Transplant Time-Again!

My friend Missy is in Arizona this week for her liver transplant.  Read the latest blog post here.  Our church has set up a 24 hour prayer chain, if you want to be part of it, you can sign up here.

So excited that she will be feeling better soon!  Even if you don't sign up, please be in prayer for her on October 27th!

Under the Friday Night Lights

Headed to one of the last home games of the season tonight. My hubs and I are active in the booster club. Very active. 
Some might say over active (teehee). 

But you know what I love? Despite the late nights and the tugging and pulling equipment on the field as we help with the half time show, it is one of the few places I get to interact with folks who don't go to church...or if they do, they don't necessarily go to my church. 

It's a chance for me to serve their kids,-and be Jesus to them.
To stand alongside them as we support our kids through the high school years-and be Jesus to them. To listen to conversations about the ups and downs of parenting kids today-and be Jesus to them. 

I will admit I'm weary of high school band-it's so demanding-but I'm so thankful, and I want to be over thankful for this chance-to be Jesus on the sidelines of the football field, under the Friday night lights!

LeadershipOS

I got back from Kidmin Conference a few weeks ago.  Some things you learn you can come back and implement immediately.  But others it takes some thought, planning, tweaking before you can put legs to the new seed God plants in your heart.

Funny thing...I finally got around to reviewing my notes from the conference, and over and over, the message I had written down was centered around kids in leadership.  

So...my new seed involves children in leadership.  I've already had some conversations with kids who I've identified as leaders in a particular place in our program.  They are bouncing at the idea!

Kids in leadership is right on target too.  We've got an abundance of leaders!  In fact, in a random conversation just this week, someone-not even on the Children's Ministry staff-commented that we have classrooms full of leaders. It's true!

What will it mean for the future when we embrace developing leaders earlier in our church? 
It's pretty exciting to think about!

What will their OS look like? (ahem. Operating System) 

Leadership in God's church is their OS.
Service is their OS.
A radar for seeing needs and meeting them is their OS.

All because they were given a chance to develop this skill early!  They were given the chance to find their strengths and grow them as kids, not having to wait until adulthood to begin work in the kingdom!

Wow! Is that exciting or what?

Gotta go, I've got some work to do!

Kidmin Delivered!

Just got back from the Kidmin Conference I wrote about earlier.  If you've been to these things before, you know how when you first get home...you are in that blurry, swirly period where you are dog tired, full of inspiration and ideas and can't wait to figure out what the last few days will mean for your ministry?  That's where I am!

It was a great conference.  I highly recommend it! 

I'm going to go through notes, boil it all down, and see what I can use and tell you about the best stuff...but for today, here is what I'm still thinking about.

All the...

Connecting with friends...new and old.

Laughing 'til your sides hurt.

Praying with people who GET you.

Workshops and Ministry Conversations.

:)

Kidmin Conference-Can't wait!

I'm so excited about this brand new kidmin conference that is only days away!  When I was a new children's pastor, I went to a conference by Group, and loved it.  To my knowledge, they haven't had a conference in several years, so I was a happy girl when they started promoting this new conference.

Here are some things about it that I love:
There will be the typical workshops and large group sessions, but with a twist.  There will be times for conversations and networking with both other children's pastors who are right in the trenches with you, as well as the speakers and presenters.

There will be time to digest what you've learned; you know...time to think it through without an unending information cram the whole time you're there.

Group always makes it easy for churches of all different sizes to minister to kids.  There will be targeted groups to fit your ministry.  Not only just the size of your ministry-but also the focus that you are needing to learn more about.

I just can't wait!  I feel blessed to be able to go, woo hoo!

Senior Year

We've begun senior year at our house.  It's crazy. Busy. Nerve-wracking. Fun. Laughter-filled.  We are jugglings schedules. Deadlines.  Assignments. New responsibilities. And most of all dreaming big.  Can't wait to see where those dreams take us!

Watch Your Toes!!

Last week after a desperate call from the coordinator, I volunteered in the 3 year old classroom at MOPS.  It was so fun!  As a children's pastor, I spend most of my time with Elementary age children, so I really enjoyed being with these little ones.

So, toward the end of the day, a little guy said, "Ms. Mary!"  I looked over to see him standing on the tile portion of our room (luckily) with his legs spread apart a little, and pee falling to the floor.  He had just waited too long. (For the record, I asked them all a million times if they had to go).

There was no need to do anything until he was done, so after a few more seconds, and my saying, "don't move, don't move" a million times, I began cleaning up the accident. 

That's when it happened...I got pee on my toes!  Oogie!  I had to smile though, because I'd just read a post from my friend Judy who is beginning a 2nd battle with cancer.  (I wasn't smiling because the cancer came back...but because of the difference in our "toe" stories.

She was in a prayer circle at her church recently, and the lady next to her began weeping.  She got tears on her toes from this sweet friend.  If you clicked on the link and read the post from Judy...isn't that strong? She's such an inspiration and so courageous.

No tears on my toes, but a sweet time with little kiddos anyway!