New Service Opportunity

I know we have a few service projects coming up (Memorial Garden this Saturday, sprucing up the outside of the church on May 17, helping with the Father's Day pancake breakfast on June 20) but if you can't make one of those days, or if you just want to do more (yeah!!) then check this out. 

Geneva's Second Saturday Service on May 9 is a great opportunity to help our servicewomen and servicemen overseas. Check it out here: Second Saturday Service.

Preparing for a Retreat

I've been on a few retreats in my life, but I haven't ever had to lead one before. There sure is a lot of planning and preparation involved. First, you have to  find a weekend when people can go and think about where you want to go (I wasn't really in on that part of the planning process...) Then you have to figure out what the theme or goal should be (choices, choices, choices....) Next, you have to figure out what the schedule will be (enough time for prayer, reflection, learning, eating, playing games and free time...) And finally, you have to figure out how everyone is going to get there (how many kids can we squeeze in my Toyota?...)

Now that all that planning is finished, I can really start to prepare for the retreat this weekend. I can prepare my heart and mind. I am praying that each one of you who is able to come on the retreat can get a meaningful experience from it.  I am praying that our hearts can be open to hearing God this weekend and experiencing the love He has for us. I am praying that we can feel God's Spirit working through us. I am praying that things will run fairly smoothly, and that when they don't everyone will have patience.

If you aren't able to come on the retreat with us this weekend, you can still pray for us. You are an important part of our Mid High Ministries  community. 

I'm really looking forward to this weekend (even though I don't like not sleeping in my own bed...) 

Thanks!

Easter!

Ok, So I'm really tired right now. I've been up since about 5:00 (darn cats! didn't they know my alarm was going to go off at 5:30 this morning?) spent a little over 6 hours at church today, had my family over for the rest of the day, and can barely move a muscle. However, I had a great day! 

First, I love the Easter morning sunrise service. I know it means getting up extra early on a day I could normally sleep in. But watching the sun rise (and it did beautifully this morning, not a cloud in the sky), singing praises to God and hearing about that day when they found the empty tomb somehow touches me very deeply. It reminds me that it's not just the start to a new day, but a start to my new life in Christ. I'm reminded that Christ not only died but rose from the dead for ME. What an awesome feeling.  (And thanks to The Grays who sat in front of us and shielded us from the intense morning sunlight!)

Second, I love doing service with the youth at church. It keeps me humble when I see so many kids getting up early, pitching in to help, doing whatever is asked of them and more often than not doing things without even being asked! Helping at the pancake breakfast on Easter Sunday is loads of fun even though it can be hard work. Trying to do the dishes as quietly as I possibly can during the 11:00 service is always a challenge... 

Third, I love when my family can get together. Both my sisters and their families were at my house today. Ian was home, my dad stopped by for a visit and my father-in-law was also over for dinner. The only person missing was my nephew, who is at school in Chicago. We had a great time sharing laughs, food, and games. (I got to play my favorite game - Liebrary - with my brilliant children and then watching my sister hula hooping with the Wii Fit was hilarious!) We don't all get together often enough and it made the day really special. 

I hope you all had a meaningful Easter. Remember that although we celebrate Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday, we should remember that the meaning of the celebration of Easter should be an ongoing thing. I'm reminded of a song we've sung at Geneva:

Every morning is Easter morning from now on

Every day is resurrection day, the past is over and gone.

Goodbye guilt, goodbye fear, good riddance, hello Lord, hello sun

I am one of the Easter people, my new life has begun

Every morning is Easter morning from now on

Every day is resurrection day, the past is over and gone.

Daily news is so bad it seems the Good News seldom get heard

Get it straight from the Easter people, God's in charge! spread the word

Every morning is Easter morning from now on

Every day is resurrection day, the past is over and gone

Yesterday I was bored and lonely, but today look and see

I belong to the Easter people, life's exciting to me!

Every morning is Easter morning from now on

Everyday is resurrection day, the past is over and gone

I hope you can be one of the Easter People. Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!