I love Christmas. I mean LOVE it. Not just Christmas, but Advent, New Year's, Epiphany, the whole deal. During the holiday season I get carried away on my Facebook and Twitter. I see all kids of fun videos and articles online, and I can't help but share them with my friends. So I thought I'd put them all together on my blog, sort of a holiday fun guide, if you will. Consider this your Christmas present. Enjoy!
First off, there are a couple of social network Christmas story videos out there. The cute one makes me giggle, but the sweet one makes my heart do that warm-twisty Holy Spirit thing. You know the one.
Speaking of the nativity, have you ever wondered what really went on during the first Christmas? Just ask these kids.
Thought Antoine Dodson's fifteen minutes of fame were over? Think again. He's back, and this time he's all up in Santa's business. Are you a Santa fan? Then here are some "facts" you might not know about the fat, jolly elf!
Here's a little something for my fellow Trekkies, then get your brain going with a little Christmas song game!
This is why we don't have live animals in the nativity scene at my church.
Northpointe Church has a rocking new way of making beautiful music.
I made a video with my friend/boss Lydia for an Advent Conspiracy event at our church. It's embarrassing, but I love it! And if you don't know about Advent Conspiracy, please please please go here!
It's a Rudolph/Roxanne mashup. Need I say more?
My friends are just as brilliant as The Police and whoever wrote Rudolph, IMHO. Meet your new favorite Christmas song.
It's not Christmas-y, but it's still exciting: my Auburn Tigers are going to the National Championship! Just a few links to show my fandom.
And a couple of old favorites, courtesy of Straight No Chaser and the SNL guys from way back in the day.
We've had some fun, but let's not forget the serious but inspiring links.
A man in India devotes his life to serving others.
My friend Kyle Gilbert wrote a "sobering reminder" about what Christmas isn't, and Steve West tells us why it's not such a big deal to say Xmas. Here on Rachel of the Well, I gave my own take on how to get the message of Christmas across to children.
And last but certainly not least, Stephen Colbert is both funny and sincere about Jesus' message of loving everyone.
Ok, one more: here's a little more of my own Christmas silliness, just for fun!
Well, I think that's all I've got. If I've missed anything super awesome, link to it in the comments. I'm wishing you love and peace during this holiday season, my friends! God bless you!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Our Nashville Adventure, Told in Several Increasingly Dramatic Installments ~ Part 2, The Creeper
Read the first part HERE (or you won't really know what's going on).
We return to our story as Bridget and I are walking up the street toward Rocketown, the venue where Relient K are going to be performing very soon. As we near the building, we see several well-lit parking lots with trustworthy-looking attendants, and I grow more nervous about the welfare of my precious Mitzi - the Mitsubishi, of course. We press on and enter the venue with our tickets in hand. We gaze around the industrial-style building and realize that we are in a sea of teenagers. While the opening band is performing, we have a lot of fun searching the crowd for anyone that appears older than our 25 years. We spotted a mom in a Christmas sweater and a grey-haired dad accompanying his tweenage daughter. Inexplicably excited to be the third-and-fourth oldest people in the room, besides the bands, we try to find a place to stand in the crush. We are stuck peering around pubescent boys who haven't quite realized how tall they have grown to be. Finally, Relient K comes out and all my hopes and dreams are realized (I told you this would be dramatic)! They put on a wonderful show with some of my favorite of their Christmas and other songs. I am thrilled to finally hear my favorite band, but the concert is over far too soon and we are faced with the trek back to the car.
As we turn the corner onto the street where we parked the car, we are distracted by the Nashville skyline looming above us. We stop to take some pictures to commemorate our trip. As we turn to get in the car and head back to our hotel, I suddenly become confused. Wasn't this where I parked the car? The only thing there now is an orange cone and a huge note spray-painted on a loading dock door - NO PARKING -
"Oh. No." I say. "The car is gone." Bridget stares in silence at the empty space and ominous lettering. I start manically walking down the street.
"What are you going to do?" asks Bridget, once she finds her words again.
"I'm going to find my car." I say determinedly.
We walk up the street to where a police car is parked. The officer inside rolls down his window, and I ask how we could find out if my car has been towed. He tells us to look at the parking signs and there should be a number for a towing place on them. We walk the block, writing down every phone number we see. I call each one, and get the same answer. "No, we haven't towed a blue '02 Mitsubishi Galant tonight." Unsure of our next step, we approach another police officer that has been directing traffic (looking back, I thank God that there was so much going on that night in Nashville. We would have been in trouble if we hadn't had those officers to help us). We tell him what has happened, and he puts in a call for an officer to come help us find the car. He gives us a number to call if no one has shown up in fifteen minutes, then he goes back to directing traffic at the intersection nearby.
Bridget and I sit down on a bench to wait. The street we are on is pretty much abandoned because of construction. There is no one walking or driving by. She has left her coat in the car, so she is shivering in the 40-degree weather. We wait for about fifteen minutes, so I call the dispatch office to see if someone is coming. They tell me that someone is on their way. As we are sitting there, Bridget notices a nice, black car drive by. She thinks it might be an undercover police car, until it drives right by. When it circles the block and drives by us again, this time slowing down, she gets a little nervous. I, in the meantime, am writing down all the phone numbers I think I will need because my phone is about to die. Of course, I brought the charger, but it is in the missing car. As I am writing down the number of my cousin, who lives in Nashville, I hear Bridget say "Rachel, this car has driven by here three times."
I look up to see the car pass us, then stop and slowly begin to back toward us. I say "Oh, he's probably just going to use the meter." But I scoot down to the end of the bench, away from the approaching car. As the car gets right beside our bench, the driver parks and cuts the engine. Bridget and I stand up and nonchalantly begin walking down the sidewalk, away from the car. We peek back to see the driver climb out of the car and walk to his trunk, staring at us the whole way. When he opens the trunk and peers inside, Bridget nudges me and says "Rachel, GO!"
We run across the street to a hotel entrance. We hide behind some bushes and watch the man in the black car rummage around in his trunk. When he stands up and looks across the street to where we are hiding, we scramble to the door and try to enter the hotel. But the door is locked. We have nowhere to go.
Don't miss the final part of our adventure, coming soon (comments will speed up the writing process)!
Here it is! Part 3 ~Awkward Side-Hug~
We return to our story as Bridget and I are walking up the street toward Rocketown, the venue where Relient K are going to be performing very soon. As we near the building, we see several well-lit parking lots with trustworthy-looking attendants, and I grow more nervous about the welfare of my precious Mitzi - the Mitsubishi, of course. We press on and enter the venue with our tickets in hand. We gaze around the industrial-style building and realize that we are in a sea of teenagers. While the opening band is performing, we have a lot of fun searching the crowd for anyone that appears older than our 25 years. We spotted a mom in a Christmas sweater and a grey-haired dad accompanying his tweenage daughter. Inexplicably excited to be the third-and-fourth oldest people in the room, besides the bands, we try to find a place to stand in the crush. We are stuck peering around pubescent boys who haven't quite realized how tall they have grown to be. Finally, Relient K comes out and all my hopes and dreams are realized (I told you this would be dramatic)! They put on a wonderful show with some of my favorite of their Christmas and other songs. I am thrilled to finally hear my favorite band, but the concert is over far too soon and we are faced with the trek back to the car.
As we turn the corner onto the street where we parked the car, we are distracted by the Nashville skyline looming above us. We stop to take some pictures to commemorate our trip. As we turn to get in the car and head back to our hotel, I suddenly become confused. Wasn't this where I parked the car? The only thing there now is an orange cone and a huge note spray-painted on a loading dock door - NO PARKING -
"Oh. No." I say. "The car is gone." Bridget stares in silence at the empty space and ominous lettering. I start manically walking down the street.
"What are you going to do?" asks Bridget, once she finds her words again.
"I'm going to find my car." I say determinedly.
We walk up the street to where a police car is parked. The officer inside rolls down his window, and I ask how we could find out if my car has been towed. He tells us to look at the parking signs and there should be a number for a towing place on them. We walk the block, writing down every phone number we see. I call each one, and get the same answer. "No, we haven't towed a blue '02 Mitsubishi Galant tonight." Unsure of our next step, we approach another police officer that has been directing traffic (looking back, I thank God that there was so much going on that night in Nashville. We would have been in trouble if we hadn't had those officers to help us). We tell him what has happened, and he puts in a call for an officer to come help us find the car. He gives us a number to call if no one has shown up in fifteen minutes, then he goes back to directing traffic at the intersection nearby.
Bridget and I sit down on a bench to wait. The street we are on is pretty much abandoned because of construction. There is no one walking or driving by. She has left her coat in the car, so she is shivering in the 40-degree weather. We wait for about fifteen minutes, so I call the dispatch office to see if someone is coming. They tell me that someone is on their way. As we are sitting there, Bridget notices a nice, black car drive by. She thinks it might be an undercover police car, until it drives right by. When it circles the block and drives by us again, this time slowing down, she gets a little nervous. I, in the meantime, am writing down all the phone numbers I think I will need because my phone is about to die. Of course, I brought the charger, but it is in the missing car. As I am writing down the number of my cousin, who lives in Nashville, I hear Bridget say "Rachel, this car has driven by here three times."
I look up to see the car pass us, then stop and slowly begin to back toward us. I say "Oh, he's probably just going to use the meter." But I scoot down to the end of the bench, away from the approaching car. As the car gets right beside our bench, the driver parks and cuts the engine. Bridget and I stand up and nonchalantly begin walking down the sidewalk, away from the car. We peek back to see the driver climb out of the car and walk to his trunk, staring at us the whole way. When he opens the trunk and peers inside, Bridget nudges me and says "Rachel, GO!"
We run across the street to a hotel entrance. We hide behind some bushes and watch the man in the black car rummage around in his trunk. When he stands up and looks across the street to where we are hiding, we scramble to the door and try to enter the hotel. But the door is locked. We have nowhere to go.
Don't miss the final part of our adventure, coming soon (comments will speed up the writing process)!
Here it is! Part 3 ~Awkward Side-Hug~
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Who Do You Like Better?
During my kids' worship service on the first Sunday of Advent, I was having a conversation with the kids about the first Christmas. Many of them did not know that Christmas is Jesus' birthday, but I wasn't really surprised. Many of their parents are regular churchgoers, and I have no doubt that they have taught their children the basic bible stories like that of the Nativity; however, these children are of the age that any talk of a little baby in a far off land a long time ago is overshadowed by the fact that they get lots of toys from Santa Claus every Christmas. Let's face it, they probably don't even like their baby brothers or sisters very much; why would they care about some little baby they don't know? I was impressed by the honesty of one little boy who said "Ms. Rachel, I just don't know who I like better: Santa or Jesus." To be honest, I totally get that (although once I pointed out that if Jesus had never been born we wouldn't have Christmas OR Santa, he changed his tune pretty quick). I don't blame their parents, the church, or even society as a whole for getting the whole message mixed up. It's a natural human tendency to hold on to the material things, those things we can touch, smell, see, buy, sell, hoard. Spirituality is a need that most count second to the physical requirements of life. And to a child, a toy is a physical requirement, at least in our culture. So if this baby they've never met less important than a magical man with elvish friends who make toys, it's understandable. Understandable, but not irreversible.
Here's where we come in. The only way that our children (I say "our" not as a parent but as someone who cares deeply about children, as a group and individually) will learn the true meaning of Christmas is if we, as adults, show them and tell them what this whole shindig is all about. Show them that loving and giving is more important than receiving. Tell them about your relationship with Jesus Christ and how he has made a difference in your life. They're just kids; they're not going to figure it out on their own. I know this seems obvious, but I think we've forgotten part of it. I, too, get caught up in the hubbub of presents and cookies and holiday traffic, and before I realize it, I have lost my focus.
That's why I like Advent Conspiracy so much. It opens up so many opportunities for acts of service, relational giving, and conversations about important things. If you haven't checked it out yet, do it. It can change Christmas for you and your family, and maybe it will change the world in the process.
Here's where we come in. The only way that our children (I say "our" not as a parent but as someone who cares deeply about children, as a group and individually) will learn the true meaning of Christmas is if we, as adults, show them and tell them what this whole shindig is all about. Show them that loving and giving is more important than receiving. Tell them about your relationship with Jesus Christ and how he has made a difference in your life. They're just kids; they're not going to figure it out on their own. I know this seems obvious, but I think we've forgotten part of it. I, too, get caught up in the hubbub of presents and cookies and holiday traffic, and before I realize it, I have lost my focus.
That's why I like Advent Conspiracy so much. It opens up so many opportunities for acts of service, relational giving, and conversations about important things. If you haven't checked it out yet, do it. It can change Christmas for you and your family, and maybe it will change the world in the process.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Our Nashville Adventure, Told in Several Very Dramatic Installments ~ Part 1, "Hotdog money"
It's a beautiful December day, and my lovely friend Bridget and I are driving to Nashville for an overnight trip to celebrate her 25th birthday. Our spirits are high as we head north. I'm especially excited about the concert we are going to see that night; Relient K has been my favorite band since my teenage years, but I've never seen them perform a full concert. We get to Nashville in plenty of time and start making plans to go somewhere special for a birthday dinner. As we look for the exit that will take us into downtown, I notice that the traffic is beginning to get congested. Before I know it, a long line has formed in the right-hand lane, and my exit is coming up fast. I try to merge onto the exit ramp, but the line of cars is just too tight and I sail right on by. But I'm not too worried. I say "oh, I'll just go up to the next exit and turn south. That'll get us there." I'm pretty confident in my directional skills; after all, I've been to Nashville a whole two times in the past six months. I pretty much know my way around by now, right?
I exit at the next opportunity and start making my way toward downtown. Traffic is getting worse and worse, but small-town girl that I am, I think it's just a normal big city occurrence on a Friday night. That is, until we see the first police lights. The road to the right is blocked, right where I need to go. I shrug and continue at a snail's pace, hoping we'll get a chance to turn soon. An hour and a half later, we're about a mile up the road, and my friend Patience has abandoned me for sunnier skies. Bridget is taking it all in stride, snapping pictures of the bright city lights out the window. We have passed at least ten streets, all blockaded on the right. Finally, as our car is trapped in the middle of an intersection at a red light, I roll down my window and ask a traffic cop, "what's going on?"
"Christmas parade," he says.
Ah. Great. That would have been nice to know. At last, we get to the end of the street. Nowhere to go but... left. We drive over the river and decide to circle around and attempt it from the other direction. This works much better, and we arrive in the general vicinity of the concert venue. I am nervous about missing the show, so we decide to take the first parking spot that we see and walk the rest of the way. Bridget says "look! They're parking cars over there." She points to a small road flanked by warehouses and office buildings. There seem to be a couple of men directing cars into a parking lot. I quickly veer onto the street and am greeted by a man waving me toward him.
I pull up beside him and roll down my window.
Ah. Great. That would have been nice to know. At last, we get to the end of the street. Nowhere to go but... left. We drive over the river and decide to circle around and attempt it from the other direction. This works much better, and we arrive in the general vicinity of the concert venue. I am nervous about missing the show, so we decide to take the first parking spot that we see and walk the rest of the way. Bridget says "look! They're parking cars over there." She points to a small road flanked by warehouses and office buildings. There seem to be a couple of men directing cars into a parking lot. I quickly veer onto the street and am greeted by a man waving me toward him.
I pull up beside him and roll down my window.
"Is this a parking area?" I ask.
"Yeah, you can park here. It's five dollar," he replies.
I pull into the spot he indicates and give him the five dollars. He asks for a tip, so I hand over another buck.
"Now, you're sure it's ok to park here? Who owns this building?"
"Yeah yeah, it's jimnerferver's building."
"Who?"
"Jim... Jimner Ferver."
"Oh...ok... so nothing's going to happen if I park here?"
"Naw, naw, I'll watch it for you."
"You will?"
"Yeah sure... can I have some more money? I wanna buy a hotdog."
"...Um..."
Now, I know what you're thinking. But how can I resist a request for hotdog money? My heart is made of sugar and spice and everything nice. It is not made of stone! I give him another couple of dollars and we walk toward the venue. I must confess that I did not trust our new friend with my whole heart. Call me crazy, suspicious, or paranoid, but I had a strange feeling that something was not right about the situation.
Bridget and I debate whether we should turn back and find a different place to park, but in the end we walk on, saying a little prayer that my car will be there when we get back. As it turns out, we should have said a bigger prayer...
Stay tuned for the next installment of the story. It's a good one. Trust me, I was there.
PART 2 ~The Creeper~
PART 2 ~The Creeper~
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thankful Bloggy Blog #4!
It's my last thankful bloggy blog! I didn't finish the whole month of November; I stopped the day after Thanksgiving because everything got crazy. Being intentional about giving thanks this month was a huge blessing for me. It opened my eyes to all the wonderful things and people that God has given me, and I hope I won't forget that lesson anytime soon. So here's my last week of (public) thankfulness!
November 22: Rachel K. Sparkman is sooo thankful for Kleenex with lotion. Oh, man..
November 22: Rachel K. Sparkman is sooo thankful for Kleenex with lotion. Oh, man..
Today I'm also thankful for my good friend Kathryn Mangum. She has been one of my favorite people in the world ever since we became friends in college, and I miss her all the time! I hope you have a great birthday, my friend! I'm glad you were born!
November 23: Today I'm thankful for my "little" brothers Paul Sparkman and Daniel Sparkman. We've always stuck together through moves and changes, and they're two of my very best friends! They are also two of the funniest guys I know. I love you, brothers!
November 24: I thank God for my wonderful parents. They have been the biggest blessings in my life, and I love them so much. I don't even have words to explain the impact they have had on my life, so I'm just going to say thank you, Lord.
November 25: (Thanksgiving Day) I'm very thankful for my wonderful families, on both sides. I come from a long line of open-hearted, welcoming folks, and I'm so blessed. I hope your Thanksgiving day is as special as mine has been!
November 26: (Iron Bowl Friday) I'm thankful to be able to watch an exciting game today, but I'm even more thankful that there's more to life than football. No matter who wins, the love of friends and family will still be here.
War Eagle!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thirty Before Thirty List Update!
I get to cross off two things on my thirty before thirty list! See the whole list here.
#18 is Laugh so hard I cry (I needed at least one easy one). It was easier that I thought. At the young adult small group that I attend, my super-talented friends wrote a song called "Christmas Beans," and I recorded it on my camera. Well, I tried to record it. They were so funny with their cutesy little mannerisms that I couldn't keep a straight face and kept cracking up. It wouldn't have been a problem since I was behind the camera, but every time Karl saw me laughing he would start too! We had about 10 takes of this before I finally gave up the camera and let someone else film it. We finally got a great take, but by then I was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my face! Here's the final product, which I've already posted once but deserves another watch:
The second item I get to check off my list is #4: Meet someone famous. This one might be an iffy one, since the person I met isn't really that famous in the grand scheme of things, but he's famous to me and I'm a big fan! I think the excitement factor alone is enough to validate crossing this off the list. He is Jon Acuff, and he writes a blog called Stuff Christians Like. It is a hilarious blog about Christian life; you should check it out! I was at the National Youth Workers Convention this weekend working at the Urban Ministry booth, when I saw on Twitter that Jon Acuff was going to be signing his book at the Dave Ramsey booth. I got really excited and dragged my friend Meagan with me because I was too shy to go by myself. We found him, and he was so super nice! We chatted about Birmingham and Camp Sumatanga, and he signed my book. I was really glad to meet him and tell him how much I enjoyed his writing. That was the closest I've come to meeting a "celebrity," so I'm going to cross it off my list!
#18 is Laugh so hard I cry (I needed at least one easy one). It was easier that I thought. At the young adult small group that I attend, my super-talented friends wrote a song called "Christmas Beans," and I recorded it on my camera. Well, I tried to record it. They were so funny with their cutesy little mannerisms that I couldn't keep a straight face and kept cracking up. It wouldn't have been a problem since I was behind the camera, but every time Karl saw me laughing he would start too! We had about 10 takes of this before I finally gave up the camera and let someone else film it. We finally got a great take, but by then I was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my face! Here's the final product, which I've already posted once but deserves another watch:
The second item I get to check off my list is #4: Meet someone famous. This one might be an iffy one, since the person I met isn't really that famous in the grand scheme of things, but he's famous to me and I'm a big fan! I think the excitement factor alone is enough to validate crossing this off the list. He is Jon Acuff, and he writes a blog called Stuff Christians Like. It is a hilarious blog about Christian life; you should check it out! I was at the National Youth Workers Convention this weekend working at the Urban Ministry booth, when I saw on Twitter that Jon Acuff was going to be signing his book at the Dave Ramsey booth. I got really excited and dragged my friend Meagan with me because I was too shy to go by myself. We found him, and he was so super nice! We chatted about Birmingham and Camp Sumatanga, and he signed my book. I was really glad to meet him and tell him how much I enjoyed his writing. That was the closest I've come to meeting a "celebrity," so I'm going to cross it off my list!
Me and Jon Acuff!
So now I only have 28 things left on my list (well, 27 if you don't count #30, which I forgot to put on the list in the first place)! Maybe I'll be able to cross another one off soon!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Thankful Bloggy Blog #3!
November 15: I'm so thankful for the rain that makes things grow, even though it also makes me sleepy!
November 16: I'm thankful that I have so many things to be thankful for that I can't even pick one!
Later on November 16... Wait never mind. Today I'm thankful for peppermint mochas! Mmmm!
See what I mean?
The Urban Ministry booth and Deb at the convention. Check out her new pants!
November 16: I'm thankful that I have so many things to be thankful for that I can't even pick one!
Later on November 16... Wait never mind. Today I'm thankful for peppermint mochas! Mmmm!
November 17: I am thankful for my wonderful Alpha group that I get to see tonight, especially Matt Collette and Ramsey Thomson, the best cooks in town!!!!!
See what I mean?
November 18: I'm thankful for the opportunity to travel to fun places and spend time with awesome friends. Headed to Nashville for the Youth Workers Convention this weekend.
November 19-21: A three-in-one thankful status for the weekend: I'm thankful for organizations like Urban Ministry, Inc, Camp Sumatanga and UMCOR - United Methodist Committee On Relief that do so much good for the world in the name of Jesus Christ. If you're looking for a way to serve in this Christmas season, look no further!
The Urban Ministry booth and Deb at the convention. Check out her new pants!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thankful Bloggy Blog #2!
Things I was thankful for this week, with pictures!
November 8: Today I'm thankful for my "Huntsville family," including Karen Banka Thomas, Shelby Stricklin-Snead, Bridget Aaron and the rest of the gang. I don't know if it was the eggnog pumpkin pie, gummyfrog tea, Beatles RockBand or just the company, but I am feeling so much better after tonight!
November 9: Today I'm thankful for my oldest and dearest friend,Leslie Erin Black Betancourt and her precious "big boy" Jacob. I am so blessed to have a friend that has been around forever and still loves me!
November 10: I am so thankful for these girls, who were the best roommates and friends a girl could have! I put them together on my list not because they're half as important, but because it has always been the three of us, and it always will be! To my partners in crime, Katie McGlawn and Kate Daniels, I love you girls so much, and I thank God for putting you in my life!
November 11: Rachel K. Sparkman is always thankful for our veterans and those currently serving in the military. I don't have anything eloquent to say, just thank you. Thank you.
November 12: Oh no! I forgot to say what I was thankful for on Friday! I guess I'm thankful that I have friends, family and a God that loves me even when I make stupid mistakes and do silly forgetful things.
November 13: I love the beautiful autumn weather that brings me refreshment and rejuvenation after a hot, hot summer. It feels like God is bringing me a glass of lemonade to cool off after a day in the sun. Thanks, Lord! Delicious!
November 14: Today I'm thankful to live in this beautiful piece of God's creation! I love the Fall so much!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Give Thanks in November: Week 1
This month I am taking part in "Give Thanks in November" on Facebook and Twitter. Every day I post something that I am thankful for. They have been pretty random so far. I am going to post them on my blog at the end of each week so that I can save them for posterity. Because you know when a status goes beyond the "older posts" horizon, it's lost forever in the depths of the Facebook sea.
November 2: Rachel K. Sparkman is starting "Give Thanks in November" today! Today I'm thankful that God's got my back!
November 3: Thanks, God, for the gift of music, that always meets me exactly where I am. No matter my mood, I can always find a song that will speak to my heart. So thankful.
November 4: Oh, it's soooo early... BUT I'm thankful that I get to watch the sun rise on some beautiful smiling baby faces today!
November 5: Today I'm extra thankful for the miracle of modern medicine, from vaccines and treatments that save millions of lives, to more mundane remedies like Dayquil, which is the only thing getting me through the day. Amazing!
November 6: I am so thankful that today I got to go to Sumatanga, my favorite place in the world, and discover the Holy Spirit with some great people!
And today, November 7: Today (and every day), I'm thankful for my church family that has welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home. Thank you, Lord, for these wonderful children of yours. And bless them.
I am certainly not going to run out of things to be thankful for this month! I could keep going all year!
November 2: Rachel K. Sparkman is starting "Give Thanks in November" today! Today I'm thankful that God's got my back!
November 3: Thanks, God, for the gift of music, that always meets me exactly where I am. No matter my mood, I can always find a song that will speak to my heart. So thankful.
November 4: Oh, it's soooo early... BUT I'm thankful that I get to watch the sun rise on some beautiful smiling baby faces today!
November 5: Today I'm extra thankful for the miracle of modern medicine, from vaccines and treatments that save millions of lives, to more mundane remedies like Dayquil, which is the only thing getting me through the day. Amazing!
November 6: I am so thankful that today I got to go to Sumatanga, my favorite place in the world, and discover the Holy Spirit with some great people!
And today, November 7: Today (and every day), I'm thankful for my church family that has welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home. Thank you, Lord, for these wonderful children of yours. And bless them.
I am certainly not going to run out of things to be thankful for this month! I could keep going all year!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Christmas Beans
This seriously made my week! My friends wrote this song and we recorded it. I laughed so hard when we were recording it that I had to give the camera to someone else so everyone wouldn't get tickled! So here it is, my new favorite Christmas song, sung by Leah Kathryn Mills and Karl Bowdle! Blooper reel coming soon!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
It's My Birthday!
Today is my 25th birthday, and although I love birthdays, I'm freaking out a little bit! I'm halfway through my twenties; I've lived through a fourth of a century! I think I'm having a quarter-life crisis. I've seen and done some pretty awesome things in my 25 years, but I feel like there are a million more things I want to do before I get too old! So for my birthday this year, I am going to make a "30 before 30" list. Not that 30 is old, of course (oh em gee, 30 is so old); I just don't think I can come up with enough ideas to make a "40 before 40" list (and I don't want to think about ever turning 40). So here goes: thirty things I want to accomplish before I turn thirty - in no particular order.
Rachel's 30 Before 30 List!
Rachel's 30 Before 30 List!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Significance and Integrity
Last weekend I had the joy of working a young adult Chrysalis journey at Camp Sumatanga. I had an even greater joy of sponsoring three of my very good friends to come on the journey. It was an amazing weekend filled with so much agape love that it was hard to take it all in. I love serving on a Chrysalis because I get to use all of my gifts to love people. I came home on Sunday on such a "Jesus high," and I never wanted it to go away.
Unfortunately, the world intruded much sooner than I expected when my mom told me that her uncle had passed away over the weekend. Even though he was 89 years old and has been pretty sick for a long time, the passing of a loved one is never easy to take. And Uncle Bob was certainly loved, by my family and many others. If you want to read his obituary, go here. Chances are you won't read it all the way because it's so darn long! You see, my Uncle Bob was an amazing person. At his funeral there were many people that spoke of his military service, his long career in the US Social Security System (he was the Deputy Commissioner, the highest non-elected office in Social Security), and the numerous awards he received for all kinds of things. A colleague of his said that he was a "true American." He was an extreme volunteer; there is even an award that bears his name (from the UAB Center for Aging). But to me, the highest praise was when his stepson, Tim, got up and talked about Bob's love for his stepchildren and grandchildren, people who weren't related to him by blood but that he loved with his whole heart. He was known to stand up in the middle of a meeting or church service and loudly proclaim that he had the best grandchildren in the world! He loved God, and he showered that love on every person he met. Tim put into words what the rest of us couldn't; Uncle Bob was "successful" in every sense of the word, but that wasn't the whole story. Bob Bynum wasn't just successful, he was significant. He touched every life he came into contact with in a positive, lasting way.
As I reflected on Uncle Bob's story over the course of this week, I wondered how I could change my focus from living a "successful" life to living a "significant" life. In the small group that I attend every Thursday night, we learned that God calls every person to His mission, to share the love of Jesus Christ. In order to do that, I will need the integrity of a follower of Christ. To have integrity I have to know who I am, what I stand for, and what I have to do to fulfill my mission. That is how I can live a significant life. That is one thing that can change a story of ambition, prestige, and greed into a story of love, friendship and grace like my Uncle Bob's.
Isn't it amazing when God answers your questions even when you don't ask them out loud?
Unfortunately, the world intruded much sooner than I expected when my mom told me that her uncle had passed away over the weekend. Even though he was 89 years old and has been pretty sick for a long time, the passing of a loved one is never easy to take. And Uncle Bob was certainly loved, by my family and many others. If you want to read his obituary, go here. Chances are you won't read it all the way because it's so darn long! You see, my Uncle Bob was an amazing person. At his funeral there were many people that spoke of his military service, his long career in the US Social Security System (he was the Deputy Commissioner, the highest non-elected office in Social Security), and the numerous awards he received for all kinds of things. A colleague of his said that he was a "true American." He was an extreme volunteer; there is even an award that bears his name (from the UAB Center for Aging). But to me, the highest praise was when his stepson, Tim, got up and talked about Bob's love for his stepchildren and grandchildren, people who weren't related to him by blood but that he loved with his whole heart. He was known to stand up in the middle of a meeting or church service and loudly proclaim that he had the best grandchildren in the world! He loved God, and he showered that love on every person he met. Tim put into words what the rest of us couldn't; Uncle Bob was "successful" in every sense of the word, but that wasn't the whole story. Bob Bynum wasn't just successful, he was significant. He touched every life he came into contact with in a positive, lasting way.
As I reflected on Uncle Bob's story over the course of this week, I wondered how I could change my focus from living a "successful" life to living a "significant" life. In the small group that I attend every Thursday night, we learned that God calls every person to His mission, to share the love of Jesus Christ. In order to do that, I will need the integrity of a follower of Christ. To have integrity I have to know who I am, what I stand for, and what I have to do to fulfill my mission. That is how I can live a significant life. That is one thing that can change a story of ambition, prestige, and greed into a story of love, friendship and grace like my Uncle Bob's.
Isn't it amazing when God answers your questions even when you don't ask them out loud?
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Parenthetical Excitement!
I watched some of Ellen DeGeneres' old stand-up comedy tonight instead of watching the first half of the Auburn game. Don't judge me (or do, it's ok). One of her jokes was about how we have been trained by society to think that we all have some sort of disorder like ADD when we are, in her opinion, really just too lazy to pay attention (I would tell you the exact joke, but to be honest I wasn't paying much attention). She said that people are always trying to convince us that something is wrong with us. "Are you tired? Do you feel depressed? Are you stressed?" Her answer? Of course! I'm alive, aren't I?
I thought about writing a post dissecting that joke to find some deeper meaning about life in general. Something like "should life really make us feel tired, depressed and stressed?" Probably with some sweet Jesus-action thrown in. But then I decided that I didn't want to write that post. I'm too tired, depressed and stressed. My brain is too busy thinking about the (very rewarding) work I have to do tomorrow at church, the (really fun) road trip I'm taking tomorrow night through Tuesday, and the (totally amazing) Chrysalis weekend I'm working next week. I have to remind myself to stick those parentheses into that sentence, otherwise my thoughts will turn into ohmygoshihaven'tmadesignsforthebulletinboardsorcopiesforkids'churchordonelaundryforthetripormadeagapeorgottenallthelettersinortakenabreathinlikethirtyseconds!!!!!!
What would happen if I didn't insert those bold parentheses? Those reminders are all that stands between me and the loony bin. If I forget to notice the good things in life, everything will just run together like my mascara did this afternoon at Chrysalis commissioning (the smell of a perfectly mixed anointing oil on my forehead always gets to me)! So I have to remember to stop and smell the roses, or, during this time of year, stop and smell the leaves dying. Gosh, that sounds morbid.
Friday, September 24, 2010
I really shouldn't stay up this late...
I spent most of my night watching YouTube videos. I was trying to quell the shouting inside me, to calm my heart's anxiety. If I can just make myself giggle at a stupid movie preview, I won't have to think about all the things I don't understand. If I can watch cute guys smirking at the camera every time they tell a joke, I don't have to wonder if I'll ever find someone. When I spend my time wondering if anyone has updated their Facebook status since the last time I checked it 30 seconds ago, I don't have to learn how to have real relationships without being afraid of baring too much of my fragile heart. I don't have to beat myself up about my mistakes and limitations. I don't have to be frustrated that the church as a whole seems to not "get" Jesus. I don't have to wonder about my place in a world that doesn't care about the hungry, the poor or the beaten down. When I fill my mind with flashy videos and blaring music I don't have to think, or wonder, or hurt.
Until the computer shuts down.
When the screen goes blank, I lie in the darkness. I think, I wonder, and I hurt for myself and the world. Then, out of that same black night comes a reminder. "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God." Then I think about my peers who go hang out under the bridge with their homeless friends every Friday. I think of my loved ones who love me back, no matter how confused and awkward I am. I remember my preschoolers who tell me I'm pretty and genuinely mean it (they haven't yet learned the art of the little white lie). I consider people and groups who work very hard for equality for those whom Jesus would call "the least of these." And I know that my future in this world is a guaranteed success as long as I listen to my ever-present companion. It may not be the popular definition of success, but it will be the right one. And it will be good.
Nighty night!
Until the computer shuts down.
When the screen goes blank, I lie in the darkness. I think, I wonder, and I hurt for myself and the world. Then, out of that same black night comes a reminder. "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God." Then I think about my peers who go hang out under the bridge with their homeless friends every Friday. I think of my loved ones who love me back, no matter how confused and awkward I am. I remember my preschoolers who tell me I'm pretty and genuinely mean it (they haven't yet learned the art of the little white lie). I consider people and groups who work very hard for equality for those whom Jesus would call "the least of these." And I know that my future in this world is a guaranteed success as long as I listen to my ever-present companion. It may not be the popular definition of success, but it will be the right one. And it will be good.
Nighty night!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
An "Almost Christian"
I just read a sermon by John Wesley that tells about the difference between an "almost Christian" and an "altogether Christian." You can read it too, here, or you can just read my summary. Well, really you don't have to do either, but it might be interesting so what do you have to lose?
According to Wesley, almost Christians have some things in common. I'm paraphrasing, of course.
1. They have moral standards that fit with the culture
2. They have the outside appearance of being a godly person; for example, they go to church, tithe, help the poor, volunteer at church, don't drink, smoke, cuss, gamble, or have sex outside marriage. In other words, they do all of those things that people associate with being a "good Christian."
3. They are sincere. They actually think that they are good Christians because they do all of the things that they are supposed to, that the Bible tells us to do.
Now, this person appears on the outside to be a good Christian. What is the difference between him and someone that Wesley would call an altogether Christian? Well, it's not something that you or I can see from the outside. It's an inner quality that is totally between the person and God.
An altogether Christian:
1. Loves God
2. Loves people
3. Has faith that God loves us and forgives us of our sins
This may seem like a small difference on the outside, but in a person's heart this means everything. These three things are what separates an "almost Christian" from an "altogether Christian." Do you know which one you are? In your heart of hearts, do you have this love and faith inside you, guiding your every move? If you don't, then you are not really who you claim to be. I wonder how many almost Christians we see in our churches every day? Only God knows.
According to Wesley, almost Christians have some things in common. I'm paraphrasing, of course.
1. They have moral standards that fit with the culture
2. They have the outside appearance of being a godly person; for example, they go to church, tithe, help the poor, volunteer at church, don't drink, smoke, cuss, gamble, or have sex outside marriage. In other words, they do all of those things that people associate with being a "good Christian."
3. They are sincere. They actually think that they are good Christians because they do all of the things that they are supposed to, that the Bible tells us to do.
Now, this person appears on the outside to be a good Christian. What is the difference between him and someone that Wesley would call an altogether Christian? Well, it's not something that you or I can see from the outside. It's an inner quality that is totally between the person and God.
An altogether Christian:
1. Loves God
2. Loves people
3. Has faith that God loves us and forgives us of our sins
This may seem like a small difference on the outside, but in a person's heart this means everything. These three things are what separates an "almost Christian" from an "altogether Christian." Do you know which one you are? In your heart of hearts, do you have this love and faith inside you, guiding your every move? If you don't, then you are not really who you claim to be. I wonder how many almost Christians we see in our churches every day? Only God knows.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Gratitude is the Sign of a Changed Heart
"Gratitude is the sign of a changed heart." That was the thought for the day on today's Upper Room devotional. We talk about being grateful fairly often in the church - not just at Thanksgiving. We talk about being thankful in the face of adversity and when things are going right, when we are lonely and when we are happier than we have ever been. But most of the time, when we talk about gratitude, it is in spite of our circumstances. We try to get around our troubles by counting our blessings and thanking God for them. But do we ever think that maybe we should be thanking God for our troubles and pains?
This summer I had the joy and privilege of working for Urban Ministry in Birmingham. I took youth groups around the West End and painted houses for people who were in need. I met so many people there who had less material possessions than I but way more faith. They praised God in all that they did. Ms. Vera was one lady in particular who inspired me. She wasn't even one of our homeowners who we were helping. She called out to us from her house down the street, so I walked down with one of the youth chaperones to talk to her. She lived alone in a house that had been her grandparents'. She told us that her calling in life was to take care of other people. She had nursed everyone in her family who was failing in health. She took care of her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles until they "passed on." Now that most of her family was gone - she had no children - Ms. Vera was left alone with no one to care for her in her later days. She started telling us about her health problems, one at a time, going (unnecessarily, I thought) into a lot of detail about her conditions. I was prepared to sympathize and tell her that God was with her, but before I could say a word, I realized that this wouldn't be necessary. Every time Ms. Vera told us about another health problem she was going through, she said "thank you Jesus, I'm so blessed." In the same breath as her statement of pain, she showed gratitude and praised the Lord. How many of us can say that about ourselves?
Life is not always fun. But God is always good. And thanking God should not be an afterthought; instead, it should be something that we do with every thought and action, in good times and in bad.
Thanks, God, for being. Amen.
This summer I had the joy and privilege of working for Urban Ministry in Birmingham. I took youth groups around the West End and painted houses for people who were in need. I met so many people there who had less material possessions than I but way more faith. They praised God in all that they did. Ms. Vera was one lady in particular who inspired me. She wasn't even one of our homeowners who we were helping. She called out to us from her house down the street, so I walked down with one of the youth chaperones to talk to her. She lived alone in a house that had been her grandparents'. She told us that her calling in life was to take care of other people. She had nursed everyone in her family who was failing in health. She took care of her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles until they "passed on." Now that most of her family was gone - she had no children - Ms. Vera was left alone with no one to care for her in her later days. She started telling us about her health problems, one at a time, going (unnecessarily, I thought) into a lot of detail about her conditions. I was prepared to sympathize and tell her that God was with her, but before I could say a word, I realized that this wouldn't be necessary. Every time Ms. Vera told us about another health problem she was going through, she said "thank you Jesus, I'm so blessed." In the same breath as her statement of pain, she showed gratitude and praised the Lord. How many of us can say that about ourselves?
Life is not always fun. But God is always good. And thanking God should not be an afterthought; instead, it should be something that we do with every thought and action, in good times and in bad.
Thanks, God, for being. Amen.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Soon and very soon...
...I am going to post about my summer at Urban Ministry and my new job! But not right now. Have a super happy day!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
I am strong! ...who knew?
Wouldn't it be awesome if there was some force that magically came into the world and endowed each person with special powers that will make him or her specifically equipped for a unique world-changing purpose? Well, good news - there is! His name is God (aka Jehovah, Yahweh, etc.), and he loves you so much that he has given you a special combination of strengths. These gifts, when used to the fullest, can make you happier and more productive in growing His kingdom here on earth. Isn't that sweet and brilliant of him?!
This summer I have been learning about and exploring my own strengths. The United Methodist Church has started using a test by Gallup to identify a person's strengths. I took the long assessment and was fascinated by the results! I wasn't very surprised by my top five strengths, but I have loved unpacking them and exploring what they will mean in my life and ministry.
My top five strengths are:
1. Positivity
2. Adaptability
3. Connectedness
4. Includer
5. Empathy
After the jump I talk a little more about my strengths. I also have a few questions you can answer about me that will help me use my strengths to their fullest! (just click "read more" below)
This summer I have been learning about and exploring my own strengths. The United Methodist Church has started using a test by Gallup to identify a person's strengths. I took the long assessment and was fascinated by the results! I wasn't very surprised by my top five strengths, but I have loved unpacking them and exploring what they will mean in my life and ministry.
My top five strengths are:
1. Positivity
2. Adaptability
3. Connectedness
4. Includer
5. Empathy
After the jump I talk a little more about my strengths. I also have a few questions you can answer about me that will help me use my strengths to their fullest! (just click "read more" below)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Jesus is Alive!
Holy Week has never really been a huge thing for me, even though I knew it should be. But I had an experience this week that opened my eyes to the wonder and joy of Easter. So I thought I would share...
Here's a little background info: I teach enrichment classes for the three and four year olds at the preschool where I work. On Thursdays we have chapel time. I usually read them a bible story and talk to them about it, then we say our memory verse and sing a song. Often I tell them about Jesus and how much He loves them. There is a little boy in one of my four year old classes that is sort of a behavior problem. The teachers have come to expect him to act up, and so he does. He has become convinced that he is a "bad boy," and it breaks my heart. I'm going to call him Matthew for the purposes of my story.
This Thursday, since it was holy week, I decided to read the crucifixion and resurrection stories out of the illustrated kids' bible. I skipped the Pontius Pilate stuff and started right at "They nailed Jesus' hands and feet to the cross, and he died." When I read those words, Matthew stared at me, eyes wide, and said "He DIED? Jesus DIED? In real life?" I said, "yes, Matthew, it was real life, but it was a long time ago." He got very upset and said he didn't like sad stories. I told him to wait a little while and see if it got better.
I went on to read about how sad the disciples were after Jesus died, and Matthew just got more and more upset. He said "I am not going to listen to this story anymore! It is too sad!" When we got to the part where Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb and finds it empty, Matthew stood up in his chair and said "Ms. Rachel, WHERE IS JESUS?!" He looked as if he was about to cry. I said "it's ok, Matthew, just wait. The story is going to get better." He didn't believe me.
I finally arrived at the part in the story where Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room. The story we were reading had the words "Jesus is alive. Jesus is really alive. Jesus is risen from the dead!" As soon as I read those words, Matthew's frown turned into a huge smile! He pumped his fists and shouted "YES!" By this time the rest of the class had picked up on Matthew's emotions. They were as engrossed in the story as he was. When they realized that Jesus had come back to life, all ten four-year-olds started dancing around the room chanting "Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive!" I thought, now this is what Easter is supposed to be like!
I wanted to capture that childlike sadness and joy and keep it through Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I have never felt the crushing sadness of Jesus' death and the extreme joy of His resurrection like I did this week. Those children blessed me so much in those ten minutes, and I will always cherish the memory. I hope I will use it in the future when the world is bringing me down and I need to remember what is really important.
Here's a little background info: I teach enrichment classes for the three and four year olds at the preschool where I work. On Thursdays we have chapel time. I usually read them a bible story and talk to them about it, then we say our memory verse and sing a song. Often I tell them about Jesus and how much He loves them. There is a little boy in one of my four year old classes that is sort of a behavior problem. The teachers have come to expect him to act up, and so he does. He has become convinced that he is a "bad boy," and it breaks my heart. I'm going to call him Matthew for the purposes of my story.
This Thursday, since it was holy week, I decided to read the crucifixion and resurrection stories out of the illustrated kids' bible. I skipped the Pontius Pilate stuff and started right at "They nailed Jesus' hands and feet to the cross, and he died." When I read those words, Matthew stared at me, eyes wide, and said "He DIED? Jesus DIED? In real life?" I said, "yes, Matthew, it was real life, but it was a long time ago." He got very upset and said he didn't like sad stories. I told him to wait a little while and see if it got better.
I went on to read about how sad the disciples were after Jesus died, and Matthew just got more and more upset. He said "I am not going to listen to this story anymore! It is too sad!" When we got to the part where Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb and finds it empty, Matthew stood up in his chair and said "Ms. Rachel, WHERE IS JESUS?!" He looked as if he was about to cry. I said "it's ok, Matthew, just wait. The story is going to get better." He didn't believe me.
I finally arrived at the part in the story where Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room. The story we were reading had the words "Jesus is alive. Jesus is really alive. Jesus is risen from the dead!" As soon as I read those words, Matthew's frown turned into a huge smile! He pumped his fists and shouted "YES!" By this time the rest of the class had picked up on Matthew's emotions. They were as engrossed in the story as he was. When they realized that Jesus had come back to life, all ten four-year-olds started dancing around the room chanting "Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive!" I thought, now this is what Easter is supposed to be like!
I wanted to capture that childlike sadness and joy and keep it through Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I have never felt the crushing sadness of Jesus' death and the extreme joy of His resurrection like I did this week. Those children blessed me so much in those ten minutes, and I will always cherish the memory. I hope I will use it in the future when the world is bringing me down and I need to remember what is really important.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Holy Week Confusion
My church is ending tomorrow.
On Palm Sunday.
I will be sad.
I get a new church next week.
On Easter Sunday.
I will be happy.
Today, I'm sort of confused.
On Palm Sunday.
I will be sad.
I get a new church next week.
On Easter Sunday.
I will be happy.
Today, I'm sort of confused.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Scary Story
This Sunday I was on the way home from Camp Sumatanga and Young Adult Chrysalis #66. It had been a wonderful weekend and I felt God's presence so much. I was driving home, and somewhere between Oneonta and Hartselle I started feeling scared. I knew that so much good had been done in the name of Jesus over the weekend that the devil had to be mad about it. I could suddenly feel the evil around me almost as strongly as I had felt the Good just moments before. I was driving through the woods, total darkness and looming trees all around me. I am always paranoid that a deer is about to come hit me when I am driving alone at night (it's happened before), and I just knew that something bad was about to happen. I called out to God, "Father, save me from this evil. Or, if I need to die tonight to fulfill some higher purpose, I am fine with that too. I am happy with the good I did this weekend and can't wait to go to Heaven and be with You." I know this sounds melodramatic, but I had this overwhelming feeling that I was about to die. This was a totally new experience for me. I have never felt evil before, and I have certainly never told anyone about it. After I finished praying, I felt God's peace enter me and I knew that He was with me. I tensely gripped my steering wheel and stared as hard as I could at the road, just waiting for the big deer that was about to cross my path. Not even thirty seconds later, something did run in front of my car.
It was a cat.
I slammed on my brakes and let the cat pass in front of my car. I took a deep breath, and burst into laughter. My God has such power, and such a sense of humor! Instead of just banishing the evil and letting me think I was crazy, he sent me a message to make me smile! I love Him so.
It was a cat.
I slammed on my brakes and let the cat pass in front of my car. I took a deep breath, and burst into laughter. My God has such power, and such a sense of humor! Instead of just banishing the evil and letting me think I was crazy, he sent me a message to make me smile! I love Him so.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
About as Emo as I Get
I am not a sad person by nature. I could probably count on one hand the number of times in my life that I have felt "depressed." This week has been one of those times. It's probably a combination of a lot of things going on in my life right now. Things are changing. I have some tough decisions to make regarding my future. The earthquakes in Haiti really shook me up. And then a friend passed away unexpectedly. I know that my life is so blessed. I don't usually have much to be sad about. I am kind of taking this opportunity to have a new experience. By allowing myself to feel sad, I hope I will be able to use the memory to relate to people who are hurting. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
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