The Reunion!

35 years.
Thirty Five Years????

My, it just does not seem possible. I have been out of high school for 35 years.  I've stumbled over the words each time I've said them. But in 35 years a lot of amazing things have taken place and it was a night for reconnecting, remembering and re-evaluating friendships, life, and the journey life has taken us on.

We were blessed with beautiful weather (hot!!) a great turn out, and the hard work and team effort of some fabulous people. We even had some of our teachers join us for the dinner. What fun! We had a tour of the high school and it HAS changed. We partied and socialized till the wee hours... Bruce and I left at around 2 and the party was still bumping and thumping! Who'd a thought we could still go this late at our age, HA HA HA!

So.... What did I wear?  Well, I ended up changing my clothes at the last minute... I'm not sure why.
This is probably my favorite dress (and since I only have 3 or 4 dresses it rates pretty high) I had it in my mind all along that I would wear this.....

I only have one foot in the picture. LOL

But.... at the last minute, as hubby was putting on shorts, I decided to grab the capris and top I had laid out as back up....

I added flip flops and was good to go.... Either way I was sporting my school colors, felt comfortable and feminine and stayed cool most of the evening.

We had a great time!

Well, OF COURSE (with a reminder from a friend) we took the traditional FEET picture... happy feet. LOL

My awesome Alumni  T shirt. Rocked it with my denim skirt this morning... YES, I wore it to church!!!  (these are the kind of decisions you make after just 4 hours of sleep. But, I am proud to be a Pioneer.)

Back to Normal???

~~what is normal anyway but a setting on your dryer?~~

Good Morning World!! What looked like *FROST* on the landscape this morning has quickly dissipated in favor of a sweet sunshiny sort of day. I treasure any sunny day that comes after Autumn Equinox. 

I've been so intent on logging every detail of our road trip that the things going on concurrent to my writing have faded into the background. Things like...

We started a new ALPHA course on Monday nights and have 9 people registered! Much smaller than last winter but we are actually kind of glad to have the size we do. We can take more time in our discussions and get to know everyone a little better.

Mom! Took her to the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday and she DOES NOT HAVE TO COME BACK TO SEE HIM!  She was pretty excited about that! She doesn't need to wear the boot-- which had actually been reduced to an air cast in recent weeks-- and she won't need to wear that either! Paperwork is being shuffled and we have an anticipated going home date of this weekend!!!  I think she is excited and yet a little nervous about being back in her own little apartment. After all she has had round the clock care for over 3 months-- almost 4 months! To be released and responsible for everything can feel a little intimidating to say the least. But we are doing everything we can to help ease her back into a *normal* routine.

One of those things is mealtrain.com This is a GREAT online resource for setting up meals for someone recovering from illness or surgery or a new mommy. I love the way you can see the calendar spread out for weeks at a time and who is bringing what when. Sure makes is easier to schedule and arrange. (I remember setting up something like this for my sister when she had baby #4 and it was a lot of work coordinating 4 weeks worth of meals-- on the phone for hours filling in the dates--wheew! This is super fast and super organized!! We like that!!!)

Mom doesn't know about the meal train service yet. Thought it would be a great surprise to present her with after we get her home. I have it set up for meals 3 x a week since it's just her and I am thinking a casserole or pot of soup will feed her for more than one meal. She can reheat or freeze left overs. 

The third thing this week was the start of a new school year... that's Dream Realization School. Yes, I graduated last spring. But I'm coming back this year as a table leader! Each class is divided into table groups of 5-7 with one person as the table leader, (or facilitator-- a much friendlier word) and that person prays for the people at her table, helps keep them on task during discussion time and reminds them of their homework and is sort of a liaison between student and teacher. I am excited about my role and have 5 beautiful young women under my care. They range in age from 17 to 32, some single, some married with kids. All with beautiful hearts for mission. We had a good chunk of time that first night to get to know each other a little bit and I can tell that our times together will be lively and challenging! There are some real thinkers and feelers in this group. 

I am also the BUS DRIVER! True, I no longer have my CDL as I never expected to find myself behind the wheel of a school bus again, but a 15 passenger van is totally within my control. It started with me encouraging Wendi to attend DRS. I met Wendi last year when we went to Macedonia together on the church mission trip. I see great potential in Wendi and know God wants to see her built up in the Word and Knowledge of Him. When she said she would love to attend DRS but had no way to get there, I said impulsively (but sincerely) "I'll drive you!!!" Well that quickly morphed into a car pool as several others from the Kendall Campus wanted to attend DRS too. AWEsome!! Pretty soon my car was too full. That's when Kate, our DRS director (my former boss) suggested I could use the church van and bring everyone to class. And if I was bringing everyone to class would I stay and be a table leader? 

We have 8 people from the Kendall Campus attending! In a class of, I think, 24, that is a huge percentage! Very exciting! For the first class-- Tuesday-- we didn't have the van thing worked out and Bruce ended up driving his van and me, the car, to get everyone down to Lynden. You have to understand that there is a bit of a distance between the Kendall- Peaceful Valley area where these folks live, and Lynden, where the church main campus/office and school, is being held. For a lot of these folks, gas for extra trips like this is a luxery and if you have to chose between staying home or using gas you need for getting to work, you'll stay home.

Wow, if that wasn't enough for this week, Bruce and I also launched a new small group! We met for the first time last night. Yah, I know. On Our Anniversary. Not good planning but we reasoned we'd truly celebrated all last week with the trip, if we delayed another week it would be October, and we wanted our small group study focus to correlate with the sermon series, which started 2 weeks ago. So we had 2 of the 3 couples we'd invited present. (the one couple missing had a family emergency at the last minute) We're going to do Crazy Love by Frances Chan, using the book and the DVD series to move us through the study. Excited about that and about this new small group. 

The motivation behind our starting this is simple. Bruce and I would have never developed into small group leaders or leaders of any sort, if someone else had not come along side of us and encouraged us and mentored us. We feel in this season of our life, it's time for us to do the same for someone else. So we prayed about it and asked God to speak to us about other couples in our church who had (untapped) leadership potential. 

And in the midst of the small group kick off, we did celebrate our anniversary. We shared a little bit of our love story with the group last night as our way of 'getting to know one another'. And looking at each other from across the room, knowing we were doing what God has called us to do as a couple, relying on each others strength in our areas of weakness, and seeing our oneness played out in a tangible way, well, I can't think of a better way to celebrate 15 years of marriage. 

So we have half the week behind us and still plenty to do before the week ends. 

Bruce is still moving forward with the mission trip to Japan. Looks like late October travel dates and we need to expedite his passport renewal process. Between that and a little annoying detail known as 'earning a living' there is homework and housework and winterizing the travel trailer. Oh and moving Mom home. Never a dull moment but I think that too ranks as *NORMAL*

Graduation Part 2

DREAM REALIZATION SCHOOL CHARGE

I am a beloved child of the Most High God.

My place is with Him,

My call is to walk in love;

To bind up the brokenhearted,

To break the chains of bondage,

To engage in the battle raging in the Heavenly realms.

I will walk daily with the Lord in the truth of His Word.

I will teach others to follow His commands,

Be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit,

Walk boldly but with humility,

Using my spiritual gifts to build up the body

and reach the lost for His Glory.

I will live out God's Dream for my life

that I might stand before the Living God having left nothing undone.

This is my charge!

Bruce proudly showing his diploma

I did it!

taking just before graduation begins.  how nice it was for the sun to be out, despite the funky lighting for our picture!!

Graduation was awesome! We had sunshine! We had balloons! We had food and we had joy!

We started with worship, prayer and words of celebration. We had a group photo taken by one of the church staff (I hope we will all be getting a copy) We had a graduation charge giving by Kate along with the craziest funniest but truth-teaching video clip about leadership...(you can watch that here:)   http://youtu.be/fW8amMCVAJQ

Kate's speech-- or charge rather, was moving and inspiring. She is a gifted lady!
Then in our table groups we shared what we each felt was the best thing we got out of DRS. Not surprisingly at my table, one of our highlights was the friendships we made around our table. With tears and laughter we recapped the things that had taken place in our lives over the past 8 months. It was great! We all discovered we were not ready to let go of the sisterhood we developed and have already set a date for getting together again in one month. We would like to continue to do this monthly from now on. This will be powerful fuel for our continuing journey in Christ!

Our final act was to pray for one another (again in our table groups) anointing each other with oil and speaking words of truth and revelations into our lives. IT WAS AMAZING!
And then, we all together lifted our voices to read the charge that this post started with. Then the diplomas were handed out and the party began! Cake! Ice Cream! Cookies! Chocolate! Sparkling Cider! (all the important C's of a party)

moments before people arrived... all the diplomas laid out on the tables.

worship time: I'm trading my sorrows... I'm laying them down for the Joy of the Lord!

Kate (L) presents Anne and Pastor Kim with thank you gifts for all their immeasurable time and gifts they gave this year to our class.  the picture Anne is holding is of a tree, which symbolized the real tree Kate bought for them to plant in their yard; a tree that will forever remind them that we will go on to grow and bear fruit. YAY!

So, Dream School has ended but we have been commissioned so this is not the end but the beginning. We will go and do.... Great things in the Name that is above every other name: Jesus!!

Graduation!!

is just a few hours away... I am having a little pre-celebration in my cubical, sipping a smooth and creamy London Fog from Woods Coffee. Little bit of Heaven in a cup-- especially on an afternoon like today where I am sleepy and achy and need a little pick me up and coffee would just be too much. The sunshine is an added bonus to this day!

I have set some goals.
My 1 week goal is to investigate the back to school idea. Comparing online courses to community college and what exactly am I going to take, how much will it cost, how long will it take.
My 1 month goal is to have finished the re-write on my novel.
My 6 month goal is to be enrolled in a class or a course.
My 1 year goal is to have found an editor or a literary advisor.

Lord, I ask for your blessing on this and that You will lead me into all You have for me. Amen.

Dream School


Last night, Bruce and I attended our first class for Dream Realization School. This is a (school) year long course designed to deepen our relationship with Abba Father, solidify our identity in Christ, grow in Christ-like character, increase biblical knowledge, develop spirit-filled ministry skills, learn how to work in teams and clarify our unique callings.
I am excited!!

Bruce and I both came away last night totally pumped about it. We both feel this is exactly what we need right now in our lives! It's going to be an awesome journey. Pastor Kim is so committed to Dream School. He said he feels dream school this is the most important thing he does at NCCTK as the Sr. Pastor. He is teaching the body of Christ how to be real disciples.

The class is huge! I don't know the head count but there were at least 8 tables if not more, each table with 5-7 people at them. They have us divided up-- so husbands and wives are not together, and each table is all the same gender. These table mates will be our companions for the next few months as we work and study and learn and grow. After a couple of months we will be moved around, never allowing us to get too comfortable, lol, but to keep us stretched and growing. Whew-boy. that will be a stretcher for me!

My table is made up of 6 women, myself included. We range in age from i am guessing late 30's- early 50's. I was asked to be facilitator of my table so when we work in table groups, I am to keep us on task-- no bird walking, no hogging all the talk time. I was surprised by the request to act in this responsibility-- not opposed at all- just surprised. At least 2 of the other women struck me as strong leaders and could easily have done this role. Aha.... maybe that's why I was asked to do it-- to start developing a stronger leadership role. Okay. i can handle that! :)
It is after all, part of why I signed on for the course.

We have homework; assigned reading. Our first book is "God as He longs for you to see Him" by Chip Ingram. Delved into it last night after we got home. Great stuff. Here's a deep thought: What you think about God shapes your whole relationship with him. In addition, what you believe God thinks about you determines how close you will grow toward him.

wow.
and here's another one..... just as powerful and thought provoking.....

until you know God as he is, you will never become all that he's created you to be.

I will be studying on that one for the days to come....

Ramping Up


Whoa! I don't have any kids to get ready for school but September is already blitzed out on my poor calendar! It's a good thing... I think.

After a year and a half of a self-imposed state of retirement (translation; sleep in, read lots of books and basically do what ever I want every day without any of the retirement bennies) it is time for me to get back in the stream of life.

Not that I have been completely idle. I mean, I have written 2 novels, numerous short stories, gone on a mission trip, helped start a new church and kept hearth and home in working order. I am talking about getting back in the stream of life, as in really serving, really stretching and really growing in my life.

Bruce and I are starting Dream Realization School at NCCTK. Our first class starts Sept. 14th and it runs through the school year. It's a 2 year course, designed to give lay people a better working knowledge of ministry and mission and life's calling. I am excited. A little nervous too; it's been a l-o-n-g time since this girl has done homework!!

We are also starting a 12 week Discipleship Class with one of the pastors from NCCTK. He has asked Bruce to co-lead the class with him at the same time as being a participant. (All part of getting Bruce's feet wet in the ministry) This will be on Thurs. nights and some Mondays. And finally, we decided it was time to host a small group.

Our small group will be a focus group and the focus this first time out will be to build up the core of the Deming campus. We will be using Alpha as our tool for this. It's a 12 week commitment too so I do know we'll have a break time at an appointed time. that's good! (I am a sprinter and I need a finish line!)

We also have the wedding this month for Dan and Kelsey. We'll head to the Dalles, Ore. on the 16th-- picking up my sister and her hubby-- at the airport in Portland on the way. Anita and Ed also happen to be the parents of the groom. Looking forward to some Sister-Time!!

the wedding will also be an awesome time--- with my sweet husband officiating the ceremony. Pretty exciting stuff, but I know he's nervous. I keep telling him he will be do wonderfully -- and I know he will.

This long weekend get away will also serve as our anniversary vacation. it's not till the 28th but timing is such that this is when we will take our trip.

Now that I have written this all out, it doesn't seem so overwhelming after all. Bite sized pieces and it's manageable!! After all.... God's in control and all things are possible with Jesus!

~MOUNTAIN MOVERS~

other wise known as.... vacation bible school.... has been going on in Deming this week. Tomorrow is the last day followed by a community wide bbq-party.

the first day we had 9 or 10 kids. I was excited about that. I know some of the teachers were a little discouraged, because they really wanted twice that amount, and this morning one of them shared her feelings of discouragement and how God had spoken to her heart about it that morning, that no matter how many came or did not come, the ones who were there, were there for a reason and it was important to love and teach them.

today we had almost twice the amount at the day before! 7 new kids arrived! it was a fun filled day. Beautiful sunshine -- glorious sunshine- heavenly sunshine! And homemade tortillas --- oooooh my! fresh, hot off the griddle with some butter.... heavenly!!

I have been working in the background as a support person. A good spot for me. the kids are great but I think it's okay to admit that my strengths, my giftings, are not teaching or leading a group of kids

Still, I love listening and watching them as they play and sing and display such sweet exuberance for life and learning.

its also been a real treat to watch the leaders--- now here are a group of ladies who are gifted in teaching and working with kids! And what an awesome team they are. you can tell they have worked together before. they have this VBS thing down! it's amazing!

so tomorrow is the final morning and then a fun time thursday night with the BBQ. Hoping we get a great turn out from the community-- the outreach to Deming is a strong desire of our hearts and I believe God loves to give us the desires of our hearts.

in fact.... He delights in it.