My bad ass big sister started a new job with a pretty awesome shoe company. Its so awesome that I'm afraid to mention it cause I'm not sure if I'm allowed. Anyway being that she works at this shoe giant I was able to ask for a pair of walking shoes. I walk a lot in my job and run every now and again. I have gone through quiet a few pairs of shoes and never have had a shoe really support me through out the day. I got my new pair from my sister and boy do they feel comfortable. With that I went and purchased a pair of running shoes. I've always wanted to be a runner. And recently I figured out the magical combination and I am proud to say I can run a mile in 11 minutes. That may seem really slow but that's me consistently jogging. I usually run and walk and run and walk and it takes me 14 minutes. But lately I can consistently keep my pace and I've been pushing myself to keep going and not taking a break. So with these new magical combination I decided I need a good pair of running shoes. They are comfortable and support me. But the other day I wore them all day during work and my feet hurt. My toes were not supported and I almost got blisters. This is the weirdest realization to have but it took having the right kind of shoes to make me understand why there is a separation between walking shoes and running shoes. For the longest time it has always been switchable for me. But while I was running yesterday and praying I realized that the way shoes support us for different reasons we also need to be supported by the right people in our lives. Our lives are a journey and some days we need to be patient, to vent, to walk and we need to right people in our lives to support us during that time. To support us the right way. If I am needing to be patient having a fire ball friend that just spit balls advice to me does not support me. If I am needing to be healthy having a friend tell me I don't need to lose weight (being healthy is not the same as losing weight) or offering me unhealthy things does not support me. I've never understood having friends that encourage unhealthy behaviors, but that's a blog for another day. We must surround ourselves with the right people. I don't believe the Christians must only be friends with Christians. I have plenty of wonderful friends who aren't believers and they support me in wonderful ways but I'm realizing that in the seasons of our lives we need different support. When I am running a marathon (like launching FAME) I need long term support. I need my husband, I need my family. I need the right running shoes. When I need to vent and get silly I need my sisters and brother. I need flip flops. We will go through periods in our lives where God will place specific people in our lives for that season. He knows best and he knows where we need support. It's important to know that in every part of our life God is every shoe. He fits every need, but we need to be in connection with them and reach for the different shoes. He won't be forcing the right shoe on us or throw things at us. We can't pray to him and ask for things because God isn't a shoe store, we need to be in prayer having a good relationship with him and trusting in him and the shoes he is putting on our feet. We need to tie up our laces, look at him and say Ok God lets go, take his hand and start walking, jogging, running, or skipping. He is the best support.
"Lets go God."
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Serving in the community
As the school year ending gets closer and closer I have to start trying to start up FAME. FAME is an organization I run in the summer for kids with special needs. It Focuses on Art and Music Education and in Cali it was very successful. I think if I was still there I would've had to rented out a space to accommodate all the students and make a summer camp.
I came up with this idea of having my own school company after I started working in schools when I was 19. I started noticing such a downward trend of cutting back from art and music. At the time it was all hush hush. People didn't realize that Art and music was getting cut from schools. It was just a little cut here and there. When I started my 2nd year of college it was evident that schools were losing money so the the first things that had to go was art and music. I actually went to college on an art scholarship, but after seeing the change in the schools I changed my major. I knew I would be able to do good in the schools by serving the kids with special needs and incorporate my own art with them. But as I finished my bachelors I felt God calling me to do much more. It wasn't good enough to just teach art and have music in schools once a week. It had to be infused in their lives. To me it was about giving them an outlet, a tool to speak their minds. I realized what a gift this is when my cousin started showing his talent in art. He would create these beautiful pieces and it was like looking into his mind and witnessing what he saw in the world. That was amazing. It was remarkable. These kids are remarkable. We all have gifts and talents. God has given us all our own wonderful qualities, but instead of trying to force these kids to fit into our "normal" I believe we need to step over to there side and witness their "normal." I am constantly amazed at these kids. They teach me so much about themselves and the world. Stopping and taking the time to find beauty in straws, princesses, trains, stairs, dates, numbers, birthdays, location, etc. I could go on and on.
But last week after listening to the sermon my pastor was giving I realized what I was missing. I realized its not even about serving these remarkable children. Its about serving all children, because they are all remarkable. Its about giving up and using the mission God has given me to serve families in need. Our church in embarking on this amazing mission to give back to the community and serve. We are partnering with a organization called safe families which partners with families that are homeless. And they help by working with families to not go through the fostering process. Many times families get ripped apart because of hard times and it just makes things that much more difficult for the children. While I was listening to our pastor talk about what things we could do as individuals to help this organization, I could hear the Lord tell me to use FAME. Use FAME as a summer program for these families. I can't imagine how much more difficult it is for these parents to go to work or job interview when they have to worry about what they child will be doing for the day. When school is out where can these kids go? I mean even the host families, what are they to do with the children, when they need the structure of a school day. To have a place for kids to go be creative and express themselves in the summer at no cost to families, this is what it means to serve. To give back to the community. But even the families with working moms and dads, what are they suppose to do with their children in summer? How can you find a quality program that won't cost you a fortune but will cultivate your children. FAME has always been a non-profit, faith based organization, but it took coming to Oregon for me to see the extend of God's mission for me. I've never lost hope in FAME and the ideals of FAME, but I did lose hope in getting it started. I lost hope in FAME ever becoming a reality. Now I see it coming together more clearly. It certainly took patience and trusting in the Lord. Continually keeping in the back of my mind, hearing God tell me to not give up and the time will come.
I continue to pray the steps I am taking to create this reality would be bring me closer to this dream. FAME summer camp coming 2015! We are so close!
I came up with this idea of having my own school company after I started working in schools when I was 19. I started noticing such a downward trend of cutting back from art and music. At the time it was all hush hush. People didn't realize that Art and music was getting cut from schools. It was just a little cut here and there. When I started my 2nd year of college it was evident that schools were losing money so the the first things that had to go was art and music. I actually went to college on an art scholarship, but after seeing the change in the schools I changed my major. I knew I would be able to do good in the schools by serving the kids with special needs and incorporate my own art with them. But as I finished my bachelors I felt God calling me to do much more. It wasn't good enough to just teach art and have music in schools once a week. It had to be infused in their lives. To me it was about giving them an outlet, a tool to speak their minds. I realized what a gift this is when my cousin started showing his talent in art. He would create these beautiful pieces and it was like looking into his mind and witnessing what he saw in the world. That was amazing. It was remarkable. These kids are remarkable. We all have gifts and talents. God has given us all our own wonderful qualities, but instead of trying to force these kids to fit into our "normal" I believe we need to step over to there side and witness their "normal." I am constantly amazed at these kids. They teach me so much about themselves and the world. Stopping and taking the time to find beauty in straws, princesses, trains, stairs, dates, numbers, birthdays, location, etc. I could go on and on.
But last week after listening to the sermon my pastor was giving I realized what I was missing. I realized its not even about serving these remarkable children. Its about serving all children, because they are all remarkable. Its about giving up and using the mission God has given me to serve families in need. Our church in embarking on this amazing mission to give back to the community and serve. We are partnering with a organization called safe families which partners with families that are homeless. And they help by working with families to not go through the fostering process. Many times families get ripped apart because of hard times and it just makes things that much more difficult for the children. While I was listening to our pastor talk about what things we could do as individuals to help this organization, I could hear the Lord tell me to use FAME. Use FAME as a summer program for these families. I can't imagine how much more difficult it is for these parents to go to work or job interview when they have to worry about what they child will be doing for the day. When school is out where can these kids go? I mean even the host families, what are they to do with the children, when they need the structure of a school day. To have a place for kids to go be creative and express themselves in the summer at no cost to families, this is what it means to serve. To give back to the community. But even the families with working moms and dads, what are they suppose to do with their children in summer? How can you find a quality program that won't cost you a fortune but will cultivate your children. FAME has always been a non-profit, faith based organization, but it took coming to Oregon for me to see the extend of God's mission for me. I've never lost hope in FAME and the ideals of FAME, but I did lose hope in getting it started. I lost hope in FAME ever becoming a reality. Now I see it coming together more clearly. It certainly took patience and trusting in the Lord. Continually keeping in the back of my mind, hearing God tell me to not give up and the time will come.
I continue to pray the steps I am taking to create this reality would be bring me closer to this dream. FAME summer camp coming 2015! We are so close!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Genuine
Last week was a blur. Kyle and I flew to California to say good bye to his uncle. I don't remember much of last week. The only thing that continues to be said in my head is the word "genuine." What does this word really mean? Many people at the funeral said "Uncle Jim was a genuine guy." How does one become genuine? When I think of what that word means I think of people that are real and true to who they are and don't falter in anyway. Can anyone really be genuine? So many things influence us in our lives and cause us to change. Maybe genuine means you get what you see. If that is the case, how often do we actually get what see? I think back to a lesson I learned a long time ago. We all wears masks. Work masks, Family masks, Friends masks, relationship masks, and so on. What does it take to strip away the masks and really just be us, be bare for the world to see. How would the world be different if we all just were allowed to be ourselves? How scary would it be? How wonderful would it be? I think this is why I work with kids with special needs. There are no mask with them. Its easy. I get what I see.
But I think for everyone else to come to this point in our world it would have to be followed by loving everyone. For Uncle Jim, every time someone said he was "genuine" it was also followed by, "he loved everyone." This concept is so difficult for me because I believe the word "love" is thrown around so much that I keep it close. I think it is amazing when someone can really open up and love everyone. I know that for me it is difficult, it is difficult for me to accept love and give it. I think of the message we heard at church yesterday. Jesus loved and showed love. First thing he did is, Jesus gave himself, relationally, making himself available. In Jesus, he demands that we give self, not just finances. Jesus viewed generosity as a means of service and not power. Jesus always brought value to people when he served them. Being humbled, and putting their person ahead of himself. I think this is what is means to be genuine and love everyone. The funny thing is I serve, I serve in my own way and this is how I show love. I won't hug, or say it, but if you find yourself being brought a meal, being thrown a party, being brought a treat, being painted something or being made a cake you'll know that I do indeed love you. The hurdle to leap across is giving myself relationally. It's difficult. I know it is demanded of me. And I thank all the people in my lives that cause me to squirm because you give me hugs. Day by Day I am being molded. Forever on the potters wheel.
But I think for everyone else to come to this point in our world it would have to be followed by loving everyone. For Uncle Jim, every time someone said he was "genuine" it was also followed by, "he loved everyone." This concept is so difficult for me because I believe the word "love" is thrown around so much that I keep it close. I think it is amazing when someone can really open up and love everyone. I know that for me it is difficult, it is difficult for me to accept love and give it. I think of the message we heard at church yesterday. Jesus loved and showed love. First thing he did is, Jesus gave himself, relationally, making himself available. In Jesus, he demands that we give self, not just finances. Jesus viewed generosity as a means of service and not power. Jesus always brought value to people when he served them. Being humbled, and putting their person ahead of himself. I think this is what is means to be genuine and love everyone. The funny thing is I serve, I serve in my own way and this is how I show love. I won't hug, or say it, but if you find yourself being brought a meal, being thrown a party, being brought a treat, being painted something or being made a cake you'll know that I do indeed love you. The hurdle to leap across is giving myself relationally. It's difficult. I know it is demanded of me. And I thank all the people in my lives that cause me to squirm because you give me hugs. Day by Day I am being molded. Forever on the potters wheel.
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