on my own. I don't know, I mean I know I am an emotional person and sometimes they do get in the way. (Not as much now as in the past) I also know that there is a reason that I am the way I am. I just wish that it made sense sometimes.

Pirates

I just got home from seeing Pirates and it was amazing. I loved it and am ready to see it again. It was so good and exciting I wanted it to go on a lot longer. That is it, just wanted to say how amazing it was oh and Johnny was still hot.