Uphill idealist

What is FLY? It's a youth group for students in grades 5 - 12. It meets Wednesdays at 6 pm at First Lutheran Church, 120 Chandler St. in Jamestown. Call, me Tara Eastman, 664-4601, for more information. My husband, Ian and our friend Sue help with the group gatherings and we have a great time together. You should come and have dinner with us this Wednesday! PS> Isn't the graphic for this great! What a clever guy Ian is for making this.

The week is winding down and I'm looking forward to a sunny spring weekend being kicked off by outdoor time this evening at my mother in laws place. We my grill some burger and tinker with the pool, but I don't quite think we'll be able to show up the celebration in the Tiki Island video below. Is it weird, funny or cute? I'm not sure, but I'm glad Friday is here! Are you?

Some of you may be familiar with the Free Hugs videos that have been circulating around the web. I first was introduced to this movement of literally of reaching out to people by my friend Jay , when he discussed a group of college students he knew that organized and led a Free Hug day on their campus. Over time and as the popularity of Free Hugs grew, the originator of the movement Jaun Mann, began to face some resistance and at one point was banned from holding Free Hugs days in public. After much effort and 10,000 people's signatures showing their support of Free Hugs, the ban has been lifted. In a world filled with so many lonely and hurting people, I'm happy to know that Free Hugs are BACK! The following is an excerpt from the official Free Hugs Campaign Website: How Free Hugs started: I'd been living in London when my world turned upside down and I'd had to come home. By the time my plane landed back in Sydney, all I had left was a carry on bag full of clothes and...

There is a revival of an old teaching method and it is being picked up by youth ministries nationwide. It is the process and practice of storytelling scripture. I had the opportunity to sit on on an example of this teaching method last Saturday at the YS One Day training I attended in Hamburg, NY at the Hub . We listened to the account of Creation and had the time to really focus on what depth the story held. At the end of the listening, we reviewed the story, and then broke up into small groups to discuss different aspects of the story. So often in ministry, discussions and learning can feel rushed and hurried. This approach did not, in fact all this week I've found my mind wandering back to the story of Creation and I'm caught up in my imagination with the activity and wonder of it. What if storytelling could help spark not only my imagination, but that of the students I work with each week? Echo the Story offers a web-site full of free resources: downloads of story lessons...

What an interesting and interactive art project - looks like great fun.

All this sunshine and non-freezing spring weather has got me thinking about trying to ride a bike to work this summer. I don't have and haven't ridden a bike in too many years to say, but I'm pondering the possibility. Most of my research has been steered in the direction of purchasing a 'commuter' or 'hybrid' bike. I've seen the prices rages from anywhere from $500.00 to a friend's lucky find at a garage sale for fifty bucks. These bikes are built for hills, comfort and making it possible to arrive at work greenly as well as not being super sweaty. If you have any suggestions on the bike quest and all the possibility's it offers, drop me a line and help me out. I'm looking for a mid-range, possibly used, either a 17 or 18 inch size, and a not too big price tag too. Thanks.

I've loved the song "Yellow" by Coldplay for a while, so I decided to take a second glance at the words. This song speaks of love, commitment, sacrifice and hope. I think these are great things for this sunny, yet chilly May morning. This video is not the original, but I think it captures the importance of living in the present. Look at the stars, Look how they shine for you, And everything you do, Yeah, they were all yellow. I came along, I wrote a song for you, And all the things you do, And it was called yellow. So then I took my turn, Oh what a thing to have done, And it was all yellow. Your skin Oh yeah, your skin and bones, Turn into something beautiful, You know, you know I love you so, You know I love you so. I swam across, I jumped across for you, Oh what a thing to do. Cos you were all yellow, I drew a line, I drew a line for you, Oh what a thing to do, And it was all yellow. Your skin, Oh yeah your skin and bones , Turn into something beautiful, And you know fo...