on vacation, and Willow Chicago

i'm back from the most glorious vacation which consisted of a whole lot of napping, and reading, and cooking, and sitting by the beach. all of my most favorite things. after the busiest of seasons including consulting work and LOCAL and travel and two deaths in the family, i felt surprised by how physically and emotionally exhausted i felt. i told kelly a few times that my tiredness didn't make sense to me because the work had been fun and life-giving, and he, being the best husband around, said to me -- crazy lady, take a few days off. 

allowing myself to be exhausted seems to be a lesson i'll be learning repeatedly throughout my lifetime. i do work i really really love, but usually while doing this good work, i don't allow or expect myself to feel tired. somewhere along the line i must have learned that you're only really allowed to feel tired when you're doing work that's not matched with your talents, or is work you don't totally believe in, or that you're somewhat bored of, and that the people who are truly in love with their work can go along skippy and satisfied and full of life every day. i'm learning this isn't true. doing good, meaningful, gifts-aligned work is satisfying and when you give your best effort every day to something you love, you're bound to feel tired and in need of good long break.

lesson learned. at least for now. 

so now i'm back, and feeling the very good effects of a long vacation. i feel sharp, and creative, and ready to work. which is especially good because i've just started a brand new consulting project. along with my curriculum writing, consulting, and speaking, i'll serve as the Interim Children's Ministry Director at Willow Chicago. 

Willow Chicago is my church, and the Pastor is a great friend whom i trust, so when he called and asked if i'd serve in this role for a period of time, i was immediately interested. i've worked in interim roles before and it suits me well. i'm best at evaluating a situation, quickly implementing necessary change, building team morale, and creating a strong infrastructure for the future. i won't be the permanent Children's Director, but i'll work hard to build a great foundation for the next leader.

there's a ton that i'm looking forward to in this new role -- much of which i'll share here on the blog as we progress. i'm an urban girl at heart, you know this of course, which means i come alive in the city. chicago being my favorite of all of the cities. i'm super excited about the challenges that will come from serving city families, as they navigate sunday morning church and parenting. i'm looking forward to the team i'll work with, especially melissa, who is going to let loose her creative energies as we explore new ways of teaching kids. we're going to simplify sunday so the serving experience for volunteers is easy to implement in order to help them focus their energies on building relationships with kids. and, you better believe we're going to do all we can to provide an environment for children to experience living, breathing interactions with God. c'mon. this is going to be fun. 

the overarching goal we've established that will guide everything we do is --- Parents Trusting, Volunteers Engaged, Children Learning. we'll ask ourselves every Sunday if in some way we accomplished these 3 things. we'll celebrate when a new parent trusts us by leaving her newborn infant in our care. we'll rejoice when a volunteer shows up on time and is clear on his role. and, we'll shout with joy when a child hears a bible story and responds in action and worship. 

i'd be thrilled if you'd join me in this new adventure. i'd welcome advice, encouragement, cookies, anything really. because it's only together that we accomplish great things for kids. 

  image credit -- bless it. 

{you} as editor

*i'm away on vacation this week and re-posting a few of my favorite posts. i thought this one might be especially helpful as we're putting the final tweaks on our summer curriculum. don't forget -- you're the expert this summer. only you can make the lessons perfect for your kids.  

good news. today, you're adding a new title to your resume. you are a curriculum editor. congrats! {mention to your boss for a bonus! or at least a fresh cup of coffee.}

job description: a person who is in charge of and determines the final content of a text.

let me explain more. i'm a curriculum writer. in this job, i work hard to plan and create age-appropriate engaging activities that connect with focused biblical content for children. my job is to write so that you don't have to start your lessons from scratch.

here's the hilarious thing: publishers hire me to write original curriculum, but you are my editor. it's ultimately up to you to delete, add, tweak, and improve my work.

when i write, i apply child development principles and teaching methods with easy to understand instructions. but when you edit, you add the interests, personalities, theologies, and backgrounds of the children in your church to make the lessons perfect for your specific children.

i create a good, solid foundation. you edit for unique and targeted applications.

we're a good team -- you & me.

i believe every lesson of every curriculum must be edited and customized for each church's context. as editor, maybe you'll do a whole lot or maybe just a few nips & tucks. but, please promise me that you'll never pull the curriculum out of the box and teach as is.

scratch that. you should try that one time. and then you'll realize you should never do that again.

i'll never know your kids' learning styles, the community and culture in which they live, their diverse family situations, and the unique theological nuances.

but, you do. so go crazy and get tweaking. and, proudly display your editor badge.

i'll continue writing if you'll continue editing. deal?

children in adult worship services {summer}

*i'm away on vacation this week and re-posting a few of my favorite posts. i thought this one might be especially helpful as we're all in the midst of creating summer programming for children. consider these options if you're considering canceling children's classes in order to include them in the adult service. oh! and, definitely read through the comments -- so many good, additional ideas. 

i apologize. a brief rant is on the agenda for today. what's wrong with me? i used to be such a nice person! blame it on the chicago winter. it's been cold for a very long time.

with the summer months approaching, i thought i might share my thoughts on including children in adult worship services. it seems to be around the summer and the holidays that many churches consider canceling the children's ministry classrooms instead choosing to invite children into the adult worship service.

while i really do love imagining children, adults, and families worshipping together, i find that many churches invite children into the adult service without offering any interaction aimed specifically toward children.

please, don't do this.

consider these two options [in no particular order]:

option 1: continue with children's ministry programming just like you do all year. and, don't just offer childcare, but create an inspiring special summer program with games, and art, and music unlike the rest of the year. children's regular routines are already tweaked so take the opportunity to try something new, something fun, something summer-ish. then, do the same for adults. children in their age-appropriate, creative, meaningful environment, and adults in their practical, worshipful, connective environment, and families connecting after the service to share their experiences.

option 2: create an intergenerational, adult & child-minded worship service where all ages celebrate in the same room. plan music, video, sermons, and activities that encourage both adults and children to engage together in worship. for example: consider what trinity church planned during the sermon-portion of their easter multi-generational service: the children's director led the service and preached the sermon, while children followed along with their service booklets. adults connected as the director spoke, and children engaged as they completed activities directly connected to the sermon. i love it.

not an option: planning an adult service and then inviting children into the experience. save the hot topics, challenging videos, and for grown ups only worship music for next weekend. instead, consider this a fantastic opportunity to creatively plan for multiple generations to worship together.

on being good enough

*i'm away on vacation this week and re-posting a few of my favorite posts. i thought this one might be especially helpful as we're finishing the week heading into busy weekends of leadership. regardless of what happens on sunday -- you are good enough. always.

last weekend, before speaking to a group of children's ministry leaders i said to my husband, i don't think my talks are good enough. they need more content, and flash, and jokes, and interaction. in perfect-husband form, he replied, sit down crazy lady. your talks are good enough. 

and yesterday, after a great day of curriculum meetings, on my drive back to the airport, i thought, i didn't do enough. i should have brought charts and graphs and pretty pages filled with brilliant new ideas. next time, i'll do more and then i'll feel like i contributed enough. that i was enough. 

oh, and last week, after a meeting with local children's leaders, after they had left, i reviewed every word of the conversation. i should have suggested more creative ideas, and listened more, no wait, i should have talked more, and smiled more, and bought their coffee. yes, next time. i'll do enough. 

do more, be more, think more, create more, execute more, lead more. you are not enough. 

the usual mantra running through my head. there's always more. don't ease up, relax, or pat yourself on the back for too long, because there's always one more thing. to feel, and think through, and do. 

go, go, go. 

but, jesus. he says, crazy lady, slow down. stop. you were made in my image, you are my creation, and each day i sustain you. which means you are fully enough. live like you believe my words. 

before the day begins and i get lost once again in my own efforts, i'm choosing to live and believe that i'm good enough already. without any effort. i'm a child of the divine, and he declares i am his masterpiece, his prize, and his favorite. in response, i offer jesus my best. my belief, and my trust.

i'm silencing the critic, the inner voice trying to convince me that one more email sent, one more phone call made, one more curriculum lesson edited will be the ultimate answer. the one thing that finally quiets my spirit and makes me believe i really am good enough. 

jesus says, you & me together. that's enough.