TCM International

Here is a video clip about the ministry that I will be serving in May - so excited and blessed to be traveling to Austria again this year!!


TCM International from Traders Point Christian Church on Vimeo.

Just who you callin' strange?

Video illustrating the need to not just sit back and listen to the Word but be doers as well.  It co-stars a man who, just two short days ago, actually inferred that I am weird.

Hello, Pot, it's your ole pal, Kettle.


Workout from Traders Point Christian Church on Vimeo.

PS: best part is cameo at the end.
PPS: by way of explanation if you happen to be viewing this and are not a member/attender or past member/attender of TPCC - the first man is our lead minister, the second is our senior high minister, and the third is our former lead minister and now Pastor Emeritus.

TPCC History Video

So proud to be part of a church that is over 175 years old!   And very, very grateful for the pioneers who laid the foundation for the church I have called home for over 25 years.   So many changes, but God still remains Lord over all.

TPCC History from Traders Point Christian Church on Vimeo.

Nicaragua? Okay...

How do I communicate this without getting too long-winded?  Here goes: As you may know, my daughter Kaylie has Asperger's Syndrome.  She has participated in the special needs ministry program at our church since she was around three years old.  Like she does at school, at church she participates in the mainstream classroom, but when she was younger she had a "buddy" who accompanied her to class.

In 2005, our church began partnering with Nicaragua Resource Network to serve special needs kids in the Managua area (the capital of Nicaragua).  In this culture, special needs children are often hidden away by their families and not afforded the same opportunities as other children.  A special needs classroom was created to bridge this gap and this Agape Program continues to be supported with finances and mission teams from our church.

A recent team pictured with some of the "Agape kids"

While I have known about this program and the girls have helped with service projects geared to benefit this school and these kids, I never really felt called to go serve on-site.  I think I have been in general avoidance mode because I feel inadequate as the mother of a special needs child.  I am not near the advocate that I should be and come up severly lacking when measured against my fellow special needs moms.

But now there is an opportunity for the whole family to go serve and we feel God is telling us to go.  Kaylie, with her loving, generous heart, wants to know if it is time to start packing yet.  She is beyond ready to go (I am excited to see what plan God has for her as she becomes an adult.  I am convinced He has big plans for her servant's heart.)  Hannah, for now, is most excited about the airplane ride.  Jim wonders how we will pay for the trip, but he, like Kaylie, is always ready and willing to serve.  And then there is me.  (Somewhat) reluctantly going along for the ride because I am convinced God is ordering me out of my comfort zone and to face head-on what He has given to our family.  If I am going to serve other special needs moms, I better learn how to be a better special needs mom so I can set a better example.  And I better learn fast and save fast, as the trip is in January.  (That's a lot of betters, so you see why I am overwhelmed!)

This trip does not excite me the way going to Austria did, or serving in the inner-city has, and I have not anticipated it the way I do one day getting to go to Haiti, or Africa, or China.  But I am excited because I know God's hand is in it and I think sending special needs kids to serve other special needs kids is a beautiful idea and will be a marvelous little glimpse of heaven.

Pray for us, please, as we prepare to serve that God would continue to put all the pieces in place.

To learn more about this work in Nicaragua, please visit the Nicaragua Resource Network and the TPCC Short-term Missions Blog.  Thanks!  If you would like to sponsor our team financially the address to send donations to can be found here.

Watch out world, here I come!

I have an awesome opportunity that I am quite excited to tell you about.

I am going to Austria!

For several years our church has sent a team to Austria to serve Training Christians for Ministry (TCM) at the International Institute they hold just outside Vienna. TCM International Institute trains Evangelical Christians from Eastern Europe and Central Asia for ministry in their homelands. The work of TCM fills a gap by providing the necessary training without the financial cost that would typically come with this level of education. (I encourage you to visit http://www.tcmi.org/ and http://www.tcmi.edu/ to find out more.)

I have wanted to serve TCM by participating in their Short-Term Worker program for many years and am so fortunate to have this desire finally fulfilled! I will be working alongside the full-time staff, serving the Christians who have come to Haus Edelweiss to study and grow. Short-term workers perform a variety of tasks on-site such as cooking, cleaning and grounds keeping. I have been told that it is long days of hard work, but extremely rewarding.

I was drawn to this opportunity because I will be doing physical work in service to Christians in Eastern Europe. I have long had a heart for the Christians in this area of the world who have faced much turmoil and persecution while spreading the name of and answering the call of Christ. Our church sponsors several missionaries serving in this area and it is always encouraging to hear what God is doing in these countries. The specific trip I am taking (May 12-21) is an especially opportune time to visit TCM, as we will be serving at graduation time. We will be privileged to sit in on graduation ceremonies and hear updates from all the participating countries on what God is doing there. (How cool is that going to be?!)

The trip has always seemed out of reach to me due to cost, but when we were blessed to be able to send both Jim and Kaylie to serve in Mexico last year, I realized it probably wasn’t so impossible after all! We have been very fortunate to come up with much of the funding for the $1200 trip, but we still could use help if you are able to provide it.

More important than your financial support is your prayer support. Please pray for the men and women training at Haus Edelweiss – that God would provide for them, strengthen them, encourage them, protect and bless them. Pray also for the staff of TCM, and the other short-term workers. (A prayer calendar for TCMI can be viewed here.)

For me personally, I would appreciate your prayers for health, safety, and a steadfast frame of mind. As you know, I have chronic migraines. Please join me in praying that, despite the traveling, time zone changes, and other conditions, I will remain headache free during the trip so I may serve to my fullest ability. As many of you also know, I will be leaving my full-time job effective June 1 (just a few short days after we return!) and I pray that preparation for that life change will not take away from preparation for or focus on the trip.

Thank you for the privilege of your support, love, and friendship. I will keep you all updated on the trip and when I return I’ll send you a nice long report of all I experienced.

None But Jesus

A couple weeks ago I was blessed with an opportunity I never thought I would have: to participate in an interpretive dance of this beautiful song. 

Was psyched to also find a video from Hillsong with Darlene Zschech singing and some groovy dancers dancing.  Different choreography, same concept.  Way cool.  Wish they showed more of the dance, but still awesome.

(Sorry I am not tech-y enough to put the video here for you to see, but take 4 seconds and go to the link.  Good stuff.)

Moving Beyond the Walls...to Kenya

Our church has a team of 23 members in Kenya right now, serving in a slum where the conditions are just unimaginable, but the people are amazing and inspiring. 

Among other things, they are participating in this really cool project called "Bring the Light" where they literally bring light into the homes of Bondeni - which are small shacks, with no windows, no electricity, no light.  The team cuts a hole in the roof and replaces it with plexiglass and - ta dum! - light.  Then the super cool part begins as they share the Light of Christ.

Read all about it on a blog the team members are posting to regularly during their tenure.  Very cool!  http://movingbeyondthewalls.wordpress.com/

Red Cross Mock Disaster Drill

We actually did this back in May, but I just discovered the photos on the (greater Indy) Red Cross FBCI blog (http://rcfbci.blogspot.com/).  It was fun because we participated as a family.  I am on the TPCC shelter team and Jim and the girls were "residents".  Hannah and Kaylie even got to stage a fight.  Hannah did a great job being a surly pre-teen.  Let's chalk this up to her mother's excellent dramatic ability - as opposed to Hannah's own experiences. 

Check out all the photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/redcrossindy/TradersPointMockDisaster#5335419492243897282

What is the Red Cross FBCI?  It is their Faith Based Initiative arm - the Red Cross partnering with churches and faith-based organizations to provide disaster care to people in their community.  TPCC is now ready to answer the call should a disaster hit our area -  we would operate an actual Red Cross emergency shelter if called upon.  Which is awesome because the church should be involved and active in its community and we get to partner our strengths with the Red Cross' resources.  (Try the blog - that probably explains things more)

Hallelujah!!

Yee hah!!!  So much rejoicing today as Hannah got up before her new family and dedicated herself to Christ today in baptism!  The joy in my heart is overflowing and spilling out - usually in the form of tears.  Which is appropriate, as when Hannah was born 11 years ago, I became a total sap.  So here we are and have come full circle.

For the first time ever in my life, I wrote notes out on my hand (I kid you not) because I was so worried that I was going to get into the baptistry, turn into a blubber of mush, and forget everything that was on my heart to say.  Even with that, I still missed one of my thoughts, but it is all still good.  The message was delivered.  If you weren't there, you missed a beautiful thing.  I am partial, but I am thinking it is the mostest beautifulest baptism ever.  But again, I am partial.

If you missed it, here is a quick recap:

Before....

During...(wish I could tell you what I was saying here.  I know I was crying...)

After!!!!  Hurrah!!!

After, after.

Me and my precious treasures!!

Best Day Ever!

Did I mention that Hannah is getting baptized Sunday?  Oh, and it is her 11th birthday, so now her birthday and her re-birthday will be the same day!!  No offense to my husband or anyone else who has been part of the best days of my life, but I am thinking that this is going to pretty much be my best day ever.  If I can make it through it.  Many Kleenex will die a wet, sloppy death Sunday.  Did I also mention that I have the honor of doing the baptism?!  I cannot tell you how exciting this is for me or the joy I have at Hannah's decision to take this step in her walk with God or how much it means to me.  It is just too much.

I am sure there will be more to come, but for now, I wanted to spread the GREAT news!!!

PS - Contrary to what you may hear via heresay, I did not talk Hannah into it just so I could get one of those cool "New Creation" or "Saved" tshirts.  (but hey, since we will be doing it anyway...)

God made you special...

Every few months, the Special Needs ministry at church hosts a movie time where the kids can come and watch a movie, eat popcorn and be themselves - no being quiet or sitting still required. Just like all the functions orchestrated by this ministry, the girls just love it. They bring sleeping bags, pillows and stuffed animals and sack out - for a few minutes, then they move around some - and it is okay.

Today was movie day after church, so we brown bagged it and ate lunch at church and hung out until movie time. (Much less hectic than driving home and turning right around and coming back) The girls do this thing where they narrate what they are doing as part of some pretend game they play ("and then the girls were brushing their teeth" - said while they brush their teeth; "and then the girls were having healthy ice cream" - they really said this while eating ice cream the other day - "and the boys were..." - whatever boys do) And so they were having a conversation in this style about movie time and Special Needs...

Hannah: And then it was movie time for the girls
Kaylie: and they were in the special needs
Hannah: But they were still special
Kaylie: (drops character) I know! That is why it is called Special Needs.

How awesome is that?!?!?!

Thought for the day (courtesy of my dear friend Carole who pulled me aside this morning to remind me of exactly this (courtesy of God who put it on her heart to share it with me)): God made you special and He loves you very much.

Letter from Kaylie, part II

We asked Kaylie if she wanted to add to her part of the Mexico support letter and include anything else, including prayer requests, concerns about the trip people could pray for, etc. Here is her expanded letter:

Dear Family and Friends,
Daddy and I are going to Mexico. We will need to have money to pay for the trip though. Could you send money in? We will need $2,000. Don’t send in all your money though. Just send in some money. We will build a house and live in tents! We will stay July 11th -18th. Please can you help me and Daddy? Thanks!!! Can you pray for us too? Don’t forget Mom and Hannah! I am afraid no Mexican kids will like me because I am a American. Pray for that too. Bye-bye!!!!!!!!
Love,
Kaylie

When I asked about her addendum, if this is what was on her heart, or if she was just doing it quick because we asked her to, she said it truly is one of her concerns because she does not speak the same language and so she might have trouble making friends with the children she meets there. (She dramatically adds "the only Spanish word I know is elefante and that means elephant!", but then immediately adds the word for penguin, proving what I already know, which is that she knows more than "elephant") I think she is going to be pleasantly surprised and will learn so much on the trip! I am so excited she is going and going with a heart to serve and love the people of Mexico. Unfortunately we have to wait for July.

Please do keep Kaylie and Jim and all the others planning to go in your prayers as they prepare and then as they travel this summer. From a travel website:

Travel Alert: There has been a significant increase in the level of drug-related violence throughout Mexico with northern Baja California and Tijuana among the worst affected parts of the country. Tourists are not specifically targeted, but any travellers visiting these areas should exercise extreme caution.
Tijuana has a bad reputation that, sure, it partly deserves. Bars, brothels and strip clubs are brazenly frequented, and prescription meds and drugs loudly advertised. Hawkers brashly proclaim to ‘have it’ (no matter what you might be looking for), and if they don’t, they know someone who does.

Just as I do every day, I trust God will take care of them and I know God is always in control and will take care of us no matter what. I will keep passing on prayer requests as the trip nears.

Condiment Blogging, vol. 1

Time for some "ketchup" blogging...

Last month I helped chaperone a bunch of 4th of 5th graders from church at "SuperStart" - a high, energy youth conference just for kids their age. It was held at Indian Creek Christian Church and there were tons of kids there. I actually had fun.

Friday evening we took the fun bus (because that sounds better than smelly bus - which is what it was) down to Indian Creek and partied down there until late, then journeyed back up to TPCC to spend the night.

This is Hannah and her friends Sarah and Lorin - I love this picture because these girls have been friends since they were tots and now they are little ladies and still friends. :)

Big ole Twister board. YEE HAH!

Day 2 we got up way too early, had a nutritious breakfast of PopTarts and sugary cereals and headed back to Indian Creek for more fun, learning and worship.

This is Yancy, the very energetic worship leader. She was great. Check her out at www.yancynotnancy.com. She has some great CDs for kids and tots. If you would like something other than the same old sing-song music for your kids - this is for you. (Definitely not Barney territory!!)

Took the kids to Great Times for pizza and games - the adults even got to play too! - and then back to Indian Creek to close out the day.

Here is another photo I love: Hannah & Sarah side singing "Lean on Me". How cool is that??

We got home very pooped, but it was a great weekend!

The Third Place

I am very blessed to be part of a vibrant church that worships in an amazing facility that was built just a few years ago. We have benefited so much from the church leadership and their desire to create a "third place" for families and individuals to go. We spend tons of time there, and not just in worship services and meetings. Take today for example:

• We get to church at 7:30am and hang out in the Gathering while Kaylie gets her picture taken with her youth basketball team - yes, it is early, but there is a nice open area with tables and couches and room for the kids, so we can hang out and chat and forget it is early. Plus, soon Lori Julian, coffee queen extraordinaire, shows up and opens the Eagle Creek Coffee Company shop that is right there in the Gathering and you can get coffee and bagel and cinnamon roll and big chocolate chip cookie and muffins and on and on.
• Then Kaylie has a basketball game (which I have to admit, I pretty much missed, because I did not make it past the social phase of the morning and was still in the Gathering catching up with a very dear friend who I have not had the opportunity to see very often lately) - right there in the gym at church with the Traders Point youth basketball league.
• Then we have a brief layover, so we go to the Park, a huge indoor playland - STILL inside the church and the girls play for about 30 minutes.
• Then back to the Gathering for Jim and Hannah for her photos and then her game in the gym.
• Kaylie and I head to another area of the church for a "Fiber Arts" class on quiltmaking hosted, by the way, by Jean Abbott who has known me since forever - scary the things she probably knows.
• Then we did actually go off campus just for a smidge (well Jim did - yay Jim!) to get lunch. Alot of the time we bring it and eat in the Gathering, but we decided to go wild today and eat fast food, being the wacky folks we are.
• Finally, still at church, it was movie time with the special needs ministry where the kids watched a movie on the big screen and got to spread out on the floor with blankets and sleeping bags and pillows and eat popcorn and everything.

And then we had to go because we had been at church for almost 7 hours and the dogs were probably getting yellow eyes. But I LOVE that we have so much we can do there and the above is just part of what was happening there today. Yes, we need to be out being salt and light, too, but I still feel so blessed to have such a wonderful place to do so many things with my family!

The House that Tricia (and Hannah and Kaylie) built

Hey - I built a house last weekend!! Okay, it was cardboard and only slept 4 (and nothing else), but it was a house and it didn't collapse!!

We participated in Slum Survivor night at church to highlight world poverty and experience just a small taste of what people around the world experience everyday. It was fun and moving all at the same time.

This is the view from the front - notice the coveted corner lot.

We had neighbors one layer of cardboard away to the side and rear.

Hannah and Kaylie posing by the side of our "house". It was just deep enough to lay down in and just wide enough for the 4 of us.

Our back "door" - thanks to the corner lot, we had dual access - how cool are we??

(big expanse of clear tarp is our neighbors' outside "wall"...brrrr...)

The row of "homes" behind us.

We ate beans and rice and did challenges to earn treats like pillows and fruit and candy. Great event and hope to do it again sometime.

I love Church!

Sunday I got to go to church. And how wonderful it was! I know some people are perfectly content without attending church regularly, but I do not know how they do it. I felt like and empty urn just soaking up the worship and the presence of God and my brothers and sisters in Christ. It was so restorative to my soul, I just can't even tell you!

This coming Sunday, the message is "I'm Home!", and I can't wait! What an appropriate topic after the past few weeks we have had, plus I think I am on vocal team and nothing is better than getting to SING!!! Yee hah!!