Sometimes we get to see it happen!

I work in a church.  I love my job.  I love the people I serve.  I love the team I get to do it with! 

All that said, (and I probably shouldn't say this) sometimes it becomes a bit routine. You know, Sunday comes every six days; there are supplies to order, phone calls to answer, e-mails to be sent and things to be done.
 
One other thing I've noticed...when I actually pay attention...I get to see God at work!  Tonight I paid attention and got to see some pretty terrific stuff.  Stuff that makes all those supply orders, phone calls and e-mails seem a bit less routine.  After all, Sunday only comes around every six days! 

This Sunday, we get to witness several families whose lives have been changed because someone, at Suncrest, chose to be used by God.  I am greatly blessed to get to play even the smallest part!
 

it really will keep turning...even if I quit pushing?!?

For my fellow type A's out there...
The world really will keep turning...even if you quit pushing.
I know, I know, it's pretty hard to believe.  Read it again.  Own that statement.  Think about the wisdom behind it.  Quit pushing.  

My mom is a wise, non-type A.  She has spoken this phrase to her type A daughter (me) on more than one occasion and always want to argue with her a bit.  I mean, for heaven's sake, what fun is there in just enjoying the ride? Shouldn't we be doing something?  Pushing something? OK, maybe even pushing someone? The world turns so much better when I'm pushing!  

Really...I think I'm accomplishing so much and then I read Psalm 33

"The Lord looks down from heaven

and sees every person.

From his throne he watches

all who live on earth.

He made their hearts

and understands everything they do.

No king is saved by his great army.

No warrior escapes by his great strength.

Horses can’t bring victory;

they can’t save by their strength.

But the Lord looks after those who fear him,

those who put their hope in his love.

He saves them from death

and spares their lives in times of hunger.

So our hope is in the Lord.

He is our help, our shield to protect us.

We rejoice in him,

because we trust his holy name.

Lord, show your love to us

as we put our hope in you."

I think I'll stop pushing for now...He seems to have it all well in hand.

Rainy Monday

It's quiet in the car...
I have convinced 3 members of my family to visit the Indiana Visitors Center.
We'll see...
They may leave me there :)

Awaken us (me)

Today is a good day...no trouble brewing in my life. Just a sense of contentment and peace.  I think.
I think I'm content.

My husband and kids are reasonably happy.  He is better to me than I deserve.  Treats me with respect when I probably don't deserve it and responds with kindness when I treat him with less respect than he deserves. I have been blessed with more time with my children than generally expected.  I have every reason to be proud of who they are becoming.  I love them more than life! 

We have food in our refrigerator (well I should probably go grocery shopping).  Our house is plenty big enough; it's warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

I love my job.  The people I work with are among the best at what they do.  There really isn't much of anything that I would change right now.

And yet...
there is a discontent.  I hope this discontent grows out of a holy place.  That place where God is at work tilling up the soil.  Encouraging a sense of urgency, a sense that things are not as they should be...that there are people who do not know Him and His great love for them.  We spend more time than we should trying to make ourselves comfortable; surrounding ourselves with people who look, think and sound like us.  God, help us (ME) to remember that this is not our home...you have a better place, but it isn't just for me and the people I love. 

It is for the people that You love! Help me to love like you love.  Help me to see the world that way you see.  Help me to hear the cries of children who are not mine.  Help me to be the person that you want me to be.

We are questions that beg for the answers
We are poems awaiting the rhyme
We are riddles that long for solution
With your breath we come alive

We are silenced when searching for reasons
We are weary and broken inside
We are desperate for your affection
We are darkness you are light

Awaken us, Awaken us
Stir in our hearts your truth
Awaken us, Awaken us
That we might live for you
We are ashes, we are dust
Awaken us

Lord, You whispered the dawn of creation
And your love has been on display
You have promised that you would be with us
We need you, here to day

Awaken us, Awaken us
Stir in our hearts your truth
Awaken us, Awaken us
That we might live for you
We are ashes, we are dust
Awaken us

You will lead us out of the desert
You will hold us when we are weak
Lord, we will rise up, we will rise up
To follow our Great King.

Awaken us, Awaken us
Stir in our hearts your truth
Awaken us, Awaken us
That we might live for you Oh

Awaken us, Awaken us
Stir in our hearts your truth
Awaken us, Awaken us
That we might live for you
We are ashes, we are dust

Awaken us ~ Building 429 

This city makes me smile

I got to spend this afternoon and evening wandering this city with some of my favorite people. There are so many things I love here:
Amazing diversity of people...just listen and you can hear the whole world!
Breathtaking architecture....new and old meet everywhere.
Crowded sidewalks give way to picturesque parks.
Skyscrapers overlooking one of the most beautiful bodies of water.
This city may not be the perfect place for everyone, but it is the perfect spot for our family!
I can't wait until we can all wander it together again....

Good Morning?!?

If you know me, even a little, you know that morning is not my favorite part of the day.  I much prefer to work or play late into the night and sleep right through sun up.  Yep, I'm one of those people.

Ok, that isn't really all that interesting, but for the last few months (for reasons that you don't really care about) it has been necessary for me to arrive at work by 6:30 am several times a week.  I'm fairly certain that the balance of nature is being upset by these occurrences!

Here are just a few of my observations (in no particular order...I'm too tired for that):

• I am actually thinking in complete sentences at 7:21 am, what is up with that?
• I enjoy music more when I'm alone in the office
• There are other people outside at 6:00 am
• Night Owls are still night owls even when they have to crawl out of bed at O'dark-hundred...really!
• Night Owls have time staying awake between the hours of 11am and 3pm when they have to crawl out of bed at O'dark-hundred
• I still love Jesus in the morning, but we still have better conversations in the evening
• It is still rude to call people before 9am...even if you have been awake for hours before then

I've probably killed enough time...should get busy on that list of things that I could do with this (precious) time that I don't normally see.

Have a beautiful day!

The Eric Trap - 5 things every leader has to get right

I need to confess, I'm a bit of a leadership geek.  I've probably read every Maxwell, Lencioni, and Godin book available.  I follow blogs, read articles and pay pretty close attention to what's happening in the world of leadership both inside and outside the church. OK, maybe I'm more than just a bit obsessed.  So, when I was given the opportunity to get an advance copy of The Eric Trap I naturally said yes, please!

While I have learned lots of things from the authors I've mentioned; their work doesn't always translate easily to Kids Ministry and to the people I lead who are just a little less enthusiastic. I've handed these books to people on my teams only to have them respond with something like, "I just want to do ministry" or "how does this apply to kidmin?"  I can't wait to hand the people on my team The Eric Trap! 

The Eric Trap is a leadership fable by Kenny Conley, Sam Luce, and Jim Wideman with several other contributors.

We are immediately drawn into a week in the life of Eric Newman - a gifted Children's Pastor whose leadership is a bit off track. Eric is confronted with 5 areas of leadership that he has to get right in order to get out of the messy place he finds himself.  In addition to a compelling story, we get some great insight from some terrific leaders.
 Here's my recommendation:
If you feel like everything in life and ministry is great - read this book. It's a great reminder to pay attention to those 5 things we must do well.
If you feel like your ministry world is caving in just a bit - read this book. You may learn some things by experiencing Eric's "no good, very bad week."     


 
By the way, I was given an advance copy of The Eric Trap for the purposes of giving it an honest review, but you can get your very own copy beginning on April 25th at The Orange Conference and at Amazon soon after. You can also pre-order the book for a huge discount over at Jim Wideman’s site! In the meantime, you can check out the book’s website at TheEricTrap.com.

the Next Milestone

We're developing a new Milestone for 4-6 year olds and their parents, it will debut on July 22nd!

At Suncrest, each milestone is an attempt to connect with parents. Specifically at a time when they are already open to input with regard to their role in spiritually nurturing their children.  Milestones 1 and 3 are in place and we're seeing a great response from parents and children.

Milestone 1 is Parent-Child Dedication and includes a Covenant that parents write for their child/children.

Milestone 3 is a class called Lifebuilding - a class dedicated to helping parents lead their kids through the basics of our faith and baptism.  One of my favorite things is the Blessing that parents write for and read to their children! Love reading what parents write about how they see God at work in their child's life.

Now we're working on the middle.  Milestone 2 will be designed to give parents some tools to help them lead their child through the preschool and early elementary years.  Right now our list looks something like this:

Teaching your child to pray

Praying with your child

Helping your child see God at work in their life

Simple faith conversations

What do you think? What would you add to or take away from our list?

Meeting Agendas

Now that's a compelling topic!
Ok, so it really isn't...but here's one thing I've learned about preparing and sending an agenda (ahead of time) to the team I lead:
          It speaks value to each team member by giving them time to prepare their thoughts and ideas.


Here's the agenda for today's meeting:

1.       Passion Week Services

2.       Curriculum reading – ideas of people to read 3^rd & 4^th grade beginning in the fall

3.       Coaches and Leaders

4.       Screening Process - Potential Contributor Interview Form

5.       Tracking expenses

What do you do with meeting agendas?

Nest is a bit more empty

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."  - Elizabeth Stone

We dropped another daughter off at school (college) recently.  Daniel and I have four amazing kids who insist on growing up, becoming self-sufficient and basically proving the above quote to be true.

We wouldn't have it any other way! 

It's getting quieter at our house

With these two girlies leaving the house, it's going to be pretty quiet around here.
There are so many thoughts and feelings surrounding this momentous time in our lives. So proud of how they've turned out, sad that I won't see them every day, excited for all that's ahead for them and a bit (very little bit) concerned that they still need me too much to be out in the big world all alone.
Seriously, we are so proud of all of our kids. God has blessed us with fun, independent, compassionate and kind young people who are actually one another's best friends.
The next several months are going to bring even more change to the Albrecht house...one more daughter is likely to leave home and our son will finish his first year of high school. While there is so much change, there is also the assurance that no matter where my children live...they are most at home when they are together.

I might be the world's worst blogger

The best of intentions:
I start out thinking that I am going to do this thing regularly, and then....

life takes over!

Oh, please don't feel bad for me.  I have an amazing life and it really isn't more busy than most.  It's just full enough to allow me to think that introspection and sharing what I'm thinking about is not that important. 

Here's to a new year; with more introspection, more sharing of new thoughts and better attention to following up on good intentions.