Raising Girls

Well?

2009-12-23T07:31:00.000-08:00

I'm drawn to quotes all year-round, but somehow, especially at Christmastime. Maybe it's that the meaning of things is just too big for my simple words. Regardless, I am stirred by quotes around me, by lyrics of old Christmas carols such as "From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee" to the poignancy of newer songs such as "Mary, Did You Know". Basically, I'm a sucker for words. And it is in this spirit that I include a quote in my Christmas cards every year--one that feels close to the fumbling words I would use--or would want to this time of year. This year, my quote is a familiar one from Julian of Norwich that we talked about this summer at camp. I think it is one I relate to because I love the idea of things being "well." An artist in Nashville's tag line is "All is Well." I love that idea. I so desperately want it to be. But, the truth of the matter and something we are all well-too acquainted with is that it's not. And, it seems like this festive, happy holiday season is the time we see it the most. This year, in particular, there have been too many funerals...too many friends receiving difficult news...too many people suffering. We see the not well-ness as we gather with our families and notice those missing, as we gather with our families and notice that sometimes even we are missing in one way or another. It is just not well.
But, it will be.
Christmas is in direct answer to that dilemma. Jesus comes to make things well...in our families, in our outer worlds, and in the tiny worlds that overwhelm us from the inside. "Behold, I am doing a new thing" Isaiah 43 says. A new thing, indeed. He comes to us in a tiny, dirty, forsaken little manger. Julian of Norwich said, "All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well." Yes it shall. He is working on that, even now, in each of us. He is working in spite of the sadness and the funerals, in spite of the loneliness and sorrow. He uses even those to bring His well to our mangers. And, ultimately, all SHALL be well. Thanks be to God and Merry Christmas.

We Need a Home for Christmas!

2009-11-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago, Kathleen found these precious kittens living under the hood of a car. After four days of us trying to catch them, they spent the first week getting healthy at the vet, and then a sweet family took them home, only to find that their son was too allergic. The family loved them and is really sad not to be able to keep them. And so we are trying to find them a new home!! If we don't, they'll have to go to a shelter, many of whom are not accepting cats because of overcrowding. They have sweet, cuddly temperaments and are just so grateful not to be living in the cold. If you could provide a home for these guys (both boys), please email us back immediately. They are ready to meet you and make a playful, endearing addition to your family!!
With much Christmas hope (and love),
Sissy and Kathleen

Count Your Blessings

2009-11-26T07:47:00.001-08:00

It was in 1863, during a period of great civil war, that Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Thanksgiving Proclamation, ushering in this day of celebration: "It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union."

These eloquent words could just as easily be spoken today...in the midst of war, of strife...where so many are becoming widows, orphans, mourners and sufferers for so many reasons. It is into those times that these words continue to have great power. And, as Melissa said on Tuesday night at Soup Night, "Gifts come with people attached." She reminded us to count our blessings, and to remember that those blessings come ultimately, from the Giver of All Good Gifts. Happy Thanksgiving.

New Moon Madness

2009-11-19T08:24:00.000-08:00

When I have asked girls this week the thing they are most looking forward to, 95% have had the same answer. Not turkey and dressing, not even time off from school...it's all about Edward--or Jacob. I have had more conversations in my office this week about New Moon than almost any other subject.

Last night, David, Melissa and I were teaching a parenting class at an elementary/middle school in town. A parent asked what we thought of these movies and what age girls should see them. Ages are always hard...because I typically think it depends more on the child than on the number. So, our advice would be simply to know your material. In 17 years of counseling girls, I have never seen any phenomenon grab hold of their hearts like these books and movies. Your daughter will be hearing about it in the upcoming weeks, and will very likely want to see or read them. They are highly compelling books, and, I would say, pretty sensual. One parent last night said, "They don't have sex until the last book but you almost just want them to go ahead and get it over with."

Judy Blume educated a whole generation of children about sex in forever. Girls need to hear a parent's voice first...not a vampire's. So, that being said...it might be wise to read or see the books first, if you have younger girls. If you have older girls who are already into it, see it with them--I feel pretty confident they wouldn't mind seeing it again. It can be a great conversation springboard.

A parent came up at the break in the seminar to say, "You only talked about the romantic/sexual part of twilight. You didn't even mention the evil." And, honestly, that's because the girls don't mention it. I would go as far as to say they don't really notice it. They are swept up in the relational aspects of the book...as usual. But, the book is about vampires and werewolves...so that is important to keep in mind, too, as the "PLEASE CAN I GO TO NEW MOON" conversation comes up.

At a class Melissa and I took years ago, Eugene Peterson talked about how rarely Jesus mentions spiritual warfare and even the devil in his teaching. He remarked that our attention almost gives evil more power.

As you (or your child) walks into this new moon madness this weekend, be aware...be cautious, be wise, be educated on all things Edward and Jacob. And be ready to either have a strong and steady no, if you feel the movie is not appropriate for your child, or to have a conversation around what the madness is all about. That's our two cents...which costs a little less than the movie ticket!

A Daystar Rescue

2009-11-14T08:16:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, Kathleen was washing her car at my house, when she noticed a little tail hanging off of a car parked in the driveway. As she walked closer, she noticed two tails--belonging to two kittens sitting on the tire. No momma cat in sight and two baby kittens. To make a long story short, four days later, we finally caught the kittens and took them to the vet. They were six weeks old and had been surviving under the hood of a car for all of that time. We did (almost) everything we could to find them a home but there was no room for them in any of the kitty adopting inns. So, we voted (kind of) in our last staff meeting and now have Daystar kittens to add to our pet therapy staff! No worries if you have allergies, though...Day and Star will be living outside. As soon as they've gotten all of their shots and have a clean bill of health (they both had upper respiratory infections), they'll be waiting to meet you on the Daystar porch!

The Direction of Anger

2009-11-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

I recently talked to a high school girl who was angry. She was angry that she had been wrestling with some issues and praying that those very same issues would change for a LONG time. We talked for a long time about how she felt about those issues and the face that nothing had changed. The feeling she kept coming to was anger. We talked about her anger at the people who were creating the issues and the anger she felt toward herself in the midst of things. And let me interrupt myself and say that this was a very mature 16 year-old with a deep sense of faith. I asked her if she was angry at God. Her profound answer was "I'm not angry at God, I'm angry with him." I never thought about the difference. Angry at God speaks of a distance, standing across the room and flinging anger toward Him about issues we don't understand. Angry with God sounds more like we are allowing ourselves to stay close and express our anger and hurt at the very same time. The with sounds more like David from the Psalms, who always expressed his anger, or whatever he emotion he felt, but also knew of God's love and faithfulness at the same time. Maybe it wasn't so much that He stayed close to God in his anger, as He allowed God to stay close to him. As did this wise high school girl who has much to teach me, and maybe all of us.

The Great Pumpkin (and Lucy)

2009-10-31T07:10:00.001-07:00

"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you."
Dr. Seuss

Kappa Dreams

2009-10-23T07:52:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, I had the immense pleasure of going to a reunion for my sorority. We had five different pledge classes and probably eighty women (who felt much more like girls) gathered together for two nights of wonderful conversations, great memories, and lots of fun. My time with them was a sweet reminder of a place and time filled with laughter, vanilla cokes, MC Hammer, and dear, dear friends who, as cheesy as it sounds, did become like sisters. I wrote this several years ago and submitted it to our sorority magazine, but thought I'd share it here...as a tribute to those girls. I hope we're still gathering 50 years from now eating mexican food and dancing to MC Hammer. Love and loyally, Sissy

My friends and family know the signs.
Without fail, I'll be on a trip with friends or home visiting my family, and wake up to that universal question, "How did you sleep?" Anytime my answer happens to be, "Well, I dreamed about the Kappa house," the people I love scatter. Or, they simply groan and say, "What did we do now?"
As a counselor with kids and families, I know very well that dreams often reflect what is happening to us emotionally. We keep our anxieties at bay enough to make it through the day, and then have vivid nightmares about taking exams naked or being chased by a pursuer we can't quite see. Or, maybe we dream about the lying on the beach with the ocean gently lapping our toes and no children asking for rides to soccer practice or the mall.
I dream about the Kappa house. Whenever I am really sad, or stressed, or upset, my sleeping mind will take me back to 800 West Maple—with one hundred girls living together inside a white columned, beautiful home. Usually, I am transformed into a college girl again, and I am getting dressed to go to a function, or running up the senior stairs after class, or even sitting in the dining room with friends having chicken fingers on a Friday.
More recently, however, my two worlds have started coming together in those dreams. Several months ago, I was hiding my dog, Noel, from the Kappa house mom, and all of the girls were joyfully in on the conspiracy. Just last week, I woke up just as I was trying to fit my antique furniture up the stairwell.
I'm not sure what all of it means. My friends and family believe that, for me to dream about the Kappa house, most likely means they have done something wrong and are in trouble. I believe, however, that I'm just not entirely ready to let go. That, even in the midst of my life now—filled with good things that I care deeply about, that there is still a part of me that remains in that big white house on Maple Street. And that, every once in a while, when things get hard in my world, I reserve that one as a place to return. To go back to the laughter of ten girls in the bathroom discussing the drama of the night before, or running for "coke breaks" when we were supposed to be studying, or candlelights, or practicing for rush skits, or any given day surrounded by the warmth and innocence of that place, makes me feel sweetly refreshed.
I hope I always dream about the Kappa house. I want those memories, and that innocent, free, spontaneous part of me to be a part of my world always.

Shake Off the Dust

2009-10-14T07:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I ran across a verse that Melissa taught on several years ago at camp. Matthew 10:14. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town." I don't know about you, but I hold on to my dust...the dust of grievances, anger, frustration, hurt, sadness. But Jesus tells us (actually 3 different times in the Gospels) to let go of that dust. It seems that the dust on our feet does much more to make us dirty than the ones we are actually holding on to it for.

Wednesday Word (a little late)

2009-10-01T13:24:00.000-07:00

In our staff meeting, Melissa typically shares some type of thought of a devotional nature with us. This week, she said something that I loved...and wanted to share with you all.
It is not about us focusing on God, it is us receiving His focus on us.
What a great, refreshing word in the midst of the pressure and hectic-ness that surrounds our days!

Analog Parents

2009-09-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

A mom recently told us, "I'm an analog mom living in a digital world." We have just this weekend started working on a new book with Broadman & Holman publishers with this in mind. The first chapter is about the digital world...internet, cell phones, gaming, etc. If any of you have a minute, we'd love for you to share your thoughts with us.
1)What are your three biggest fears about technology and your children?
2)If you could have any questions answered about technology and your children, what would they be?
Thanks so much for your time and thoughts. We appreciate you!
Sissy and Melissa

Vote for Daystar!

2009-09-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

We are trying to finish raising funds to cover the summer for camp--and Christie Cookies is having an awesome giveaway! We'd love for any of you who can to follow the link and vote. If you don't know about Daystar, we'll include that link, too--so you can read about all of the things we're so blessed that God is doing in our little yellow house!
http://www.ilovechristiecookies.com/contest/

Molasses' Little Sister

2009-08-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

We wanted to introduce you to the newest addition to the Daystar Family, Blueberry Pancake Trevathan...otherwise known as Blueberry. Blueberry's got big shoes to fill in the hearts of many kids and families, her mom included. But she's quickly winning us all over and will be ready to herd you into the daystar office come september when she officially joins the daystar staff.

August Blues?

2009-08-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

August is here. No more piles of tennis shoes and flip flops filling the cubbies at Hopetown. No more children swinging on the rope swing. No laughter floating down from the upstairs girls’ sleeping porch. No strains of “How Great Thou Art” ringing through the house. It is quiet. Except for the whispers of words that have been spoken. Encouragement that has been given. Stories that have been told. And hope that has been shared. We wanted to share just one more story of that hope with you, from a mom of a first year camper at the 2nd-4th grade camp.

“When I first got to camp, my daughter grabbed me and started taking me down the walkway to the basketball swing. On her way she grabbed my hand and started telling me about writing her sins on rocks. She was talking a mile a minute...as if she had been holding this information inside and it was erupting out!! She tells me that afterwards they came down to the dock and threw their rocks into the lake. She then asks me if I knew that Jesus has the power to forgive and then FORGET.... as far as from the east is to the west. I say "yes" and was about to remind her that I have taught her this truth before, however, she quickly interrupts me with more of her story.... never really hearing me at all! She then tells me about how amazing it was and then stops on the path and looks at me. I realize that this is when I should speak...and I ask,"How did that make you feel?" She looks at me and says with the biggest grin I've ever seen...."Mom, it made me feel like a BRAND NEW GIRL!! I don't have to hold all those sins ANYMORE!!"

We had a lot of brand new girls…and boys…and counselors this summer. Thanks to nineteen staff members who gave up their summer to love on 178 2nd through 12th graders. Thanks to board members who prayed and sent notes and packages to a weary staff. Thanks to you, for supporting and covering us in prayers for safety and for God’s gracious movement in the lives of kids. And, ultimately, thanks to Him…who is able to do exceedingly more than we could ever ask. We are more than grateful.

Mighty

2009-07-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

The first night of 7th-8th grade camp we watched the made-for-TV movie, A Wrinkle in Time. For those of you who haven't read it, it is a story of good and evil and the power even an awkward, self-conscious pre-teen and her little brother can have to make a difference. Meg, the main character, has three friends who spur her on in this journey, aptly called Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Who. They each give her some truth to arm herself with. One of the Mrs. W's asks her if she has the courage to go back and rescue her little brother from the evil that has ensnared him. Her answer is "No, but it's something I'm going to do." Mrs. Who goes on to say that only the foolish don't feel fear. Melissa, our own Mrs. Who, went on to say that "We can be too strong for God to use, but never too weak. Love is stronger than fear. You can be a confident, weak person. You are called in spite of your fear to make a difference." Recently, her 6 year-old nephew came to visit. He wanted to get a rock to put on the rock pile that we've been building at camp all summer. These rocks have had a variety of words painted on them that have reflected something we have learned this summer...be, refuge, rock, to name a few. He wanted his own rock to write on, as the older kids had been doing. When Melissa asked him what he wanted to write he said, "Ben. 6 years old. And God is good.....and mighty." He is and it is his love that not only allows us to be weak, but works through our weakness with even more might. I'm thankful to be in the midst of a very sweet group of 7th-8th graders, who already have had the courage so many kids their age don't. They have stood up and prayed in front of each other, shared powerful words of truth, offered a coveted spot on our new banana boat, and a variety of big and simple things. In short, they have used their voices to have courage and offer who God has made them each to be. And the week is just beginning....

5th-6th Grade Camp

2009-07-25T16:35:00.001-07:00

I didn't have much time to blog during 5th-6th grade camp. Maybe it's because we were building a temple...or planning a festival...or having our spirits stirred...basically all "getting to work" in ways that the book of Haggai points to. Melissa taught all week on this book. As she studied it, she said there were three main things that were repeated (which works well for 5th-6th graders). 1)Take a look at your life. 2)Get to work. and 3)I am with you. Through the course of the week, we took good looks at our lives, at how each of us can be like Zerubbabel and be the one whom God uses to stir the spirits of others. Then, it was "get to work." One child, after camp, told his mom that he was inspired to go out and serve God. That is exactly what the campers did during the week as they loved each other...and were living reminders of how much God truly is with us. At one point during the week, Melissa said that the origin of the word "blessed" comes from the same word that means to kneel. Being blessed, she said, is God's attitude toward us. He wants us to be blessed and then to go out and be a blessing to others...which is exactly what this week was for us all!

God is Good...

2009-07-22T19:50:00.001-07:00

It was my counseling day between camps today. And, as summers go when working with kids, I was blessed to hear about several different missions trips that various girls had been on. Their experiences were a humbling reminder to me. One such experience was from a girl who had been in a terribly poverty-stricken country where there has been much political upheaval of late. She told a story of a man she met in a church who had watched his entire family killed before his eyes. This church service, of which he was an active member, began with the minister recounting the phrase "God is good" to which the crowd replied, "All the time." The minister then said "All the time," and the body said "God is good." These words are even more powerful in light of such tragedy. He is good...all of the time, all of the days, and in all of the trials (and camps) we find ourselves in on this given day of July.

1 Corinthians 13, Hopetown Style

2009-07-08T20:54:00.001-07:00

Love is the word leading the 2nd-4th graders this week at Hopetown, along with a cloud and pillar of fire from Isaiah 4:5-6. The first night, Melissa taught on Hopetown's version of 1 Corinthians 13. "Love is...patient, kind, forgiving, trusting God, hopeful--looks for the best, enduring--keeps going to the end, polite--supportive, warm--open. At the end of the night, each child who wanted to turned to the group and said, "This week, I want to love." Then, their "buddy" counselor came to the front and prayed for that child and their week at camp. The second night, we went on to top about what love is not. "It is not giving up, caring for self-not others, seeking revenge or holding grudges, being jealous-wanting what it doesn't have, boasting, being irritable or sarcastic, being resentful, laughing when someone messes up." Day 2 (or night 2, to be exact) gave the kids an opportunity to talk to their buddies about a particular way in which they had not loved that day. They wrote these on a rock and threw them into the fire to "get rid of them" as Scripture suggests. As the week has gone on, we have seen these 2nd-4th graders love in big and small ways. Tonight, Melissa taught on Matthew and giving a cup of cold water--and how it really is giving to others that brings refreshment to us. The kids were then given an opportunity to give back to their buddies--by offering them a cup of water and telling them what they had meant to them over the week. The hearts and words of these precious kids were much more refreshing than water could ever be. It is no wonder that Jesus says to be like a child...in the ways that we love and give and speak honestly from our hearts when we mess up. ""Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best f the three is love." 1 Cor. 13:13, The Message

Hopetown Ho Ho Ho's from 9th/10th

2009-07-06T17:36:00.001-07:00

This is our letter to our Hopetown crew...a group of folks specifically praying for and helping with our summer camps! We thought we'd share it with you...
For you all in Nashville, it may be a warm summer day...but here at Hopetown it's Christmas time.

All summer we have been talking about rocks, but this week we've specifically talked about boulders with our 9th-10th grade campers. Melissa talked this camp about a mountain biking trip that she, Sissy, and Pace went on a few years ago. She reminisced on how when she would see a big rock or boulder, she would try so hard not to hit it that she right into it and got all tripped up.

We talked about how the bible uses metaphors like the one above. We are called to follow the path, rather than focusing on the boulders, and consequently embark on the adventure of learning to trust the Lord and see the bigger picture. As friends, we are able help one another when they hit the boulders and remind each other to go to the rock that is higher than you and I (and our boulder).

We are so thankful for all of you who have embarked on this journey with us! As you all know, we often hit small and large boulders at Hopetown....but they are more in the form of boats and vans breaking down, bike tires going flat, more scholarship applications than ever before because of the economy, and so on. We are so thankful for all of you who help to remind us to focus on the path and that there is someone bigger than you and I.

You all have helped remind us of His greatness in many ways. One way, specifically, is that many of you have helped us raise $86,600!! We are so thankful for where we are, but must also look forward and know that we have another $53,400 to go in order to keep the doors open at Daystar and Hopetown throughout the summer. If any of you know anyone who may be interested in (1) underwriting the 4Winns boat to be fixed for $230, (2) scholarship-ing one of the four scholarship'd kids at this camp for $650, (3) donating bikes, or (4) underwriting the rental of our replacement rental van due to a microburst/wind damage to the first rental for $599... please feel free to respond to this email or call Kathleen's cell phone at 214-738-5996 if you have any questions.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and blessings upon these kids and this place. We are truly so grateful for all of you!

Gratefully,
Kathleen Goff & Brian Anderson

"From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
Psalm 61:2-3

Trusting the Shepherd

2009-06-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

"God, My Shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows. You find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction...Even when the way goes though darkness, I am not afraid when you walk by my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure...Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Psalm 23, The Message
This week started off with our shepherd, Jesus and a poignant reminder of who he is from our deeply missed sheepdog, Molasses. Melissa started off talking with the 9th and 10th graders about how much Molasses reminded her to trust, and that it is almost as if she is saying these words from the Message to us...
The Shepherd leads the sheep but never drives them. He doesn't have to, because He knows them. Melissa told us of a shepherd in Lebanon who was recently asked, "How can you keep track of your sheep if you don't count them?" His answer was "If you were to bring me any sheep and let me put my hands on his face, I could tell in a moment who he is and that he is mine." What a powerful reminder of the great love our Shepherd has for us, and the depth by which we can truly trust Him.

Adventure is About Relationship

2009-06-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 29:11-13 started off our 2nd camp of the summer. Actually, the movie Up came a little before that. The rain kept us from seeing our traditional first night movie on the back of the barn, and so we headed off to see this little cartoon with a big story to tell, Up. The next morning, we gathered to talk about Up--and the power of encouragement. Melissa used the verse in Jeremiah to remind us that God makes our plans. He gives us hope. He'll do that part, she said. It is ours just to seek him. From there, she wanted us to imagine that everyone else in the room was discouraged--and that we were, that each of us was the only one in the room with the power to encourage. And so the kids wrote notes of encouragement, much like Ellie did in the movie, to remind each other of the hope that is found in Christ. This is one from a 15 year-old girl that we felt compelled to share with you.
"Wherever you are, God can find you, and you can find God. If you need a sense of hope & security, know that there is none greater than the hope the Lord offers. Our spirits are made alive in Him. Our hearts are made full in Him. Our minds are opened in Him. His realness and the truth in His words are astounding. And I believe there is no greater adventure than the adventure of seeking the Realness of God. And I believe there is no greater treasure than that which is found in His truth. If you seek that, you may very well be a different person each day - as your spirit is made alive in Him. Let His face shine upon you. Let His words of wisdom and truth guide you and bring you home. Join with Him in an adventure of unimaginable excitement and sincere fulfillment and contentment."
The message we hung on to from Up was that adventure is in relationship--with each other and with the kind, redemptive girl that this young girl spoke of. We are glad to be in the adventure with you...and with Him!

A Timely Word

2009-06-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

"A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God's boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it."
D.L. Moody

Writing to Remember...and Become

2009-06-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

Camp Hopetown has officially begun! We started off the summer remembering--not just the past summer, but our earlier lives, as well.

"What began the change was the very writing itself. Let no one lightly set about such a work. Memory, once waked, will play the tyrant. I found I must set down passions and thoughts of my own which I had clean forgotten. The past which I wrote down was not the past that I thought I had (all these years) been remembering. I did not, even when I had finished the book, see clearly many things that I see now. The change which the writing wrought in me (and of which I did not write) was only a beginning."
And our beginning of the summer at Camp Hopetown has involved just such writing as this. We are now several days into our first camp with 11th-12th graders and we have done much talking and writing on this subject of remembering. In fact, it is Star Trek that led us into the subject. In case you haven't seen it, the newest movie is basically about how Kirk became Kirk and Spock became Spock. And, so we've been talking (and writing) about how Georgia became Georgia, Callie became Callie, Carter became Carter and so on. And so it goes from there. And so it has gone--as we've talked and remembered. And those memories tie in to the future of who we're each becoming. We'd love to share in that remembering with you. These are just a few of our questions that have spurred our memories...
What was it like to go to first grade?
Who took care of you when you were sick?
Who had a bad influence on you?
What did you do at birthday parties?

We'll continue to post different teachings of Melissa's from the summer. I'm afraid Molasses interrupted the process a little on this first camp, but we'll catch up soon.

Daystar's Dearest LifeGuard

2009-06-11T14:58:00.001-07:00

Dear Daystar Friends,
If you've been to the Daystar house or Camp Hopetown in the past twelve years, you have been greeted, licked, and probably sat upon by a wonderful, warm, shaggy sheepdog named Molasses. On any given day, you could find Molasses sitting on the couch in the waiting room with her paw on someone's shoulder or jumping into the lake to save a stray child at camp. She spent twelve years as a lifeguard to us all, but especially to Melissa. It is with heavy hearts that we wanted to let you know that Molasses' sweet life came to a close yesterday. Her hips finally got the best of her and the pain was just more than her brave heart could bear. She was surrounded by Melissa and friends from the Daystar staff, and now has a beautiful little spot in the backyard of the Daystar house. We know, however, that Molasses is not there...that she is already in Heaven herding Noel, Patty and Puddy and reigning as the lifeguard supreme over all God's creatures.

What We're Reading

2009-06-02T13:50:00.001-07:00

I recently read someone else's blog that had a section on what they were reading. I thought that was great--and that we should have a similarly updated section. If it were only Melissa, though, we'd have to update daily as she typically is reading 4 books at once and consumes them like chocolate (not that either of us like chocolate). I, on the other hand, read a little more slowly--unless I'm on vacation. So, here are my books of the month, and Melissa's of the day (for the month of June)!