First Day of School - a tradition

Summer came to a close last week...more like a screeching halt. The kids started school on Wednesday. Caeleb is in 9th and Amber is in 5th grade (did I just say 9th and 5th????).

Yes, I am sad that they continue to grow, but I am more happy that they are competent young people on a good path towards adulthood. That is the end goal!

Every year, I make the kids stand together and pose for a first day of school photo. They know it, and Caeleb doesn't even protest. Traditions like these are important for families.

What I'm currently reading...

I haven't read many books lately and I've missed it.

So, I raided my son's bookshelf and dove into The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Only a couple of chapters in and I'm already waiting to read more. I love futuristic, fictional stories of adventure.

I also recently found and am rereading my copy of The Prayer of Jabez, by Bruce Wilkinson.
I love his prayer: "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" 1 Chronicles 4:10.

Love

We tend to use the word "love" far too often. We attach it to things like chocolate, shoes, and movies. We end texts and conversations with a quick, "luv ya!" We say the words without even pausing to reflect on the emotion.
While I see none of this as wrong, I'm taking a moment to recognize the difference of love as the world knows it, and love as God calls us to.
It's big, this love of God. Yet, as heirs of glory, we are called to love as Jesus did.

"Love one another. As I have first loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:24-35

Jesus loves us so greatly, that he gave up heaven, came to earth to suffer and bear an excruciating death, so that we might share in the glory of resurrection with him. God allowed this because of his love for us. He couldn't bear to leave us alone in our sinful state.

What love...How great...Quite different than my love for chocolate...

Room makeover...for under $25

It was time to help my 10 year old daughters room grow from "little girl" to "pre-teen". I almost fought this kicking and screaming, but eventually accepted that she's growing up. Together, we transformed her room on an extremely tight budget...under $25!

We picked out three shades of paint: purple, blue and green, purchased the sample size and spent under $10!

In chalk, we then traced three different sizes of circles (I'd collected cardboard circles) in a band about halfway up her wall. With the remaining paint, we also polka-dotted her lampshade and a monogram (we found for under $2) for her door. 

Amber also wanted to incorporate zebra print into her room. I bought a single yard of it for $6 and a roll of lime green ribbon for $3. With a hot-glue gun, I made a table topper for her bedside table, created a simple window topper by wrapping the header to her blinds in zebra, made a memo board with existing cork board, and a pair of jewelry organizers to hang her growing collection of bracelets and necklaces. 

The room has undergone quite a transformation with the addition of polka-dots a zebra print. While it sounds like a lot...the coordinating colors and patterns have kept the room tasteful as opposed to tacky. We have plans to hopefully add zebra sheets and pillowcases in the near future. Stay tuned for more crafting adventures!

Preschool Ministry

I love the age.

Curious.  Willful. Energetic. Eager. Shy. Cranky. Funny. Defiant. Clingy. Full of wonder. Impatient. Entertaining. Resilient...just a few words to describe your average preschooler. (no wonder preschool volunteers go home exhausted!)

As we lead preschoolers towards a relationship with their loving Heavenly Father, we have challenges unlike those presented in elementary, student, and adult ministry. Oh, but these challenges make the journey so much sweeter.

When you serve in preschool ministry, you juggle wiping a nose, tying a shoe, and soothing an upset child...all while teaching a lesson about Jesus.

Yes, the lesson of the day is important. The activities, story, and craft point kids to learn truths about God. But if getting through the lesson is our only focus on Sunday morning, we miss an even greater opportunity. Every interaction in a preschool environment is a chance to model and teach about Jesus. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. When we wipe noses, or take a trip to the potty, or quiet a rowdy child, or sit and talk about princesses...our actions are a direct reflection of Christ!

Parents of preschoolers are the biggest influencers in their child's life. When parents are partnered with a church that models Jesus and their children are hearing trusted adults speak truth into their lives and further build up a strong, foundation upon which their faith is built.

Understanding

1 Corinthians 1:18: 

"The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God."

1 Corinthians 1:25:

"The foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."

It doesn't make sense. It's hard to comprehend. But salvation is not dependent on our comprehension. We are called to have faith...not in what we can not fully understand or comprehend but faith in God - the creator of the entire universe who, out of His great love for us, sent His only Son to the cross to defeat death.

Foolish? In our eyes. Incomprehensible? Quite certainly to our puny brains. Amazing? Definitely. Humbling? Oh yeah. How can we not fall on our knees at just a tiny glimpse of the knowledge that God loves us too much to leave us where we are...alone and in sin.

I'm not an intellectual. I don't understand a lot of things about God and the Bible and His ways. I learn more and more as the Holy Spirit reveals, but even after all these years, I've only just grasped the tip of the iceberg. But the beauty of it is: my lack of knowledge and understanding does not cause me to turn away. It causes me to lean in and crave more because of the reality that there is so much more to gain knowledge of my God and my Savior, Jesus.

In the beginning...

...God created the heavens and the earth - Genesis 1:1


During the month of May, Oak Leaf Preschoolers will be learning about creation. They'll first be talking about how God made the sky and everything in it; sun, moon, stars, clouds...


I snapped this picture of the sky last night as storms were rolling in:

Just magnificent, don't you think?

God certainly reveals His majesty through creation.

Time goes by...

It's been a long while since I've last blogged. I thought about doing the "everything that's happened since then" post, but frankly, that idea is not appealing in any way.

So there.

Money, money, money, money...

...most of us struggle to learn how to make it, save it, spend it wisely, save it, invest it, and give it.

On Saturday, February 5th, Oak Leaf is hosting Joe Sangl's Financial Learning Experience. It's a two-hour event designed to give you real information about debt and finances...something most of us need to hear.

My husband and I have been in and out of debt. We own a home and vehicles. We have life insurance, investments and college tuitions to think about. This is an event for us.

Dinner and childcare is provided and the event is free. Sign up now at oakleafchurch.com/finances.

I have a daughter!

I recently rediscovered a box of journals, still packed up from out move south. I love to talk a walk in the past and relive moments. Here's an entry from April 14, 2001:

"I have a daughter! Born Thursday night at 10:07pm, Amber Elizabeth has my heart. She is so perfect. I feel so full, my heart is continually smiling and is spilling over onto my face. We've been home form the hospital for about six hours now. Amber is on her first walk with Mike and Caeleb. Mike is eager to show her off, I think. He's a proud daddy. And Caeleb is a proud big brother. He knows "exactly" what to do. When Haha and Papa told him Friday morning that he had a baby sister, his first reaction was to say, "I want breakfast!" But when he came to see her, he knew just how to hold her and he sang "Happy Birthday" and "Rock-a-bye-baby", gave her kisses, and hummed to her. Seeing him holding her gave me quite an overwhelming feeling, too. My children. My son and daughter."

I love looking back at these moments. My heart was so full of lave and awe... 

Betcha didn't know...

...i sprained my ankle running down a mountain at summer camp when i was 16.
...i delivered both of my babies without an epidural - and i loved it.
...i used to eat the homemade playdough my mom made. i still remember the salty taste.
...i secretly sucked my left thumb until the fifth grade.
...i spent two amazing weeks on a mission trip to costa rica when i was 17.
...i operated a home day care out of my home for 2 years.
...i played field hockey in jr high and high school. i was the goalie. all five feet, one inch of me.
...i was married at the age of 20.
...i had a random allergic reaction to chocolate one easter and was unable to devour my giant chocolate bunny.
...mike and i have owned four houses.
...i worked as a waitress in a fine-dining restaurant on-and-off for 10 years.

Just a few fun facts about me! :)

You may be surprised...

Recently, my friend and co-worker, Rebekah Warren, Oak Leaf's Children's Director, wrote a blog post that listed what the City kids (elementary aged) wrote down about Jesus.

I love that they correctly used words like prophesies, Messiah, miracles, and disciples.

Click here to read Bekah's full post.

You are Not Alone

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 

People hurt us.


They do things that pierce us to our core. They say things that break our confidences. People overlook things that leave us feeling hurt and alone and broken.


But He is there.


In our times of rawness, aloneness, and bitter pain He draws near and will not leave! What a relief. People will fail...the Lord will not!

Hiding His Word in Young Hearts

In the Oak Leaf Kids Preschool environments each month, preschoolers learn a new memory verse. One of my favorite things is to have a 3 year old run up to me and recite (with hand motions, of course) their memory verse. 

Even at the early age of 2 or 3, children can begin to learn truths about their Heavenly Father. This early memorization does not turn up void. Psalm 119:11 says,  "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." How absolutely valuable it is to help our young ones to learn His words. Each month, preschoolers take home a new memory verse card and parents are encouraged to help their child learn this at home.

The curriculum that we utilize in the Oak Leaf Kids environments is called First Look from the reThink group. We want, by the time a child is five years old, to believe: God Made Me, God Loves Me, and Jesus Wants to be My Friend Forever.

Some of the verses preschoolers have been learning are:

            “Let the little children come to me.” Luke 18:16, NIV

            “God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son.” John 3:16, GNT

“My God will meet all your needs.” Philippians 4:19, NIrV

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid.” Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT

“Nothing can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:39, NIrV

“God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9, NLT

Each year that a preschooler comes to church, they have the opportunity to learn 12 verses. Most preschoolers spend about 3 years in the Desert & Jungle...thats 36 verses of scripture learned before entering kindergarten! 

What we're watching

Our remote most frequently stops on these shows:

• House Hunters
• House Hunters International
• Property Virgins
• Pawn Stars
• American Pickers
• Sarah Palin's Alaska
• If Walls Could Talk
• Cash and Cari
• House Crashers
• Deadliest Catch

i wonder what this says about us?