Jesus Is My Forever Friend

I have had so many confirmations in the past 4 weeks that I made the right decision by jumping into the world of ministry.  One of those moments clearly stands out in my heart!  This moment needs documented to remember always....

Many of you know my passion for church camp with elementary kiddos.  The number of hearts that are reached and tapped into during one week of camp is simply amazing!  For two summers I have been praying that Braydon's heart would be touched and that he would make a commitment to Christ.  However, both summers, he didn't.  This is a young man that has many questions about faith...he needs understanding...just like his dad!  I knew that many seeds had been planted at camp and that I would continue to sow those seeds.  Yet, I must admit, my heart was feeling defeated.  I know the statistics on ages of kids accepting Christ and we were entering a crucial age...5th grade.  After 5th grade, it becomes that much harder...

So, we leave camp on a Friday night....we continue to talk about camp....we continue to talk about the lessons learned...and on that Saturday night, Braydon asks if he can go to Sonrise Church the next morning.  My first reaction was no, no, no...we need to be attending Emmanuel as a family...this is the church that I had just accepted a position with that week.  His face melted and he walked away.  My heart was heavy for Braydon...so many changes in his life right now.  My emotions were flooding over with finding a way to comfort him.  He really wanted to spend that Sunday morning with his counselors from camp, his friends that he was with, and of course, he wanted to wear his camp shirt to church.  So, I prayed about it and told Braydon that Jeff was going to take him to Sonrise and I would attend Emmanuel with the brothers.  His face lit up..."thanks mom!"

The next morning happened just like we had planned the night before.  We separated and off we went.  Jeff and Braydon got home before us.  As I pulled into the driveway, Braydon was outside waiting for me.  The brothers hopped out of the van and Braydon hopped in.  He immediately says, "Mom, guess what I did today?"  Uhhhh...no idea...what?  "I asked Jesus to be my forever friend at church!"  My head spun around, what?!?!?!?! Then the questions...Did someone pray with you?  Did you tell anyone?  What made you decide to do this?!?!?!?!  He quietly and calmly responded..."I knew that this would be my last Sunday at Sonrise and it is like my home, mom.  I knew that I needed to do this there at the church.  I just prayed to myself and asked Jesus in my heart.  I told someone but I don't think they heard me...mom, I felt so tingly inside...it was good."  Oh my golly, I wanted to run down the street and shout the news to everyone but I wanted him to have that glory and I didn't want to be the crazy mom :)  I hugged on Braydon...told him how proud I was of him...told him that this is just the beginning...so much more to come!!!  

We went to lunch together as a family at O'Charley's.  While waiting for our lunch, Braydon says, "mom, tell dad what I did today."  No way!  One of the lessons at camp is that once you make this decision, you are to go and spread the good news!!!  "You tell dad, Braydon!  This is exciting!!!!"  It was cute to listen to Jeff...he asked the same questions as me :)  

As I was seeking direction a few weeks before this event, my daily devotional, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, stated this...

You will never be in control of your life circumstances, but you can relax and trust in My control.  Instead of striving for a predictable, safe lifestyle, seek to know Me in greater depth and breadth.  I long to make your life a glorious adventure, but you must stop clinging to old ways.  I am always doing something new within My beloved ones.  Be on the lookout for all that I have prepared for you.  

That night as I sat in prayer for myself...I was thankful...truly thankful!  I realized at that moment that my decision to enter ministry was truly God's path for me AND my family.  Had we remained in our safe and consistent routines, I don't believe that Braydon would have felt the urgency to make this commitment to Christ.  

Dear Jesus, thank you for entering my heart and filling me with peace about being separated for one Sunday at church...thank you, Jesus, for entering my sons heart, thank you for Camp Lakewood...thank you for the ministry team at Sonrise that has poured into Braydon...thank you for this amazing opportunity to enter Emmanuel and begin touching more hearts...oh dear Jesus, I am honored to call you my best friend, too! Please remain at the center of our lives...speak to us...guide us...equip us...  I praise your Holy name...amen!

The BIG Surprise!!!

Jeff and I planned a surprise for our boys on the evening of their first day of school.  We knew that the transition to a new school, a new church, and not having mom at school every day would be difficult.  We wanted the kids to have something to look forward to on the tough days ahead...sooooooo....are you ready???

When the kids got home from school, there was a wrapped gift in the living room.  They wanted to dive into it!!!  We explained why we were giving them this BIG surprise...1,2,3...GO!!!!

A Mickey Mouse balloon pops up out of the box and Braydon says, "A balloon mom, really?"  He couldn't believe that ALL this hype was for a balloon...LOL!!!  I instructed them to find the note...

Braydon with his "Seriously, Mom?!?!?!?" look!

Bryce didn't believe Braydon...so, he needed to read the letter himself!

My parents took us to Disney three years ago and we weren't sure if we would ever make it back.  The TeacherPalooza sale that I had several weeks ago produced enough money for me to take my children to Disney!  To all of you that came, THANK YOU!!!  I am truly giddy with excitement that we are going back AND that we have the funds to do this so easily!  We are even going to fly but shhhhh...the kids don't know that part yet.  We are giving them that little nugget at Christmas time :)  My boys have never flown before...I can't wait!

To end our evening, Jeff made a kid friendly dinner...chicken nuggets and macaroni & cheese.  To celebrate, I had Mickey plates, cups, and food flags for our dinner.  We had so much fun dreaming about  our trip...Disney, here we come!!!!

Ice Cream Commandos!

As I entered our home this evening, I dropped into the recliner...yep, I was exhausted!  My physical therapy wiped me out today.  We decided it was a pizza night and we didn't finish eating until 7:30pm.  Shortly there after, our doorbell rang...ugh, yes, that was my first thought!  Yet at that moment, my entire, exhausted evening was completely perked up by the goodness of a friend!  What friend, you ask?  I have NO IDEA!!!!  The boys opened the door to find a carton of super fun ice cream, Hershey's double chocolate syrup, and the cutest container of sprinkles with a note attached...Happy Tuesday -the Ice Cream Commandos!

Who are the commandos?!?!?!?!  Did anyone see someone mysterious around our home this evening?!?!?!?!  The kids were so excited with the treat but they were MOST excited by the mystery!!!  It ended up being a Happy Tuesday, indeed!  Which ever friend this was, my family loves you!  Your kindness and thoughtfulness impacted my heart tonight!  Although this was not a moment that I created, I am honored to be the recipient!  I challenge the rest of my friends to be Ice Cream Commandos for your friends!  A simple idea with a great impact!  Not only did my children enjoy a very tasty treat but they learned the value in treating our neighbors with love and kindness!

Mommy Date #3 - with Braydon!

It was finally Braydon's turn!  His only request..."Mom, please don't tell people that we are going on a date, just tell them we are hanging out!"  Yep, he's growing up!  This day/evening of "hanging out" was truly fabulous...

We began our date with the purchase of his new shoes.  My 10 year old needed size 10.5...can you believe that?!?!?!!?!  He towers over kids his age...his feet are now bigger than mine!  He is growing up way too fast!  He was thrilled with his choice of shoes and put them on once we got into the car :) 

Then, off to dinner we went!  We ate at the new Quaker Steak and Lube...Braydon was in heaven!  We had eaten at this restaurant chain a few times before so he was truly looking forward to the one in Fort Wayne opening up.  We were seated upstairs...oh so cool!  He took pictures and a video on my phone so that he could go home and show "the brothers and daddy what the inside looked like."  Braydon was trying to be all grown up by trying something new on the menu.  He ordered the mild wings but decided that he wasn't a fan of the wings.  I was proud of him for trying! 

The conversation during our meal was a bit more difficult to digest than my food, to say the least.  As I asked the same questions as my other boys about their upcoming new school, "what are you most nervous about and most excited about?"  Braydon's response...with sad eyes..."Mom, I'm nervous about everything and I'm excited about nothing...I really don't want to go to a new school."  My heart was heavy...he has been really excited about this transition throughout the entire summer...It wasn't until registration that his feelings changed.  He knows three boys that attend Haverhill and they were all placed in the same classroom and he was placed in a class that he new not one person.  Ugh!  So, here we go...the difficult lesson that I struggle with EVERY day..."Honey, I know this isn't going the way that WE would have wanted but God is in control.  There IS a reason for this placement and although we may not understand, we must have faith that there is a reason.  This transition can be positive if we choose.  It is all about our attitude and trust in the Lord."  I know mom, he says...I'm trying. 

We then hurried off to meet the family at Haverhill Elementary for Rylan's Kindergarten Open House.  We all had fun helping Rylan complete a scavenger hunt by finding all of the special places in his new classroom!  The big boys also wanted to show Jeff their new classrooms as well...it was a nice evening for everyone.  Then, Braydon and I continued "hanging out" together! 

We headed to Target to purchase his remaining school supplies.  He also was able to spend his hard earned money from selling water and chips at my TeacherPalooza sale!  With excitement, he purchased a Pokemon DS game.  He was all smiles :)  Our last stop...Kohl's.  Braydon found a pair of Adidas sliders and black socks that he has been wanting since church camp.  He saw many of the counselors wearing these and he pointed them out to me several times throughout the week.  Too funny!  These counselors impacted Braydon in more ways than one this summer!  Yes, Braydon looked up to them in fashion and their "coolness" but these counselors changed my son's life forever...truly forever!  Braydon gave his heart to Jesus this year and accepted Jesus as his forever friend.  Therefore, I am certain that he will be able to conquer this transition of a new school :)

We were the last customers to leave the store at 11pm...we shopped till will dropped...seriously!  Braydon was SO nervous that we were going to be locked inside of Kohl's for the evening...he was cracking me up!  As we were getting into the van, Braydon says, "Well, that was exciting!"  I thought he was being sarcastic about our late encounter with Kohl's and I asked what he meant.  His response..."Everything...Everything was exciting.  I had fun tonight mom.  Thanks!"  Wowsers...you are welcome, Braydon.  I too had fun...I love you...I'm praying for your first day of school...I'm praying for the teachers and the students that you will encounter throughout the day...I am proud of the young man that you are all too quickly becoming...

Mommy Date #2 - with Rylan!

It was 7:30am and a little boy came running into my room and pulled on my arm, "Mommy, get up!  It's are mommy date day!"  My heart was full and my smile was wide but it was STILL 7:30am!!!!  He climbed in my bed and we talked about where we would eat...IHOP was the place!  Rylan was SO excited...he's my snuggle bug...my youngest...still the baby...always will be the baby!

The kids went to their grandma's for a few hours while I went to some intense physical therapy later in the  morning.  Wowsers...I do mean, intense!  Rylan was telling his cousins about his upcoming "mommy date"...telling his grandma, telling his uncle...he was SO excited!  At this point, I realized just how important this alone time was!  These mommy dates before school are going to be added to our family list of back to school traditions!  Not only are the kids enjoying themselves but I'm enjoying the time together just as much!  It has been hard to carve out three nights of our week but well worth the investment!!!

It was finally time for our date!  Our first stop...IHOP!!!  Good for me, kids eat for free, yahoo!!! 

Again, I loved our dinner conversation.  Rylan is most nervous about not having any friends at school and the possibility of "mean kids, like bullies."  He's worried that he won't be able to remember his teacher's name (Mrs. Menze).  However, he can't wait to ride the school bus with all the kids from our cul-de-sac and he's excited that our neighbor boy, Conner, is in his class!  I told Rylan about the upcoming Kindergarten Open House this Thursday night.  He will get to meet his classmates, find his seat, and play in his classroom.  He got really excited about that...I can't believe that my baby will be in kindergarten!  Yes, oh yes, I will be bringing the tissues!

After dinner, we purchased his new gym shoes at Shoe Carnival.  He picked them out all by himself!  He was so happy with his new neon Nike's that he had to put them on once we got to the van to complete our shopping...what a hoot!  Then, off to Target to find the perfect bookbag.  Of course, Rylan chose one that matched his new shoes...LOL! 

He too, spent his garage sale money in the toy section on a Hot Wheels Stealth Ride toy (just like his brothers)...the highlight of the evening!  One last stop...Gordman's!  Mommy got a few things for her new office at the church!  It was another great evening indeed!  On the way home, Rylan says, "Thanks mommy, I had fun with you!"  His words were spoken with true meaning...oh how I love you, Ry!

Thank you Lord for allowing me the opportunity to raise these three beautiful boys.  I know that I stumble, but I am honored and humbled beyond measure that you chose me for this job...truly, thankful!

Mommy Date #1 - with Bryce!

The past two weeks have truly been exhausting on my part!  Resigning my kindergarten teaching position, signing a children's ministry contract at Emmanuel Community Church, packing up ALL my teaching materials of 15 years, pricing all of those materials, having a TeacherPalooza Sale, and then cleaning up my garage to close this educational door.  During all of this, my children and husband saw very little of me.  The clock continues to tick and school is just around the corner...how can that be????  I'm not ready!!!  I need some quality time with my children!  So, I decided to have mommy dates with my three boys this week.  It is going to take three evenings to get through all of them but it will be treasured  time together, I'm certain!  Tonight was spent with Bryce!

When I woke up this morning, I went into Bryce's room and snuggled with him on his bed and excitedly said, "tonight is date night!!!"  His response..."Aren't I too young for a date?"  He rolled his eyes and gave me that goofy boy look but I could tell that he was excited for the alone time as well.  He looked forward to our time together all day.  Before we left he looked at Jeff and said, "How does it feel to know that your wife is going on a date with another guy?"  Can I just say, this kid is truly a crack up!!!!  He always makes our family giggle...ALWAYS!!!

Our afternoon started at Target to purchase his school supplies.  Bryce had fun choosing colors of notebooks and folders...I enjoyed being able to focus on just HIM!  It was truly joyous!!!  He picked out a huge, colorful umbrella  for those rainy days walking to and from the bus stop.  My kids are looking forward to the big yellow bus!  They never got to ride the bus before because they attended school with me vs. their home school...this is an exciting part of this new school journey!!! 

I also helped him choose a toy that he wanted to purchase with some hard earned garage sale money from selling popsicles for three days at my TeacherPalooza!  Then, off to purchase new gym shoes for school...oh yes, he got some very cool Nike's...he has been wearing them with pride!!!  (They were buy one, get one 1/2 off...I then, had to get a pair of shoes for me too...LOL)!

To finish the evening... dinner at Applebee's.  This was my favorite part!  We had great one-on-one conversation.  He's nervous about making friends at his new school and meeting the special area teachers.  However, he's excited about his new teacher, Mrs. Hopper.  He has heard so many fun stories about her from so many different people!  He also likes that she is into frogs...hop, hop :)  Bryce wanted to attend the church service this morning to see Pastor Stan rather than go to his Sunday School classroom.  So, we talked about the service.  He thought Past Stan looked happy :)  We talked about partaking in communion today...what that was all about. We talked about the songs...we just kept talking...I was in my happy place!!!  Of course we couldn't leave without the mouse/oreo dessert!

Bryce, you have a kind and caring spirit.  You are a gentle boy with a giving attitude.  You easily befriend others.  I pray that others embrace you in this new school.  I am proud to by your mom and I loved being on a date with you!  Dear Jesus, help calm Bryce's fears as the big day approaches.  Give him peace...place friends and teachers in his path that will provide him a smooth transition.  Amen