As any good American girl does (at least back in the day when I was young), I joined Girl Scouts. we would run around in our brown outfits (I was only a Brownie...why named after a food?) selling cookies, singing the Beach Boys "Kokomo" and doing crafts while trying to earn our badges. But the one thing that has stuck with me is a song that says "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold."
That is oh so true. This weekend, I went to Pella for a wedding. During my time there, I actually got to see several friends that I missed dearly. Like Justin. Justin is this really great little brother who I've had the privilege of watching grow and mature into a wonderful young man with passion for seeking the heart of the Lord. He continues to be one of the few people from college who call to check in on me....to just share life with me. It was fun to actually spend time with him in person instead of on the phone. Justin is just one of a three musketeers type trio of guys. Ironically, the other two share the same name...Nick. But I call one Nico and the other Nick. I was blessed with the prescence of both of them this weekend as well.
I spent some time in laughter over a Jeopardy game with Joel and Pam, Sherami, and Anna "Queen Helga." (She would shoot me for using that name, but that wouldn't be the first time she has beaten me up. ....hehe)
Old friends really are like gold in that they are great treasures.....they are comfort...they are laughter....they are hugs (no one hugs here like they do at Central)....they are a stable force....they are a blessing!
Friday, July 22, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Just another week in my life
What a whirlwind of week this has been. I'm still looking for a job. The CityLights students are leaving next week so I'm trying to spend my last minutes with them. I'm leading an Urban Immersion to Chicago for a high school youth group next week so I'm preparing for that. Oh and I'm moving the day I return so I've packed my entire apartment in four days (while doing all the other stuff.
Moving....friends...Chicago...packing...so what else is new?
Moving....friends...Chicago...packing...so what else is new?
Saturday, July 16, 2005
King-sized bed and Lifetime Television
My dear friends Jake and Colette got married this weekend. I did a brave thing. I went to the wedding alone, all the while knowing that I probably wouldn't know many people there. As I drove the 3.5 hours to the small town in Iowa, I contemplated what I would do if I ended up in a corner alone all night. Just why is it that a person has to feel this way about attending a wedding alone?
Once I arrived at my hotel, I didn't have to contemplate long...I had a king-sized bed and Lifetime Television. My new dilemma quickly became "should I go to the wedding?" knowing that this special treat was at my finger tips! Of course, I did attended the wedding (I have been waiting for this wedding for about 4 years now) and was acquainted with a hand-full of people there (mostly Central College people who graduated 3-4 years ahead of me.) I was lucky enough to sit next to the Brownlees - Tony was the neat guy in college who dubbed me "Patty" (for salmon patty in case some of you don't get it). After the ceremony, I gave Jakey and Letta a big hug and headed up the aisle out into the foyer...and what to my wondering eyes appears?? MATT OLIVER! If you know Matt Oliver, then you know why I say it just like that. I spent the rest of the evening laughing and catching up with not only him, but another long lost choir friend, Steph Messer. We all went to Romania together (as well as Colette).
I highly recommend attending a wedding alone just once. See what buried treasure you can dig up! (But make sure your hotel room has a king-sized bed and Lifetime Television just in case!)
Once I arrived at my hotel, I didn't have to contemplate long...I had a king-sized bed and Lifetime Television. My new dilemma quickly became "should I go to the wedding?" knowing that this special treat was at my finger tips! Of course, I did attended the wedding (I have been waiting for this wedding for about 4 years now) and was acquainted with a hand-full of people there (mostly Central College people who graduated 3-4 years ahead of me.) I was lucky enough to sit next to the Brownlees - Tony was the neat guy in college who dubbed me "Patty" (for salmon patty in case some of you don't get it). After the ceremony, I gave Jakey and Letta a big hug and headed up the aisle out into the foyer...and what to my wondering eyes appears?? MATT OLIVER! If you know Matt Oliver, then you know why I say it just like that. I spent the rest of the evening laughing and catching up with not only him, but another long lost choir friend, Steph Messer. We all went to Romania together (as well as Colette).
I highly recommend attending a wedding alone just once. See what buried treasure you can dig up! (But make sure your hotel room has a king-sized bed and Lifetime Television just in case!)
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Andrew
I had the privilege of serving with Andrew Stern this week. Andrew is the volunteer coordinator at our church by profession, but in reality he is a fighter of injustice. A Habbakuk, who sees injustice, sees the good, and seeks to make things right. He is a defender of the poor, the orphan, the widow, the immigrant and refugee - literally.
The opportunity to hang out with Andrew came two days before our youth group was going to move on site at our church and go through the week-long high school program....serving and working in the inner city. Andrew runs this summer program, which sees several church youth groups from all over the US throughout the summer. This particular week, Andrew was moving in with the youth from our church to serve as their leader (in addition to his usual role.) I moved in to be a leader on the women's side. (Side note: I know you are thinking "When did she start doing things with the youth group?" I didn't and haven't. They just really needed a female leader...Andrew asked me.)
Andrew spends time with all sorts of people. I use the phrase spends time with instead of works with because he has such great relationships with people. He doesn't go somewhere to fix someone or to fix a situation. He goes to meet the people...to know them...to find out their name, their story, their heart...and then to best help meet their needs. He spends much of his day building relationships, fixing houses, taking widows on errands, setting up volunteers. He is a huge tie between our church and the community. Anyone who knows him will tell you that he is a humble servant of His maker and of others. And at the end of a long day, where does he go? Home - to his wife and 5 young children. My response to that is simply an Andrewism "More mercy!"
I pray that the Lord would continue to open my eyes to the injustice that Andrew sees. I pray that he would mold my heart to be one of humility, bringing me before others to know them, not to judge...not to make a quick "fix." But to love.
The opportunity to hang out with Andrew came two days before our youth group was going to move on site at our church and go through the week-long high school program....serving and working in the inner city. Andrew runs this summer program, which sees several church youth groups from all over the US throughout the summer. This particular week, Andrew was moving in with the youth from our church to serve as their leader (in addition to his usual role.) I moved in to be a leader on the women's side. (Side note: I know you are thinking "When did she start doing things with the youth group?" I didn't and haven't. They just really needed a female leader...Andrew asked me.)
Andrew spends time with all sorts of people. I use the phrase spends time with instead of works with because he has such great relationships with people. He doesn't go somewhere to fix someone or to fix a situation. He goes to meet the people...to know them...to find out their name, their story, their heart...and then to best help meet their needs. He spends much of his day building relationships, fixing houses, taking widows on errands, setting up volunteers. He is a huge tie between our church and the community. Anyone who knows him will tell you that he is a humble servant of His maker and of others. And at the end of a long day, where does he go? Home - to his wife and 5 young children. My response to that is simply an Andrewism "More mercy!"
I pray that the Lord would continue to open my eyes to the injustice that Andrew sees. I pray that he would mold my heart to be one of humility, bringing me before others to know them, not to judge...not to make a quick "fix." But to love.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Been a long time
I realize that I haven't blogged in a while...okay, since April is actually a long while. Due to the many complaints I received during my trip to Iowa (I didn't actually think that many people read my blog :) ) I am now doing an update and hopefully will continue to write on here.
Job Status: I'm still under contract with The Freedom School for another month, but will be unemployed after that...the job market is not very good right now....but don't you worry, I've definatly been applying.
Camp Ewalu: I worked there last summer as the day camp coordinator. This year the director, Adrian or A-train as I call him, asked me to lead the Chicago Urban Immersion. Basically this means that I'm taking a youth group from Minnesota to Chicago to serve and to look at city issues. Oh, and we will play some too...I'm so excited!!
My trip to Iowa: was GREAT! I spent four days with the Rohde family. We camped out in their backyard. Mr. Rohde grilled for us almost the entire weekend (including breakfast!) I literally just sat around most of the time I was there...it was beautifully relaxing! I also made a couple of new friends - Joe Peter, Matt Ploeger, and Joel and Jake's friend Will Norton. I also got to see Jaron play baseball. Oh, and I had some ice cream at the oldest(still running) soda fountian in the world. After 4 days in Wilton with the Rohde's, I traveled up to Ewalu for two days to iron out some Chicago trip details and hang out with A-train, and then headed over to Pella. Pella was still Pella. However, I was able to catch up with several friends. Kurt made it back from Africa, but he's going back (no surprise :) ). Anna is still the tough, but funny softball coach...only she gets paid for it now. Joe...now, when I visited Joe he was moving in about 6 days. He was going to be gone for 4 of those days, and he had yet to even begin packing. HAHA! We didn't get to feed my ping-pong craving though due to the Upward Bounders being on campus..that was sad. Funny story: one evening I was locked out of the house where I was staying. I tried to call them and I knocked on the door, but I could get anyone to hear me. So I pulled my sleeping bag out of the car.....and slept on the porch. The sad part is that it was really funny, and I really wanted to be able to tell someone that I was sleeping on the porch.
CITYLIGHTS: I have been hanging out with the CityLights students quite a bit. (CityLights is the InterVarsity St. Louis Urban Project. I was on the 2001 summer team). The team is really great.
Okay, I really don't have much more to say. I promise to blog more often...oh, and if you can think of a good title for my blog, PLEASE let me know!
Job Status: I'm still under contract with The Freedom School for another month, but will be unemployed after that...the job market is not very good right now....but don't you worry, I've definatly been applying.
Camp Ewalu: I worked there last summer as the day camp coordinator. This year the director, Adrian or A-train as I call him, asked me to lead the Chicago Urban Immersion. Basically this means that I'm taking a youth group from Minnesota to Chicago to serve and to look at city issues. Oh, and we will play some too...I'm so excited!!
My trip to Iowa: was GREAT! I spent four days with the Rohde family. We camped out in their backyard. Mr. Rohde grilled for us almost the entire weekend (including breakfast!) I literally just sat around most of the time I was there...it was beautifully relaxing! I also made a couple of new friends - Joe Peter, Matt Ploeger, and Joel and Jake's friend Will Norton. I also got to see Jaron play baseball. Oh, and I had some ice cream at the oldest(still running) soda fountian in the world. After 4 days in Wilton with the Rohde's, I traveled up to Ewalu for two days to iron out some Chicago trip details and hang out with A-train, and then headed over to Pella. Pella was still Pella. However, I was able to catch up with several friends. Kurt made it back from Africa, but he's going back (no surprise :) ). Anna is still the tough, but funny softball coach...only she gets paid for it now. Joe...now, when I visited Joe he was moving in about 6 days. He was going to be gone for 4 of those days, and he had yet to even begin packing. HAHA! We didn't get to feed my ping-pong craving though due to the Upward Bounders being on campus..that was sad. Funny story: one evening I was locked out of the house where I was staying. I tried to call them and I knocked on the door, but I could get anyone to hear me. So I pulled my sleeping bag out of the car.....and slept on the porch. The sad part is that it was really funny, and I really wanted to be able to tell someone that I was sleeping on the porch.
CITYLIGHTS: I have been hanging out with the CityLights students quite a bit. (CityLights is the InterVarsity St. Louis Urban Project. I was on the 2001 summer team). The team is really great.
Okay, I really don't have much more to say. I promise to blog more often...oh, and if you can think of a good title for my blog, PLEASE let me know!
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