6/22/14-6/25/14
Well as a good majority of you know, and for those who do not, I was in Chicago from 6/25-6/29. It is the UKANDU event. It is the event in which RSE was based off. I will not go into all the specifics of what it is for that reason. It is very similar to RSE just a bit longer with much more people. Please ask questions in the comments if you are curious or talk to me, whatever works for you.
So we started off the day with worship at 8:00 AM. I tried to get in a bit early to help out with getting ready for the trip. We were leaving right after the first service with the goal of getting to Chicago that night. I helped Michael with getting medical and permission forms all copied and ready to hand out later at Chicago. Then we headed into the service and they had a time when they commissioned us and it was very cool to see the whole congregation involved. Then we said our goodbyes, had a prayer, and were on the road. There was a very cool thing Michael did, I suspect a lot for my benefit, with riding in the vans. Each driver would draw from a bag of Popsicle sticks with our names on them. You would ride with that driver and everyone else until we drew again. It was awesome for me so I could get to know everyone much easier.
My first van Julie was the driver. Also in the car was Brandon, Shantel, Nikki, and Grayson. They were so welcoming and we played get to know you games nearly all the way to our lunch stop. It was a lot of fun to listen and share funny stories with each other. I learned Grayson wants to become a DCE when he goes off to college so we talked about that a bit which is awesome. We stopped at Arbys for lunch. At lunch I was running the devotion. We looked at Psalm 67. The beginning of this Psalm is the benediction at services. It was cool to see them see that as well as all nations praising God and going to a servant event where we were going to all nations.
My next car ride was with Paul. I was with Grayson and Abby. We did a bit of talking but we all were pretty tired at that point. I did help with the money for tolls for Paul though. I can say that the last time I drove through Illinois I do not remember the tolls being as expensive as they were this time. We arrived in Chicago ahead of schedule which was very nice. We unloaded our stuff and set up our sleeping areas. Then we had dinner there and worship. At the end of worship we got our work teams. My team was a VBS team which was awesome. I was with Johanna (The other leader), Kaitlyn, Dylan, Michael (not supervisor), Abby, and Moriah (who was Johanna's sister). I got to know them throughout the week but more on that later. Pastor Jeff talked that night about following where God leads, and it's not always where we planned.
The next day started with breakfast and making lunches. Then we had morning worship and Pastor David spoke about the difference of a fan and a follower. Then we headed out for the first day. Everyone besides Kaitlyn and myself had been on UKANDU before (not sure if Moriah had been there before). Dylan had worked with the same group of kids for VBS last year which was awesome. We took his advice and it really helped to have that insider information. We got there and took the first day to start to get to know the kids and just have a fun day. We plugged in parts of the curriculum (gangway to Galilee, interesting choice) during the day and it went pretty well. It was interesting because her comes a group of entirely white people, and everyone at the church is African American. For me it was quite a culture shock but tons of fun.
We got back that night and had worship and Trent was our speaker. He talked about fakers which was an incredible message. It really hit home for me and many other people. It was a message we needed to hear and really acknowledge. After he had talked we wrote down on pieces of paper our sins and those things that get in the way of us being followers of Christ rather than fans. Then we shredded them in paper shredders. After that they were dumped on the altar area. Then they put a white sheet over it. This was to show that our sins are covered and gone. Even though we like to look under the sheet God says that those are gone and that he has forgotten them.
The next day stared off with breakfast and making lunches again. Then we came into worship. That morning our speaker was Abby, from my group. She talked about how we need to love because God first loved us. It was an awesome message and she did a great job. Then we headed out to VBS again. It was a bit of a tougher day. We fought against their want to use the computers. There was a lot of fighting and not wanting to do stuff. However there was an awesome moment when their lunches were super late. We gave them food from the snacks we had and able to get them all some food and they finally did get a little snack but not a lot. So it was very good we had what we had.
On our way back we got a bit lost but it was for God's plan. We were able to give a man who was homeless a orange and chips and a water. It was really cool to see God work through our frustrations. That night we had supper and Michael spoke. The Spirit really spoke through him. He had an amazing message about where we need to be in order to move forward in faith. We need to be on our backs completely down. We love to look under that sheet but God just sees the sheet. It was a great message and he ended with us coming together and holding each others' shoulders. We have that. It is an amazing picture of fellowship and the body of Christ.
The next morning we yet again started the day with breakfast and making lunches. Although Wednesday is our shorter day and fun time in the afternoon. We started the day with Pastor Steve, my youth director at Trinity during confirmation, talking about craving God like a drowning man craves oxygen. It was an awesome message and perfect for that day going out. We had an answer to prayers at VBS that day. It was best day so far that week up until that point. The kids were with us and really getting together good. It was a fun day and we all felt that God had been very evident. We did sidewalk chalk that day and I wrote out John 3:16 there. Serenity read it and I told her it was from the Bible. We read it together and then I was able to give her the Bible they had handed out to us. It was an awesome moment.
That night instead of worship we gathered together and took a group picture. We had received our t-shirts the night before. They were red and said "Not a Fan" on the front and "Follower of Christ" on the back plus the logo. We started on our way to Navy Pier. There I hung out with Michael and Cassidy. We took a ride on the Ferris wheel and saw some hilarious bird action you'll have to ask me about sometime. Hearing her giggle and talk was awesome because she is generally a very shy person. Then we headed towards the dock and took a boat trip around Chicago. We saw some awesome buildings and had just a great time in fellowship. Pastor Steve and I took some time to catch up on each other's lives. Then we headed back to the church for so letters from home which was awesome. I didn't expect to get anything but Michael had worked with my family and Amy to get me letters which really helped me out and was touching.
RSE Group
Group shot of all the RSE attendants
Monday, June 30, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Games by James
My body decided to wake up at the time I normally wake up during the week. So I promptly told it to shut up and went back to sleep for a couple more hours. I finally got awake a bit later. I made myself some breakfast and got ready for the day. I had decided that today I was going to find Games by James. So I headed out into the hot day and brought up my GPS. From my adventure there last time I decided that walking was the best course. So I began walking towards downtown. On my way I ran into a building I was quite familiar with.
It was the POBLO building. For those of you who are confused that was one of the buildings we worked at during RSE. We primed the front area of the doorway. It looks really nice. I decided to take a picture and show the work our team was able to accomplish. Looking at the picture it is the white main entrance way in the middle. It was cool to really see how close this was to my apartment.
I continued on my journey into downtown. I passed many churches on my way down. Michael had said there were a lot downtown but I didn't realize how many a lot was until I walked past them all. Some are very grand older buildings while others are newer. It was very cool to see all the different architecture as I was walking. There are some very interestingly designed buildings in downtown Rochester.
I made it to the location and figured it was in a strip mall. I forget what the mall was called. All I remember is it had something to do with the University of Minnesota. I walked in and went upstairs and right off the escalator was my prize. I walked in and looked through several sections. I found Catan games that I will be wanting to get later. The biggest surprise was that they did carry what I had come looking for in the first place: Warhammer 40k. It is basically a miniature game. It was cool to find a location that sold this near me. I found two of the books I need to get at some point but I'll have to wait until I get paid to get them.
I then moved to look through the mall a bit more. There is a lot of different shops there. It was no Mall of America but they had quite a selection of stores. There was mainly clothes stores but some other places as well. I found a sign for Barnes and Noble and began my search for yet another favorite store. I had to backtrack a couple times and probably looked a bit silly to those around me. Although I finally found it and it is the coolest place I have ever seen. I could try to describe it but a picture does a lot more justice. It is like in a cave setting and has that "storybook" feel to it. Unfortunately they didn't have a role playing
section but I did find several of my favorite series so I know where I am coming back eventually.
With a very successful trip I headed back to the apartment. I took a different route on my GPS hoping to see some more sites and potential future stops on my way back. I did see a few different places but eventually got back to my apartment. I cranked the AC up because it had been really warm out. That was an awesome blessing given the rain we had gotten the past couple days. I set down and did some gaming and washed some dishes that had piled up over the week. I also set out some chicken for dinner that night.
I decided I was going to make something kind of special, for me at least. I cooked the chicken up, cut up some carrots, and made myself a chicken salad. I have a picture here to that you all get to suffer through.
After supper I watched World War Z because it had just come out on Netflix. Then I did some thing really nerdy. I played the single player version of my Firefly game. It actually wasn't all that bad. It helped me to solidify some rules so I can better explain them to new players. Also I got an email back from the karate place. They do a combination of weapon and empty hand training. It sounds really cool. It is rather expensive so I will have to decide carefully. They said I could come try a couple sessions for free to see how I liked it. I think I will stop by after Chicago when things have quieted down a bit. I spent the rest of the night working on this blog and reading and just basically hanging out. It was a nice day off.
It was the POBLO building. For those of you who are confused that was one of the buildings we worked at during RSE. We primed the front area of the doorway. It looks really nice. I decided to take a picture and show the work our team was able to accomplish. Looking at the picture it is the white main entrance way in the middle. It was cool to really see how close this was to my apartment. I continued on my journey into downtown. I passed many churches on my way down. Michael had said there were a lot downtown but I didn't realize how many a lot was until I walked past them all. Some are very grand older buildings while others are newer. It was very cool to see all the different architecture as I was walking. There are some very interestingly designed buildings in downtown Rochester.
I made it to the location and figured it was in a strip mall. I forget what the mall was called. All I remember is it had something to do with the University of Minnesota. I walked in and went upstairs and right off the escalator was my prize. I walked in and looked through several sections. I found Catan games that I will be wanting to get later. The biggest surprise was that they did carry what I had come looking for in the first place: Warhammer 40k. It is basically a miniature game. It was cool to find a location that sold this near me. I found two of the books I need to get at some point but I'll have to wait until I get paid to get them.
section but I did find several of my favorite series so I know where I am coming back eventually.
With a very successful trip I headed back to the apartment. I took a different route on my GPS hoping to see some more sites and potential future stops on my way back. I did see a few different places but eventually got back to my apartment. I cranked the AC up because it had been really warm out. That was an awesome blessing given the rain we had gotten the past couple days. I set down and did some gaming and washed some dishes that had piled up over the week. I also set out some chicken for dinner that night.
I decided I was going to make something kind of special, for me at least. I cooked the chicken up, cut up some carrots, and made myself a chicken salad. I have a picture here to that you all get to suffer through.
After supper I watched World War Z because it had just come out on Netflix. Then I did some thing really nerdy. I played the single player version of my Firefly game. It actually wasn't all that bad. It helped me to solidify some rules so I can better explain them to new players. Also I got an email back from the karate place. They do a combination of weapon and empty hand training. It sounds really cool. It is rather expensive so I will have to decide carefully. They said I could come try a couple sessions for free to see how I liked it. I think I will stop by after Chicago when things have quieted down a bit. I spent the rest of the night working on this blog and reading and just basically hanging out. It was a nice day off.
Today I learned that having my fan on the highest setting causes the wires in the ceiling to pull and spark a bit so not going to be doing that all.
Readings
Started off the day with Michael's and my devotion. We talked a lot about consuming fire as a powerful and interesting picture of God. Also we explored two chapters of Corinthians for reflecting and it was a good time After that I set out to work on my blog posts including this one. They are going really well. My trip to Chicago will be interesting because I won't have access to write in my blog. I might simply write done all I did then type it all up on here for you all to see. Later on I did some reading of Pursuit of God. It is a very good book. Although I have to read a bit slower because Tozer has a very advanced vocabulary. I thought it was cool he used the word abnegation. For all those who have read Divergent you will understand that. And if you haven't read it you really should. I also made a first draft of my devotion for the Chicago trip.
I went home for lunch today. I decided to make those turkey dogs that had been sitting in my refrigerator. Yeah, yeah I know turkey dogs? What is wrong with your Brian? Well to be honest I am trying to change how I eat a bit. I've had very little soda since coming here. I'm trying to bring my portions of food down and add lots of vegetables. Now ideally I would be exercising along with this change in eating. I need to get a routine down pretty soon. Nice thing is there is a Y like right down the street from me and I have a family membership. I might try that out. Also there are lots of martial arts schools here. I found one that does an Okinawan karate style. I am going to contact them and see what I an set up.
I did some more reading at the office. I also did some proof reading for Michael. I was the second pair of eyes on the VBS power point we have for your training. Right now I am going to attend the first two sessions and then Michael is hoping I can teach the third. I'm excited and nervous to do that. Although having the first two will help get me more comfortable with the material and hopefully I will be do decent with names at that point.
Also I got some practicing in on the saxophone. I played some movie favorites, Wicked, as well as some old Christian classics. It was a good time. It is a bit intimidating to know they can hear me above in the office but I try to not let that bother me learning and getting better at playing. I am getting some of my breath support back. Although it really is like riding a bicycle so to speak. My fingers have the muscle memory of keys and certain things sound either wrong or right and I am remembering how to correct them.
I went home near after that. I got some supper in me and then headed back to Redeemer for service. After the service had started and people were singing Pastor Jim asked me if I wanted to do the readings. I said sure. Well there were three very long readings but I think I did a pretty good job. Then after that I attended the VBS leader training. I took notes on how they taught so I could teach the last one just as well as they had. The teachers were Paula and Parakeet Paul (Paul hehe). Then I headed home and just did some relaxing with my day off tomorrow. Although I am turning into an old man. I went to bed around 10:30!
Today I learned that sometimes busy work can be enjoyable. I did some proof reading for Michael but I got to look through names so that was very helpful for me.
I went home for lunch today. I decided to make those turkey dogs that had been sitting in my refrigerator. Yeah, yeah I know turkey dogs? What is wrong with your Brian? Well to be honest I am trying to change how I eat a bit. I've had very little soda since coming here. I'm trying to bring my portions of food down and add lots of vegetables. Now ideally I would be exercising along with this change in eating. I need to get a routine down pretty soon. Nice thing is there is a Y like right down the street from me and I have a family membership. I might try that out. Also there are lots of martial arts schools here. I found one that does an Okinawan karate style. I am going to contact them and see what I an set up.
I did some more reading at the office. I also did some proof reading for Michael. I was the second pair of eyes on the VBS power point we have for your training. Right now I am going to attend the first two sessions and then Michael is hoping I can teach the third. I'm excited and nervous to do that. Although having the first two will help get me more comfortable with the material and hopefully I will be do decent with names at that point.
Also I got some practicing in on the saxophone. I played some movie favorites, Wicked, as well as some old Christian classics. It was a good time. It is a bit intimidating to know they can hear me above in the office but I try to not let that bother me learning and getting better at playing. I am getting some of my breath support back. Although it really is like riding a bicycle so to speak. My fingers have the muscle memory of keys and certain things sound either wrong or right and I am remembering how to correct them.
I went home near after that. I got some supper in me and then headed back to Redeemer for service. After the service had started and people were singing Pastor Jim asked me if I wanted to do the readings. I said sure. Well there were three very long readings but I think I did a pretty good job. Then after that I attended the VBS leader training. I took notes on how they taught so I could teach the last one just as well as they had. The teachers were Paula and Parakeet Paul (Paul hehe). Then I headed home and just did some relaxing with my day off tomorrow. Although I am turning into an old man. I went to bed around 10:30!
Today I learned that sometimes busy work can be enjoyable. I did some proof reading for Michael but I got to look through names so that was very helpful for me.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Softball!
6/18/2014
Started the day off with trying to figure out how to pull the stopper in my bathroom sink out. I finally took the magnet from the back of a name tag I had and used that to get it out. After that little issue I arrived at the church for the second day of our staff retreat. Today we started to flush out a bit of what the theme will be for the upcoming year. There were many good ideas flying around and we started to get some focus. We are working now to do some more focusing and coming back at our next staff meeting to hopefully have a much better idea of the direction we will be going.
Around 12:30 we went to lunch as a staff. We ate at Whiskey Creek and it was a great time. I heard a couple college stories from everyone, an especially funny one from Pastor Jim. It was a good bonding time and very good food I might add. I had a Parmesan chicken sandwich that was delicious. I felt bad for Pastor Koglin, who is on a gluten free diet, and got a sandwich with no bun but come to find out the jalapenos were breaded.
After that we all headed back to the office. Michael and I did our first devotion time. It was a great time and I am excited about the devotion we choose. It is called 40 days with Jesus. It is written as if Christ were talking directly to you. It has a narrative section and then usually a verse or two written out to read. Then sometimes it will have a reflection verse or a couple of them. We not only read the reflection verse but all around it just to see the context it was in.
Then I took a good portion of the day to look into an idea we had about our theme. I am careful not to say too much since we haven't officially released the theme we have for the upcoming year. All I can say is that an off suggestion from Bryce, April's husband, is being ran with on my side and seeing all the different possibilities that it entails. I really hope we are able to get it to work and be an effective tool for communicating our theme as well as inspiring Monday-Saturday witness as well.
After work I headed home for a bit before I made my way to Slaterly park. There I watched my first softball game ever and for Redeemer. The team we were playing got some great hits right into our holes but it still looked like they were having fun. It was good to get out and meet some families and practice learning some of the youth names. I have a nice solid chunk of names in my brain but come the school year I will probably fumble a bit again.
For the rest of the night I made supper and basically hung out at my apartment. Hopefully I will be able to get to Hyvee and Games by James tomorrow but with service it might be a bit interesting. I think I'l have to wait until Friday to do that stuff.
Today I learned that all the work in the office is great. But sometimes it is nice to just be at those social functions talking and discussing with people.
Started the day off with trying to figure out how to pull the stopper in my bathroom sink out. I finally took the magnet from the back of a name tag I had and used that to get it out. After that little issue I arrived at the church for the second day of our staff retreat. Today we started to flush out a bit of what the theme will be for the upcoming year. There were many good ideas flying around and we started to get some focus. We are working now to do some more focusing and coming back at our next staff meeting to hopefully have a much better idea of the direction we will be going.
Around 12:30 we went to lunch as a staff. We ate at Whiskey Creek and it was a great time. I heard a couple college stories from everyone, an especially funny one from Pastor Jim. It was a good bonding time and very good food I might add. I had a Parmesan chicken sandwich that was delicious. I felt bad for Pastor Koglin, who is on a gluten free diet, and got a sandwich with no bun but come to find out the jalapenos were breaded.
After that we all headed back to the office. Michael and I did our first devotion time. It was a great time and I am excited about the devotion we choose. It is called 40 days with Jesus. It is written as if Christ were talking directly to you. It has a narrative section and then usually a verse or two written out to read. Then sometimes it will have a reflection verse or a couple of them. We not only read the reflection verse but all around it just to see the context it was in.
Then I took a good portion of the day to look into an idea we had about our theme. I am careful not to say too much since we haven't officially released the theme we have for the upcoming year. All I can say is that an off suggestion from Bryce, April's husband, is being ran with on my side and seeing all the different possibilities that it entails. I really hope we are able to get it to work and be an effective tool for communicating our theme as well as inspiring Monday-Saturday witness as well.
After work I headed home for a bit before I made my way to Slaterly park. There I watched my first softball game ever and for Redeemer. The team we were playing got some great hits right into our holes but it still looked like they were having fun. It was good to get out and meet some families and practice learning some of the youth names. I have a nice solid chunk of names in my brain but come the school year I will probably fumble a bit again.
For the rest of the night I made supper and basically hung out at my apartment. Hopefully I will be able to get to Hyvee and Games by James tomorrow but with service it might be a bit interesting. I think I'l have to wait until Friday to do that stuff.
Today I learned that all the work in the office is great. But sometimes it is nice to just be at those social functions talking and discussing with people.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Staff Meeting
6/17/2014
I started off the morning with a staff meeting/retreat. Michael picked up me and we headed to Trinity Lutheran church. There we were meeting in a room to get away from Redeemer in a way. This way we had a quieter place to meet and talk. There is something to be said with getting off site. That way you know you will have the time to plan and talk and won't have to worry about little thing that could come up if you were on your site. We had a time of deeper introductions where I got to know each person a bit better and they learned more about me. We also had a time of sharing things that we would want prayers for. That was a great time of bonding for me because it really shows them welcoming me into their family.
After that we dove into some housekeeping items. Then we started talking about the meat and potatoes of the meeting: theme for next year. We reviewed the council notes and the congregation suggestions. We had some very beneficial talking and discussion. It is an awesome experience to be a part of this planning and something I look forward to in my first call. We ended in prayer and went our separate ways for lunch. After lunch I came in and started working on blogs that I had gotten behind on. Michael says that whenever I am working on them I look so busy and he feels bad interrupting me.
After some time Michael and I had a meeting and conversation that we had been building up to. With everything that is going on we finally had time to go over goals, responsibilities, and other things of that nature. We discussed devotionals as well as book readings. It was great to have a chance to really hash out some things. I got my next "official" assignment, which is to set up reservations and tickets with the House on the Rock for our return journey from Chicago. I talked to them today and got everything set up for when we get down there.
I took a trip to Fleet Farm after work. I picked up some nails and a level to hang my karate belt holder and the picture Amy bought me. After that I thought I would just stop by Games by James. The first place my GPS took me to was in a neighborhood. This has been the only time that it has really screwed up. I then got the address online and went on my way. I found it was the heart of downtown and parking is very interesting there. I decided I would walk there sometime or drive when I had time to figure out parking. I got home and started supper. I made my first full fledged meal in a way. I had spaghetti and broccoli. It was quite delicious.
I then went about putting my painting and belt rack up. However I found that the wall in my living room is a bit harder or has something behind it that the nails either can't or have a extremely hard time going through. I tried three nails and then went in a bit before they would just bend under the hammer. I will have to come up with a different solution to put stuff up. After that I started some hard core reading. I started Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer for my own personal reading and read some more Clash of Kings. I also read the first four days of the devotional Michael and I had chosen so I could catch up to where he was.
The rest of the night I did some gaming and more relaxing. I am going to be sending an email off to a marital arts place here in town. I am hoping I can practice with them and what not while I'm here for the year. That would be really awesome. Also maybe find some kind of gaming group down here to be a part of. I am really missing having that fun every Sunday with the group back in Hudson
Today I learned that there are many different areas and ideas you go through for a theme. You never, usually, just come to it. There is a lot of work involved in it before you get to where it fits the best.
I started off the morning with a staff meeting/retreat. Michael picked up me and we headed to Trinity Lutheran church. There we were meeting in a room to get away from Redeemer in a way. This way we had a quieter place to meet and talk. There is something to be said with getting off site. That way you know you will have the time to plan and talk and won't have to worry about little thing that could come up if you were on your site. We had a time of deeper introductions where I got to know each person a bit better and they learned more about me. We also had a time of sharing things that we would want prayers for. That was a great time of bonding for me because it really shows them welcoming me into their family.
After that we dove into some housekeeping items. Then we started talking about the meat and potatoes of the meeting: theme for next year. We reviewed the council notes and the congregation suggestions. We had some very beneficial talking and discussion. It is an awesome experience to be a part of this planning and something I look forward to in my first call. We ended in prayer and went our separate ways for lunch. After lunch I came in and started working on blogs that I had gotten behind on. Michael says that whenever I am working on them I look so busy and he feels bad interrupting me.
After some time Michael and I had a meeting and conversation that we had been building up to. With everything that is going on we finally had time to go over goals, responsibilities, and other things of that nature. We discussed devotionals as well as book readings. It was great to have a chance to really hash out some things. I got my next "official" assignment, which is to set up reservations and tickets with the House on the Rock for our return journey from Chicago. I talked to them today and got everything set up for when we get down there.
I took a trip to Fleet Farm after work. I picked up some nails and a level to hang my karate belt holder and the picture Amy bought me. After that I thought I would just stop by Games by James. The first place my GPS took me to was in a neighborhood. This has been the only time that it has really screwed up. I then got the address online and went on my way. I found it was the heart of downtown and parking is very interesting there. I decided I would walk there sometime or drive when I had time to figure out parking. I got home and started supper. I made my first full fledged meal in a way. I had spaghetti and broccoli. It was quite delicious. I then went about putting my painting and belt rack up. However I found that the wall in my living room is a bit harder or has something behind it that the nails either can't or have a extremely hard time going through. I tried three nails and then went in a bit before they would just bend under the hammer. I will have to come up with a different solution to put stuff up. After that I started some hard core reading. I started Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer for my own personal reading and read some more Clash of Kings. I also read the first four days of the devotional Michael and I had chosen so I could catch up to where he was.
The rest of the night I did some gaming and more relaxing. I am going to be sending an email off to a marital arts place here in town. I am hoping I can practice with them and what not while I'm here for the year. That would be really awesome. Also maybe find some kind of gaming group down here to be a part of. I am really missing having that fun every Sunday with the group back in Hudson
Today I learned that there are many different areas and ideas you go through for a theme. You never, usually, just come to it. There is a lot of work involved in it before you get to where it fits the best.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Lazy Monday
6/16/2014
I got up later Monday morning at my house. I basically lounged around the morning with my dad just chatting and hanging out. When my mom got back we decided to go out to lunch. My dad wasn't going to join us because he needed to get some sleep for work that night. We said our goodbyes and then headed off to SmashBurger. My mom and I ate there and of course I had to have their smash fries because they are delicious. We sat and talked for awhile after finishing our food. Then we decided to go over to Hobby Lobby to look for a mirror for my bathroom.
At hobby lobby we found more than just a mirror. We of course did get a mirror for my bathroom but also a couple more decorations for my apartment. I will post some pictures on this post and figure out how that works and so that you can see this new decorations. Then we said our goodbyes and parted ways. I started out driving but was too into my music that I missed my exit. It was all good however as my gps got me on 52 exactly where I needed to be. I have to make sure I don't check the mileage and eta on my gps constantly because otherwise I go nuts on very long car drives.
I arrived back in Rochester and brought stuff up to my apartment and immediately headed to the government center to get a residential parking permit. I arrived there and showed the clerk my lease and my ticket. She explained that they renew them in August and rather than charging me twice she would give me a temporary one until then. She then voided my ticket so that was awesome. God really watching over me financially here and very evident and thankful for that.
I got back to my apartment and started putting my all my new things. I used all of my long command strips. I might go get some more with my Fleet Farm gift card but we'll see. The apartment is finally starting to look like my own and shaping up to be homely. That night I did some computer gaming and then switched to pirates. It is a game that you put together pre-cut ships and find treasure and fight other ships. While I was doing this I watched Epic on my computer. It was a nice relaxing and very productive night. While I was sleeping there was a bang in my living room and I noticed the painting that Amy had bought me fell down. I will have to go to Fleet Farm and get some hanging nails for that one.
Today I learned that you need to have the proper tools for the job. Improvisation is encouraged and great but having the correct parts makes all the difference.
I got up later Monday morning at my house. I basically lounged around the morning with my dad just chatting and hanging out. When my mom got back we decided to go out to lunch. My dad wasn't going to join us because he needed to get some sleep for work that night. We said our goodbyes and then headed off to SmashBurger. My mom and I ate there and of course I had to have their smash fries because they are delicious. We sat and talked for awhile after finishing our food. Then we decided to go over to Hobby Lobby to look for a mirror for my bathroom.
At hobby lobby we found more than just a mirror. We of course did get a mirror for my bathroom but also a couple more decorations for my apartment. I will post some pictures on this post and figure out how that works and so that you can see this new decorations. Then we said our goodbyes and parted ways. I started out driving but was too into my music that I missed my exit. It was all good however as my gps got me on 52 exactly where I needed to be. I have to make sure I don't check the mileage and eta on my gps constantly because otherwise I go nuts on very long car drives.
I arrived back in Rochester and brought stuff up to my apartment and immediately headed to the government center to get a residential parking permit. I arrived there and showed the clerk my lease and my ticket. She explained that they renew them in August and rather than charging me twice she would give me a temporary one until then. She then voided my ticket so that was awesome. God really watching over me financially here and very evident and thankful for that.
I got back to my apartment and started putting my all my new things. I used all of my long command strips. I might go get some more with my Fleet Farm gift card but we'll see. The apartment is finally starting to look like my own and shaping up to be homely. That night I did some computer gaming and then switched to pirates. It is a game that you put together pre-cut ships and find treasure and fight other ships. While I was doing this I watched Epic on my computer. It was a nice relaxing and very productive night. While I was sleeping there was a bang in my living room and I noticed the painting that Amy had bought me fell down. I will have to go to Fleet Farm and get some hanging nails for that one.
Today I learned that you need to have the proper tools for the job. Improvisation is encouraged and great but having the correct parts makes all the difference.
Father's Day!
6/15/2014
It is my second weekend here at Redeemer and the last day of RSE sharing services. We were sharing at both the 8:00 and 9:30 service. At around 7:55 Michael asked me if I would speak about my time at RSE. I agreed and started thinking of what I was going to say. Pastor Koglin gave a great message and I still didn't have a clear idea of what I was going to speak on. After the slideshow Addie and I walked up to the front. As I stepped up to the microphone I know the Spirit was working because I still didn't have a clue what I was going to say. I talked about the pay it forward idea of the event. I said that even while God was using us to accomplish great things he was using those we helped as well. Sue, the woman we helped out the first day, made us treats for our hard work in the morning. After I finished Addie came up and talked and we both sat back down.
I was now over the hurtle of speaking for a longer length of time at Redeemer. I don't mind public speaking at all really. Sometimes I'll get real nervous right before but once I start talking it goes away. After service I got many compliments on what I had said. I am glad that God used me to talk about RSE. One member told me I could be a politician and his wife added we need some honest ones out there.
The second service went great as well. Dewey came up to talk and it was amazing. Dewey is your manly man if you ever saw one. He came up to the front and spoke his heart to the congregation and it was moving. Sue, his wife, was praying for him down in the pew and she was amazed. It was the best way to end the RSE sharing time. After service Michael encouraged me to head home for Father's Day and come in whenever or not at all on Monday since we would be running and gunning later that week with the Chicago, trip and nearly 24/7 on the trip itself.
I started the drive home letting my family know I was coming home. I of course had to bring Catan home with me since that is our favorite game. I picked up a card for my dad and finally went home for the first time since I started internship. The dogs ran outside to greet me and I came in for hugs. We had a long time of just talking and getting caught up on everything. My dad opened his cards and we had a nice lunch. They made steaks with my favorite marinade and didn't even know I was coming when they planned it out. Then we sat down to play the long awaited game of Catan. My mom was able to pull together a victory for what was a great game.
I spent the rest of the time talking with her and hanging out with Danny. I had the dogs getting as close to me as they possible could. It was nice to have some time with them and really talk about what I was experiencing at internship and what was going on around Hudson.
Today I learned that family is incredibly important, I did already know that. However you need to make time for them in anything you are doing whether that is work, school, or just life in general.
It is my second weekend here at Redeemer and the last day of RSE sharing services. We were sharing at both the 8:00 and 9:30 service. At around 7:55 Michael asked me if I would speak about my time at RSE. I agreed and started thinking of what I was going to say. Pastor Koglin gave a great message and I still didn't have a clear idea of what I was going to speak on. After the slideshow Addie and I walked up to the front. As I stepped up to the microphone I know the Spirit was working because I still didn't have a clue what I was going to say. I talked about the pay it forward idea of the event. I said that even while God was using us to accomplish great things he was using those we helped as well. Sue, the woman we helped out the first day, made us treats for our hard work in the morning. After I finished Addie came up and talked and we both sat back down.
I was now over the hurtle of speaking for a longer length of time at Redeemer. I don't mind public speaking at all really. Sometimes I'll get real nervous right before but once I start talking it goes away. After service I got many compliments on what I had said. I am glad that God used me to talk about RSE. One member told me I could be a politician and his wife added we need some honest ones out there.
The second service went great as well. Dewey came up to talk and it was amazing. Dewey is your manly man if you ever saw one. He came up to the front and spoke his heart to the congregation and it was moving. Sue, his wife, was praying for him down in the pew and she was amazed. It was the best way to end the RSE sharing time. After service Michael encouraged me to head home for Father's Day and come in whenever or not at all on Monday since we would be running and gunning later that week with the Chicago, trip and nearly 24/7 on the trip itself.
I started the drive home letting my family know I was coming home. I of course had to bring Catan home with me since that is our favorite game. I picked up a card for my dad and finally went home for the first time since I started internship. The dogs ran outside to greet me and I came in for hugs. We had a long time of just talking and getting caught up on everything. My dad opened his cards and we had a nice lunch. They made steaks with my favorite marinade and didn't even know I was coming when they planned it out. Then we sat down to play the long awaited game of Catan. My mom was able to pull together a victory for what was a great game.
I spent the rest of the time talking with her and hanging out with Danny. I had the dogs getting as close to me as they possible could. It was nice to have some time with them and really talk about what I was experiencing at internship and what was going on around Hudson.
Today I learned that family is incredibly important, I did already know that. However you need to make time for them in anything you are doing whether that is work, school, or just life in general.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Shorter Day
6/14/2014
Well arrived at the church at 9 to find I was the only one in the office. I could hear voices in the church but didn't know where they were or doing. It is a bit nice to have this time. As all of you are well aware I am an introvert and it is nice to just have that time now and then. However the people here are so amazing I never mind being interrupted or having that time to talk. So I took some time to catch up on some blog posts. I really need to get a routine to do these on time haha. Also I worked on a practice children's message to see how it goes. Michael wants me to write some and then we can talk about them. I really appreciate this as it allows me to run thing past all his experience with what works and what doesn't work.
Later on I did some more practicing on my sax. I've got the muscle memory of notes which is really nice. Now just getting my breath support and speed back to where they use to be. It is a lot of fun playing again and I do hope I get the chance to play sometime, just not too soon. I did some sorting of my music and found I had kept a lot of sheet music from high school as well as college. I worked my folder down to just pieces that were solos or things I really liked to play.
Well arrived at the church at 9 to find I was the only one in the office. I could hear voices in the church but didn't know where they were or doing. It is a bit nice to have this time. As all of you are well aware I am an introvert and it is nice to just have that time now and then. However the people here are so amazing I never mind being interrupted or having that time to talk. So I took some time to catch up on some blog posts. I really need to get a routine to do these on time haha. Also I worked on a practice children's message to see how it goes. Michael wants me to write some and then we can talk about them. I really appreciate this as it allows me to run thing past all his experience with what works and what doesn't work.
Later on I did some more practicing on my sax. I've got the muscle memory of notes which is really nice. Now just getting my breath support and speed back to where they use to be. It is a lot of fun playing again and I do hope I get the chance to play sometime, just not too soon. I did some sorting of my music and found I had kept a lot of sheet music from high school as well as college. I worked my folder down to just pieces that were solos or things I really liked to play.
A little later that day I did in fact write up a message. I based it off fathers day. It was a little tougher to write because I wanted to make sure that I wasn't being insensitive to those who didn't have fathers for whatever reason. I turned the message into looking at God as our Heavenly Father. I then had Michael take a look at it expecting to get a lot of critiques. Not to sound boastful but he was very impressed. He said that if we had had time in the services this weekend he would have thrown me in. That felt really good and gave me a great starting point to go from. I then headed home around 1:00. The rest of the day was spent cleaning around the apartment and just hanging out until service. Service that night was another sharing service and more people showed up.
What I learned today was that having a goal for children's messages really helps to keep you on track. That way you always strive to that point and keep the focus.
Picnic!
6/13/2014
Well today was my second day off. I decided to just relax and have a lazy day. It was really nice to not really do anything. Well nothing isn't completely true. I washed my dishes that had been piling up during RSE and made use of that fact that I had a shower curtain. Then I did some gaming. It was nice to have a day to myself and just stay in and recharge my introvert batteries. Other than that I mainly hung around the apartment getting some stuff set up and what not.
Around 4 I headed to Bryce and April's house for the staff picnic. I was the first one there because unlike everyone else coming I only had to get myself ready to go haha. They have an absolutely beautiful home and finally officially meet Bryce, April's husband. I also met Adelaide (not sure if that is how they spell it) their two year old daughter. She is simply adorable. We had some fun before people came throwing different balls back and forth. Then people began to show up and we started bouncing the beach balls back and forth over the bad-mitten net. We had our own version of beach volleyball going ;)
After awhile of playing we all came in for food. We said the common table prayer and then Pastor Jim said he was expecting to sing for prayer. So with that we all sang the Doxology as well which was fun. Then the kids dished up and got settled and they made the intern, me, be first through the line. Many of us ate outside and some inside as well. I was able to meet Pastor Jim's wife Jolene, the Harvey kids: Caleb, Gabe, MJ, Lilly, and Addie, Chris' husband Tim, and Pastor Koglin's wife Anna as well as their two boys: Isaac and Arron. Then after supper we did some more ultimate beach ball, my new name for it, until we all headed out. It was an awesome time and I had so much fun.
Then I headed to Hyvee looking for some supplies and to break i my gift card. I wasn't able to find one thing I was looking for: mirror, but that is okay. I got an app on my iPad. Then I attempted the journey of getting home without my GPS. I thought I should start getting use to driving and actually know how to get places and where they were. Well after taking many different roads and turning around I finally got somewhere I recognized and made it home with no GPS. Only been 9 days so I'm doing pretty well that being the case.
Today I learned the staff is one great big family. Everyone looks out for each other and their kids. It is really comforting and nice to be welcomed into a group like that.
Well today was my second day off. I decided to just relax and have a lazy day. It was really nice to not really do anything. Well nothing isn't completely true. I washed my dishes that had been piling up during RSE and made use of that fact that I had a shower curtain. Then I did some gaming. It was nice to have a day to myself and just stay in and recharge my introvert batteries. Other than that I mainly hung around the apartment getting some stuff set up and what not.
Around 4 I headed to Bryce and April's house for the staff picnic. I was the first one there because unlike everyone else coming I only had to get myself ready to go haha. They have an absolutely beautiful home and finally officially meet Bryce, April's husband. I also met Adelaide (not sure if that is how they spell it) their two year old daughter. She is simply adorable. We had some fun before people came throwing different balls back and forth. Then people began to show up and we started bouncing the beach balls back and forth over the bad-mitten net. We had our own version of beach volleyball going ;)
After awhile of playing we all came in for food. We said the common table prayer and then Pastor Jim said he was expecting to sing for prayer. So with that we all sang the Doxology as well which was fun. Then the kids dished up and got settled and they made the intern, me, be first through the line. Many of us ate outside and some inside as well. I was able to meet Pastor Jim's wife Jolene, the Harvey kids: Caleb, Gabe, MJ, Lilly, and Addie, Chris' husband Tim, and Pastor Koglin's wife Anna as well as their two boys: Isaac and Arron. Then after supper we did some more ultimate beach ball, my new name for it, until we all headed out. It was an awesome time and I had so much fun.
Then I headed to Hyvee looking for some supplies and to break i my gift card. I wasn't able to find one thing I was looking for: mirror, but that is okay. I got an app on my iPad. Then I attempted the journey of getting home without my GPS. I thought I should start getting use to driving and actually know how to get places and where they were. Well after taking many different roads and turning around I finally got somewhere I recognized and made it home with no GPS. Only been 9 days so I'm doing pretty well that being the case.
Today I learned the staff is one great big family. Everyone looks out for each other and their kids. It is really comforting and nice to be welcomed into a group like that.
Back to Normal?
6/12/2014
Well RSE is over which is both sad and happy at the same time. It is sad because that was an amazing time and love the work we were doing. I would love to do that as much as possible. You get to see that look of relief on people's faces and share your faith and why you are doing this with them. Also you have the mountain top experience and you never want it to end. It is also happy at the same time because I once again get to sleep and now get into a more regular schedule and routine. Luckily all four services this week are sharing services for RSE where we get to inform the congregation of all that we were able to do. This morning I came in at 10 letting Michael know the night before I needed a bit more sleep. I was able to catch up on some blog posts and you all are probably like "Brian, stop putting so many up in a row". Also I was able to do a little more for RSE. I took the work completed and God sighting sheets and put down all of it on a word document. All together the document is 5 pages long, and we are missing some forms. It is simple amazing what God has accomplished through our efforts in Rochester.
After that I took some time to practice my saxophone. I can say that I am very rusty and will need to do much more before I am confident enough to play in front of anyone period. It was a lot of fun to bring it out again and do some playing. I hope that I will get some more time to do that and keep getting better. Mainly today I did some small tasks here and there. I worked a bit on an assignment for Kevin. It almost doesn't seem fair I have to do homework on top of anything I already have to do here. He he just kidding. The homework helps to remind that I am still a student and in a learning position. It is nice to talk about what is going on around here with people I have known for a long time.
Then we had service that night. This was the first RSE sharing service. I helped make the slide show for that night. There were so many photos that we only used photos from Tuesday and we still had over 100 of them. During the service the RSE people sang two songs to the people gathered. They were songs we had sang during the event a lot. It was a lot of fun to share all that God had done through us and where he had brought us.
Today I learned that sometimes you just need have patience with technology and it will get there eventually even if it isn't exactly on your time table.
Well RSE is over which is both sad and happy at the same time. It is sad because that was an amazing time and love the work we were doing. I would love to do that as much as possible. You get to see that look of relief on people's faces and share your faith and why you are doing this with them. Also you have the mountain top experience and you never want it to end. It is also happy at the same time because I once again get to sleep and now get into a more regular schedule and routine. Luckily all four services this week are sharing services for RSE where we get to inform the congregation of all that we were able to do. This morning I came in at 10 letting Michael know the night before I needed a bit more sleep. I was able to catch up on some blog posts and you all are probably like "Brian, stop putting so many up in a row". Also I was able to do a little more for RSE. I took the work completed and God sighting sheets and put down all of it on a word document. All together the document is 5 pages long, and we are missing some forms. It is simple amazing what God has accomplished through our efforts in Rochester.
After that I took some time to practice my saxophone. I can say that I am very rusty and will need to do much more before I am confident enough to play in front of anyone period. It was a lot of fun to bring it out again and do some playing. I hope that I will get some more time to do that and keep getting better. Mainly today I did some small tasks here and there. I worked a bit on an assignment for Kevin. It almost doesn't seem fair I have to do homework on top of anything I already have to do here. He he just kidding. The homework helps to remind that I am still a student and in a learning position. It is nice to talk about what is going on around here with people I have known for a long time.
Then we had service that night. This was the first RSE sharing service. I helped make the slide show for that night. There were so many photos that we only used photos from Tuesday and we still had over 100 of them. During the service the RSE people sang two songs to the people gathered. They were songs we had sang during the event a lot. It was a lot of fun to share all that God had done through us and where he had brought us.
Today I learned that sometimes you just need have patience with technology and it will get there eventually even if it isn't exactly on your time table.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
RSE Final Day
6/11/2014
So today is the final day of RSE. It has been an amazing journey so far and I can't wait for what is store today from God. Arrived their for breakfast and did some more affirmation notes. I think I forgot to mention those earlier. Even if I have talked about them they bear repeating. The took pictures of everyone and put those pictures on bags. We were all asked to write affirmation notes and put them into people's bags. I tried to put notes in anyone's bag who I have met and/or knew what they had done for RSE. It was a lot of fun to write those and think about how this will lift a person up for the day. We had worship after breakfast and then our speaker for the morning.
This morning we had Julie and Kurt talk. Kurt is the project head of RSE. He is in charge of setting up all the jobs for the teams and that area. It is amazing how he juggled them all and got us to places we needed to help out at. Julie does a lot for RSE as well and keeps people all on track. She is an incredibly hard worker. They talked about their family and how they see the fruits in each of their family members. They talked about the struggles that they have gone through and how they are going through a low right now. It is good to know that we all go through them and that we are not alone in them. We have God always with us as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have support from all sides. They had a great message and it really was something we needed to hear on our last day as we go back into the world.
With that we headed out to our last day of work. Our morning site was a buildling (I forget the name) where POBLO meets. POBLO, from my limited understanding, is an organization that helps immigrants settle in Rochester. They help as translators as well as drivers all with the background and love of Christ. Their aim is to teach them how to speak English and get their drivers license. It is a really cool program that I would love to learn more about. At the building they wanted us to prime and paint the front entry. So us guys started on that while the girls were inside sorting books, organizing clothes, and doing some carpet cleaning. It was a very hot day especially where we were painting. We ended up just getting the primer on because there is a lot of area to cover. It looked amazingly better and they were so happy.
After that we headed to Soldiers' Field to have our lunch. On the last day we talked about things we learned over the course of RSE as well as dreams we have in our lives. It was a lot of fun to hear the things people had picked up from RSE. We talked about learning skills, a lot about John's talk, and many other things. Also it was a blast to hear some dreams from the group. There are some wonderful goals there and I pray that God helps each one of them achieve those.
For the afternoon we headed to Slaterly park to do some bridge cleaning as well as picking up trash. There must have been several groups before us doing the same work because we had to look hard to find trash to pick up. It is an awesome sign when you have to look for trash to clean up. We drove around in the go-kart a little more looking for stuff to do before finally heading back to the church early. There we found a mulch pile being worked on and joined right in. I worked with Dewey in his trailer to bring the mulch all around the church and fill in the garden beds. In this case we really saw how many hands make light work and before too long the huge pile was all gone. Then inside we cleaned up and just took a bit of time to relax at supper.
We had a bit of an earlier worship because we have the concert tonight. The band did a phenomenal job of closing worship and bring us to that point. Jackie, DCE from Northfield, spoke that night. She did a skit about fruits of the Spirit and seeing how they actually work. She talked about how we needed to be died for and what that really means. It was an amazing closing message and something we all needed to hear. With that we did thank yous and some God sightings and ushered out to let the bad get ready. There were ear plugs provided because last year a different band had been really loud. They were loud this year but not as bad I am told. Still many of us, including me, wore ear plugs. I got up front for a couple songs and it was awesome to watch the youth and adults jumping around. The band had a great message and stayed after to talk with people and sign stuff.
As things began to wind down I helped out wherever I could getting the church put back together. It was awesome to see how many people stayed around to help out. In no time at all we had it looking great again. The last of us left around midnight to a beautiful night. I got home and to bed very soon feeling absolutely amazing. RSE had been an awesome event and the best way to start off an internship.
Today I learned that getting out of your comfort zone helps those around you do the same. We all have inhibitions but if you are a trailblazer, being as terrified as you are, it helps others to open up after you.
So today is the final day of RSE. It has been an amazing journey so far and I can't wait for what is store today from God. Arrived their for breakfast and did some more affirmation notes. I think I forgot to mention those earlier. Even if I have talked about them they bear repeating. The took pictures of everyone and put those pictures on bags. We were all asked to write affirmation notes and put them into people's bags. I tried to put notes in anyone's bag who I have met and/or knew what they had done for RSE. It was a lot of fun to write those and think about how this will lift a person up for the day. We had worship after breakfast and then our speaker for the morning.
This morning we had Julie and Kurt talk. Kurt is the project head of RSE. He is in charge of setting up all the jobs for the teams and that area. It is amazing how he juggled them all and got us to places we needed to help out at. Julie does a lot for RSE as well and keeps people all on track. She is an incredibly hard worker. They talked about their family and how they see the fruits in each of their family members. They talked about the struggles that they have gone through and how they are going through a low right now. It is good to know that we all go through them and that we are not alone in them. We have God always with us as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ. We have support from all sides. They had a great message and it really was something we needed to hear on our last day as we go back into the world.
With that we headed out to our last day of work. Our morning site was a buildling (I forget the name) where POBLO meets. POBLO, from my limited understanding, is an organization that helps immigrants settle in Rochester. They help as translators as well as drivers all with the background and love of Christ. Their aim is to teach them how to speak English and get their drivers license. It is a really cool program that I would love to learn more about. At the building they wanted us to prime and paint the front entry. So us guys started on that while the girls were inside sorting books, organizing clothes, and doing some carpet cleaning. It was a very hot day especially where we were painting. We ended up just getting the primer on because there is a lot of area to cover. It looked amazingly better and they were so happy.
After that we headed to Soldiers' Field to have our lunch. On the last day we talked about things we learned over the course of RSE as well as dreams we have in our lives. It was a lot of fun to hear the things people had picked up from RSE. We talked about learning skills, a lot about John's talk, and many other things. Also it was a blast to hear some dreams from the group. There are some wonderful goals there and I pray that God helps each one of them achieve those.
For the afternoon we headed to Slaterly park to do some bridge cleaning as well as picking up trash. There must have been several groups before us doing the same work because we had to look hard to find trash to pick up. It is an awesome sign when you have to look for trash to clean up. We drove around in the go-kart a little more looking for stuff to do before finally heading back to the church early. There we found a mulch pile being worked on and joined right in. I worked with Dewey in his trailer to bring the mulch all around the church and fill in the garden beds. In this case we really saw how many hands make light work and before too long the huge pile was all gone. Then inside we cleaned up and just took a bit of time to relax at supper.
We had a bit of an earlier worship because we have the concert tonight. The band did a phenomenal job of closing worship and bring us to that point. Jackie, DCE from Northfield, spoke that night. She did a skit about fruits of the Spirit and seeing how they actually work. She talked about how we needed to be died for and what that really means. It was an amazing closing message and something we all needed to hear. With that we did thank yous and some God sightings and ushered out to let the bad get ready. There were ear plugs provided because last year a different band had been really loud. They were loud this year but not as bad I am told. Still many of us, including me, wore ear plugs. I got up front for a couple songs and it was awesome to watch the youth and adults jumping around. The band had a great message and stayed after to talk with people and sign stuff.
As things began to wind down I helped out wherever I could getting the church put back together. It was awesome to see how many people stayed around to help out. In no time at all we had it looking great again. The last of us left around midnight to a beautiful night. I got home and to bed very soon feeling absolutely amazing. RSE had been an awesome event and the best way to start off an internship.
Today I learned that getting out of your comfort zone helps those around you do the same. We all have inhibitions but if you are a trailblazer, being as terrified as you are, it helps others to open up after you.
RSE Day 2
6/10/2014
Another early morning getting to the church. Wonderful morning and promise of great weather. Had breakfast and once again Paul outdid himself with great food. We made lunches for the day and then headed upstairs to worship. The band did yet another amazing job at worship. There is so much talent up there and such zeal for Christ it is amazing and inspiring. Michael was the speaker for the morning. He did a very intriguing skit of giving yourself a pep talk. He showed that no matter what we say to ourselves we are making it all about us. For Christians it is never about just us. It is about Christ and His work and the work He is completely through us. It was a great and perfect message for our hump day within the event. With that we sang a few more songs and got out on our work sites.
6/10/2010
Today our morning job was helping out at Rochester Central Lutheran School (RCLS). It was nice to be inside a bit. We were helping move classrooms around to different places for cleaning and changing of rooms. Soon they split our group up and girls were working in the library while the guys were working in the garden and washing chairs. David and I weeded and turned their garden outside the building. Dewey worked to get the pressure washer working so we could use it to wash the cafeteria chairs. After we had finished the garden we started on the chairs. We would spritz them with a soap solution and then power wash them clean. After awhile the girls came out and they would dry the chairs so Dewey could bring them back in. We got them down in no time.
After that we took our lunch and did our devotion. It is so much fun to talk with all my group members and hear their difference experiences. We talked a bit about how the Holy Spirit works and how people sometimes thinks he works. That afternoon we had a job out at a couple of the church's house. Her name was Sue, but I feel bad for not remembering his name. They had a lot of yard work that they needed done. Us guys started to work on cutting down the lilac bushes along their wooden fence. Then the girls started on moving rocks from their garden beds. After awhile we figured out that job really wouldn't work so they joined us in trimming another set of lilacs down to about 6ft tall from about 12ft.
We headed back to the church after that. We got inside and got a bit cleaned up and headed to worship. We sang some great songs and really got pumped up. Delayna talked that night and was amazing. Her courage and bravery and faith are truly inspiring. She shared some very difficult and close stuff. I can only imagine the fear she had. However you could see a great weigh being lifted from her shoulders. She is an amazing woman of faith and a true model for the youth there. I thank God she was able to share all that through the power of the Spirit. It really touched many hearts, including mine.
I headed home after worship to get some sleep. Another great day at RSE and getting to know people at Redeemer. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me the tomorrow. Today I learned that even though the job gets tough and have opposite directions God still uses you in the best ways.
Another early morning getting to the church. Wonderful morning and promise of great weather. Had breakfast and once again Paul outdid himself with great food. We made lunches for the day and then headed upstairs to worship. The band did yet another amazing job at worship. There is so much talent up there and such zeal for Christ it is amazing and inspiring. Michael was the speaker for the morning. He did a very intriguing skit of giving yourself a pep talk. He showed that no matter what we say to ourselves we are making it all about us. For Christians it is never about just us. It is about Christ and His work and the work He is completely through us. It was a great and perfect message for our hump day within the event. With that we sang a few more songs and got out on our work sites.
6/10/2010
Today our morning job was helping out at Rochester Central Lutheran School (RCLS). It was nice to be inside a bit. We were helping move classrooms around to different places for cleaning and changing of rooms. Soon they split our group up and girls were working in the library while the guys were working in the garden and washing chairs. David and I weeded and turned their garden outside the building. Dewey worked to get the pressure washer working so we could use it to wash the cafeteria chairs. After we had finished the garden we started on the chairs. We would spritz them with a soap solution and then power wash them clean. After awhile the girls came out and they would dry the chairs so Dewey could bring them back in. We got them down in no time.
After that we took our lunch and did our devotion. It is so much fun to talk with all my group members and hear their difference experiences. We talked a bit about how the Holy Spirit works and how people sometimes thinks he works. That afternoon we had a job out at a couple of the church's house. Her name was Sue, but I feel bad for not remembering his name. They had a lot of yard work that they needed done. Us guys started to work on cutting down the lilac bushes along their wooden fence. Then the girls started on moving rocks from their garden beds. After awhile we figured out that job really wouldn't work so they joined us in trimming another set of lilacs down to about 6ft tall from about 12ft.
We headed back to the church after that. We got inside and got a bit cleaned up and headed to worship. We sang some great songs and really got pumped up. Delayna talked that night and was amazing. Her courage and bravery and faith are truly inspiring. She shared some very difficult and close stuff. I can only imagine the fear she had. However you could see a great weigh being lifted from her shoulders. She is an amazing woman of faith and a true model for the youth there. I thank God she was able to share all that through the power of the Spirit. It really touched many hearts, including mine.
I headed home after worship to get some sleep. Another great day at RSE and getting to know people at Redeemer. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me the tomorrow. Today I learned that even though the job gets tough and have opposite directions God still uses you in the best ways.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
RSE Day 1
6/9/2014
Another early morning today. Up at 6am and getting ready. I washed my hair in my tub because I don't have my curtain quite yet to take a shower. Looking forward to that though. Did some writing this morning and headed off to the church. There had some breakfast and sat with Dewey, Sue, Ryan, and Sam. Nice to finally have some names under my belt (although I cheated with the last two there. already knew them from CSP). Then we all headed into the sanctuary for worship. We sang some great songs and then Michael and Sam both had some announcements for us. We then divided into our work groups and got our supplies for the day. We would be working at a house that one spouse had passed away and the other was in a nursing home. The daughter would be there and they were trying to get the house ready for sale and an estate sale. We got there and began to see what we needed to do. Throughout the morning we pulled down an antennae, lean-to on the side of the garage, gate on the side of the house, scraped and began painting the garage, and washed the outside of the house. We had a pretty awesome God sighting during the morning from Sue, the daughter. She baked us delicious cookies in thanks for what we were doing. Then at lunch we had our devotion. It was really cool to hear the kids talk about sharing Christ and what that looked like and how hard it could be sometimes, especially with those closer to you. Then we got back to work. In the afternoon we finished painting the garage, painted the trim on the garage, painted the trim on each house window, painted the little side porch on the house, and lifted a desk from the attic to the main level. It was so amazing to see all that we had gotten done and see the thanks from the people we helped. We invited Sue to the dinner on Wed but she would not be in town unfortunately. We got back to the church and just took some time to relax and clean up a bit. After that we headed downstairs for spaghetti for dinner. Once dinner was over we went back upstairs and had some worship time along with sharing of photos. There was so much work done and it was really cool to see what everyone had done. Then we had a speaker, Johm, come up. John is from Egypt and has a huge passion for missions and has done some amazing and dangerous work. The story that stuck with me was about his friend Daniel who had been in Sudan and was hit during a terrorist attack. They took him to a hospital that took 9 hours to get to. There they had to keep him outside because it would be too hot otherwise. They kept the dogs away from him all night. What he said was three amazing words "Jesus deserves it". He died later that day and is not resting from this world. It is truly amazing the change that Christ instills in us. That dedication to others and selfless nature that is our new nature in Christ. We were able to discuss this a bit in small groups that we formed to get to know each other a bit better. After a long awesome day I came home and went to bed nearly at once. Going to be early tomorrow but I can't wait to see what God has in store for me.
Today I learned that some of the church terms we take for granted even veteran church members and youth have no idea what they mean. It pays to explain each one just to be clear and at the same time you learn along with them.
Another early morning today. Up at 6am and getting ready. I washed my hair in my tub because I don't have my curtain quite yet to take a shower. Looking forward to that though. Did some writing this morning and headed off to the church. There had some breakfast and sat with Dewey, Sue, Ryan, and Sam. Nice to finally have some names under my belt (although I cheated with the last two there. already knew them from CSP). Then we all headed into the sanctuary for worship. We sang some great songs and then Michael and Sam both had some announcements for us. We then divided into our work groups and got our supplies for the day. We would be working at a house that one spouse had passed away and the other was in a nursing home. The daughter would be there and they were trying to get the house ready for sale and an estate sale. We got there and began to see what we needed to do. Throughout the morning we pulled down an antennae, lean-to on the side of the garage, gate on the side of the house, scraped and began painting the garage, and washed the outside of the house. We had a pretty awesome God sighting during the morning from Sue, the daughter. She baked us delicious cookies in thanks for what we were doing. Then at lunch we had our devotion. It was really cool to hear the kids talk about sharing Christ and what that looked like and how hard it could be sometimes, especially with those closer to you. Then we got back to work. In the afternoon we finished painting the garage, painted the trim on the garage, painted the trim on each house window, painted the little side porch on the house, and lifted a desk from the attic to the main level. It was so amazing to see all that we had gotten done and see the thanks from the people we helped. We invited Sue to the dinner on Wed but she would not be in town unfortunately. We got back to the church and just took some time to relax and clean up a bit. After that we headed downstairs for spaghetti for dinner. Once dinner was over we went back upstairs and had some worship time along with sharing of photos. There was so much work done and it was really cool to see what everyone had done. Then we had a speaker, Johm, come up. John is from Egypt and has a huge passion for missions and has done some amazing and dangerous work. The story that stuck with me was about his friend Daniel who had been in Sudan and was hit during a terrorist attack. They took him to a hospital that took 9 hours to get to. There they had to keep him outside because it would be too hot otherwise. They kept the dogs away from him all night. What he said was three amazing words "Jesus deserves it". He died later that day and is not resting from this world. It is truly amazing the change that Christ instills in us. That dedication to others and selfless nature that is our new nature in Christ. We were able to discuss this a bit in small groups that we formed to get to know each other a bit better. After a long awesome day I came home and went to bed nearly at once. Going to be early tomorrow but I can't wait to see what God has in store for me.
Today I learned that some of the church terms we take for granted even veteran church members and youth have no idea what they mean. It pays to explain each one just to be clear and at the same time you learn along with them.
Rochester Servant Event!
6/8/2014
Early morning this beautiful Sunday. I had my final two installation services today. One was at 8:00 AM and the other was at 9:30 AM. It was nice that at the 9:30 Amy could come out and be a part of it. I was able to introduce her to some of the congregation members that I remembered names for. Also she was able to meet Michael's wife Erin and most of the kids before I had. We were a little late to the 9:30 service because we got caught up talking to people which is a great reason for that. After that she was able to hang out a bit and we could do some wedding planning and just nice relaxing. After she had left I took some time to just hang out before heading off to the kickstart for the Rochester Servant Event (RSE). Getting there a bit early I learned some more names of people I will be seeing later. To anyone who's name I have forgotten I am getting there I promise. Then I headed to the church for the kick off to RSE. The band played some music and we had Pastor Koglin as a speaker. He used the walls as an image of things that get between us and our relationship with God as well as going out to others. For one wall we were all able to write things that Satan used to put up walls between us and God. Then he asked for us all to break down that wall and smash it into tiny pieces. Then we went outside and did the same with that wall. It was a very powerful moment, very messy, but very powerful. We did a couple more songs and then broke off into our work groups. I am with Dewey, Sue, David, Sam, Ally, and Madie. They seem like an awesome group of people and can't wait to start working with them tomorrow. After everything I was over I stayed back with a group of other people to clean up the church. We vacuumed and swept up as much as we could of the Styrofoam in the church. Great day and a great kickoff to the RSE!
Today I learned that it's the little things that really make a big difference
Early morning this beautiful Sunday. I had my final two installation services today. One was at 8:00 AM and the other was at 9:30 AM. It was nice that at the 9:30 Amy could come out and be a part of it. I was able to introduce her to some of the congregation members that I remembered names for. Also she was able to meet Michael's wife Erin and most of the kids before I had. We were a little late to the 9:30 service because we got caught up talking to people which is a great reason for that. After that she was able to hang out a bit and we could do some wedding planning and just nice relaxing. After she had left I took some time to just hang out before heading off to the kickstart for the Rochester Servant Event (RSE). Getting there a bit early I learned some more names of people I will be seeing later. To anyone who's name I have forgotten I am getting there I promise. Then I headed to the church for the kick off to RSE. The band played some music and we had Pastor Koglin as a speaker. He used the walls as an image of things that get between us and our relationship with God as well as going out to others. For one wall we were all able to write things that Satan used to put up walls between us and God. Then he asked for us all to break down that wall and smash it into tiny pieces. Then we went outside and did the same with that wall. It was a very powerful moment, very messy, but very powerful. We did a couple more songs and then broke off into our work groups. I am with Dewey, Sue, David, Sam, Ally, and Madie. They seem like an awesome group of people and can't wait to start working with them tomorrow. After everything I was over I stayed back with a group of other people to clean up the church. We vacuumed and swept up as much as we could of the Styrofoam in the church. Great day and a great kickoff to the RSE!
Today I learned that it's the little things that really make a big difference
Monday, June 9, 2014
Projects!
6/7/2014
I figured I should probably put dates to keep track of which post is what day. As you may see I posted two for today. One is from 6/6 and the other is for today. Today was a pretty fun day as well. Said goodbye to Adam today as he headed home and I headed to Redeemer. At the office I was able to paint the grout lines for the walls we are making for Rochester Servant Event. I was able to use Dave's teaching of how to spin a roller to clean out the one I used. It is the slickest way to clean out a roller bar none. After that I met the other half to that dynamic duo, Scott. I see why Dave and Scott are best friends and they are a lot of fun to be around. They took Michael and I to Zadeos pizza place. It was delicious and a great time of conversation. Coming back Michael and did some canvasing of a nearby neighborhood for the Rochester Servant Event as well as the upcoming VBS. It was a lot of fun to talk to people around the neighborhood and share what God is doing through Redeemer. Later that night my parents stopped by for my second installation service. Pastor Jim joked that I was only going to be half installed after tonight. After the service my family and I went to Perkins to have some dinner. They dropped off some more stuff for the apartment and then we said our goodbyes. It was really great to see them. Today I learned that God will open doors in the most unusual ways and places. Canvessing I couldn't believe how many people I was able to talk to and how many sounded genuinely excited about the events coming up.
I figured I should probably put dates to keep track of which post is what day. As you may see I posted two for today. One is from 6/6 and the other is for today. Today was a pretty fun day as well. Said goodbye to Adam today as he headed home and I headed to Redeemer. At the office I was able to paint the grout lines for the walls we are making for Rochester Servant Event. I was able to use Dave's teaching of how to spin a roller to clean out the one I used. It is the slickest way to clean out a roller bar none. After that I met the other half to that dynamic duo, Scott. I see why Dave and Scott are best friends and they are a lot of fun to be around. They took Michael and I to Zadeos pizza place. It was delicious and a great time of conversation. Coming back Michael and did some canvasing of a nearby neighborhood for the Rochester Servant Event as well as the upcoming VBS. It was a lot of fun to talk to people around the neighborhood and share what God is doing through Redeemer. Later that night my parents stopped by for my second installation service. Pastor Jim joked that I was only going to be half installed after tonight. After the service my family and I went to Perkins to have some dinner. They dropped off some more stuff for the apartment and then we said our goodbyes. It was really great to see them. Today I learned that God will open doors in the most unusual ways and places. Canvessing I couldn't believe how many people I was able to talk to and how many sounded genuinely excited about the events coming up.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Day Off!
My second day into internship and I already have a day off. Going to try Fridays off and see how that works for awhile. My day started off with a worker from the apartment coming in to finish my bathroom. With that I set out to do a little unpacking and housekeeping. I did a couple things around the apartment and settled in to watch some Netflix and do a bit of gaming. Around 1:00 I decided I would go for a walk around town. I started off towards Broadway and began taking the trails along the river. There is some really gorgeous scenery there and plenty of places to check out later on. I ended up down by Mayo Civic Center. There I turned around and found a different way back. As I was walking I came upon the government center. So now I know where that is, which is quite handy. Drawing near to the apartment I stopped by People's Food Co-op. There I got a nice lunch and then took a walk to the veterans' memorial in Soldiers' Field. It is a large memorial and a very nice tribute to all the places our soldiers have been. I finally arrived home and within a bit I had a tub and a fully finished bathroom. I took a bit of time to just hang out and relax around my apartment before Adam showed up. He took me out to Outback Steak House. I was then able to take him on a brief tour of the church and finally back to the apartment. There we had some time to just catch up and do some gaming together. However later that night the toilet would not flush and would only fill up with water. I am having someone come in tomorrow and check it out to finally get a fully functional bathroom. All in all a pretty good day.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
First Day in the Office
Day one in Rochester and at the office. It was an nervous and exciting day. Started off early at 8:00 AM and trying a new routine. Getting some breakfast in me and waiting for the time I will have a bathroom to use was a nice start. Arrived at the church and got a more detailed tour. Nice to start to see everything. I will have to take some time to start exploring the church and find all the nooks and crannies. A lot of administrative stuff my first day as well as just getting used to who and what is around me. I have to say now, for anyone from Redeemer reading this is for you, I have been welcomed with open arms and feel completely at home here. Had lunch with April at El Carambas. Good food and great company. It is nice to really get to know every member of the staff and learn about them and hear them share. After that I got together with Dave and we worked on a project. We had to make walls that would be able to be broken apart for the Rochester Servant Event. We started painting them and I get to finish them later. Dave also took me on a great tour of the city. And if you are reading yeah you did show me a lot but I do remember a bunch and it was incredibly helpful, thanks so much. Nearly right after that we had the Thursday night service and my first installation. I have to say I am truly blessed to have my first installation on Pentecost. It was great to start meeting the congregation and start the daunting task of putting names in my head. Lastly I attended a VBS meeting and meet some awesome people. It was a great first day and even though a bit long I really didn't notice. Coming back home to the apartment God blessed me and they finished my toilet and sink so just waiting on the tub now. Today I learned that I won't always be doing stuff full throttle and there is time to breath, (although Michael might not agree with me about this day). I have my weekly day off tomorrow and will hopefully spend it exploring Rochester a bit.
Moving In
Hello all. Very fitting that my first post will be my move in. A day late on this but figure a good place to start as any. Came in a day before and brought a load of stuff to the apartment. The official move in day was June 4th and as chaotic as a move in day should be. Part of it was I am still waiting on my bathroom being finished. Still waiting on a bathroom sink, toilet, and shower so there is that. My parents both helped me bring stuff in and get some last minute stuff that I needed. I want to thank them over and over for all the help they have, are, and continue to give me. Amy also came down to help and hang out. We unpacked what we could with the bathroom and part of the bedroom being in disarray. We all decided to have a break and get some food in us and hang out. We went to Denny's and had a quick meal. After that we went out shopping and got some stuff that I had forgotten or needed. We unloaded what we could and with that I said goodbye to my parents. Amy helped me unpack some other stuff and once the guys were done working on my bathroom for the day we moved some stuff into the bedroom. Amy leaving was tough and being in my own apartment, alone, for the first time in my life was intimidating, exciting, and scary all at the same time. God was with me and helped to calm my nerves and give me a sense of security and calm. All in all it was a pretty tame move in first day in the grand city of Rochester.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)