Thank you for your service…

It’s Memorial Day.  Though most Americans identify this holiday with a long weekend filled with barbecue, pool openings and fun with friends there are countless families missing a loved one on this somber holiday.

As I mentioned in my Veteran’s Day post, I grew up in a family that knows the sacrifice a soldier makes to protect the liberties that we often take for granted.  Today I am mindful of my Uncle Dave, whom I never met.  He was killed in a rice paddy in Cambodia during Vietnam.  He heroically sacrificed his own life so that his fellow soldiers could get out of harm’s way.  I have lost count of how many tears I have watched my family shed as they fight to keep his memory alive.  I learned first hand that it is the soldier and his whole family who go to war.

I think of my Dad, Cousin, Grandfathers, and other uncles who all served in the military to protect my freedom, submitting themselves in humble service to something greater than themselves.  I am deeply thankful and incredibly proud.

But I am also mindful of the people who I will never meet who have given so much.  So today I say thank you for your service.

To the soldier deployed in a land far away, longing to see their family and friends back home – thank you for your service.

To the Mom stationed on an air base in the middle of the desert, staring at the photos of her children on the other side of the world – thank you for your service.

To the soldiers who have eliminated terrorist threats while we sleep comfortably in our beds – thank you for your service.

To the men and women who willingly travel wherever their mission leads them, whether it be a sandy desert hillside, or a Navy ship at sea – thank you for your service.

To the Father who is missing the birth of his first child while deployed – thank you for your service.

To those who have been held captive or are missing in a foreign land – thank you for your service.

To those who have committed a lifetime of blood sweat and tears to this great nation – thank you for your service.

To the families that stand firm behind each soldier – thank you for your service.

To the parents raising children at home while their spouse is deployed – thank you for your service.

To the soldier who came home from war, only to face another battle back home – thank you for your service.

To the countless veterans who lost a friend and comrade at war – thank you for your service.

To the wives and mothers who clutch a carefully folded flag while taps ring out over the casket of their fallen soldier – thank you for your service.

To the fathers who long to see their sons and daughters come home from war – thank you for your service.

To the children who grow up with one or both of their parents often deployed – thank you for your service.

To the parents who get the dreaded call that their soldier paid the ultimate price – thank you for your service.

To the soldiers who carry their fallen comrades home from war – thank you for your service.

To the homeless men and women who gave their best years to protect our freedom – thank you for your service.

To the veterans, the humble heroes, who live and work in our midst each day – thank you for your service.

To the soldiers who have paid the ultimate price, giving their lives for our liberty – thank you for your sacrifice.

May God bless each of you today and every day.

Awesome Humility

It is a special day in the Hensley house.  There will be food, and laughing, celebrating and reverie.  Today is Skyler’s birthday.  And I love it!  Some of you are blessed enough to know him; many of you sadly do not (I’m bummed for you if this is the case).  I get to be his wife.  You should be jealous.

I’ve spent a lot of time this week recounting the millions of things I have come to love, respect, and admire about Skyler, and the list is long.  But there was one prevailing theme that continued to surface and that is his “awesome humility”.

Skyler actually coined the phrase once a few years ago just joking around, but it stuck for me.  Though he was kidding, he really is a man of “awesome humility”.

Over the years I have watched Skyler serve those around him by constantly putting the needs of others above his own.  He has modeled a Christ like character in moments when lesser men would have swelled with stubbornness and pride.  He has constantly sought a spirit of meekness and kindness.  There have been times where I have watched him be wronged by the world and I wanted justice for him, but he sought humility.  (Because frankly, he IS the better half of this union.)

One of the greatest compliments I ever received on behalf of my husband came from a friend’s father.  His wife had a serious illness and he explained to me that though he knew a number of good men and great pastors, should there be a day when his wife was dying he said Skyler was the kind of man he would want to sit with him.  I can think of no higher compliment.  No greater honor.  Skyler is at his best when life is at it’s worst.  He has a strength of spirit, a calming character, a listening ear, and a Godly presence that bring great comfort when words cannot.  And that is a powerful gift.  The ability to model Christ through humility, and often – silence.

Another friend refers to him as a “Prince among men” and I could not agree more.   Skyler is likely highly uncomfortable with this post.  Why?  Because of his “awesome humility”.  You will never hear Skyler say “I’m really good at….” Or “I’m the best at….”.  You’ll here “I’m just glad to help” or “I’m happy to serve” or “It’s not a big deal”.  He truly serves an audience of one and is laser focused on pleasing God.  I would storm the gates of hell with him and I look forward to the day we stand at the pearly gates and I can declare “Yeah – I’m with that guy”.

Though I’ve joked about his “awesome humility” in our house before, it truly is the thing about him I love most.  I have watched him walk this out in friendships, as a pastor, a husband, and a father.  He reminds me on a regular basis that in order for God to become greater in my life, my family, my relationships, and my ministry – I must become less.  (Biblical I know; but I love that he faithfully walks this out, even when it hurts, even when I don’t want to hear it).

So, today as we celebrate your life my dear I wish you a very happy birthday filled with reminders of the splendor that God imparted in you.

Matthew 23:12 tells us – “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted”

Thanks for consistently modeling “awesome humility” for the rest of us.  So on this day, dear husband, I exalt you.  Thanks for making me a better wife, mother, pastor, and friend.

Here’s to a hundred more years of “awesome humility”!   Bring it!

To my Mom…

I’m sure I’ll write a post about my first Mother’s Day experience this year.  (It’s been awesome and sweet and the day is only half way through).  But I want to make sure I take time to publicly thank my own Mom in front of God and the internet.  Last year I did a facebook tribute for my Mom for Mothers day.  I listed 100 things she taught me.  And this year I found myself revisiting this list, now through the lens of my own motherhood.  So here it is one more time in its entirety.  (Mommykins – I added one more to make it 101.)  Thanks for all you do.
Much Love Momma!

You Rock!
Worm

 

(and No, you cannot call me Worm.  She can.  Because she’s my Mom and she does what she wants.)

Happy Mother’s Day!

1.  Volunteering/Serving your community is not optional.  Be involved.

2.  NEVER pay full price. NEVER.
3.  You must always use a mirror to make sure the back of your hair looks equally as fantastic as the front
4.  Despite what your 4th Grade Teacher says Peas & Corn are a “bread”
5.  Never over pluck your eyebrows or you’ll look weird.
6.  Your “natural hair color” isn’t something you have to settle for
7.  Never leave the house without putting your face on.  No need to scare people.
8.  Work hard or don’t bother
9.  Don’t worry about the other guy – just do your best
10.  If the principal bothers you all you need to know are these words “I’m Shirley Mennen’s kid – did you need something?” – EPIC!
11.  Coupon Math and Shopping Math are way easier than Algebra
12.  A 10-50 PI means A Wreck With Personal Injuries – so put the blue light in the car and open the garage door!
13.  “Do…DOOOOO…DO DO DO DO”… is the radio tone for Sheffield Fire Department – if you hear it on the pager; get your mother.
14.  It doesn’t really matter if your brother is breathing your air or looking at you; even if it’s annoying
15.  Hamsters do respond to CPR – and only the good Mom’s are hard core enough to do it.  Boo-ya!
16.  Once aforementioned hamster passes onto the other side – don’t forget you put it in a check box in the freezer.  Totally freaks the kids out when they go digging for a box of twinkies only to find their frozen dead pet.  Grief cycle starts all over again.
17.  In case of a tornado you should let your siblings join you in the bath tub for shelter because she loves you both more than the afore mentioned hamster (*ahem*  - Andy Mennen!)
18.  In the event of a tornado you better not be on the phone (even if it’s with Dad) when she calls or she will call the neighbor to come tell you to hang up and get in the bathtub (if your brother will let you).
19.  Don’t play with fire; even though she and all her firefighter friends do.
20.  Real women drive monster trucks (and fire trucks of course).
21.  Don’t throw away the pull tab Wiedeman’s Beer that’s been in the fridge for 25 years.  She might need it some day.  (For those who are wondering – it’s still in the garage fridge)
22.  A Yellow slushy with salt or sugar on the rim makes any bad day better (as long as you are of slushy drinking age of course!).
23.  Napping is a sport; and we are olympians in our family
24.  Managing your eyebrows is an act of public service.  No one wants you to look like Bert and Ernie
25.  If you break your Mom’s nose she will NEVER let you forget about it.  (knocked her out cold – thought I killed her – it was traumatic; tickling incident gone horribly wrong – thought I was going to prison just ask my Dad)
26.  Cleanliness is next to Godliness; or at the very least it makes the place look good and makes Mom happy.
27.   Always alphabetize your tupperware lids; even though you think they can just go in the cupboard in any order – you’re wrong A…B….C…D… you get the picture
28.   Date your canned goods.  Even though they come with a “use by” date printed on them – those people can’t be trusted.
29.   Cold cash is just that – COLD cash.  So it’s completely awesome to keep your allowance in tupperware in the crisper drawer of the fridge!
30.   If the school sends you a tutor that doesn’t speak spanish to teach you spanish – Don’t worry Mama Bear is gonna handle this one.  No problemo!  Comprende?
31.   Everyone deserves reasonable accommodations.  Disability doesn’t make you less of a person.
32.   There’s always someone who has it worse than you; so be thankful
33.   Midge gets the good guy in the end.  Barbie is stuck with Ken and his mack truck smashed face.  (I only wish I had space to tell you the whole Barbie / Midge / mack truck metaphor – PRICELESS!!!)
34.   Keeping in mind of course that in the metaphor represented in #33 Barbie didn’t have a divorce attorney.  That would ruin the metaphor – so go with it.
35.   Always have your B.U.B.s with you.  If you don’t know what a B.U.B. is you have to ask – My Mom or Brenda Gurnick
36.   It’s okay to call your best friend a bad name if she was only in labor for 30 minutes when she had her baby.  I’ll understand it when I grow up some day.  (this one’s for you – Brenda Gurnick)
37.   You don’t need money to have fun.  Just to pay the bills.  The good stuff in life is free.
38.   If Mom’s packin’ her super soaker – you’re dead meat.  She takes no prisoners and it doesn’t matter if you’re her sweet baby girl (or boy) – she will unload that beast on you.  (And yes – she will shoot you in the face with it so GUARD YOUR EYES)
39.   Regarding #38 – Mom always gets the biggest water gun.  No exceptions.  And if you really mess with her – she controls the hose.  (and keep in mind she was a firefighter so she knows how to really get you!)
40.   She brought me into this world and she can take me out (though she was clear I wouldn’t be going back the way I came)
41.   When waking Mom up – try to step back quickly – she’s got a fierce right hook and Mama Bear doesn’t do mornings J
42.   You can’t watch cartoons unless your bed is made.  It’s like the law or something.
43.   If there isn’t blood on the carpet you’ll probably live.
44.   The seams on your towels should line up when you fold them; if they don’t – you’re doing it wrong and we have a family tradition to uphold.  We’re darn good towel folders people; and that’s a legacy.
45.   If the elephant trunk is turned down it’s bad luck.  Trunks up only – otherwise it’s like bad Republican voodoo or something.
46.   Real women put up a Christmas Forrest – not just one sad tree.
47.   You can never have too many lights on the Christmas Tree (okay – well maybe; but consult with your local fire marshal to see what that magical line is)
48.   Santa Claus doesn’t wrap Christmas Presents – he’s way too busy for that.  So if you’re presents from Santa were wrapped; it was fraud.
49.   Don’t store your Easter decorations in garbage bags or your teenage daughter with throw them out with the garbage (sorry Mom – but at least I took the trash out)
50.   Always have at least one freezer and one refrigerator in your garage.  That way you never run out of cold diet coke and popsicles!!!
51.   If you break something from Home Interiors; She breaks your face.  (note – my face is in tact and I never broke any of those glass bird thingies – whew!)
52.   You can’t keep a good Mom down – Biological Dad split and she stepped up.  Much respect Mama – his loss.
53.   It’s entertaining to mess with your daughter when she’s all hopped up on drugs after surgery.  Stories to share for generations (let’s just say apparently I asked Mom if she and I could move to Vegas for an interesting career venture)
54.   What are mini-vans good for?  Drive by Super Soaker Assaults.  Duh!?
55.   It hurts to be beautiful.  Thus perm rods and French braids can never be too tight (even if you can no longer blink from your skin being pulled so tight)
56.   Thank a soldier and be kind to their family.  They have both made sacrifices for your freedom.
57.   Common sense is not so common – this will frustrate you for the rest of your life (you were right Mom)
58.   Be yourself.  No need to be boring.  There are plenty of other people doing that.
59.   Mom’s make mistakes and kids don’t come with handbooks.  This is where the “do your best” thing will come in handy.
60.   Mom’s don’t get old; their kids do.  (This one seems horribly unfair to me)
61.   When the parrot starts flying through the house your first job is to turn off the ceiling fan.  Otherwise carnage will ensue.
62.   Having a piece of paper doesn’t make you smart – hard work does.  So respect someone for their intelligence and life experience, not just their credentials.  Some of the smartest people you’ll ever know never went to college
63.   Mom’s have feelings and their hearts break too.  Take the time to know her story.
64.   Love God.  He’s the One thing you can always count on.  People will fail you – but he will not
65.   Mom’s law – If she calls your first name (your cool).  First and Middle Name (Run and lead with “I’m sorry”).  First, Middle, and Last Name (plan your funeral – you’re dead meat).
66.   Want a fight?  Mess with myself or my brother.  Game on – she’ll mess you up.  (and yeah – my Mom could totally take your Mom – but I don’t recommend it.)
67.   There’s no such thing as a clean plate club.  Don’t over eat – just slap some saran wrap on that plate and eat it tomorrow.
68.   Label and date your leftovers.  Why?  No one really knows.
69.   Be articulate, educated, and informed.  Don’t give people any reason to question your intelligence or integrity.
70.   Pray with your kids – even if they’re running late for the bus
71.   Take the high road.  There usually isn’t as much traffic and you’ll get there faster in the end.
72.   Always check behind the tv for easter candy.  That bunny is tricky.
73.   Santa goes on diets too so be sure to check with Mom before going the cookies and milk route.  (One year Santa requested carrot sticks.  Funny.  Mom was eating lots of healthy stuff too.  She and Santa have so much in common.)
74.   Black Friday is NOT the biggest shopping day of the year.  The day after Christmas is.  Rookies.
75.   Never go shopping without your three best friends.  Betsy Bargain Hunter, Susie Smartshopper and Jessica Justification.
76.   “Don’t bother with learning to sew.  That’s why we have Amish people & catalogs.”  J  (she swears she doesn’t remember this one but it was hands down one of the funniest Mom lessons ever.)
77.   Shopping is your patriotic duty to “stimulate the economy”.  God bless America – how do I get to the Mall from here?
78.   Be nice.  It’s not rocket science and it makes all the difference in the world.
79.   Learn from your mistakes so you won’t be forced to make them again.  Practice makes perfect.
80.   Wear sunscreen and don’t go to the tanning bed.  (Promised my Mom years ago I would stop tanning and I haven’t been since; thus the pasty-ness)
81.   You only get better with age so don’t freak out about the number.
82.   If you invent a chocolate margarita at your favorite local mexican restaurant make sure you get them to commit (in writing) to naming said drink after you.
83.   The “Kitchen” isn’t a room in your house.  It’s the mexican restaurant down the street where everybody knows your name.  J (yes – I have a magnet for Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant in case I need to reach Mom in an emergency)
84.   Don’t watch MTV – unless of course you’re watching it for Madonna videos for your Mother.  Then it’s totally fine.
85.   You CANNOT open Christmas Presents unless you are listening to Gene Autry’s Christmas Cowboy Album.  If you don’t head this warning; Santa will die.  You don’t want that on your head now do you?
86.   If you want to have Grandchildren some day don’t allow your son to wear tighty whiteys.  (Your welcome little brother; just had to put that out there)
87.   Always wipe your feet before you come to dinner.  Just trust me on this one.  You don’t want to know why.
88.   It’s not nice to point at another woman’s hairstyle and scream “Mommy!  Tell her you can fix that!!”  Apparently it’s rude or something.  (But seriously – Mom you could have TOTALLY fixed it!)
89.   It is equally inappropriate to point at yet another woman and state “she needs a hysterectomy”.  What can I say?  I had no social skills as a child.
90.   Never mess with a woman’s rubber duck.  She’ll be scarred for life.
91.   When eating ice cream – it should always be chased with chips.  You have to balance the sweet with the salty or the universe will implode.
92.   Silence is golden.  As illustrated in this famous Mom quote “You shut your mouth when you’re talking to me”.
93.   Saturday Night Family Bonding = Doctored up Deli Pizza and Salad while watching Star Trek the Next Generation (insert Star Trek theme here)
94.   Music should be listened to LOUDLY.  Period.  End of story.  Especially Henry Lee Summers, The Judds, and Rich Mullins (quite a trio don’t you think?)
95.   In the event that your favorite cereal comes with a toy in it you may NOT dig through the box to locate it.  You have to let gravity and sheer luck allow for it to fall into your cereal bowl.  (If you are Andy G Mennen you disregard this rule and raid through the box like an animal)
96.   Why?  You ask.  Because she’s the Mom – that’s why.  Next question.
97.   When it’s your birthday week you get to eat birthday cake for breakfast everyday despite what weight watchers says.
98.   Once you have children it is no longer a good idea to have a glass top coffee table.  Your son will leverage the see through top to cheat at Memory repeatedly which will only infuriate your daughter.
99.   Never let your kids play any game called “trouble”.  It will only end in them both being in “trouble”.
100.Take note of how many hours of labor your Mom went through.  I grew up hearing “13 hours of labor and this is the thanks I get?”.  Thanks indeed Momma!  As I was in labor with my own sweet boy you stood by my side and comforted me and Skyler.  You can hold those 13 hours over my head for the rest of my life.  (And feel free to remind Ransom of the 23 hours he put his Momma through).  You were right; our babies are worth every single second (even the ones before they give you narcotics).
101.You can’t possibly understand how much your Mother loves you.  It’s out of your league.

It’s been one of “those days”

Do you ever have one of “those days”?  You know the ones where nothing seems to go right and you find yourself worn out, frustrated, discouraged, and defeated.  I hate those days.  Hate them.  And today?  Today was one of those days.

So on days like these I try to give myself an “attitude adjustment” and a healthy dose of perspective.  The gospels are generally a good place to start.  Even on my worst day I’m not being persecuted, tortured, imprisoned, or crucified.  So that’s a huge win.  (and no, I do not take that lightly)

Then I make it a point to change my vantage point.  By that I mean I take a good hard look at those around me; those I know, those I love, and  those I have only heard about.  People all around me (and probably all around you) are hurting.  I know (and love) people who have lost loved ones recently, who have a life threatening illness they are battling, some who are clinically depressed, others in financial distress, unemployed, underemployed, lonely, lost, and scared.  And me?  I’m just frustrated.  Largely, because today I was hyper focused on me.  And you know what?  That is NEVER a good thing.  I was wrapped up in a big project dear to my heart that I’ve been laboring on for nearly three years, add to that, every time I glanced out the window my eyes fixated on the “for sale” sign in the yard that has been there for nearly a year and a half.

I hate it when I’m like this but the good news is that God’s mercies are new each day.  And tomorrow?  Tomorrow is a new day.

Here’s to a brighter outlook, a better perspective, and a thankful heart.

Be encouraged friends – some days we lose the battle, but thank God we’ve already won the war.

Chin up…..brush it off….and let’s change the world.

View from the Summit

Some of my dear friends at the Summit! Getting ready to go get dinner.   Nothing like breaking bread (and cheesecake) with great people. Awesomeness!  These people bless me and encourage me!

The past month has been a blur.  I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus from the blogosphere to focus on some ministry work, but I wanted to take a break to share some thoughts.

I had the honor of presenting at the Accessibility Summit at Mclean Bible Church this past month.  I taught a workshop on how to build a Disability Ministry and got to meet an incredible group of people who are working to make their churches more inclusive.  I also sat on a post conference panel with some of my dear friends and colleagues in ministry to address how to avoid burnout.

This was the 12^th year that the team at Mclean has hosted the summit and once again it was a great time of encouragement, equipping, and fun.  (And when I say “fun” – I mean I laughed so hard that my face hurt.  It was good for my soul.)  I highly recommend you mark your calendars to join us there next year April 19^th – 20^th.

As I think about the good conversation and networking that took place I find myself reflecting on my inclusion ministry journey.  It was six years ago that I first attended the summit and I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today if not for the kindness , wisdom, and encouragement that I have received from the friends and colleagues I have met there.  I am, without a doubt, a better pastor as a result.  My ministry took off exponentially after connecting with these great leaders.

At the time I attended my first summit I had been doing inclusion ministry for several years, and often felt like I was alone.  Though I ministered with some incredible leaders and an army of amazing volunteers I often found that there were few others in ministry who shared my passion and call to seek out and serve those affected by disability.  The summit was, and still is a bit of a “homecoming” for me each year.  It’s a great time to collaborate and connect with others who are on the front lines of ministry; their hearts broken for the same things mine is.

As a presenter I enjoy the litany of questions that come my way from those just beginning their ministry journey.  These questions give great insight to what questions the “church” is asking about inclusion and remind me of many of the challenges I have faced over the years.  Here are some of my thoughts for those of you entering into the realm of inclusion.

1)      You are not alone.  Often this ministry can feel like an uphill climb, but be encouraged.  There are hundreds of ministry leaders who have had great success building thriving disability ministries in churches all over the country.  Make networking a priority.  The Body of Christ was designed to work together so broaden your ministry horizons and seek out others who are actively engaged in inclusion ministry and learn from one another.

2)      You don’t have to be an “expert”.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “but I’m not a special education teacher” or “I don’t even know someone with a disability”.  The old adage “God doesn’t call the equipped; he equips the called” rings true in this situation.  Don’t be intimidated.   The single most important thing you need for this ministry is to love God and love people; the rest is just details and there are lots of us who can help you fill in the gaps between what you know and what you need to know.

3)      Never stop learning.  Become a student of disability.  Read as much as you can to gain better insight into the lives of those affected by disability.   There are countless books and blogs out there with great information to get you started.  Just be sure to be discerning when it comes to the internet.  Seek to learn from those who have been in ministry, or work directly with the population you wish to serve (in this case those with disabilities).  Carefully choose your ‘online advisory team’ by identifying experienced practitioners.

4)      Get involved!  If you’re just beginning this journey I highly recommend volunteering with a local community group or agency that serves this population.  This will give you great experience and invaluable relationships that can benefit your ministry as it grows.  Not to mention the evangelism opportunities you will have along the way.

5)      Slow and steady wins the race.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed as you think about all the things you want to do (or feel called to do) in ministry.  But if you want your ministry to thrive rather than just survive be sure to pace yourself.  If you push too hard too fast you will burn out and so will your volunteers.  And nobody wants that.  (except the enemy and frankly I make it a priority to irritate him as much as I can)

6)      Without vision the people will perish – Proverbs 29:18.  Be a visionary.  You need to paint a picture for your team that is so clear they can see it.  Vision is a catalyst that spurs people to action.  Be intentional about casting the vision and keeping it at the forefront of your ministry.

7)      Focus on ONE thing.  One of the kids in my ministry use to love to tell me this joke.  He would say “Harmony, how do you eat an elephant?”  And I would say “I don’t know Mitch.  How do you eat an elephant?”  His answer?  One bite at a time.  He was clearly wise beyond his years.  It is important to establish a ministry vision and a plan but don’t be overwhelmed by it.  Focus on one item at a time and before you know it you will have executed the plan and your ministry will be better for it.  Just take it “one bite at a time”.

8)      Pray.  Pray again.  Then pray some more.  Rinse.  Repeat.  Don’t forget to seek God in every aspect of your life and your ministry.  The enemy loves to distract us with the busy-ness of the world, but keep yourself grounded in prayer and you will see your vision come to life.

9)      Tell better stories.  Though the statistics on disability are certainly compelling they don’t capture the hearts of most people.  Jesus understood this all too well.  He was a master story teller.  Follow his example and tell the story of the people you are serving and those who you hope to reach.  Stories change everything.  They break hearts, encourage weary volunteers, call people to action, reinforce vision, and celebrate what God is doing.

10)   Live in community.  God never meant for any of us to do this alone.  You are a part of the royal priesthood.  Lean in.  Invest and be invested in.  It’s a great adventure and its one not meant to be traveled alone.  Build a team and do life together.  Not sure what that looks like?   Acts 2:42 gives you a pretty good picture.  Be in the word, pray together, eat together, hang out together.  Change the world.  Together.

I love that Mclean calls their conference the “summit”.  It makes me think of mountain climbing, which isn’t all that different from ministry.  Mountain climbing is hard and so is ministry.  But that never stopped anyone from tackling Mt. Everest or prevented a missionary from venturing out into the unknown to respond to the call God placed on their heart.

In mountain climbing the summit is the top of the mountain.  There are lots of ways to climb the mountain.  Some parts are more difficult than others.  But the end result is the same.  An incredible perspective.  A great view.

Ministry isn’t all that different.  The summit can be a place where ministry leaders who have faced the same challenges you are staring down can share with you their experience, their perspective, their view.  Get to know those who have climbed this mountain before you.  Each of them will have different perspective and different thoughts.  But all of them have great wisdom to share.  There are limitless paths that lead to the summit.  And there is wisdom from every vantage point.

If you share a passion to love people with disabilities into relationship with Jesus then our team at Key Ministry would love to hear from you.  I’m sure there are lots of things we could learn from one another to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds”.  (Sounds pretty biblical huh?)

Here’s to changing the world….

Harmony

FREE Training Coming Up…..Wanna join me?

Hello Friends -

I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been lacking in the blogosphere these days.  My apologies.  It’s not you, it’s me.  No really, it is.  I’ve been working on a HUGE ministry project with my team and it required me to really focus all of my writing creativity on one awesome project.  So – please know I still love all of you (a lot) and I promise to get back in the rhythm of blogging soon.

But I did want to stop by to make sure you all knew about some AWESOME upcoming FREE training opportunities from Key Ministry.  We are thrilled to have two JAM Sessions on the calendar very soon and wanted to be sure you knew you were welcome to join us!

JAM (Jump starting All inclusive Ministry) Sessions are one day regional training intensives hosted by churches who wish to serve families affected by disability.  It’s a fun day with three presenters (who promise to be enlightening, engaging, empowering, and fun) and a class of folks who are all passionate about inclusion.  Participants get hands on experience, and there is plenty of Q&A time to make sure you come away feeling encouraged and equipped.

First up we have a session THIS SATURDAY, April 28th from 8:30am – 4:00pm at Two Rivers Church in beautiful Knoxville, TN.  Then, we have another JAM Session scheduled in the Cincinnati, OH area at Center Pointe Christian Church on Saturday May 12th, also from 8:30am – 4:00pm.  If you, or anyone you know, would like to join us please click here to complete the online registration process.  Or you can register using your fancy pants smart phone by scanning the QR code pictured below (and if that isn’t cool, then frankly I don’t know what is.  I’m a sucker for a cool app!)

Bottom line – learning happens best in community and this is an incredible opportunity for just that.  So we hope you can join us and can’t wait to “JAM” with all of you!

Here’s to changing the world…

It’s a “Dirty Job”

If you were hoping for a deep thought provoking blog post today – this is not it.  I’ll get back on track later this week but for now I’m just gonna keep it real and share a bit of my day.

As I’ve mentioned before I hope this blog does a lot of things….and one of those things would be that I hope to make you laugh.

Laughing really is the best medicine and I must say I got a healthy dose today.  For those of you who don’t know me very well allow me to paint a bit of a picture.  I have what you would call “obsessive compulsive behaviors” (Don’t believe me?  Ask my boss – he’s a Psychiatrist.  Or my husband….he’s not a Psychiatrist but he does have a PhD in understanding me and hasn’t been allowed to leave the toaster on the counter for 12 years!)

I enjoy cleaning and being clean.  I like everything to have a place and for that place to be spic and span.  I may be addicted to Clorox Cleaning Wipes and will proudly admit I consider the cleaning aisle at the grocery store to be the fun “splurge” aisle.  (I know – I have a problem.  But it’s a very clean, shiny, organized problem and I like my problems that way so let’s go with it.)

Now, let’s reconcile the above confession with the fact that I am the Mommy to our sweet Ransom (pictured above: GUSH!).  I am head over heels for this darling little man.  He looks just like his Daddy, and so far his sparkling blue eyes and the scar from my c-section are the only proof I have that he’s mine.  (My husband likes to point out that his “dominant genes” stole the show on this little marvel but that’s fine by me.  I think both my guys are handsome.)

Though Ransom is, in fact, related to me; he does NOT share my passion for things being neat and clean and in their place for the most part.  He seems to delight in disarray.  If something is folded, he prefers it be unfolded.  If something is clean, he prefers it be covered in a healthy layer of drool with a touch of spit up if he’s feeling spicy.  And I imagine when he gets older he will join his father in the fight to have the toaster housed on my shiny clean countertops; but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.  However, when his diaper becomes even slightly unpleasant he has a zero tolerance policy.  (Be still my neat freak heart; the boy at least likes one area of his life/body to be clean!!)

We just got home from a weekend in Indiana (or the Promised Land as I like to call it; I’m a proud Hoosier girl).  Ransom had a delightful time visiting with Grandma and Grandpa and flirting with everyone who came within the flirt zone.  (FYI – Ransom’s flirting radius is approximately 20 feet around him in any given public environment.  Ladies are drawn to his charms like a moth to a flame.  I am going to be in big trouble when the teen years arrive).

Turns out all that flirting takes a lot out of a boy so Ransom was ready to have a nice long welcome home nap.  I took him upstairs to put him down for a nap and thought I would go ahead and do a quick diaper check to make sure he was all set for a good snooze.

And then….it happened.  Ransom is just cooing and smiling and being all sorts and shapes of ridiculously cute and then I opened the diaper and BAM!  There is poop EVERYWHERE.  I don’t even know quite how it happened.  But in one quick motion I managed to open up the diaper and Ransom decided it was a good time to roll over and grab the wipes to “help” Mommy.  Before I know it his hands are in the diaper (he’s a “hands on” sort of helper) and I’m desperately trying to contain the mess.  Wipes are flying, he’s frustrated and wiggling, and smearing everything everywhere.  I am embarrassed to say I can neither confirm, nor deny that fecal matter may have made its way into his mouth.  I know.  I know.  You have to keep their hands out of the nastiness and certainly need to be sure it NEVER nears their mouth but I’ve got to be honest here.  My boy may (or may not) have eaten poop.  I was (and still am) horrified.  Clearly, I am now out of the running for Mother Of The Year.  (I had grand plans for that trophy)

I feverishly wiped everything down with baby wipes and yet the mess still evaded me.  My target cleaning area was mobile and the more I tried to contain the mess the more Ransom decided to “help” me – further implicating himself in the unpleasantries.  And then all at once in the midst of this massacre the boy locked eyes with me – gave me a big smile and laughed hysterically.  Apparently he recognized that Mommy looked like she was out of her league and of course he thought that was quite funny.

I snapped out of my intensity and it was as if in that moment God whispered “Poop Happens”.  I was cracking up.  We both had a good laugh and after about 100 wipes we got the situation under control.  By the time it was all said and done there had been poop up his back, on his belly, in both hands, on his arms, on my arms (up to my elbow no less), and in his mouth (though that is speculation).

So in the midst of my day my little man reminded me of the profound truth that “Poop Happens”.  And when it does you struggle through it, clean it up, and carry on.  Together.

And the best part?  Incredibly, the onesie was spared.  (Proof that God still performs miracles; because trust me when I tell you that was on par with the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea.  Seriously.)

Being a Mom is hard and messy.  It’s a “dirty job” – and I’m glad I get to do it.

Here’s to a fabulous week….

Harmony