Attitude is Everything

I am a firm believer in that much-used saying. We don’t always have the power to change our circumstances, but we do have the power to change our attitudes. When we change our attitude to reflect love, hope and faith, it can make all the difference in the world!

I came across this quote by Charles Swindoll, Christian author, and I wanted to share it with you.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. 



Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.



It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ...a home.



The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.



We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

Are you experiencing winter?

As I write this there isn't any snow on the ground, even though it is almost the end of January. It's not even going to get below freezing today. As a matter of fact, it might even rain.  However, there are no leaves on the trees, the grass isn't growing, sun hasn't been shining much and it's still fairly cold. It sure doesn't feel like winter, weather-wise, but the calendar says it is.

Sometimes around this time of year, though I start to feel like mentally I'm in 'winter.' Do you? While the earth starts to get cold in November, and the days grow shorter and darkness sets in in December, I'm usually gearing up for Christmas and that keeps me alert, and excited and looking ahead. Once the holidays are over, though I start to settle in and start 'hibernating' a bit. I tend to sleep more, don't feel like going out as much and I probably eat more, too.

This is when I need to motivate myself more to do things. Have you been feeling this way too? Do you need an extra push this time of year? Let's help each other stay active, stay alert and stay reaching for Christ! How can I help you?

Let's make it an early spring, shall we?

Merry Christmas!

One week left until we celebrate the birth of our Savior! I know I still have shopping and wrapping to do, dinner to plan and of course rehearse for the Nativity Play on Christmas Eve. This year, without any of my 'biological' kids around (Ian and Hannah) has felt different at our house. It was more difficult for me to 'get into the Christmas Spirit' with just my husband and I at home. 

It just didn't feel "Christmas-y" until my whole family was together. Sure, I'd put up decorations and started listening to Christmas songs, but it just didn't feel right. Yesterday, I was reflecting on this. I realized how important it is for me to be able to share the joy of the Christmas holiday and the love of Christ with my family. 

Then I got to thinking about all the people who DON't have family to share Christmas with. There are a lot of people who are alone for any number of reasons this holiday season. Maybe their loved ones are far away, maybe they've passed away or maybe they are just alienated from them. I feel very blessed to have my family here to give love to and receive love from this year. 

You might know someone who might be hurting or sad or lonely this Christmas. I hope you can  remember those people who might be struggling through loneliness, poverty, illness or grief. Show them the love of Christ with a smile, a warm touch, a telephone call or a visit. Ask God to give you eyes so you can see these people whom you can love. 

Blessings for a joyous Christmas,

Nancy 

Holiday Rush

Here it is not even Thanksgiving and we're already thinking about Christmas. Christmas music has been on the radio since Halloween, I've seen Christmas decorations up at the stores for weeks, and the Salvation Army Bell Ringers are already out in full swing! It seems like everyone is starting earlier and earlier to think about and plan for December 25.

As the director of youth ministries, I have to start thinking about preparing for Christmas kind of early as well. I've got to set dates for service activities, decorating the church, Christmas parties and planning the Christmas Eve drama for the 4:00 service.  There's a hustle and bustle in the air already!

Throughout all this planning though, I am constantly reminding myself what it's really all about. Celebrating the birth of Christ! I try hard to keep focused on that thought as I sing songs, buy and wrap gifts, and do that usual "Christmas stuff."

There are a lot of youth activities coming up in these weeks to help us prepare for the "big day."

We begin by helping to 'deck the halls' and the sanctuary and gathering space at church on Saturday, November 20 at 11:00 AM. The more people we have help, the faster and easier it will be. I'll bring some Christmas music to help us get in the mood. Bring your friends! Bring your Families!

For three weeks on Wednesday nights beginning November 30 we will have a special Advent program for youth from 6:30 to 7:30 following dinner served at 6:00.

We will have a senior high Christmas party on Sunday, December 18 at 5:30-7:30. Lots of food, fun and laughter is in store as we celebrate and enjoy each other's fellowship.

All youth are encouraged to participate in the Christmas Eve drama for the 4:00 kid-friendly service. Let me know if you'd like to be a part of that program.

I love how we continue thinking about Christmas, God's blessings to us and how we can bless others with our annual Boxing Night tradition. This year will be no different as we spend the night outside in the parking lot on December 26 as we raise awareness, clothing and blankets for the homeless of Detroit.

Feeding Breakfast to the Hungry

It’s that time of year again when we get up really early on a Sunday and spread God’s love and compassion to the guests at the First United Methodist Church in Plymouth. FUMC hosts a rotating homeless shelter through the Cass Community Social Services.  This will be our 4^th  year of serving in this valuable ministry. Our high school youth group is scheduled to prepare and serve breakfast on Sunday, November 13 to about 50 homeless people who stay at this rotating shelter. This would mean getting up pretty darn early in the morning, but it is a great opportunity for service. Let me know ASAP if you’d be willing to do this. Please let me know in person, text or email me.

We meet at the church in Plymouth at 5:30 AM and prepare and serve breakfast at 6:00. We also eat with them and fellowship with them, showing them Christ’s love over breakfast and conversation. Sometimes we play games like chess, or cards before they leave about 7:00 AM. Once breakfast is over, we clean up and head back to our homes (usually by 8:00.) We will still have Food for Thought that morning at 9:45. There IS a high school fellowship activity for that afternoon; we'll be having lunch, watching a movie, relaxing  and getting comfortable in the youth room during our regular fellowship time after the 11:00 service. 

Instead of our traditional egg casseroles, this year I thought we’d try to cook pancakes and scrambled eggs. I need some extra electric griddles to cook the pancakes that morning. Let me know if you have a griddle we can use. We will pre-make as many pancakes as we can and keep them warm.  We will also be preparing fruit, juice and sausage to go with our meal that morning.

If you have volunteered for this ministry in the past you know how much joy you can bring to others less fortunate and you know how much joy you also receive from serving. I encourage you to sign up, you won’t regret it! Adults are more than welcome to stay, help prepare, and fellowship with the guests.

Looking forward to serving alongside of you,

Nancy

MIssion Trip!

We've scheduled our summer 2012 senior high mission trip! This summer we'll be heading to Washington, DC with Youthworks to serve. We will be leaving Sunday morning June 24 (that's a week aft PCEP gets out of school) and returning Friday, June 29 (Amanda's birthday!) The cost of the trip is $400 with a deposit of $50 due on Sunday, December 4 along with a signed mission trip covenant. (See me for one.) Fundraising opportunities will be selling our Super Bowl subs and our dinner/auction in March. I hope you consider serving with me this summer.

 You might be asking yourself, "why should I go on a mission trip? I'm too busy over the summer." Here are some reasons:
It builds compassion
It can change your perspective
It helps you grow closer to God as well as your friends in the youth group
It blesses others It build's God's Kingdom
It's fun!

Let me know if you have any questions about the trip!

Love Wins

Here is the book summary on Amazon.com for the book Love Wins, by Rob Bell. Millions of Christians have struggled with how to reconcile God's love and God's judgment: Has God created billions of people over thousands of years only to select a few to go to heaven and everyone else to suffer forever in hell? Is this acceptable to God? How is this "good news?" Troubling questions--so troubling that many have lost their faith because of them. Others only whisper the questions to themselves, fearing or being taught that they might lose their faith and their church if they ask them out loud. But what if these questions trouble us for good reason? What if the story of heaven and hell we have been taught is not, in fact, what the Bible teaches? What if what Jesus meant by "heaven," "hell," and salvation" are very different from how we have come to understand them? What if it is God who wants us to face these questions? Author, pastor, and innovative teacher Rob Bell presents a deeply biblical vision for rediscovering a richer, grander, truer, and more spiritually satisfying way of understanding heaven, hell, God, Jesus, salvation, and repentance. The result is the discovery that the "good news" is much, much better than we ever imagined. I hope you will join me in discussing this book on Sunday nights @6:00 beginning September 25. Read the first chapter before you come the first night. I can't wait to hear your thoughts and ideas.