Gearing up...

Well, its that time of year again! Yes, it's VBS time! I love VBS (and really all kids/youth summer events). I'm lead teaching a 4yr old class this year along with some wonderful ladies. I'm really excited! I've been going over materials, prepping supplies, cutting, making taxi's and mailboxes, and talking with the other teachers about schedules. It's always a very crazy time for me, but I definitely love it. I love being able to invest in the lives of kids. And the biggest part is that for this 1 week, there will probably be more un-churched kids coming to church than there is all year long. And thats a BIG deal! So, if you're involved in VBS with us this year, or with another church, get EXCITED! Your excitement will be VERY contagious. Not only will it get your leaders/helpers pumped, but it will get the kids excited to learn about God! And thats what this week is all about.

Next weekend is the big HEAV (Homeschool Educators Association of Virginia) conference in Richmond. I feel like I've taken on a lot this coming fall, and thats because I have! I will be homeschooling a Kindergartner and a 2nd grader for the first time. A little scary, a little intimidating, and a LOT overwhelmed right now. I am in the process of gathering information about different curriculums, how parents structure their learning time, play time, activity time, etc and getting tons of information that I can't possibly go over before August. I'm excited to homeschool, but right now, without having any solid ground beneath me, I'm nervous. There's a lot to be done over the summer to get ready for the school year. But I know that it will all be worth it! :)

What else have I taken on for the fall? Well besides homeschooling, I am moving into the Administrator role for our Awanas program. I love Awanas, and I love how much my kids learn from it. In this role, I will be overseeing all the behind the scenes aspects of the program. Schedules, money, set up, copies, conflicts, etc. Yep, its a lot to take on. This one I think I am ready for though! I need to still get with the former Admin. and learn some of the ins and outs, but I have no fears about taking this on.

Also in the fall, we will finally be able to move into the new sanctuary! I'm so thrilled about this new stage in our churches life. It's going to be a lot of work getting everyone used to the "new" sound and the new sanctuary and the new setup, but it will be a good kind of hard. As I look at all the things coming in mine and my family's lives I have to admit that we are facing huge growing pains. We will have a lot to balance and things that we will have to say "no" to doing. But I'm also filled with joy at the thought that we will be growing in new and wonderful directions.

"Taking one foot and putting it in front of the other, that is the only way to travel forward...If however you take steps forward whilst looking backward; well -then you will fall over because you end up tripping over something you would easily have seen if looking where you were going in the first place. So, when looking back just stay still for a moment, allow yourself to reflect, but then you must at some point turn around and just keep moving - or you will stagnant on the spot which means going nowhere at all." Jacquelene Close Moore

Jacquelene Close Moore

<3 to all!