Thursday, August 30, 2012
A Beautiful Reunion
Monday, August 20, 2012
My Week With Joni & Friends
Jeremiah 31:13 "Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow."
The sun was warming the back of my legs as I lay on the porch of my cabin, "Heron," one sunny afternoon last week. It was our daily free time, and I opened up my Bible to the book I'd been working on reading - Jeremiah. Often when I read the Old Testament prophetic books, I (shamefully) don't expect to get much other than some stories about long-dead kings and bloody wars. But this particular day, God opened my eyes and heart and brought me to Jeremiah 31. Though I am thousands of years removed from the prophet Jeremiah, his divinely inspired words suddenly seemed so relevant. I was in a place with people who came from all different homes, but each were touched by disability that had caused so much mourning and sorrow. Yet here there was dancing and joy and comfort and gladness of heavenly proportions.
As I drove down to the Joni & Friends Family Retreat, I was a little nervous. I was going alone, and I had no idea what to expect. I listened to the first three chapters of Jerry Bridges' Trusting God, but all I could think about was the upcoming week. Who would I meet? Where would I sleep? What would I eat? Who would I be partnered with? What would I do? That was Sunday morning. By Friday afternoon I was making the same trip in the opposite direction, speechless at the week of my life that I just spent in heaven.
For the first nineteen years of my life, I didn't think much about what heaven will be like. I had a vague picture of streets of gold and glimpses of Paradise - you know, white sandy beaches, crystal clear water - as I imagine most people think of heaven. But this week, I got a glimpse of heaven, of Paradise - not the heaven where I'm lounging on the beach not getting a sunburn (let's be realistic, I probably won't be able to even tan in heaven...), but the heaven of Revelation 21:4 - "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." The heaven in my mind now is one where autistic children who are made fun of in school are embraced with love, where teenage boys who will forever live in wheelchairs have the seemingly impossible opportunity to get in a boat and go fishing on a lake, where weary mothers can get their nails painted and their hair cut while trusting that their children are in safe, loving hands. I got a little taste of this heaven last week, where, in the midst of incredible sorrow and pain and suffering, joy and love were far greater.
I'll be quite honest, when I signed up for Joni & Friends, I had an aching in my heart for people who are considered unlovely and are perhaps a little harder to love, but I was scared to get out of my comfort zone. I requested to be with an infant, toddler, or elementary school child because I was a little bit frightened at the possibility of spending the week with a mentally disabled teenager. I'm horribly ashamed to admit that, but God completely transformed my understanding of love and being made in His image (in fact, I'm looking forward to being able to, Lord-willing, serve at the adult camp next summer). This week I was assigned a three-year-old "typical sibling" (he has no disabilities, but has siblings who do) - completely in my comfort zone, I thought. At first I was disappointed because I can totally spend time with a typical three-year-old; I came here looking for a challenge, and instead I was given something I'd done for years. But God never fails, and this assignment was absolutely His plan, because it allowed me to learn the lesson He had for me this week. My little boy has two older brothers with Downs Syndrome, one adopted and one biological. This was one of the most beautiful families I'd ever met, and I was so inspired by their love and compassion.
Let me tell you about a typical day at Family Retreat:
7:00 - Rise and shine
7:30 - STM ("Short term missionary") devotions on the outdoor amphitheater (except for the one day it rained in the morning). It was absolutely stunning. The sun was just coming up over the lake!
8:00 - Breakfast. STMs ate with their families with the goal of not letting the parents doing any work at all.
9:00 - Morning activities for kids. I went with my little boy to what was essentially VBS, with Bible lessons, singing, crafts, games... and lots and lots of running!
12:00 - Lunch. Same story as breakfast.
We typically had an hour and half to two hours of free time in the afternoon for STMs to rejuvenate and for families to spend time together. With whatever remaining time we had before dinner, we did more games, crafts, and singing.
6:00 - Dinner. Same as the other two meals.
7:00 - Some sort of family event, such as a camp-wide talent show or special concert.
8:30 - More snacks and fellowship - pie night, ice cream social, campfire & s'mores.
9:15 - STM worship & debrief.
I really could go on for pages and pages about this incredible, life-changing week, but let me close by explaining why it was so incredible. For a long time I've been trying to understand love. This week I saw what love looks like. One of the central ideas of this camp is that any camper should be able to have any kind of experience they want, even if we might have to get a little creative to make it happen. For example, one moment that stands out to me as an example of this is when two STMs took a teenage boy out of his wheelchair and into the bouncy house. They held him in their arms and bounced with him. I don't cry often, but this moment melted my heart. Nothing was impossible at this camp. So often in life these kids are told that they can't do certain things because of their disability, but that was a completely foreign concept at Joni & Friends. This was a place so full of love and acceptance that by the end of the week, I felt like I was part of a family. I came by myself, but I left with an incredible group of friends - both people I served and served with. The people at this camp just spilled forth with love. Yes, there were challenges and not every camper was a breeze, but the joy and love I got to know completely overwhelmed everything else.
If you want to learn more about this incredible ministry, visit joniandfriends.org. Perhaps I will see you next year at the 2013 Joni & Friends Family Retreat!
The sun was warming the back of my legs as I lay on the porch of my cabin, "Heron," one sunny afternoon last week. It was our daily free time, and I opened up my Bible to the book I'd been working on reading - Jeremiah. Often when I read the Old Testament prophetic books, I (shamefully) don't expect to get much other than some stories about long-dead kings and bloody wars. But this particular day, God opened my eyes and heart and brought me to Jeremiah 31. Though I am thousands of years removed from the prophet Jeremiah, his divinely inspired words suddenly seemed so relevant. I was in a place with people who came from all different homes, but each were touched by disability that had caused so much mourning and sorrow. Yet here there was dancing and joy and comfort and gladness of heavenly proportions.
As I drove down to the Joni & Friends Family Retreat, I was a little nervous. I was going alone, and I had no idea what to expect. I listened to the first three chapters of Jerry Bridges' Trusting God, but all I could think about was the upcoming week. Who would I meet? Where would I sleep? What would I eat? Who would I be partnered with? What would I do? That was Sunday morning. By Friday afternoon I was making the same trip in the opposite direction, speechless at the week of my life that I just spent in heaven.
For the first nineteen years of my life, I didn't think much about what heaven will be like. I had a vague picture of streets of gold and glimpses of Paradise - you know, white sandy beaches, crystal clear water - as I imagine most people think of heaven. But this week, I got a glimpse of heaven, of Paradise - not the heaven where I'm lounging on the beach not getting a sunburn (let's be realistic, I probably won't be able to even tan in heaven...), but the heaven of Revelation 21:4 - "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." The heaven in my mind now is one where autistic children who are made fun of in school are embraced with love, where teenage boys who will forever live in wheelchairs have the seemingly impossible opportunity to get in a boat and go fishing on a lake, where weary mothers can get their nails painted and their hair cut while trusting that their children are in safe, loving hands. I got a little taste of this heaven last week, where, in the midst of incredible sorrow and pain and suffering, joy and love were far greater.
I'll be quite honest, when I signed up for Joni & Friends, I had an aching in my heart for people who are considered unlovely and are perhaps a little harder to love, but I was scared to get out of my comfort zone. I requested to be with an infant, toddler, or elementary school child because I was a little bit frightened at the possibility of spending the week with a mentally disabled teenager. I'm horribly ashamed to admit that, but God completely transformed my understanding of love and being made in His image (in fact, I'm looking forward to being able to, Lord-willing, serve at the adult camp next summer). This week I was assigned a three-year-old "typical sibling" (he has no disabilities, but has siblings who do) - completely in my comfort zone, I thought. At first I was disappointed because I can totally spend time with a typical three-year-old; I came here looking for a challenge, and instead I was given something I'd done for years. But God never fails, and this assignment was absolutely His plan, because it allowed me to learn the lesson He had for me this week. My little boy has two older brothers with Downs Syndrome, one adopted and one biological. This was one of the most beautiful families I'd ever met, and I was so inspired by their love and compassion.
Let me tell you about a typical day at Family Retreat:
7:00 - Rise and shine
7:30 - STM ("Short term missionary") devotions on the outdoor amphitheater (except for the one day it rained in the morning). It was absolutely stunning. The sun was just coming up over the lake!
8:00 - Breakfast. STMs ate with their families with the goal of not letting the parents doing any work at all.
9:00 - Morning activities for kids. I went with my little boy to what was essentially VBS, with Bible lessons, singing, crafts, games... and lots and lots of running!
12:00 - Lunch. Same story as breakfast.
We typically had an hour and half to two hours of free time in the afternoon for STMs to rejuvenate and for families to spend time together. With whatever remaining time we had before dinner, we did more games, crafts, and singing.
6:00 - Dinner. Same as the other two meals.
7:00 - Some sort of family event, such as a camp-wide talent show or special concert.
8:30 - More snacks and fellowship - pie night, ice cream social, campfire & s'mores.
9:15 - STM worship & debrief.
I really could go on for pages and pages about this incredible, life-changing week, but let me close by explaining why it was so incredible. For a long time I've been trying to understand love. This week I saw what love looks like. One of the central ideas of this camp is that any camper should be able to have any kind of experience they want, even if we might have to get a little creative to make it happen. For example, one moment that stands out to me as an example of this is when two STMs took a teenage boy out of his wheelchair and into the bouncy house. They held him in their arms and bounced with him. I don't cry often, but this moment melted my heart. Nothing was impossible at this camp. So often in life these kids are told that they can't do certain things because of their disability, but that was a completely foreign concept at Joni & Friends. This was a place so full of love and acceptance that by the end of the week, I felt like I was part of a family. I came by myself, but I left with an incredible group of friends - both people I served and served with. The people at this camp just spilled forth with love. Yes, there were challenges and not every camper was a breeze, but the joy and love I got to know completely overwhelmed everything else.
If you want to learn more about this incredible ministry, visit joniandfriends.org. Perhaps I will see you next year at the 2013 Joni & Friends Family Retreat!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Blessings Abound
Hello everyone! It's the dog days of summer (can't wait until I can sing this with Florence...), and I'm entering into the final weeks of being home. I only have four more [busy] days until I leave for the Joni and Friends Family Retreat. I have been so blessed by all the family and friends who have supported me financially (and even more so in prayer!). As I mentioned in my last post, I have received more than enough support so I will be able to help other families and STMs come to the Family Retreat.
Today I thought I would share a little bit about what my schedule will look like next week. I'll be going down to Greenfield on Sunday. Sunday to Monday is orientation and training for volunteers. At this point I have no idea what kind of disabilities I will be working with, but during this time I will find out and get special training unique to the child I will be with all week. The families arrive on Tuesday, and the days will be filled with various activities, from crafts to swimming to concerts to talent shows to boating to campfires. I get a little bit of free time (breakfast, devotions, and an hour or so in the afternoon), but otherwise I will be with my child and his/her family during activities and meals. There are so many unknowns for me still, but that's part of what I'm excited about.
The number one thing I have been praying for in preparing my heart for this week is that I would be teachable and loving. Most of next week will be brand new for me because I have very limited exposure to disabilities. Many people in our world treat people with disabilities as lesser human beings (even if they do so subconsciously), and part of the reason I want to study Psychology - to understand the inner workings of these people who are made in the image of God but yet are different psychologically than me - is so that I can really understand their unique perspective on life. Although I have three years before I get a degree in that particular field, I can start on the practical stuff right now - loving without bounds.
Again, thank you for your generous support and prayers. It is appreciated more than you know!
Today I thought I would share a little bit about what my schedule will look like next week. I'll be going down to Greenfield on Sunday. Sunday to Monday is orientation and training for volunteers. At this point I have no idea what kind of disabilities I will be working with, but during this time I will find out and get special training unique to the child I will be with all week. The families arrive on Tuesday, and the days will be filled with various activities, from crafts to swimming to concerts to talent shows to boating to campfires. I get a little bit of free time (breakfast, devotions, and an hour or so in the afternoon), but otherwise I will be with my child and his/her family during activities and meals. There are so many unknowns for me still, but that's part of what I'm excited about.
The number one thing I have been praying for in preparing my heart for this week is that I would be teachable and loving. Most of next week will be brand new for me because I have very limited exposure to disabilities. Many people in our world treat people with disabilities as lesser human beings (even if they do so subconsciously), and part of the reason I want to study Psychology - to understand the inner workings of these people who are made in the image of God but yet are different psychologically than me - is so that I can really understand their unique perspective on life. Although I have three years before I get a degree in that particular field, I can start on the practical stuff right now - loving without bounds.
Again, thank you for your generous support and prayers. It is appreciated more than you know!
Monday, August 6, 2012
DIY Magnet Board
I've been wanting to do this fun and easy craft all summer, but I never got around to buying cheap cooking sheets, and I just decided to forgo bringing one more DIY project with me to college. But lo-and-behold, at my cousin's yard sale, I snagged some tin lids that were dumpster-bound (for free at the end of the day!) to make my lovely magnet boards. It's pretty self-explanatory, but I'll walk you through my process.
First, for supplies, you'll need
Because 3 is a magic number - anything in sets of 3 seems to work lovely - I took 3 lids of varying sizes (and themes...)
I cut the fabric in circles a little bigger than the lid (or tray, in the case of the above picture). In the picture above, you see the back side of the magnet board. I spray glued the fabric down on the front and then cut little strips on the edges so that it would fold smoothly over the edges of the tray. I ran out of spray glue by the time I got to this step, so I just substituted the ever-faithful hot glue gun.
First, for supplies, you'll need
- Any amount of tin lids, cookie sheets, or anything else you find that a magnet will stick to
- Fabric (or you could always paint them, and then skip the next couple supplies)
- Spray glue and/or a hot glue gun
- Scissors
- Iron
- String or ribbon
- Buttons & magnets to make DIY magnets out of buttons
Because 3 is a magic number - anything in sets of 3 seems to work lovely - I took 3 lids of varying sizes (and themes...)
I then chose 3 different patterns of fabric - one bold graphic and two solid colors.
I cut the fabric in circles a little bigger than the lid (or tray, in the case of the above picture). In the picture above, you see the back side of the magnet board. I spray glued the fabric down on the front and then cut little strips on the edges so that it would fold smoothly over the edges of the tray. I ran out of spray glue by the time I got to this step, so I just substituted the ever-faithful hot glue gun.
And here is the finished product, complete with homemade button magnets (simply get magnet strips with one sticky side and stick 'em on old buttons). I decided to make art out of my magnet boards by attaching a string to the back of them so they hang like a sculpture. Absolutely adorbs. You'll be seeing this in my feature on my dorm room in a month or so :)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Alternative Whiteboard
Ok, this is my last crafty post for today - perhaps for a while. When I went school shopping a few days ago, I was disheartened to find out how much whiteboards cost - and how completely boring they are. So I decided there was a better way. I mentioned in my "Homemade, Handmade Coasters" post that I was looking through my mom's fabric (it's fantastic to have a mother who's crafty and has all sorts of fun stuff laying around). I also found a few frames in the basement - solution: put fabric behind the frames and instant whiteboard. Another simple five-minute craft.
Handmade, Homemade Coasters
Yesterday morning I got to spend a few hours with my mom being all crafty and such. As I was looking through her fabric (see the next post to find out what I did with it!), she said, "I have something I think you'll have a lot of fun with!" She brought me this from her collection of antiques:
I made four different coasters (oh, and those doilies? yup, they're coming with me too to use as more coasters).
I'm all for the five-minute craft, and this is about as easy as it gets.
She said she was really only interested in the box, therefore I could have anything inside, and inside are a bunch of old Scrabble-like letters. I had an instant idea: make coasters for my dorm room (so I can protect my new end table from water stains!). All I needed was a hot glue gun and the letter blocks.
(this is my roommate)
Refinished End Table {that I'm in love with}
All summer my goal has been to find a cute little bookshelf that I can have next to my bed when I go back to college in an attempt to make my dorm room as homey as possible this year. I'd seen several bookshelves that could work, but none of them really stuck with me...until this one. I watch a lot of wedding dress shows, so my mentality going into this search was that when I found "the one" I would know, I would just get this feeling down in my stomach that it was meant to be. That's what happened when I found this little jewel at an antique mall called the Big Red Barn in Bellows Falls, Vermont.
It was originally $39, but, with the help of my dad, we got them down to $28. He thought it was still too expensive, but I couldn't leave without taking it home with me. Although it's super cute in red, it doesn't really match any of my decor, so I found some paint that we already had to paint it a more neutral color that will stay with me throughout college and beyond. Here is the finished product, and it only cost me $28 plus a few hours of labor (of love!):
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