CPC 2012

I returned from CPC – Children’s Pastors’ Conference on Saturday evening.  Highlights of this time included:

Connecting with 2,000 people who want children to know Jesus

worshiping together

spending time with good friends, especially Deidre and Trey

making new friends and talking CM to those who speak the same language

Dennis Lee and all his children

Jim Wideman

Craig Jutila

Reggie Joiner

Go Fish

Yancy

a magical picture with Chadder (never saw him)

incredible teaching

inspired to grow

encouraged to persevere

big hearts

Disney experience

VBS focus group session with Standard Publishing

Chanley and team “well done!”

lunch outside in the warm sunshine

looking forward to CPC 2013!

Gotta Love Disney

Disney has created an amazing culture of welcome.  This includes

Your bags are delivered to your room if you stay at a Disney Resort.

Wonderful signage at the airport to find the Disney Magical Express (your transportation)

People who are delighted that you have arrived from the airport through resort check in.

Online check in for Disney resort.

If a “cast member” has no one to assist, this person helps with another line.  No saying it’s not my job.

Many thank yous in one evening!

Many personal inquiries as to my flight and my day!

This place makes you smile!

And makes you feel really good about being here!

Looking forward to a great conference this week!

Thought for this evening:  When people come to our church, do we make them smile and feel good about coming?

Super Bowl Notes from Around Town 2012

I wrote a post last year and am getting hits this year so I guess it’s time to update what’s being said this year in Indiana.  So here goes:

Parking garages in Indianapolis will be charging $50-100.  Yikes!

The Colts had no chance of getting there.

Don’t tell me about other teams using their 3rd string quarterbacks.

Who will be at the Super Bow?  not the Steelers or the Colts

Very little Indiana talk about the Super Bowl.  The season was over before it even began.

Can’t wait to see the Super Bowl village.

Who would schedule an event the night of the Super Bowl even if the Colts aren’t playing?

Actually not much talk in central Indy about the Super Bowl

other than the Super Bowl curse.

Maybe next year Colts????

Imagine Christmas At East Side Church of God

A beautiful night of Christmas

Baby Jesus

Bethlehem

the villagers, the animals

the sounds, the smells

the lights, the angel

excited shepherds and sheep

wise men (a little early but looking for the baby)

Christmas long ago

and

Christmas today

cakes, cookies

sleigh rides on a cold winter night

wassail and carolers

cookie decorating

snapping photos

young people singing

crafts to be made

cake walk

story time and puppets

We didn’t just imagine Christmas;

we experienced Christmas

together with love

East Side Church of God and all our neighbors

Merry Christmas!

 

Waiting

It’s the waiting time of year.

Wait until Thanksgiving is over (maybe).

Wait for Black Friday .

Wait for the after Christmas sale.

Wait until you are older.

Wait until your father’s home.

Wait for it to cool.

Wait for it to get warm.

Wait until it’s dark.

Wait until it’s light.

Wait until it’s finished.

Wait until you’re finished.

Wait until he says it first.

Wait and save room for the dessert.

Wait for it.

Wait for Christmas eve.

Wait until Christmas.

Wait for God to come.

Wait for God to speak.

Please wait . . .

What’s it gonna be?

“With your moments,

your skills,

your words,

and your actions

you will change your world today.

Choose to let that change be driven

by what you love

rather than

by what you fear.”

Ralph Marston

It is what it is…

is no longer valid

then.

More Words

Finding more words when I have been doing so much writing for graduate school is

strenuous

burdensome

tiring

wearisome . . .

(thanks to a Thesaurus – Difficult was my choice.)

wrote 1500+ words today

wrote 1,200 words between Monday and Wednesday

no more words

thoughts yes!

intelligible words, nah

 

 

Fun Times!

Treats From Indiana

East Side Church of God, Anderson, Indiana – amazing volunteers

+

Abe Lincoln

+

Garfield

+

Boomer

+

AU Raven

+

Raggedy Ann

+

Indiana Inventor Bitar

+

Indiana popcorn

+

candy

+

games

+

apples

+

pop

+

covered bridge

+

Mounds State Park Naturalist

+

Johnny Appleseed

=

one SPECTACULAR night of fun for everyone!

Treats From Indiana

The countdown is on for our big fall event.  This year it is TREATS from INDIANA.

Here are my preparations for this week of last-minute details

wondering exactly

how much candy we will need

and who is going to bring it

and how many people will come

and what to do when the hallways get crowded

and will everyone show as in volunteers

and do we have enough volunteers

and…

and…

and…

and will my stash last the entire week…

My favorite food group

What can I say?

It’s going to be a crazy week,

and I need the extra energy.

Wise Teaching

I love to be right.  Who doesn’t?  I do not like to be wrong or proven wrong.  My delight in being right probably comes, because certain people have presumed me to be wrong.  Just give it time.  In the long run, my being right way out numbers my being wrong.  Now I even have a pedagogical aphorism to affirm my position and will have to deal with the whole pride or vainglory thing too.  Remember – I like to be right.

I have been perusing this book, Wise Teaching:  Biblical Wisdom and Educational Ministry, as a source for a research project in a graduate class.  I found these great pedagogical aphorisms (a pithy observation that contains a general truth).  I shared my favorite here.

“Being right is a matter of time.”

You may not be right in the moment, but wait…

it will come when you least expect it.