Flawed

Since starting out in full time ministry I am realizing that my flaws are starting to bother me more.


First off, I am a total people pleaser. So much so that I have needed to get a new cell phone plan since moving to Texas because there are NO Alltels for over 100 miles. I knew my mom would be ticked off, so I put off doing it until the youth ran up a $50 bill worth of texts. I now have a texting plan that costs less every month. Along with that I am having a hard time writing and delivering my sermons because everyone kind of expects me to be perfect. They waited for a youth minister for 9 months, so a lot of the parents and youth think I must be really awesome. Hahaha


Secondly, I am becoming a total home body. I have only meet a few young people and they are all married. Also there are no young adult groups at any of the local churches. Soooo, I am hanging out at my place with Rocky a lot. If I am not doing that then I am hanging out with my youth or co-workers (who are all like 20-30 years older than me).


I do have to say that one of my flaws is not so big now as it used to be thought. I have much more self-esteem. People down here don't look at me funny because I am a bigger person. This has caused me to actually loose weight!! I cannot believe that it has affected my eating habits so much.

Well I have seen these flaws coming out in me I am realizing something big. It is ok to be Flawed!

Girls and hard times

So the past two weeks have been filled with some fun and sad times for me. I have been really excited to get to know my youth better. I started taking them out in small groups for things like diner and a movie. My first one was last Friday night. I invited the Christian Education persons daughter and told her to invite friends. She invited the whole Jr. High group. I meant this to be a small group activity so I can get to know then better. Luckily only 4 girls were able to come on short notice. We had a great time eating Chinese and seeing Hotel for Dogs (their choice not mine). However, I would have probably picked the same movie. I feel really good about how everything went and I am looking forward to my next Friday night group outing.


This week however, was not a happy for me. I had to go through my first break up of two youth. They had been together for around a year and well things just were not going well. I felt so bad for the girl. She is sweet and sensitive. As I stood in the bathroom at Wednesday night Bible study with her I remembered what it felt like to be her age and have my first break up. Next came the news that Lynn almost died. Her cancer is getting worse and she got really sick this past week. I know my parents are taking care of her, but I miss my little mutt dog. Things are looking up though. Rocky is very healthy according to all his blood work that came in. Also I got an awesome new chair for my office. Again let me say I love the perks of being a minister (it was free from a member of the church who is remodeling).


Also I have finally started reading my devotional for this year. It is wonderful. The book is called Courageous Spirit and is written by all ordained Methodist Women. I have also been getting ready to do a new book/Bible study with the youth girls. Be a Queen...Not a Princess... the crown in BIGGER. It was written by Methodist women and they have even offered to come out to the church since they live in western Lousianna. I hope we can afford to bring them out and have a girl's weekend.

My Pounding

Sunday was very interesting for me. I had my first pounding. In case you do not know the term pounding it is when everyone brought people a pound of something for their new house. Luckily the pounding has changed a little since it started. I did not get a pound of anything, well other than dish detergent and that was included in one the the baskets. Being a person from the North I found the pounding quite interesting. I do have to admit at first when they told me I was having a pounding I was a little afraid until it was explained to me. In the north we had house warming and people would bring something for the house, or food that could be frozen and reheated so that the new family in town could take some time off from cooking and get things arraigned. I think that the two types of welcoming to a new town are great ideas and should be done more often. The picture above is the loot I made out with from my pounding. There was a lot of food, cleaning stuff, and cooking things. However, I also made out with about $150 in gift cards to various places like target, walmart, kroger, and H.E.B.. Along with all this the youth also made food and punch for the reception at church. It is so nice to be in a place where people take the time to make you feel welcome.

Costs of having a dog

OK so I knew starting out that dogs are expensive. Yes the food,toys, vet visits, and time needed to keep them happy. However today I spent over $250.00 on Rocky. I took him to the vets where he had to get ALL the vaccinations because he had not been to a vet since 2007. $221.17 down the vet hole. Then I headed over the SPCA to register him for to get neutered. That was not bad since I just graduated Candler they only are going to charge me $20. Then they told me Rocky has to be registered with the county or I could get fined. Another $10 fee. I am just glad he is a happy and healthy little guy. I am also glad that I got paid on Thursday. Thank God for having a good job that pays me well.

Rocky and more firsts

So I finally got my new dog! Rocky is the name given him by his old family. They could no longer afford to keep the little guy and advertised him on Craigs List. I was not all about him before I meet him, but now he is mine and I love him to death. Rocky is a good guard dog and very loving at the same time.

This Weekend I also got completely moved in. It was amazing. I got a nice maple wood table and chairs from the Walkers, both their sons are in youth. Then I got an oak entertainment center and large bookcase from another family the Bayers. They don't have kids anymore but happened to be remodeling a room in their house and wanted to get rid of some things. I can now I say I love being a minister. I am not ordained, but I am still getting some of the perks.

This Tuesday was really hard on me. I had to take my mom to the airport and say goodbye for a while. We went to Mimi's and ate lunch before the finally little leg of the trip to Houston. I could not believe that our two weeks together were over. I also am very surprised at myself. I did not cry when I said goodbye to her. I just headed out and went to work at the church.

While I am enjoying my job and the town I have to say I never thought I would have so many meetings. This week I have a meeting or Bible study that I have to be at every night from around 6-8/9. I am trying to make sure I have time for myself and still get all the work I need to have done before I go to meetings every night. I can say however that I am looking forward to my one meeting on Friday Night. I am starting to take the youth out 3 or 4 at a time and get to know them better. This week I am taking some Junior High students out. This excites me because I don't get to do Bible Study with them tonight. I have to go to the Senior High Bible Study so that they know I am there for them as well. However, the Senior High group has a teacher who is willing to stay on and the Junior High does not have an official Bible study leader. Needless to say I am needed to step into the Junior High Bible study leader role.

Ok so I am getting tired of writing and feel like making cookies for the Bible Study tonight. So I am off to make the cookies.

I am for Real NOW!!

May I just say YES!!!!!! As I showed up on Friday to pick up a letter of intent for my apartment complex at the church I pulled up and saw this sign. I don't think I have ever felt so empowered in my life.

Being a Youth Leader is starting to hit me. I did my first Youth meeting and worship service on Sunday night. I preached on 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27. Yes We ARE ALL THE BODY OF CHRIST HERE AT CHAPELWOOD!!! Apparently my message was so good the chair of SPR has been receiving calls since then to tell him to let the SPR know they did a good job. NOT to brag or anything. I also had my first Prayer Breakfast today at 6:45am. Yes that is right I was up and moving around 5:45. However, meeting youth at Chick-fil-a for breakfast on Tuesdays is totally worth it. I get to hear what the youth have to say since they lead the devotion and the prayer. However, if the youth assigned to do the devotion does not show up I have to do the devotion.

I got my new apartment yesterday. I am enjoying my new RED couches, which I slept on last night. I will not be doing that again. It is so nice to have a place of my own again and not be in a hotel. I also got my own office. It is huge!! One of the walls is completely windows. I have a nice desk, couch, and burgundy walls. However, my favorite part has to be my own free laptop. As I have already started to figure out I will be spending most of my time in the office.

Tomorrow I have a home visit for my new dog Remmie. He is a black Pomeranian. They have to do the home visit before I can get him, so I should have a dog by this Sunday. I promise I will post pictures. I also have a Jr. High Bible study tomorrow night at which I will be showing off my mad bowling skills.