Amazing!

I am still amazed by what a church can do when we work together.

The Fall Festival is a great example.  We had a great night last Sunday!  The FaithZone team had been working for months getting all the details worked out. On the day of the event there is no way that we could possibly have made the event a success without the support of the church.

We had trunk or treat cars open and ready for business all night! 

We had all of our booths staffed by volunteers and the confirmation class.

We had amazing chili ready to fill our bellies.

We had a concession stand ready to sell us cotton candy!

We had SAUMC Staff members in the dunk tank.  (That was not my favorite part of the evening.......)

We had an amazing night!  We did it together as a family.  We had young and old serving our community together.  A buzz word in ministry now is “intergenerational ministry” where all generations are able to worship and serve together.   As I walked around the festival I was filled with a spirit of community and joy that summed up our “radical hospitality”

St. Andrew has core values that we continue to use as a focus on all of our ministries:

Unexpected Extra


Radical Hospitality


Can-do Confidence


Abundant Grace


Extravagant Generosity

I believe that each of these values where shown to the community on Sunday.  So, THANK YOU St. Andrew!  You did an amazing job!

-Kim

Let's take a nap!

I don’t know about you but October is wearing me out!  When I open up my calendar it is crazy full and I just want a nap!   Then I think about the season that is about to come upon us with Thanksgiving and Christmas it gives me some hives. 

My perspective changes when I think what would I do if my calendar were empty?  I would not be out and living among others.  I would not be able to be the hand and feel of Jesus if I was sitting alone in my house.   So, I want us to embrace our crazy lives and remember that we are not alone in this journey.   We are not meant to be alone.  We are called to live in community with each other, to love our neighbors as ourselves. 

I love the opportunity to worship with you all in a community that is alive with energy and alive with the love of Christ!

I then take a deep breath and remember we do have time to stop, reflect, serve and praise our mighty and wonderful God.

We can do this in a family devotion time.   

We can do this in our church service. 

We can do this in our Small Groups. 

We can do this as we are serving in the Food Pantry. 

We can do this as we pray.

We can do this as we smile and greet a new face that is walking in the hallways on Sunday mornings.

I look forward to seeing all of your families at the Fall Festival this Sunday.  It will be a great time of community and friendship.   Just so you know Claire and I will be in the dunk tank from 6:30-6:45.

If you have not signed up to host a Trunk in our Trunk or Treating please know you can still do so.   The more cars we have the better!   Just email me and let me know you will be coming orSign up online. 

"I love church!"

This is how I started my day about a month ago.  I was walking down the hall ways of the Garden level when parents were dropping off for a Summer Fun Day.  I said to a sweet little girl skipping down the hall, "You look happy today!"  She replied, "I LOVE CHURCH!"

This is why I love children.  They tell it like it is, and on this occasion it was my "happy" of the day!

Let me ask you this....do you LOVE your church?   If someone asked you about your weekend would you say," I love my church!!!"

As adults we have many passions and we have communities that are passionate with us!

You won't think twice of seeing a group of adults talking about last night's game with passion.

You don't really even judge some one when they dress like this for the game:

You will talk with passion and commitment about the latest episode of __________ show.  You will record it and stay away from all social media until you have seen it.

You will be passionate about the new book that you have read, and share your opinion about it at work, home and school.

My question is are we passionate about church?   Do we have the same excitement as the child that proclaimed to me, "I love church!"?  If not, where did it go?   Why don't we have that  excitement?

So, this week let your children be the examples.   Let's try to keep up with their excitement and passion.

Maybe next Sunday we could show up looking like this:

See you all this weekend!   Below are several worship experiences outside Sunday morning that can help you bring church into your week.   See you at St. Andrew!

P.S.-I will revisit family and faith next week.   Thanks to all of you who have shared what is working and what you are trying at home.   This is one exciting time to be a part of FaithZone and St. Andrew!

P.S.S.- We have set up a blog for FaithZone.  Check it out!  

WHY????? HOW????

 If you have been in contact with any member of the FaithZone team you have heard us talking about how important our families are in the life of the church. 

We can do greater thing together than we can do apart!   This month I will focus on the questions of Why this is important to us to build a family that talks about their faith story and their journey as a Christian.  

Why is this important?  How do we do this?

WHY?!?!?!?!?

This is important because parents will always have the greatest influence on our children.  It is important because how we deal with our faith as a family will shape how we grow in our faith journey.   This is important on our good days and on our bad days.   We must have the rhythm of faith incorporated into our day to day lives so that we KNOW we are not alone in our joys or in our sorrows.

So, HOW?   This is big task…..REALLY BIG.   Why is it not enough to bring our kids to small groups on Sunday mornings?  We pray before dinner.   We provide for an angel tree family every Christmas, etc. etc.

That is not enough. 

So, How do we do more?  We are all very busy people and don’t know how to add one more thing to our lives. 

I have been asking some of our families how they do it.  Below are simple things that you can do as a family to keep the faith story alive all week:

·      Put a devotion book in your car.   Read it on the way to school, on the way to practices, on the way to play dates, etc.   We live in our cars.   Make this time a part of your faith journey. 

·      Attend church as a family.   Teach your children about worship by example.   This is how children learn most from us, by watching us, and doing what we do.

·      End your day with 3 questions:  What was good today?  What was bad today?  Where did you see God?  You will be amazed by how your days are transformed when you are looking for God.  

What works for your family?   How do you keep your faith story alive all week?  Please let me know.

Here are some opportunities to worship together as a family:

The Singing Heart: Sunday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.

The choral music of the evening will be both secular and sacred, rhythmic and expansive, joyful and reflective; and it will appeal to a broad audience.  

Click Here to see Dallas Morning News article for more information. 

Worship Night @ The Well- October 16^th – 7pm

Smith Worship Center

More info:

*A night of seeking/encountering God through whole-hearted worship and prayer.

*Welcome to anyone in the community (friends, family, neighbors, people who don’t attend here)

*Open to all ages. Childcare provided from 6:30-8:30pm.Register here for childcare. 

*No sermon, just times of prayer and songs led by the band

*Probably will last an hour but could be 1hr 15 mins

*Free…obviously.

Random Acts of Kindness

Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness?  This past week our family has received two gifts and they are both very anonymous.

The first was an email from the financial aid office at Perkins and some wonderful stranger gave me a scholarship that almost covered my expenses to the penny for this semester.   Do you know what was asked of me to accept this random act of kindness?  A thank you note!   That is all, no bank statement, no essay about why I am in school, etc.  They wanted a thank you note.   I have decided that when I am out of school this is a goal for me.  I want to be able to do this for someone.  I have a feeling that this person was living the same life that I am now, and understand some of the struggles and joys that come with serving a church and attending Perkins.  They choose to give back to others.

Then late last week I posted on facebook that my Crock-pot had a crack in it and asked for recommendations for a new Crock-pot.    I got many ideas and was going to go out on Saturday and get a new one, but life just got away from me and it just did not happen.   I think it is important to say that I cook ALL of our family meals in the Crock-pot during the week.  So, I was going to go out after we got home from choir on Sunday and get the counter top staple in our home.  Then Dan called to tell me that we had a crock-pot on our front porch- A brand new nice crock-pot in a box!   So, I called my neighbor and thanked her.  She had no idea what I was talking about.  I then called another friend and my Mom and both of them also were not the givers.    I will never know who put that on my front porch, but I do know that they have a kind heart.

These acts of kindness have made my week so much better.  This is who we are and should strive to be as a faith community.   We know the needs of others and reach out and help when we know people need it.  We make a phone call, we send a meal, we say a prayer, take a kid to practice, etc.

I feel that one of the greatest commandments that Jesus gave us is to love our neighbor as our self.  This is not always an easy task, but it who we strive to be as a Christian community. 

Mark 12:29-31 (CEB)

“Jesus replied, “The most important one is Israel, listen!  Our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all you hear, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The second is this; You will love your neighbor as yourself.  No other commandment is greater than these.”

Who can you give love to this week who needs it?  What happens when you do?  Please send me your random act of kindness stories and I will feature some of them in an upcoming blog.  Have fun!!!

Here is a list to get you thinking:

• Pick up a piece of trash lying on the street and put it in a trash can.
• Compliment a co-worker for his or her good performance.
• Bring a box of cupcakes to share with your classmates at school or your colleagues at work.
• Help your neighbor take out the trash.
• Write little notes of thanks or support to your friends.
• Write to someone you haven't seen or talked to in a long time.
• Make a meal for someone.
• Address your server or waiter by name and leave a generous tip.
• Help someone change a flat tire.
• Let someone cut in front of you in a line, especially when he or she is in a rush.
• Give your parking spot to another driver.
• Give someone a present for no reason. Better yet, send it anonymously.
• Volunteer to do someone else's task.
• A random acts of kindness list won't be complete without the reminder to always smile. Smile at strangers, smile at people who aren't nice to you, even to people you don't like. Smile - it's infectious!

Do we really listen to our children?

Do we really listen to our children?

Did you know that the average 4 year old ask about 400 questions a day? Four Hundred Questions.

With questions come decisions, According to multiple sources on the Internet, the average amount of remotely conscious decisions an adult makes each day equals about 35,000. In contrast, young children only make about 3,000 decisions each day.

Our family is past the 4 year old stage, and I could not find a solid number for the number of questions that are asked as a child matures, but I have noticed that the questions are less frequent.   Yet when questions are asked they are typically deep and catch me off guard. I find myself answering it like I did when I got 10 questions an hour.  When I set back I have to ask myself, do I really listen to my kids.

I do know that when children ask about faith, it is deep and powerful.  It is obvious that they have a relationship with God.   It is then our jobs to help that relationship grow.  When I get hit with a question that is just too much for the moment, or that I have not a clue how to answer there are many ways to respond:

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you ask ___________.”

“Ask your mother/father.”

“That is a great question, let’s look for the answer together.”   This last response is how you can work together to find the answers.  This leads to great conservations and will help your child AND you grow in your faith.

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
(Luke 18:15-17 ESV)

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
(2 Timothy 3:14-15 Holy Bible ESV) - See more at: http://ministry-to-children.com/bible-verses-about-children/#sthash.er7ZRKIV.dpuf

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
(2 Timothy 3:14-15 Holy Bible ESV) - See more at: http://ministry-to-children.com/bible-verses-about-children/#sthash.er7ZRKIV.dpuf

So, as the questions come, take a deep breath and listen.  You will both learn a lot in the process.

See you on Sunday!

What is in a name?

What is in a name?

When we see a friend or meet a new friend we great each other by name;  A name is important and helps us identify with each person in an personal way.

This is part of the reason we have renamed the Children’s Ministry to Faith Zone.  This was not just simply a “re-branding” that the new pastors came up with.   This is a way for children and families to identify with St. Andrew. 

The name FaithZone is based on a scripture that we feel encompasses St Andrew’s mission for ministry with children and families: Hebrews 12:1-2a.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

SO – FaithZone is not simply a new logo, but a way to constantly remind us what we are striving for in children’s ministry.

If you would like a car decal please let a member of the Faith Zone Team we have a limited quantity so get one now!

This week's email if FULL of information and dates for this semester.  Please look through the different events and add them to your calendar today!

See you this weekend!

Here we go Again....

Monday, August 26th is in about 72 hours.   This means that if you don’t have school supplies ready, you have about 72 hours to do so.

Our backpacks are ready to go and last night we had the opportunity to meet the boy’s teachers.

The back to school list has been check off and now all we need is the school bell on Monday morning.  (And a trip to Costco for after school snacks!)

Here is a question for you?   Have you stopped to pray with and for your children as the start a new school year?  Have you said a prayer for the school education staff that will be with our kiddos? 

This is one of my favorite back to school prayers.  I hope it gives you the words to begin a school year with prayer and the confidence that God is with us in all situations.   I feel that it is very important to do this prayer with your children, or tell them that you spent time in prayer for them.   This makes faith a part of our daily rhythm. 

Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray that you will keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
to all that is true and beautiful and good.
Help them to see the gifts and talents
you have given them and to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
and lead others be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
and help them teach what is just and true.
Send your angels to guide and guard my children
and to keep them from all harm.
Open their young hearts to your presence
and enfold them in your peace and protection.
Hold them in the palm of your hand
and bring them home safely at day's end.
Amen.

People Watching at the Gym

o, I have started going back to the gym.    The people watching a the gym keeps me entertained when my ipod is not working. I am always amazed at the different things people can do when then spend the time devoted to working out on a regular basis.  This week I saw a man doing pushups as he crawled across the floor, I saw a woman hold a yoga pose that would have killed me (or at least injured me to the point of hospitalization), and I saw a women who was very over weight working so hard on the treadmill and her accomplishment after the workout was obvious, and  I witnessed people lifting weights that seemed impossible, and one girl was running so fast on the treadmill everyone in the gym did a double take. The proof that you go the gym 7 days a week is apparent, people can see that you work hard to maintain the muscles, the diet, the cardio, etc.  I am not saying that a good healthy life style is not apparent inside your body also, but the stranger walking past cannot tell that your heart is in perfect condition.  J When I first began thinking about this I thought that your spiritual life is the opposite, it gives you peace on the inside, but this work would not be apparent to the stranger.  Yet, I feel like when f your spiritual life is part of your daily rhythm of life it will be  evident to the stranger!  You will look the stranger in the eyes, you will hold the door open for the young mom with a large stroller, you will stop and take the time to talk with your friend when they are having a bad day, and you will be in relationships with others.   When I start and end my day with devotion my day is better.   That does not mean that everything that happens in that day is ‘picture perfect’.   Yet, my perspective on life is set in the Gospels and when you are grounded in the scripture, you can’t help but be thankful for what you have.     This was my devotion scripture for today, “Wish good for those who harm you, wish them well and do not curse them.  Be happy with those who are happy, and be sad with those who are sad.” Romans 12:14-15.   That says it all. We keep the scripture alive in us when we make it a part of who we are! -Kim

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This week my family attended the Rangers vs. Angels.   Dylan, my youngest, found it a bonus that Hamilton was on the Angels and he would get to see a player that he loved last season.

Then Hamilton came up to bat, and the BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO started in the stadium.   The heckles then came, “Easy Out!”, etc.  If you know me, then you know that I am not a huge sports fan.  My life of a “Boy Mom” is teaching me alot about the terms, the way to throw a ball, the real rules, the unwritten rules, etc.   I am learning. 

At this game, I had not a clue why they were booing.

I looked at Dylan and the confusion on his face was evident.   I looked at Cody (the oldest) and he began to BOOOOO with the rest of the stadium.  If the grandpa next to you is Boooing it must be ok, right?   This got me thinking…..is it ever OK to BOOOOOO another person?  ( I think No)  In asking my friends and husband, the bottom line is Hamilton left the team.  You don’t do that.  I still found it funny that if we rewind about a year the same fans would be going crazy for Hamilton. 

Yet, if I did not have a great friend that  is a sports nut, or a husband that has always lived life at a sporting events.  Who would I have asked?   I would NOT have asked the man sitting next to me screaming BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.   I might have goggled it but who know what kinds of answers I would have found in that search results. 

Is this how it is like to walk into a church for the 1st time?   What if you did not grow up in the faith?  What if you did, and have not been to church for 10+ years?   What if you just moved to the area?   Who is around to teach you the rules and the unwritten rules?  Who allows you to ask questions that you feel like you should know?  I hope that St. Andrew can be that church.  We can create the environment that is welcoming and allows the “silly” questions. 

In the spirit of being open and free: What is a “silly” question you have always wanted to ask but never felt like you should?   Ask me…..I would love to help you find the answers!!!

See you this weekend!

-Kim

What is church?

I am reading a book about Detrich Bonhoeffer.    He was a was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, dissident anti-Nazi and founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings fascinate me.   He keeps me on my toes theologically, ethically, and just all around keeps the wheels in my head spinning.  

The book is called:  BONHOEFFER PASTOR, MARTYR, PROPHET, SPY by ERIC METAXAS.   I cannot put it down.   This is not my typical summer read. I usually keep away from books with any word that ends in “ology.”  But, this is one that is keeping me fresh and alert to the marriage of theology and life.

He asks the question:  "What is church?" 

This quote is one great example, “Where a people prays, there is the church; and where the church is, there is never loneliness.” (pg. 69)

I loved this image of church.  It is not a building that we all think of, it is a community of people together sharing their faith.  This means that church can be anywhere. 

• It can be in a school cafeteria as a group of friends comfort another student who is having a bad day. 
• It can be in your living room as a family sharing your joys and concerns together.
• It can be on a fishing trip, when the sun is rising and God’s great creation is showing its awesomeness.

Yet, I think sometimes we only view church as a building, a place, rather than church as an extention of who we are as Christians. 

Today, I ask you:  What is church?  

What does church mean to you?  What does church mean to your family?  Please send me an email with your child’s response to this sentence: Church is ________________.

I look forward to learning how our faith community views church. 

Check this out: RETHINK church video......What if church was a verb?

Hi Ms. Kim!

 have be enjoying my time here at St. Andrew!  One reason that I love serving here is all the wonderful sounds I get during my work day.

This past week I have had the opportunity to hear:

- a message at staff chapel (and the staff singing a song taugh by Edlyn)

- students singing Zip-e-do-da

- Brad rehearsing the organ

- Micah is on vacation but most weeks I also get to hear some wonderful music from him also

- Laughter

- The phone ring with questions about what we are doing in the Children's and Families Ministry

- Conservations/meetings with different members of the St. Andrew team

- My email ding with encourging words

- The different departnemnts gathering for a lunch filled with laughter and some really bad jokes.

- The belssing before we eat lead by our Drama Camp kids

- " Hi Ms. Kim!"

It is the last one that gets me.   

You see when you start at a new church you really don't know anyone and they don't know you.   The families have not connected with you yet.   This is a transition time as a minister.   I knew that the relationships would come in time....and when I hear "Hi Ms. Kim".....I now appreciate it.  

In my past I worked at a school where eveyone knew my name, I belonged to a church where eveyone knew my name.   Greeting a person by name is something that I will never take for granted again.  

This greatting lets me know that the relationships have started, and it warms my soul.   It is not that a student/parent knows my name, it is that they will stop to say Hello.

Thanks for welcomeing us all into your lives.   We are loving every minute of it!!!

See you this weekend,

Kim

P.S.- I would love to see you tonight at the Alice and Wonderland performance from Drama Camp.   I have been able to see the dress rehearsals this week and it is a WONDERFUL show!!!  Come have a fun family night at St. Andrew.   It is at 7:00 in the worship center.

Every Day is a Gift!

 

I was meeting with a family in my office this past week and they looked at a picture on my desk and asked how old my boys were.  They also seemed very surprised when I said 7 and 9 (almost 10).   Then I looked around at the pictures I have in my office.   One picture frame is full of pictures from 2004.   Then I looked at pictures from our weeding (2000), other family pictures (the most current is 2012). 

I used to scrapbook, and I loved it.   I have baby books for my boys, I have family books from 2000-2011……then I just stopped enjoying it.   It became a chore.  So I kept doing it out of feeling like I needed to, and then I just kept putting in off, now I don’t do it at all.   Guess what?  My family and friends still love me.   

Time is a gift, every day is a gift to us.   I find this to be a wonderful blessing on my bad days (know that tomorrow brings new hope) and even on my most wonderful day (thankful for the blessings)

It was in the moment when I sat in my office and giggled at all of our dated family pictures.  It is now 2013 and our children are older and life has changed.   But, also I spent a good 10 minutes this week enjoying the pictures and the memories that fill each frame. 

Bishop Gary Mueller posted this blog this past week, and I find when others say it best just to quote them.   So, enjoy his message below:

“An Incredibly Sacred Day”

"It may seem like just another day. You begin it with a cup coffee,checking Facebook and working out. Or maybe you have a brief morning devotional. Or perhaps you just jump right into the busyness of the day without any ifs, ands or buts.

But regardless of how you begin your day, make sure you really understand what you need to know most of all about today – there’s never before been a day like this and never again will ever be.

Today is a gift to you from God. It’s unique, filled with opportunities to love God with everything you’ve got and filled with more possibilities than you can possibly imagine to become part of God’s work.

When you put all of this together, it means your most important task today is to open your heart to God, experience just how much God loves you and live your life fully, joyfully and selflessly.

And then it happens. You suddenly realize that this day that seemed like just another day is actually an incredibly sacred day. Not so much because of what you make it. But because you are walking through it arm-in-arm with God.”

See you this weekend,

Kim

Amazing!!!

Wow, what an amazing week of VBS!  It was truly a gift to be a part of the energy, the music, the stories, and the KIDS!

Did you know that our VBS children donated 1,620 pounds of protein?  That is over $4,000 worth of food that Seven Loaves can now purchase which equals to be 18,000 pounds of food.  That is how you TURN UP your faith in the community!!!

I believe that the focus of all our ministries should first be on Jesus and then be on the children who are entering the doors.  It is very easy in ministry to focus on numbers and decorations, yet we work very hard in our office to focus on what is really important.

This week it was a volunteer that helped me see this.   In the weeks before VBS we had several volunteer work days, and we would have groups painting, groups sorting, and the music team would be practicing.  One member of our music team pulled me aside and told me what a blessing it was to be a part of the music.  Her sister had just been diagnosed with Cancer and her treatments were to start the week of VBS.   She shared that being able to sing and dance with the children and help tell the story of Jesus helped her so much.  It is really hard to be in a bad mood when you are singing and dancing, “Your grace, there’s nothing like Your grace, Jesus, there’s nothing like Your grace and I can’t stop my lips from singing, I can’t stop my voice from shouting, About your love, it’s everything I’ve ever wanted Jesus, You’re better than the best thing.”  VBS was a blessing for her and her family.  It gave them perspective on how the story that we learned so much about WE are a part of.  We are now the ones telling the story and living out the example of Christ.  Her time and gifts were shared with so many children and if they are anything like the kids at my house the music is still being sung every day!

I am very thankful and blessed that VBS was full of welcoming volunteers, loving children, hard working youth, and a church and children’s staff that was 100% supportive. Thank you for sharing your children with us!!!

See you this weekend,

Kim

Thank You!

This week has been one for the record books.   Our office has been buzzing with volunteers, people coming into sign in their children, planning, phone calls, etc.

The church has been working hard as a team to make sure that next week is full of music, bible stories, and overall FUN for the people of our church and our surrounding community.

I just love the energy that comes with VBS.  Now to be honest...this energy comes with tons of planning and hard work. But to see a church transformed into a place that is loving and welcoming to all who walk in the doors next week is such a blessing.

I have so many different memories of VBS.  It began as a child when I would go to VBS each summer and just have so much fun a church.  I never understood why it was just one week long.   :-)  I now know that this one week takes TONS of planning and energy.  

I also remember one of the very first VBS's that I was a part of as the leadership team.  We began meeting in February to get ready for June.  June always seems so far away until BANG it just appears.Then as I stood in the large room full of adults, youth and children from the community singing and dancing about God's love and grace my heart and soul is full.  

I really cannot think of a better place to be this next week than Wesley Hall for our opening worship.   We have a live band, a show host, Bible stories, and most important the seats will be FULL of children.  It will never be still.  It will be full of love, energy and new memories for the families of our community.

I thank you for allowing us to provide this week for you.   It has been and will continue to be a blessing.

If you are not able to make it this year-  we ask for you prayers for all who are participating.   Prayers for energy, peace, love and safety as we open our doors to over 400 children, youth, and adults this next week.

May you find a way to Turn Up God's Story in your life as we do this week!!!

Sticky Faith

So, faith is a very important thing to me.  It is the connector between me and my relationship with God.

I know that in times of need faith has brought me through when I could not stand on my own two feet.  But, here is the kicker- on my good days am I as faithful?  or do I take the credit for the good and only rely on faith in times of need?!?!?  This is a flaw that I am working on: To remember my faith journey EVERY day.

I also think about how I will instill this relationship of faith with my children.  A survey done by The Search Institute polled 11,000 American Christian Teenagers and it shows that only 15% of young people have regular conservations with their mothers regarding faith and 5% have similar conservations with their fathers.  Only 9% of Christian teenager regularly read the bible or devotions with their families.  These numbers are shocking to me, but if I look back on my life I see a 5-7 year period as a young adult where my faith and church was not a focus.   I grew up in the family that went to church every Sunday.  I was active in my youth group; I served at a United Methodist community center in the summers, etc.  On paper you would think that my faith was solid.    Yet, my life was place into sections: church time, friend time, family time,etc. My faith was devoted to the time at church and that was that.

I will be teaching a book study in September using the book Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids Kara E. Powell Chap Clark.   I am challenging all of our families to read this book in the summer months and then participate in one of the two book studies starting in September.   Can you imagine the amazing power of our faith community here at St. Andrew after we all focus on the faith of our children and youth?   The amazing community we will have for each other’s questions and concerns, the ability to give children the opportunity to ask the hard questions and we don’t have to have all the answers.   So, grab a copy of this book and read it this summer, you will not regret the time!

Love is....messy!

 have a vivid memory of reading the comics with my Dad on Sunday mornings.  I had some favorites but a strong memory is the "Love is" comics by Kim Casili.

I loved this comic because it gave life to what love is.....

Now as an adult it gives me a whole new perspective.  I have the burden of seeing life as an adult not as a child.   I see the bad and the good.   Then toss in my education in theology and it adds a whole new perspective. 

So, I ask you, "What is love?"

I am not an expert at all.  I am just a person living my life.  But, I am writing a blog so I will give my opinion...

This is our problem.....and where we are totally correct.....

Love is in the relationships.  Each individual relationship.  It is not a one size fits all love.

I love my husband.  I can't not imagine a better match for me.  That being said I (we) have days that love wins.   It is not a perfect relationship....why?   Because that is not real.  Love is perfect, but we are human and in our humanity we will make mistake and hurt each other.   But the love will win.

I love my children.  This is a love that again has changed over time and I hope and pray that it will continue to do so.  I love my children.  I wish the English language had different words for love because my love for my kids is so different than any other love.  It is not better or greater it is completely different.   This love is also so very real and true.

I love my parents/family.....that love is pure and true....but it is a love that fits that relationship.  It is a love that has changed over time and had ups and downs, but it is true love.

I love my friends.   This love is totally different because I have a relationship with each friend that is different.  One friend is not greater than the other, the love is true and constant.

I think that sometime we forget about what love really is.  It is not some movie screen or commercial add.  It is real and real life gets messy.  It is full of emotions that I would rather have than not, but at times they are messy.

Love is constant.   Love is true.   Love is something that we all aspire to do and at times fall short of.

This is what I know and believe:

I love God. I love the people in my life.  I love my family.  I love my friends.  Each love is different, but each love is true.   That does not mean that I like each member of my family or my friends every day.....but the love holds true.

1 Corinthians 13 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Gift of Love

13 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. ⁹ For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; ¹⁰ but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. ¹³ And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

 Read this again and see what stands out to you:  Who do you love?  Why do you love?  Who SHOULD you love?

This hits me because sometimes in my "love" I am: angry, envious, arrogant and totally rude.   But, because of the love I can simmer down and know and remember the emotions that come out what the relationship is grounded in....LOVE.  

The gift of love in my life is the greatest gift....it is what I hope to be remembered by.   

Perspective:  I say...love someone today.....why?.......I say....why not.  In that love you can forgive, in that love you can leave, in that love you can have peace.   Love is messy and real but it can be the answer to many problems.