On the way to camp my mum and I talked about how the church has done a massive dis-service to a generation by leading them to believe that anything less then perfect is unChristian. We've left many issues taboo, such as depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, sex, same sex relationships, sexual/physical/emotional abuse, divorce...
the list could go on and on.
Probably the most unfortunate outcome is that we've raised a generation of judgmental people who have more issues then we'll ever be able to help them deal with.
While I was at camp the majority of the staff would have been younger then me. It was so encouraging for me to watch a generation do something that has been prophesied for years. Even more encouraging then that was watching and hearing individuals share the things in their lives that they struggle with.
During staff chapel on Monday night an individual who had grown up in a solid Christian home shared about how they had struggled with cutting as a way to relieve stress. That right there is what the church needs to be...
a place where people can come despite their circumstances and issues and just be vulnerable and real.
There's something different happening in churches today. People are sick of putting on the happy facade. We all desire genuine relationships in which we can be ourselves...our whole selves, the good, the bad and the ugly...
Maybe the time is coming when the church will be more the perfect cookie-cutter people...
14.8.08
accomplishment
ac-com-plish-ment
noun
something that has been achieved successfully : the reduction of inflation was a remarkable accomplishment.
the successful achievement of a task : the accomplishment of planned objectives
an activity that a person can do well, typically as a result of study or practice : long-distance was another of her accomplishments
skill or ability in an activity : a poet of considerable accomplishment
Today I accomplished a huge feat...the office that I share at work with a couple other people has become hugely cluttered over the course of the spring/summer. If you know my well you know that I don't cope well with clutter and chaos. Today was the day to clean stuff out, make room, get rid of what will never be used.
Looking at the neat bookshelf beside me I'm feeling a sense of accomplishment seeing everything organized and neat! Looking across my desk to the filing cabinet I feel as sense of accomplishment being able to see the top of it!
I feel as though I'm finally able breath with the chaos gone.
I have accomplished my task of the day!
noun
something that has been achieved successfully : the reduction of inflation was a remarkable accomplishment.
the successful achievement of a task : the accomplishment of planned objectives
an activity that a person can do well, typically as a result of study or practice : long-distance was another of her accomplishments
skill or ability in an activity : a poet of considerable accomplishment
Today I accomplished a huge feat...the office that I share at work with a couple other people has become hugely cluttered over the course of the spring/summer. If you know my well you know that I don't cope well with clutter and chaos. Today was the day to clean stuff out, make room, get rid of what will never be used.
Looking at the neat bookshelf beside me I'm feeling a sense of accomplishment seeing everything organized and neat! Looking across my desk to the filing cabinet I feel as sense of accomplishment being able to see the top of it!
I feel as though I'm finally able breath with the chaos gone.
I have accomplished my task of the day!
12.8.08
Lesson 2 from a week at camp
We all know that just like snowflakes, no two people are alike. But there are some amazing similarities between people...
While I was at camp last week, I had an incline to head to the climbing wall. My mum and I arrived at the climbing wall before the group of campers that was about to brave this massive structure. At long last cabin 5 arrived. One of the girls seemed very familiar to me. She totally reminded me of a little boy from Lethbridge that I've had the privilege of spending some time with.
The climbing wall instructors began to go through the safety procedures and before I knew it this little was reminding me even more of the little boy back in Lethbridge. I quickly discovered that the little girl (like the little boy back in Lethbridge) had Asperger Syndrome. Although it was aware to my mum and I that this little girl had Asperger's, the climbing wall instructors were unaware of her condition and were having a difficult time communicating with her.
God taught me a lot about His faithfulness in that moment.
The only time that I was ever at the climbing wall was when cabin 5 was there...the only cabin with a child who had mild autism. That would have been a very frustrating activity for not only the instructors, and the little girl with Aspergers, but also for the other girls in cabin. What an honor to have been there in that moment to come alongside and provide some support.
Thank you God for that "incline," and the opportunity to spend some time with a family at home in Lethbridge that deals with autism daily.
While I was at camp last week, I had an incline to head to the climbing wall. My mum and I arrived at the climbing wall before the group of campers that was about to brave this massive structure. At long last cabin 5 arrived. One of the girls seemed very familiar to me. She totally reminded me of a little boy from Lethbridge that I've had the privilege of spending some time with.
The climbing wall instructors began to go through the safety procedures and before I knew it this little was reminding me even more of the little boy back in Lethbridge. I quickly discovered that the little girl (like the little boy back in Lethbridge) had Asperger Syndrome. Although it was aware to my mum and I that this little girl had Asperger's, the climbing wall instructors were unaware of her condition and were having a difficult time communicating with her.
God taught me a lot about His faithfulness in that moment.
The only time that I was ever at the climbing wall was when cabin 5 was there...the only cabin with a child who had mild autism. That would have been a very frustrating activity for not only the instructors, and the little girl with Aspergers, but also for the other girls in cabin. What an honor to have been there in that moment to come alongside and provide some support.
Thank you God for that "incline," and the opportunity to spend some time with a family at home in Lethbridge that deals with autism daily.
11.8.08
Lesson 1 from a week at camp
I just spent at week at Camp Evergreen speaking to the grade 1-4 kids. It was quite the week and I felt completely in my element, however it was a bit of stretch for some staff who work most comfortably with junior & senior high kids.
One fabulous lesson I was taught at camp was all about community.
There was on cabin in particular which was "challenging" to say the least. My biggest fear for those two counselors was that they would look back on this week and be reminded of why they never wanted to work at camp again. But, the opposite took place...
On Saturday as I was preparing to leave camp I stopped to say good-bye to these two fine young gentlemen and said hopefully: "I hope this week hasn't turned you off of camp ministry."
They replied to me, "The opposite has happened."
They went on to explain that although the week with the boys was difficult at times, they were so encouraged to see those around them rise up and support them. The head counselor told me that at moments when he felt like he was at the end of his rope, someone would pull him aside to encourage him, or let him know that they were praying for him. When a child ran off, it seemed that there was always another staff member ready to chase after them. "If anything, I've learned more about God's faithfulness this week then any other week at camp."
This is how I believe community is to truly function. Our job is not to allow people to fail, rather to support them in such a way that they succeed when it seems everything is against them.
This is the church functioning how I believe God created us to function.
One fabulous lesson I was taught at camp was all about community.
There was on cabin in particular which was "challenging" to say the least. My biggest fear for those two counselors was that they would look back on this week and be reminded of why they never wanted to work at camp again. But, the opposite took place...
On Saturday as I was preparing to leave camp I stopped to say good-bye to these two fine young gentlemen and said hopefully: "I hope this week hasn't turned you off of camp ministry."
They replied to me, "The opposite has happened."
They went on to explain that although the week with the boys was difficult at times, they were so encouraged to see those around them rise up and support them. The head counselor told me that at moments when he felt like he was at the end of his rope, someone would pull him aside to encourage him, or let him know that they were praying for him. When a child ran off, it seemed that there was always another staff member ready to chase after them. "If anything, I've learned more about God's faithfulness this week then any other week at camp."
This is how I believe community is to truly function. Our job is not to allow people to fail, rather to support them in such a way that they succeed when it seems everything is against them.
This is the church functioning how I believe God created us to function.
27.5.08
26.5.08
Love Thy Neighbor.
My husband and I are currently renting a house in a community that has many young couples/people/families in it. During the school year there are many parties to be had on our street, and during the summer months we're realizing there are far less vehicles parked along the street.
We've been living in this area now for seven months; we started in basement suite of the house we're now in, and moved upstairs early this year when the opportunity arose. Our neighbors on both sides of us are fairly young. On one side there are renters as well, both upstairs and downstairs, most of which we believe to be uni/college students because we don't see to much of them since school's finished up. On the otherside is a young couple who are both working and currently five months pregnant! We're friendly with our neighbors on either side, but don't really have a real relationship with them.
Yesterday my husband and I were out for most of the day, starting with church in the morning, lunch with the family, and then a bit of time spent with my sister-in-law. When we arrived home in the later afternoon we found our front lawn to be freshly mowed (yum, I love the smell of fresh cut grass!). But who would have mowed our lawn?
My husband's brother headed over to grandma's after lunch to mow her lawn, perhaps he decided to come over to our place afterwards and mow ours as well? Possible, but not likely since we live on the opposite side of town to grandma.
Our neighbors lawn was freshly mowed as well...could it be he?
Sure enough it was.
How's that for loving thy neighbor??? We often quote the "Golden Rule" and are quick to tell other to "love thy neighbor as thyself," but how often do WE actually follow through with what's coming from our mouths?
Our neighbor Mike, who we hardly know put these phrases to action as he mowed our lawn. Now, we don't have a huge lawn so it wasn't like it was an incredibly straining task for him, yet he still went out of his way to be great neighbor. What an example of what true community should be. Though the relationship maybe isn't there, he showed common ownership, something I think the average person generally overlooks.
We often define community by the relationships we have with one another, but community can also be defined as "a group of people living together in one place, esp. one practicing common ownership." I think it's about time we start building community, but just not in around our close relationships, lets start building good communities around common ownership; around "loving thy neighbor."
We've been living in this area now for seven months; we started in basement suite of the house we're now in, and moved upstairs early this year when the opportunity arose. Our neighbors on both sides of us are fairly young. On one side there are renters as well, both upstairs and downstairs, most of which we believe to be uni/college students because we don't see to much of them since school's finished up. On the otherside is a young couple who are both working and currently five months pregnant! We're friendly with our neighbors on either side, but don't really have a real relationship with them.
Yesterday my husband and I were out for most of the day, starting with church in the morning, lunch with the family, and then a bit of time spent with my sister-in-law. When we arrived home in the later afternoon we found our front lawn to be freshly mowed (yum, I love the smell of fresh cut grass!). But who would have mowed our lawn?My husband's brother headed over to grandma's after lunch to mow her lawn, perhaps he decided to come over to our place afterwards and mow ours as well? Possible, but not likely since we live on the opposite side of town to grandma.
Our neighbors lawn was freshly mowed as well...could it be he?
Sure enough it was.
How's that for loving thy neighbor??? We often quote the "Golden Rule" and are quick to tell other to "love thy neighbor as thyself," but how often do WE actually follow through with what's coming from our mouths?
Our neighbor Mike, who we hardly know put these phrases to action as he mowed our lawn. Now, we don't have a huge lawn so it wasn't like it was an incredibly straining task for him, yet he still went out of his way to be great neighbor. What an example of what true community should be. Though the relationship maybe isn't there, he showed common ownership, something I think the average person generally overlooks.
We often define community by the relationships we have with one another, but community can also be defined as "a group of people living together in one place, esp. one practicing common ownership." I think it's about time we start building community, but just not in around our close relationships, lets start building good communities around common ownership; around "loving thy neighbor."
5.5.08
Quote of the day:
"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does...and that is his."
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