Mouse in the House

There used to be this really funny TV show in Disney called Mouse in the House and it was all about Mickey, like a variety show with cartoons and songs. It was so fun!
Do you know what's not fun? Actually having a mouse in the house.
I don't like the idea of poison in my house, just because I can picture myself accidentally eating it or my dog sniffing it out to devour. Also, I don't love the idea of having anything die in my house - especially in my walls, where it might be smelly. But my house mice seem to be particularly resistant to peppermint oil, which is what we use at work to keep mice out - and works fabulously! The mice at my house have eaten 2 cups of my long grain brown rice, which I love because you can make any meal go twice as far if you eat it over brown rice. Anyway, I've strategically placed poison where the mice can get it but my dog cannot, so hopefully tomorrow morning I will wake to a clean, uninhabited pantry.

Also, today's adventure was a pig roast at Lowe's. Yup, you know Lowe's - you buy house paint and insulation there, and I ate pig there today. There was a Commercial Partner's lunch today, and a bunch of us went down. Additionally, two of the representatives to commercial groups are Tony and Tim, who go to my church and I see every Sunday. It's always fun to see church friends out in the community - a reminder of how God uses each of us as ministers, even if we wear a tool belt instead of a preacher's collar. Did I mention the pig was good?

Volunteering = making friends

I know a lot of people my age are probably dealing with a lot of the same things I am - getting adjusted to being in the work force and not being surrounded by other young adults to hang out with. That's pretty normal. But thank goodness for church. My church, Charter Oak has been such a blessing! I have been going there for almost a year now, and the different ministries that I've been volunteering have really helped me find a home there. Going to a big church was overwhelming at first because I felt all alone and out of place for a while, though everyone was friendly. But once I joined my small group, and especially since I've started with the kids' ministries, I feel like I have people to talk to during coffee hour, and I've actually had a mom threaten to send her kids to sit with me in church when they misbehave! Working with kids really does help you to know adults, too, because you meet the other leaders and all the kids' parents. And if the kids know you, the parents do.
So if you're out there feeling out-of-sorts or disconnected from your fellowship or your church, jump in and volunteer in any way you can! It really allows you to develop a community of people so church isn't just showing up for worship and then sneaking out the back. I wish I had learned that earlier - it would have made my first few years of college much more smooth.

So fun

There's a local church leadership group here for a retreat and training this weekend. They're in the room next to my office right now, and they are hilarious. It's such a blessing to witness a church staff that works together well, serves a huge congregation, communicates easily, and has a blast doing it. They are laughing in a "pee-your-pants" sort of way playing a game together. It's so refreshing to see a group of people that glorify the Lord together and truly enjoy it!

Fourth grade, here I come

Tonight marks the official beginning of my career as a fourth-grade small group leader. And by career, I mean the unpaid, give-of-your-time sort...I think they call them "volunteers". I am looking forward to meeting my co-leaders of the fourth and fifth grade classes. We're using a promiseland curriculum (from WillowCreek Church & Zondervan publishing out in the good old IL).
It will be a totally different undertaking from what I've just come out of...all of the preparations will be done for me, and I am responsible for making a connection with the kids. This will be fun, almost like getting to be a "counselor" for these girls. Pray for me and for the girls that will be coming into my class!