Excerpts From My Summer

*Warning*-There will be some potty humor in this post. Kids tend to talk about things that make people with well-developed senses of humor cringe. You've been warned. ;)

Like I've mentioned before, this summer I was incredibly blessed with the opportunity to spend a ton of time with kids. They were all wonderful. Not only were they wonderful, they were also hilarious. I would like to share a few snippets of some of the conversations I overheard from the various 3rd-4th graders that I had the privilege of hanging out with this summer.

Note-I'm in no way picking on any of the kids who said these things. I'm sharing them because I thought they were awesome/creative.

"If I could change my eyeballs into anything else, I would chose bouncy balls, because then I could just take my eyes out whenever I wanted and bounce them around!"

"What if all the girls in the world turned into boys and all had to walk like zombies saying 'Must use boy's bathroooooooom!'?"

"So...the evil queen poisoned Snow White with the apple, right?"

"Right."

"What'd she do with it? Soak it in her brain or something?"



"What was your favorite part of the day?"
"Isaac."
"Uhm...I meant did you have a favorite activity?"
"Oh. Yeah"



"Is that other boy your son?"
"No?"
"Then who's your son?"
"I don't have any kids yet"
"What? Why aren't you a mom?! How old are you?!"
"I'm only 17"
"Oooh...but you're at least living without your parents, right?"
"Uhm, nope. Not just yet"
"-walks away, frustrated-"



"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Nope"
"-throws hands in the air- Why not?!? -matter of factly- You should have a boyfriend."



"Uhm..Maddi..I have something I want to tell you. I just love you."
"-my whole insides melt-"



Kids are awesome.

Fall

Mismatched socks are socially acceptable if they're both argyle. It's a fact.

Left the zoom on...

Hug The People You Love

Yesterday three local teenagers died in a car accident. The school found out today that another local teen passed away from unrelated causes.

Death is scary.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you believe. At some point in your lifetime, death has scared you. As a Christian, I have the comfort that I'll go to heaven when I die. For many people, this comfort doesn't exist. That is terrifying. It's something that isn't nice to think about. But it's a real fear.

Death is the one thing that has happened or will happen to 99.99% of the entire population.

Five minutes before the car crash, I was on the same road driving with my brother.

Five minutes.

It could have been me.

It could have been anyone I knew.

I didn't know any of the teens that died, but some of my friends were close to them and I see the pain that they're going through.

Today I've been thinking about the parents of the kids. The siblings. The best friends. People who loved them. People who were mad at them that now feel guilty.

I went to each one of the teen's Facebook pages. They were filled with 'You'll be missed', 'You were a wonderful person', 'I love you. We all love you.'. I'm going to make a conscious effort to tell people things like this. While they're alive. Telling someone that they matter, that you care about them, that's important. Even if they know it already. Your parents know you love them, but do they get to hear you say it?

A year or so ago I watched a documentary about Zach Sobiech. Zach was a teenager who died of cancer. He also wrote a beautiful song that became extremely popular after he passed away. Zach said something in his video that really stuck with me. He talked about how teenagers have a sort of 'immortality complex'. Not in the sense of 'I can do anything without dying' (even though I know some people who do think this) but in the 'see you tomorrow' or 'I'm having a party next month, see you there!' sense. 

Things like war and sickness take out many, many people each day. When I used to see the headlines, it didn't affect me. It was  sad, but it didn't hit me. When something like this happens - a local tragedy, that hits me. And it hits people I know. A lot of people. 

I've been thinking about everyone who dies. From fighting, accidents, disease. It's incredibly sad. Each person has someone who loves them. Parents, friends, a spouse. Those news headlines are more than just a scroll on the bottom of a screen or ink on a page. It's hundreds of mourning people. People in pain. And it matters. It matters a lot.

Last summer, my family and I went to Tennessee and toured the Shiloh National Park. In that park is a cemetery. A massive cemetery. Thousands of young men who gave up their lives. The Battle of Shiloh was the first major battle of any war that had a death tally so large. When I walked through that cemetery, I thought about each death. The idea of death at such a magnitude wasn't comprehensible.

The number of deaths each day has desensitized the world to the actual value of each of those human lives.

None of us know when we're going to die. Even someone who has been told they have two months to live knows when they're going to die.

They could be struck by lightening. They could be hit by a bus.

As a Christian, I know that when I die, it's not going to be sad for me. It's going to be wonderful. Heaven is a beautiful thing to look forward to. But that doesn't mean I can't feel sad or feel pain when someone else dies.

Jesus wept. Jesus felt sadness. Sadness is okay. It's okay to miss someone.

I'm not saying this to be depressing.

I'm saying this because this is a wake-up call for me. A wake-up call to live my life. Actively live my life. A wake-up call to stop feeling sorry for myself. To make sure people know I love them.

A helpful reminder

Small Town Girl Meets Big City

You know those farm calendars that every home magazine advertises? The ones with pictures of horses and windmills silhouetted against a blue sky with puffy clouds, barns and silos, bright pink and orange sunsets, trees in every shape and color? That's my life. That's what I see on a daily basis and it's beautiful. I love it.

It throws me off when I go into a big city. Normally my idea of 'big city' is someplace with over 20,000 people. That seems huge to me.

My state capitol is an actual Big City. 

People everywhere.

Driving that turns your hair gray. I trust my parents driving. I even usually trust my own driving. It's other people's driving I don't trust. I personally don't understand how there aren't more car accidents in big cities, to be honest. 

And the parking? Worse than the driving. People who want a decent parking space have to be ready to hand over pocketfuls of change.

Plus, the faint smell of mustard and cigarettes just isn't as nice as leaves and grass. (though, to be honest, the country doesn't always smell super pleasant...)

BUT

I don't hate big cities.

Actually, I sort of like them.

I like that there are so many people. Everywhere. Especially the ones with hair colors I'd never be brave enough to try.

I like that there is a shop for anything and everything.

I like the crazy sights, sounds, and even smells. The vendors selling popcorn, the street musicians, the birds that flock around a day-old loaf of bread.

I like all of the little communities that make up one big, huge community. Everything sort of gets mashed together in a big city and it's only when you get close and into it that you see all the individuality.

Which is sort of cool.

But, like I said, if I ever end up living in a big city, I'm walking everywhere. No driving.

The Truth About Sunday School Teachers

image source


When I was little, I thought my Sunday School teachers were the coolest people in the world. I looked up to them and wanted to be just like them when I grew up. Now that I've been teaching Sunday School on and off for a while now, I've realized something.

Sunday School teachers are dorks. And I mean that in, seriously, the best way possible.

Dorky Sunday School teachers are the best kind of teachers. They get the lesson out there, but they aren't afraid to act a little silly. To be a Sunday School teacher, you have to love kids. That right there makes you awesome. But to truly teach kids, you have to be engaged. And the best way to do that is to be a crazy sometimes. Being a little crazy makes you even more awesome. True story.

In everyday life, things like dancing around, making up songs, and coloring just aren't cool. (unless you're homeschooled, but that's a whole other story)

It's also a big part of working at a summer camp or any other environment where you have an influence on others, especially kids. When you push your need to 'fit in' aside, and focus on helping the kids to not only learn, but have fun, you actually start to have fun, too. Shouting, literally shouting, praise to Jesus is amazing, but it can seem intimidating before you do it. Especially if you're a quiet person or a natural introvert like I am.

'This is soo weird'

 'How am I going to make friends/impress that boy/fit in when I'm red in the face and screaming?'

But you know what? When you focus on making learning about God fun instead of boring (because even though it doesn't always seem like it, God can be fun), something cool happens. Kids (and teenagers, and adults, and seniors, and anyone you meet) get a light in their eye, a smile on their face, and they start to enjoy putting their energy into God instead of themselves.

These things are also true at school, whether you're a teacher or a student. At work. At parties. Just hanging out with your friends or chatting with someone on Facebook. When you don't worry about fitting into a mold and instead focus on showing God's love through your words and your actions, people start to notice you. They may think you're weird, but more often than not, they'll wonder what makes you different and they'll want to get to know you better.

Now, I know you've likely heard this before, the whole 'don't conform to the world' speech. But you've heard it so many times because it's really true, and it's really hard. It's really hard to not think of yourself first. It's hard to put other people's problems before your own, especially when you're already having a hard day. It's hard, but it's worth it.

I'm pretty sure that my class already thinks that I'm a dork, especially considering that 50% of my class is related to me. I hope my students realize that it's okay to be goofy sometimes. It's okay to have energy and be excited about praising Jesus. It's okay to not be one of the cool kids. 

A Homeschooler's Guide to Community Theatre-part 2 (aka my life as of late)

• Tip Number One: In the week leading up to opening night, you may have to be at the theater every. single. night. for several hours. It's going to wear you out, especially when it's pouring rain. But it's all worth it when the audience laughs for the first time, so never complain.

• Tip Number Two: Don't put off taking backstage pictures until the last performance. You'll want pictures and you'll want plenty of them.

• Tip Number Three: A foolproof way to combat nerves immediately before going onstage is to act out the scene currently being performed. Seriously. Your other cast members will look at you funny, but if you can get some of them to join in, it will be fantastic. 

• Tip Number Four: .If an entire page an a half accidentally gets skipped opening night, don't freak out. Laugh instead of cry. Chances are, the audience has no idea. Or they do, but they're nice about it... 

• Tip Number Five: Even if you feel awkward about all of the 'you make such a cute couple' and 'when are you getting married??' comments after the show, just smile and nod. Especially when your 'husband-to-be''s actual girlfriend goes through the receiving line.

• Tip Number Six: GET LOTS OF SLEEP! Especially when you have over four hours of homeschool musical auditions the day before a performance. (which, by the way, went pretty amazingly, even when you take into account that 74!! kids tried out. I feel so blessed to have the chance to work with a cast so big right after finishing up my first community theatre show!)

(I got to have the super-awesome job of 'walkie-talkie lady'. I have never felt as cool.)

• Tip Number Seven: The striking of the set isn't as bad if leftover cupcakes and cookies are set out in the green room. In fact, snacks make backstage approximately 23x more exciting. Especially on opening night. 

• Tip Number Eight:  At the after-party, don't feel silly sitting at the 'kid's table'. The 'grown-up table' is boring, anyways. Plus, it's likely that just because it's referred to as the kid's table, doesn't mean that adults won't join you. Side note: I have doubts that I actually was sitting at the kid's table....We weren't the table that started a placemat airplane war. ;)

• Tip Number Nine: Appreciate your directors and really, truly, thank them. You have no idea how much effort, time, thought, work, and tears they have put into the show. Thank them. Seriously.

• Tip Number Ten: Never, ever, ever, ever forget to give a good-bye hug after the last performance to every member of your cast/theatre family. Ever. 

My Harrowing Chicken Experience

     

Last week, some family friends were going on vacation and they asked us to look after their chickens and cats. Let's just say that the cats were much easier to get along with.

I was given 'getting the chickens inside' duty. 

Now, I live in the country, but I've had minimal experience with chickens. In fact, they sort of freak me out. Not in the 'won't go near them' sense, but in the 'don't necessarily want to chase them down and grab them' sense. So, there I was, a country-girl wannabe who had no idea what she was doing.

First, I tried throwing some broccoli leaves inside, hoping that they'd follow it.

Nope.

In fact, one hopped in and brought it back out for the rest of them.

Second, I tried staring them down. I apparently wasn't very intimidating. I'm honestly not exaggerating when I say that I spent about five minute simply looking at them and willing them to go inside.

Third, I tried just telling them to go in. This didn't work either. I don't know why I actually thought that it would....

After a desperate phone call to my mother, I decided to try one last time. 

Turns out that throwing the solid part of the broccoli actually makes a noise that the chickens hear and follow. 

One night, however, that didn't work, either. 

I tossed in one of the vegetables that our friends had left for us to use for getting the chickens in. All of them quickly hopped inside. Except for one. It just stared at me as if to say do you really think I'm that stupid?!

I tried another vegetable. No use.

The only thing left to do was -climb inside the fenced area-.

I'm hoping that no one was able to hear me chasing the chicken around and telling it to please just go inside. I guarantee you that I looked ridiculous. 

Finally, he hopped in. After two more hopped out.

All in all, handling the chickens was a completely painless experience, and if I had to deal with them on a regular basis, I could get used to it. Except maybe roosters. Roosters are a whole other story.