Bloom: A day at the farm...

My kids and I had a great chance to catch up {and do business} with my good friend Brenda of the VanOmmering Dairy in Lakeside this week.  The kids all played and we chatted, planned the bows she wants me to make for her shop and had a great time!  {I'll post pictures later, but for now I'll just tell you they involve clay... Shh!}

It is so wonderful to have friends that truly rely on God to meet their needs, are willing to share what God is doing in their lives and have something about them that you can just tell they are genuinely in love with their Savior by what they do, not just what they say.  That's what Brenda is like. I know I am growing as a result of our friendship and I hope that you have at least one person you consistently share God's wonders with too.  It's just one of those things that is helping me to bloom.

One of the great things about being friends with someone who has a farm is that you get to spend time with animals you may not normally get to be close to.  Our kids were so cute petting her {two week old!} pygmy goat.  It is SO small!  I only wished my phone wouldn't have died or I would have pictures to show you.  :(

Inspired by our time at the farm, Princess Peach and I made up {...or remembered?} some kid-approved animal jokes on the way home...   They're cheesy, but I like 'em!

What does a cow say when she has visitors?  Please re-MOOve your shoes {ok this one was on a poster at Brenda's house}

What did the squished cow say? Please MOOve over

What  do cows do for fun? Go to the MOOvies

What do ducks eat for a snack? Cheese and QUACKERS

What did the duck say after he heard your joke?  You're a QUACK-up

Don't forget to laugh and keep on bloomin'!

Kristin

Bloom: Teacher! Teacher! Oh, You're Talking to Me!

Last week, I had the remarkable experience of teaching a classroom full of 4 year olds at our church's Vacation Bible School Program, A.K.A. Summer Blast.

What a wonderful, challenging {and tiring} time it was!  Since this was my first 'real' teaching experience and Mondays being what they are... the first day was a little sketchy. But by Tuesday, I had my sea-legs (so to speak) and thanks in large part to Linnea and Carol, things went great.  By Friday, 14 of my little ones prayed to Jesus and told him they were sorry for the things they had done wrong, and that they wanted to do what Jesus wanted them to do. {Humbling!!!}  {Wow!}

Only God knows how much of it will stick, but at least there were seeds planted in those precious little hearts.

 But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Matthew 19:14 NLT

Here's a video clip from our time in the worship center singing to Jesus:

I was really blessed to have all the helpers in my class that I did.  Gloria and Hannah had such dear quiet spirits about them that helped calm kids down when separation anxiety struck, Brandy just jumped right in and saw what needed to be done and did it, Grace had the awesome idea to quietly sing Jesus Loves Me when we were walking from one part of the church campus to another {It quieted those kids right down!}, Carol with her 20 years of teaching experience helped me through the logistics of classroom management, and Linnea made sure I had everything I needed.  The people you serve with, become your friends and you help each other out....

Keep on Bloomin'!
Kristin

Friday Fun: Honorable Mention

Hi everyone!  We had a couple of surprises around here this week... First, I accidentally deleted my profile picture on my Facebook Page and now I get the white screen of death when I try to get it back... or add another one.  It left me with a big questionmark!  Oops!  Seriously, if anyone has run into this before and knows how I should hold my mouth when I click to update my photo please let me know.

Then, there was this treasury feature:




Lastly, there was the include on Believing Boldly, Summer Jo's blog in her post offering advice to brides to be.  Hooray!  There are a ton of other people's advice too, and all of it is very good advice the way I see it after  many years of dating and 9 years of marriage to my high-school sweetheart.   Pop over there and wish her a Happy Anniversary too if you have a chance.  :)

Overall, it was a wonderful week barring that Facebook thing.

Keepin' it Joyful!
Kristin

Bloom: Girls {Craft} Night Out!

Image Courtesy Just Dandy Creations

One of my best friends in life, Karlyn is a fellow craft junkie and mother of four wonderful children.  About five months ago the two of us started having a craft night once a month where we set up shop at one or the other's house and craft while the kids are asleep...  and yes, we stay up till ungodly hours of the morning. (I almost made it to 4 AM the last time).  That's not all we do, however... We talk about all sorts of things and bounce ideas off each other and teach each other new techniques we have learned and the list (and this sentence) could really go on and on.

She is the one who believed in me enough to suggest that I open up a shop and she is still the one who encourages me the most in this endeavor.  I am grateful to God for a friend like this and I hope all of you (especially you gals with kids) are taking the time to get out of the house (away from your kids) once in a while to connect with a really good friend you can craft with, and laugh with, and cry with, and pray for....  because it's one of those amazing things that's helping me to finally bloom.

Keepin' it Real!
Kristin

P.S. Karlyn is re-starting a ministry she ran before her house was so full called Solid Stage Footlights.  (Hey, I'm not the only one blooming here!)  A former Continentals and Jeremiah People Member, she is an immensely gifted singer, dancer, choreographer and director who will be bringing a message of love (through drama, dance, christian music and secular music that's been changed up a bit)  in her next season which promises to challenge the church and reach out to unbelievers as well. She has a passion for encouraging people with the love of Christ and is a really great leader. Please forward her information to anyone ages 15-25 residing in the United States, who you think would be interested in touring with her group in the Southern California area during the summer of 2012.  Or, if you live in Southern California, you can pass her information to your youth pastor as she is in the process of booking concerts at this time.

Bloom: Lessons in Grace...

I had the honor and privelege of being chosen to team interpret the Independence Day celebration at my church on the 3rd of July.  It was a challenge, because I have recently re-entered the Deaf world after about 5 years.  I was involved in the Deaf Community in San Diego before I had my kids, but when I got pregnant with the first one, I slowly and steadily started losing my ability to understand signers and produce understandible signs to the point that I just had to step away because I couldn't communicate at all and it was very embarassing. 

Image Courtesy: Little Sapling Toys

Anyway, as I look back on this experience, there are a couple of things that stand out that I wanted to share with you all:      
     1)  God's grace is sufficient for me (and you).  This is a pretty elementary concept, if you have spent any time in a good church, but I was reminded again of it because I was so nervous and though I prepared thouroughly and did try very hard, there are definately signs I was a little unsure about and things I had glossed earlier that didn't flow off my hands quite the way I had planned.  But in the end, I received several compliments from people in the community and I knew that what I had done was enough.  In years past, I would have been stressed out about it after the fact, but I was able to have peace about it because I understand that God turned my effort into something that honored Him and really, that was my goal to begin with.
     2) Nothing any of us do will ever truely be perfect, because we aren't perfect... none of us(!)  We can be really, really, really good at something, even really, really good at many things, but until we can walk on water of our own accord and have it hold us up... all we can do is to do our best and forget the rest. (Thank you P90X man, whatever your name is). 
  
I hope this will be a comfort to someone out there who struggles with perfectionism... because I know it can be pretty demanding and devaluing.  But there is one who is perfect and He wants to clothe us with His perfection and hold us close like a dady holds his precious child.  Will we let him?

Keep it thought-provoking!
Kristin