It's that time of the year. The kids get up in the dark and go to school before the sun comes up. Above is a pic of the sunrise (also called u-di-ga-lv-yi), a good ten minutes after I dropped them off at school.
This Saturday we change gears ever so slightly as we learn a bit about Moses. I am expecting larger numbers at church this weekend, although I base my expectation on nothing at all. Just seems like it. Last weekend we had slim pickens and in a strange move, I actually released Joe & Tim to go into the grown up service. Seemed like 5 guys leading 16 kids was silly. This week we will be short, with Em gone. Hoping Kevin, Joe, myself and maybe Tim can handle things. My prediction...38 kids. Here is your small group info if you don't already have it. Click here to see Cal from last weekend if you missed it.
I am spending some time to try and recognize nudges from God as a result of the current "grown up" series we have heard for the past several weeks. Sadly, with my diminished mental ability (brought on by under usage of my brain for the past 5-10 years), I only recognize nudges approximately 24 hours after they occur. I have had two clear nudges recently. Even sadder than my lack of recognition of a nudge is that once I realized what it was, my first reaction was, maybe. Shall I say that I am a work in progress? Can this old dog learn new tricks? We'll see. I am hoping the rest of you are more in tune with hearing God and much quicker to respond than I am.
I saw someone else get nudged in a different way last week. This guy I know mentioned that he might want to teach in our room. I am hoping that guy continues to entertain that thought and looks into giving it a try. I think he is more than qualified for the position. I am not going to say it was Kevin Stewart because I don't want any unnecessary pressure put on him. So "guy," think about it. We could use some teachers. Jake is on like every week now. All of us should be praying, not just for the kids we serve, or other leaders we serve with, but for ourselves. Pray that we will be used as God wants us to. That we will be open to His leading. That we will hear Him and act.
Like all good Christians do, the Lingenfelter family went to a driveway campfire cookout on halloween. Since I don't condone the celebration of this dark event, Erin was not allowed to dress up. Rather, as a practicing Cherokee, she wore her native attire, and it worked. She received treats just like the kids whose parents allowed them to dress up as things they are not. You didn't know our daughter was Cherokee? Silly you. While Pam's family came to America on the Mayflower, making her totally anglo, I am a mutt. I am 1/4 Croatian, 1/4 Italian, 1/4 German, 1/16 Cherokee, 1/16 Scotch, 1/16 Irish & 1/16 white trash. I didn't realize how into the 1/32 Cherokee our kids are until recently. 
School documents reveal that they are both Cherokees who practice tribal customs. I never knew the Cherokee tribe was so into Xbox and Justice clothing stores. It is also amazing to me that they (Cherokees) do far less hunting and gathering than I expected and watch a lot of movies while eating food purchased and prepared by their parents. They also like baseball and American Girl dolls. Crazy. If you are curious about how the paperwork got filed at school regarding their status as practicing Cherokees, just ask my wife.
As I took Erin to dance class last night (now I realize why it rains whenever she does a certain dance, she is practicing), we saw the sunset (e-ga-te-ga-wi). How beautiful. There are some positives to the short days of late fall/winter. Enjoy.
This Saturday we change gears ever so slightly as we learn a bit about Moses. I am expecting larger numbers at church this weekend, although I base my expectation on nothing at all. Just seems like it. Last weekend we had slim pickens and in a strange move, I actually released Joe & Tim to go into the grown up service. Seemed like 5 guys leading 16 kids was silly. This week we will be short, with Em gone. Hoping Kevin, Joe, myself and maybe Tim can handle things. My prediction...38 kids. Here is your small group info if you don't already have it. Click here to see Cal from last weekend if you missed it.
I am spending some time to try and recognize nudges from God as a result of the current "grown up" series we have heard for the past several weeks. Sadly, with my diminished mental ability (brought on by under usage of my brain for the past 5-10 years), I only recognize nudges approximately 24 hours after they occur. I have had two clear nudges recently. Even sadder than my lack of recognition of a nudge is that once I realized what it was, my first reaction was, maybe. Shall I say that I am a work in progress? Can this old dog learn new tricks? We'll see. I am hoping the rest of you are more in tune with hearing God and much quicker to respond than I am.
I saw someone else get nudged in a different way last week. This guy I know mentioned that he might want to teach in our room. I am hoping that guy continues to entertain that thought and looks into giving it a try. I think he is more than qualified for the position. I am not going to say it was Kevin Stewart because I don't want any unnecessary pressure put on him. So "guy," think about it. We could use some teachers. Jake is on like every week now. All of us should be praying, not just for the kids we serve, or other leaders we serve with, but for ourselves. Pray that we will be used as God wants us to. That we will be open to His leading. That we will hear Him and act.
Like all good Christians do, the Lingenfelter family went to a driveway campfire cookout on halloween. Since I don't condone the celebration of this dark event, Erin was not allowed to dress up. Rather, as a practicing Cherokee, she wore her native attire, and it worked. She received treats just like the kids whose parents allowed them to dress up as things they are not. You didn't know our daughter was Cherokee? Silly you. While Pam's family came to America on the Mayflower, making her totally anglo, I am a mutt. I am 1/4 Croatian, 1/4 Italian, 1/4 German, 1/16 Cherokee, 1/16 Scotch, 1/16 Irish & 1/16 white trash. I didn't realize how into the 1/32 Cherokee our kids are until recently. 
School documents reveal that they are both Cherokees who practice tribal customs. I never knew the Cherokee tribe was so into Xbox and Justice clothing stores. It is also amazing to me that they (Cherokees) do far less hunting and gathering than I expected and watch a lot of movies while eating food purchased and prepared by their parents. They also like baseball and American Girl dolls. Crazy. If you are curious about how the paperwork got filed at school regarding their status as practicing Cherokees, just ask my wife.As I took Erin to dance class last night (now I realize why it rains whenever she does a certain dance, she is practicing), we saw the sunset (e-ga-te-ga-wi). How beautiful. There are some positives to the short days of late fall/winter. Enjoy.
