Archives for 2010

May 24 2010

Making a Difference

Have you ever noticed how when you're focused on how much your life is…well…not going so well, God shows you someone's whose is worse?

Last night, as we were cleaning up after youth, I felt an urge to take the last six homeless ministry bags with me. But I ignored the urge, thinking I still had one in the van and that I'd grab some more next weekend. These bags have juice/water, snacks, hygiene items (like soap and mouthwash), and a personal note of encouragement in them. The idea is to carry them in your vehicle, and then when you pass a homeless person on the street, you can hand them a bag of encouragement. I knew I had one bag left, so I ignored that urge.

Fast forward to today. I had to run a couple of errands. Today didn't start out too great and I've had a lot on my mind. One of which is trying really hard to know what God is trying to say to me and listening when He says it. I was waiting in the deli line with an older gentleman. We waited for quite a while, and finally someone noticed and came over and asked who was first in line. I replied that the gentleman was.

He replies, "And the first will come last and the last will come first."

I simply smiled, yet was reminded of this scripture:

"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but
few chosen."

Matthew 20:16

As I was pulling out of the store parking lot, I had to stop at the light. Next to me was a homeless woman, with a sign that said,

"I have no home or food. Please help."

I rolled down my window and handed her the bag as she quickly said "thank you."

And then I noticed several other homeless people all around me. I had no more bags to give and instantly thought of last night, when I had the *urge* to take the remaining bags with me. But I didn't. I wish I had listened to that still, small voice.

Lately, God has been speaking to me about something in particular. It's not something I'm comfortable with, but I'm trying hard to listen. I think today was a little reminder; perhaps a test. I didn't do so well.

What I can say is this. I would urge all of my readers to make up their own bags to pass out. If you're local and you attend our church, I'd encourage you to bring in items so that we can make up more bags as we are getting low. We fill the bags with juice or water, snacks (like granola bars), small bottles of hygiene items (such as mouthwash, tooth paste, body soap). We place a note card inside, with a note of encouragement from our youth. And we keep them in our vehicles for those street corners, when we wish we'd had something but didn't. Now you can.

And if you are feeling a bit sorry for yourself today, I'd suggest you open up your eyes and take a look around. Make a difference. You might just find yourself feeling a bit better about your own circumstances!

For more information on this ministry, you can read this: B-boo

⁴⁰"The King will reply,

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Matthew 25:40

May 20 2010

Sweet!

That's what my kids would say anyway! So in looking for the joy this week, I am late writing my post. Why, you ask? Well, because last night I was at our AWANA awards ceremony where the three younger one all finished their books! I'm so glad, too, because that means next week they can all participate in the party!

And this morning, we got up bright and early to attend the awards ceremony for the Smart One at school. He pulled all A's this year, and one B the first semester, so he made the A & B Honor Roll. This meant we got to watch him receive his certificate and then take him out to breakfast before heading back to school. IHOP was full of 6th graders and their families this morning! Even better was the arrival back at school, because his music teacher saw him and came over to tell me how awesome he is and how much he enjoys having him in his class. What more could a mom ask for?

It is so busy this time of year, attending one concert, ceremony, recital, etc. constantly, but it sure is nice to see what all they've accomplished the past nine months!

And that brings me joy.

May 19 2010

See…It IS a Vivas Thing!

After a longggg day yesterday, I picked up the teens from spending some time at a local refugee *camp.* I don't think that is what it is really called, but they had gone to play games with the refugees. And they had fun, too! So afterward, our youth pastor takes them to Sonic. They go in to order and the next thing they know, they're being told to get back in the vans. The Talented One states he never saw our youth pastor move so fast, so he knew it was serious! All they saw outside was a tour bus and lots of police with rifles.

Fast forward to this morning. I'm sound asleep. I hear a voice calling, "Mom! Mom! Wake Up!"

I roll over in my bed in time to watch B-boo crumple to the floor. Swoosh! Just-like-that! (It was like she had turned into a rubberband…swoosh.)

(May I just state right now, that that is NOT the way a mom should have to get up in the morning! It is just plain rude!)

I yelled at hubby to wake up…WAKE UP! Something's wrong with B-boo!

She was mumbling and he was yelling at me to take her to ER while trying to figure out if she was ok or not. I ran downstairs to grab some pants. (Ok, the ONE TIME I run out of pj pants and regular pants is the one time I need them?!) As I ran downstairs, the Talented One comes running in asking me what is wrong. I tell him that his sister is upstairs on the floor and to go help dad. I grab the first set of pants that I see and meet them at the bottom of the stair case and off we go.

Didn't get to brush my teeth.

Didn't get to comb my hair.

I'm in my pj's.

She's fine, btw. She's been fighting a virus for a week and a half now and isn't resting properly. She's stubborn like that. She needs to drink more fluids and take care of herself.

Back to last night.

While we're in the ER, we talk to Punky about last night. We found out that an attempted robbery had happened and the guy with the gun had crashed into the bus that was in front of the Sonic that they kids were about to eat at. I am SO glad pastor got the kids out safe with his quick thinking.

Back to this morning.

B-boo has had a cough, too. So last night I gave her Nyquil. She took the CORRECT dose and almost 10 hours had passed before her little episode. But the Good-Looking one…he wonders if it was the Nyquil, just because one little time he took a little too much and ended up asleep in the bathroom. He just won't let it go! You'd think after over a decade he'd move past it, right? No, son, I did NOT overdose your sister!

See, it's times like this why we say, "It's a Vivas Thing!"

May 16 2010

A Blog Worthy Post

I blog a lot about my family and friends; of course! With being so sick over the past few months, there is another piece of my life that has been missing. I haven't been able to be part of the youth ministry that I love so much! A few have come over here and there, but it isn't the same as being there week after week. This weekend was our church's D-Now weekend. (Disciple Now) And although I am still not allowed to do much, and most certainly am exhausted from it, I had a blast being part of it and taking lots and lots of pictures!

I had to smile Friday night when a group of them were talking about my blog. A lot of them read it. So when the question came up of what will it take to get on my blog, I simply answered, it has to be good…and worth blogging about! You gotta love the passion!

For instance, to be part of my blogging about teens when there's a variety of stuff to choose from, you have to be willing to fight for it!

You have to be a good friend (after all, this weekend was all about building great relationships!) and be willing to force a helmet on someone with hair like this!

So that they can turn around and do something like this!

You have to be tough!

B-boo was the only girl left!

But she was also smart…when pastor offered to pay the boys $20 each to
get her into the trash can, she quickly bowed out of the game and let
the boys duke it out!

You have to be willing to laugh at yourself! This one was supposed to be blowing the feather to keep it in the air…not biting catching it between his teeth!

You have to show kindness. The boy in the back recently had a 12 hour surgery to correct severe scoliosis. He wasn't able to participate in the games. But the teen in the front made sure to play safely so that he wouldn't get hurt, but have some fun in the day!

Did I mention competitive?

Um…last man standing wins…not first won falling!

And running from a challenge might get you on my blog, but it doesn't help you win.

but community service, helping others;

things like that will always get you on my blog!

Thank you to all my teens for an awesome weekend!

May 13 2010

Joy of Chocolate

Those of you who follow my blog can look forward to reading about something joyous on Thursday as part of Good, True and Beautiful's, Just for the Joy of It. And as some of you state you love to read about my family, I am happy to report that after over three months of being barely coherent by 8 am, I made it back, baby! Twice this week, I have gotten up at 6 am to get the two oldest to high school and then enjoy Bible study with the Smart One before driving him to school, too. Thereby letting my beloved hubby sleep in!

This is cause to celebrate! I've always been an early riser. I am up by 6 am most days; sleeping in for me is 7ish. I've not taken anyone to school since my surgery/illness. So, we had an extra scoop of joy this week….all of us!

But the REAL joy (sorry kids) came from a new discovery. B-boo and I were picking up some stuff in Wally World when we passed by the…dare I say it….chocolate aisle. I have a real fancy for chocolate. Especially good chocolate. Especially delicious dark chocolate. But not too dark so that it is bitter. It has to be just right.

And then, I spotted it! Werther's Original Caramel Chocolate, Dark Cream. I cannot not even begin to explain to you how truly delicious this amazing new product is! I could eat a whole bag in one setting! It is just the right amount of smooth, creamy, chocolaty flavor. It is not filled with caramel, so you taste more caramel than chocolate. It is swirled in together, making it just melt in your mouth! It is so new, I couldn't even find a picture of the bag on the internet! And it isn't in just any store, either. I know…I've looked!

This is as close to the bag as I could find; same color, but it's wrong, because the bag I bought says dark cream on the side and Caramel Chocolate instead of Chocolate under Original. I'm thinking that this is very important because I'd hate for one of you to go dashing out to the store in search of this joyous chocolate and pick up the wrong bag and then become upset with me over it!

Here's hoping your taste buds find some joy this week!