Because I believe so strongly that ALL children need a place to call home, and someone to love them...I'm giving you this link. This is a link to a post of a wonderful woman from my church who (along with her husband) have recently become foster parents. Single people especially, can feel left out of the foster care/adoption world...I think the resources listed in this extremely informative post, can help those of us that want to get involved, but may not know how.
Professionally, I've worked with children from foster/adoptive homes (currently I'm starting an application with Child Protective Services), and I can certainly tell you they need love just like any other child out there. Personally, I long for the day when I can adopt children. I'm not sure why there's this misconception that those kids are like cacti, and thus they don't really need any sort of sustained, nurturing or care. If anything, they are like the most delicate of violets or orchids...they MUST be nurtured/sheltered/cared for. Imagine being 18 years old and never having had someone say "I love you", never having had someone there to kiss your owwies, wipe your tears, or hold you during a thunderstorm. So again, I direct your attention to this post. Get involved!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Join with all nature in manifold witness...
As I was cleaning my apartment, I found this poem I'd written under a pile of papers. It was written on May 9th of this year. I make no promises about the grammatical correctness of this poem.
Come
From the darkness came the voice of my Beloved. he wooes me gently with soft words and loving-kindness.
Strong and steady as a mountain is His love for me
Nothing and no one will tear me from my Beloved's arms
I am my Beloved's, and He is mine.
He adorns me in righteousness, because of Him, I am beautiful.
Sheltered by His never ending grace, I know no fear and no want.
Minions of the evil one cannot harm me
I am my Beloved's, and He is mine
Patient, kind and unselfish is His love, I am the apple of His eye.
Though I flit and run into the arms of others, my Beloved remains;
great is His faithfulness.
Each day He awakens me, that I may know His mercy in a new way
Battered & bruised, broken & scorned, I came to Him. He has made me new.
I am my Beloved's, and He is mine.
jl
Come
From the darkness came the voice of my Beloved. he wooes me gently with soft words and loving-kindness.
Strong and steady as a mountain is His love for me
Nothing and no one will tear me from my Beloved's arms
I am my Beloved's, and He is mine.
He adorns me in righteousness, because of Him, I am beautiful.
Sheltered by His never ending grace, I know no fear and no want.
Minions of the evil one cannot harm me
I am my Beloved's, and He is mine
Patient, kind and unselfish is His love, I am the apple of His eye.
Though I flit and run into the arms of others, my Beloved remains;
great is His faithfulness.
Each day He awakens me, that I may know His mercy in a new way
Battered & bruised, broken & scorned, I came to Him. He has made me new.
I am my Beloved's, and He is mine.
jl
Friday, May 23, 2008
it's hard to pray for someone you're not so sure exists...
Today was my first time to help with setting up for a wedding reception. It was stressful, and extremely hard work. There were tons of people around, including the stressed out bride and her party. They were busily trying to set up the centerpieces and other decorations in the reception hall. I didn't realize this for the longest time, but the ceremony was to take place in the yard of the old house were we were. There was such a heaviness in the air, the heaviness that this young woman and her beloved's lives were about to change forever. The bride didn't seem as excited as one would have hoped, then again, I guess that's understandable if you're having to literally do everything on your wedding day.
I began setting the tables, for some reason that's becoming one of my favorite things to do. Anywho, as I was folding the napkins, I turned and saw the bride just as she stepped out of her dressing room. She looked beautiful, as all brides do (in their own way). The wedding party milled about for a bit (occasionally stopping to tell me, the tables looked "awesome" might I add...:-) ) before they went outside to take pictures. The bridesmaids lifted the sheer overlay on the bride's dress and her train as she headed out. The sun caught the sequins/beadwork and I wanted to kick the photographers for missing such a "Kodak moment"! The sparkling overlay looked like some kind of sugary confection.
I had to head back to the shop to pass the van on to the cook who was taking the food to the reception hall, so I didn't get to stay for the actual reception. One thing that's been running through my mind is that I don't want to leave a legacy of regrets and selfishness. I'm that person that wishes they could hug the entire world. I wonder how much difference would it make if everyone hugged at least one stranger each day.
I began setting the tables, for some reason that's becoming one of my favorite things to do. Anywho, as I was folding the napkins, I turned and saw the bride just as she stepped out of her dressing room. She looked beautiful, as all brides do (in their own way). The wedding party milled about for a bit (occasionally stopping to tell me, the tables looked "awesome" might I add...:-) ) before they went outside to take pictures. The bridesmaids lifted the sheer overlay on the bride's dress and her train as she headed out. The sun caught the sequins/beadwork and I wanted to kick the photographers for missing such a "Kodak moment"! The sparkling overlay looked like some kind of sugary confection.
I had to head back to the shop to pass the van on to the cook who was taking the food to the reception hall, so I didn't get to stay for the actual reception. One thing that's been running through my mind is that I don't want to leave a legacy of regrets and selfishness. I'm that person that wishes they could hug the entire world. I wonder how much difference would it make if everyone hugged at least one stranger each day.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
We are family!
One thing that I've been more aware of is the family culture. It's one thing to be friends with married couples and families as a single person, but something is...missing in that friendship. Families have a culture that is both unique to each family, yet also serves as a common ground between families. It doesn't matter if you're a couple just starting out as man and wife, or if you've been married for decades and are now at the point where you're spoiling grandchildren, you share something with other families that single people just can't take a part in. We're all very aware of it, but it becomes more evident each time you're with other families and there happens to be single people present. We like to think of people in units...either a family, or a couple, so single people are a bit more complicated and usually end up getting lumped with other singles.
My point in writing about this is simply to process this feeling. Today, I was with tons of foster families and hopeful foster families, and the family culture was just overwhelming. My singleness was equally overwhelming. This culture (at least from an outsider's point of view) says, "we're going through the same things; having a family is hard, trying, funny, heart-breaking, absolutely CRAZY....and SO worth it! Thank goodness we're not single, huh?" There are couples/families, I LOVE being around, and then there are couples/families that seem to completely focus their energies on making singles aware (and shameful of) their singleness...they seem to say...we found someone...why couldn't you? Thankfully, I wasn't around any of the later type of couples/families.
My point in writing about this is simply to process this feeling. Today, I was with tons of foster families and hopeful foster families, and the family culture was just overwhelming. My singleness was equally overwhelming. This culture (at least from an outsider's point of view) says, "we're going through the same things; having a family is hard, trying, funny, heart-breaking, absolutely CRAZY....and SO worth it! Thank goodness we're not single, huh?" There are couples/families, I LOVE being around, and then there are couples/families that seem to completely focus their energies on making singles aware (and shameful of) their singleness...they seem to say...we found someone...why couldn't you? Thankfully, I wasn't around any of the later type of couples/families.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
1 Peter 3:1-9
" (1) In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,
(2) as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
(3) Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
(4) but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
(5) For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;
(6) just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
(7) You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
(8) To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;
(9) not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
This passage is what's on my heart at the moment. The first part of this passage reminds me of the saying, "Actions speak louder than words". Think back to all those sitcoms/wifey jokes you've heard. Usually there' s always something about a nagging wife, and how a husband learns to tune her out. She feels that she has to nag, or she won't get what she wants; and he feels that if she didn't nag all the time, he might be more inclinded to listen. Now of course, things are a bit more serious in actuality, but is there ever room for exhortation in a marriage?
Naturally, we (men, women, children) don't like to be told when we're doing something wrong....we hate having our faces shoved in our "mess". There are, however; times when we think our sin is still a secret...that because no one else seems to have noticed it, it must not be a problem. Sometimes it takes that one person...who, in love, gently says, "We need to talk about...". I'm not arguing with the Scripture, God knows what He's talking about; just thought I'd think out loud a bit.
I'm intrigued by the end of v.7 "...so that your prayers will not be hindered". Is this saying that a lack of harmony in your home will lead to such spiritual unrest that you will be unable to pray effectively? I'll do more reading on this.
(2) as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
(3) Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;
(4) but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
(5) For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;
(6) just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.
(7) You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
(8) To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;
(9) not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
This passage is what's on my heart at the moment. The first part of this passage reminds me of the saying, "Actions speak louder than words". Think back to all those sitcoms/wifey jokes you've heard. Usually there' s always something about a nagging wife, and how a husband learns to tune her out. She feels that she has to nag, or she won't get what she wants; and he feels that if she didn't nag all the time, he might be more inclinded to listen. Now of course, things are a bit more serious in actuality, but is there ever room for exhortation in a marriage?
Naturally, we (men, women, children) don't like to be told when we're doing something wrong....we hate having our faces shoved in our "mess". There are, however; times when we think our sin is still a secret...that because no one else seems to have noticed it, it must not be a problem. Sometimes it takes that one person...who, in love, gently says, "We need to talk about...". I'm not arguing with the Scripture, God knows what He's talking about; just thought I'd think out loud a bit.
I'm intrigued by the end of v.7 "...so that your prayers will not be hindered". Is this saying that a lack of harmony in your home will lead to such spiritual unrest that you will be unable to pray effectively? I'll do more reading on this.
Monday, May 12, 2008
bumpy start
Ok, I've gotten some posting started, but the older posts are first...so for right now, for the most recent posts, you'll need to scroll down...
I wanna fly away
Written 4/3/08
Some days I can't wait to get "old". I can't wait to be able to look back on a (hopefully) long lifetime of God's continual, relentless faithfulness. Even at 24 years old, I've got plenty examples of that. I've had a fairly rough year since graduating. Many of you know about my struggles, and frustrations. If not....scroll down. This past week, I had yet another wall erected in my path, but thanks to past lessons learned, I've already regrouped and am prepping to hopefully charge full steam ahead down the next path. Praise God for teaching me adaptability!
In other news...I had my taxes done today. It was an interesting experience. I went the cheap (free) route, and had my taxes done at a local school's free tax preparation clinic thing. As I was sitting in the school library taking my surroundings, I was stuck at how much it reminded me of something like a free clinic. There were babies crying, (potential) baby mama's talking loudly into cell phones while wearing outfits 20x too small, young men... (potential) baby daddies wearing shirts and pants/shorts 20x too big on their stick thin frames. Gossip was flying about, and the whole time, some old...slightly sleazy guy...probably 45 or so, was trying desperately to have a conversation with me. Forgive me, but...I was not trying to hear anything he had to say. I know, I know...not very Christlike, but you didn't see the way he was eyeing me.
Last night I was up late watching old PBS episodes of Julia Child's Master Chef's show. Learned how to make pasta. Quickly tried that recipe today for lunch. SO much fun! All the shaping of the pasta and rolling out the dough. I made broad noodles, fettutini, and bowtie pasta...all pink, thanks to the beet juice. I cooked some of it in chicken broth, then reduced the amount of broth and added a bit of butter to make more of a creamy sauce on the noodles w/o them swimming in sauce. Very tasty!
Anywho, love to you and yours!
Some days I can't wait to get "old". I can't wait to be able to look back on a (hopefully) long lifetime of God's continual, relentless faithfulness. Even at 24 years old, I've got plenty examples of that. I've had a fairly rough year since graduating. Many of you know about my struggles, and frustrations. If not....scroll down. This past week, I had yet another wall erected in my path, but thanks to past lessons learned, I've already regrouped and am prepping to hopefully charge full steam ahead down the next path. Praise God for teaching me adaptability!
In other news...I had my taxes done today. It was an interesting experience. I went the cheap (free) route, and had my taxes done at a local school's free tax preparation clinic thing. As I was sitting in the school library taking my surroundings, I was stuck at how much it reminded me of something like a free clinic. There were babies crying, (potential) baby mama's talking loudly into cell phones while wearing outfits 20x too small, young men... (potential) baby daddies wearing shirts and pants/shorts 20x too big on their stick thin frames. Gossip was flying about, and the whole time, some old...slightly sleazy guy...probably 45 or so, was trying desperately to have a conversation with me. Forgive me, but...I was not trying to hear anything he had to say. I know, I know...not very Christlike, but you didn't see the way he was eyeing me.
Last night I was up late watching old PBS episodes of Julia Child's Master Chef's show. Learned how to make pasta. Quickly tried that recipe today for lunch. SO much fun! All the shaping of the pasta and rolling out the dough. I made broad noodles, fettutini, and bowtie pasta...all pink, thanks to the beet juice. I cooked some of it in chicken broth, then reduced the amount of broth and added a bit of butter to make more of a creamy sauce on the noodles w/o them swimming in sauce. Very tasty!
Anywho, love to you and yours!
Therapist Wanted
Written 4/13/08:
Yesterday (Saturday) we had our 3 game of the season, and....yeah...it was not pretty. We lost 5-1. The kiddos were trying their hardest, so I guess I'm proud of them for that. (For those of you that don't know, I'm coaching a little league soccer team for FBC Waco...1st and 2nd graders). So now we're 1-2...at least we aren't dead last in our league, though. Anyway, we had a new kid join our team today. She's a super cute 7 yr old who has totally traumatized me for life; hence the title of this post. Since we had 8 players show up for the game, I decided to play 6 and have 2 subs.
I'd rotated out the new kid, and she was sitting on the bench next to me watching the game...or so I thought. It turns out she was studying my hand. Suddenly she asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?" I was a bit startled by the question since it seemed so out of the blue...I'd just met this kid like 15 mins before the game, for crying out loud! "Nope, I don't." I replied, wondering what had even brought this up. "Do you have a husband?," she persisted. Looking at my hands, I realized she'd been looking at the silver ring on my right ring finger. "The ring is on my right hand, not my left. Wedding rings go on your left hand. No, I don't have a husband," I explained. "Why not?", came the incredulous response. "Do you have kids?" She'd said this before I had a chance to reply to her previous question. "No, I don't have kids. Right now God wants me to be single, and that's perfectly okay. There is nothing wrong with not having a boyfriend or a husband."
I was having an out of body experience by this point. Physically, I was sitting there calmly answering her prying questions, but my spirit was sitting next to me on the bench staring at her in shock, probably thinking "What a brazen child this is! She has not been taught proper manners! Look at how she speaks to me!" Truth be told, she was quite calm and matter-of-fact about the whole thing. To her it just seemed odd that someone of my apparent old age, wouldn't be married with children. I thought she was done with her questioning, but no...oh no.
"Don't you want children, Coach Jen?" She may as well have stabbed me right in the heart. "Don't you want a husband?" At this point I looked around wondering was this actually happening. The assistant coach, one of my friends, had heard much of the exchanged and walked away snickering to herself, before these last two shots were fired in my heart. For a minute, I didn't know what to say. Should I explain about not always getting what we want?
Ugh...this is one of those "guide their hearts" moments people are always talking about. I thought for a second, then turned to face her a bit more fully. "Yes, I do want children...and a husband very much, but you see...God has a different plan for me right now. God knows what I need, and when I need it. He will give me a husband and children at just the right time, because His timing is perfect. So it's okay that I'm not married and I don't have kids right now." She seemed to be processing that answer...not sure if she understood it fully, or what. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "My parents are married." Honestly, I was still feeling a tiny bit wounded from her original interrogation. The desire to have children is frequently at the forefront of my mind, but the desire for a husband...well...it waxes and wanes a bit. (Weird, and horribly backwards, I know) For the past couple of days, however; both urges had waged war on my heart. Children are like arrows...they get to the heart of things. Ah...the quiverful movement.
Anywho, I decided to fire some questions back at hear, just to make sure I wasn't missing another teaching moment. "Do you have a boyfriend?" The look she gave me was quite comical. "I'm 7," she said...somewhat exasperatedly. Laughing, I said, "True. I was just making sure." A smile slowly spread over her cute face, "My daddy says I'm not allowed to date...ever. That's okay with me. Boys are kinda weird, but it's still okay to play soccer with them." Where has this kid been all my life? "That's right, it's fun to play soccer with them. Your daddy is very smart, dating isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's better to wait as long as possible. Being friends with boys is good enough." We both kinda laughed, and turned to watch the game. Her earlier inquiries are still haunting me, though. They echo the same things I've been asking God as of late...especially in light of the recent developments in my life. Oh well. To quote the lovely Ms. Sheryl Crow, "Everyday is a winding road...I get a little bit closer...everyday is a faded sign...I get a little bit closer to feelin' fine."
Yesterday (Saturday) we had our 3 game of the season, and....yeah...it was not pretty. We lost 5-1. The kiddos were trying their hardest, so I guess I'm proud of them for that. (For those of you that don't know, I'm coaching a little league soccer team for FBC Waco...1st and 2nd graders). So now we're 1-2...at least we aren't dead last in our league, though. Anyway, we had a new kid join our team today. She's a super cute 7 yr old who has totally traumatized me for life; hence the title of this post. Since we had 8 players show up for the game, I decided to play 6 and have 2 subs.
I'd rotated out the new kid, and she was sitting on the bench next to me watching the game...or so I thought. It turns out she was studying my hand. Suddenly she asked, "Do you have a boyfriend?" I was a bit startled by the question since it seemed so out of the blue...I'd just met this kid like 15 mins before the game, for crying out loud! "Nope, I don't." I replied, wondering what had even brought this up. "Do you have a husband?," she persisted. Looking at my hands, I realized she'd been looking at the silver ring on my right ring finger. "The ring is on my right hand, not my left. Wedding rings go on your left hand. No, I don't have a husband," I explained. "Why not?", came the incredulous response. "Do you have kids?" She'd said this before I had a chance to reply to her previous question. "No, I don't have kids. Right now God wants me to be single, and that's perfectly okay. There is nothing wrong with not having a boyfriend or a husband."
I was having an out of body experience by this point. Physically, I was sitting there calmly answering her prying questions, but my spirit was sitting next to me on the bench staring at her in shock, probably thinking "What a brazen child this is! She has not been taught proper manners! Look at how she speaks to me!" Truth be told, she was quite calm and matter-of-fact about the whole thing. To her it just seemed odd that someone of my apparent old age, wouldn't be married with children. I thought she was done with her questioning, but no...oh no.
"Don't you want children, Coach Jen?" She may as well have stabbed me right in the heart. "Don't you want a husband?" At this point I looked around wondering was this actually happening. The assistant coach, one of my friends, had heard much of the exchanged and walked away snickering to herself, before these last two shots were fired in my heart. For a minute, I didn't know what to say. Should I explain about not always getting what we want?
Ugh...this is one of those "guide their hearts" moments people are always talking about. I thought for a second, then turned to face her a bit more fully. "Yes, I do want children...and a husband very much, but you see...God has a different plan for me right now. God knows what I need, and when I need it. He will give me a husband and children at just the right time, because His timing is perfect. So it's okay that I'm not married and I don't have kids right now." She seemed to be processing that answer...not sure if she understood it fully, or what. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "My parents are married." Honestly, I was still feeling a tiny bit wounded from her original interrogation. The desire to have children is frequently at the forefront of my mind, but the desire for a husband...well...it waxes and wanes a bit. (Weird, and horribly backwards, I know) For the past couple of days, however; both urges had waged war on my heart. Children are like arrows...they get to the heart of things. Ah...the quiverful movement.
Anywho, I decided to fire some questions back at hear, just to make sure I wasn't missing another teaching moment. "Do you have a boyfriend?" The look she gave me was quite comical. "I'm 7," she said...somewhat exasperatedly. Laughing, I said, "True. I was just making sure." A smile slowly spread over her cute face, "My daddy says I'm not allowed to date...ever. That's okay with me. Boys are kinda weird, but it's still okay to play soccer with them." Where has this kid been all my life? "That's right, it's fun to play soccer with them. Your daddy is very smart, dating isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's better to wait as long as possible. Being friends with boys is good enough." We both kinda laughed, and turned to watch the game. Her earlier inquiries are still haunting me, though. They echo the same things I've been asking God as of late...especially in light of the recent developments in my life. Oh well. To quote the lovely Ms. Sheryl Crow, "Everyday is a winding road...I get a little bit closer...everyday is a faded sign...I get a little bit closer to feelin' fine."
You just gotta laugh
Written 4/21/08
Saturday's game was...*sigh* full of passion, prayer, positivity. All 3 came from me. I think if the league season lasted a few more weeks, people would start coming to the games just to watch ME. I'm all over the place on the sidelines. I run just as much as the kids. I'm the kind of coach that runs up and down the sidelines as my team runs up and down the field. I'm the kind of coach that jumps up and down yipping not unlike a little dog. I'm the kind of coach that's as close to the white line as possible yelling/screaming/cheering until they practically pass out. Mind you, I'm not yelling out anything mean to the babies...it's all encouragement/directional stuff. It's just loud and frequent. They tune me out, though.
Now for the prayer. I'm quick to call upon the help of the Lord every time the other team is in our goal box...or we're in theirs. Lots of wrestling with major theological issues such as, "WHY!? WHY!? DIDN'T IT GO IN?" (predestination...it apparently wasn't meant to go in), and classics like, "WHY DID HE DO THAT, OH PLEASE TELL ME WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!?????????", "PLEASE LET HIM STOP THE BALL, O, PLEASE PLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEEEE, LET THE BOY STOP THE BALL!!!!!"
You'd think with all the things I've said there would be no positivity here, but there is! I am positive each game ages me by about 50 years.
Anywho, here is a funny moment from the game:
So we had one sub, and he was sitting on the bench the last I'd checked on him. The other coach and I were standing on the sideline watching the game and doing some of the aforementioned encouraging/directing. Suddenly the ref blows his whistle and motions both teams to set up for a penalty kick (PK). Someone on my team had done something. A handball in the goalie box. I looked to see who'd committed such a HORRIBLE crime (we've dedicated several minutes talking about not touching the ball with our hands). Apparently the child that was supposed to be on the bench had gotten so impassioned/fired up watching the game that he'd left the bench, run onto the field, and picked up the ball because it was very close to our goal and he wanted to help our team. At first the other coach and I said, "No hands! You're not supposed to....wait...WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE FIELD!!??? COME OVER HERE AND SIT BACK DOWN!!"
Saturday's game was...*sigh* full of passion, prayer, positivity. All 3 came from me. I think if the league season lasted a few more weeks, people would start coming to the games just to watch ME. I'm all over the place on the sidelines. I run just as much as the kids. I'm the kind of coach that runs up and down the sidelines as my team runs up and down the field. I'm the kind of coach that jumps up and down yipping not unlike a little dog. I'm the kind of coach that's as close to the white line as possible yelling/screaming/cheering until they practically pass out. Mind you, I'm not yelling out anything mean to the babies...it's all encouragement/directional stuff. It's just loud and frequent. They tune me out, though.
Now for the prayer. I'm quick to call upon the help of the Lord every time the other team is in our goal box...or we're in theirs. Lots of wrestling with major theological issues such as, "WHY!? WHY!? DIDN'T IT GO IN?" (predestination...it apparently wasn't meant to go in), and classics like, "WHY DID HE DO THAT, OH PLEASE TELL ME WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!?????????", "PLEASE LET HIM STOP THE BALL, O, PLEASE PLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSSSEEEEEEEEE, LET THE BOY STOP THE BALL!!!!!"
You'd think with all the things I've said there would be no positivity here, but there is! I am positive each game ages me by about 50 years.
Anywho, here is a funny moment from the game:
So we had one sub, and he was sitting on the bench the last I'd checked on him. The other coach and I were standing on the sideline watching the game and doing some of the aforementioned encouraging/directing. Suddenly the ref blows his whistle and motions both teams to set up for a penalty kick (PK). Someone on my team had done something. A handball in the goalie box. I looked to see who'd committed such a HORRIBLE crime (we've dedicated several minutes talking about not touching the ball with our hands). Apparently the child that was supposed to be on the bench had gotten so impassioned/fired up watching the game that he'd left the bench, run onto the field, and picked up the ball because it was very close to our goal and he wanted to help our team. At first the other coach and I said, "No hands! You're not supposed to....wait...WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE FIELD!!??? COME OVER HERE AND SIT BACK DOWN!!"
Run, Run, Run away!
Written 4/30/08:
This weekend, I went to San Antonio to run in the Fiesta Fandango Fun Run. It's a 2.6 mile run were teams can dress up in fun costumes. Our team didn't really dress up in a costume, but we were united in that we were all Baylor grads. The run was hard, but I was able to finish in 38 minutes and 25 seconds. I stayed with my friend's aunt and uncle, and the next day we went to the Fiesta marketplace in downtown. I didn't buy anything, but it was still fun. The ride back to Waco Sunday afternoon wasn't too bad, lots of good discussion. Sunday evening, I invited some friends over. I was in the mood for soul food. I made fried chicken, collard greens and hot water cornbread, mac & cheese, and peach cobbler. We had a lot of fun, and laughed until almost 2 am. I hope everyone out there is doing well!
This weekend, I went to San Antonio to run in the Fiesta Fandango Fun Run. It's a 2.6 mile run were teams can dress up in fun costumes. Our team didn't really dress up in a costume, but we were united in that we were all Baylor grads. The run was hard, but I was able to finish in 38 minutes and 25 seconds. I stayed with my friend's aunt and uncle, and the next day we went to the Fiesta marketplace in downtown. I didn't buy anything, but it was still fun. The ride back to Waco Sunday afternoon wasn't too bad, lots of good discussion. Sunday evening, I invited some friends over. I was in the mood for soul food. I made fried chicken, collard greens and hot water cornbread, mac & cheese, and peach cobbler. We had a lot of fun, and laughed until almost 2 am. I hope everyone out there is doing well!
Bye Bye Baby
Written 5/3/08
Today was the last day of our little league soccer season. You gotta give it to my babies...they've been very consistent. We lost 4-0. The highlight of the game was when our goalie dove for a ball, and when it bounced off him, he crawled about 7 feet to get it. It was a hardcore we're-in-the-army-now kind of crawl. The ball was still in bounds, but his teammates and the other team were so fascinated by the site of his passionate pursuit of the ball, that they didn't go after it, but just stood and watched him.
We had the cookout and awards ceremony in the afternoon. After the ceremony, I hung out for a bit then decided to go. I found a few of my kiddos sitting w/their fams and walked over to say my goodbyes. As I was hugging them for the last time, it hit me how much I hate that part of ministry. I hate not seeing where the children I work with will be years from now. I hate not knowing the end of the story. I hate the idea that I may or may not get to see them in heaven one day. I want to see what they're like when they're adults...how they treat their own children. Anyway, I said goodbye to the boys (who were surprisingly sad...didn't expect them to be as sad as they were).
I went to say goodbye to one of the girls, and I knew it would be hard. She's the child who made me question everything in my life mentioned in one of the previous post. She looked up at me with misty eyes, and said "I'm really gonna miss you Coach Jen." I got a tiny bit misty eyed; it was like one of those scenes in movies where the adult says something like "Look deep in your heart, little one, I am always with you. " or something like that. I'm horrible with goodbyes. I always get too choked up to actually say anything. I wanted to share some last words of encouragement and comfort, but instead I said, "I know....I'll miss you too." and hurried off before I actually did cry.
So yeah, that's over. I'm considering helping with the basketball team in the fall. We'll see. I can't help but wonder why I work with children, and it hit me when I walked over to where some kids were playing today, and one of my babies was there. When he turned and saw me, his face lit up and he ran over saying "Coach Jen! Coach Jen!" and proceeded to dive into my arms. As we were walking to were the rest of the team was, he reached up and grabbed my hand...one of the sweetest moments in my life. It wasn't the first time he's done something like that...he did it during practice all the time, but at that moment when I was tired from trying to coral kids in an inflatable obstacle course and feeling frustrated...that was just what I needed.
Today was the last day of our little league soccer season. You gotta give it to my babies...they've been very consistent. We lost 4-0. The highlight of the game was when our goalie dove for a ball, and when it bounced off him, he crawled about 7 feet to get it. It was a hardcore we're-in-the-army-now kind of crawl. The ball was still in bounds, but his teammates and the other team were so fascinated by the site of his passionate pursuit of the ball, that they didn't go after it, but just stood and watched him.
We had the cookout and awards ceremony in the afternoon. After the ceremony, I hung out for a bit then decided to go. I found a few of my kiddos sitting w/their fams and walked over to say my goodbyes. As I was hugging them for the last time, it hit me how much I hate that part of ministry. I hate not seeing where the children I work with will be years from now. I hate not knowing the end of the story. I hate the idea that I may or may not get to see them in heaven one day. I want to see what they're like when they're adults...how they treat their own children. Anyway, I said goodbye to the boys (who were surprisingly sad...didn't expect them to be as sad as they were).
I went to say goodbye to one of the girls, and I knew it would be hard. She's the child who made me question everything in my life mentioned in one of the previous post. She looked up at me with misty eyes, and said "I'm really gonna miss you Coach Jen." I got a tiny bit misty eyed; it was like one of those scenes in movies where the adult says something like "Look deep in your heart, little one, I am always with you. " or something like that. I'm horrible with goodbyes. I always get too choked up to actually say anything. I wanted to share some last words of encouragement and comfort, but instead I said, "I know....I'll miss you too." and hurried off before I actually did cry.
So yeah, that's over. I'm considering helping with the basketball team in the fall. We'll see. I can't help but wonder why I work with children, and it hit me when I walked over to where some kids were playing today, and one of my babies was there. When he turned and saw me, his face lit up and he ran over saying "Coach Jen! Coach Jen!" and proceeded to dive into my arms. As we were walking to were the rest of the team was, he reached up and grabbed my hand...one of the sweetest moments in my life. It wasn't the first time he's done something like that...he did it during practice all the time, but at that moment when I was tired from trying to coral kids in an inflatable obstacle course and feeling frustrated...that was just what I needed.
Daughters of The King
Written 5/11/08:
Today is Mother's Day, and before you even ask...yes, I called my mother. I think maybe, aside from November-December, Mother's Day is the next hardest day/time for me as a single woman. I could bemoan the fact that I am helpmate to no one, and childless, but...why bother.
I've had a lot of good conversations this week. I think all good conversation starts with either a good cup of coffee or a good plate of food...I should take that hypothesis and turn it into a research project. Anywho, I've got questions I'd like to pose to you out there that are reading this.
When does a boy become a man?
How does Biblical womanhood play out in the life of a single woman? It seems many of the ideas of Biblical womanhood are tied to being a wife/mother and being under the authority of God and your husband (or your father). I can't help but feel like half a woman at times (especially on days like today). I have more thoughts on this particular topic, that will be covered in future posts, but for right now, I just want to know what other people have to say about the matter.
Today is Mother's Day, and before you even ask...yes, I called my mother. I think maybe, aside from November-December, Mother's Day is the next hardest day/time for me as a single woman. I could bemoan the fact that I am helpmate to no one, and childless, but...why bother.
I've had a lot of good conversations this week. I think all good conversation starts with either a good cup of coffee or a good plate of food...I should take that hypothesis and turn it into a research project. Anywho, I've got questions I'd like to pose to you out there that are reading this.
When does a boy become a man?
How does Biblical womanhood play out in the life of a single woman? It seems many of the ideas of Biblical womanhood are tied to being a wife/mother and being under the authority of God and your husband (or your father). I can't help but feel like half a woman at times (especially on days like today). I have more thoughts on this particular topic, that will be covered in future posts, but for right now, I just want to know what other people have to say about the matter.
History
I will copy and paste many of my more recent posts from my xanga to this site in the coming days/hours, but for older posts/more history, you'll have to go to my xanga (www.xanga.com/song_of_someone3).
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