Great Week

The Thanksgiving holiday was exactly what I needed. What a great, relaxing holiday. It was great spending time with friends and family and just being away for a few days. Really enjoyed the turkey bowl, and I didn't hurt myself! Sunday also went really well. I was refreashed and things went really well. We had a great leader's meeting where we were able to talk about future plans and things we would like to see happen with crew in the upcoming few months. I think Sunday could be discribed as a building Sunday. AFter my talk we had the leaders available for the students to come share and pray with them. Only one person came back, and it was hard not to be disappointed or upset after that. However, God taught me something. During the talk everyone was quiet and I could tell they were engaged with what was being shared. Maybe they didn't come back, but that's okay. It's God's timing and God's plan and not mine. I have a sense of no one came back this time, but it gets the thought out there that we are available. We also have a short term interim pastor that's been preaching but is in the office for the first time today. What a great guy to have here. Very personable and seems like a good person to get the church through the next few weeks.
I'm really excited about how things are going, and am excited about the next couple of weeks. We have 2 movie nights with sr. high and are doing Christmas in Seattle with jr. high on the 10th. It'll be a fun day of riding the carousel and hanging otu downtown and seeing Narnia at Cinerama. My one prayer request would be to keep praying for the students and families struggling with this transition time. pray for wisdom for the leadership on how to come alongside these people!

Long Update!

Hey it's been a busy week since my last update. There was a lot going on. Despite all the stuff it was a great weekend. Saturday was our first fund raiser for CHIC and we raised almost $4000. What a encouraging thing. It was awesome after only planning the bazaar for a month that it was able to come together so well. There were so many people that came together to help and support. WHat a great sense of the church body coming together.
Last weekend we also had a jr. high and sr. high event. We had ice skating Friday night. It was fun to hang with th ejr. high kids. And no I didn't sprain or hurt anything! Last Sat. night was our high school turkey dinner. I really enjoyed the group coming togehter and dressing up. The food was great too! I know this is a shocker but I was the best guy semi-formally dressed (one guy came formal) It was great!

This week has been good because I've been able to catch up on some little things I haven't been able to do the last couple weeks cause of the bazaar. Today I'm even cleaning the youth room closet. I hope I make it out alive!

Last night was a great concert. I went with a few high school and college students to the MxPx and Relient K concert. A great concert and fun drive up.

Since this week has been a bit slower I've been able to reflect a bit on the first couple months here, and it's neat because I've been in a bunch of different new situations and I've been able to see my assignments and things I've experienced as an intern really come into practice. Especially in dealing with conflict, and shepherding staff and parents. Thanks, Brian and Wescott for giving me those experiences and for the continued support!

Well, I'm heading up late tonight for thanksgiving, and might catch some people at the Turkey Bowl. I hope everyone has a great, relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!

The Fun Continues...

Only 5 more days till Monday! That's my motto for the day. This weekend we have ice skating fri. night (jr. high) the bazaar and a turkey dinner (high school) sat. night Not to mention normal Sunday stuff. I can't wait till Monday. It will be so great to relax. This morning is already hectic so I'm feeling the stress and it's only 9:44. Since the phones have been on I've had 5 phone calls and 5 emails in the last 20 min. It's amazing how everything can hit all at once. If I just had the bazaar it would be fine, but with all the other stuff it can be overwhelming. Yet, I'm reminded of the devotional I led this morning on Psalm 121 (crazy how we can teach a lesson, yet not have it sink in to ourselves).
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

I know I have help, I know I'm not doinug this all alone, and there's no reason for me to be stressed out, because I know where my help comes from. I know God won't let my foot slip (although he does allow the occasional sprained ankle) and I know I will make it through the weekend and have a great time. My prayer is that I and anyone else who feels stressed and busy that we remember this Psalm, and remember that we have help and it comes from God. A great reminder for me, as I plow through my day. Also, I think I finally sleep in my apartment tonight! Only 5 more days till Monday! =)

Update

Well now that I'm more awake and can compose whole thoughts I thought I would update. This week has actually been pretty good. I've kept really busy, but it's been a good week. Yesterday was a long day. Bible Study, meeting with head of the council, lunch at the middle school, jr. high and congregational meeting. I got to miss the meeting and spent it entertaining the jr. highers. It was really fun playing foosball for 3 hours and just being about to hang out with them. Despite everything that's going on, I definately have a sense that God's at work this week. I can see the church stuff starting to come to an end, and everyone being able to move on. These next few days will be fun but really busy. I'm heading down to Oregon tomorrow to visit a friend, and then come back for normal Sunday stuff. Next weekend we have a jr. high ice skating night, a holiday bazaar (I'm co-in charge of it) and our high school turkey dinner.

Our team for our high school conference in Tennessee (CHIC) is coming together. We have 19 students that say they're going and 1/2 that half everything turned in. It's nice to be able to get a team together and build that team feel.

Please be praying for the church. Pray for everyone to be able to focus on Christ, and unify as one body. Also be praying for all the youth stuff happening especially the bazaar. Lot's of planning goes into that, and we're getting down to the end. I'm really excited to have a fun weekend and hope that it goes as well as I think it will!

I don't have a good title

I feel like I should post, yet I don't really have anything to say. There's a lot goign on, yet I have no answers, and I'm just in wait and see mode. I feel like I'm doing a lot of waiting, and I'm tired of it! I just keep praying that I can have patience with everything. This should be another normal but crazy week with moving and a bunch of church stuff. Gotta love it. I should post again when I can actually post real full thoughts.

Normal Week... HA!

So I was looking forward to a normal week, but that didn't happen. I can't complain too much it's definately not been boring, and has been a good week for the most part. My week has not been boring because this week i have thrown my back out, lost my credit card, locked my keys in the church, dealt with concerned parents, along with dealing with all the normal chaos around here. Jr. High wed. night went really well, it was nice having no responsibilities. The 2 senior leaders ran the night for the most part. One led the game and the other gave the talk and did a great job. It was fun just being able to hang out, and let other people handle the program stuff. I've also had lunch with a couple students today, which was a blast. Well, just got a call inviting me to dinner, so I'm off. Maybe this non normal week stuff, is normal!

P.S. My credit card was cancelled and no unknown charges, my back's still sore but better, and things are good! I was very productive today!