volunteer thank you ideas -- to celebrate a great year of service, and joy, and ministry.

1./ send a thank you card to the key leaders 

2./ stamp a thank you on each volunteer's hand

3./ hang this trophy poster in each classroom with the words -- you are a treasure 

4./ fill up a bowl with notes from parents thanking volunteers 

5./ give each a volunteer a tasty donut in a bag marked with these adorable printable tags

6./ help children make felt party flags to wave at and celebrate their small group leaders

7./ place candy in these BIG THANKS treat bags and give one to each volunteer

cheers to deserving, loyal, fantastic volunteers!

mutual blessing

mutual blessing :: allowing yourself to be blessed as you bless others. 

i've been thinking lately about how leaders are so one-way. one-way focused on leading, training, giving, serving, loving, and caring in one direction -- towards others. 

and, i think we've become so one-way that we're not able to receive blessings. we give without any expectation that we'll receive in return. we close ourselves off to the possibility that the blessee might actually become more blessed as she returns the blessing. and that we were made to give and receive equally, not just leader to follower, pastor to church member. but, each to each other. 

here's my story -- recently, i began making a weekly dinner for a family i love oh-so-much who is walking through a difficult season. after going through my own tough season, i learned that what some folks need most during that time is for someone to just do something. it wasn't always helpful for me when people asked what i needed, or told me to reach out to them for help. i didn't have enough energy to do that. what i needed most was for people to think about what they specifically could do, or what they had to offer, and then do it. no questions asked, no permission needed. 

so, what i currently have to offer this family is a homemade meal delivered to their front door. a few weeks into this cooking endeavor, i noticed something. while i was shopping for groceries, chopping veggies, assembling the bag of food, and driving to their house -- i was thinking of them, and praying for them. it was the actual act of cooking that forced me to slow down and spend time praying.

my first point of mutual blessing recognition. a simple act of kindness became a regular time of prayer. i felt blessed and grateful for those peaceful moments of cooking that i spent alone with god. 

but then, yesterday, i dropped off the bag of food and saw that the lovely wife had left me a bag outside her door. inside were my empty containers from last week, some delicious coffee she picked up on a recent trip, and a note encouraging me to follow god's will in this day, whatever it might be. 

when i got home, i hung the note on the fridge next to the dozens of other notes she had left me. over the weeks, she had written bible verses, prayers, and thoughtful suggestions for how to follow god that week. and i was struck by the surprise of it all -- we were blessing each other. equally. mutually. 

as i looked at all of the notes, i wondered how many dozens of blessings i had already missed because i was so busy blessing her and and her family. i asked god to open my eyes to the wonder, delight and possibility of those around me trying to offer care and kindess. that i might not be too closed off, too one-way to receive from others. and that i not be too prideful in claiming my leadership title to see the generous offerings of others. 

so, how about we set a new way, a new example of how leaders both give and receive generously. let's lead so that the church becomes the mutual blessing it was designed to be for all the world. amen.

The Gathering {My People}

after a great week at The Gathering, i'm happily home ready to be settled into a quiet summer. it's been quite the run {curriculum writing, LOCAL planning, traveling, speaking, consulting}, all of which, i'm entirely grateful for, but now i'm feeling the desperate need for a few minutes to process it all, and rest, and stay open to what might be next. can you relate? 

i'm a broken record, but conferences for me really are all about the people. and, The Gathering was no exception. it was super fun to be at an event with so many friends. esther took us to fish tacos the very minute we arrived in costa mesa, and i was glad to be able to spend so much time with her, melissa and naomi all leaders from my church -- willow chicago. as you might remember, i met these lovelies last year at the same event, and this year, over coffee one afternoon, we marveled over how much we'd grown and accomplished together in just the last year. 

you know, of course, how i feel about sandy. we've served together at willow, and then she was my intern, and now, she's a superstar in her own right leading the willow dupage campus. she's smart, and fun, and all-around so committed to her church and the families she leads. we spent some good time together at the event as she's about to transition her curriculum, and again i marveled at how much we'd done together, and the blessing it is to do ministry with life-long friends. 

and then, staci and gloria. these two live in LA and weren't attending the event, but drove to costa mesa so we could spend time together. i talk a lot about the power of the kidmin online community and the special opportunity we have to connect with each other via twitter and blogs, and last week these two reminded me of just that. staci and gloria were friends online who became real friends offline. we chatted all sorts of life and ministry, frustrations and hopes, and hopefully in the midst of it all, we sharpened and encouraged each other. they are lights to my spirit. 

while at the event each night, on the phone with my husband, recalling the day's events, i mentioned how wonderful it was to be with my people. because ministry can be lonely, and hard, and at-times not even doable. but, friends who know exactly what you're going through make the entire difference. and, for the seasons when ministry is fun and filled with good things, they're the first ones you want to celebrate with. because, ministry friends are one of god's greatest blessings. 

these are my people. who are your people?

The Gathering {session THREE}

The Gathering Session THREE with Megan Fate Marshman of David C Cook.  

Download SESSION THREE NOTES

The Gathering {Giveaway: More or Less Book}

happy friday. happy giveaway. today's prize -- one copy of the brand-new, must read david c cook published book More or Less by Jeff Shinabarger.

but, if you'd rather listen to the audio book version, i wouldn't be opposed to that.

#myhusbandisthenarrator @kellydolan #braggingwife

leave a comment with the words I More or Less Want This Book and you'll be entered to win. i'll choose one book winner on Monday, May 13, 2013. oh! and, i'm choosing winners for this giveaway and this giveaway at the end of today. hurry! enter!