Comfort

For some people, there are comfort foods. Something that makes them instantly feel better the moment they sink their teeth into it. Something the reminds them of home, a certain memory, or a special event.

I don't think I'm a comfort food person (unless you count hot chocolate or hot tea).

I think that books and music are my main methods of comfort. There are certain songs on my ipod thave been played hundreds of times because the song either reminds me of a certain time or place or simply expresses what I am feeling better than I can. There are books that the bindings have been worn thin and books that have simply fallen apart and are being held together by rubber bands from their amount of times in my hands.

When reading those books or listening to a certain song, I am able to sink back into the familiar.

¿Como se dice 'frustration' en Español?

In high school, I took two years of Spanish because it was either that or art. I am no artist. Believe me. Stick figures would have filled my portfolio. Meanwhile, I found that I enjoyed Spanish, and for a while considered attending River Forest for my DCE studies and having an emphasis in Hispanic Ministry. However, the program at Seward was a better program and since they didn't have that emphasis, I didn't think to take any more Spanish at Seward (oversight on my part).

Today, I wished that I had gone with my instincts, and attended River Forest or at least taken Spanish while at Seward. A woman came in asking for information about our Mother's Day Out program. She only spoke Spanish, but brought her 8 year old son to translate for us.

It was frustrating. I wanted to be able to speak directly to the woman. I wanted us to be able to understand each other without her son having to translate. I wanted to not feel so overwhelmingly unable to offer her the information she needed.

Stupid language barriers.

The Hope of Someday

Sunday, before Sunday School, I ran into one of the middle schoolers avoiding Sunday School. I sent him to Sunday School and after class caught up with him. Our conversation went on as follows.

Me: How was Sunday School?
Boy: I hate it. I hate church. I hate Sundays.
Me: I'm sorry you feel that way, but I'm glad you're here.
Boy: Only because my mom makes me come or you tell her about events and THEN she makes me come.
Me: Well, I'm still glad you're here.
Boy: I still hate it.
Me: That's ok, you can hate it. I'm fine with you hating it now. My hope is that someday you will look back at all of this as a good experience. That's my hope for you. That you continue to come to things. I'd even settle for an "Eh" instead of hate. Remember how you didn't want to go on our summer trip and you came back saying that "it wasn't that bad?" I consider that a small gain.
Boy's Mom: Well for him that's a HUGE GAIN!
Boy: Eh.

This conversation, along with this boy, has been on my mind quite a lot these past few weeks.

I am saddened that he hates Sundays. That, in the past, he has admitted to hating others in the middle school group at church. I am saddened that he feels so alone in this community, that he feels like he is forced to attend events.

I am very thankful that he has a mother that makes him attend events, an older sister who encourages him and finds joy and community at our church, that this boy has a classmate here to encourage him. I am VERY thankful that this boy is open with me, that he attends events (albiet under duress).

I am thankful God has promised His Word will not return to him empty. That God is working in this boy's life. I am thankful for the summer trip that he attended because it helped my relationship with him grow in ways that wouldn't have had he only been a confirmation student.

I am thankful for the someday part of ministry. The "someday" is the reason I love my job, love these youth, love these people.

Happiness is...

*A comfortable pair of Christmas print PJ pants.
*A night of skip-bo with the kiddos.
*Hearing that your youth love their church family.
*Finding a place to belong.
*A new winter coat and cute new shoes.
*A Fall thunderstorm.
*Good music.
*Roasted Hot dogs, campfires and corn mazes.
*Children's messages with unrelated answers.
*Friends in far-away places and free cell phone service after 9.
*New Years' Plans 2 months in advance.
*Any musical of any kind.
*Christmas Music in October.
*Financial Stability.
*A great adventure and stories to go along with it.
*Success in a small group.
*Having a high schooler do your dirty work. :)
*Having adults excited to spend time with middle schoolers for a weekend.
*Confirmation Class.
*Being respected.
*Finally feeling in control of this whole "adulthood" thing.

Potter Puppet Pals

Angst Angst Angst Angst. Hahaha