Sometimes I Write

Lastnight there was a bit of drama at the feeding after pool night. A couple of streetkids threw some slaps and shoves, and my friend “Tammy” lost it. She was incredibly upset by the disrespect shown the people providing the meal and the Dry Bones staff. (We don’t allow fighting at our functions.) She was so mad, she just exploded and threw her plate of food to the ground and walked off crying. I followed her and listened as she cussed and cried and yelled so everyone within earshot could hear her. I tried to calm her down and we talked. Her reaction (getting upset) was valid, I didn’t think the tantrum was necessary. She hates certain aspects of streetlife – the anger, the disrespect and disregard for others by some of the kids, and the ignorance of the vicious cycle most of them live in. When it was my turn, I reminded her of the goals we had set and the ones she had achieved already. I told her that she didn’t have to live like that. I said that I wasn’t excusing the behavior of the fighting kids, but that maybe no one had taught them that there are other ways to settle their differences. Maybe they truly didn’t know any better. She listened and cried. I spoke to her about her worth and how she had already overcome part of that lifestyle…She could do it. She didn’t need to live on the streets again, and maybe it was time to set some more goals and I’d help her work on them. She calmed down and we talked with Benny as we were leaving the park. He told her maybe she needed to stay away on Thursday nights for awhile, and make some new friends. She said no because she’d be bored, what else would she have to do on Thursday nights? I was so frustrated! Even when she could see that being there wasn’t the best thing for her at this point in her journey, she wasn’t willing to give it up. She knows what she needs to do to stay off the streets, and I’m not sure she’s willing to do it. She has made great progress by checking into a shelter/program, getting her CNA license and her GED. The next step is finding a job, and I’m afraid she’s begun to drag her feet. I want to be encouraging, but there are times I want to give her a shove (not a gentle nudge) in the right direction. I talked with Nikki about it a little and she reminded me that Tammy has to make the changes in her head and heart – I can’t do that for her. It has to be her own. I need to keep myself from being goal-oriented with her and let her go at her own pace. I am her cheerleader. I know there are others, but she loves and trusts me and calls me “Momma Bear”.

Unfortunately there were consequences to her actions. She had thrown her plate to the ground, and while we were talking, the people who provided the meal packed up and left. The irony is while she was mad at the kids who scrapped, she herself didn’t control her emotions, and as a result, Tammy had to go without dinner.

On a better note…She has invited me to be a part of her baptism Sunday morning at Sox’s place, the local drop-in center she hangs out at. Easter morning…a new beginning…For her…For me…For us all. Pray for me and Tammy as we walk together down this path of new beginnings in her life. Pray for wisdom so I know when to speak and when to shut-up, and when to enforce boundaries. I thank God that He is using me in Tammy’s life.

After her baptism, she’ll be coming to church with me, then home to spend part of the day. There will be around 11 of us for Easter Dinner. It’s going to be fun!

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My friend Brock is a youth minister in Texas. He and his lovely wife Sarah work with a great group of teens, and they are dedicated to walking alongside them through the toils and triumphs that is adolescence. Brock is teaching a class this summer at the high school camp we do together. He could use your input. Here’s a bit of his latest post on his blog. Help him out if you can.

“This summer at Camp Zenith, I am signed up to teach a class called God’s Blog. I’m excited about the chance to talk to a few hundred teenagers about their online identities, but I want to get some input from all of you about what kinds of topics need to be discussed. I have considered topics concerning online safety, and while they’ll probably get some attention in the form of a handout or something, I’d like to keep the thrust of the class focused on the idea that we are accountable for our words, even if they’re published on the internet under an “anonymous” name. I’d like to impress upon the students that we have an opportunity to let our words be God’s words on the internet, but that even when we don’t do that, our words have an effect on how the people that know us view the Lord that we claim to follow.

So, use the comments section and let me know what you think. If you were gonna teach a class of high schoolers about blogging as a Christian, where would you start?”

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Friday night the kids and I took Alan to the Downtown Aquarium. We had a family date there a few months ago and had a blast. We saw all the same stuff, and even hand fed the stingrays again. I even got Petey to do it with a little help from the Mommy. Max was so excited to be able to touch them even though it scared him a little. After spending the money to go to the Aquarium, you’ll never guess what the big hit of the night was. The Octopus shaped bouncy house out in front of the building…That’s right…The FREE thing was their favorite. I wasn’t sure if I was irritated or glad about that.

Saturday we hung around the house all morning and watched High School Musical again – we even got Alan hooked on those songs now. hehe We also watched SKY HIGH – another movie my 2 year old can quote. I’m so glad we can enrich and broaden other peoples lives like that. 😉 After lunch we drove up to Buena Vista so Alan could get some great pictures of the Collegiate Peaks. Remember, Mt. Princeton is my favorite…I had to share it. We also went to Cascade Falls and stopped alongside the road to feed some deer on the way back down the mountain. There was a herd of bighorn sheep there too, though they ignored us. I stopped the van on the road to take some pictures because the deer were only about 10 feet away from us, and one gutsy fellow sauntered over to say hello. (Do deer saunter?) He got about a foot away from my window and I decided to roll it up – I’ve seen America’s Funniest Home Videos “When Animals Attack”. Would you believe he pressed his nose up against the glass and stared me right in the eye? I couldn’t believe it…Most deer run away…Their momma’s have told them about Bambi’s dad. Alan was quick with his camera, so I’ll have physical proof once we upload the pics to the computer. We had a few apples with us, so we broke them into pieces and threw them off the road so the deer wouldn’t stay there and get run over. They LOVED the apples…hey when you’ve been eating brown grass all day, an apple is a feast. Maybe we weren’t the first ones to do that, and that’s why the one was so brave. I’ll post pics in a few days.

I’ve been printing off my blog and keeping the posts in a big binder for future reference. Well, I knew I was going to see Linda – I never go to Buena Vista without that happening – so I took the binder to her…all 190 posts, and told her to enjoy some light reading. Not only does she not have internet, she doesn’t have a computer! How does she function? 😉 It’s amazing what some people (like me) consider a necessity these days. It’s sort of like feeling naked wihout my cell phone in my pocket. Sad, but true.

I pick my friend “Tammy” up for church every Sunday. Today she called to see if I had room so she could bring a friend. It was another woman from the shelter, and I was glad she came too. After church we all went back to my house for soup and cornbread. We sat down at the table and Petey looked at “Lisa” and said, “What’s your name Freshmen?” Max, Zoe and I started laughing. That’s a line from SKY HIGH. That kid cracks me up! He also dances around the house holding his basketball singing, “fake right, break left”, and “Getcha head in the game” from HSM. Never a dull moment in the Nowell hacienda.

Benny got home this afternoon from the Wild At Heart Boot Camp. He said it was really cool to go through it a 2nd time. He and Matt took 3 of the (former) streetkids: Don, Bob, and Cheeto. I am glad he got to go again, and I’m hoping/planning on going to the Captivating retreat in the Fall. I’m REALLY glad that this was the last of him being gone 3 weekends in a row. John Eldredge and the Ransomed Heart team have a whole bunch of new stuff coming out this and next year. We’re looking forward to it! Benny said he enjoyed talking with John this weekend, but it was funny to see everyone lining up at the end to talk with “John Eldredge – the celebrity”. I can’t make fun them, I’d be in awe too I guess. That’s how I felt talking face to face with McNair, Robert Jordan (a former favorite author), Ken Davis, Liz Curtis Higgs, Nicole C. Mullens, FFH, Geoff Moore, Mike Yaconelli, and a few other “famous” people that I’ve met and/or talked with. Nice name dropping, huh? hahaha

Tomorrow it’s back to the schedule…sort of. Dr. Zack in the morning, the gym, school, and hanging out with Alan before he leaves around supper time. Then I think we’ll have a family wrestling match and some cuddle time – we’ve all missed the Popa!!!

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Alan is here this week. He was a kid in our youth group in Indiana, and now he’s a friend. It’s strange, but nice how that happens. The transition from the youth minister/teen relationship to adult friends relationship makes me feel old. 🙂 He was the first teen to make himself at home with us at our house. He’d just show up at our door with a movie and a pizza and say, “I thought maybe we could hang out for awhile”. He’d get his own dishes out of the cupboards and stuff from the fridge without me “waiting” on him. Benny and Alan would wrestle around and punch each other like boys do. Alan was one of the few people with the talent to make Benny belly laugh – hard laughing to the point of a red face and tears in his eyes. When Max was born, it was like Alan was the proud big brother. He was also the first teen to hold Zoe when she was born. Both our boy’s middle names are Allen – a family name – though Alan told everyone they were named after him and we just spelled it wrong. He was there during our loving on Diana days, and Diana adored him. She even let him drive her little red sports car! I think I was the only other person to ever drive it! We moved to Wichita the day before Alan’s 18th birthday, and he cried. (So did we). He’s been a part of our family for over six years, and we’re so happy to have him here. He now works for FedEx and goes to school part time. I love teasing him about his job, telling him I don’t trust FedEx – I saw Castaway! LOL I feel like his older sister, and we have a great friendship. Alan leaves on Monday night, and more friends are arriving on Thursday.

Adam and Luke are coming to CO to spend a few days with us. We’re excited to take them to Shakespeares for pool night with the streetkids. We’re also going to a Colorado Rockies baseball game. It’s nice having connections-our friend Julie was able to get us tickets for $4.00 each. She said the seats are pretty good too – on the 1st or 3rd baseline (don’t know which yet) in foul ball territory in the first section. It should be fun! They’ll also be here for Easter Sunday, so I guess I’m cooking this year. 😉

I’ve plugged Adam and his blog many times before. He’s one of my favorite youth ministry friends in the world and I’m proud to call him friend. We also know his sister Anna from Camp Zenith. I’ve never met Luke, but Angi has, and says he’s just as amazing as Adam. (Are you blushing yet guys?) They’re both intelligent, funny, goofy, Godly men. Now we just have to meet Bethany and we’ll know all four Copeland kids -I mean adults. 😉 I actually wrote their mom a note telling her what an awesome job she and her husband did raising four children like that. They definitely instilled in their children the values we’re trying to instill in ours.

I’m planning a phone marathon with Texas Jennifer for tomorrow. I miss her so much and wish they hadn’t moved!

Who am I that I was blessed with so many good friends?

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The DVD released today! Buy it! Sometimes Disney really gets it right! As is usually my advice, read the books, they’re incredible!

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