Longing
As I write this, Anna Kate is no doubt getting ready to go to the beach. Her third beach trip in as many months. I asked her the other day if I could "borrow" one of her vacations sometime. Because my downtime is nonexistent to the point of not allowing any get-away of that sort. And it looks to remain that way for the foreseeable future.
But I'm not writing this to complain, mind you (so don't feel guilty about going away, Anna. Go have a marvelous time). When your time is spent on the things of God, you feel enriched. And you know that you are making some positive investments for the Kingdom.
This week gave me plenty of opportunities to make such investments. Even with VBS being over and work going back to a more controlled chaos (or something like that), the need is still great. I spent Tuesday afternoon helping Trista Tilley prepare a local missions project called NXT2. It's for kids and their parents. Basically we have them come to the church for devotions and a debriefing, and then send them out into the community for various service projects. One day we will head to the city park with a trash list and have a "Trash Treasure Hunt" rounding up all the trash items we can find. Another day we'll be making goodie bags for kids in the hospital. Yet another day is visitation day, when we will head to several of our homebound members and take some time to visit with them.
Wednesday was definitely interesting. I was scheduled to do the CDC (Child Development Center) devotionals for three-to-five year old children. That was certainly a new experience for me, but it worked out nicely, with a lot of prayer and preparation. I gave them a ten-minute lesson on the Creation and put in motions for the kids to do as I read aloud. They were so cute. And they enjoyed describing the animals that God made and how to take care of them. I'm glad I remembered to include plenty of visual aides. Because of CDC, however, I didn't get to observe the SupeReaders Club in the children's library, but I heard it went good. Two new girls joined, bringing our total to four, and they read six books in an hour's time. I'm eagerly awaiting next week when I read to them.
On Thursday, I mailed out about 26 letters to kids and their parents, thanking them for being a part of Vacation Bible School, and to please join us in a couple weeks for Adventure Camp and the Children's Retreat. I should mention that AC and CR are struggling right now. At last check, only nine kids have signed up for AC, and two for CR. Bleak numbers, yeah. Can't very well justify renting a Charter bus if the chaperones outnumber the kids. But we're not panicking. Just praying that God will work it out in His time. I helped supervise Lori Patterson and her "Music & Me" session with pre-school children and their Moms. Definitely a flashback to a time when I used to enjoy banging sticks, cymbals, tamberines, and sand blocks to the stereo music blaring in the background.
I should also mention that Annie Ruth is, in many ways, still a kid herself. Especially at times like these. And that's a great way to be.
Anna Kate and I got to enjoy a nice evening together yesterday as well. We watched the last half of my brother's soccer camp (with Izzy in the car!) and had Little Caesar's pizza for dinner. Then we had a little movie marathon, running the gamut from Batman to Lady and the Tramp to Napoleon Dynamite. Yes, we both finally watched the movie that has since developed a cult following. I think the tagline "Wayne's World: The Next Generation" fits this one pretty well. But then, Wayne's World was funny because it tried to have a purpose. Napoleon is funny because it's almost devoid of purpose. Especially at the beginning. A plot eventually surfaces, but nevertheless...
Oh, and word to classic Disney fans. Lady and the Tramp is still a delightfully charming film. "Bella Note" never gets old (Sony Burke, I salute you). The lush WD-animation. Bright, vivid Victorian-esque landscapes. The dog eyed view in the directorial layout (everything that happens in this movie is seen from the eyes of Lady or Tramp, right down to the names "Jim, Dear" and "Darling"). The opening music and quotation. The original story. Themes handled in a classy, mature sense. Folks, this is golden-age Disney film-making in every way. And it's beautiful.
God bless!
But I'm not writing this to complain, mind you (so don't feel guilty about going away, Anna. Go have a marvelous time). When your time is spent on the things of God, you feel enriched. And you know that you are making some positive investments for the Kingdom.
This week gave me plenty of opportunities to make such investments. Even with VBS being over and work going back to a more controlled chaos (or something like that), the need is still great. I spent Tuesday afternoon helping Trista Tilley prepare a local missions project called NXT2. It's for kids and their parents. Basically we have them come to the church for devotions and a debriefing, and then send them out into the community for various service projects. One day we will head to the city park with a trash list and have a "Trash Treasure Hunt" rounding up all the trash items we can find. Another day we'll be making goodie bags for kids in the hospital. Yet another day is visitation day, when we will head to several of our homebound members and take some time to visit with them.
Wednesday was definitely interesting. I was scheduled to do the CDC (Child Development Center) devotionals for three-to-five year old children. That was certainly a new experience for me, but it worked out nicely, with a lot of prayer and preparation. I gave them a ten-minute lesson on the Creation and put in motions for the kids to do as I read aloud. They were so cute. And they enjoyed describing the animals that God made and how to take care of them. I'm glad I remembered to include plenty of visual aides. Because of CDC, however, I didn't get to observe the SupeReaders Club in the children's library, but I heard it went good. Two new girls joined, bringing our total to four, and they read six books in an hour's time. I'm eagerly awaiting next week when I read to them.
On Thursday, I mailed out about 26 letters to kids and their parents, thanking them for being a part of Vacation Bible School, and to please join us in a couple weeks for Adventure Camp and the Children's Retreat. I should mention that AC and CR are struggling right now. At last check, only nine kids have signed up for AC, and two for CR. Bleak numbers, yeah. Can't very well justify renting a Charter bus if the chaperones outnumber the kids. But we're not panicking. Just praying that God will work it out in His time. I helped supervise Lori Patterson and her "Music & Me" session with pre-school children and their Moms. Definitely a flashback to a time when I used to enjoy banging sticks, cymbals, tamberines, and sand blocks to the stereo music blaring in the background.
I should also mention that Annie Ruth is, in many ways, still a kid herself. Especially at times like these. And that's a great way to be.
Anna Kate and I got to enjoy a nice evening together yesterday as well. We watched the last half of my brother's soccer camp (with Izzy in the car!) and had Little Caesar's pizza for dinner. Then we had a little movie marathon, running the gamut from Batman to Lady and the Tramp to Napoleon Dynamite. Yes, we both finally watched the movie that has since developed a cult following. I think the tagline "Wayne's World: The Next Generation" fits this one pretty well. But then, Wayne's World was funny because it tried to have a purpose. Napoleon is funny because it's almost devoid of purpose. Especially at the beginning. A plot eventually surfaces, but nevertheless...
Oh, and word to classic Disney fans. Lady and the Tramp is still a delightfully charming film. "Bella Note" never gets old (Sony Burke, I salute you). The lush WD-animation. Bright, vivid Victorian-esque landscapes. The dog eyed view in the directorial layout (everything that happens in this movie is seen from the eyes of Lady or Tramp, right down to the names "Jim, Dear" and "Darling"). The opening music and quotation. The original story. Themes handled in a classy, mature sense. Folks, this is golden-age Disney film-making in every way. And it's beautiful.
God bless!
posted by david @ 11:34 AM
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