National Strategy Event

I was recently in Orlando for the NSE - this is a training session for the upcoming Leadership Summit.
I traveled with four other team leaders and had a wonderful time getting to know them better. We spent time brainstorming, training and just unwinding. It was quite an adventure but that's another post!
The training was great. I was in a group with other OEM's (on-site event managers) who are in their 1st or 2nd year in this role. I made a few connections with other managers that I am looking forward to keeping in touch with up until and even after the event.
We were privileged to see brief promos of all the guest speakers. There is going to be an awesome line-up this year. (to see a complete list click here) I am most looking forward to Ephrem Smith. He was so full of energy and excitement. He is really going to engage the audience. He uses stories and humor to help make his points and relate to people.
One of the ideas that we brainstormed, was how to increase the attendance from Journey-ites. One thought was to engage the various ministries in a contest to see who could sign up the most people. No rules were discussed, so I am starting my campaign right now! I challenge all members (not just the team leaders) that are part of the LIT - Daily Journey, Decorators, Friday Nights, Greeters, Guest Services and Ushers to make plans and sign up for the 2008 Leadership Summit hosted at Journey. The investment is well with it. You'll be rewarded with all kinds of tools, insight and connections with other attendees that you just can't put a price on! I expect to see all of you there August 7th and 8th!

Posted in: on Monday, February 25, 2008 at at 8:40 PM 0 comments  

Flying Pigs and Thank you notes


I collect pig figurines. I have no idea why or how I got started. I do have 3 pugs, maybe someone thought I said pigs??? Any way, I received a new addition to the collection last week. This one is a flying pig! It's actually a really cute bird feeder! I received it as a "thank you" for covering the ushers at church the week before. A few minutes after the gift giver left my house, the phone rang. It was the gift giver calling to say I had better not write a thank you note for the thank you present! (my grandmother taught me to write thank you notes for gifts received) So I ask you - when is it proper to stop thanking someone for thanking you?? Emily Post where are you when I need you???? (I wrote the gift giver a thank you note any way!)

Posted in: on at at 8:33 PM 1 comments  

Fasting (not)

Today was very challenging. This is my third Tuesday in a row to pray and fast. During the past two weeks, at lunch I would take a walk. Getting out of the office decreased my desire to eat lunch, plus I got to enjoy the sunshine. The first week that I fasted, I walked around the neighborhood that I work in. It's halfway between Downtown and Hillcrest. I was thinking about how I could best put my dollar to use. Rod had given some great ideas....candy bars, extra tip money, kids tossing coins in the fountain.... Guess what lines the streets around the area that I work in?? Parking meters!!!! I knew what I wanted to do - before the next Tuesday, I got dimes and nickles and was prepared to feed parking meters as I walked.
Week two was fun. Although I didn't get caught, I understand the parking enforcement people really give you a hard time for feeding other people's meters.
Now, today was a different. Today was the day the office chose to do a potluck to celebrate all the February birthdays in our office. My contribution was a chocolate cake that I baked last night. All morning long, I kept thinking of ways to leave the office without insulting the birthday people. As lunchtime approached, I knew there would be no leaving - especially since my doctor was one of the birthdays. I was okay until the pizza and fried chicken got delivered.
I had to retreat to my office to escape all those wonderful smells. I grabbed my bible because there was a scripture reference that had come to mind that morning that I wanted to research. You will never believe what I found as I turned towards 2 Corinthians - one of Ed's message notes on Moses! (I have been working thru something and am getting many Moses references.) Ed's message notes dealt with Moses increasing intimacy with God. Exodus 33:13 says "teach me your ways". My study bible then referenced Exodus 34:6-7 "and He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming "the Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished...."
Gaining deeper intimacy with God seems to be at least part of what God has been trying to get me to work on. These past few weeks I have been relying on God more and more and he keeps meeting me right where and when I need him most. The passage about compassion, faithfulness, forgiveness and justice also speak to a situation that God saw me thru with an amazing outcome.
While I was reading and re-reading these few passages, as well as Ed's notes an entire half an hour went by! I'd like to say I was strong and the next 30 minutes went by uneventfully, but I can't - I caved when I heard someone made homemade mac n cheese.
I treasure the 30 minutes I spent reading and journaling, and I am really glad God forgives us when we slip up! Since I didn't make it outside to feed the meters, I'll be fasting again on Thursday and walking around the neighborhood armed with nickles.

Posted in: on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at at 7:15 PM 1 comments  

Book Review

I just finished reading No Perfect People Allowed by John Burke. John is the pastor of Gateway Church in Austin Texas. He will also be a speaker at the Leadership Summit 2008. The book is about Gateway's attempt to meet people right were they are; show them God's love and grace and thru God's love and grace help them move in a positive direction. Gateway's motto is "Come as you are, but don't stay that way".

One point in the book that really stood out for me was "God could heal us immediately, but more often he takes us along a difficult path that forces us to continually depend on him". In 2 Co. 12:8, Paul pleads with God to remove a thorn from his side. But God did not remove the thorn. God said His grace would be enough. Human weakness provides the ideal opportunity for the display of divine power.

Posted in: on Monday, February 11, 2008 at at 2:43 PM 0 comments  

Happy Dance

Praise God! I was informed by HR today that they are completely dropping their investigation. Nothing is being written in my employee file and I don't have to remove anything from my office. I got to voice my opinion that I thought this was nothing more than a vindictive witch hunt. I left the office feeling a tremendous peace about the situation. I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this very stressful time for me.

Posted in: on Monday, February 4, 2008 at at 6:36 PM 3 comments  

Persecution is alive and well in 2008

Have you ever had the feeling that something was going on behind your back? I've had that feeling at work for the past 3-4 weeks. I thought it had something to do with one of my staff considering transferring to another location. That was just a very small piece of the puzzle.
While I was on vacation last week, there were at least 2 managers in my department asking questions about me. This was confirmed, separately, by two sources. (neither of which was interviewed) I made an appointment with HR to ask what was going on - this was my life and my career someone was messing with!
Turns out, someone in my department, filed a complaint with HR that my "religious behavior" was offensive and they felt threatened by it/me. I am not a "bible thumper" by any means. I have been at this same office for 9 years. During that time, I have invited coworkers to our Christmas Tea, as well as our Family Fall Festival or other special occasions. I do not post anything in the common areas of our facility; I keep all of my "religious material" in my private office.
Since HR can not break the confidence of who filed the complaint, I can only speculate what is going on. As I mentioned before, I have been in this office for 9 years. I am no different in the way I act today, then I was when I was hired. Because of that, I still feel it stems from the employee transferring. The doctor that she supports is very "high maintenance" and is quite upset that she is loosing her nurse. The doctor first tried to get 3-4 other doctors together to file a complaint that I treat employees poorly and force them to transfer. In my nine years, I have had 2 employees transfer to other locations (both were in corrective action due to poor job performance) When the other doctors wanted nothing to do with this scheme I believe she (the doctor) either filed the complaint herself, or coached another nurse to do so.
I have been seeking the wise council of several friends, and am still seeking how God wants to me proceed in this matter. I am not sure there can be a pleasant ending no matter what I decide to do. I could be forced to remove all "religious material" from my office and still keep my job - an option I am not happy with; and because this complaint will always be in my file, if I ever try to proceed with corrective action on any future staff member, they could bring this issue up. I could quit, but then I wouldn't feel vindicated, especially since I feel this stems from a personal vendetta.

Posted in: on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at at 10:35 AM 1 comments  

First Serves

I first heard this term at a Willow Creek conference. They used it to describe their church members trying out ministries to see what fits the best. It gave everyone the opportunity to try different things (ministries) without a long-term commitment, and without any negative feelings when the member moved on to try something else. It gives people the freedom to explore their gifting.

JCC utilizes "first serves" for special occasions - such as Christmas, Easter and large events like our Family Fall Festival. First Serves are a vital part of these events. With multiple services offered and a larger attendance at these events, our regular teams need the supplemental help gained from these individuals. We couldn't do it without them!

We love it when a first serve makes a connection and finds a ministry that fits and joins the team as a "regular". Last night I received a call from the leader of our 8:30 Greeter Team. He informed me that he followed up with several of the first serves from Christmas and wanted me to know that four of them have decided to serve regularly! Not only is that exciting, what was even better news was that these new additions want to serve as greeters at our 10:30 service - an area that has really needed some new faces!!

Posted in: on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at at 3:03 PM 1 comments  

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