Updates

Well, all of a sudden, I have a new job. And it’s completely different from my old call center job. Just over a month ago, we were visiting my parents for the weekend, and they told us about an opening at the same place they work. At first, I just assumed they were trying to tell me what to do with my life. No one in my family was very supportive of me having such a retarded job as I did before. I can see why. So, after I realized my parents were just throwing an idea out there without being pressuring, my husband and I decided it wasn’t such a bad idea to look into the position.

And here we are, having been offered and taken the position at The Crossnore School, Resident Counselors, in a cottage with 9 teenage girls! It’s a group home setting with an on-campus academy, cafeteria, gym, and the works for the students there. Ages range from toddler to 18, and even beyond in an independent program for college students off campus. That’s what my parents are doing. David and I work one 7 day shift and then have 7 days off. I’m currently enjoying the fruit of one of those week off shifts right now. It’s pretty nice considering I woke up at 9:30 this morning, headed to the gym, ran some errands, and plan on hanging out with David at home later. So different from my week-in/week-out routine at Sitel.  While we’re at work, my main duties are taking care of the cottage needs – doctors appointments, meetings, seeing the girls to school, making dinner for them, and just generally being there for them. Our girls are ages 14-17 with varied backgrounds. Several have been neglected by their parents, some have a trauma history of abuse, a few of our girls are there placed by their parents and the Department of Juvenile Justice because of their choices of rebellion. It’s a little messy. It can be emotionally taxing. But it is so rewarding and generally energizing because I am being fulfilled having something of a special gift for working with these girls.

I’m going to be updating my adventures in this new job on my other blog, The Youth Minister’s Wife, since it already has a more ministry related focus, but I still plan on posting little tidbits of my life I find interesting enough for blogging about here at wordpress. This will probably be on my off weeks. Unless I can steal away to the coffee shop on campus at work.

I wrote in the beginning of the year in my journal that I wouldn’t recognize my life in a few months. Oddly enough, I was right. I just didn’t know how.

Youth Olympic Games

I found out that this year will be the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games for ages 14-18 held in Singapore. The Youth Olympic Games will occur every 4 years as well, but its summer games will be held in the same year of the original Winter games. And vice versa. So, the Winter Youth Olympic Games will be in 2012.

Perhaps there is some controversy surrounding these games. Should teens be striving for such a goal at such a young age? My take on it is that they already do. Most every teenager who is training in an Olympic sport is already hoping to gain elite level as soon as possible. And perhaps the age falsification so prevalent in sports like Gymnastics will die down if those same youngsters have an legitimate avenue on a world level to achieve the same success.

I think it seems quite interesting. It’ll be nice to have something to watch in between the main Summer Olympics!

My 2010 Vision

These are things I will bring into fruition through out 2010. I am more excited about this year than I have been about any year of my adult life. This is the year of dreams coming true. I have spent the last several years dreaming. This year I will reap a harvest.

From Habakkuk Chapter 2:

² Then the LORD answered me and said:

“ Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

What follows is me writing the vision (verse 2a) clear enough for me and anyone else who will join me to whole-heartedly run with it (verse 2b):

First, a note on the idea of running with me: Women are primarily relational. I truly desire, and, in fact, need to be surrounded by people who share a similar goal or the same goal as mine. I have always longed for a team of strong women to join alongside me in ministry and personal growth. This stems out of a desire to share my life with others, to develop into a leader by digging in deep with the ones who want to and never looking back.

Now on the the things that will come into being this year:

Take Me Away This is the teenage girls ministry that I have dreamed of for several years. It’s time to start offering myself and my ideas to the middle and high school girls of Brevard. We will see insecure girls turn into brilliant warrior chicks ready to battle the demons of poor self-images, sexual promiscuity, and the destructive disease of gossip.

Creative Worship It’s time to bring together a group of worshippers so desiring of a place and time to pour out their creative spirits for praise and worship via music and the Arts. It’s time to build a collective group of people who will usher God’s spirit into the setting of a church meeting like no other.

The Definition of Beauty This is a working title for my book, which God gave me the clarification of  last October. 2010 will see the completion of my thoughts on the subject that I’ve realized my whole life has been leading up to.

EatWell.SleepWell.RunWell  This is my year-long campaign by which I will rejuvenate and redefine my body. My choices of food and my bedtime are what will determine my physical health this year, and how well I will be able to train for 5 and 10k races.

Transition Trade The entrepreneurial machine that will enable me to lose my full-time day job to the freedom of planning, writing, and living out everything mentioned above with the resources – the time and money – to do it not just well but abundantly.

*Take note of the umbrella organizations for some of the above: Even Though Student Ministries for Take Me Away and A New Thing for Creative Worship, both of which can be found detailed in my husband’s visionary document for 2010 here.

How will these things come into being?
DAILY DISCIPLINE.
First, by prayer – asking God to bless what I have laid before Him, giving thanks for who He is and how He has provided. Then by reciting this every morning: “I have been brought into this world for bigger things than I can even imagine. I walk with a purpose that I am so passionate about that I will not allow my temptation for apathy or laziness to takeover. I am blessed and highly favored in all my goings and comings, and I am anointed to achieve success in Take Me Away, Creative Worship, The Definition of Beauty, EatWell.SleepWell.RunWell, and Transition Trade at a level that the world has never seen. I am a Warrior Princess, being the child of the King and shall not be defeated!”

Do you want to run with me? If any of these Visions resonate with you, connect with me. I need supporters, fellow laborers for the cause. Comment here, or on facebook, or twitter.

It’s go time, baby!

An Observation

It’s a really gorgeous morning. Pretty warm when you stand in the sun for long enough, but still cold with the remainder of the snow. On my way out earlier, I saw two little girls bundled up and playing outside – mainly jumping on a big pile of snow, all piled high in order to make it in and out of the driveway. We all have huge snow piles in our yards for that very reason. On the way back home, ( I wasn’t gone long) I saw the older girl still oustide playing, only this time she was kneeling smack dab in the middle of her driveway just staring at the payment. She could have been mad at her little sister, or sad that Christmas was already over, or….perhaps she was just interested in the way the sun shone on the pavement and made the  little specks within sparkle.

Lately: Part 2: The New Day

Just got back in from the barn. Not mine, of course, but my friend’s. If I’m available, I’m the one who cares for her animals when she’s away. Currently, she’s in West Virginia visiting family for the Holidays. And as I’ve already gone and come home from visiting my family just a hour and a half away, I’m looking after them until Tuesday. I love it. Two horses, two dogs, and two cats.

The fog settled in as I was there in the barn, and when I got home, I noticed how I didn’t have the Christmas tree lights on tonight. Doesn’t feel like they should shine anymore. Maybe it’s always a little sad when Christmas is over. Probably because it happens so quick after such a long build up. It does have me thinking about moving on, though.  Moving on from this season, this place, and moving into The New Day.

I’m calling in that, because for the last almost 4 years, we’ve been ministering to youth by being employed at a local church. It was a little part of our identity. We are no longer employed at that church due to reasons we still have not totally understood. My David decided against the deacons and pastor’s idea of  ”resignation” and instead had the church vote on what should happen. And it happened. We were no longer officially wanted there, which has become, little do they know, a complete release to fulfill our true calling! We are now able to minister to the youth with which we spent 4 years building a relationship without man-made, church decided rules and regulations. We are completely free to do ministry exactly the way God wanted us to.

I have just been keeping in touch with a few of my girls – texting and hanging out a little, mainly keeping up with what’s going on in their lives -  during the transition. But after our move into our new place we’re renting, our plans are to  host events we can invite lots of area youth to. These events will be the launch of A New Thing.

How definitely exciting!

My first freelance writing check!

Of course I took pictures of it.

 

I wasn't going to give you my address.

 

$10/articles isn't bad.

 

 

 

It was a long time coming. The company had a few setbacks in getting the first batch of articles reviewed and payed for, but I think now we’re on a roll. I’ve got to find some time to actually write again, so I’m not sure when I’ll ask for more assignments. 

There’s a busy weekend ahead of me, and here I am blogging from home when I should be at work. I’ve really not felt my best today. As I was getting ready to leave home this morning, I vomited. Slowly, I tried to make myself continue to dress and get out the door, but it just wasn’t happening. Sometimes, your body blatantly screams to you, “I’m tired. Just let me rest.” So I heeded my own advice and stayed home in order to recuperate for a major event we’re having tonight for our youth at our church. After the local football home game, we’re taking them roller skating from 11pm – 1am. Then we’re heading back to the youth building for a lock-in. There’s a movie we’ve rented, and we’ll have lots of snacks. I’m only hoping I can keep up with those kids – especially the ever-talkative, very lively bunch of middle school girls! I love them so much, though, for their tireless energy and excitement – it’s what’s so much fun about growing up, I guess. 

Tomorrow, I’ll have a wonderful lie in with my husband – try to recuperate again for that evening. I’m babysitting the dear miss 11 month old Cheyenne. She’s my good friend’s beautiful baby girl, and she’s growing into her personality, showing us all a little bit of her “wilder” side. I very much enjoy babysitting her. 

I’m obviously not a mother yet, but the feminine instincts in that regard still have a way of creeping into my emotions, I suppose. I started a new book recently. 

 

by Lisa Bevere

The first chapter talks about the story “Are you my Mother?” by P.D. Eastman and it’s possibly firstly comical impressions but then also it’s quite emotional/spiritual implications. Bevere also talks about the birth of her first son in this opening chapter. I don’t know if it’s because reading this book has been highly anticipated by me, and I had to wait a while to order it, or what, but during the description of her son’s birth, streams of tears rolled down my cheeks. (And they even fell hard enough to roll into my ears since I was lying down in bed while I read.) 

Now, this certainly doesn’t mean I’m ready to have a child – still no where near entertaining those thoughts for me and David. (Sorry, Mom.) But I am really interested in finding out with this whole nuture thing is all about. Even without being a mother, I am aware that I need to be a nurturer in my home and a nurturer as a sister to my friends, and that, indeed, I need to be nurtured as well. I will try to update this blog on some of my thoughts on the book possibly. 

Speaking of, I think I’ll give my mind a little break from writing here and try to read some before I rest a bit more. Once David comes home from work, we’ll be getting started on the crazy evening with the youth. Say a prayer for my strength, will you?

I’ve begun!

Last week, I left my job. This week, I’ve started my new one. 

It is a refreshing change. I’ve just finished my second day of training (this is week one out of seven), and I’m actually in the “associate relaxation center” at the moment. It’s a bit cheesy, but that’s short for “room where you can check your e-mail and such”…or post blogs. Mind you, the “break room” is entirely different. That’s a lot bigger with tables, a sink, refriderators, etc. And you might be asking why in the world I’d still be at work using the computer when I’m free to go home. That’s because my husband David works here, too. He started back in July. Yes, we do/will be doing the same thing. Yes, we get to see each other periodically through out the day. Yes, we drive to work together. It’s really cool. But anyway, since he works here and is out of the classroom training, he works until 5 (whereas I only work until 4:30 right now). So, I’m waiting on him. And actually, we’re going on a date tonight, so we have plenty of time until our movie starts.

So far, my training has been interesting. I feel all grown up learning all these impressive health insurance terms and abbreviations. If I were talking to you right now, and I spatted off a handful of things I’ve learned so far, I’d sound incredibly intelligent and professional. I know, however, that it’s only general business jargon. We will get into lots more specifics soon, and eventually I’ll have a fairly interesting and specialized steady job. But I have to remember that I am still quite easily replaceable in my new call center environment. So, it’s a very good thing that I don’t have all of my self-worth and value wrapped up into my professional career. My proverbial eggs are scattered in many baskets. And whether you believe it or not, that’s the way the job culture is moving. Job security is worse than ever. You should know that going into a job – no matter where you are. But I’m not being cynical. I like and am grateful for my new place of employment. I’m just saying the things that no one ever tells you. This great country of ours ought to reconsider what we educate our children on: yes, keep English (you know I LOVE English), Math, Science, and History, but let’s add in a little Money Management and Personal Finance Creation and Responsibility. No one ever taught me that except my father, who tried, inasmuch as he knew, and I was too stubborn and ignorant to all of that then. Education taught me how to get a job, and I’m (almost) positive I could get a wonderful one with my degree. But it didn’t teach me how to create, built, and maintain personal financial freedom. That’s unfortunately a concept too many people are afraid of. 

Well, I’m not afraid of it. I’m positive about my dreams and goals. I see the road that’s going to take me there. It’s certainly not my new job I’ve just taken, and it’s also just certainly not going to be paved with the most expensive asphalt, smooth and comfortable when it’s new, or lined with freshly bloomed flowers. But at the end of the road, there will be a garden like no other with yellows and hot pinks and purples and the deepest of greens. You have no idea what I’m talking about. But these proverbial flowers, along with my eggs in my baskets are real. You just haven’t seen them yet. After all, who only ever believes in something they can see? 

I apologize for getting (quite unexpectedly) so metaphorical with you. If you’re still reading, you’re a gem. Make an effort to believe in your dreams, too. They are resilient, I promise, but only if you keep them alive. Go, and live to your fullest! 

If you’re thinking…”I don’t even know where to start!” you’ve got to figure out what you love and why, and you’ve got to find a vehicle by which to accomplish your dreams. This is a land of opportunity – there are plenty. Go find one. (Just make sure it’s legal, k?) Or ask me.

I am not timid or hesitant or insecure when talking about these sorts of things. It’s sort of my mantra at the moment – Go and live, choose every day to be a success, grow and become all you were designed to be! If you think it’s too positive, well, it might not be something you’re open to right now, and that’s okay.

I just know I have so much to give in this world, and I do not want to sit aside somewhere suppressing it until I die. I have a lot to give to my new job, no matter how useless it is in the long long run, because it’s important and necessary now, and I need to develop some discipline and accountability to a company at this point. And I have a whole lot to give to the youth of my community, because I have a heart for them – to teach them how to relate to their world. I have so very much to give to my husband and future family one day, and to my friends, and to myself. 

So, yes, I’ve very much, indeed, and going back to the title of this blog, begun.

And I thought I was good with words…

Last night I watched the 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee live on television. I was seriously impressed with all of the contestants, and congrats to little guy who won, Sameer Mishra.

What gets me about these middle schoolers is that they are so brilliant and decently composed (some better than others) but they are still just 12, 13, 14-year-olds going through puberty and the infamous awkward stage in life. As I watched each finalist approach the microphone to hear the word they were destined to spell in each round, I noticed their nervous shuffles, or huge strides in their walks, or that timid twinkle in their eyes, or that occasional hair twist when in doubt. And I thought: these are the kids that get made fun of and yet these are the kids who everyone else actually envies as opposed to the typical prep. I thought to myself that even at a young age, we, as people, realize that the qualities we really seek after are not the cool clothes or the nice things but the acceptance that we can do something well and the ability to achieve it. And that’s exactly what these kids I watched last night did. They achieved something they never thought they could. And for Sameer, the winner, he gloried in his ultimate goal at this stage in life. And he’s only 13.

Basically, these kids were an inspiration to me. And it goes to show that KIDS ARE WAY COOL.