Fun Stuff

Friday, November 8, 2013

a much needed list...

at a lovely breakfast this am, we wuz a chatting for a minute (a hot minute) about current learnings.  and, i realized i am a learning the art of contentment.  i think, at least.   meaning, i am wanting to learn it.  so, deuteronomy 8, yes.  but also reminding myself of how good god is.  and, the things i am uber thankful for here.  and, can so easily forget he has done...

the work list first.
...a job i enjoy.
...a fantastic office sharer and club director.
...folks who care about and support what i am a doing.
...coaching soccer. i think i can say i do love that.
...the ability to coach and talk about jesus. to use teachable opportunities to talk about the gospel.
...sweet siblings who all play soccer.
...my one-year soccer ball presentation and kid speeches.
...coaching with macey.
...watching paul so enjoy coaching the U8 girls.
...working a super flexible schedule.
...a ministry director with vision who challenges me (in a good way).
...balancing keeping the main thing the main thing.
...knowing folks are seriously praying for me.
...working with brandon and anne this summer.
...exciting future ahead for northstar youth ministries.
...new friend joining staff in may.
...awesome volunteer coaches.
...kids - full of life and fun times.
...friday lunch with the kiddos at princeton.
...fundraising coaching - that i am not doing it all on my own.
...fantastic sunset views after practice.
...parents stepping up and leading in the club.
...working with some awesome coaches with really good hearts for our northstar kids.
...a eleven year old crying because his teammates aren't good sports.
...respectful young men and women at soccer practice.

and, the life list second.
...a beautiful city
...that i haven't gone a meal without.
...the mountain brook library.
...running in mtn brook (my how pretty it is).
...jemison trail. my new fav running place.
...lakeshore trail. a close second.
...taziki's - arguably my favorite restaurant here.
...new friends.
...conversations - fantastic, tough and needed, fun, thought-provoking and everywhere in between.
...old friends - and staying in their lives (one is silver and the other gold, eh? ha).
...the fantastic views in this fine city.
...homewood.
...lots of parks.
...how close everything is. i can get anywhere in the city in 25 min or less. usually more like 10.
...red mountain church.
...c.s. lewis and his writings - namely those chronicles of narnia.
...a cool baby house to live in.
...mowing the lawn.
...iphones - pretty cool gadgets.
...watching val's baby bump grow.
...steel city pops.
...church street coffee.
...jim n nick's.
...golden rule.
...chick-fil-a.
...moe's.
...the roommate and i's random but deep and thought-provoking conversations.
...phone chats, prayers, and encouragement from friends in other cities.
...time to myself - to think, sleep, pray, process, read, relax, and waste time.
...writing letters.
...mailing packages to friends far far away.
...reading books.
...rediscovering how much i love to read and learn.
...watching movies while recouping from a little car accident.
...god protecting me and the other driver from major harm (even though my car is now toast).
...the fact that i don't have everything figured out and still question - cuz that leads me to him.
...having my saturdays back for a few months (jokes).

happy friday :)

Thursday, November 7, 2013

remember.

so, i can't remember the exact context of these verses.  i think moses is saying these words to the people of israel before they are about to enter the promised land.  i have really liked this passage of late.  for whatever reason, it is easy for me to forget these days all that god has done.  i am a stupid israelite.  ha.  i forget too.  just like they did.  god took care of them oh so well.  and moses wants them to remember that before they go to the good land and forget about god - the one who took them through the wilderness, fed them, made sure they were straight.  ha.  so, yep.  here's to remembering more...

“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years.  Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.  For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

“Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness,with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.


- Deuteronomy 8.  amen.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

coach sara's camp northstar 2013 debrief.

tough.
the summer i thought i would have.  around may, i started wondering if i would be okay not being back at caa this summer.  i think i remember saying something to fellow caa-er macey about it.  and, i also remember a conversation with carson and val about it, along the lines of i didn't know how i felt about these things.  it was just going to be different and a change.  and, i like change, in general.  but i am learning i often slowly adapt to it or want to control it.  great heart i have...a transition from a place i loved and knew oh so well, to one where i thought i would like it, but really had no idea what to expect.  throw in on top of that, that my position was changed late-may.  then i really had no idea what to expect.

good.
my first summer at camp northstar.  god was good.  a much better summer than 2012.  and, i am very thankful for that.  praise the lord.  from whom all blessings flow.  due to my "new" position of blue and green instructor, i was even more uncertain of what the summer would hold.  but, i was ready for it, whatever was up ahead.  even the uncertainty of how to "teach" during instructor time - do i err on the side of "fun" or "school"?  how do i teach little kids?  what was my curriculum?  but that uncertainty and lack of expectation may have been the best thing to happen to me...


so, as i said, camp northstar 2013 was good.  real good.  here's why:
  • the kids.  
Rules the kids made themselves.
the same kids came all-day six weeks straight.  so, we got to know them real well.  including how hilarious they were, how some personalities just didn't mesh, some of the kids' tough or great backgrounds, and frustrations with bad attitudes that just didn't want to change.  cool to build relationships with the kids and tell them about jesus through that.  favorite quote, from an eight year old asking me advice on something: "i want to ask you because you have all the answers to my problems."


  • the staff.     
anne and brandon.  rockstars.  
overall, we had a fantastic staff.  about 20 of us total (see pic below), from many different ages and stages, but all working together towards a common goal - serving and loving on these kids.  blue and green team counselors were the best, in my personal opinion (but i am biased).  i so enjoyed working with anne and brandon each day.  i would have had fewer laughs and encouragement without these two.  add trent and victoria into the mix and we had the dream team (sadly i don't have a pic of the blue and green counselors and junior counselors together - dog).  highlight of the week with these guys was probably friday dance parties while the kids were arriving. 

  • having a better summer than 2012.  
Kickball on the quad!
there was a moment week 1 of camp northstar where val and i were chatting.  i remember saying something like, "i feel like myself again."  a lot of that being i can run and play with the kids, and that just feels right.  i still can't put into words how tough it was to not be able to play with campers last summer.  playing freedom soccer on crutches just didn't do it for me.  believe me, i tried.  still thankful for what i learned in 2012 though.  it is so freeing to be able to run and play these days.  trust me.  i LOVED it this summer.  a lot of kickball.  a little bit of soccer.  fun times anyways...  


so, what are the takeaways?
  1. things change and the only thing worth holding onto that doesn't change is jesus.  i know that, and have known that for a while.  but it is one thing to know it and actually walk in it.  to believe it and not worry about things when they change or are uncertain.  for example, the unexpectedness of being an instructor and not in a "leadership position" as i had expected.  or just of knowing things in life change.  they can sometimes throw me for a loop too, as i like to stay in control or take change when i want to take it.  once again, my heart here.  i don't like trusting and not knowing what's ahead.  never thought i was much of a planner, and still don't think i am, but i do like to know what's ahead.  i am learning that even if i do, things will change.  and it does no good to stress and put my hope in things that are gonna fail me or not be what i expected.  put my hope in the unchangeable god who knows the future and wants to walk with me through it and the present.  "he is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the lord. his heart is steady; he will not be afraid."  psalm 112:7-8.  "she laughs at the time to come."  proverbs 31:25.
  2. disciplining kids teaches you a lot about your own heart.  so, in the blue and green land, i was in charge of discipline during instructor time, as we called it.  so, if a kid didn't want to follow instructions, they eventually got sent out of the classroom and we had a chat.  for one kid, it was the same thing over and over.  he would talk and be disruptive during instructor time.  we would have a chat, or i would send him to val.  he would come back and be better for a bit, but eventually be back at the same thing.  over and over.  and, yes, it sometimes annoyed me a ton.  but, oddly enough, i enjoyed it.  i enjoyed getting to know him and having those conversations.  but, my how it reminded me of myself.  and it reminded me of how god deals with us.  patiently and lovingly disciplining us, even when we do the same sin over and over.  

camp northstar staff 2013.  

so, yep.  that's a wrap.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

“pray as if everything depends on god. work as if everything depends on you.”

- augustine of hippo

Saturday, June 22, 2013

visit take-aways, throwback style...

written in my journal 4/13/12, after a bham visit.  a much needed reminder of late...

i gotta trust in him above all, regardless of the circumstances.  whether at perimeter, northstar, overseas, the jboro, or even athens.  although being here might make me trust in him more, i need to trust in him always.  tornadoes or sunny weather.  rich, white suburbs, or inner-city.  dream job or worst job ever.  no community or community.  married or not.  i gotta run to him first and above all.  and need him.  easy, comfortable work, or hard work.  unsure or sure of calling.  knowing what's next or not.  i feel that i don't quite fit anywhere.  except with you.  thanks for time away where i can get little nuggets.  you know he's already got it planned out for ya.  you don't have to worry about it.  no really...

Monday, June 10, 2013

tgc prayer.

A Prayer for Trusting Jesus in Our Seasons of Transition
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.  Ps. 143:8 
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Ps. 23:1-3

Dear Lord Jesus, indeed, in the morning, at midday, in the afternoon, and throughout the night, keep on bringing us word of your unfailing love. That’s all we need; that’s all we really need—the assurance of your unwavering, contra-conditional, boundless love.

By the Holy Spirit, incessantly gossip the gospel in our inmost ear. Wrap the good news of your irrepressible, endless affections around our hearts, tighter and tighter and tighter. Permeate every bit of our being with your fresh mercies, steadfast love, and transforming grace, for we have put our trust in you.

Lord Jesus, it’s the assurance of your unfailing love which enables us to trust you with the transitions we go through in life, and the uncertainties about the future. Change is never easy. Change makes us feel vulnerable, fearful, and insecure. We get tempted, once again, to be our own savior. Spare us that misery, Jesus; spare us and those we love. May your Word dwell in us richly and your peace rule in us powerfully; and may your glory be our main passion and greatest delight.

We’ve entrusted our lives to you, Jesus, because you alone are trustworthy; you alone are the Good Shepherd. We’ve given you our sins, wounds, brokenness, and weakness. Now, in fresh surrender, we give you our planning for the next season of our lives. Show us the way we should go through our transitions—transitions of age and stage, career and calling, health and finances, relationships and ministries. Write stories of redemption beyond our wildest dreams and hopes. It’s all about you, Lord Jesus—not us.

We’re not so arrogant as to expect all the details. Just take us by the hand and lead the way. Shepherd us, Jesus. Open doors we cannot shut and shut doors we cannot open. All we need to know is that you love us and that you’re with us. You’ve promised us both, and you do not lie. So very Amen we pray, in your peerless and priceless name.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

for all of you new college grads out there...

so, as many of y'all know, i often have difficulty making decisions.  sometimes i even hate them.  if you asked, i would tell you this is because i don't enjoy that decisions come with consequences (good or bad), i don't want to be the one responsible for those consequences, and i am a people pleaser (thus i don't want folks to get mad at me if it was a poor decision).  true indeed.  yet, i think i am a learning more about these things as of late.  talking about my hate of decision-making at community group a few weeks back.  i shared my bit to share, then sat back, answered questions, and listened.  i got a myriad of things, from responses to how my friends struggle with the same issues, even at 3-15 years my senior, to thought-provoking questions, to jokes.  i remember one question: "are you always wondering what is next; when you will have to make a decision next?  is that where the stress comes from?"  i thought about it when he asked, and didn't think that was the case.  but, as i reflect more on this topic, i think the answer is yes.  for example, driving back to birmingham the other weekend, i was jamming to some john mayer.  i saw on my dash that it was on track 6.  and, i had a minor freak out (key word minor) as i knew in six more songs i would decide what cd is next - do i want to listen to this one over?  put in a new one?  which new cd?  (old school, i know.)  and, in a small way, i realized that this is true for me.  even chatting with sarah king recently.  she asked, "so, is it the fear of the unknown?"  and, as i thought through later, i think there is a good bit of truth right there as well.  on a small scale again, i sometimes hate going to a new restaurant and ordering my meal.  first off, there are usually way too many options.  but, secondly, what if i don't like what i order?  what if i love it?  will i wish i would have gotten something different?  will it be worth the money i paid for the meal?  the unknown, if you will.

so, back to the amazing words of wisdom for the young college grads (cough, cough).  check out these articles, if you are like me.  hopefully they will shed some light on things, specifically our culture, biology, and what other people way smarter than me say.

the god of open options  among other things, how delaying/not making a decision can be disobedience.
more choices, less commitment.  an article about online dating.  premises still true for many other aspects of our lives.
how to love valentine's day even if you're single.  to quote another sara(h):  "i don't think it's just relevant for single people.  we all wait for something.  i hope you name animals with dignity, excellence, patience and humility."
barry schwartz - ted talk.  from the perspective of science, not the gospel.
and, lastly, i leave you with arguably my favorite of late...10 things your commencement speaker won't tell you.  just read it.  well worth the time...

and, if you are like me, you will struggle with decisions.  and, there can be a ton to be made right after college.  if you are like me, you may dread making those decisions.  but, do a little better than me, and really trust in god's sovereignty over, in, through, before, during, and after our decisions.  that's what i'm working on as of late.  haven't figured out everything 100%, and i think it will continue to be a struggle for me.  to trust in his love and goodness towards me, and not hate and judgement if i make the "wrong" decision.  to trust in him, even though i cannot fully comprehend the balance between his being in total control and my freedom and ability to choose.  consequences and all.  for my good and his glory.  but, for now, i'm wanting to put to death my petty little fears over whether i made the right decisions and trust in the lord's sovereignty and goodness for me.  amen and amen..


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

U11 Skills.

Their Monday night skills coach (she works them HARD) said a player told her, “Coach, what you teach us on Mondays, we use on Wednesdays and in the games. And, we are getting better.”

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

the role of christian in a postmodern culture

http://www.qideas.org/video/kuyper-revisted.aspx

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, "Mine!”
- Abraham Kuyper