Blessed

Today would seem almost ordinary. However, I am truly blessed. My friends and I joke about how every day I get something free. I’m totally not kidding. I do. Today it was free chips and salsa on the side of my fish taco. Unfortunately tomorrow’s free thing might be a side of vomit and poo because I realized half way through my taco, it was not cooked all the way…but I digress.

I think a lot of it is how you look at things and it is so important not to take things for granted. This has been weighing on me a lot lately and I am not sure why. Thankfulness. It is such a simple word. You would think it would be an easier thing to do.

I’ve been praying a lot for God to heal old wounds and to “increase my territory” so to speak. All of the sudden friends that I haven’t heard from in years have popped up! I mean friends that I haven’t heard from in 10 years, some 17 years! I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I knew people 17 years ago because sometimes in my mind well, I am 17 years old…still. Then there are some people that He places in your life for no known reason but no matter what you would have run into them. A friend I connected with tonight is another friend’s Aunt!! I had no idea! She had no idea that I knew her nephew! She also was a board member last year of the choir my daughter is in this year. The company I work for uses her company to keep our records. Why is she in my life? Maybe simply because she is another believer and I need all the accountability partners I can get? Is it a coincidence that every single person that has found me or that I have found, believes in Christ? I have had so many non-believers in my life…it’s interesting to see the way God works. I am so thankful.

My amazing cousin Darby is home now. At least I think he is he found me on Facebook tonight. He is a Marine and has been in Kabul. Love him. Just another reason to be thankful. Sophie and I need to plan a visit up north real soon to see all of my friends and family. Just when I start to feel really lonely they find me

I found out today that my friend Liza and her husband Joel adopted a baby boy recently. They lost their baby daughter late last year and to have this new blessing in their life is so awesome to watch. They are such loving and caring people and Liza just looks so happy. His name is Wyatt. He is adorable!! That just topped the day off.

Thank you Lord

Your loving servant,

Jenn

Small Group

Tonight’s small group went really well considering. Considering the rain, a little lateness, a little lot of chatter The lesson was awesome. I am continually amazed with our students. We had quite a few new kids tonight and it was awesome to see them all interact and just genuinely love each other. Barb, as usual, did a great job of trying to keep everyone on track and trying to keep everyone interested in the topic.

We talked about home hurts tonight. This is a subject close to my heart and something I had to deal with in my past. We talked about how even if you don’t have home hurts and your family isn’t dysfunctional you will, and probably already have, come in contact with those who do. The mean girl who will tell you that you are fat to your face, the angry kid who lashes out for no apparent reason, even the quiet one who smiles and acts like there are no problems. Part of being a Christian is to have empathy and acceptance no matter what people are going through. Sometimes someone might just want to talk and they simply need someone to listen to them. You never know what might be going on in another’s home life.

We also talked about not blaming God for something someone has done to you or maybe to someone else. Things happen in our lives for reasons that may be way beyond our comprehension. The death of a loved one may make you strong enough to help someone else cope later. Same goes for the hurt that might have been in your life. We are all created with free will and what may have happened to you is a choice that someone makes – don’t blame God. Choose to learn and grow from your experiences and look to Him to create a new identity for yourself, one that is clean and new.

My favorite verses right now are Mark 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A city on the hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

My favorite part of the evening was when someone said “maybe, I shouldn’t make fun of people anymore.” I am so proud that one of the students admitted to something that needed to be worked on in their life in front of the whole group. Especially because I know every one of them has to check themselves every now and then. Heck, I’m ashamed to admit this, but yes, I’m human and even I have to check myself every now and then. I’m sure that I have already said or done something that Sophie will probably need a healthy dose of therapy for when she’s older After all, I am the parent of a pre-teen…sigh.

What are your thoughts on other ways of breaking the cycle? What’s your favorite verse this week?

Reflections

Sometimes I feel like I am floating through life and I have to wonder what is my purpose? What does God have planned for me? This weekend was our youth group’s back-to-school retreat and everything became so clear.

Friday night as we began the retreat with Nick Thurman leading us in worship, I looked around the room at all the kids. Some were new and some were return students but what really caught me was the tiny new 6th graders that looked so overwhelmed! They were so little! I thought of my own daughter who started 4th grade this year and has her own little group of friends here and had the sudden realization that she will be standing in this same room in 2 short years. Realizing this group of kids will soon be Sophie’s group of friends with some of my 10th graders as her small group leaders was very “AHA”ish for me. I would be so proud of any one of these kids being her future leader. They have grown spiritually over this past year and are all such awesome and funny kids. I look forward to everything we will learn together over the next year.

I realized that everything God has taken me through in my life has brought me to this point. I am exactly where He wants and needs me to be. Everyone’s life has trials and it is how we react and what we take from them that makes a person. I know He has so much more in store for me. I know my place is to work with these kids and I know I will still be there when Sophie graduates to the youth group. I have funny visions of her being the one getting told to put her phone in the middle of the table because she was caught texting and unfortunately her being the one told to get off of the top of Barb’s car. Sigh. What would a youth group be if there were no stories?