cooties

"Jen, what are Cooties?" asked my new 12 year old from Korea...so, how would YOU answer that one?

overload

I need a little grace. I mean it's not a really big deal, but I need grace dealing with all this change. Some would say it's my pride talking, but I think it's really a symptom of the dreaded disease: Change Overload


For me it started way back when our church's Vacation Bible School changed its name from VBS to SSS which stands for Super Summer Spectacular. Please don't get me wrong, I'm all for change (stop it Dave) and I "get" why we change the name of things -- in this case it was important because our church ministers to kids in a truly spectacular way. Our children's ministry is very creative and SSS much better represents what really happens that week in the summer. But then this amazing tidal wave of changes started.

It's not just our church, it's sort of a nation-wide thing. Churches in general started changing their names and establishing new identities. I remember when a wave of new "Community" churches started...in the same buildings with the same people as the Baptist Churches used to be. (Hey, I grew up Baptist, so I get to talk about this!)


When I first started attending our church here in Portland, what I grew up calling "Bible Study" was called "Home Group" and sometimes "Small Group" and now changed again to "Life Group." Last year our youth "Retreats" changed to "Advances" (See, it's a GOOD thing I know, I'm not saying it isn't I promise!)

Just for fun, I call Christian Supply (the local Christian book store) "Supply" just because it will save me a step later...you know, one less thing!

Well, I propose we extend a little more grace to each other when we accidentally use the old name for things. Remember, some of these names of things I've been using here in Portland for the last 12 years! Other names of things I've been using since I first started attending church at age 3yrs. I am getting older you know, and change happens a little more slowly. Hey I know, I propose that you laugh at my mistakes and I'll laugh at yours! Maybe its not so much an overload of change, as it is that other dreaded disease: Correction Overload

road kill

It's interesting having a 7th grader in the house. They do lots of dissecting of things in Science class. It's also interesting how easily I get queasy in my old age.

The last two days have involved transporting "extra credit" (road kill) to my new daughter's science class. One day a mole, the next a rat -- they were donated by my very helpful neighbors. Both days I had a stomach ache -- any correlation you think?

Last night we passed a dear in the middile of the road on the way home from youth group, "Forget about it!" I declaired in my best New York accent.

real ministry

"Do you think I have cancer?" asked my son's seven year old friend with all the seriousness that little boys should never have to have.

This was an important moment in his life. You see this little guy had just lost his 6 year old t-ball buddy to cancer the year before. His neighbor to cancer the month before. And his Grandpa to cancer the week before.

Now he's standing in my kitchen, rubbing an itch on his eye and asking me in all seriousness if he has cancer. When I take his shoulders, look him in the eye, and tell him with great motherly confidence that "No, you do not have cancer." I can feel God working through me -- Now that is real ministry, and it is an honor.

bad dog!

...actually, just "teething dog!" Dave had the great idea to make a giant Christmas wreath out of all the chewed up victims of Oreo! I can't wait. It will be a very big wreath!

school

"What a splendid day!" said Anne, drawing a long breath. "Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this? I pity the people who aren't born yet for missing it. They may have good days, of course, but they can never have this one. And it's splendider still to have such a lovely way to go to school by, isn't it?"
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

My kids started school this week and this paragraph just about illustrates their excitement! "My class feels just like a family!" exclaimed McKenzie. "I have so many friends already!" shared T.Michael with great enthusiasm. That was the FIRST day.

Yesterday, day two, McKenzie shared, "My teacher said she went to bed at 8:30pm." (Poor dear) And then T.Michael reluctantly shared, "I...um, have to sit by someone else tomorrow." (Hmmm)

Here we go with real life already!

...did I mention we had a complete blast this summer?!

Adios Felix!

Thank you for your prayers. Felix passed over Honduras with little effect on our loved ones!
Here's a copy of the email sent by the Director of the orphanage in Honduras to Rona who is our U.S. contact person:

Dear Rona,
Thankfully we are all fine. Just a bit of rain.....we are blessed that Felix veered south after hitting land. The children and staff are fine, and school should resume as normal tomorrow. The community stepped up to the plate, offering assistance, water, etc.....Our internet is down at Hogar, even at our house the service comes and goes, as does the electricity.
Please spread the word.
Thanks for your love and prayers,
Vivian

felix

Please pray for my friends in Honduras as they face Hurricane Felix today. I've been in contact with them, and they are prepared and praying. Please pray specifically for the Hogar de Ninos Emanuel (the orphanage) and for the Maradiaga family. From what I've read, landslides are also a big issue during these storms. I got an email from Jeny Maradiaga, she was thanking me for the prayers on their behalf.

celebrate!

Hey, celebrate with me! A missionary friend of mine just came home from an amazing summer mission in Africa! God did many miracles in and through her, and I am so excited she has returned "home" safely!

Pooh (Not Winnie)

I had an interesting job yesterday -- Collecting dog pooh from Oreo for a visit to the Vet....WHAT?!!

sucky

...so I got a little feedback from the neighbor/friend I helped write for a funeral last Monday. My friend's 7 yr old son came over to play after the funeral. 7 yr olds talk in the most precious way!

First he told me how he couldn't speak at the funeral. "I mean I didn't know I was expected to speak in front of those Army men," he said, "They had guns! BIG guns! So I wasn't gonna talk, huh-uh. Noooo way!" But then he followed up with, "But I did have a few tears, I mean he was my Grandpa. He was family!"

After reassuring him that it was okay to cry when he wanted to, I asked him if his Mom spoke at the funeral. "Yes she did," he replied, "And she asked people afterward and they said it wasn't sucky." (Hey, well at least we've got that going for us!)

funeral

Well, I experienced a first yesterday. A friend of mine lost her Father-in-law the same day we lost a very good family friend to cancer too. What a hard time. My friend asked me to help her write out what she will say at the funeral. She will be the speaker at his graveside service as his body is laid to rest at the Willamette National Cemetery. He was in the military and will receive full honors...so our job was to come up with something honoring for her to say as well.

At first I didn't feel "qualified" to help. But you know, I realized that because I know Jesus personally -- I am qualified! I thank God that He left us His Word to refer to, that gives us counsel and comfort in times like these! With some suggestions from our friend Pastor George (for which I am very thankful), we were able to come up with something she feels will be good and comforting to share.

...big sigh...

love at first sight

Do you believe in love at first sight? I sure do. No, I don't mean romantic love, although that may be possible. I mean a mother's love. Which is big, let me tell you. I'm referring to our new daughter Jennifer (she came to us with that name:-) from Korea. She joined our family yesterday and will be staying with us for maybe a couple years. I hope so, 'cuz we all love her already!

Oreo

We got a new dog. Oreo. He's 4 months old. We're dealing with kennel cough and house training for now, but other than that he's kinda great to have around!

hope

...it seems the bigger our church family gets, the more I'm confronted with hardship and tragedy in the lives of people I love. Still I have hope. Only in Him. We must remember, the rest is temporary. Psalm 142:

Psalm 142

I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

Relay for Life

Our family just returned from our annual Relay for Life 24 hour walk at a high school in Washington -- it was a great time for us to rally around our own survivor: My Mom! She's cancer-free for 9 years now! Mom likes dragon flies, so they are our team mascot, and our team name is Wings of Hope. It was a great walk, so many people with booths around the track to raise money -- very creative fund-raisers like bean-bag toss, bounce-house for kids, and at our site we gave people temporary tattoos. I'm proud of our family and friends, all together at our site we raised about $1000 to help with cancer research. It was a lot of fun with a purpose!

RE: music on the island (6/24)

Wow, I'm really humbled by your responses. You are much nobler than I, but since this is a truthful blog, I have to admit I would choose Elton John. It's not that I endorse his thoughts or choices, but almost every one of his songs can strike up a life-memory of one time or another...and Crocodile Rock, well...it rocks!

Honduras

Here is a link to watch a little video of our visit to Honduras. Dave made this as a 'thank you' to people who helped sponser a new building for the orphans at Hogar De Ninos Emanuel. The building shown at the end of the video is an apartment just for pre-schoolers to live in along with their own "house-Mom" rather than being in the dorm with older children.
Thanks again for documenting these amazing memories Dave!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFyLnYkqhEQ

graffiti clean-up

Check out this link to an awesome video my oh-so-handsome husband made when our youth group came to help in our neighborhood. It was a great evening of helping neighbors, making new friends, and showing people that teens have a really big heart!

http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/gplnk/ld/3654/play.html