I just realized that I'm 45 minutes short of a month since my last post. I guess it took awhile to recover from my awesome Methodist swag week. Then, the writing habit got lost in the shuffle of life.
So, many things have happened in this month. I can't write them all in here but I'll name a few.
1) Youth Team. Our church was blessed to become part of a year long program to work with some amazing people to make our youth program even better. There is always room for improvement in anything. So, I am excited to begin this journey. One of the cool things about it is it's not just me- it's a team of people from our church. So, I have a group of people who are all committing to a year of youth development and learning right alongside me. Together we will be building an even stronger program filled with excitement and new ideas that we develop together. Once again, I am grateful for the love and support from my church family. I realize not every youth director has this so I am fully aware of the blessing God has given me in these people I am surrounded by.
2) Birthday. I turned another year older. Yes, that's a blessing! I am still here, alive and active! I spent the day with family and friends, getting constant facebook messages, and enjoying time with my youth. This past weekend I spent more time with family. And, I have several friends planning to get together in the near future for more celebration. Do we need an excuse? We shouldn't. We should always be able to get together and spend time with friends and family. But, that doesn't always happen. So, I am grateful for birthdays- for that time to take and enjoy with loved ones.
3) Puppies. People may think we're crazy. I've heard the statement more than once lately, "Better you than me." And, they are probably right. Better us because we have the time and ability to do it. We, my husband and I, have started fostering dogs. We got our first ones a week ago. They are sweet, smart, and adorable. They are also a lot of time and hard work. But, they have also done something else besides taking up our time and energy. They have given us time and energy. Before the puppies, getting up in the morning was tough most days. On my days off I slept in and then woke up feeling bummed I had wasted half the day. But, now, I must get up on time because I have a schedule I have to keep. They need to go outside, get fed, and get walked before work. And, my husband has to get up and take over when I leave. So, in reality, they have put us on a schedule more than we've put them on a schedule. I exercise more since I walk them twice a day. And, we have been given a new sense of purpose. We have 2 little ones depending on us. And, it's our job to make sure they start out right. So, are we crazy for starting this new chapter? Some may say so, but, so far it has been nothing but a blessing.
4) Answered prayer. My son has been looking for something different than his current job. We had hoped he would have gotten a position in Americorp, but he didn't. But, he was recently offered a position at the camp he worked at last year. This is great news since he loved it last year and had been disappointed when he thought he wasn't going back there. I look forward to seeing where God leads him this summer.
So, where was God this month? He has been there in so many ways. And, even in the times I needed rest, He has given it to me. Ironically, it came in the form of puppies, knowing I needed to schedule my life better. So, I am grateful for His love and guidance in my life.
Blessings,
Jennifer
