Another thing I learned...

I knew that there would be something else to learn when I posted that list.

#12  I learned what fingers pinched in a door look like.  And it's an image that will be in my head for awhile.


Last night we had a game night with "dark games" because the middle school students earned it through their offering giving.  "Dark games" always pose a greater risk of injury than games in the light, naturally.  One of my students got his fingers slammed in a door and two of them had pretty deep gashes in them.

Let's just say I am grateful for having a regular volunteer who is also a nurse.  I am also grateful for college students who are trained in first aid who step up when they need to.

11 things I learned in 2011

Granted, I've got a few days left to learn something in this year... 


11. Not having tv is something a person can survive. It may even allow them to thrive. 


10. The way to my nephew Kyle's heart is through anything to do with the movie Cars.


9.  The world's largest ball of twine in Darwin, MN makes for a great photo opportunity.

8.  No matter what I tell myself, I'm just not meant to be a Duke Blue Devil.


7.  I love the bands Mumford & Sons and He Is We.


6.  Chicago is my kind of town.

5.  My dad is the head of housekeeping (among other things) at his new job and hell didn't freeze over!  :)

4.  Always make sure you have your keys BEFORE you lock your car.  [see link for more info: http://auburnaudacity.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html]

3.  Life can be heartbreaking and the road can be difficult, but there is always hope.  Thank you for teaching that to me, Sam.

2.  My mother is stronger and more courageous than any of us ever knew.  

1.  God has a plan for my life.  It involves becoming a pastor.  Seminary, here I come again!

Advent Reflection

I told my mother this week that if I ever had children, I would probably not be a good parent. Certain events have passed that make me believe I would be an overbearing parent and would have a hard time being compassionate when the child defies me to make really stupid choices. As a youth pastor, this happens frequently since I work with teenagers and they are the age group that exemplifies this behavior (but the behavior is by no means limited to teenagers.) I have certain youth that I have invested much of my time and energy guiding and listening to and one of them let me down this week. It shouldn't have been as big of deal for me as it was, but I reacted terribly. I was angry. I have spent all this time telling them what to do, what not to do, etc. And they do what they want anyway. It's really frustrating!

So what does this story have to do with advent other than this happened during the season of advent? I'm so glad you asked.

This is the same story that we read in the Old Testament between Israel and God. Israel is that teenager that absolutely refuses to trust that God is God and keeps doing what they want. And it doesn't turn out well for them. By being disobedient, short-sited, and never satisfied, Israel managed to split into 2 countries. Both countries managed to be conquered by larger nations,and they manage to majorly corrupt the temple (the House of God.) Over and over God sends prophets to warn them, to correct them, to guide them but the people don't listen.

Then they come to God and complain about how terrible their lives are. How could he have let this happen? It wasn't their fault that they were conquered - did you see how big that army was?!?! I have to think God felt a little like I did this week. "I've told you over and over again!! This is the consquences of your choices!" If God were me, the phrase "Suck it up and deal with it" might be some where in the Old Testament - perhaps coming out of the mouth of Isaiah.

Instead, God has Isaiah say, "Comfort my people. Speak tenderly to them." They have so royally screwed up but instead of abandoning his people, God comforts them. Not only that, he says that he'll send one to fix it - to save them from the mess they created.

Sometimes I don't get how God can do that. When I really stop and dwell on it I cannot believe what he promises and what he delivered that night in Bethlehem. The frustrated youth pastor who wants to swear of kids part of me says, "They don't deserve this! They'll never learn!" The sinner in me says, "Praise God - I don't deserve this but I am so humbled by it."

May you be humbled this advent season at the mercy you have been shown by God - a mercy that is beyond anything I can muster and beyond anything any of us deserve.

why advent isn't on my mind...

Normally Advent is my favorite season of the church and of the year. I love the time leading up to Christmas and spend time listening to Christmas carols and singing Advent hymns (O Come O Come Emmanuel and Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming are two of my favorites). I start to watch all of my movies that feature at least one Christmas scene and do some baking.

This year I have done some of those things, but my heart is just not in it like other years. The reason is because my mind and heart are with a teenage boy who was diagnosed with Leukemia in March. His cancer has resisted going into remission and he is losing the battle. Sam Grorud is amazing because through his diagnosis and battle with cancer, he has brought together many people in the town of Milbank and beyond through prayer and support. He has defied expectation over and over again.

I do not pretend to understand why God allows teenagers to have cancer, but he does. I do not pretend to know why Sam's cancer did not respond to the chemotherapy, but it didn't. I do not pretend to know why God has put me in Milbank at Sam's church for this journey, but He did. I don't pretend to know what tomorrow brings or the next week or month or year, but it will come and God will be there.

Right now my heart and my mind are with the Groruds and it seems that Advent is in the background. However, more than ever I understand the need for hope in the darkest of times. The power that faith and prayer can have when nothing else delivers is astounding. So, maybe Advent isn't so far away. Maybe this year the message of hope and the need to be saved is closer than ever.

For those of you who would like to know more about Sam and his story:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samgrorud

Advent Log and Squirrell

Advent logs are a common tradition that are along the same lines as an Advent wreath. They have 4 candles that represent each Sunday in Advent. As a young child I made an Advent log during Sunday School. We were given a log with holes in it for the candles and we were to decorate it. We had various fake greenery, red ribbon and bows among other decorations. When I finished with the log it was the most hideous advent I had ever seen, but I brought it home and my parents proudly displayed it. In fact, they still have it to this very day.

But what makes my parents' advent wreath special was the addition of a small ceramic squirrel that I made it art class a few years after I made the wreath. He is perched on the log and has become a part of the advent celebration in the Rowen household. He has lost an ear over the years so he fits right in with the log that has some it's decorations that are starting to fall off.

Last year my dad made me my very own advent log similar to the one I made them so many years ago. However mine does not have a squirrel. :(