Fun-sized Promises

Kid's camp has got to be one of my favorite weekends during the summer. Over 75 1st and 2nd graders from all around come to enjoy a weekend at the GLC. For most of them, its their first time at camp, and they're thrilled! Their little faces show the joy that Jesus wants us to have in all the things we do.
I really liked hanging out with the youngsters this past weekend, and I began to wonder what they "got" out of camp. It's a pretty young age, and the only think I remember from camp when I was their age was the fun I had and the nice people I met, and that alone was enough to keep me coming back.
During their reflection time one of the staff, Natalie, asked them to share what they thought God thought about them.

Nice.

Cute.

Funny.

Beautiful.

Peace.

Helpful.

From the mouths of children. They did get it. As they shared, a rainbow came out in front of us. Funny isn't it? The promise that God will be with us always. The promise that God is with us, even when we are young.

I was left in awe after this, after a children's message. Teaching the children, loving the children, learning from the children. We are doing something right.

Hold for Applause: Part II

A few days ago I posted a nice little blog about how we should be tolerant of awkward and "out-of-place" worship clapping because it was how some people worshipped God. If you have the time, read that blog first.
Tonight I experienced it again, but with a different view.
I am a lunch lady at the GLC. And I love getting to hang out after work and be with campers. I'm pretty sure I have the best job ever at my age. I get to experience some awesome things through the summer, with hundreds of lives being changed every week. Because it was a High School camp this week, the actions seemed to be more mature, for the most part. Worship was great, activity time was fine, but then reflection came.
After singing songs that were supposed to be relaxing and meditative, I ususally expect a few awkwardly applaud, but this time what I heard really ticked me off. Kids were clapping, but with intensity; laughing, trying to see who could start a clap or whatever...
It really started to make me mad. I thought about how I should be "tolerant" of it, but I didn't feel like these kids were clapping for the right reasons at all. They weren't listening, they were just being goofy, while I was trying to worship!
But if I could so easily be distracted, was my way of worshipping any better? Was I any more focused then them?

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:5

Only God knows the depth of our hearts, what we think, why we do what we do.
Worship is my time to be with God, I don't need to worry about how others are finding Him. As I try to focus during these times, and after the foundation has been set for me and for others, I have to trust that God will work His wonders and take care of the rest.

"Hold for Applause"

Lately, a trending topic among my friends has been worship clapping.

Worship Clapping (v.)- The act of awkwardly clapping, usually, but not always, performed by youth and children, after a heartfelt action or ritual during worship.

We've all been there. Maybe you've been the "victim." Maybe you just gave the best testimony of your life, or simply read the scripture. As a servant of God you want people to see God through you, and clapping doesn't help.

Today I went to worship and later reflection time at GLC. During reflection, which is a quiet time with songs and prayers by the lake, I witnessed the awkward clapping. Even after they were asked not to clap and just to reflect, some who may not have been listening before, did anyway.

I tried my best to not be frustrated and think about when I was in their shoes. When I was their age, If someone had given a message that spoke to me, I wouldn't have told them... but I would've wanted them to know somehow that it was appreciated. If someone sang a beautiful song, I would've wanted them to know they sang to my soul...but I still wouldn't tell them. I valued what I heard as a younger youth, as I think these kids do. I think I probably clapped. Yea, maybe it sometimes was because I didn't know what to do, but usually because I had heard something from God and I wanted to praise Him for it! And that's how I felt comfortable doing it!

Maybe some kids were sleepy at worship and didn't want to clap, maybe some of them really wanted quiet prayer, but at that point in my life I showed it by clapping.

Kudos to those junior highers who don't follow the mold! Kudos to the ones that lift up their arms and sing or go to the alter to pray when no one else does! For the first time in their lives these youth are starting to branch out. They are starting to make their own faith by taking risks and putting themselves out there. Sure, they might do some weird stuff sometimes, and it might be out of place, but maybe that's their place for the moment.

Maybe I should stop pretending I'm the victim and just let God do His stuff.

As the summer continues, I pray I look, at the disciples growing within these kids. I pray that I hear not the clapping they make, but the joyous noise that comes from their heart.

That said, you can check out some of what my friends say about worship clapping below, and that'll give you some insight on how this all started. I'd like to say before you read it though to know that each blog is right. Don't compare these blogs, because one is a banana, one is a cat and the other is yellow (I'm yellow though, for the record.) Each was written at a different time and with different emotions but the same intent-to glorify God.

Marianne Brown (my twin!) http://apps.facebook.com/liveblog/entry/471983

Ethan Gregory (that tall kid you've seen somewhere before)http://ethangregory.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/saturday-evening-worship-at-mw/

What's your stance on worship clapping?

Creepy Jesus- Mission Trip VI Part 2

Every church should have a creepy Jesus, right?

You know what I mean, one that's just there in the hall or SS room and has been there forever?

Someone probably donated it to the church back in 1882....

... But let's face it, it's kinda creepy.

Chances are you don't usually say anything (well maybe to a few people), because you wouldn't want to offend Jesus by calling him creepy.

As I reached Coweta FUMC, just one week ago, one of the first things I noticed were the stained glass windows upstairs. One was a cross and flame, and the other...creepy Jesus.

I unpacked in the upstairs youth room, which was great. I got a whole corner to myself and I could look out the window and look down on the gym and kitchen. I guess I like that because I myself am creepy, but whatever.

We went to bed Sunday night, but I still had to finish my message for Monday and I wanted to journal about all that had happened that day. It was too dark to write, so I went into one of the closets in the corner of the room. The light was already on, but I couldn't find the lightswitch. I looked up and then it hit me that this light didn't turn off because it was the room that lit up creepy Jesus!

I'm not sure why, but as I sat down against the door and started to write, the creepy Jesus wasn't as creepy as before. The day had been hard for me and I was tired. I was concerned about how I would be changed that week, and even wondered if I would be. As I continued to write I could hear the Lord speaking to me, telling me what to write down. This is the part where you might stop reading because you think I'm crazy, but at one point I looked up and it was like the window Jesus smiled at me in approval. It's crazy I know, and I don't think it matters whether it really happened or not. However, whatever did happened there "strangely warmed my heart," and it was like God saying "I'm gonna be here with you, don't worry."

At this point I broke down just asked that I WOULD be changed. I realized that I did need to be redefined. I knew it would still be hard but I went to bed praying that I would be prepared for whatever God had in store.

That little corner of the church, that little closet, was my personal sanctuary for the week. It was a quiet place where I could be alone with God and try to wrap my head around all He was doing. I went there after a long day when I needed time to focus. I went there after worship Monday night when I just wanted to be alone and not deal with anything around me. It was MY place.

Who would've thought a creepy Jesus could be so cool?

I don't think God is offended when we call out a creepy Jesus, as long as we can look beyond it.

The Shape of God- Mission Trip VI Part 1

"How the heck am I supposed to "redefine" myself? I'm on the track for MINISTRY, how could redefining myself make any sense at this point? I don't feel excited like I have been before, maybe I've grown and need to search for different ways to connect with God? I'm just gonna keep my eyes open and pray that the Spirit will come, but I won't be super dissapointed if it's not as great as years past."

-What a fool I was last week, thinking that God would cease to amaze me even after I had asked him into my heart! I was willing to be changed and tweaked, but my soul did not fully expect it.

So many times did God say, "hey Carly, THIS way" during the week there's no way I could explain them all here, much less on a single blogging. I spoke on Monday about looking for God out of the norm. and in those wierd and unusual places that we don't expect God to be...to Redefine God. I definitely lived that this week in ways I couldn't imagine.

One night Pastor Linda spoke about redefining oursleves. We had a lot of time to sit and think about who we are. We had to define ourselves. That's when I realized that I didn't know who the heck I was! I could've writen down "I'm a youth who wants to go into ministry and that lives for mission trip. I've messed up a lot but I want to serve the Lord." It was true but I didn't feel it fit. That may sound dumb, but that's not who I wanted to be.

I wanted to be changed. Who I was before was who I needed to be at that time, but God knew I needed to be renewed. I could not continue to grow with weeds in my way. This week God broke me down; a tired soul and a burned out girl, and began to build it up even more beautifully.

So who am I? I am God's. It's that simple, I am God's. And because of this I now get to choose who I am, I get to redefine.

God's love is not a circle with 360 degrees. It's not someone making a 180 and turning their life around. God's love is not a shape that we can see, it stretches far beyond that. God can redefine your life wherever you are, and to say that he can't-well that's just whack.

A Prayer for Redefinition

Lord,
I pray that as I begin this week I may open my eyes to Your wondrous works. I pray that I may look beyond the reality and see the potential You originally envisioned. As I work Lord, let me not fix my eyes in certain places to meet You, but to feel Your presence in all places at all times...even if it's not the usual.

When I grow tired Lord, let me keep my focus on You. Give me the strength to persevere through. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may not grow weary in doing good.

Lord, set our hearts on fire that people may see You through us. Let our hearts be pure like a child that we may listen to Your word more clearly. Help us to make a difference in this world for you. I know that the physical work I will do will turn to dust, but let me do more than that.

God, You are so great that you show Your presence in the least of service given to You. I ask that my life might be redefined this week and that I will come out ready for the real mission.

Hear my prayer, Oh Lord.

Ox Poop

If you want a manger free of ox poop, don't buy an ox. But if you want to multiply your harvest, and ox will sure come in handy." -Proverbs 14:4

I thought it would be a great verse for messy game night for the youth. As we prepare for mission trip, it won't always be fun, but in order to do good and make a difference sometimes we have to deal with the junk that blocks our way.

I'm eating my own words.

As messy game night/tie-dying time came along, I realized that it would just be Emily and I. People had camps, and work they had to do. We decided messy games wouldn't really work with two people, and we had to tie-dye LOTS of things! It took a lot longer than we expected, and my hands might be this puke green color for a while.



So technically, our seemingly wonderful event was a failure. But the shirts that were doomed from the first tie began to turn out great! Emily and I marveled at how great they came out, and of course we were having fun the whole time! So even though some of it wasn't fun, we pushed through, even enjoying our detours. It wasn't that much of a failure after all.

The lessoned I planned to teach was taught to me. And as I prepare for my mission trip, for my future ministry and my whole Christian journey, I know that if I let God in during these times, if I can work past all the mess and the ox poop, there's something better in store.