Bedtime stories

Bedtime stories make 14 hours of driving in one weekend worth it. 

A Whole New World: An Engagement Party

Two of my favorite people are getting married next year so I had the privilege of throwing them an engagement party last weekend.

The theme was "A Whole New World" and so we used a lot of globes, maps and other travel-themed decorations. And since both of these people are adventurers of sorts, we also decorated with pictures of the happy couple on some of these adventures.

We wanted to have the party outside and thankfully the weather stayed warm for one more weekend to accommodate this desire. We threw white lights in the trees and around the fence and set out a lot of candles for when it got dark (I wish we had approximately 2 more strands of lights but everyone could see well enough in the end.) 

For food, we had each of the guests bring an international dish to share. People were really creative in what they brought. We had sushi, egg rolls, fire beef, baklava, butter beer, and swiss cake rolls (complete with Swiss flags stuck into them). 

For place settings, I printed out luggage tags (found here) and we set the table with a variety of candles, cupcakes and wine glasses. 

We also had a guest book table of sorts. We set out vintage post cards (found here) for guests to write a message to the happy couple and also to provide their address.

It was a wonderfully sweet night that ended around a fire pit (like all nights should end, in my opinion) and it looked like everyone enjoyed themselves. It was one of those parties that everything ends up looking like you planned and nothing crazy stressful happened. You could just enjoy where you were and who you were celebrating. Here are a few more shots of the night. 

Thanks for letting us celebrating with you, Alex and Mary! Here's to a happy engagement and a happy life!

I am from

I am from
dogwood trees and trampolines
hidden reading nooks and torn-up paper backs

I am from
ill-fitting school uniforms and tired chapel mornings
gym locker rooms and long late night prayers.

I am from
One dollar ice cream cones and cheap summer drinks
from summer afternoon movie theaters and a yellow kitchen

I am from
5 o'clock local news and instant mashed potatoes
practices and games and tournaments.




I am from
the ones watching me from the stands

every stand, every game, every year.

I am from
knowing they support you
knowing they always love you.
and from the life that love can create.

I am from
wanderlust, the internet and a castle on a brochure.

I am from
Georgia in the fall
Indiana in the Spring
from Red Top Mountain
and the Ohio River
And a thousand places in between.

I am from
the first time I walked up those stairs alone.

I am from
the first time I saw him walk across the lawn.

I am from
the day I walked onto the plane to cross the ocean

I am from
the day I walked into that tiny church.

I am from
the God who always calls me home.

Today, I'm linking up with She Loves Magazine.
Head over there to read more "I am from" posts

There are days when I feel like worst youth pastor in the world

The other day while on a mission trip with my youth, the volunteer coordinator commented on how blessed my kids were to have me since I had a seminary degree.

"You must feel so much more prepared!" she said. 

And as this woman was just about to start to seminary herself, I did not have the heart to tell her that most days, I still have no idea what I'm doing.

Youth Ministry = carrying around sheep?

Because I'm nothing like any youth pastor I've ever had. I'm not very loud or outgoing. I can't be ridiculous on command. I'm not good at "stupid" humor and I can't play the guitar. 

And I let my teenagers wear two-piece bathing suits on our mission trip.

They laughed me the other day because I referenced this other youth pastor I know. "You would like him," I said, "he's a really great youth pastor."

"You make it sound like you're not a great youth pastor!"

I take the the compliment, but inwardly, I know its just because they've never had the loud, extroverted, guitar-playing youth pastor.

At least, I remind myself, they don't know what they're missing.

Because this was not my calling. I could barely handle being around teenagers when I was a teenager. I'm awkward, bookish and don't really like loud things.

But goodness, these youth of mine. They have stolen my little awkward heart.

And so now I spend days planning, thinking of crazy youth games, writing lesson plans, praying and worrying.

Oh goodness, how I worry. 

Because I know that being teenager can be so hard and scary and unfair. And I know the chances are good that 50% of my youth group will walk away from the church when they leave home and not look back.

And so I keep working.

Because I want them to know that that this Christianity thing, it isn't about whether or not you wear a two piece to the beach. That God has called them by name and made them beautiful, all of them and that they should never be ashamed of who they are. I want them to know that Christianity, it's not about a list of rules, but rather living into the truth that they are children of God. I want them to know that Jesus will always go with them, no matter where they go and they don't need to be afraid.

I want them to know that Christianity is not about never having questions. I want them to know the questions are okay, that God is big enough to handle them.  And that while I certainly do not have all the answers, that I will help them wrestle with those questions for as long as they need me.

I want them to know that sometimes being a part of the Church is hard work. That church people sometimes really (really) suck. But that there is something unmistakably beautiful in the Body of Christ and that it needs them, my loud, hilarious, loving youth. Because there is work to be done for the Kingdom. 

I want them to know that God loves them. That the Church loves them, even when its awkward and doesn't know quite how to show it.

And that I love them, even though I'm awkward.

And that despite the fear that I have no clue what I'm doing, I promise I'll keep trying to figure it out.

Hospitable Souls

"Here's to becoming more hospitable souls." 

I read that quote the other day on this blog and it’s stayed with me over the past few days as I've unpacked the boxes in our new house.

Hospitable soul? 

What does that even mean? To be hospitable all the way down to your soul, to the core of who you are. 

I know the Bible places particular emphasis on this quality: hospitality, because again and again, we are called to welcome the stranger into our midst, to prepare a place at the table for any and all who might come. 

Sounds simple enough, until I remember that in reality, this is actually really hard to do.

Read the rest of this post over at Sandy Springs UMC's staff blog