A bonus post for today. Well actually its because there wasn't a post yesterday.
Carson wanted to ride his bike down the driveway by himself without any help. Kathy was a little hesitant. Daddy...not so much. Then he rode all the way down the driveway across the street and up the other driveway, when he fell down simply trying to turn too quickly. Oops. Figures he would get through the hard part and then crash on the easy part. The way I figure it, there was no blood so he was okay. I'm sure there is some metaphor that would work here about having to "let go" or "they need to learn." So you can insert your thought here:
Carson is getting braver and braver each time he tries something and the scary or nice thing is that he wants to do almost everything by himself. I wonder if he wants to show everyone how big he is and the way for him to do that is to insist on doing it himself. Well, I guess eventually he will be trying to ride his bike without training wheels and probably fall down a time or two. Here's hoping he recovers as quickly then as he did today.
kevin
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Lent Day 23A: Numbers
I spoke at chapel for the preschool yesterday morning, which I do quite a bit. Usually the kids are pretty wound up and everyone answers everytime you ask a question (without raising their hand) Yesterday we talked about numbers and for some reason they were quiet and listened the whole time. I thought to myself, wow chapel couldn't have gotten any better. I was wrong.
Kathy called me at youth last night and said she just had to tell me something. She was talking to Carson and asked him about chapel-which she does most if not all wednesdays. She asks Carson who spoke at chapel and what they talked about and he usually responds by saying I don't know. Last night when she asked him who taught chapel he yelled: MY DADDY. Then she asked him what I talked about and he yelled: NUMBERS.
It really made helped me be in a great mood during youth last night having heard how excited he was that I had taught chapel...and that he actually remembered what I talked about. Gotta love numbers.
grace&peace
kevin
Kathy called me at youth last night and said she just had to tell me something. She was talking to Carson and asked him about chapel-which she does most if not all wednesdays. She asks Carson who spoke at chapel and what they talked about and he usually responds by saying I don't know. Last night when she asked him who taught chapel he yelled: MY DADDY. Then she asked him what I talked about and he yelled: NUMBERS.
It really made helped me be in a great mood during youth last night having heard how excited he was that I had taught chapel...and that he actually remembered what I talked about. Gotta love numbers.
grace&peace
kevin
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Lent Day 21: I Need a Nap
Have you ever noticed that when it is overcast outside that everyone seems to one to take a nap? I have seen numerous posts on facebook today about wanting to do just that. What is it about the weather that effects our mood so much? No really has anybody done research on this to figure it out? Because frankly, I'm just to tired to look it up right now....
sincerely
kevin
PS-sometimes you just have to throw in a meaningless blog post just for the fun of it...
sincerely
kevin
PS-sometimes you just have to throw in a meaningless blog post just for the fun of it...
Monday, March 28, 2011
Lent Day 18 and 19 and 20: Balance
Okay so I've had a busy weekend and I didn't want to post something that felt rushed or was "fluff" (thanks for use of that word Misty) We took a confirmation field trip to the Methodist Children's Home saturday and went to JJ and Lydia's birthday party yesterday. So here is a post to sum up the weekend and get you a start on your monday morning, at least that's the hope
Dawne Phillips and I were talking on saturday about her Discipleship/Mission topic for confirmation and she said something that really resonated with me in a big way. She said something to the effect of :"if we are going to teach others to be disciples and serve then there must be a balance in our own spiritual lives."
I found this very helpful. I thought about having a balance between work, family, and a little time to relax. I think having a balance is important in all aspects of our lives. There are weeks and times of the year that are very busy for me as a youth director which means I have to balance those busy times by having some more family time during the times of the year where my schedule is not so hectic. I have also found how important it is to take some "sabbath" time just to decompress and relax and read a book just for fun or go play golf (the kid in me even finds the occasional time to play a video game or two) I find that taking this time seems to make it easier to focus and be more productive with my time working and studying during the rest of the week.
You have probably heard that for everything in nature there is a balance. So duh, we should know that we need balance. That way we don't burn out or get frustrated too easily with the day to day grind that me sometimes experience. I know that sometimes we have deadlines, and we have a ton of stuff to do so it can be difficult to take time for ourselves. But we have to do it so we can be balanced in our lives.
Another balance in our spiritual lives, especially for me working in ministry is for me personally to grow spiritually. I love teaching and mentoring and helping the youth grow in their spiritual lives. In order for me to do that to the best of my ability I must be dynamic in my spiritual life and not stagnant. I must be growing and not standing still. I must have some balance in my spiritual life. And I think that goes for anyone in ministry (or anyone for that matter)
Here's hoping your life is in balance in the next days of this lenten season and beyond.
kevin
Dawne Phillips and I were talking on saturday about her Discipleship/Mission topic for confirmation and she said something that really resonated with me in a big way. She said something to the effect of :"if we are going to teach others to be disciples and serve then there must be a balance in our own spiritual lives."
I found this very helpful. I thought about having a balance between work, family, and a little time to relax. I think having a balance is important in all aspects of our lives. There are weeks and times of the year that are very busy for me as a youth director which means I have to balance those busy times by having some more family time during the times of the year where my schedule is not so hectic. I have also found how important it is to take some "sabbath" time just to decompress and relax and read a book just for fun or go play golf (the kid in me even finds the occasional time to play a video game or two) I find that taking this time seems to make it easier to focus and be more productive with my time working and studying during the rest of the week.
You have probably heard that for everything in nature there is a balance. So duh, we should know that we need balance. That way we don't burn out or get frustrated too easily with the day to day grind that me sometimes experience. I know that sometimes we have deadlines, and we have a ton of stuff to do so it can be difficult to take time for ourselves. But we have to do it so we can be balanced in our lives.
Another balance in our spiritual lives, especially for me working in ministry is for me personally to grow spiritually. I love teaching and mentoring and helping the youth grow in their spiritual lives. In order for me to do that to the best of my ability I must be dynamic in my spiritual life and not stagnant. I must be growing and not standing still. I must have some balance in my spiritual life. And I think that goes for anyone in ministry (or anyone for that matter)
Here's hoping your life is in balance in the next days of this lenten season and beyond.
kevin
Friday, March 25, 2011
Lent Day 17: Journaling/Blogging
Why do people journal? For me it started a few years ago and I journaled everyday for about two years. I realized that wasn't very effective because somedays I just didn't have too much to say, so I ended up just writing one or two sentences about what I did that day. When I went back and look at those composition books there are some important things in there, but not a whole lot. It did help when I looked at them because I could remember for instance how I felt at a couple important times in my life such as graduating college, how I felt when Kathy and I first met (this entry was two days before I locked her keys in her trunk if you are wondering Doris :), and what my thoughts were on our first date. I was not journaling when Carson was born or when we got married, although I wish I had been.
But I digress. I like journaling, or now blogging because it seems to help center me. I am able to write my thoughts down and keep a record of them. I did think that I was one of about three people to read it most of the time..but during lent I know that there are a few people who I believe or know are reading it everyday, which means a lot. I just hope they are getting something useful out of it.
It's cool when I run into someone at church who tells me she is enjoying reading it. (thanks neighbor) or I get a text about it (thanks Doris and Chance) or to see someone reading it when I wake up in the morning (wife whom I love so much) or a facebook message about it that makes me tear up (a double thanks for making me tear up Kathryn) and to those who inform Kathryn via facebook about a blog post which causes Kathryn to read it which causes her to tear up which causes her to send me a message that causes me to tear up (thanks Courtney)
Okay, I'm rambling, just wanted to say it means a lot that others find my "thoughts" meaningful. If I have forgotten to thank anyone, send me a comment and I will thank you personally :) Hope these entries find you well each time you read them, and even when you don't.
have a wonderful day
kevin
But I digress. I like journaling, or now blogging because it seems to help center me. I am able to write my thoughts down and keep a record of them. I did think that I was one of about three people to read it most of the time..but during lent I know that there are a few people who I believe or know are reading it everyday, which means a lot. I just hope they are getting something useful out of it.
It's cool when I run into someone at church who tells me she is enjoying reading it. (thanks neighbor) or I get a text about it (thanks Doris and Chance) or to see someone reading it when I wake up in the morning (wife whom I love so much) or a facebook message about it that makes me tear up (a double thanks for making me tear up Kathryn) and to those who inform Kathryn via facebook about a blog post which causes Kathryn to read it which causes her to tear up which causes her to send me a message that causes me to tear up (thanks Courtney)
Okay, I'm rambling, just wanted to say it means a lot that others find my "thoughts" meaningful. If I have forgotten to thank anyone, send me a comment and I will thank you personally :) Hope these entries find you well each time you read them, and even when you don't.
have a wonderful day
kevin
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Lent Day 16: Picture Day
Today is picture day at Carson's school and a heard something that made me think back to my childhood, or more specifically my sister's childhood. Of course I am used to getting Carson ready most mornings, and the most trying part of those mornings is fixing his crazy hair. (which is why we are going to get him a summer haircut) I can't imagine if we had a girl and I had to fix her hair....YIKES!!!
Back to the story. This morning as I was dropping Carson off, another dad was dropping off his little girl and he had a brush in his hand and asked her teacher if she could brush her hair because he usually doesn't fix her hair and isn't sure how she likes it. It made me smile and want to laugh.
When we were growing up and my mom was out of town, my dad had no idea how to fix my sister's hair and in Stephanie's words: "that's not how Mom does it." So rather than have it look bad or do it wrong he would take a brush with him to school and have Stephanie's teachers do it. Which when you think about it is a smart idea on my dad's part. Why argue with a strong willed child when her teacher can do it better anyway?
I guess if we have a girl I will have to learn how to fix her hair at some point. It would be a learning experience, but hey Carson is a learning experience too. I always joke that I wouldn't know how to raise a girl and that God wouldn't do that to me....but God does have a sense of humor so he very well might. After all he did name one of his creatures the platypus. And you have to have a sense of humor to come up with that name.
grace&peace
kevin
Back to the story. This morning as I was dropping Carson off, another dad was dropping off his little girl and he had a brush in his hand and asked her teacher if she could brush her hair because he usually doesn't fix her hair and isn't sure how she likes it. It made me smile and want to laugh.
When we were growing up and my mom was out of town, my dad had no idea how to fix my sister's hair and in Stephanie's words: "that's not how Mom does it." So rather than have it look bad or do it wrong he would take a brush with him to school and have Stephanie's teachers do it. Which when you think about it is a smart idea on my dad's part. Why argue with a strong willed child when her teacher can do it better anyway?
I guess if we have a girl I will have to learn how to fix her hair at some point. It would be a learning experience, but hey Carson is a learning experience too. I always joke that I wouldn't know how to raise a girl and that God wouldn't do that to me....but God does have a sense of humor so he very well might. After all he did name one of his creatures the platypus. And you have to have a sense of humor to come up with that name.
grace&peace
kevin
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Lent Day 15: Not a Normal Wednesday
So for those of you who don't know, wednesdays for youth directors can be pretty long and sometimes hectic days. I usually take about 30 minutes in the afternoon to rest and just relax before all the youth get there. That is a practice I started about a year and a half ago. And I started to wonder why it took me so long to be able to relax on a wednesday afternoon. Then the answer suddenly came to me....I have help (from Kathryn) getting things done, setting things up on Wednesdasys. And we even have time to have fun and goof off a little bit.
The reason I bring this up is today I was not able to rest much or relax since Kathryn ("my boss") as her and I jokingly refer to her was at home recovering from her surgery and I got to get everything prepared and ready to go by myself. It was quite a bit of work. I missed not having help with preparing and setting up but the thing I missed the most today were those pointless conversations we have about nothing in particular.
Get well soon Kathryn. We all missed you tonight
see you soon
kevin
The reason I bring this up is today I was not able to rest much or relax since Kathryn ("my boss") as her and I jokingly refer to her was at home recovering from her surgery and I got to get everything prepared and ready to go by myself. It was quite a bit of work. I missed not having help with preparing and setting up but the thing I missed the most today were those pointless conversations we have about nothing in particular.
Get well soon Kathryn. We all missed you tonight
see you soon
kevin
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