Here's the hunting crew celebrating the first shoot of the season!They call him "The Shooter" now.
Todd, Cody, Aaron and Trent (pretty sexy camo, huh?)
Does anyone have any good recipes for venison?
The only way you can live the life that God created you to live is with God. At the core of our being nothing works except knowing Him.
Recognize that you were created to live in the presence of God and the more aware you are of His presence in your life the more powerfully you will live your life. Erwin McManus
I was shocked when I got on my blog and saw how long it's been since I've posted. Here's what's been going on, in no particular order:
On Friday I spent about an hour and a half at JaRoss spa sitting in the relaxation room with a warm herbal neck wrap, baking in the sauna, soaking in the jacuzzi, lounging in the big comfy robe and pampering myself with exotic body scrubs, lotions and hair products. Guess how much I paid for it? NOTHING . . . well, I paid $30 last month for a membership that lasts for a year. I can go in anytime and and the facilities as much as I want and it's free! I love it and it's a great way to relax and recharge. You should do it for yourself!
I've been working on some programs for my coaching practice. Here are some of the programs that I'll be offering for 2008: (Coaching is not for people in crisis, but people who want to get the most out of life)
Youth ministry has turned out to be much different than anyone anticipated - Blair and I are slowly working on building trust and rebuilding the ministry - it's going to take some time. In the meantime I feel God has confimred to me that coaching is my passion and the direction that I'm still supposed to be going in. Sometimes it's really hard to balance both jobs.
Family life is good, crazy and never a dull moment. Cody is 14 . . . going on 21 . . . Enough said! There is never a dull moment in our house and I am constantly on my toes reading and researching on how to be an effective parent. I am very grateful to my son that he is inpsiring me to learn so much right now and he's helping fuel my passion to help families work better.
Trent and I just got back from Vegas last week for a business conference that we always go to. It was fun, but we're always ready to leave. We didn't win anything, but had a great time seeing the CORR (championship offroad racing), Louie Anderson, Dick's Last Resort and the Titanic Exhibition.
We had to get all new countertops because the countertops we had were junk. That wasn't fun cuz our kitchen was all tore up again - ughhhh. But now it's almost as good as new and we just have some final things to do.
I'm getting excited for the holidays! We are simplifying this year and spending more money on spending time with people we love rather than buying a bunch of dumb gifts that they won't even use. I can't say what they are, but it's going to be great. We're also going to have Thanksgiving at our house, a Christmas party and maybe even a New Year's Party. Fun times, fun times.
Alright I guess that's it - give me an update on what you've been doing!
Football is now over and Cody's team placed 3rd in the division - not bad! Next year his big rivals (Schmucker and Discovery) will all be together on the Penn field working as a team - everything will change and he's really excited about wearing the Black and Gold.
In a final tribute to his last time wearing the Grissom uniform, I had to post a picture of his best football moment.
This kid from West side's job is to take Cody out so that he can't get to the quarterback. Notice he's about half Cody's size.
The kid is KNOCKED OUT - if you zoom in you can see that he is out cold.OUCH! I had dental work done today and my jaw is killing me. This is the start of a long journey I will be on for 2 years! My jaws are shifting, making a severe crossbite that is going to get really bad as I get older, which will not only look bad, but will cause some health problems.
In order to fix it right, I have to have orthodontics to move my jaws back into place. I am not excited, but am happy that in the end the bonus will be that for the first time ever in my life I'll have a beautiful smile! That's what I'll think of through this entire painful and financially exhausting process!
Here's the schedule:
When all is said and done it'll set us back about $12,000 and I'll be 44 years old. Oh well, at least Cody and I can share appointments for awhile!
Wow - it was a gorgeous weekend up north along the Lake Michigan coastline.
Wednesday was the last B game of the season and I've never seen that team look so good. We had another show down with Schmucker and Cody played the entire game - I've never seen him play that aggressively!
Here he is #62 forcing a fumble
Look how big Cody is compared to this kid - it's hilarious! He's like a tank!
We were down 13 - 20 and in the last 7 seconds Reese Haithcox scored this amazing touchdown (it was a run of half the football field). That brought the score to 19-20 - YIKES!
Here's our good friend Austin Watson (#40) getting ready to receive the ball and hold it for the kicker. What pressure for a bunch of 8th graders - they had to get this kick to win!
IT"S GOOD! GRISSOM WINS 21 - 20!!!!! (Look at Reese the running back doing a flip - he's right by Cody #62)
Coach K - the Athletic Director and 8th grade football coach
A very happy team! (Look at Cody - isn't he so cute?!)
Airiana says "Good Job Cody"!
We were lookin' T-O-U-G-H but in the 3rd quarter Schmucker started pulling ahead
Touch down Brad Kitts
Well, tonight is the big game - Grissom Middle School vs. Schmucker Middle School. It's at Penn on the big field and the kids get an announcer through the whole game. It's very exciting!
From what I understand Schmucker is tough - they're undefeated. I am hoping for an upset from our boys here at Grissom! I'll let you know!
Do you ever have one of those days where you have so much to say but you don't know how to get it out of your mouth into a form that anyone can understand?
I'm having one of those days . . . no, I'm having one of those months.
So that's it . . . for now.
If I can just deal with life and allow God to use those dealings to transform me into the right person - the EXPLOSIVE person, the person with GUN POWDER in my veins . . .
Then the noise I make will be worth hearing.
The fire that is seen in my life will scorch the room.
The substance of my life will pierce the hearts of those around me, and where I stand . . .
I will always leave a mark!
(From "FlashBang - How I Got Over Myself" by Mark Steele)
Today's Daily Word - Saturday, September 15, 2007
Let Go, Let God
I live life inspired, whole, and free. What a comfort it is to know that I can let go and let God lead me in all matters and in all that matters.
What I am releasing is the mistaken belief that I need to direct and control all the various aspects of my life. What I am accepting is the greater good that is emerging and unfolding.
With God leading the way, I am free of all fear and doubt. My trust in God strengthens me with the resolve to live my life fully.
What is in store for me this day and in the days ahead? I may not have all the details just yet, but there is no doubt that the light of God shines brightly in and through me. I am ready and eager to step forward into a life of inspired living.
“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.”—Jeremiah 29:11-12
From The Daily Word
3 weeks ago I was just minding my own business, winding down the summer and looking forward to working on my Life Coaching practice this fall (which, by the way, is going really well), when out of nowhere – BAM! – God grabs me and points me in an entirely different direction.
Well, it wasn’t exactly an ENTIRELY different direction, it was a path I’ve been on before and thought that God was finished with.
Are you sitting down?! I've agreed to accept the job of Youth Director at Waypoint Community Church in Middlebury. I will be working with some of my favorite people in the whole entire world, Blair and Tracy Carlstrom - Blair is a new pastor there.
I will still be doing my life coaching practice, and I will also do the youth job for one year (it’s a temporary gig). It’s really cool because with my life coaching I am specializing in family and relationship work, so the 2 fit hand in hand. Eventually I'm hoping to incorporate family work into the ministry too.
The beauty of this is that the youth ministry is very important to Waypoint and has been very successful, so I have incredible support. Blair and I will be working together with middle school and high school students to help them connect with God and with each other – it will be focused all around relationship, connection and every day things they are dealing with. Instead of preaching at them, we will raise a topic and ask questions so they can talk it out. I will get to use everything that I learned in coaching school and apply it to youth ministry. Funny how God does things like that! It's so awesome!
My good friend Judy Gregory summed it up for me and really helped give me the confidence to take this on (thanks Judy!):
"Lanette, you belong in youth ministry. You have the passion and the drive. As an AA, you were in the right department, just the wrong position. I think you came away with a whole lot of great memories from the experience, but a few scars too. I just think you needed a little time to heal in between, so that God could redeem it all. Even if you do nothing beyond being yourself, you are going to do and be incredible!"
I am so grateful for this new direction and new journey and can’t wait to see what God is going to do!
Since my cat Teddy dumped me and moved in at the neighbors house, my incredibly sweet and kind hubby brought me a new baby home last week to take care of.
I LOVE him! He really is a good kitty. I still am heartbroken that Teddy left me, but this is helping me get over the rejection.
This is an AMAZING story about how an "every day person" just like us followed her heart, turned a personal tragedy into something good, and is making a HUGE difference in a place where people have no value at all.
On her first night in India, Becky Douglas lay awake thinking about beggars. As she tossed and turned that night, Douglas prayed. "'I'm just a housewife. Tell me what I should do.' And the thought came to me: 'You can at least look at them. You can at least acknowledge that they're suffering.' And the next day I did."
Six years later, Douglas is a veteran activist fighting to end leprosy in India. The organization she started around her kitchen table now works with 20,000 people who live in 45 leprosy colonies, providing them with microloans, mobile health clinics and schools.
It was the death of her oldest daughter, Amber, that started it all. When Douglas was cleaning out her daughter's dorm room she discovered that Amber had been sending part of her college money to orphans in India. CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY . . .
http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3058
It is a very happy day in the Rajski household (well, ok - Trent isn't exactly grinning from ear to ear). My cat Teddy came home! He's been missing since Memorial Day weekend. At the end of May I finally gave in to the idea that he was probably dead and I have been missing him ever since. You can see his obituary here.
I have no idea where he's been or what he's been doing, but he just sauntered in 2 days ago like nothing was up and I went crazy I was so excited - He acted like he could care less. I guess that's a cat for you.
He's a little skinnier, but other than that he looks healthy. What I wouldn't give to have one of those little camera's to attach to his collar to see where he's been.
Oh happy day . . . . Oh Happy Day!
Jeff Laidig SCORE!
