Just thinking

Please…

When walking by the bumper sticker rack at the Christian book store…

JUST Say NO!

I’m sure these were very nice people that parked next to me at Wally World this morning…

But, there is an epidemic on our hands concerning the abuse of bumper stickers. 

Come on people, these aren’t even on the bumper.

This is serious.

If you are addicted to religious stickers and cannot go cold turkey…

Please… try to use moderation.

(I do give these people credit…they support our troops and that rocks and they have nice friendly bumpers stickers…The worst is angry Christian bumper stickers on a car…ugh…stop the insanity!)

This can be filed under things that made my week…

Yesterday John got a text message from God.  I’d like to say we did realize the text’s were not actually coming from God (just in case you were concerned) but we couldn’t recognize the number and God wasn’t fessing up to his true identity.  We had it narrowed down to a few dozen people that may have been guilty…(I can’t remember it word for word, but it went something like this)

God- John.  This is God.  You need to move back to Canton and take the Youth Pastor Position that just came open at New Life Ministries.

John- Who is this???

God- God.  Where are you?

John- Can’t you see me?  Just one question God.  Why mosquitoes?

God- idk, but there are less mosquitoes in Ohio.  Move there.

 thanks God

Every summer right before school starts the church I work for has a BACK TO SCHOOL BASH.  The women’s group puts it on and has every game and fun carnival type activity a kid could want. 

The idea is for the kids to win the school supplies they need for the upcoming school year.

 (and to connect to the community…and be loved…and have lunch…and play games..and play on lots of bouncy toys…and get your face painted…and the dunking booths and so on…) 

There is a large need in our community for this type of outreach. 

 (and with the economy shifting I believe this year may be even more important for families.)  

The church is in contact with the local elementary schools who helps identify parents and children that may need help.  (I also wanted to add that is isn’t just for families in need… This is for all of the families in our community and church.)   The women also canvas the neighborhoods surrounding the church inviting all the kids. 

Alright…this is where I need the help…

This year John and I will be in charge of the ministry portion of this day. (with lots of great children’s workers to back us up.)

The Women’s group is already working hard on everything else.

I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but I’m second guessing my plan and could use some fresh ideas.  Yes…I’m praying about it as well, but I’m calling on a little help from my  friends. 

(or children’s ministry veterans…or parents…or kid’s workers…pastors…creative people in general, or pretty much anyone who has an opinion on the matter)

With a little less than 4 months to go…I need to work this out soon. (I’m not a down to the wire kinda gal)

This is what I am looking at…

-A carnival type setting…

-The women are asking for a gospel presentation …the format is open.

-Most of the children are elementary age. 1st though 5Th

-this will be a first impression our our church for a lot of families..I want it to be a good one.

-it can be one presentation or broken up through out the day.

-(personal conviction)  I want to keep what ever is done to be less “preachy” more “we care about you and Jesus Loves you.”…because we do.  I want to be careful that it doesn’t turn into something unattractive or forced. (especially for parents who might feel uncomfortable…)

Any ideas? 

Any sugestions that may have worked well in a similar event your church has had in the past?

I want anything you got! (from the games, to the outreach and the what not to do’s…)

 You can comment me here or send me a message.

Thank you guys!

You rock!

(p.s. just incase you might be worried…I never use my church’s name…location…or any ones full name in my blog…I’m just weird like that. better safe than sorry right? )

I have to say this weekends game at ignite was one of my favorites.

Not for the weak at heart….for sure.

Foot signing.

That’s right.

The team with the most legible signatures on their captain’s foot wins.

Here’s to washable markers and pedicures!

(and to the runner up that won Dr Scholls medicated shoe pads…and still smiled)

(another music confession)

ska+ the 90’s+ christian music= You Are the Devil and The Devil is Bad

once again…no judgement allowed… but back in the day I loved this song.

and

(and some other people I might talk about later…)

Also enjoyed a little swing dancing…

I know I’m still making fun..

I though this was cute in it’s time.

(and still good for puppet skits in kids church.)

I do think everything has it’s time though. 

Sometimes you just have to be nice…

so

Don’t Judge me…

But, when I was in Middle school I was pretty sure I was going to marry Carman_Licciardello.

And no..at the time I didn’t comprehend the fact that he is old enough to be my father…

(I never had New Kids or *N Sync…sometimes the Preachers Kid had to be P.C.)

In total, I attended 4 Carman concerts.

 (which were always free..and packed out)

Owned every cassette he produced until The Standard (1994)..

(which I still have in a shoe box somewhere in my garage)

Had “OFFICIAL”  God’s Got an Army dog tags.

Owned several Carman t-shirts and various other wearable memorabilia pieces.

I even wrote him a very heart felt letter about how much I appreciated his ministry… that his mother responded to…

And yes..right next to my DC Talk poster hung my Carman poster in my bedroom. (autographed and framed)

In fact a..(a little family history here)  the only reason I gave my current husband the time of day the first time we met was because of the Addicted to Jesus Carman shirt he happened to be wearing… He turned off my Carman cassette tape in my Sony Walkman trying to get my attention…and that was a deadly sin.  He was lucky he had proof he was a Carman lover.

(and he was hot, so that helped out a lot too… )

If you were sheltered as a child and don’t know who Carman is…(alright, that might have been a bad joke.)

here you go…

Another song and video from the Amanda archive of music…

drumroll please……..

A Contemporary Christian/Western Music Video with devils and guns by a guy from New Jersey.

(come on, what else is there?)

( I think we are all glad I grew out of this one…)

*Where is Carman now?  I’m not sure.  I think he went on later to make some praise and worship and hymn albums. Maybe a little TBN. I’m not gonna lie…I still have love for Carman.  I never went to a summer camp where I didn’t see some interpretation of a Carman song in the form of a drama.  Champion anyone?  If you are part of the Carman fan club please don’t send me hate mail.

(that’s right…there’s no place like home.)

I’m sure I’ll have more to say later. 

I’ve still got some thinking to do.

I think I am having an early mid life crisis…very early. 

There is a great possiblity that all four members of my family will be in school come this fall…

1 in Kindergarten

1 in First Grade

and

2 in College… (that would be my husband and I)

lets see…

Getting married at 20…

Having 2 kids litterally in the first 2 years of marriage…

being a stay at home mom for 5 years…

Well, it hasn’t give me much time to consider the future…

So, that leaves me with the Question…now what do I want to do?

I had this all figured out when I got married. I had a perfect plan mapped out for us.

Thank God He sometimes saves us from our own plans…

We both have good Jobs…

I’m pretty sure we won’t be doing them forever though. (Ministry for sure, buy maybe not in the current format)

I like where we live…

But, I don’t want to stay here forever… (I need to live closer to a Chipotle)

I’ve discovered a so many things that I can do recently that I never even thought I could do.

So, now what?

Is this when you are patient and wait for God to open doors?

Is this when you activly seek  and discover where you should be going and make a plan of attack?

Any Suggestions?

Job Suggestions?

 (I’m not saying I’m quitting my current job, but maybe I just need a couple more…)

(I’ll take any job suggestions except my husband saying I should be tech support or the resident sarcasm adviser)

If you have a petting zoo at your Easter Egg Hunt what would be the first thing the little baby lamb does upon arriving to said egg hunt?

If you guessed poop EVERYWHERE…you would be correct.

Shew!

He was so stinkin’ cute though!

(no pun intended)

 (in response to the question…Why don’t you like Country Music?) 

Growing up all I remember listening to was Christian music…

(other types weren’t banned or anything like that, but being a P.K. that’s just all there was most of the time.)

and mostly Southern Gospel.

Steel guitar…the works

I have grown now as an adult to despise all things Southern Gospel.

(and anything that sounds country for that matter.)

Sometimes, I even cringe a little…

I thought I’d share one of the reasons why…

This song is a classic…

These look like very nice ladies, but I’m pretty sure the devil can afford a cell phone.

And what is a “spiritual gun”?