The finished product– Our 2011 Operation Christmas Child Shoebox! Kevin and I had a great time browsing aisle after aisle at the Dollar Tree on our Annual Shoebox Filling Date. Here’s what we ended up choosing to fill our shoebox with: Sesame Street Coloring Book.3 Mini-Composition notebooks.Colored Pencils.Sparkly (regular) Pencils.A huge package of pencil sharpeners […]
The One with the Bountiful Baskets
Today is just one of those days when I have so much on my mind, I can’t seem to settle on just one topic to expound upon. My thoughts are forming a gigantic tangled web and if I don’t start talking, I might just explode, but yet I have no clue where to begin. Can anyone […]
The One with the Sensitivity
I love when God gives me glimpses of His purpose for me, of how He is seeking to use me for the His Kingdom. Even the smallest revelation is powerful when I recognize it as God at work. Relationships matter most to me in ministry. I like to seek out those who seem alone, or […]
The One with Apples, Sisters, and Lists
Top Ten Really Super Awesome (to me) Things From These Last Few Days 1. getting my first “hey, will you pray for me?” text from one of our new teens. 2. returning to the Eccles family tradition of Sunday evening nachos. (Our nachos = layering your plate with tortilla chips, sprinkling liberally with green pepper, […]
The One with “Mastering” a Great Day
What a fantastic day! It was just one of those all-too-rare days when my mood was good and my spirits were high for every moment of it. Even the getting-up-at-6am-on-a-Saturday didn’t deter me (despite the struggle to fall asleep the night before). Besides the great mood, it was the first Bible Quiz of new school year–over Hebrews and […]
The One with the “Normal” Sunday
Yesterday was a “normal” Sunday–the first in many weeks. It felt good, it felt right, it felt…well…normal. At the church at 7:45am for worship team rehearsal, making last minute changes to the set. It was the earliest I think I’ve ever been at church, but it worked. Right after practice, it was scurrying here and […]
The One with the REAL Youth Min
a snap shot of the the life of a youth pastor. as read in Group Magazine, Sept/Oct 2011 “So your job is to play with teenagers one day a week?” prep lesson. write message. fix church van. lead kid to Christ. “Are you ever going to be a real pastor someday?” scrape Jell-O off ceiling. lead […]
The One Where We Celebrated Goodbye
Moving to a new place, a new town, a new life comes with its blessings. But it also necessitates goodbyes. I have had to say many goodbyes to dear friends and yes, family, throughout my life. Leaving home for the very first time and moving onto the campus of Spring Arbor University was one of […]
The One with So Many Parties
We’ve had so many invitations for this party or that visit since moving to our new hometown, in our new home state just last Monday. Thursday morning was breakfast with Pastor Randy. Thursday evening was a ladies’ pool party. Friday night was surprise party for Nick O on obtaining his black belt in karate. Sunday […]
The One with the Teens Loving Jesus
Want to know the highlight from my week with our teens at Family Camp? The sunshine in my days? The time that made my heart happy? Every morning, after most of the teens had spent an early morning hour chatting and laughing and enjoying a bowl of cereal, it was time for personal quiet times. […]