Okay, I kind of "stumbled" on this almost by accident. Actually, I say that tongue in cheek because I KNOW how it happened and I am still wondering why.
It all started about two years ago when I thought it would be nice to share my swimming pool with my grand-kids and a few of their friends. As I was sharing, the thought "came" to me that maybe it would be fun to have a little Children's Church once a week to teach them about Jesus. I mean, I did have some extra time and I thought they should have a mid-week dose of the Good News, so I started teaching them for a couple of hours on Wednesday nights. It was good for the kids, good for me and good for the parents because that would give them a "date night" to grab dinner out or a movie.
It was all going along nicely until recently when it "came" to me that many of my kids were at that awkward age of 10-13. The 'Tweenies. So I decided to start a 'Tweenies Youth Group in addition to Children's Church. Now not only my pool is full after school, my kitchen table is full after swimming......TWICE A WEEK!
I have seven 'Tweenies on Tuesday nights and last night I had twelve (would have been thirteen if my Chloe hadn't been sick) in Children's Church.
My 'Tweenies have their own class but also, at the end of their session, they are chosen for a topic to "teach" the Children's Church the next night and they are really enjoying it. I'm very proud of them.
Now mind you, I didn't ask for any of this. I have never considered myself a teacher. I didn't think I had the patience for it (and sometimes I don't) but for some reason God has sent this ministry to me and it is growing....by leaps and bounds! I've told the kids they can ask their friends to come and they sure are! I could hardly fit all of them around my table last night and am a little concerned about where to put them all next week! But I know that God will provide and I pray for wisdom and knowledge to carry out this precious goal He has given me. I pray for strength and stamina too.
Years ago I thought I was getting a swimming pool to play in with my kids. Now I see that God had other ideas. He is letting me reach the neighborhood kids with pool water and they are coming back for the Living Water!
It's exhausting but it's fun.
And I can tell you this....it sure is sure is noisy!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Freedom Isn't Free
Okay, before you read this let me make a little disclaimer. This blog is about the war and my thoughts on it. This is not listed under "Fun" it's under "and other stuff". I had to get it off my chest so to speak.
I know many of you are sick of the war, are concerned about our troops, are angry at our President, and about to "burn your draft cards" and many famous people want to leave our country. (Too bad they didn't)
But lets look at this situation in comparison to the past...oh let's say...231 years. What would have happened if we didn't have a Revolutionary war? We would be drinking "High Tea" at 4:00 p.m. and speaking in an English accent. We would be under the Queen's rule and wouldn't be free. What if we didn't have a Civil War? We would still have slaves or even worse, BE slaves. There would be whippings and torture, those who tried to run away would be maimed with the front part of their foot chopped off so they couldn't run, and children could and would be sold away from their parents on a whim. Slavery wasn't only for the African people but for Chinese, Indians, and any other supposedly "lesser" human. And what about the war with Japan? Although I don't agree with the whole A-bomb thing, do you like sushi? THEY ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR! And I won't even go into the Hitler thing.
There have been wars since the beginning of time. Some of them fought for strange reasons and I don't agree with that but then there are some that are fought for the reason of pure FREEDOM!
Let me give you an example of how free we really are. The other day I was in Sam's Club waiting in the check out lane when I spotted a T-shirt on a Middle-Eastern guy. Let me tell ya, I was floored. It was a bright yellow shirt with a picture of President Bush with the caption "Off With His Head!" Now some of you may laugh but if we were to wear that type of shirt in, well, probably any other country, with a picture of their leader on it, we would be imprisoned, tortured, and probably beheaded ourselves for our lack of respect for their leader! I mean seriously...look at the riots caused by a simple cartoon a few months ago.
I know war is awful. Horrendous even. But I am so very thankful to the men and women who chose to fight for us. For our freedom. For what makes America...well...America.
President Bush doesn't want to leave the job half done nor should he. We have to remain strong to protect everything this country stands for.
Let's quit dissing the President and pray for him. As for our troops? By saying this war is wrong and should stop isn't supporting them. It's telling them their efforts and sacrifices aren't worth it.
(this article is an editorial and isn't necessarily the views or opinions of this station) :)
I know many of you are sick of the war, are concerned about our troops, are angry at our President, and about to "burn your draft cards" and many famous people want to leave our country. (Too bad they didn't)
But lets look at this situation in comparison to the past...oh let's say...231 years. What would have happened if we didn't have a Revolutionary war? We would be drinking "High Tea" at 4:00 p.m. and speaking in an English accent. We would be under the Queen's rule and wouldn't be free. What if we didn't have a Civil War? We would still have slaves or even worse, BE slaves. There would be whippings and torture, those who tried to run away would be maimed with the front part of their foot chopped off so they couldn't run, and children could and would be sold away from their parents on a whim. Slavery wasn't only for the African people but for Chinese, Indians, and any other supposedly "lesser" human. And what about the war with Japan? Although I don't agree with the whole A-bomb thing, do you like sushi? THEY ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR! And I won't even go into the Hitler thing.
There have been wars since the beginning of time. Some of them fought for strange reasons and I don't agree with that but then there are some that are fought for the reason of pure FREEDOM!
Let me give you an example of how free we really are. The other day I was in Sam's Club waiting in the check out lane when I spotted a T-shirt on a Middle-Eastern guy. Let me tell ya, I was floored. It was a bright yellow shirt with a picture of President Bush with the caption "Off With His Head!" Now some of you may laugh but if we were to wear that type of shirt in, well, probably any other country, with a picture of their leader on it, we would be imprisoned, tortured, and probably beheaded ourselves for our lack of respect for their leader! I mean seriously...look at the riots caused by a simple cartoon a few months ago.
I know war is awful. Horrendous even. But I am so very thankful to the men and women who chose to fight for us. For our freedom. For what makes America...well...America.
President Bush doesn't want to leave the job half done nor should he. We have to remain strong to protect everything this country stands for.
Let's quit dissing the President and pray for him. As for our troops? By saying this war is wrong and should stop isn't supporting them. It's telling them their efforts and sacrifices aren't worth it.
(this article is an editorial and isn't necessarily the views or opinions of this station) :)
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
WOW! What a weekend!
I had a blast this weekend! Dave and I invited a few friends over, you know, the old standards...Aerosmith; Van Halen; Led Zepplin; Rush; Janis (Joplin 'case you didn't know) Jimi Hendrix; Mick and the rest of the RS's; the Eagles; Pink Floyd and the Who, just to name a few. They stayed all weekend.
Actually it was like stepping into a time machine and being taken back thirty years and we (Dave and I) were dating again. All this thanks to QFM96 (WE ROCK COLUMBUS that was their slogan back in the day) and their Memorial 500 count down. Dave and I didn't even turn on our television all weekend for more than a half hour or so just so we could be outside doing yard stuff and rockin' out. I'm sure the neighbors thought we had lost our senses but we didn't care. We were teenagers again.
We wondered what the best rock song ever was going to be and I guessed correctly! (it had to be 'cause it's my favorite too and i listen to it cranked up.....the radio, not me) I'm sure my son could tell you what song it is but since you probably won't be talking to him soon, I'll tell you. drum roll please........ The number one best rock song ever of the 2007 Memorial 500 count down is......Led Zepplin's Stairway to Heaven! TA DA!
Anyway, we rocked and rolled ;) and became kids again. Just the two of us and the dog.
It was great!
Until I set the grill on fire.....
But that's another story.
Later!
Actually it was like stepping into a time machine and being taken back thirty years and we (Dave and I) were dating again. All this thanks to QFM96 (WE ROCK COLUMBUS that was their slogan back in the day) and their Memorial 500 count down. Dave and I didn't even turn on our television all weekend for more than a half hour or so just so we could be outside doing yard stuff and rockin' out. I'm sure the neighbors thought we had lost our senses but we didn't care. We were teenagers again.
We wondered what the best rock song ever was going to be and I guessed correctly! (it had to be 'cause it's my favorite too and i listen to it cranked up.....the radio, not me) I'm sure my son could tell you what song it is but since you probably won't be talking to him soon, I'll tell you. drum roll please........ The number one best rock song ever of the 2007 Memorial 500 count down is......Led Zepplin's Stairway to Heaven! TA DA!
Anyway, we rocked and rolled ;) and became kids again. Just the two of us and the dog.
It was great!
Until I set the grill on fire.....
But that's another story.
Later!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Where is everybody?
It's early. Well, not exactly as early as it was a couple of hours ago but still.... I know no one is at home and it feels like I am here at headquarters while everyone is out on bivouac. I'm glad they are having fun I know and I am being forced to do something on my own. Kind of scary but kind of peaceful too.
I have so much to do to get things in order around my little quarter acre of Gods green earth and have decided to take it a step at a time. I am excited but a little melancholy too. Winter is coming....
BUT on a lighter note, the pool is open and I have a stack of books to read while I am on "life-guard" duty and I love to hear the kids laughing and playing and cooling off. So... here's to summer and all of the WARM weather!
At any rate, I've jumped on the blogging bandwagon. I so enjoy reading my favorites and I go to my computer to check (several times a day mind you) to see if there is anything new. I will endeavor to write my thoughts as well as have fun and hopefully none of you will think it strange for me to be blogging. After all, it appears to be a "thirtysomething" event. But they do say age is a state of mind. I wonder who this mysterious "they" are. "They" are always making quotes.
So, 'till next time....
I have so much to do to get things in order around my little quarter acre of Gods green earth and have decided to take it a step at a time. I am excited but a little melancholy too. Winter is coming....
BUT on a lighter note, the pool is open and I have a stack of books to read while I am on "life-guard" duty and I love to hear the kids laughing and playing and cooling off. So... here's to summer and all of the WARM weather!
At any rate, I've jumped on the blogging bandwagon. I so enjoy reading my favorites and I go to my computer to check (several times a day mind you) to see if there is anything new. I will endeavor to write my thoughts as well as have fun and hopefully none of you will think it strange for me to be blogging. After all, it appears to be a "thirtysomething" event. But they do say age is a state of mind. I wonder who this mysterious "they" are. "They" are always making quotes.
So, 'till next time....
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