#KidsMin from A to Z: Flexibility & Follow Up

Two days ago, my fiance' and I picked a venue and set a wedding date!  

I am so excited and relieved.  I never imagined how hard it would be to find a place that we both liked, that was big enough for all of our guests, and that was semi-affordable.  Can I just say how crazy is it that people expect you to get married in the grass on their farm, and have your reception under a barn roof for $6,000.  Does that blow anyone else's mind?  

This is our we are so excited that we finally find a place face!  Now we just have to pick the food, find a dress, find a suit/tux, pick a flower girl, decide on the flowers, find a photographer, etc... My checklists are getting out of control!  

That's why I am now two days behind on my A to Z posts!  I was busy picking out venues and my Wednesday was crazy!  We had Double Bucks night in AWANA last night and it was a lot of fun and I'm so proud of my little one's and all that they accomplished.  Here's my promo card!  Feel free to e-mail me if you would like a template (kidsmincalling@gmail.com).  

Today, I'm getting back on the bandwagon!

  A is for Attendance and Awana

B is for Butcher Paper and Bibles 
C is for Curriculum and Communication
D is for Do It Yourself

E is for Expectations

I am the epitome of what many people would refer to as a perfectionist.  When I am working I like for things to be perfect.  I don't do anything halfway, and I plan everything down to the very last detail.  No, seriously... the last detail.  I pick out color-coordinating napkins last detail.  When I am planning events, Sunday School, AWANA, anything I want everything to work out perfectly.  The first six months that I worked in Children's Ministry for full-time I was a nervous wreck.  When things didn't go perfectly, I got upset.  If the details didn't line up, I went home and felt as if I had failed.  It took me quite some time before I realized that I had to have some flexibility in my ministry.  Here's the thing, when your working with kids it isn't going to always go perfectly.  We have to be flexible!  Things will not always go as planned.  I've learned how to be flexible from watching my little one's.  They don't care when things don't go perfectly.  They just roll with the punches and keep on going.  This is what is so hard for leaders and volunteers.  

This is one of my favorite quotes.

Jesus never called us to be perfect in our ministries.

He called us to be vessels of grace.  

We can not forget that grace extends to us as well.  

Kids in our ministries want to know that they are cared for and loved.  They want to know that when they aren't in our ministries that they are missed.  Follow-up is an area that I personally have struggled in.  It's easy to let a week go by without sending out 'I Miss You' postcards.  It's easier still to let two weeks go by and then maybe three.  It's easy to forget to call and check on your volunteer who was out sick last night.  But, it's important to not let these things happen.  When your kids aren't at church for two weeks, send them a postcard and let them know that they were missed.  If your volunteers are sick, give them a call and see how they are feeling.  It isn't enough just to care for people only when they are in our building.  We have to care enough to go beyond our building.  We have to get out from our buildings and reach out to those around us. 

I've heard that one of the first things that they teach salesman is that the follow up is crucial to their success.  I've wondered why that is?  And I think it's because that the follow up is where they connect and say I really care about you and making this sale.  It's the same thing in our ministries.  Follow-up is where we show people that we care about them.  Don't let this slip by you or be forgotten about.  

Tomorrow, I'll be around for high 5 for Friday and I'll be talking all about the letter G... for GAMES!