MidWinter Season

In May 2010, I was hired as the youth events coordinator for the SWTC (Southwest Texas United Methodist Conference). It is a blessing - I truly love what I do and truly love the people that I work with. It's been a great journey getting here and I couldn't be more pleased with where God has me at. What a gift to be allowed to chase God's desire in your job as well as in your daily life!

This is MidWinter Season - we have 6 weekend retreats that start in January and end in February - all back to back. It's an amazing season - we will have approximately 1200+ students come through our camps and many will make first time commitments, some will make renewals, and some will answer a call to ministry. The camps belong to God and we desperately seek to bring Him honor and glory in all that we do through the course of the weekend. From the time we start preparing, we begin praying and seeking discernment. He has handed us amazing teams of adults who volunteer and share a love for Him and for youth. 3 of our camps are at Mt Wesley in Kerrville and 2 are at Echo Valley at the HEB Foundation camps in Leakey, Texas. 1 is a mission focused weekend and we are in San Antonio where we focus on serving the Blessed (a word we use for the homeless and less fortunate). We are truly blessed when we serve.

This past weekend we served in San Antonio, as it was our Midwinter Mission. We must have handed out 100 sack lunches, and over 300 coats and blankets. We ate cold breakfast and a dinner equalivent to what would have been served in a soup kitchen. We had amazing worship with the Mark Swayze Band and Ryan Barnett delivered the Word to us. It was a weekend of learning as well. We learned that just the simple act of the human touch could change a person's life. We learned that we can live with less. We learned that how people look is not necessarily reflective of what is in their soul and spirit. We learned that when we sit and eat side by side with the Blessed, that they will share their lives with you and allow you, in turn, to share God with them. We learned that they are talented, creative and resilient. We learned that they are broken and are needing love and respect. We learned that our students are able to fall in love with the ones that He loves and that they don't think twice about giving away their most beloved items to someone who has nothing. But we knew all that - because this is the same way they behave when we "play with the homeless" during our summer camp - where they live among the homeless for almost a whole week.

I'm home now, for four days. For the next four days, I'll prep and pray for the upcoming weekend retreat, run as many miles as I can during the week and will even prepare to desperately miss my family while I'm at camp. I'll probably even sub a few days at the high school so I can see the local students and share laughter and stories with them. And if I tire, I know that He will re-energize me as He always does. I know that He carries me through the MidWinter season, keeping my mind and heart open to everything He shows me. I work for an amazing God.

Another Blessing

I don't think I've posted pics of our grand daughter and wanted to share with the world, the cutest baby I know. She isn't a baby exactly, she's over 2 now and looks just like her mother. She lives 9 hours away and we don't get to see her often enough - due to the travel, economy and our own crazy, personal schedules. We always say we will do better, but it seems that time often flies before and before we know it, another 9 months has passed before we get to see her! Wish she lived closer.

Living a Blessed Life

is a rare feeling that so many don't get to experience. I am blessed because I truly feel that way. Most days at least. At the end of the day, I look back at the days events: was I a good parent, did I lose patience with the kids when I shouldn't have? Was I a good wife? Did I support my hsuband in the best way that I could that day? I count my blessings and I know that I am truly blessed and have so much to be grateful. I am glad that I can say that. In this economy, it isn't often that people can say that but even though we are living on a tighter budget than ever before, we are together, in our house and haven't lost our cars. I am truly blessed because my family, while not perfect, is general pretty great! I am truly blessed because I get to work for God.

Hate/Love Relationship

with running is what I seem to have developed since August. I don't know why I started running, I just did. And I don't like it. But what I do like... is the results. And how it makes me feel. And the fact that I actually like myself more then I did. Let's face it, we women are evil to ourselves! We are our own worse critics, and we pick ourselves apart and are brutal on every "flaw" that we can come up with (and some that we don't have but think we do).

I started running in August because I was tired of being unhappy with my body and decided that I couldn't stand another moment whining about it. However, I have to say that in August, I didn't think I was fat. Nobody told me I was fat. Well, except... OK, so one person said I needed to lose a few pounds but really, do we ever listen to our moms? And my husband certainly wasn't complaining. After all, I had spent all summer P90xing and so I knew I wasn't fat.

But in August, my knee decided it no longer liked P90x and so I had to hit the treadmill while rehabbing the knee. And so I decided if I was going to hamstermill it, I would make it work to my advantage - on a 10 incline at 3.5 and before I knew it, I was walking at 4.0, and then running at 5.5 and then a 6.0.

Then, a person I know decided to do a half marathon and I was inspired. Random but inspired. And so I decided, I can do that. So I researched, studied and decided on a training program. And I made huge major changes to my diet (not really). I just cut out gluten, white food, unnatural sugars, processed foods and bread. So what do I eat? Ahh, that's another night and another post.

Long Story short, I have become obsessed with training and nutrition again (I go through these phases) and I enjoy it. Finally, a great way for my OCD to manifest itself. I'm up to 9 miles on my long runs, and my short runs are between 3 and 5 miles. I run 6 days a week. I run on the treadmill most days as it allows my ADHD to be fed by the remote control of the TV. And on weekends, I run with my beloved who is my biggest cheerleader.

I realize I must have been fat in August though. I made this realization when people who had not seen me for a few weeks said "OMG, you have lost soooooooo much weight". And then I realize I did - 35 lbs (28.5% weight loss). So that's some of the story. I still look at pictures (like the one taken at the zoo about 4 days ago) and still think I'm fat, but I'm going to work on that(but I'm a woman and I think my brain is simply hardwired that way).

I hate running but I love the fact that none of my shorts fit the other day, none of my bathing suits fit anymore, and none of my blue jeans fit. I know - no sympathy. I'm not bragging - I'm just saying that is the only love part to the running relationship.

My husband told his friend (he has more than one, but he was just talking to one) the other day, that he hates running but because I love it so much, he loves running with me. I corrected him and said - I hate running but I love what happens afterwards. So now, we hate running together. And the side benefit, totally unexpected, is that on Saturdays when we do our long run - it's up to 1 1/2 hours of just we time. Him, Me and Him encouraging me the whole way. Okay - I absolutely Love that part!

Long time, no Blog

Argh - it's been eons since I've last blogged and I wish that I could promise that I will be more frequent with picking it back up, but that's just one less pressure I need right now. Watch the point get made! Since last blog, I:

Have been freelancing for the SWTX conference with their youth camps, writing curriculum, helping design, train our servant team (summer camp work crew), directed 6 summer camps, either directed or coordinated 6 weekend mid-winter camps, lost 33 lbs (28.5% body fat), began training for a half = marathon, helped my husband open a non-profit jiujitsu gym, coordinated and directed a Get Fit Challenge for local teachers (season 2 starts in 5 days), am currently taking 4 college classes (8 week classes online), subbed 4 out of 5 days at the high school (okay, lately, its been 5 out of 5 days) and learned how to work my blackberry!

I've been a little busy - so busy in fact, that I haven't really even gotten to work on any photography! I squeeze in photography whenever I can but other than that, nothing to write home about.

I would like to blog more, I think it helps clear my mind! Okay, enough mind clearing for the night - gotta go do the dishes.

New School Year Begins

Summer is gone and I haven't had time to blog! Joshua will be starting 3rd grade and Michaleh will be a sophmore. She will be at a new school - literally new! They just built it and I'm not sure that is 100% ready to go! And Joshua will be going to a different elementary school. We all have met the teachers, toured the buildings, bought the school supplies and clothes and so I guess we are all ready!
Joshua will also be turning 8 as well and we'll e celebrating it with five of his friends. Nothing big this year.
It seems that the economy has affected us so much that we didn't even take a vacation this summer! What going back to school means to me is that I get to go back to substituting at the high school - which I love - but doesn't really pay well.
The gym has been hard work - not a lot of business but we do have 4 young men who are training hard every night and are preparing for Battle of HTown (Houston). We're busy doing fundraisers in order to cover their expenses. In exchange for their hard work, no drinking/smoking and required community service, we agree to pay their lodging, transportation and registrtion as well as meals. Maybe this is what God is wanting us to do with them gym - but it would be nice to have 10 pay a monthly fee so we could cover our utilities!
Camp Season is over but I've signed on for another year of directing. I'll soon be writing curriculum, looking at registrations, and stressing! I can't wait!
Guess that brings everyone up to speed! Maybe I'll find more time once school starts to update the blogs!

Quick Update

O My - I've been so insanely busy that updating the blog has been last on my mind - but I realize that I really need to do it more often and so I've made a commitment to do just that (at least for the next few days). You can read about my summer insanity under my youth ministry blog and that will fill you in on all the fun I'm having.

We have also been working to get our non-profit gym up and running. And so I have got to spend the next three weeks really focused on just that. We would love to see kids from our town in the gym nightly so we know they aren't out making bad decisions. We have lost two teens to death this week - one from drinking and driving and the other one shot (unknown why yet). I'm busy looking for grants and anything else to help make this happen. It is also our chance to share with them about God.

We did take off Saturday and relax at Llano River for fourth of July. Here's a pic of Chris - you can tell he's really benefiting from that P90X!