Meeting

Today was a day filled with meetings. From the minute I started work until the minute I headed home, I was meeting with people. Typically, nobody is a fan of meetings.but I loved my meetings today! Each conversation I had was about an opportunity to spread God in some way. I feel so lucky and blessed by the opportunities in ministry that I have and by the people I am surrounded by people that are so committed to being a part of it.
Life is crazy and looking at my calendar sometimes seems scary with all the events I have coming up. But, it's all so worth it!
So, where was God today? He was in all of the conversations I had today.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Workweek

What a week! I went to Houston to help with flood relief after hurricane Harvey. During the week, rain hit hard at home and there was a lot of flooding. The church had some damage that had to be dealt with. So, we came home a day early to deal with the issues here.
I realize I didn't write much this past week. The last 2 days were filled with lots of driving. When I got home, I was exhausted and actually went to bed around 7:30! Besides dealing with rain yesterday, the drive wasn't bad.I am grateful that all 4 cars made it home safely. I spent a lot of the drive thinking about the next time I would be traveling down that road. In just over a month, I will be headed back to Texas to work with the same church doing the same thing. So, as I drove I thought about the schedule, the tools we should bring, how the teams should be divided, etc. We talked in the car about the week behind us and the week I will be back there.
Our week of work was great! I learned a lot about dry-walling! It was fun working with the team as a lot of us learned together and we shared a lot of laughter along the way. We helped 2 families while there. We got a chance to spend time with the man from one of the houses as he worked with us and was constantly offering us water, snacks, and food. It was evident that both families appreciated the help and we were happy to help.
When we weren't working, we were getting to know each other better as most of us didn't know each other well before the week began. I enjoyed spending time with the team. I had some really great conversations and felt God's presence in many of those conversations.
So, where was God this week? He was working with our team, in the middle of our conversations, and keeping us safe on our drive home.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Drywall

Today was our first day of work. We split into 2 teams. Both teams were scheduled to do drywall, but my team had to do insulation first. The other team had a higher drywall project to do while ours was only the bottom sheet of drywall. Our house flooded about a foot while the other house flooded 5 feet. I can't imagine walking through my house having water even a foot, let alone 5 feet!
We were surprised at the community we were in. It was pretty nice. As I thought about it, I thought about how this hurricane didn't care how much money anyone made, what mistakes they had or had not made. Everyone was dealing with the same issues. I wonder how that has changed some people, how they have learned and grown from this disaster. They may or may not have been attached to their possessions. But, in a matter of time, they lost everything. As heartbreaking as that was, the stories I heard make me think it was nothing compared to connecting with family, friends, and even strangers after the hurricane. It's times like this that make us stop and think about what truly matters.
Another thing we talked about throughout the day, throughout this week actually, is how God is working through the churches in the community and in the US. People from all walks of life need help. And, God is working through so many people to reach out to His people and show His love. They may not have known God or had a relationship before, but now they have a chance to get to know Him through people working here. I wonder how many people are finding Him.
It reminds me of a song "Praise You in the Storm". I don't know all the words, but the ones I do are running through my head.
So many times, we all go through struggles. And, it's in those times that we find God. I wonder how many stories there are  of that happening throughout this tragedy.
So, where was God today? He was in us as we used our hands and feet to show His love.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Cots

Today we drove the rest of the way to Houston. The drive seemed to go pretty quick, less than 7 hours of drive time. Everyone made it safely to our destination. When we arrived, the temperature was in the 80's! What a beautiful thing!
We were welcomed with southern hospitality! Three women greeted us and were so happy to see us. They shared some stories about their experiences with the hurricane and thanked us for coming to help. It felt like we were definitely in the place God wanted us to be!
The area we are staying in is huge! There is a big room in the center surrounded by smaller rooms. We can use all of the rooms around it. I had thought people would all go their separate ways to set up their cots and stuff. But, not the case. When I went into the corner room where, I saw almost all of the women figuring out the best position for the cots- the best way to get the most cots in. And, they had already brought my cot in there for me. So, we are going to have a slumber party every night! I'm looking forward to a week of hanging out with these women and getting to know them better.
After settling in, we all went out to dinner. Then a few of us went to the store to buy groceries for the next few days. It has been great seeing this group of people who had never known each other, or at least not well, now laughing and talking and sharing life together for the next week.
So, where was God today? He was with us on the drive and with us as we connected and built relationships with each other.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Travel

At 5 am a group of people met at the church to embark on a journey. The group is an interesting mix of people from age 21 to retired for quite awhile and everything in between. I am lucky enough to be a part of this group.
Today, I drove what ended up being an 11 hour trip. I didn't expect to run into a snowstorm or see so many vehicles that had gone off the road. It makes me extra thankful that all 4 of our groups ade it safely to our first destination.
I am used to mission trips because I go several times a year. But, besides Guatemala, this is my first mission trip with adults and I am not in charge of anything. I am looking forward to what God has planned for us in the week ahead! I think it's awesome that this group of people has all committed to going to help others. Some are retired and others took a week off work to go. There are 2 young adults that went on trips as youth and are now continuing their journey with adult mission trips. Everyone comes from a different walk in life and I am excited to see how God puts us together this week!
Already I've gotten to know several of the group better, heard lots of laughter, and learned some new things. This all while spending most of the day with just my small carfull. So, I can;t imagine what will happen tomorrow and the rest of the week!
Another thing I noticed was that there were a lot more Christian radio stations down here. As I traveled and lost stations, I would surf through to find another station and I had my pick of many. It seemed there were more Christian stations than rock stations. Just an interesting observation.
So, where was God today? He was with us in the car keeping us safe. And, he was with our group as we began our journey.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Present

Today was hectic. It was my last day in the office until I get back from my trip. Nothing went as planned either at work or afterwards. It wasn't that the day was bad, just not as planned.
As I sat here thinking back over the day, nothing stood out to me. There was not one specific moment that I could say "yes God was there in that instant!"
All that being said, there is no doubt in my mind that God was with me throughout the day. As I sit here writing in my warm house, with dogs piled all around me and my husband sitting near me, I feel blessed.
I think that seeing God when there's nothing to see is important to me. It's a comfort to me to know always that God is there. The fact is, not every day is amazing, not every day do things happen, but every day God is still present.
So, where was God today? He was right there with me.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Sponsor

A few years ago, I experienced an amazing weekend doing an Emmaus walk. It was a weekend filled with love, laughter, tears, and spiritual growth. I made lasting friendships that weekend. One of the biggest blessings was having an amazing sponsor throughout the experience. He continued to pray for me and encourage me from the first discussion about the walk until...well I'm guessing for the rest of his life. The things that he did to make sure my experience was the best possible was so meaningful to me that I can't even express it. Sadly, he passed suddenly a year later, but not before he helped bring more people to experience that same amazing weekend. 

Today, I got to meet with one of those people who he sponsored so that he could train me to be a sponsor for the next walk. It was evident in what he shared with me that he, too, was impacted greatly by both the walk and the great man who sponsored both of us. Since our sponsor passed, this man has become very active in the Emmaus walk and become a board member and he started tutoring the kids that were being tutored by our sponsor so that they would be able to continue getting help.

It has been awesome seeing this man who had not been very active in the church come alive and active in the life of the church. Today as we talked, I could see and hear my friend through him- through the impact he had on this man. I got an overwhelming sadness for the loss of my sponsor, my friend. But, strangely, at the same time I got an overwhelming sense of peace and awe in the way he had passed so much on to this man. 

My friend will never be gone or forgotten because his legacy lives on through every person from our church who attends a walk, beginning with me.

So, where was God today? He was in this man I met with who is seeking Him and constantly looking to share His message because of the experiences he's had and because of the impact my friend had on him.

Blessings,

Jennifer

Coffee Shop

When I started my new position in January, I started spending part of one day at a local coffee shop. Why? Well, my hope is to be out in the community and have an opportunity to chat with people who may not be up for going to the church. In the first few weeks, I had a chance to talk to both people from the church and random other people who happened to be at the coffee shop. It was great! The last couple of weeks I had things at the church and wasn't able to go. But, today, I was back to my routine. A new coffee shop just opened so I decided to check it out. When I got there, it was pretty quiet so I found a seat and sat down, thinking that if nobody stopped by at least I could get a lot of planning done.
Then I realized there was someone else there far back in the shop. It was someone from the church. A few minutes later, as she walked towards the front of the shop, I greeted her. She sat down and we started talking. She was aware of my plan to be at a coffee shop so she must have actually read the newsletter. We talked about some of the children and youth activities, about ideas she had to publicize activities, and some fundraising ideas. In the end, she agreed to help with vacation Bible school, something I don't think she has ever done before.
So, I was pretty excited about our conversation. If I hadn't run into her there, we probably wouldn't have sat down and had a relaxing conversation. I love Monday afternoons where I can get to know people better without the busyness of the office. The more I get to know people, the more I get to see where their gifts are and help them find ways to use them!
So, where was God today? He was at the coffee shop.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Chicken

Saturday
This morning I was rushing around getting puppies ready for an adoption event. That meant baths for everyone and gathering a bunch of stuff I probably will never need during the event. After a week of snow, I wanted to leave early to make sure I wasn't late due to roads or slow traffic. So, I was extra rushed.
As I was getting ready, I got a phone call from a friend. Seeing who it was, I remembered. They had planned to give me tickets for port a pit chicken. They were on their way to pick it up an wanted to make sure they could drop off our chicken. Although I had to leave, my husband would be home.
I didn't get home until evening. I hadn't really eaten real food all day due to the busyness. What a blessing it was to have dinner all ready! I am blessed with good friends who showed me a random act of kindness today.
So, where was God today? He was in my friends and in the kindness they showed me.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Wallpaper

Friday
This afternoon, I went to the church to meet a couple who planned to work on a project. We are updating the hallway by our Sunday school rooms and part of that update includes getting a beautiful new picture of Jesus with outstretched arms to welcome the children. This meant the current picture had to go. We found out the current picture is actually wallpaper. So, our project was to remove this giant wallpaper picture. I've never removed wallpaper. I don't plan on ever removing wallpaper again.
It came off in tiny pieces, 1 layer at a time. 4 hours in we had almost half of the picture gone. Yes, that's 3 of us, plus my son who came partway through, and 4 hours later we were not even halfway done. We ended up taking a break for dinner and someone ran to rent a steamer. After that, the process sped up greatly and we were finally done around 8pm.
So, the scraping and peeling of wallpaper wasn't fun. In fact, I was feeling it by the end...aching muscles and exhaustion. But, the conversations we had, the laughter and sharing, the time together, was such a blessing. Watching my son work alongside a man I know he admires as they listened and learned from each other was beautiful. None of us had used  steamer like that before so watching the 2 of them figure it out together was great. Knowing that my son, who had just stopped by to pick something up, decided to stay and help because he knew we really needed it was so awesome to me.
Was getting that wallpaper off fun? No. But, the experience was a treasure.
So, where was God today? He was in the moments we had, the conversations.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Memories

Tonight while scrolling through facebook, I came across my memories. Usually, they are just random old posts. But today two memories stuck out as life changing events.
The first memory was our first two puppies we fostered through the rescue we still work with 4 years and more than 40 puppies later! I can't believe how much our lives have changed in these 4 years. Fostering has enhanced our lives so much! Being able to help the helpless has been a blessing to my husband and me. But, they have brought so much joy to our lives that I truly feel we have benefited more than they have. We've met some really great people, too! We get to watch some of our fosters grow up and see most of them at least in pictures once in awhile.
How does this relate to my blog? I've always loved dogs. But I never would have imagined years ago that we would be taking care of puppies so often. I feel this opportunity is a gift that God has given us.
Scrolling through my memories, along with lots of puppies, I came across a bunch of pictures of handwritten pages and I immediately recognized it. It was the notebook from my first mission trip. We made a quote book during our trip so we could remember the funny things, the great things, and the scratch your head and wonder things from our week together. Even now, so many years later I read them and remember the moments like they just happened- and I still laugh! And I remember the amazing moments where we felt the presence of God in the room as we listened to the man we worked for. There was something so special about that trip. Of course, the first trip is probably always amazing because everything is so new and experiencing it for the first time is awesome. When I looked back and thought about the youth on that trip, I realized that the ones living nearby are now on my volunteer team. What a difference a few years makes! I love seeing my youth growing and maturing and wanting to help make a difference in the lives of the youth now. I really hope that continues throughout my years because it's such a blessing to see them now.
So where was God today? He was in my memories and the ways they impacted my life today.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Wonderful

Wednesday nights are always great! We have dinner as a church family. It's so fun to see the intergenerational interactions during their mealtime. People who never knew each other before are now getting to know each other by sitting at a table together and eating, talking, and laughing. Tonight, a woman came for the first time. The joy she had by being around the people there was beautiful. Her grandson brought her and also his little cousin. The little boy kept hugging me and telling me he loved me. He knows how to melt hearts! He was so excited to be there too! A couple and their granddaughter sat down at the table with us. Towards the end of the meal, the man offered to get the little boy ice cream. His eyes lit up- especially when he heard there was chocolate syrup! They became fast friends!

After dinner, everyone heads off to their classes or rehearsals. I took the youth to our class. There were several new kids tonight so I was excited to have them there. We started off as usual with our icebreaker followed by our Bible challenge. It's so cool to see the youth who started out the year struggling to find things in the Bible and who now all race to find the verses and all find them so quickly! They love this part of the evening and get very competitive! After that, I typically start our video and discussion. Tonight my computer had other plans. It started an update and I couldn't interrupt it. So, there went my plan for the rest of out time. So, I grabbed a book and started to look through it. It was about answers to the most popular questions about God. Before I know it, we were off on a deep discussion about heaven and God and their thoughts on life and death. They all shared some pretty interesting things and some personal thoughts. It was one of those nights where I couldn't plan that discussion. But, God could. 

So, where was God today? He was at our Wonderful Wednesday enjoying a meal with our church family and He was at our discussion enjoying hearing our thoughts.

Blessings,

Jennifer 

Houston

Tonight I went to a meeting to talk about an upcoming mission trip. No, it's not the youth mission trip I've been talking about. I'm actually getting ready to leave for a trip in about 10 days! But this one is a little different. This is a group of adults who are going to Texas to help with the hurricane damage. I am excited to go on a trip with adults where I am not in charge! It's a great mix of people of all ages and all walks of life- from 21- 70's! I am happy to see some of my young adults going on the trip. It's really cool to see them transitioning from youth to adult and still seeking out ways to serve.
I am looking forward to learning more about the situation in Texas and finding out how we can help. And, I'm looking forward to getting to know all of the people on the trip better. I'm also looking forward to warmer weather! :)
So, where was God today? He was in the people who made a commitment to go on the upcoming adult mission trip.
Blessings,
Jennifer

Love

Today was a good day. I spent time with my foster puppies and took them to meet a potential adopter. They were worn out after playing and snuggling with their potential family, including a doggie brother. I got the same question I get almost every time I meet a family. They always ask if it's hard to give up my foster puppies. Of course, I love them all! They're adorable and loving and so fun to have around. But, from the time they come, I know they are here for a short time until they find their forever homes. So, it's my job to do whatever I can to take care of them, teach them, and show them that they are loved so that they will be ready to go to their forever families.
After taking care of all of the puppies, I had to get ready for parents night out. Since it's February, our theme was love. I gathered my supplies, bought the food I needed, and set everything out.
Right on time, my volunteers showed up. What a blessing they were! I had asked each of them to come, along with several others who ended up not being able to make it. But, these three came tonight and did whatever needed to be done. They made valentines, decorated cookies, picked up pizza, and had fun spending time doing parents night out. The oldest volunteer was 24 and the youngest 14. They could have chosen to do other things. But, they thought this was important.
So, where was God today? He was in my young volunteers who wanted to help show love.
Blessings,
Jennifer

February 2

It's February 2nd. Today, I had an awesome day seeing some of God's creation that I don't often get to see! I had the blessing of spending the day with some great people at the aquarium! It was so much fun seeing all of the different creatures and hear all about them!
But, today I want to share about something else because February 2 is pretty significant to me.
When I was young, I'm guessing about 2nd grade but I really don't know, I met my best friend. Maggie loved me no matter what, she always listened to me, she had quite a personality...sometimes a little grumpy but that's ok. She was always there for me when I had a rough day. Maggie was my first dog. I had wanted a dog forever and when we got her it was a dream come true! I loved her and thought she was the best dog ever! It didn't matter that she didn't like my friends- or most people that came over. She loved me.
So, when I woke up and started getting ready for school February 2, 1993, I remember running to the kitchen where she slept when I heard a thud. There she was laying there strangely. And so, I held her as she had what was probably seizures. I called for my mom and we started to get ready to take her, while still holding her. But, it was no use. She died before we could even leave the house. I was devastated. I had just lost my best friend.
Looking back, even now I'm sad remembering that moment in my life. But, I am grateful for all of the good times. And, she prepared me for a lifetime of loving and caring for dogs.
Years later, another February 2nd impacted my life greatly. Gran was so influential in my life. Growing up, I remember her babysitting my sister and me. I remember her teaching me to play pinochle...and card etiquette- always shuffle the deck 3 times before dealing. When we were about middle school age, my sister and I cleaned her apartment. No round corners was often her reminder to us. At an even younger age, she taught me about her roses and how to grow them myself. Hers were so beautiful! Sometimes I will hear a song and think of her- usually no idea why but I'm guessing I heard her sing it sometime when I was young. The phone rang about 9 every night and we knew it was gran calling my parents before she went to bed. I loved reading her poems and stories. I loved talking to her about my writing and hers. I remember her reading my poems and teaching me about how to write them. As I grew older and moved away, I remember visiting her. And, what I probably remember and miss the most is visiting her and her friend and telling them about my life. They would just sit and listen to me ramble on. I remember the unconditional love that I needed so much when I wasn't always lovable.
So, on February 2, 2003 when she passed away, I lost another best friend. But, now looking back, there are so many things that can never be lost. She is a part of me and always will be.
So, where was God today? February 2 is always hard for me. But, as the years go by, I look back and count the blessings of two gifts God gave me.
Blessings,
Jennifer