The Children’s Moment today was based on John 11’s story of Jesus being a great friend. I had a picture of my first prayer partner and precious friend, Chantal, to show as I shared how she is a good friend to me. I then had my old, huge picture of Jesus (which only cost me $5 to purchase, but 6 months to get because the store had to place a minimum order of some $1,000 with the company), to explain that Jesus was a good friend to Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Then off to lead my first Children’s Church. I was so grateful that a mom followed to help since whoever was the helper did not arrive. The children really want to play and there is a play kitchen in the hallway that hasn’t yet been put together. I’ll be bringing my screwdriver and pulling that baby out tomorrow. I will plan to put some new “play” items in the room this week for the week to follow. We made a tomb from a styrofoam cup, a toilet paper wrapped-pipecleaner Lazarus, and a paper stone. Craft on a budget, but they got the story for sure. One of the older boys shared that he’s going to be a preacher when he grows up and he’s already read the bible through one time. He’s also memorized Genesis 1:1 and John 3:16. I think he’s on his way.

After worship, I attended my first brainstorming meeting for an outreach event that is being planned in the fall. The instructions were to bring your own lunch and drinks would be provided. I think I was the only one who brought a sandwich. Note to self . . . pick up some Luna bars from Target this week to keep in desk so as not to be so conspicuous eating lunch when nobody else does next time. The names of the movers and shakers were now matched with faces. I look forward to sharing life with these faithful servants of the church.

Hugs are fabulous. Some people are shakers, some are smilers, some are nodders, and some are huggers. I love them all, but to get hugs from some lovely women who express how glad they are that I am there just fills one’s tank like nothing else. And I was asked to give a Mama a ride home following the meeting . . . I think I have a new friend in the Lord. She makes me smile.

Introduced myself to the copier yesterday. I understand that it does everything, from punching holes to stapeling. We only made one-sided copies just to get to know one another.  We’ll do something more challenging next week.

Began to pray for my first, upcoming Children’s Council meeting that will take place next week. These lovely women have been the backbone and the faces of the ministries to children alongside the previous director and during this transition time. I pray that they will be fearless and bold in using their gifts and graces to champion the things they love for the children they love.  I pray that they will see me as a resource and a champion for each one as they captain their particular passions.  I pray they don’t say “yes” to everything, but only those things they desire to captain.  I pray they don’t say “no” to everything because they are weary.  And I pray they will let me be their friend in the Lord.

If the Sabbath is the day that is set apart, Fridays are my Sabbath.  I wake not to an alarm, but to a dog that need to goes out .  I do laundry (it’s quiet.)  I cook for my family (tonight is homemade Quiznos and potato salad.)  I may have lunch with a girlfriend (today I had lunch with my first Netflix download.)  I read (I discovered YEARS editions of Children’s Ministry magazine on the bookshelves, so I brought home every edition for June/July to give me ideas and to share with the Children’s Council meeting this week.)  I pray.  I take a walk.  I rest. Oh, and I stay in my pajamas as long as possible and drink tea from the biggest cup in the cupboard.  And I bake cookies.

YAY! I got my first message today. The fab Mrs. V handed me a handwritten note with, not 1, but 2 phone messages. People are finding out that I’m here and calling me at the church. Now I’m bonafide.  How cool is that!

OH, and I had a little person visit with a gift wrapped in aluminum oil – freshly baked Hummingbird Cake. My first gift, directly from the hands of a precious little boy, who has a kind and generous Mama. I found #1 son standing over the loaf at 10pm last night with a fork. How wonderful is that!

Sent in my first bulletin announcement and asked that it run for 2 weeks, so it takes the pressure off of having to restate information weekly. If I keep an updated calendar (now through December), I should be able to only publish information for the newsletter quickly and easily once a month AND provide bulletin information every other week. Communication is the the most time consuming of office hours, so we’ll try this schedule and see if it proves efficient.

I find that it is better to use office hours to build relationships, especially in the beginning of a new endeavor: pray, visit, chit-chat, ask questions, write notes (like the one that’ll go out in the mail today thanking a new friend for that delicious Hummingbird Cake.)

There were several times yesterday I wished I could have rung a “glory” bell, so I made a quick stop at Staples on my way home.

Do you hear it dinging? Well, it is.

Spent a short day in the office due to networking luncheon and afternoon bible study.

Today I sent out a couple more emails and discovered where the shop vac is located. Also found out that I should carry my cell phone with me every time I get into the elevator. Now I just have to load the fire station’s phone number in my cell. Just one more reason to plan to take the stairs – good exercise, for sure.

Went to networking luncheon today (love those ladies.) The question to discuss this month was “With the bible, volunteers/fellow servants, and congregational support as givens, what 3 items are the absolutely must-haves to do efficient ministry?” The following are the responses shared:

Knowledge…of what is developmentally appropriate for little people
Freedom…to be creative, to interpret curriculum
Space…usable and flexible (some have offices, some do not; just because the space is considered “multi-use,” it really means the space is used by a lot of people, so don’t move anything)
Laptop/Computer…most efficient means of communication
Big Towel…can use as a blanket for a picnic, a cover for a sick little person, clean up a mess, cover a hot slide
Ball…helps to take turns, gets the wiggles out, start a game
Prayer…just one more reason to have a prayer team
Projector…for churches that do large group
Dedicated private space and dedicated private time…necessary to get and keep the creative juices flowing and hear the Holy Spirit
A Budget… to know what is real and be able to make seasonal decisions

I would like to add another…Goldfish.

Submitted my first newsletter articles, plugged the laptop into the ethernet (doing it old school), and sent emails for 3 upcoming meetings. I know, 3 meetings seem a bit excessive, but Easter and VBS planning are just around the corner and I have a new calendar with a lot of white space.  I forgot that it takes a while to set up a whole slew of new email contacts and contact lists.  It helps to do these tasks with Pandora.com music.

Moving the desk to face the door will help with peripheral distractions, and hanging up some “DeDe items” have gotten the creative juices flowing. I’ll look for the vacumn tomorrow.

I got my first visitors today. Pastor came by a couple of times to pray with me, encourage me, and help set the most immediate priority items. The fabulous Mrs. V stopped by to show me another printer (the one I used yesterday took 50 minutes to print out a blank calendar) and tell me the names of the custodians, who whisked by in their cleaning frenzy. And the son of my predecessor sat and visited a while. He misses his Mom, but is very excited about his own upcoming move. He’s tired of eating Ramen noodles.

The homefront always takes a backseat in the brain when a new endeavor is begun, so Bob & I made new supper arrangements for Mondays. Sure enough, I came home to find hot, cajun beans, steak fries, and doctored hamburgers. Scrumptious!

I’ll be breaking out the crockpot tomorrow.

Sunday is Game Day and each church has it’s own traditions and routines. These are just some of the questions I pulled into the parking lot hoping to get answers for my first Sunday:
– Which door does everyone come in?
– Where does the staff park?
– Who unlocks all the hundreds of doors?
– Does the staff “talk business” on Sundays?
– Is there Goldfish already in the cabinet?
– Does the building have wireless?
– Where can I find a plastic fork? (I brought my lunch, not knowing all the particulars that follow the last worship service.)

The morning the worship leader is the most busy . . . he knocked on my office door and offered to get me coffee before the first service AND stopped praise band practice between services to introduce me to everyone. What a wonderful expression of kindness.

I also needed to ask the youth leader if I could use his space on Easter Sunday morning. He graciously said “sure,” before he even knew what it was for. What a wonderful expression of cooperation.

I met smiling children who were polite, engaging, and attentive during Sunday school and Children’s Church.  Real children with real hearts, real hands, and real handshakes.

I met precious nursery servants who were on the floor playing and talking with the babies, who shared smiles and conversation.

And there were 2 long-time members who came and introduced themselves to Bob & I individually. They each shook our hands, they each asked us questions about ourselves, and we all shared our first laughs. And that was before we were even introduced. When the pastor did introduce us, the folks in both services applauded. What a lovely welcome.

I not only felt welcomed, I felt wanted and prepared for. The office had been organized and little notes of information were placed on the couple of stacks of resources. On the desk were the 5 most important files: Children’s Rosters w/contact info, Volunteer Schedule through April, Budget, Children’s Council job descriptions, and bulletins for the last 2 months.

I’m grabbing the last pictorial directory this afternoon and writing info around all the new faces we worshipped with today.

For the ones who came before me, thank you . . . surely goodness and mercy have followed you.

Yesterday was my first day taking on the new role as a Children’s Ministry Director and it was fabulous.

First day goals:
1. Get to know the Admin, who we all know knows everything and everybody (I brought her Starbucks, we shared stories, we laughed alot)

2. Write down what is already on the calendar from now through end of the year (read through every 2010 Sunday bulletin to familiarize myself with special events and routines of the the #1 used communication tool of every church)

3. Locate all the bathrooms (hey, I’m over 40)

High? The head of trustees showed me how to use a “wall-moving-handle” to move walls, and the email/facebook blessings from friends old and new.

Low? Pictorial directory photo taken with Mr. Bob at 6pm. Anita Renfroe speaks truth when she says that women want one thing and one thing only before they die: one good picture.

I’ll be sharing my first Children’s Moment tomorrow. I hope I don’t trip on the carpet coming up front.

Some dates just mean more than others. Tomorrow is April 1st and memory lane is right where I am headed . . .

April 1, 1984 – Bob and I are in our first year of marriage and he was totally surprised that I’d tape the sink sprayer to come on to share our first April Fool’s Day as a married couple. Don’t feel sorry for him…he gets me back.

April 1, 1985 – Bob calls me at the bank to meet him downstairs and bring the office staff.  He wants to show us the new sports car that Ford just rolled off the line at the dealership he was working at. He was test driving it and wanted to show it off to me and the whole office staff. We waited a good 20 minutes in the lobby before someone made the comment that this might not be what it seemed.

April 1, 1995 – We get word to prepare to head down to Atlanta from New England . .. Bob’s dad is not doing well. The prostrate cancer has won.

April 1, 1997 – We get the phone call that we are headed to Atlanta in a company transfer. I am doing the happy dance to head back south where you can readily get grits, Rotel tomatoes, and Duke’s Mayonnaise.

April 1, 2005 – The worst day of my life and the best day of my life…from 1am-3am, I sit in the presence of my sweet Jesus as He takes two whole hours to gather the spirit of my Daddy and take him to his Heavenly Home.

April 1, 2011 – I begin a new journey as the Children’s Ministry Director at Wesley Chapel UMC in Marietta…Easter is just around the corner and I’ve got myself a brand new calendar with lots of white space. I am most excited about the new people I am about to meet and share life with. So, beginning tomorrow, I will begin to blog on my First 100 Days as a Children’s Ministry Director. The most loving people have already surrounded me at Waleska UMC (where I’ll still be serving as Weekday Preschool Director) and Hillside UMC (where I’m still loved on as one of their own) and now at Wesley Chapel UMC (where the prayer team has so graciously begun to pray for me and my family.)

I’m reminded of the children’s hymn we sang in chapel this week . . .”What a mighty God we serve, What a might God we serve, Angels bow before Him, Heaven and earth adore Him, What a mighty God we serve.” Don’t forget to do the motions, now.

“Discussion was very informative, but I was very uncomfortable with a comment made by the presenter. She loudly made it very clear that she was a “Jesus freak” and glorifies Him in everything she does and if this makes anyone uncomfortable we are welcome to walk out. I thought it was unprofessional, inappropriate, and rude and made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Although I had the option to leave I didn’t feel this should have been an option in the first place. — isn’t a faith based organization is it? I will be calling your organization to discuss further.” – statement from an event evaluation.

This one angry comment among so many positive ones has taken up a lot of space in my head in the last 24 hours.

I am associated with many organizations. Some faith-based, some not. The faith-based ones are easy. Conversation about the scriptures and prayer and programs within the faith-based ones are expected, so when I tend to get “over the top,” I am able to be free and authentic. However, we are called to be involved in the world, so I am also involved with professional organizations that are not “faith-based,” but ARE led by professed Christians.

Over the last couple of years, this and other organizations that I am involved with have asked me to be “more sensitive.”  Submitting to the authority in leadership, I get that. The scriptures tell us that a kind word turns away wrath, and all words are to be seasoned as salt. It is my heart’s desire to draw others TO Christ rather than away from Him or away from a professional organization that can provide the tools and encouragement to others who tread this journey.

I was not the presenter at this event, I was the facilitator of a panel/roundtable of professionals who serve faithfully and successfully in a leadership role.  However, I was reminded that if I made comments that could give the impression that a workshop had a Christian overtone, that I should make it clear up front. I did, and it bit me.

I don’t remember my exact words at the intro and I knew 90% of the women in the room. I’m sure I tried to be funny, but in the least, I tried to be authentic and clear.  My heart breaks that I, in my limited vocabulary, was not more tactful so as to draw this one woman closer to Christ, and instead offended her to the point that I don’t know if she got anything out of the workshop at all.   And was she the only one?

This is the issue for me: It would be so much easier for me, as a Christian, to be involved in groups and organizations that are safe and faith-based. That would be safe.  It would be so much easier for me, as a pleaser, to be so sensitive as to not offend anyone and have no convictions whatsoever.  But that would put a filter on me so great that I probably wouldn’t say or do anything at all. It would also be easy to say that “the gospel is offensive”  and that’s just too bad that she was offended.  But I wasn’t sharing the gospel, I was trying to be sensitive, and instead it came off just the opposite.

This I know…

1. I will invite others to pray for me when I take on such a “front man” role in the organizations that are not faith-based, to pray for favor in the eyes of the audience, and

2. I will pray that I did not do so much damage to that one woman’s journey to Christ that I can forgive myself, and

3.   I pray that someone with favor in this woman’s heart will be able to show her the love of Jesus that she did not hear in me.

The year I turned 35, I made a New Year’s Resolution to make more close friends. We had just left New England and settled in Towne Lake. With the gift of being able to engage a brick in conversation, I enjoyed many acquaintances. However, leaving a wonderful friend and prayer partner in Massachusetts, I just thought it’d be easy to find other women who . . .
1. were Jesus freaks
2. read their Bible and wanted to talk to other chicks about what they were reading and learning
3. could hold deep conversations about just about anything without fear
4. and we could make each other laugh our heads off

What I found was, “not so much.” If I wanted to talk about kids being tested for gifted classes or decorating I had more than enough people ready to offer an opinion and converse one on top of the other.

This gal from South Louisiana was lost from the get go. I was more interested in playing with my kids than talking about them, and my house was decorated in what Mr. Bob calls “Early Halloween:” nothing matches, but everything has a story.

Having released Mr. Bob from meeting ALL of my needs years earlier, I set out to plan to have “lunch” with one girlfriend a week. I didn’t want a group because I felt the need to build deep relationships and you can’t do that in a pack.

I gotta tell ya . . . it was completely intimidating at first. I argued with myself weekly with “she has more than enough friends and doesn’t need any new ones,” and “what if she leaves to go the bathroom because I’m boring and never comes back.” I figured it was worth the risk, because I missed my New England friend and I WANTED A FRIEND.

I am SO glad that I made it a matter of prayer and got over myself.  These lunches have changed my life.  With the transitions that I’ve experienced over the last 5 months, I can’t imagine having come through them with such joy and anxious anticipation with what God has in store for me without these precious women:
– The one who calls me over and over even when I forget to call back
– The one who makes me go shopping even when I don’t like shopping, but I feel better just being in her presence
– The one who will call on her cousin Guido should I need an equalizer and offers up his services regularly
– The one who listens…alot
– The one who I gave birth to
– The one who calls ME baby girl at 50
– The one who text messages me at the oddest times
– The one who drove out in the middle of a workday to bring me flowers
– The one who asks me what I’m reading and what I’m praying about even when we haven’t talked in weeks
– The one who will spill her guts to me in the short 10 minutes we will have to ourselves because we know we are safe with one another
– The ones who serve on my Personal Board of Directors

Oh, and my friend in Massachusetts? Well, she and I are getting together in July to attend a LifeWay conference on serving with and alongside women. And her baby girl is coming here to spend a few weeks serving in Vacation Bible Schools with me in June.

Oh the rewards of being surrounded by Titus 2 women!