Archive | June, 2010

vbs day dos

14 Jun

Because I love it so much [proof seen above], you get the daily play-by-play. Day two is done and behind us. We sang more rainforest songs, introduced the parable of the lost sheep with a super-engaging skit, played games, tie-dyed tshirts, and survived the rain (which was only to be expected in the rainforest). The VBS goers are also bringing in all their coins to throw into our wishing pond for our coin quest; we’re trying to raise $350 to buy a dairy cow through Lutheran World Relief! We’re going to try our hardest … but may end up with only enough pennies, dimes and quarters for a few hens and chicks. (Which is still great!)
Tomorrow: Another night together for dinner, songs, and chaos. And the craft? Rainsticks! We will be giving the children hammers and nails … watch out!
The first and second graders had the privilege of eating in the rainforest tent tonight.

The pre-k and kindergarten group was the best at squirting their shirts with dye! (They also get points for being the cutest!) Karen, the tie-dye expert, explains how the process works.

get ready, get set … VBS!

13 Jun
I love VBS. I could eat it up. Tonight was the first night of VBS which runs from 5:30 to 8pm. The night begins in Grace Hall with dinner, a gathering in our jungle of a sanctuary, and then breaks off into crafts, music, games, and story. Love it. Three more nights to go … we’re tie-dying in crafts tomorrow. Should be wonderfully chaotic.

another post about a hearse.

13 Jun
I led a funeral on Saturday morning. By myself. I’ve had the experience of assisting at many a funeral under the leadership of Kendall; at least a good ten funerals in my time here. But this time I was on my own. Eek.
I survived. It was a nice service, a wonderful way to remember and celebrate the life of a grandma, mother, and dear friend. Family members and friends shared memories and stories during the service and I found myself wishing I had known the deceased better. She seemed like the best, most giving, spunky woman. After the service, the immediate family headed to the cemetery for the committal service. It was raining outside so the service was short.
I rode to the cemetery in a hearse. Before the service, I was talking to Kevin, the funeral director, about the details, especially in regards to the committal/getting to the cemetery and he said, “Oh, you can ride with me.” Okay.
In the hearse. And it was kinda cool. Years ago, I think it would have creeped me out incredibly but now it was okay. I rode in the front seat, not the back, and also had a return trip from the cemetery. A ride where I remain at the cemetery and there is no return trip would not be quite so cool.

Meet the gnomes!

10 Jun
A Twin Cities news channel did a story on the magical creatures!
Visit and watch here!

control issues.

10 Jun
June is a busy month at Grace. Someone once told me that things would slow down after Easter. That person lied.
As I tend to do with my overly confident and zealous ambition, I think I bit off more than I can chew. Crafts at VBS? Great, I would love to lead those! Opening of VBS? Sure, I’d love to be in charge of the skits. Co-captain a summer of stewardship preaching series and other activities? Sounds like fun!
But then there is also the unexpected. A funeral/prayer service to lead in my supervisor’s out-of-town absence. A needed trip to Willmar for more VBS supplies. Projects taking longer than planned. Making brown paper vines to hang in the rainforest with a cordless drill and masking paper that spans the length of the hallway. (Okay, that was not unexpected but totally necessary.)
Today, as my preparation and role in the funeral/prayer service was made known, I started to stress. I was ready to curl up on the floor, rock back and forth, and cry. I don’t think I hid my hyperventilating very well; Kendall offered to switch Sundays so I would not have to preach this Sunday. I denied that I needed to do that. Tammy offered to have our Christian Education board help me set up for crafts. I said, eh, well, I would do it myself.
“Lindsay’s having a hard time giving up control,” Kendall surmised.
Oh my. So true. It was like a CPE revelation.
I have a hard time giving up control.
Something to work on. Sharing control. Not maintaining control of things that I don’t need to control.
I ended up accepting Kendall’s help. Giving up control of Sunday’s sermon in exchange for control of next week’s. A trade but a step in the right direction. One that helps muchisimo for the current stress level. I will, however, continue to use the cordless drill to make vines for the rainforest. Very necessary.

washing the hearse.

9 Jun
(I enter the church office, chatting with Karen.)
Lindsay: Have you heard if ________ died? [A member who is on hospice and in the hospital]
Karen: No, I haven’t heard.
Lindsay: Oh, I was just wondering. I saw the hearse was outside [of the funeral home].
Karen: Oh, no, that’s not a good sign.
(We hold a five minute conversation about Sharpie markers – extra fine point, retractable, and assorted colors – and then Keith, the custodian, comes in. Chit chatting.)
Karen: Keith, have you heard if _________ died?
Keith: No …
Karen: We were just curious.
Keith: I see Larry was washing the hearse.
Karen: Washing?
Keith: Gail [wife] drove me past about quarter to eight and the ground was wet.
Lindsay and Karen: OH …
Inductive reasoning.
Everyone knows something.
Educated guesses about other people’s business.
Welcome to a small town.

Karaoke anyone?

6 Jun

Instructions : Visit this link. Hit play. Sing along with the lyrics below.


Just sit right back and you’ll hear a sermon, 


A sermon on stewardship 


That started from the Word of God

Within this place so hip. 



Christ was the mighty man in charge, 


The Spirit brave and sure. 


All passengers set sail that day 


For a three week tour, a three week tour. 



Members started getting tired,

The faithful church was tossed, 


If not for the guidance of a fearless God 


Good stewardship would be lost,

good stewardship would be lost. 



We’ll learn together all the ways

Of faithful stewardship 


To care for earth’s 


environment, 


Their resources

and their time, 


God guides them forth 


Together by His love sustained. 


Here for stewardship days. 




So this is the tale of God’s people, 


They’re here for a long, long time, 


They’ll have to take good care of things, 


It’s a law divine. 



The pastors and the lay leaders, 


Will do their very best, 


To teach and guide the others, 


On this great godly quest,

On this great godly quest.



Living and loving others here 


Not an anxious time, you’ll see. 


Like Noah and his family, 


We’re excited as can be.

We’re excited as can be. 



So join us here each week my friends, 


You’re sure to get a smile, 


For God’s beloved castways, 


Here for stewardship days!

Today began three weeks of a stewardship series at Grace which we have named S.O.S. – a summer of stewardship. We’ll be addressing financial stewardship (on which I preached today), time and talents (next week), and care of the environment (the following). I needed to preach a stewardship sermon while on internship and this quickly grew into an elaborate worship planning series including an intense re-writing of the Gilligan’s Island theme song. We sang it this morning at the beginning of worship … and I think the congregation liked it! It was a little rough but it will get better as we sing it again next Sunday and the Sunday following!

gnome dilemma.

4 Jun
Pull up a chair and listen to my gnome dilemma, friends.
Gnome-town has a gnome decorating contest.
(I am so not joking right now.)
The gnome wood cut-outs were available downtown for $3 at Bates Hardware. Buy a gnome and then the idea is that you decorate it uniquely, return it to Bates, and thus enter it in the gnome decorating contest for Riverfest weekend (which is the annual town festival held the last weekend in June).

Buy a gnome I did. Decorate it yet I have not. The only real rule is that there must be a red heart on the sleeve; other than that, the possibilities are endless. The deadline for gnome returns was June 1st … but rumor has it only four of the 70 gnomes purchased were returned on that day. I have it from the organizer’s mouth that I just need to have it in by Riverfest. Game on.
Japanese masking tape? Paper doll outfits with evening wear and swimsuit options? Macaroni noodles?
Any suggestions?
(Speaking of gnomes … I’m giving Friends on dvd a break and revisiting Gilmore Girls on dvd, a show over which my sister and I bonded in the last few years. I’m working my way through the first season and heard this truthful expression from Gilmore’s crazy short neighbor’s mouth : “They kicked a gnome. Right there in the head. I wouldn’t trust these boys. Gnome-kickin’ says a lot about a man’s character.”)

from tiny seeds –

4 Jun

a prayer service and psalm 100.

1 Jun

A psalm. For giving thanks.

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

I read this psalm today at a funeral. It’s part of my role in funerals – I’m the lesson reader. I looked the lessons up before the funeral, just to read through them once, and when I turned to this psalm and began reading, I made an audible “aw.” I like this psalm as a funeral text. A lot. It’s not always the easiest to proclaim and praise God following a sudden death of someone we love but the promise contained within the psalm is central to our reliance and strength in God amidst such suffering. I like-y.

It was Dorothy’s funeral. Dorothy who I was just supposed to visit last Thursday only to find out she had been flown to the hospital in a nearby large city following a heart attack. Dorothy who was the very first to show up the intern meet-and-greet when I first arrived in September. Dorothy who was half of the “cozy couple.”

I led the prayer service for Dorothy last night at the funeral home. As a part of the prayer service, there is a time of sharing. With some services, the sharing will last twenty minutes – twenty minutes of friends and families sharing stories and memories of the one who has passed away. Some services, no one speaks. When no one stands to share, it’s a little awkward … and I thought that was where last night’s service was going.

Then Jake marched forward and stood in front of the gathered group. Jake was one of my third graders when teaching Wednesday release time. A boy with a sweet heart and great sense of humor. Jake told of how Dorothy would give him candy in church. She would pull pieces out of her purse and hand them to the children sitting around her. He told of how, at Halloween, his friends would go to her house and get little pieces of candy but when he stopped by, he would get a Mountain Dew and a big Butterfinger. Then he told of how Dorothy was like another grandma to him and he started to cry a bit.

So then I started to tear up. I’m a social crier. If other people around me are crying, I’ll cry and can’t help it. I teared up because Jake was hurting at the death of his “third grandma.” (Children hurting and in emotional pain make Lindsay a puddle.) I also teared up in thanksgiving of Dorothy and the effect she had on Jake. Dorothy didn’t need to carry candy around with her to give to kids in church. Dorothy didn’t need to give Jake a big candy bar or take an interest in his life. But she did and look at the relationship that grew between her and a ten year old boy.

Further proof that the smallest of actions or the simplest words of kindness can make a difference and foster a relationship.

Go do that today.

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