Ok'd, etc.

It's been a busy couple of weeks, including our district gathering, thanksgiving, and a family wedding. Crazy-ness.

So, in interest of time here's what's been going on the past couple weeks.

*Ok'd is over and done with minus the meeting where we look over the evaluations. Overall, it seemed that it went well. The things I knew were going to be iffy, were, and the things that I knew were going to go well, did. At the food bank where the youth served on Saturday, the kids were able to help fill 4 semi's (24, 00o pounds!) that were people-bound as soon as they left the food bank! I couldn't help but feel this disconnect with everything the whole weekend however. It reminded me of the first week of VBS planning on internship year... being so busy managing last minute details I had a hard time gauging if things were going well or not.

*Home was great, thanksgiving was great, and my family was pretty great. My cousins and I sat around watching the Jesus videos and Borat on YouTube before our other cousin's wedding reception. "This suit is blacknot... this suit is black pause not " "Is this coffee? what is this? Is this rice?" "I am walking in the dirt. I am walking in the dirt and the rocks." heh. It still makes me giggle thinking about it.

*Ben and Jerry's in Forest Park Monday night and getting to tour the amazing townhouse on the walk back to my cousin's apartment. It was amazing. Hard wood floors, original radiators, breakfast nook, beautiful kitchen. Sigh. I wanted to move in right away. Too bad, I didn't have $580,000 just lying around.

*We took our first family pictures in 6 years. Will post later.

*Jamie's phone call on Friday... "So, hypothetically, if I were to buy you pajama pants..." :). Keeping Christmas traditions alive.

*Church with my sister on Sunday--the contemporary worshipper in me was very very happy.

*Daniel's window at Ok'd. They were amazing.

*Really really corny jokes. "What did tennesee?" "the same thing arkan-sas" and drummer jokes.

*Being able to decorate for Christmas and listen to my christmas songs without being mocked.

More later, blogger buddies! Happy Almost Advent!

Back in the Posting Saddle

Given my recent posting absence, I'm trying to be a little more faithful in my updates.

What's been going on recently? I'm glad you asked!

*This upcoming weekend is our Oklahoma District Youth Gathering, Ok'd In Christ. I am the chair of the planning committee. Now before you get all excited, I think I was asked because of my inability to say "no". I'm practicing for next year if I get asked... Practice with me, "No, No, No" (Check back in December to see if I actually follow through).

*Last Saturday, while shopping at the mall, I stopped to buy a pretzel, and was getting ready to pay when someone slapped a $5 on the counter. I turn around to see the source of benevolence and see that it's one of the Dads of a confirmand student. We chat for a while and he says, " I would have figured you would have been out with a boy or something tonight." I think to myself, "I'm ordering a garlice pretzel at 6:00 pm on a Saturday... what part of that says 'attached'?". Instead, I laugh it off and we chat for a while and I head home with my new cute red heels and polka dot socks :).

*National Youth Gathering registration day has come and gone and I'm excited to have the opportunity to take 23 kids and 3 adults to Orlando this summer. I think my sister may also attend with my church--something I'm really looking forward to.

*Thanksgiving vacation this year for me is 6 days! I'm looking forward to stuffing myself with all kinds of yummy food from all the great cooks in my family (and to seeing my family of course).

*Lots of good things are happening at Messiah these days. Our 40 Days of Community small groups finished with both groups expressing a desire for them to continue and our Wednesday Night Bible study is going nicely. Yay!

*God is revealing a lot of new insights to me in Kristy and I's study of Romans.

*Other things are happening and changing in my life and heart. God's working on something, though what it is, I'm not sure.

I think that's all for now blogging buddies, but I'll leave you with a picture or two from my trip home in late September.

My Grampy and I.

Sydney, Me and Zac.

Impulses and Impressions and Insolence

Sorry, blogger friends, it's been a while. Churchwork life has been crazy.

Recently, Kristylaughed and I have been Bible Studying over the phone. We've been working through Romans this past week as both an opportunity to get into the word on our own and to have some good Bible Study and accountability.

Thursday we dove into Romans 2, a chapter of hard hitting law. One of the things that we discussed was what we found in Romans 2:1. "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. "

This verse was pretty convicting for Kristy and I. I posed the question, is what I am saying judgemental gossip or simply venting a problem? Where's the line? Is there a line? Is any talk against someone else considered being judgemental? As we wrestled with this line of thinking, we looked up Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Ahh. Duly convicting. Is my venting beneficial to me or to the listener?

Thanks to Myers-Briggs, I know that I am an "E" and extrovert, external thinker. I have to talk to think things through; I do better when I have a problem to discuss it with someone that I trust. However, I also know that I have the impulse to continue the discussion, to continue on past what is really necessary to share, usually to turn the story to put me in the right. So, if my impulsiveness in this matter isn't helpful to me or to the listener why am I saying it? Why do I not simply follow good old Marty's example and, "pray and let God worry"? And really, while I'm here, what kind of impression of Christ does my complaining give?

While we struggled with this chapter, both of us made a commitment to not only encourage each other, but to watch for that crossing of the line between seeking advice and venting for the sake of venting and when it happens, pray for the situation and lay it to rest because after all, prayer is the most powerful tool God has given us.

That's all for this post blogger friends. More soon!