blessings come from the strangest places...aka...a view from the interpreters platform day 3 pt.2

so blessings truly come from the strangest places at the oddest times sometimes. today we took a few moments to go through the exhibit hall. if i am honest i usually avoid it--- so often i feel asulted when i go in there- you walk passed a booth and 5 people jump out and start talking to you all at once or you are walking by and things are shoved at you.... i am a simple shopper--- always have been. i like to look- i look 2 or 3 times then if i want to try something on i will- and to top things off i don't like large crowds in small spaces- so it is kinda a hard mix for me..... but today it was different because it wasn't for me..i was there for me- so in we go... we went to look for media presentation options- we stopped at media shout- it took awhile for anyone to talk with us (that was kind of surprising) but finally they did.... we looked at the program and asked the questions that needed to be asked and headed over to check out easy worship- it was time for their give-away of the day so we got tickets and waited though all that then vchurches was doing their deal...it was MADHOUSE...that was one of the things that drives me nuts....i will live without a ipod seriously....YIKES...so Judd gives up on the give-aways and goes back to easy worship to talk to them about the program to ask some questions. we wait to talk to this guy and ask the questions that he had. anyway- it was what was spose to be as Judd and his ministry with Deaf teens was richly blessed today by Easy Worship- when the guy heard about the ministry of Deaf Teen Quest and Judds ministry he wanted to bless the ministry with the program. it was truly a great gift for Judd and the ministry- and it was awesome to be there...that was worth the journey into the crazy world of the exhibit hall.....Thanks Easy Worship!!!!!!!!!

so tonight we had a break from interpreting so i sat in the green room and just soaked in worship and the message- it was nice just to sit and listen and take things in. starfield was truly amazing- wow. their sound is great- but their lyrics are truely anointed by God... they are so rich and full- beautiful. Mike Pilavachi gave the message tonight- he is amazing. I was transformed by his message 2 years ago in atlanta when he spoke. i was in such a dark place with my church at the time. they had told me right before i had left for the convention that the pastor might have it out for me...so i was in a desert place- felt like shattered glass that can't be put together again. his message that year was about being in the desert and finding water again....for me it was realizing that my shatterd glass self is shatterd sea glass--- ya know tumbled smooth in the water of the sea...or the water of his hands...anyway...i have held onto that message since then....i recall it often... so i was looking forward to tonight so much. ...tonight to no surprise he met me again right where i am- again i find myself in a place that is at times uncomfortable- and sticky. a place that is not exactly how i would like it. but God has me where he has me for a reason for a season and he will lead and let me know when and how. I am called to trust.....and if i get too ahead and sure ...he will let me know...it is called HUMILITY....Mike has this way of speaking softly and beautifuly over you that you dont' soon forget...it is amazing.

with that my brain is over full.... my body is tired...my arms are so weak they want to fall off and my left ear is STILL ringing from TFK....ugh.... but can we just say....what a day....what a day to stand with 4,000 other youth pastors....4,000 Jesus lovers just lovin him back....

walking with arms outstreached...
lizzy

views from the interpreter platform pt3....halfway through day 3...right?

so no picture today because i am not on my computer...i am on a borrowed one right now but while i have 15 min to stop and just be i thought i would just stop....take a deep breath and collect my thoughts and share them with yall....

so brenda salter mcneil was the speaker this morning...and well to simply sum things up...she brought it! oh yes...wow! She preached on Jer.1- on how we are losing our identity in God and that causes us to lose sight of ourselves- it was so right on. she shared a clip from 'the lion king' and how simba losing sight of his father is the same as us losing sight of God- our Father- that if we look- REALLY look inside ourselves we will find our Father- He is there inside us- why? because we are part of the Creator himself...it was a beautiful message- a beautiful way to connect two stories- wow...that is forsure a convention cd that i am going home with- AMAZING! This morning was also our last time with the guys from dc*b- it was as usual amazing- they bring such an energy and feel to worship that is amazing...our deaf friends have enjoyed it so much... i do look forward to our time with starfield as well- just this time and place to be and soak in is amazing- and hey KUDOS to alex, marko, tic and the crew of ys for being so awesome to work with ....the deaf with deaf teen quest have been so blessed this year....and are looking forward to a relationship growing over the years.

on a fun side off the platform- we met a guy Doug from indiana- hearing guy that has a heart for deaf teens- not cause he can sign or anything- but because he sees a need and sees that so few people are reaching out- i knows about deaf teen quest- so anyway long story short instead of eating lunch today i talked with doug about youth ministry, deaf youth ministry, passion and life...it was well worth not eating a real meal....besides who am i to complain when people don't get to have meals at all....so i will sit and talk over eating any day....especially when it is convos like that...
okay interpreter duties call...need to get set lists etc for general sessions.... the job never ends...but i love it.....

oh hey ask marko about the belly dancers...i have pictures that i will share later

walking to the road that leads somewhere ....need directions? humm
lizzy

NYWC day 2.....views from the interpreter platform....pt 2

wow what a day. i am beyond tired. as i sit in my bed i dream only of crawling under the covers and falling asleep- yet i am at the point that i am so tired that my body is beyond the ablity to sleep....CRAZY...but yes it happens.
today was a FULL day- beyond what you would expect- okay maybe not. we had 2 gs- phil visher from veggie world past was in the first gs with us- amazing! talk about a humble and gifted spirit. his message was very full of grace and mercy- had this underlining of forgivness- beautiful really. of course we had some fun stuff in gs1 as well- jared hall- great stuff- fun to watch...and tic, marko and jeanne (the new kid on the block) did a great job setting up the week...well the conference for us.... thousand foot krutch was the 'mini concert' umm wow...'interesting' is really all i can say there- it was truly too hard to understand to interpret and my new deaf friends decided to leave so we bailed on that one- we couldn't understand it at all- CRAZY... but of course my FAVORITE moment personally was getting to interpret worship with the guys from dc*b- the music is such a connecting point for all of us- a way for all of us to be together as one- they did my favorite song to sign- 'you are my joy'...the way it goes from song to sign...the meaning behind the words...for me i get this feeling that just builds up inside me....and last year i had a great experince with one of the guys that is here again this year over this song- anyway- just the experince and opportunity to interpret worship- yet then marko pulls one on me and makes a coment on about watching me sign....it is one of those things...it is kind of uncomfortable to sign a coment about yourself...anyway...it was a anointed moment---- the worship time...

enter gs 2 donald miller...and i must make a confession- i have not always liked everything i have heard donald miller say- i have read his books- liked 80% of what i read- but sometimes get frustrated wondering if he realizes the impact he has on young adults/college students because of conversations i have had with some of my students...and some of the scewed ideas they have that they have gotten from donald miller.....yet after tonight.....he has gained so much more of my respect back....okay confession over......
so tonight...interpreter world got fun work out.....my interpreter friends got to sign for the horn guy...did yall see him before at NYWC? or hey americas got talent? yeah ...that was funny.... and well building 429... again intresting... ROCK AND ROLL baby! hahaha and then we got to meet Linda the 'fly in' which is always one of my favorite things- i love that YS takes time to hear stories and bring people here for conventions that wouldn't be here other wise...it is always fun to hear their stories... it was fun to see a video and get that connection-and well to hear stories of their ministry and life...but umm i think i could have lived with out the 'spin cycle' story...laundry will never be the same...humm
dc*b brought it again- hoe-down and all! woohoo! it was so fun and amazing. it was great to sign a song i grew up on....go wyoming! haha my dad would be so proud...if it wasn't so late i would call him....hahaha...
lastly...donalds message- WOW! i could listen to it a few more times there was so much to soak in. (and well interpreting takes so much out of you that my brain was about gone by then) he had some great things to say and to really think about. about where we have been and where we are going as the church...and our motive about why we are doing it....very amazing. i also really appreciated his honesty and being so real and raw. he wasn't ashamed....he didn't appologize for what he was saying.... he didnt' hide behind his message ...yet he also didn't get in the face and shove it either.... so much tonight i kept saying 'amen' ....'amen' ..... so okay.... i agree more than i thought....Thank you donald for a great message that i will spend more time with in the days to come....thank you for challenging me...

and with that my hands..my brain....and my eyes need to REST.....
off to ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
enjoy the journey
lizzy

day one (really 3) NYWC...a view from the interpreters platform

so it is day one...of the madness that is the nywc...i love it....but have to admit i am already so drained! not a good way to start the convetion time off...but i have faith that i will be back to my super go go self soon. i arrived monday night to help begin set up tuesday as part of the vol team- this year i am heading up the interpreter team as cincy is serving as ys's 'Deaf friendly' convention. we have 3 deaf youth workers coming and i am stoked to be working with them and the other interpreters. chris and stacey are back this year as interpreters and judd who was here last year is back...it will be GREAT fun....we are not interpreting any CCC which i must admit with how i feel right now is SO okay with me.....for now i am just running around helping out where I can...getting set lists....checking lyrics to make sure we know what it is they are really saying....making sure rooms are set for the seminars that they will be in....working with the artists and speakers so they are comfortable with working with interpreters in their seminars and doing whatever else i can to make things run as smoothly as i can for the great folk at ys...i tell ya i have worked with a lot of organizations through the years and ys has really stepped up to the plate to make this a great experince not only for all the hearing youth workers fixin to converge (and who are and have converged) on cincy...but they have done an amazing job to make sure that the 3 Deaf youth workers coming have just as great as an experince as everyone else....hats off to ys...especially alex who has been working behind the sceens with me on this for the last few months...wow....ys cares....but we all knew that...okay....enough...back to work....i have taken my 15 min brake now.....the whip is being cracked :-) hahaha see yall in cincy....come down front and say hey to us!

enjoy the journey....and hey if you have extra socks...yeah i didn't pack any and my feet are FREEZING....DANG!
Be blessed
lizzy<><

One Word.....

You can only use one word...
Not as easy as you may think.
1. Yourself: Freak
2. Your girlfriend/boyfriend: imaginary?
3. Your hair?: funky
4. Your mother?: teacher
5. Your Father?: best-friend
6. Your Favorite Item: none
7. Your dream last night: painting
8. Your Favorite drink: chai
9. Your Dream Car: xtera
10. The Room You Are In: hotel
12. Your fear: dark
13. What you want to be in 10 years: willing
14. Who you hung out with last night?: joe
15. What You're Not?: famous
16. Muffins: scone?
17: One of Your Wish List Items: missions
18: Time: 9:50
19. The Last Thing You Did: email
20. What You Are Wearing: jammies
21. Your Favorite Weather: warm
22. Your Favorite Book: Starving Jesus
23. The Last Thing You Ate: Mexican
24. Your Life: insane
25. Your Mood: yeah…
26. Your body: pain
27. Who are you thinking about right now? students
29. What are you doing at the moment?: “House”
30. Your summer: interesting
31. Best part of your life: Jesus

fighting the let down....

after a big weekend it always happens. never fail- the let down. slam! whap! smack! right in the face it hits. this past weekend was our last youth sunday of the year- and one of the best we have done. but it was also the one i put the most hours of work into as well. WOW- 67 hours from wednesday morning until saturday night- it was crazy- but so so worth it really. the students did an amazing job. the sanctuary looked amazing- i really believe we got the message across that i felt God wanted us to get across...now the question is did it sink in? did people listen not just with their ears but with their hearts? and if they listened with their hearts...what's next? because you see if they listened...i mean really listened things should start happening- rancid water should become a thing of the past.....but you see that is the challenge...the problem. so manytimes when the youth get up to lead worship people think it is just so 'cute' and 'precious' ....so did they really listen- because i can tell you the youth ...they got it...they understood the point of the message- we spent a month really unpacking and talking about what it was all about- time will only tell....so here is the question we asked...."what does your heart beat for?" what is it that God uniquly created you to do and what are you going to do about it? ....
with that...i am off to my prayer corner...gots a heavy heart right now
lizzy