Busy Busy Busy

This week continues to keep me on my toes!

Monday through Wednesday, I went to a workshop on "Counseling Teens in Crisis" led my Tiger McLuen and Youth Leadership.   It was a great workshop - lots of good tips, neat people, and opportunities to examine how I communicate with our youth group kids... and adults as well.  A very good way to spend a few days - although emotionally exhausting (discussing suicide, depression, eating disorders, cutting, abuse, etc for 3 days can be a bit much!). 

Tuesday and Wednesday, following the workshop, I had meetings at church - getting me home late everynight.  But I wouldn't trade those groups for the world.  I'm leading a group on the book, "Unbinding the Gospel" by Martha Grace Reese - a book on real life evangelism.  Such a neat group and great discussion!  (If evangelism is something that freaks you out, I highly recommend reading this book.)  Our book group is starting the book, "Same Kind of Different as Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.  An interesting true story about a homeless guy and a wealthy art dealer meeting up, becoming friends, and changing each other's lives.  Very cool.

And today I spent a full day at work followed by a Church Council meeting - and didn't get home til after 9pm.  But it was worth it.  It's so fun to be part of what is happening at our church right now - great leadership, great focus on the future, looking for direction for where God is leading us, and through it all having fun with the amazing people of our congregation.  It was a long day.  I missed a chance to go to Feed My Starving Children.  But it was a good day, too.

This weekend, I am preaching.  I have lots of ideas, but need to sit down and work for several hours.  Tomorrow is the day!  I'm kind of excited for this sermon...  I'll let you know how it turns out!

Things I am thankful for today:

1.  A very productive week!
2.  New friends through the workshop.
3.  Tiger Mcluen's leadership - always helpful!
4.  A lovely little surprise on my desk today - from "God."
5.  My "Unbinding" small group - an amazing group of women, willing to look at their faith and how they share it with others.  Too cool.
6.  Our book group - always good to "hang" with the ladies!
7.  The hubby took the dog for her booster shot today - one less thing for me to stress about.
8.  A great, uplifting Council meeting.
9.  A glass of wine when I got home.
10.  The week is slowing down...
11.  The "Blue Like Jazz" book by Donald Miller is going to be made into a movie afterall!  If you're a fan, check out this website to join the story - it's going to be the first movie EVER funded by the fans!  This book was instrumental in my faith life - and has been for MANY others.  The movie could reach so many more...