I've been a bit hesitant, but it's time to jump back in. There's much to be done and no time to lose.
After being "snowed in" this past weekend, we finally got our butts off the couch on Sunday for a non-stop day of fun.
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| It was more like "Iced in" |
Being back at Journey was wonderful after missing a week, although I failed yet again to make it to a service. You would think with three options it would be easy. Sunday, however, that was not the case. I worshipped with Mini City first and second hour and got to snuggle cute babies during third.
Sunday afternoon we had a rehearsal for February FX, which is coming up on Friday.
After rehearsal, Aaron and I jumped in the car and drove all the way to Cary for our niece's first birthday party.
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| Aaron and his brothers being strange... |
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| It was a Minnie Mouse birthday party...we were so proud. |
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| The birthday girl |
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| Us with our nephew, Samuel. |
We crashed back at home around 7:00pm Sunday night.
Monday, we woke up and headed straight for the Dollar Store. One of the many jobs of a children's ministry is preparing supplies for each week. We are very intentional about what we do at Journey, and in no way do we just sit around a babysit for four hours every Sunday.
Our curriculum is very age-intentional as well as focused on a particular bottom line each week. We prepare supplies and activities for our kids from 2s all the way through fifth grade.
Each activity is targeted to an appropriate age-level and makes a point with what we are learning that day. We, thankfully, don't have to make up the activities. But, we do supply everything for our teachers.
For example, two-year-olds this month are making stethoscopes one week in February out of headbands, ribbon, and stickers to remind them that Jesus loves them and wants them to love others. One way they can do that is taking care of others when they are sick. We therefore scoured the dollar store for 50 headbands.
Another example would be that elementary kids this month are learning that sometimes you have to get messy to make peace. Fourth and fifth graders are painting with shaving cream on cookie sheets with their noses at one point. That's something that will be hard to forget. It's a great reminder to make peace even when it does get messy.
So, seeing as we have about 300 kids per Sunday who are all doing activities such as those every week, we buy a lot of supplies. Shopping day is no small feat. We shop for two months at a time. It takes a whole day and three different stores on average.
I haven't been able to be a part of shopping day in a couple years because I've been working. It was good to be back.
Here was our stop at BJs:
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| It's hard to see everything. But that big cart is packed with February supplies. |
So, Monday was busy with shopping. Tuesday then, was packing day.
After we buy everything for the month, we have to go through the lesson for each group, each week and pack the supplies they need.
This entails:
TheBLOCK (2s): prep for approx. 50 kids each week
MiNi CiTy (3s-5s): prep for approx. 90 kids each week
Uptown (K-5th): prep for approx. 150 kids each week
Every week, each group has between six-eight activities. Not all activities require supplies. Some only require a couple. Some require enough for every kid to make something that they will take home.
You just never know.
Packing day for February actually finished up in three hours. This is basically unheard of.
To end our Tuesday, we headed to our friends Ryan and Aura's house for an impromptu birthday celebration for their daughter, Leah.
It was complete with a fire-breathing ninja rainbow dragon cake.
Yes.
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| Not your typical five-year-old girl...we love her. |
And that's been our week so far.
My sister-in-law asked me on Sunday how I had time to write a blog.
I thought for a minute.
"Well, I don't really have time I guess. I make time."
So, I did. And I will again tomorrow somehow.
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