Posts Tagged ‘church life’

It’s been one of those weekends where I have only a few and short moments to sit down and just relax.

So right now I feel rather empty and tired, even thought the days have been good (most of the time).

Most of my waken hours and commitment went to happenings at church. The youths gathered on Saturday for several hours, to prepare for Kirkens Nødhjelps fasteaksjon (Norwegian Church Aid’s annual fundraising campaign) that we’re having this coming Tuesday – and to prepare for a youth service today (as part of their Confirmant year here in our local Lutheran churches). To keep 32 youths active and happy for 5.5 hours does take some energy, to put it mildly, but we have the best youths so they really were good campers. Sometimes I wonders how much they learn, but hope that something of all I say and all we do stays with them. If nothing more:  that they are loved by God (and us) just as they are.

MT got to spend his Saturday with uncle O and family, so he was over the top happy. It was such a nice and warm spring day so they were outside most of the day, walking in the woods, playing games and having a barbecue. I’m so glad he got to spend his day with family when I was so covered in youths work. (Thank you so much uncle O and aunt GH. We love you!)

Today was another early morning for us. We used the Pearls of Life as the theme for our service and there were lots of details yet to prepare. So I wanted an early start to get all accomplished by the time the service started (come to think of it, that is always a goood plan! lol.) We learned about the pearls throughout the service and for each new pearl the youths lit a candle, read a text from the bible, read about that pearl and sometimes they also read a prayer. We sang plenty of songs as well and a couple of the youths played instruments. It was amazing to see and hear the youths, some had taken extra care to learn their little tasks really well – others not so much – but they all did such a good job non the less. Makes my heart warm and I hope the parents also felt really proud about their youths.

After the service we gathered together to eat cake and talk for a little while. So grateful for those working in the kitchen this day! There were a lot of great conversations going on around the tables. A lot of happy Sunday smiles.

Then I had a few (many) things to clear away and put in order for next week, so it got pretty late before we were ready to head back home. After a quick look at the time I asked MT if he was up for a pizza? He was. Especially for a pizza with lots of chili So we placed our order and went in to pick it up a little bit later. We decided to eat the food outside, since this too was a nice and warm summer day (although not as sunny as yesterday). So we brought the pizza with us to a table next to the water and had a nice relaxing time just enjoying the food, the company and (later) MT got to throw rocks in the water – his favorite thing (at least to do when he is by water of any kind…). I’m so glad that we took time to do this in place of rushing home. This gave us some time together. I got to be outside. And I really weren’t up to the whole making-dinner-thing anyway after such a full day. The pizza was good too – and so were the company!

When we got home MT started drawing. I think he kept going for almost an hour and never asked to go and  see some TV instead. I’m so happy for his drawing, because it makes him slow down and reflect. It gives him a way to express himself as well as a time to gather some energy. And I, I went for the computer. Like a total geek And hopefully I get I got this post posted by the end of the day….. I’m so grateful for that the blogging thing is back in my life.

Wish you all a blessed Sunday!

MT loves to light candles. We usually light at least one when we sit down to eat our dinner. Here he is blowing it out after we finished our meal.

A gorgeous, sunshiny day. I joined the other workers in the church in the greater area for a seminar day. It was nice to meet them again and catch up a bit with people I seldom see.

Then I went to the store (look at this post and you know why) – my pay check had not arrived, but I had a credit card I wanted to use – since I drove by the store and had time to stop and shop. It always feels nice to shop for groceries when it’s so empty in the house, I was planning dinner(s) and getting mild and rolled oats for MT (he can’t start the day without..) – and more. When I got to the check-out I had a pretty full shopping cart (not topped, though) Just as I laid the first items on the band I sort of just said: “You take this credit card don’t you?!” – I was so sure the answer would be yes, off course.

I was wrong. She said: “No, we don’t. Sorry”. I just looked at her – and then down to my shopping cart. It was so embarrassing, but I had to tell her that, “since I have no money on the other card, I’m sorry, but then I can’t pay for this. Sorry, please put it away for me”. I couldn’t get out of the store fast enough. Thankfully she was kind and told me that it was no trouble doing that, and I got to head out of there.

Since the fridge was so empty I had no other choice than to head over to the shop on the other side of the road. This time I asked first. And yes, using that card was no problem for them. So I did. But it was no fun shopping by then so I only grabbed a few items. For weeks after this I’ve been sure I have that or that item at home, just to discover that it was in the shopping cart I had to leave. It never came home. I wonder if I ever dare to go to that store again.

I guess I do, it’s not so many stores to choose from.

Anyway, in the evening we went to ski carousel only to discover that it was canceled do to cold weather. But since we already was there MT went skiing for nearly an hour. It was cold, though, around 15 below zero.

My dad came to watch MT as I had Confirmant Class x2 and youth club in the evening. It was freezing cold and I was super tired, but we had a great time there in the local ski slope. Here you can read about the devotion one of the young girls had. A really good one, I might add!

The photo is taken with my cell phone – and it’s not great – but I still want it since this was the best part of the day

Today we took the youth club out to the local ski trek (a small one) and gathered quite a few youths with the love of alpine skiing and snow boarding. After a little more than an hour we tried to get all of the youths together by the bonfire, we grilled some hot dogs and wanted them all to be there for the devotion. We used almost half an hour to get everyone (more or less) to stand still and not go for the just-one-more-down-hill-while-the-others-gathered tour…. In the end I counted 25 people there, all together, and then it was time for one of the young girls to have the devotion.It must have been so scary, but she jumped into it. A bit low voiced at the beginning; I could see the youths concentration and trying to catch her words, but after a bit all of us heard quite well.

She told about her self being an artist, a painter, and how she thought about her creations. Even when she had finished a painting she sometimes had to add a bit or change some, maybe as long as a year later, because she wanted it to be just like she wanted it to be and she cared about it. She put so much of her self into the paintings. Then she reminded us to look at each other, us self and the nature around us to see the beauty of it all. She told how God made it and made it with great love and care -  just like an artist. He put something of his in the creation – and sometimes he too wants to add a bit or change some – just to make it better, just because he cares – just because he loves us.

My day so far had been rather blah, but standing right there I felt how much doing what I do means to me. I want to go out with the good news about Jesus to the youths, I want to tell them they are loved and I want to stand there by their side while they find their words and their way in life – with Christ by their side. I just pray for strength and staying power. Sometimes it’s an un-thankful job to work with youths, but it is so so so so important!! I needed this reminder today.