Mission Trip

On Saturday I leave for a mission trip to the Boundary Waters with 14 high school students and 2 other adults. I am excited for the trip but anxious about the long drive up there! Keep us in your prayers for safety and lots of fun!

I am really looking forward to spending time with the kids and being in the beautiful setting of the North Shore (on Lake Superior). I've never been there but spending time outdoors always does good for my soul. And being away from our normal, everyday lives somehow makes it easier for us to be open to other people and more honest about what's going on inside ourselves.

I was reading an article the other day that said on our "sabbath" day, we should do the opposite of whatever we normally do. If we are busy, we should not do anything. If we are normally indoors, we should step outside. Sabbath is a break from our daily routines, a change of pace. I hope that the trip to the Boundary Waters will be a good Sabbath for everyone, that even though we will be working hard, we will be refreshed by spending our time doing something different. We spend so much time focusing on ourselves- it can be renewing to focus on others for a bit.

Have you found Sabbath time this summer? What do you do to renew your body and spirit?

Do It Anyway!

Here are some good words for you today, brought to you by Mother Theresa (probably)...they are a good reminder of why we are here.


People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered...
forgive them anyway

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives...
be kind anyway

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies...
succeed anyway

If you are honest, people may cheat you...
be honest anyway

What you may spend years building, someone may destroy overnight...
build anyway

If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous...
be happy anyway

The good you do today, may be forgotten tomorrow...
do good anyway

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough...
give your best anyway

You see, in the end, it's between you and God...
it was never between you and them anyway

Amen.

NOT Coming Up on the 10:00 News...

As I was thinking about what to blog about today, I started going over what I have been doing lately. Confirmation Camp was the first thing to come to mind. It was such a great week. I was so proud of those 18 kids from Grace. They really committed themselves to the lessons and activities. They learned and supported each other and had fun together.

It's too bad that things like that don't make the news.

There were dozens of counselors and staff at camp that went out of their way to be good Christian examples for all the kids at camp.

Some high school students and adult volunteers met for pizza and a movie a couple weeks ago.

Soon Grace will be filled with many children and volunteers who give many hours of their time to provide the kids with a great vacation bible school experience.

The high school students will be leaving at the end of July for a mission trip to the boundary waters.

I know these things may not seem newsworthy, but to me they are. In a world that can get so caught up in all the bad things that happen, I see so many good things happening, too.

Young teens support each other and grow in their faith together. High Schoolers meet not to cause trouble but to enjoy a night together with people they might not normally hang out with. As college tuition hits the roof, college students earn pennies for 3 months to make a difference in the lives of others, instead of working a less rewarding job for more money. People of all ages give their time to help children learn about God and have a great time doing it.

Where do you see good in the world? Write a comment and let me know.

"Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." ~Matthew 10:42