Aren’t these just the CUTEST little cupcakes ever?? They were for a 1 year-old’s B-day party! So adorable!
Boy howdy has it been a whirlwind weekend!! Wild times, I tell ya! There are so many little stories about all the fun things I did this weekend, but let’s get real—that would take up too much of this blog post and you’d be yawning halfway through as if to say, “Oh, is that all? Psh. Oooohkay!” 😉
So instead, here’s a quick week-in-review, photo steeze!
Let’s work our way back, shall we?
Check out these sweet mustache tattoos!
I just got back from a Birthday party for my friends, Anthon & Jeannie’s little boy, Finn, who just turned ONE! The weather wasn’t ideal, but the party was super sweet and it was so nice to spend some time with their rad little fam! There were so many cute little touches to the decor to help this little man celebrate his 1st year of life as a little old man 😉 Jeannie did an A+ job!
That is one sassy lady that knows what’s up! Cheers to coffee!
So this one is a little bittersweet . . . SWEET because I finally got to try the Starbucks Anniversary Blend in all it’s nummy goodness! But BITTER because of the reason I grabbed it. Here’s a hint . . . I ordered it black with a Shot In The Dark. Yup, sadly enough, I got zero sleep last night and I’ve been running on pure adrenaline since yesterday morning. I just could not sleep after last night’s excitement and with new thoughts/ideas that had been swirling in my head all day. When I say I could not sleep, what I mean is I could not, for the life of me, rest my mind and body. So of course, I did what any normal person in my position would do. I took melatonin and put on classical music. I spent the entire evening watching old movies and making a Pinterest board of movies that I want to buy. 😐
That’s a’malotta pins, Batman!
Yeahhhh. I know. I’m not proud of it. But for that reason, I’m going to attempt to get caught up by going to bed earlier tonight. And what excitement might I be referring to?? Well, this of course:
Aaaay yooooo Sounders Scarf Up!!
My best friend, Grace, treated me to a night out at my 2nd ever Sounders game! It was WILD!! We had great seats and got to chat it up a lot while we watched the game. Sadly, the Sounders lost and I am still none-the-wiser on how exactly soccer works, but we had a great time anyway! PLUS we shared some Ivar’s Fish ‘N’ Chips with a garlic blend topping and it was DEEEEEEELISH! From beginning to end, it was a perfect night and I’m so thankful that Grace invited me to tag along!
Me and my Gracie Lou Who
Saturday I tried REALLY hard to keep my mind focused on non-ministry things, since it was my Sabbath, but it’s SERIOUSLY so difficult for me to stop my mind from thinking up new ideas and systems to use in ministry. With our youth group and children’s ministry being back in full-force, my motivation is even more compelling because I just adore those kiddos and I want them to have all the best things in the universe. I just have to work on remembering that part of that best thing is a Children’s Director/Youth Pastor that maintains a healthy, balanced lifestyle and is able to intentionally “Let go and Let God.” (Which, ironically is one of my most hated phrases because it’s killer tough to do!)
Back at it in my “sweet spot” nook, leading our student ministry in our Sunday morning service
Oooooh yeahhh . . . also . . .
It’s a hap-hap-happy day at The Roosevelt House! Happy Birthday to my rad housemate + friend, Jessica
Despite some SERIOUS outta control drama/issues we’ve been having with one of our housemates lately, we were able to celebrate the Happiest of Birthdays for one of our other housemates! She’s seriously such a near and dear friend and I’m super thankful for all she brings to my life. Jess is actually one of the big contributors to my learning how to make healthier meals at home. Even without that, though, she’s a gem and it was fun to shower her with love and appreciation and enjoy some quality dinner time convos with her!
oooooh what could it beeee?
Last but not least, one MAJOR highlight of my past week/end was getting this rad little package from my friend Carrie! I REALLY wanna tell you what’s inside, but it’s gonna have to wait for the next blog post because it’s
1. Pretty awesome
2. Takes a little bit of explanation
3. Could rave about it for hours, which would turn into an EVEN longer post!
4. Is late and I need to get cookin’.
and 5. I love keepin’ ya in suspense 😉
So stay tuned to the next post and I’ll tell you what’s in the goodie bag!
Yesterday was our big Back-To-School day at Westside!
It feels SO great to have my students back!! I’ve missed them so much during our summer hiatus. ♥ Nothing like a fun Back-To-School party to kick off another amazing semester with these awesome sauce teens!
That means that every age is officially represented in our Children’s Ministry and we’re headed into a new semester of fun and frenzy! I know that I should probably be fretting it all and hitting panic mode like a boss, but I’m not. Well, not as much as I probably could, anyway. However, knowing that there is a space that I can retreat to and hunker down to focus and get stuff done away from the frenzy is a big comfort to me. I don’t know about you, but my office environment is a huge factor when it comes to my workflow, focus, and overall workplace sanity. The office is my happy place. There, I said it 😉 I actually have always thought it was a bit quirky, but I love offices in general . . . and Office Max/Depot . . . and office supplies . . . and, well you get the point. Anyway . . .
On Friday, I was finally able to get the majority of my new office space & desk at the church in ship-shape, ready for the journey ahead. And now, I can rest a little easier knowing that I’m going into this season with a stronger sense of structure, fun, and community! Since many of you are reading this in different countries, states, and cities, I would like to invite you to kick off your shoes, loosen those suit buttons and ties, and join me in a fun little tour of my new workspace!
Well c’mon in!!
Okay so there’s not REALLY a baby sleeping in my office. 😉 It’s just a sign I found when I was cleaning it out of old storage items and I decided it would be funny to post it up. Little did I know that people would actually think there was a baby sleeping in there, so I took it down earlier today. Now, what to fill the space with??
TA-DA!!! It’s my happy place!!
Now you’ll probably first notice that giant banner in the background there. It says:
“Don’t be fooled by the pounds that I’ve lost, I’m just Amo from the block!”
Let me assure you that I don’t have it hanging up to remind me to focus on being skinny or losing weight or even emulating J.Lo though I wouldn’t mind having her tush . . . uh . . . I mean, what???. No, my friends, it is the banner that was being held up by my friends when they all met up at Hogwarts for my Biggest Loser Homecoming Celebration and it serves as a giant reminder to me just how powerful COMMUNITY is. It reminds me that I need to let people into my life. It reminds me that I need to value people more than things. It reminds me that I am not alone on this journey AND that others don’t need to be alone through their journeys either! The posters surrounding it were made by people who came together to make signs JUST for that celebration and helps me to remember not just the fun references on each of them, but how much more vibrant and fun life can be when you spend quality time with people. ♥
My desk has a removable plastic cover on it, so I decided to decorate underneath it with postcards from trips, family + friend photos, encouraging cards that people have given me, memorabilia from fun events I’ve been able to participate in, and quotes/references to quirky things I just enjoy. It’s basically my life . . . on display. And it reminds me every time I sit down that in this position, my life is on display, and that those kids and parents are watching, so I need to be sure that I am making my life shine in an honest and transparent way that I hope will encourage them to know that not everyone who does ministry is perfect or fits into a nice neat little box.
(L to R) Curious George, BFF Boyd’s Bear from my bestie, My K.Rowe Build-A-Bear, Fun Notes from my ATX going away party, squwaker, squishy brain toy, Green Lantern mask, Lego ring
My office is located downstairs in a far corner and no one else works down there with me, so I figured I would need some great friends (I guess we can just call them my co-workers) to keep me company for those moments when I start to take myself too seriously. And EVERYONE needs toys at their desk to help them when they get in that creative rut! Don’t believe me? Just ask Josh Baskin! 😉
(L to R) Jolly Mountain Soap Co. Lemon Lotion, Bejeweled/Plants vs Aliens coasters, Sandlewood Candle, Jar of tea bags—this USED to be filled with Reese’s Pieces, but after a binge session on those during a previous emotional season, I opted to replace them with tea bags 😉
I’m the type of person who needs constant stimulation to do work well. For instance, I get TONS of work done at coffee shops because there’s so much ambient movement plus music on the loud speakers and art on the walls. Therefore, it was a no-brainer that my office would need a fair amount of knick-knacks and toys to both stimulate my mind and to serve as a reminder to not lose sight of the kid inside of all of us.
3 coasters on the top deck, and one specially reserved for my MINE mug that the Stubberts gave me, plus one of the knit mug koozie that my BFF made for me, and a sweet traditional Mexican doll I got as a gift at one of my students’ Quinceaneras
Autobots, ROLL OUT! (L to R) Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Toy soldiers that my youth boys gave me after our Gameworks event, Super Mario!!!
So much fun and color makes me One Happy Amo!
I’ve yet to find that missing drawer . . .
Another huge relief is that I was able to get my bookshelf organized and ready for MORE BOOOOOOKS!!! ♥
On the shelf: Ministry books, Dancing Chihuahua & Singing Snoopy stuffed animals from my pops, A handmade puppet from my friend Teresa, Scrapbook from my H.S. Church Choir trip to New York City (and up the east coast)!
Like I said, we’re headed into a new semester of fun and frenzy, but knowing that I have things visually plotted means that my brain can focus more on seeing the bigger picture and flowing more creatively as I approach each week + event. And that, my friends, allows me to express a huge sigh of relief!
Welp, thanks for joining me! Don’t worry, I made sure to leave PLENTY of extra room for additions—like this AWESOME SAUCE comic that my wonderful friend Jeana sent me!
Thanks so much for the sweet note and great laugh, Jeana!!
Now, let’s tackle this week and show it Who’s The Boss!!
Flash Skyrunner at your service, ready to help you navigate the friendly skies!!
What can I say, I love playing dress-up—especially when it involves making people laugh! The bonus is that I get to spend all week channeling Amelia Earhart as “Flash Skyrunner” at our church’s VBS! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy helping kids understand biblical truths in a fun and creative way. So naturally, this is right up my alley. In fact, one of the highlights of my day today was having one of our little boys come up to me and let me know that he has an outfit JUST like mine—goggles and all—at home! I told him to wear it to VBS tomorrow and we can be co-pilots! I’m totally looking forward to spending a day with my new special co-pilot tomorrow. 🙂
It’s been pretty exciting getting to have an insider look at the behind-the-scenes of running a VBS, especially since I’ll actually be running it come this time next year! It’s one of the big focuses of my new role as Children’s Director and I’m very much looking forward to unleashing my creativity and other various skills on this huge undertaking next summer. I don’t have much time these days to share each day’s adventures—going straight from all morning at VBS back to my 9-to-5 to work full hours into the evening with minimal breaks is not ideal for the storyteller inside—but I did want to take a moment to share with you some of the fun highlights I’ve gotten to enjoy this week at “SKY VBS!”
It’s weird not running “Chadder the Chipmunk’s Cinema” this year, but Lauren is doing a FABULOUS job taking over my old job! I’m SO proud of her and the kiddos adore her!
I love seeing all the creative ways that the kiddos are learning about God in the craft station!
I get to hang out with our awesome volunteer crew as I go from station to station to make sure things are running smoothly. These guys are true superheroes and definitely deserve a million more root beer floats!
As the kids get settled into stations and all of our maintenance tasks are done, we get to take time out as a staff to talk about how the day is going and share any news updates. . . and of course there’s a lot of laughs and inside jokes to go around!
The kids LOVE learning about God as they make their fun (and super colorful) snacks!
There’s nothing quite so heartwarming as hearing kids laughing and shouting with excitement during game time!
I get to spend the afternoons with our amazing VBS photographer (and one of my close friends) putting together the slide show featuring photos of our kids throughout the day (which we show the kids and their parents during the big song & dance finale at the end of each day)!
As a sweet little bonus, I had one of our youth volunteers record our skit from yesterday morning, where our kids got to learn that NO MATTER HOW I FEEL, I CAN TRUST GOD! So in case you need a good laugh, here ya go!
In other news, we officially hired my new part-time worker at my current 9-to-5 and I start training him tomorrow!! I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday, which means there are only 2 more days of working full-time + part-time! Starting next week, I will only be part-time at both jobs!!! It’ll be nice to get back into my normal routine and really focus my attention where it needs to go. That said, I better get back to work—break time is almost up—have a Happy Wednesday, y’all!
Whoooooo’s ready for the rest of the week at SKY VBS????
Sharing my heart for this new season of life on Sunday at Westside Church
When I moved to Seattle 4 years ago, I came with one mission—shine a light in the darkness of young lives. Mentor young people. Love on young people. Care for young people. Remind the young people that there is so much more to life worth living for. Be “Jesus with skin on” to young people. Serve the church with all your heart, and trust that the young people that go there will follow suit. Young people. That’s what it’s always been about for me. What I thought that looked like in the moment: Be a youth pastor.
Westside Church VBS 2008
During my first week attending Westside Church, they were gearing up for their Vacation Bible School and they were in need of volunteers. Since I didn’t have a job and I was seriously committed to serving the church with all my heart, I offered to help. I became the teacher’s assistant for the Elementary-aged group of kids and I loved spending time with them! The Vacation Bible School was fun, fast-paced, and wildly entertaining so I really enjoyed it. When the church administration told me that they didn’t really have a youth group, I was bummed, but figured I would just serve where I was needed and stay connected. So I served in their Elementary ministry as a volunteer assistant. I worked with those kiddos every Sunday for about six months before the church leadership pulled me in for a dinner meeting. They said they wanted to develop a solid youth ministry with the three teenagers they had that attended the church. I gladly accepted—this was my moment!
The 2Twelve Student Ministries room during our RIOT! series
It started with 3.
Then grew the next year to 7.
Then grew the next year to 10.
Currently, we have an amazing group of 15 students!
Some of 2Twelve students & leaders on a typical Sunday morning
Two months ago, I got an e-mail from our Senior Pastor, Jeremiah, asking me to join he and his wife, Deb, for dinner. I had recently gotten back from my trip home, so after recounting the tales of my trip from home, they asked me the million dollar question:
Would I be willing to step into the role of Children’s Director starting in mid-August?
WOW! I’ll admit, when I first heard Children’s Director, it quickly became synonymous with Children’s Pastor—which I don’t believe I necessarily am. I LOVE babysitting kiddos (read: a small group of kiddos), but the few times I had attempted to be the lead teacher volunteer in the Elementary-aged class, I bombed . . . big time. I’m pretty sure I redefined epic fail. Naturally, I was elated to return to our regularly scheduled youth fall semester. However, as they explained the position to me, I realized more and more just how perfect this new role would be for me! It would not involve a regular teaching position in the Children’s Ministry. It would be more of a mix of creativity + administration + communication + discipleship/community building + curriculum development + overseeing & equipping others to flourish in their sweet spot on a broader level so that all of the children—from babies to High School—would receive a quality, creative Christian education experience that would enable them to merge their faith and life in a practical way. So basically, it’s a dream come true for me!
Me and Amanda, the Children’s Director I will be stepping in for
That was 2 months ago. One thing I was told in our meeting was to TELL NO ONE. The church leadership wanted to announce the big change a certain way in certain timing, so keeping it hush-hush was of the essence! Needless to say, I was a bubbling brook building inside a barricaded cavern. It was INCREDIBLY difficult to hold back the good news. I did break the rules a bit by telling my family and my accountability partners so that they could help keep my heart and mind in check as we geared up for one of the biggest changes in my life. And I’m ever so thankful that I did! I’ve already learned some great things that I need to watch out for as I step into this new role as far as setting healthy boundaries and nurturing my heart, mind, and soul.
After 2 months of having to keep from shouting it from the rooftops, I was finally introduced to the Westside Church family as the new Children’s Director!!
This past Sunday was THE BIG DAY—we were finally going to spill the beans to the congregation and I could not be more excited! I was overwhelmed with the goodness and faithfulness of God, and honestly, a little bit of nervousness. I mean, you only get one chance to make a first impression, right? Right.
Don’t take my word for it though, check out this awesome video that my best friend/accountability partner, Heather, recorded for me on that special morning:
Although I didn’t follow my notes exactly and flubbed a couple of words here and there, I was finally able to share my heart with the congregation that I will be connecting with on a deeper level come mid-August! The good thing though, is that I can share my notes here, with you, so that you all can see my heart typed out on paper and you can begin to dream with me for the great things ahead for the children, and their families, at Westside Church!
Here are the lessons I’ve learned along the way and how they’re helping me develop a renewed Children’s Ministry at Westside Church:
1) ‘Ohana’ means “family.” “Family” means “no one gets left behind.”
The Bible teaches us that the real Children’s pastors are their parents and guardians—their family. However, it also teaches that the church’s responsibility is to be a community resource to those parents and help promote unforgettable life change for each child placed in our care. That made it easy for me to develop our basic Mission Statement. Our mission is to team up with parents to help their child develop a faith that connects them with God, others, and the world around them.
It tastes JUST like the real deal!!
2) There is Perfect Recipe for Sweet Sustainability & Growth
I recently made a trip to the East Coast and spent quality time with my best friend in New York City. Of the things on my MUST DO list was to get authentic New York Cheesecake! The only stipulation was that it had to be Sugar-Free. I’ll admit that I was skeptical when we ordered our Sugar-Free Cheesecakes from Junior’s, but one bite in and I was HOOKED! It was difficult for me to not eat it all in two bites. In fact, I sheepishly asked Sarah if she would judge me if I ate another slice. 😉 As we sat there enjoying it, we agreed that it part of what made it so incredible was that one bite would let you to KNOW that it was made with tender loving care. However, part of making it incredible is the right recipe. If one ingredient is missing, it would only be known for it’s wrong flavor, it would be forgotten altogether, or even worse cause food poisoning, guaranteeing that no one would go back to that shop even if it IS “Authentic New York Cheesecake.” So if there is a perfect recipe for deliciously memorable Cheesecake, there MUST be a perfect recipe for sweet sustainability and growth in our Children’s Ministry. Knowing that, it was easy to adopt the desire to do ministry on an all-inclusive, multi-generational level. Meaning that, even though we could probably do some really cool and fun things to keep things going and growing for those kids, it won’t be anywhere near as successful or effective or meaningful if every willing person in the Westside Church family is not a part of it! They are a vital ingredient in our perfect recipe for sweet sustainability and growth in the Children’s Ministry at Westside!
Playing games with some of the 2Twelve students at Loyal Heights
3) In spending time involved in student ministries, I’ve been able to see the power of Christ displayed when the spiritual well-being of young people is a priority.
On the smallest scale it looks like this:
My 7 year-old niece HATES/DESPISES/ABHORS (I think you get the point) taking baths. We have to “trick” her into taking them or she would be content to go weeks without one. However, there is one thing that we know will get her in that bathtub quicker than a finger snap—the opportunity go to Kid City at my old home church in Austin! When Sunday morning rolls around, my niece asks my mom to take her to church. My mom then tells her that “We can’t go to church until you’ve taken a bath.” My niece will then rush to the bedroom to grab her change of clothes, grab a towel, and if you listen in a couple of minutes later you will hear the bath water running! Because of the focus the church places on the spiritual well-being of young people, it has become a place that kids and teens beg their parents to be a part of and the sustainable spiritual growth and the power of Christ can be seen on a large level!
On an even bigger scale it looks like this:
Last semester, I met with a parent in a coffee shop and she explained to me that she wanted her son to be a part of a youth ministry, but that every other church they had tried to get plugged in to had turned her son away because of his learning disability, or that the other kids made him feel uncomfortable and he didn’t like it. Westside was their last option. Fast forward to now, and not only is her son loved and appreciated by our students and leaders, he has also stepped up his game and has become a leader in our youth ministry! He is thriving in our youth group and discovering a deeper relationship with Christ through it all! We love him and can’t even begin to imagine NOT having him in our group!
That is exactly what we want to see happen in the lives of all the children trusted to our care at Westside! We want to create a fun and safe environment that promotes healthy Christian growth—spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. As I take on this role, I am wholeheartedly committed to creating a culture of community that will give each and every student and their parents the ability to get connected to Christ on a deeper level and reflect His heart in practical ways to the world around them!
These kids have my heart and I’m looking forward to watching their lives change and grow for the glory of God!
I KNOW this is a huge undertaking, but I know I’m not alone in it and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead for the Westside Church family!
amo.says 