tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328261868814137062011-10-07T20:31:00.998-04:00by RachaelRachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.comBlogger241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-80888085958281776772011-03-15T21:47:00.000-04:002011-03-15T21:47:52.687-04:00

I've started a creative journaling project with my Student Leadership team at youth group.  We are taking the 1st week to tell our story and then start writing about what leadership means to me ... i wanted to share on here the 1st part of "My Story". I wrote this on 3/10/11 As I sit on my couch on this rainy night, a blanket around my legs and Riley curled up next to me, I'm remembering how

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-12791994821029474162011-01-09T20:54:00.000-05:002011-01-09T20:54:53.407-05:00

I have always loved little kids. I started babysitting when I was 12; and with a few rare exceptions, I loved babysitting more than any other job I have had.  (there was this one girl that I'm convinced was possessed by a demon, but other than her ...).  I was given the gift of being "good" with kids. I'm good with babies, toddlers, elementary kids and surprisingly even teenagers. When I was a

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-86640761285276340292010-05-02T17:51:00.001-04:002010-05-02T17:53:40.306-04:00

So my weekend didn't go as I had thought it was going to.  The meeting on Friday went okay but it left me drained and mentally exhausted.  So there was no way I was in the right frame of mind to hang out with teens for 12 hours and not get any sleep.  For the 1st time in a LONG time, I bailed on a youth activity ... I felt somewhat bad but I was happy overall with my decision. Saturday morning,

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-3282031162237083922010-04-29T18:33:00.002-04:002010-04-29T18:36:14.875-04:00

I know I haven't posted anything in over a week, and it's because nothing really all that noteworthy or spectacular has happened.  I have been journalling for over a week now and I guess since I'm writing things down in there, I don't feel anything is worthy of being written about twice I do have some upcoming events that have the potential to be more than a little interesting ... there are 2

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-79241323262704697542010-04-23T17:44:00.001-04:002010-04-23T17:44:38.714-04:00

I've never been a very "neighborly" person.  Not that I'm unfriendly or rude, but I have grown up in the Northeast and have become used to people being suspicious when you are "too friendly".  So I always wave, say hello and smile, but I haven't been all that social with my neighbors. Until I got my dog... For the past year or so, I've been outside more, walking the dog, playing with him, etc.

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-16615731171844817692010-04-20T18:51:00.000-04:002010-04-20T18:51:46.500-04:00

This week has started out really well and I'm so happy about that!!  Sunday was a pretty typical day for me I guess, church in the morning and then youth group in the late afternoon.  The message was great at church, Pastor Rex's sermons on Heaven are thought provoking and reassuring at the same time.  And I figure if he expects that Buddy the Wonder Dog will be there, then I can plan on seeing

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-59448491859312019052010-04-16T23:32:00.002-04:002010-04-16T23:44:36.134-04:00

Well I can't believe it's been over a year since I blogged last! I think with the increased usage of Twitter and Facebook, I guess I didn't have anything that important over 140 characters to blog about.Tonight, while I'm enjoying a quiet Friday night at home ... laundry is done, TV watching caught up on, dog sleeping at my feet, I'm feeling a little introspective.These last few weeks have been

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-4492872511406054572009-03-15T14:03:00.002-04:002009-03-15T14:12:26.882-04:00

in the past month or so, i've been attempting to do a study in the Bible on the fruits of the spirit. i have one of those old school Thompson Chain Reference Bibles that's about 30 lbs and could kill a small child ... it has an amazing concordance in the back with all the passages that link together, etc. so i made it through kindness and have moved onto gentleness this week.in the concordance,

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-87954024834895923062009-01-29T19:59:00.004-05:002009-01-29T20:01:24.665-05:00

just heard about this letter - it's very sweet to read, and even made me cry a little bit ... MSNBC also has a newclip they did on their websitehttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB123239885943895155.html

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-35890274689242526782009-01-28T21:13:00.003-05:002009-01-28T21:35:03.822-05:00

so normally, i like to plan things out, in as far advance as i can ... but i'm finding that more often, being spontaneous leads to better times!! the longer i plan something out, the more i can obsess about it, and plan for every thing that could or couldn't happen (i'm guessing that's the "C" in me coming out - you GF people will know what that means).so my friend christine and i started

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-88963435354176174142009-01-04T21:46:00.006-05:002009-01-04T22:14:13.326-05:00

i know everyone is big on new year's resolutions this time of year. and i'm not big on making them (i get that from my father i'm pretty sure) because a week after you make them, you have failed and things are back the way they used to be...while i am not making any official resolutions this year, i am hoping to live better and strive to be a better person.living better for me means:1) i'm going

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-32805161689486709512008-12-18T13:38:00.000-05:002008-12-18T13:40:01.297-05:00

Anyone else here about this? If anyone was wondering what to buy me for Christmas, please leave this OFF your list of ideas!! :)http://www.week.com/news/local/35427334.htmlThe holidays are near... and many of us are searching high and low for the perfect gift. The Miller Park Zoo has a special package for you to consider. It' is reindeer poop... eww for some... but not at Bloomington's Miller

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-30359855413322965062008-11-11T20:26:00.003-05:002008-11-11T21:12:16.422-05:00

my brain is full ... literally. there are so many things i want to write down on here ... all the amazing things i learned at youth specialties, the direction i'm hoping our youth ministry will head, the great times jamie and i, the 'interesting' road trip back ...then there's all my thoughts and emotions surrounding the death of my grandfather. my family has this unique ability to deal with

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-89673043826848581782008-10-29T20:31:00.004-04:002008-10-29T20:42:22.223-04:00

so i was checking out the hotel where we are staying in pittsburgh for youth specialties. and, apparently you have to pay for wi-fi (boo, hiss). so it got me thinking... and i've decided to leave my laptop at home and go 5 days without the internet. can i surive?no facebook, no email, no google reader? i think it will be healthy for me! i'm even going to disable to mobile facebook (yeah i know

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-30025005494625087012008-10-25T23:15:00.003-04:002008-10-25T23:31:20.740-04:00

so, i'm leaving on thursday for the national youth workers convention with 6 others from church. i'm pretty excited to go. i missed out on going last year. there's nothing quite like it. 7000 youth workers from around the US, all gathered in once place to learn how to be better youth workers. one of my favorite parts is how encouraging and uplifting all of the speakers are. as a youth worker

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-34993353584851585122008-10-20T14:50:00.002-04:002008-10-20T14:53:53.700-04:00

Someone brought this article into my office this week ... it gives the history on some of the funny sayings we Americans have. Thought I'd share a few of them ... the entire article is pretty coolLetting the cat out of the bag: In the Middle Ages, if you weren’t careful, it was said, an unscrupulous grocer might cheat you out of the suckling pig you’d purchased for a special dinner. While your

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-82307539567315540652008-10-08T22:31:00.004-04:002008-10-25T23:32:27.895-04:00

so my life has been pretty crappy the past few weeks. i've been in this weird funk that i couldn't shake at all last week. work has been pretty rough and i haven't even wanted to have all that much of a social life.due to this funk, i didn't make any time to prepare for my small group i lead for my high school girls on saturday. so instead of doing a lesson, i wrote up 20 questions and put

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-75769746348802950732008-10-05T22:29:00.002-04:002008-10-05T22:34:24.914-04:00

So I've figured out I can take the bus from close to my house to church on Saturdays for youth group. It will take me over an hour but will only cost a few dollars. I guess the question then becomes, is my time worth the cost of gas if I drive myself. I can imagine it would be nice, to read for an hour or listen to my i-pod. There's even a return bus that I could probably work with my

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-21316617991341507122008-09-30T22:12:00.003-04:002008-10-01T08:47:24.465-04:00

I remember my father talking about the scandal that took place on network TV in the 50's when the show wanted to portray the married couple's bedroom. The rooms had 2 twin beds in them. The idea of portraying sex on television was so taboo, so controversial ..Now, in 2008, we have a girl, willing to sell her virginity on ebay to pay for college.really?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-67043338303914361672008-09-29T15:45:00.003-04:002008-09-29T15:59:08.174-04:00

For the past 3 weeks, on Sunday nights, I've been trying to get myself better prepared for the week. I'm trying to do laundry each week and as soon as things come out of the dryer, I've been ironing those things that need it. That, in and of itself, is pretty huge for me. I've lived in my house over 2 years now and I don't think I once brought the ironing board out. I can only imagine what all my

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-25582930988449625692008-09-26T15:14:00.004-04:002008-09-29T15:41:39.143-04:00

i just had to let 2 of my staff know we have to cut their hours by one shift a pay period. it's not a huge cut, and no one is being laid off, but neither of them is happy with me right now.i've been screamed at, even though she said she wasn't mad at me, that didn't stop her from dropping a bunch of f-bombs and raising her voice so that everyone in the bldg could heari may have a voodoo doll (or

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-25291880725846903692008-09-24T20:28:00.004-04:002008-09-29T15:42:10.035-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyTtK5R6NqMand from his blog ...http://weblog.xanga.com/emprise34/675583058/jesus-is-a-friend-of-mine.htmllove it

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-61798665171960874362008-09-23T19:47:00.002-04:002008-09-23T20:11:33.300-04:00

well, top ten lists seem to be popular this week in the blog world ... so i guess it's my turn to create one (i'm not sure i can come up with 10 ...)i do know it's been an emotional few weeks for me ... so here are the things that have made me cry lately (not in any major order)the final game @ yankee stadium on Sunday night ... this could probably count for half of my 10 ... when bernie williams

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-532826186881413706.post-2042674650466148192008-09-15T20:22:00.002-04:002008-09-15T20:47:08.766-04:00

Okay well thanks to some prodding by Christi, I decided it's time for me to blog. Watch out!! I don't know if I can be as funny or uplifting as others on here, but I'll give it a shot.So I survived a Monday at the office ... last night I got a call around 7:30 from one of the supervisors saying the power was out at the office and the phones weren't going to the answering service. This is never

Rachaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404494269689309324noreply@blogger.com3