We don’t get here as often as we did when the big kids were young.
But it’s nice that once a year RGH offers free admission in September.
Our busy schedule allowed for only three hours, but we had a blast.
I love that Tabitha will still play with them. She helps this tired older mom keep them supervised.
A lot of games mushed into one post.
Marie plays on varsity again this year and Tab is enjoying her second modified year. Their teams play well and win some and lose some. They are a joy to watch.
Marie and I were discussing some of the finer points of what it means to play team sports.
Some people focus mostly on the number of goals and wins. That’s fine. It’s one way to evaluate it.
I probably wouldn’t enjoy playing for or rooting for a team that didn’t care anything about winning.
But that’s not the most important piece to me. Not by a long shot.
For John and I what matters to us is the following:
1.) Opportunity to use the gifts God gave you. Enjoying the functions of a healthy body and being willing to work on improving your performance to the glory of God is one of the easiest examples to offer.
2.) The opportunity to learn how to function as a part of a larger team is also very valuable. Just as we are all parts of the whole body of the church and need to practice how to compliment and support one another, team members need to learn to function as a part of the whole.
3.) And the opportunity to work with mentor-coaches. Marie and Tabitha have been exceedingly blessed to be coached by Mr. Ray Marshall and Ms. Meaghan Finn. As a parents we have been very thoughtful about whom we allow in positions of role models in our kids’ lives. The statistics on the effects of coaches on a young person are reported time and time again as being significant to their overall development. (Google it.) I can say without hesitation that my girls’ coaches have contributed meaningfully to their spiritual development. They are not only sturdy role models, but they have offered Marie and Tab more than soccer training.
Both girls play defense.
The next five shots were taken by D. L. Walter.
Yes – she did head this.
I’m not sure if they will go to the championship games.
But they have won handedly already.
I know, I know… insert joke here
(1) Don’t you know how to lead youth yet?
(2) Shouldn’t you have done this a decade ago?
(3) Don’t you know you are too old?
Here’s the deal. God has a great sense of humor.
If you spend 10 minutes with me you will quickly get the sense that I am Busy. And while God knows this, He also loves me dearly and knows me intimately.
Last August the youth group congregated at our house for a Wednesday night Swim and Study. And as I was talking with Jen Fisk and asking her lots of questions I suddenly became aware of the fact that I was not just asking with polite interest, but I was actually being called into the group. I flushed the idea immediately because I am Very Busy. And. I am afraid of teenagers.
But the following Sunday there I was again opening my mouth and telling Jen I wanted to come along side her with the ever growing younger age group (at that time Tiffany was ministering to the older girls and Jen to the younger). During that same season, Gabby was also coming into the leadership side as she had graduated high school.
I don’t know who was most surprised by my words. The Youth Pastor, D.L? His wife Tiffany? John? The kids? Me? Yeah. I’m sure we were all wondering, “Are you kidding?”
I went to the first meeting absolutely sure I was going to stand out as a sore thumb. What did I know about being cool? Ok. I don’t know anything about being cool. I figured I’d have to fake it. I mean, I’ve pulled off FCWC the last three years, even though I have no idea what I’m doing…
Somehow I made it through the first week, and actually really looked forward to the next week. Then the next week, I really looked forward to the following week.
•The games time was hysterical (even that header I took on my face was memorable).
•I sincerely enjoyed the teaching. Even though the messages are meant “for the kids” I find myself learning something new every single week.
•Our small group time was precious. Gabby and I enjoyed having small group with the 6th and 7th graders; what they shared was truly special. Answering their questions and encouraging them to share got less scary week after week. (This year I have grades 6 & 7, Gabby has 8th, Jen has 9th and Tiffany has 10th-12th.)
Somewhere along the way – no idea when – I got the feeling that I wasn’t faking it. I wasn’t exactly metamorphosed into a cool person. But I realized that just being a listener who loved Jesus and who wanted them to love Jesus was a great starting place. Meanwhile we’ve had some opportunities to learn more about leadership along the way and I feel more and more like God blessed ME the most of anyone in the group. D.L. equips us with talking points and with the help of the Holy Spirit it’s been rich and wonderful.
So – this photo was taken after a National Youth Leadership simulcast we got to attend. My mind was blown away and I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend this kind of time with the kids and the other leaders.
I think the food presentation on the cruise ships has affected Katriel’s expectations for meals.
The mercury says 80F, but the living room looked deceptively winter-esque as we celebrated Christmas early this year.
We borrowed Nigel’s tree and set it up.
Johanna and Marie made reindeer cupcakes.
And after dinner the girls dug into a scavenger hunt.
Clues pointed us along the way.
When you’re cold and you’re wet,
It is nice to get dry.
When you put this together
Then we can fly.
Their first clue led them to the dryer where they found a glider airplane.
It’s round and it’s orange,
And grows on a tree.
It came from the place
Where I want to be.
Next they located an orange in the pantry with another clue.
Night brings out what’s festive,
Now you can be, too.
We may even see friends
Who are special to you.
Then they found some glow wands and glow sticks nestled under Disney friends.
Clue four led them to Mickey bars in the garage fridge.
If you haven’t guessed it,
Please don’t have fears.
Open the box for your
New pair of ____________
Their last clue led them to sparkly Minnie Mouse ears.
Mama, Marie, Tabitha, Johanna, and Katriel will be heading to Florida this November for a Christmas-season peek at Walt Disney World. Nan and Nene will also be joining us. Stewart, Nigel and John will not be able to fit the trip into their schedules.
Last year Marie mentioned how she would love to see WDW decked out for Christmas. I realized this fall would be the last time she had a flexible schedule; she will most likely be enrolled at FLCC next year. Though nothing about Disney is cheap, we were able to get tickets through Traveling Homeschoolers, and I patiently stalked Southwest until I could get affordable airfare. We rented a lovely four bedroom house near Disney, and God answered my prayer for an affordable rental van.
This will be the first time Johanna and Katriel fly, and the first time Marie and Tab fly since 2007; they were 3 and 1 at that time.
Nigel was in on the secret. He played along as he opened HIS gift.
Raisins and spoons. (It is a LOOOOOONG time Butler joke.)
He and Daddy will likely have a blast having the house to themselves.
Katriel is a little bored now that school started. Johanna has a lot more school as a fourth grader than Katriel has as a first grader. She reached out and begged me to play with her a little.
So she showed me how she plays church.
The littlest Butler got her first especially-for-her Bible today.
She is an excellent reader and is WAY more than ready for this joyful privilege.
It was also the day of the church picnic. Katriel enjoyed the singing pirates.
It was Katriel’s turn to set the table.
She wasn’t happy that Stewart’s seat was still empty.
So she made him a dinner of his own.
Meanwhile Stewart sent us a photo of he and his roommate Dustyn actually having dinner…
And this is how Johanna felt about having a phone conversation with him.
He’s been gone a week!
Dayspring Disciples 