Church Camp Adventures 2011

I've been home from camp for seven days, and I don't think I'm quite back into a routine. Of course, summer changes my routine anyway.

One thing that's been wonderful this week is the weather. Nothing but sun and pleasant temps. Wish we could've had two weeks at camp just like this, but for whatever reason God didn't see fit to give it to us. We still had a good time, in spite of the rain and several days of cool temps.

So let's talk about camp a little. I woke up with a stuffy nose the first day we were heading out. I have frequently been sniffly in the mornings but not stuffy. Thinking the congestion would just clear up as the day wore on, I didn't worry much about it. I popped a Claritin and went on with my day. Only it didn't just go away. It made me miserable. And I was staying in a cabin among a lot of trees and grass and growing things that... you know... create pollen.

I woke up in the middle of that first night with my sinuses miserably congested and couldn't breathe. That warranted a trip up to Walmart first thing Wednesday morning before the kids even were up. Thank goodness that the state park is only about 25 minutes from the Walmart. I grabbed a couple packages of sinus meds and some throat drops and headed back to camp. Let's just say I sneezed a lot and used up almost an entire box of Kleenex all by myself over the next five days.

I just want you to know that although I never would've anticipated having an allergy issue during camp, God's grace carried me through it. It's not what I would've chosen for myself, but I managed and still had fun in spite of the discomfort.

So what do you want to hear about next? The volleyball games, the snake, or the nicknames the kids gave me?

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Ministry

I cannot believe what God lets me do. Every Sunday and Wednesday I get to meet with a handful of kids and teach them about having a personal relationship with our loving God and Savior Jesus Christ. I figure that's about 100 opportunities in one year that I can make an impact on a child's life. What a blessing and responsibility. I don't take it lightly.

Last night He brought me an opportunity I hadn't been anticipating, but He just handed it right to me. During discipleship time at Olympians I had a new girl in my group, and she had some very intelligent questions about the Bible and the gospel. So as the other girls were leaving to play games, she remained behind to talk with me one-on-one. I got to share the gospel!

Someone else had already planted the seed, but I got to water it. I would love to see the fruit, but I'll have to wait and see. And if all I get to do is water, it's okay. I'm still thankful for the part God gave me in the process.

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Sin

Last night I taught the lesson at Olympians club, and it was about the shame of sin and its consequences. We need to deal with sin right away, or it will pile up and get way out of hand if we don't repent. It will hurt us, and it will hurt other people.

I was sharing with my group of girls during discipleship time about how I have struggled with sinful thoughts in the last month that God has been dealing with me about, and that I believe I finally surrendered to Him this morning and repented. One of the girls gasped and said, I can't picture you ever sinning. Well, I wish that were the case, but unfortunately I was born with a sin nature along with the rest of mankind. I assured her I do sin. A lot.

On the one hand, I am thankful that my students don't seem to see glaring sin when they watch me. I desire to live as an example for them. Oh, but I know my heart, and it's full of wickedness. The Lord keeps showing me just how wicked. I think if they were to follow me around for just one day, it wouldn't take very long for them to see my ugly.

You see, I'm selfish. I gossip and slander. I love to put myself first. I snap at people. I'm lazy. I love to judge and point out other people's sin. Shall I keep going? I'm a pretty pitiful and hopeless mess, yeah? You too?

Aren't we thankful for Jesus, though? His perfect life, His perfect deeds are now mine. When I took Him as my Savior, He became my substitute both in life and death. He took my sin, and He gave me His righteousness.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.... - Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  - 1 John 1:9 (NKJV)

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  - 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

We should let that truth sink in for a bit and praise Him for His wonderful grace.

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Discovery

The word for today is... discovery.

When I was asked in 2009 to teach the Junior Sunday School class at church, I didn't jump at the opportunity. I have taught children and youth classes over the years in the past, but I was glad to put those ministries behind me. They were good experiences for me, but I have never seen myself as a children's ministry gal.

Rather than giving a flat-out "no" to the question, I chose to pray for God's will in the matter. After a few weeks of praying, I believed there wasn't any good and clear reason to say "no". As much as it was not my desire or first choice to teach children, I did start to see the increased number of opportunities I would have as both a Word of Life Olympians coach and as a Sunday School teacher to encourage the kids in their daily walk with the Lord. So I agreed to teach the class.

The first months as teacher were grueling, to be very honest. Behavior problems with a few would often send me to tears after dismissing the class. I walked out of church discouraged on more Sundays than not. I had no idea what I had committed to.

I never knew what a week would bring, and I had to keep calling upon the Lord for renewed will to keep going. I remember one Sunday as I talked to Judy about it, I told her I could only commit to one more Sunday. I just kept doing that "one more Sunday" week after week.

Those hard months were only for a season, though. The class dynamic shifted, and then there were different issues. Still I continued to plod along, always praying that my students would be saved or if already saved, then growing and changing.

This new season that began in the fall of 2010 has been the most rewarding. I have students who ask lots of questions and are eager to learn. They're learning fundamental doctrines of the faith, and slowly but surely we are adding more truth to the foundation they already have. It gets me excited when the light bulb goes on over their head, so to speak. Two of the girls are talking about baptism now.

Looking back at where I started compared to where I am now, I feel so filled by the blessing God chose to pour out on me for making a choice that wouldn't have been my first pick. As I pray for these kids and see them come alive, you can't help but feel joy.

It's the ah-ha moment in the DISCOVERY that this is what God wanted to give me. He does give good gifts, but sometimes He makes us wait. Sometimes we even find that the very thing we wanted was found in someplace altogether different than where we thought we'd find it.

Think twice before saying "no" because you never know what wonderful things God has waiting for you around the bend.

Have you made any new discoveries lately? Were they blessings in disguise?

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The Pondering of a Teacher

God surprises me sometimes.

Last Sunday I only had one student in my Sunday school class. That's not unusual, seeing as I have a class of four regular attendees. It's somewhat of a disappointment when the other students who are absent miss the lesson because the curriculum always builds on the previous weeks.

Well, you just won't believe what happened. Tonight the Bible lesson in Olympians club came from the same Bible passage that our Sunday school lesson came from. In order to fully grasp what that means, you have to take into account that our Olympians curriculum and our Sunday school curriculum are exclusive of each other.

During the lesson I sat there thinking about how God must really want my students to hear this lesson and learn these truths for Him to arrange it to work out this way.

Or maybe it's simply about me, and God wanting me to see Him in it and to ponder His sovereignty.

Either way I look at it... it's way cool.

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Now I've Heard It All

True story.

I was browsing through my Facebook newsfeed last night and came across something my sister had posted. She was drinking her Diet Cherry Pepsi and kept wondering why it tasted horrible.

I don't know how the story was then divulged, but it seems she has a little chemist-in-the-making at her house. Either that, or he's just a goofball.

My nephew apparently thought it would be fun to make ice cubes out of hand sanitizer and Adidas cologne, rather than water.

I know that hand sanitizer can be deadly to children if they ingest it, but I don't know what effects it might have on an adult. My suggestion to her was that she should induce vomiting, just to be on the safe side. I don't think she appreciated that advice.

Further Adventures in Babysitting (repost)

While I'm away at camp, please enjoy these selected posts a second time around.

Originally posted on November 30, 2007

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's been a pretty busy week for me. I can't even remember what I did on Monday at this point. I wanted to blog so badly yesterday, but there just wasn't any time.

So... yesterday I found myself in that very professional, responsible, and adult role of ... BABYSITTER. Yes, I got to babysit! And it wasn't even for family this time. My friend is working a lot at her new job, and she needed me to watch her little guy *K*. If you know me, you know how much I enjoy babysitting, but I agreed to help pretty quickly.

*K* just turned 2, so he's the youngest charge I've had in quite a long time. We get along very well, though, because... well... he loves me! Yeah, he is somewhat infatuated with me for some odd reason. My friend thinks it's funny that he picks the one person who is not so "into" kids to gravitate to. He's been known to walk through a large crowd of people only to come directly to me and raise his arms up, asking to be held.

(Here we are at the start of our relationship. You can see he was much younger, and my hair was much shorter.)

Anyway, *K* and I do need to work on our communication skills, though. He told me all sorts of things yesterday. About what? I have no idea. It kinda went like this:

*K*: Assiiiii (pointing out the window)

Me: Outside?

*K*: Assiiiiii!

Me: Outside? What's outside?

After awhile he took me upstairs because he wanted to see the kitty. We found kitty napping on the sectional, and we woke her up. Kitty went to eat, and we went and watched her. Then we decided to watch Nemo. We were somewhat fascinated with Nemo, enough to keep our attention. Finally, *K* climbed up next to me, and we watched it together. Our favorite part was when Dory told Marlin to "just keep swimming...swimming...swimming... just keep swimming". We looked at each other and laughed.
When it was time to go downstairs to get ready for the relief babysitter to pick him up, we almost had a bit of a spill. *K* wanted me to carry him down the stairs. I told him to slide down the stairs like he had just done awhile ago. Nope, he wanted to be carried, so he stood there at the top of the stairs holding his arms out to me. I'm trying to grab him before he takes a flying leap, while holding two cups and something else I can't remember, and as I lean in to brace myself against the steps, I fall to my knees on the step. Ouch!! *K* laughs. I laugh. Oh boy... (sigh) We both managed to get down the stairs in one piece.

Piece of cake!

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Precious Moments

I don't have children, so the closest ones I can claim are my nieces and nephews.  Sometimes they can say crazy things, and I wonder, What on earth is that kid thinkin'?   Or Whose genes did they get?

On the other hand, there are those precious moments, like one that occurred tonight, when they say the sweetest thing, and you know that they love you.  Tonight my sweet Katy was talking to me before the Christmas program at church.  She took my hands and held them, and I bent over to listen to what she wanted to tell me.  She looked up at me and said, Aunt Liz...you are sooo beautiful.

Oh my goodness, could you just eat her up?  Let me tell ya, Aunt Liz is gonna run out tomorrow and buy her a Barbie Dream House for Christmas ...or whatever it is that little girls want these days.  Because the flattery?  It is working!

Link Love

I came across this post today at 5 Minutes For Books, and I love what she had to say about giving your child a love for books. I think she may be onto something.

On Reading: The Power of 20 Minutes

What I Learned This Week - Edition #6

I've been driving a mini-van since last Friday, sort of as a test drive to see if we might take it off my parents' hands.  They recently acquired it from my grandparents.  Since we're not in a position to purchase a car anytime in the near future, they thought we might be able to use it.

I never saw myself as the mini-van type.  We've had three different Neons since early on in marriage.  I had imagined if I were to upgrade my car, I really had my sites set on a Jeep Liberty or something more sporty and free-spirited.  And ya know, a girl needs somewhere to put her golf clubs... and to well... look all sporty on the road.

Anyway, on Sunday night I needed to give a young lady a ride home after church, and since we give her rides to church regularly, she is quite familiar with our declining Neon and all of its noises, quirks, and otherwise discomforts. 

This darling Jr. Higher hopped into the van and said she was surprised to see I had it and had been wondering where my car was.  Which led to the following conversation....

Me:  I never figured myself to be the minivan type, you know?  I kinda look like a soccer mom.  Whatcha think?

Girl:  Do you have kids?

Me:  (puzzled)  Uh... have you ever seen me with kids?  I mean, there are never any other kids with us when we pick you up.

Girl:  Yeah.  I just thought maybe you had OLDER kids that were grown.

Me:  (getting an incredulous look on my face) What?!?  How OLD do you think I AM?  I'm only 36!  I could be your mother but NOT old enough to have grown children.

Girl:  Oh.

Well... I think I might have to start charging her for rides from now on.  Oh, I kid.  I like her and would not do that to her. 

Unfortunately, what I learned this week is that apparently I look older than my age.  I think I would've felt better living in ignorance.  {sigh}  At least for a few more years.

*If you're interested in more What I Learned This Week, Jo-Lynne's blog is just a click away.

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A Christmas Program To Remember

Well, it wasn't a secret among those of us who were at the final rehearsal for the children's Christmas program on Saturday. Things were not going well.

Two of the actors had sore throats, one of them a main character. Children forgot their lines. They weren't standing where they had been told to stand. They were singing with less gusto. They still weren't speaking up or facing the audience. We had kinks with the sound system to work out. The actors in the play were frustrated and still working on their lines. Children were misbehaving and caused one teacher to lose it. Not that she was alone in that. Who could really blame her? We were all feeling the pressure.

The final practice for the program has always been a pressure cooker because... This is it! We have to be ready. For some reason, this one was the most difficult I have ever experienced. I was going through my own personal issues, and having a head cold didn't help matters. Tears came to my eyes as I sat at the piano and observed it all. I wasn't the only one, either.

At the snack break the Lord reminded me that... we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) It was not about misbehaving children or frustrated actors at all. It was about a battle being raged in the spiritual realm.

There is one who would not like to have seen our program succeed because of our message - adoption into the family of God. That one is Satan. We have an enemy, and it was evident that his hosts were busily working to take us down.

But God has overcome the evil one.

Last night as the lights went down and the program began, I think we each may have taken a collective breath. Then something amazing happened. The children were remembering their lines. They stood where they had been told to. They sang loudly. All the actors were present, sore throats and all, and delivered their lines to the sheer enjoyment of the audience, even if they did need a few prompts.

We were enjoying the moment.

Best of all, the gospel was presented in a most touching way, and it was evident God was there. It made my month of Sundays, with all the aches and tiredness I experienced with it, all melt away. It was worth it.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

3/23/08 - The Other Woman

3/23/08 - The Other Woman
Originally uploaded by discoveringliz

I have been informed by my niece that she is going to marry Rich. She insisted on sitting next to him, NOT ME, at Easter dinner yesterday.

3/2/08 - Toddler Duty

3/2/08 - Toddler Duty
Originally uploaded by discoveringliz

I had toddler room duty at church tonight. Need I say more?

Further Adventures in Babysitting

It's been a pretty busy week for me. I can't even remember what I did on Monday at this point. I wanted to blog so badly yesterday, but there just wasn't any time.

So... yesterday I found myself in that very professional, responsible, and adult role of ... BABYSITTER. Yes, I got to babysit! And it wasn't even for family this time. My friend is working a lot at her new job, and she needed me to watch her little guy *K*. If you know me, you know how much I enjoy babysitting, but I agreed to help pretty quickly.

*K* just turned 2, so he's the youngest charge I've had in quite a long time. We get along very well, though, because... well... he loves me! Yeah, he is somewhat infatuated with me for some odd reason. My friend thinks it's funny that he picks the one person who is not so "into" kids to gravitate to. He's been known to walk through a large crowd of people only to come directly to me and raise his arms up, asking to be held.

(Here we are at the start of our relationship. You can see he was much younger, and my hair was much shorter.)

Anyway, *K* and I do need to work on our communication skills, though. He told me all sorts of things yesterday. About what? I have no idea. It kinda went like this:

*K*: Assiiiii (pointing out the window)

Me: Outside?

*K*: Assiiiiii!

Me: Outside? What's outside?

After awhile he took me upstairs because he wanted to see the kitty. We found kitty napping on the sectional, and we woke her up. Kitty went to eat, and we went and watched her. Then we decided to watch Nemo. We were somewhat fascinated with Nemo, enough to keep our attention. Finally, *K* climbed up next to me, and we watched it together. Our favorite part was when Dory told Marlin to "just keep swimming...swimming...swimming... just keep swimming". We looked at each other and laughed.

When it was time to go downstairs to get ready for the relief babysitter to pick him up, we almost had a bit of a spill. *K* wanted me to carry him down the stairs. I told him to slide down the stairs like he had just done awhile ago. Nope, he wanted to be carried, so he stood there at the top of the stairs holding his arms out to me. I'm trying to grab him before he takes a flying leap, while holding two cups and something else I can't remember, and as I lean in to brace myself against the steps, I fall to my knees on the step. Ouch!! *K* laughs. I laugh. Oh boy... (sigh) We both managed to get down the stairs in one piece.

Piece of cake!

Funny Blog

You have to go read Dawn's blog today. She is a mom of 6 who lives in Chicago, and she's the writer of the "Because I Said So" blog. She's got some very funny stuff posted today. Made me laugh out loud. You have got to bookmark her website because her stuff is hysterical, and she usually writes every day.

http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/2007/11/bless-his-heart.html

Babysitting

As I type this I am babysitting at my sister's house. She has four kids - Meghan in 4th grade, Daniel in 2nd grade, Katy and Matthew (the twins) in Kindergarten - and yes, she chooses to leave them in my care on occasion. I know what you're thinking right about now... "If you're on the computer, are you actually babysitting?" Yes, I see your point, but the beauty is that they went over to the neighbor girl's house to jump on the trampoline. (Man, am I glad Kath doesn't have neat stuff like that here, or I would be babysitting the neighbors' kids too. Ha!)

I bet you're wondering if I'm a strict babysitter. Not really. I see my role here as basically keeping them from killing one another. I will mete out punishment, though, for lying, talking back and general naughtiness, but we get along pretty well. I feel more like a snack vendor than anything else because that's typically what they're most interested in for the first hour after getting home from school.

I don't do a lot of babysitting. That's how it's been pretty much all my life from high school on. In order to fully understand where I'm coming from, you have to know about my relationship with kids. I don't have any. Any kids, that is, not a relationship. It's not that I don't like kids. It's just that I wasn't blessed with that motherly instinct that 99% of all other women in the world have. Why don't I have this? Is it something you learn? Is it something that's buried deep inside that I just have not nurtured? What? I think babies are sweet and kids are funny to listen to and watch grow up. But when it comes to that baby smell... oh, it makes me want to hurl. (No offense to users of that product. Honest...It's just me.)

People have a wrong perception of me relating to babies. Apparently, people think I don't like them. That's far from true. Granted, I am very nervous to hold newborns, so I often decline this privilege until they get a few months under their belt. The one thing that I don't like at all is having to give bottles or feed anyone under the age of 3. This is entirely due to the choking factor. Babies and toddlers choke - at least they typically do whenever in my care. I hate it! Scares me out of my mind.

So since my nieces and nephews are way beyond toddler stage, they are a pretty safe bet. Yeah, you would think that, wouldn't you? But they have other issues. Like the time one of them, who shall remain nameless, decided to experiment with the phone and dialed 911. Guess who showed up at the house... two very nice policemen, who wanted to come in and take a look around to make sure everything was in order. (Oh boy!)

So I don't do a lot of babysitting. Only under special circumstances. I thought I'd just clear up this little misperception about me and children. I love them...as long as a parent is within the vicinity.

(Somebody just walked in the back door crying. I better go see who fell off the trampoline and broke a body part....)