T's Weekly Thought: I Love You

Hey Everyone!

This last week I received a text message from a dear friend of mine whose husband is a well known coach.  She had read a not so nice article about her husband in the paper.  My heart sank as I thought how difficult this would be.  I mean, if I give a bad thought or sermon - people may talk about it - but you're not going to read it in the paper! 

I was talking about it with Topher - telling him how upset this stuff makes me.  I mean who does the media think they are!  This guy is terrific!  And he has a FAMILY.  But the media doesn't care about that.  They just have a story to tell, and by gosh, they are going to tell it.  Regardless of how it personally might affect someone. His/her family. Friends. 

I couldn't help but think how we all might be a little more like the media than we would like to admit.  How quick we are to judge. Pounce on someone.  Someone looks different, acts different.  Doesn't wear the "right" clothes.  Is socially awkward.  Someone makes a bad decision.  And BAM!  we are all right there - ready to talk about it.  "Put it in the headlines".  Sometimes just not leaving the kind of room we should for grace, understanding, love.

The other day a friend of mine sent me the following quote:

"Admit Something:

Everyone you see, you say to them, "Love me."

Of course you do no do this out loud, otherwise someone would call the cops.

Still, though, think about this, this great pull in us to connect.

Why not become the one who lives with a full moon in each eye that is always saying,

with that sweet moon language,

what every other eye in this world is dying to hear."

Gosh, I just loved it. Because isn't it so true?  I mean when it comes right down to it - don't we all just want to be loved.  Honestly - I don't care who you are.  How popular, confident, nerdy, alone you are.  Regardless of the heirs we try to put on or the masks we wear. Whether you know it or not.  EVERYONE - every single one of us is DYING to be loved. 

The youth have spent the last 6+ years making fun of me because I always seem to talk about love.  Inevitably every Sunday or Wednesday somebody jokingly says,"What are you talking about today/tonight? Oh wait, let me guess, LOVE?"  Ha ha ha ha ha! 

Honestly, I think I could preach, write weekly thoughts, talk about love every day for the rest of my life and people would still get it wrong. I would still get it wrong. 

Why is it so dang hard to just LOVE?  Especially when it's the very thing we are all dying to be........loved.

As I write my last weekly thought to you as your Youth Director - my greatest prayer is that you have felt my love for you.  I have certainly been far from perfect over my tenure here - but the one thing I actually tried really hard to get right is to love you.

One of the greatest things our Savior taught us is that nothing can separate us from love.  Nothing.  Not distance.  Not death.  When you love someone - it's forever.  And that's certainly how I feel about my love for you.

Thank you for blessing me with the opportunity to serve you these last few years.  I am forever changed, forever better because of my time spent with you.

Never ever forget........

I love you. Always will.

T

Great News at HPUMC for Cornerstone and Youth

As you may have seen in a recent email or you heard yesterday at Thrive, we have very exciting news happening in Cornerstone and in the Youth department.  Below is a copy of the email sent out. 

I am so pleased to announce the following staff promotions within our HPUMC family. Effective January 15th, Tova Sido will move into Cornerstone as the Cornerstone Campus Pastor. Given the rate of growth in Cornerstone, I believe it is vital to have great visionary leadership in place to serve the congregation and plan for the future. Tova has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in her present role as Director of Youth Ministry, and we are blessed to have her accept the opportunity to serve the greater church. As Campus Pastor, Tova will direct the Cornerstone staff, plan and implement mid-week programming, and coordinate discipleship for the Cornerstone community. I will continue as the lead preacher in all Cornerstone worship services.

Along with this transition, Stephen Lohoefer will step into a new role as Director of Youth Ministry. Stephen has been on the youth staff for six years as Youth Worship Coordinator, and he has demonstrated great leadership, innovation, and relational presence in the department. He has a bright future in ministry, and we are lucky to have him on staff and eager to assume the new role. We have an incredibly talented and gifted staff here at HPUMC, and it is a joy to work alongside them as they fulfill God’s call upon their lives. I hope you will take a minute to congratulate each on their new assignment.

Sincerely,

Paul Rasmussen



Dear Youth and Families -

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about the opportunity to be named the Campus Pastor to Cornerstone.  I am equally excited that Stephen has been named the new Director of Youth Ministry for our church.  Honestly, we are the luckiest to have someone so incredibly talented to serve as our leader.

As a leader in our Youth Ministry for over 6 years now, I have been incredibly blessed - by the staff, the parents, the church.....and most especially, the youth.  For years you have been my family - my blessing.  An incredible gift to me.  I will never, ever take for granted or forget the time that God blessed me with each one of you.

The ONLY way I can walk away from this position without a flood of tears and immense sadness is two fold -

1.  I am moving to Cornerstone - best Contemporary Worship service ever.  Right next door.

2.  Stephen, Phil, Hillary, Bill, Lucy and Andrew have GOT THIS.

I have NEVER felt more confident in our staff- they are the best I have ever seen - our youth, our volunteers, our families.  You are in the best hands ever.......and I know- without a doubt - that God is watching over and blessing us along this path.

Please know that I am never far away. 

I love you.  Always will.

T

T's Weekly Thought: LIVE!

As you know, I spend a lot of time talking about my kids - all the wonderful life lessons they teach me.  Most of the time it's because they do cute or sweet things........today I didn't get so lucky.

Today I had a car full - taking and dropping kids off.  One of my best friends crawled in the back of my Yukon and immediately pipes up, "Uh.....T, do you know that there is writing back here on your seat?  lt looks like someone took a marker to your seat."

No actually, I did NOT know that one of my kids took a sharpie to my leather seat. 

This is where the Lord's gift of deep breaths comes in REAL handy.

Shortly after, they got out of my car and headed to sports camp at Biggers.  My words were few. They got "the eye" from me - and that was enough for them to know that I wasn't happy - and we would have "the talk" later.

Later today I headed to Biggers to get a workout in before I had to pick them up. From the 3rd floor of the building I could look over the gym where the 3 of them were enjoying sports camp.  They caught my eye - and immediately were working diligently to make "everything okay" - blowing kisses, hugs, waving incessantly.  I thought to myself - Oh man they are WORKING ME!  Trying so hard to make up for the damage done - wanting to be forgiven - back in good graces......for everything to be "okay".

Gosh - in that moment I so sympathized with them. I remember being a little kid and doing something super stupid - getting in to trouble and just desperately wanting for my parents to stop being mad at me.  To please just forgive me and move past that yucky feeling of being "in trouble".

Sometimes I don't know whether that feeling is a curse or a blessing.  And honestly, I'd love to tell you that one day you'll never have to worry about that feeling again - that you'll stop doing stupid stuff- making bad choices.....live without any regrets.....but here's the hard truth -

You're entire life you will need forgiveness.  You're whole life you will need the grace that Jesus taught us to give.

And receive.

I saw something in my children today that is all too familiar in myself. I totally mess up and can't help but wonder-

Am I worth being forgiven?

Will they still love me?

Of course I am.  Of course my children are.  And of course you are.

But why is that so incredibly difficult to believe? 

I think that Jesus' grace is one of the most beautiful things about him.  One of those rare qualities that leaves us scratching our heads and saying things like "Really?  Are you SURE you still love me?  Are you positive I still have value?  Even after I did THAT?"

YES.  You do. 

Jesus himself in Matthew 26 said, "This is my blood of the  covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

Jesus did what He did so we could walk with our back straight and our head high.  So we could KNOW that yes, we do make mistakes - we write on our mom's Yukon leather seats with Sharpies - and are STILL worthy of His love.  STILL worth forgiving.  STILL have value.

I think sometimes in life it's a whole lot easier to look at our past, our mistakes - as some sort excuse for why we aren't living.  Why we can't change.  That somehow we are destined for this life of "failure" and sin because well, it's what we've always done.  We don't believe we are worth more than our sin.

You wanna know something........that's just a sad lie.  Because God didn't send His son to die on a cross for you to resign. Give up. 

Jesus came to give each one of us hope.  Forgiveness.  Redemption.  And not just once -but again and again and again.

I don't know what you are hanging on to. What sin keeps you from fully living.  What failure has lied to you....

Here's what I know. Christ came.  He lived a perfect life. He showed us how to live and to love.  And then died for our sins.  Three days later He rose from the dead - ascended in to heaven - and dwells with our eternal God where WE -ME AND YOU - can and will return one day.

YOU are worthy of that gift.  YOU were worth dying for.  YOU are worth forgiving.  and YOU are worth loving. 

PERIOD.

Now........go live that life!!  Stop making excuses and live -  KNOWING that you are of worth, value, love, forgiveness.

I love you.  Always will.

T

T's Weekly Thought: Already Been Given

This past week I had an incredibly special treat.  My younger sister received a masters degree - and so my entire family (brother, 2 sisters, and dad) were all together for the weekend.  It was simply the best. I love my brother, sisters and dad so much.  Time with them is like winning the lottery.  I was especially lucky to steal a few moments with my brother.  Saturday morning we woke up early and went for a jog together.  In that 40 minutes I felt nothing but love.  We had such a great talk about the holy spirit- and how both of us in so many ways had felt God's love for us.  We talked about the different ways God had revealed himself to us.  Through answered prayers, other people, comfort, love. 

Gosh - God is so incredibly good.  His love for us is so real.  I am reminded often - whether through a personal experience, or of those around me - that God REALLY does know us.  He is so incredibly aware of us.  Our needs.  Our desires.  Our weaknesses.  And I believe, more than anything, that it is His desire for us to believe in Him.  For us to believe that He really DOES care. Really does know.  Really does bless..........even in those darkest, saddest, loneliest moments. Our Savior stands - waiting to hear our prayers and bless us in and through those moments.

Tonight as I was cleaning out an old bookcase I found a journal I kept shortly after my daughter Louisa passed away.  I wrote, "Last night I had a dream.  Louisa was in my dream.  I don't remember what happened - but I know I saw her - and as I looked at her a song was playing in the background -

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me

There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me whenever I fall

You say it best, when you say nothing at all."

I just had to sit down for a minute......gather myself as I was reminded of God's great love.  Again. 

Christ isn't physically here - but He promised us before He left that while He was going - we would never be alone. The power of the Holy Spirit is so real.  That spirit blesses us and reminds us often that our God would never ever leave us to do this life alone. How could we??

My prayer this Christmas season is that Christ's greatest gift - His love - will permeate your heart.  Your life. Your home.  That you will be reminded this season that He DOES know you.  He loves you. His desire is for you to feel and know that love.  And while He isn't here physically, his Holy Spirit can and will bless you through precious feelings, other people, comfort, love........peace.

May Christ's Holy Spirit reign throughout your holiday and remind you that the greatest gift has already been given.......the life and love of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas.

I love you.  Always will.

T

Race To Nowhere: Don't Miss Our Unbelievable Panel

Dear Youth Families -   

A couple of months ago our church hosted a viewing and panel discussion of the film, The Race To Nowhere.  I was so personally moved by this film that I felt like we had to do more.  This film addresses the pressure on kids today to keep up - and the never ending "race to nowhere".  




On Sunday, January 8, HPUMC Youth Ministry will be hosting a second viewing of this film with a panel discussion to follow that includes:
 
Dan Myers, M.D., author of Biblical Parenting
Richard Bohac, Assistant Principal of Highland Park Middle School
Cathie Looney, Certified Reality Therapist and acclaimed national speaker
Tova Sido, Director of Youth Ministry, HPUMC
Candace Winslow, Interim Director of Children's Ministry, HPUMC 

I am so excited to have so many incredible, relevant people on our panel.  It's going to be a great event - something you don't want to miss.    Please put this date on your calendar.  Then make sure your whole family can be there.  Then invite 3 families you know. 

It's just that important.    

See you there!!

Tova


http://www.hpumc.org/racetonowhere

T's Weekly Thought: Prayer

I have had something on my mind a lot lately.  Prayer.

Honestly, I don't know how people in this world get along without it.  Whether I am experiencing exceptionally good or bad times-I am all over prayer. In the bad times I need help, and in the good times.......I can't help but say thank you - and please please please........let it last.

I remember when I was about 8, I was visiting my aunt in Florida.  Flying on a plane all by myself.  I prayed and prayed and prayed for weeks before that I would sit by someone who was nice - and there wouldn't be any turbulence during the flight.  The day finally came for me to board that plane. I sat next to a girl my age who happened to be flying alone too. Turbulence free, we sat there and played cards and sipped on Sprite the entire flight.  I couldn't have been happier.  I knew God had answered my prayers.  And I was His forever.  I believed that He knew me, He loved me, that I was His child that He really did care about.

Tonight I was at the Festival of Carols at our church.  The youth choir sang the most beautiful song......Will We Know Him?  It's a beautiful song that talks about the birth of Christ.  Here is this King....Jesus, who was born. And even though He is born in lowly manger, when we see the star - and this tiny little baby - will we know Him when He comes?

I love that song. I love how humble Christ was. How sweet and unassuming He came. How precious and beautiful He lived......and how courageous and selfless he died.  It's amazing how little He required - and yet how impactful He was.  I mean think about it - this one beautiful person changed everything for everyone for forever.

I couldn't help hearing that song tonight, asking myself the same question........Would I know Him?  If Christ was here - if He came and stood before me - walk among us - Would I know?

Would you?

I think it's easy to think about "back then".  I mean OF COURSE if I was alive "back then" - when Christ was here - I would know Him.  I would follow him.  I wouldn't deny him.  You would too.  Right???

Really?  Would I?  Would you?

How would we know that it's REALLY Him? That He was worth listening to?  Knowing?  Following?

Back to prayer.......

It seems to me that one of the precious gifts that Christ gave us to KNOW him is through prayer.  I believe with everything inside me that this is truly a way to KNOW that Christ is there. That He listens, cares, answers.

I think a lot of us think we know Christ, want to know Christ, hope to know Christ - but how many of us PRAY to know Christ.  Beg for His presence in our lives.  ASK for Him to help us along our way. Plead for His spirit to help us, guide our path.

Because of your relationship with Christ - Would you know Him if He came?  Would you fall to your knees like the wise men?  Bringing gifts for the King that came as a poor baby in a barn??

I hope I would. I hope that my life reflects a desire to know Christ. I would hope that because of my persistent reflection and love for Christ that if He came again - regardless of where or how - that I would know Him.  Worship Him.  Cry out to Him.

Prayer is such a gift. It is such a necessary gift that I feel we often miss.  Miss an opportunity to see God in so many beautiful ways........

My gosh He loves us.  And believe it or not, He really knows you and really loves you.  I have to believe that He desires for us to know and love Him in the same way.  I think that prayer is a gift He gave us to fill that desire.  To bless us in unbelievable ways.  Help us in this crazy world along our unpredictable paths.

I encourage you to use it.  Take advantage of this precious precious gift our Savior gave us.  Prayer WILL change your faith.  WILL bring you more peace.  WILL help you see your Savior in your life - blessing you along your path.

I have experienced it in my own life.  I have seen Christ move mountains in my life.  No question I have seen Him. 

I desperately pray for you to believe that Christ wants the same in your life.  For you to.......know Him.

I love you.  Always will.

T

Help Us Congratulate Clayton Small

Dear HPUMC Youth and Families -

I know many of you over the last few years have been incredibly blessed by our fabulous part-time staff Clayton Small.  Clayton has truly been a gift to our ministry.

Sadly, for us, Clayton will be graduating from Dallas Baptist University this December and has taken a full time job in Kansas City to be a Jr. High youth minister.  This is a great opportunity for Clayton - and his new wife-to-be in the coming year!  And while we wish him all the luck, love and blessings - we can't help but be incredibly sad to lose one of the greatest ministers ever to be a part of this ministry.  Clayton came here as a freshman in college - wide eyed and green as they come!  Almost 4 years later, he will leave a young man - one of the best I have ever know.

This week is Clayton's last week.  He will be preaching this Wednesday at WOW and this Sunday at THRIVE - and would love the opportunity to say good-bye to all of you who can make it.  I know he would also be blessed by your words of love, gratitude and encouragement.  His email is smallc@hpumc.org.

Clayton, thank you - You have been an incredible gift and blessing to this ministry and especially to this staff.  We love you.  Wish you the best of luck.....and hope you know you always have a home here with us.

God bless you forever and always.

Tova