Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Dear Mr. Paint Techy Guy...


Dear Mr. & Mrs. Paint Sample/Chip Technology,
Oh, to simply have someone to send this letter to with my thoughts and sadness of my interaction this past week with selecting paint colors. The journey for Shay and I started with excitement as we picked out colors for each room with thought and love. I had a dear friend even step in as an interior decorator with her eye for style. We joyfully arrived at Lowe's to pick up our first itty-bitty sample can, but yet knowing we would be back for those colors. This happy, blue sky moment was short lived and a rare fleeting moment for paint selection. We were then met with colors not matching, looking 100% different once it totally dries, coming too strong once put on all the walls in a room, or not being able to tell any difference. The moments of anguish grew with each itty-bitty sample can that was charged to the world of our debit card. I finally decided to put my foot down and pick colors...no matter what. I ordered gallons and quarts and headed on my way, spirit distraught with all the what if's of all the other color chips still to sample. Mr. Paint Technology I want you to know that the general colors have now all grown on me (except for Mr. Paris Mint in our future guest room who is still a tad to much like an easter egg) but the anguish and turmoil you caused I am not sure I can forget...so start upping your research mister because if I ever paint again (which could be soon if this mint color doesn't grow on me soon) I will beat you this time with your sample cans and paper chips in different lights. I have learned your game and will master you if we ever face again.

(*Note: this is completely random and fictious. I wrote no letter to anyone. Just a funny monologue if I could write to a Mr. Paint Techy guy)

A paint apprentice now becomes the master,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins
ashley@kanakuk.com

Monday, November 16, 2009

Just Thoughts...

Hey Kanakuk Friends!
Today, I am feeling overwhelmed and humbled. My eyes are somewhat heavy, not sure if that is from preggo night time bathroom breaks or from a spirit that is humbled from a day full of God's grace and love. Today the Lord used so many moms, dads, parents, and answering machines to bring joy to my heart. It made me think of the study my friend, Katie, and I are doing with our 7th/8th grade small group. We are doing the book below and it is a week by week study on the names of God. INCREDIBLE! I always tell the girls if they aren't getting stretched, amazed, and humbled by this book...I sure am! Every week!

This past week when I taught it was on Jehovah Jireh which is the name of God that means Provider. Boy oh boy has He made that name of His so very clear this week. He has provided so much in terms of encouragement. He has provided moments of awe of who He is...and by giving me those moments He has used many of YOU! Moms who are prayer warriors and when I hang up the phone I am left simply more humbled and more prayerful alongside them!

It's been an awesome day...even with the heavy eyes! God is so many names (seriously, get the book!) but today I am reminded and in amazement of Him as my Jehovah-Jireh: God Our Provider!


Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Kanakuk Ashley Robbins

Friday, November 13, 2009

Thinking of Thanksgiving...

Today is November 13th and it has been a quiet day here at the Kanakuk director's building. Everyone is finishing up the week of traveling and I have been working away in Branson. Today for some reason I got so excited in thinking about Thanksgiving. So I thought to myself, "Self, why not post about Thanksgiving today? It's not like you have any other ideas." So here I am. I thought as Thanksgiving gets closer I would post every once in a while about some of my favorite things about Thanksgiving. Please feel free in your heart to join me in thinking through your favs about Thanksgiving. Here are 2 to start: 1. FAMILY...I can't wait to be with family! Shay's family (only some sadly) will roll into Branson, MO and mine will be coming in as soon as Baby Girl Robbins decides to grace us with her presence. I love the laughter, love, and just connection families share. I can't wait!
2. The MACY'S Thanksgiving Parade. Oh, my heart is swelling with pure awesomeness at the thought of awakening early, making (well, "fixing" Pillsbury brand) cinnamon rolls, and watching the parade with the hubby! (if ya'll could only see the glee in my office right now just typing about the parade. My mom hooked me on this parade a very young age and as a teen I used to mock my mom for her love of the parade and now we share the passion for the parade. Mom, don't worry I'll call you during the parade to talk about if we think the singers are or are not lip singing...my brother burst that thought when I was like 17...I really thought it was live singing.
Okay, so there are 2 memories/moments I am so excited for! Join in with the glee and think of your favorite family memories of Thanksgiving...what's not to love?

Be awesome & love Jesus,

Thursday, November 12, 2009

My Mom Thoughts...

Hey Kanakuk Friends,
Goodness, sorry it has been a few days. Shay is gone this week for the Kanakuk Movie Tour (so sad not to be with him in Wichita Falls, Ardmore, Edmond, and Enid) and there was a lot to be done. This post is purely the goings of life right now...not that anyone really cares but I just didn't know what else to post about.

1. We bought a house! What!! We have lived in a precious little cabin for the past 3 years that is very close to work...very close! But the Lord totally totally opened some doors and so we are moving into a house in the next 2 weeks.
2. Our car tags had to be renewed. Some might say this is a minor but man the state of Missouri, or whoever, needs a lot of information to renew your tags for our truck. We had to get tax receipts, copy the insurance card, then I had to go get it inspected. I felt very official.
3. Doctor's appointment and a baby class. Well, yesterday was another weekly check at the doctor on still-no-name Baby Girl Robbins. So I spent the whole day up in Springfield heading to some cute stores, returning stuff, and getting fabric b/c I have a precious new friend, click HERE to see her stuff, that is making our crib bedding! Woohoo!!!
4. Got to still order a moses basket off of Target.com. Just keep forgetting but we will need that little basket to tote Baby Girl Robbins on the Kanakuk Movie Tour in January. She gets to be a part of the Kanakuk travel team! Woohoo! How much fun will that be! (fyi...she will be coming to some towns in Louisiana, then to Kansas City, Tulsa, St. Louis, and Oklahoma City)
5. Thank you notes. I grew up with a precious mom who would write a thank you note for getting a thank you note so it is very etched in my soul to write a thank you note quickly. I am a little behind but have had 2 nights of HSM 3 and Thank You Note Writing! Hysterical!

So that has been some of the things on my list this week. A little update on Baby Girl Robbins is that she is doing great. My doctor is just incredible and says that she is measuring perfectly and "turned" the right way to make her way into the world. WHAT IN THE WORLD? ME AS A MOM IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS...LAUGHTER AND TEARS OF FEAR! Just kidding, it's going to be awesome with I'm sure moments of panic and cluelessness but I'm hoping laughter will be a normal part of my life every 5 minutes once she gets here! Please be praying that she comes on time or even a little late. Shay has 1 more week of traveling to schools in Oklahoma and then will be done. I am feeling great and actually still love being pregnant. I have started to have some somewhat restless nights...last night I thought of paint colors for our new house from 4:30-6:30 am...what in the world! Sorry I wasn't very spiritual...I just couldn't stop visualizing the look of each room. So, all in all, she is on course for November 30th or somewhere around there.

Thanks for everyone's prayers and love! I can't wait for you all to meet her when you ALL return for Kanakuk K2 Summer 2010. I'll try my best to blog once she arrives to get her name and some pics up!

Be awesome & Love Jesus,

Friday, November 6, 2009

Un-Be-Lievable

This is unreal! What if we started a jump rope specialty! That would be so awesome! This is kind of long but towards the end is the crazy, awesome stuff!

Be Awesome & Love Jesus,
Kanakuk Ashley Robbins



Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Kanakuk or the Cross...

Hey Friends,
Well, as some of you know Shay & I got to travel with our good friend Keith Chancey a few weeks ago. It was such a blast and we laughed so hard that at times I thought Shay was going to have to pull over to catch his breath from laughing so hard. During this week out with our friends I also got really challenged about how I sometimes perceive/run K2 girls side. So challenged that it is making me rethink my whole approach...

The summation is this...Kanakuk should never be about a director, Joe White/Trish/me. Kanakuk should never be about this silly blog. Kanakuk should never be about the postcards or emails I try my best to send out. Kanakuk should never be about what we can do for you (that sounds awful typing but hang with me). Kanakuk is & always should be about pointing hearts, hands & feet toward the cross & heart of Jesus. I must admit sometimes in this job I get overwhelmed if I fail & forget one of your precious names or my talks in the summer are the "funniest" ever...why? My job is not for every kamper to want to be me (Lord, help us if that were true) but for every kamper to see Jesus in me which prayerfully will want them to know Jesus not Ashley Robbins. Jesus is way cooler! As I rethink ministry I see moments, sometimes long periods, where I was doing this job for kampers to know me & want to be me, come back to Kamp each year because of me. How silly and prideful! I want you all to come back to K2 because of Jesus, come back for the fellowship of encouragement, come back for the joy that fills your heart that the world steals from you for 340 days of the year, come back to be changed/refined/strengthened/loved by JESUS.

So all that to say it's making me look at ministry differently. It's making me walk each day in freedom that my job is to be hidden in the Holy Spirit and for "kampers/staff" to see Jesus and want to know Jesus...not want to know Ashley. Hello, conviction!

So there's my heart...thinking so much today of you all...I realized yesterday as I talked to a mom that junior high and high school days are so hard for you all now...but remember that the 4 years of high school are fleeting compared to living with our Lord someday! Woohoo!
Be awesome & Love Jesus,