It's Saturday morning and I have a few moments to blog- although I don't really know if anyone reads this but it's theraputic to put down my thoughts for me anyway!
All week one of the Scriptures that Dave Gibson preached on this past Sunday has been hanging around in my thoughts - so I've been trying to pay attention, because as forgetful as I can be, if I'm remembering something, there's got to be a point to it. And I believe the Holy Spirit is at work, bringing things to mind.
It's Psalm 73:28 "The nearness of God is my good." That's New American Standard. NIV says, "But as for me, it is good to be near God." Here's the whole passage from the Message:
25-28 You're all I want in heaven!
You're all I want on earth!
When my skin sags and my bones get brittle,
God is rock-firm and faithful.
Look! Those who left you are falling apart!
Deserters, they'll never be heard from again.
But I'm in the very presence of God—
oh, how refreshing it is!
I've made Lord God my home.
God, I'm telling the world what you do!
I'm right there with the part about saggy skin and brittle bones! Vs 25 in the NAS says, "Whom have I in heaven but You?"
The thought that Dave said that I keep thinking about, is what does it look like for life for me to be good? My usual quick answer would be that there is peace in the home, everyone is good with everyone else, the kids aren't struggling, etc.
Yet this verse says that to be near to God is all I need for life to be good. So that's what I've been pondering all week. How much do I believe this, and how much do I center my actions on this? In my head and in my heart I believe it and understand it- that if I'm in close relationship to my Lord, then when the tough things in life do come, then in His strength I will be able to survive them and grow.
But shouldn't this be central in every decision I make? At one point in the week, I wanted to say some unkind words to my dear husband, and before I opened my mouth, the thought came, will yelling at him draw me nearer to God? Well, no! So how can I yell at him? WOW! How life-changing it would be to have that thought before every action!
So I'm praying that the Holy Spirit keeps bringing this to my mind all the time, that God gives me a deep longing in my soul to be nearer to Him. And that I put aside my self-centeredness and self-desires and follow more closely.
Any thoughts out there on this topic?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Memories
Yesterday my mother-in-law gave me a packet of old correspondence that her sister had kept over the years. I finally had time to look through it this morning. In the bag were our wedding invitation and program from our wedding 32 years ago. There were the birth announcements from all 4 of our kids along with miscellaneous pictures. There were several Christmas cards and birthday cards we had sent to Rodney's grandmother- because his aunts and grandmother lived all over the US, they would circulate letters and cards sent from other family.
I haven't seen my wedding inviation or program for probably 20 something years- if I had to describe them I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to- but now I have them back. Same thing with the birth announcements. Not sure what that says about my memory! But it makes me think about the fact that at the time, those seemed to be such all-consuming important decisions I made in choosing those, yet over the years, I've forgotten.
And also it makes me think about the importance of saving things. If Aunt Joann hadn't saved them, and my MIL, I wouldn't be having these sweet moments this morning. What will future generations have to look back on in this day of emails and everything electronic? How many letters have I written to my kids? I think of all the letters my mom wrote to me when I was in college- I still have a few. Maybe I'll start writing them letters, who knows!
A funny line from one of the Christmas cards to Grandmother Purkey- the girls were 5 and 7- Rodney wrote: "The girls are both doing well and like school. All they seem to do at home is play school. Laura likes to be the PE teacher so she can make Rachel run laps. Maybe Rachel will catch on." I'm still laughing about that! And they are both teachers today! And Rachel loves to run. Hmmm.
I haven't seen my wedding inviation or program for probably 20 something years- if I had to describe them I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to- but now I have them back. Same thing with the birth announcements. Not sure what that says about my memory! But it makes me think about the fact that at the time, those seemed to be such all-consuming important decisions I made in choosing those, yet over the years, I've forgotten.
And also it makes me think about the importance of saving things. If Aunt Joann hadn't saved them, and my MIL, I wouldn't be having these sweet moments this morning. What will future generations have to look back on in this day of emails and everything electronic? How many letters have I written to my kids? I think of all the letters my mom wrote to me when I was in college- I still have a few. Maybe I'll start writing them letters, who knows!
A funny line from one of the Christmas cards to Grandmother Purkey- the girls were 5 and 7- Rodney wrote: "The girls are both doing well and like school. All they seem to do at home is play school. Laura likes to be the PE teacher so she can make Rachel run laps. Maybe Rachel will catch on." I'm still laughing about that! And they are both teachers today! And Rachel loves to run. Hmmm.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Summer's Passing
Well, it's that time of year when I feel some frustrations. School starts back in 2 weeks, and where did all that free time go this summer? What did I accomplish during the break? Why does it always seem so short?
If I keep going down this path of thought, I'll end up in a deep hole of depression, which I do not need to be in. So I'm working hard to not go there. In my Polly Anna's way ( yes, I've been accused of being a Polly Anna, but I don't think that's so bad!) I'm trying to think good thoughts. So here are a few for this morning:
1) I'm about to embark on my last year of homeschooling! WooHoo! I'm really trying to focus on making this a great year with Joe, and to go out doing my best, and not just limping across the finish line.
2) So the corallary is that this is my last summer to have to spend time preparing school work for the next year! Another giant woohoo! Yes, I'll still do some prep for my math classes, which I plan on continuing to teach. But no more lesson plans for co-op, etc. This thought has helped alot this summer to keep me going.
3) I did have some amazing experiences this summer- like our Galveston mission trip, and our week at North Padre. And Rodney and I are taking a quick little jaunt later this week to Wimberley. So it hasn't been all work and no play. Also attended 3 weddings of children of good friends- another highlight.
4) I've spent several days quilting with my niece Ashley, which has been a load of fun.
5) I've had several lunches with several friends, spent time with others, and that's always refreshing.
6) I've gotten some cleaning and organizing done - Rachel did a bunch last week while I was gone- haven't missed too many things yet! Still have more to do.
7) Have enjoyed slower days without so much pressure of having to be somewhere, or having something done. More cooking of dinner in a leisurely pace, which I actually like.
Okay, I feel better already. Now on to work hard these last 2 weeks to squeeze in everything I should have done in the past 3 months!
If I keep going down this path of thought, I'll end up in a deep hole of depression, which I do not need to be in. So I'm working hard to not go there. In my Polly Anna's way ( yes, I've been accused of being a Polly Anna, but I don't think that's so bad!) I'm trying to think good thoughts. So here are a few for this morning:
1) I'm about to embark on my last year of homeschooling! WooHoo! I'm really trying to focus on making this a great year with Joe, and to go out doing my best, and not just limping across the finish line.
2) So the corallary is that this is my last summer to have to spend time preparing school work for the next year! Another giant woohoo! Yes, I'll still do some prep for my math classes, which I plan on continuing to teach. But no more lesson plans for co-op, etc. This thought has helped alot this summer to keep me going.
3) I did have some amazing experiences this summer- like our Galveston mission trip, and our week at North Padre. And Rodney and I are taking a quick little jaunt later this week to Wimberley. So it hasn't been all work and no play. Also attended 3 weddings of children of good friends- another highlight.
4) I've spent several days quilting with my niece Ashley, which has been a load of fun.
5) I've had several lunches with several friends, spent time with others, and that's always refreshing.
6) I've gotten some cleaning and organizing done - Rachel did a bunch last week while I was gone- haven't missed too many things yet! Still have more to do.
7) Have enjoyed slower days without so much pressure of having to be somewhere, or having something done. More cooking of dinner in a leisurely pace, which I actually like.
Okay, I feel better already. Now on to work hard these last 2 weeks to squeeze in everything I should have done in the past 3 months!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Cooking New Recipes for Two
Since it is just Rodney and me at home with week with Joe in Belize, I pulled out my WW cookbook Dining for Two. After cooking for 6 for a really long time, I thought I would explore this down-sized cooking. And I'm so glad I did- it has been fun! And I need something to re-energize my cooking. So here are 2 recipes that were really good and the bonus was that part of the first meal was saved to use in the second meal!
Linguine and Meatballs with Zucchini
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb ground turkey
3 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Italian tomatoes
1 TBSP chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried
1 zucchini, chopped (I used my Pampered chef chopper)
9oz package fresh refrigerated linguine (could use regular)
Preheat oven to 400, Spray shallow dish. Cook onions and garlic in oil. Put half in large bowl. To bowl, add turkey, bread crumbs, egg, pepper, mix well, shape into 20 meatballs, place in pan, bake uncovered 20 minutes. Save 10 for next recipe.
To the other onions still in skillet, add tomatoes, zucchini, basil and cook till mixture thickens and zucchini is cooked. Add meatballs and let simmer while you cook the pasta.
Top pasta with meatball sauce. Add some parmesan, and yum and healthy. Very fresh-tasting!
Mexican Meatball Soup - this one was surprisingly very good!
1 14 1/2 oz can Mexican tomatoes (I used Del Monte with green chilies)
1 can chicken broth
3 tbsp white or brown rice
1/2 of 10-oz bag frozen chopped spinach
1/3 cup corn
1 jalepeno, chopped
10 meatballs
cheese
Put tomatoes, broth and rice in pan- bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 min till rice cooked. Add other ingredients, simmer till all heated, about 10 more minutes. Serve, topping with cheese and a little sour cream.
If you let it sit too long, most of the liquid will be absorbed and will be more like stew. I thought the spinach would be weird, but it's good!
Bon Apetit!
Linguine and Meatballs with Zucchini
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb ground turkey
3 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Italian tomatoes
1 TBSP chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp dried
1 zucchini, chopped (I used my Pampered chef chopper)
9oz package fresh refrigerated linguine (could use regular)
Preheat oven to 400, Spray shallow dish. Cook onions and garlic in oil. Put half in large bowl. To bowl, add turkey, bread crumbs, egg, pepper, mix well, shape into 20 meatballs, place in pan, bake uncovered 20 minutes. Save 10 for next recipe.
To the other onions still in skillet, add tomatoes, zucchini, basil and cook till mixture thickens and zucchini is cooked. Add meatballs and let simmer while you cook the pasta.
Top pasta with meatball sauce. Add some parmesan, and yum and healthy. Very fresh-tasting!
Mexican Meatball Soup - this one was surprisingly very good!
1 14 1/2 oz can Mexican tomatoes (I used Del Monte with green chilies)
1 can chicken broth
3 tbsp white or brown rice
1/2 of 10-oz bag frozen chopped spinach
1/3 cup corn
1 jalepeno, chopped
10 meatballs
cheese
Put tomatoes, broth and rice in pan- bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 min till rice cooked. Add other ingredients, simmer till all heated, about 10 more minutes. Serve, topping with cheese and a little sour cream.
If you let it sit too long, most of the liquid will be absorbed and will be more like stew. I thought the spinach would be weird, but it's good!
Bon Apetit!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Mission Trip Part 2
Another part of our trip was to spend 2 afternoons helping out at a park with a Bible club. Each of our 2 teams spent one of the afternoons there. It was a large community park with a great community building, so there were alot of kids there, maybe 50-70, ages 5-18 or so- I'm not good at estimating. We hung out at the playground part, and started out by playing tag, freeze tag, jump rope, and pushing the kids on the swings.
Can I just say that again this was WAY out of my comfort zone- to just saunter over to a group of kids and say "Hi, you want to play?" But our kids just jumped in there and started mingling and playing. And those kids were so cute! Some of them were stand-offish, but the younger ones were thrilled to have someone pay attention to them.
Jump rope was the biggest hit- they stood in line and took turns and got back in line. A little 6 year old stood by one of our girls and "helped" her turn the rope. The smile on her face when she took her turn to jump was priceless- I finally got it with my camera.
The older kids sort of ignored us, but some were willing to talk.
I asked one about 10 year old boy if he had been coming to the Bible stories, and he said his dad had told him to stay away from the "green-shirt" people. But then he added that when his dad saw that the "green-shirts" were giving the kids water and being nice to them, he said it was okay to come. Oh, the truth from children. There's that cold water thing again.
When it was time for the Bible story, a couple of blankets were spread out and some of the kids sat down and listened. Other kids sat away from the group on some tables, others were playing a football game. When it was over, the ones on the blanket who stayed received a freezer pop (oh, and did I say that it was hot out there? ) Some of the non-listeners also wanted freezer pops, but they were kindly told no, it was only for the ones who stayed and listened. One of the little ones told one of our girls that he didn't go to that church, but he was just there for the popsicle! Too cute!
Then our kids did a little craft with whoever wanted to- we helped them make bead bracelets with 5 colors of beads that helped them share the gospel: yellow for God, a dark bead for sin, red for Christ's blood, white or clear for cleansing of sin, green for growth as a believer. Our kids shared with about 10-12 kids, several prayed to accept Christ. In all honesty, I wonder at their sincerity and understanding, but God uses all things.
And again I was amazed at our jr highers' boldness and eagerness to share the gospel!
Our last evening, EFCA put on a hot dog dinner in front of the houses where we had worked all week. They had a pickup with a sign announcing free hotdogs and pulling a smoker where they grilled hot dogs. They called it "Drive By Prayer" because people could drive up, our kids would go out to the car and get their hotdog order, bring them back dogs, chips, and a drink, and then ask to pray with them! I don't know how many we served, but for an hour and a half, we had a steady stream of kids and adults- mostly on foot, many on bikes, some in cars.
Our kids had a great time, and again were so bold to hold the hands of these strangers and pray. One lady with 2 teen daughters and a little boy pulled up and I told her the hot dogs weren't ready just yet, and she said she'd drive around the block. When she came back, we got her served, and I asked if we could pray. She said yes, pray that I get a job. So I prayed for them, and afterward she was so appreciative, and asked more about where Galveston Bible Church was and that she was going to go by there and check it out.
Another man I prayed with asked if I would like to hear the poem he had written. I wish now that I had asked him if I could video him. His poem was so full of scripture and sound theology, I was just standing there almost with my mouth open. From the outside, he looked like someone who was really down and out, yet on the inside, he was full of truth and grace.
Again, I'm thinking, how can we do some of this in our own neighborhood? When we do our Fall Festival and we give out free hotdogs, how about we ask to pray with the people before they leave? What about having a free hotdog dinner every couple of months and again, ask to pray with people?
I was talking with a friend at the airport today as we waited for our high school kids to leave on their mission trip to Belize, and she asked if I knew that we were going to be doing the prayer walking and hot dog dinner. I said no, and that it was probably a good thing, because I would have been VERY nervous and anxious.
But I think that part of the trip was the most amazing part, and the most satisfying and fulfilling part. Yes, the work on the houses was rewarding, but interacting with people was the best.
We also met some amazing people who work with EFCA. All the young people who were giving a year or more of their lives to minister there. And then there was John and Amy, our site managers. They were such an inspiration to us. They truly live sacrificially and have such a heart for helping others. It was great fun getting to know them and see the two of them work on the house as a couple, and to hear about their different experiences. It was hard to leave them after only 3 1/2 days - there was alot of bonding going on amongst the paint fumes and heat! I'm thankful for FB and email so we can keep in touch. They gave me great food for thought on what Rodney and I need to be doing with what God has gifted us with.
I'm praying that all we saw and did during our week will stay fresh on my mind and also in the kids' hearts. I look forward to seeing how God will continue to mold our kids.
And I'm so thankful for David Martin, our middle school pastor, and Cypress Bible for having the vision that our middle schoolers could do a trip like we did. As someone said, the fruit of the years that David has been laboring with our students was seen this week.
Praise God for all He has done with and through us on this trip. Thank you, EFCA and Galveston Bible Church, for having the vision to do more than just rebuild houses, but to also reach out to rebuild lives. Thank you for letting us participate and be the hands and feet of Christ.
Can I just say that again this was WAY out of my comfort zone- to just saunter over to a group of kids and say "Hi, you want to play?" But our kids just jumped in there and started mingling and playing. And those kids were so cute! Some of them were stand-offish, but the younger ones were thrilled to have someone pay attention to them.
Jump rope was the biggest hit- they stood in line and took turns and got back in line. A little 6 year old stood by one of our girls and "helped" her turn the rope. The smile on her face when she took her turn to jump was priceless- I finally got it with my camera.
The older kids sort of ignored us, but some were willing to talk.
I asked one about 10 year old boy if he had been coming to the Bible stories, and he said his dad had told him to stay away from the "green-shirt" people. But then he added that when his dad saw that the "green-shirts" were giving the kids water and being nice to them, he said it was okay to come. Oh, the truth from children. There's that cold water thing again.
When it was time for the Bible story, a couple of blankets were spread out and some of the kids sat down and listened. Other kids sat away from the group on some tables, others were playing a football game. When it was over, the ones on the blanket who stayed received a freezer pop (oh, and did I say that it was hot out there? ) Some of the non-listeners also wanted freezer pops, but they were kindly told no, it was only for the ones who stayed and listened. One of the little ones told one of our girls that he didn't go to that church, but he was just there for the popsicle! Too cute!
Then our kids did a little craft with whoever wanted to- we helped them make bead bracelets with 5 colors of beads that helped them share the gospel: yellow for God, a dark bead for sin, red for Christ's blood, white or clear for cleansing of sin, green for growth as a believer. Our kids shared with about 10-12 kids, several prayed to accept Christ. In all honesty, I wonder at their sincerity and understanding, but God uses all things.
And again I was amazed at our jr highers' boldness and eagerness to share the gospel!
Our last evening, EFCA put on a hot dog dinner in front of the houses where we had worked all week. They had a pickup with a sign announcing free hotdogs and pulling a smoker where they grilled hot dogs. They called it "Drive By Prayer" because people could drive up, our kids would go out to the car and get their hotdog order, bring them back dogs, chips, and a drink, and then ask to pray with them! I don't know how many we served, but for an hour and a half, we had a steady stream of kids and adults- mostly on foot, many on bikes, some in cars.
Our kids had a great time, and again were so bold to hold the hands of these strangers and pray. One lady with 2 teen daughters and a little boy pulled up and I told her the hot dogs weren't ready just yet, and she said she'd drive around the block. When she came back, we got her served, and I asked if we could pray. She said yes, pray that I get a job. So I prayed for them, and afterward she was so appreciative, and asked more about where Galveston Bible Church was and that she was going to go by there and check it out.
Another man I prayed with asked if I would like to hear the poem he had written. I wish now that I had asked him if I could video him. His poem was so full of scripture and sound theology, I was just standing there almost with my mouth open. From the outside, he looked like someone who was really down and out, yet on the inside, he was full of truth and grace.
Again, I'm thinking, how can we do some of this in our own neighborhood? When we do our Fall Festival and we give out free hotdogs, how about we ask to pray with the people before they leave? What about having a free hotdog dinner every couple of months and again, ask to pray with people?
I was talking with a friend at the airport today as we waited for our high school kids to leave on their mission trip to Belize, and she asked if I knew that we were going to be doing the prayer walking and hot dog dinner. I said no, and that it was probably a good thing, because I would have been VERY nervous and anxious.
But I think that part of the trip was the most amazing part, and the most satisfying and fulfilling part. Yes, the work on the houses was rewarding, but interacting with people was the best.
We also met some amazing people who work with EFCA. All the young people who were giving a year or more of their lives to minister there. And then there was John and Amy, our site managers. They were such an inspiration to us. They truly live sacrificially and have such a heart for helping others. It was great fun getting to know them and see the two of them work on the house as a couple, and to hear about their different experiences. It was hard to leave them after only 3 1/2 days - there was alot of bonding going on amongst the paint fumes and heat! I'm thankful for FB and email so we can keep in touch. They gave me great food for thought on what Rodney and I need to be doing with what God has gifted us with.
I'm praying that all we saw and did during our week will stay fresh on my mind and also in the kids' hearts. I look forward to seeing how God will continue to mold our kids.
And I'm so thankful for David Martin, our middle school pastor, and Cypress Bible for having the vision that our middle schoolers could do a trip like we did. As someone said, the fruit of the years that David has been laboring with our students was seen this week.
Praise God for all He has done with and through us on this trip. Thank you, EFCA and Galveston Bible Church, for having the vision to do more than just rebuild houses, but to also reach out to rebuild lives. Thank you for letting us participate and be the hands and feet of Christ.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Mission Trip to Galveston
After a 3 hour nap, I think I'm ready to start trying to process and share some of my experiences from this past week!
First, I feel so privileged and thankful and amazingly blessed to have been a part of the trip this week. 6 adult leaders took 23 jr high students to Galveston Sun-Friday to work with EFCA and Galveston Bible Church on the Rebuilding Galveston project. Sounds like a normal mission trip. But what we all experienced far exceeded our expectations.
To anyone who discounts middle schoolers and thinks they are just a nuisance, you should have been there!
Our assignment for the week was to work on 2 houses that had been damaged in Hurricane Ike almost 2 years ago. Ours had a watermark on it about 5 feet up on the front door. All over the island we saw on many buildings marks that were reminders of how high the water was- until I saw those, I couldn't even begin to fathom how awful that must have been.
Anyway, our house was almost finished- our job was to prime all the walls and ceilings, then paint it all, and paint we did! We used 40 gallons of paint in 3 1/2 days! And how blessed we were to be able to finish the painting job and see the house completely painted.
Most of our students had never painted before- but they sure know how to now! I was amazed at how hard they worked and how willing they were to stick with the job. It was a learning experience for all of us, as we as leaders learned how to teach our kids to paint as well! And did I mention the heat? We were painting in an unair-conditioned home (that wasn't put in yet) in July in Texas- need I say more! We would start at 8:15 or so, and by 9:00, we'd be soaked through with sweat. It made us thankful for the big fans we had and any breeze coming through the windows.
I was amazed that our kids didn't complain! Just amazed! They were a huge encouragement to me to not complain. The house we stayed in was near the church- it had been gutted after the flood, (it had a water mark on it at least 14 feet above the ground) then made habitable for work teams. It had 2 small wall units and several big fans, but it was still hot. And still the kids didn't complain!
And actually, I'm glad it was difficult because I think our lives are pretty darn soft. I think this small suffering made us all appreciate what we do have. As I lay in bed at night, sweating, I was thankful we had fans, running water in the showers, flush potties, good food, beds with mattresses, etc. It totally refocused my thoughts from not what I don't have, but to what I did have. And we talked about this a bunch.
The homeowner was living in a garage apt at the back of the property and he was so appreciative and kind. The last day we were there, he grilled hamburgers for our lunch as a thank you. The kids prayed for him often as we were there.
And speaking of prayer, another huge part of the trip was prayer walking. As we were working during the day, groups of 4-5 kids would take a break from painting and go on a prayer walk. They would each take several bottles of cold water, and begin walking around the surrounding neighborhood which was a pretty run-down area, stopping to give people they met water, and then asking if they could pray for them! You would not believe how bold our kids were! I think this was their favorite thing to do!
And I was amazed at how well this was received- how open these complete strangers were to these 7-8th graders coming up to them and praying with them. Just amazing! They asked for us to pray for their health, for jobs, for wisdom. And to see their faces after we prayed- a look of hope and comfort.
I have to admit that I avoided going on these walks until the last day when Staja said I really needed to go- and I knew I did, I was just scared and uncomfortable. That was totally way way out of my comfort zone!! But I headed off with about 6 of my 8th grade girls, letting them take the lead. We first stopped by a wreck of a house and prayed for the man on the porch. Then we stopped by a house and gave water to another group that was working on repairing a house that would become a shelter. Then as we were walking, 3 men working in a warehouse waved us over and wanted to know if we had water. We did and went back to the house to get some more for them. Then we asked if we could pray for them, and we did, and they so appreciated it.
The whole experience was humbling, and made me think about when Jesus said, when you gave a drink of cold water, you did it unto Me. That simple act of giving cold water was such a huge act of kindness that opened the door. And those guys knew it and told us that we were really doing good work.
And after the first time of asking someone if I could pray for them, it was way easier! And actually pretty fun! To see the joy and hope it put in people's eyes! Such a simple thing to do, but so powerful.
And it was all God. The whole week. I hate being hot. My shoulders don't work so well anymore. I didn't sleep much. But God poured out His grace and mercy and sustained me physically, emotionally, and hugely spiritually. The first night I slept 2 1/2 hours, and should have been a zombie all day. But I was able to put in a full day of work- and it was all God, none of me. I struggle meeting strangers and striking up a conversation, yet at the end, I could walk up to strangers and ask to pray with them- it was all God, none of me.
So now that I'm back home, how do I keep this going? How do I apply this week to my daily life? Instead of saying I'll pray for a friend who shares a need, why not pray right there, on the phone, in the hall, at the store. What can we as a church do to reach out to our community more? What can our middle school ministry do to reach out?
I don't want to wait till next summer to go on another trip.
More to come later: our day at the park doing Bible club, our "Drive By Prayer" hotdog dinner.
Praise God for His amazing grace! Parents of the students who went: you have some amazing kids!
First, I feel so privileged and thankful and amazingly blessed to have been a part of the trip this week. 6 adult leaders took 23 jr high students to Galveston Sun-Friday to work with EFCA and Galveston Bible Church on the Rebuilding Galveston project. Sounds like a normal mission trip. But what we all experienced far exceeded our expectations.
To anyone who discounts middle schoolers and thinks they are just a nuisance, you should have been there!
Our assignment for the week was to work on 2 houses that had been damaged in Hurricane Ike almost 2 years ago. Ours had a watermark on it about 5 feet up on the front door. All over the island we saw on many buildings marks that were reminders of how high the water was- until I saw those, I couldn't even begin to fathom how awful that must have been.
Anyway, our house was almost finished- our job was to prime all the walls and ceilings, then paint it all, and paint we did! We used 40 gallons of paint in 3 1/2 days! And how blessed we were to be able to finish the painting job and see the house completely painted.
Most of our students had never painted before- but they sure know how to now! I was amazed at how hard they worked and how willing they were to stick with the job. It was a learning experience for all of us, as we as leaders learned how to teach our kids to paint as well! And did I mention the heat? We were painting in an unair-conditioned home (that wasn't put in yet) in July in Texas- need I say more! We would start at 8:15 or so, and by 9:00, we'd be soaked through with sweat. It made us thankful for the big fans we had and any breeze coming through the windows.
I was amazed that our kids didn't complain! Just amazed! They were a huge encouragement to me to not complain. The house we stayed in was near the church- it had been gutted after the flood, (it had a water mark on it at least 14 feet above the ground) then made habitable for work teams. It had 2 small wall units and several big fans, but it was still hot. And still the kids didn't complain!
And actually, I'm glad it was difficult because I think our lives are pretty darn soft. I think this small suffering made us all appreciate what we do have. As I lay in bed at night, sweating, I was thankful we had fans, running water in the showers, flush potties, good food, beds with mattresses, etc. It totally refocused my thoughts from not what I don't have, but to what I did have. And we talked about this a bunch.
The homeowner was living in a garage apt at the back of the property and he was so appreciative and kind. The last day we were there, he grilled hamburgers for our lunch as a thank you. The kids prayed for him often as we were there.
And speaking of prayer, another huge part of the trip was prayer walking. As we were working during the day, groups of 4-5 kids would take a break from painting and go on a prayer walk. They would each take several bottles of cold water, and begin walking around the surrounding neighborhood which was a pretty run-down area, stopping to give people they met water, and then asking if they could pray for them! You would not believe how bold our kids were! I think this was their favorite thing to do!
And I was amazed at how well this was received- how open these complete strangers were to these 7-8th graders coming up to them and praying with them. Just amazing! They asked for us to pray for their health, for jobs, for wisdom. And to see their faces after we prayed- a look of hope and comfort.
I have to admit that I avoided going on these walks until the last day when Staja said I really needed to go- and I knew I did, I was just scared and uncomfortable. That was totally way way out of my comfort zone!! But I headed off with about 6 of my 8th grade girls, letting them take the lead. We first stopped by a wreck of a house and prayed for the man on the porch. Then we stopped by a house and gave water to another group that was working on repairing a house that would become a shelter. Then as we were walking, 3 men working in a warehouse waved us over and wanted to know if we had water. We did and went back to the house to get some more for them. Then we asked if we could pray for them, and we did, and they so appreciated it.
The whole experience was humbling, and made me think about when Jesus said, when you gave a drink of cold water, you did it unto Me. That simple act of giving cold water was such a huge act of kindness that opened the door. And those guys knew it and told us that we were really doing good work.
And after the first time of asking someone if I could pray for them, it was way easier! And actually pretty fun! To see the joy and hope it put in people's eyes! Such a simple thing to do, but so powerful.
And it was all God. The whole week. I hate being hot. My shoulders don't work so well anymore. I didn't sleep much. But God poured out His grace and mercy and sustained me physically, emotionally, and hugely spiritually. The first night I slept 2 1/2 hours, and should have been a zombie all day. But I was able to put in a full day of work- and it was all God, none of me. I struggle meeting strangers and striking up a conversation, yet at the end, I could walk up to strangers and ask to pray with them- it was all God, none of me.
So now that I'm back home, how do I keep this going? How do I apply this week to my daily life? Instead of saying I'll pray for a friend who shares a need, why not pray right there, on the phone, in the hall, at the store. What can we as a church do to reach out to our community more? What can our middle school ministry do to reach out?
I don't want to wait till next summer to go on another trip.
More to come later: our day at the park doing Bible club, our "Drive By Prayer" hotdog dinner.
Praise God for His amazing grace! Parents of the students who went: you have some amazing kids!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Serving on a Jury
I'm starting this blog for 2 reasons- first, my old one was linked to my old email; secondly, I just finished serving 3 days on a jury and it was so much like a soap opera it was easier to tell it all one time and have friends read about it here.
So if you are interested in the trial, read on! If not, check back later- I am going to try to keep up with this better than with the last one!
The jury selection started on Thursday, and we were selected at 2 pm - didn't get to eat lunch till 3 pm - our hunger united the group! At 3:30 we began to hear the first testimony from 2 police officers.
Apparently, or as they say, allegedly, a man (we'll call him Tim) was robbed at gunpoint while he was walking home with his cigarettes and beer. This took place in a low-income area in Houston. One robber held the gun while the other (we'll call him Cole) checked through the pockets of Tim and also made him take his shoes off. Cole took $6 and change, an ID, credit card (that wasn't any good), a SS card, and a food stamp card. The robbers looked at the beer and cigs and didn't take them cuz they were Menthols and not their type. They then left and Tim jogged to the nearby house of his friend- to return the $20 change the friend had loaned him - apparently Tim had 2 $10 bills folded up in the little watch-pocket of his jeans and the robbers didn't find it!
The neighbor told Tim to call the police, so Tim went across the street to his house, put his beer in the fridge, and then called the police.
The police came, drove down the street the robbers had left on, saw Cole, apprehended him, brought him back to Tim, who said that he was the one. None of the stolen evidence was ever found, even though the police searched the area, and the gunman was never apprehended, either.
A little background on Tim - he's served time in prison for robbery of a habitation and 3 DWI's. He said he no long did crack or cocaine, but did smoke a little weed once in a while. ( I couldn't believe he said that on the stand - just admitted it- it was also a surprise to the prosecuting attorney, we found out later.)
Then a few weeks after the alleged robbery, Cole's wife, friend, and a guy named Water (who is now in jail for armed robbery himself) came to Tim and offered $300 if he'd sign an affidavit saying Cole was not the guy- he misidentified him. Tim said he was insulted with the offer of $300 - now if it had been $3000 then he'd do it ( another shocking statement the prosecutor was not expecting!)
Then we heard from Cole's wife saying that he'd been at home with her all evening, and she just got out of the shower and was sending him to the store and she looked at the clock and it was 9:50. (So where was he during the shower????) Problem with her testimony was that the police record showed Cole was in the police car at 9:49. Oh, and she was sending him to the corner store for cigarettes cuz they sell single cigarettes there !!! But apparently she had lied to police before in another incident involving Cole and coke, so we pretty much threw out her testimony.
Let's see- other interesting facts- at the affidavit meeting, the defense attorney was present (misconduct?? stupidity???)
So Friday afternoon we deliberated for about 2 1/2 hours, and 11 of us felt that Cole was probably guilty of the robbery, but we felt that the state did not have enough evidence- we had reasonable doubt, considering the testimony and character of Tim.
But one juror was sure that Tim was telling the truth, that he had 'paid his debt to society' by serving time in prison, so why would he lie? So we told the judge that we were 11 to 1, he said to come back Monday.
So today we came back, and this one lady would not budge in her thinking, she just knew Cole was guilty. It made the rest of us really mad because she wasn't following what the judge said- and what our law says- that someone is innocent until proven by the state beyond all reasonable doubt- the burden is on the state to prove guilt, not on the accused to prove innocence. She just felt he was guilty.
So we ended up with a hung jury- the judge called a mistrial- the prosecutor dropped the case and was not going to retry it- not enough evidence.
It was a fascinating experience to really see how our system works. I did not imagine the weight of the responsibility until I was on the jury ( this was my first time to be actually be chosen). It was also a huge view into a whole different part of society - I am blessed beyond measure!
It was fascinating to talk with the prosecuting attorney afterward and hear that she didn't know some of the stuff her witness was going to say- but she told him to be honest. She could have done some things differently that might have swayed us, but it sounded as if she was overloaded with cases and didn't have a ton of time to prepare.
And the group dynamics of our jury were interesting- we had a 27 year old attorney as our foreman, the rest worked as school administrators, retired teacher, prison guard, (oh yes- the prison guard said that Tim had been one of his inmates - the judge let him stay on the jury), real estate loan ladies, all very nice - except the one!
It was interesting how they took our cell phones away while we were deliberating. It was inteteresting to see the people in the criminal justice building.
So there it all is- probably more than you wanted! Moral of the story- go ahead and answer that jury summons. I'm thankful for our system where the burden is on the prosecutor to prove guilt.
I'm looking forward to not getting up early tomorrow and driving downtown!
So if you are interested in the trial, read on! If not, check back later- I am going to try to keep up with this better than with the last one!
The jury selection started on Thursday, and we were selected at 2 pm - didn't get to eat lunch till 3 pm - our hunger united the group! At 3:30 we began to hear the first testimony from 2 police officers.
Apparently, or as they say, allegedly, a man (we'll call him Tim) was robbed at gunpoint while he was walking home with his cigarettes and beer. This took place in a low-income area in Houston. One robber held the gun while the other (we'll call him Cole) checked through the pockets of Tim and also made him take his shoes off. Cole took $6 and change, an ID, credit card (that wasn't any good), a SS card, and a food stamp card. The robbers looked at the beer and cigs and didn't take them cuz they were Menthols and not their type. They then left and Tim jogged to the nearby house of his friend- to return the $20 change the friend had loaned him - apparently Tim had 2 $10 bills folded up in the little watch-pocket of his jeans and the robbers didn't find it!
The neighbor told Tim to call the police, so Tim went across the street to his house, put his beer in the fridge, and then called the police.
The police came, drove down the street the robbers had left on, saw Cole, apprehended him, brought him back to Tim, who said that he was the one. None of the stolen evidence was ever found, even though the police searched the area, and the gunman was never apprehended, either.
A little background on Tim - he's served time in prison for robbery of a habitation and 3 DWI's. He said he no long did crack or cocaine, but did smoke a little weed once in a while. ( I couldn't believe he said that on the stand - just admitted it- it was also a surprise to the prosecuting attorney, we found out later.)
Then a few weeks after the alleged robbery, Cole's wife, friend, and a guy named Water (who is now in jail for armed robbery himself) came to Tim and offered $300 if he'd sign an affidavit saying Cole was not the guy- he misidentified him. Tim said he was insulted with the offer of $300 - now if it had been $3000 then he'd do it ( another shocking statement the prosecutor was not expecting!)
Then we heard from Cole's wife saying that he'd been at home with her all evening, and she just got out of the shower and was sending him to the store and she looked at the clock and it was 9:50. (So where was he during the shower????) Problem with her testimony was that the police record showed Cole was in the police car at 9:49. Oh, and she was sending him to the corner store for cigarettes cuz they sell single cigarettes there !!! But apparently she had lied to police before in another incident involving Cole and coke, so we pretty much threw out her testimony.
Let's see- other interesting facts- at the affidavit meeting, the defense attorney was present (misconduct?? stupidity???)
So Friday afternoon we deliberated for about 2 1/2 hours, and 11 of us felt that Cole was probably guilty of the robbery, but we felt that the state did not have enough evidence- we had reasonable doubt, considering the testimony and character of Tim.
But one juror was sure that Tim was telling the truth, that he had 'paid his debt to society' by serving time in prison, so why would he lie? So we told the judge that we were 11 to 1, he said to come back Monday.
So today we came back, and this one lady would not budge in her thinking, she just knew Cole was guilty. It made the rest of us really mad because she wasn't following what the judge said- and what our law says- that someone is innocent until proven by the state beyond all reasonable doubt- the burden is on the state to prove guilt, not on the accused to prove innocence. She just felt he was guilty.
So we ended up with a hung jury- the judge called a mistrial- the prosecutor dropped the case and was not going to retry it- not enough evidence.
It was a fascinating experience to really see how our system works. I did not imagine the weight of the responsibility until I was on the jury ( this was my first time to be actually be chosen). It was also a huge view into a whole different part of society - I am blessed beyond measure!
It was fascinating to talk with the prosecuting attorney afterward and hear that she didn't know some of the stuff her witness was going to say- but she told him to be honest. She could have done some things differently that might have swayed us, but it sounded as if she was overloaded with cases and didn't have a ton of time to prepare.
And the group dynamics of our jury were interesting- we had a 27 year old attorney as our foreman, the rest worked as school administrators, retired teacher, prison guard, (oh yes- the prison guard said that Tim had been one of his inmates - the judge let him stay on the jury), real estate loan ladies, all very nice - except the one!
It was interesting how they took our cell phones away while we were deliberating. It was inteteresting to see the people in the criminal justice building.
So there it all is- probably more than you wanted! Moral of the story- go ahead and answer that jury summons. I'm thankful for our system where the burden is on the prosecutor to prove guilt.
I'm looking forward to not getting up early tomorrow and driving downtown!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)