today's distraction...3 yr olds & old clothes

today was a little different for me.  i went to the head start program in baldwin and hung out with the 3 year old class.  they were precious!  of all the names i heard this morning, my favorite was Le'zay'lon.  he has two apostrophes.  super cool! 

after lunch, i went with a small group to Chez Hope.  this is a battered women's shelter.  i had no idea about this kind of stuff.  i knew of shelters existing like this but had NEVER experienced anything like it.  this one is housed in a remodeled hotel.  it's fantastic.  they help lots of women and children.  what they needed us to do today was to sort through "my sister's closet."  this is a clothes closet where the women come and can get what they need at no cost to them.  we do this in psj but ours is the cadillac version of this one.  at least today we cleared a path from one door to the other.  it's a tangible way to see how we have helped. 

it was a good day. 

my quote today comes from the preschool teacher at head start (it's actually more of an experience).  they were going over their daily morning activities like what the date was and what day it was and after they recited all of this, she said, "you are so smart!  kiss your brain!"  then they kissed their little hands and pressed their hands to their heads.  it's was PRECIOUS!  i'm gonna use this one later! :-)

today's distraction...sewing kits (day 2)

today was a great day at sager brown!  we rose nice and early and had several orientations of what kind of work we would be doing this week.  then we headed over to the depot warehouse.  this place is impressive.  everything that comes into sager brown is sorted and all kinds of stuff get ready to head out to whomever needs it.

i worked at the sewing kit table.  at this table, we had to make sure that each bag had 3 yards of fabric, a matching spool of thread, a pack of needles, a pair of scissors, and at least 5-8 matching buttons.  i had a great time putting these together.  it was fun matching everything up and digging through massive amounts of thread and buttons.  many of the kits were already packed by the folks who sent them to sager brown but they all have to be checked.  i couldn't help thinking of who is going to receive each kit and what they were going to make with it.  i pray it blesses their life!  other kits that were being put together were school kits, layette kits, birthing kits, and health kits.

tomorrow, i am headed to the head start program in baldwin.  i believe i will be working with 3 and 4 year olds.  right up my alley!

today was also mary's birthday (68, i believe).  mac surprised her with a cake and candles and she clapped and grinned like a little girl.  pure joy!

quote of today...skip - (talking about planning the communion service on thursday) - well they argued about who was going to bless the condiments.  (he meant elements, as in communion elements)

today's distraction...travel

this morning i left with a group of 17 older folks on a mission trip.  we headed to baldwin, louisiana to the UMCOR sager brown depot.  it was a loooooong bus ride from psj to baldwin.  i think we stopped 5 times!  i sat in the back with the luggage so they wouldn't have to.  have i mentioned that i am the youngest person here by at least 30 years or more??  it's definitely going to be an experience!!

quote of the evening...mrs jewell - anybody got any scotch tape?  no?  well, i'll just find some chewing gum! (she was trying to hang up a small poster of some sort)

today's distraction - flooding parking lots

we have had one serious storm this morning and after hurricane season is over too!  the parking lot has been flooded.  the road on the other side of the church has been flooded.  the yard is still flooded.  it's completely fascinating me today.  i cancelled my programs for this afternoon because of the weather and i have done NO other work because of watching the water rise and fall.  i got soaked to the skin when i looked out the window and noticed the water was almost up to the doors of my car!  i took off my shoes and ran to move it!  i have never experienced anything like this!

this picture is from the drain that caused all the flooding in the first place.  someone finally came and cleared it!  it made a fantastic noise too!

this one is taken from the upstairs of the church.  the water here is much lower than it was.

closer view.  see the line of pine straw and pine cones - that's how high it was!

november in review (my constant distractions)

Listening to...currently - Enter the Worship Circle - Third Circle & CHRISTMAS MUSIC!

Watching...Elf on repeat

Reading...Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery (LOVE IT!)

Need to be reading...Stuff for ministry - Orange, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions

Eating...Christmas party food - it's that time of year!

Drinking...same ole' same ole - diet coke and water

Wearing...my slippers (the MOMENT i get home - i wish i could pull them off as real shoes)

Lusting after...Keurig coffee machine (i just can't justify it in my mind but it seems oh so fantastic)

Brainstorming on...my new craft room/exercise room

Excited about...Christmas, clearly & Children's Pastors Conference in January

Getting ready for...traveling and upcoming responsibilities and lessons

things i'm thankful for (2009 edition) version 2.0

kitty cats
my macbook
family adventures
christmas decorations
diet coke
fuzzy slippers
dominoes (the game - not the pizza)
the nice man at O'Reillys auto parts who changed the battery in my car
emmet otters jug band christmas
elf

advent

Advent packages went out to the children of FUMC today.  I enjoy giving advent gifties because it is something that is not often recognized.  I think that children should learn the importance of advent and what it actually means.  I love advent.  Advent is a season of the church that comes before Christmas.  It is a period of waiting for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.  We prepare ourselves, our hearts, and our homes for the joy that Jesus' birth bring us! 
I encourage you to spend this time of advent learning more about and growing closer to Jesus. God gave us the best gift in all of creation when He sent Jesus to us.  Let's welcome Him into our lives and homes this season and for the rest of our lives!
Blessings!