brushfire??

Yesterday was an interesting day at church. Some of the very issues CJ and I have been praying about for almost 2 years now were testified about after worship. I didn't catch everything that people said but I heard enough and things like "loving people to Jesus, not the church" were central themes to several people's testimonies. I was so excited! With starting this new Angel Food Ministry I hope to talk about these ideas with our volunteers and share a vision that I've had for a long time.
People are starting to get excited about AFM and so am I. I had a lot more volunteers sign up yesterday and we start taking orders this week. I think this is going to be bigger than we had originally thought. I originally had planned on not advertising this until the month of November but I didn't think to tell the congregation that. I've had so many people come up and tell me that they are telling friends and family and their coworkers etc etc. It's going to be interesting. :)
CJ and I were up talking last night after reading together (we are reading a book called "They Love Jesus But Not The Church"-fascinating) and really hope that the attitudes expressed yesterday catch on and spread through our church, much like a brushfire. Hopefully, AFM can play a role in that.

"Mommy, Wow! I'm a big kid now"

Do you remember those commercials for pull ups? With the song "I'm a big kid. Look what I can do. I can wear big kid pants too." Well tonight if Dani could form a sentence she'd be singing it. :) Actually, tonight was the first time she peed in the elmo potty chair we bought 6 months ago. She acted very proud of herself but I couldn't quite tell if it was all her or just her reaction to my reaction. I clapped and cheered and we called Daddy and Mimi. I didn't have any candy but CJ's bringing that home from work tonight. M&Ms for Dani, comin' up. Wow, I guess I need to do some research on a method to start potty training. I haven't the slightest clue how to do this. For the next couple days, I'll probably wing it. I've always kinda been that mom that just takes her cues from the kid. I never put her on a schedule (she put herself on one) and I've usually just gone with my gut for most things. It has worked well for Dani. She has never been one that you can push. She does things at her own pace and if you rush her she just digs those heels in and she's staying put. Her slow pace is still faster than staying put!

Other than our excitement tonight. Life has definitely slowed down this week. I've still been busy but it's not that RUSHED kind of busy. Just enough to fill the day. We've been really working on Angel Food stuff this week. We start taking orders really soon and we are still trying to figure this out. I made some big strides this week by actually getting a hold of our contact person and getting some questions answered but we need to go though all the training stuff and figure out how to take orders and place them on the website. That's the next biggie we need to learn.

Tomorrow CJ is OFF!!!! Yeah! Even though he sleeps in in the morning and after that I have to go clean the church but still the whole afternoon and evening will be ours. I'm supposed to go to this ladies thing at church but I really need some CJ time. We tried to find a babysitter so we could have a date but no-can-do. Couldn't find anybody! So it's family night for us. That's still great though. I love watching CJ with Dani and she'll go to bed by 8:30 or so...

Well, I'm off to bed. G' Night all.

"mouthpiece of God"???? Really?

I really really really wish people would think about what they say before they say it. And even if they still feel the comment they want to make is the truth, I wish they would think about HOW they should say it before it comes out of their mouth or is typed on to the web.
I was looking at some comments made my my friends on Facebook today (and many days in fact) that are soooo insensitive to others. One wished that people without health insurance would "get off their butts and get a job that offers health insurance" I know this person and he has skills that allows him to get that kind of job. Does he even think about how this might sound to those that don't have that ability?
Also, what bugs me WAY more about this scenario is that he is in a ministry position at a church! Hello!!! We are supposed to be the "mouthpiece of God" Did Jesus talk to those that were struggling like that? Heck NO!!! He treated them with compassion and understanding. He got to know them before he would have ever have had offered any kind of advice and even then it was done in LOVE!! No wonder many theologians refer to this time period the Great Embarrassment for God. He chose to entrust us with his image to convey himself to the world and look how we embarrass him. It's awful.
(By the way, I'm not saying I'm perfect but I AM learning to think before I say these days)

insane

I knew next week was going to be busy but now it's going to be absolutely insane! I should probably tell you that since I blogged last December, I got another job besides Hy-vee. I am now cleaning our church twice a week. It works great with our schedules (I can pick my hours) and the pay is good. Part of this job is I clean up after weddings. So occasionally I have to fit those hours into my week. It's usually a pain cuz of trying to find a babysitter or trying to work it around CJ's schedule but we do ok plus the extra money is nice.

The weekend of Sept 12 and 13, I have TWO weddings to clean up after! One is usually a hassle, but TWO? But "Hey," I told myself, "It's great extra money and I can do this" I decided to ask off from Hy-vee to ease the stress a little (I still work Monday nights there) plus, CJ is off Monday cuz it's Labor Day. So we'd have a fun day together before a really busy week.

One more things, it's Rodeo weekend. So CJ will probably be working more hours and the parade is Saturday. I really want to take Dani to it even though last time some stuff scared her. I really hope she does better this time.

So "Why is it going from busy to insane" you ask? Well, yesterday my boss calls me and asks me to work anyway next week cuz she doesn't have enough help. What? Long story short, if she'd have hired enough help and trained enough people to close, she wouldn't be so short on help. It's a long story... Anyway... also, you must know my boss is not someone you can put in a bind or she will punish you forever for it. So what choice do I have? I grudgingly tell her I can work one night to help her out even though I sooooooo didn't want to. (I was looking forward to being free from that place just one week)

Then today, my boss' boss calls and asks me to work yet ANOTHER night. Basically she says if I don't we have no other options and I need to do it.
Soooo... my week is as follows---

Monday-regularly scheduled church cleaning then closing shift at HV

Tuesday-getting up with Dani in the morning cuz CJ has to work early, then closing shift at HV.

Wednesday-CJ works in the afternoon so I'll see him a little in the morning and then I have worship team practice and a Sunday School board meeting that evening.

Thursday-regular cleaning at the church plus some extra to get things ready for the weddings.

Friday-my one day off, but CJ is working the 8-6 shift so we won't see him all day. That makes Dani anxious and irritable and therefore more challenging. Plus he'll work late with it being Rodeo weekend

Saturday-Rodeo Parade with Dani, then attending a wedding, then cleaning up after the wedding AND reception. (they are having both at the church)

Sunday-worship team and then another wedding to clean up after (they are also having both the ceremony and reception at the church)

I am just so tired thinking about it. When my boss's boss called asking for another day I literally cried. I usually work 10-12 hours a week. Both Hy'vee and church cleaning together. This week I will be working 15 hours at HV alone, plus everything else. I know this doesn't sound like tons to all of you that work full time but remember I'm also a stay at home Mom, I still have Dani to care for.

Side Note- I don't like that term "stay at home mom" like we sit on the couch munching cheetos all day. I prefer "work at home mom" so from now on that's how I'll refer to myself.

I'm tired just thinking about it. Pray for me if you think of me next week.

like a new years resolution in years past

Ha Ha Ha. This reminds me of all the times I resolved on Jan 1st to write in my diary everyday when I was a kid!!! I'm not so good at keeping up at this but I'm going to give it a shot again.
There were some things that really kept me emotionally drained over the last 6 months or so. When I feel like that, the last thing I want to do it sit down and write. Writing drains me even though I enjoy it. Sooooo, I'm feeling better and want to start up again.
Life is good overall. We are struggling with feeling like we belong sometimes. I didn't expect to feel like starting over when we moved here. I've never actually moved somewhere without a group of friends. Having to start from scratch with friendships is difficult. Thank goodness we've got each other! (cue, "I've got you babe...) CJ has been struggling with this the most I think. I've got some friendships they just aren't as close as those I left behind.

On the upside, we are going to be starting a new ministry at church. It's called Angel Food. Basically, it allows people to buy $70 worth of food for about $30. CJ and I bought from them in KC and it was really good quality stuff. With this area's low income ratio it'll hopefully be really helpful for some. We are just getting started this month with meetings and getting volunteers.

I'm going to be coordinating a Live Nativity this year if I can pull it off. I NEED to meet with people soon! I've got to make sure we can build the sets before I can really get going. I have no idea what kind of budget I'm going to get and how many guys would be willing to build sets. I'm going to start small this year and hopefully build on it from year to year. Anyone willing to help? You don't even need to be involved in our church or any church for that matter to help. We want anyone to feel welcome to help out. I'm going to try my best to make it fun.

I've read a lot of books this past 6 months. I feel like I'm growing more and more at peace with my new view of Christian living but getting more and more frustrated with how to incorporate that in my life. I just don't know what to do sometimes. I feel like I'm learning what God want me to learn but I am stumbling with what he wants me to do. I am continuing on the same path that I started when we got here; trying to bring change in the environment we are already in, cuz I don't feel any clear instruction to do otherwise but I struggle with impatience.

Dani is growing like a weed. She is making up for her growth "stall" from 9 months to 18 months. I had to go buy all new clothes for her this fall. (well not ALL new but quite a bit of stuff) She's as strong willed as we thought she'd be and is now reaching things she could never reach before. So I'm having to baby proof all over again. Not as easy as the first time. All we had to do last time was move stuff up. Now I have no where to put things. Working on some creative solutions on this one.

Well that's all for now. I'll write more soon, I promise. Peace out :) Always wanted to say that.