A collection of insights posted by Reverand Leanne Hadley. http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/BlogId/5/Default.aspx en-US sarah.gerber@contentpros.com Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:00:35 GMT Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:00:35 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blog RSS Generator Version 3.2.0.29758 Advent, the four weeks prior to Christmas, is a difficult one for children who have a deployed parent. One thing you can do to help is to give them a special candle to be lit each week of Advent... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/80/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/80/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=80 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:50:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=80 I attended a halloween Party over the weekend and one of the activities for the children was to decorate pumpkins. As they worked on their pumpkins, one child shared that she had just had to throw her pumpkin at home away because it was, and I quote, "so gross...all rotten..and the grossest thing you ever saw!!!" http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/79/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/79/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=79 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:27:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=79 The other night I watched an advertisement from the United Church of Christ where people from all walks of life and all ages were singing that old finger play song--"I am the church, you are the church..." At the end of the commercial they assure those watching the ad that their church is open and accepting of all people. I am not UCC and still I cried hearing that I, with all my flaws and faults, would be welcomed unconditionally into the church. And then I felt sad thinking of all the churches who only welcome those who think and believe exactly as they do...how sad to be rejected by a church. http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/78/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/78/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=78 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:19:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=78 What I want to talk about is my trip from the airport to the college and then from the college to the airport to return home. Britt is attending William Paterson University in New Jersey, so we fly into NYC and take a car from there to New Jersey. I learned a valuble lesson riding in the car to and from the school... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/71/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/71/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=71 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:28:00 GMT 1 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=71 I recently moved to a new home. Of course I took my little parakeet, Beethoven, with me. She loves me so much! Whenever I come into the house she chirps and jumps to the front of her cage, presses her little chest against the cage so I can pet her. But ever since the move, she is different and it made me think about how I relate to God... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/70/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/70/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=70 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:29:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=70 Today, driving home from church, I nearly hit a deer with my car. It wasn't because I didn't see him, it was because he could not decide whether he wanted to cross or not...I have been thinking about how often I act the same... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/67/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/67/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=67 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:05:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=67 We just got home from a wonderful camp designed to help children who were coping and healing from the death of a loved one. We had a camp fire, made crafts and wrote in our journals. One of my favorite activities was our hope scavenger hunt. We invited the kids to walk in the woods, in silence, and look for signs of hope... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/66/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/66/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=66 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:44:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=66 I recently went to Kentucky to celebrate my grandson's birthday. I was not the only one who came to the party--his entire family was there. We all had a great time watching him meat cake for the first time, play witht he boxes his toys came in and delight at all the atgtention he was getting. Near the end of the weekend, we all decided to take a picture of all of us who had come to the party. When I looked at it, I learned a powerful lesson about family and being the family of God! http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/65/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/65/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=65 Sat, 31 May 2008 03:37:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=65 Today at church, we watched a brief "What is a Mom" video. It was very sweet! It described how mom's have unlimited patience, how they are always there to understand their children and there were all these images of mom's being so sweet, so kind and so wonderful to their kids. I have to be honest... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/64/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/64/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=64 Mon, 12 May 2008 01:56:00 GMT 0 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=64 It was my birthday on Friday and like most of us do on our birthdays, I looked in the mirror to see if I looked as old as my age indicated. And, sadly, I look my age! I was dreading the day, feeling old and wrinkled and then a little boy walked into my office... http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/63/Default.aspx http://www.1ststeps.net/Blog/tabid/619/EntryID/63/Default.aspx#Comments http://www.1ststeps.net/Default.aspx?tabid=619&EntryID=63 Sun, 04 May 2008 23:57:00 GMT 1 http://www.1ststeps.net/DesktopModules/Blog/Trackback.aspx?id=63