Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Prayer of the worn-out, volunteer children's minister

Job 14:14-17
All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.

I will keep working. I will not stop. I will continue on the path set before me. I will remain faithful, trusting God for the times of renewal that I need.

You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made.

Lord, open my ears that I may hear you when you call. I don't want to miss it!
Forgive me for not spending time with you. Give me longing to be with you as you have for me. Thank-you for loving me.

Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin.

Hallelujah! Thank-you, Lord for forgiveness! Thank-you, Lord that all the steps I have taken in the right direction are not lost in my sin. Help me to live in your forgiveness. Help me to forgive myself.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 5/29/2007 09:55:00 a.m.
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Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Ted Haggard, Sin and what to do about it

While we were working on the children's Christmas production I had an epiphany.

The idea for this year's play came from the kids. It starts with the kids wearing backpacks with the word SIN pinned to it. They slump across the stage, confess a sin into the mic and then fall in a lump somewhere on the stage. When they are done they are slumped all over the stage, weighed down by their sin. We are establishing a need for a Saviour. Then Jesus comes, provides the solution (this is the ultra condensed version) and, one by one, picks the kids up (they have shed their backpacks by now), they walk to the mic and say the opposite of whatever sin they confessed. So if she said "I stole." at the beginning, at the end she would say, " I give."

To decide what sins the children would say I had them write or draw a picture about what sins they had done. After discussion we decided that the sin the kids say should be real ones, sins they really had committed. We thought this would make it more real. When one boy refused to confess a sin in the mic, in front of everyone, it lead to a talk about how we don't need to be ashamed to confess our sins to each other. Not only are we all guilty of sin and, therefore, have no right to pass judgment on others who sin, Jesus told us to confess our sins to each other.

"LIGHT BULB!"

We don't confess our sins, one to another. Why? Because we don't want to be judge as being a bad Christian. We want everyone to think we are good Christians, we read our bible and pray everyday, we always tithe, we never gossip (we only talk about those that need prayer), we are perfect parents and good friends and do all we can to help the poor. ya.....

Maybe if we really did what Jesus told us to, confess, Ted Haggard would never have got so far into his sin. Maybe he could have received the prayer and support he needed when he was only thinking of doing drugs or sex outside his marriage. I don't know if my generation can be changed but maybe the one coming up can learn the benefit of confessing and create a healthier Church.

With that in mind, a couple of Sundays ago, I asked the kids if anyone wanted to confess a sin they had committed that week. Four did. We discussed what they did, what they could do differently, some confessed that they had done the same or similar things and then we prayed for each of them. It was a beautiful thing. BUT there was also a power in it. You could feel it. Like something shifted in the air, like a fog clearing. We will definitely do that again. I confessed a sin too, of course it was age appropriate, and I felt a release in doing it. There was a difference in me for doing it. I haven't done it since.

I think we started something very important.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 12/12/2006 09:08:00 a.m.
2 comments

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Free Knit Accessories for you!


My sister is doing something similar on her blog. I'm adding my own twist. The first 5 people to reply to this post and tell me they have donated at least $5 to Hope for Malawi will receive a free knitted accessory from me. The knitting will be done after Christmas but you will get it. It could be a small knit purse, keyhole scarf, wrist warmers, fingerless gloves or maybe something else. It will be a surprise!
Photo from Knitty.com

To find out what Hope for Malawi is read on.....

What can a Child Accomplish?

Well I'll tell you. In a few months Jaako Polkki, 9 y/o friend of mine, has electrified all those he encounters with his mission to help needy children in Malawi.

In May God told Jaako to go to Africa....

to read more scroll down just a bit. You can help.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 11/21/2006 09:39:00 a.m.
1 comments

Saturday, November 04, 2006

halloween rant '06

I wrote it. I blabbed it. Barry videoed it. Clint edited it. It was played last Sunday morning in church and well received. It was a "focus on the arts" Sunday. The theme was Fearless. We filmed it in about 20 minutes on a chilly evening. It is the first time any of us have done anything like this so it is a bit rough, I mean artsy.. yah, artsy. So enjoy ... or not.

halloween rant '06

here is a paragraph I edited out because of time. It further explains why I believe it is not necessary to tell people about Jesus, unless directed too by the Holy Spirit. I am an advocate of relationship evangelism.

"When my husband, Barry, was on his spiritual journey in the years before we met, he made many plans to go to mind control workshops, quests to find his spirit guide and other new age adventures. Those plans never panned out. After he met Jesus and looked back on that time he could see that every time he meant to carry out one of those quests a Christian crossed his path and he just never went through with it. The surprising part of this story is not one of those Christians preached a word to him, not even one "Jesus loves you". Just being in the presence of one serving Jesus was enough to steer him closer to the Lover of his Soul."

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 11/04/2006 08:17:00 p.m.
4 comments

Thursday, November 02, 2006

What can a child accomplish?


Well I'll tell you. In a few months Jaako Polkki, 9 y/o friend of mine, has electrified all those he encounters with his mission to help needy children in Malawi.

In May God told Jaako to go to Africa while sitting in a church meeting. He told his mother. She thought that was nice. Jaako explained that he would need an absent note to take to school because he would be gone for more than two weeks. Jaako's mother became concerned.

After much discussion Jaako's parents, Andrew and Sue, chose to take his passion to go seriously. They saw this was truly the call of God on his life. But Africa is a big place, there are so many in need. How could he chose? Jaako knew what to do. Sue began to read a list of country's. When she said Malawi Jaako said, "That's where I want to go."

To make a long, long story short Jaako has already raised $10,000 through Sunday morning bake sales, a large yard sale and a Malawi feast and silent auction. Local radio and CBC radio have interviewed him, CBC radio has agreed to advertise all the fund raising functions. The local paper ran a front page story. There's a story about him on Breaking Christian News. Elementary schools are putting together Bags of Hope (ziploc bags with school supplies, toiletries and other goodies to give to children) But that is just the beginning, a small beginning. God has told Jaako that he is to raise $800,000. At the rate he is going he should be set for Malawi in a few years.

But that is not good enough for Jaako. His faith is not a small one. His faith wouldn't fit in the Sky Dome because Jaako is leaving for Malawi, with is mother, on January 14th, just a little over 2 months away. Impossible you say? Yes, it has been said. So what. I could quote scripture here. Suffice to say nothing is impossible with God and Jaako knows it.

And now we all do. The flame has been lit in Thunder Bay and is turning into a wildfire. It is about to over take us and spread throughout the world. It started with Jaako, Sue took up the cause, doing all she could. Now others are taking on the cause. Joy Prentice is just one of them. A women who has suffered with chronic pain for 13 years, Joy was just completely healed 2 weeks ago and has taken on the challenge. She is inspiring others to run with it. God told Joy the money will be raised through multiplication. Soon, very soon, there will be an email campaign, a website, on-line donation center, posters all over the city, a documentary in the works and much more coming. The internet is the key.

Keep up to date with Jaako's blog. I will be posting here. I will also be doing all I can spread the word. Link to Jaako's blog on your blog. Talk about it. Post about it. Get the word out.

A 9 y/o boy is bringing hope to the children of Malawi. Don't miss this bandwagon. It's a big one. The biggest one I've seen and I don't want to be left out of the joy of blessing those who really need it.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 11/02/2006 03:09:00 p.m.
3 comments

Saturday, August 12, 2006

wow! May since i last blogged. So much has happened. Lets see if I can sum-up.

* i worked for the census, 3 months and 4 days and then got called back 3 weeks later. I am only working 1 week, done on Tuesday.
* in those 3 weeks I spent 1 week preparing for our churches day camp, directed the day camp the next week, took a few days off and then packed and went to the church's family camp for the long weekend, good times
* end of June went to Winnipeg to take a week of training with CEF. stayed with my sister, Alexandra, and her family, awesome time.
* my friend Tina visited from TO, hardly got to see her (stupid job)
* discovered I HATE WORKING FIVE DAYS A WEEK, IN AN OFFICE, FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS........
* i love being with my kids
* i don't know how working and single moms do it, YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!
* and the most amazing thing was my best friend from my youth called me up one day, she was in town. A gift from God to me in a time of tragedy for her. But her visit would bring another gift, one I thought I would never have.

My Friend Loretta

Loretta was my best friend. We met at and went to the same church. We hung out every Friday night at youth group. We were goofy together. When I was 19 Loretta graduated from high school and left home. Her plan was to get a job and go to bible college. It was strange losing Loretta. It's not like my life depended on her or anything like that but I felt a little "left behind". I really missed her. Near the end of August my mom asked me if I would like to go to bible college. I just about jumped out of my skin with joy. Within a few days I packed a trunk, got on the train with my bike and was on my way to Saskatoon, Sask.

I was unpacking when I heard Loretta's voice in the hallway. Her room was right across the hall. We were both very busy with school and Loretta worked at the closest 7/11 (she went to school all day, worked all evening, came home and did homework to 2 am), yet we still found time to goof off. We would shut ourselves into the girl's dorm prayer room and record silly stuff on tape to send home to my sister, Heather. Once we snuck into the cafeteria's freezer (you know, those big walk in ones) and ate ice cream, we had to eat it in the freezer because if we got caught with it we would have no explanation of where we got it. The best thing was Loretta took flute lessons with me. Once a week we would take the bus across town together to have our lessons on the second floor of an old, interesting building. This was in the early 80's and Saskatoon ran a-muck with punk-rockers. The whole town was fascinating.

After the college year was over (I took the one year course, Loretta was going for the whole 3) I went home and didn't see or write (I don't know why I didn't write, it seems to be something I never do) to her. When she was done she came back home. That summer she fell in love, married and moved to Peterbough, Ontario, because her new husband was in bible college there. My sister, Heather, went to the same bible college so I got to visit with Loretta once while visiting Heather.

Some time later, 2 years maybe, Loretta and Wade moved back. I would visit and we saw each other at church and we were involved in youth ministry but we had very different lives. I was single, working, she was married, having children but she still had influence. There was this new guy at church. He got involved in youth ministry. We worked together but it wasn't until Loretta pointed him out to me as a potential mate ("I think he is good looking") that I took special notice. We got married the next summer.

Loretta's husband got a job as a pastor in a small prairie church and moved away again. I always felt I wasted those last years she was in town. I could have spent more time with her but I was to wrapped up in my own life and didn't get her's. It wasn't until I was having babies I started to miss her again. I would hear of her, what she was doing. Once her family was visiting and came to our house, met our kids and we met her's, again, they were older. But I never kept in touch.

One day, a little over three months ago, Loretta called me, she was in town. I was thrilled.

Then her tone drastically changed. Her parents were in a car accident and her dad was dead.

It was devastating news. Her mom's back was injured and Loretta would be staying for 3 months to help her mom and settle her father's affairs. I felt tragic sadness and joy all at once. It was so awsome reconnecting with her. but there's more.

She owns a townhouse on the same cresent i rent on. She has been renting it out for 11 years, unable to sell it. She offered it to me. She is giving it to us. All we need to do is asume the morgage. She said that God has blessed her and her family and now it is time to bless someone else. I am so glad it is me!

Love you Loretta! and thanks.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 8/12/2006 10:34:00 p.m.
3 comments

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

An Other First

So I preached Sunday morning. Its like spewing out your personal opinion to a big room of people and then leaving. No feed back. No discussion. At first I felt great. I finally had all that stuff of my chest and out there.

Out there! Oh my! What did I say? What did I do? Was that ok? Was it right? Did I say anything wrong? What do people think? Do they like me?

I know, I sound pathetic. All day Monday I was nervous. Then I heard from our worship leader and it was good. Better than good. I value his opinion. That felt nice. I have heard from others, beside family members, and its all good. I know, ideally, I should be above this. But, honestly, I needed to know. It is the first time I have done this. Maybe thats why. Maybe I'm just vain at heart.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 5/03/2006 10:12:00 p.m.
1 comments

Friday, January 20, 2006

Yes, I am Inconsiderate

or just not in the blogging mood, or lazy, or busy, any of those will work. It is not that nothing has been happening in my life. But it is weird that as soon as Barry fixed my site I quit writing. Bad Kellie. By the way, I don't know what is going on with the date up there but today is March 20th, not January. Alexandra’s latest blog title inspired me. Hey Derek! Thanks for the note a while back. That also has been prodding me on to do this. I have decided Monday morning is good blogging time so here I go!

I am just going to list stuff that has been going on starting with the latest happenings:
  • I got word last night that the Elders (of my church) past both of my proposals; 1) hold a 1-day workshop for training those interested in Children’s Ministries, Debbie Neufeld of CEF will be coming in from Winnipeg to run it. 2) Sending me to Winnipeg to take Children’s Ministries training for a whole 7 days from CEF! (Ps: I love CEF) BONUS: I will be staying with Alexandra for the week!
  • Last night “Graduation Day” for the children’s choir I have been directing for the last month and a half. It is the Thunder Bay Christian Homeschoolers (TBCH) choir. Our concert was held at TBCF (my church) because we could have it for free (thank-you TBCF). The choir sang 3 songs, two of them with “Stomp” style percussion. This just means that the children used Rubbermaid bins, small garbage cans, ribbed coffee cans as scrapers and homemade shakers to add a little “boom!” to the music. It was fun stuff. In between songs choristers performed solos on piano, violin and flute. Next weekend the music festival starts and all the children had their best pieces practiced up. It was excellent music. Bronwyn, my daughter, performed the Highland Fling and was wonderful. Somewhere in the middle she almost fell over but recovered beautifully, leaving out a few steps to get back in time with the music. I was so proud! We had a crowd of about 50+ in the audience, which was very nice, mostly parents and relatives. I was encouraged to see 3 ladies from my church that just came to see what I was up too. The kids were great! The concert was about 40 minutes. After we all shared treats and conversation. I was so stressed and it turned out so good!
  • Saturday we had the grandparents over for supper to celebrate the girl’s birthdays. I was concerned that Daddy might feel out of place since my mom moved away but he was fine, fit right in with Barry’s parents and Grandmother.
  • All day Saturday was spent cleaning and cooking. I made Sinead’s fav, lasagna.
  • Friday was the final practice for choir and Presentation Day at the Homeschoolers meeting (TBCH meet every Friday afternoon) Sinead did a presentation on Shakespeare’s childhood and did an awesome job. I was so proud!
  • Last Monday I attended the first meeting of the Ladies Ministries exercise class. We are learning to square dance! We are also watching a video series on proper eating and Linda gave a bible study on true beauty. It was great. I was pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to it tonight.
  • Last week I went for a follow-up appointment with my surgeon. I complained that I have put on weight, just on my middle. I am turning into a pear! He put me on the scale and I was shocked to see that I am 125 pounds! This means I have put 10 lbs on my middle! Mostly my butt!! On my little frame this is a big deal. It makes a big difference in how my clothes fit. I either have to do something about it or change my wardrobe. I have put this on since Christmas and is obviously a side effect of being on hormone therapy.
  • A few weekends ago I went on a Scrapbooking retreat with 13 other women, most from my church and thoroughly enjoyed it.
So I have become a middle aged, pill popping, scrapbooking, square dancing, pear. All that is ok but the pear part. Not that I am going to get upset about it, I’m not the obsessed about my weight but I don't want to change my wardrobe. That is just too much effort and money involved. I need to get moving. I'm going to try walking. I'll start today. I'm not going to do the diet thing. I probably could cut down on carbs (LOVE THEM) but we don't eat a lot of junk. Mainly because we can't afford to.

Coming up we have Sinead's sleepover party. We were going to do it this Friday but just discovered that is when the church is having a 20th anniversary dinner so it is getting bumped to the next weekend. We were in church when I figured this out. When I told Sinead she first tried to figure out how it could still happen this weekend. When that didn't pan out she said, "We'll just have it the next Friday, no problem." The lady sitting beside me said, with tears in her eyes, how wonderful Sinead handled the situation. I guess it just goes to show some people are not accustomed to children being good about not getting their own way. Moments like that make me feel like I am doing the right thing and a pretty good parent. That's a nice feeling.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 1/20/2006 03:07:00 p.m.
2 comments

Friday, October 28, 2005

Kids in the Kingdom

My last post grew into a little dissertation on my basic opinion on children’s spirituality that I felt needed it’s own space. So here it is:

It has been my experience that children come by faith easily and naturally. When you tell them Jesus wants to talk to them and all they have to do is ask, they believe it. I sometimes remind them of the scripture that says, “If a son asks his father for bread, will give him a stone?” (Matt. 7:9) When you ask Jesus to speak to you he will. You don’t need to worry if what you hear is from any other source (like we adults do. Example: “That’s not Jesus. That’s just me. That’s what I want to hear…..”). Children need to be encouraged that they are hearing from God. If they can start the communication now, practice it now, they will know, without doubt, that Jesus is with them throughout their life and they won't be able to turn their backs on him because of their personal experience. That is my hope and my goal.

As parents we need to take our children's spirituality seriously. We need to affirm their spiritual experiences. A while back a friend of mine told me that her 7 y/o son announced to her that he was a prophet. I was happy to hear that her response was, "Yes you are". That is just the attitude we need to have. (btw; I concur. That boy is a prophet.)

Children don't have the doubts and skepticism that adults do. Their spirituality seems purer. They don’t get hung up on the doctrinal issues adults do like, pre, mid or post-tribulation, what kind of music is appropriate for worship, how to act in church and so on.

I like that our church leadership is willing to move towards giving children more participation in church. Alyssa’s word of prophecy is just one example. We closed off one service with the children praying for adults and leading worship (it was an incredible experience for all). A few times the children have been called to the front to pray for others. They are allowed to dance and flag during worship and the worship team is coming up with a plan that will allow children to participate with the them on Sunday morning. It’s a start. A start in the right direction.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 10/28/2005 11:39:00 a.m.
3 comments

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

My Cold and Jesus speaks to the Kids

Sunday morning: I was so looking forward to going to church. It is killing me that I had missed 2 already.

The first Sunday I missed, the worship team went wide on the percussion instruments and little Alyssa (6 y/o) prophesied. I love that she had the guts to tell the pastor (her grandfather) and that she was allowed to speak to the church. It was just one sentence, "Jesus is saying that he wants to heal people", but it is a step in the right direction. For about a year I have been training the children and teaching them that they are important members of the Kingdom and just as capable of worshiping, praying for others, hearing Jesus' voice and prophesying as adults. I’m sure that her grandfather is the pastor made it easier but it is a great example to the other children and a great lesson for the adults. I plan to talk to the children about when I get back and tell them they can do it to.

Anyway, I woke up feverish, chilled, achy, headache, miserable. Rats! I have Barry’s cold. So now it is 3 Sunday’s missed.

Ashley (who is taking over my class) is doing a great job and having a great time doing it. Two Sunday’s ago she led the kids in some God chasing time (the kids find a place in the room to be alone, no talking or goofing around, and talk to Jesus and listen to him while some quiet worship music plays). I told her that when she does this she will probably feel like everyone is just sitting around, twiddling their thumbs, waiting for it to be over but to be sure to gather the kids around after and ask them what happened. She said it happened just like I said. Her response to what happened during the after-talk was, “They blew me away!” A few said that Jesus told them he loves them (this is the most common and beautiful response. He most certainly does love them!) and 2 others had received a clear word from Jesus that spoke to their specific need and situation. I miss those kids.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 10/25/2005 08:21:00 a.m.
1 comments

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Finally! A Surgery Date!

October 3rd! Yikes! I was really hoping it would be later in the month. That is only 2 weeks away. I won't be able to finish my job, which runs until the end of October. I need to arrange for teachers for Children's Church for at least 6 weeks. About a month ago I started sorting out all the stuff we have for Children's Church and deciding how to store it. I still haven't finished that and the one classroom has piles of stuff all over the place. It doesn't look like we will have Pioneer Clubs until after Christmas since I still don't have the number of teachers I need. Even if I got them tomorrow I don't feel I would have enough time to prepare them and start the program. I've already decided that I won't be doing a Christmas program. I have to finish unpacking (from moving), need to arrange the basement and fix up my room. And, somewhere in all of that, put in as many working hours as possible. Two weeks.

Giving up my Children's Church class will be the hardest. I love doing it and the curriculum is so much fun. I do have a couple of teachers willing to do it. I need to get together with them and discuss it. I will miss the kids.

But I will be spending lots of time with my girls. I am really looking forward to that. Reading stories, drawing pictures, doing schoolwork surfing the net, watching TV, all together.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 9/20/2005 08:59:00 p.m.
1 comments

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Life goes on...

Not much to update. Well, nothing special. I still don't have a surgery date. The fall stuff is starting to happen. Bronwyn started back at Highland dancing lessons on Saturday. Homeschool activities have started. Last Friday we participated in the homeschoolers' camp out at Kakabeka Falls. It rained and thundered and lightning-ed half the night and then the Hydro damn set off it's siren several times to warn people down stream that they were letting extra water out. What I would just like to ask is "Who is going to be down stream in the middle of the night?!" We didn’t get much sleep but had fun anyway.

This Sunday Children’s Church goes back to normal: two separate classes instead of just one. Pioneer Clubs is still on hold while I try to round up enough leaders. I don’t want to start and then have to stop when I have the surgery. Pastor Irv is going to help with this one. He is preaching on the importance of Children’s Ministry and promoting the Club. So I will wait one more week before canceling it all together until after Christmas.

My job is going well. Got good reports from my boss and her assistant. But I miss the girls. Almost every day I take them to someone else’s house so I can work. I try to remember that I will have lots of time with them when I am recovering from surgery. I started reading “Children and the Holy Spirit: How to set your child’s heart on fire for God” by Mark Harper. In chapter two he quotes from writings on past revivals, how children were affected, respected by leaders and used by God. Fascinating stuff.

I am exited about starting our new curriculum for the 6-12 y/o’s. It is the second book in the Young God Chasers curric by Dian Layton. The first book completely changed the effectiveness of our time on Sunday morning. The kids learned to Chase God, spend time with him in prayer and worship, pray for each other and adults alike. We capped off the year in June with a presentation and ministry time in the “Big Church”. The kids and, even more important, Jesus’ love and power blew the adults away. It was an amazing thing to see the front of the church full of adults on their knees, sitting, lying down, some still standing, some weeping, all being moved by God as the children quietly touched them and prayed. Can’t wait to see what God has in store for us this time around.

BTW, everything Dian Layton writes is awsome. I will have to post more about her later. She is my hero. But right now I must go to bed. I broke my glasses at the camp out and these contacts are driving me crazy. Poor eyes.

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posted by Kellie Huffman at 9/15/2005 10:45:00 p.m.
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