Our new website is HERE. This blog will no longer exist beginning 4/1. If you want to stay up to date with Seeds of Grace, we encourage you to visit us on Facebook or at our new website.
Thanks for your support over the years, and we hope you'll follow us through this move.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Let Love Bloom: Bring Your Own Tools
We are getting more and more excited about our plans for Let Love Bloom on March 28th. We've received some donations, and we've enlisted a few volunteers as well. We know that some of you want to know more details about our plans.
We will meet at 12:15 to give our volunteers some important information and tips as they go and share love throughout the neighborhood.
We are hoping that we will have enough volunteers that we will be able to send a few groups of 3-4 people to visit people's homes throughout the neighborhood and ask them if they would like to have a flower planted in their yard. Teri and I are currently working on mapping out some paths for those small groups of people to drive as they pass out flowers.
Teams of people will do as much of their route as they can, and then we will plan to meet back together as a large group at 2:30.
This will be a bring your own tools event, so please bring any gardening tools that will be helpful to you or that you would be willing to share with other volunteers.
People interested in volunteering can comment below, message us on facebook, or email us. Please contact us by March 16th, if you are planning to volunteer so that we can plan accordingly.
We will meet at 12:15 to give our volunteers some important information and tips as they go and share love throughout the neighborhood.
We are hoping that we will have enough volunteers that we will be able to send a few groups of 3-4 people to visit people's homes throughout the neighborhood and ask them if they would like to have a flower planted in their yard. Teri and I are currently working on mapping out some paths for those small groups of people to drive as they pass out flowers.
Teams of people will do as much of their route as they can, and then we will plan to meet back together as a large group at 2:30.
This will be a bring your own tools event, so please bring any gardening tools that will be helpful to you or that you would be willing to share with other volunteers.
People interested in volunteering can comment below, message us on facebook, or email us. Please contact us by March 16th, if you are planning to volunteer so that we can plan accordingly.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Let Love Bloom
Last week, we shared a bit about why we do what what we do, and we promised to keep sharing about the details about what it will look like to walk alongside our neighbors in High Ridge. Here is our first step:
We are planning a Spring Event, "Let Love Bloom."
We have given away oranges two years in a row, and this Spring we think we need to get a little dirt under our fingernails.
We're enlisting a little help from our friends.
This is Seeds of Grace's fourth year of ministry. Just as a four year old child starts preparing for school, we are preparing our organization for a new phase. We want to grow and become even more involved in the High Ridge community, so Seeds of Grace has been planning some new events, in addition to our regular Book Bus schedule, for this coming year.
On March 28, 2015, we want to "Let Love Bloom" in
High Ridge with a flower giveaway. This Spring event was inspired by our winter
citrus giveaway. During the past two winters, we have been honored to have
someone contact us saying they had oranges they wanted to get rid of and asking
us to give them away. Teri and I loaded up in one of our trucks and drove
around some of our favorite streets around town (many of them happen to be in
High Ridge), asking people if they would like some oranges. In some ways it
seems like a silly thing, but the smiles on people's faces and the little
conversations we had with people let us know that this was helping us build
some relationships in the neighborhood. "Let Love Bloom" is just
another way for us to say, "You are loved, and you matter."
We are planning a Spring Event, "Let Love Bloom."
We have given away oranges two years in a row, and this Spring we think we need to get a little dirt under our fingernails.
We're enlisting a little help from our friends.
This is Seeds of Grace's fourth year of ministry. Just as a four year old child starts preparing for school, we are preparing our organization for a new phase. We want to grow and become even more involved in the High Ridge community, so Seeds of Grace has been planning some new events, in addition to our regular Book Bus schedule, for this coming year.
On March 28, 2015, we want to "Let Love Bloom" in
High Ridge with a flower giveaway. This Spring event was inspired by our winter
citrus giveaway. During the past two winters, we have been honored to have
someone contact us saying they had oranges they wanted to get rid of and asking
us to give them away. Teri and I loaded up in one of our trucks and drove
around some of our favorite streets around town (many of them happen to be in
High Ridge), asking people if they would like some oranges. In some ways it
seems like a silly thing, but the smiles on people's faces and the little
conversations we had with people let us know that this was helping us build
some relationships in the neighborhood. "Let Love Bloom" is just
another way for us to say, "You are loved, and you matter."
If you'd like to make a donation to our fabulous flower give away, please mail your donation to 6148 County Road 352, Keystone Heights, FL, 32656. Seeds of Grace is a 501c3 organization.
And, if your a local reader, we'd love for you to join us for the day. Contact us on facebook.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Poverty...It's complicated, y'all!
Poverty is defined as "the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support."
I'm not really a fan of money. It stresses me out. I stress about saving, spending, handling it, counting it, and generally being responsible for it. If I could figure out how to live in this world without dealing with it, I would. I have seriously considered trying to implement some sort of barter system.
Even when I think of poverty, I'm of the opinion that it isn't really about money. Maybe that's because I've been to Haiti and other places where some people might say "they don't have anything." They surely don't have much- not a roof or running water or much more than a little oil and rice for their one meal of the day. But, I've sat next these people "without" anything and I've seen that they really have so much more than meets the eye. So much more than my big house and nice clothes and full fridge is worth. These "poor" people that I've had the privilege of sitting next to know real joy and gratitude and hope and ingenuity.
However, there is another kind of poverty- the kind that has "no means of support." Truth be told, Seeds of Grace isn't very interested in helping with the money side of poverty. There are so many organizations and programs that exist to help with those obstacles. We know, though, that there are many people- some with large bank accounts and some with empty ones- that feel stuck or alone or lost. There are people who just need a good friend or a good teacher to walk alongside them for a little while, and at Seeds of Grace we want be doing that kind of "work."
Teri and I started this whole Book Bus thing because we were working with students who needed more than what school could offer them. We had students who were coming to school dirty, who had many behavior problems, who were low-achievers, and who told stories of chaotic homes. Most of these students had one thing in common. They were from low-income homes. Many of them living in a single neighborhood. And our heart began to break. For these children. For their families. For their neighborhood.
It wasn't that we thought we were better than anyone in that neighborhood. It was that we believed we could be in that neighborhood. We could be stuck or alone or empty. If we were, we would want someone to come along side us for a little while.
For those of you who have been following us for sometime, you know that when we talk about a neighborhood, we are mostly talking about High Ridge. That's true. However, we want to be very clear- we love the people who live there. We love the children and adults who live in that neighborhood. We love the people who live in that neighborhood who have beautiful homes and yards, and we love the people who live in that neighborhood and have trash thrown all over their yard. We love the people whose children are bathed and nicely behaved and strong readers, and we love the people whose children have a weeks worth of dirt on their neck or never follow directions or are reading way below grade level. We love the retired folks and the working-hard-every-day-to-make-it-folks and the folks on food stamps.We love the church goers and the bar goers. We love the volunteers and the drug dealers. Really. We do. And really. There are all those kinds of people and everything in between in that neighborhood just like any other neighborhood. The thing is, if you drive through High Ridge; you can't deny that there is something different. That it at least appears that more people are struggling in that neighborhood than in the country club or on Lakeview Drive or Grove Street.
Johnny, one of our board members, told me a story about privilege the other day. He said he had read about a teacher who was trying to explain privilege to her students who claimed that everyone in the United States has the same opportunities. The teacher put a trashcan in the front of the classroom, and she had the students sit in rows as their desks. Some students were in the front, some in the middle, and some towards the back of the classroom. The teacher handed all of the students a crumpled piece of paper, and told them that they would all have the same opportunity to throw their crumpled piece of paper in the trash. They couldn't move from their seats, even if they were in the very back; but they all had the same opportunity to throw their piece of paper in the trash.
As a teacher, I see privilege play out in a million different ways every day in the classroom. Students who have computers at home know what to do the first time they are asked to maneuver a mouse. Students who have been to a public library know how to treat a book. Students who have conversations with their parents at the dinner table have a better vocabulary. Students who are fed nutritiously and sleep through the night are more able to focus and concentrate.
I started writing this blog post because I heard that someone else had heard that someone was offended because we were saying that all people who lived in High Ridge were poor and then I inferred the next thought- that we arrogantly thought we could "fix those people." I can't nor do I want to fix "those people." I want to love. I want to be friends. I want to walk alongside my neighbors, whether rich or poor.
We want to tell you more about the details of what walking alongside our neighbors in High Ridge is going to look like, and so we hope you'll stay tuned and joined us as we keep growing and sharing.
We want to tell you more about the details of what walking alongside our neighbors in High Ridge is going to look like, and so we hope you'll stay tuned and joined us as we keep growing and sharing.
Monday, January 5, 2015
We've grown!
It's been almost a year since our last past post, which I guess means it is more than time for an update.
First some confessions. We are not marketers and fundraisers, but we have big dreams. We've learned no one is going to get people excited about our ideas for us.
So, here we go.
We are committed to the High Ridge neighborhood. We are committed to seeing a reduction in poverty in the Keystone Heights area.
We believe poverty is not as much a money issue as it is a relationship and education issue. We want to help people build relationships and provide educational opportunities.
We believe that the people living on Purdue, Bowdoin, and Clemson (the names of streets in High Ridge Estates) need the people who live on Lakeview, Magnolia, and Palmetto (streets in the city limits of Keystone Heights) and vice versa.
We believe relationships and education change people. We believe they change the middle class, the poor, and the rich. And we all need changin'.
We haven't written in almost a year, but we haven't been idle. Here's the overview:
We were practicing what we preach in our personal lives (relationships = Carey adopted two boys; Teri's daughter was married quite recently; education= teaching, teaching, teaching which means learning, learning, learning).
We gave away oranges. Twice. That's a good story that we'll have to tell on a separate post, but let's just say...it's the little things, people.
Carey was ordained. Remember that church we might need to start ? Well, we are working on it. It's slow work, but good work that I can't wait to have more to tell you about.
We've kept putting one foot in front of the other. We took 15 Book Bus trips this year, and recently we estimated that means we spent about $1,000 on gas alone. We almost always have some books in the back of our car that someone gave to us.
We have some great friendships with people in High Ridge. Before I started writing this post, I went and looked at the pictures we've posted over the last few years. We have several elderly friends in High Ridge, and there were their faces on the blog. When we posted those pictures, we didn't really know their stories. They were exciting new faces then, but now they are warm friends who we look forward to seeing each month or who we greatly miss when they can't make it.
We've taken dinner to our friends, prayed with them when they are sick, rejoiced with them when their husband went to church.
One little girl who was one of our original "visitors" is in Teri's class this year! She is an avid reader, and we like to think we are partially responsible. Although her grandmother gets most of the credit!
I guess, we didn't write for a year, because it seemed like we didn't have anything to say. You know how when your kids are growing up, you don't really notice that they are getting taller because you see them everyday. And, then, all of a sudden, you look at them, and think, "Oh my! Those jeans are WAY too short!" I think this past year has been like that for us. We didn't really think much was happening, but now when I look back on it....God did a whole lot!
First some confessions. We are not marketers and fundraisers, but we have big dreams. We've learned no one is going to get people excited about our ideas for us.
So, here we go.
We are committed to the High Ridge neighborhood. We are committed to seeing a reduction in poverty in the Keystone Heights area.
We believe poverty is not as much a money issue as it is a relationship and education issue. We want to help people build relationships and provide educational opportunities.
We believe that the people living on Purdue, Bowdoin, and Clemson (the names of streets in High Ridge Estates) need the people who live on Lakeview, Magnolia, and Palmetto (streets in the city limits of Keystone Heights) and vice versa.
We believe relationships and education change people. We believe they change the middle class, the poor, and the rich. And we all need changin'.
We haven't written in almost a year, but we haven't been idle. Here's the overview:
We were practicing what we preach in our personal lives (relationships = Carey adopted two boys; Teri's daughter was married quite recently; education= teaching, teaching, teaching which means learning, learning, learning).
We gave away oranges. Twice. That's a good story that we'll have to tell on a separate post, but let's just say...it's the little things, people.
Carey was ordained. Remember that church we might need to start ? Well, we are working on it. It's slow work, but good work that I can't wait to have more to tell you about.
We've kept putting one foot in front of the other. We took 15 Book Bus trips this year, and recently we estimated that means we spent about $1,000 on gas alone. We almost always have some books in the back of our car that someone gave to us.
We have some great friendships with people in High Ridge. Before I started writing this post, I went and looked at the pictures we've posted over the last few years. We have several elderly friends in High Ridge, and there were their faces on the blog. When we posted those pictures, we didn't really know their stories. They were exciting new faces then, but now they are warm friends who we look forward to seeing each month or who we greatly miss when they can't make it.
We've taken dinner to our friends, prayed with them when they are sick, rejoiced with them when their husband went to church.
One little girl who was one of our original "visitors" is in Teri's class this year! She is an avid reader, and we like to think we are partially responsible. Although her grandmother gets most of the credit!
I guess, we didn't write for a year, because it seemed like we didn't have anything to say. You know how when your kids are growing up, you don't really notice that they are getting taller because you see them everyday. And, then, all of a sudden, you look at them, and think, "Oh my! Those jeans are WAY too short!" I think this past year has been like that for us. We didn't really think much was happening, but now when I look back on it....God did a whole lot!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Spring Break Book Business
To some folks spring break means beach trips, house cleaning
and relaxing but to us it meant sorting through 47 boxes/bins of books. With
the help of the Middleburg Black Creek Lions Club and a couple of dedicated friends we
accomplished a daunting task in just 7 short hours (with no lunch break).
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| We love volunteers! |
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| Hard Working Helpers |
I don't
want to mislead you there was quite a bit of planning and preparing for this to
get accomplished in one day. First a very sweet gentleman built us custom
shelves, at no charge. The shelves house our overflow books. We also had to
spend a little bit of money on some bins, just under a hundred dollars. Finally
we had to set a date and put out the all call for some able bodies.
I have to
say it feels great! We now have a closet with books that are sorted into
organized bins. We were also able to go through and purge some of the less
desirable books. Now before we head out for our book bus routes we simply go to
each labeled bin and refill any necessary books. A dream come true! Now all
that is left is the ice cream truck. Let us know if you have one sitting around
your yard.
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| Thank you Mr. Buddy for our shelves. |
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| We even had a few leftovers book to donate to the rummage sale. |
**Next
Book Bus run is Saturday April 13th. Let us know if you would like to ride
along.**
Monday, January 14, 2013
And we're famous, sort of.
In case you don't read The Florida Times-Union, you
should know that we are a little bit famous. Okay, maybe not famous, even a
little bit; but we have been seriously impressed with the article and the
amazing response people have had.
If you haven't read it yet, you can check it out here:
We were front page!
We've had numerous
people contact us about donations of all sorts (gift cards, books, etc.), and
that has been amazing! We've had a few people say they would like to help us by
volunteering or spreading the word about what we are doing. And we've had a few
just " 'Atta boy!" kind of emails. It's been lovely!
And that momentum carried us through a very busy weekend. On
Friday, we had another mom's gathering. One of our mom's from our first group came
with her sweet little baby girl, and we had a new mom who is due in March
attend as well. Mentors, mentees, and a lovely labor and delivery nurse sat
around telling stories and talking about all things birthing and motherhood. We
made some cute onesies for the new babes in the room and on their way. We
closed with a sweet prayer, hugs, and talk of the next gathering.
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On Saturday morning, we were loading books at about 8:45 and around 3:45 we were shoving bins of books back
in the closet. We finished the day pretty tired, but as I said on Facebook,
there is no other way I'd rather spend my day.
We've quit keeping a formal count of people and books at
Book Bus, but I would estimate we saw about 100 people over the course of the
day, which means we gave away around 500 books. The McRae crowd, which meets us
at Gadara Baptist, was not quite as large as last month; but I would guess
there were still about 50 people there.
We also had a very special international guest at this
weekend's Seeds of Grace events. Our family has had the privilege of hosting
Ataro Alice in our home as she participates in a Teacher Exchange at the local
high school, and while she is here she is investigating how we encourage parent
involvement and looking for ideas that could be transferred to her country and
culture. Who knows, maybe we're gonna go international! Ha.
Partially because so many people have asked us about our
needs and partially because it is that time of year when we reflect and plan
ahead and dream; Teri and I have spent some time lately talking about what the
next steps might look like. We still continue to dream about a place and a real
bus/ice cream truck to enhance our current work, and we have also begun
dreaming about new programs too (more information to come soon, we hope). The truth is,
though, we need help just maintaining these amazing seedlings that have begun
to grow. We continue to pray for someone who could help us get and remain
organized. We continue to look for particular books. Currently, our biggest
need is chapter books for second and third graders. And we continue to pray
that God will guide every step we take. We do not want to be ahead of him or
behind him, but right in step with what he is already doing.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Farewell 2012
As the final hours of 2012 slip away I thought the blog
deserved one last post for the year. Even though we have been lax in our writing, we have been busy. We have our very own business bank account as a
non-profit. The best part is there is actually a little bit of money in the
account. As of the first of December all the new moms from our first class have
given birth, two boys and two girls. Some of the girls are continuing to keep
in touch and for that we are grateful.
In December we made the decision to expand Book Bus once
again. On the second Saturday we loaded up the trailer and went from Melrose,
to High Ridge in Keystone and for the first time drove the 15 miles out to
McRae to share books with that community. To say we were well received would be
an understatement. There were no less than 75 visitors at that stop! What I haven’t
even mentioned yet is that we had a guest that Saturday. A reporter from the Times
Union spent the day with us. She wrote an amazing article that really captured
all that Carey and I have been trying to do. It was great to get the publicity.
We have received several responses to the article, people offering books and
even gas cards to help defray some of our costs. Everyone who has contacted us
has been supportive and encouraging of our ministry.
I’m not sure what 2013 holds for Seeds of Grace but we know
that Book Bus will continue as well as a brand new mom’s class with new mothers
to be. Carey and I still dream of a real bus/ truck with music and brightly
colored paint. However the old truck/trailer gets the job done, so no
complaining. We have a few new faces on the scene helping with our Mom’s Class
and starting a Couponing Class too. Who knows what else will reveal itself as
the year unfolds. All I know is God is good, all the time, and he shows us that
time and time again through each endeavor we set out to do. We welcome you to
join us in any way you feel led. Wishing you a fulfilling 2013.
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| Loading the trailer |
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| A warm reception from McRae |
Saturday, October 13, 2012
"Might be on the side of the road passing out free books...or might just be out of gas." - Johnny Williams
Some days just don't go well.
The day started with my three year old throwing up all over her shoes. Which was better than my shoes, but still it caused me to run a little late this morning.
My dad and I (mostly my dad) successfully hitched our borrowed trailer and loaded it down with books, and we were off to our first stop.
Johnny Williams caught up with us along the way. Johnny works nights, so when he comes to book bus he's giving up a few hours sleep. We were a three man team (Teri had other commitments); one down from our preferred number for a team.
At our first stop, I saw someone I knew as a kid. I didn't recognize him at first, but as we talked I felt both joy and sadness. Joy because he is still the funny, smart guy I remember; but sadness because that smart, funny guy doesn't seem to be living his dream. Sadness because I dream about making connections that matter in an eternal way, but this meeting had been nothing more than a little superficial. I'm not sure how it could have been any different, and I'd like to think that what seems superficial to me is sometimes more; but still I walked away kinda sad.
And, that was the beginning of what could have been the end of the day. We took a back road from Melrose back to High Ridge, and Johnny Williams was driving the truck at that point. All of a sudden I realized the truck was slowing down, and he said, "Any chance we could be out of gas?" And next thing we knew, the fumes were gone and we were on the side of the road. Johnny called his dad who brought us some gas, and then we cranked the truck, and cranked the truck, and cranked the truck...but the truck didn't crank.
So, there we sat, on a back road with a borrowed trailer full of books loaded on a truck that wouldn't crank, and we were supposed to be at our first High Ridge stop right then. We quickly assessed the situation and decided the best plan was for Johnny to ride home with his dad, pick up another truck, and come back so we could load the trailer onto that truck.
Johnny got back to me and the trailer of books about the time we were supposed to be at the second stop, so we quickly loaded up. I moved our cups and stuff to his truck, while he and his dad managed the not so easy job of connecting his truck to the trailer on a pretty good incline.
Johnny and I laughed a lot about the whole thing, but it was more than a little frustrating. We were supposed to be one place, but there was absolutely nothing we could do to get there any faster. It was just one of those days when you wonder, "Is it really worth this? Maybe we should just go back home."
But, when we did finally make it to our first (which should have been our third) stop, this is what was there....
and it WAS WORTH IT! We had people waiting on us at every stop today! And the truth is, I didn't really talk to any of them about anything that wasn't superficial, but something told me maybe it still mattered.
The day started with my three year old throwing up all over her shoes. Which was better than my shoes, but still it caused me to run a little late this morning.
My dad and I (mostly my dad) successfully hitched our borrowed trailer and loaded it down with books, and we were off to our first stop.
Johnny Williams caught up with us along the way. Johnny works nights, so when he comes to book bus he's giving up a few hours sleep. We were a three man team (Teri had other commitments); one down from our preferred number for a team.
At our first stop, I saw someone I knew as a kid. I didn't recognize him at first, but as we talked I felt both joy and sadness. Joy because he is still the funny, smart guy I remember; but sadness because that smart, funny guy doesn't seem to be living his dream. Sadness because I dream about making connections that matter in an eternal way, but this meeting had been nothing more than a little superficial. I'm not sure how it could have been any different, and I'd like to think that what seems superficial to me is sometimes more; but still I walked away kinda sad.
And, that was the beginning of what could have been the end of the day. We took a back road from Melrose back to High Ridge, and Johnny Williams was driving the truck at that point. All of a sudden I realized the truck was slowing down, and he said, "Any chance we could be out of gas?" And next thing we knew, the fumes were gone and we were on the side of the road. Johnny called his dad who brought us some gas, and then we cranked the truck, and cranked the truck, and cranked the truck...but the truck didn't crank.
So, there we sat, on a back road with a borrowed trailer full of books loaded on a truck that wouldn't crank, and we were supposed to be at our first High Ridge stop right then. We quickly assessed the situation and decided the best plan was for Johnny to ride home with his dad, pick up another truck, and come back so we could load the trailer onto that truck.
Johnny got back to me and the trailer of books about the time we were supposed to be at the second stop, so we quickly loaded up. I moved our cups and stuff to his truck, while he and his dad managed the not so easy job of connecting his truck to the trailer on a pretty good incline.
Johnny and I laughed a lot about the whole thing, but it was more than a little frustrating. We were supposed to be one place, but there was absolutely nothing we could do to get there any faster. It was just one of those days when you wonder, "Is it really worth this? Maybe we should just go back home."
But, when we did finally make it to our first (which should have been our third) stop, this is what was there....
and it WAS WORTH IT! We had people waiting on us at every stop today! And the truth is, I didn't really talk to any of them about anything that wasn't superficial, but something told me maybe it still mattered.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Back to School News
For those of
you who check in on us regularly, let me assure you that we are well, just
extremely busy. I thought an update of the happenings was in order so here’s
what we have been up to. Carey, who was my assistant extraordinaire, was
promoted to Keystone Elementary’s new media specialist. With this new position
came a lot more responsibility. I think she is really enjoying it and I know
that she is doing a great job.
I was given
the go ahead to create a Parent Resource Room at our school (the PRR if you
will). With the help of some
community-minded volunteers we turned an old book storage room into an inviting
meeting place. Parents come to learn ways that they can be involved in their
child’s education and are given activities and ideas to use at home. Plans are already in the works for high school
honor students to come over 4 days a week to conduct tutoring sessions with
struggling students. The main goal of the PRR is to encourage parents to get
involved and if they are not sure how to do it, the PRR gives them some tools
to help make that happen.
The new
mom’s class has met 3 times and our next meeting is in collaboration with the
Safety Council. Each of the girls will be getting a new car seat and lessons on
how to safely install them. The cost of the brand new seats is $20. The girls
will pay half and Seeds of Grace will pay the other half.
As far as
Book Bus goes we are back to our once a month schedule. The Melrose stop has
become very popular. It’s no exaggeration to say we give over a 100 books away
each time we’re there. We continue to enjoy our High Ridge route and are
thinking of working out a plan to start servicing the McRae area too. We are
having shelves made for our abundance of books. A sweet retired carpenter has
made this his own project and we have received some monetary donations to help
pay for materials.
As I look
back over the things that have transpired I am amazed by both what has been
done and what is still left to do. I continue to pray that we will follow the
blueprint that God has put before us. Carey and I marvel at how eager people
are to help in many ways, yet we are still waiting on God to send us a few more
folks who have the desire to make a commitment to this ministry. We continue to
actively wait and confidently rest in the knowledge that He knows the big plan
for what is in store.
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| Entrance to PRR (formerly Book Room) |
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| It's amazing what a little paint and a lot of TLC can do. |
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| Can you pick out the pinterest ideas and the dumpster finds? |
Monday, July 23, 2012
Maybe It is Coming Together
For a long time, it has felt (I'm going to speak for Teri here too), like we were kinda doing this on our own. For a long time, there were only a handful of people who were helping us, and we had just a few wads of cash that people had donated. And, don't get us wrong, it was enough, we were lacking nothing...except patience.
You see, we have been dreaming these enormous, crazy dreams for about two years now. We have moved painstakingly slow, or so it seemed to us. Now...
We have our SECOND mommy class planned for August 1.
The book bus has been in "business" for more than a year.
We had a very encouraging conversation with the county manager this week.
We changed our book bus schedule, and several High Ridge residents noticed.
We received a check made out to Seeds of Grace, our first.
We have realized we need to get an image designed to use on letterhead, thank you notes, etc.
A small, quiet group of women have been working on a Seeds of Grace cookbook for us to give away to our book bus friends, and they hope to go to print in the next two weeks.
It may not be directly related, but it has still been part of our dream- there will be a parent resource room at KHES this year!
We still have lots of big dreams and many are unfulfilled, but we are moving! A big thank you to all of you who have faithfully prayed, dreamed with us, worked on some little/big task, donated time/money, and spread the word about what we are doing! Keep dreaming with us! It is starting to get exciting!
You see, we have been dreaming these enormous, crazy dreams for about two years now. We have moved painstakingly slow, or so it seemed to us. Now...
We have our SECOND mommy class planned for August 1.
The book bus has been in "business" for more than a year.
We had a very encouraging conversation with the county manager this week.
We changed our book bus schedule, and several High Ridge residents noticed.
We received a check made out to Seeds of Grace, our first.
We have realized we need to get an image designed to use on letterhead, thank you notes, etc.
A small, quiet group of women have been working on a Seeds of Grace cookbook for us to give away to our book bus friends, and they hope to go to print in the next two weeks.
It may not be directly related, but it has still been part of our dream- there will be a parent resource room at KHES this year!
We still have lots of big dreams and many are unfulfilled, but we are moving! A big thank you to all of you who have faithfully prayed, dreamed with us, worked on some little/big task, donated time/money, and spread the word about what we are doing! Keep dreaming with us! It is starting to get exciting!
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sometimes It Takes 9 Months
It may take 9 months to have a baby, but it took us 9 months to put together a
baby class for young moms. It was definitely worth it, though. The four girls
that attended agreed and are excited to come back for the next gathering.
Episcopal Children's Services shared two DVDs that
touched on the importance of touch, conversation, reading and
basically interacting with your child. It encouraged young parents to turn off
the TV and put down their cell phone and spend time bonding and playing with
their newborn. The girls enjoyed the information that was shared as well as
snacks and a special gift bag for each of them. The class ended with some
conversation, and all the girls excited to meet again. We are excited too- not
just for the opportunity to teach, but to encourage and become a part of a
support system within our community both for these girls and their babies.
baby class for young moms. It was definitely worth it, though. The four girls
that attended agreed and are excited to come back for the next gathering.
Episcopal Children's Services shared two DVDs that
touched on the importance of touch, conversation, reading and
basically interacting with your child. It encouraged young parents to turn off
the TV and put down their cell phone and spend time bonding and playing with
their newborn. The girls enjoyed the information that was shared as well as
snacks and a special gift bag for each of them. The class ended with some
conversation, and all the girls excited to meet again. We are excited too- not
just for the opportunity to teach, but to encourage and become a part of a
support system within our community both for these girls and their babies.
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| The "Moms to Be" were thrilled with their gift bags. Thanks to Suzie, Deb, and Jenah for all their efforts to put them together. |
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| Everyone loves a cupcake |
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| One of our new moms and grandma to be! |
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Could You Help?
You know the mail
carriers have their creed. Here is the Book Bus creed: Neither tropical storms,
road construction or mud will keep the Book Bus from sharing books with eager
readers! At least that was the case on Saturday. We were a bit worried at the beginning of the
week but by Thursday we knew it was a go. Not only did we do our six stops in
High Ridge but we also added a Melrose stop at the apartments behind Melrose
Elementary off SR 26. We were thrilled with the response of the residents and
plan to make it a regular stop.
I am not able to
find the words to describe to you the emotion that fills me when we pull up to
our Book Stop and there are cars and people everywhere waiting on us! There are
always words of appreciation, sometimes there are requests for certain authors
or types of reading material. I feel safe in saying that Carey and I both
believe that our Book Bus is “God driven” . I am amazed at all He has blessed
us with over the past year and I don’t just mean books. The people we have met
and the things we have learned are priceless.
There are a few
things that we are in need of. The Bible says, “ Ask and you shall receive” so
we’re asking. We have noticed that preschool and board books are very popular.
We are always running low on these. We have recently been offering cookbooks
which have been a big hit, but our supply is running low. We also had a
specific request for Monster Truck books. I didn’t want to leave that out. If you
have anything you would like to donate please contact Carey or Teri. Thank you
for caring about and sharing how God is
using us in our community.
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| They came inspite of road blocks and construction! |
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| Time out to read :) |
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| Our Melrose Stop! |
Monday, June 4, 2012
We are official!
So, I received our certificate of incorporation in the mail last week.
So, it's official, we are Seeds of Grace, Inc.
And...I use the word "so" way too much. Ha.
So, it's official, we are Seeds of Grace, Inc.
And...I use the word "so" way too much. Ha.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
1,000
On our next book bus tour, we will have been driving down those dusty, dirt roads for a year.
We have more books in our closet than we can give way.
We are talking about expanding and wondering what's next for this adventure.
We have filed articles of incorporation and are looking at filing for federal non-profit status.
For the last few weeks, I have had at least one person a week tell me they are interested in volunteering.
And we have had more than 1,000 page views. I know some people get that much traffic in a day or even in an hour, but for me...it still seems like we ought to celebrate. It is a milestone.
We might not be big. We might not have any power or money to speak of.
But...we are moving, we are thinking, and God is using what seems so little to us.
We are grateful and excited about the movement we see!
We have more books in our closet than we can give way.
We are talking about expanding and wondering what's next for this adventure.
We have filed articles of incorporation and are looking at filing for federal non-profit status.
For the last few weeks, I have had at least one person a week tell me they are interested in volunteering.
And we have had more than 1,000 page views. I know some people get that much traffic in a day or even in an hour, but for me...it still seems like we ought to celebrate. It is a milestone.
We might not be big. We might not have any power or money to speak of.
But...we are moving, we are thinking, and God is using what seems so little to us.
We are grateful and excited about the movement we see!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Agriculture
A couple of weeks ago I went to the Storyline Conference and heard Donald Miller say,
"The spiritual life is like agriculture, not commercialism."
And today, I read these quotes...
Oscar Romero wrote, "It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts: it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is the Lord's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No sermon says all that should be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplished the Church's mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. That is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted knowing they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that affects far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in that. This enables us to do something, and do it very, very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the Master Builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builder; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future that is not our own."
May we remember this as we plan, and write vision statements and business plans, and apply for 501c3. May we remember this as we watch families continue to disintegrate. May we remember this as we work and minister.
"The spiritual life is like agriculture, not commercialism."
And today, I read these quotes...
Oscar Romero wrote, "It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts: it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is the Lord's work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No sermon says all that should be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplished the Church's mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. That is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted knowing they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that affects far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in that. This enables us to do something, and do it very, very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the Master Builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builder; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future that is not our own."
May we remember this as we plan, and write vision statements and business plans, and apply for 501c3. May we remember this as we watch families continue to disintegrate. May we remember this as we work and minister.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Could a day at the beach change the world?
Disclaimer: I am not, nor do I claim to be, the perfect parent. I screw it up as a mom all of the time. Also, for many of the parents of my students, life is so complicated and tough, that even a trip to the grocery store can be a real challenge. I'm not blaming anyone or saying if I were in their shoes I could do it differently. I am saying, "there has to be a better way, and how can I help?"
For the most part, I would say I haven't spoiled my children. I expect them to do what they are asked, to use their manners, to think for themselves, and I love each of their little steps towards independence (dressing themselves, brushing their own teeth, going up the stairs by themselves to get whatever it is they left behind). We don't buy the newest toys, we own no gaming system, and although they may have a lot of clothes, many were worn previously or picked up on the clearance rack. But...there is one way my husband and I have intentionally spoiled our children. We have spoiled them with experiences.
We go to the library about once a week.
Both of our girls have been to Haiti.
We have taken our oldest daughter to live theater productions.
Today we went to the beach, and on the way Isaac and I talked about a trip we are planning to take to Washington D.C.
For being six and two, they've done and seen a lot.
Today when we went to the beach, we picked up rocks and shells and talked about how old they might be or how they got to the shore. We stopped to notice a rabbit hopping around the dunes. We built a sand castle and talked about how important it is to have the right mixture of water and sand. These are the same things my parents did for me, and they are things many of my friends would do with their children without even thinking.
On the way home from the beach, my mind drifted to the dreams Teri and I talk about and the plans we are trying to make. And, I thought...here is another example of how different My children's lives are from many of the students I see every day.
You see today was a day I could have easily taken for granted, that my children quite possibly took for granted...but for at least half of the students I see at school, it would have been an extraordinary day.
Teri and I often say we wish parents realized how important the "little things" are. If we could somehow get parents to feed their children healthy meals, read to them every day, give them a bath, and put them to bed on time consistently; we think this would be a different world. And, then I wonder if you could add a trip to the beach or a museum every once in a while on top of that regular, basic care and attention...
I don't know of any fix. I don't know how to "make" any of that happen. I just know that if we could help a few parents learn how important these things can be, we just might change a few kids lives.
For the most part, I would say I haven't spoiled my children. I expect them to do what they are asked, to use their manners, to think for themselves, and I love each of their little steps towards independence (dressing themselves, brushing their own teeth, going up the stairs by themselves to get whatever it is they left behind). We don't buy the newest toys, we own no gaming system, and although they may have a lot of clothes, many were worn previously or picked up on the clearance rack. But...there is one way my husband and I have intentionally spoiled our children. We have spoiled them with experiences.
We go to the library about once a week.
Both of our girls have been to Haiti.
We have taken our oldest daughter to live theater productions.
Today we went to the beach, and on the way Isaac and I talked about a trip we are planning to take to Washington D.C.
For being six and two, they've done and seen a lot.
Today when we went to the beach, we picked up rocks and shells and talked about how old they might be or how they got to the shore. We stopped to notice a rabbit hopping around the dunes. We built a sand castle and talked about how important it is to have the right mixture of water and sand. These are the same things my parents did for me, and they are things many of my friends would do with their children without even thinking.
On the way home from the beach, my mind drifted to the dreams Teri and I talk about and the plans we are trying to make. And, I thought...here is another example of how different My children's lives are from many of the students I see every day.
You see today was a day I could have easily taken for granted, that my children quite possibly took for granted...but for at least half of the students I see at school, it would have been an extraordinary day.
Teri and I often say we wish parents realized how important the "little things" are. If we could somehow get parents to feed their children healthy meals, read to them every day, give them a bath, and put them to bed on time consistently; we think this would be a different world. And, then I wonder if you could add a trip to the beach or a museum every once in a while on top of that regular, basic care and attention...
I don't know of any fix. I don't know how to "make" any of that happen. I just know that if we could help a few parents learn how important these things can be, we just might change a few kids lives.
Friday, May 18, 2012
The best part
We love seeing a child's face light up when they find the perfect book,
or they walk away with their arms filled with a few new treasures,
or we see them at school and they have a "book bus" book with them.
But this little girl, has just stolen our heart.
She has been at book bus nearly every time we've made a trip over the last year.
And on Saturday, she came running to the book bus with her arms in the air, saying,
"I've been waiting ALL DAY for this!"
And that is the best part!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Not Just Any Old Saturday
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Helping JoJo choose the right book.
|
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| So excited to see some of our students! |
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| Sharing Wisdom |
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| Showing off her books. |
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| Lots of customers! |
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| Making a new friend :) |
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| Catching up with an old one. |
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
We are too easily pleased.
"It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are too easily pleased." C.S. Lewis
Isn't this so true? How often have we settled? We've settled for what we know, because it is familiar and comfortable. Like the rich, young ruler we cling to the treasures in our hands instead of trading them in for God's amazing, but unpredictable way of life.
How often do we come to God with meager requests because we don't have the faith to ask for our real dream? Or how often do we not ask because we are afraid that if God made a way for our dream to happen, we would only fail?
These are the questions I'm struggling with lately. What things am I holding onto because they are familiar and comfortable, but they are really just in the way of what God has for me? And what things has he already given me, but is still daring me to dream bigger?
As for Seeds of Grace, the articles of incorporation were mailed yesterday! I can't wait to see what God may have for us in the coming months. This is an area I'm confident about. God is definitely saying, "DREAM BIG!"
Isn't this so true? How often have we settled? We've settled for what we know, because it is familiar and comfortable. Like the rich, young ruler we cling to the treasures in our hands instead of trading them in for God's amazing, but unpredictable way of life.
How often do we come to God with meager requests because we don't have the faith to ask for our real dream? Or how often do we not ask because we are afraid that if God made a way for our dream to happen, we would only fail?
These are the questions I'm struggling with lately. What things am I holding onto because they are familiar and comfortable, but they are really just in the way of what God has for me? And what things has he already given me, but is still daring me to dream bigger?
As for Seeds of Grace, the articles of incorporation were mailed yesterday! I can't wait to see what God may have for us in the coming months. This is an area I'm confident about. God is definitely saying, "DREAM BIG!"
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