Wednesday, January 16, 2013

School, Snow, Scripture, Evaluating


School - and more school. Stacia and Zander are about to transition to 2nd and 4th grade. That means we are either ahead or behind or simply marching to the beat of our own drummer.... The truth is a combination of option A and C. I'm working on them being able to do more independent work. Arielle and Nolan continue on their charted courses. 

Snow play..... Here is this year's igloo - a work in progress. It's at the foot of our driveway - you can see the house across the street from us in this photo. 


I've been wanting to meet our new neighbor. Stacia and Maggie provided the opportunity. She was thrilled to have kids  play with her little dog....can you spot it?  She LOVES snow - though she nearly disappeared in the snow. LOL

A I John update - I think we're going to memorize four verses this week. We're doing well. Nolan is my study buddy and it's been fun.  Michael assures me it will begin to flow after the first couple of verses. I hope so. ::grin:: 

I've been reading, Mentor Like Jesus, by Regi Campbell & Richard Chancy. It's a fascinating book. I thought it would be hokey -  I repent. ::snort::  I have no idea how this got on my ipad...I thought it may have been a freebie, but it isn't now.  I will write more about it when I finish the book, but 50% through the book I'm enjoying it.  The model is a bit different than what I've come to think of as "women mentoring" - but I can SEE the possibilities.  Many of you know my purpose statement....
My goal in life is to passionately love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I endeavor through teaching and mentoring relationships to lead others to an extravagant, lavish  passionate, whole-hearted, love of their life. It is my goal to truly love others. 
The mentoring thing has eluded me. Others tell me I'm their mentor... I've been so busy teaching and leading I don't feel  I have TIME to be a "real" mentor...it's all been rather haphazard...I'm not saying God hasn't moved, He has.   Maybe I had to have this season of not teaching women to begin to flesh out the other side of my purpose statement. I've done a lot of informal mentoring in the past - inter-generational friendships, really.  In the past weeks I've had five young women ask me to mentor them...and I knew God was showing me a bit of direction now that my other leadership roles are transitioning...However, Michael has reminded me, even without teaching, I don't have the time to prepare and meet with five women weekly...but this model....a small group, a commitment of a year, meet once a month for 3 hours, facilitator vs. teaching model....it's good.....Unfortunately, the book and ministry is geared to men. I mean that's not unfortunate - they have some great tools...book lists, samples, tracks.....but it's not for women. ::snort:: BTW visit here if you are interested in mentoring men - they offer their stuff free.

I'm reading, praying, listening, observing....and sensing that I'll find something like this for women...or as Michael suggested....I'll write a program for women.  In any event I'm seeing a vision of how I could have time to be fully invested in both teaching (which involves mentoring) and radical-relational-intentional mentoring.

Michael has taken the kids to base....PYOC and AWANA...the idea was we'd have date nights on Wed....but he is catching up on work and I'm going to read some more. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2013 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...