one summer plan

In my Friday letters last week I let San Antonio I was getting excited... and Suz accused me of secret keeping!  Well, I would never keep a secret from her, I just hadn't gotten around to the telling!  And so, yes, we are going to San Antonio for six days this summer... and bringing four teens along for the ride. 

Camden was just four when we took our first youth group to a National Youth Gathering... and as we stood and worshipped in the SuperDome, I hoped and prayed that I would have the opportunity to stand beside my own children when it was their turn to come.  Three years ago we were honored and blessed to bring our Laura back to the same city for her NYG.  It felt very full-circle-ish... and yet I knew that there was one more life-changing gathering that my heart was desperate to attend...the next one, Camden's turn.  When the destination for the 2013 NYG was revealed, this fiesta-loving girl was beyond thrilled to hear San Antonio, TX!  

The details are just about set... plane tickets purchased and hotel reservations made.  On July 1st six of us will head west... to Texas, and towards Jesus.  I am already thanking God for the wonderful time we are going to have... there is just nothing like being in the midst of 30,000 worshipping teens.  And this fiesta-loving-Jesus-praising girl is going to be standing right along side them... guiding and teaching and soaking it all in.  And the very best part... will be watching my son fall in love with his Savior all over again.

click here for a "remember when" post!

the love for this city

Perhaps there are not many who say I love New Orleans.  But it is truly one of my favorite cities.  The wild side of the city, Bourbon Street and all that happens there, is a mystery to me... and maybe what I know (and love) of the city, is a mystery to most everyone else.  But I see its heart, have felt it beat.  I have seen it take in mobs of teens, and watched the city be covered in the love of Jesus through those young hands.  New Orleans reaching for love, receiving it... and returning it.    The city was honored to host our group, and so thankful for 25,000 lime green backpack toting teens... who put their heart into 90 different service projects.  On the last morning of the Gathering, the mayor stood up before us and was overwhelmed by the standing ovation he received... perhaps not realizing that New Orleans had given as much as it had received. 
I loved sharing the city... with my daughter... and seeing her faith blossom here,  just as mine had.  And the precious gift that Jesus gave to me... the gift of sharing something so powerful with my girl.  Not just the gift of growing faith, but also the memories of the where. 
For us two, New Orleans oozes the sweetness of Jesus...   

true beauty

I was grumbling as we headed out for our Servant Event, knowing that what I really needed was an attitude adjustment. After two days of the walking and the heat, my body was tired and longed to be in the chilly air of the Convention Center. And then... our bus was an extra mile away. I could have cried.
We arrived at a beautiful park just north of the city... and although I felt embarrassed that our bus driver mentioned that he could not afford to live in this particular area, I was relieved that our project really was landscaping. Attitude adjusted, we set to work.  Digging out and adding dirt... smoothing the surface and the pine straw.

Whenit was announced that the plants had arrived, Laura escaped the dirt and thought she'd help over at the truck.  My daughter is not necessarily known for her hard work... but there she was, with a couple of boys, unloading a million camellia bushes and some crepe myrtle from the back of the truck. With a smile on her face. She just kept on dragging those plants down the bed of the truck and going back for a few more, and I was quite impressed with her effort and the commitment she felt to the project.  This is why I came. 

After three hours... and a gallon or so of sweat, Eric & Laura were by far the dirtiest of the bunch. And all I could see was the beauty of their hearts shining through the muck and glistening beneath the sweat.

by my side

Knowing that I had built up my expectations for the Youth Gathering so high, I tried to knock them down a bit. But with my daughter by my side, it was nearly impossible... and she was the best part of the gathering for me. The way her pen scribbled across the page during the bible study... trying to jot down every bit of Jesus she could manage. The way she danced with me during praise & worship... raising up our arms together, for joy and to praise His glorious name. The friend she was... to our group and anyone else that we came in contact with.   Seeing her faith in action.

It was my dream to share this once-in-her-lifetime event with her... and for the dream to become reality? Oh, God is so good. And now... that the dream has past... I hold the sweet memories in my heart. Forever.

we believe

Saturday we will meet before the sun shows its face... and journey to New Orleans. Eric and I are bringing four youth from our church to the the LCMS National Youth Gathering. Nine years ago we took four other teens, and my life was changed forever. Since then, I have had this bit of a dream tucked into the corner of my heart... that I would someday accompany my own children to this amazing event. It was just a flicker of a thought and I didn't quite dare to believe that it might come to pass. But God reminds me again and again that no dream is too big, too outrageous for Him to give life to. And here we are, packing for this trip with our daughter.
As we have prepared for this trip, I have held back my heart just a bit. What if I set my expectations too high? What if this trip doesn't begin to compare to what was? I don't want to be disappointed. And then... I remember who leads me, who loves me, who longs to make my every dream come true, who wants to banish my fears.
I don't expect this experience to be the same, and I'm not even sure it can be better... but I am looking forward to whatever God has in store for me. Not for a moment do I doubt that He has something amazing waiting just for me, just as He has for each person who will gather in the city for the event. I remind myself that in order to get the most out of something, you have to put all you possess into it... so I break the hold that doubt has placed in my heart, and lift my hopes way up high.
I might as well meet Him half-way.

breakfast treat

She called them doughboys... my sister & I knew they were a treat. A treat that only our Gramma made for us... on Sunday mornings before church. We would sit in little chairs, watch Inspector Gadget... and munch on delicious balls of fried dough, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. I seem to recall that one of us liked to dip them in maple syrup... but I cannot remember which one of us needed that extra shot of sweet. Probably me.

This morning, the first morning of summer... I find myself with one more loaf of bread dough and a fryer still full of oil (from Sunday's beignets). What to do? I prepare this same sweet treat for my kids. And I share the story once again... with them... passing it on. And when we ran out of cinnamon?  We made them New Orleans style.

Did I tell you we were going to New Orleans this summer?

another chapter... new orleans

There was excitement all around me and an energy that was full of anticipation as we waited for the program to begin. We had been on our feet singing and clapping and praising God... and wondering what would come next. I certainly didn't have any more expectations, the praise & worship music had already exceeded them. And then... it was like a parade entering the Super Dome, and the energy rose up another level. Banners on tall poles, and streamers and so many people. They were singing Reign on, I will not drown, I'm standing here on Higher Ground.
Higher Ground... the theme of the Gathering... and somewhat ironic in that New Orleans sits so far below sea level. But we were there to set our hearts on things above. (Colossians 3:1)
After the streamers and banners had made their way into the Dome, with much dancing and singing and celebrating, here came a pick-up truck. Old, but not quite a clunker. And there was a man riding in the back. Honestly, I didn't have a clue as to what was going on... but later realized it was all part of the drama that would continue on all week... bits and pieces of a story played out on the stage. Bits and pieces of The Story. Little did I know how much it would mean to me in the end.
The man in the truck? Jesus. Arriving to all sorts of glorious shouting; coming into the city of Jerusalem. Not in a fancy new car, but a beat-up truck... a humble mode of transportation... a modern day version of a donkey. And while there were no palms or Hosannas, there was plenty of celebration.
All week the story progressed. The disciples we know... portrayed by teens, in teen situations. Perhaps the version of what might happen today, if Jesus had been made to wait 2000 years. I was intrigued by each scene... from His arrival in glory, every step along the road to the cross, and through to the Ascension. All of a sudden, it felt personal. Real. The telling of this story in this way was something that I could understand and relate to.
And it was the Crucifixion that broke me. This Jesus... He wore an orange jumpsuit. That alone, broke my heart. And the guards... they taunted and beat him. It hurt me. Physically. To see Jesus in jail attire. To watch Him being beaten and shoved as if He were... nothing and no one... when I knew who He was. And how special.
And that white cross... that had been the centerpiece of our week, had been lowered from the heights of the stadium and was suddenly sitting on the stage. That beautiful, pristine white cross, that had been emblazoned on every bible, backpack and program, was now the tool of the Crucifixion. The cross was a frame, hollow, and until that moment, I had not realized how large it was... or that it had walls of glass on either side. And then there was Jesus... being shoved into the frame of the cross. Closed in, hands bracing... the cross returned to its place, lifted high above the crowds for all to see. The only shouts of Crucify Him! came from the stage. The rest of us... the 35,000... simply stood and watched. My own eyes were blurry from the tears, but still focused on Jesus. My heart, aching from a pain I had never known. In that moment, I think I realized for the very first time, that Jesus had died for me.
I always knew He died for us. But for me? In the midst of thousands, it felt like it was only the two of us. Me... and Jesus. And my heart heard the declaration of His love. Even if it was only you, I still would have followed through...
Being there that day, that week... it changed my faith. It changed my life. Sometimes He comes in a whisper... and sometimes in a grand parade. As for me... He came in a football stadium filled with teenagers. And my life... has thankfully never been the same.

I'm linking this post to Jo's Flashback Friday. The memories are so vivid that I am amazed nine years have come and gone...

the sights and sounds

Have you ever been in the midst of 35,000? Teens? Voices? Believers?
It was like nothing I had ever experienced. Our little group of six (two adults, four teens) in the midst of it all. The city. The song. The worship. The story. We were just the tiniest part of the whole... giving ourselves bit by bit to the experience.

Registration alone was quite something... everyone checking in and digging through the depths of their gathering backpack. We joked about the purple and were amazed that each contained a bible, published specifically for our event. Walking the city blocks back to the hotel we marvelled at the brilliance. Yes. Purple backpacks. On 35,000 backs. The conference had barely begun and already we were making quite a statement of faith within the city that is known for Bourbon Street and the rowdiness that goes on there. No one walked by without wondering... and I suppose they continued to wonder when they gained the knowledge that the Lutheran Church had sent their teenagers to New Orleans. Yes. An unlikely city to gather in. But why not? Why not fill the streets with young life and faith?
On the first night, we gathered in the Super Dome. It won't surprise anyone to know that I cried. Arms raised in worship, and completely in awe of my surroundings. If there are that many young hearts, gathered under one roof, loving Jesus... then just maybe... there is hope for tomorrow. The music began and the song raised the roof. And as we all prayed... there was just the quiet. And it moved me more than the song. In the days to come, the Dome became our home base, with a white cross hanging at the center of it all.
The days were spent at the convention center... attending concerts and classes and digging deeper to know God. We participated in a Servant Event and explored the city by scavenger hunt. We took a river boat ride and a trip to the Mardi Gras museum. There was an indoor carnival and endless opportunities to play. The favorite event was the opportunity to lend their hands to the city that welcomed them.
There were about 60 of us... teens and chaperones. Our mission was to paint an elementary school, but when we arrived, the walls still needed to be scraped. The two dozen scrapers didn't go too far, but our kids... they didn't seem to mind. We chose a section of the hallway and started in. Scraping the walls. With phone cards. For three hours. I have never seen any kids enjoy such hard work more than those four. Honestly, to me the situation felt hopeless. But those four... they were moved by the less and only let their hearts focus on the hope. They never tired. In fact, they were the last kids back on the bus... and only there under duress. If they could have stayed, they would have. Faith at work. I still marvel at that day. It adds to my faith... and when the world shakes their head at the kids today I think about those four kids scraping paint for all they were worth with only the tools God had given, and the 35,000 that gathered in New Orleans in July of 2001 and I know... that this world will be okay.

Yes... there is a little more to come...