Mrs. Becky Knows

“Mrs. Becky, how did you know that?” says Stacey in astonishment.

“Mrs. Becky knows everything!” replied Lauren, “we should make a hashtag, #MrsBeckyKnows and post it every time she says something that no one else knows.”

I don’t know where I got the idea that all Pastors and their families were perfect. That they had all knowledge about the scriptures and knew all the answers to life’s greatest questions. However, I do remember thinking, when I married my Youth Pastor husband, “Wait a second God, I don’t know everything yet!”

In four years of youth ministry I have learned an awful lot. As a matter of fact, I have here for you just three simple rules, that, if followed, will help you tremendously through life.

 Mrs. Becky’s Rules for Knowing EVERYTHING!

1. Realize that you Don’t know everything
2. Recognize Who does – James 1:5
3. Rely on His Wisdom – Proverbs 4:5-9

Kenny has been preaching through “The ABC’s of Christian Growth” on Wednesday nights, we’re on letter B-Bible. In his preaching he has said over and over that the Bible is the foundation for all we do as Christians and that our actions, beliefs and standards for living should be based on the Bible. Our late Pastor, Mark Brown, also did a wonderful job of pointing us to the scriptures. He used to ask “What does the Bible say about that?” This study has been an excellent reminder that God wants us to have knowledge and understanding and He has given us His Word to help us in that endeavor.

“I don’t know the answer to that question. Lets find it together.”

My Kids

“How many kids do you have now?” The age old question people ask each other when they haven’t seen you for a while or when you first meet.
“Fifteen.” I reply with calm assurance and a polite smile while waiting for the initial shock to pass and reality to kick in.
“Surely, they can’t all be your kids?”
“Yes, yes they are.”

Brock, Justin, Xavier, Raquel, Michelle, Stacey, Andrew, Lauren, Jacque, Emily, Tyler, Alex, Kyle, Jessica, Adonis, and Allison. Sixteen if you count our dog Bella.
Their nicknames are Broccoli, Hulk, Scoop, Quel and Shelly (they are my “Twinkies”), Stace, Cuban, Laaaaren, My Girl, Emmie, Ty, Lazy and Newb. The other three have not been to camp yet and therefore have not been labeled.


I am constantly amazed at the level of “abuse” these kids receive at our hands, and yet, they consistently come back for more. We make fun of them, call them names, bop them on the head, and occasionally they even sustain injury; such as the black eye Emmie received after a wayward box of candy hit her. They’re rowdy, loud, weird, forgetful, always hungry, and sometimes smell bad. We have inside jokes (5th place ribbon) and stories that make us laugh until we cry every time we hear them.

Nothing warms this “Mommy” heart more than to see and be apart of the growth and excitement my kids experience. Joyfully serving the Lord, giving testimony of touched hearts and reaching out to bring others into the “family.”


I am by no means an expert on teenagers, as a matter of fact, every time I think I’ve got it figured out, they change on me! I raise my kids, and just when we’re starting to really get to know each other and bond, they graduate and leave for college and I am left with a whole new youth group.

“Oh wait, did I forget to mention, I’m a Youth-Mommy.”

Two Things I Said I’d Never Do

This week I joined two social media websites that I said I would never get into, Instagram and Twitter. Instagram really isn’t that bad, I’ve actually been enjoying being able to take a picture, edit it a little and post it for a quick update on what we’re doing. But Twitter…. (sigh) I’ve made fun of twitter since it started, why on earth you would want to post status updates all day long is beyond me. So why did I get into these?

For my kids.

Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

I mentioned in my last post about doing some “remembering,” and with that remembering comes a lot of thankfulness for those who watched for my soul as a teenager. The prayers that were said on my behalf were numerous at times I’m sure! Kenny and I do a lot of praying for our teens but we also try to do a lot of checking up on them as well. One of the many ways I have been doing that is through social media like Facebook and now Twitter and Instagram. It’s just one (or two) more ways to get in touch with our teens and hold them accountable for the way they use these sites as well as a way to be encouraging to them too!

If your on Twitter and/or Instagram look me up!

@BeckyGodby

 

If you are a parent or youth worker reading this, let me encourage you to check out what your teen has been doing on these sites. Often times you will be surprised at what you will find! Hopefully you don’t find anything to be alarmed by, but just the same, do some checking, keep your teen accountable to what they say/post and what they are reading. Encourage your teen to have good friends (online ones too) who will edify them and help them to grow spiritually.

Camp Crossroads 2011

I’m sorry this is soooo late! But better late than never right? Kenny and I took 6 teenagers from our church to Camp Crossroads in Danielstown, GA, the last week of July.

We left Sunday, July 24th after the morning service.

Here is Emily between Sunday School and the morning service writing on the van.

Kenny had everyone wear our T.E.A.M. 412 t-shirts for the trip down to Georgia.

Taylor and Brandon ducked out of this picture :S

Kenny and I were both counselors for the week and  somehow ended up being team leaders as well… for the BLUE team! (if you know my husband you’d know his favorite color is red, it was even our main wedding color because he likes red so much!) Kenny said he only brought 2 blue shirts with him for the week so here he is trying to make himself look blue!

There were 13 girls in my cabin plus myself and another counselor, and only 2 bathrooms! I was getting up at 5-5:30 am so I could get a shower before the girls started getting up.

Its ok though, I enjoyed some really nice sunrises!

We enjoyed all sorts of things at camp.

Games:

Tug-o-war

 

 

 

 

Relay Race

 

 

 

 

  Frozen T-shirt Contest

 

 

 

 

Horses:

 

 

 

 

 

Music and Preaching:

And Morning Devotions:

We also spent one whole day at Six Flags over Georgia!

This is the girl I was able to lead to the Lord

All in all we had an amazing week. The teens had a blast but more importantly there were 13 teens that accepted Christ and many, many other decisions to stand up and live for Christ.

Thank you all so much for your prayers on our behalf!

Teen Room

I still have a couple more things I’d like to do to this room before I’m “Finished” but here is what I’ve done so far.

  

This is what the teen room door used to look like, front and back (actually this is Kenny’s office door front and back because I forgot to get the original pictures before, but you get the idea).

This is the inside (back) of the door. I used Chalkboard paint on the door so when the teens feel the urge to color on the door they can now wash it off when they are done. Also its been a great place to post notes to the teens about memory verses.

We have some bright colored paint that was used in the children’s Sunday School classroom I think I might use as a border around the edge of the door. It just feels like its missing something.

Here is the front of the door where the teens and their parents can see what activities are coming up soon and how they are doing in the points area.

I have plans to make little ninja’s out of scrapbook paper for each of our teens to post their points on.

 

This is the wall next to the door. It will be used for a collage’ of our different youth activities.

 

 

I didn’t set this up but I think its a great idea. this is where the teens can get information on different Christian and Bible Colleges. And of course its set up near the well used foosball table :)

Those are some of the projects I’ve been working on and I still have some left to do but I’ll keep ya posted!

Updates and Projects

We have had a TON of stuff going on recently and I feel like I haven’t been able to catch my breath! Summer has gone by like a whirlwind and I haven’t gotten half of my glorious “to-do list” done! Oh well :)

I’m going to try to do a post this weekend about how camp went so your going to have to wait on that one. However, I am going to let you in on some projects I have going for the RU ministry, the Youth Group and finally the house.

For RU (Reformers Unanimous, drug addiction program): They give out a lot of rewards for challenges completed, attendance, memorizing scripture, etc. So Pastor Haley came to me and asked if I could create a poster or bulletin board to show who has earned which reward, kind of an incentive for those not doing so well in the program to step it up a notch. Here is what I came up with:

On the right side is a list of all the rewards you can receive and a brief description of how you get it (Psalm 23 pin = Memorize and quote Psalm 23) simple right? the colored squares at the top of each row are name tags that are attached with Velcro. (Not trying to sound heartless but in this ministry people come and go so if a person stops coming we can easily remove their name and put someone new in that place without messing up the whole chart.) Lastly, the colored dots, when a person earns a reward a colored dot is placed in their section by the rewards name. (once again it is taped on so it can easily be removed if needed.) So what do you think?  I’m still in the beginning stages of putting this together so I’m open to any comments or suggestions that would help make this better.

For the Youth Group: Sorry but I neglected to get pictures but I’ll try to paint you a verbal picture until I get pictures later this weekend.

First, the church had some leftover Chalk board paint that was used in another classroom so I painted the back of the door with that and I’m going to go back and add a painted color border with leftover neon paint that was used in the Children’s Sunday School room.

Next, I made a Ninja score board with little ninja’s for each teen on it back in January. Since we have a couple new teens my plan is to make more “ninja’s” and instead of having a score board I’m planning on putting the ninja’s on the wall or on the outside of our door (the side that faces the hallway) and put their weekly total points next to their ninja. I like the idea of putting the ninja’s on the door because the teen’s parents can see them and hopefully be encouraging their teen to do better. Is that an evil plan?

I also have plans of making a collage of the different youth activities we’ve done on one of the walls in our teen room.

Our House: I confess I’ve been waiting to show pictures of our house until I had everything “just perfect” but I’ve come to realize that that endeavor may take a lifetime to achieve! So starting next week (hopefully) I’m going to start “Take a Tour Tuesday” and each week show you a room or an area of our house. The plan is, after I finish showing you the house, to start showing you things we are doing to make our house more like home. But real quick I want to show you the sign I put together today for our Laundry room.

I thought this would be cute on a red mat in a black frame. I especially like what it says because our laundry room doubles as the back entry :) I hope no one takes this literally, that could cause some embarrassment! :)

Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed seeing the beginning stages of my projects and that you’ll leave some suggestions about what we could do with the RU Rewards Board and the Teen Room (I LOVE feedback!)

We're Going to Camp and We're Gonna have a Ball!

Did you ever listen to the old Patch the Pirate tape (yes, I said TAPE, not CD) called "Camp Kookawakawoods?" My mom would always plug that one in when we were on our way to camp as kids... Ok, we listened to it as teenagers too... Ok, so I still listen to it :) I just love it :) anyways there is a song on there that says

"We're going to camp, and we're gonna have a ball,

We're going to camp to get away from it all!

Were the bears are tame and the councellors bite, OUCH!

I'm going to Camp!!!!!"

I have been singing that song all morning (in my head because I think Kenny was getting annoyed with my singing :S) But We're going to camp, and I'm all excited.
We'll be leaving today after the Sunday Morning Service, headed for Georgia for a week.
Please keep us in your prayers as we travel and for the services.

Thankful Thursday - Kenny

  Today I am very thankful for my hubby, Kenny, but I am even more thankful for what God is doing in him right now. Kenny just got back from a Bible Conference in California with a new energy for God that has encouraged and inspired me as well.

Yesterday our pastor went with  another man from our church, Jay, to witness to Jay’s dad. On their way back the car broke down and Kenny got the phone call that he needed to preach the main service. (By the way, Jay’s dad got saved!!!) Kenny had already prepared a message for the teens called “Stand up for Christ, or Shut up for Satan.” With our teens getting ready to start back to school in just 3 weeks Kenny has started a series to encourage them to do right and to stand for Christ when  temptations come. Since we were in with the adults Kenny also talked to the parents about being an example to their kids by reading their Bibles and making church a priority.

Kenny’s new passion for our teens has spurred even more fervent prayers on my part for camp next week and for the weeks to follow that we would be able to see more teens come to know Christ as their personal Savior and follow Him with all their hearts.

I hope you’ll be praying for us!

Plans for the week

This past Saturday my sister and I went yard saleing and I found several things to aid in decorating the house. I plan to blog about those this week and get them in place. Eventually, I hope, to do a “home tour” for every one here on the blog.

Kenny (finally) made it back home this morning from the Conference in California at 2:45am. Although we didn’t talk much last night, I know Kenny is excited about the things he learned out there and has already been planning some changes for the choir and youth group. Should be really good from what he has told me already.

Also, this week we are getting ready to take the teens to camp in Georgia for a week. If you think about it please pray for us as Kenny and I will be counselors for the week and for all the teens, that their hearts would be open to God’s word.   - Along the same line Alton Beal was preaching at our church  yesterday. His message last night was about the four men who brought the man of the palsy to Jesus by lowering him through the roof. Alton was saved as a young boy through the bus ministry run by four men. His message was “What are you doing to bring people to Jesus?” I know I’ve mentioned praying for our teens a lot but it is an important way you can help bring people to Jesus.

Last thing I’d like to share here today is Your not JUST anything! I follow the blog “Not JUST A Housewife” Its a Do-It-Yourself decorating, organizing and anything else you can think of kind of blog on a budget. (just my style!) She did a really good post yesterday about being proud of what you do. I really enjoyed reading it and hope you will too!

Hiking with the Teens

Last Wednesday Kenny and I took six of our teens hiking the Grandfather Mtn. Profile Trail. Let me just say right off the bat it is not a trail for the faint of heart! (unless your only planning to do a small portion) None the less we had a great time huffing and puffing up and down the sides of the mountain peaks and enjoying all the wonderful views.

Here we are getting ready to embark on our grand adventure at 10:30am. In this picture (left to right) Becky (me), Brock, Mary Kathryn, Emily, Kenny, Dustin and Dakota.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the first peak on the profile trail, one of three that we would climb!

 

 

 

After Hiking for two hours we took break #13 for lunch

 

I couldn’t resist putting Brock in “tree jail.”

 

 

Break # 21 - This place was called “Shanty Springs” the sign said that this was the last “for sure” watering hole… do you see the black pipe Dakota has his water bottle under?

Break # 25 – I had everyone get on a different rock, I thought it turned out nice except for the fact that you can’t see Mary Kathryn :S

 

Break # 26 – the guys trying to move the boulder.

 

 

Our first Mountain Top Experience…

 

 

 

 

 

…and break # 31. It was up here that my phone ran, it was my nephew, Austin, calling me from Kansas to tell me about camp and spending time with his cousins. Yeah I’m pleased with my cell service :)

 

I wanted to show this picture because that is the trail they are standing/sitting on. And yes, that is aprox. 70-90 ft drop off to the right! Like I said this trip was not for the faint of heart!

 

  Break # 52 – Mountain Peak two. I was too scared to look over the edge so i held the camera out and took a picture instead… needless to say I backed off that ledge VERY carefully!

We next had to hike down the other side of the peak we had just come up. We all started referring to this section of  the trail as “The Cliffs of Insanity.”

And back up again, you know its steep when they give you a ladder and rope instead of stairs and a hand rail.”Excuse me, Kenny, next time can we just take the elevator?

This was the last and highest peak. The sign on the ladder they are climbing says “Macrae Peak, 5844 ft.”

Worth every step!

I didn’t take very many pictures on the way down – not much to look at when you’ve just seen the top of the world.

Break # 79 - The last picture of the weary travelers! By the time we finished it was somewhere around 5:00pm so we drove into town and got a bucket of chicken for supper and went to a picnic area on the Blue Ridge to eat and have our Teen Service.

Just for the record, I didn’t actually keep track of how many breaks we took but there were a lot! Brock said he wanted to design a shirt that says; (front) “I survived Grandfather Mtn. Profile Trail…” (back) “Never mind how many breaks I took!”

We had a great time with the teens and will probably go again next year… after the soreness wears off :)