Ralph Fletcher

Some golden lines from Ralph Fletcher (one of my favorite authors)

“The very last thing I want to do is to push the girls down in order to pull the boys up. But boy writers have unique strengths, quirks, and weaknesses that every thoughtful practitioner or parent will want to be aware of.” (page 7)
“To the extent that we really understand them we can become more skilled, more complete writing teachers” (page 8)
“’Boys have a lot of Hung Fin in them-they don’t, on average, learn as well as girl by sitting still, concentrating, multi-tasking, listen to words.’” (page 21)
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be the hell away from school.” (page 23)
“It’s sad that today many boys till have to ‘go underground,’ doing the bare minimum in school, waiting until they get home to do the writing they really want to do” (page 43)

A Day in the Life of a Busy Camp Director

A Day in the Life of a Busy Camp Director
Rush, rush, rush! A camp director’s morning starts in high-gear. I need to make sure that I have everything we need for the day.
Coffee. Check.
Donuts. Check.
Gas in the van. Check.
Candy for prizes. Check.
Crafts for the kids. Check.
Bible. Check.
Peanut butter. Check.
Jelly. Check.
Bread. Check.
Ok it looks like we are ready to go. Hopping in the van I yell to my brothers to hurry up. I feel like it takes them forever to scramble into the van. Then screech, we head to the office. I drive carefully. Well, carefully for someone who is running late and has a long list of things that need to be done before nine AM.
Arriving to the office I realize there is no one there. “Oh, man” I think, “Why is no one ever on time?” zooming down the road I pull up to a team members house. Trevor hops out just as Hannah rushes to the van. When we arrive back at the office I haphazardly parallel park, jump out, and jam my key into the office door. The teens work to situate themselves in the van as new people arrive. “Good morning!” I call over my shoulder but they’re too busy scrambling in and out of the back seat to answer. They toss supplies around for a quick exit from the vehicle once we arrive at camp.
Make copies. Done.
Grab lesson plans. Done.
Write instructions. Done.
Hop back into van. Done
Pull out into traffic. Done
Soon the team is setting up for the day. The morning zooms by. Every day at camp is exciting and this one is no exception. Between ecstatic children, injured leaders, performances, stories, and games, I’m kept busy.
When lunch time rolls around counselor Katie scours the kitchen. “Hey Janel,” she wonders “did you bring peanut butter?”
I show a hint of annoyance at the obvious, “Yeah, it’s in the bag with the rest of the sandwich stuff.”
She looks confused. “I don’t see it.”
“Really?” I’m confused now. “It’s got to be in there. I remember packing it.”
We search the kitchen, unfolding one bag, then another, and another. No luck.
“I guess we’ll do bread and jam.” I respond.
The rest of the afternoon flies by. I hardly have time to catch my breath.
Set up for end of week carnival. Need to do.
Meet with the pastor. Need to do.
Help homeless people find winter clothes. Need to do.
Mop up sticky lemonade. Need to do.
Call parents of vomiting child. Definitely need to do!
I bound from one responsibility to another all afternoon.
When the day ends the van ride back is quiet. Still wound up from the excitement of working with energetic children the team is exhausted. Pulling up to the office I notice a brown crust spread across where I parked, just that morning. “Good grief!” I exclaim “Can’t people be careful? What a mess!” I rush into the office, write a quick message to the treasurer, and place it on her desk. I swivel to Holly’s desk to write her a note as well. I lurch. There’s a noise at the door. It’s Christian. He has something in his hand. A smashed brown jar with something oozing out of it. “Oh gross! What is that?”
“I think it’s peanut butter.” deadpans Christian.
Something’s familiar. “Oh!” I exclaim, “That’s our peanut butter. That’s the peanut butter we were missing at lunch.”
Humbly I realize our bread and jam sandwiches were my fault.
I’d run the van over the peanut butter jar.
I’d made that mess.
Learn my lesson of the day. Check.


(This is one peek at my summer. Thiis could have been anyday, and every day. It is typical life...the summer life that I adore)

Post Again

So I think I might start posting again. Ready for book reviews, my thoughts on the christian life, and my random comments?

Founding Fathers

What do you think about on the 4th of July? I'm afraid that far too often my thoughts go something like: “What am I going to make for dinner for everyone?” and “What time should we plan on doing fire works?” and “are the animals ok?” Well this morning I took a few minutes and meditated on the sacrifices made by those who have gone before us. It was very challenging. Yesterday as I visited my grandparents they told stories about their parents growing up and the sacrifices that they made. It made me realize some of what our nation has been through and all that our ancestors went without. The founding fathers (and mothers) did without many comforts that we have today and yet did great things. Think about how few forms of communication they had and yet gathered armies and won a war against one of the strongest nations known. It took endurance and sacrifice to wait through the bitter cold winter. It took strength and diligence to make homes and protect them in the new world. It took leadership and wisdom to make decisions about what our nation would stand upon.

Thank you to those who have gone before us.

When God's People Pray

“How are you doing?” “I've been praying for you” “I've been concerned about you” “I got the email” These are things I have heard a lot lately. I am so thankful for the people who have been praying for me over the last few weeks. It has been amazing to know that they started praying for me and are dedicated to not stopping. God has laid it on several peoples hearts. Apparently there was even an email asking people to pray for me. I was pretty sick. I was humbled to explain that I just had a cold but that it was really, really, REALLY bad. Although I was so blessed by what one older Godly sister in Christ told me when I explained how God was teaching me and humbling me. I'll remember what she said for a long time. Her thoughts were “God kept you in bed praying where you need to be.” It stuck me how very true that was. God was humbling me and keeping me away from places I wanted to be but I was kept close to God. I was kept in a position of praying and dependent on God. God had me and others praying. It was amazing and God's healing was made sweeter knowing that He used it to get people started praying for me. Then had them continue in prayer by praying for entire summer ministries.

New Hobby

I havea new hobby. I like listening to sermons. I've started going through several series by Mark Driscoll. Although I don't agree with everything he says he preaches straight from the Bible. I've been listening to several sermons a day and have been loving it. I kind of started to wonder if there is something strange about a girl who likes listening to sermons so much...if there is, that's just too bad. If you are hungry to hear God's word preached more you can get your fix here. I highly suggest the current sermon series. You can also see pastor Mark's blog here.

Last Week of School

Have you ever wondered what to post when you just had a boring week? I have. I've had a quarter filled with the normal adventures of school. I've learned about special education, and how to teach children math. I've explored technology and psychological theories about teaching children . I've even learned a few things about teaching health to children. However I find the last two weeks of school the most tedious. I really don't learn much of anything. It seems that we really could just skip these last two weeks. The second to the last week is just reviewing what we learned through the previous weeks. The last week consists primarily of writing on our finals everything that we learned. I think that there must be a better way of showing what we learned. For example here is a website that I made that shows what I learned in my IT class. If you are in the same boat as I am and learning nothing new and exciting you might enjoy it too.

Ok, to keep this post from being totally boring I'd also like to tell you about some of the blogs that I really like (these will be mostly for girls). Girl Talk by Mrs. Mehaney and her girls is a site that I have been gaining insight from for several years now and find encouraging every time. Young Ladies Christian Fellowship is a place where conservative Christian young ladies can be encouraged and lifted up and get great ideas for life. Solo Femininity is a fun place to learn about some things going on in the world from a Christian and feminine perspective. Set Apart Girl is a place to remember what true beauty is and the beauty that we have as God's daughters.

I'm Back (Maybe)

Well I've taken the quarter off of blogging. However, I hope to be back and continue blogging through the summer at least. I have been busy with school and have enjoyed it greatly but I'm ready for a break and hope to continue some hobbies that I've ignored such as blogging. :) I have enjoyed my IT class and would invite you to read my professional blog (but please remember that it is a semi professional level.)

I hope to have more posts soon.

Lonesome Goose

As I stepped out of my sliding glass door this morning I looked up to observe a goos flying high in the sky. Normally I don't notice geese as thy fly above my northern home. This one, however, was different. It was all by itself and making such a ruckus I couldn't help but notice it. My mother was coming out another sliding glass door at just that moment and commented, “That goose is by itself. You hardly ever see a goose by itself.” Then I understood. It was finding the rest of the flock. As I stood on the frozen deck I was happy to see this lonesome goose reunite with another goose. The frenzied honking stopped and the two happily flew off together.

The gooses lonesomeness reminded me of Christians in our daily walk. We were never meant to be alone. When we are on our own we will be confused and upset like this lone goose was. We need others to come along side us and be part of the flock of God. We like sheep, and geese, function best as a group. We are the Body of Christ and there is a problem if the hand or foot or finger is disconnected. Not only does that member not function but the Body is maimed. Each member is needed and needs to help one another. I, personally, am so thankful for the fellowship I find all around me. Everywhere I turn there are others to strengthen me in my faith.

God has blessed me so much with a great deal of Christian fellowship. As I enter into a week of vacation from school I'm excited to see these friends more. I will miss my Christian friends from school. It was so good to be together and encourage one another as we battled through those weeks of learning and then finals. I am so blessed to have a church with other Christian women who know me well and ask me how I'm doing and how we can pray for one another. I'm also very blessed to work with Christians. This is one of the places that the family of God truly feels like family. I'm even thankful for the stranger at Starbucks that I chatted with about God, the Bible, church, and ministry yesterday afternoon. .

God is so good to bless me with others to journey with me towards Him.

Simetime

Sometime, when all life's lessons have been learned,
and sun and stars forevermore have set,
The things which our weak judgments here have spurned,
The things o're which we grieved with lashes wet,
Will flash before us out of life's dark night,
As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue;
And we shall see how all God's plans are right,
And how what seemed reproof was love most true.
Then be content poor heart;
God's plans, like lilies pure and white, unfold;
we must not tear the close-shut leaves apart,--
Time will reveal the chalices of gold.
And if, through patient toil, we reach the land
Where tired feet, with sandals loosed, may rest,
When we shall clearly see and understand
I think that we will say, “God knew the best!”

by: May Riley Smith

School and Me

Well it has been a long time since I have posted. Right now I'm sitting in front of a mac in the computer lab as school. Unfortunately I decided to export my imovie on the slowest computer possible (don't listen to advice from helpful old men who think you have all the time in the world)

School is such a fascinating thing. I find it hard to believe that I still love school after spending so many hours (between two schools that I'm doing practicums at 17 credits at the university and all the emails and phone calls I make with my professors) I would think that I would be sick of it. I am sick of all the busy work involved in getting everything done and turned it but I'm still energized by all that I'm learning and I'm excited to learn more every day.

Stay strong all you fellow students...finals are almost here but they shall soon be over!

4 x 4

This is a little boy that we did baby weigh for when I was in Guatemala. Every couple of weeks we went to a families house (ok house as in what we would call shack). Then we hung a scale with a sling on it to put the babies in. Mothers would come from miles around to have their babies weighed. We gave them charts that showed just how underweight their child was and weight goals for each month of the child's life up to three years old.
Before going to these events we prepared caprecia (sp?) for the mothers to mix with water to help get some calories for their babies. It was made of dried milk and sugar. We mixed pounds and pounds of the stuff and then stuck our arms in and mixed it together. Then measured it into bags to hand to the mothers.
This baby was one of the cutest and stillest that we had. His mother was very sweet and enjoyed watching us hold him and take his picture.

I tag Katie D, Katy C, Trevor, Aiden (Nicole)

Rule 1: Go to your 4th picture folderRule
2: Find the 4th picture in that folderRule
3: Blog about that pictureRule 4:
Tag 4 people to do the same

Answer = God

When I consider the frief span of my life absorbed into an eternity which comes before and after...the small space I occupy and which I see swallowed up in the infinite immensity of spaces of which I know nothing and which know nothing of me, I take fright and am amazed to see myself here rather than there: there is no reason for me to be here rather than there, now rather than then. Who puts me here? By whose command and act were this time and place allotted to me?

-Pascal, Pensees

The answer = God

God's Chosen

We are God's chosen. But when it comes to missions are we acting like His frozen?

Confusing

It was brought to my attention that my post on Coffee Buddies created some confusion. No, my job was not being at a coffee shop. I simply tried to make it such. See I worked in customer support for Logos Bible Software with many other wonderful people. Early in the morning we got our poor tired bodies out of bed and into the frigid air and then up the steep flight of stairs to our desks. We sat down and turned on our computers that seemed just as tired as we were. Then log into the customer support line to become heroes and heroines to our customers. Well groggy heads normally don't make very good heroes so I, being the sweet girl that I am, would offer to stop being a heroine to my customers for just a moment and make lattes for myself and my colleagues on the lovely espresso machine that our wonderful boss had provided for the company. Some day I hope to be a barista for real. For now, however, I am content to be a barista wannabe.

Well it looks like posting about my brother is the "in" thing. Abbie and Hannah have proved that he is just as funny and wonderful at school as he is at home. Ah, but where do I start? I have so many stories. So many of those little moments that I could tell about. I think I will clump some of those together to tell one very primary character quality of my brother – tenderness. My brother is the most tender person that I know. As a little guy (say 2) he was always making me smile and everyone else for that matter. Although he was always falling down and getting hurt he never seemed very concerned about himself. He was too busy playing with others.

Well lots of time passed and he is still just as tender and caring for others. This summer I had the privilege of watching him working with children. He can be the funniest, ,most exciting leader who ever existed (you should hear him tell a Bible story) but he is also comforting for those children who are hurting emotionally. It was not uncommon for me to turn my head and see someone crying on his shoulder and observe as he held that person in his arms and gave his full attention and compassion. That is just who Trevor is.

Now, there is one down side to having the most amazing brother ever. I have to share him. It seems that everywhere I go people love my brother. Fortunately there is enough of him to go around. With a personality like his a little can go a long ways.

Hmmm I think I'm going to have to think of a really good story about him like everyone else is doing. Any requests??? Just kidding. *smile*

More from Amy Carmichael

Here is another passage from a book of quotes and devotionals that were compiled from letters written by that smart, brave, wise woman –Amy Carmichael


Jeremiah 18:4,6 “The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another verse, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Cannot I do with you as this potter saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in Mine hand.”

When a piece of steel has been subject to such stress that it has lost its power to recover its elasticity, it is said to be distorted. But it can be made right again. It is put in the furnace, and so it recovers what it has lost.

Perhaps we have given way under the great stress of temptation and become 'distorted'. Perhaps we have lost home of ever recovering. 'I am like this now; I shall always be like this'.

Are we willing to put into any furnace of God's choosing if only we may be made fit for His use? We cannot chose our furnace. Sometimes it is the furnace of affliction of Isaiah 48:10 “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

But always there is hope. Cannot I do with you as this potter? Asks the Lord. We are in His hand, and no one can snatch us from His grasp. Our dear Lord says, My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand John 10:29

Coffee Buddies

One shot of espresso, half flavor vanilla half caramel with extra foam. That is his favorite. I don't even have to ask. Being a barista is one of my favorite early morning activities. I don't even have to ask how some people want their coffee. I've made it so many times. The really great thing is that he wants it almost the opposite of how I like it so I get to gather all of the supplies available at work and start making coffee for as many people as possible. I enjoy making coffee for myself and co-workers because I can make it just the way they like it plus I get to run the steam wand. Ah the simple delights in life. I keep it a secret that I enjoy this task so much. I just let them think that I'm an amazing, sweet, kind person. Reality is I just like making espresso drinks.

One of the best things about coffee though is not making it. Even better than getting to make espresso drinks is going with friends to Starbucks, Black Drop, Woods, or even Cruse'n Coffee (okay that last one could be a post all in itself) The early morning 6 AM shift heads out together. We are the three Js (Jon, Justin, and Janel) it was an event that could put a smile on my face no matter how bad my day was going. No matter how rude a customer had been these coffee buddies combined with the aroma of a fresh brewed cup of coffee could lift my spirits. As we walk down the street the antics of the other sleep deprived (or just caffeine deprived) people are making me wonder if I should pretend I don't know them or just smile sheepishly at the other people gathered for their cup'o joe.

Well the three Js were split up. Janel left for the summer and by the time she got back Jon was headed for Italy to be a very cool fashion designer/ musician/ evangelist dude. Then Janel left again to start school. She was back for awhile but Justin moved on to actually get a career type job (way to go!) so the coffee buddies changed. Next Bethany started working the “coffee trip is necessary” shift and then Debbie soon followed. Ah happy day! The coffee trips continue. Janel and her friends can now talk about the dresses in the bridal shop (more than Justin's quote “I like the white one”) Also Janel doesn't wonder about hiding as she walks down the street. Although these girls are funny their humor is of a quieter sort. Ah good friends, good talks, good coffee.

Although I no longer work with these people I intend to still drop by for S'bux runs with my dear coworkers. Although she doesn't like coffee we can normally get Elizabeth to come and Bethany and Debbie are still faithfully caffeine deprived and could almost always agree with enough prodding to make a visit to one of our favorite shops in town. The little things in life are truly beautiful.

Blogger's Block

Ok so I guess I've been suffering from a sort of writer's block. Or blogger's block. Something like that. So I have decided to steal the thoughts of someone else who is much wiser than I. I'm reminded of Marie's line “smart dead guys”. However this time I'm not quoting a smart dead guy. I'm quoting a smart dead woman. Amy Carmichael is one of my favorite authors. She is also one of my favorite people in history to read about. I pray for her wisdom, strength, and bravery.


Psalm 142:10 “Let Thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.”

When I was a school girl I read James Gall's 'Primeval Man Unveiled.' One wonderful day I sat on a stool at the feet of the writer of that book, and asked him to explain things I had not understood. I wondered, as I looked up into the face of that old man, at the loving joy I saw there.

I understand that joy better now. I know that there are few joys so great as to be asked, by one in earnest to understand, what the words one has written mean.

Is it not wonderful to think that we may give joy to the Writer of our Book by asking Him to open it to us? We do not think enough of the love of the Spirit of God. Here is a prayer for all who want to enter into the land whose wealth is prepared for us: Let thy loving Spirits lead me forth into the land of righteousness.

May we all be led further and further into that land in this new year.

My Best Friend's Birthday

Well I got somewhat tired of snow adventures (every trip out of the house could have proved to be a post. I'm glad (despite the objections of some) that the snow is melting. It was beautiful and yes I love snow and yes I'm very glad that we had a white Christmas.....but I'm glad it is going.

As I think about the snow and Christmas I'm reminded about how different the true meaning of Christmas is from what we normally think of as “Christmas” I frequently think of that warm happy feeling of goodwill and giving. However, it has nothing to do with giving, peace, or our happiness. It is a birthday party for one Person and one only. We celebrate because of Jesus. I think it is great that all over the world people celebrate my Best Friend's birthday!