I'm telling this tale because my friend Jeffy hasn't told it himself yet (hint, hint) and I need to associate something fun with church today. All inaccuracies to the story are my own.
My friend Jeffy was once the custodian at Old Church. He had to quit after his shoulder started giving him trouble and he couldn't manhandle the chairs and tables anymore. The church hired someone new. Old Church has gone through a lot of custodians. A couple have been good and actually cleaned. Most were nightmares. Serious nightmares. I was once accused of not liking homeless people because I pointed out that the current custodian wasn't doing his job. He wasn't homeless and it's a LONG story.
Anyhow, the newest custodian is one of the those custodians that needs a little assistance in cleaning the restrooms, so Jeffy has been going in and cleaning the restrooms. Recently, Jeffy was at the church cleaning the night after the kids program had been held. He was in the women's restroom checking the "little boxes" that tend to stink to high heaven if they aren't emptied within a day. He opened one box, peered in and noticed something in there but not what he expected. That happens from time to time. Those little boxes sometimes just hold regular trash. He pulled out the bag and at the bottom was an offering envelope. Yes, you read that right, an offering envelope. One from the pews in the Sanctuary. It gets better.
On the front of the envelope was written. "God has something good to tell you." Jeffy chuckled a little, turned the envelope over and opened it up. Written on the inside was this message:
"God thinks you are nice."
Sometimes God shows up in the most unexpected places.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Random Brittany fact of the day
I'm sure it says something about me.
I'm not sure what it says about me.
It's not the first time I've noticed it.
It might distract people.
I know it makes some people laugh.
Here's my confession:
I talk with my hands.
If someone forced me to sit on my hands while talking, I could do it but it would be reallllly difficult.
I manage to contain the free hand movement while talking, at times.
It's not very professional to be waving one's hands about in the air with fervor in polite company.
But when no one is in the office and I am on the phone...WATCH OUT!!!
I guess the good news is that no one else is around to watch me talk on the phone and gesture ferociously with my hands...unless they are walking by my open office door.
And the person who's eye would get poked out by my wild gesticulating would be me.
The other piece of good news is that I don't tend to talk a lot when with a large group of people.
And that, my friends, is a random Brittany fact of the day. =D
I'm not sure what it says about me.
It's not the first time I've noticed it.
It might distract people.
I know it makes some people laugh.
Here's my confession:
I talk with my hands.
If someone forced me to sit on my hands while talking, I could do it but it would be reallllly difficult.
I manage to contain the free hand movement while talking, at times.
It's not very professional to be waving one's hands about in the air with fervor in polite company.
But when no one is in the office and I am on the phone...WATCH OUT!!!
I guess the good news is that no one else is around to watch me talk on the phone and gesture ferociously with my hands...unless they are walking by my open office door.
And the person who's eye would get poked out by my wild gesticulating would be me.
The other piece of good news is that I don't tend to talk a lot when with a large group of people.
And that, my friends, is a random Brittany fact of the day. =D
Sunday, September 15, 2013
From Youth Pastor to volunteer
This post was started a few weeks ago...
I went to Youth Group last night. I sat around the fire pit and talked with people. I ran after the dodge balls that flew past the group. I gave and received hugs. I sat in the back on the ugly and uncomfortable seating and listened to the youth volunteer speak. I listened to God say "It's not about where you are going, it's about who you are going there with." I stayed afterwards and talked with a couple of others and was one of the last to leave.
I also watched the group. The youth knew what was happening. They had the routine down. They went with the flow. They did what they were asked. They laughed, they played, they listened, they prayed, they interacted with their friends...sometimes with the others.
I watched the leaders. They engaged the youth, they joined in the fun, they talked to each other and then they left.
I watched my friend, the Youth Pastor. I knew he had put hours in beforehand setting things up. I saw the weariness on his face. I saw him enter into the game, letting go and playing for a few seconds, the tiredness on his face easing. I saw him specifically go sit next to kids just to talk. I saw him sit next to the one kid who needs just a little bit more attention while the volunteer youth worker was speaking. I watched him head outside, as the group ended, to sit around the fire, talk with kids and greet parents as all his volunteers stayed inside...talking with each other.
Just the night before I had sat and listened for awhile as he shared the burdens on his heart. I heard my own story in his words. I heard the weariness, the frustration, the disillusionment with church people, the burden of too much on his plate. I heard it all and understood. I see the signs and I pray, oh how I pray, that God reveals the path ahead of Youth Pastor friend soon...and selfishly hope that path doesn't lead him away.
Sitting in the back, joining the group for the first time, being in a youth group setting for the first time since I left my own two years ago (wow, that seems so long ago!), knowing the back story, I made a decision. I made a decision not be the typical volunteer leader who comes just before group starts and leaves just after it's over. I may have worked all day, commuted up to 3 hours round-trip and have to get up early the next morning to do it all over again. I may show up just before group starts just because I can't get there any sooner but I will be one of the last to leave. I will be the volunteer who hangs out and listens to Youth Pastor when he needs to download the nights events. I will be tired at work the next day but that doesn't matter. The spiritual and emotional health of Youth Pastor friend is more important.
It's been a few weeks since I started attending youth group. I'm slowly finding my way and I think that God may have put the desire to volunteer on my heart, not for the benefit of the teens, but to be an encourager and supporter of the volunteers. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely some teens that need some one on one attention I will gladly give...but a couple of the volunteers, they may actually be the people I am at youth group for. It's a new road, a new journey, a new tale to tell.
I went to Youth Group last night. I sat around the fire pit and talked with people. I ran after the dodge balls that flew past the group. I gave and received hugs. I sat in the back on the ugly and uncomfortable seating and listened to the youth volunteer speak. I listened to God say "It's not about where you are going, it's about who you are going there with." I stayed afterwards and talked with a couple of others and was one of the last to leave.
I also watched the group. The youth knew what was happening. They had the routine down. They went with the flow. They did what they were asked. They laughed, they played, they listened, they prayed, they interacted with their friends...sometimes with the others.
I watched the leaders. They engaged the youth, they joined in the fun, they talked to each other and then they left.
I watched my friend, the Youth Pastor. I knew he had put hours in beforehand setting things up. I saw the weariness on his face. I saw him enter into the game, letting go and playing for a few seconds, the tiredness on his face easing. I saw him specifically go sit next to kids just to talk. I saw him sit next to the one kid who needs just a little bit more attention while the volunteer youth worker was speaking. I watched him head outside, as the group ended, to sit around the fire, talk with kids and greet parents as all his volunteers stayed inside...talking with each other.
Just the night before I had sat and listened for awhile as he shared the burdens on his heart. I heard my own story in his words. I heard the weariness, the frustration, the disillusionment with church people, the burden of too much on his plate. I heard it all and understood. I see the signs and I pray, oh how I pray, that God reveals the path ahead of Youth Pastor friend soon...and selfishly hope that path doesn't lead him away.
Sitting in the back, joining the group for the first time, being in a youth group setting for the first time since I left my own two years ago (wow, that seems so long ago!), knowing the back story, I made a decision. I made a decision not be the typical volunteer leader who comes just before group starts and leaves just after it's over. I may have worked all day, commuted up to 3 hours round-trip and have to get up early the next morning to do it all over again. I may show up just before group starts just because I can't get there any sooner but I will be one of the last to leave. I will be the volunteer who hangs out and listens to Youth Pastor when he needs to download the nights events. I will be tired at work the next day but that doesn't matter. The spiritual and emotional health of Youth Pastor friend is more important.
It's been a few weeks since I started attending youth group. I'm slowly finding my way and I think that God may have put the desire to volunteer on my heart, not for the benefit of the teens, but to be an encourager and supporter of the volunteers. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely some teens that need some one on one attention I will gladly give...but a couple of the volunteers, they may actually be the people I am at youth group for. It's a new road, a new journey, a new tale to tell.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Adventures with nature
We live in the mountains, next to a sand plant and nature is abundant. Sometimes nature is unexpected, such as the day I returned home and wondered when we moved to the zoo. Or the time when Creative Guy and I were heading out to the car and the biggest coyote I have ever seen came out of the bushes about 10 feet away from where we were. I honestly thought for a minute it was a wolf. Long time blog followers may remember the rodent invasion of May 2011 at Shangri-La O.
The neighbors dog that is allowed to wander at will, really irritating.
The Siamese cat that scampers away the minute it sees a human being, well, I hope it's catching the rodents and snakes...and blue jays (the screechy, annoying ones).
Raccoons knocking over the garbage cans, decidedly not welcome.
Whatever animal keeps walking across the front porch in the wee hours in the morning, that is heavy enough to cause the porch to creak and moan and that wanders around the front year snorting like a pig, REALLY not welcome.
We may be investing in an animal cam or night cam or, as I will call it, "what the heck kind of animal keeps waking me up in the middle of the night" cam. Then again, maybe I don't want to know...I might never leave the house at night again.
Sometimes nature is welcomed, sometimes not so much.
Cute birds on the bird feeder, welcome.
Squirrel on the bird feeder, not welcome.
Ants roaming around the yard, welcome.
Ants in the kitchen and bathrooms, not welcome.
Bats flying through the sky at night, welcome.
Bats stuck between the window and screen....um, yeah, not welcome.(The question we want to ask but are afraid to ask is how did it get there?)
Termites indoors, never welcome.
Scorpions indoors, never welcome.
Snakes in the garage, as long as they slither out without causing harm, tolerable.
Whatever ran out of the garage when I got home last night, again, as long as they run away without causing harm, tolerable.
Snakes in the garage, as long as they slither out without causing harm, tolerable.
Whatever ran out of the garage when I got home last night, again, as long as they run away without causing harm, tolerable.
Deer lounging under the cedar trees, welcome.
Rabbits hopping by, welcome.
The neighbors dog that is allowed to wander at will, really irritating.
The Siamese cat that scampers away the minute it sees a human being, well, I hope it's catching the rodents and snakes...and blue jays (the screechy, annoying ones).
Raccoons knocking over the garbage cans, decidedly not welcome.
Whatever animal keeps walking across the front porch in the wee hours in the morning, that is heavy enough to cause the porch to creak and moan and that wanders around the front year snorting like a pig, REALLY not welcome.
We may be investing in an animal cam or night cam or, as I will call it, "what the heck kind of animal keeps waking me up in the middle of the night" cam. Then again, maybe I don't want to know...I might never leave the house at night again.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
23 Signs Your an Introvert
I've talked about my introverted tendencies before on this blog. I know myself.
I just saw the list linked below on Huffington Post. There is only one that doesn't necessarily apply at this moment in time and I HIGHLY identify with #1, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15...well, okay, most all of them.
For all those who ask how I can be an introvert and yet get up and speak in front of a lot of people with calm and ease...see #8.
For all those who attempt to get me to do things and I put you off for long periods of time, see #10 and 23.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/introverts-signs-am-i-introverted_n_3721431.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
I just saw the list linked below on Huffington Post. There is only one that doesn't necessarily apply at this moment in time and I HIGHLY identify with #1, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15...well, okay, most all of them.
For all those who ask how I can be an introvert and yet get up and speak in front of a lot of people with calm and ease...see #8.
For all those who attempt to get me to do things and I put you off for long periods of time, see #10 and 23.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/introverts-signs-am-i-introverted_n_3721431.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Same statement, different venue
"We want new people! We want to reach a younger audience! We will fight change tooth and nail! The new people must come in and like to do things the same way we have since the beginning of time!'
Having spent most of my working years in a church setting, I was under the illusion that this type of thinking occurred mostly in churches. It doesn't.
One of the last times I heard Youth Specialties co-Founder Mike Yaconelli talk, he made the statement "When you do what you always do, you get what you always get." My notes from that talk wound up on a bulletin board next to my desk and I read that statement over and over and over again. It was hard to implement change, simply because it was easier to just keep doing what I had been doing. Changes did happen, though, because I got tired of getting what I always got.
Fast forward years and I'm in a different job, no longer in full-time ministry (though I am going to be volunteering on a regular basis in someone else's youth group...eek!) and working with some who have been asked to think outside the box. Guess what? The people who have been in the game a long time don't want no stinkin' change. Just come in and do things like they have always been done. It's worked for us before, it will work again. They say they want to attract younger people but...
The worse part? Grown-ups who act like teenagers but say they are grown-ups. I've worked with teenagers...I like them better than faux grown-ups.
There's a country song playing in my head right now...anyone want to take a guess as to what it is? =)
Having spent most of my working years in a church setting, I was under the illusion that this type of thinking occurred mostly in churches. It doesn't.
One of the last times I heard Youth Specialties co-Founder Mike Yaconelli talk, he made the statement "When you do what you always do, you get what you always get." My notes from that talk wound up on a bulletin board next to my desk and I read that statement over and over and over again. It was hard to implement change, simply because it was easier to just keep doing what I had been doing. Changes did happen, though, because I got tired of getting what I always got.
Fast forward years and I'm in a different job, no longer in full-time ministry (though I am going to be volunteering on a regular basis in someone else's youth group...eek!) and working with some who have been asked to think outside the box. Guess what? The people who have been in the game a long time don't want no stinkin' change. Just come in and do things like they have always been done. It's worked for us before, it will work again. They say they want to attract younger people but...
The worse part? Grown-ups who act like teenagers but say they are grown-ups. I've worked with teenagers...I like them better than faux grown-ups.
There's a country song playing in my head right now...anyone want to take a guess as to what it is? =)
Monday, August 12, 2013
Yesterday in Worship
I volunteered to run the sound system and computer for the worship service yesterday. I always go into those mornings nervously. I contend that sound systems and other media items in churches are inhabited by little gremlins that like to (dilemma here, do I use the word I really want to or do I edit myself?) make even the most basic, non-eventful morning go haywire. (Edited version, in case you were wondering.)
It all was going well until I put the CD in to play before worship and the sound didn't come through the speakers. I checked all the buttons, looked to make sure it was playing and still nothing. So I looked at the myriad of wires spilling around the sound board and attempted to ascertain if the CD player was, in fact, plugged into the sound board. Seconds later I looked up and saw the blue screen of death. Not on the computer but from the projector. Oh s...................... I jiggled wires, I checked connections, I looked at the time and knew Plan B had to happen...what Plan B was I had no idea. I raced down to the main floor, alerted the worship leaders and raced back up to jiggle wires some more. Finally I found the one connection seeming to be the issue and we were back in black. Hal-le-luh-jah!!! I was then afraid to touch anything for fear of that blue screen of death returning...seriously hate that screen.
We still went with Plan B. Instead of previously chosen songs that needed to be projected on the screen, we had a hymn sing of sorts. This was supposed to happen. Three older people chose songs and then one of the teens from the balcony raised his hand. "Hymn 123, please." His choice? O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
Now, I know this teen. He could very well have been choosing that song because he liked that it was hymn 1,2,3. Whatever the reason, we sang this hymn of longing, expectation and waiting and eventually celebration. It was beautiful.
I believe we need to sing Christmas/Advent songs all year long not just in the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas, and yesterday whether in jest or not, we did, thanks to one teenage boy.
"O Come O Come Emmanuel"
It all was going well until I put the CD in to play before worship and the sound didn't come through the speakers. I checked all the buttons, looked to make sure it was playing and still nothing. So I looked at the myriad of wires spilling around the sound board and attempted to ascertain if the CD player was, in fact, plugged into the sound board. Seconds later I looked up and saw the blue screen of death. Not on the computer but from the projector. Oh s...................... I jiggled wires, I checked connections, I looked at the time and knew Plan B had to happen...what Plan B was I had no idea. I raced down to the main floor, alerted the worship leaders and raced back up to jiggle wires some more. Finally I found the one connection seeming to be the issue and we were back in black. Hal-le-luh-jah!!! I was then afraid to touch anything for fear of that blue screen of death returning...seriously hate that screen.
We still went with Plan B. Instead of previously chosen songs that needed to be projected on the screen, we had a hymn sing of sorts. This was supposed to happen. Three older people chose songs and then one of the teens from the balcony raised his hand. "Hymn 123, please." His choice? O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
Now, I know this teen. He could very well have been choosing that song because he liked that it was hymn 1,2,3. Whatever the reason, we sang this hymn of longing, expectation and waiting and eventually celebration. It was beautiful.
I believe we need to sing Christmas/Advent songs all year long not just in the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas, and yesterday whether in jest or not, we did, thanks to one teenage boy.
"O Come O Come Emmanuel"
O come o come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the son of god appears
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee oh Israel
Oh come thou day-spring come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee oh Israel
Oh come desire of nations bind
In one the hearts of all mankind
Bid thou our sad divisions cease
And be thyself our king of peace
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee oh Israel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the son of god appears
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee oh Israel
Oh come thou day-spring come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee oh Israel
Oh come desire of nations bind
In one the hearts of all mankind
Bid thou our sad divisions cease
And be thyself our king of peace
Rejoice rejoice
Emmanuel shall come to thee oh Israel
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