This Is My Song.....: 2010

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Job update!

One of the sweet students I get to work with! We are loving photo booth!!

So, most of you know that I have been working at the Minnetonka TreeHouse as a full time Youth Outreach Specialist on a short term contract. My contract was supposed to end in December but was pushed back to the end of February, which is great because it gives me more time to look for a job and I get to spend more time with these amazing students and co-workers!

The purpose of the short term contract is that in my location they are looking for a male Youth Outreach Specialist (YOS) which is much needed. So when they hire a full time male YOS I will be at TreeHouse until he is done raising support. So, as of last Wednesday our area hired a male YOS so I am officially on the countdown. It will be between 3-4 months until I am finished but I have no idea what is next.

So, there are millions of possibilities. I could get offered a job at TreeHouse, or find anything else! It has been a roller coaster since I graduated college in 2009 and definitely not what I had planned! So I appreciate your encouragement and support as I go through this very interesting time. It is frustrating and super hard to be patient but I know that God has a plan for me and I am just trying to follow what that is!

Beyond Blessed

Happy Be-lated Thanksgiving!

This time of year is really wonderful to see people give, share and be in community with each other more than the rest of the year...why don't we do this all year long? (That's a whole different post)

Anyways, at TreeHouse we had marked a Thanksgiving Dinner for our students the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. We had a group who had volunteered to prepare, deliver, and serve it to our kids! So great, except the week before they backed out so we were without the dinner. We were really bummed because our kids really look forward to this and it has been on the calendar since August. So, we brainstormed. Thanksgiving being my co-worker's favorite holiday we were determined to make this happen. She sent out emails to her church and had several people respond with giving of food for the dinner but we still didn't have enough so I sent out several texts to some people I knew (the week before Thanksgiving). So, I heard back Friday that my friends Drew and Kelly had talked to their small group and the small group had talked to Target's Deli. They had arranged and paid for the whole Thanksgiving meal. So Target made the food and the small group donated it to us!!!! The turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy, cranberry sauce, buns, and pies for 40 people! We had a feast and our kids LOVED it!!! There were even left overs that we got to send home with our kids to bless their families!!

It is so awesome to see God work through other people by giving you the courage to ask 1 simple question. In 1 question I was blessed no stress and SO amazed at what God had done. Never set a limit with Him and always be faithful and patient!! Publish Post

Disturbing Parenting

About a month ago I went to the movie 'The Town', starring Ben Affleck. The movie is rated R and was pretty intense with violence and language.

So the show starts and we are sitting there and the F bomb is being said every three words and then I hear this high pitched little voice behind me and I glance back quickly to notice that there were two young girls maybe 10 and 12 behind us with their parents! So through the whole movie I was uncomfortable sitting there watching this movie with these kids behind me.

It was just frustrating because I work daily with "at-risk teens" and I feel that a lot of issues start with parenting. If you wonder why kids are swearing all the time, fighting all the time, or just have negative behaviors a lot of it stems to what they watch and the people around them. So....why would you bring your kids to an R rated movie?? Super frustrating. Even if you didn't know what the movie was about before you went and then realized it was bad....you do have the ability to walk out! Or look up the movie review/trailer before you go!

After the movie my co-worker who I went with asked the parents how old their kids were and they said 10 and 15, and she told them 'they're a little young to be watching this'. They responded kindly but it was still just frustrating to see. I'm sure those of you reading this might be thinking, man she's really fired up about this. But, the future is in the hands of the generations below you and if we don't teach them or role model to them....what do you expect?!

Retreat- Are you Satisfied?

Student and I jamming out to karaoke in the cabin! I'm wearing an old Christmas sweater I found at Savers.

This past October I went on a weekend retreat to Luther Point Bible Camp with the Plymouth TreeHouse. It was an awesome weekend with nice weather and lots of fun with the students.

Our theme for the weekend was: Are You Satisfied? What we meant by asking this question was where are you at in your life, either spiritually or not. Are you satisfied with what you've done, who you've become or are becoming? If you were to die tomorrow would you be happy with the way you've chosen to live life? Do you you know if you will go to heaven? So, as you read this I encourage you to ask yourself this question; Are you satisfied?

It's not supposed to make you feel bad if you aren't satisfied with where you are at, but to take a better look at the purpose of our life and what we can accomplish with it. It is also a good reminder that we can start new right now, and make the change we want to see.

I will share with you my answer to this question. I would say that I am 75% satisfied with my life at the current moment. I have accomplished goals like graduate high school, graduate college, run a half marathon, develop solid friendships, grow in Christ, and impact others (that's a hard one to accomplish because you never really know if you do until someone tells you). But there is so much that I haven't done and I feel I need to continue to grow and DREAM big dreams because I'm not where I want to be in my career by any means, and I want to make a difference in a big way (not sure what that is yet). I've got a long way to go with growing in the Lord, I go in spurts of ups and downs.

I wrote the bible study for this retreat and it was really fun thinking of questions but challenging and humbling at the same time because, I had to answer them myself. Remembering mistakes I've made and the person I was to who I am now is very interesting to think about.

Before I send this I want to encourage you that if someone has impacted you or inspired you....Tell Them. What a boost of encouragement that is to each other!!!

The Leaders of the retreat in our lovely costumes right before the polar plunge into the lake, Oct. 25, 2010!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Another TreeHouse Video!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TreeHouseYouth#p/a/u/1/7cOFoyAIswI

This is another sweet video of TreeHouse! These kids are awesome!
Thanks for your support guys!!!

Overdue!

The summer was very busy not only with work but traveling to Northern Minnesota for WEDDINGS! My dear friend Lisa Ann Widner got married in Stephen, MN to Richard Lee! Congrats! I was very blessed to be apart of their big day. Their wedding was outside at her farm on probably one of the hottest weekends of the summer! The sweat just kept dripping. We had a wonderful time and share many stories, laughs, and tears.
The celebration was wonderful and of course the party afterwards! Dancing!!! I love it and we closed the dance down,way to go ladies!

Lisa moved on to Mississippi so we had to say it....GOODBYE :( We spent a lot of time crying and chatting. It was this weekend that I was so overwhelmed by the blessing of wonderful friends.

People always say you meet your best friends in college, ITS TRUE!!! I'm finding its an interesting time in my life to transition from everyone living close and seeing each other often to spreading out across the states and starting our own lives. I don't particularly like it but it is so awesome to know how wonderful friends are.

Next the Stinar/Espe wedding, (the next weekend)! Greta and I met at Bluewater Covenant Bible Camp and I had met Tom before that through Rebekah his sister, another dear friend of mine. I definitely feel that Greta and I are very similar and think a lot alike, maybe you disagree Gretzky? Our time at camp was so wonderful and we became instant friends. Rebekah and I convinced her to move to Fargo and transfer colleges, which is where she met Tom, so good thing you came! There wedding was beautiful as well, and I was once again very blessed to be apart of their big day!

I had a great time at the reception mingling with people and catching up with old friends. The photos to the left show some of the big day! We decorated their vehicle for the drive away from the reception and of course a picture with the lovely couple!

I love you both, The Lees and The Stinars!!!!

TreeHouse

http://www.kare11.com/news/local/mornings/sunrise_article.aspx?storyid=877226&catid=16%3Fbctid%3D636070054001

As most of you know I am a Youth Outreach Specialist at the Minnetonka TreeHouse! Above is a link to an interview of KARE 11 with Wayne Thyren. If you have 5 minutes please watch this video.

It is hard to put into words what TreeHouse does and is to this kids and to me. TreeHouse is truly saving lives through Jesus Christ. It gives them just a place to go where they can be told they are worth something and cared about. They can come to support group and not worry about sharing their feelings because most of them can relate to each of

Photo booth fun!

their stories.

TreeHouse for me has been a great eye opener to

so many different things in their lives, and in my own.

I am loving what I am doing and hope that God will

keep me at TreeHouse. Right now I will be here through

December and then who knows. So, keep me in your

prayers and take a moment to watch this video to

understand more about the greatness of this

organization!!!

Check out treehouseyouth.org for more information!

more photo booth fun!!

(The photos to the right are pictures of some awesome ladies I get to mentor and hang out with.)

Apples and Caramel

Roommates!! Robin(L) Me, Pam(R)

As my first fall in Minnesota I'm trying to take in several outdoor activities! We went to Aamodt's apple orchard and vineyard in Stillwater and there are several pictures below to show you the fun we had! The orchard was really fun, we walked up and down the orchard
rows, watched kids on the wagon ride, walked through the barn/store of so many different apple food items, the vineyard of fruit wine, etc. They also had a fresh kettle corn stand but the line was so long we didn't get any. I would definitely suggest this activity for families because it was FREE and super fun!!

Robin's friend joined us for the day. We then went and walked around the downtown area of Stillwater, the fall colors were amazing!!! I've been telling friends and family that I love fall already and I love North Dakota falls but living in the Twin Cities, this has been the most beautiful fall I've ever seen! The trees change daily and colors are amazing, I can't say it enough! I love this weather!!!!!!

Trolley in Stillwater

Best Fall Snack!

I would have to say that the best Fall Snack is definitely hands down, fresh apples and warmed homemade caramel!!

If you haven't done this, you need to combine the deliciousness of apples with caramel! The combination is just great and the colors are pretty!

What's your favorite snack??

Fun Suggestions!

So I love finding useful websites or free stuff online. There is a website called Christianaudio.com that gives a free book download every month and not always but some of them have been good. If you don't know already itunes gives away free music every TUESDAY!! So check your free itunes stuff to download your free music and enjoy new artists! Starbucks also gives away free music, on the counter by the registers there are usually music download cards, so take them and redeem the code to get your free tune on itunes!!!
If you didn't know I do like to run and a friend of my introduced me to mapmyrun.com. At this website you can map your run, walk, bike ride, tri athalon run, etc. and they will keep a profile of your maps, and you can search other maps in your area etc. that other people have posted! Super cool and useful if you are trying to find a new route for your workout!!!

If you have any cool suggestions for useful websites or whatever let me know!!!

Monday, September 27, 2010

My City Home!

I found this on Craig's list! it's the upstairs of a duplex 1920's home. We have been blessed greatly! Our landlords live below us and are amazing, generous people. They are so willing to share with us and have made us feel very welcome, safe, and comfortable here. Enjoy the photos!

Front of House

Stairway from Front Door

Random closet we turned into an office!

Living Room Faces street

Dining room

Kitchen and back door

Kitchen- opposite the cupboards

Foyer through back door- that door leads to deck.

Bathroom- Sweet Tub!!

Deck- big enough for 2, 3 max people in chairs!

View from deck...we are able to use the backyard.

My resting place.

Roommate

Collage of photos on my wall.

TREEHOUSE

So below are a bunch of photos describing my time at TreeHouse, thus far.
I spent the summer as an Intern in Plymouth, MN and am currently a short-term Youth Outreach Specialist in Minnetonka! I love talking about TreeHouse! It is one of the most unique organizations for youth outreach that I have experience and had the opportunity to be apart of.
The relational model we use and the programs we provide such as support group, going deeper and mostly one to one mentoring are so impactful. TreeHouse for me, is a place where I can share ideas about teen outreach and see the impact of Jesus daily, not only in there lives but how He uses them to impact me.
Listening to these teens talk about their issues during support group changes my life and perspective just about weekly. We love visitors, so if you are ever in the area and would like to join in! Come ready to have a good time and be goofy!