All you have to be...

This weekend I was up at Shamineau again for the Scrap N' Stamp retreat. What? Yes, It's called Scrap N' Stamp. 180 women come up for the weekend (some stay till Monday!) and scrapbook their photos. I'm not going to spend any more time explaining it, because unless you've seen it or something similar, you'll never understand. :)

Anyway, at these retreats I give chair massages to the ladies for a small fee. This weekend I did more backrubs than I have ever done in one weekend! I was exhausted. This is virtually my only responsibility aside from leading devotions Sunday morning for those who want to come. Saturday night I finally went home at 3am, and just decided I would figure out what I was doing for devos when I woke up. I didn't have to give them until 11am, so I had plenty of time.

Come morning, I roll over and my eyes land on the clock: 10:57. No!!!!! I jump out of bed, try to look a little bit like a person, and call my mom to tell her I was on the way. I had five minutes on the road to decide what the heck I was going to talk about with these women! Then a quote from my dad came into my head, "all you have to be is 30 seconds ahead." Okay, thanks Dad, but now I only have 20 seconds! Ah!

I arrive at camp and walk into the room where there are 15 or so ladies waiting for me. I tell them to keep talking amongst themselves while I "get organized" aka, figure out what the heck I'm doing. If you know me at all, you know I always tend to cut it close when planning teaching things, but I have never in my life been standing in front of a group not knowing what I was about to talk on. It was a rush.

Then it hit me. "I'll talk about rest!" I thought. "That's wonderfully ironic, it's an easy soapbox for me, and these women are all mothers who never get a weekend for themselves. Perfect!" So I naturally swing over to Matthew 11:28, but there's not enough there. It's pretty straight forward, and I dont think I have enough to say about it. "Where's the hook? The unexpected element? The less obvious truth? Come on..." I know I'm running out of moments to stall. Then I find it. It ended up going somthing like this:

After admitting I had only awoke 15 minutes earlier, I told them I wanted to talk about rest. That got a good laugh.

Matt. 11:28-30 goes like this: "Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

What do you hear? Rest, comfort, open arms, gentleness, etc.
Is there anything here that is discouraging, frustrating, or unsettling? The first thing we see here is the invitation to rest, but we tend to ignore the command to take on a yoke. And not even my own yoke, but someone else's! at the risk of sounding selfish (aren't we all, anyway?), why am I carrying someone else's burden, no matter how light it is?? How is that rest, and why does Jesus have the permission to tell us to pick it up?

Now before you throw me out the window as a heretic, understand that I am not asking these questions with the implication of the answer. Rather, I am asking them because I want the answer I know to be true to be proven from the text, not just because it feels right.

Zoom out a bit. Matt. 11:25-27: "At that time Jesus declared, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hiddn these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor..."

My Bible makes this all one paragraph. But what does the Father and Son knowing each other have to do with resting, and the yoke? It all comes down to authority. Jesus is establishing here the fact that everything we associate with God, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, is also true of Jesus. The Father has given Jesus ALL authority!

Verse 27 could sound very elitist. I guess it is, in some ways. Him being God and all. But in our humanity when we hear someone being elitist we also hear that person saying things that cut them off from the rest of the little people.

Jesus would be totally justified here if he would have said, "no one know the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him, so you better shape up if you want to get let into the party."
Or, "...to whom the Son chooses to reveal him, so suck it up if I don't pick you."
Or, "I have have authority, so pick up the yoke, pansy!"

But he doesn't.

He says only the Son knows the Father...So Come. What a good God we have who has all power in the universe and beyond but he calls us to himself to come and rest. And he has all the rights to tell us what yoke to carry. And because he is good, he calls us to carry a better load than we have to start.

One of the ladies noted that a yoke goes over the back to two oxen, and they cannot pull in opposite directions. I believe there is nothing more tiring that trying to control something that is out of your hands. Like backseat driving, or pining over the poor choices of a loved one. Jesus knows how exhausting this is. If we simply let go of what we don't have control over anyway, recognize He has all the authority, we will begin to learn to rest.

That, I believe is where the comfort in Jesus' authority comes from. Not from the fact that he can wallop my enemies, which he can; not that he could wipe me off the face of the earth, which I deserve; but from the fact that Jesus is in utter control frees me up to not worry about it. I can let go, follow the Master, and pull the burden he has for me. Nothing is more freeing than that.

The Complete History of My Recent Life (Abridged)

Last night my sister Kelsey and my cousins Emilee and Mikki and myself took a roadtrip to Eau Claire, WI and saw a show. We have been bemoaning the fact that we're all in the same city and never hang out! So we got together to see The Reduced Shakespeare Company's "The Complete History of America (abridged)". It was fantastic! There were moments what were borderline inappropriate, but for the most part, they just fly through 50,000 years of American history in 90 minutes. Seriously. It's a riot. I had been aware of them for awhile, but never seen a show. Eau Claire was the closest they were coming to the Twin Cities, so I knew we had to take the opportunity. I would highly recommend checking out their website www.reducedshakespeare.com. All in all, it was a great time of catching up as cousins and laughing a lot! Good Times!

Blasted Cars!

If there is one thing that can be counted on causing problems, it is the car. Or any vehicle, really. Just when you start to trust it, when you believe you've found the most reliable, that this car is the one you were meant to be with, it will all blow up in your face. Such is the relationship of this girl to her car.

I must say that my current relationship with my Chevy Malibu is not nearly as rocky as my past relationships: It's not as unpredictable as my Ford Ranger's topper that would fly off on the hwy on my way to school, or it's heater that would decide when it wanted to work, which was typically in the summer. This meant I had to drive to church in a snowmobile suit and Sorel boots, scraping the inside of the windshield with an ice scraper. It's much less annoying than my Ford Escort's engine that was so loud I would end up with a headache and ears ringing if I had to go more than forty miles per hour for too long, so I couldn't hear the radio...even if it had worked... And it's less dangerous than the van that I swear took me into the ditch three times before I finally spun on ice and rammed the back end into a tree...I sure showed that van who's boss.

No, my Malibu has been much better. That is, until last week. I should have seen it coming! Looking back, I see all the signs of trouble, but I wanted to believe this one was different! The chugging, the occasional stalls when I would start it up, the delay between shifting gears, it all was trying to tell my something: it's just like every other car.

It was going to take something big to wake me out of my denial. Well, that wake up call finally came. I had just left from having coffee with a friend, and my car chugged again as I started it. I had a foreboding feeling, but it kept running, so I hoped for the best and made a mental note that I should get that checked out "sometime". Shortly after getting on 35W almost into downtown, I realize I'm not accelerating anymore. The end was near. I pulled over to the far side while I still had momentum, and turn it off. I turned it on again, but it wouldn't stay running.

That was the moment I could have chosen to freak out and curse the people who told me the Malibu was more reliable, or I could take a deep breath, accept that cars will always let you down, and call a tow truck. So that's what I did.

A long tow, two days in the shop, and an entire fuel pump system later, my car and I are reunited. It will never be like it was, but there is a renewed level of trust, combined with a little more reality. It will probably let me down again, but heck, I'm not always the nicest to work with either!

As I write this, my mother is nursing her Blazer back from Iowa, in which they need to stop every 20 minutes to add water to the radiator. I told her to leave it on the side of the road. "No way! I just got a new transmission and a new gas tank! I'm not letting this one go!" was her response. It's amazing the destructive situations people will stay in, when they have so much put into it already.

Wait, am I talking about cars or people? Everything in this blog is factual in relation to my experience with vehicles. How are your relationships?

August Update

Dear Friends,
Wow, what a great summer this has been! We have been incredibly busy with a variety of things, and it has been fun watching the Lord’s hand in all of it. Here are some of the highlights:


Praise the Lord!
• Jamie, Andy and I spent a few days at Camp Shamineau’s staff training in June. We prayed with the staff, Jamie taught a seminar on mentoring relationships, I got to build relationships with some amazing young women that are coming to the city in the fall and possibly joining us. Pray they would follow the Lord wherever He leads them.

• BUMP week (Bridging Urban Mission Project) was fantastic! It is a week where rural church kids come into the city and do ministry with local urban churches. Local churches made some amazing reaches into their communities because of the students that led VBS, prayer walked, handed out flyers, and played with kids. Pray that some of these students would catch a vision for the city!

• Antioch Community Church (ACC) is growing! Our first public service is October 19th, but we have small groups and are meeting just for fun already! It is really great to see those relationships developing. Please pray for the endless list of details that need to be taken care of before October 19th, and for more people from the community to join us.

• 25 people from ACC took the S.H.A.P.E. class. This is a class that looks at each person’s Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. Then we take that information and talk about how we as a church body fit together. It was a long day, but a fantastic exercise for many of the people there, and it really shed light on ways we can value and utilize each individual in the church. Pray that it would be a launch pad for people to get a vision of how they can be actively involved in ACC.

• I got to be a speaker! The jr. high youth pastor from Berean Baptist in Burnsville got my name from a mutual friend who recommended me. So, I spoke for the last night of their jr. high VBS-like event they do every summer. They are doing great ministry down there, and it was fun to be a part of it. You can read more about this on my blog, if you’re interested. Please pray for more opportunities like this for me to get into churches.

The Greatest Need?
There is no denying the fact that we all need money. And the current economy is an incessant reminder of how little it seems there is to go around. Unfortunately, that has become the case with my support-raising fund. The generosity of many one-time gifts has been an incredible blessing, but I do not have enough monthly gifts to sustain the hours I have been working for Antioch. I really do no like saying that money is my greatest need right now; the greatest need in ministry is always prayer. However, at this point I cannot continue until I have enough financial support.

One wonderful new development is that we now have Direct Deposit available! This is a giant answer to prayer, as it makes a lot of peoples’ jobs much easier and it’s easier for individuals to give. If you are interested in utilizing that service, information is enclosed with this letter.
Please be in prayer about how you can be a financial partner in this ministry. If you know of anyone you think would be interested in what I am doing, let me know or pass this letter on to them! I am still confident this is what the Lord has called me to, and I trust He will provide.

What an adventure, to live a life of trust,

Coley Bloomquist
P.S. My cell phone number has changed. Email me or check facebook if you don't have it!

Surreal

Hello Again!
Yes, I've been AWOL. A lot has happened, but I'm not going to spend lots of time updating about the past two months; I'm just going to start up again. I know that's going to drive all three of my readers crazy :)

Last night I had a chance to speak to about 300 junior highers at Berean Baptist in Burnsville for their last night of a VBS-like week for kids going in to 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. I have not been the sole speaker to any group larger than 30 in at least two years! I was nervous for that reason, and I really didn't know how I was going to do. I think it went alright.

Of my own accord I do not have any connection with Berean. But I got connected with them because their Jr High youth pastor Jesse called my friend Georgia looking for guest speakers. She put me on a list of top recommendations for jr. high and high school! That in itself blew me away! I really don't feel like I have enough experience to be put in that category, but I digress.

I asked them if I could get a copy of the recording so I could go back and listen to myself and feel stupid. Don't tell me not to, everyone does. If you've ever heard your own voice you know what I'm talking about. We sound differently in our heads than we do to others, and it takes some getting used to. Add to that all the talk ticks* we have in our speech patterns, and listening to yourself for 30 minutes becomes a very humbling experience. I just listened to it, and realistically I don't think it's that bad, but it still makes me wonder why in the world anyone lets me talk. ever.

I had 20-25 minutes in the schedule. When he asked if that would be okay, I kind of knew he meant of I felt like I would be able to fill it. Yes sir, not a problem. Bloomquists are not known for their terse speaking engagements, so I knew I would by nature write something for 45 minutes. So I desperately wanted to prove to myself and Jesse that I could stick to the time frame. I knew there was a clock I could see from the stage, so I was going to rely on that. I must be done by 8:30. I hadn't looked at the clock right when I got up there, but I didn't think that mattered. 8:30 was my time. I looked up part-way through; it read 9:12. What?!?! There is no way I have already been speaking for over an hour!! Then I remembered overhearing someone say the clock was wrong. Perfect time to remember such a thing. Since I didn't know when I had started, I had no idea how much time I had used, aside from my internal clock, which is only so reliable. Or not so reliable. I decided I just had to keep going, albeit quickly, and hope for the best. I finished and looked at my phone in the back: 30 minutes on the button! Thank you hereditary speaking methods!

I love speaking to youth because it forces me to stay limber. Adults can get so caught up in the theoretical (especially college students), but if you're not applicable to life in the moment of a jr. higher, you're never going to reach them. I hope I get to do it more in the future, it was fun. Maybe next time I won't say "guys" and "like" so much. Then again, who am I kidding?

Coley

*"talk ticks" are those things in our speech that our ears ignore until there are so many of them it becomes the only thing we hear, i.e. like, um, so, uh, ya know, but, yeah. or my favorite, "but um like yeah, right?" Thank you Mr. Schaefer of SMHS.

Open your Eyes

Last week at Hope Community Church Pastor Steve spoke about sin. Now, he's currently on a 10- turned 12-week sermon series on sin, so that is not a terribly helpful statement, but you can go on their website and listen to the message if you really want to know the details.

As illustrations, he talked about three guys in the Bible who encountered God: Moses, Isaiah, and Peter, and he talked about how drastically different their lives were after that encounter. His examples were the stories of the burning bush and Moses (which really should be called the non-burning bush, don't you think?), and Isaiah's vision of the throne room of God. Those two make sense; these measly men get their worlds rocked when God defies the laws of nature, time, and space to reveal himself showing how different God is from Man and then calls them to do His will nonetheless.

What got me thinking was not a point he made, albeit they were good, but rather the tangent to which his points sent my brain. This third example was the day Peter and his buddies had struck out fishing, but when Jesus joined them and Peter did what he said they caught so much it almost made two boats sink. For Peter, that encounter with Christ was just as world-rocking as Isaiah's vision of six-winged flaming angels. (Alright, the flaming thing is a guess, but they're called seraphim for crying out loud! They at least had to be really, really bright.) Peter's response to Jesus is very similar to Isaiah's and Moses'. But why? Couldn't it have just been another guy God decided to do a miracle through to show His power? Why did Peter respond so drastically, dropping everything to follow Jesus at that very moment?

Peter's response was so drastic because he was not simply in the presence of another prophet, but God Incarnate. I don't know what in Jesus' being made that fact clear, but it was clearer than anything Peter had ever seen before. He knew he was in the presence of God. Why else would Peter have left everything in that moment?

As I mulled this over in the pew, a question raised in my mind. Do I read the New Testament as though Jesus is just as jaw-dropping as the glory of God in the Old Testament? Do I ponder what it must have been like to see God–fully God–in flesh? Moreover, do I live as though Jesus has just as much power, majesty, and might as God the Father? In my everyday speech and theological conversations I am aware to avoid sounding like Modalism, but when the rubber meets the road, do I live with true belief that Jesus is God and as such has sovereignty over all the situations that bring me fear and doubt?

If I don't, I am not living a life of trust. Worse, I am acting like God is a liar and not who He says He is and not able to do what He says He can do. The truth is that Jesus was, is, and always will be fully God. It could be that I am missing the glory He wants to show of himself to me because I refuse to see him as he is. Does that sound cyclical? Perhaps. Open your eyes and see Jesus for who He is and maybe our jaws will drop too.

Weekend Away

I'm still working on the teach/preach thing, but I realized I forgot to post pics from my grandparents cabin a few weekends ago.

My friends Carrie and Jen came up with me to get away and rest for a few days. Here are the highlights:

We made Monster Cookies,
Played Dominoes, of course,
Looked at the stars from the dock (I don't know what's wrong with me),
Carrie and I took the canoe out to watch the sun rise,
and we went for a freezing cold boat ride.
All in all, it was a much needed getaway for some R&R. Although I hope the next time I go up, it will be warmer than 60 degrees!

What's the Difference?

"When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities." Matthew 11:1

Teacher. Speaker. Preacher. Lecturer. Trainer. Educator. Mentor. What do you see in this list: synonyms, distinct offices, or just confused overspeak? English has so many words for these type of people and, based on how they are used in culture, the differences between them can be miniscule.

When you hear the word preacher, is this what you see?

Or this?


When you hear teacher, do you see this?


Throughout the last few months, a question has ebbed and flowed in my mind: what is the difference between teaching and preaching? My gut tells me there is one, but I have never seen a sufficient definition for them. I'm not implying they aren't out there, but they have yet to cross my path. (I thought about putting dictionary definitions here, but they were too worthless to waste space on.)

Throughout the New Testament we see the words "teach" and "preach" used together and separately, by many different writers. In the near future I intend on doing a word study of "teach" and "preach" in the OT and NT, but for now I want to set the stage. This is the beginning of a thought.

Here is what I think I know:

• American English (the only language for which I can speak with any shred of authority) often uses "preach" as a subset to a more general "teach." I suspect this is inaccurate.
  
• They are very similar, but have key differences.
• It is more than the size of the audience.
• It is more than the style of delivery.
• It is more than the content of the message.

The thing that makes those last three points true is the "more than," because I think audience, delivery, and message are a part of it, but the difference cannot be defined by those. They are more descriptive than prescriptive, perhaps.

What do you think? What is the difference between Teaching and Preaching? Ever heard a good definition of either? Have your own opinion? I want to hear it!

Just Playing

Last night we had Core Team Training, like every Wednesday, at O'Rourke's. I was there much too early, but I was in the area with nothing to do and it didn't make sense to go all the way home beforehand. So I showed up and chatted with Andy and Sara, and worked on my computer a little bit. Ava (3 year old) was enamored with my computer. I opened Photo Booth and she about died. I think we took pictures of her for twenty minutes! If we got a really funny one, she would belly laugh so hard, and scream. It was super funny. Eventually Paisley (8 year old) showed up, and thought it was great too. Of course Lil' Bubba had to some see what was up, but I don't think he quite appreciated it. Well, I can't tell you all of this without showing some of them to you!

Lately

Clearly I am bad at keeping this thing consistently updated, but I figure that if I get up one post a month you won't think I'm dead :) Here are some snapshots of what I've been up to recently:

I went back to camp last week for the Youth Workers' Retreat, but I got to stay at home. This is a storm that kept trying to rain.
A couple of weeks ago, my little sister Anna (age 8) told me a story about how they lost power at the house, an outlet melted, the phone jumped across the room shooting lightening, and pictures fell off the wall during a storm. This is the tree that was struck by lightening, in case you couldn't figure that out on your own!

More has been going on, but that's all I have for now!

Taking Time

This title could have many multiple meanings, and I will probably touch on several of them. First this pic is from me and my roomate Carrie taking time to go to a great coffee shop near us in order to do "stupid crap" we didn't want to do. But look how greatly she matches the walls! 

Another way this phrase has been rolling through my mind is that I need to be taking more time to be alone with Jesus. I have a hunch He's been getting jealous of my time usage. That hunch comes from the fact that a series of things have happened which have completely disrupt my plans. 

About two weeks ago, I was supposed to go back to Staples for a musical, but instead I ended up with a dead car on an exit ramp after running out of gas. I know, it was completely my fault. So as I sat there waiting for a friend, I opened my Bible. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that suffering produces perseverance." Yep, I flipped right to James 1. And I got the hint. 

Then yesterday, I had spent an absurd amount of time on this very computer. It kind of crossed my mind that some of that time could have been spent better, but I justified it by saying a lot of the time was at work, doing work, and there wasn't really another option! I ate dinner outside with a friend and I pulled out my computer to show her something. Instead, the wind tipped over my water glass right on to the keyboard! It didn't turn on. Surprisingly, the potential wrecked technology didn't bother me. I took it as another not-so-subtle hint. PTL, it turned on shortly after Core Team training, after we prayed about it, and Nate looked at it. I'm really glad I don't have to pay to have it fixed. 

Then today. I met Molly at Overflow Cafe for two hours of fantastic fellowship. I went out to my car, only to discover I had left my lights on and not even my electronic locks would work! A nice guy from inside the cafe gave me a jump (it took 20 minutes to recharge!) and then I finally went about my day. While I was running errands, I saw a friend a little ways off. But because my head was full of all my own stuff, I walked by and pretended I hadn't noticed. 

So what have we learned? Coley is a space cadet. 

Well, I won't deny it. But I also know that when I get this distracted and crazy, my soul is running on empty. That works about as well for myself as it did for my car. I beg you, please take time before this starts to sound like your life. If it already does sound like this, or worse, Stop it! Rest in your Father. Take some time to recharge, refill, rest. 

Because I'm Just That Brilliant (alternative title: Think About Sugar!)

This morning I decided I wanted beef stew for dinner. Now, I don't usually think about dinner at 9 in the morning, but this requires 8 hours in the crock-pot, so I kind of had to. For just throwing in random veggies, potatoes and meat it turned out pretty good! 

At the last minute I decided we needed some corn bread with it. Jiffy corn bread is about as low maintenance as you can get while still having some taste. All it takes is an egg and a little milk. If only...

Instead of 1/3 cup milk, I put in 1 and 1/3 cups! Yes math majors, that is 4 times too much. Thankfully I had two more packages, so I was able to make it work, but I now have corn bread coming out my ears. All in all, dinner turned out well and I have more of that as well! 

Regarding the alternative title: 

One day when Kelsey and I were home we decided to make chocolate chip cookies...not a rare occasion. Everything was going fine until Kelsey put in way too much salt (Kels, was it two or four times the amount?). Either way, the cookies came out only okay. That might be stretching it. So while we ate them (no one else wanted to!) we told each other to "think about sugar!" It didn't help. But now it comes up again any time we screw up a recipe. I'm sure we'll have even bigger mistakes in the future, and when that time comes, I'll be sure to tell you about them. 

It's Done!

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I have survived the NCD Annual Conference! It was 48 hours (over three days) of PowerPoints, videos, logistics, and chatting. I think there were more video ad screen-reliant things this year than previous. It was sometimes like a zoo without locks on the cages, but every animal was put in it's place eventually. 

I drove back from rochester and went straight to a park with Jess. It was the first nap in the sun this year...so wonderful! Tomorrow I'll probably have to go to the office a little, but not too much hopefully. I am excited to get back to person-to-person ministry, which has been lacking in the last couple of weeks because of Conference prep. 

Next up, Student Ministries Conference! Another annual conference, but for kids. That's more my forte. I'm teaching a seminar at it...maybe I should think about...what's my topic? Oh yeah, The Bible. No biggie. I should be able to narrow that down nicely for 45 mintues...please think of me in your prayers! 

Never a Dull Moment

I know it's an over-used phrase, but there truly has been no dull moment in the last month. Today the Annual Conference for the North Central District begins. My life has been consumed by District Reports, double-sided printings, spiral binding machines, and collating. They've actually been calling me "Coley the Collator." Yeah. But this evening the ball starts rolling, and hopefully the track is set. It is especially at these times when my dad saying, "All you have to be is 30 seconds ahead," runs through my mind. 

On Friday I was supposed to go home to see my high school's production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. My sister choreographed it, and a good friend of mine directed it. Unfortunately (now, this is the short version), I ran out of gas on my way back to my apartment. As I was pulled over on the entrance ramp to 35W-south, waiting for my wonderful friend Jen Wallis to rescue me, I sat. I decided that perhaps the Lord had been desiring my attention for some time, and perhaps I should use this required waiting period to spend it with him. I grabbed my Bible and it fell open to Matthew. That didn't feel right, so I thumbed through the NT. James looked good. Of course, the first thing I read is, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds..." I had totally forgotten that was in James when I stopped there. How could I not see that coming! Obviously the Lord wanted me to slow down, and if the only way that was going to happen was to literally run out of gas, then so be it. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths He will go to get back His kids. This is the kind of jealousy He has--our Father allows no play, car, friends, or schedule to push Him out of the way...no matter what I do about it. 

Is life going to get any less crazy? Probably not soon. But, at least for now I know what's most important. 

What an adventure

to live a life of trust. 

Getting Out

I know, I know! It's been waaay too long since my last post. And it's not because there hasn't been anything to say, I just haven't known how to summarize. So what have I been up to? 

Well, the last two weekends have been Scrap 'N Stamp retreats at Camp Shamineau. I go to those retreats and offer the ladies chair massages. It's not a bad side job, although this last weekend I overexerted myself a little. 

Before I went to camp, on Thursday I went up to Duluth to visit my old high school friends Michael Bach and Matthew Olsen. Matt was in a show at UMD, and I hadn't seen him act in a while. It also was a prime opportunity to get out. As I drove out of the cities, I got progressively more excited, to the point of giddy. It felt so good to be driving alone, but not to work or school or camp or home. I was on a mini road trip! It was a beautiful day, and the sun was out but not in my eyes the whole way there. When I made it to Duluth, Michael didn't really know what to do with me, I was so wired. So we went for a hike up Ely's Peak. It's a great little ridge just outside of Duluth. I didn't want to risk getting my shoes wet because I knew I needed them for Saturday, so I wore my Chacos. It was so nice out! The wind just about threw us off the ridge, but it was really  The snow was a little deep, but I don't think I got any permanent frostbite. He was also dog-sitting, so she came with us too. 

That night we went and saw Matt's show. Matthew, I've told you this before, but you are fantastic. The show is great too--no one should listen to the critic who gave them a bad review the next day. The next morning before I left town I met Matt for coffee, since the night before was too late to hang out. He is one who I always love talking to because as much as things change in our lives we always seem to stay fundamentally the same. Such a refreshing conversation. 

So then I was on my way to camp. The short version of my weekend is that I hardly stopped from the moment I got there on Friday till I left on Sunday. I got back to the cities just in time to go to a community group gathering for Antioch Community Church. It's so fun to see us begin to look like a church! We're starting to really know and care for each other, and enjoy each other's company. if you want to see pictures, go here. 

Now it is Monday, and I have no plans. That is such a relief! Hopefully this day will turn into a real day of rest.  Hope you all have a great day too! 

Saturday

Why is the Saturday Sun so different from the rest of the suns? More beautiful, shimmering on the frozen land; more loathsome in my eyes, piercing cotton and down. A silent invader of many a depressed mind, the Saturday Sun explodes with violent directness refusing to be ignored or forgotten. Monday Sun only dreams of being as distinguished. But alas, Monday will never be the welcomed Sun. Is the Saturday Sun truly so different from all the others? Perhaps the only change is that we finally have time to look. 

Soccer Mom Week

This week, my parents are on a cruise for their 25th anniversary. Their anniversary isn't until April, but this was the chance they had, so they took it. Kelsey and I were thrilled because it means we don't have to plan a surprise party or anything for them. What that means, is that Anna (my 8-yr-old sister) has been left in my care from last friday to this coming Saturday. The beauty of my job and the way my life is right now is that I can have the flexibility to be wherever I need to be. So, this week I am at home through Wednesday so Anna can go to school. 

This weekend we were in the cities to spend some time with cousins, and Anna and I decided we wanted to see the movies Enchanted. I realize this is not really a new movie anymore, but we hadn't had time to see it yet! I looked it up online and found out it was playing at the IMAX at the zoo--right around the corner from my grandparents, where we were staying. That's perfect! Anna and I went to the zoo, and a lot of other people were there for the movie too, but something didn't feel right. There were no other kids. It was more like date night for Gen-X.  I brushed off the feeling of impending doom and got some popcorn. But then talking to the box office I realized the truth. They weren't showing Enchanted, they were showing U2-3D! They looked at my like I was an idiot. But the web told me.... I felt better when another mom and daughter came in, making the same mistake. 

I told her to look sad for this pic. She was a little bummed, but she was a good sport about it and we went home and watched Ratatoullie instead. We're going to try and see it later this week. 

Don't worry, I fully expect more mistakes and screwups this week. Ah,remind me to tell you about our granola making experience last night. 

Dill Pickle Dreams

The car creeps inconspicuously past a restaurant where a policeman is on the lookout outside. As the car passes, the police recognize the man in the back seat, and give chase. Suddenly, no one else is left in the car and the man in the back seat has to scramble to the front to drive. He only makes a short distance before the engine seizes and he is forced to get out and run. The police shoot him 6 or 7 times in the back, but he still is outrunning them as he falls into a doorway in an alley. 

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" said the alarm, before I whipped it across the room. 

That was the last scene of a really complex dream I had last night. I won't waste your time with the whole story, but I think the man in the back seat was played by Bono... I never dream, so this was pretty bizarre. Although, as a kid I did have a recurring dream of playing baseball with Charlie Brown and friends. 

I don't know why I dreamt last night as opposed to any other night, but I think it was some combination of the dill pickle chips I had not long before I went to bed, and the number of times Jack Bauer came up in conversation at Community Group last night. Seriously, we were a bunch of space cadets. 

In case you couldn't tell, I'm still sick. I got off the couch once to go outside because it's 40 degrees out today (!), but before I made it around the block I felt really sick again. I took the hint and haven't left the rest of the day. My friends and roomates have been telling me to rest, but it's amazing how hard that is when it's so nice out! I hope some of you have had the chance to enjoy the weather for me. If you haven't, you should because tomorrow is supposed to be in the teens again. Eesh. Well, I'm going to go try and rest again. I'll let you know if I have any other 24 meets U2 3D dreams again--although I really hope I don't.

Correction: My friend I talk about in the Tinker Toys post did some research. Those pieces with all the holes are actually called "hubs." I feel like I should have known that! 

So, just how amazing are tinker toys? I'd say they're pretty incredible. You can build anything with them, and no one can say they are too old for them. For tactile learners, it's a great way to think with one's hands. And I'm sure it wouldn't be considered professional, but maybe they could be on the table of a building project brainstorming meeting. Just a thought. 

In reality, it's just a bucket of painted scrap wood and leftover plastic packaging materials! But how lame would the toy be if it weren't for those round little hubs with all the holes in them? I remember playing with my own set as a kid, and being perfectly happy until I was playing with a newer set at a friend's house, and they had a pulley! It was so cool, and we all wanted to use the pulley in our own projects. But without those hubs, we wouldn't have been able to build anything more than a pile for pick-up-sticks. 

I talked with a friend last night who said she felt like a Tinker Toy. Not too flashy, but the only connection between seemingly unconnected pieces. It seems there are some people in life (I would say I am one as well) who are designed to be people in the crossroads; the hubs of the tinker toy creation. Some are designed to go out from hubs, others are designed to return. Then there are those hubs to just sit...or so it feels sometimes. But God, in His wisdom and mercy, is building the most elaborate Tinker Toy project with our lives. By making us with different gifts and purposes, He is able to build what He desires. Paul says about the Body of Christ (the church), 

"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker  are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor..."  (I Corinthians 12:21-23)

To look at our fellow Christians and see their skills and design as less valuable than our own is about as ridiculous as opening your toy chest to discover your Tinker Toys have been fighting. So take heart, you were bought with a price and the Lord has glorious designs in His mind that he is still building. 

Tired Hands

This Saturday was my 24th birthday. I've never been one to make a big deal about my own birthdays, so I didn't care that I had to work Thursday to Sunday. Now, when I say "work" I don't mean your usual 9 to 5, or even church/ministry stuff. I wasn't even at Camp. No, I spent my weekend with 70 women decked out in pink and up to their ears in scrapbooking supplies. That's right, I was at the Delta Phi Scrappa, the sorority for scrapbookers, yearly initiation event.

                                                               

This is group like few others. These women get together to spend their weekends away from their crazy children, family, and jobs in exchange for laughter, community, and...I almost forgot: scrapbooking.  It's not really a sorority like in colleges, but the "freshmen" (1st timers) have to wear beanies, they have opportunities to earn grades (points) and whoever has the most at the end of the weekend they announce the pledge class president. You really should see pictures.

In the process, they also like to get pampered so they can come to me for a seated chair massage. This is like a side job to my side jobs that some of my friends don't even know about. I'll probably regret posting that here. Ever seen the people who give backrubs in the middle of the mall? Picture that, and you pretty much know what I did all weekend. I organize my time by 10 minute intervals (four+ per hour), so it gives me plenty of breaks, but by Sunday morning I wake up feeling like I've been hit by a Mac truck. This year I gave 38 total.

I know this is not how some of you like to spend your birthdays and you think I'm crazy, but I have to say I truly enjoyed it. I, however, will never wear as much pink as these ladies. 

We're in Business!

Friends, thanks to your wonderfully generous gifts I now have enough support raised to begin working! That does not mean my entire year is covered (or even half), but it does mean that I have enough to start doing more than prayer and designing business cards. I think they look great, by the way. :) I honestly still don't know what this means in detail, but I am sure my first week will be filled with questions like, "who is that person, and how are they related to us?" That should be fun. 

Prayer request: My dad and a Liberian pastor from the Twin Cities are currently in Liberia for two weeks to meet with people and work on developing a youth camp over there. The things God has been doing to bring it all about, is amazing. Please pray for health--clean food is sometimes elusive--and safety, though that is less crucial since the civil war is over. Also for my mother who is totally supportive, but this leaves her at home with my 8 yr. old sister with camp life still going on. They return the 26th. If you can't remember which one is Liberia: 

 

A Few Words on Words

We have been given the gift of language, and each word is precious. A speech with many words, however, does not equal the sum of its parts. Words, like jewels, are only valuable in their rarity. Overuse of words can turn them from a treasure to trash. This is true of words in general and individually. 

For instance, in English we have one word for deep affection: Love. We can say we "love" God, but we also "love" our shoes. We "love" our families, we "love" our friends, we "love" to work, we "love" ourselves. 

"Obviously those don't all mean the same thing!" one might say. Clearly. Maybe we can use one word for all those things since our thoughts and beliefs dictate our language. But, our language also dictates our thoughts and beliefs.  Perhaps if we had more words for love we would learn to love more deeply.