I think I'm gonna like it there

Last night I went to my first youth leader meeting at my new church. I was blown away by the number of people who came. I didn't realize until then how large the volunteer population is in this church until then. As one of the women said to me last night this is the only the people who could make it on a Monday night.

We welcomed some new staff members middle school pastor and high school pastor. Played an ice breaker game and ate a wonderful dinner.

During our fun the SR Pastor walked in. He cut short 2 meetings in order to make the time to stop in and say hello. His words where words of encouragement and thanks. His words reminded me of the wounds in my previous church. He told a story about his own life.

When his son was a teen he and a friend where banned from youth group. Not suitable for youth group he was told. Six years later his son found his way back to God, to this day the friend has not. His son is still in friends with this now man. One found his way back and one is still lost.

I thought of a group of kids that parents and Elders wanted banned from youth group. In the end they stopped coming. They knew they where not welcome.

The pastor thanked us for not banning kids from youth group. For taking it all in stride and loving all those kids even when we want to choke them.

What would have happened if that youth group had loved those boys instead of banning them? We don't know and won't know but I can say this, not being in a church it's hard to teach them about God's love and Grace.

Least we can say this the unwelcome boys knew that their youth team fought for them and loved them. They knew that we did that because God loves us all. Even the idiots with their heads up there butts.

To be appreciated/I am such a girl sometimes

The last morning that I opened the store two customers that I let in before we are open left me a little something. The confirmed that this was indeed my last opening then as they said see you later they slid an envelope on the counter.

When I came back to the counter there it was. I was surprised. I opened it there was a 20 dollar bill which was very generous but that wasn't the part that got me. The card said thank you for letting us in and listening to our stories and jokes. Neither of them asked me why I was leaving they knew. Too often they had been there when the boss decided that what other people did was my fault and yelled at me for it. To often they saw her berate me for something ridiculous because she was in a bad mood. When they heard the news they asked if it was true when I said yes they said they would miss me but that they knew why I was leaving.

They took 5 minutes to tell me that they appreciated me knowing that lack of appreciation was a big part of why I was leaving.

I used that 20 to buy 2 CDs that I wanted so that I will always remember them when I play them. May it be a reminder to me to appreciate people in my life. Their 5 minutes made my day. I confess I cried. I will miss those guys.

what is she thinking!

I talked to a women I know the other day and I asked her that question with as much love as I could muster.

She has three girls 2 are adults one is 15. The father of these girls is a drug addict and has been out of the picture since the youngest was a baby. She remarried that husband cheated on her and they divorced.

She is now a grandma and has a teenage daughter. She married the first time very young.
She has felt hurt and betrayed by the men in her life. Last year she met a guy and they started dating. A couple of months ago I heard they broke it off because she found out he is already married and living a double life, she is the other women.

When I saw her I told her I was sorry to hear that this guy lied to her like that.

She told me the whole story. In a nut shell she allowed him back into her life, because he said he was going to tell his wife and leave her. That was a few months ago. She is still waiting.

I asked her how she would feel if she was the wife, since not too long ago she was the wife in a similar situation.

I don't think that hit home with her. She told me that she is going to give him a time limit on telling her.

What makes her think he won't just cheat on her? What makes her think this is ok? Is she really that afraid to be alone? What is she teaching her daughters!?