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spurk5532
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Name: Kirstin
Birthday: 12/17/1980
Interests: Music especially Relient K, youth ministries, my puppy Riley, Washington State, Target, National Parks, watching movies at the dollar theater, my neice Soraya hanging out with friends and my husband Benjamin!.
Expertise: Target, Relient K, Washington State, National Parks and Lewis & Clark (this is my Dad's fault)
Occupation: Director of Youth and Family M
Message: message meEmail: email me
AIM:  spurk5532
Member Since:
12/14/2004
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| Well today started out strange. Yesterday I was invited by a youth director at the Catholic church to a meeting of numerous youth directors in the area. I was super excited about this because it is always great to network and get to know other youth directors in your area and have support from people who know what you are going through. Well the get together didn't end up as I had hoped it would. I actually left the meeting very disappointed and not quite sure how to react. First of all not a single person introduced themselves to me. I had to introduce myself to everyone there. Actually one guy noticed that there was someone new at the meeting and introduced himself. Too bad that new person was someone different than me. He introduced himself to the new guy but not to me. We actually were meeting at a church that is kinda the mega church in Sandpoint and the youth director there informed me how much they loved Jeremy (former youth director at my church) and how they really missed him and hopefully they will love me too. Wow what a way to welcome me. He also went on to ask me how I was enjoying my time at First Lutheran and it sounded like he was expecting me to say it was awful and I hated it. I then went on to say that I was coming here with a clean slate realizing that maybe Jeremy didn't have the best experience but also knowing that sometimes situation happen where people and churches just aren't right for eachother and how that was the situation with the place I just left but felt like I have found a place I fit it. The response of this wonderful youth director was. "Well you know some churches say they want a youth group and then once they get them don't." What was that supposed to mean. I have a feeling it had something to do with his love for Jeremy I don't know. Anyway I just never really felt like I fit in this morning or was valued in anyway so I think I am going to choose not to be a part of this group of people. Actually the only women out of the group happened to be me and the youth director from the Catholic church and I found out later that most of the churches in Sandpoint don't have women in leadership roles. Anyway what a frustrating morning. Oh well I have made some connections with lutheran youth directors and pastors in the Coeur d' Alene and Spokane area and it sounds like we are going to get a group together there for some fellowship and support. Anyway after my meeting I got to lead chapel for the preschoolers which I do every Thursday and that made me feel alot better. Those kids are soooo cute. I love singing and laughing with them. Today we sang God is Big and The Hippo Song then we talked about the Transfiguration of our Lord in little kid terms. What fun!!! Tonight is high school youth group which I really look forward to. I really enjoy the kids here a lot and like to spend time with them. They are such good kids. It is kinda crazy how I go from the youngest to oldest kids I work with all on the same day. Anyway I love my job. This weekend I get to go to Wenatchee and see my family. My parents are throwing their annual February Birthday party on Saturday so that should be tons of fun. It just so happens that almost everyone in my family is born in February so we always have a super big party for all those February birthday folk. Anyway I love family they are the best. I should get going though because I am at work right now and should be doing work. I really miss all my friends though right now especially Rebecca. It is weird cause for the past five years of my life she has been readily available to see and for the first time it is hitting me that I can't just see her if I want to. I have known this for quite some time that this hasn't been an option but for the first time it is truely making me sad that I can't see her. Soon enough though she will be out here in Idaho and I will be able to sit and talk with her all night long about stupid stuff and and serious stuff which it seems like the most important stuff we talk about. Anyway I am gonna go now like I said I would a few lines ago so have a blessed day and I encourage you to make people feel special and valued because that is what they are in God's sight.
Kirstin
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| For all of you who are wondering I am finally in Sandpoint, Idaho. If for some reason you are reading this and haven't heard I recently accepted a job in Idaho at First Lutheran Church and Ben and I have moved to Sandpoint. We are truly loving it here so far. We feel like this is a perfect fit and hope for wonderful things to come. This past Sunday was my very first youth event and we went sledding. It was fantastic. I had so much fun and so did all the kids. There were 10 youth which is a great turn out around here. First Lutheran is a smaller church but has an amazing congregation who is very involved and has a great group of youth who I am so excited to be getting to now and working with. Ben and I are renting a three bedroom house which is so great. I am so glad to no longer be sharing a wall with other people and I love have a yard and everything else that comes with a house. Riley is also loving Idaho and the new home. He loves that he has a hallway to run down and place catch in. Anyway we would love it if anyone wants to come visit. Sandpoint is a pretty amazing little town. It is located on Lake Pend Oreille (pronounced Ponderay) and there is a beautiful sand beach for lounging and swimming in the summer and in the winter Schweitzer Ski Area is here so there is plenty of opportunities to hit the slopes. Anyway I should get back to work so I will have to write more another time. Remember always that God loves you and has big plans in store for you.
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| Well I guess I haven't really been so good at keeping up with this
thing. I will try to do a little better now but who knows.
Anyway I guess a lot has happened since August. Well I started
back at Luther and am finishing up my last two classes. I have
been looking for a job for awhile now. There was one job prospect
in Grand Rapids, Michigan but that didn't turn out so well when I found
out the pastor was having an affair with another staff member. I
was kinda bummed about that but I guess God had bigger things in store
for me. I just was offered at job at First Lutheran Church in
Sandpoint, Idaho. I am super excited about this position and
can't wait to move out there and start. The crazy thing is that
this summer while I was out at Lutherhaven Rebecca Smith had told me
that they were hiring and I should look into it, but since I still had
a semester left of school I decided not to do that. Well anyway
the months went by and I was looking on Youth Specialties website at
job postings and happened to notice that First Lutheran had posted the
job on their website and it had just been updated. So I was super excited
and sent off my resume. When I finally talked to the pastor it
turns out that someone in Wenatchee had actually given him my name
earlier this summer and he had tried to contact me but didn't know
how. How crazy is that. Also they had already gone through
the first stage of interviews and were heading into their final stage
when my resume came to them, but they were so interested in me they
decided to go ahead and interview me. I just have to say God must
have really been at work and he showed up in a big way. Isn't he
amazing. I am always in awe of all the ways he guides our lives
and places us in certain situations that will change our lives forever
(for the better of course). He is so amazingly faithful I can't
even believe it. It is in moments like these that I know that God
has this great big plan and he is working it out all for good and that
I can just sit back and enjoy the ride instead of trying to take
control. Well anyway Ben and I will most likely be moving to
Sandpoint the middle of January so I am super excited. If you
could just pray for us that moving, finding a house, starting a new job
and driving across the country in the middle of winter with a dog and a
truck load of furniture would go smoothly. I hope to talk to you
all soon!  Love Kirstin
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| Guess where I am? CAMP LUTHERHAVEN!!!! and now guess
what I am doing? Resource Staff you say, nope. Beating up
Rebecca Smith you say, not at all. Counseling, you guessed
it. If you are wondering how this happened then give me a call
sometime soon. 509-670-5266. I am having a blast though and
just though I would say hi to all my readers and let them know what I
am up to. Have a great day and remember God loves you!
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| Well I leave for Mexico tomorrow with 20 other people. I am so
excited but at the same time it doesn't really feel like it is going to
happen. It is so weird how when you have been planning for
something for over a year and it finally comes time for what you are
planning that it doesn't seem like it is really going to happen.
I guess you are just so used to planning that it is hard to transition
to doing. Anyway I am going to get cornrows today also since I
won't be able to shower the entire week. Last year on the mission
trip I just put my hair is french braids, but this year my hair is too
short for that so I am paying to have my hair put in cornrows and it is
expensive. Oh well it will be worth it. It is funny because
my mom and sister are all excited about me getting cornrows and were
asking me to take pictures of it. Well anyway that is all for
now. Back to packing and making sure I have all the stuff I need
to be in charge of 21 people on a mission trip in Mexico. Adios
Amigos.
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