Crickets and Eggs…… August 25, 2009

So, today I spent 6 hours cleaning my office. 6 HOURS!! The remnants of summer programs had taken over my space and it was time to organize. I discovered a carton of raw eggs that somehow got into a box of tshirts after sports camp, I had a scary run in with a GIANT cricket that lives in the room next door and I found out that an iced cappuccino can provide a very substantial mid-afternoon burst of energy! All in all, I now have my space all organized and I feel like I am READY to tackle fall! I might even eat my lunch on the floor tomorrow…my office is that clean……

If you are reading this and you are NOT part of a Compass Point Kidz team, we’d love to have you! We have exciting things planned for this year. We have great campuses where you can serve and use your gifts! If we have not met, then please come and find me on a Sunday, or call me – and we can connect! I am always excited to meet new people!

If you are already serving, then I am so excited to have you back on our team. I promise a year of excellence – and that together we’ll work to make Compass Point Kidz a place of spiritual growth for our children. I feel this year that we need to really focus on the Word of God. Have our children value their Bibles, learn the books of their Bible so that they can navigate with confidence , and of course to memorize scripture so that God’s word is planted in their hearts. The Bible is our most important tool and we want our children to know that it has all the answers that they need for their life’s journey. It’s an important focus and I am excited about it!

So stay tuned for fab events, purposeful ministry and a year of continuing to follow Jesus in all that we do……it’s all about him!!

Shelly

Super Sports Camp!!! August 14, 2009

Well, Sports camp is done. I will admit that I entered this week with some fear and trepidation. I am not really sporty. Perhaps I should had a spa camp. Or a make-up camp. But SPORTS? But I decided to be brave – and I have to say that it was a REALLY great week of sports fun! I have to give a shout out to the 4 amazing teams (don’t ask about the names – you HAD to be there…) A big cheer to the 380 Sassy Elephants from Japan, The Killer Crocs, The Shining Rockets, and the Butterdogs (best name ever…) You were an amazing group of kids and your teamwork inspired me, and I was so sad to see camp end today. BUT I know that friends were made, fun was had – and you all learned to work together to RUN THE RACE TO WIN!

We had some exciting events as well. A visit from the Hamilton Ticats was a definite highlight. We also tested egg transport vechicles, torpedoed water balloons, made funky little fuzz heads and drank MANY bottles of water and had LOTS of popsicles!

Thanks to the great team serving this week – you were fantastic…I’ll miss the moose….

Anyway – I discovered that sports camp brings out the BEST in everyone!!

Still unsporty, (but at least excited about sports)

Shelly

Heritage August 3, 2009

I had a Sunday off this week  (thanks Jenelle!), so this morning, we thought it would be nice to visit our home church in Welland. It’s always nice to go home. I was feeling rather nostalgic today. I started attending that church when I was 13 and my family moved down to Southern Ontario from the Ottawa Valley. That church became a huge part of my life during my teen years. Today as I was sitting there with my family, I was remembering specific times in my life that I knew God really moved in my heart. I was recalling times that I prayed at that altar, and saw God do great things.  I remembered words that were spoken that impacted me. I also recalled experiences and opportunities that I was given that taught me how to serve, and that enouraged me in my desire for ministry and my calling. It was there that I was shown how to develop and grow. So many significant parts of my faith journey took place in those walls. That why it is like coming home – I grew so much in Jesus in that place. It was more that just a nice building,  it was life giving – in so many ways.

At lease once a week when I drive into Compass Point – any campus, I say out loud – I love my church. And I really do. It has become another life-giving place for me, even as I work there. But it’s not just the wonderful buildings and resources that I love.  I love seeing what God is doing all around me. As the one directing children’s ministry – My heart’s desire  is for our church to become real for our children. I pray that it will be a place where they can learn and grow. Where they feel acceptance and love. Where they know they are a priority. Where the word of God is spoken into their lives, and they see the transforming power of Jesus at work in them. That as they grow, their gifts are developed and they are given the chance to serve and be part of the body.  That they can experience the joy that Jesus offers them. These things are all so important in their faith journey – and I so want our church to be part of that – facilitating that in our children and families. Not for our own glory – but to bring glory to Jesus! I pray they will look back when they are adults, and say – that church helped transform my life!

It’s nice to have a Sunday off. And to go back from where you came from – and to remember the people and experiences that spoke into your life, and be inspired to make your life be the same to others. 

Shelly

How do you spell Jesus? July 23, 2009

Well, we are on week 2 of Starlight Rescue VBS. Last week we had an amazing time at our Kerns Campus with 240 children attending during the week – it was awesome to see them all having a great time, and more importantly – learning about Jesus and how he can help them Shine Like Stars!!! Thanks to all the amazing leaders that served last week – we could not have done it without you! I know that young hearts were touched by your serving and the love that you showed! THANK YOU

This week we are doing VBS #2 at our Ellis Campus in Hamilton. Our first night we had 7 children…and I prayed that it would double. Well, the next night we tripled and had 21! That was very exciting. It’s been a great week down in East Hamilton as well. Another super team of leaders, and it’s nice to have a smaller group to connect with and get to know those children.

Last night we were decorating t-shirts (Yes, we were feeling brave. 21 kids and alot of paint!) One little girl asked me to come over to help her and she whispered in my ear, “How do you spell Jesus?” I got a lump in my throat. I replied, “J-E-S-U-S” as she wrote it on her tshirt.  I just met this little girl last night. I don’t know if she has ever been to church before, or if she has ever heard the name of Jesus. But it blessed my heart that she wanted to write it on her shirt. Something during the night made her want to write his name down – I pray that her heart was touched and that she never forgets the name of Jesus.

There are many other ways to spell Jesus. Love, Kindess, Acceptance, Service, Nurturing, Compassion – the list goes on and on. That little girl last night prompted me to pray today that my life would spell Jesus. I can’t think of anything else I want to stand for except him. I pray that as we all spell him out in our lives that it will become a word that more and more people recognize as not JUST a word, but as the word that brings hope and power to change their lives.

Thank you Jesus, that you are not JUST a word. But that you came in the flesh and you walked among us. And thank you that you made the ultimate sacrifice, giving your own life to take the punishment for our sins. And all we need to do is believe in you, believe in your NAME, ask for forgiveness – and then we are part of your family. We can rejoice in the name of Jesus!

Have a super day

Shelly

Starlight Rescue VBS July 15, 2009

We have been having a GREAT time this week at Starlight Rescue VBS. Learning to Shine Like Stars in the Universe is so much fun! I love VBS. I love the chance to have a week to dedicate soley to our kids and make it a time they will never forget. I am excited as well that we can share the love of Jesus with those that don’t know him – that is what it is all about.
I have been so overwhelmed this week also with the incredible team of leaders that have given their week to serve – what a blessing they have been! Excellence at it’s best!
God is so good! Two days of outer space adventure left!

Up Up and Away…. June 10, 2009

Last week we took my son Noah and his friends to see “UP” , the new movie out by Pixar for his birthday. It was a great movie. First of all, for a free spirit like myself – the whole premise of having a million helium balloons pick me up and fly me around the world, and drop me by a beautiful waterfall is quite captivating. (well, despite the fact that I am afraid of heights)

I thought that beyond the humour and fun, that the movie had a great message. The main character – a senior citizen named Carl, lived his whole life with his wife always dreaming and planning for the future – but they never quite got to see that dream come true (living beside the waterfall) When she dies, he feels like he has to live that dream for her, the dream she never got to see - so he sets off on a great adventure – flying his house away with all the balloons. This premise in the movie spoke to me about being active in our dreaming. That we can’t just sit around and wait for life to happen, for our dreams to fall in our lap  - we have to take steps of faith and action to see those things accomplished in our lives – personal things, and God things.

The twist of the movie though was that after Carl set off on this great quest he then found his wife’s book of adventure and realized that even though they did not see their BIG dream realized, she had chronicled all of their lives and to her  – their life together had become the dream – and she had been happy and satisfied. This gave Carl peace! This showed me that sometimes we don’t always realize what we have. And even in the everyday daily parts of our lives that sometimes we think are so mundane and ordinary – that really, we will look back and realize that those things are truly the extrodinary parts of our life.

Taking our kids to the park. Spending time with friends. Being up all night with a crying baby. Serving people who are in need. Teaching our children about God. Volunteering in the community. Showing kindness to our neighbours. Performing simple acts of kindness. Bandaging up a scraped knee. Listening to our children read to us at bedtime.

Simple things, that maybe we don’t think amount to much. But I think that when you combine them all – you can come up with a life of greatness. I know in my own life, I am a big dreamer – but God has been showing me that although the big dreams are fine – when I am at right now in my life as a child of God, a wife, a mom, a friend, a pastor – that is what is truly important. And all the big dreams in the world will mean nothing if I don’t give attention to the things in my life that really matter.

I go back to Jeremiah 29:11 – my life verse. And I trust and know that God’s plans for me (not my own plans) are good, and HE knows them - and that gives me peace. That can give us all peace – and allow us to be content right where we are!

Shelly

Family Serve May 25, 2009

On Saturday morning, we had 4 families that met at Sew on Fire (www.sewonfire.com) to spend a morning serving. It was very touching to me, as I watched everyone get right on board. As a mom of 2 kids, who live in a society that is largely based on what we want and think we need, I really want my kids to know that there is a bigger world out there – and that they can help impact that world. A world with people that have needs we never have had to face. Sew on Fire is a ministry that is meeting such needs all over the world. They sew up these great backpack bags and send them with mission teams to bless children, women and men.  They also do layette’s for newborns and packs for the homeless (and many other projects as well). Their warehouse is right here in Burlington and it was exciting to here how this ministry grew from the home of Wendy Hagar, into this warehouse that is sending care packs all over the world. I was reminded that when we are obediant, the sky is the limit with what God can do in our lives!

Our oldest “kid server” on Sat was 11, the youngest was 2! All the children worked together in a large assembly line and packed candy bags that go in the backpacks. They were so proud of their work and that they were helping. One of them was sure that they had a least made up 1000 bags that morning! I also loved they we all did it together as families – it was really fun and good fellowship time! On the way home, my kids asked when we could go back again and help. Mission accomplished! Kids can serve, and I believe it has potential to change their lives. They just need opportunity!

We definitely will be going back to support and help this ministry, and I will be planning some other Family Serve days over the summer.  Let’s be families in action! Serving together and making a difference in our world!

Blessings

Shelly

Favourite Moments. May 11, 2009

I trust that everyone had a wonderful mother’s day yesterday. The favourite moment of my day was listening to my kids make me “breakfast” in bed. (and I use the term breakfast very loosly).  I heard Noah say to Hannah, “Hannah, mom does NOT want to eat chocolate pudding for breakfast!” It made me smile. I am blessed with a wonderful family and so thankful for my children, and my own great mom. God has been good to me!

Another thing made me smile yesterday too (days with lots of smiles are good).  A mom told me that her daughter and her friend were having a playday, and she could hear them playing in the other room. They were pretending to be at church and one was teaching the other about the 10 commandments, and the lesson we had just done on not making idols for yourself. That made me SOOO happy to think that what we had been doing at church, had been brought home in a positive way and that the girls were thinking about what they learned on Sunday! From church to home – that is what it is all about! Sunday learning, becoming weekly living and growing. That is what will make our families strong for Jesus.

So, those were 2 great Sunday moments. It’s only Monday, so I am hoping there are more to come this week! In fact I am praying for some special surprise God moments for all of us this week – those are the best kind!

Have a super day!

Blessings

Shelly

Seasons May 4, 2009

Today I feel like summer is almost here, that I can breathe in the air and not be afraid that it might snow again. My first summer indicator was that I was at my parent’s cottage today and I was so happy to think that SOON it would be cottage time. I could smell the summer smell! I almost wheelbarrowed myself  into the river, but I didn’t even care, I was just so happy to be outside! My second summer indicator was not so fun. Over the weekend, I did the task that all womankind dread – the changing of the closets for a new season. (ok, maybe some men do this too….I don’t want to be presumptuous).  It seems like over the winter, things just stack up – and it feels SO good to get things cleaned out and ready for a new season. Bye bye boots, hello flip flops that I adore. See ya later sweaters, hello shorts!  It’s a good feeling, I’m not gonna lie!

I love seasons, because each one brings a new thing. A new time, a new focus, new exciting opportunities and challenges. Time even to look back and “clean out” if you will, things that we don’t need, and focus on what is fresh and exciting for what is ahead.

I am astounded to think that I am almost finishing up my first year here at Compass Point. Where has the time gone? It’s significant to me, to complete a first year of something – to go through all the seasons – especially in ministry. I am glad that I am coming up upon that completed year cycle. That I have have been able to learn, grow and connect with the church through the different seasons. It’s had it’s high moments, and it’s low ones (mostly high ) - like any seasons that we go through.  I am happy to say that I am coming out of it feeling incredibly blessed and assured that God is directing our children’s ministry, that he is directing me and that we move ahead with confidence in whatever he has for the future!

I am excited about this summer – we are doing 3 children’s outreach programs – one at each campus. That is very important to us as we try to grow our ministries in our various communities. We will be doing SUMMER SLAM VBS at both our Kerns and Ellis campus - this year our theme is Godrocks! Starlight Rescue – A Galactic Adventure in God! We also will be hosting a Sports Camp at our Eaglesfield Campus. Exciting times as we have opportunities to connect with children and families in our community. The summer season gives us a great outlet to share Jesus! Look also for some Family Connect events, just some time to hang out and get to know each other and build relationship – that is important as well, as we grow together.

One thing that always reassures me, no matter what season I am in personally, or ministry wise – is that Jesus remains our strength through all our seasons of life. While things around us may change, he is our constant. Our rock. Our Fortress, in HIM we can trust and in HIM we get our strength. I can face anything as long as I have Jesus by my side. My steadfast in all the seasons!

Spring Cleaned Shelly

Little thoughts of this and that…. April 22, 2009

So, I kinda have been having writer’s blog block the last couple weeks, evidenced by my lack of blogging activity. Which I don’t like – because blogs need to be updated all the time – or what is the point? So really, I start this blog not even sure where I am heading with it. But that’s ok. I’ll get inspired as I go along!

I have lots of things running through my mind. I was thinking about the Boyz Bash this past weekend – and how great it was to bring all those boys and their budz together – mostly dads and grandpas. It was so fun to look out over the field at Eaglesfield and see them all working together. And I loved hearing the squeals as the reptile man would pull out one slimy creature after another! (I was WAYYYY in the back for that)

Then I started to think that I have almost been here for a year at CP. And I thought about how much I love this church body, the people that I work with (they rock my world), and the amazing children and families and leaders that I get to serve. I am so blessed.  God has been good to me, to all of us this past year. I love to look back and see how my paths has been directed and how I am RIGHT where he wants me to be.

Then I think about the summer.  And the Summer Slam programs we are putting in place – and the great opportunties that we have to spread the word of Jesus. That makes me happy!  That is exciting to me!  That is what we were all created to do – share the love of Jesus. And I am thankful for the freedom and the ability we have to do that.

In the midst of all that – is my own life. My family. My friends. My dreams. God’s purpose for my life. I guess when you put all those things together it can seem like a whole lot of thoughts, and a whole lots of gears in a wheel. And it is. And sometime it overwhelms. And sometimes, I lose sight of the core reason why I do what I do. Why we do what we do. Why we are here. Then I call out to Jesus. And I ask him to continually be a presence in my life that guides and directs me in each step. I pray that I never lose sight of his plan and purpose and that I never stop hearing his still small voice.  It’s kinda of become the phrase that has guided me this year. Jesus – it’s all about him. If he is not in it, I don’t want to do it.

So those are my thoughts. They don’t really connect. But sometimes that is ok!!

Have a super blessed day!

sc