Gratitude is a God-honoring attitude

This Sunday I did the Children's Story at church and since it's Thanksgiving this week, I went with that theme. As I was researching and getting some ideas, I stumbled across some really interesting comments and stories on Thanksgiving and being thankful.

These aren't my words, but I thought they were indicative of the spirit of Thankgiving -- Some of the most important words that we can speak to others are the two words, "Thank you". If we bestow a gift on another, we should do so out of a motive that doesn't expect anything, even a thank you, in return.

It seems that so many times I really crave that "thank you" from someone if I do something for them. But the comment above, helps me remember that my actions and deeds should be done in Christ's love and I'm sure we would all agree that Christ never desired a "thank you" for the works that he did. He simply wanted people to follow him and believe. And so I think it is a good reminder that we should do things out of love and humility- without ever needing that "thank you".

Scripture from today came from Luke 12:48, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked"-- we have been bestowed with many blessings. It seems even the simple ones get swept under the rug. Like having food, shelter, clean water, warm beds, loving relationships, etc. My last semester in college, I took an Intro to Counseling class and every Thursday we were to journal about something talked about in class and also list 5 things that we were grateful for. And each new week they needed to be 5 different things. It's amazing how difficult it seems to come up with 5 new things each week...and yet there are millions of blessings to be thankful for. I really enjoyed that exercise as it got me thinking about the simple and complex things in my life that are worth praising God for. And it helps you to think positively about your surroundings, plus simply sitting back and reflecting on the good in one's life is always a good thing.

Things have been going great for me. There are some days that I'm walking to work and I can't help the smile that sneaks onto my face because I feel so much joy and happiness from being in this place and city. It truly feels like a God-thing that I am here in Boulder and serving in my workplace. I couldn't have asked for a better placement and am very pleased with how things are working out. God is good indeed. Plus I am hanging out with co-workers more and more and developing some great girlfriend relationships. I feel quite loved and wanted so that is a good feeling. Work keeps me quite busy and it seems like sometimes there is barely time to breathe..so it will be nice to have two days off work this week for Thanksgiving. I am starting to do some brainstorming for programming ideas for February and March.

From all the walking I do to and from work, I have been thinking about the privilege it is to have a vehicle and the great independence one receives from it. I have been lucky enough to have a vehicle from about the time I started driving at 16. The only time I didn't have a vehicle was my first semester of college, but even then I found ways of getting around. But living here in Boulder and not having wheels has been eye-opening for me and quite humbling. I quickly became one of the regulars on the bus ride to Lafayette. I smile to see people parking their cars in the parking garage off of Table Mesa in order to ride the bus to Denver or elsewhere. People are conscious of their environmental footprint here and that is nice to see. Some statistics on transportation:

-The average U.S. household owns 2.2 automobiles -- 10% more than in the early 1990s and 70% more than in 1955. So there is definitely a precedent for fewer cars per family.

-According to the U.S. Department of Transpotation Statistical Records Office there are approximately 62 million registered vehicles in the U.S. at the current time and appox. 6.4 million unregistered functioning vechicles.

-(2000 survey)The car is by far the most common means of commuting in North America where 71% of company workers and every second student commute by car. The situation is less extreme in Europe where 58% of company workers, but only 10% of students commute by car. In East Asia, car drivers make up 25% among company workers and 15% among students.

Well Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and may you remember to be thankful for all the blessings, small and large, in your life.

-Lindsey-

Home is where the heart is

The past two weeks have gone by quickly and it has kinda felt like a roller coaster of emotions as well. Last week I only worked three days because of a huge snowstorm we received Tuesday night. We ended up with more than two feet total. It was a complete winter wonderland. So I enjoyed two days off work baking cookies, making homemade chili and cornbread, sipping tea, journaling, and watching movies. It was nice to have some down time especially since I have been sick now for the past two weeks.

This week of work went well. It is a new month, so I work with different participants and once again have to discover where they live and what "tricks" make the day go a little smoother. It was a fairly normal week, nothing really out of the ordinary. Friday I enjoyed getting a tour of Celestial Seasonings...from now on when you sip a cup of their tea, remember that Boulder is the only packaging center in the United States and people all around the world are enjoying Celestial's flavored drinks. They give free tours and free samples. In the afternoon, we visited Colorado University's planetarium. We viewed the solar system and learned about constellations and also gained some knowledge about how sound works. For office work this past week, I complied data from surveys completed this summer on Out and About's summer camp, both from instructors and families. It was interesting to see what positives and negatives there were and what trends are apparent. My supervisor spoke with me and said she would like for me to help the after-school programmer in organizing and planning some events for this upcoming summer camp. I am excited for the prospect because I think it will allow me to use some of my gifts in leadership, organizing, and planning. I don't know exactly where I will help in planning, but it might be fun to do arts and crafts or sports and games. O&A has a great summer camp and hires 40-50 additional Rec Instructors to assist. There will likely be a few improvements made, but otherwise it should be a good summer.

Halloween weekend I wasn't feeling very good, and when that happens in a new town with no family around or mom and dad to make you chicken noodle soup- I felt like I was in a valley. Just kinda lonely and thinking to myself, "What am I doing here?" or "What was I thinking signing up for this?". I definitely feel challenged here. I knew it would take a leap of faith to come out to a new town and "start over"... but sometimes you don't realize it until you are actually living it. I think you can make a home wherever you put down roots--it's just a matter of finding good soil. I think they biggest challenge for me, has been socialization. Having a good, steady social group to back you up, check in on you, laugh, dance, play, etc. with is one the keys to happiness in life (I think) and to not immediately have that out here- is tough. But things take time and slowly the pace increases. I have been occasionally hanging out with co-workers and just last night some of them were playing music at a coffee shop- which led to seeing other co-workers and hanging out for the rest of the evening. So I definitely feel accepted and enjoy their company. I know that this year is good for me--strengthening my character, serving those around me and the Lord, gaining experience, meeting new people with different backgrounds, the list goes on. The majority of the time, I know this is GOOD. And God is good...so I continue to hold my head high.

Overall, things are good for me. Still getting over a cold and coughing a lot. This Wednesday is Veteran's day and a paid holiday, so looks like a four day week for me. Tomorrow I hope to go to the zoo as it is another free day.

Psalm 67:1-2

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.

Here we are at the start of another week....

Work this past week was good. I have seemingly connected with one participant who is originally from Ohio and she likes when I say "O-H" and I have taught her to say "I-O" :) I am continuing to learn the roads and towns- I get turned around several times a week, but I am navigating and figuring out where people live and where venues and other locations are. I am really enjoying Boulder and it's size. It has a lot of larger city options for restaurants and events...but yet it doesn't feel too big for a small-town girl like me. And it isn't too hard to find your way around downtown.

My favorite day of the week is Friday...because we go on Friday Field trip with the adult participants and every Friday is different. This past week we went to Anderson farms which has a pumpkin patch (we could pick out a pumpkin to take home) and they had animals, corn mazes, and other fun activities. One of my assigned participants was not however very cooperative and I struggled with him for the entire afternoon. So I was constantly redirecting him in the corn maze because he wanted to run off by himself and I knew that he would get lost since the maze was several miles in length. (A worker at the farm said that they had lost 5 children over the weekend in the maze and had to send out 20 volunteers to look for them. They found them-- they had fallen asleep.) Then my participant likes to "nap" instead of participating so for an hour I fought with him to sit up because he wanted to lay on the ground and "sleep". As soon as I sat him up and let go of him, he would slide back down from his seat onto the dirt ground. I think I got my workout from my afternoon with him.

This past weekend Sam, a former VSer Josh, and I helped a couple from church pack up their things and move them into a storage unit. Afterwards we enjoyed pizza and their apartment's hot tub. It was nice to connect with them and lend a helping hand. On Sunday we had wanted to go to the Denver Zoo because it was a free day. But Sunday was cold and sleeting- so we decided to for-go. But I think there are two more free days in November that we might be able to snag. We are supposed to get a big snow storm this Wednesday. Supposedly 6+ inches...I'll have to keep you posted on what happens with that!!

Church life continues to go well. I have been observing how things function and find it interesting. I have discussed this with a few of you...but it seems that the church body struggles to incorporate other people besides the main leadership and a select few for music. I don't know if there just isn't a desire from members to be involved or people don't want to take leadership. But the majority of Sundays have involved the pastor doing practically everything in front. And I have found myself thinking...isn't this the body of Christ in which all parts should be used and people should use their gifts and talents to make the worship experience beautiful and unique? I personally think that having multiple persons involved in the worship adds to the worship experience and makes it more fluid and meaningful for members. The congregation is the size of my home church, yet it feels they are "lacking" (for better sense of the word) in some areas when it comes to involvement, creativity, and music. But I am glad to be apart of Boulder Mennonites worship experience and have met some amazing families and individuals so far.

My work schedule for this week appears to have another good week in store. Friday we are going out for brunch and then having a Halloween party back at the Imagine! headquarters.

Blessings to all you!

Lindsey

Don't underestimate the power of living

This week I had the privilege of working with a very special man. He may be the most gentle, soft-spoken man I have ever met. I don't know his entire story, but I have heard bits and pieces of it. He led a normal life up until some unfortunate circumstances placed him in multiple car accidents. This led to breathing through an oxygen supply, restrained movement in his limbs, and a loss of his independence, as he now requires someone to care for him full-time and he utilizes a wheelchair. Even though he may be physically "broken", his spirit is not; and I had to hold back a few tears on my shift with him because of his great wisdom and outlook on life. He pulled me aside at lunchtime and explained to me that life could be much worse and that he doesn't want to take anything for granted. He said that life is beautiful and we actually have it quite good.

I agree with him and am reminded of the fragility of life. We are only temporary in this place and yet we often treat life as if we are invincible- throwing caution to the wind, speeding through intersections, doubting our existence, feeling sorry for ourselves when suffering consumes our world. There is much to grieve about on this earth- but there is also plenty to rejoice in. God is our omnipotent Savior and He has provided so many blessings in our lives. Why not be thankful for what He has done and is doing?

Things are going well here in Boulder. I am REALLY enjoying my job placement and praise God for my co-workers and participants. The participants showered me with love and respect this week and it feels like I am falling into place. I did have another incident with the same participant from last week. He was missing for 10 minutes and I was worried sick about where he gotten to. We didn't know if he was inside or outside walking around on the street. Needless to say, I found him after looking through every room in the basement and he had to be sent home. But not after several hours of coaxing him to go and another thirty minutes trying to pry him off of my vehicle. Surprisingly I wasn't mad at him, I felt his pain. He didn't want to go home and I believe he knew that he had made a mistake. But there are ramifications for actions and we needed to follow through on protocol. I just hope that he begins to understand how what he does, will later affect him.

Today Sam and I ate lunch out with an older couple from church. And then I joined them for the Boulder County CROP Walk in Longmont, CO. It was a 10K and took about 2 hours to complete. The view was spectacular as we walked around a huge lake that was positioned with a view of the Flat Irons and Longs Peak. The weather was fantastic as I was wearing shorts and tank top and there were about 200-300 people there to support local and international efforts for raising money towards fighting hunger. I am glad that I chose to participate.

I don't feel that I have too much else to write. Hope that everyone is well--wherever you may be living God's word and doing His goodwill.

Hope means to keep living amid desperation and to keep humming in the darkness.

Hoping is knowing that there is love,

it is to trust in tomorrow,

it is falling asleep

and waking again

when the sun rises.

In the midst of a gale at sea,

it is to discover land.

In the eyes of another

it is to see that you are understood...

As long as there is still hope

There will also be prayer...

And you will be held

in God's hands. -Henri Nouwen-

First snowfall!!

Here are a few more pictures. We got our first snow of the year this past weekend. I was driving home last night with a lady from church and the roads were really bad. Felt like February or something. So this morning when I woke up, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it had snowed. I decided to go for a nice, brisk morning walk and took some pictures along the way. There is just something pure and magical about the first snowfall. Isn't there? And I have also attached a picture of my lovely basement room. Since the weather has been colder lately, I have needed to bundle up a little more in my chilly room.

The smell of crazy cake is filling the nooks and crannies of our house right now and I must say, it smells divine. Today has been a nice, cozy Saturday filled with chicken soup, movie time, and hot cocoa.

Reflecting back on this past week: it is amazing to see how one day could be so horrible and the next could be so great. Work keeps me very busy and I feel like I am constantly on the go. I get home from work and then by the time I eat supper and do my daily documentation- it feels like it's time for bed and to start another day! This past week was another busy learning experience. Thursday was not the greatest day I have had. It was filled with frustration and fatigue and I lost my patience many times. One of my assigned participants for the day is a very dominating male and he likes to "play games" with the instructors. His behavior is that of an unruly teenager and much of what he does is for attention. We have a rule at work called keeping line of sight. This means that you should know where your assigned participants are at all times. Leaving buildings, using the restroom alone, etc. are all considered breaking line of sight. So on Thursday, K had a tantrum after lunch and decided to walk off. I repeatedly called his name, asking him to come back so we could leave to go bowling. On top of that, my other participant was urgently signing to me that he needed to use the bathroom. And I had to keep an eye on 2 other participants. So my hands were full. Luckily, my co-workers jumped in and one ran off to speak with K- who at this point was out of my sight and nearing a busy highway. We eventually got K to come back but he still wouldn't get into the vehicle. This went on for 10 minutes. Finally, his ultimatum was either coming with us or calling his house and having someone pick him up. He finally got in the vehicle. I had to set some guidelines with him before we entered the bowling alley. He agreed to them but then once inside he decided not to bowl. An hour later he was wandering off and running up and down the bowling alley, kicking arcade games along the way. We called someone to come pick him up, but then he wouldn't leave the bowling alley. Anyways...long story here- but it was a very long, crazy day. K needs to continue to learn the reinforcement behind consequences and has some anger issues to deal with. And I am learning how to keep my cool in situations, as well as leaning on others to help me. I could not have got through the day without my co-workers. They were so supportive.

Fast forward to Friday- the total opposite of Thursday. Fridays are field trip days for the adult participants. We went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It was lot of fun to explore with the participants and check out exhibits on dinosaurs, space. wildlife, etc. Friday it felt like I finally clicked with co-workers and participants. It felt like I was finally "myself" and it was amazing to see how much other people opened up when that happened!! Then to top off the good day at work- I went to a ladies night with some women from church. We went to a woman's house from church and we had an awesome tea, clothing exchange, fondue, hot tub (in the cold) party! It was so relaxing and very nice to have a night filled with feminine conversation :) So that topped off the end of my week.

This past Sunday at church the sermon was on Job and questioning why God lets bad things happen to good people. The sermon was given by a man getting his PhD in theology and pop culture. He had some good insight and questions about the story of Job- plus some personal experience. Some things to think about when reading that story are: when you have time off- take time off; listen to your inner voice; and look at the bigger picture, looking beyond what the world sees. God does not send pain to test our faith and He doesn't make bad things happen because we are bad. It is often easy to question: Where was God when...? We put blame on things, other people, and even God. But we need to remember God's response in the story of Job. According to the preacher, God gives not a moral, but poetic answer to Job. A basic "Stop whining and enjoy yourself for awhile". Those people who have been open to God and seen the beauty and mystery of His creation and love- can testify. We can begin to understand that because of our love for others, ourselves, and God - that is why we keep believing despite the pain, hardship, and inequality of life. Bad things happen so that God's love can be shown.

Peace-

Lindsey

P.S.

Sorry about the "Say- Instead of" column. It didn't post like it should have. But hopefully it still makes sense.

God is in control

Dear God,

I so much want to be in control. I want to be the master of my own destiny. Still I know that you are saying:

"Let me take you by the hand and lead you. Accept my love and trust that where I will bring you, the deepest desires of your heart will be fulfilled."

Lord, open my hands to receive your gifts of love. Amen.

(From Henri Nouwen)

I wrote the previous text in my journal just a week before leaving for Colorado. I think they are words that will always speak true for all us. I need to learn that while I am capable of making my own decisions and living my life: I am not in control and God has an ultimate will and destiny for me in the end. I can't always be in control and I can't always be strong. I can let people help me. I can be vulnerable. I can allow God to lead me and be faithful in Him.

This past week of work went well. Just as I was getting comfortable with the participants I was working with for the month of September; the new month rolled around and now I am learning to know other people. There have been challenges in that I still don't know everyone's needs or their little "ticks" or all the tricks to fixing problems. So there were several times this week when something happened with a participant and since I didn't know what was going on- I responded differently than I may have needed to. Co-workers later informed me and I was thinking "Geez, thanks for letting me know now." But this comes with the learning curve and I just have to learn to be flexible and work the best I know how.

I still don't feel 100% comfortable with my participants or co-workers. Everyday I feel stretched out of my comfort zone and have to continue to be out-going and positive. But everyone has been so helpful and have shared so much of their experiences with me, that I am starting to feel a nice fit in the workplace. I recently fulfilled many online trainings for my job and found a lot of the information interesting. I thought I would share a little with you.

Language has a huge impact on how we relate to others and what we are trying to convey. Often times people who have life challenges (mental, physical, social) are labeled or stereotyped. The first thing to think about is to think "person first". So what is the proper what to speak to or about someone who has a disability? Remember that children or adults with disabilities are like everyone else- except they happen to have a disability. So here are a few tips for improving our language related to disabilities:

- Speak of the person first, then the disability

-Emphasize abilities, not limitations

-Do no label people as part of a disability group-- don't say "disabled", say people with disabilities

-Don't give excessive praise or attention to a person with a disability- don't patronize them

-Choice and independence are very important; let the person speak for him/herself as much as possible

-A disability is a functional limitation that interferes with a person's ability to walk, hear, talk, learn, etc. Use "handicap" to describe a situation or barrier imposed by society, the environment, or oneself (ie: the person with the disability is handicapped by the inaccessible building)

Say: Instead of:

Person with a disability Disabled or handicapped person

Person with cerebral palsy Palsied, or CP, or spastic

Person who has... Afflicted, suffers from, victim

Without speech, nonverbal Mute, or dumb

Developmental delay Slow

Emotional disorder or mental Crazy or insane

illness

Person who is deaf or hard of Deaf of dumb

hearing

"For more than 30 years, states across the U.S. have been developing more person-centered, individualized, and community-based lives for people with developmental disabilities and people with mental illness." Thearclink.org

I can continue to post more information like this if you would like; just let me know. I think the best way to make change and a difference in our communities, is to be aware and have the resources and knowledge.

Things at the house continue to go well. The support committee finally made an appearance this week at our house. So we had a nice meal and ironed out some details of house living, etc. I am in charge of the finances (so excited!) - which are currently in shambles. So I have been working at fixing the checkbook and getting things in order. Living with the guys has been good. There are still awkward times or silences, but for the most part, I can't complain. I would say I get along best with Sam, who is more talkative and easy to get along with. I still struggle in relating to Aaron, who is quiet. And I'm pretty sure he is just really shy around all girls, not just me. Last night we went out to a Pupuseria restaurant and then decided to go Middle Eastern and smoke some hookah. It was a nice night.

Can't think of too much else. I would love to hear from you guys and hear updates on your lives. I'm sorry I haven't really been emailing- I guess I've been kinda lazy on that front. But I am still interested in what is going on else where.

And from Hebrews 13:15-16

"Therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Peace to all,

L