Alleluia Christ is Risen!

I love holidays like Easter. The music is always good, the sermons picked with care, people put on their holiday best and best of all Jesus is the focus. Not to say the other holidays are all bad but anytime we focus on Jesus is a good thing. Plus the energy at church is always so much more electric. I mean who doesn't want to go to church when people are more alive in their worship? And Easter this year did not disappoint. People sang heartily to "I am the Bread of Life", my brother played his trombone beautifully, and we got our Alleluia's back for the Lord has risen indeed!

Half full or Half empty?

Are you a half full or half empty kind of person? Or maybe are you someone who can swing either way depending on the situation. If it is happening to someone else is it half full? But half empty if it is happening to you? I like to think of myself as a half full type of person but I know I have my days. My moments where it is definitely not half full. It might not even be half empty, it might be 3/4 empty. Recently I got into a situation where no matter what I said to someone their glass was half empty. Just when I thought I had said something they could not argue and twist to be a downer they would. There was always a way to make that glass half empty. Pretty soon I found myself joining in. Almost one upping the person on this whole half empty thing. Then it hit me. Why??? Why do I need to compete to be the one whose glass is the most empty? Life is not always what you expect but that does not make it all bad. What if Jesus was like that. Wondering around being pissed off about having to be crucified??? Not to say he was unhappy about how he had to die, that I will leave to you to decide. But really what if? How would things have turned out. Would he then died for our sins? Or would he have walked away from it all. "Sorry God but this stinks so I am not going to be crucified today". No Jesus did die on that cross. He died for our sins so our glass could be half full. Or better yet more than half full. He died for our sins! Yours, mine, everyone's personally. Just for you and me. What better gift can you get than that??? So while my the person I was talking to might not be there yet, I am choosing today to have a glass half full because Jesus died so that I can.

It has been a long time...

As my wonderful friend pointed out the other day it has been a long time since I have blogged. So for you Sarah I am blogging. I would like to think that this is going to be the blog to end all blogs. That nothing else will compare but since I just read the most touching, well written, blog from someone else that is not going to be the case. Not that I am comparing ; )

So what has been going on in my neck of the woods? A lot! From fundraisers to conferences to normal work stuff I have been kept going and going. I will say though one of my most favorite things I have done recently though is when I went to a friends and helped organize her kitchen. Yep I helped someone organize and it was a blast! Not so specifically that we were organizing but the company I was with and the conversations we had. It felt good to reconnect with her. Sometimes I can get so caught up in my busy life that I forget to stop and just reconnect. There was tons of laughter, a few moments of seriousness, and a whole lot more laughter. Especially when you start telling tupperware to behave! Life is almost always going to feel crazy. Things to do, people to see and never enough time to do it all in. But as long as you take the time to reconnect with those you love, those who make you laugh, and those you truly care about life will be OK.
P.S. If your tupperware ever gives you trouble I have a friend that is good at telling them to behave!

Melody of Love

What do you get when you combine musically talented youth, a good cook, and a church gym? You get Melody of Love! Last weekend my youth held a fundraiser where people bought tickets to have a wonderful meal complete with live music from the youth. We decked out the gym as best we could, set-up the tables as fancy as we could (we even used champagne flutes), and had hostesses that seated people as they came into the gym. It was perfect. The youth picked their own songs, rehearsed on their own, found their own accompaniment, and were amazing! The food was amazing too. A three course meal that included a roll, ceasar salad, green beans with almonds, twice baked potatoes, chicken cordon blue, and chocolate heart cups (that we made) filled with no-bake cheesecake and a raspberry topping. It was delicious! Wish I could have that sort of meal made for me everyday. The best part about all of this is that I have only heard good things about the night. People loved being served, being sang to, and having a good meal with their neighbors. Can't wait till next year!

Oh the joys of planning....

It seems that no matter how hard you work to be totally organized, keep people in the loop, etc., etc. things still go haywire. Like my mission trip. I was feeling pretty good about it. Had the week picked out. The location picked out. Going with a company that I used several times now and liked. And what happens? They call me to say that the site I had reserved was no longer being offered! I had to chose a new site! A new site??? Really? There was a reason I chose what I choose and now I have to rethink this all over again? The representative who was talking to me wanted me to choose right after she told me. She had the list of mission trips all pulled up and ready to go. Wait what? I need to choose right now? While I am still processing all of this??? I had to politely tell her that after talking with my boss and few other people I would let her know. the good news is that I have picked a new site and most people are still happy. But hmmm...what will be next?

Little did they know...

When they hired me little did they know that not only am I accident prone but I seem to bring that out in other people. Usually I have pretty good humor about it all but the other day 3 people, count them 3 people got hurt, essentially at the same time. And none of them were in the same place when they were getting hurt at the same time! It can be a little frustrating at times but I have to keep reminding myself that it is not my fault. But just so you all can get a full grasp of my accident proneness that I seem to bring to the table, here is a list of things that my youth and I have either broken or the injuries we have caused in a year and a half:

3 holes in the walls

Gouges in the drywall

2 broken lights

1 broken paper towel holder

1 broken chair

1 door frame that came off

1 dog bite

1 broken finger

2 black and blue toes

1 sprained foot

1 sprained ankle

1 concussion

And I think that completes my list but you never know. With a list like that I may have missed a thing or two.

Fundraisers anyone?

This year for the HS mission trip we are going to Las Vegas. Yes you read that correctly we are going to Las Vegas. Before you get your nickers in a bunch we are not doing the whole strip thing and there is a need for help there too. In order to make this trip we will need to raise about $4,500. How do you raise that much money you ask? Well you fundraise... and fundraise, and fundraise, and fundraise. And then when you are done with that you fundraise some more. I have decided the hardest part of all of these fundraisers is the volunteers you work with. They are lovely people and it is amazing that they are so giving of their time. It is trying to coordinate all them without hurting anyone's feelings, letting all of their ideas be heard (and hopefully you can put that idea into action), and meanwhile still pulling off a successful fundraiser. Last year it was bingo, this year a valentines dinner with live music, and childcare provided. Holey moley this is going to be a wild ride.