Church Visitors: What NOT to do

Visiting churches, especially when searching for a new faith community, is a varied and interesting process. As we've visited a couple churches in the last few weeks, and talked to several others who are experiencing similar situations, I simply had to share some things you don't want to do. You may never see these in a book, but they're important nonetheless!

1. Don't add one-time visitors to your church-wide e-mail distribution list. A nice "Hello, thanks for visiting..." e-mail is fine, but hold off on adding people to a general distribution list. Too much information too soon!

2. Don't ask parents to give their driver's license numbers, weight and other personal information in order to drop their kids off in the kids' church area.

3. Never chase first-time visitors out into the parking lot to give them a laminated card for their children to make check-in easier next week. Just don't do it.

4. If you offer sports programs as part of your church, don't serve communion to elementary school children during the program without talking to parents first. This message is especially for those of us from Evangelical backgrounds. Respect parents and families and save this for a different time and place.

With all these things in mind, I do have to say that we have been warmly welcomed at each place we visited. I have enjoyed this process and look forward, for the most part, of more visits to come. In the meantime, it's nice to have a bit of a laugh!

How about you? Have you had any similar church visiting experiences that stood out to you? I'd love to hear about it.

It's Spring!

It's been beautiful weather in Denver this week (although we could use some moisture). Today is the day that we've really seen evidence of Spring though.

The kids were looking out in the backyard this morning and laughing at the squirrels who were "fighting". I explained that they weren't really fighting, but were getting ready to have babies. They, of course, thought that was particularly interesting.

Once we were ready for school, we were watching out the front window and the kids were enraptured with the many birds flying around, including a pair of Robins in our tree in the front.

My oldest (almost 8 years) informed his younger siblings that the birds were mating. They asked what that meant. Here's his reply:

"Well, mating is when animals get together and don't really have a ceremony in a church or anything, but they get a nest together and have babies. It's actually so amazing that I don't really have words to describe it."

At which point, I turned into the kitchen and had my own little private chuckle.

I love Spring. I love hearing the birds, watching the landscape come back to life after dull winter colors. I feel content in the fullness of hope that comes with new life.

Another Funny Kid Story...

Last night I was working on a school project with our boys. They had to do some research about someone they knew who served in the military and then write up some of that information. Along with this project, the kids in the school are doing extra chores and raising money to send a veteran on a 3-day trip to Washington D.C. to look at the war memorials. It's a pretty neat project. And, we learned along the way, a needed trip into history for our children. So, here's my conversation with your 7-year old.

7-year old: Mom, what did Papa do in the Army?

Me: In the Army, he was an accounting specialist, but he was a cook when he served with the Air National Guard.

7-year old: What did he cook?

Me: Food.

7-year old: Wow, you mean food was invented way back then?

Freaky Weather

Last night was a totally weird weather night here in the suburbs of Denver. It started knowing and then it began to lightening and thunder. Shortly after that, we heard the pop, pop on the roof indicative of hail. Then it rained for a bit and went back to snow. It was all done in about the course of an hour.

So odd!

You're my what??

I spent the day today as I do very often after Christmas; organizing. I tend to like everything in its place, although have relaxed quite a bit since we have three young kids in the house. I did quite well shoving gifts in corners of closets and storing Amazon.com boxes as they arrived. But, once Christmas was over and the unwrapping complete, I go into reorganize mode. So, I spent the day with a plastic bag going through the house ditching unneeded stuff, carting storage containers from the basement to the upstairs bedrooms so as to clean out closets and reorganize toy storage. My house doesn't look any cleaner at the moment, but I have my system in place going forward, so feel like I'm at a good spot.

So, following this busy tidying day, I had to laugh at my son's synopsis. After dinner, I asked my three children to pick up their toys and put them in the containers I'd shown them earlier. As I finished up the dinner dishes, my oldest son who is 6 years, hollered from upstairs asking, "Mom, why is that I'm you're slave and I have to do all the work you should be doing?"

Ahhh...if only he knew how good he's got it! ;-)

First Flight

Earlier this summer I posted a picture of our Robin's nest. Well, back in early July, the nest took on a new tenant. A Morning Dove family decided the vacant home would work just fine for their new family. When my children and I did a bit of research on the Morning Dove, we found that they are not known for making good nests. We thought it was particularly interesting that rather than making their own poorly made nest, they would wisely use such a well-made abode!

Well, the baby of the family flew the nest this morning and we were there to watch it! The little one started flapping its wings and then pacing the brick ledge on which the nest is built. Unlike the Robins we've had in the past, the Morning Doves are very calm and I was able to get quite a few pictures without effecting their behavior. After I went back in, we watched the little bird fly from the ledge to the window sill right in front of us. The kids were in awe...as was I. Then, the baby joined her old brother on our sidewalk. Momma came around shortly to have a party, complete with a juicy worm to celebrate the day's accomplishment.

The feeding looked like all three birds were dancing together. They all faced into a circle. Then they crouched down with their beaks to the ground and quickly raised their heads together and then back down again. In the midst of this the momma would stick her thin beak down that of one of the babies. Absolutely fascinating!

What an amazing privilege to watch this fleeting moment with my children!

Pouting Girl

We purchased a slip and slide for the kids this weekend. Our oldest was all over it and apparently aquainted with the joys of sliding through cold water on a hot day. Our younger two took a while longer to "warm up" to the idea.

At some point during our backyard outing, our daughter was told "no" for something...I really can't remember what. Here's her response. She makes me laugh. You can tell by the sparkle in her eyes that the pouting is a bit fun for her.

Pool Day

We spent the afternoon at the pool with friends today. I can tell my little family is growing.

My oldest swam his little heart out...all by himself. He's very cautious, but is getting more and more comfortable with his skills. It's so fun to watch him.

My middle kiddo had the help of a life vest. The boy is really a fish with lungs. From his first step into the pool, he grins (not smiles, mind you). It took him about 10 minutes to figure out how to swim with the vest on. From then on, he'd jump in, pop up with a sparkle in his eyes and a bit of pool snot running down onto his grinning lips. He'd swim to the side and do it all over.

My littlest floated around the pool like the queen of sheba in her floaty. About half way through she decided she wanted to play with the boys. She's so independent. I had to keep my eye on her like hawk because she wanted nothing to do with mama's helping.

I had a really great time with my kids. I love days like today.

Aaron Appleseed

My parent's are moving out to Denver in less than a month (hurray)! They are moving from a house built in 1972 which has full-grown apple trees just outside the back door. Every time we go visit them, the kids enjoy watching the birds that congregate around the trees. And of course, picking apples off the trees in Fall is a favorite. The house they are moving to is only 5 years old and is lacking anything near these mature trees and the habitat they've provided for the local birds.

For the last month or so my oldest son, Aaron, who just turned 6 last Saturday, has been collecting all the seeds from his apples and putting them in a little piece of pottery he made at school this year.

Earlier this week, I overheard him talking to a friend and share that he has been collecting the seeds so that Nana & Papa can plant apple trees at the new house because he knows they'll miss home with their apple trees and birds.

Now, isn't that incredibly thoughtful?

Some People are Weird

I had to take my three kids to the post office yesterday (which I try to avoid at all costs).

On the way out of the store, an older man (notice, I left off "gentle") asked, "So you're catholic." Astonished, I just answered, "No." So, he asks, "Mormon?" Again, with a bewildered and somewhat annoyed look on my face, I said, "No." To which he replied, "Oh...you must like to have fun."

At this point, the three other people in the room, all business men, turned around in astonishment as well. Flabergasted and quite at a loss for how to respond, I quite kindly told the man that it would be in his best interest to mind his own business on these matters. He was quite offended at me.

Some people are quite odd.

Spring

Ahhh...if only I could write an "ode to Spring"...

It's a beautiful 70 degree day here in Colorado. It feels a long time coming this year since our winter had many more snow days and overall cloudy, winter weather than we've been used to over the last several years. The snow, once about 5 feet high in the back yard is now only a small patch of about 2 feet by 1 foot and about 4 inches high. The front has a bit more, but that will be gone shortly as well.

My kids and I ventured into the back yard to play after lunch today. While they busied themselves playing soccer and pretending to drive an ice-cream truck, I began cleaning dead leaves out of the garden area and trimming back perennials I should have taken care of last fall. The irises and tulips are poking through and the lilies are starting to show signs of life as well. My favorites, the peonies, will take a little longer. About the first of June they'll be in bloom with their large, hot pink flowers. They don't last long, but they sure make a great show!

Thank you, Lord, for Spring. Thank you for sunshine, for fresh growth, for hope.

5 Things You Didn't Know about me

I thought it would be fun to join in on the "5 things" as tagged on EW...

1. I've lived in 6 different states (Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Missouri and Colorado) and moved over 20 times in my mere 30-somthing years. This including living in 4 states in the matter of two years between 8th and 10th grades. This has resulted in an overall longing for stable relationships in my life as well as a pretty strong reliance on myself...two things that don't gel all that well.

2. I married a hispanic man, thus giving my children the skin-tone I always wish for! (I'm a red-head, thus meaning most people need to wear sunglasses when looking my way as I strut my stuff in a swimsuit)!

3. My most embarassing moment was while working as a secretary at a church and the youth pastor went to pull a hair off my the back of my shirt, only to have me yelp "Ow!" Apparently the 3-inch long specimen was attached...

4. I'm a bit of a nerd at heart. I love reading, thinking and discussing philosophy and theology. I used to get frustrated that I wasn't skilled at sports or other stuff that my friends seemed to be into, but am learning to really appreciate and embrace who I am and what I do well.

5. I was once voted most likely to become the first woman General Superindent (I think that's the name of head office) for the Assemblies of God. He, he, he! This, of course, was not from a reliable organization, yet the dream lives on... :)

A Compliment

I received probably the most meaningful compliment of my life today.

While speaking with my mom on the telephone, I mentioned I was again trying my patience by cooking with my children. This time it was chocolate chip cookies. Shortly after, my mom called my Grandma and during the course of their conversation mentioned I was cooking with my kids. My Grandma, the woman who raised 6 children, made their clothes, cooked, cleaned and performed home-making duties to a degree I would never dream, responded, "Bless her heart! I could have never done that with my children."

I'm not all that great at this mothering thing. I measure my failures much more frequently than my successes. Tonight, though, I'm basking in the glow of my grandmother's approval and esteem. Thank you, Grandma.

Perspective

I branched out past my comfort zone today and made muffins with my kids. Making muffins wasn't really the big deal, it was letting all three of my children help. I wish I could say I'm patient, but if I did, it would be a blatent lie. Between fighting over whose turn it is, spilling flour on the floor or putting sticky fingers in whatever it is we are making, I usually feel like I'm in a zoo with wild monkeys when I let them help. But we had a great time working together this morning. I'm glad I branched out.

As we were taking turns measuring pooring and mixing, I was letting Aaron, my oldest go first since he was closest to me. I was thinking to myself that I needed to let the others go first. So, when we went to stir in the cranberries, I gave the wooden spoon to Nate. Aaron then completely surprised me. He said, "Mom, I never get to go first." I was dumbfounded. Where had he been for the last 5 steps of our process? He got to go first each time.

He didn't remember though. It was when he was picked to go second that he paid attention to the order of turn-taking. It made me think. So many times I get protective of me; of where I'm at in a social situation, of how God or others are "treating" me. I wonder if I'm that blind to the real situation. I'm guessing I am.

Hmmm...

Family

We flew back home yesterday after a 4-day weekend visiting in-laws in Phoenix. The weather there was lovely and we had a terrific time, with the exception of a few mishaps along the way. Besides almost loosing a laptop, a potty-training disaster and a swallowed transformer part, we also went without naps for the weekend...anyone with young children knows that can be a disaster in the making. But, in spite of all this we enjoyed swim time in their pool, sight-seeing and most of all hanging out with family.

That is actually the beauty of family. We can have a bad day, a bad week or a bad year and we stick with each other because that's what it's all about. Developing that type of relationship outside the family is much more difficult. It's so easy to give up when things get tough. It's usually easier to walk away when there are no future family functions to endure together! I know I struggle with that.

I'm going to be part of a "Life Transformation Group" with 3 other ladies beginning next week. It's kind of an accountability group. I'm interested to see how this goes. Will this be the start of a true, life-giving relationship with these women? I hope so.