Weekend Update!

The weekend started with Vince throwing up all over the parking lot of the M Buffet. We had our date and apparently he ate something that didn't agree with him! My plan of sticking with side dishes and desserts is fool-proof. I highly recommend it!

The strip club outreach event went great. I went in with no motive or agenda; I just wanted to be myself and see how God would use me. I had some great conversations; I just listened as they talked and tried to make them feel comfortable. This kind of ministry is long-term; it's built on relationships and trust. It's not a ministry with lightening quick results. I'm in it for the long haul; I'm committed to these girls.

The club itself is dark and dreary. We spent most of our time in the dressing room. I met the "Mom" of the girls and the gift shop owner. Both were older women who have been working there for years. They seemed like sweet Grandmother types. Most of the girls were young, but there were some older women; they looked tired and sad. Every type of girl that you could imagine was represented: every size, shape and color.

I spent Saturday at a craft fair selling Pampered Chef. I'm developing relationships with the other vendors. We all travel to the same shows, so our paths cross frequently. Marissa spent the day with me and even wore her little apron...adorable!

At about 6:30pm limousines started pulling up right in front of my booth! Turns out Kenny Chesney was having a movie premier and I had the perfect booth location. Morgan Freeman (in the picture above), Reba, Matthew McConoughy (in the picture above in the gray hat), Jewel, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and others arrived one by one. It was fun; too bad no one bought any Pampered Chef! Ha!!

Church was great; Vince preached an awesome sermon on the movie, "Moulin Rouge." You could hear a pin drop while he preached. My co-worker came and brought a girl who works out at the gym. I'm so glad that God put me in that gym!

If you're going to the Exponential Conference have a blast! Make sure you take advantage of the Spouse Track...it's one of the rare conferences you can go to with your husband that has an entire program designed for you!

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Update!

I got involved with a local strip club ministry in Vegas a few months ago. We meet once a month for a "packing party" where we put together goody bags for the strippers. We go to the strip club once a month for our outreach event. We go into the dressing room with flowers, decorations, food and gifts. It's been super cool to be involved. I am on the prayer team; we hang out in a van outside the strip club and pray while the team is inside the club. Starting this weekend I'll be part of the team that goes into the club. I am excited and hopeful and nervous. I was in the club once when I helped drop stuff off in the dressing room. It's a dark and depressing place. Would you pray that I'll be a light...that I'll make a difference in someone's life; that I will love unconditionally and that I will start to build relationships with these girls? Thanks!

Verve is going awesome! However, the building almost burned to the ground because of a fire in the electrical panel. Thankfully someone was there and smelled it...can you even imagine?!?!

Tonight I went to an Open House for Dawson's new Middle School. It was so surreal; my baby is going to Junior High...sob, sob, sniffle, sniffle!

Life is still insane, but there is a light at the end of tunnel! I'm actually looking forward to cleaning my house on a regular basis again!!! Wow...that was a crazy statement!

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Delegating!

Before Verve started I thought, "Once we get started life will calm down a little bit." Boy was I wrong. I didn't think it was possible, but my life has gotten even crazier since we launched!

Things are going great. Our attendance is increasing, the buzz is amazing and lots of new people are coming. I'm excited to see some new faces for Easter!

Vince is helping me to get rid of some of the things I'm doing for Verve. Just for fun I thought I'd share my list of "responsibilities" with you (in no particular order) so you can either feel better about your situation, cry, laugh, make a decision to start a church, decide not to start a church, pay for my counseling or pray for me!

1. All data entry in our database, including entering all the people who fill out a connection card or register their kids in Children's Ministry.
2. Email first time adults, kids and second time attenders.
3. Enter Attendance figures.
4. Supervise the communion preparation people.
5. Lead the Preschool class and teach both services on Sunday.
6. Clean and check on the bathrooms and re-stock them.
7. Shop for all building supplies, office supplies, and pretty much everything.
8. Handle all reimbursements for us and everyone else.
9. Get mail, pay bills, write checks and connect with our bookkeeper in California.
10. Input and handle all outside support and financial info.
11. Launder all rags and mop heads...this one is just me being anal and totally grossed out!
12. Attend Staff Meetings.
13. Support Vince and try to make his life a little easier and happier!

I also work at a gym part-time and am a Pampered Chef consultant.

Obviously I need to delegate the majority of this stuff to other people. If I continue at this pace I will have a nervous breakdown or at best develop a twitch.

If you are involved in ministry at all you know that there is a small percentage of people who do 100% of the work. It's not like I'm the only one working my butt off...there are lots of us. I just wish there were more.

It's tough figuring out who is gifted at what, who is willing to serve and establishing teams. It's a process; I know the end is near. As more people come to Verve and get connected there will be more people to share the load.

In the meantime I'm going to try to get rid of as much as possible...

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